ren, and the woman to the same and like
conditions, _nutatis mutandis,_ on their side: whereas, Sir, these men,
upon their own pleasure, on any occasion, may forsake those women and
marry others, and by disowning their children, suffer them utterly to
perish. Now, Sir, 'added he, 'can God be honoured in such an unlawful
liberty as this; how can a blessing succeed to the best endeavours, if
men are allowed to live in so licentious a way?" I was indeed struck
with the thing myself, and thought that they were much to blame, that no
formal contract had been made, though it had been but breaking a stick
between them, to engage them to live as man and wife, never to separate,
but love, cherish, and comfort one another all their lives; _yet Sir,_
said I, _when they took these wommen, I was not here, and if it is
adultery, it is past my remedy, and I cannot help it_. "True, Sir,'
answered the young priest, you cannot be charged with that part of the
crime which was done in your absence: but I beseech you, don't flatter
yourself, that you are under no obligation now to put a period to it:
which if you neglect to do, the guilt will be entirely on you alone,
since it is certainly in nobody's power but yours, to alter their
condition." I must confess, I was so dull, that I thought he meant, I
should part them, and knowing that this would put the whole island in
confusion, I told him, I could not consent to it upon any account
whatsoever. "Sir,' said he, in a great surprise, 'I do not mean that you
should separate, but marry them, by a written contract, signed by both
man and woman, and by all the witnesses present, which all the European
laws decree to be of sufficient efficacy." Amazed with such true piety
and sincerity, and considering the validity of a written contract, I
acknowledged all that he said to be very just and kind, and that I would
discourse with the man about it; neither could I see what reason they
could have not to let him marry them, whose authority in that affair is
owned to be as authentic as if they were married by any of our clergymen
in England.

The next complaint he had to make to me was this, that though these
English subjects of mine have lived with these women seven years, and
though they were of good understanding, and capable of instruction,
having learned not only to speak, but to read English, yet all this
while they had never taught them any thing of the Christian religion, or
the knowledge of God,