Their Bodies were soon after buried, and I thought it absolutely necessary to abscond my self, lest (the time of child bearing being near approaching)[approaching)] I might be further discovered by the Complexion of the child, which I did verily believe would be black; and therefore I left my Fathers house, and went to an obscure Village about ten miles off; I took up my lodging with an old Woman of my Mothers acquaintance, pretending a great melancholly since the death of my Husband, and therefore avoided all Company: I had all along attempted to destroy the Child in my Womb, and to that end I had taken Savine, and many other drugs and potions, and using to jump, and leap, and wrastle, to cause my self to miscarry, but all in vain; so that in fine, I was forced to use the same remedy I had done, and smother the Child so soon as it was born; I had all possible conveniences to do it, whilst the Midwife, who lived at some distance, was not much looked after, although it was somewhat black, which was now taken to be so, only by reason of its strugling for passage; and wanting a Mid-wife, I caused it to be quickly nail’d up in a box, and so with little trouble passed over the difficulty of this affair: my Mother soon came to me, and accommodated me, with every thing fit for my condition, so that it was not long ere I perfectly recovered; and I having no mind to return to my Fathers nor to stay in that place, caused my Mother to provide me with a gentile habit; and money in my pocket, and being thus fitted, went twenty miles further, to the house of another of my Mothers acquaintance; and having been so unfortunate with a Husband, was resolved not to own that ever I had been married, but to pass for a maid; which I might well enough do, not being yet above eighteen years of age. My beauty then was so charming, that I quickly gained many adorers; and it being given out that I was a Virgin, and of a good fortune, had many Sutors in earnest, that woed me in the honest terms of marriage. Having the choice of several, I was the more coy; but in the end, there was one, who was an Inn-keeper, whose Father being lately dead, and left a handsome competency, him I accepted of, but with great jealousie and suspition of my self; lest he was a cunning youngster, should discover the want of my Virginity. I was sensible it would be no difficult matter for him to finde me out, but I was resolved to try my Wits, and prevent his discovery: to this end I delayed my marriage for some time, till I could bring my matters to pass; which (said she) I did in this manner.
There was a Servant-Maid in the House, whom I usually had for my Bed-fellow, and with her I was very free in all my discourse, acquainting her with all passages between me and my Sweethearts; and many pleasing discourses we had upon those occasions, and commonly we spent some hours every night when we were in Bed, in these Conferences: I asking her which of my Sweet-hearts was the best, and likliest to prove a good Husband; she and I both jumped in one mind, and she seemed to rejoyce at the good Fortune I was likely to enjoy, in having so handsome, and accomplish’d a Person, as he was with whom I was to be Married; saying, that of all men breathing, she never saw one whom, she thought, she could love better; and adding, that she would give all the money in her Pocket to have my place on the Wedding Night. Well, thought I, are you there? I’le be with you anon. Truly said she, I am a perfect Maid, not having yet had to do with any Man; and for deed, nay, for thought and word, untill this time, was a pure Virgin; but methinks, since I saw your Sweetheart, I have such pleasing imaginations, that I could willingly experiment the effects; but, continued she, I hope you will take all this in good part, and not be jealous of me, for I shall not in the least injure you, no, though your Sweet-heart should desire it; besides, my Quality and condition is so much beneath yours, that it would be but a folly to expect it: but shall wish you all happiness with your beloved Bridegroom. She having opened her mind thus freely to me, it was the thing I only aimed at, and above all things wish’d for; and therefore, that I might now stricke while the Iron was hot, I thus replyed; come, come, do not counterfeit more Modesty than needs, but tell me truely, and sincerely, if I can find a way to compass your desires; and be therewith content, and willing, will you obey me in what I shall desire of you? This is a strange proposition, said she, and I believe far from your heart to do, and only to try me farther; but I pray let us talk no more of this matter.
