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that　he　could　not　yet　answer　for　the　effects　of　it；　however；　I　

had　this　mercy；　that　I　had　more　time　given　me；　and　that　it　was　

my　business　to　improve　that　time。



This　discourse；　though　very　seasonable；　left　a　kind　of　sadness　

on　my　　heart；　as　if　I　might　expect　the　affair　would　have　a　

tragical　issue　still；　which；　however；　he　had　no　certainty　of；　

and　I　did　not　indeed；　at　that　time；　question　him　about　it；　he　

having　said　that　he　would　do　his　utmost　to　bring　it　to　a　good　

end；　and　that　he　hoped　he　might；　but　he　would　not　have　me　

be　secure；　and　the　consequence　proved　that　he　had　reason　for　

what　he　said。



It　was　about　a　fortnight　after　this　that　I　had　some　just　apprehensions　

that　I　should　be　included　in　the　next　dead　warrant　at　the　ensuing　

sessions；　and　it　was　not　without　great　difficulty；　and　at　last　a　

humble　petition　for　transportation；　that　I　avoided　it；　so　ill　was　

I　beholding　to　fame；　and　so　prevailing　was　the　fatal　report　of　

being　an　old　offender；　though　in　that　they　did　not　do　me　strict　

justice；　for　I　was　not　in　the　sense　of　the　law　an　old　offender；　

whatever　I　was　in　the　eye　of　the　judge；　for　I　had　never　been　

before　them　in　a　judicial　way　before；　so　the　judges　could　not　

charge　me　with　being　an　old　offender；　but　the　Recorder　was　

pleased　to　represent　my　case　as　he　thought　fit。



I　had　now　a　certainty　of　life　indeed；　but　with　the　hard　conditions　

of　being　ordered　for　transportation；　which　indeed　was　hard　

condition　in　itself；　but　not　when　comparatively　considered；　

and　therefore　I　shall　make　no　comments　upon　the　sentence；　

nor　upon　the　choice　I　was　put　to。　　We　shall　all　choose　anything　

rather　than　death；　especially　when　'tis　attended　with　an　

uncomfortable　prospect　beyond　it；　which　was　my　case。



The　good　minister；　whose　interest；　though　a　stranger　to　me；　

had　obtained　me　the　reprieve；　mourned　sincerely　for　this　part。　　

He　was　in　hopes；　he　said；　that　I　should　have　ended　my　days　

under　the　influence　of　good　instruction；　that　I　should　not　have　

been　turned　loose　again　among　such　a　wretched　crew　as　they　

generally　are；　who　are　thus　sent　abroad；　where；　as　he　said；　I　

must　have　more　than　ordinary　secret　assistance　from　the　grace　

of　God；　if　I　did　not　turn　as　wicked　again　as　ever。



I　have　not　for　a　good　while　mentioned　my　governess；　who　

had　during　most；　if　not　all；　of　this　part　been　dangerously　sick；　

and　being　in　as　near　a　view　of　death　by　her　disease　as　I　was　

by　my　sentence；　was　a　great　penitentI　say；　I　have　not　mentioned　

her；　nor　indeed　did　I　see　her　in　all　this　time；　but　being　now　

recovering；　and　just　able　to　come　abroad；　she　came　to　see　me。



I　told　her　my　condition；　and　what　a　different　flux　and　reflux　

of　tears　and　hopes　I　had　been　agitated　with；　I　told　her　what　I　

had　escaped；　and　upon　what　terms；　and　she　was　present　when　

the　minister　expressed　his　fears　of　my　relapsing　into　wickedness　

upon　my　falling　into　the　wretched　companies　that　are　generally　

transported。　　Indeed　I　had　a　melancholy　reflection　upon　it　in　

my　own　mind；　for　I　knew　what　a　dreadful　gang　was　always　

sent　away　together；　and　I　said　to　my　governess　that　the　good　

minister's　fears　were　not　without　cause。　　'Well；　well；'　says　　she；　

'but　I　hope　you　will　not　be　tempted　with　such　a　horrid　example　

