The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

I gave him an account of my stock as faithfully, that is to say, of

what I had taken to carry with me, for I was resolved, whatever should

happen, to keep what I had left with my governess in reserve; that in

case I should die, what I had with me was enough to give him, and that

which was left in my governess's hands would be her own, which she had

well deserved of me indeed.

My stock which I had with me was #246 some odd shillings; so that we

had #354 between us, but a worse gotten estate was scarce ever put

together to being the world with.

Our greatest misfortune as to our stock was that it was all in money,

which every one knows is an unprofitable cargo to be carried to the

plantations. I believe his was really all he had left in the world, as

he told me it was; but I, who had between #700 and #800 in bank when

this disaster befell me, and who had one of the faithfullest friends in

the world to manage it for me, considering she was a woman of manner of

religious principles, had still #300 left in her hand, which I reserved

as above; besides, some very valuable things, as particularly two gold

watches, some small pieces of plate, and some rings--all stolen goods.

The plate, rings, and watches were put in my chest with the money, and

with this fortune, and in the sixty-first year of my age, I launched

out into a new world, as I may call it, in the condition (as to what

appeared) only of a poor, naked convict, ordered to be transported in

respite from the gallows. My clothes were poor and mean, but not

ragged or dirty, and none knew in the whole ship that I had anything of

value about me.

However, as I had a great many very good clothes and linen in

abundance, which I had ordered to be packed up in two great boxes, I

had them shipped on board, not as my goods, but as consigned to my real

name in Virginia; and had the bills of loading signed by a captain in

my pocket; and in these boxes was my plate and watches, and everything

of value except my money, which I kept by itself in a private drawer in

my chest, which could not be found, or opened, if found, with splitting

the chest to pieces.

In this condition I lay for three weeks in the ship, not knowing

whether I should have my husband with me or no, and therefore not

resolving how or in what manner to receive the honest boatswain's

proposal, which indeed he thought a little strange at first.