EXCERPT: Patience Boston (Posted By Kate Buehler)

“I went out a Nights, and kept bad Company, and followed lewd Practices till I was freed from my Master, after which I thought my self happy that I had no Body to Command me. I might do as I pleased, and I grew worse and worse, and fell into the Sin of Stealing, and all with little or no Remorse of Conscience. In about a Year, I was Married to a Negro Servant; and because his Master would have it so, I bound myself a Servant with him during his Life Time, or as long as we both should live. “
“After this I was drawn in to the Love of strong Drink, by some Indians, & used to abuse my Husband in Words and Actions, being mad and furious in my Drink, speaking dreadful Words, and wishing bad Wishes to my self and others. After I found I was with Child, I had tho’ts of murdering it and whilst I was big I ran away from my Master, my Husband being Absent on a Whaling Voyage, and I drank hard, and broke the Marriage Covenant, being wicked above Measure. After I got Home, I was delivered of a Child, which I had hurt in my Rambling, so that both its Arms were broken, as was found in Dressing the Child, and it died in a few Weeks, so that I now think that I an Guilty of its Death. But my Conscience then was in a dead Sleep. I went on in Drinking, Lying, Swearing, and Quarelling with my Husband, who gave me little or no Occasion, unless by his continual good Counsel. But after I found my self to be with Child again, I was brought under some Conviction, so that I refrain’d from my wicked Courses, and loved to hear my Husband read, and would sit up to read my self after the Folks were in Bed, and loved the hear the Word Preached, and began to pray in Secret, according to my first Mistress’s Counsel, though I have never practiced this great Duty before. I went also to speak with the Minister, about my Spiritual State and present Troubles, who gladly received me, and both Counselled and Encouraged me, gave me a Catechism and turned me to several Answers which he judg’d suitable for me, advising me to think much of them. He gave me also an excellent little Book, and came to me with farther good Instructions. My Convictions continued several Months, and good People hoped I was becoming a new Creature. But I left God, and he left Me.”
“A Faithful Narrative of the Wicked Life and Remarkable Conversion of Patience Boston”, 1738.