In the mean time, notwithstanding his pretences, I kept walking up and downe the roome full of feares and suspitions till eleven of the clock, and then I layd myselfe downe upon the bed in my cloathes. I was noe sooner layd but those that gaurded me sent a boy to the hangman, who because it was soe late returned this answer: that the officers who were to attend my tryall were fallen asleepe, but they would bee ready to come with him about 3 a clocke in the morning; hee desired them therefore to bee very vigilent and carefull of mee till then, least I should escape there hands. The gaurd according to these instructions used all means to keepe one another from sleeping; if one did but slumber a little the other would presently waken him againe to my greate greefe. All this while I lay in a hellish paine and anguish, expecting with horror and trembling that dreadfull howre but lately mentioned which was drawing one apace. Neverthelesse about one of the clock I felt within my selfe (doubtlesse by the Lord's instigacion who would further declare his wonderfull love to mee) a strong conceipt and an undeniable perswation that I should make another escape, althow the meanes how to perfect the same was not as yet aparent to mee. Where upon I began againe to consult with my selfe after what manner with most probability to accomplish my desires; and seeing, that unlesse my watchmen that were with mee in the roome were asleepe, it would be altogether vaine to make any attempt, I besought the Lord of all might that hee would with his alsufficient power to cast them into a sleepe while I should indeavour to gitt from amongst them. Thus I lay in expectacion with a watchfull eye, I making all signes of them of sleepe, till the Lord was pleased to answer mee graceously.
About two of the clock I found them all fast asleepe, both the fowre souldiers which sate about mee before the fire, and the two servants of the hangman which lay on a bed in the other end of the roome. As soone as I perceived it, I hasted to make use of this oportunity, and took both the sheetes of the bed, tying them togeather with the two corners, and slitting the other corner of the sheete assunder, that with the more conveniency I might tye it about the midle frame of the window (for the lower end of the pertition of the windows in these parts have wooden sutters without glassing). Having thus prepared the way, I stept out of the window in the name of the Lord, and let myselfe downe by the sheets, having my shooes in my mouth, till I came to the ground. Here I would make noe long stay soe much as to put on my shoose, but betooke myselfe presently to my heeles, and ran as hard and as long as breath would hould out. I was not gon full muskett shott from the house, before I heard the cry and alarem in the towne after mee. Suspecting that I was gone towards the River to looke for shipping, they persued mee up and downe the River side, as I could guese by the barking of the doggs in those townes and villages which lay in the water side. But the night being darke and I taking my course directly to the land side, I perceived none to come after mee that way, soe I marched peaceably all that night towards Bourdeaux againe, with an intencion to try whether I could gitt in some evening tyme, and find out a shipper with whome I might agree to take mee along with him beyond sea for a sume of mony.
In the morning after breake of day I lodged my selfe in a wood, and continued there till 2 a clock in the afternoone. But being weary of fasting, and thinking the inhabitants which lived soe farr from the water side would not have had any notice concerning mee, I put of my gray coate (which was mentioned in the hue and cry) and carreing it under my arme, I ventured out of the wood, and kept on my way till about 4 of the clock to an open village which was about 4 leagues from Bourdeaux. There I went into a taverne, and called for a pot of wyne with some bread to refresh my tyred body withall; the wyne was brought to me presently, but as for the bread I was to stay for it till they had fetched the key, which was some where in the towne. But insted of fetching the key they went to fetch halfe a dozen troopers that were quartered in the same towne, and some of them in the same house (for I saw five greate sadle horses standing in the stable) for to aprehend mee whilst I was staying for the bread. Not having forgotten yet my former miscarriages, I mistrusted by the wispring of those that were in the house, that there was a new plott preparing against mee, the which suspition caused mee to pay for my wine, and soe hasten out of the house.
As soone as I came out in the streete, I saw five of the troopers coming downe the towne. They called to me desiring me to stay, but I taking noe notice of their calling, went on a strong pace, yet without running, till I came about the corner of a close; then I ran in hast behind a hedge, where I made a version of my waye, and turned quyt back againe, till I came to the end of the towne where I first came in. There I went into a garden, and kreept (as I thought unknowne to any body) into the bottome of a hedge. The troopers before I gott to this hedge, were gotten on horse backe serching for mee with great rage. They crossed the fields thereabouts till darke night, and having missed their ayme after this manner, they caused all the villages within a league round about to watch and keepe a gaurd that night, barricading with carts and ladders the highwayes in all places where there was any considerable passage, for the fields were all inclosed with thick and unpassible hedges. I lay in the meane time securely in the hedge bottome, thinking that noe body had knowne of my being there, till there came a lustie cuntry man, who having seene mee to creepe into the hedge walked all the while I was there in the garden, taking noe notice of mee in the hedge; and as soone as it was darke, hee approached towards mee, and thrusting mee with a staffe desired mee to come forth. Soe when I came forth, I besought him to lett mee goe, and I would give him all that I had. Hee being willing to grant my desire asked mee presently, where my goods were? I tould him in the bottome of the hedge; for having seene mee to carry a bundle under my arme, which was my short coate, hee thought that the richest plunder that I had would bee in the bundle, by reason of that he bad me goe whither I pleased, he would be no hinderance unto me. While he went to looke for his booty I hasted away. Then I went all that night out of one close into another, not being able to get through, the guards weere so strictly kept upon all the high wayes.
