this narrative we have retained Mary's paternal name of Prince.--_Ed._]

Some time after I began to attend the Moravian Church, I met with Daniel
James, afterwards my dear husband. He was a carpenter and cooper to his
trade; an honest, hard-working, decent black man, and a widower. He had
purchased his freedom of his mistress, old Mrs. Baker, with money he had
earned whilst a slave. When he asked me to marry him, I took time to
consider the matter over with myself, and would not say yes till he went
to church with me and joined the Moravians. He was very industrious after
he bought his freedom; and he had hired a comfortable house, and had
convenient things about him. We were joined in marriage, about Christmas
1826, in the Moravian Chapel at Spring Gardens, by the Rev. Mr. Olufsen.
We could not be married in the English Church. English marriage is not
allowed to slaves; and no free man can marry a slave woman.

When Mr. Wood heard of my marriage, he flew into a great rage, and sent
for Daniel, who was helping to build a house for his old mistress. Mr.
Wood asked him who gave him a right to marry a slave of his? My husband
said, "Sir, I am a free man, and thought I had a right to choose a wife;
but if I had known Molly was not allowed to have a husband, I should not
have asked her to marry me." Mrs. Wood was more vexed about my marriage
than her husband. She could not forgive me for getting married, but
stirred up Mr. Wood to flog me dreadfully with the horsewhip. I thought it
very hard to be whipped at my time of life for getting a husband--I told
her so. She said that she would not have nigger men about the yards and
premises, or allow a nigger man's clothes to be washed in the same tub
where hers were washed. She was fearful, I think, that I should lose her
time, in order to wash and do things for my husband: but I had then no
time to wash for myself; I was obliged to put out my own clothes, though I
was always at the wash-tub.