To the Printers.

WHEREAS I am now under sentence of death in the City-Hall of Albany, for having as it is sup­posed, counterfeited the currency of this province; and having scrutinized my conscience, which beareth witness to the truth of what I shall now deliver, of my own free will, which I hope will be published according to my de­sire.

If I were to write the whole of my transactions they would fill a large volume; but in this my journal, I only mean to give a concise and tree narrative of my proceed­ings.

I was born in Connecticut, at a place called Groton, near New-London, in the Year 1720. My parents were reputable people, who, both by example and precept endeavoured to inculcate principles of virtue and honor in me. From my youth I have been an admirer of the operations of nature, and never desisted from enquiring [Page 4] info any thing that I thought an arcanum until I had ob­tained some idea of it, my thirst after knowledge being insatiable.

When I arrived at the twenty second year of my age, my inclination prompted me to visit the southern colo­nies, I traveled into Virginia, where I resided near sixteen years▪ The principal part of my business was curing cancers; of this art I may justly call myself master, as I have cured every species of them except the sanguine cancer, and even that some times when the blood was not too much infected. I understand the seperation of metals, and was often called upon to examine minerals. In Virginia, Colonel Cheswell, who had lead mines, em­ployed me to work upon lead and copper ore: He died, and Colonel James Bird, who became sole owner of the mines, declined having them worked. From these works, which are situate at a place called New-River, near the line which divides North Carolina from Virginia, I went to Dan River, which I crossed and came to a place called Salisbury, in Roan county, North Carolina. After spend­ing a few days there I steered my course to Meclinburgh, which lies upon the Calava River. This seemed to be a good place for my business; and, as the county was young and the court house then building. I resolved to make that the place of my residence.

HAVING agreed for my board and lodging, and being informed that several persons in the nieghbourhood were afflicted with cancers, I published an advertisement, the purport of which was, that I would undertake to cure them, and if I did not succeed, no money should be de­manded. This had the desired effect, for in a few days I had several patients.

THE [...] that I cured was Colonel Lewison, of a can­ [...] [...] the second, the Widow Canada, who had [...] afflicted for four years with a cancer near [Page 5] her nose; the next was one James Mac, he had been distressed with a cancer for upwards of twenty two years, and was, indeed, a miserable spectacle to look upon; three months elapsed before I could cure him. I can­not forbear relating an incident that happened to this man while he was my patient: After I caused the can­cer to fall out, and he place nearly healed, a cow broke into his corn-field which put him in a violent passion; he loaded a pistol almost full with powder and salt, went into the field to frighten the cow, and snapped the pistol several times, but it missing fire, he held it carelessly in his hand; however, some sparks having remained in the pan, it went off at a time when he did not expect it; the cock flew up, cut his under lip two thirds off, struck through his nose, and broke up the cancer: I was oblig­ed to sew his lip and heal that wound, which required nearly as much time as the cancer had done. This hap­pened in Tryon County, near Broad River, that falls in­to Santee on the south border of North Carolina.

IN that country I became acquainted with several gen­tlemen, who desired me to make their houses my home, when I came near them; they declared it should not cost me any money if I would tarry with them all that winter.—I accepted their kind invitation; and, as I understand watch work, I constantly employed myself at that busi­ness, unless when called abroad.

IN that situation I remained several years, but having a strong desire to visit my brethren in New-England, I made application to my patients, and got in part of the money they owed to me; those who could not pay I did not distress, nor would I accept of any reward from those persons who required my help and were in low cir­cumstances, being always apprehensive that if I accepted a fee it might disenable them to provide necessaries for their children; nor did I turn away poor people who appli­ed to me for help but constantly exerted my abilities for their relief.

