hey were obliged to set a
watch over me, to restrain me from doing further mischief to myself and
others. This fit of frenzy continued three days, at the end of which I
grew calm and sullen: but as the desire of making away with myself still
remained, I came to a determination of starving myself to death, and
with that view refused all sustenance.

'Whether it was owing to the want of opposition, or to the weakness
of nature, I know not; but on the second day of my fast, I found
my resolution considerably impaired, and the calls of hunger almost
insupportable. At this critical conjuncture a lady was brought into the
prison, with whom I had contracted an acquaintance while I lived with
Horatio; she was then on the same footing as I was, but afterwards
quarrelling with her gallant, and not finding another to her mind,
altered her scheme of life, and set up a coffee-house among the hundreds
in Drury, where she entertained gentlemen with claret, arrack, and the
choice of half-a-dozen damsels who lived in her house. This serviceable
matron having neglected to gratify a certain justice for the connivance
she enjoyed, was indicted at the quarter sessions, in consequence of
which her bevy was dispersed, and herself committed to Bridewell. She
had not been long there before she learned my disaster, and coming up to
me, after a compliment of condolence, inquired into the particulars of
my fate. While we were engaged in discourse together, the master came
and told me, that the fellow on whose account I had suffered was taken,
that he had confessed the theft, and cleared me of any concern in the
affair; for which reason he, the master, had orders to discharge me, and
that I was from that moment free.

'This piece of news soon banished all thoughts of death, and had such an
instantaneous effect on my countenance, that Mrs. Coupler (the lady then
present), hoping to find her account in me, very generously offered
to furnish me with what necessaries I wanted, and take me into her own
house as soon as she could compromise matters with the justices. The
conditions of her offer were, that I should pay three guineas weekly for
my board, and a reasonable consideration besides, for the use of such
clothes and ornaments as she should supply me with, to be deducted from
the first profits of my occupation. These were hard terms, but not to
be rejected by one who was turned out helpless and naked into the wide
world, without a friend to pity o