Tailor's TRAVELS, from LONDON, TO THE ISLE of WIGHT: with his return, and occasion of his journey.  
THE occasion why I undertook this Insulary Journey or Voyage from one Island to another, was for three Respects: First, I had a great importunate desire to see my Gracious sovereign afflicted Lord and Master: Secondly, I traveled with an intent to get some Silver in this Iron Age, (for pleasure and profit should be the reward of honest and harmless pains taking.) Before I began this high and mighty perambulation, I did put forth many Bills to divers and sundry friends, to pay me some small sums of that precious thing called Money, at my return; the purport, purpose, pretence, signification, meaning, or marrowbone of the Bill, were these following words.  
When John Taylor hath been from London to the Isle of Wight, and returned again, and that at his return, he do give or cause to be given to me, a book or Pamphlet of true news and relations of Passages at the Island, and to and fro in his journey; I do promise to give to him or his assigns, the sum of what I please in lawful money of England, provided that the said sum be not under 6 pence.  
NOW at my return, if all my Customers do pay me according to the Bill then am I exceedingly deceived; but if none of them do pay me, than I am merely cozened; and now begins the Story.  
Printed at the author's Charge, and are nowhere to be sold, 1648.   


THis Pamphlet is not stuffed with trivial babbles,  
Or vain prodigious undigested fables:  
This is no Mercury (with scoffs, and jeers)  
To raise debate, and set us by the ears,  
As if poor England had not yet endured  
Sufficient plagues, but she must be assured,  
By New, New, news, of New frights, and new foes,  
And future mischiefs worse than present woes:  
I bring no tidings of such consequence,  
To breed fears, Jealousies, or give offence,  
Nor am I fraught with wonders, wounds, and scars,  
Or any thing relating to the wars:  
It is so writ that no man can accuse  
Me of detraction, scandal, or abuse;  
My lines are all from fear and horror free,  
And here and there as true as true may be:  
Yea much more true, I may be bound to swear  
Then many books have been this twice four year,  
Or any Mercury writ heretofore,  
Or old Currantoes, in the days of Yore.  
Then struck your herds, or wipe your mouths (at least,)  
And read, and hear what I have here expressed.   

THe next succeeding mouth unto September,  
October was this year. (as I remember) 
I set forth on Thursday the 19 of Octob.   
Without the charge of Proxcy or attorney,  
Myself in proper Person took this journey:  
Two Gentlewomen (by two maids attended)  
Accompanied me till my travels ended.  
We took one Coach, two coachmen, and four horses; 
We hired the Southamton coach which comes weekly to the Rose near Holborn Bridge.   
And merrily from London made our courses:  
We wheeled the top of th'heavy hill, called Holborn,  
(Up which hath been full many a sinful soul borne,)  
And so along we jolted past Saint Giles',  
Which place from Brainford, six (or near) seven miles is.  
To Stanes that night at five a clock we coasted,  
Where (at the 
* The sign of the Bush.  Bush) we had baked, boiled, and roasted.  
Bright Sol's illustrious rays, the day adorning,  
We passed Bagshot and Bawwaw, Friday morning;  
That night we lodged at the White Hart at Al●on,  
And had good meat, a table with a salt on:  
Next morn w' arose, with blushing cheeked 
† The dawning.  Aurora;  
The ways were fair but not so fair as Flora:  
For 
* Flora was a beautiful courtesan in Rome, who got great treasure by the prostitution of her body, which Wealth she gave to the Common Treasury, for which they did esteem her a gods, and the gods of Flowers, and built a Temple to her.  Flora was a goddess, and a woman,  
And (like the high ways) was to all men Common:  
Our Horses, with the Coach, which we went into,  
Did hurry us amain through thick and thine to  
With fiery speed, the foaming bits they champt on,  
And brought us to the Dolphin at Southampton.  
There found I friendship more than I expected  
Or did deserve, so much to be respected:  
The Gentlewomen both their husbands met there,  
The moon was mounted, and the Sun was set there;  
And after two hours' time, or some such matter  
We turned our Coach t' a boat, and swam by water:  
My entertainment was good wine and welcome,  
The cups most kindly unto me pellwell come;  
Southamptons' governor, much love did show me,  
He was my old acquaintance, and did know me:  
He gave me's pass, to pass me to the Island  
And I took boat, and left him on the dry Land;  
It was as bright a moonshine night, I say  
As ever man saw in a summer's day;  
Thus with a fore wind, and fair Cintha's light,  
In four hours' time we came to the Isle of Wight:  
We past cow's Castle, and into the town went,  
Where some short time we wandering up and down went;  
Thus being favowed by men, winds and weathers,  
At Cowes I landed, and lodged at the Feathers:  
The Isle of Wight contained a Wight of weigh then,  
And on that Wight of Waight; I came to wait then.  
