I I - American Memory

[248 3
llhe following Account was written hy Jofeph
Powisy who was convi^ed for Burglary,
Sept. 6, 1732 ; Ukewife fame Letters hy
Way of Jddrefs, which he fent to the Mi-
Jirefs of his JffeSfions.
IW A S born in the Parifh of St. Martin's in the
Fields, on the 30th of Auguft 1710 ; when I went
to School I ufed to play Truant moft enormoufly,
till I was old enough to confider my Lofs. When I was
about eight Years of Age, the famous Mr. Lanx), who
had made fueh a No-ife in Francs during the Time of
the MiJJippi Company, the Parent of our South-Sea
Scheme, eredled feveral Manufaftures, particularly one
for Smith''s Work at Harjleur in Normandy. My Fa-
ther who was efteem'd as fkilful a Workman as any at
that Time, was pitch'd upon by Mr. Laiu to manage
that as an Overfeer, and to teach the Frenchmen the
Smith's, Trade ; he had -iriflpr him thirty VngHJhmeti,
who went over to make up Work after the Englijh Fa-
fhion, and as many Frenchmen and Boys to be taught,
and had on that Account a Salary'of 4000 Li'vres pet-
Ann, he took me with him, and left my Mother and a
younger.|i:5Shg-rA four or five Months my Father was
troubled with an Ague and Fever, which afflifted me as
much as one of my Senfe was capable of j but the Mi
Stroke which made any Thing of an Impreffion on me
was the Death of my Mother, which happen'd when
he had been there about half a Year ; my Father re-
ceiv'd a Letter, and on reading which he burll into
Tears, I afc'd him what was the Matter ? he looking
ftedfaftly at me reply'd, your Mother is dead ! the Words
as he fpoke them went tW my very Soul, and I cry'd
very