Page:American History Told by Contemporaries, v2.djvu/252

  PART IV COLONIAL LIFE

CHAPTER XII — THE LIFE OF THE PEOPLE 80. A Lady's Travel in New England (1704) BY MADAM SARAH KEMBLE KNIGHT

ONDAY, Octb'r. ye second, 1704. — About three o'clock afternoon, I begun my Journey from Boston to New-Haven ; being about two Hundred Mile. . . . . . . being ignorant of the way, Madm Billings, seing no persuasions of her good spouses or hers could prevail with me to Lodg. there that night, Very kindly went wyth me to ye Tavern, where I hoped to get my guide, And desired the Hostess to inquire of her guests whether any of them would go with mee. ... I told her no, I would not be accessary to such extortion. Then John shan't go, sais shee. No, indeed, shan't hee ; And held forth at that rate a long time, that I began to fear I was got among the Quaking tribe, beleeving not a Limbertong'd sister among them could out do Madm. Hostes.

Upon this, to my no small surprise, son John arrose, and gravely demanded what I would give him to go with me? Give you, sais I, are you John? Yes, says he, for want of a Better ; And behold ! this John look't as old as my Host, and perhaps had bin a man in the last Century. Well, Mr. John, sais I, make your demands. Why, half a pss. 224