the too much loss that I do suffer by their pride or cousenage; their number being so many and my charge so great, which I paid for paper and printing of those books, that the base dealing of those sharks is insupportable. But the tedious toil that I had in this collection, and the harsh and unsavoury answers that I was fain to take patiently, from Hostlers, Carriers, and Porters, may move any man that thinks himself mortal to pity me.
In some places, I was suspected for a Projector; or one that had devised some trick to bring the Carriers under some new taxation; and sometimes I was held to have been a Man-taker, a Sergeant, or Bailiff to arrest or attach men's goods or beasts. Indeed I was scarce taken for an honest man amongst the most of them. All which suppositions I was enforced often times to wash away with two or three jugs of beer, at most of the Inns I came to. In some Inns or Hostelries, I could get no certain intelligence, so that I did take instructions at the next Inn unto it; which I did often times take upon trust though I doubted [feared] it was indirect and imperfect.
Had the Carriers, Hostlers, and others known my harmless and honest intendments, I do think this following relation had been more large and useful: biut if there be any thing left out in this first impression, it shall be with diligence inserted hereafter, when the Carriers and I shall be more familiarly acquainted; and they, with the Hostlers, shall be pleased in their generosity, to afford me more ample directions. In the mean space, I hope I shall give none of my readers cause to curse the Carrier that brought me to town. Some may object that the Carriers do often change and shift from one Inn or Lodging to another, whereby this following direction may be hereafter untrue. To them I answer, that I am not bound to bind them or to stay them in one place; but if they do remove, they may be inquired for at the place which they have