He breaketh his Master (by the help of his Mistress) and so sets up for himself with that money he had unlawfully gotten in his Apprenticeship, and credit besides: what a trick he served his Master at last: his Master and Mistress soon after dy’d.

But to proceed, now I had served my time, and was accordingly made free; but sollicited by my Master to stay some longer time as a Journeyman, which I consented to, knowing it could not be long: for we had so purloined from him, that it was impossible for him to subsist any longer. His Creditors visited him daily, so that now his whole time was taken up in studying fair promising words to satisfie them for the present, and tell them when they should come again. My Master perceiving the danger he was in, would neither stir abroad, no, not so much as come into the Shop. He now standing upon the brow of a very high Hill, and being forced to descend, I resolved to save him the labour, and so threw him down headlong.

By this time I had conveyed away a sufficient quantity of his Goods, intending them for my own use; and stowed them in a Warehouse which I had lately taken privately for my purpose. My Master one night told me his intended design, that he was resolv’d to pack up all his Goods, and to gather in what moneys he could, and so take his wife with him for Ireland. I thought I should have dy’d at first when I heard him talk of carrying his wife with him, and could not forbear dropping some tears; which he perceiving, his trickled down his Cheeks to bear mine company. Well now, said he, I see thou lovest me too, as well as thou hast hitherto proved faithful. But the dearest friends must part (& with that he wept again like a child) however my comfort is, I hope we shall see each other in Heaven. I thought with my self, I had rather see him in the Counter. And from that minute I contriv’d how I might effect it: For at that time I should never have been able to have brookt a separation between my Mistress and self, especially at so great distance. She and I often consulted what to do; Sometimes we were in the mind to take what money the old fool had, and so run away together, with many stratagems which we propounded; but were rejected as no ways expedient nor convenient. At last I resolved on this, that she should acquaint her self of the exact time and way he intended to go, and so inform me thereof. I receiv’d information in a short time after, that before break of day, at such a time he would take Horse at Islington, and so for Winchester. I immediately sent away word to one of his chiefest Creditors, making known to him the sum and substance of every thing, and, that if ever he expected to receive what was due to him, he must at such a time have Officers ready to way-lay him, in order to his arrest, which was punctually done according to what instructions I sent him in a letter, without a name subscribed thereunto. He had not been long in custody, before I was sent for, to advise with him what was best to be done in this his great extremity and perplexity. I could do no less than seemingly condole his misfortunes, and withal seemed to be very active as to his assistance, running up and down to his Creditors to bring them to a compliance; but he had been better to have sent some person else as sollicitor in his businesse, for by my means I made his wound incurable. Seeing there was no remedy but patiently to endure his inevitable imprisonment, he got an Horse (as some men term it) alias a Duce facies, and so remov’d himself to Ludgate, where he had not been long e’re he dy’d for grief.

In the mean time my Mistress had secured what he had, which I enjoy’d. I had now an House and Shop of mine own, very well furnisht; but withal I was grown so deboist and profusively lavish, that I seldom was at home but at night, and then in bed with my Mistress, who was very importunate with me to marry her: I confesse I loved her intirely as my Mistresse, or Whore, but I hated her as my Wife, knowing very well that if she would be an Whore to me, and have an Husband, she would be so to another when I was in the formers place. She now found her self with Child; whereupon (taking upon her my duty) she daily prest me to save her Credit. But I delay’d, putting her off continually with specious pretences, which her love and facileness easily swallow’d. The time of her delivery approaching, I went down into the Country with her; and because it was at hand, I stay’d to see the event: Within a short while she fell in labour (now because we were known for no other than Man and Wife,) when her throws came upon her, she would not let me stir out of the room. Her pain growing intollerable, she called me hastily to her, and getting my hand within hers; Farewel, said she, I dye for thee; thy last unkindnesse in not performing thy promise, and not returning love answerable to mine, hath untimely yielded my days: with that she groaned, and then using her former expressions, cryed out, Love my memory however, since I die for thee. She uttered not one word afterwards, being as good as her word: The good woman lookt strangely on me, every one passing their verdict, and all concluding her none of my Wife. The first Christians under the great Persecution, suffered not in 500 years so many several wayes, as I did in five hours, by the peoples Tongues. I must needs say, I took it very much to heart, that Report, which made Richard the Second alive so often after he was dead, should kill me as often whilst alive; desiring them at last to wave their Censures (which they exprest publickly) I intreated them with all the Rhetorick I could produce to endeavour the reviving of my Wife, which if past recovery, to use means to preserve the Child. In a short time they told me that was dead likewise. At first I showed much grief, which was unfeigned, being not so much afflicted for the loss of her, as affected with those words she uttered when she breathed her last. I was too conscious of my own guilt, and therefore they made the deeper impression in my very Soul.

But all these perturbations of mind I dissipated with a glasse or two of Canary, which was the common antidote I us’d against care, sorrow, and vexation, &c. I now provided things necessary for her Funeral, which were not vulgar; which I might the better do, having made my self her Executor before, taking all she had into my custody. In memorial of her, and her fidelity, I wrote this Epitaph on her Tombstone.