Lilly, who seems to know everything, past, present and future, came last night to tell me that the king has fifty men seeking me in various parts of England, especially the seaports, and has offered a reward of two hundred pounds for me, dead or alive, preferably dead, I suppose.

If I go direct to Sheerness and try to take a boat, I am sure to be examined, and I'm not prepared for the ordeal.

So I intend to preach my way down the river and induce the king's officers to send me abroad by force." "How are you off for money, George ?" I asked.
"I borrowed ten guineas from Lilly," he answered.
"I thought you might be in need of money, so I brought fifty guineas from the strong box under my bed," I said, offering him the little bag of gold.
He hesitated, saying: "If I take the money, you may never again see a farthing of it." "In that case, I'll take my pay in abusing you," I replied.
"Do you believe he would, Frances ?" asked George, turning to my cousin.
Then continuing thoughtfully: "It is strange that I should have found such a friend at the bottom of a quarrel, all because I allowed him to abuse me.

Truly forbearance is a profitable virtue.

The 'other cheek' is the better of the two." Upon my insistence, he accepted the gold and gave me the ten guineas he had borrowed from Lilly, asking me to return them.
Frances was making an entire failure of her effort to hold herself in check, and George was having difficulty in restraining himself, so, to bring the interview to an end, he gave me his hand, saying:-- "Thank you, Ned, and good-by.