The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

by Daniel Defoe

quite full to St. Edmund's Bury,where, as I told you, I could make but little of my trade, only at alittle country opera-house made a shift to carry off a gold watch froma lady's side, who was not only intolerably merry, but, as I thought, alittle fuddled, which made my work much easier.

  I made off with this little booty to Ipswich, and from thence toHarwich, where I went into an inn, as if I had newly arrived fromHolland, not doubting but I should make some purchase among theforeigners that came on shore there; but I found them generally emptyof things of value, except what was in their portmanteaux and Dutchhampers, which were generally guarded by footmen; however, I fairly gotone of their portmanteaux one evening out of the chamber where thegentleman lay, the footman being fast asleep on the bed, and I supposevery drunk.

  The room in which I lodged lay next to the Dutchman's, and havingdragged the heavy thing with much ado out of the chamber into mine, Iwent out into the street, to see if I could find any possibility ofcarrying it off. I walked about a great while, but could see noprobability either of getting out the thing, or of conveying away thegoods that were in it if I had opened it, the town being so small, andI a perfect stranger in it; so I was returning with a resolution tocarry it back again, and leave it where I found it. Just in that verymoment I heard a man make a noise to some people to make haste, for theboat was going to put off, and the tide would be spent. I called tothe fellow, 'What boat is it, friend,' says I, 'that you belong to?''The Ipswich wherry, madam,' says he. 'When do you go off?' says I.'This moment, madam,' says he; 'do you want to go thither?' 'Yes,'said I, 'if you can stay till I fetch my things.' 'Where are yourthings, madam?' says he. 'At such an inn,' said I. 'Well, I'll gowith you, madam,' says he, very civilly, 'and bring them for you.''Come away, then,' says I, and takes him with me.

  The people of the inn were in a great hurry, the packet-boat fromHolland being just come in, and two coaches just come also withpassengers from London, for another packet-boat that was going off forHolland, which coaches were to go back next day with the passengersthat were just landed. In this hurry it was not much minded that Icame to the bar and paid my reckoning, telling my landlady I had gottenmy passage by sea in a wherry.

  These wherries are large vessels, with good accommodation for carryingpassengers from Harwich to London; and though they are called wherries,which is a word used in the Thames for a small boat rowed with one ortwo men, yet these are vessels able to carry twenty passengers, and tenor fifteen tons of goods, and fitted to bear the sea. All this I hadfound out by inquiring the night before into the several ways of goingto London.

  My landlady was very courteous, took my money for my reckoning, but wascalled away, all the house being in a hurry. So I left her, took thefellow up to my chamber, gave him the trunk, or portmanteau, for it waslike a trunk, and wrapped it about with an old apron, and he wentdirectly to his boat with it, and I after him, nobody asking us theleast question about it; as for the drunken Dutch footman he was stillasleep, and his master with other foreign gentlemen at supper, and verymerry below, so I went clean off with it to Ipswich; and going in thenight, the people of the house knew nothing but that I was gone toLondon by the Harwich wherry, as I had told my landlady.

  I was plagued at Ipswich with the custom-house officers, who stopped mytrunk, as I called it, and would open and search it. I was willing, Itold them, they should search it, but husband had the key, and he wasnot yet come from Harwich; this I said, that if upon searching it theyshould find all the things be such as properly belonged to a man ratherthan a woman, it should not seem strange to them. However, they beingpositive to open the trunk I consented to have it be broken open, thatis to say, to have the lock taken off, which was not difficult.

  They found nothing for their turn, for the trunk had been searchedbefore, but they discovered several things very much to mysatisfaction, as particularly a parcel of money in French pistols, andsome Dutch ducatoons or rix-dollars, and the rest was chiefly twoperiwigs, wearing-linen, and razors, wash-balls, perfumes, and otheruseful things necessary for a gentleman, which all passed for myhusband's, and so I was quit to them.

