In the meane while, at the towne of Santon was a muttering, that the duchesse and hir husband were greater personages than they gaue themselues foorth,M. Bertie & the duchesse [...] danger of [...] by the bishop of Ar|ras at Santõ. and the magistrats not verie well inclined to religion; the bishop of Arras also being deane of the great minster, order was taken, that the duches and hir husband should be examined of their condition and religion vpon the sudden. Which practise discoue|red by a gentleman of that countrie to master Ber|tie, he without delaie taking no more than the duches hir daughter,Another [...] of the [...]chesse and [...] husband. and two other with them, as though he meant no more but to take the aire, about thrée of the clocke in the afternoone in Februarie, on foot, with|out hiering of horsse or wagon for feare of disclosing his purpose, meant priuilie that night to get to We|sell, leauing his other familie still at Santon.

After the duches and he were one English mile from the towne,The hard di|stresse of the duchesse by euill wether. there fell a mightie raine of conti|nuance, whereby a long frost and ise before congea|led was thawed, which doubled more the wearinesse of those new lackies. But being now on the waie, and ouertaken with the night, they sent their two ser|uants (which onelie went with them) to villages, as they passed, to hire some car for their case: but none could be hired. In the mene time master Bertie was forced to carrie the child, and the duches his cloke and rapier. At last betwixt six and seauen of the clocke in the darke night, they came to Wesell,The hard in|terteinment of M. Bertie & the duchesse at their en|tring into Wesell. and repairing to their innes for lodging and some repose after such a painfull iourneie, found hard interteinment: for going from inne to inne, offering large monie for small lodging, they were refused of all the inholders, suspecting master Bertie to be a lanceknight, and the duches to be his woman. The child for cold and sustenance cried pittifullie, the mother wept as fast, and the heauens rained as fast as the clouds could powre.

Master Bertie destitute of all other succor of hos|pitalitie, resolued to bring the duchesse to the porch of the great church in the towne, and so to buie coles, victuals and straw for their miserable repose there that night, or at least till by Gods helpe he might prouide hir better lodging. Master Bertie at that time vnderstood not much Dutch,Gods proui|dence in time of distresse. and by reason of euill weather and late season of the night, he could not happen vpon anie that could speake English, French, Italian, or Latine; till at last going towards the church porch, he heard two striplings talking La|tine, to whome he approched and offered them two stiuers to bring him to some Wallons house. By these boies, and Gods good conduct, he chanced at the first vpon the house where master Perusell supped that night, who had procured them the protection of the magistrats of that towne. At the first knocke, the goodman of the house himselfe came to the doore, and opening it, asked master Bertie what he was. Master Bertie said, an Englishman, that sought for one master Perusels house. The Wallon willed master Bertie to staie a while, who went backe and told master Perusell that the same English gentle|man, of whome they had talked the same supper, had sent, by likelihood his seruant to speake with him.The meéting of W. Perusel & the duchesse of Wesell. Wherevpon master Perusell came to the doore, and beholding master Bertie, the duchesse, & their child, their faces, apparels, and bodies so farre from their old forme, deformed with durt, weather, and heaui|nesse, could not speake to them, nor they to him for teares. At length recouering themselues, they salu|ted one another, & so togither entered the house, God knoweth full ioifullie: master Bertie changing of his apparell with the goodman, the duchesse with the good wife, and their child with the child of the house.