In this
posture they rode some miles beyond Northampton, when on a sudden, one
of the keepers had a necessity to untruss, and so the other and Coleman
stood still; by and by the other keeper desired Coleman to hold his
horse, for he had occasion also: Coleman immediately took one of their
swords, and ran through two of the horses, killing them stark dead; gets
upon the other, with one of their swords; 'Farewell, gentlemen,' quoth
he, 'tell my master I have no mind to be whipped in Leicestershire,' and
so went his way. The two keepers in all haste went to a gentleman's
house near at hand, complaining of their misfortune, and desired of him
to pursue their prisoner, which he with much civility granted; but ere
the horses could be got ready, the mistress of the house came down, and
enquiring what the matter was, went to the stable, and commanded the
horses to be unsaddled, with this sharp speech--'Let the Lady Beaumont
and her daughters live honestly, none of my horses shall go forth upon
this occasion.'
I could relate many such stories of his performances; as also what he
wrote in a book left behind him, _viz.
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