But, then thinking he had been in this Employ long enough, had suffer'd sufficient Hardships, he determin'd the endeavouring to change his Fortune, and try what he could do in another Way of Life; so taking French Leave, as he call'd it, he left Biddeford , and cross'd the Country to Plymouth , where he was no sooner come, than a Press-gang meeting him in the Streets, saluted him, with How dost do Brother Tarr? and hurried him directly on board the Ludlow Castle a 40 Gun Ship of War, but he says, he had the Liberty to enter himself as an effective Man before the Mast. During his being on Board that Ship, which was only eight or nine Months, she was one of the Fleet ordered to go before Ostend, while it was besieged by the French in the late War. And the Governor desiring some Assistance, a Complement of Men from every Ship was sent, and he made one of the Number that was draughted out for that Purpose He was ashore he says in the Garrison of Ostend about eighteen Days, and it being the Opinion of the Governor, that the Place must be taken, he and the rest that belonged to the Men of War, were again sent back to their respective Ships; and accordingly the Town surrender'd to the French. The Ludlow Castle returned presently after to the Downs, and from thence was dispatch'd with some others to Amsterdam, in order to Convoy to England, a Dutch India-Man; which being effected, and arriving at Sheerness , Burk became Sick, and was sent on Board the Britannia Hospital Ship , where he was taken proper Care of.

By the Time he recovered the Ludlow Castle was gone to the Westward, and he was turned over to the Amazon , which having been taken from the French, was made an English Man of War of twenty Guns. In this Ship they had the good Fortune to take a French Privateer to the Westward; with which Prize he and some other Hands were sent into Mount's Bay, and it being there sold to a Merchant of that Neighbourhood, he was discharged, and made the best of his Way on Foot for London , when he came here, be went aboard a Ship, called the Jamaica Snow , from which he was again press'd into the Service; and after some Time being kept on Board the Royal Sovereign , was turned over to the Pool , a forty Gun Ship of War, his stay on Board the Pool was about six or seven Months, and then he was in the Deal Castle for the Space of two Months.

After all he got on Board the Mortar Bomb again, which was the first Kings Ship he ever was in, and continued there he says, about thirteen Months in the Channel Service. At the End of which Time she came up to Woolwich , (it being the latter End of July or Beginning of August last) and being paid off, he among others was discharged the Service.

And now he says, he went to his Parents and lived with them in St. Ann's Parish , Westminster , with thirteen Pounds in his Pocket, which was all the Wages that remained due to him, he then lived with them till about three Weeks before Christmas, he afterwards went down to Parkgate , and failed from thence in a Packet Boat, he landed at Dublin on Christmas Eve; but not meeting with any great Encouragement, or kind Reception, he left his Native Country again and repaired to London about the Middle of January. Since which Time he gives no other Account of himself, but that he lived with his Friends very quietly, who gave him Meat, Drink, and Lodging, and was in hopes of going to Sea again soon He says he had been that very Day, he was taken up, to agree with the Captain of a Virginia Trading Ship, that he had been on Board the Ship, and had hired himself to go a Voyage.

He says, that coming Home in the Evening through Lincoln's Inn Fields , he did meet the Prosecutor, Terence Walden< no role > , and gave him a blow upon the Head, who immediately cryed out Murder, Burk