Long live he blessed internal, and external.  
And blessed be England in his love paternal,  
To guide and guard him, grace and power supernal,  
Defend him from all treacherous traps infernal:  
In imitation of him let us learn all  
To live so here that we may live eternal:  
And thou, whose mercy were can be exhausted,  
In thy compassion think on England wasted:  
The sword of wrath that's drawn is justly thine,  
The sins that made thee draw it forth are mine:  
Ionas the storm did to himself apply;  
Let each say so now, each man say 'tis I.  
And now my story briefly I'll compose,  
From harsh hard rugged rhyme, to smooth faced prose.   
And thus have I truly, and merrily told the passages and Relations, how I came to the royal captiving Isle of Wight. Now it follows requisitely, that I certify you of some Occurrences, and accidents there. It is to be noted, that the Gentlemen with their wives, having such fair, and speedy passage from Southampton to the Island, that at the town called Cowes they had two horses, which they left with their maids with me till the morning, for me to bring by land to Newport where His Majesty was: they with their wives took a small Boat about midnight, having the tide with them to carry them that Saturday night (or near Sunday) 3 miles up by water to Newport: so they left me.  
All the fag end of the Saturday night, and part of Sunday morning, I had the happiness to be John amongst the maids, for we honestly lay in 2 beds in one chamber, but I would have no man so mad to imagine that we lay all three both together.  
Sunday the 22. of October we arose with the Sun, between the hours of the careless number of 6 and 7 (he is careless that sets all at 6 and 7) we quickly made ourselves as fine as could be, in hope to see fine folks, and fine things at Court, and so we mounted our Polfreys: (the ostler of the Prince's arms at Cowes, being hired to be our Guide) who did ride before one Maid, and myself before the other, and so (by consequence) both the maids were behind us.  
The ostler that should have guided me, guided himself, Riding before me, and leaving me behind him sometimes a flight shoot or two; for he had many advantages of me; first he had the stronger horse, secondly he had the lighter carriage (for the maid behind him was like Lent, light, lean, and lank) but my Female Male was like Shrove-Tuesday, fat, fair, plump, well fed, and weighty; thirdly he had two spurs, and a switch, of all which necessaries I was destitute, and without switch or spur my horse would not go.  
And now a dirty tale I mean to tell:  
I'll show you what befell, and how I fell.  
My ungodly Guide being much before me, within: mile of Newport, I came to a boggy-quagmire miry, rotten, filthy, dirty, slow, through, over, or into which I must pass; I not knowing the way, called aloud to the Guide to come back to direct me, which he did; but I having no switch or spur (for correction) the horse would obey no direction; so that at last the Guide said there was no danger, but that I might ride through it anywhere.  

Then I with kicking set my heels to horse,  
adventuring to ride through it force perforce:  
My Guides misguiding made me much the bolder  
The horse fell in, quite plunged up to the shoulder.  
I forward fell, and backward fell the Maid,  
Man, maid, and horse in curious pickle laid,  
And never ear did hear, or Eye did see  
Such a pairroyall fair Triplicity.  
The danger past, we each on other gaping;  
Not angry, or well pleased, we fell to scraping:  
Sometimes we fretted, and our lips did bite,  
And sometimes (at ourselves) we laughed out right.  
I scrapped myself: the maid, the ostler dressed.  
The Horse looked on, uncurried like a beast.  
Thus we to Newport came in gay attire,  
Embredred over all with dirt and mire:  
And thus from Cowes we tumbled in the slowes,  
Man, maid, and horse, moiled like three beastly sows:  
'Twas my base guide that put me in this trim,  
For which abuse I'll have about with him:  
The devil misleads us all, we plainly see,  
And that same stinking ostler misled me.   
For which:  

First in a knave's skin I will wrap him hot,  
Which he shall always wear until it rot:  
My prayer for him shall be this execration,  
Let him be nasty in his occupation:  
Oh let kiss provender be ever musty,  
His hay be most distasteful, foul, and dusty:  
His Pease, and beans, and oats most odious fusty,  
And's cury comb (for want of use) be rusty:  
Thus musty, dusty, fusty, rusty, crusty,  
Shall plague the Knave that was to me untrusty.  
