Page:Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure (1749, vol. 2).pdf/23

 house, and throw myself on the wide world; but at length an accident forced me on this desperate step, at the age of fifteen. I had broken a China-bowl, the pride and idol of both their hearts, and as an unmerciful beating was the least I had to depend on at their hands, in the silliness and timidity of those tender years, I left the house, and at all adventures took the road to London. How my loss was resented I do not know, for till this instant I have not heard a syllable about them. My whole stock was two broad pieces of my god-mother's, a few shillings, silver shoe-buckles, and thimble. Thus equipp'd, with no more cloaths than the ordinary ones I had on my back, and frighten'd at every foot, or noise I heard behind me, I hurried on: and I dare swear, walked a dozen miles before I stopp'd thro' mere weariness and fatigue. I sat down on a stile, where I wept bitterly, and yet was still rather under encreased impressions of fear on the account of my escape; which made me dread Rh