[His chief employment is Reading.] I still remained where I was before, having none but the black Boy, and my Ague to bear me Company.  Never found I more pleasure in Reading, Meditating and Praying than now.  For there was nothing else could administer to me any Comfort, neither had I any other Business to be occupied about.  I had read my two Books so often over, that I had them almost by heart.  For my custom was after Dinner to take a Book and go into the Fields and sit under a Tree, reading and meditating until Evening; excepting the Day when my Ague came, for then I could scarce hold up my head.  Often have I prayed as Elijah under the Juniper Tree, that God would takeaway my life, for it was a burthen to me.

[He loses his Ague.] At length it pleased God my Ague began to be a little moderate; and so by degrees it wore away, after it had held me sixteen Months.

[How he met with an English Bible in that Countrey.] Provisions falling short with me, tho Rice I thank God, I never wanted, and Monies also growing low; as well to help out a Meal as for Recreation, sometimes I went with an Angle to catch small Fish in the Brooks, the aforesaid Boy being with me.  It chanced as I was Fishing, an old Man passed by, and seeing me, asked of my Boy, If I could read in a Book.  He answered, Yes.  The reason I ask, said the old Man, is because I have one I got when the Portugueze left Columbo, and if your Master please to buy it, I will sell it him.  Which when I heard of; I bad my Boy go to his House with him, which was not far off, and bring it to me to see it, making no great account of the matter, supposing it might be some Portugueze Book.

The Boy having formerly served the English, knew the Book, and as soon as he had got it in his hand came running with it, calling out to me, It is a Bible.  It startled me to hear him mention the name of a Bible.  For I neither had one, nor scarcely could ever think to see one.  Upon which I flung down my Angle and went to meet him.  The first place the Book opened in after I took it in my hand, was the Sixteenth Chapter of the Acts, and the first place my eye pitched on, was the Thirtieth and one and Thirtieth Verses, where the Jailor asked S. Paul, What must I do to be saved?  And he answered saying, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thine house.

[Struck into a great Passion at the sight of the Book.] The sight of this Book so rejoiced me, and affrighted me together, that I cannot say, which Passion was greater, the joy, for that I had got sight of a Bible, or the fear, that I had not enough to buy it, having then but one Pagoda in the World, which I willingly would have given for it, had it not been for my Boy, who dissuaded me from giving so much, alledging my Necessity for Money many other ways, and undertaking to procure the Book for a far meaner price, provided I would seem to slight it in the sight of the old Man.  This counsel after I considered I approved of, my urgent Necessities earnestly craving, and my Ability being but very small to relieve the same:  and however, I thought, I could give my piece of Gold at the last cast, if other means should fail.