rs fled for terror; because of which
certain of the silenced ministers were called on to fill those vacant
pulpits; and they did so while the Plague lasted, with great zeal and
boldness, no man saying them nay. But neither the courage of these men,
nor the fervency with which they preached and visited among the sick and
dying, could so far recommend them to Will that he would set foot in
what he called the steeple-houses; so on the Lord's Day we had to
dispense with his attendance, and this troubled me; but on the other
hand there was comfort in seeing how my poor sister rejoiced in the
ministerings of these faithful men. A great change showed itself in
her; she was full of a new tenderness to me, and was most mild and
patient with poor Will and his odd ways; and as for him, I believe he
would have died for her, or done anything that she desired, except
lodging in Mr. Dacre's house, or worshipping in a church.

Now when Althea had assured herself she must look for Andrew in Newgate
and in no other prison, she set herself to get admission there. 'No lock
so hard,' she said to me, 'but will go with a golden key.'

So she put money enough in her purse. She took Will with her, clad in a
suit fit for a plain country gentleman, for she wished it to be thought
he was one who had power to protect her; and, having found out the
keeper of Newgate, she bought from him at a great price leave to visit
his gloomy wicked kingdom, and to relieve poor creatures lying in it for
conscience sake.

Now, had she relieved all who professed that they were such as she
sought, she might have spent the wealth of both Indies; for it was
shocking how many utter reprobates pressed up to her and to Will,
claiming that they were imprisoned for matters of religion; but their
brazen countenances, that bore the deep impress of their wickedness,
witnessed against them. With great trouble she found out at last a few
of the sort she wanted, and then began to ask for Andrew by name; but no
one seemed to know aught of him; the keeper too professed ignorance of
any such person. But her belief was strong that he lay within those
walls, and she went again and again on the same errand.

Now I could never get her leave to go with her to Newgate. She said at
first that Will, being a man, was more useful to her than I could be;
but afterwards she owned that the prison was so vile and hideous a place
she could not endure I should see it.

'There is no need,' she