But to go on with the story of Ward; disliking this employment, he took occasion, when they came into Buckinghamshire, to leave them at a common by Gerrard’s Cross, and come up to London.  When he came here, he was still in the same state, not knowing what to do to get bread.  At last he bethought himself of the sea, and prevailed on a captain to take with him a pretty long voyage.  He behaved himself so well in his passage, that his master took him with him again, and used him very kindly; but he dying, Ward was again put to his shifts, though on his arrival in England he brought with him near 30 guineas to London.

He look up lodgings near the Iron Gate at St. Catherine’s, and taking a walk one evening on Tower Wharf, he there met with a young woman, who after much shyness suffered him to talk to her.  They met there a second and a third time.  She said she was niece to a pewterer of considerable circumstances, not far from Tower Hill, who had promised, and was able to give her five hundred pounds; but the fear of disobliging him by marriage, hindered her from thinking of becoming a wife without his approbation of her spouse.

These difficulties made poor Ward imagine that if he could once persuade the woman to marriage, he should soon mollify the heart of her relation, and so become happy at once.  With a great deal to do, Madam was prevailed upon to consent, and going to the Fleet they were there married, and soon returned to St. Catherine’s, to new lodgings which Ward had taken, where he had proposed to continue a day or two and then wait upon the uncle.

Never man was in his own opinion more happy than Joseph Ward in his new wife, but alas! all human happiness is fleeting and uncertain, especially when it depends in any degree upon a woman.  The very next morning after their wedding, Madam prevailed on him to slip on an old coat and take a walk by the house which she had shown him for her uncle’s.  He was no sooner out of doors, but she gave the sign to some of her accomplices, who in a quarter of an hour’s time helped her to strip the lodging not only of all which belonged to Ward, but of some things of value that belonged to the people of the house.  They were scarce out of doors before Ward returned, who finding his wife gone and the room stripped, set up such an outcry as alarmed all the people in the house.

Instead of being concerned at Joseph’s loss they clamoured at their own, and told him in so many words that if he did not find the woman, or make them reparation for their goods, they would send him to Newgate.  But alas! it was neither in Ward’s power to do one, nor the other.  Upon which the people were as good as their word, for they sent for a constable and had him before a Justice.  There the whole act appearing, the justice discharged him and told them they must take their remedy against him at the Common Law.  Upon this Ward took the advantage and made off, but taking to drinking to drive away the sorrows that encompassed him, he at last fell into ill-company, and by them was prevailed on to join in doing evil actions to get money.  He had been but a short time at this trade, before he committed the fact for which he died.