After the good old Puritan custom of contumelious reviling, in which clergymen, laymen, and legal lights alike joined, Madam Knight could show a rare choice of epithets and great fluency of uncomplimentary description when angered. Having expected to lodge at the house of a Mr. DeVille in Narragansett, and being refused, she writes thus of the DeVilles:—
I questioned whether we ought to go to the Devil to be helpt out of the affliction. However, like the Rest of Deluded souls that post to ye Infernall denn, Wee made all possible speed to this Devil’s Habitation; where alliting, in full assurance of good accommodation, wee were going in. But meeting his two daughters, as I suposed twins, they so neerly resembled each other both in features and habit and look’t as old as the Divel himself, and quite as Ugly. We desired entertainment, but could hardly get a word out of ’um, till with our Importunity telling them our necessity &c they call’d the old Sophister, who was as sparing of his words as his daughters had bin, and no or none, was the reply’s he made us to our demands. Hee differed only in this from the old fellow in tother Country, hee let us depart. However I thought it proper to warn poor Travaillers to endeavour to Avoid falling into circumstances like ours, which at our next Stage I sat down and did as followeth:—
May all that dread the cruel fiend of night
Keep on and not at this curst Mansion light
Tis Hell: Tis Hell: and Devills here do dwell
Here Dwells the Devill—surely this is Hell.
Nothing but Wants: a drop to cool yo’re Tongue
Cant be procured those cruel Fiends among
Plenty of horrid grins and looks sevear
Hunger and thirst, But pitty’s banish’d here.