I WAS pressed in Scarborough-Piers, and refusing to go on board the Ketch, they beat me very sore on the sand, and I refusing to go on board, they hoised me in with a tackle, on board of the Ketch that pressed for the ship called the Royal-Prince, and they bunched me with their feet, that I fell into a tub, and was so maimed, that they were forced to swaddle me up with clothes: From thence we sailed into Brid­lington-Bay, where Thomas Swailes and Mary Stranger hearing of me, sent me victuals on board of the Ketch; then we sailed to the Buoy [Page 4] and Nore, where they hauled me in at a gun-port, on board of the ship called the Royal-Prince. The 1st day of the third month they commanded me to go to work at the Capstane; I refused, and told them, that As I was not free to do the King's work, I would not live at his charge for victuals? then the Boatswain's mate beat me sore, and thrusting me about with the capstane till he was weary. Then the Captain sent for me upon the quarter-deck, and asked me, Why I refused to fight for the King, and why I re­fused to eat of his victuals? I told him, I was afraid to offend God, for my warfare was Spiri­tual, therefore I durst not fight with carnal wea­pons. Then he fell upon me and beat me with his small cane, then called for his great cane, and beat me sore, and felled me down to the deck three or four times, and beat me as long as his strength continued. Then came one Thomas Horner, (who was brought up at Easington) and said, I pray you, Noble Cap­tain, be merciful, for I know him to be an ho­nest man, and a good man, Then said the Captain, He is a Quaker, I will beat his brains out; then falling on me again, he beat me till he was weary; then called some to help him, for, said he, I am not able to beat him enough to make him willing to do the King's service. Then came out the Commander's Jester, and told the Captain, He would lay a guinea with him that he would make me work, [Page 5] and hale the King's ropes, and told the Cap­tain, he was a fool; so two guineas were thrown down upon the deck, then the Jes­ter called for two seamen, and made them make two ropes fast to the wrists of my arms, and reeved the ropes through two blocks in the mizen-shrouds, on the star­board-side, and hoised me up aloft, and made the ropes fast to the gunnel of the ship, and I hung some time; then the Jester cal­led the ship's company to behold, and bear him witness, that he made the Quaker hale the King's ropes; so veering the ropes, they lowered me half way down, then made me fast again: Now, said the Jester, Noble Cap­tain, you and the company see that the Quaker haleth the King's ropes, and with that he commanded them to let fly the ropes loose, where I fell upon the deck: Now, said the Jester, Noble Captain, the wager is won, he haled the ropes to the deck, and you can hale them no farther, nor any man else. Then the Captain called the Boatswain's mate, and bid him take the Quakerly-dog away, and put him to the capstane, and make him work, and beat him and spare him not. So the Boatswain's mate had me down to the geer-capstane, and thrust me about with the men at the capstane, and beat me withal, when he could get time; then he went and sat him down upon a chest-lid, and I went and sat down upon another chest-lid beside him, [Page 6] then he fell on me and beat me again, then called his boy to bring his two seizings, and he seized my arms to the capstane's bars, and caused the men to heave the capstane about, and in three or four times passing about, the seizings were loosed, no man knew how, nor when, nor could they ever be found, al­though they sought them with lighted can­dles: Then the Boatswain's mate, seeing what was done, caused all the men to come from the capstane, and took a Bible, and commanded them all to swear, that they nei­ther loosed me, nor knew how I came loose, (they all being willing to swear) he then searched their pockets for the seizings, but could find none, so he let them go; then he called them all again to him, and said, Hear what I shall say to you; you see this is a wonder­ful thing, which is done by an invisible hand, which loosed him, for none of you could see his hands loosed, that were so near him: I suppose this man, said he, is called a Quaker, and for conscience-sake refuseth to act, therefore I am af­flicted, and do promise before God and man, that I will never beat, nor cause to be beaten, either Quaker, or any other man that doth re­fuse for conscience-sake to act for the King; if I do, I wish I may lose my right hand.