In urine, and Beasts Ordure let him toil:  
Soil be his trade, yet ne'er be Lord o'th' soil.  
Let boot haling be most part of his living:  
Let Guests be sparing to him in their giving:  
Under his Rack let him in tortures lie,  
And (in his Manger) let him stink and die:  
And let the preaching cobbler at Blackwall  
Be 3 hours prating at his funeral:  
Let him be graved in his own Element:  
Let litter, and horse dung be his monument.  
But leaving risf rasf rhyme, I'll turn my stile,  
To some more serious business in the Isle.  
Thus having overpast this soul disaster,  
I went to see my suffering sovereign Master:  
Which sight to me was all my Earthly bliss,  
He gave me straight his royal hand to kiss,  
Which graced me much in all the public sights  
Of Commons, Gentles, and brave Lords and Knights.   
His Majesty, with an heroic and unconquered patience, conquers his unmatchable afflictions, and with Christian constancy, expects a happy deliverance out of all his troubles. His greatest grief is the calamity of his people, and kingdoms, and His chiefest endeavours (on earth) is to settle them in Peace and happiness; for which end he is twice every day (with his menial servants) upon his knees, in public prayers to his God, besides his frequent, and pious cogitations, and ejaculations; and it is not to be doubted but the prayers, and humble Petitions of His Majesty (with those of His loyal Subjects) do ascend to the Throne of Grace, from whence (by the almighties mercy) strong and firm faith assures him of Peace, pardon, and the fruition of future happiness.  
And for infallible Testimonies against all Ignorant, malicious, detracting, misbelieving heretics, schismatics, and Sectaries to assure those buzzards of incredulity, that the Gracious, favourable, and preserving hand of God is with His Majesty, whereby he hath been a blessed instrument, (not only in his former curing the grief, or disease called the evil) but since he came into this Island, He hath cured many, of whom so cured, there are 6 or 7 most remarkable, which I will relate as followeth.  
1. At a town called Winburne, (or Wimborne) in Dorcetshire, there dwells an 
* For testimony of the truth of this there is one John Newberry, a Clothworker, who dwells in Newport in the street called Castle Hole, this man did come over the water with her, and did see her lame, and cured.  Ancient woman, the Wife to a Clothier (whose name I could not know by enquiry;) this Woman had a long time been so lame that she could not go, and she hearing that the King was lodged in Carisbrook Castle in the Isle of Wight, she was persuaded in her mind that His Majesty could cure her, in which belief she made towards the Island, and with horse or Cart, or both, or otherways, she was brought to Hurst Castle in Hampshire by land, from whence she was carried into a Boat in men's arms, which Boat brought her to Newport, from whence she was carried a mile to Carisbrook, where His Majesty did touch her, and her lameness ceased in three days' space, so that with thanks to God, and prayers for the King, she departed from the Island, and went home 20. miles on foot. This was before the Treaty began, much about the midst of August last.  
2. Mistress Elizabeth Steevens of Durley in Hampshire, came from her borne to Winchester, and from thence to the Island to His Majesty to be cured of the evil, whereof she had been blind of one Eye 16. days and could not open her Eye by any means, and after the King had touched her, her Eye opened and she saw immediately, with a clear and perfect sight. This was about the seventh of October.  
3. Elizabeth Gage of Southampton (being 3 years of age) was exceeding lame, and in great pain, she came to his Majesty, and he touched her, whereby (through God's blessing) she was presently cured.  
4. Joane Mathewes, aged 15. years, a Braziers Daughter one William Mathewes, dwelling in Newport in the Isle of Wight, she had been long time painfully lame, and had been at the bath, and used many medicines in vain; she came to the King on Thursday the 19 of October, He touched her, and she had present ease, and every day she goes better than other: myself saw her and spoke with her, and I left her able to go reasonable well.  
5. A soldier in Calshot Castle in Hampshire, had 2. sore issues in his thighs, to which he did frequently apply medicines which eased him, but cured him not: This man went to the Island to His Majesty, who did touch him, and he did after that use his former medicines, which were wont to give him ease, but then the said application did most grievously vex and torment him; so that he was persuaded to forbear to use the said oils, Emplasters, and Unguents, and then he was suddenly cured.  
