The Vnfortunate Traveller, or The Life Of Jack Wilton

by Thomas Nash

with my pistol: no more spake heafter, so did I shoote him that hee might neuer speak after, or repenthim.

  His body being dead lookd as blacke as a toad: the diuell presentlybranded it for his owne. This is the fault that hath called me hether.No true _Italian_ but will honor me for it Reuenge is the glory ofArmes, and the highest performance of valure: reuenge is whatsoeuer weecall law or iustice. The farther we wade in reuenge, the nerer come weto the throne of the Almightie. To his scepter it is properly ascribed,his scepter he lends vnto man, when he lets one man scourge another.All true _Italians_ imitate mee, in reuenging constantly, and dyingvaliantly. Hangman to thy taske, for I am readie for the vtmost ofthy rigor. Herewith all the people (outragiously incensed) withone conioyned outcrye yelled mainely, Away with him, away with him,Executioner torture him, teare him, or we will teare thee in peeces ifthou spare him.

  The executioner needed no exhortation herevnto, for of his owne naturewas he hackster good enough: olde excellent hee was at a bone-ache. Atthe first chop with his wood-knife would he fish for a mans heart, andfetch it out as easily as a plum from the bottome of a porredge pot. Heewould cracke neckes as fast as a cooke crackes egges: a fidler cannotturne his pin so soone, as he would turn a man of the ladder. Brauelydid hee drum on this _Cutwolfes_ bones, not breaking them outright, butlike a sadler knocking in of tackes, iarring on them quaueringly withhis hammer a great while together. No ioynt about him but with a hatchethe had for the nonce, he disioynted halfe, and then with boyling leadsouldred vp the wounds from bleeding. His tongue he puld out, least heshould blaspheme in his torment: venomous stinging wormes hee thrustinto his eares, to keep his head rauingly occupied: with cankersscruzed to peeces hee rubd his mouth and his gums. No lim of his butwas lingringly splinterd in shiuers. In this horror left they him on thewheele as in hel: where yet liuing, hee might behold his flesh legaciedamongst the foules of the aire. Unsearchable is the booke of ourdestenies. One murder begetteth another: was neuer yet bloud-shedbarrain from the beginning of the world to this day. Mortifiedlyabiected and danted was I with this truculent tragedie of _Cutwolfe_ and_Esdras_. To such straight life did it thence forward incite me, thatere I went out of _Bolognia_ I married my curtizane, performed manieaimes deedes; and hasted so fast out of the _Sodom_ of _Italy_, thatwithin fortie daies I arriued at the King of _Englands_ Campe twixt_Ardes_ and _Guines_ in _France_: where he with great triumphes met andentertained the Emperour and the French King, and feasted manie dayes.And so as my Storie began with the King at _Turnay_ and _Turwin_, Ithinke meete heere to end it with the King at _Ardes & Guines_. All theconclusiue Epilogue I will make is this; that if herein I haue pleasedany, it shall animate me to more paynes in this kinde. Otherwise I willsweare vpon an English Chronicle, neuer to bee outlandish Chroniclermore while I liue. Farewell as manie as wish me well. _Iune_ 27. 1593.

  Finis.

  Chiswick Press:--Charles Whittingham And Co., Tooks Court, ChanceryLane.