Then on the third day came the Admiral, Sir Edward Spragg, on board of his own ship, called the Royal-Prince, and hearing of a man that was pressed on board, that was [Page 7] called a Quaker; also hearing that the Boat­swain's mate had beaten me much, and had given me over, and had denied to beat me any more, he was therefore called to come before the Admiral, to answer for himself, why he would not beat the Quaker? He said, I have beat him very sore, and I seised his arms to the capstane's bars, and forced them to heave him about, and beat him, and then sat down, and in three or four times of the capstane's going about, the seizings were loosed, and he came and sat down by me; then I called the men from the capstane, and took them sworn, whether they had loosed him or no, but they all denied that they either loosed him, or knew by what means he was loosed, neither could the seizings ever be found; therefore I did, and do believe that it was an invisible Power that set him at liberty, and I did promise before God and the company, that I would never beat a Quaker again, nor any man else for conscience sake. The Admiral told him, he must lose his cane: He willingly yielded it, and told him, he must also lose his place: He was willing. He also told him, he must lose his right hand: He held it out and said, Take it from me if you please. So they took his cane from him, and displaced him. So the Commander gave order to the seven yeomen, to beat me where ever they met me, for seven days and nights, and make me work: They being called to an account, what they had made me do? told [Page 8] the Commander, that they were weary, and could not make me work, so they desired to be excused. Then the eighth yeoman was call­ed, who promised he would beat me, and make me work; and he did beat me for a day and a night, when he met with me, and be being weary, he desired to be ex­cused. Then the Commander sent for me upon the quarter-deck before him, and caused my clothes to be stript off, shirt and all, from my waist downward, then he took a view of my body to see what wounds and bruises I had, but he could find none, no not so much as a blue spot in my skin. Then the Commander was angry with them for not beating me enough: Then Captain Fow­ler answered him and said, I have beat himself as much as would have killed an ox. The jester said, he had me hung a great while by the arms up aloft in the shrouds. The men said, They also had beat me very sore, and they might as well beat the main-mast. Then said the Commander, I will cause irons to be laid upon him during the King's pleasure and mine. Then the Boatswain was called, and commanded to call the ship's company together, and make ready the irons: The Commander, Sir Edward Spragg, said, You Gentlemen sail­ors and soldiers, whosoever serves here under me for the King, on board his Majesty's ship called the Royal-Prince, the Admiral of the blue, you are to take notice, that there is a man on board, [Page 9] called a Quaker, he is to be laid in irons during the King's pleasure and mine, for refusing to fight and eat the King's victuals, therefore I charge you all and every man, that none of you give or sell him any victuals, meat, drink, or water, for if you do, you shall have the same punishment that he hath. So this being called three times over, he commanded the Boatswain to take me away and put me in irons. So I being kept in irons six days and nights, and falling sick of a fever, I grew very weak, insomuch that when I was set out to ease myself, (which was but once in twenty four hours) I could neither stand nor go: So the officers that let me out, called some of my country­men to carry me into the ship's head to ease myself, and bring me back again to the irons. Then the officer took pity of me, and bid me lay down upon the bilboes that night, and he would hap me with a coverlid, so I lay there that night, and next day till even­ing; then the officer desired me to go by the way a little, seeing all was quiet, and see if I could get a little rest: So I being lame of a leg with the irons, was creeping over the larboard-side of the ship, the Lieutenant coming down, said, Thou damn'd rogue, (and many other wicked words) hast thou broken the irons? and with that drew his rapier, and swore he would stab me, and so drove me back again to the irons, and called the yeo­men, and would have known who let me out, [Page 10] and said he should be punished, and I would not tell him; but the same yeoman came in the crowd, and I put my hand out to him, and he locked it, and none knew how: I then being the King's prisoner, I bid them be gone, they had nothing to do with me: So I remained in irons six days more, and reco­vered very well of my weakness: Then on the seventh day at night, several, all seamen, fell to drinking of brandy, and playing at cards, and became very loud, the Boat­swain's mate hearing of them, came down, and desired them to leave; they being full of drink, would not, so a quarrel arose, and the Boatswain's mate cried out Murder, and immediately there came assistance to him, but the men ran away and hid themselves, only two were taken, and put in irons with me.

