The History of Thomas Ellwood Written By HimselfEllwood, Thomas
History
The History of Thomas Ellwood Written By Himself
Ellwood, Thomas
Ellwood, Thomas, 1639-1713; Quakers -- Biography
Whether he did so or not I cannot tell; but I am apt to think that he
applied himself to the Mayor or the Sheriffs of London; for the next day
one of the Sheriffs, called Sir William Turner, a woollen-draper in
Paul’s Yard, came to the press-yard, and having ordered the porter of
Bridewell to attend him there, sent up a turnkey amongst us, to bid all
the Bridewell prisoners come down to him, for they knew us not, but we
knew our own company.
Being come before him in the press-yard, he looked kindly on us and spoke
courteously to us. “Gentlemen,” said he, “I understand the prison is
very full, and I am sorry for it. I wish it were in my power to release
you and the rest of your friends that are in it. But since I cannot do
that, I am willing to do what I can for you, and therefore I am come
hither to inquire how it is; and I would have all you who came from
Bridewell return thither again, which will be a better accommodation to
you, and your removal will give the more room to those that are left
behind; and here is the porter of Bridewell, your old keeper, to attend
you thither.”
We duly acknowledged the favour of the Sheriff to us and our friends
above, in this removal of us, which would give them more room and us a
better air. But before we parted from him I spoke particularly to him on
another occasion, which was this:
When we came into Newgate we found a shabby fellow there among the
Friends, who upon inquiry we understood had thrust himself among our
friends when they were taken at a meeting, on purpose to be sent to
prison with them, in hopes to be maintained by them. They knew nothing
of him till they found him shut in with them in the prison, and then took
no notice of him, as not knowing how or why he came thither. But he soon
gave them cause to take notice of him, for wherever he saw any victuals
brought forth for them to eat he would be sure to thrust in, with knife
in hand, and make himself his own carver; and so impudent was he, that if
he saw the provision was short, whoever wanted, he would be sure to take
enough.
Thus lived this lazy drone upon the labours of the industrious bees, to
his high content and their no small trouble, to whom his company was as
offensive as his ravening was oppressive; nor could they get any relief
by their complaining of him to the keepers.
This fellow hearing the notice which was given for the Bridewell men to
go down in order to be removed to Bridewell again, and hoping, no doubt,
that fresh quarters would produce fresh commons, and that he would fare
better with us than where he was, thrust himself amongst us, and went
down into the press-yard with us, which I knew not of till I saw him
standing there with his hat on, and looking as demurely as he could, that
the Sheriff might take him for a Quaker; at the sight of which my spirit
was much stirred.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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