as　that。'　　And　as　soon　as　the　minister　was　gone；　she　told　me　she　

would　not　have　me　discouraged；　for　perhaps　ways　and　means　

might　be　found　out　to　dispose　of　me　in　a　particular　way；　by　

myself；　of　which　she　would　talk　further　to　me　afterward。



I　looked　earnestly　at　her；　and　I　thought　she　looked　more　cheerful　

than　she　usually　had　done；　and　I　entertained　immediately　a　

thousand　notions　of　being　delivered；　but　could　not　for　my　life　

image　the　methods；　or　think　of　one　that　was　in　the　least　feasible；　

but　I　was　too　much　concerned　in　it　to　let　her　go　from　me　without　

explaining　herself；　which；　though　she　was　very　loth　to　do；　yet　

my　importunity　prevailed；　and；　while　I　was　still　pressing；　she　

answered　me　in　a　few　words；　thus：　　'Why；　you　have　money；　

have　you　not？　　Did　you　ever　know　one　in　your　life　that　was　

transported　and　had　a　hundred　pounds　in　his　pocket；　I'll　warrant　

you；　child？'says　she。



I　understood　her　presently；　but　told　her　I　would　leave　all　that　

to　her；　but　I　saw　no　room　to　hope　for　anything　but　a　strict　

execution　of　the　order；　and　as　it　was　a　severity　that　was　

esteemed　a　mercy；　there　was　no　doubt　but　it　would　be　strictly　

observed。　　She　said　no　more　but　this：　　'We　will　try　what　can　

be　done；'　and　so　we　parted　for　that　night。



I　lay　in　the　prison　near　fifteen　weeks　after　this　order　for　

transportation　was　signed。　　What　the　reason　of　it　was；　I　know　

not；　but　at　the　end　of　this　time　I　was　put　on　board　of　a　ship　in　

the　Thames；　and　with　me　a　gang　of　thirteen　as　hardened　vile　

creatures　as　ever　Newgate　produced　in　my　time；　and　it　would　

really　well　take　up　a　history　longer　than　mine　to　describe　the　

degrees　of　impudence　and　audacious　villainy　that　those　thirteen　

were　arrived　to；　and　the　manner　of　their　behaviour　in　the　

voyage；　of　which　I　have　a　very　diverting　account　by　me；　which　

the　captain　of　the　ship　who　carried　them　over　gave　me　the　

minutes　of；　and　which　he　caused　his　mate　to　write　down　at　large。



It　may　perhaps　be　thought　trifling　to　enter　here　into　a　relation　

of　all　the　little　incidents　which　attended　me　in　this　interval　of　

my　circumstances；　I　mean；　between　the　final　order　of　my　

transporation　and　the　time　of　my　going　on　board　the　ship；　and　

I　am　too　near　the　end　of　my　story　to　allow　room　for　it；　but　

something　relating　to　me　any　my　Lancashire　husband　I　must　

not　omit。



He　had；　as　I　have　observed　already；　been　carried　from　the　

master's　side　of　the　ordinary　prison　into　the　press…yard；　with　

three　of　his　comrades；　for　they　found　another　to　add　to　them　

after　some　time；　here；　for　what　reason　I　knew　not；　they　were　

kept　in　custody　without　being　brought　to　trial　almost　three　

months。　　It　seems　they　found　means　to　bribe　or　buy　off　some　

of　those　who　were　expected　to　come　in　against　them；　and　they　

wanted　evidence　for　some　time　to　convict　them。　　After　some　

puzzle　on　this　account；　at　first　they　made　a　shift　to　get　proof　

enough　against　two　of　them　to　carry　them　off；　but　the　other　

two；　of　which　my　Lancashire　husband　was　one；　lay　still　in　

suspense。　　They　had；　I　think；　one　positive　evidence　against　

each　of　them；　but　the　law　strictly　obliging　them　to　have　two　

witnesses；　they　could　make　nothing　of　it。　　Yet　it　seems　they　

were　resolved　not　to　part　with　the　men　neither；　not　doubting　

but　a　further　evidence　would　at　last　come　in；　and　in　order　to　

