Parish he either knew not, or, if he did, would not mention. His Parents were not in a Condition to give him Education, or, if ever he had any, his dissolute Way of Life had quite worn out all Appearance of it; being very ignorant, and of Consequence obstinate. When he was grown up fit to be put to a Trade, he might have been handsomely provided for; but having a natural Propensity to Vice, and being of a sullen Cast of Mind, he rejected all kind Offers made him, so he staid at Home with his Mother in Idleness till she was quite tired of him, and could nor would afford him any farther Subsistance, as he was of Years to get his Living, if he had any Regard to Industry and Honesty, and the Advice of his Friends; but he was already incorrigible, and deaf to all Admonition, which seemed rather troublesome to him, than any Ways tending to his Advantage. An unhappy Way of thinking, which too many of our Youth now-a-days are too apt to stumble into.

However, at last Holland took it into his Head to go Apprentice to a Waterman ; but not being over honest, even at that early Time of Day, his Master was obliged, after some few Months, to turn him adrift: Tho' he says of himself (as Men often do when they can hold their Place no longer) that he did not like his Master's Service, and so he turn'd off his Master, not his Master him.

In his early Days he grew very loose and wicked, and soon got among Pickpockets and Thieves. The first Thing he attempted, was the picking a Gentleman's Pocket of a Handkerchief, which he did with Success, and at length became as errant a Thief as any of them all. He committed several Robberies in Company with many that have gone to Tyburn before him, by which he got a deal of Money, &c. but light come light go, and whatever he got was soon gone, as the lewd Women of the Town were his chief Delight. Sometimes he was dress'd as gay as might be, and sometimes like a dirty Scoundrel as he was.

And now there were so many Accusations laying over his Head, as made him begin to be afraid of the Vengeance of the Law; and reflecting how he might avoid the impending Danger, he found the most adviseable Way would be to betake himself to the Sea , which Resolution he accordingly did put in Practice; and, he says, he has been Abroad in the East and West-Indies for the best Part of twelve Years last past. The three last Years of his Service at Sea, he says, was in the East-India's Service , and it is about two Years since he has been at Sea, all which Time has been employed in the utmost Excesses of Wickedness and Villainy, not with standing upon his Return to London he had wrote to his Friends in the most submissive Manner, promising an Amendment in his future Conduct: However, as they would take no Notice of him, unless he would bring Certificates of his good Behaviour, he found that would be a troublesome Task, if at all to be done, and did not attempt to undertake it; and as he brought no Certificates, no Notice was taken of him by his Friends, so he resolved once more to have Recourse to his old Practices.