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 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, 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, 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 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 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, 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, 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 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 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, 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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.