Page:Life and unparalleled voyages and adventures of Ambrose Gwinnett (1).pdf/3

 THE

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I was born of reputable parents in the city of Canterbury, where my father dealt in hops. He had but two children, a daughter and myself; and having given me a good education, at the age of sixteen he bound me an apprentice to Mr George Roberts, an attorney in the same town, with whom I stayed nearly five years, to his great content and my own satisfaction.

My sister, being come to woman’s estate, had now been married something more than twelve months to one Sawyer, a seafaring man, who had got considerable prizes; and my father giving him L.200 with my sister, he quitted his profession, and set up a public-house within three miles of the place of his nativity, which was Deal, in the county of Kent.

I had frequent invitations to pass a short time with them; and, in the autumn of the year 1710, having obtained my master’s consent for that purpose, I left the city of Canterbury on foot on a Wednesday morning, being the 17th day of September; but, through some unavoidable delay on the road, the evening was considerably advanced before I reached Deal; and I was so tired, being unaccustomed to that way of travelling, that, had my life depended upon it, I could not have got so far as my sister’s that night. At this time, there were many of her Majesty Queen