Our House being publique, we entertained all Comers; amongst the rest, there came a Sayler, who had had the Fortune to meet with a prize; and he for his own share had two hundred pounds Sterling. This was so tall a Fortune as was unusual to be the possession of an ordinary Sayler; and he chancing in at our house, my Father was very desirous to rid him of his mony: he acquainted my Mother with his purpose, and told her, that this Fellow would make a very good Fortune for me their Daughter; and they might by means of this live more plentifully then ever. The Fellow soon expressed a great deal of love for me, which my mother taking notice of, told me of her own and my Fathers intentions, and bid me prepare to entertain his love, for they designed him for my Husband; she advised me to be free and courteous to him, but by no means to let him proceed further then the ordinary civility. I promised her all obedience, and she was very diligent and watchful over me. My sweet heart was very sweet upon me, and would fain have been dealing with me, as Merchandize, bidding very fair for me, but I resolved to have all or none; would not let him have a bit, but what was lawful: he being thus stopt, was the more earnest; and at length, rather than lose me, agreed to have me at my own terms which was marriage; which at length was fully agreed upon. But my qualmes encreasing as did my belly, my Mother suspected somewhat was the matter, and therefore took me strictly to task; and so wrought with me; that I confessed I had been sporting with my former sweet-heart; this news much startled her; but she who had passed many such brunts, soon found out a remedy; and told me that if I would be wholly ruled by her, she would still warrant the business should go on prosperously enough; for, said she, I will direct you to carry your self, so as the loss of your Maiden-head shall not be discovered; and as for your great Belly, we will when you are marryed, send your husband to Sea before your time of delivery: and in the mean time, we will manage all matter cunningly enough. My Mother having thus encouraged me, I prepared for the wedding day, which was soon after appointed; which being come, and night also, we went to bed; and there my Bride-groom going about to enjoy me, I counterfeited all kinds of simplicity; I cryed, sob’d, and screeked out; and he had much ado, with puffing and blowing, and sweating, to possess himself of me. I had all the marks and symptoms of untouch’d Virginity; and the more to beguile him, notwithstanding all his fair words, and endeavours, I made so great a noise as raised my Mother; who coming into our chamber, found me in swound; from which she soon brought me, by rubbing me with Vinegar, and other Remedies; and she perswaded me to be patient, and desired him to deal kindly with me, using this Proverb; Gently, John, the Girls Young, She left us, and then with somewhat more Patience I permitted him to take his pleasure with me.
Thus was I marryed, and came off with all Credit imaginable; but afterwards it did not proceed as we expected; for my Husband being very fond of my company, would not by any means be perswaded to leave me for the Sea; but intended, now he had gained money enough, to live on shore. This resolution of his was very unpleasing; but I was forced to be contended, and to provide against the time of my delivery of my great Belly, which now came on a pace, and indeed was somewhat sooner than I expected; for I was taken one day with a suddain pain, which much surprized my Mother; for my Husband was in the House, and hearing my cryes, would needs force his way into my Chamber; where I was accompanyed by my Mother, who was instructing me what to do; on his approach to the Bed, my pains encreased, and a Child was born into the World; but, that he might not discover the fallacy, by the crying of the Child, I smothered it; and lying still for some space, my Mother perswaded him to depart; he being gone, my Mother fell to work; and removed the Child, playing the Midwife in the best manner she could; and all being buried, and I put into order, she told her Son in law, that these were extream fits of the Chollick, and would now they had begun, continue for some dayes; wherefore she desired him to take another Lodging, and let her lye with me: to this he hardly consented; but at length, at both our importunities, he was content, and in ten dayes time, I still every day counterfeited fits of groaning, but he seeing I sensibly amended, would no longer forbear lying with me.