About breake of day I betooke myselfe to a ruinous chappell wherof the walls were only standing, the ground within in most places was overgrowne with nettles, which weere my shelter for all that day till the afternoone. About two of the clock, being ready to starve for cold because of my thin cloathing, and having perceived no body all the day to come to so sollitary a place, I went forth out of the corner in which I had hid myselfe till then. I went into the middle of the chappill where I had place to walke by short tournes, therby to gett some heate into my quakeing body. As I was walking in the middle of my walking their came a countryman with a short crooked bill in his hand; him I prayed after many other discourses, that he would be a meanes to conduct me to the water side, which was within a league, from thence to transport me on the other side the River, and I would give him tenn pistolls for his paines, if he would not betray me. This man did seme to like my motion well, and promised me with many oaths to be faithfull to me, desiring me not to stir from the place till at night, as soone as it was darke, he should come to fetch me. After this fellow was gone I began to consider within myselfe that I could looke for no reall dealing from him, but that he intended either to deliver me into the custody of my persecutors, or else to destroy me privately in the night, and so to make a prey of me for his owne profitt; for if I had put myselfe after this manner into his power, wherby all that I had in my custody became to be at his disposeing, he could not but hope to reape a greater game by killing me then by keeping his promise with me. Therfore not thinking it safe for me to continue theire till night, I resolved an houre after he was gone to seeke some other hideing place.
Thus deserting the said chappell I fell into a high way, which of necessity I was forced to keepe, by reason of the thick hedges and deep ditches on both sides of the way. Before I had gon far I mett with a barricade cross the way, made with carts and ladders the night before, but now it was without any guard. Seing this I concluded that their was not so strict watch kept for me by day as by night, the which emboldened me to continue my march in hopes to passe all the inclosed feilds before night, to reach the champion country, where I could not bee blocked up in the maner I used to bee among the hedges and ditches. Now when I had even overcome those difficult wayes among the hedges, and was now upon the brim of a large champion country, I sought about the hedges for some hiding place where I might be obscured till darke night. But before I could find a place fitt for my turne, I was discovered by a contry man coming from the feild, who dwelled hard by where I was; who as soone as hee gott a vew of mee hee came rounding towards mee with a long crooked bill, and made mee to goe along with him to his house, where I saw never another man, but fowre or five women, whereof one was his mother, who did curse and revile mee in a most abhominable manner. A maid was presently sent to some officers in the parish for more helpe, for his house stood by it selfe in the field far from neighbours. In the meane time the good man gave mee a glasse or two of wine, and a little crust of bread, which after two dayes fasting, was some though not considerable refreshment to mee because it was noe more. Taking noe delight of the ayre in the house I could not have patience to sitt downe, though much intreated, but sought to walk up and downe rather without the dores then within. After that I had bin there about halfe an howre, the maid that went for more helpe, returned with news, that some more men would be there immeadiatly. Now the day and night were even parting, darkenes increasing apace, whilst I still continued to walke, with many intreaties that hee would dismis mee, promising him 20 pistolls for his reward, but I could not prevaile with him. At length the ould woman came forth full of indignacion, rayling and chiding him for walking in the darke without armes in his hands. The good sone, taking his mother's witt for the best, willingly yeilded to her instructions, and prayed her to stay with mee till hee went to fetch his fowling peece; thus having resigned me to his mother's care, he went to fetch his gun in the house. I kept in the mean time of his absence a slow walke while the ould woman full of jealousy followed mee close at the heeles mandring, and when I guessed what tyme her sone might be got up the stayres, I made use of my leggs on a suddaine, and ran into a plaine champion feild, which was on one side of the house, with all possible speed, leaving the ould woman behind in a distracted and raging condition, clamering and taking on as one out of witts. Before her good sone could gitt downe to see what his mother ayled, I was out of reach of his gun, and out of sight, making soe many crooked turnes in my passage that they might not know where to follow mee.
Thus being at liberty again I made full account to bee at Bourdeaux against the next morning. To which end I marched all the night, making noe stay in any place, but in the morning when I thought my selfe to be neere Bourdeaux, I perceived my selfe to bee two leagues directly backward further from Bourdeaux, then I was in the evening before I made myne escape. And finding my selfe in a wood through which I had passed two dayes before, because it was an extraordinary thick misty night, which was a meanes that I knew not how to deserne the east from the west by moone or starrs whereby I might have directed my course according to my intentions, the day being at hand I durst not venture to march farther for feare of being discovered, but lodged my selfe in a greate thicked of thornes, for I feared to be discovered in the wood. I lay hiden till about two of the clock in the after noone some cattle came neere mee, which following an ould over growne path for grasse, and forcing through directly upon me, made me run forwards out of the thicked, for I feared the boyes that kept the cattle would follow them in the reare, and the thornes and bryars were soe thick and soe closely growne togeather that it was impossible for mee to creepe through on eather side. Soe being driven by these brute beasts out of the private receptacle into a more perspicuus place, I fell presently into the vew of some boyes that looked to the cattle, whereof some went presently to make knowne that I was in the wood. Not long after the wood was besett, and all the high wayes, by which unavoydably I was to pass whensoever I should offer to gitt out from thence, were strongly gaurded by the countrymen living thereabout.
