as to bolt the door; not
an inch would I budge, unless the house, and even my bed, were on fire.
And so for several hours I lay, in the depth of the deepest slumber,
without even a dream on its surface; until I was roused and awakened at
last by a pushing, and pulling, and pinching, and a plucking of hair out
by the roots. And at length, being able to open mine eyes, I saw the old
landlady, with a candle, heavily wondering at me.

"Can't you let me alone?" I grumbled. "I have paid for my bed, mistress;
and I won't get up for any one."

"Would to God, young man," she answered, shaking me as hard as ever,
"that the popish soldiers may sleep this night, only half as strong as
thou dost! Fie on thee, fie on thee! Get up, and go fight; we can hear
the battle already; and a man of thy size mought stop a cannon."

"I would rather stop a-bed," said I; "what have I to do with fighting? I
am for King James, if any."

"Then thou mayest even stop a-bed," the old woman muttered sulkily. "A
would never have laboured half an hour to awake a Papisher. But hearken
you one thing, young man; Zummerzett thou art, by thy brogue; or at
least by thy understanding of it; no Zummerzett maid will look at thee,
in spite of thy size and stature, unless thou strikest a blow this
night."

"I lack no Zummerzett maid, mistress: I have a fairer than your brown
things; and for her alone would I strike a blow."

At this the old woman gave me up, as being beyond correction: and
it vexed me a little that my great fame had not reached so far as
Bridgwater, when I thought that it went to Bristowe. But those people in
East Somerset know nothing about wrestling. Devon is the headquarters
of the art; and Devon is the county of my chief love. Howbeit, my vanity
was moved, by this slur upon it--for I had told her my name was John
Ridd, when I had a gallon of ale with her, ere ever I came upstairs; and
she had nodded, in such a manner, that I thought she knew both name
and fame--and here was I, not only shaken, pinched, and with many hairs
pulled out, in the midst of my first good sleep for a week, but also
abused, and taken amiss, and (which vexed me most of all) unknown.

Now there is nothing like vanity to keep a man awake at night, however
he be weary; and most of all, when he believes that he is doing
something great--this time, if never done before--yet other people will
not see, except what they may laugh at; and so be far above him, and
sleep thems