382 THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES

 

sir,’ says he, “I do not mean that you should separate them, but
legally and effectually marry them now. And, sir, as my way of mar-
rying may not be so easy to reconcile them to, though it will be as
effectual even by your own laws, so your way may be as well before
God, and as valid among men,—I mean by a written contract signed
by both man and woman, and by all the witnesses present; which all
the laws of Europe would decree to be valid.”

I was amazed to see so much true piety, and so much sincerity of zeal,
besides the unusual impartiality in his discourse, as to his own party or
church, and such a true warmth for the preserving people that he had
no knowledge of, or relation to,—I say, for preserving them from trans-
gressing the laws of God; the like of which I had indeed not met with
anywhere. But recollecting what he had said of marrying them by a
written contract, which I knew would stand too, I returned it back upon
him, and told him I granted all that he had said to be just, and on his
part very kind; that I would discourse with the men upon the point
now when I came to them. And I knew no reason why they should
scruple to let him marry them all; which I knew well enough would be
granted to be as authentic and valid in England as if they were mar-
ried by one of our own clergymen. What was afterwards done in
this matter, I shall speak of by itself.

I then pressed him to tell me what was the second complaint which
he had to make, acknowledging I was very much his debtor for the first,
and thanked him heartily for it. -He told me he would use the same
freedom and plainness in the second, and hoped I would take it as well;
and this was, that, notwithstanding these English subjects of mine, as
he called them, had lived with these women for almost seven years, and
had.taught them to speak English, and even to read it, and that they
were, as he perceived, women of tolerable understanding, and capable
of instruction; yet they had not to this hour taught them any thing of
the Christian religion; no not so much as to know that there was a
God, or a worship, or in what manner God was to be served; or that
their own idolatry, and worshipping they knew not who, was false and
absurd. ‘

This, he said, was an unaccountable neglect, and what God would
certainly call them to an account for; and, perhaps, at last take the work
out of their hands. He spoke this very affectionately and warmly.
“T am persuaded,” says he, ‘had those men lived in the savage coun-
try whence their wives came, the savages would have taken more pains
to have brought them to be idolaters, and to worship the devil, than
any of these men, so far as I can see, has taken with them to teach
them the knowledge ‘of the true God. Now, sir,” said he, “though I