CHAPTER EIGHT

My nurse then sent a minister to see me. Recently, she had regretted all the evil crimes she had committed, and begged that I regret having committed such terrible things, as well. She had not been a thief for many years, but had persuaded me to continue my work. She cried for many days, insisting that she had been the reason I was in prison.

"No, Mother, no," said I, "you were not to blame; I continued my life as a thief, not you. Only I have ruined myself."

Two days later, on a Friday, I was sent to court. The two evil maids told the judge that I had attempted to steal two pieces of silk, value forty-six pounds. I insisted, however, that I only wanted to buy the silks, but one of the maids exclaimed that I had walked out the door of the house before she caught me. At the end, the judge gave me time to tell my story. I spoke with great emotion, and cried. Many in the court cried, as well, after hearing me speak. Soon after, the judge sadly declared that I would soon die for my crime, as I was quite famous for other crimes I had committed, as well. After hearing this, I could no longer speak. It was now that for the first time, I felt guilty for the evil crimes I had committed. I thought about the terrible things I had done in my life, and finally felt regret.

My dear nurse's minister came to see me, and to speak of my recent feelings of regret, fear, and sadness. He explained that he was not a minister for the prison, whose only purpose was to find out the names of other criminals. He had come to see me to comfort me before my death. He was honest and friendly with me, and I began to trust him, as I had never trusted another person before. I told him all the secrets of my past. He visited me again the next morning. He comforted me and I desired to be forgiven by God. I no longer feared death.

During the next twelve days, he came to visit me frequently, and we would discuss my past life and God's forgiveness. Soon after, however, I received news that I would die very shortly. I was terrified, and again felt hopeless.

The day before I was to die, the minister did not come to see me until the evening, which greatly shocked me. Although, he told me that he had been speaking to the court judge, begging to have my sentence of death delayed. I was overjoyed to hear that I would not die the following day. Two weeks later, the judge decided that since I was guilty of only one crime, I would not yet be punished by death. I waited the next fifteen weeks in that terrible prison, waiting for news of my future life or death. I was then told that instead of being killed in Newgate, I would be sent as a servant to work in America. My dear minister, however, worried that I would again become a thief, as I would be travelling with others from Newgate who were as evil as I had been before being caught. I knew that before my departure, I had to speak to my husband, who had been in Newgate for quite some time, although he and his two comrades had not yet gone to court. There were several people who had planned to swear in court that the three gentlemen had robbed them, but these people had recently disappeared. Many believed they were given money not to speak, as the three robbers had a great fortune together.

I went to see my husband, although he did not recognise me, as I hid my face from his view. At last, however, he asked me if I knew him. I then turned to him, and asked how he could not know me. He then saw my face, and immediately knew I was his dear wife. We spoke for quite some time about our lives after we had parted. He explained that he had returned to life as a robber after he sadly discovered that I had no fortune. I explained that I had gone into a house to buy some furniture, but the maids had insisted that I was a thief. I, as well, had the problem of being called Moll Flanders, a famous criminal, although my husband did not know me by this name. I told him that I would soon be taken to America to be punished as a servant in Virginia, and that he should request to go, as well. He had not yet gone to court, and might be allowed to leave for America. He insisted, however, that a gentleman could not do such work, and he would rather die in Newgate. I patiently explained, however, that there were many ways to quickly return to England or to become a wealthy gentleman in America.

I begged him to go with me, explaining that if only he had money, as he did, we would surely have no troubles. He refused, but I spoke with him for quite some time, and finally he told me that he would trust me. I told him he would be fully satisfied with his choice of going to America.

Soon enough, we were taken on the ship to leave for America. For the first night, we were locked in the lowest deck, guarded heavily by prison officers. I feared that we would not be able to go above deck before our departure. The next morning, however, before we left on our journey, we were allowed to go above deck. I asked a sailor onboard if he could deliver a letter to my nurse, requesting some goods to take on the trip. I gave him a shilling to deliver the letter, and he immediately noticed that I had a great deal of money in my purse. After seeing that I was quite a wealthy prisoner, he was rather helpful before the departure. I sent my nurse a letter, explaining that my husband and I planned to go to America as servants, although we were both now wealthy, and could easily buy our freedom. Then, we would buy land to farm to gain a great income from the land. I decided I would not find my mother and brother, who was once my husband, as I did not wish for them to know I was a prisoner. I also requested that she send me certain goods that I could sell upon arriving in America.

The following day, the helpful sailor returned with a letter from my nurse, who was delighted for my journey, as I would not be killed in prison. My husband had not yet come onboard the ship, but my nurse assured me that he would soon arrive. Some time after, I saw him board the ship, which greatly eased my worries. My dear nurse promised me that my husband would very soon join me on the ship, and went to Newgate often to request that he immediately be sent to the ship. When my husband finally did arrive, I was delighted to see him. Although, he looked rather upset that he was to arrive in America as a dangerous criminal. He was sentenced to work as a servant for five years, upon our arrival in America, as I was, as well.

