Page:Pleasing and entertaining history of the famous Moll Flanders.pdf/4

4 promising on that account to procure a divorce; but while this was doing, I went down into Lancashire, and being imagined to be a fortune of £15,000, I quickly got married to an Irish gentleman, by a Catholic Clergyman; but he finding that I had no such effects as I represented, nor he any estate more than what be had spent on his equipage in courting me, he discharged me from the marriage, and lent me as much money as would bear my charge up to London. At London I lodged at an old midwife’s, being now big with child, where, as I had given directions, a letter was sent to me out of Lancashire, which had been directed there from the clerk of the bank, who told me he had obtained a decree against his wife, and was at my service. I returned an immediate answer, under a cover. that I would be in town the latter and of the year; and having disclosed the matter to the midwife, and being delivered of a fine boy, which, with much difficulty, I allowed her to dispose of, I sent a letter to my clerk to meet me at Brickhill, where, in a few days we were, married. I lived happily with him for five years, and had tw'o children, but being about that time swindled out of all his property, he took it so to heart, that he died of grief.

Soon after this, being reduced to very great extremity, I was tempted to steal a small bundle out of an apothecary’s shop in Leadenhall street, in which I found some money and other valuable articles. I next inveigled a child to a little distance from home, took a gold necklace from it, and then