Now I shall speak a little of the Carpenter's mate's kindness to me; when I had been in irons some days, and my food being taken from me, which was three day's victuals, that I had left of that which Thomas Swales and Mary Stranger sent me in Bridlington Bay, he came in the crowd, and joined himself so near me, that he put about a pint of brandy into my pocket, and no man knew; like­wise some meat, and none knew; and told me he would supply me daily; for, said he, I have meat of my own, which is not at the King's charge; and said further, that he had a strict [Page 11] charge given him by his wife and his mother, be­fore he came on board, that if any Quaker came on board with him, he should be kind to him; and that he had lately received a letter from them, wherein they charged him to remem­ber his promise, and be kind to Quakers, if any were on board: But there being some occasi­on more than ordinary, he was taken off on board, and I had nothing for three days and three nights, and the two men before spoken of, that were in irons with me, while the Com­mander was with us, the men would lie no where but upon me, and as soon as he was gone, they laid off me, and gave me brandy to drink, and promised me they would not hurt me: Then the Lieutenant came at the middle of the night, and found them lying upon me, he asked Why they did lie upon me? They said, You would have him kill'd, so now we will kill him for you; then he came down the third time in the morning, and found them lying upon me, for they set one to watch his coming, and he found them lying very close upon me, so that he could see nothing but my feet, I being so pressed and weak, that he could scarce hear my voice.

Then the Lieutenant went to Sir Edward's cabbin door, and knocked; the boy answer­ed, Who was there? He told them, It was the Lieutenant that would speak to Sir Edward, for there had been a mutiny in the ship by some men playing cards, and they had beat the Boat­swain's [Page 12] mate: He told him, he should have laid them in irons, and not called on him. He said, They are already in the bilboes. He also said, If it please your Highness Sir Edward, to remember, that there is a poor Quaker in yet, that was laid in two weeks since, and they will lie no where but upon him, and they will kill him for us. He bid him go to the yeomen that had the keys, and take him out of the bilboes, and put up a flag at the mizen-mast's head, and call a council of war; which was done: Then the Captains of the other ships all came on board to answer the council of war, before eight o'clock in the morning, (it being the first day of the week) so I being brought before the council of war, the Commander asked me, If I would go on board of an hoy that was a tender, and had six guns? I refused, and de­sired to stay on board, and bear the punish­ment that I had to abide. Then he bid the council of war go on with their business; so they did proceed, and I being set on a bulk­head, being so lame with the irons that I could not stand, and hearing them pass sen­tence of condemnation upon me. The Judge was a Papist, being governor of Dover castle, and went to sea on pleasure. So they could not tell at present what death to put me to: The Judge said, I should be put into a bar­rel or cask driven full of nails, with their points inwards, and so roll'd to death. But the coun­cil of war taking it into consideration, [Page 13] thought it too terrible a death, and too much unchristian-like, so they agreed to hang me: And I hearing them speak several things against me, which I was clear of, had a de­sire to arise from my knees where I was set to answer for myself, but I had not any power to arise or open my mouth, but was condemned within myself, insomuch that I had not power to breathe unto God; prof­fering to rise again the second time, there came a motion within me, and bid me Be still, Be still, Be still, three times, which I o­beyed, and was comforted; then I believed God would arise: and when they had done speaking, then God did arise, and I was fil­led with the power of God, and my spirit lifted up above all earthly things, and won­derful strength was given me to my limbs, and my heart full of the power and wisdom of God, and with glad tidings my mouth was opened to declare to the people the things that God had made manifest to me: With sweat running down, and tears trick­ling from my eyes, I told them, ‘The hearts of Kings were in the hand of the Lord, and so are both yours and mine, and I do not value what you can do to this body, for I am at peace with God and all men, and you my adversaries; for if I might have an hundred and thirty years longer, I can never die in a better condition, for the Lord hath satisfied me, [Page 14] that he hath forgiven me all things in this world, and I am glad through his mercy, that he hath made me willing to suffer for his name's sake; and not only so, but I am heartily glad, and do really rejoice, and with a seal in my heart to the same.’ Then there came a man and laid his hand upon my shoulder, and said, Where are all thy accusers? Then my eyes were opened, and I looked about me, and they were all gone; and one said, There goeth thy chief friend, the judge: Then it arose in my heart, that I had news for him from the power of God, and I said, Man, come back, I have news for thee better than ever thou heardst in any Cof­fee-house, or elsewhere; and answer for what thou hast done. Then came a Lieutenant, and said, Sir Edward, this is an hypocrite Quaker. I said, Commander, I intreat thee to look upon me a little, so I loosed my knee-string and put down my stockings, and let him see how the blood and rotten stuff ran down my leg round about; he said, put up thy stocking, there is enough. Then presently came an antient soldier, and loosed down his knee-strings, and put down his stockings, put his cap un­der his knees, and begged his pardon three times: Then said he, Arise up soldier, and speak; and he intreated him and said, ‘No­ble Sir Edward, you know that I have served his Majesty under you many years, both in this nation and other nations by [Page 15] the sea, and you were always a merciful man; therefore I do intreat you in all kindness, to be merciful to this poor man, who is condemned to die to-morrow, and only for denying your order, for fear of offending God, and for conscience sake; and we have but one man on board out of nine hundred and fifty, but one which doth refuse for conscience-sake, and shall we take his life away? Nay, God forbid: for he hath already declared, that if we take his life away, there shall a judgment appear upon some on board within eight and forty hours, and to me it hath ap­peared, therefore I am forced to come up­on the quarter-deck before you, and my spirit is one with his; and therefore I de­sire you in all kindness, when you take his life away, to give me the liberty to go off on board, for I shall not be willing to serve his Majesty longer on board of ship: So I do intreat you once more, to be mer­ciful to this poor man: So God bless you, Sir Edward, I have no more to say to you.’

