the country being now dry, there was fish everywhere in abundance; which they dry like red herrings over a fire. They offered to sell us a store of them; "but they," we told them, "would not turn to so good profit as flesh." "The which," we said, "we would have, though we stayed ten days longer for it. For here we could live as cheap, and earn as much as if we were at home, by our knitting." So we seemed to them as if we were not in any haste.
In the meantime happened an accident which put us to a great fright. For the King, having newly clapped up several persons of quality (whereof my old neighbour Owa MOTTERAL that sent for me to Court, was one) sent down soldiers to this High Sheriff or Governor at whose house we now were, to give him order to set a secure guard at the Watches that no suspicious persons might pass. This he did to prevent the relations of these imprisoned persons from making an escape; who—through fear of the King—might attempt it. This always is the King's custom to do. But it put us into an exceeding fear lest it might beget an admiration [wonderment] in these soldiers to see white men so low down the country; which indeed is not customary nor allowed of; and so they might send us up again. Which doubtless they would have done; had it not been of GOD by this means and after this manner to deliver us. Especially considering that the King's command came just at that time, and so expressly to keep a secure guard at the Watches, and that in that very way that always we purposed to go in; so that it seemed scarcely possible for us to pass afterwards: though we should get off fairly at present with the soldiers. Which we did. For they having delivered their message, departed; showing themselves very kind and civil unto us: and we seemed to lament for our hard fortune, that we were not ready to go upwards with them, in their good company: for we were neighbours dwelling in one and the same country. However we bade them carry our commendations to our countrymen the English—with whom they were acquainted at the city—and so bade them farewell. And glad we were when they were gone from us: and we resolved, GOD willing, to set forward the next day in the morning.
But we thought not fit to tell our host, the Governor, of it, till the very instant of our departure; that he might not have
