f it be the
devil I fearen not, and for a dead mon a can do us no harm." When she
saw my condition, she cried, "Here be no devil, but in your en fool's
head. Here be a poor miserable wretch bleeding to death, and if a dies,
we must be at the charge of burying him; therefore, Dick, go vetch the
old wheelbarrow and put en in, and carry en to goodman Hodge's backdoor;
he is more able than we to pay out money upon poor vagrants." Her advice
was taken, and immediately put in execution; I was rolled to the other
farmer's door, where I was tumbled out like a heap of dung; and should
certainly have fallen a prey to the hogs, if my groans had not disturbed
the family, and brought some of them out to view my situation. But Hodge
resembled the Jew more than the good Samaritan, and ordered me to be
carried to the house of the parson, whose business it was to practise as
well as to preach charity; observing that it was sufficient for him to
pay his quota towards the maintenance of the poor belonging to his own
parish. When I was set down at the vicar's gate, he fell into a mighty
passion, and threatened to excommunicate him who sent, as well as those
who brought me, unless they would move me immediately to another
place. About this time I fainted with the fatigue I had undergone, and
afterwards understood that I was bandied from door to door through a
whole village, nobody having humanity enough to administer the least
relief to me, Until an old woman, who was suspected of witchcraft by the
neighbourhood, hearing of my distress, received me into her house, and,
having dressed my wounds, brought me to myself with cordials of her own
preparing. I was treated with great care and tenderness by this grave
matron, who, after I had recovered some strength, desired to know the
particulars of my last disaster. This piece of satisfaction I could not
refuse to one who had saved my life, therefore related all my
adventures without exaggeration or reserve. She seemed surprised at the
vicissitudes I had undergone, and drew a happy presage of my future life
from my past suffering, then launched out into the praise of adversity,
with so much ardour and good sense, that I concluded she was a person
who had seen better days, and conceived a longing desire to hear her
story. She perceived my drift by some words I dropped, and smiling told
me, there was nothing either entertaining or extraordinary in the
course of her fortune; but, however, she would com