CHAP. II
Arrives at Norwich. Goes journeyman. Is terrified at an advertisement, with a reward for apprehending him. Flies to Yarmouth. Enters on shipboard for the Streights.
THE hurry of my spirits, and confusion of my thoughts, upon quitting my father’s house by night, as a malefactor, and in his absence too, had taken such possession of me, that I moved on, not knowing or considering whither I went, till on the approach of daylight, I perceived I was got into the New-market road; and having as yet formed no other design, but of transporting myself out of my mother’s knowledge, I still pressed forwards : But had I not only debauched my mother, but murdered my father, it is impossible I could have been seised with more horrors, than at present surrounded me, from a reflexion on the past scene. I wept in compassion to the poor old man, who I was assured would be inconsolable for the loss of me; not only from the love he had ever borne to me, but for the disappointment of his business, and for want of knowing what was become of me.
I had a great mind, and had almost come to a resolution of writing to my father, and stating the whole occasion of my disquiet and departure. but then it occurred to me, that numberless inconveniencies might arise from thence; as probably a separation from my mother, a recall of me, and possibly some mischief from her to him, in order to make her way to me the clearer of all obstacle; for I was convinced, that whilst the least possibility of engaging me remained, she would stick at no villainy or desperate measures whatsoever to obtain her ends. I therefore proceeded on my journey, and in a few days reached the city of Norwich.
I came in after dusk, on a Saturday evening, and took my stand at a little publick house, where I obtained a lodging; and the next day being Sunday, I went to church, and having surveyed the city, returned home to dinner.
The evening being wet, I did not stir out, and the rain occasioned a great concourse of persons at my quarters, of different denominations, who being mostly tradesmen and labourers, it is easy to imagine what topics their discourse chiefly turned upon; for in such companies they are for the most part very communicative of the several particulars of their respective professions.
I being a stranger to them, held but little share of the conversation, till a watch-maker, (as I afterwards heard he was,) starting somewhat of wheel-work, was answered by a smith, who opposed the position laid down by the measurer of time; upon which, some words arising as to the powers of springs, levers, and weights, the debate growing warm, was referred to the company; but very few were able to give any true guess at the force of the question, save a mill-wright and a carpenter, who took different sides; at length, perceiving they were not likely to come to a determination, I begged leave, though a stranger, to offer my opinion upon the state of the case; which they readily granting, I set them right in the point; for being neither of them connoissures in the mystery they framed their argument from, they wanted terms significantly, to make each intelligible to the other, which I supplying them with from my reading, and giving them proper definitions of the operation of the engines, they were discoursing of, I brought them to an agreement.
I happening to give the company great satisfaction by the principles I had laid down, it was presently asked, what profession I was of? To which, I replying, that I was bred a house-smith, and that I had travelled this way meerly for employment; one of the disputants told me he was of the same profession, and as I seemed by my discourse, to be a master of my business, if I wanted work he would employ me : I thanked him for his good opinion of me, and the next morning, by his appointment, entered into his service.
I continued to work with him for a fortnight, that is, till the Saturday fe’ennight after I had been hired, and had received four and twenty shillings for my two weeks pay. The next day being Sunday, my master, who was at the tavern, taking orders for some work of a very peculiar nature, sent for me to receive instructions from the customer’s own mouth, intending to employ me about it. I was asked several questions, and gave my opinion upon them very much to their satisfaction; and whilst they were further discoursing, I took up the news-paper, which then lay upon the table; but I had no sooner cast my eyes thereon, than I perceived an advertisement, describing myself, with a reward of ten pounds, for any one who would apprehend and secure me and send word to my father; and at the bottom it was said, that if I would return to him, I should be very favourably received. , This sight struck me on an heap, being so plain a description of my person, that no one who had ever seen me, but must be sure, (to my thinking) who was meant by it.
I read it over again, and it hinting, that I had deserted my father’s service, and robbed him of money and several other things, all which, I being conscious to myself was absolutely false; it directly came into my mind, that my mother-in-law must have been the thief, and that it was through her persuasions, and from her remonstrances to my father, that he had been induced to advertise me thus; and what confirmed my suspicion that it must be her own doings, and that she still wanted to have me near her again was, the notice of being favourably received, if I returned.
I had no sooner made myself master of this piece of intelligence, than I left the tavern, and began seriously to contemplate upon my unhappy circumstances. I formed several successive schemes to act upon, the last of which I still apprehended to be the best: but neither of them counselling my return, and dreading to be apprehended, pursuant to the advertisement, whereby I might subject myself to the malice of an enraged and disappointed woman, who, I doubted not would pursue me to death, rather than continue subject to my slights: I concluded upon quitting England, and settling in some foreign country, where I might at least lead my life void of the danger I now found myself exposed to; for I was master sufficient of my business, to obtain a handsome provision from it on any land in Christendom. All that gave me now the most concern was, that my books were still at my father’s, which I had no way left of recovering.
I had not the patience to wait till the next day, lest I should be taken into custody; and though I had been guilty of no ill act, yet the very apprehension of being sought after, and liable to be stopped, gave me a suspicion, that every man I met would secure me; so returning to my lodging, I paid my landlord about two shillings that owed him and packing up my things in the evening, I told him, I had taken a private lodging, and should leave his house; letting him know, that if any one wanted me, he might receive their messages, and that I should call in daily and drink with him as usual. I was so fearful of being seen in the streets, setting out of the city, that the next turning to my lodgings leading down to the water side, I went thither, and pretending urgent business that required me, I agreed with a boatman for my passage to Claxton ferry, intending from thence to walk to Yarmouth, as the readiest sea-port to transport myself at.
The tide was now upon the ebb, and we had not gone many miles down the river Yare, before we overtook a barge laden with corn for Yarmouth; when quitting my boat, I agreed for my passage on board of her, and arrived safe there the next tide.
I no sooner landed, than I went to the Quay, and offered myself to go on board any ship that was ready to sail; but there being more hands already there than could get births, and I not coming under the rank of a sailor, soon became satisfied, that there was no way for me to get from shoar, but either by working, or paying for my passage; there being no expectation of receiving any thing for my labour.
Amongst the rest that I had applied to, there were two captains both just ready to sail for the Streights, and I had offered to work my passage to Leghorn, Naples, or Genoa; but could get no determinate answer from either of them. One of them indeed ordered me to call on him the next morning, at a public house near the Quay, when he would give me a final answer:I did so, and whilst we were discoursing, in comes the other captain, who was going with him, and hearing us argue about my passage, sat him down, and took up the news to read.
It happened to be the same I had seen, or some other that had my father’s advertisement in it; and after he had read some time, here’s a young dog, says he, has robbed his father, a smith, at Royston; a villain, says he, to rob his father; our gallows groans for such young scoundrels. I no sooner heard his words, but, (had I not been then bowing to the captain, with whom I had agreed, and was turning out of the room) I must have discovered myself to them; for my legs would scarce bear me clear of the door-way, and if I might have had the world for the trouble of conveying myself across the street, I could not have earned it, but was obliged to squat down upon a bench in the passage just without the room; nor could I then sustain my body upright, but was compelled to fall along on the bench.
The landlord seeing me in this condition, and look as white as ashes, asked me, if I was ill, but I could not speak; till giving me first a glass of cold water, and as I recovered a little, f dram of brandy upon it, I made a shift to tell him that I was taken with such a sickness at my stomach, that I verily thought I had been dying. Happy it was for me, that my two captains within the room heard nothing of the stir; so I paid for my dram, and went directly on board my ship, not daring to be seen any longer on shoar.