willing to entertaine; for my onely desire was to
refraine drinke and be temperate in my dyet.

At Chelmsford, a Mayde not passing foureteene yeares of age, dwelling
with one Sudley, my kinde friend, made request to her Master and Dame
that she might daunce the Morrice with me in a great large roome. They
being intreated, I was soone wonne to fit her with bels{7:26}; besides
she would haue the olde fashion, with napking on her armes{7:26}; and to
our iumps we fell. A whole houre she held out; but then being ready to
lye downe I left her off; but thus much in her praise, I would haue
challenged the strongest man in Chelmsford, and amongst many I thinke
few would haue done so much.

The fourth dayes iourney, beeing Munday of the second weeke.

On Munday morning, very early, I rid the 3 myles that I daunst the
satterday before; where alighting, my Taberer strucke up, and lightly I
tript forward; but I had the heauiest way that euer mad Morrice-dancer
trod; yet,

With hey and ho, through thicke and thin,
The hobby horse quite forgotten{8:8},
I follow'd, as I did begin,
Although the way were rotten.

This foule way I could finde no ease in, thicke woods being on eyther
side the lane; the lane likewise being full of deep holes, sometimes I
skipt vp to the waste; but it is an old Prouerb, that it is a little
comfort to the miserable to haue companions, and amidst this miry way I
had some mirth by an vnlookt for accident.

It was the custome of honest Country fellows, my vnknowne friends, upon
hearing of my Pype (which might well be heard in a still morning or
euening a myle), to get vp and beare mee company a little way. In this
foule way two pretty plaine youthes watcht me, and with their kindnes
somewhat hindred me. One, a fine light fellow, would be still before me,
the other euer at my heeles. At length, comming to a broad plash{8:23}
of water and mud, which could not be auoyded, I fetcht a rise, yet fell
in ouer the anckles at the further end. My youth that follow'd me tooke
his iump, and stuck fast in the midst, crying out to his companion,
"Come, George, call yee this dauncing? Ile goe no further," for, indeede
hee could goe no further, till his fellow was faine to wade and help him
out. I could not chuse but lough to see howe like two frogges they
laboured: a hartye farwell I gaue them, and they faintly bad God speed
me, saying if I daunst that durtie way this seauen yeares againe, they
w