Then came the chief Gunner, that had been a Captain, and loosed down his knee-strings, and did beg his pardon three times, being upon his but knees before Sir Ed­ward: Then he said, Arise up Gunner and speak. So he said, ‘If it please your Wor­ship, Sir Edward, We know you are a merciful man, and therefore I intreat you [Page 16] in all kindness, to be merciful to this poor man, in whom there remains some­thing more than flesh and blood, therefore I intreat you, let us not destroy that which is alive, neither endeavour to do it: And so God bless you Sir Edward, I have no more to say to you.’ Then he went away. Then the Commander desired me to go down and take my leave of my friends (this day) that were on board; so he gave order, that any that had a mind to give me victuals might, and that I might eat and drink with whom I pleased, and that none should molest me that day. Then came the Lieutenant, and sat down by me while they were at their worship, and he would have given me brandy, but I refused: Then the dinner came up to be served, and several gave me victuals to eat, and I did eat freely, and was kindly entertained that day; then the night being come, a man kindly proffered me his hammock to lie in that night, because I had lain long in irons, and I accepted of his kindness, and laid me down, and slept well that night. The next morning being come, it being the second day of the week, on which I was to be executed, about eight of the clock in the morning, the rope being reeved upon the mizen-yard's arm, and the boy ready to turn me off, and boats having come on board with Captains of other ships that were of the council of war, who came on [Page 17] purpose to see me executed; I was thereupon called to come to be executed, then I com­ing to the execution place, the Commander asked the council, How their judgment did stand? So most of them did consent, and some of them were silent. Then he desired me freely to speak my mind, if I had any thing to say before I was executed: I told him, I had little at present to speak. So there came a man and bid me go forward to be executed, so I stepped upon the gunnel to go towards the rope; the Commander bid me stop there if I had any thing to say. Then spake the judge, and said, Sir Edward is a merciful man, that puts that Heretick to no worse death than hanging. Sir Edward turned him a­bout to the Judge, and said, What saidst thou? I say, replied he, you are a merciful man, that puts him to no worse death than hanging. But, said he, what is the other word that thou saidst, that Heretick: I say, said the Commander, he is more a Christian than thyself; for I do believe thou wouldst hang me, if it were in thy power. Then said the Commander unto me, ‘Come down again, I will not hurt an hair of thine head, for I cannot make one hair grow.’ Then he cried, Silence all men, and proclaimed it three times over, that ‘if any man or men on board of the ship would come and give evidence, that I had done any thing that I deserved death for, I should have it, pro­vided [Page 18] they were credible persons.’ But no body came, neither opened a mouth a­gainst me then. So he cried again, Silence all men, and hear me speak: Then he pro­claimed, that the "Quaker" was as free a man as any on board the ship was. So the men heaved up their hats, and with a loud voice cried, God bless Sir Edward, he is a merciful man: The shrouds, and tops, and decks being full of men, several of their hats flew over board, and were lost.

