Bankrupt. After this, being left to himself, he grew idle and unused to work; he soon lost all Taste for it, and Idleness and its Consequences took Place of his former Industry. However, advised by some of his Friends, lest somewhat worse should befall him, he took to the Sea s, and was Abroad, he says, in several Ships in the West-Indies , and up the Straits , for the Space of four or five Years. Farther, that he has been in England , since he left off going to Sea, about two Years, and has been used to work with a Plaisterer during this Time, somewhere in Shoreditch .

The Robbery for which he suffered, was committed about ten Months ago, in Company with Moses Wright< no role > , executed, and Charles Cross< no role > , transported, together with William Hatton< no role > , the Evidence against Smith; who being himself apprehended, made Friends to get to be an admitted Evidence, and having informed against Smith, among others, he had the Misfortune to be soon after taken by some People who make it their Business, commonly called Thief-Catchers.

Smith owned the Fact, and every Circumstance of it; but continued to the last to insist, that he never had before or since been concerned in a Robbery. How far this his Declaration is to be credited, I won't pretend to say; but tho' I told him, the Circumstance of the Stockings being brought to his House, and there lodged, till they could conveniently make Sale of them, seem'd to argue he was no Stranger to these Things, and gave Cause for Suspicion that he was not only a Thief, but a Receiver of stolen Goods; yet he still persisted to say the same. And moreover, he said, he would not have been concerned in this had it not been at a Time when he had been drunk, and continued so for some Time, and that every one who knew him in the Neighbourhood, respected him, as a civil, harmless Fellow. He behaved always after Conviction very quietly, and resigned, and shewed as much Appearance of Contrition as any of his Fellow-sufferers; and tho' he was illiterate, would ask several pertinent Questions, with Regard to Salvation and a future State.

9. WILLIAM PARSONS< no role > This name instance is in set 3526. , which was the true Name of this unhappy Youth, not Richard< no role > , as he has been lately called by, was the Son of 3 very worthy Gentleman now living, Sir William Parsons< no role > , Baronet ; he was born in the Year 1717, in Red-Lion Square , London ; from whence he was sent after a proper Time, to receive his first Education, to a Place called Pepperharrow , near Godalmin , in Surry , where he remained for about two Years and an Half, till he was fit for a higher Class, and was then removed to Eton College , near Windsor , where he continued about eight Years. Concerning his Improvements there we have no Authority to speak, he had not so much the Appearance of a Gentleman of Letters, as he had of the polite, fine Gentleman, which latter every one that saw him seemed to be taken with.

When he came from Eton School in the Year 1735, his Friends procured a Post for him in the Royal Navy, which was that of a Midshipman , on Board his Majesty's Sloop the Drake , Captain Fox, with whom he went to the West-Indies ; his Stay there was not long, but when he returned his Friends were not willing he should be idle, and therefore immediately got him another Birth, on Board the Romney Man of War , Captain Medley, on the Newsoundland Station, with whom he continued several Months, and then returned to England .

Sometime after this he went into the Royal African Company's Service , to James Fort , in the River Gambia in Africa , where he continued some Time, and then returned again to England.

Being now tired of rambling, and near 23 Years of Age, he began to think it Time to settle, and accordingly paid his Addresses to a young Gentlewoman of Family and Fortune, to whom he was married on the 11th of February, 1740 ; which, according to