at Bourdeaux about 4 of the clock in the afternoone, where the gaurd that came with mee from Blaye was discharged, and I carried to a greate house in the Citty, which I tooke to be a house of entertainment because a great supper was their prepared for my sake, though without myne order, and likwise three of mine adversaryes being Rochellers intended to lodge their. But before we came to the house, because they would spare no meanes to increase my terrors they called the hangman, because our way fell out by his doore, recomending me to his care; who very courteously received me, promissing and engageing to me all his abillityes to be ready for my service. After I was lodged and sufficient care taken for me in the said house, myne accusers were very busye in provideing all necessaryes for my examination; wherupon severall persons to the number of seaven or eight did appeare their an houre before supper tyme, and went into a roome by themselves to advise upon the questions they intended to put unto me. And againe by the tyme that we had made an end of our supper the hangman came also, with two of his servants or attendants bringing his instruments along with him. After supper was done I was called to those eight men that were come to try me; for they continued their ever since they came, and supped also in a roome by themselves, but I and myne accusers supped in another roome. And when I came in unto them they demanded of me from whence I came, whither I intended, what my expeditions were in Burdeaux, what my aquaintance were that I had their, item what countryman I was and of what profession, whether I had skill in the Lattine tongue, whether I had beene long in France? Other frivolus questions they put to me, viz. where I had beene in such a yeare and at such a tyme of that yeare, what my busines had beene their, where my parents lived; and many other trifleing demands they asked me. Myne answers to all these questions they tooke in writing, on purpose to propound them againe to me in the midst of my tortures, where in case I had not answered according to trueth they thought it would be impossible (as indeed it would have falne out so, for to speake the trueth in all things did not consist with my safety at that tyme) for me to remember the same expressions to all those questions they had made to me, that so having found me in severall tales they might have the stronger grounds of their suspition against me.

Thus haveing made an end of this examination of myne they replyed, that those answers of myne had no conformity with those informations which upon sufficient grounds they had received conserning me; for said they, I had endeavoured to deny my native country, affirming myselfe to be a Germain, notwithstanding that I was an Englishman. Item that I denyed that ever I had any relation to the English army, although they were assured without contradiction that I was an officer of that army, and had beene upon service with the same in Scotland. Item that I had denyed to have any correspondence with any of the inhabitants of Burdeaux and Rochell, whereas it was not possible that I should travaile to so far a country without some recomendation at leastwise to some marchant; and since I had refused to relate the trueth in these things I must of necessity be guilty of some great designe or conspiration against their country, the which to prevent they did hold it their duty both to their kinge and country to bring me to a cleare confession by all possible meanes. Wherupon they desired me to resolve unto them without fraud or deceit these following questions. By whom I was sent thither? 2^ly what myne instructions were for my expedition? 3^ly what correspondency I had in Rochell and Burdeaux? 4^thly what charge I had in the English army, and lastly in whose hands those 1200 livres were which according to their well grounded information I had at my disposeing at Burdeaux? This last query was meerly devised by my accusers on purpose to begett in the coveteous magistrate a more earnest desire to afflict me with the more cruell torments, which might (as it often happeneth) cause me to confesse even such things as perhaps I was not guilty of, and so to be willingly condemned to dye rather then to suffer the intollerable greife and anguish of tortureing, which neverthelesse in themselves without any further condemnation would have prooved destructive to my life; for they myne accusers were after my conviction to have all the meanes that I had about me for their good service they had done in betraying of me, although in myne examination they were never brought in to confront me for all that I earnestly begged it.

After that I had given them answers to every one of their questions and suffitiently argued the groundless charges they had conveined against me, they refused to reason any longer with me, but desire me to repaire into the other roome where I was afore, saying that I should finde another examinator, unto whom I should be more ready to reveale the trueth then I had beene to them. Thus I retourned into the said roome where I found the hangman making his instruments ready for the worke, and myne accusers; who being ravished with joy because they had brought their designe to an expected end, continued to increase the sadness of my spirit with many insolent and hart breaking expressions, and drinking an health to my confusion, another to my speedy journey to the gallows. Now the temptations of that day (which was a day of distresse and unspeakable greife to me) came to their height; now fearfullnesse and trembleing came upon me and horror overwhelmed me; here the sorrows of death incompassed me and the paines of hell gott hold on me; here I was to goe through the fire and water, and to make choyce of destruction for myne inseperable companion. To describe the heavinesse of my spirit and the sorrowes of my hart I was in at that instant I know not where to begin, nor where to conclude, nor where to finde signeficant words to make a true and propper expression of the matter; only I say they were such as that I cannot without astonishment of heart thinke of them, nor reflect upon them with my mind in a serious consideration without teares of joy.

Now when I was past all humane helpe and comfort, wanting both time and place and the use of myn understanding (which was then wholly suppressed and stupified by hellish feares) to thinke upon any project for an escape, I leaned myselfe out of a window, having noe other place or conveniencie for any private meditacions, and tooke myne onely refuge to him who is an helper to the oppressed, a protectour to the forlorne, and a saviour of them that are without helpe, with confident perswacion that hee was both able and wise enough to deliver mee out of the hands of myne enemies, though they were never soe many, and though noe hope at all apeared in my sight for my deliverance, if it seemed good in his eyes to doe soe. But if by his eternall decree, I was to drinke this bitter cup of affliction, my onely request to him was then, that with his strenght hee would appeare in my weaknes, and worke a conformity betweene mine and his owne will, that with a contented minde I might take this cupp from his hands, and glorifie his name for his dispensacions.

I had noe sooner withdrawne my selfe from the window, but God, who had given eare to my crys, sent an instinct into my mind to try whether I could gitt privatly downe the stayres whilst all the companie in the same roome were tryumphing and rejoyceing in my mesiry. The which motion I went immeadiatly to put into execucion, and made foure or five turnes up and downe the roome, taking every time in my walking alsoe the lenght of a long gallery which crossed the rome running streght out of the doore, wherby I conteyned myself in every turne a little while out of there sight, which afterwards caused a carelessnes in them not to looke presently after mee when I went for good and all. At length I tooke the oppertunity to