or thereabouts; and I argued with him how good a Method it would be to put an end to our Misfortunes, and restore our Circumstances in the World, to what we had both expected; and I added, that after seven Years, we might be in a Posture to leave our Plantation in good Hands, and come over again and receive the Income of it, and live here and enjoy it; and I gave him Examples of some that had done so, and liv'd now in very good Figure in London.

In short, I press'd him so to it, that he almost agreed to it, but still something or other broke it off; till at last he turn'd the Tables, and began to talk almost to the same purpose of Ireland.

He told me that a Man that could confine himself to a Country Life, and that cou'd but find Stock to enter upon any Land, should have Farms there for 50l. a Year, as good as were let here for 200l. a Year; that the Produce was such, and so Rich the Land, that if much was not laid up, we were sure to live as handsomely upon it as a Gentleman of 3000l. a Year could do in England; and that he had laid a Scheme to leave me in London, and go over and try; and if he found he could lay a handsome Foundation of living suitable to the Respect he had for me, as he doubted not he should do, he would come over and fetch me.

I was dreadfully afraid that upon such a Proposal he would have taken me at my Word, viz. to turn my little Income into Money, and let him carry it over into Ireland and try his Experiment with it; but he was too just to desire it, or to have accepted it if I had offer'd it; and he anticipated me in that, for he added, that he would go and try his Fortune that way, and if he found he cou'd do any thing at it to live, then by adding mine to it when I went over, we should live like our selves; but that he would not hazard a Shilling of mine till he had made the Experiment with a little, and he assur'd me that if he found nothing to be done in Ireland, he would then come to me and join in my Project for Virginia.

He was so earnest upon his Project being to be try'd first, that I cou'd not withstand him; however, he promis'd to let me hear from him in a very little time after his arriving there, to let me know whether his prospect answer'd his Design, that if there was not a probability of Success, I might take the Occasion to prepare for our other Voyage, and then, he assur'd me, he would go with me to America with all his Heart.

I could bring him to nothing farther than this, and which entertain'd us near a Month, during which I enjoy'd his Company, which was the most entertaining that ever I met with in my life before. In this time he let me into part of the Story of his own Life, which was indeed surprizing, and full of an infinite Variety, sufficient to fill up a much brighter History for its Adventures and Incidents, than any I ever saw in Print: But I shall have occasion to say more of him hereafter.

We parted at last, tho' with the utmost reluctance on my side, and indeed he took his leave very unwillingly too, but Necessity oblig'd him, for his Reasons were very good, why he would not come to London, as I understood more fully afterwards.

I gave him a Direction how to write to me, tho' still I reserv'd the grand Secret, which was not to let him ever know my true Name, who I was, or where to be found; he likewise let me know how to write a Letter to him, so that he said he would be sure to receive it.

I came to London the next Day after we parted, but did not go directly to my old Lodgings; but for another nameless Reason took a private Lodging in St. John's-street, or as it is vulgarly call'd St. Jones's near Clarkenwell; and here being perfectly alone, I had leisure to sit down and reflect seriously upon the last seven Months Ramble I had made, for I had been abroad no less; the pleasant Hours I had with my last Husband I look'd back on with an infinite deal of Pleasure; but that Pleasure was very much lessen'd, when I found some time after that I was really with Child.

This was a perplexing thing because of the Difficulty which was before me, where I should get leave to Lye-In; it being one of the nicest things in the World at that time of Day, for a Woman that was a Stranger, and had no Friends, to be entertain'd in that Circumstance without Security, which I had not, neither could I procure any.

I had taken care all this while to preserve a Correspondence with my Friend at the Bank, or rather he took care to Correspond with me, for he wrote to me once a Week; and tho' I had not spent my Money so fast as to want any from him, yet I often wrote also to let him know I was alive; I had left Directions in Lancashire, so that I had these Letters convey'd to me; and during my Recess at St. Jones's I received a very obliging Letter from him, assuring me that his Process for a Divorce went on with Success, tho' he met with some Difficulties in it that he did not expect.

I was not displeas'd with the News, that his Process was more tedious than he expected; for tho' I was in no condition to have had him yet, not being so foolish to marry him when I knew my self to be with Child by another Man, as some I know have ventur'd to do; yet I was not willing to lose him, and in a word, resolv'd to have him if he continu'd in the same mind, as soon as I was up again; for I saw apparently I should hear no more from my other Husband; and as he had all along press'd me to Marry, and had assur'd me he would not be at all disgusted at it, or ever offer to claim me again, so I made no scruple to resolve to do it if I could, and if my other Friend stood to his Bargain; and I had a great deal of Reason to be assur'd that he would, by the Letters he wrote to me, which were the kindest and most obliging that could be.

I now grew Big, and the people where I lodg'd perceiv'd it, and began to take notice of it to me, and as far as Civility would allow, intimated that I must think of removing; this put me to extreme perplexity, and I grew very melancholly, for indeed I knew not what Course to take, I had Money, but no Friends, and was like now to have a Child upon my Hands to keep, which was a difficulty I had never had upon me yet, as my Story hitherto makes appear.

