they kept
me by force near half an hour. They had called a constable, and he
stood in the shop as my jailer; and in talking with the constable I
inquired where he lived, and what trade he was; the man not
apprehending in the least what happened afterwards, readily told me his
name, and trade, and where he lived; and told me as a jest, that I
might be sure to hear of his name when I came to the Old Bailey.

Some of the servants likewise used me saucily, and had much ado to keep
their hands off me; the master indeed was civiller to me than they, but
he would not yet let me go, though he owned he could not say I was in
his shop before.

I began to be a little surly with him, and told him I hoped he would
not take it ill if I made myself amends upon him in a more legal way
another time; and desired I might send for friends to see me have right
done me. No, he said, he could give no such liberty; I might ask it
when I came before the justice of peace; and seeing I threatened him,
he would take care of me in the meantime, and would lodge me safe in
Newgate. I told him it was his time now, but it would be mine by and
by, and governed my passion as well as I was able. However, I spoke to
the constable to call me a porter, which he did, and then I called for
pen, ink, and paper, but they would let me have none. I asked the
porter his name, and where he lived, and the poor man told it me very
willingly. I bade him observe and remember how I was treated there;
that he saw I was detained there by force. I told him I should want
his evidence in another place, and it should not be the worse for him
to speak. The porter said he would serve me with all his heart. 'But,
madam,' says he, 'let me hear them refuse to let you go, then I may be
able to speak the plainer.'

With that I spoke aloud to the master of the shop, and said, 'Sir, you
know in your own conscience that I am not the person you look for, and
that I was not in your shop before, therefore I demand that you detain
me here no longer, or tell me the reason of your stopping me.' The
fellow grew surlier upon this than before, and said he would do neither
till he thought fit. 'Very well,' said I to the constable and to the
porter; 'you will be pleased to remember this, gentlemen, another
time.' The porter said, 'Yes, madam'; and the constable began not to
like it, and would have persuaded the mercer to dismiss him, and let me
go, since, as he said, he owned I was