⟨w⟩ithin three miles of the town where he live ⟨e⟩d, and he was very well mounted; but ⟨th⟩ough the moon was up, an accident, which ⟨a⟩ little diſordered him, was, that it was not ⟨o⟩nly cloudy, but a very thick, black cloud ⟨c⟩ame ſuddenly (that is to ſay, without his ⟨n⟩otice, ſo it was fudden to hin) and ſpread ⟨o⟩ver his head, which made it very dark; ⟨an⟩d, to add to the diſorder, it began to rain ⟨vi⟩olently.
Upon this, being very well mounted, as I ⟨be⟩fore obſerved, he reſolved to ride for it, ⟨ha⟩ving not above two miles to the town; ſo ⟨clap⟩ping ſpurs to his horse, he galoped away. ⟨His⟩ man whoſe name was Gervais: not be- ⟨ing⟩ ſo well mounted was a conſiderable way ⟨be⟩hind. The darkneſs and the rain toge- ⟨ther⟩ put him a little out of humour; but as ⟨tha⟩t was a little unexpected, perhaps it made ⟨hi⟩m ride the harder rather than abate his ⟨pa⟩ce.
In the way there was a ſmall river, but ⟨th⟩ere was a good bridge over it, well walled ⟨on⟩ both ſides; ſo that there was no danger ⟨the⟩re, more than any where elſe; but the ⟨gen⟩tleman kept on his ſpeed to go over the ⟨bri⟩dge, when being rather more than half ⟨ove⟩r, his horſe ſtopped on a ſudden, and ⟨refu⟩ſed as we call it, bearing off to the right ⟨han⟩d; he ſaw nothing at firſt, and was not ⟨muc⟩h diſcompoſed at it, but ſpurred his ⟨hor⟩ſe to go forward; the horſe went two or ⟨thre⟩e ſteps, then ſtopped again, ſnorted, and