60 



Murder in the Seventeenth Century. 



Then he goes on to state that he was transferred to a Turkish ship, 

 and having been in her for some time—he did not know for how 

 long— he reached Smyrna. There he and those with him, also kid- 

 napped (he does not say how many) were taken to a slave repository, 

 and afterwards sold a third time : he, as a surgeon (having said he 

 understood a little of medicine) to a physician who lived near that 

 town and cultivated cotton plants. This man was eighty-seven 

 years old, and said he knew Crowland, in Lincolnshire, and, with one 

 exception, treated him well, and gave him a silver bowl. He died, 

 however, after a year and three-quarters, and then Mr. Harrison 

 escaped to Smyrna. He managed, through the sale of his bowl, to 

 bribe a sailor to conceal him in the hold of a ship bound to Lisbon. 

 There he was put ashore penniless. He concludes as follows : — 



_ "I knew not what course to take, but as Providence led me I went up into the 

 city, and came into a fair street ; and being weary I turned my back to a wall 

 and leaned up on my staff, over against me were 4 gentlemen discoursing together : 

 after a while one of them came to me and discoursed in a language I°kne°w not 

 answering in English, he said he was an Englishman, and that he understood me' 

 He was born near Wisbeach in Lincolnshire. Then I related to him my sad 

 condition and he taking compassion on me took me and provided me lodging and 

 diet and procured me a passage for England and bringing me on ship boat'd he 

 bestowed wine and strong waters on me and at his return gave me 8 stivers and 

 commended me to the care of the master of the ship, who landed me safe at Dover 

 from whence I made shift to get to London, whence being furnished with 

 necessaries I came into the country. Thus Honored Sir I have given you a true 

 acc* of my great sufferings and happy deliverance by the mercy and goodness of 

 God, my most gracious Father in Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer to 

 whose name be ascribed all honour, praise and glory. I conclude and rest your 

 Worship's in all dutiful respect 



"William Harbison." 

 The " Honored Sir " mentioned in the above statement was Sir 

 Thomas Overbury, of Bourton, a Gloucestershire magistrate, who 

 afterwards sent it with a letter to his kinsman, Dr. Shirley : — 



" 1 have herewith sent you, a short narrative of that no less strange than 

 unhappy business, w h some years since happened in my neighbourhood the truth 

 of every particular whereof I am able to attest and I think it may well be 

 reckoned amongst the most remarkable occurrences of this a°-e 



" Bourton August 23rd 1676." 



The account was published, and a century later was quoted by 

 Eugene Aram, at his trial. 



