APPENDIX. 121 



gin that serves Windsor Castle with water upon the account of 

 some boons, and some reimbursments I had gott of King Charles in 

 about a year and a half's time before my going over into France. 

 And one of the boons was 150/. which payd for the jewel hee gave 

 mee for pleasing him with the engine, and in remembrance of old 

 services, which jewel I was forced to pawn and part with at Paris to 

 furnish myself with money to bring mee back to England. 



As an addition to all these misfortunes, having charitably redeemed 

 a certain woman (whose moralls I then knew not at all) from perish- 

 ing in a prison, was inhumanely betrayed by her, under a pretence 

 of gratitude, into a vain expectation of marrying an heiress of 20 

 thousand pound. And swallowing too greedily the gilded bait, it 

 proved my utter ruin. 



I know it is objected against mee, that I have been extravagant 

 in expences with several wines. And I must confess, that was the 

 only content I had in the world, all other things proving cross and 

 full of trouble and bitterness. Besides that, I never frequented either 

 tavern, or kept in pension women of pleasure. And what money 

 ever came to my hands, excepting about 6 or 700/. per annum, in 

 my family or relating therein, went amongst workmen of all sorts, 

 for engins and chargeable experiments to please and divert His Ma- 

 jesty ; or else for secret service, which were often very considerable 

 sums. Somewhat may bee judg'd by the paper (E). I am sure I 

 have now hardly left ten shillings in the world. 



After all I would fain retire and spend my life in a Christian so- 

 litude, and heartily beg you to lend me your helping hand, to have 

 my condition truly represented to His Majesty, whereby you will 

 highly and for ever oblige 



Your most affectionate, humble and faithfull servant, 



S. MOELAND. 



May 3rd. 1689. 



P.S. There is one thing that I omitted in the abbreviat of my 

 own history, which is, that when I did engage to serve the late 

 King Charles 2nd, and did reveal some conspiracy against his life, yet 

 at the same time I plainly sent him word that it was upon con- 

 dition, that I might never be call'd to bear witness against any of the 

 conspirators, if upon his restauration, they should happen to bee ar- 

 raigned at the barr of justice. And when Sir H. Vane was ordered 

 to bee brought to his tryall, the Attorney-Generall did indeed send 

 for mee, and did very much press mee in privat (and that in the 

 King's name) that I would appear as a witness against him, foras- 

 much as His Majesty had been informed that I was privy to many 

 transactions, where the said Sir Henry Vane was principally con- 

 cerned, that would by the law of England bee adjudged high treason. 

 But my answer to him was this, that I hoped His Majesty would 

 remember his promise, that not a hair of their heads should ever 

 be toucht upon any account. Besides that I would rather be prest to 

 death than come in judgment against either him or any other, whose 

 designs I had formerly discovered. And thereupon went home to 



