These are fome of the common Evils, which 1661. make the Common Side of Newgate, in mea- . fure a Type of HELL upon EARTH. But there was, at that time, fomething of another Nature, more Particular and Accidental, which was very Offenfive to me. When we came firft into Newgate, there lay (in a little By-place like a Clofet, near the Room where we were Lodged) the Quartered Bodies of three Men; who had been Executed fome Days before, for a real or pretended Plot: which was the Ground, or at leaft Pretext, for that Storm in the City, which had caused this Imprisonment. The Names of these three Men were Philips, Tongue and Gibs: and the Reason why their Quarters lay fo long there was, The Relations were all that while Petitioning to have leave to bury them: which at length with much ado was obtained for the Quarters; but not for the Heads, which were Ordered to be fet up in fome Parts of the City. I faw the Heads, when they were brought up to be Boyled. The Hangman fetch'd them in a dirty Duft Basket, out of fome By-Place; and fetting them down amongst the Felons, he and they made Sport with them. They took them by the Hair, Flouting, Jeering and Laughing at them: and then giving them fome ill Names, box'd them on the Ears and Cheeks. Which done, the Hangman put them into his Kettle, and parboyl'd them with Bay-Salt and Cummin-Seed that to keep them from PutreFaction, and this to keep off the Fowls from feizing 1662. feizing on them. The whole Sight (as well that of the Bloody Quarters firft, as this of the Heads afterwards) was both frightful and loathfom; and begat an Abhorrence in my Nature. Which as it had rendered my Confinement there by much the more uneafie: fo it made our Removal from thence to Bridewell, even in that respect, the more welcome. Whither we now go. For having (as I hinted before) made up our Packs, and taken our Leave of our Friends, whom we were to leave behind; we took our Bundles on our Shoulders, and walked, Two and Two a Breast, through the Old Baily into Fleet-Street, and fo to Old Bridewell. And it being about the middle of the Afternoon, and the Streets pretty full of People; both the Shopkeepers at their Doors, and Passengers in the Way, would ftop us, and ask us what we were, and whither we were going. And when we had told them we were Prisoners, going from one Prison to another (from Newgate to Bridewell) What, faid they, without a Keeper! No, faid we, for our Word, which we have given, is our Keeper. Some thereupon would advise us not to go to Prifon, but to go home. But we told them, we could not do fo: we could fuffer for our Teftimony; but could not fly from it. I do not remember we had any Abufe offered us: but were generally pitied by the People.. When we were come to Bridewell; we were not put up into the great Room in which we had been been before; but into a low Room in another 1662. fair Court, which had a Pump in the Middle of it. And here we were not fhut up as before: but had the Liberty of the Court to walk in, and of the Pump to wash or drink at. And indeed, we might easily have gone quite away (if we would, there was a Paffage through the Court into the Street) but we were true and fteady Prisoners; and looked upon this Liberty, arifing from their Confidence in us, to be a kind of Paroll upon us; fo that both Confcience and Honour stood now engaged for our true Imprisonment. Adjoyning to this Room, wherein we were, was fuch another; both newly fitted up for Work-Houses, and accordingly furnished with very great Blocks, for Beating Hemp upon, and a lufty Whipping-Poft there was in each. And it was faid, That Richard Brown had Ordered those Blocks to be provided, for the Quakers to Work on; refolving to try his Strength with us in that Cafe: but if that was his Purpose, it was over-ruled; for we never had any Work Offered us, nor were we treated after the Manner of those, that are to be fo Ufed. Yet we fet our felves to Work on them; for, being very large, they ferved the Taylors for Shopboards, and others wrought upon them, as they had Occafion: and they served us very well for Tables to eat on. We had also befides this Room, the Ufe of our former Chamber above, to go into when we thought fit: and thither fometimes I with- drew, N 1662.drew, when I found a Desire for Retirement and Privacy, or had something on my Mind to write, which could not fo well be done in Company. And indeed, about this time my Spirit was more than ordinarily Exercised; though on very different Subjects. For, on the one hand, the Senfe of the Exceeding LOVE, and GOODNESS of the LORD to me, in his Gracious and Tender Dealings with me, did deeply affect my Heart; and caused me to break forth in a SONG of THANKSGIVING and PRAISE to Him: And, on the other hand, a Senfe of the Prophaneness, Debaucheries, Cruelties, and other horid Impieties of the AG E, fell heavy on me; and lay as a preffing Weight upon my Spirit. And this drew from me a clofe Exprobration; which my mournful Mufe vented in the following Lines: to which I gave for a Ticle, Speculum . Speculum SECU LI: OR, A LOOKING-GLASS FOR THE TIMES. Which began with this Expoftulatory Preface. HT fhould my Modeft MUSE forbidden be WHY To speak of that which but too many fee? That she should hold her Tongue, and daily fee Those wicked and enormous Crimes committed, 1662. |