became a most judicious person.

This Humphreys was a laborious person, vain-glorious, loquacious,
fool-hardy, desirous of all secrets which he knew not, insomuch that he
would have given me two hundred pounds to have instructed him in some
curiosities he was persuaded I had knowledge of, but, _Artis est celare
artem_, especially to those who live not in the fear of God, or can be
masters of their own counsels: he was in person and condition such
another as that monster of ingratitude my _quondam_ taylor, John
Gadbury. After my refusal of teaching him, what he was not capable of,
we grew strange, though I afforded him many civilities whenever he
required it; for after the siege of Colchester he wrote a book against
me, called _Anti Merlinus-Anglicus_, married a second wife, his first
living in Cambridgeshire, then practised physick by a contrary name,
having intentions to practise in Ireland; he went to Bristol, but there
understanding the parliament's forces had reduced that kingdom, he came
back to London, but durst not abide therein; but turning from his second
wife, who also had another husband, he went to sea, with intention for
Barbadoes, but died by the way in his voyage. I had never seen John
Booker at that time; and telling him one day I had a desire to see him,
but first, ere I would speak with him, I would fit myself with my old
rules, and rub up my astrology; for at that time (and this was 1640) I
thought John Booker the greatest and most complete astrologer in the
world. My scholar Humphreys presently made answer, 'Tutor, you need not
pump for any of your former knowledge, John Booker is no such pumper; we
met,' saith he, 'the other day, and I was too hard for him myself, upon
judgment of three or four questions.' If all the transactions happening
unto that my scholar were in one volume, they would transcend either
_Guzman_, _Don Quixote_, _Lazarillo de Tormes_, or any other of the like
nature I ever did see.