oncerns to look after but the care of my
brother's two sons, which, with the good widow's persuasions, obliged me
to continue at home seven years. One of these children I bred up a
gentleman, and the other an experienced sailor, remarkable for his
courage and bravery. Besides this, I married a virtuous young
gentlewoman, of a very good family, by whom I had two sons and one
daughter. But my dear and tender wife leaving this earthly stage (as in
the second part of my life you will hear) which rent my soul as it were
asunder, my native country became weary and tiresome to me; and my
nephew happening to come from sea, tempted me to venture another voyage
to the East Indies, which I did in the year 1694, at which time I
visited my island, and informed myself of every thing that happened
since my departure.

One might reasonably imagine, that what I had suffered, together with an
advanced age, and the fear of losing not only what I had gotten, but my
life also, might have choaked up all the seeds of youthful ambition and
curiosity, and put a lasting period to my wandering inclinations. But as
nothing but death can fully allay the active part of my life, no less
remarkable for the many various contingencies of it, you will next
perceive how I visited my little kingdom, saw my successors the
Spaniards, had an account of the usage they met with from the
Englishmen, agreeing and disagreeing, uniting and separating, till at
last they were subjected to the Spaniards, who yet used them very
honorably, together with the wonderful and successful battles over the
Indians who invaded, and thought to have conquered the island, but were
repelled by their invincible courage and bravery, having taken eleven
men and five woman prisoners by which at my return, I found about twenty
young children on my little kingdom. Here I staid twenty days, left them
supplies of all necessary things, as also a carpenter and smith, and
shared the islands into parts, reserving the whole property to myself.
Nor will you be insensible, by the account of these things, of several
new adventures I have been engaged in, the battles I have fought, the
deliverances I have met with; and while, in the surprising relation of
such remarkable occurrences, I shall describe many of God's kindest
providences to me in particular, no less conspicuous in the same
goodness, power, and majesty of our great creator, shown one way or
other, over the face of the earth, if duly adve