Now I found myselfe as bad as taken againe; for though I could not be easily found out and aprehended in the wood, by the many impassable thicketts therein, yet could not I hide my selfe from hunger and cowld, which were now my greatist enemyes following mee close whether soever I went or turned my self. I went all the night from one end of the wood to the other, trying all the passages round about, whether I might nott make my way through any of them, butt the guards being soe stronge and vigilant I wearied my self to noe purpose that whole night. In the morning I retired myself into the thickest and most retired parte of the wood, and continued there till evening, nott appearing to anybody all that day, except some hounds which belong'd to the lord that lived close to the wood side came hunting to mee, but having looked upon mee with silence they went away. The night drawing on the gaurd about the wood were sett as strong and as many as the night before, wherby I was deprived of all hopes of escape; and seeing before mee in case I continued in that condition any longer, nothing else but present and unavoydable distruction both of health and life, because I had bin without releefe both of meate and drinke now about the space of fowre dayes, I thought it more expedient for mee to make myne escape by some desperate meanes, though there were never soe little probability in them, rather then to yeild my selfe to those of whom I could expect noe comfort then what those cruell and most exquisit torments they had prepared for mee accompaned with a most ignominous death would have afforded mee. I resolved therefore to cut two bundles of bulrushes upon which I could presume to swim over the river of Garrone which was about two English myles from the wood. But before I came to the River I was to pass through a greate moras about halfe a myle broad, running all along close by the wood side, which side was not gaurded by the contrymen, because the morast it selfe tho unknowne to mee was a sufficient gaurd to keepe mee from running away. Thus I tooke two bundles of rushes, and went into the said morast; which though it proved soe deepe and soe dificult that I sunck to my midle in the quagmire, where I should have bin past getting out againe if it had not bin for the bundles of bulrushes which supported mee whilst I recoverd myselfe, yet could I not be diverted from my resolution, till after I had wrought my selfe almost through the midle of it, and soe was forced to returne from whence I came.
Being come to the wood againe, wet to the midle and exhausted all my strenght, I sate under a tree, examining and bewayling my mesirable and hopeles condition. I counted my selfe reduced to that extreamity wherein infallibly I should have perisht, being opressed with hunger within and seeing the whole creation against me without, soe that in naturall reason I could not see how or by what meanes I might have the least hope, either for my restoration or for my present sustenance. I sent up to heaven many earnist and importunate requests that the Lord would bee pleased to shorten my mesiry or else to worke some meracle for my dileverance and present releife. Now although I earnestly wished and confidently expected my disolution, which I thought would have befalne mee that night or sudenly after, in soe fainting a condition I was in (for besides the failing of my strenght being hindred soe long from sleep both by feare and cowld, I was not onely uncapable of my reason, but alsoe careles and altogeather weary of my life), yet would I, I know not by what naturall instinct, seeke to gitt some ease for my almost senseles body, as long as occation would give way to it.
Knowing therefore that under the wood side at the end of the said morast there stood a lord or gentlemans house which had some stabling about it, I endeavored to repaire to one of the stables for some shelter, whereby I might defend my selfe from the extreamity of the ayre, which was very sharp then; and coming into the stables I went round about groaping and feeling all along the wall for a private place to hide my selfe. At length I met with a scaffold in the corner raised a foote and a half from the ground, and climing upon the same I passed likewise along the wall till I did tread with my foote upon a little bagg wrapped up in an ould coate, the which after I had taken up and unwrapped I perceived to be a bagg full of scrapps or crusts of bread as are used to bee gathered of the table after meales, weiging some 4 or 5 pounds. This singular providence of the Lord had such a reflection upon my body and sperritt, as that whereas before I might have bin counted halfe dead, now I received a new life againe. Now having gott both bread to sattisfie the rage of my hunger for three or fowre dayes, and covering to defend my selfe from the vehement cowld, I could not bee overjoyed of the sight of this wonderfull mercy of God without which, in my conjecture, I was absolutely to perish. This unexpected releife gave such comfort to my drooping spirit as that I was confidently assured there by that the Lord had thoughts of peace and not of distinction to mee, however hee suffered mee to bee under the cloud of affliction at present, having found such a booty. Taking away the said things theirfore I went with a light hart to the wood againe, takeing along with me a burthen of straw wrapped into the coate least by scattering of it I should be dogged out againe; and when I had fetched another burthen of straw I lodged myselfe in a private place in the wood, and pulling of my wett cloaths I wrapped myselfe into the long coate I had found in the stable. In this manner I made a poore shift to keepe my selfe from starving that night.