I quickly answered, that I was now in earnest, and would (if she would swear to me to be secret) discover a secret that was of the highest importance, and that then all things would be as she had wished; she wondring what I meant, and being desirous (as all women are inquisitive after secrets) to discover mine, soon made many protestations and vows, to be secret in what ever I should impart to her; and thereupon I told her, that indeed about twelve moneths since, being in my fathers house, a Gentleman of quality lodging there, and having divers times courted me; and I alwayes refusing to hear him; and being very obstinate, notwithstanding all his endeavours by Presents, and otherwise; he, I said being wholy impatient, and resolved to venture all for my enjoyment, took his opportunity, and came to bed to me; I feeling him near me, cry’d out but in vain, for my Lodging was at too great a distance from any bodyes hearing; and so in the end, notwithstanding my striving, and strugling, he had his will of me; and indeed, to tell you the truth, the danger of the brunt being over, and I well knowing that what was past could not be recalled, was, in the end, willing a second, or third time, to permit him the same enjoyment; and so he went away in the Morning well satisfied, and I better pleas’d than when he came to me. I was resolved to keep this from the knowledge of my Parents, and did so, though he offered me Marriage, which would have been advantageous enough for me, he being, as I said, a Person of Quality; but however, he continued his practice with me all the time of his stay at my Fathers, which was two Moneths; and then he departing, promised a sudden return, and that he would then discover himself to my Father, and request me in Marriage; I trusted to his fair words, and permitted his departure; but he had not been long absent ere I perceived my self to be with Child: I kept this from the knowledge of all, so long as I could; but in the end, my Mother suspecting me, charged me so roundly, that I confessed the Fact; she thereupon took the best remedy she could, and unknown to my Father, sent me away to a Friend of hers, where I lay in of a Child, which soon after dying, and I recovered, I again removed hither, where what hath befaln me you already know as well as I; and now, my dear Friend, said I, the case being thus, you may do me a great kindness, and please your self, as you say, by taking my place on the Wedding-night; and he lying with you in my stead may be deceived, and take me for a pure Virgin; whereas otherwise I am in much doubt to be discovered, in regard, that not only I have lost my Maidenhead, but have also lately had a Child.
My Bed-fellow gave diligent attendance to what I had related, and after I had satisfied her how she should behave her self in every respect, she consented to take my turn. My business being in this forwardness, I quickly consented to clap up the bargain with my Sweet-heart; and the Wedding-day being come, we were accordingly Married; and at Bed time I went to Bed with my Bride-groom, but feigning Modesty, commanded all to depart the Room; which they did, leaving one Candle burning; I seeing the Company gone, leap’d out of the Bed to put the Candle out; which I did, and then, according to appointment, the Maid, who was ready in her smock behind the Hangings, quickly got into the Bed, and enjoyed my place; I staid in the Chamber, and could well enough discover all passages between them, and how she made some faint resistance; but not long it was ere they fell a sleep, and slept so long, that I was at a very great stand what to do, lest day-light should come ere she should awake, and then be seen by my Husband, and I disgraced and lost for ever; I ruminated in my mind many wayes; at last I was resolved to proceed to violence, and hazard all, rather than lose my credit; and therefore seeing they still slept on, I went out of the Chamber into the next; where with the help of a Tinder-box, I struck a light; and getting a Torch, and lighting it, set fire on some part of the house, which soon encreased to a great flame; I then made no great difficulty to make a noise, and cry out fire, fire; this was soon seen, smelt, and heard by my drousie bedfellows, who both arose; and I being there, caught hold of him, as if I had lain with him; and his bedfellow being now a little come to her self, and seeing me, began to consider what she was to do; and ran where her cloaths were, put them on, and then came to help me to mine.
