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spouse very uneasy; for he found me perplexed; and yet thought

I was not open with him; and did not let him into every part 

of my grievance; and he would often say; he wondered what 

he had done that I would not trust him with whatever it was; 

especially if it was grievous and afflicting。  The truth is; he 

ought to have been trusted with everything; for no man in the 

world could deserve better of a wife; but this was a thing I 

knew not how to open to him; and yet having nobody to 

disclose any part of it to;the burthen was too heavy for my 

mind; for let them say whatthey please of our sex not being 

able to keep a secret; my life is a plain conviction to me of the 

contrary; but be it our sex; or the man's sex; a secret of moment 

should always have a confidant;a bosom friend; to whom we 

may communicate the joy of it; or the grief of it; be it which 

it will; or it will be a double weight upon the spirits; and 

perhaps become even insupportable in itself; and this I appeal 

to all human testimony for the truth of。



And this is the cause why many times men as well as women; 

and men of the greatest and best qualities other ways; yet have 

found themselves weak in this part; and have not been able to 

bear the weight of a secret joy or of a secret sorrow; but have 

been obliged to disclose it; even for the mere giving vent to 

themselves; and to unbend the mind oppressed with the load 

andweights which attended it。  Nor was this any token of folly 

orthoughtlessness at all; but a natural consequence of the thing;

and such people; had they struggled longer with the oppression; 

would certainly have told it in their sleep; and disclosed the 

secret; let it have been of what fatal nature soever; without 

regard to the person to whom it might be exposed。  This 

necessity of nature is a thing which works sometimes with 

such vehemence in the minds of those who are guilty of any 

atrocious villainy; such as secret murder in particular; that they 

have been obliged to discover it; though the consequence 

would necessarily be their own destruction。  Now; thought it 

may be true that the divine justice ought to have the glory of 

all those discoveries and confessions; yet 'tis as certain that 

Providence; which ordinarily works by the hands of nature; 

makes use here of the same naturalcauses to produce those 

extraordinary effects。



I could give several remarkable instances of this in my long 

conversation with crime and with criminals。  I knew one fellow 

that; while I was in prison in Newgate; was one of those they 

called then night…fliers。  I know not what other word they may 

have understood it by since; but he was one who by connivance 

was admitted to go abroad every evening; when he played his 

pranks; and furnished those honest people they call thief…catchers 

with business to find out the next day; and restore for a reward 

what they had stolen the evening before。  This fellow was as 

sure to tell in his sleep all that he had done; and every step he 

had taken; what he had stolen; and where; as sure as if he had 

engaged to tell it waking; and that there was no harm or danger 

in it; and therefore he was obliged; after he had been out; to 

lock himself up; or be locked up by some of the keepers that 

had him in fee; that nobody should hear him; but; on the other 

hand; if he had told all the particulars; and given a full account 

of his rambles and success; to any comrade; any brother thief; 

or to his employers; as I may justly call them; then all was 

well with him; and he slept as quietly as other people。



As the publishing this account of my life is for the sake of the 

just moral of very part of it; and for instruction; caution; 

warning; and improvement to every reader; so this will not 

pass; I hope; for an unnecessary digression concerning some 

people being obliged to disclose the greatest secrets either of 

their own or other people's affairs。



Under the certain oppression of this weight upon my mind; I 

laboured in the case I have been naming; and the only relief 

I found for it was to let my husband into so much of it as I 

thought would convince him of the necessity there was for us 

to think of settling in some other part of the world; and the 

next consideration before us was; which part of the English 

settlements we should go to。  My husband was a perfect stranger 

to the country; and had not yet so much as a geographical 

knowledge of the situation of the several places; and I; that; 

till I wrote this; did not know what the word geographical 

signified; had only a general knowledge from long conversation 

with people that came from or went to several places; but this 

I knew; that Maryland; Pennsylvania; East and West Jersey; 

New York; and New England lay all north of Virginia; and 

that they were consequently all colder climates; to which for 

that very reason; I had an aversion。  For that as I naturally 

loved warm weather; so now I grew into years I had a stronger 

inclination to shun a cold climate。  I therefore considered of 

going to Caroline; which is the only southern colony of the 

English on the continent of America; and hither I proposed to 

go; and the rather because I might with great ease come from 

thence at any time; when it might be proper to inquire after 

my mother's effects; and to make myself known enough to 

demand them。



With this resolution I proposed to my husband our going away 

from where we was; and carrying all our effects with us to 

Caroline; where we resolved to settle; for my husband readily 

agreed to the first part; viz。 that was not at all proper to stay 

where we was; since I had assured him we should be known 

there; and the rest I effectually concealed from him。



But now I found a new difficulty upon me。  The main affair 

grew heavy upon my mind still; and I could not think of going 

out of the country without somehow or other making inquiry 

into the grand affair of what my mother had one for me; nor 

could I with any patience bear the thought of going away; and 

not make myself known to my old husband (brother); or to my 

child; his son; only I would fain have had this done without 

my new husband having any knowledge of it; or they having 

any knowledge of him; or that I had such a thing as a husband。



I cast about innumerable ways in my thoughts how this might 

be done。  I would gladly have sent my husband away to

Caroline with all our goods; and have come after myself; but 

this was impracticable; he would never stir without me; being 

himself perfectly unacquainted with the country; and with the 

methods of settling there or anywhere else。  Then I thought 

wewould both go first with part of our goods; and that when 

we were settled I should come back to Virginia and fetch the 

remainder; but even then I knew he would never part with me;

and be left there to go on alone。  The case was plain; he was 

bread a gentleman; and by consequence was not only 

unacquainted; but indolent; and when we did settle; would 

much rather go out into the woods with his gun; which they 

call there hunting; and which is the ordinary work of the 

Indians; and which they do as servants; I say; he would rather 

do that than attend the natural business of his plantation。



These were therefore difficulties insurmountable; and such as 

I knew not what to do in。  I had such strong impressions on 

mymind about discovering myself to my brother; formerly 

my husband; that I could not withstand them; and the rather; 

because it ran constantly in my thoughts; that if I did not do 

it while he lived; I might in vain endeavour to convince my 

son afterward that I was really the same person; and that I was 

his mother; and so might both lose the assistance and comfort 

of the relation; and the benefit of whatever it was my mother 

had leftme; and yet; on the other hand; I could never think it 

proper to discover myself to them in the circumstances I was 

in; as well relating to the having a husband with me as to my 

being brought over by a legal transportation as a criminal; on 

both which accounts it was absolutely necessary to me to 

remove from the place where I was; and come again to him; 

as from another place and in another figure。



Upon those considerations;  I went on with telling my husband 

the absolute necessity there was of our not settling in Potomac 

River; at least that we should be presently made public there; 

whereas if we went to any other place in the world; we should 

come in with as much reputation as any family that came to 

plant; that; as it was always agreeable to the inhabitants to 

have families come among them to plant; who brought substance 

with them; either to purchase plantations or begin new ones; 

so we should be sure of a kind; agreeable reception; and that 

without any possibility of a discovery of our circumstances

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