Page:Travels and adventures of William Lithgow.pdf/8

 he was beset by three Greeks and an Italian, who beat him cruelly, robbed him of all his clothes, and stripped him naked adding many threats; till at length the Italian perceiving he was a stranger, and could not speak the Cretan tongue, asked him in his own language, where was his money? He replied he had only eighty byzantinos, which scarce amounted to eightpence English. Not crediting these words, the robbers searched all his clothes and budget, but found nothing except his linen, and recommendatory letters from several princes, particularly the Doge of Venice, whose subjects they were. This moved the Italian to compassion, and he earnestly intreated the others to save our traveller’s life. At length, they restored to him, his pilgrim’s clothes and letters, but kept his blue gown and byzantinos, and as a passport gave him a stamped piece of clay, to shew to any of their companions, if he met them, the band consisting cf twenty; travelling that day thirty-seven miles, he reached at night the miserable village of Pickehorno, where he could find neither meat, drink, lodging, nor any refreshment. The Candiots, a barbarous people, thronged round him, seemed amazed at his wanting both company and their language. A compassionate female having privately made him signs that his death was concerted, he stole away from them in the night,