I asked at several inns, but
that was the account given to me. There was no safety on the
roads. The country was overrun by thieves, who stole horses in
the name of the Duke or of the King; nothing was safe anywhere.
The general hope of the people was for Monmouth to be beaten
soon, or to be victorious soon. They had lost quite enough by
him; they wanted the rebellion over.
At last, just when I had begun to think the thing hopeless, I
found an honest Quaker about to ride to Bridgewater with a basket
of Bibles for the Duke's men. He did not ask me what my business
at Bridgewater might be; but he knew that no one would want to go
there at such a time without good cause. "Well," he said, "if you
can ride small, you shall ride behind me, but it will be slow
riding, as the horse will be heavily laden." He was going to
start at eight o'clock, so as to travel all night, when the
marauders, whether deserters from the Duke or ill-conditioned
country people, were always less busy. I had time to get some
supper for myself in the tavern-bar before starting. Just as we
were about to ride off together, when we were in the saddle,
waiting only till some carts rolled past the yard-door, I had a
fright, for there, coming into the inn yard, was one of the
troopers who had beguiled me from the Duke's army that day at
Axminster. I had no doubt that he was going from inn to inn,
asking for news of me. We began to move through the yard as he
came towards us; the clack of the horse's feet upon the cobbles
made him look up; but though he stared at me hard, he did so with
an occupied mind; he was in such a brown study (as it is called)
that he never recognized me.
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