Miss Williams Arrested by Bailiffs
Miss Williams is interrupted at her lodgings by a bailiff serving a writ for her arrest, who and his rough handling her roughly. The narrator prepares to defend her with a poker, but Miss Williams calmly stops him, noting violence would only harm the narrator and do her no good. She demands to see the writ, declares she is not the person named, and refuses to be taken quietly. The bailiff dismisses her claim, offers to take her to his house or jail, and when she admits she has no money, orders a coach to take her directly to the Marshalsea. Miss Williams reassures the narrator she can resolve the situation quickly, and after much entreaty, allows him to accompany her to the prison.
Taken to the Marshalsea
The narrator and Miss Williams arrive at the Marshalsea prison gate, where the bailiff presents the writ to the turnkey. The turnkey initially greets Miss Williams as his old acquaintance Elizabeth Cary (“Bet”), but steps back in shock when he sees her face, insisting she is not the woman named in the writ. The bailiff insists the identification is correct, leading to a dispute that prompts the group to move into the prison lodge to resolve the matter.
Mistaken Identity at the Prison Gate
At the Marshalsea gate, the turnkey initially mistakes Miss Williams for the Elizabeth Cary named in the writ, greeting her as an old acquaintance before realizing she is not the wanted woman. The bailiff refuses to accept the turnkey’s identification, insisting Miss Williams is the person named in the writ, creating a standoff that requires additional witnesses to prove her true identity.
Compensation from the Bailiff
After the turnkey and bailiff disagree on Miss Williams’ identity, Miss Williams sends the narrator to fetch two of her acquaintances who can confirm she is Nancy Williams, not Elizabeth Cary. The two women arrive, embrace Miss Williams, and offer to swear under oath that she is not the wanted woman. The bailiff, now convinced of his mistake, offers to buy them wine to part as friends, but Miss Williams refuses, stating wine is no compensation for the harm to her reputation and health from the wrongful arrest. The turnkey rules the bailiff must pay for all consumed liquor, coach hire, and two guineas in compensation for Miss Williams. She shares half the money with her two witnesses, keeps the remainder, and the pair return to their lodgings, while the bailiff grumbles about his loss but is relieved to avoid more severe consequences for the error.
Removal to New Lodgings
Resentful that their landlady misled the bailiff leading to the wrongful arrest, Miss Williams and the narrator move to new lodgings the next day. They intend to live as quietly as possible while the narrator continues his recovery.
Miss Williams Continues Her Story
Settled in their new lodgings, the narrator asks Miss Williams to finish the story of her life that had been interrupted by the bailiff’s arrival. She agrees, and begins recounting her experiences after her former directress abandoned her for a new scheme.
Life with the Tavern Porters
Miss Williams explains that after her early deceitful schemes with her directress ended, she took lodgings near Charing Cross and began working openly as a sex worker. Her income was insufficient to cover her expenses, so she entered an agreement with tavern porters who would find her clients in exchange for a share of her earnings. She was regularly subjected to abuse, brutality, and humiliation from drunk clients, and her reserved, haughty temperament made her unpopular with the porters and clients alike. She was frequently kicked out of taverns, neglected by the porters, and forced to sell her watch, jewelry, and most of her clothes to support herself.
The Captain’s Deception and Escape
One evening, Miss Williams was summoned to a tavern where she met a gentleman dressed as a captain, with whom she supped sumptuously. When she woke the next morning, the captain was gone, the room door was locked from the inside, and the adjacent closet window was open. She learned the captain had escaped via the wall and courtyard, leaving her responsible for the bill, as well as a large silver tankard and posset-bowl he had stolen. She was arrested as an accomplice to the theft.
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