[Page 6] WHILE I remained in North Carolina, at the house of a gentleman who was a Justice of the peace, there came a poor woman driving a cow before her; my landlord enquiring where she was driving the cow, she answered, to the doctor, that it was the last she had, and that her children must now be deprived of milk. I asked what was her disorder; she replied a cancer in her nose; I desired to see it, and to know how long she had been in the doc­tor's hands; she said (to the best of my remembrance) a year or a year and a half. My landlord informed me that she was a poor widow who lived about four miles distant from his house; that her name was Clark, and that she had a great many poor naked children. My heart then felt a melting charity for the distressed widow:—I told her, that with the assistance of God, I would cure her, and desired her call upon me when she returned from the doctor. She complied, and I applied my medicine, and told her, that by the time she got home the cancer would drop out, which accordingly happened, and in less than three weeks she was perfectly cured. The poor creature was willing to give me all she had in the world, but I would accept of nothing; for God gave me the cure, not to oppress widows, or make fatherless children cry for bread, but to releive the afflicted; and this duty corresponds with my natural disposition.

IN the month of September, 1770, I began my jour­ney into from North-Carolina, to New-England. No remarkable event happened in my travels until I came to Wyoming, on Susquehanna, where I found several of my relations, but we did not know each other till I told them my name; then they remembered that they had heard their fathers speak of me. Upon the road to Wyoming, I had obtained intelligence that a company of Pennsyl­vanians were coming to drive off the settlers there; and, as I always was a lover of my countrymen, I warned them of the approaching danger.

AT Wyoming I continued with my relations four days, [Page 7] and then proceeded on my journey to Delaware River; there I was informed that Captain Ogden and his com­pany had marched to East-Town, after having lain in wait for some time to intercept such New-England peo­ple as might pass between Susquehanna and New-Eng­land. There was a man and a woman with me, the man's name was John Wickisine, we were well armed and resolved not to be imposed upon whatever might be the event. We went on unmolested, came to Fish Kill Ferry, and crossed Hudson-River, we travelled on the post road until we arrived at De Bois's Tavern, there we continued two days, as my companion Wickisine wanted to hire a house for himself and family, but the landlord and him could not agree upon the terms. At this Tavern I met with one Doctor Smith, he informed me that he lived near Groton River, and that he had been at New-York upon affairs of importance: He was a man of affability and a good orator; we entered into an argument, and I found him to be a man of sense and learned in the sciences. I was so charmed with his dis­courses upon philosophy, that I could have spent the re­mainder of my days with him: He desired me to ride along with him, I complied, and the subject of our con­versation was nature, the productions of nature, and the primary causes of such surprising effects. The Doctor conducted me to his own house, which was a tavern, and there I lodged that night: During the evening we talk­ed about various matters, but not a word was mentioned about counterfeiting money. Among other things our conversation turned upon the transmutation of metals; the Doctor told me that he was master of that art, but that his extensive practice of physick would not permit him to prosecute his discoveries in alchymy. I inform­ed him that I intended to begin a course of experiments if I could get a convenient place to carry it on the pro­cess: He recommended me to Capt. Hard of New-Mill­ford, who, he said, had for several years been carrying on operations of that nature.

[Page 8] HAVING taken leave of Doctor Smith, I proceeded to New-Millford, enquired for Capt. Hard, and was very courteously received by him; I found him to be a gen­tleman of strict honor and integrity, and I had a very cor­dial esteem for him.

I had not remained long there until I received a visit from Doctor Smith; he requested that I would cut his coat of arms, which he told me he wanted to put into his books and gave me a precedent that was done in England. I cut the plate and sent it to him by one David Thar, whom he sent to receive it; soon after the Doctor favour­ed me with another visit, and after a long prefatory dis­course, informed me that he wanted more work done, and that if I would take it in hand to execute it I should be handsomely rewarded. I enquired what he wanted en­graved, he said he would show me a pattern, and soon after brought me a ten shilling bill and asked if I could imitate it; I answered him in the affirmative, but told him I did not choose to do such work, being then engaged in philosophic studies: I represented to him the enormity of the crime, and endeavoured to disuade him from per­sisting in it: his reply was, that the great men are guilty of greater frauds, and that for his part he did not mean to enrich himself by emitting a large number of bills, his principal motive being curiosity to know how near he could imitate the true bill. I told him it was impossible to do it so exact as not to be distinguishable from the genuine bill: He said that a little difference was not material, with sundry other words to that effect. Capt. Hard, understanding his errand, gave him a sharp re­primand, and told me that if I worked for the Doctor I should not stay one hour longer in his house: I promis­ed that I would not, but one word brought on another, we differed, and I left him.—Oh! unhappy day!—for having no overseer to watch for my good I met again with Mr. Smith; who, taking advantage of my week capacity, debauched my judgment with sophistical rea­soning and made me err.

