& 
*) 
1810.7 
our 8000 horse. But it did not look 
hike a troop of the army’s but of the 
militia, for the fellow before it did not 
Jook at all like a soldier. In the wood f£ 
stayed all day, without meat or drink, 
and by great good fortune it rained all 
the time, which hindered therm, as f be- 
lieve, trom coming into the wood to 
search for men that might be fed. thi- 
ther; and one thing is remarkable 
enough, that those with whom | have 
since spoke of them that joined with the 
horse upon the heath, did say, that it 
rained Aitle or nothing with them all the 
day, but only in the wood wliere I Me 
this contributing to my safety. AsT we 
in the wood, I talked with the fellow 
about going to London, and asking him 
many questions about what geatlenen 
he knew, [ cid not find that he knew any 
one of quali y 1n the way towards Lon- 
don; and y’@ truth is, my mind changed 
as I lay in the wood, as Ir esolv’d to 
think of another way of making my 
escape, which was to. get over the 
Severn, into Wales, and get either to 
Swansea, or some other of the sea-port 
towns, that I knew bad commerce with 
France, to the end that I-might get over 
that way, as being a way that I ‘thoug! at 
none would suspect my taking; besides 
that, I remember several honest g gentle. 
men that, were of my acquaintance ia 
Wales, Sothatuight, as soonas it was 
dark, Rich’ Penderell and I took our 
journey on foot towards the Severn, 
intending to pass over ata ferry balf way 
between Shvewsberry and Bridgnorth; 
but as we were going in the night, w 
came by amill, where [ heard some eae 
ple talking (nem? * that I had got some 
bread and cheese the night before at one 
of the Penderell’s houses, I not going in) 
and as we conceived it was about tw velve 
or one o'clock at might, and the country 
fellow desired me not to answer if any 
body should ask me any questions, be- 
eause I had not got the accent of the 
country, but as we came to the mill, we 
et see the miller, as [ believe, sitt ting at 
the mill-door, he being in white cloths; 
it being a very dark nik ght, he eall’d our, 
Who goes there, upon which he Pen- 
derell answered, Neighbours going home, 
or some such like words; wherespon the 
miller cried out, If you be neighbours 
stand, or else [’ noek you down : ; upon 
which, we believing there was com; 
m the house, y® fellow bid me follow 
him close, and he run to agate that 
went up a dirty jane, op a hill, and 
aponng: the gate, the miller ctied aut, 
Sy 
wn Y¥ 
Scarce Tracts, Ke. - 
136 
Rogues, rogues, and thereupon some mer 
‘came out of the mill after us, who & 
believe were soldiers. So we fella run=: 
ning, both: of us up the lane, as long as 
we c4 run, il being very deep and very 
dirty, till at last Eh bid him jeap over a 
hedge and lye sull, to hear if any body 
followed us, which we did, and continued 
lying down upon the ground about half 
an hour, when hearing nobody come, we 
continued our way over to the village upon 
the Severn, where the fellow told me 
here was an honest gentleman, one Mr. 
Woolf lived in ie town, where f might 
be in great safety, for that he had hiding: 
holes for priests. But [c* not go on till 
i knew a little of his mind, wether he 
w? receive sodangerous a oinest as me, 
and therefore pie. ed ina field under 
hedge, by a great tree, commanding hiva 
not to Say it was f, but only to ask Mr, 
Woolf wether he w? receive an English, 
gent! eman, a person of quality, to hide 
him all the next day, till we c® travel 
again by wees it, for T durst not go but by 
night, ly Woolf, when tht country fei. 
plone an told him chats it was one that had 
escaped from the battle of W orcester, 
said, that for his part it was so danzerous 
a thiug to-harbour any body that was 
known, that a w? not venture his neck 
for any man, uniess it was for the king 
bimsell; upon ee R" Penderell very 
indiscreeily, and without my leave, told 
him it was J, upon Ww hich Mir; Woolf 
aoe be si? be very glad to venture 
all he had in the world to secure ine, Upon 
which R®™ Penderell came aad ae me 
what en had done, at which E was a litde 
troubled, but then there was no oe 
the day being just coming on, and ¥ musg 
either venture that, or rua some greater 
danger. So f came into the house ‘a 
back way, where [found Mr. Woolf, an 
oid gentleman, whg tald me he was very 
sorry to. see me there, because there wags 
Cwo company 's of tive millitia foot at char 
time in-arms inthe town, and keept a 
guard at the ferry, to examine every. 
body that came that way, in ex pectation 
of catching some that micht be makin 
their escape that way, and that he durst 
not put me ito any of the hiding holes 
of his. house, because they had been 
discovered, and consequently, if any 
search sh 4 be made, they wd certainly 
repair to those Roles: and that therefore, 
‘ nad no other Way ot security, bvt to vO 
to his har nr, and there lye behind his 
corn and hay. So after he had g: ven 
us some cold meat, that was re adv, we,, 
willcut masking any bustle inthe poate, 
Went 
