it，Ibroughthimmorehomeingold，andtoldhimthere
wasalittlemoreportionforhim；and，inshort，inaboutaweek
moreIbroughthimmore，andaboutinlinen，which
ImadehimbelieveIhadbeenobligedtotakewiththe#100
whichIgavehimingold，asacompositionforadebtof#600，
beinglittlemorethanfiveshillingsinthepound，andovervaluedtoo。
’Andnow，mydear，’saysItohim，’Iamverysorrytotellyou，
thatthereisall，andthatIhavegivenyoumywholefortune。’
Iadded，thatifthepersonwhohadmy#600hadnotabused
me，Ihadbeenworth#1000tohim，butthatasitwas，Ihad
beenfaithfultohim，andreservednothingtomyself，butifit
hadbeenmoreheshouldhavehadit。
Hewassoobligedbythemanner，andsopleasedwiththesum，
forhehadbeeninaterriblefrightlestithadbeennothingat
all，thatheaccepteditverythankfully。
AndthusIgotover
thefraudofpassingforafortunewithoutmoney，andcheating
amanintomarryingmeonpretenceofafortune；which，by
theway，Itaketobeoneofthemostdangerousstepsawoman
cantake，andinwhichsherunsthemosthazardofbeing
ill-usedafterwards。
Myhusband，togivehimhisdue，wasamanofinfinitegood
nature，buthewasnofool；andfindinghisincomenotsuited
tothemanneroflivingwhichhehadintended，ifIhadbrought
himwhatheexpected，andbeingunderadisappointmentin
hisreturnofhisplantationsinVirginia，hediscoveredmany
timeshisinclinationofgoingovertoVirginia，toliveupon
hisown；andoftenwouldbemagnifyingthewayofliving
there，howcheap，howplentiful，howpleasant，andthelike。
Ibeganpresentlytounderstandthismeaning，andItook
himupveryplainlyonemorning，andtoldhimthatIdidso；
thatIfoundhisestateturnedtonoaccountatthisdistance，
comparedtowhatitwoulddoifheliveduponthespot，and
thatIfoundhehadamindtogoandlivethere；andIadded，
thatIwassensiblehehadbeendisappointedinawife，and
thatfindinghisexpectationsnotansweredthatway，Icould
donoless，tomakehimamends，thantellhimthatIwasvery
willingtogoovertoVirginiawithhimandlivethere。
Hesaidathousandkindthingstomeuponthesubjectofmy
makingsuchaproposaltohim。
Hetoldme，thathowever
hewasdisappointedinhisexpectationsofafortune，hewas
notdisappointedinawife，andthatIwasalltohimthata
wifecouldbe，andhewasmorethansatisfiedonthewhole
whentheparticularswereputtogether，butthatthisofferwas
sokind，thatitwasmorethanhecouldexpress。
Tobringthestoryshort，weagreedtogo。
Hetoldmethathe
hadaverygoodhousethere，thatitwaswellfurnished，that
hismotherwasaliveandlivedinit，andonesister，whichwas
alltherelationshehad；thatassoonashecamethere，his
motherwouldremovetoanotherhouse，whichwasherown
forlife，andhisafterherdecease；sothatIshouldhaveallthe
housetomyself；andIfoundallthistobeexactlyashehad
said。
Tomakethispartofthestoryshort，weputonboardtheship
whichwewentin，alargequantityofgoodfurnitureforour
house，withstoresoflinenandothernecessaries，andagood
cargoforsale，andawaywewent。
Togiveanaccountofthemannerofourvoyage，whichwas
longandfullofdangers，isoutofmyway；Ikeptnojournal，
neitherdidmyhusband。
AllthatIcansayis，thataftera
terriblepassage，frightedtwicewithdreadfulstorms，andonce
withwhatwasstillmoreterrible，Imeanapiratewhocame
onboardandtookawayalmostallourprovisions；andwhich
wouldhavebeenbeyondalltome，theyhadoncetakenmy
husbandtogoalongwiththem，butbyentreatieswereprevailed
withtoleavehim；——Isay，afteralltheseterriblethings，we
arrivedinYorkRiverinVirginia，andcomingtoourplantation，
wewerereceivedwithallthedemonstrationsoftenderness
andaffection，bymyhusband’smother，thatwerepossibleto
beexpressed。
Welivedherealltogether，mymother-in-law，atmyentreaty，
continuinginthehouse，forshewastookindamothertobe
partedwith；myhusbandlikewisecontinuedthesameasat
first，andIthoughtmyselfthehappiestcreaturealive，when
anoddandsurprisingeventputanendtoallthatfelicityina
moment，andrenderedmyconditionthemostuncomfortable，
ifnotthemostmiserable，intheworld。
Mymotherwasamightycheerful，good-humouredoldwoman——
Imaycallheroldwoman，forhersonwasabovethirty；I
sayshewasverypleasant，goodcompany，andusedtoentertain
me，inparticular，withabundanceofstoriestodivertme，as
wellof
thecountrywewereinasofthepeople。
Amongtherest，sheoftentoldmehowthegreatestpartof
theinhabitantsofthecolonycamethitherinveryindifferent
circumstancesfromEngland；that，generallyspeaking，they
wereoftwosorts；either，first，suchaswerebroughtoverby
mastersofshipstobesoldasservants。
’Suchaswecallthem，
mydear，’saysshe，’buttheyaremoreproperlycalledslaves。’
Or，secondly，suchasaretransportedfromNewgateandother
prisons，afterhavingbeenfoundguiltyoffelonyandother
crimespunishablewithdeath。
