e
paid to me, or to my assigns, within three months after his death.

He read over all these things to me, and then, in a most moving,
affectionate manner, and in words not to be answered, he said, "Now, my
dear, is this not sufficient? Can you object anything against it? If
not, as I believe you will not, then let us debate this matter no
longer." With that he pulled out a silk purse, which had threescore
guineas in it, and threw them into my lap, and concluded all the rest of
his discourse with kisses and protestations of his love, of which indeed
I had abundant proof.

Pity human frailty, you that read of a woman reduced in her youth and
prime to the utmost misery and distress, and raised again, as above, by
the unexpected and surprising bounty of a stranger; I say, pity her if
she was not able, after all these things, to make any more resistance.

However, I stood out a little longer still. I asked him how he could
expect that I could come into a proposal of such consequence the very
first time it was moved to me; and that I ought, if I consented to it,
to capitulate with him that he should never upbraid me with easiness and
consenting too soon. He said no; but, on the contrary, he would take it
as a mark of the greatest kindness I could show him. Then he went on to
give reasons why there was no occasion to use the ordinary ceremony of
delay, or to wait a reasonable time of courtship, which was only to
avoid scandal; but, as this was private, it had nothing of that nature
in it; that he had been courting me some time by the best of courtship,
viz., doing acts of kindness to me; and that he had given testimonies of
his sincere affection to me by deeds, not by flattering trifles and the
usual courtship of words, which were often found to have very little
meaning; that he took me, not as a mistress, but as his wife, and
protested it was clear to him he might lawfully do it, and that I was
perfectly at liberty, and assured me, by all that it was possible for an
honest man to say, that he would treat me as his wife as long as he
lived. In a word, he conquered all the little resistance I intended to
make; he protested he loved me above all the world, and begged I would
for once believe him; that he had never deceived me, and never would,
but would make it his study to make my life comfortable and happy, and
to make me forget the misery I had gone through. I stood still a while,
and said nothing; but seeing him eager for