My Husband, and all the rest of the Family being thus raised, ran about for water to quench the fire; I being left alone with my Husbands Bed-fellow, could have found in my heart to have killed her with a Sword there in the Chamber: because she had been the occasion of all this mischief; and the thoughts of that, and remembring what hurt she might do me hereafter, in discovering my secrets or, at least, in being my Co-rival; these Considerations made me resolve to dispatch her into the other world; and there-fore desiring her to go down with me into the Yard to fetch water at the Well, she did so; where I spying my opportunity, in the absence of the rest of the Family, as she was stooping to draw Water, I turned her head forwards into the Well; where, before any came to help her, she was dead. I pretended to bewail her misfortunes; but the fire, by the asistance of some Neighbours, being now quench’d, we all retired into that part of the House that was unburn’d; where every one lamented, not only the misfortune of the fire, but that of the Maids death; in which I alone was principally concerned.
CHAP. IV.
She being at home with her Husband, is Courted by Gallants; one of which Cuckolds him; She is out witted by her Gallant, and cheated of a Gown, and three Rings; she is Courted by another Gallant, and they study a Revenge on the first; which she executes, by appointing the first to come to Bed to her; where her Husband, by her appointment, was in her stead; who taking him in the manner, soundly whips him; in the mean time she is in Bed with her new Gallant.
The next day after our unfortunate Wedding-night, all Persons concerned began to reckon up their losses; in which, neither I, nor my Husband suffered but little; for he had nothing there but the Clothes on his back, and I only had mine, and a Trunk of Clothes, and Linnen, which were safe. Our Land-lord lost some of his Goods, and an hundred pounds would not repair the damage the House had sustained by the fire; he therefore complained much of his losses: but his lamentations were not equal to those of an Old Woman, who lived in the Town, and was the Mother of the Unfortunate Maid, whom I had so treacherously, and ungratefully murthered: I was almost as joyful as she was sad, that I was rid of so dangerous a Corrival, whom I had entrusted with my greatest secrets.
The disorders of this House caused us to quit it sooner than we intended; for that very day we removed to my Husbands Habitation, which was not above four Miles distant, and there we Lodged, where that night I received those imbraces from my Husband which were very pleasing to me, and then all things were as well fixed as I could desire; only my Mothers coming was every day expected, I having given her notice of my Transactions by Letters: She came in few dayes, and that not empty-handed; for she brought an hundred pounds in ready money with her: this, she told her new son-in-law, was but part of a greater Sum, my Father and she intended for my Portion; although my Husband expected five hundred pounds with me (I having given out that I should have so much) yet he was content with this for the present; and this money was part of what was left me of my first Husbands. During the stay of my Mother, we kept open House; and giving up our selves to all manner of mirth, I found my Husband to be but an easie Coxcomb, and one whom I thought I should out-wit, and over-rule; he was much inclined to gameing; and, as the fortune of the Dice went, he sometimes won, and lost again as often; at which he would be somewhat waspish and griping: and what he lost by gameing, he would get up again out of large Reckoning, and tricks he would put upon his Guests, who now were more in number than formerly; for it being given out, that he was Married, and that to one that was handsom, all the Countrey came in upon us; especially all the roaring Lads, who spent highest, came all to see, and present their service to their Land-lady; and as a Citizens shop is never so well furnished, as when a handsome Wife is placed in a varnisht seat; even so is an Inn-keepers Barr; and doth draw in Customers, all in hopes to have a lick at her honey pot; and although a Woman be never so chaste, and the Guests finde it so, yet if she be but handsome, her company is still desired; but you know my temper so well, that you may guess I should not hold out a seven years siege, if I were but once bravely assaulted; but withall, I resolved to be as cunning as all my Observations had taught me, and not be like a Glove for every ones drawing on. If I had any Servants, I resolved they should be of the best; and those I counted so, who wore most money in their Pockets, I had my choice of several of that kind; and though I still counterfeited a great Modesty yet I was treated, and regalia’d both at home and abroad; there was no sport, or divertisements, but I made one of the Company; no fair near our Town but I visited, being conducted thither by one Gallant or other: where I had several Fairing presented me. I had my Husbands consent to all my actions, for I still acquainted him with all; and when I was carried to any place, I told him every particular, and caused him to meet me at the place and time appointed; without which I pretended a mighty unwillingness; and this I did, that he might put the greater confidence in me.