en to view us, who seemed to be officers.
They called us and examined us of our trades and callings, which
everyone answered. One said he was a surgeon, another that he was a
broad-cloth weaver, and I, after two or three demands, said I had
some skill in physic. We three were set by, and taken by three of
these eight men who came to view us. It was my chance to be chosen
by a grave physician of eighty-seven years of age, who lived near to
Smyrna, who had formerly been in England, and knew Crowland in
Lincolnshire, which he preferred before all others in England. He
employed me to keep his still-house, and gave me a silver bowl,
double gilt, to drink in. My business was most in that place, but
once he set me to gather cotton wool, which I not doing he struck me
to the ground, and after drew his stiletto to stab me; but I holding
up my hands to him, he gave me a stamp and turned from me, for
which I render thanks to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who
stayed his hand and preserved me.

I was there about a year and three quarters, and then my master fell
sick on a Thursday, and sent for me, and calling me, as he used, by
the name of Bell, told me he should die and bid me shift for myself.
He died on the Saturday following, and I instantly hastened with my
bowl[110] to a port almost a day's journey distant, the way to which
place I knew, having been twice there employed by my master about
the carriage of the cotton wool. When I came thither I addressed
myself to two men who came out of a ship of Hamburg, which, as they
said, was bound for Portugal within three or four days. I enquired
of them for an English ship, they answered there was none. I
entreated them to take me into their ship, but they answered they
durst not, for fear of being discovered by the searchers, which
might occasion the forfeiture, not only of their goods, but also of
their lives. I was very importunate with them, but could not
prevail. They left me to wait on Providence, which at length brought
me another out of the same ship, to whom I made known my condition,
craving his assistance for my transportation. He made me the like
answer as the former, and was as stiff in his denial, until the
sight of my bowl put him to pause. He returned to the ship, and
after an hour's space came back again accompanied with another