In the course of this Affair I fell very ill, and my Melancholly really encreas'd my Distemper; my Illness prov'd at length to be only an Ague, but my Apprehensions were really that I should Miscarry; I should not say Apprehensions, for indeed I would have been glad to miscarry, but I cou'd never entertain so much as a thought of taking any thing to make me Miscarry, I abhorr'd, I say, so much as the thought of it.

However, speaking of it, the Gentlewoman who kept the House propos'd to me to send for a Midwife; I scrupled it at first, but after some time consented, but told her I had no Acquaintance with any Midwife, and so left it to her.

It seems the Mistress of the House was not so great a Stranger to such Cases as mine was, as I thought at first she had been, as will appear presently, and she sent for a Midwife of the right sort, that is to say, the right sort for me.

The Woman appear'd to be an experienced Woman in her Business, I mean as a Midwife, but she had another Calling too, in which she was as expert as most Women, if not more: My Landlady had told her I was very Melancholly, and that she believ'd that had done me harm; and once, before me, said to her, Mrs. B –––, I believe this Lady's Trouble is of a kind that is pretty much in your way, and therefore if you can do anything for her, pray do, for she is a very civil Gentlewoman, and so she went out of the Room.

I really did not understand her, but my Mother Midnight began very seriously to explain what she meant, as soon as she was gone: Madam, says she, you seem not to understand what your Landlady means, and when you do, you need not let her know at all that you do so.

She means that you are under some Circumstances that may render your Lying-In difficult to you, and that you are not willing to be expos'd; I need say no more, but to tell you, that if you think fit to communicate so much of your Case to me, as is necessary, for I do not desire to pry into those things, I perhaps may be in a Condition to assist you, and to make you easy, and remove all your dull Thoughts upon that Subject.

Every word this Creature said was a Cordial to me, and put new Life and new Spirit into my very Heart; my Blood began to circulate immediately, and I was quite another Body; I eat my Victuals again, and grew better presently after it: She said a great deal more to the same purpose, and then having press'd me to be free with her, and promis'd in the solemnest manner to be secret, she stop'd a little, as if waiting to see what Impression it made on me, and what I would say.

I was too sensible of the want I was in of such a Woman, not to accept her Offer; I told her my Case was partly as she guess'd, and partly not, for I was really married, and had a Husband, tho' he was so remote at that time, as that he cou'd not appear publickly.

She took me short, and told me, that was none of her Business, all the Ladies that came under her Care were married Women to her; every Woman, says she, that is with Child has a Father for it, and whether that Father was a Husband or no Husband, was no Business of hers; her Business was to assist me in my present Circumstances, whether I had a Husband or no; for, Madam, says she, to have a Husband that cannot appear, is to have no Husband, and therefore whether you are a Wife or a Mistress is all one to me.

I found presently, that whether I was a Whore or a Wife, I was to pass for a Whore here, so I let that go; I told her, it was true as she said, but that however, if I must tell her my Case, I must tell it her as it was: So I related it as a short as I could, and I concluded it to her: I trouble you with this, Madam, said, I, not that, as you said before, it is much to the purpose in your affair; but this is to the purpose, Namely, that I am not in any pain about being seen, or being conceal'd, for 'tis perfectly indifferent to me: but my difficulty is, that I have no Acquaintance in this part of the Nation.

I understand you, Madam, says she, you have no Security to bring to prevent the Parish Impertinences usual in such Cases; and perhaps, says she, do not know very well how to dispose of the Child when it comes; the last, says I, is not so much my Concern as the first: Well, Madam, answers the Midwife, dare you put your self into my Hands? I live in such a place, tho' I do not enquire after you, you may enquire after me, my Name is B –––, I live in such a Street, naming the Street, at the Sign of the Cradle, my Profession is a Midwife, and I have many Ladies that come to my House to Lye-In; I have given Security to the Parish in General to secure them from any Charge, from what shall come into the World under my Roof; I have but one Question to ask in the whole Affair, Madam, says she, and if that be answer'd, you shall be entirely easy of the rest.

I presently understood what she meant, and told her, Madam, I believe I understand you; I thank God, tho' I want Friends in this Part of the World, I do not want Money, so far as may be Necessary, tho' I do not abound in that neither: This I added, because I would not make her expect great things; well Madam, says she, that is the thing indeed, without which nothing can be done in these Cases; and yet, says she, you shall see that I will not impose upon you, or offer anything that is unkind to you, and you shall know every thing before hand, that you may suit yourself to the Occasion, and be either costly or sparing as you see fit.

I told her, she seem'd to be so perfectly sensible of my Condition, that I had nothing to ask of her but this, that as I had Money sufficient, but not a great Quantity, she would order it so, that I might be at as little superfluous Charge as possible.

She reply'd, that she should bring in an Account of the Expences of it, in two or three Shapes, I should chuse as I pleas'd; and I desir'd her to do so.

The next Day she brought it, and the Copy of her three Bills was as follows.

 

l. s. d.

1. For three Months Lodging in her House, including my Dyet at 10s. a Week

06. 00. 0

2. For a Nurse for the Month, and Use of Child-bed Linnen

01. 10. 0

3. For a Minister to Christen the Child, and to the Godfathers and Clark

01. 10. 0

4. For a Supper at the Christening if I had five Friends at it

01. 00. 0

For her Fees as a Midwife, and the taking off the Trouble of the Parish

03. 03. 0

To her Maid Servant attending

00. 10. 0

13. 13.