’Whentheycomehere，’saysshe，’wemakenodifference；the
plantersbuythem，andtheyworktogetherinthefieldtill
theirtimeisout。
When’tisexpired，’saidshe，’theyhave
encouragementgiventhemtoplantforthemselves；forthey
haveacertainnumberofacresoflandallottedthembythe
country，andtheygotoworktoclearandcuretheland，and
thentoplantitwithtobaccoandcornfortheirownuse；and
asthetradesmenandmerchantswilltrustthemwithtoolsand
clothesandothernecessaries，uponthecreditoftheircrop
beforeitisgrown，sotheyagainplanteveryyearalittlemore
thantheyearbefore，andsobuywhatevertheywantwiththe
cropthatisbeforethem。
’Hence，child，’saysshe，’manaNewgate-birdbecomesagreat
man，andwehave，’continuedshe，’severaljusticesofthepeace，
officersofthetrainedbands，andmagistratesofthetownsthey
livein，thathavebeenburntinthehand。’
Shewasgoingonwiththatpartofthestory，whenherown
partinitinterruptedher，andwithagreatdealofgood-humoured
confidenceshetoldmeshewasoneofthesecondsortof
inhabitantsherself；thatshecameawayopenly，havingventured
toofarinaparticularcase，sothatshewasbecomeacriminal。
’Andhere’sthemarkofit，child，’saysshe；and，pullingoffher
glove，’lookyehere，’saysshe，turningupthepalmofher
hand，andshowedmeaveryfinewhitearmandhand，but
brandedintheinsideofthehand，asinsuchcasesitmustbe。
Thisstorywasverymovingtome，butmymother，smiling，
said，’Youneednotthingathingstrange，daughter，forasI
toldyou，someofthebestmeninthiscountryareburntinthe
hand，andtheyarenotashamedtoownit。
There’sMajor——，’
saysshe，’hewasaneminentpickpocket；there’sJusticeBa——r，
wasashoplifter，andbothofthemwereburntinthehand；and
Icouldnameyouseveralsuchastheyare。’
Wehadfrequentdiscoursesofthiskind，andabundanceof
instancesshegavemeofthelike。
Aftersometime，asshewas
tellingsomestoriesofonethatwastransportedbutafew
weeksago，Ibeganinanintimatekindofwaytoaskherto
tellmesomethingofherownstory，whichshedidwiththe
utmostplainnessandsincerity；howshehadfallenintoveryill
companyinLondoninheryoungdays，occasionedbyher
mothersendingherfrequentlytocarryvictualsandotherrelief
toakinswomanofherswhowasaprisonerinNewgate，and
wholayinamiserablestarvingcondition，wasafterwards
condemnedtobehanged，buthavinggotrespitebypleading
herbelly，diesafterwardsintheprison。
Heremymother-in-lawranoutinalongaccountofthewicked
practicesinthatdreadfulplace，andhowitruinedmoreyoung
peoplethatallthetownbesides。
’Andchild，’saysmymother，
’perhapsyoumayknowlittleofit，or，itmaybe，haveheard
nothingaboutit；butdependuponit，’saysshe，’weallknow
herethattherearemorethievesandroguesmadebythatone
prisonofNewgatethanbyalltheclubsandsocietiesofvillains
inthenation；’tisthatcursedplace，’saysmymother，’thathalf
peopledthiscolony。’
Hereshewentonwithherownstorysolong，andinsoparticular
amanner，thatIbegantobeveryuneasy；butcomingtoone
particularthatrequiredtellinghername，IthoughtIshould
havesunkdownintheplace。
SheperceivedIwasoutof
order，andaskedmeifIwasnotwell，andwhatailedme。
I
toldherIwassoaffectedwiththemelancholystoryshehad
told，andtheterriblethingsshehadgonethrough，thatithad
overcomeme，andIbeggedofhertotalknomoreofit。
’Why，
mydear，’sayssheverykindly，’whatneedthesethingstrouble
you？
Thesepassageswerelongbeforeyourtime，andthey
givemenotroubleatallnow；nay，Ilookbackonthemwith
aparticularsatisfaction，astheyhavebeenameanstobring
metothisplace。’
Thenshewentontotellmehowshevery
luckilyfellintoagoodfamily，where，behavingherselfwell，
andhermistressdying，hermastermarriedher，bywhomshe
hadmyhusbandandhissister，andthatbyherdiligenceand
goodmanagementafterherhusband’sdeath，shehadimproved
theplantationstosuchadegreeastheythenwere，sothatmost
oftheestatewasofhergetting，notherhusband’s，forshehad
beenawidowupwardsofsixteenyears。
Iheardthispartoftheystorywithverylittleattention，because
Iwantedmuchtoretireandgiveventtomypassions，which
Ididsoonafter；andletanyonejudgewhatmustbetheanguish
ofmymind，whenIcametoreflectthatthiswascertainlyno
moreorlessthanmyownmother，andIhadnowhadtwo
children，andwasbigwithanotherbymyownbrother，and
laywithhimstilleverynight。
Iwasnowthemostunhappyofallwomenintheworld。
Oh！
hadthestoryneverbeentoldme，allhadbeenwell；ithadbeen
nocrimetohavelainwithmyhusband，sinceastohisbeing
myrelationIhadknownnothingofit。
Ihadnowsuchaloadonmymindthatitkeptmeperpetually
waking；torevealit，whichwouldhavebeensomeeasetome，
Icouldnotfindwouldbetoanypurpose，andyettoconceal
itwouldbenexttoimpossible；nay，IdidnotdoubtbutIshould
talkofitinmysleep，andtellmyhusbandofitwhetherIwould
orno。
