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gin that serves Windsor Castle with water upon the account of some boons, and some reimbursements I had gott of King Charles in about a year and a half's time before my going over into France. And one of the boons was 130l. which payd for the jewel hee gave mee for pleasing him with the engine and in remembrance of old services, which jewel I was forced to pawn and part with at Paris to furnish myself with money to bring mee back to England.

As an addition to all these misfortunes, having charitably redeemed a certain woman (whose morals I then knew not at all) from perish-ing in a prison, was inhumanely betrayed by her under a pretence of gratitude, into a vain expectation of marrying an heiress of 20 thousand pound. And swallowing too greedily the gilded bait, it proved my utter ruin.

I know it is objected against mee, that I have been extravagant in expences with several wines. And I must confess, that was the only content I had in the world, all other things proving cross and full of trouble and bitterness. Besides that, I never frequented either tavern, or kept in pension women of pleasure. And what money ever came to my hands, excepting about 6 or 700l. per annum, in my family or relating therein, went amongst workmen of all sorts, for engins and chargeable experiments to please and divert His Ma-jesty; or else for secret service, which were often very considerable sums. Somewhat may bee judged by the paper (E). I am sure I have now hardly left ten shillings in the world.

After all I would fain retire and spend my life in a Christian so-litude, and heartily beg you to lend me your helping hand, to have my condition truly represented to His Majesty, whereby you will highly and for ever oblige

Your most affectionate, humble and faithfull servant,

May 3rd, 1689.

P.S. There is one thing that I omitted in the abbreviat of my own history, which is, that when I did engage to serve the late King Charles 2nd, and did reveal some conspiracy against his life, yet at the same time I plainly sent him word that it was upon condition, that I might never be call'd to bear witness against any of the conspirators, if upon his restoration, they should happen to bee arraigned at the barr of justice. And when Sir H. Vane was ordered to bee brought to his triall, the Attorney-Generall did indeed send for mee, and did very much press mee in privat (and that in the King's name) that I would appear as a witness against him, foras-much as His Majesty had been informed that I was privy to many transactions, where the said Sir Henry Vane was principally con-cerned, that would by the law of England bee adjudged high treason. But my answer to him was this, that I hoped His Majesty would remember his promise, that not a hair of their head should ever be toucht upon my account. Besides that I would rather be prest to death than come in judgment against either him or any other, whose designs I had formerly discovered. And thereupon went home to