Although my poor husband was quite angry at being treated as a prisoner rather than a gentleman, I explained that we would soon have no worries, and would once again be considered a wealthy couple of fortune. He became quite tender with me, and became quite cheerful at no longer being in Newgate. He once took me in his arms while telling me, "My dear, you have saved my life twice. I will always take your advice."

Our first business was to compare our wealth. He was very honest with me, and told me he was quite wealthy before entering the prison, but had spent a great deal while in Newgate to continue living as a gentleman, which was quite expensive while in prison. He only had 108 pounds left. Before entering Newgate, I had between 700 and 800 pounds in the bank, but had spent a great deal on court fees and payments to live comfortably in a miserable prison. I had nearly 246 pounds left to take to America, although I left 300 pounds with my dear nurse. I had, as well, a number of gold rings and watches, all of which were stolen. Together, my husband and I had 354 pounds to carry to Virginia. With this fortune, I left with my husband for a new life in America, at the age of sixty-one. I left as a poor criminal who had just escaped being killed in Newgate. The clothes I wore were poor, and no one on the ship knew that I had a great amount of wealth with me. However, I had many good clothes and other goods onboard, although I had shipped them using my real name, rather than my criminal name of Moll Flanders, which I would collect after we reached Virginia.

Soon before the ship was to depart from England, I went to speak to the sailor who had helped deliver the letter to my nurse. I told him that my husband and I were not poor criminals, but were rather unlucky in our misfortune at Newgate, and desired to know whether the captain could move us to a more comfortable place on the ship during the journey to America. I then placed a guinea in his hand. He took the guinea, as I could see, with great satisfaction, and assured me that he would help me.

The next morning, I was taking a walk around the ship when the friendly sailor came to speak to me. He told me that the captain was very curious to meet me, so I went to see him and was warmly greeted. The captain explained that my husband and I should not worry about having a comfortable voyage to America, as he assured me that we would be provided for. He insisted that we stay in a cabin near his, which was quite elegant. He, as well, invited my husband and I to have our meals with him. So, I paid fifteen guineas for my husband and I to live comfortably on our voyage. I was delighted to hear that we were allowed to stay in a private cabin near the captain, as I could now carry a great deal of goods to America without fearing that they would be stolen.

I then sent a letter to my nurse asking for liquor, sugar, lemons, etc., to treat the captain to excellent eating and drinking. I also requested many tools and materials for farming, as my husband and I planned to buy land to farm. A short time later, my nurse arrived onboard to see me before my departure. She was delighted to see my good fortune in riding to America not as a terrible criminal, but as a respectable gentlewoman. During her visit onboard the ship, she mentioned to the captain that my husband and I were quite anxious about arriving in Virginia as servants, not the gentleman and lady we indeed were. The captain told my nurse not to worry, as we could easily find someone to buy us as servants, as we were sent from Newgate to be bought as servants for our prison punishment. Then, our owner would declare us to be free, after which we would buy land to farm. The captain promised my nurse he would help us upon our arrival. My nurse and I were then satisfied that I was leaving for America, as I would be well-cared for by the captain, and could begin a new life in Virginia as a gentlewoman.

During the trip, we often dined with the captain, while drinking bottles of good beer and wine. Nearly forty-two days after leaving England, we arrived in Virginia, after quite a pleasant trip with the cheerful captain of the ship.

When we came near to the shore, the captain called me to speak about how to obtain my freedom upon arriving in America. He explained that he knew someone who would buy me as a servant, but would then allow me to go free. We soon arrived in Virginia, after which the ship captain took us to meet the Virginian planter who bought us as servants. We then went to dine and drink wine. The planter then gave us a certificate declaring that we had served him faithfully, and were now free to leave. For this, the captain demanded that I buy 6,000 pounds of tobacco from the planter, which the captain said he would sell. We then gave the honest captain a present of twenty guineas, which he was quite satisfied with.

Soon after, I obtained news that my mother had died several years ago, but my brother (who I once called my husband) was still alive, living with one of our children. I was a little surprised to hear that my brother was, indeed, still alive. I then discovered that my brother could no longer see, and could hear very poorly. I decided then that I would like to see him, although I would not announce who I was. I requested a neighbour woman to take me there, explaining that I wished to meet the other neighbours of the area. I went to see him, but when I saw my own son at the door, I was shocked to discover how my emotions changed upon seeing him. I wished to hold him and cry. I did not know what to do, and when I left, I could not speak or think of anything but my dear son, who did not know he had just spoken to his mother.

The woman who led me to see my brother and child noticed that I had become quite upset upon seeing my son, although she thought I had become ill and needed to return home to rest; I quietly agreed. As we were going back, we spoke of my brother and son. The woman began telling me the story of the two men.

