flood of tears.
As soon as I was more composed, I rose from the bench, put my
necessaries into my valise, and summoned the gaoler, to whom I made a
handsome present, thanking him for his kindness during my
incarceration. I then shook hands with him, fee'd the turnkey who had
attended upon me, and in a minute more I was clear of the Tower gates.
How my heart heaved when I was once more in the open air.

I looked around me, and perceived that many men were busy in erecting
a scaffolding. My heart sank as I beheld them, as I felt certain what
it was for; but to verify my opinion, I turned to an old woman who had
a sort of stall from which she dispensed mead to the populace, and
inquired of her for what the scaffold was being erected.

"It's for the men who are to be executed to-morrow for aiding the
Jacobites to escape," said she. "Won't your worship take a glass of
mead this morning?"

"I am not thirsty," I replied, as I walked hastily away with my valise
upon my shoulders.

A stranger to this part of London, I hardly knew where to direct my
steps; I walked past the square before the Tower, until I came into a
street called Catherine-street, where a tavern met my view, and into
it I entered immediately, glad, as it were, to hide myself, for I felt
as if all the world looked upon me as a person just discharged from
prison. I obtained good entertainment there, and slept there that
night. The next morning, the host having provided me two good horses,
and a youngster to take them back, I set off for Liverpool, and after
five days' travel without adventure, I arrived at the town, and
proceeded direct to the house of Mr. Trevannion, my owner. I took my
valise off the boy's horse, and having paid him for his attendance, I
knocked at the door, for it was late in the evening, and dark, when I
arrived. The door (for it was at his private house door, which was
next to the counting-house door, that I knocked) was opened; and the
woman who opened it shrieked, and let drop the candle, exclaiming,
"Help, oh God--a ghost, a ghost!" for it appeared that the news had
arrived at Liverpool from a messenger who had been sent express after
I had been condemned, stating that there was no hope, and that I was
to suffer on the Monday previous; and this was the Saturday evening on
which I had arrived. Mr. Trevannion's clerk hearing a noise in the
passage, came out with another candle, and seeing me, and the woman
lying on the floor in a swoon