under their care. They were very good people, and they told me to come to
the church.

When I went back to Mr. Wood's to get my trunk, I saw a lady, Mrs. Pell,
who was on a visit to my mistress. When Mr. and Mrs. Wood heard me come
in, they set this lady to stop me, finding that they had gone too far with
me. Mrs. Pell came out to me, and said, "Are you really going to leave,
Molly? Don't leave, but come into the country with me." I believe she said
this because she thought Mrs. Wood would easily get me back again. I
replied to her, "Ma'am, this is the fourth time my master and mistress
have driven me out, or threatened to drive me--and I will give them no
more occasion to bid me go. I was not willing to leave them, for I am a
stranger in this country, but now I must go--I can stay no longer to be so
used." Mrs. Pell then went up stairs to my mistress, and told that I would
go, and that she could not stop me. Mrs. Wood was very much hurt and
frightened when she found I was determined to go out that day. She said,
"If she goes the people will rob her, and then turn her adrift." She did
not say this to me, but she spoke it loud enough for me to hear; that it
might induce me not to go, I suppose. Mr. Wood also asked me where I was
going to. I told him where I had been, and that I should never have gone
away had I not been driven out by my owners. He had given me a written
paper some time before, which said that I had come with them to England by
my own desire; and that was true. It said also that I left them of my own
free will, because I was a free woman in England; and that I was idle and
would not do my work--which was not true. I gave this paper afterwards to
a gentleman who inquired into my case.[13]

[Footnote 13: See page 24.]

I went into the kitchen and got my clothes out. The nurse and the servant