158 Of MA§r Read. 



after her Departure her Son died, but Providence 

 in Return, was pleafed to give her a Girl in his 

 Room, of which Ihe was fafely delivered, in her 

 Retreat, and this was our Mary Read. 



Here the Mother iiv'd three or four Years, till 

 what Money ftie had was almoft gone j then flie 

 thought of returning to London^ and Confidering 

 that her Husband's Mother was in Ibme Gircum- 

 fiances, ihe did not doubt but to prevail upon her, 

 to provide for the Ghild, if flie could but pafs it 

 upon her for the fame, but the changing a Girl 

 into a Boy, feemM a difficult Piece of Work, and 

 how to deceive an experienced old Woman, in fuch 

 a Point, was altogether as impoffible^ however, 

 ilie ventured to drefs; ic up as a Boy, brought ic 

 to Town, and .prefented it to her Mother in Law, 

 as her Husband's Son \ the old Woman would have 

 taken it, to have bred it up, but the Mother pre- 

 tended it would break her Heart, to part with it • 

 fo it was agreed betwixt them, that the Child ihould 

 live with the Mother, and the llipppled Grand- 

 mother fhould allow a Crown a Week lor it's 

 Maintainance. 



Thus the Mother gained her Point, Ihe bred up 

 her Daughter as a Boy, and when Ihe grew up 

 to feme Senle, Ihe thought proper to let her into 

 the Secret of her Birth, to induce her to conceal 

 her Sex. It happened that the Grandmother died, 

 by which Means the Subfiftance that came from 

 that Quarter, ceafed, and they were more and more 

 reduced in their Circumftances^ wherefore ihe was 

 obliged to put her Daughter out, to wait on a 

 Vremh Lady, as a Foot-boy, being now thirteen 

 Years of Age : Here ilie did not live long, for 

 growing bold and ftrong, and having alio a roving 

 Mind, ihe entered her felf on Board a Man of War, 

 where fhe ferved fbme Time, then quitted it, 

 went over iiito FUnders^ and carried Arms in a Re- 

 giment 