Thus did I escape this misfortune, and came off with flying Colours, without the least suspition; so that I was encouraged to proceed in further Roguries; which was the ruine of my Husband, and in which I had like to have been involved. I told you our house was for all Guests; and now by the addition of my Husbands money, which was employed in my Fathers Trade, to encrease his stock, our house the best furnished, was the best customed house in the Town; amongst the rest, there came a Person of Honour, who had been a Traveller, and among his Attendants a Negro, or Black-man, which he had brought from Guiana. This Black-more was reported by his Master and others, to be the Son of a Prince in his own Country; I look’d on him with an affectionate and smiling countenance; which he perceiving, and also that I was handsome, much desired my company; and being Master of money enough to spend on me, he had many opportunities of courting me; at the first, I examining what I was about to do drew back, thinking it a very strange thing to be kiss’d by a Black-more, but use brought it into Custom; and I endured not only that, but also methought I had a minde to taste of his flesh, perswading my self, that there would be more than ordinary satisfaction in that enjoyment; and he finding me coming, so prosecuted his suit, that it was not long ere I enjoyed him: I must confess much to my content, for nothing but his sparkling eyes was to be seen in the dark, which indeed were as shining, as two stars in a clear night; and he was as much delighted with me: so that we promised to take all opportunities for enjoyment. The Lords business kept him there so long, that we had so much sport in jest, as turned to earnest; for I found my self to be with child, and I did absolutely believe that my Black-friend was the Father of it: this consideration put me into a deep melancholly; for we carried our business not so privately, but that we were taken notice of, and suspected by my Mother; but much more by my Husband, whose extreme love to me was converted into as extreme a jealousie; and he looked on my Black-friend with a great deal of horror.
I finding my self with Childe, and doubting it was by him, a fancy possessed me, that I should bring forth a Black-More like the Father: this, I say put me to a very great non-plus; and I endeavoured by all means to blind my Husband, and take all suspition from him: I told him, I believed I was with Child, this pleased him; but I also added, I doubted, I should not render him compleatly satisfied: for that I had a very great fancy that the Child would be black, and I could give no reason, but that the sight of my Lords Black-More was deeply imprinted in my fancy: I told him, I had read the story of a Black Queen and King, who had a Child that was white; and being so born, was thrust out of the King his Fathers Dominions, for no other cause but because he was white; and the Queen his Mother hardly escaped the fury of her Husband, who shrewdly suspected her guilty of Adultry with some white-man, because the Child was so. This said I, was the Crime laid to her charge; and it seemed so reasonable to him and all his Nobility; that notwithstanding the Queen was alwayes esteemed to be a vertuous woman, yet she hardly escaped with her life. But at length, a wise man of that Kingdome coming to the Court, and hearing of the matter, and that the Queen was banished as well as her Son; he, said I, walking about the Court, and coming into the Kings Bed-chamber, there saw the Picture of a fair white-woman, which had, as great rariety, been presented to the King he then remembring the unfortunate case of the Queen, did really believe that the sight of that white Picture had occasioned the Queen to conceive and bring forth a white Child. Being thus convinced, and perswaded in his own opinion, he was not long before he perswaded the King to the same; and the Queen having been alwayes of an unblemisht reputation, it was concluded by the King, and all the Nobility, that the Queen was innocent: and thereupon the banishment was repealed, and both received home with great joy, state, and honour; and this Son, after his Fathers decease, was crowned, and reigned King of the Place. Now sweet-heart, said I, this being so, and fancy having so strong an operation in the womb by the only site of a Picture, I cannot but imagine that the real presence of one may work much more and greater effects, especially since I find a very great inclination not only to love, but long for black things; black cherries, I affect extreamly, as also damsons, sloes, & black-bullies; I chiefly feed on black puddings; and it is not very long, said I, since I longed for a black hat, and did eat it up every bit: and now I have lately had a great desire to a dish of butter’d char-coal.
This discourse wrought variously with my Husband, who, although he did somewhat suspect me, yet would he take no great notice at present, but told me, that surely this was but fancy, and would in the end amount to nothing: I was content with his answer; but knowing his mind stood thereto bent, I first propounded, that the Black-more should depart our house, or else that I might remove from home to some other place, to see, if by his absence the fancy would leave me: to this he willingly agreed; and in regard to move for the Black-more’s departure until his Lord went also, would not only raise suspicious Discourses, but turn to our disadvantage, by reason they were good Guests; we therefore resolved that I should remove four or five miles from home; the which I did the next day; but my departure was not so secret, but that I gave notice thereof to my beloved Black-more, who promised not to be long before he took the opportunity of giving me a visit; the which he did unseen of any, I letting him in at a back Garden door; and thither he usually came to me once in two or three days: we sometimes spent some hours together in a Banqueting-house in the Garden; and at last grew so bold, as to spend whole nights in bed together; so that my Husband, who sorely suspected me, was resolved to watch my waters; and one Evening missing the Black-more, who was then come to me, he at midnight departed; and coming to the back door whereat the Black-more entred, he finding it open, entered, saw the Candle in my Chamber, and I believe could hear our voyces, but knew not how to enter without great noise; wherefore, now resolving in his mind what to do, he waited till the morning, walking about the Garden; but in regard the Black-more had some affairs of his Lords that morning to dispatch, he arose early, and left me; I shut fast the door, and left him; no sooner was he down, but my angry Husband with a drawn sword meets him; he seeing and knowing him, guessed his purpose, likewise quickly draws; and they running upon one anothers swords, soon bereft each other of life.
