neas a week, and
began to entertain company in a public manner; but my income being too
small to defray my expenses, I was obliged to retrench, and enter into
articles with the porters of certain taverns, who undertook to find
employment enough for me, provided I would share my profits with them.
Accordingly, I was almost every night engaged with company, among whom
I was exposed to every mortification, danger, and abuse, that flow from
drunkenness and brutality. As my spirit was not sufficiently humbled to
the will, nor my temper calculated for the conversation of my gallants,
it was impossible for me to overcome an aversion I felt for my
profession, which manifested itself in a settled gloom on my
countenance, and disgusted those sons of mirth and riot so much, that
I was frequently used in a shocking manner, and kicked down stairs with
disgrace. The messengers, seeing me disagreeable to their benefactors
and employers, seldom troubled me with a call, and I began to find
myself almost totally neglected.

'To contribute towards my support I was fain to sell my watch, rings,
trinkets, with the best part of my clothes; and I was one evening musing
by myself on misery before me when I received a message from a tavern,
whither I repaired in a chair, and was introduced to a gentleman dressed
like an officer, with whom I supped in a sumptuous manner. In the
morning, when I awoke, I found my gallant had got up, and, drawing aside
the curtain, could not perceive him in the room. I waited a full hour
for his return, and then in the greatest perplexity, rose up and rang
the bell. When the waiter came to the door, he found it locked, and
desired admittance, which I granted, after observing, with great
surprise, that the key remained on the inside, as when we went to bed.
I no sooner inquired for the captain, than the fellow, staring with a
distracted look, cried, "How, madam, is he not abed?" And when he was
satisfied as to that particular, ran into a closet adjoining to the
chamber, the window of which he found open. Through this the adventurer
had got upon a wall, front whence he dropped down into a court and
escaped, leaving me to be answerable not only for the reckoning, but
also for a large silver tankard and posset-bowl, which he had carried
off with him.

'It is impossible to describe the consternation I was under, when I saw
myself detained as a thief's accomplice; for I was looked upon in that
light, and carried before