Then I had great kindness shewed me by all men on board, but the great kindness of the Lord exceeded all, for the day I was condemned to die on, was the most joyful day that ever I had in my life-time, and so remained exceeding joyful, until the very time that I was proclaimed a free man. But soon after troubles came upon me again, for I being laid upon the deck one night, as it was my usual lodging-place, there was some­thing appeared to me, and struck me as it were dead, and I being in great dread and fear, believed our ship was to engage such a day of the month, with the wind at South-East, then appeared also a small cloud to me about as big as an hat; after being engaged, the same cloud spread and became a great one, insomuch that it darkened part of the ship, then I stepped over on the starboard­side of the ship, into the shrouds, and looked aft, and I saw a thick water arising in the [Page 19] wake of the rudder, then I feared the ship was near ground. This appeared to me three times that night, and I would gladly have put it from me, but I could not: Then I did believe, and was satisfied of the truth of it, then I was at peace and quiet in my mind, but then I was to make it known to the pilot, and I did believe it was death by law to discourage them; so I thought, then I should give them an occasion that they should take away my life; but I could not rest, eat, drink, or sleep, until I had declared it; so I breathed unto God, and desired that he would find me a way to reveal it, so it remaining with me two days and two nights, and being walking upon the deck, and tak­ing notice of the chief Gunner of the ship, I was ordered to go to him, and walk with him; very solitary were both of us, and he perceived I had something to say to him, of some weighty matter, so he desired me to speak my mind to him, and I told him, I had such a weighty matter to declare, that it was death by the law to declare it, I desired that he would stand true to me in that re­spect, and he promised me fidelity in the pre­sence of God, before whom we were, that he would be true to me in all respects, and if one suffered, both should suffer. Then we espied the mate of the ship walking, he being a sober man, we drew near to him, and he perceived we were both afflicted, and de­sired [Page 20] to know what was the matter? So we told him, We had a weighty matter, and if he would be as faithful to us, as we were one to another, we would declare it to him: so he promised to be faithful to us, for he did believe it did concern him: Then we told him the matter, and he was fully satisfied of the truth of it; but, said he, it doth belong most of all to the pilot; so we must speak to him, and he being such a brickle, high-spi­rited man, we scarce knew how to speak to him, but calling him to us, and walking with him, he took notice of our heaviness, and asked our business with him; we told him, we had a matter to declare to him of great concern, therefore we desired him to be faithful to us, and we would declare the matter to him, and he promised to be as faith­ful to us, as he supposed we were one to a­nother; so they told him the matter, then he asked, Who saw it? I told him, I see it. Then he fell into a rage, and seemed to fly from his promise, and said, he would go and tell the Commander, so away he went, and said, he would have me executed speed­ily: I said, let him go, better I die, than the whole company perish; but they said, if thou die, we will all die. Then he came to us again near weeping, and told us, that when he came before the Commander, his mouth was stopt, that he could not speak a word good or bad: He was very tender, [Page 21] and praised God that he had such a messen­ger. Then he took me by the hand, and desired me to tell him the name of the sand, I told him, I did not know, I never came there, but at that time I looked up with my Eyes, and told him where-abouts the sand laid; so he desired me to go to the Compass, and he asked me, if I knew the Compass? I told him, very well; so I shewed him upon what point of the compass the said sand laid, and he took a book out of his pocket, and found the sand, and the name of it. Some days after we were engaged on that very point with the Hollanders, and as soon as we were engaged, the cloud appeared to me, and came and darkened the ship, then I stept in­to the main-shrouds, and I saw the thick water, then I shewed the pilot it, and he called two of the best men to the lead, they cried five fathom and a quarter; then the pilot cried, Starboard your helm; then the Commander cried, Larboard your helm, and bring her too; the pilot said, he would bring the King's ship no nearer, he would give over his charge: The Commander cried, Bring her too. The pilot cried to the Lead­men, Sing aloud that Sir Edward may hear, (for the outery was very great amongst the officers and seamen, because the ship was so near a ground, and the enemies upon them) so they cried, a quarter less five: The Com­mander cried, we shall have our Royal-Prince [Page 22] on ground, take up your charge, pi­lot. Then he cried hard, Starboard your helm, and see how our ship will veer; so she did bear round up: The men at the lead cried, five fathom and a better depth; then the Commander cried, God preserve the Royal-Prince: Then the pilot cried, be of good cheer, Commander: They cried six fathom, then nine fathom, then fifteen fa­thom, then sixteen fathom. The Hollanders then shouted, and cried. Sir Edward runs. Then he cried, Bring her too again, and the fight continued till the middle of the day was over, and it fell calm: And the ships being engaged on head of us, we could see nothing but fire and smoke; so out of that smoke I espied a fire-ship designed to lay us on board of the larboard-bow: then I cried to the chief gunner to come to me quickly, and I shewed him the fire-ship coming to board us on the larboard-bow: Then he fired a chase gun with a ball in her, and as soon as the smoke was gone from the gun, we es­pied the fire-ship all on a fire, blown up, and what remained of her sallied on board of the Cambridge, and only burned her antient. The fight continued, and my employ was to carry down the wounded men, and look out for fire-ships, and the Commander was mightily pleased with my service, and said, ‘It would have been a great pity that my life should have been taken away be­fore [Page 23] the engagement, and the chief Gun­ner said, I was instrumental, through mercy, not only for giving notice of the ship coming on ground upon the sand, but also for preventing of the fire-ship that was near to board us, who gave me the first notice, whereof I am witness.’ And the Lieutenant said to the Commander, that there was not a more undaunted man on board except his Highness.

