se, and I go on to the fact. My son's tender carriage and kind
offers fetched tears from me, almost all the while he talked with me.
Indeed, I could scarce discourse with him but in the intervals of my
passion; however, at length I began, and expressing myself with wonder
at my being so happy to have the trust of what I had left, put into the
hands of my own child, I told him, that as to the inheritance of it, I
had no child but him in the world, and was now past having any if I
should marry, and therefore would desire him to get a writing drawn,
which I was ready to execute, by which I would, after me, give it
wholly to him and to his heirs. And in the meantime, smiling, I asked
him what made him continue a bachelor so long. His answer was kind and
ready, that Virginia did not yield any great plenty of wives, and that
since I talked of going back to England, I should send him a wife from
London.

This was the substance of our first day's conversation, the pleasantest
day that ever passed over my head in my life, and which gave me the
truest satisfaction. He came every day after this, and spent a great
part of his time with me, and carried me about to several of his
friends' houses, where I was entertained with great respect. Also I
dined several times at his own house, when he took care always to see
his half-dead father so out of the way that I never saw him, or he me.
I made him one present, and it was all I had of value, and that was one
of the gold watches, of which I mentioned above, that I had two in my
chest, and this I happened to have with me, and I gave it him at his
third visit. I told him I had nothing of any value to bestow but that,
and I desired he would now and then kiss it for my sake. I did not
indeed tell him that I had stole it from a gentlewoman's side, at a
meeting-house in London. That's by the way.

He stood a little while hesitating, as if doubtful whether to take it
or no; but I pressed it on him, and made him accept it, and it was not
much less worth than his leather pouch full of Spanish gold; no, though
it were to be reckoned as if at London, whereas it was worth twice as
much there, where I gave it him. At length he took it, kissed it, told
me the watch should be a debt upon him that he would be paying as long
as I lived.

A few days after he brought the writings of gift, and the scrivener
with them, and I signed them very freely, and delivered them to him
with a hundred kisses