During the time of our stay here, we had our Victuals brought us in good order and due season:  the Inhabitants having such a charge given them by their Governour and he from the King, durst not do otherwise.  So that we had but little to do, only to dress and eat, and sit down to knit.

[By a piece of Craft he gets down to his old Quarters.] I had used the utmost of my skill and endeavour to get a Licence to go down to my former Quarters, all things being now pretty well settled, hoping that I might recover some of my old Debts:  but by no means could I obtain it.  The denial of so reasonable a desire, put me upon taking leave.  I was well acquainted with the way, but yet I hired a man to go with me, without which I could not get thro the Watches.  For altho I was the Master and he the Man, yet when we came into the Watches, he was the Keeper and I the Prisoner.  And by this means we passed without being suspected.

[Began the world anew the third time.] Being come into my old Quarters, by pretending that this man was sent down from the Magistrate to see that my Debts and Demands might be duely paid and discharged, I chanced to recover some of them, and the rest gave over for lost; for I never more looked after them.  And so I began the world anew, and by the Blessing of God was again pretty well recruited before I left this Town.

[Plots to remove himself.] In the time of my residence here, I chanced to hear of a small piece of Land that was to be sold.  About which I made very diligent inquiry.  For altho I was sore a weary of living in this Town, yet I could not get out of it, not having other new Quarters appointed me, unless I could provide a place for my self to remove to:  which now God had put into my hand.  As for the King’s Command I dreaded it not much, having found by observation, that the King’s Orders wear away by time, and the neglect of them comes at last to be unregarded.  However I was resolved to put it to a hazard, come what will.

[Is incouraged to buy a piece of Land.] Altho I had been now some seven or eight years in this Land, and by this time came to know pretty well the Customs and Constitutions of the Nation, yet I would not trust my own knowledge, but to prevent the worst, I went to the Governor of that same Countrey where the Land lay, to desire his advice, whether or no I might lawfully buy that small piece of Land.  He inquired, Whose and what Land it was, I informed him, That it had been formerly dedicated to a Priest, and he at his death had left it to his Grandson:  who for want was forced to sell it.  Understanding this, the Governor approved of the business, and encouraged me to buy it:  saying, That such kind of Lands only were lawful here to be bought and sold, and that this was not in the least litigious.

[The Situation and condition of it.] Having gotten both his consent and advice, I went on chearfully with my purchase.  The place also liked me wondrous well; it being a point of Land, standing into a Corn Field, so that Corn Fields were on three sides of it, and just before my Door a little Corn ground belonging thereto, and very well watered.  In the Ground besides eight Coker-nut Trees, there were all sorts of Fruit Trees the Countrey afforded.  But it had been so long desolate, that it was all overgrown with Bushes, and no sign of a House therein.