Eight days after, we were engaged again with the Hollanders, and the officers sent for me upon the Quarter-deck, and asked me what I would do that day? I told them, I was willing to do as I had done before; they desired I would do that service, and take that care upon me, only to look out for fire ships coming on board: I told them, I was free to do it, likewise to carry down the wounded men if there was occasion; so presently we engaged, but not one fire-ship troubled us that day, but we lost about two hundred men. The Lieutenant meeting me, he asked me, If I had received any wounds? I told him, I had received none, but was well. He asked me, How came I to be so bloody? Then I told him, It was with carrying down wounded men. So he took me in his arms, and kissed me, and that was the same Lieu­tenant that persecuted me so with irons at the first. Then we came to the Buoy and Nore again, and then went up near Chatham, and [Page 24] the King coming on board, the Lieutenant desired me to go and walk upon the deck with him in sight of the King, that haply some might give him notice of me, hoping I might be brought to a trial, and have my liberty; but I did not understand that he had any intelligence of me. The next day the same Lieutenant came to me, and desired me to walk along with him upon the quar­ter-deck: I being somewhat unwilling, told him, I did not use to go upon the quarter-deck, unless I was called by the officers: He said, my uncle hath much business, and doth forget you, so walk along with me, I desire you: And I did as he desired me, and he being with me, walked away and left me alone; the Commander being there, and se­veral Captains with him, he came from his company to me, and laid his hand upon my head and said, ‘Thou hast done well, and very well too:’ So he walked by me and I blushed; then he asked me, Why I blush­ed? I told him I desired to know wherein I had done so well: He said, by encouraging them which should have encouraged both thee and me. Then said he, Thou shalt have thy liberty to go on shore. I asked him, If I might go on shore to recruit, or go to my own Being? He said, I should chuse whether I would. I told him, I had rather go to my own Being: He said, I should do so. Then I told him, There was one thing that I re­quested [Page 25] of him yet, that he would be pleased to give me a Certificate under his hand, to cer­tify that I am not run away: He said, Thou shalt have one to keep thee clear at home, and also in thy fishing; for he knew I was a Fisherman. So he called the Captain, and ordered him to write me a Certificate, and bring it to him; which he did with speed, but he did not like it, but flung it him a­gain, and ordered him to make me one more legible; then he brought another, and he signed it and gave it me, and wished me well, and said, he desired to hear from me if I got well home, and I told him, I would send him a letter, and so I did: But soon after I got into Lon­don, two press-crews came to me, and said, This is Sir Edward's Quaker; you are welcome to shore, will you please to go to the Tavern with us? I told them, I would not go, nor drink any thing: Then they wished me well home.

Also they proffered me my pay, before I came off on board, and said, I deserved it as well as any man on board; but I refused, and told them, I had of my own, that I hoped would serve me home. And the Lieutenant was troubled because I would take nothing; he would have given me twenty shillings, but I would not take it,"

Thus ends the remarkable Narrative of the Sufferings of this faithful sailor, who rather than violate his conscience by being instru­mental to destroy other men's lives, endured [Page 26] with much patience many and sore trials, persevering faithful in his testimony against War and Fighting, even to death; to which he was wholly resigned, and from which he was preserved by a singular providence at­tending him, in those moments of time which he thought would have been his last. But the virulence of the Popish Judge against him as an Heretick, gave the Commander, Sir Edward Spragg, who professed himself a Protestant, such disgust, that scorning to be made a tool to execute the vengeance of a Papist in this Case, he delivered the innocent man from the death he was condemned to: Being thus preserved alive, he was made in­strumental to the saving of the ship, and the lives of many therein: and by the exercise of an undaunted Christian courage and con­stancy, triumphed over the malice of his ad­versaries, who, conscience of his innocence, at length became his friends and favourers.