"There is a very strange story about that family," she told me, "the old man had returned to England, and fell in love with a young lady there, one of the finest women that ever was seen here. He married her and brought her here to his mother, who was alive then. He lived here several years with her," continued she, "and had several children by her. After some time, the gentleman's mother began speaking of her past in England, and the daughter-in-law became quite surprised and uneasy. In the end, it seemed that the old gentlewoman was her own mother, and so her husband was her own brother. This news horrified the family, and almost ruined them all. The young woman would not live with him, and at last went away to England, and has never returned."

I, of course, was quite disturbed at hearing this story. I asked her a thousand questions about the story, and discovered that my mother had, indeed, left me a small fortune and some land, as she had promised me before I returned to England. I was delighted to hear the news, and began to plan how to obtain the fortune and the land, which was currently held by my own son.

I then decided that my husband and I should move to Carolina to buy land, as I did not yet wish to have my son and brother know I had returned. I had not told my husband of my marriage to my brother, and did not desire that he discover the secret. He noticed that I was becoming increasingly anxious and worried before we left for another part of Virginia. He often asked to know what was upsetting me, but I knew I could not yet tell him the truth.

I decided that my husband and I would go settle in Carolina, then I would return to introduce myself to my son, and collect the fortune that my mother had left me. I told my husband that we could not settle in Virginia, as I had many relatives living there, and I did not wish for them to know the reason for my return. I explained that we must settle elsewhere first, then return to see my relatives.

Soon after we were settled in a new area, I persuaded my husband to allow me to return to Virginia to find out more about my friends. He now happily agreed, as he became familiar with the area and began to do business. He was now fully satisfied at agreeing to go to America, instead of dying in Newgate as a terrible criminal.

After my husband and I had bought a great deal of land and settled, I returned to Virginia, to see my brother, who was once my husband. I was now determined to return to see my brother immediately to explain who I was. However, after arriving in the town, I decided instead to write a letter to him first to tell him I had arrived, and that I had not come to trouble him, but had come as a loving sister. I said some very tender, kind things in the letter about our son, asking that I would be able to visit my dear child, who I had not seen since he was a small child. I knew that since my brother could no longer see, the letter would immediately be given to his son, who would read the letter first.

Soon after the letter was sent to the house, my dear son demanded to know where he could find the woman who wrote the letter. He was told, and immediately came to see me.

"There she is, sir," my son was told, as he entered the inn. He then came directly to me, kissed me, took me in his arms, and began to cry like a young child. I was overjoyed at seeing my dear child again, who now recognised his own mother.

After a short time, we both sat down to talk. He told me that he had not shown my letter to his father or told him anything about my return, as my brother was quite ill and could no longer see, and worried quite often. I realised that my son had decided wisely not to tell his father that I had returned. My son explained that he knew I could not bear to see my brother, after discovering that the man who had once been my husband was actually my brother. My son then explained that my mother had left me a small fortune, which he had kept for me, hoping that I would one day return.

A few days later, my son asked me about where I was living, and soon explained that he owned a great deal of land nearby. He insisted that if I were to move to this land, I could earn an income of nearly one hundred and fifty pounds a year. He told me, as well, that he made quite a fortune on his own land from selling tobacco. He then explained that he would happily send me about one hundred pounds a year, part of the income he earned from his land.

This news was all strangely wonderful to me, although I still worried about my husband, who I loved dearly, and would not leave again. During my stay, I often dined with my son and my brother, although my son did not tell his father my true identity. I stayed here about five weeks before returning to my husband. We decided to stay on our land where we made a great income from the land, and after a short time, had several servants working on a great deal of land. During the second year there, my dear nurse came to live, taking along the rest of my fortune I had left with her, which greatly surprised my husband when it arrived.

"I see now that I was not cheated when I married you, a woman of fortune. I think I have married a fortune, and a very good fortune, too," said he. We were now quite comfortable and wealthy, and increased our fortune every year. After eight years, we earned nearly three hundred pounds a year.

Nearly a year after I had returned from the first visit to my son, I was surprised to hear that my brother, or old husband, had died. This news was quite agreeable to me because I could now explain the story to my husband and my son. My son continued to pay me one hundred pounds a year from the income on his land, and sent me home each year with a great number of presents.

Some time after my brother had died, I told my son that I had gotten married and invited him over to see us. After my brother had died, I told my husband the story of that marriage. Although, I did not tell my son that I had been married to my husband for several years, but rather that he had owned land nearby, and we had married soon after we met. My husband was quite understanding after I explained the story of my old husband also being my brother.

We lived together with the greatest kindness and comfort. We have now grown old; I have come back to England, being almost seventy years old, my husband sixty-eight. We are both in good heart and health. We have decided to live in England for the rest of our lives, to live honestly after so many years of evil lies and cheating.

Written in the year 1683.

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