But that I may not suffer any of my inquisitive Readers to remain in suspence concerning some particular Adventures that befel her, the bare Relation of which may not be altogether so satisfactory, I shall explain those which appear most Paradoxical, in order not only to satisfy every Reader, but also to prevent any future Reflexions that might occasionally arise from such a Neglect.

When she first enter’d into the Service at Coventry, she marched to Carlisle, where she was Whipt for Neglect of Duty, being unjustly accused by Serjeant Davis, as is fully mentioned in the preceding Pages. The Method she used to prevent the Discovery of her Sex was this, according to her own Declaration: Her Breasts were then not so big by much as they are at present, her Arms being extended and fixed to the City Gates, her Breasts were drawn up, and consequently did not appear so large; and besides this, her Breast was to the Wall, and could not be discovered by any of her Comrades; and when she was Whipt on board, her Hands being lashed to the Gangway, she stood upright, and tied a Handkerchief round her Neck, to prevent, as it were, any Lashes that she might accidentally receive there, to conceal her Breasts, which were covered by the Ends of the Handkerchief falling over them, and thereby prevented a Discovery which must unavoidably have happened, had not she thus acted. And what the Consequences of such an unravell’d Secret would have produced, she was at a Loss to imagine, the Thoughts of which perplexed her incessantly; however, she escaped being discovered at this Juncture also, as well as at many more, when she imagined herself in the most imminent Dangers: But all those adverse Turns gave an Edge to her Inventions, and by that means extricated her out of the many Difficulties she was involved in.

This the Reader may plainly perceive throughout the whole Narration; and I am convinced, that no Age or Country, ever produced a more distinguished Instance of Virtue, Conduct and Resolution, than is to be met with in this our Heroine’s Adventures, which is worthy to be transmitted to latest Posterity; to inform succeeding Ages, that such an Instance of Heroism was not to be found in the British Annals, that the like could not be met with, in the Observations of any Nation in the World, that a Woman, whose mould is tender, delicate and unable to endure Fatigues, and who is terrified at the Name of Dangers, should undergo so many Scenes without relinquishing her Resolution of keeping her Sex a Secret.

I had forgot to mention a Circumstance worthy of Notice, in its proper Place, which happened at Lisbon, concerning the two Sweethearts, she and Edward Jefferies had there, as is before mentioned; which was, that when she and Jefferies were on board before they set sail from Lisbon to England, these two young Women, of whom mention is made, came along the Ship’s Side in a Boat, and called for James Grey, and she being informed thereof, went into the Boat where they were, but after a little Conversation, she found them inclined to come on board, and remain there while they lay in the River; she promised to ask Leave of the Captain for their Reception, but a fresh and seasonable Thought came into her Head, which was, that if they came on board, and continued any Time, they might sooner discover her than any of the Men, therefore to prevent the worst, instead of pleading for their Admittance, she requested of the Captain, that they should not be suffered to come on board. This Request was not only intended for her own Preservation, but likewise to preserve the Women from being debauched by the Sailors, which they could not have avoided, had they came on board; by which Means, both she and they escaped the threatned Danger.

I know the Reader will be desirous to know how the Ball was extracted out of her Groin, and will imagine, that it was next to an Impossibility it could be performed without a Discovery. Now to rectify the Scruples of such, I shall relate this Account as attested by herself; which she said was, that after she received the twelve Wounds, as before mentioned, she remained all that Day, and the following Night in the Camp, before she was carried to the Hospital, and after she was brought there, and laid in a Kit, she continued till next Day in the greatest Agony and Pain, the Ball still remaining in the Flesh of that Wound in her Groin, and how to extract it she knew not, for she had not discovered to the Surgeons that she had any other Wound than those in her Legs. This Wound being so extreme painful, it almost drove her to the Precipice of Despair; she often thought of discovering herself, that by that Means she might be freed from the unspeakable Pain she endured, by having the Ball taken out by one of the Surgeons; but that Resolution was soon banished, and she resolved to run all Risques, even at the hazard of her Life, rather than that her Sex should be known. Confirmed in this Resolution, she communicated her Design to a black Woman, who attended upon her, and could get at the Surgeons Medicines, and desired her Assistance; and her Pain being so very great, that she was unable to endure it much longer, she intended to try an Experiment upon herself, which was, to endeavour to extract the Ball out of that Wound; but notwithstanding she discovered her Pain and Resolution to this Black, yet she did not let her know that she was a Woman. The Black readily came, and afforded her all the Assistance she could, by bringing her Lint and Salve to dress the Wound with, which she had recourse to, it being left in the Wards where the Patients lay; for which Act of Friendship she made her a Present of a Rupee at her Departure, which is 3s. 4d. of the Currency of that Country, but here in England it goes for no more than 2s. 6d. Now the Manner in which she extracted the Ball was full hardy and desperate: She prob’d the Wound with her Finger till she came where the Ball lay, and then upon feeling it, thrust in both her Finger and Thumb, and pulled it out. This was a very rough Way of proceeding with ones own Flesh; but of two Evils, as she thought, this was the least, so rather chusing to have her Flesh tore and mangled than her Sex discovered. After this Operation was performed, she applied some of the healing Salves which the Black had brought her, by the help of which she made a perfect Cure of that dangerous Wound.

