as such, having nobody else to marry them, which they thought as legal, as if they had had a parson.  No doubt, said I, but in the eye of God it is so:  but unless I am assured of your honest intent, never to desert these poor creatures, I can do nothing more for you, neither can you expect God’s blessing while you live in such an open course of adultery.  Hereupon, Will Atkins, who spoke for the rest, told me ’That they believed their wives the most innocent and virtuous creatures in the world; that they would never forsake them while they had breath; and that, if there was a clergyman in the ship, they would be married to them with all their hearts.’  I told you before, said I, that I have a minister with me, who shall marry you to-morrow morning, if you are willing; so I would have you consult to-night with the rest about it.  I told him the clergyman was a Frenchman, and knew not a word of English, but that I would act as clerk between them.  And indeed this business met with such speedy success, that they all told me, in a few minutes after, ’that they were ready to be formally married as soon as I pleased;’ with which informing the priest, he was exceedingly rejoiced.

Nothing now remained, but that the women should be made sensible of the meaning of the thing; with which being well satisfied, they with their husbands attended at my apartment the next morning; there was my priest, habited in a black vest, something like a cassock, with a sash round it; much resembling a minister, and I was his interpreter.  But the seriousness of his behaviour, and the scruples he made of marrying the women, who were not baptized, gave them, an exceeding reverence for his person:  nor indeed would he marry them at all, till he obtained my liberty to discourse both with the men and women, and then he told them, ’That in the sight of all indifferent men, and in the sense of the laws of society, they had lived in open adultery, which nothing new, but their consent to marry, or final separation, could put an end to; and even here was a difficulty with respect to the laws of Christian matrimony, in marrying a professed Christian to a heathen idolater, unbaptized; but yet there was time enough to make them profess the name of Christ, without which nothing could be done; that, besides, he believed themselves very indifferent Christians; and consequently had not discoursed with their wives upon that subject; and that unless they promised him to do so, he could not marry them, as being expressly forbidden by the laws of God.’

All this they heard attentively, and owned readily.

But, Lord, Sir, said Will Atkins to me how could we teach them religion, who know nothing of it ourselves?  How can we talk to our wives of God, Jesus Christ, heaven, and hell?  Why they would only laugh at us, who never yet have practiced religion, but on the contrary all manner of wickedness.  Will Atkins, said I, cannot you tell your wife she is in the wrong, and that her gods are idols,