In the mean time my father had disposed of the purchased prize, bought him an old suit with some part of the mony, and ranted it in the ale-house with the rest of it, for what is thus gotten over the Devils back is for the most part spent under his belly. At last his sinful life had a Tragical conclusion, for one of his Comrades and he being fudling together, they chanced to fall out, and from words proceeded to blows, where my father recieved such a knock on his pate with a flaggon, that though it killed him not out-right, yet he survived not long after; making his end answerable to his life: for as he led a troublesome life all the dayes he lived, so he put the Parish to some trouble at his death, who were forced to be at the charge of burying him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------- CHAP. XI. _The abuses of Nurses, and keepers of sick people, his Master dyeth, the knavery of his Executor both in his trade and office: he lives with a Locksmith, the knavery of that trade._ I was the less grieved for the death of my father, knowing, if he had lived, he would have brought me to the Gallows, for he would have been always in want, and urging me to supply him, which I could not do any other wayes than by theft; but that now he was dead I resolved quite to give over the practice of it, for fear in the end, it should bring me to look through a hempen casement. And now I bent all my endeavours to please my Master, knowing I had few friends to rely upon; I was up with the first, and down with the last, and refused no work I was set unto, and I found the benefit of my diligence at last, for it pleased God to visit our family with the Pestilence, which in a weeks space, swept away all the whole Houshold but my Master and I. In this weeks time I observed the abuses and cheats of Nurses and Keepers, such who look to people who are visited with the sickness. Two of these Jades we had in our house, who when my mistris lay distracted with the distemper, took away her keys, and ransackt her Trunks, from whence they took a purse full of money, most of it gold, which she had gathered unknown to my Master, intending to keep it for her further need, (or as we say) against a rainy day. Thus these Jades convey’d away together with a great deal of the best linnen in the house, which was done by the help of the watch-man that guarded the door, who was son-in-law to one of the Queans, and now that my Master might not discover their theft, they sent her of an errant to her long home, by giving her drinks and other slops, quite contrary to what the Physicians prescribed, by the same way they dispatch’d the maid, and the Prentices, with a little Girle, the only Child my Master had; and now was none remaining but my Master and I, whom they intended should have followed after the rest, then they might