It is impossible for me to characterize their fear and fright, both which together had so totally routed what courage they had within them, that a Corporal Pygmie with two files of revolted Cranes would at that time have taken them all Prisoners. Our Mulletteer fearing by this second alarm that he should now infallibly wake some of the house; who finding him in that condition would undoubtedly suspect him of some vilanous Design, therefore thought it his safest way to march down again, and lay his Carkass any where till it was day, Being half way down the stairs, he could hear the voice of one crying, Il Diabolo, Il Diabolo, The Devil, the Devil, repeating it often, which so affrighted him that he thought to have returned back, but hearing the noise go from him, with the trampling of feet on the stones as in flight, he boldly pursued them, Questo Diabolo, what Devil, and where, I am none, but I will see what Devil you are. These were three Rogues which had a long time design’d to rob this house, not living far off it; who were well acquainted with this house, and had heard that it was visited by Phantasms; now as they were about to mount the stairs they met with the flask, and broken glass in it, which frighted them away from that enterprize as effectually, as if the Devil with the gingling his Chains had come to meet them.
Our Mulletteer had not been so long a Rogue, condemned twice to be a Gally slave, and very narrowly escap’d from being broken on the wheel, but that he quickly smelt the plot of these three Night-walkers, that they were only bent on mischief, so taking advantage of the fright their guilty Consciences put them in, he seized one of their Swords, which he exercised so well that they found they had another sort of spirit to deal with, than what they had fled from; it being a Devil incarnate; disarming the Thieves he raised the house, but with much ado, and had not done it, had he not shown their light in their Dark lanthorn, none yet daring to be so bold as to come down in the dark to light a Candle; and now they began to creep out of their Chambers with as much caution, as if their way had been planted with Spanish-needles. The Captain and my self waited when some others would stir first, and others exspected the like from us, but at length casting off this enslaving Cowardise, we went down the stairs, meeting with the Gentleman of the house, accompanied with some of his last nights Guests, and so descended into the Court-yard together, where we found our Mulletteer with Swords enough to furnish us all, his Captives lying at his feet not daring to stir; these, said he, are the Devils that haunt this house, but I will lay them for you, I will conjure them far enough off if you will but say the word; leading them into the Hall, we met with one of the Menials of the house whose haste had made him (after an hours consideration what was best to be done) to leave his Doublet behind him, yet forgot not his Sword.
Upon his first Examination they confest what they intended to do, that there was four more in their company who had made their escape, but were ignorant of what they carryed with them. Their own confession was a sufficient conviction, and so they were secured for the present, by tying Neck and Heels together.
The old Gentleman missing some of his friends, began to condemn them for their sluggishness, and supinity; come, said he, let us take them napping and in that posture upbraid them with their sloath: We hereupon followed him up stairs, and entring their Chambers found nought but the furniture therein; without speaking one word, away he ran hastily to his Daughters Chamber, but found that as empty of Lodgers as the rest; and a Cabinet which he committed to her custody gone, which was worth a very valuable sum: at the sight hereof you might have blown the old Gentleman down, had not passion animated him and kept him up from sinking, which he discharg’d so violently on those that were left behind, which were the aged Kindred of the young man that had stoln this fair Maid away, that as much as ever they could do to bear the shock, but at last unanimously protesting they were innocent and ignorant of what was done, and promising they would use their utmost assistance and endeavour in the speedy restitution of his Daughter inviolated, he believ’d them guiltless, and begg’d them to be as good as their word.
And now consulting what he should do with his Prisoners, he was advised to send his man for an Officer, and secure them in a place not far distant, erected for the confinement of Felons, Murderers, &c. as he was going out he had forgot his Doublet for haste, although he had his Sword on, wherefore he was call’d back, who being ordered to fetch it first, was prevented by the Maids coming full butt as he was going in the search thereof, he would have pass’d her, had I not perceived she had a thing like a Waste-coat on, and therefore calling to him, said, Save your self the labour, here is what you are going to seek for; coming back he found his Doublet on the maids back, I imagining whence this Mistake did arise, to make our sorrowful Landlord a little sport, Sir, said I, Do you not see your Maid hath got your mans Doublet already, and will no doubt, get his Breeches too if you do not prevent it; and then looking to his leggs and seeing what a traiterous mistake he had committed; Do you Sir, said I, buy your mans Stockings of two different colours, the one is blue, you see, the other grey; hereupon the maids Stockings were examined and found to be on the one side gray, the other side true blue. This made the Company all laugh, neither could the old Gentleman forbear to smile, but having other business to think on, commanded them to restore to each other what they had borrowed, and he would take a time to examine the cause thereof, plain enough from what was seen to outward appearance.
These Rogues being committed to a publick Goal, he could not be quiet but he must go into his Daughters Chamber again, and upon a review thereof found a Letter directed to him, to this purpose:
Sir,
You may justly blame me for leaving your House without your consent or privity, but when you shall consider it was to avoid my eternal ruine, I hope the Sentence and Punishment which my disobedience doth deserve may prove more favourably merciful; hitherto you have been the sole Monarch of both mind and body, but play not the Tyrant by making my will your eternal Slave. Sir, Youth cannot look through those Spectacles which are useful to Age, nor can my inclination suit with your choice. I am now with him whom I love more than my self, nor can I esteem of that Gentleman of Catania whom you have selected for me, otherwise than the designed Murderer of my quiet. If you will sequester me from my Choice, I will seclude my self from all in a Monastery.
Having read these lines he raved out-right, some times condemning his rigid destiny, then exclaiming against the perfidiousness of such who under the pretence of friendship should be his undoers; But having tired himself with these fruitless complaints, he soberly ask’d our advice what he should do in this intricacy. We all advised him to follow them close at heels with all imaginable expedition, the Captain and my self promising him our Company in the search; the next day mounted we rode the way wherein we guest the Gentlemen were gone with the young Gentlewoman, and having rid about ten miles from Gergento, the place from whence we came, we overtook two fellows who gave us cause to suspect them by their looks and habits, whilst I was acquainting the old Gentleman with my thoughts of them, they liking not our whispering betook themselves to their heels, which so increased our jealousie, that with Whip and Spur I soon overtook them, they resisted me for a while, but being overpoured by number yielded, searching them we found little money, the old Gentleman viewing them strictly, saw his own Coat upon one of their backs, and now concluding that these were the Rogues that had his Cabinet too, made a very strict research but to no purpose, they denying they had ever seen such a thing; but this served not their turns, and although we should hinder our intent in prosecuting a better discovery, yet we thought it very requisite to return and secure them with the rest of their fellows.
Coming home to his own house, he understood that the maid which particularly had waited a long time on his Daughter was suddenly gone, giving to none an account why or wherefore, but she was watch’d to go such a way: We were now all verily perswaded she was gone in quest of her Mistress, and that by tracking her, we should know where she was. The advise was well resented and speedily prosecuted, with such good success, as in less than a days time we found this Gillian and her companion footing it in great haste towards Catania, but we soon stopt their Journey, and discovered, they had got what the poor Gentlewoman was accused of, she had given it to her Friend to carry, but they were both like to bear the weight of the burthen. Examining her, she confest when she saw her Mistress was gone from her Father, and imagining she would be suspected to carry the Cabinet with her, (which would support her, should her Father frown for ever) she took that opportunity to enrich her self, and that Friend with her.