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BEing (as I tould you before) arrested, and clapt vp in the Iayle, from whence you baild mee, I saw and ob¦serued many strange, and almost incredible practises of
our Kéeper, a good com••y proportioned man, and fit for all companies but good mens, to whom he was a mortal ene∣my▪ Cut purses, and men of that qu••ll••ty that wanted no money, were debarred of no liberty: the Orchard to walke in, the Gardain to shoot or vowle in: Prouided their fellows abroade, now and then visited them, and forgot not the Keeper, they had al things at command. Amongst man, of these (to a well knowne, yet wi••ckt at) I obser∣ued one notable peece of villany, and that was this.
Our Kéeper (as I said) being a b••••n Companion, as they terme it, and one that would rather take two purses, then loose one, was in leagued with all the night wanderers of the Countrey: And it hapned a couple of rancke riders, that liued onely vpon Mooneshine Euenings, and misty mornings for bidding a gentleman stand instéed of good-morrow, were apprehended, and committed to prison: where hauing store of Crownes, the Kéeper and they were haile fellow, well met, which continued till their gold fell to an ebbe: well, liue they must, and fare of the best they will, and money they haue none: Now marke how rea∣dy this crafty Arch-uillaine Corruption is, to take hold vp∣on the least occasion that makes for his benefit.
They seeing the condition of their Keeper to bee as most men are, couetous of Crownes and on ••hat thought the sauour of gain sweet, though gathered from the smoke of Chimneys. One day trayning him into the Garden, began to breake with him to this purpose; Sir so 〈◊〉〈◊〉, we are Gentlemen, and hold you a man of so good an•• wel t••mper'd constitution, that wee intend to trust not onely our hope of life, but very heart and soule of our secrets in∣to your bosome, and will you but obserue one course that we haue plotted in our thoughts, you shall not onely high∣ly pleasure vs, but without any noted preiudice, much ad∣uantage your self: The Kéeper ready of ••referment, tooke hold of the last word (vantage) and his gréedy thougts like a woman with child, longed till they saw their déere begot∣ten babe Commodity borne.
Therefore in a resolue, not onely to conceale, but with
the vtmost strength of his indeauours, to assist and fur∣th••r their procéedings of what condition so••uer. After a pottle of wine sent for into the Arbor, hée desired them to unpart their secr••ts, which briefely tended to this effect; Sir (quoth one of these goodfellows) you sée our meanes begi•• to grow shor••, and by reason of our restrained liber∣ty we canno•• get abroade to increase it: would it lay in my power (quoth the Kéeper to helpe it, why so it doth, quoth the other, and thats the very end of our suit, I know you haue a couple of good geldings in your stable, l••nd vs them for a day or two, and to colour our absence, giue it out that we are sicke, and kéep our chambers, and let vs alone, there shall not a passenger of any sort passe, till his purse hath paid vs tribute, If we feare any pursuit, your Iayle is as safe as a Sanctuary: Graunt but this, and you shal haue your full share, absent, or present, as déep as any. The Iaylor in a full carows of the best blood of the grape, sware to conceale, and what in him lay, to aide their attempt. Twas pitty of his life (answered Feedewell) but what suc∣cesse had they in their practise? Long they continued that hellish exercise, and so much they presumed vpon their vn∣expected Sanctuary, they would not let any passe, but as the prouerb is, All was fish that came to the net: somtimes they staid out a wéeke, somtimes more, or lesse, but still their comming home paid for all: for they neuer came emp∣ty; but laden with golden bags, like bées to the hiue. At last (for so long goes the pitcher to the water, that it comes broken home) it was their chance to meet, and set vpon a Gentleman & his two men, fitted with a thousand marks, which was the same man, that at ••irst was the cause of their imprisonment, and in the hurly burly one of their vi∣zards fell off, by which the gentleman presently knew him, and had a shreud gesse at the other. They not regarding any such matter, being sped of their purpose, set spurres to their horse sides, and by some od by-waies, rid a full fling to their Randeuow, the Kéeper himselfe being at that in∣stant in their company. They gon, the gentleman straight imagined by the smoake whereabout the fire was, sent
his man to the next Iustice for a warrant, to call such pri∣soners before him, to answere to further obiections, by him to be alleadged. The Fellow spared no horse-flesh, but hauing got the warrant drawn, ouertooke his Master en∣tering the Iayle doore, ••ug in the edge of the euening: ••ell to be short, they knock at the Castle gate, cald for the Kée∣per, word was brought he was cod from home, well, out he drawes the warrant, and by vertue of the contents, commaunded two such prisoners at such a time, and by such a man, for such an offence committed: should without any stay be brought that presēt euening before the Iustice, Answere was made, the two Gentlemen (with griefe as it séemed, for their offence) were sorely sick, and had for two daies togeather k••pt their beds: This report gaue full shape and proportion to his former suppose: well they knockt at their Chamber doore, no answere was m••de: with the aide and authority of the Constable, they broke it ope, but the Prisoners could not be found. the good wife and seruants were questioned about their depart, they knew nothing, but imagined the thieues had secretly broke prison. Vpon this search has made round about the chā∣ber, but no likely meanes for their escape could be found, which confi••med the Gentlemans thoughts. Well downe they went with an intent to place a strong watch about the Iayle, and whom should hee méet at the stayers foote, but the honest Kéeper, and his two sickly prisoners, whom no sooner spied the gentleman, attended by officers, but their blood left their faces, and their harts fell into their héeles, as the prouerb is. Well, the Constable by vertue of his authority, arrested ••hem all of flat felony. At which the Iaylor began to storme, and told him both he and the gen∣tleman should déerly repent his wrong, being as honest a man as himselfe, and began to relate how the two Felons (vnknown to him) brake Prison, and stole his geldings secretly out of his stable, and that hee had spent so many crownes, and rod so many horses to death in their quest: and if they had before his comming robd him of his mo∣ney, he was sorry, but there it was, and what was dimini∣shed
should be restored, and they satisfie his wrongs with their liues, this bould or rather impudent excuse (the Con∣stable hauing a good opinion of his former conuersation) past with them for currant, and séeing their Commission strecht no further then these two, they wold by no meanes take charge of the Kéeper: the other two they carried to the Iustice, who (as it séemed) touched with the singer of remorse, confessed the iust manner of their procéedings. And what (quoth Feedewell) became of the Hoa••••? Fea∣ring (as indéed it came to passe) that they would reueale his practise, he put money in his purse, and offered to flye, but was quickly surprised, and at the next Sessious, out of his owne Office condemned, and most worthily han∣ged. They all replyed that it was too fauourable a death. At the end of this tale they were all about to sing Loath to depart: Nay stay (quoth Nemo) and for a parting blow ile tell you one mad pranke more of a Searcher, done not long since at London: but because I will not bee trouble∣some,, ile knit it vp in three words, &c.