8. After being at several other places we marched to _Glasgow_, where I met with a sober woman, and one that feared God, whom I married and lived comfortably with, till orders came for my remove to _England_. We past the winter at _Dover_, where the advice of my wife made such an impression upon me, that I began to take up, and be a good husband, and worked hard to maintain myself and her. So I continued to do at _Exeter_, where I had a son born, and stayed eleven months. Thence we marched to _Plymouth_, where we embarked for _Minorca_. We landed there _May 25_, and I lived happy with my wife for two months. Then both she and my child were taken sick and died. This was a loss indeed! I believe if she had lived, it would have been the saving of my life. 9. After her death I soon fell back to drunkenness, and to supply the expence of it, took to coining. The next spring, _April 20_, the _French_ invested the castle of St. _Philip_. Toward the end of the siege, my companion and I got drunk together and quarrelled: upon which he threatened to inform against me, for which a great reward was offered. Being soon after told that he was gone to give information, I thought there was but one way to save my life. So I and he that told me determined to desert together. In getting out of the castle, I fell into the sea, and was very near being drowned. With much difficulty we then got to an old house, and took shelter therein. But we were between the fire of the _French_ and the _English_; so we stayed not above a quarter of an hour. I would now fain have returned; but our case was desperate: so we went on hand in hand. As we advanced, the _French_ gave the signal, which was three slaps with their hand on the cartouch-box. As we did not answer it, or speak, (for neither of us could speak _French_) they immediately fired upon us. But here also the hand of God was over us. The shot all flew over our heads. They then came and took us to the commanding officer, who sent us to the town as prisoners. In the morning we were removed to a prison near one of the general’s quarters, who sent for us about noon, and asked, what our design was? I answered, it was our desire to go into _France_ and work. He said, “this could not be allowed by any means, unless I first serv’d in the army for three years.” I said, I would only comply, on condition I should not serve on the island, he replied, if I would not serve on the island, I must go back to prison, I was going, but he called me back and ask’d, “in what regiment in _France_ would you like to serve?” I answer’d in _Fitz-James_’s. He said, I should. However for the present, I was remanded to prison. Two days after I was carried before the Duke _de Richlieu_, who asked me many questions. But I continued a prisoner during the whole siege, and was so, till we came to _Valenciennes_.