this；　I　think　publication　was　made；　that　such　prisoners　being　

taken；　any　one　that　had　been　robbed　by　them　might　come　to　

the　prison　and　see　them。



I　took　this　opportunity　to　satisfy　my　curiosity；　pretending　that　

I　had　been　robbed　in　the　Dunstable　coach；　and　that　I　would　go　

to　see　the　two　highwaymen。　　But　when　I　came　into　the　press…yard；　

I　so　disguised　myself；　and　muffled　my　face　up　so；　that　he　could　

see　little　of　me；　and　consequently　knew　nothing　of　who　I　was；　

and　when　I　came　back；　I　said　publicly　that　I　knew　them　very　well。



Immediately　it　was　rumoured　all　over　the　prison　that　Moll　

Flanders　would　turn　evidence　against　one　of　the　highwaymen；　

and　that　I　was　to　come　off　by　it　from　the　sentence　of　transportation。



They　heard　of　it；　and　immediately　my　husband　desired　to　see　

this　Mrs。　Flanders　that　knew　him　so　well；　and　was　to　be　an　

evidence　against　him；　and　accordingly　I　had　leave　given　to　go　

to　him。　　I　dressed　myself　up　as　well　as　the　best　clothes　that　I　

suffered　myself　ever　to　appear　in　there　would　allow　me；　and　

went　to　the　press…yard；　but　had　for　some　time　a　hood　over　my　

face。　　He　said　little　to　me　at　first；　but　asked　me　if　I　knew　him。　　

I　told　him；　Yes；　very　well；　but　as　I　concealed　my　face；　so　I　

counterfeited　my　voice；　that　he　had　not　the　least　guess　at　who　

I　was。　　He　asked　me　where　I　had　seen　him。　　I　told　him　between　

Dunstable　and　Brickhill；　but　turning　to　the　keeper　that　stood　

by；　I　asked　if　I　might　not　be　admitted　to　talk　with　him　alone。　　

He　said　Yes；　yes；　as　much　as　I　pleased；　and　so　very　civilly　

withdrew。



As　soon　as　he　was　gone；　I　had　shut　the　door；　I　threw　off　my　

hood；　and　bursting　out　into　tears；　'My　dear；'　says　I；　'do　you　not　

know　me？'　　He　turned　pale；　and　stood　speechless；　like　one　

thunderstruck；　and；　not　able　to　conquer　the　surprise；　said　no　

more　but　this；　'Let　me　sit　down'；　and　sitting　down　by　a　table；　

he　laid　his　elbow　upon　the　table；　and　leaning　his　head　on　his　

hand；　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　ground　as　one　stupid。　　I　cried　so　

vehemently；　on　the　other　hand；　that　it　was　a　good　while　ere　I　

could　speak　any　more；　but　after　I　had　given　some　vent　to　my　

passion　by　tears；　I　repeated　the　same　words；　'My　dear；　do　you　

not　know　me？'　　At　which　he　answered；　Yes；　and　said　no　more　

a　good　while。



After　some　time　continuing　in　the　surprise；　as　above；　he　cast　

up　his　eyes　towards　me　and　said；　'How　could　you　be　so　cruel？'　　

I　did　not　readily　understand　what　he　meant；　and　I　answered；　

'How　can　you　call　me　cruel？　　What　have　I　been　cruel　to　you　in？'　　

'To　come　to　me；'　says　he；　'in　such　a　place　as　this；　is　it　not　to　

insult　me？　　I　have　not　robbed　you；　at　least　not　on　the　highway。'



I　perceived　by　this　that　he　knew　nothing　of　the　miserable　

circumstances　I　was　in；　and　thought　that；　having　got　some　

intelligence　of　his　being　there；　I　had　come　to　upbraid　him　

with　his　leaving　me。　　But　I　had　too　much　to　say　to　him　to　be　

affronted；　and　told　him　in　few　words；　that　I　was　far　from　

coming　to　insult　him；　but　at　best　I　came　to　condole　mutually；　

that　he　would　be　easily　satisfied　that　I　had　no　such　view；　

when　I　should　tell　him　that　my　condition　was　worse　than　his；　

and　that　many　ways。　　He　looked　a　little　concerned　at　the　

general　expression　of　my　condition　being　worse　than　his；　but；　

w