  It was now very early in the morning, and not light, and I knew notwell what course to take; for I made no doubt but I should be pursuedin the morning, and perhaps be taken with the things about me; so Iresolved upon taking new measures. I went publicly to an inn in thetown with my trunk, as I called it, and having taken the substance out,I did not think the lumber of it worth my concern; however, I gave itthe landlady of the house with a charge to take great care of it, andlay it up safe till I should come again, and away I walked in to thestreet.

  When I was got into the town a great way from the inn, I met with anancient woman who had just opened her door, and I fell into chat withher, and asked her a great many wild questions of things all remote tomy purpose and design; but in my discourse I found by her how the townwas situated, that I was in a street that went out towards Hadley, butthat such a street went towards the water-side, such a street towardsColchester, and so the London road lay there.

  I had soon my ends of this old woman, for I only wanted to know whichwas the London road, and away I walked as fast as I could; not that Iintended to go on foot, either to London or to Colchester, but I wantedto get quietly away from Ipswich.

  I walked about two or three miles, and then I met a plain countryman,who was busy about some husbandry work, I did not know what, and Iasked him a great many questions first, not much to the purpose, but atlast told him I was going for London, and the coach was full, and Icould not get a passage, and asked him if he could tell me where tohire a horse that would carry double, and an honest man to ride beforeme to Colchester, that so I might get a place there in the coaches.The honest clown looked earnestly at me, and said nothing for abovehalf a minute, when, scratching his poll, 'A horse, say you and toColchester, to carry double? why yes, mistress, alack-a-day, you mayhave horses enough for money.' 'Well, friend,' says I, 'that I takefor granted; I don't expect it without money.' 'Why, but, mistress,'says he, 'how much are you willing to give?' 'Nay,' says I again,'friend, I don't know what your rates are in the country here, for I ama stranger; but if you can get one for me, get it as cheap as you can,and I'll give you somewhat for your pains.'

  'Why, that's honestly said too,' says the countryman. 'Not so honest,neither,' said I to myself, 'if thou knewest all.' 'Why, mistress,'says he, 'I have a horse that will carry double, and I don't much careif I go myself with you,' and the like. 'Will you?' says I; 'well, Ibelieve you are an honest man; if you will, I shall be glad of it; I'llpay you in reason.' 'Why, look ye, mistress,' says he, 'I won't be outof reason with you, then; if I carry you to Colchester, it will beworth five shillings for myself and my horse, for I shall hardly comeback to-night.'

  In short, I hired the honest man and his horse; but when we came to atown upon the road (I do not remember the name of it, but it standsupon a river), I pretended myself very ill, and I could go no fartherthat night but if he would stay there with me, because I was astranger, I would pay him for himself and his horse with all my heart.

  This I did because I knew the Dutch gentlemen and their servants wouldbe upon the road that day, either in the stagecoaches or riding post,and I did not know but the drunken fellow, or somebody else that mighthave seen me at Harwich, might see me again, and so I thought that inone day's stop they would be all gone by.

  We lay all that night there, and the next morning it was not very earlywhen I set out, so that it was near ten o'clock by the time I got toColchester. It was no little pleasure that I saw the town where I hadso many pleasant days, and I made many inquiries after the good oldfriends I had once had there, but could make little out; they were alldead or removed. The young ladies had been all married or gone toLondon; the old gentleman and the old lady that had been my earlybenefactress all dead; and which troubled me most, the young gentlemanmy first lover, and afterwards my brother-in-law, was dead; but twosons, men grown, were left of him, but they too were t
ransplanted toLondon.

  I dismissed my old man here, and stayed incognito for three or fourdays in Colchester, and then took a passage in a waggon, because Iwould not venture being seen in the Harwich coaches. But I needed nothave used so much caution, for there was nobody in Harwich but thewoman of the house could have known me; nor was it rational to thinkthat she, considering the hurry she was in, and that she never saw mebut once, and that by candlelight, should have ever discovered me.

  I was now returned to London, and though by the accident of the lastadventure I got something considerable, yet I was not fond of any morecountry rambles, nor should I have ventured abroad again if I