very great disquietude. She who had been reared in the lap of indulgence and never known either hardship or privation, might with her helpless infants arrive in this country and find me in a prison, and perhaps something even worse. She might be exposed to other chances; be taken prisoner into some other country, where either she might not be able to hear of me, or if she did, might only hear that which would afflict her still the more. I urged this to my judge, who said he would represent it with the statement of my answers, which he had caused to be written down, to his superior, and so finished my trial. But this painful consideration and the close confinement again affected my health. The pain in my chest encreased: I lost all appetite, and certainly a few weeks more would have put an end to all my persecutions.

LETTER XIV.

Doctor-Journey to Lisbon-Comedians, Friars, &c.

A Doctor was, however, upon great entreaty, allowed to give me a plaister for my breast. I was permitted, but only in the presence of the interpreter, to receive a visit from Mr. Nash. It had been the day before proposed to me to set out for Lisbon, where it was said I should see the English and Portuguese ministers and be set at liberty. Mr. Nash exhorted me strongly to accept of the proposal, and told me he had conferred on the subject with the corrigidor, who was exceedingly concerned

and interested for me, and who had shewn him all my papers assorted in the most favorable order, which would be returned to me on my arrival at Lisbon: that there should be but one gentleman to conduct me and my man, `and that I should pay my own expenses and be without restraint: that at Lisbon I should be set free, or that the very worst that could happen, would be to send me to England, where I should remain in peace with my family; or if that was disagreeable to me, to some neutral country which I should prefer, perhaps Hamburg. He even went so far as to say that he would pledge his word of honor and be answerable with his heart's blood that no mischief whatever should happen to me. All this he said with an air of kindness and sincerity, pression on me; and added, seizing both my hands affectionately, that if my wife should arrive after my departure,` she should find in him a brother and in Mrs. Nash a sister. And also that he would charge himself with forwarding any letters or commissions or any effects I might leave behind me. The candid and kind manner in which he expressed himself, put it out of my power to reply. It might appear headstrong and even ungenerous not to acquiesce; and I instantly consented. Though long persecution had taught me to distrust, and I boded secretly some perfidy which I did not chuse to hint at; but the sequel will shew how true those bodings were.

which made a strong im

The following morning, being the first of April, I was called up; and on looking out of my window perceived that I was to have three men armed to escort me; but of this I made no complaint. The weather was cold and unsettled; and not daring to expose myself to the rain, in the feeble state of my health, I travelled in a machine in use

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in that country, called a litter, suspended between two mules; at the side of which walked a fellow with a stick, who did nothing but curse and beat these poor animals. My servant was mounted on a mule as were all the others except the courier, the chief of the expedition, who rode on a poney.

Were I writing a work of fancy, there would be ample matter in the history of our caravan, We were joined at the ferry by two Dominican friars; the prior and a noviciate of the convent of Villa Real. In their conversation I found great resource, as by means of the Latin language I could express the names of many things which I did not know in the Portuguese. They seemed very kind-hearted; and when in conversation I mentioned the misfortunes of my country, of which mine were but a slight instance, and particularly the state of cruel proscription in which those of the Catholic faith were held in their native land, I could perceive the tears more than once to start in the eyes of the young man.

We had some persons of an opposite calling to that of the good fathers; a family of Italian comedians. From one of the ladies, with whom I had an opportunity of conversing as we walked together one day along the road, I found that they had been invited by the corrigidor to 0porto. That he, without knowing their language or their art, had taken upon him to manage their opera, and finished by putting them in prison for not giving full execu tion to his conceptions. From this prison they had been at length delivered, and were making the best of their way to the frontiers.

There were also some of a meaner description; such as fish-carriers, carrying eels as a present to some Fidalgo

from the corrigidor: also a mulatto woman following her husband (a soldier) to Lisbon, and a poor barefooted Gallego going to seek for work in the same metropolis. This latter danced and sung before us the whole way; and was, though the most despised, doubtless the most happy of the party. At our table, between couriers, scribes, friars and comedians, mule-drivers, litter-driver, and their valets, we sat down together to dinner, seldom less than fifteen persons; and our constant repast, twice in the day, was boiled fowls buried in greasy yellow rice, of which I scarcely tasted. At night we of the higher sort lay down promiscuously on the floor, where mattresses of straw were laid, the inns affording nothing better; for there was but one inn on all the way in which there was a bedstead.

In return for this I was quite unrestrained upon the road. As often as I chose I got out to walk; sometimes mounted the mule of my servant, but oftener the horse of the courier, on which occasions I had a sword and a case of pistols before me. I got leave to walk about the towns with one of my guards, and in Coimbra I bought some books, and conversed with some of the students of the university in a coffee-house; and it was every where given out, that I was a grandee going to the minister of state.

After seven days travelling we arrived in the metropolis. The friars took leave of me at the last stage. The comedians had staid behind to give a concert at Coimbra. The fish carriers had long since disappeared. The Mulattress and the Gallego had abandoned me to my fortune, and there remained but such mules, mule-driver's valets, scribes, couriers, &c. as were in my immediate pay. The courier rode on, as he said, to announce me to the minister; but upon entering the suburbs I saw him waiting for

us at the end of a street, and then drawing up with the rest in regular order of procession.

I was conducted through a number of dirty streets, to the foot of a frightful prison, where my future house-mates were eyeing me through their bars. I asked the Courier, if that was his minister's hotel? He answered, no: for the minister, he said, was not able to receive me, nor to see me this evening, being very busy: but that I was going to lodge in a fine apartment, built for kings and queens. I asked him, if I was going to gaol? and he denied it, saying, that this was not a gaol, but a castle: that the minister would come to see me in the morning, and that in the mean time they would all go and announce my arrival to the English ambassador.

I need not tell you, that I was not the dupe of this mummery. I was taken into a great hall, where was an old man, who deliberately putting on his spectacles and opening a book, asked me my name, my country, and some other impertinent questions. I asked him if there were lodgings bespoke for me by the minister, who was to come and visit me in the morning? He said he knew nothing of the matter. I then asked him, if he knew who I was? He said no: why then do you detain me in prison, without knowing who I am? He continued his work, searching my trunks and my secretary; took away every thing that was of metal or glass; and the guides withdrawing to announce me, as they said, to the English ambassador, he offered to conduct me to my room. Before I went, I told him I should wish to have a little explanation with him, but would have need for that of some person who could do the office of interpreter. He asked me in what language? and I said, either in English or French, A French captain of a privateer, a