THE 'ROCHESTER ROOM.' 137 



same which had been observed in the ground. The Justice 

 commanded the keeper of the inn, one Gilvy, who, besides 

 that he was a person notoriously affected to the Government, 

 was hkewise an officer, ' That he should not suffer those horses, 

 nor the persons to whom they belonged, to go out of thj honse, 

 till he, the said Justice, came thither in the morning, when he 

 would examine the gentlemen, who they were, and from whence 

 they came.' The Earl was quickly advertised of all that passed 

 below, and enough apprehensive of what must follow in the 

 morning. Whereupon he presently sent for the master of the 

 house, and nobody being present but his companion, he told 

 him, ' He would put his life into his hands, which he might 

 destroy or preserve : that he could get nothing by the one, but 

 by the other he should have profit, and the goodwill of many 

 friends, who might be able to do him good.' Then he told 

 him who he was ; and as an earnest of more benefit that he 

 might receive hereafter, he gave him thirty or forty Jacobus's, 

 and a fair gold chain, which was more worth to be sold than 

 one hundred pounds. Whether the man was moved by the 

 reward, which he might have possessed without deserving 

 it, or by generosity, or by wisdom and foresight, for he was a 

 man of very good understanding, and might consider the changes 

 which followed after, and in which this service proved of advan- 

 tage to him, he did resolve to permit and contrive their escape. 

 And though he thought fit to be accountable to the Justice for 

 their horses, yet he caused two other, as good for their purpose, 

 of his own, to be made ready by a trusty servant in another 

 stable; who about midnight conducted them into London-way, 

 which put them in safety. The innkeeper was visited in the 

 morning by the Justice, whom he carried into the stable where 

 the horses still stood, he having still kept the key in his own 

 pocket, not making any doubt of the persons while he kept 

 their horses ; but the innkeeper confessed they were escaped 

 out of the house in the night, how or whither he could not 

 imagine. The Justice threatened loud ; but the innkeeper was 