6. Mistress Elizabeth pain of Bristell was blind, and such a Rhewmatick defluxion did daily fall from her eyes, which did wet two or three large hancherchiefes every day; she came to the King on Sunday last, the 5. of this November, His Majesty did touch her eyes, the rheum ceased; so that she went away presently with a clear and perfect sight; and two hours after she came to the King again, and gave him thanks upon her knees; His Majesty bade her give thanks to God; so she with giving God praise, and prayers for the King, went from the Island to Bristol with exceeding joy for her recovery.  
7. Margaret Hezden, aged 73. years, dwelling in Newport in chain lane, was not able to stir but as she was lifted from bed to chair, and from chair to bed, touched by His Majesty, and cured, so that with one crutch she did go about her house, and drew 5 or 6. pots of Ale for me, and my company.  
These things (me thinks) should move the minds of some unmannerly Levellers to esteem his Majesty as one that is not to be ranked or filed with common men.  
Concerning any news of business at the Treaty, there is so much made of it at London, that there is little (or none at all) at the Court; this is certain, that from the 21. of October, till the first of November, (being 11. days) there was no debating or treating at all: for Sir Peter Killegr●● was all that time from the Island to the Parliament at Westminster, and till his return with Orders and Directions, al● things were silent, however the London Mercuries, and Moderate occurrences did not fail to set forth news (o● their own making) every week.  
All that I can relate, is, that Sir Peter came to the King on Tuesday night, the last of October, and the next day (being the quondam All Saints) His Majesty, with the Commissioners began to treat, where it was agreed that the Presbyterian government in the Church should continue three years, that the book of Common Prayer should be discontinued, and not used publicly: That no mass should be tolerated to be said in the kingdoms of England and Ireland, or in the principality of Wales: These matters of high consequence being concluded and agreed, there is great hope of speedy restauration of His Majesty to His just Rights, and a blessed peace for the Church, people, and kingdoms.  
I came from the Island on Tuesday the 7. of November, and landed at a place called Hell Head, from thence I came 3 miles to Titchfield, on Wednesday I came 4 miles to Wickham, Thursday to Warnford, (7. miles) Friday I footed it 17. miles to Alton, and to Farnham, Saturday to Guilford, and to Cobham 18. miles, and Sunday 6 miles to Kingston, and on Monday the 13. of November, I came to London 10. Miles.  
And as I have written, merrily, truly, and impartially; so I must conclude accordingly without flattery, concerning thou governor of the Isle of Wight, Colonel Hammand: the plain truth is, that myself (with many others) did hate him so much, that he was very seldom or never prayed for; the reasons and motives which possessed most men with this mistaking and misapplied inveterate malice, was upon the flying, lying reports, that the governor had behaved himself most coarsely ridged, and barbarously unrespective to His Majesty: The false weekly Pamphlets and Pamphleteers (being inspired by their Father the devil) were not ashamed to publish in print, that the governor had proceeded so far it, incivility, as to immure or wall His Majesty in a small close room, under many bolts, bars, grates, locks and keys, and debarred Him the comforts of His soul, and of the seociety of men; and further it was often printed (by several lying villains) that the said governor Hammond, did strike the King on the face, and gave Him a black eye: These reports being invented by the devil's Imps (the firebrands of contention) printed and published by needy, greedy Knaves and Varlets, and believed by too many fools and foolish Gotehamists (amongst which number, I with much simplicity was one;) and as by Oath and duty I am bound to serve, love, and honour my sovereign Lord and Master; so (on the contrary) myself with all true and loyal Subjects had no cause to be well affected to any man that should dare to affront His Majesty with such transcended base indignities.  
But to give the world satisfaction of the truth; it is certain that all those aspersions and rumours against the governor, are most odious, scandalous, and malicious lies; for (according to the trust reposed in him) he hath always carried himself with such deportment, and humbleness of dutiful service to His Majesty, that he hath gained much love and favour from his sovereign, and such good regard from all knowing men, as belongs to a Gentleman of his place and quality.  

And therefore Reader understand and note,  
Who ever says I lie, he lies in's throat.   

Blessed England's joy (the King) will come e'er long.  
Praise God, make bonfires, swing the Bells, ding dung.  
And let him never bear a Christians name,  
Whose trade and pleasure is in blood and flame  
Of his dear country, and rip, rend, and tear  
His mother's Womb, that such a brat did bear.   
FINIS.