For by this time not many of our People were as we, that is, single men; but seeing so little hopes, despaired of their Liberty, and had taken Wives or Bedfellows.
At our first coming into this Town, we were very much dismayed, it being, one of the most dismal places that I have seen upon that Land.

It stands alone upon the top of a Mountain, and no other Town near it, and not above four or five Houses in it.

And oftentimes into this Town did the King use to send such Malefactors as he was minded suddenly to cut off.

Upon these accounts our being brought to this place could not but scare us, and the more, because it was the King's special Order and Command to place us in this very Town.
[A comfortable Message from the King concerning us.] But this our trouble and dejection (thanks be to God) lasted but a day.

For the King seemed to apprehend into what a fit of Fear and Sorrow this our Remove would cast us, and to be sensible, how sadly we must needs take it to change a sweet and pleasant Countrey, such as Handapondown and the Countrey adjacent was, for this most sad and dismal Mountain.