Others write plays with such heedlessness that, after they have been acted, the actors have to fly and abscond, afraid of being punished, as they often have been, for having acted something offensive to some king or other, or insulting to some noble family.

It will be an advantage to suffer for my religion and, therefore, I will not abscond."

In connection with the election of a relative as member of parliament for Liverpool he wrote a libellous attack on the rival candidate, and to escape prosecution was advised to abscond.

Sharpe was successful with Nsama and Mwata Kazembe but the latter was opposed to him going on to do a deal with his enemy, Msiri, and he delayed Sharpe by trickery and encouraged his porters to abscond.