walke downe the stayres silently, and coming downe I found the gaurd that was apoynted to attend mee in the kitchin, making merry with drinking liberaly upon my cost, not suspecting my coming downe. By reason whereof I was not discovered as I passed by the kitchin doore, but without any further let I came to the streete doore, which was not locked yet, but onely boulted with two boults, and having unboulted it I went out, making what hast I could to the Citty gates. But it being late, about 10 a clocke at night, all the gates were shut.

Then I bent my course to the Citty walls, and ran about the same soe long till I came to a place where the battlements with sume parts of the wall were broaken downe, whereby the wall in the same place was become six foote lower then the rest of the wall. But before I was gott soe farr I heard the cryes in the streetes made by my persecutours, which doubtles were sore greeved and vexed that I was gone out of their hands without taking leave of them; therefore being senceable of that cruell intertainment which was prepared for mee in my unfortunate quarters I durst not goe farther about upon the walls for feare of my approaching ennemys, but resolving to cast myselfe upon the same God who had torne me but then out of the lyons mouth, beseeching him with all ernestnes that he would alsoe carry mee out of the same enemies sight, and send and assist mee in that dangerous but nessisary atempt of myne, which I was forced to make by leaping over that wall formerly mentioned, which was yett about 17 or 18 foote high from the ground. Thus having made another experiment of the wonderfull mercy of God I came on the ground on the other side of the wall without any hurt at all, save one small spraine I perceived in my right heele, which was by strayning a vaine as I thought. Yet was the same soone cured with the joye I was ravished withall, because of the seasonable and unexpected deliverance. Being without the wall I had a deepe moate or graffe to passe through yet before I could march any further. And seeking a passage where with most ease I might gett through I went about an houre round about on the foot of the wall, which was on dry ground, till at length I found a place where formerly their had beene built a water bearer crosse the graffe but now was broken downe, only some ruins of the foundations left yet, some above water and some under water, so that I could passe over the water upon the said ruins wadeing not above knee deepe.

Now I counted myselfe at full liberty, and being transported even above myselfe with unspeakable joy I retourned praise unto the Lord for his wonderfull dealings towards me, and resolved to march some seaven or eight leagues towards the sea side, to try whether I could meet their with any shipping wherby I might get from thence. And as I was marching on that night I lost my way, and was drawne by degrees into the middle of a great morast some two English miles broad, being misled by a supposed foot path, which had beene of use in the dry Summer tyme but none in Winter when it was altogether unpassable. Here I was wadeing up and downe to my middle, backwards and forwards all the rest of the night, even to the danger of my life, not knowing whether I went because no starrs appeared. Then I wrought myselfe through and came on dry land againe about nyne of the clock in the morning. My strength was wholy spent by this night's worke so that I was not able to goe any further before I had rested myselfe some two or three houres under a hedge. In the meane while I dryed my cloaths againe as well as I could, and made a paire of shoes of my bootes, cutting of the leggs of them, and makeing the feet servisable for shoes, that so I might be able to march with more agillity then I could with boots on my feet. Then having recollected some strength by a little rest, and refreshing my spirit with a draught of cold water (for better accomodation I was affraid to seeke in any house) I betooke me to my journey againe, in hopes that night to gett to some of those little townes which lay over against Blaye, before hue and cry after me could come thither. For their I intended to hire a boate that should have carried me by night to some of the shipps which were rideing over against Blaye.

At night an houre after sun set I got to Pullitor (which was one of the little townes I aimed at), and being tyred above measure both in body and spirit, by reason of the hard travills that I had endured both that day and the night before, I was ready to faint for some refreshment. I was fasting all that day, not dareing to aske releife of any body by the way. I was forced theirfore to venture into a taverne in that towne and aske for a pott of wine with some bread, which was brought me accordingly, not feareing in the meane tyme that the inhabittants of that place had goten any notice of my escape from Burdeaux. But before I had eaten and drunke my fill a guard of the townsmen came to secure me, haveing received a compleat discription of my person with an order to apprehend me before I came thither. By these townes-men I was kept all that night in the same house I first came into. In the meane while they sent to the next garrishon, which was Blaye on the other side of the water, giveing intemation to the Governer their of my captivity, and desiring him to take care of my examination and tryall.

Wher upon the next morning about nyne of the clock their were sent from thence for that purpose two officers, fouer comon soldiers with fyerlocks, and another hangman with two servants (for as I learned afterwards the magistrate of every place where I was apprehended was to have all my estate I had in France), and mention being made in the hue and cry after, that I had 1200 livers in some bodys hands in Burdeaux, I was by their privelidges to be tryed in the same towne, or in that jurisdiction where I was taken. The two officers tooke up their lodgeing in the next house, but the foure soldiers and the hangman with his crue were ordered to beare me company in the same rome where I was.

The evening or the beginning of the night being appointed for my tryal, the hangman made all manner of preparation in the same roome before myne eyes; and when I prayed him to be as favourable as he could to me and I would resigne all what I had about me, he promissed me upon his faith I should not be hanged before I was sufficiently tortured. Such and the like comfort I received from him and all that were neare me. Now my terrors was multeplyed againe, and my sorrows brought to the same height they were at before, I finding myselfe forsaken of all the world, and seing no less grounds of feare and dispaire then I did two dayes before at Burdeaux. I heard through out the whole day no other discourse of all that was neer me but augmentations of my greife. I laid most part of that day upon my bed, sighing and crying unto the Lord that he would not withdraw his presence from my fainting spirit. And truly giving over all hopes of life I could not solicit the Lord for another deliverance, for I thought it a vaine thing to beg for impossibillityes; therfore all the scope of my supplication was only for spirituall comfort, for increase of my wearyed patience, and for a joyfull resolution to take up my crosse, and to carry it without murmouring after my Saviour. All that weere about me tooke occation at every carriage of mine to mock and scoffe att my calamity, in so much that when somtymes they perceived my whispering upon the bed they would saie 'harke, hearke, he is very earnestly preaching and praying, let us see if he can pray himselfe out of our hands.'

The day being thus spent and the night drawing on, the hangman seeing me in a fainting condition (because I refused to take either meat or drinke all the day) was very fearfull that I should faint under his hands when he should come to worke with me at night. To that end he devised this pollisie, to perswade me to sitt downe to supper with him and