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that ever he saw in his life; and witness was brought in against him by an old companion of his, and he was found uilty, and his sentence was to go to prison, and there to lie for ever.

He told me this dream so punctually, and with such an emphasis, that it affected me with serious sadness, and caused my heart to move within me, for to me the dream seemed true, and the interpretation sure. I then told him he was an ingenious man, and might clearly see the interpretation of that dream, which exactly answered to his state and condition, which I thus interpreted to him: "This great and spacious place, wherein the buildings were high and the streets broad, is thy great and high profession: the sign, on which was wrote SHAME, which thou sawest, and the woman at the door, with the can in her hand, truly represents that great, crying, and shameful sin of drunkenness, which thou knowest to be thy great weakness; which the woman with the can did truly represent to thee: the grim fellow which arrested thee in the devil's territories, is death, who will assuredly arrest all mortals: the governor which thou sawest, representing a great black dog, is certainly the devil, who, after his servants have served him to the full, will torment them eternally in hell." So he got up, as it were in haste, and said, "God forbid it is nothing but a dream." But I told him it was a very signifieant one, and a warning to him from the Almighty, who sometimes speaks to men in dreams.

In seven weeks after we left sight of the land of America, we saw the Scilly Islands, and next day we saw the land of England, which was a comfortable sight to us; in that God Almighty had preserved us hitherto, and that we were so far got on our way. We drove about the channel's mouth for several days for want of wind; after which, for two days, the wind came up, and we got as far up the channel as Lime-bay, and then an easterly wind blew fresh for several days, and we turned to windward, but rather lost than got on our way, which was tiresome and tedious to some of us.

us.

Now about this time (being some days after the doctor's dream) a grievous accident happened to We met with a Dutch vessel in Lime-bay, a a little above the Start, hailed her, and she us. They said they came from Lisbon, and were bound for Holland. She was loaded with wine, brandy, fruit, and such like commodities; and we having little but water to drink, (by reason our passage was longer than we expected,) therefore we sent our boat on board, in order to buy us a little wine to drink with our water. Our doctor, and a merchant that was a passenger, and one sailor, went on board, where they staid so long until some of them were overcome with wine, although they were desired to beware thereof; so that when they came back, a rope being handed to them, they (being filled with wine unto excess) were not capable of using it dexterously, insomuch that they overset the boat, and she turned bottom up

wards, having the doctor under her. The merchant caught hold of a rope called the main sheet, whereby his life was saved. The sailor not getting so much drink as the other two, got nimbly on the bottom of the boat, and floated on the water till such time as our other boat was hoisted out, which was done with great speed, and we took him in; but the doctor was drowned before the boat came. The seaman that sat upon the boat saw him sink, but could not help him. This was the greatest exercise that we met with in all our voyage; and much the more so, as the doctor was of an evil life and conversation, and much given to excess of drinking. When he got on board the aforesaid ship, the master sent for a can of wine, and said, "Doctor, will you drink?" he replied, "Yes, with all my heart, for I have drank no wine a great while." Upon which he drank a hearty draught, that made him merry (as he said in his dream; *) and notwithstanding the admonition which was so clearly manifested to him but three days before, and the many promises he had made to Almighty God, some of which I was a witness of, when strong convictions were upon him, yet now he was unhappily overcome, and in drink when he was drowned. This is, I think, a lively representation of the tender mercy,

This relation about the doctor's dream, when I was at Barbadoes, I had occasion to write to a friend in Ireland, which he got printed, and is the same with this in substance, only that is somewhat fuller and larger.

and just judgment of the Almighty to poor mortals; and I thought it was worthy to be recorded to posterity, as a warning to all great lovers of wine and strong liquors. This exercise was so great to me, that I could not for several days get over it; and one day while I was musing in my mind on those things relating to the doctor, it was opened to me, that God and his servants were clear, and his blood was on his own head; for he had been faithfully warned of his evil ways.

We were obliged by contrary winds to put into Plymouth harbour, and from Plymouth I went by coach to London, where I was gladly received by my relations and friends. In this journey I travelled about 2000 miles by land, and 6000 by water. I got to the yearly-meeting of Friends in London, in the year 1699, which was large, and was at divers public meetings for the worship of Almighty God. I may truly say, the Holy Ghost was amongst us, blessed be God our Saviour for

evermore.

CHAP II.

1699-1707.

The Author's first Marriage-Removes with his Wife to America, and settles in PhiladelphiaVisit to Barbadoes and Bermudas-Account of his travels in various parts of North America.

IN this year [1699] I thought it my place to enter into a married state, and I acquainted my father of my design, and that I inclined to make choice of Martha Betterton, a religious young woman, whom I entirely loved for that piety, virtue, and modesty, which I beheld in her; (I was in the twenty-fourth year of my age, and she in her twenty-first.) I likewise acquainted her father and mother with my intentions, to which both our parents consented; her father saying (when I spoke to him) "Go together, and the Lord bless you together." And my father said, "If I was worth my weight in gold, she deserved me." The heartiness of both our fathers in this matter, was more to me than a portion of silver or gold, of which we had but very little; but our love to each other was very great, and being well and honourably grounded, it was not easily shaken. So after consent of parents, we proposed our

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