How the Author had like to have been received into the King's service, and what means he used to avoid it. He meditates and attempts an escape; but is often prevented.
This frequent appearance at the Court, and waiting
there for my tickets; brought me to be taken notice
of by the great men, insomuch "that they wondered
I had been all this while forgotten, and never been
brought before the King; being so fit, as they would
suppose me, for his use and service:" saying, "that from henceforward
I should fare better than that allowance amounted
to; as soon as the King was made acquainted with me."
Which words of theirs served instead of a ticket. Whereupon
fearing that I should suddenly be brought in to the King,
which thing I most of all feared and least desired; and
hoping that out of sight might prove out of mind, I resolved
to forsake the Court, and never more to ask for tickets:
especially seeing God had dealt so bountifully with me as to
give me ability to live well enough without them: as when
Israel had eaten of the corn of the land of Canaan, the
manna ceased; so when I was driven to forego my allowance
that had all this while sustained me in this wilderness, God
in other ways provided for me.
From this time forward to the time of my flight out of the land, which was five years; I neither had nor demanded any more allowance: and glad I was that I could escape so. But I must have more trouble first. For, some four or five days after my last coming from Court, there came a soldier to me, sent from the Adigar, with an order in writing under his hand, "that upon sight thereof, I should immediately dispatch and come to the Court, to make my personal appearance before the King: and that in case of any delay, the officers of the country were thereby authorized and commanded to