[Page 9] ANXIOUS to improve myself by philosophic studies, naturally inclined to learning, remarkably inquisitive a­bout the secrets of nature and science, I travelled to Sa­ratoga, with an intention to set up my works; and ac­cordingly built a shop for that purpose at the house of John Davis. I agreed with Capt. Garrison to bring me stills, glasses, and other materials from New-York. When these things arrived I prepaired to begin my operations, but a misunderstanding happening between the woman of the house and me, I resolved to leave that place.

I went down to New-Britain, but it being the winter season and the cold very intense, I could not erect my works, but embraced that opportunity to transcribe my philosophy book, which I did at the house of Samuel Wheeler.

As I understood that Doctor Whiting kept potters works, and having occasion for some earthen stills, I went to his house and gave him directions about them; it re­quired some time before they could be finished, and in the interim I employed myself in preparing medicines at Samuel Wheeler's house.

I went again to Doctor Whiting's, expecting my stills were done, but found they were not. This circumstance retarded my business, and because I applied closely to my studies and spent the greatest part of my time in my shop, a report was circulated about the country that I was counterfeiting bills and coining money. I declare, before God! that the said report, was false! for I did not make nor offer to pass any bad money, nor never had any thoughts on that subject. Conscious of my in­nocence, I gave myself no trouble about their surmises, until I heard that they had applied for and obtained a warrant, either at Kinderhook or Clavarack, against me. This made me very uneasy and confirmed my determi­nation of abandoning a place where the people were so censorious and malicious.

[Page 10] I then resolved upon a recluse way of life, and erected a house in a solitary place, where intended to carry on my chymical process; but having made an excursion from my habitation, I met with one Hulburt, who informed me that he had been long searching for me, and that he was employed by Daniel Lewis of Sheffield.

WHEN he acquainted me with his business, I told him that nothing could induce me to be concerned in his Scheme; that being now an old man, and my eye-sight much decayed, I had given over engraving nice work; and that being then engaged in other business, I had neither time nor inclination to comply with his requi­sition; but he persisted to persuade and make me large offers.

I am now tried, convicted and condemned, on suspici­on of having counterfeited the currency of this province; but, if the word of a dying man can be taken, I am in­nocent of the crime imputed to me. I never did make, sign or pass counterfeit Bills; nor had I any hand in the scheme further than what I have related. In my manner of living I always studied not to give offence even to Children; and as I practiced no deceit, it never occured to me that others would use it. In the days of prosperity Gold and Silver was not too precious for me; but no sooner did adversity appear, than those whom I former­ly imagined to be my best friends, having obtained their ends and glutted their mischevious appetites; they compassed me about like a troubled sea, and having the poison of [...] under their tongues they have done their utmost to destroy their fellow creatures in hopes to clear their own characters. Alas! the strongest castle may be taken when besieged by superior force; and if a man is [...] by large offers and insinuation, it is not surprising if he surrender, especially if his poverty and good nature are taken the advantge of. By over persuasion I engrav­ed, to gratify those who are now cleared and have got [Page 11] their pardon, but it plainly appearth that I never coined, dispersed, nor passed one penny of bad money; but it seems that I must be an Escape Goat to bear their trans­gressions into the other world. LORD strengthen me to bear their burden in this world, and be merciful to my soul in that which is to come.

As it is appointed for all men once to die, and it seems that the time of my dissolution draweth near, I desire that these my transactions may be published for the satis­faction of the public; for that reason, Messrs, Printers, I have sent these manuscripts to you; print them with all convenient speed, and you will greatly oblige your hum­ble servant,