CHAP. III.
The Old Woman relates, that her Husband and Black-friend having killed one another, she removes her lodging; and is brought to bed of a young Black-more, which she likewise murthereth; and then again removing her quarters, and passing for a maid, is married to a young Inn-keeper; who, instead of her, had a maid servant for his Bed fellow; who being both sleepy, she sets fire of the House; and then pretending to fetch water at the Well, tumbles her in, where she is drowned.
Thus, said Mrs. Dorothy, did the old Hagg give me an account of her mischievous beginning; and indeed, in the prosecution of her story, she acquainted me with so many horrible actions, that I was agast; and wondered that the Earth did not open, to swallow up a wretch so monstrously wicked; but I think, said she, by what I have said, I have told you enough to know her, and therefore shall pass over the rest of her actions in silence: nay, said I, Mrs. Dorothy, since you have begun to give us so fair an account of the foul actions of this your wicked acquaintance, I shall desire you to take the pains to proceed therein. Truly, said Mrs. Mary, although I have known many wretched People in my dayes, yet I never heard of the like; and I suppose by what you have already recounted, that all you have further to say will be both remarkable, admirable, and pleasant (if we may account that pleasant which is so mischievously, and wickedly witty;) and therefore I, as well as our friend here, desire you to continue your relation; and if you will take the pains, we will have the patience to hear you to the least particular. Mrs. Dorothy being thus requested by us both, replyed, that she should be content to grant our desires, but then we must have a great deal of patience, and pardon those impertinent ignorances that she should be forced to recount, in relating so many notable and various adventurous actions of another: We told her, we should willingly attend, and excuse her in all; and thereupon she thus continued.
Although (said this old Trot) my Husband, and my black friend had quickly dispatch’t their business, by thus dispatching one another, yet they were neither so sudden nor so silent, but I both heard and saw them tilt at one another with their swords, which were bathed in each others heart blood; and so they fell, grinning at each other with horrible Countenances and they lay so close together, that they could catch hold of one another, and fight with their hands, their swords being sheathed in one anothers bodies; but this contest could not, neither did it last long, their hearts being suffocated with Blood, and so in short time they both expired; which I discovered by the noise of hollow groans: and thus continued she, was I deprived of a Friend, and a Husband. I was startled at the present, but considering what was to be done, went to bed, and lay there till some of the house came and bounc’d at my Chamber door; I suffered them to continue knocking for some time, as if I had been asleep; but they growing more furious by reason of my silence, were ready to break open the door, when I jumped out of my bed, and in my smock opening the door, asked them what was the cause of their violent knocking; they replyed, they were glad to see me alive, which they much doubted, by reason of my silence, and having seen such a doleful sight as was then in the Garden: I seeming ignorant of all, desired them to explain themselves, and acquaint me with their meaning; they were not long then ere they had told me, that my Husband and the Black-more who quartered at my Fathers, were both dead in the Garden: I was amazed, ran then to the window, and there beheld what I too well knew already; and then cryed out, and in lamentable and furious manner threw my self on the floor, tearing my hair, and making great lamentation; by this time the Constable and other Neighbors were come, but could not get any thing out of me to discover any knowledge of the fact. I seemed a stranger to all; and so the Bodies being removed, word was sent to my Father and Mother, who quickly came thither; but finding me, as the rest, to pretend ignorance, nothing could be done; but the People conjectured variously, and though they could not accuse me as the murtherer, yet I was shrewdly suspected to be the cause; they judging the truth as it was: but however, I was without the compass of the law, and therefore escaped all trouble.