the Execution of his black Defign required. We fpent our Time very agreeably; he kiffed and embraced us, and made my Wife a Prefent of fome of her Mother's Jewels, and after Dinner we had feveral Bottles of Wine to drink Succefs to our Accord, and agreed to put a Stop to all Law Proceedings on both Sides. The Houfe-keeper, which I could fcarcely relish, made one of the Company but, all on a fudden, my Wife complained the was fick, and both, myfelf and Sir Thomas found ourfelves very queer and qualmifh: She grew worfe and worse, and turned black in the Face, and be fore Help could arrive expired in my Arms. Dreadful Moment! Whilft I was lamenting loudly this cruel Difafter, I heard the Houfe-keeper whifper him foftly,-You see, Sir, it did take at last; these Words roufed me from my deplorable Situation, and, my Head beginning to turn round, I feized her by the Shoulders, and, drawing my Sword, asked her fternly, What the was telling her Mafter? She turned pale as Death, and was going to reply, when a Servant, breaking in, fell on his Knees, and told us, he was fure his young Lady and all of us were poisoned; that he had brought some Stuff to kill Vermin for his Mafter the Day before, and was. fure it had been applied to that Purpose. Good God! what a Scene was here, my dear Wife dead. before me, Sir Thomas juft fainting, myself hardly able to ftand, and the Wretches, who had brought this Ruin upon me in Horror and Amaze at be ing discovered. What could I do, my Friend? What would you have done? Rage dried up my Tears, and choaked the Paffage of my Words; and oh, Heavens! I feized my Wretch of a Father, and ran my Sword up to the Hilt in his Breaft, and leav→ ing him to vomit out his black Soul, I executed the fame Vengeance on his Whore; and then, lofing all Strength, fell lifeless upon the Body of my dear eft Jenny The Surgeon and Phyfician we had fent for, when I first perceived my Wife ill, foon after arrived, and were fhocked at the mournful Scene; but finding fome Signs of Life in me and Sir Tho mas, and hearing the Report of the Family, that we were poisoned, ordered us to Bed, and administered proper Antidotes, by which we expelled a great Quantity of it, and, came to ourselves; but fufficiently weakened, and tho' the Strength of our Conftitutions overcame the Shock Nature had received, yet a violent Fever fucceeded from the Diforder of my Mind, which kept me in this accurfed House near fix Weeks, during which Sir Thomas kindly took Care of my Child and Family, and had the proper Depofitions made before the Coroner, which prevented a great deal of Trouble to us. My Wife's Death lay heavy at my Heart, and I was near fix Months, in which I never fhewed any Signs of Reafon. Sir Thomas had removed her foon after his Recovery, and caufed her to be bu ried In ried with proper Ceremony, and, when I was a little brought to my Senses, I caused a stately Monu ment to be erected over her, with a proper scription to her Memory, which, however, has far a better Record in my Breaft, from whence the lovely Image fhall never depart. His Griefs were fo renewed at this Part of his difaftrous Hiftory, that he fainted, and it was a long Time be fore I brought him to himself, and was concerned my filly Curiofity had called to Mind his cruel Sorrows. I begged him to finish here, and fay no more; but, wiping his Tears away, which trickled faft from his Eyes, he continued as follows: Had it not been for the Confideration of my Infant Son, I had certainly done fome defperate Mischief on myfelf; but Argument and Reafon made me foon more temperate; I refolved, however, to forfake a Country that had been the Stage of so many cruel Accidents to me, and fettling my Affairs, which were now larger than ever, by the Acceffion of the Monfter's Eftate, who had fo barbaroufly killed my Comforts for ever, I appointed Sir Thomas Guardian to my Son, giving proper Inftructions for his Education; and, taking 2000l. with me, refolved in fome diftant Clime to end my Days. Fortune, at London, directed me to a Friend, who propofed a Voyage to the Eaft-Indies to me, which I clofed with, and arrived here about half a Year before you. I understand by Letters I have lately received received from Ireland, that my Son is well; and have fo many preffing Inftances to return Home, that I believe I must once more visit this Image of the Woman I loved, and fuffer Grief to lay me there by her Side. My Trafficking here has been merely by Way of Amusement, and with no Defire to amass Money. Alas! thofe Times are over with me! and now I have given you my dread-. ful Story, you will not wonder at my Melancholy, or that I think of nothing but Death, which I hope will speedily end my wretched and painful Being, He receives Leave to return to England.-Some Strictures on Government.-Finds Mr. Saris at Liberty to go alfo.-They fend Truman away with the greatest Part of their Effects. -Take Leave of their Friends.-Arrive at Batavia.-Embark in a Dutch Eaft-India Ship for Europe.-Touch at the Cape of Good Hope. I c T was more than twelve Months before I heard from Mr. Goodwill, and the reft of my Friends; and I returned fincere Thanks to God, that, during all this Time, no Mortality had happened a mongst mongst us. Mr. Goodwill fent me the Order I defired, which his Uncle had obtained by his Intereft, and bore Date at the Time that Letter was wrote: It permitted me to leave the Country, and my Factory, in fix Months after the Receipt of it. 1 waited upon Governor with this Leave, who received me in the politest Manner; for he had fhewn me extraordinary Respect ever fince I arrived, which had been repaid by me in an Obfervation of that due Deference and Obedience that I think should be always paid to our Superiors. There are, no doubt, a Set of Perfons in Being,. who are constantly uneafy under whoever governs. Man, born a free Agent, naturally aims at reaping all the Privileges that are his happy Lot; but he carries this fometimes too far, he enters into a Comparison between himself and the Perfon who, rules him; ho erroneously imagines, that that Ferfon fhould have greater Talents and Abilities than. fall to the Share of fuch finite Beings; he fees him fubject to the fame Frailties with himself, and he blames the Power who could not better distinguish than to appoint fuch a Governor to rule over him My Friend, the moft divine and heavenly Man that ever exifted, that true Judge of human Nature, to whom we are obliged for all thofe fublime Rules and Precepts, that under various Forms go-. vern the civilifed Part of the World, never entered into the Merits of a Ruler's Character, or its Demerits : |