The Reader will here observe, the invincible Courage and Resolution of this Woman, who in the midst of so many Inconveniences as she daily encounter’d, should still be able to guard herself from a discovery of her Sex; but indeed it appears she acted so artfully on every Emergency, as rendered any Attempts of this Kind abortive; for notwithstanding the Wound she received in her Groin was the most dangerous of all the others, yet that was the only Wound she kept from the Knowledge of the Surgeons, by telling them, when they came to examine her, that all the Wounds she had received were in her Legs which they readily believed; and by that Means prevented any farther Search.

Observe here the Steadiness and Intrepidity wherewith she overcame all the Pains and Dangers which assaulted her. Who would not in the midst of so much Agony and Pain as she felt here, broke through the strongest and most virtuous Resolutions in order to obtain immediate Relief? But she remained still inflexible in the midst of every Affliction wherewith she was environed, no Consideration could ever prevail upon her in her own Mind to deviate from the Resolutions she had imbibed upon her first Launching out, and which, though it cost her many a painful Hour, yet by her steady Adherence to these Principles, she obtained a Conquest over near five Years adverse Fortune.

Now having satisfied the Reader’s Doubts in Regard to the Methods she used to conceal her Sex from the Knowledge of any about her, on these particular Occasions, when she was most exposed, viz. the twice she was whipt, and upon the dressing of her Wounds, which were Times I say, when Danger was at the Door ready to burst in, and plunder the Habitation of its most valuable Furniture; I shall next proceed, to shew the Reader some Transactions that has occur’d since she came to London.

Tho’ she had not discovered her Sex to any besides her Brother in Law, her Sister, and the young Woman with whom she lodged; she was very uneasy, fearing, lest a further Discovery should be made, and she thereby deprived of her Soldier’s Pay. This Motive induced her to conceal herself as much as possible, till she had received her Pay, (being 15 Pounds) which she accordingly did on the Saturday after her Arrival in London, being the 9th Day of June, when she, with Serjeant Orley, John Hutchins, James Moody, Andrew Grey, and the rest of the Marines that came to London with her, went to the Agent John Winter, Esq; in Downing-Street, Westminster; where being all paid and discharged, they went to an Alehouse, the Fighting-Cocks, next Door to Mr. Winter’s House, and there she first discovered herself to her Comrades. There being two Suits of Cloathing due to her from the Regiment, she also sold them for 16s. being glad to get hold of all the Money she could before her Sex was discovered.

Now upon receiving her Pay, and all her fellow Adventures then present, she thought that was the most proper Opportunity she ever could have, for disclosing her Sex, seeing they could then testify the Truth of all the Fatigues, Dangers and other Incidents of her Adventures, and that her Sex was never discovered, which if then omitted, she might never have an Opportunity of seeing them all together again, and by that Means, the Account of her Adventures as aforesaid, might be lookt upon by the Publick as fictitious: These Considerations prevailed upon her to embrace the then seasonable Occasion, for discovering herself, before they took a final Leave; she therefore proposed to them to make merry before they parted, which was agreed to by one and all of them, as they expected never to meet altogether any more; and then she discovered herself to the whole Company which caused a universal Surprise amongst them all.