hile, the commissary, not wholly relying on the astrologer, but
resolving prudently to make use of the more earthly resources which were
at his disposal, had sent information of Garret's escape to the
corporations of Dover, Rye, Winchester, Southampton, and Bristol, with
descriptions of the person of the fugitive; and this step was taken with
so much expedition, that before the end of the week no vessel was
allowed to leave either of those harbours without being strictly
searched.

[Sidenote: Garret goes to Bristol, and is taken by the father-in-law of
the Oxford proctor.]

The natural method proved more effectual than the supernatural, though
again with the assistance of a singular accident. Garret had not gone to
London; unfortunately for himself, he had not gone to Wales as he had
intended. He left Oxford, as we saw, the evening of Saturday, February
21st. That night he reached a village called Corkthrop,[75] where he lay
concealed till Wednesday; and then, not in the astrologer's orange-tawny
dress, but in "a courtier's coat and buttoned cap," which he had by some
means contrived to procure, he set out again on his forlorn journey,
making for the nearest sea-port, Bristol, where the police were looking
out to receive him. His choice of Bristol was peculiarly unlucky. The
"chapman" of the town was the step-father of Cole, the Oxford proctor:
to this person, whose name was Master Wilkyns, the proctor had written a
special letter, in addition to the commissary's circular; and the family
connexion acting as a spur to his natural activity, a coast-guard had
been set before Garret's arrival, to watch for him down the Avon banks,
and along the Channel shore for fifteen miles. All the Friday night "the
mayor, with the aldermen, and twenty of the council, had kept privy
watch," and searched suspicious houses at Master Wilkyns's instance; the
whole population were on the alert, and when the next afternoon, a week
after his escape, the poor heretic, footsore and weary, dragged himself
into the town, he found that he had walked into the lion's mouth.[76] He
quickly learnt the danger to which he was exposed, and hurried off again
with the best speed which he could command; but it was too late. The
chapman, alert and indefatigable, had heard that a stranger had been
seen in the street; the police were set upon his track, and he was taken
at Bedminster, a suburb on the opposite bank of the Avon, and hurried
before a magistrate, w