at last he makes a Sayl viz. espys a Ship this puts new life into all their spirits they bear up with the Vessel they Man their Boat they desire in the manner of perishing humble Suppliants to Board them which they are Admitted the Vessel proves a French Vessel yea a French Pyrate Major Gibbons Petitions him for a little Bread to sustain their lives who had been several days wishing for death but could not find it in their Extremity and take the Ship and Cargo So sweet is life that all that a man hath will he give for his life and now behold God draws forth to these Poor Perishing men his best Wine to the last nay turns the Water of Affliction into the Wine of Consolation The Commander of the Vessel knows the Major and replys readily and chearfully Major Gibbons not one hair of your head shall perish nor any of your Ships Company if it lye in my power either to supply you or preserve you O the Wisdom of God that hath ways we know not of to Relieve in the greatest straits and cause himself to be seen in the Mount The Commander of this French Pyrat was one some years before that Major Gibbons had shown signal Kindness to when his life was in danger at Boston in New England Thus the Lord appeared a God hearing Prayers in Extremitys which appearances are not to be forgotten in succeeding Generations O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the Children of men Secondly About the year 1636. there arising a storm and tempest of troubles in the Church of Scotland five Ministers eminent for Piety Learning and the Honourable success in the Ministry were so hard born under by a prevailing Party imposing upon their Consciences that they were forced to Embarque themselves for America three of their names were Mr. Levinston Mr. Mackleland and Mr. Blaire with two more whom my Author could not call to mind These good men Sayled half the Channel over about 500. Leagues where they met with great distress of weather which broke off the Rudder of their Ship and occasioned a desperate leak to spring in her which exposed them to eminent danger but they in this distress endeavour to hang on their Rudder again but often were they frustrated in their attempt to a total despair of effecting it They also laboured with the like unsuccessfulness to find out and stop the leak this poor Ships Crew had laboured also by pumping to keep the Ship above water until all their few hands were feeble and all their hearts faint so that as so many dispairing persons of life they cease all endeavours and yield themselves to death expecting every moment to be Entombed in the belly of the devouring deeps during the time of this their great distress the Ministers kept on their course as at other times of Worship viz. the reading of a Chapter in course and taking observations from it with Prayer and Preaching which they did by turns at the crisis of this deplorable case it fell to be the Lott of Mr. Mackleland to perform this Exercise a man Austeer in his life reserved in his speech and of great Piety who was often observed to let fall many remarkable Prophetical Expressions of future events the Chapter that at that time came to be read in course by him was the 32 of Exodus which he had read all along until he came to the 12th vers where he made a full stop the verses run thus And Moses besought the Lord his God and said Lord why doth thy Wrath wax hot against thy people which thou hast brought out of the Land of Egypt with great Power and a mighty hand Wherefore should the Egyptians say for mischief did he bring them out to slay them in the Mountains and to consume them from the face of the Earth Turne from thy severe Wrath and repent of this Evil against thy People upon the reading of these verses over again he declared to them the Case which Moses was here interceeding for compared with his Expostulation in the 12 verse did parallel the case and considering the happy event of that Argument which Moses used mentioned in the 14 verse which runs thus and the Lord Repented of the Evil which he brought to doe unto his People he could not but comfortably hope that they might have the same Effect Nay he goes further and his Spirit raised into a peremptory prediction that he durst assure them from his great Lord and Master that not one hair of their heads should fall to the ground after this he went to Prayer urging God with the same Argument and then rose up comfortably assuring his stedfastness in believing the same he advises the Sea-men and the Company in the Ship to refresh themselves by taking some meat the long fasting and hard labour having much infeebled them Then he encouraged them to make another Attempt to fasten the Rudder without which they could not possible make towards any point for shore He after advised them to clear the ship as well as they could from water by pumping which they did happily Effect the Leak being stopt providentially of it self whether it was some noak of a plank started by the destress of weather which occasioned the Leak and by the surges of the Sea clapt into the place againe or what it was else could not be known But however this lookes like life from the dead to these poor men who had received but a little before a sentence of Death in themselves that they might trust in him who raiseth the Dead Soon after this God who had heard in Heaven great Tears and Prayers Commands the Wind Tack about to the West and to blow so strong a gale that they were forced to bear up before it and it continued so long that it brought them back to the North of Ireland where they continued some time although but short they were very instrumental in the Converting of many souls which seed-plot remains to this day and soon after they passed into Scotland This Relation was given by several Ministers of the North of Ireland also the Reader may take notice the Author of that Book called the fullfilling of the Scriptures mentiones this remarkable Providence though not so largely with these two additional but very considerable circumstances first That a poor Sea-man was made the instrument to preserve the same Vessel by fastening the Rudder whose company they had all shun'd others having given it over Secondly Several Passengers being Aboard who shipt themselves for America upon only external accounts expecting a fat soyle and outward advantage in that place and not as the others upon the account of Conscience to enjoy the purity of Ordinances they did all dye upon the Sea save one being five in number And who is so blind as cannot see here the out-stretched Arm of an Omnipotent God commanding deliverance for his poor distressed persecuted
notwithstanding this shroad disaster which might have proved Fatal to all or most of them yet there was not one man of them all miscarryed but was recovered to their health again as Monuments of Gods mercy For truth of this many of the men are alive at this day the Chyrurgion now Living in Grays-Inn-Lane and at the very intrim of time I was then Aboard the said Frigot and was not only an Eye-Spectator but an instrument to help preserving of some of them and therefore may Aver it to be Truth Ezekiel Fog 15 About ten Years agoe in the Island of Barbbados There did arrive one Mr. Iohn Blackleach from new England a very honest man who gave account that in his then Voyage his Son being Master of the Vessel and himself Merchant their men at Sea did Muttiny at which occasion he and his Son was forced to stand on their Guard for some time casting his care on the Lord But whilest under this trouble being in the Long Reach in or near the Latitude of Barbadoes they all did see a great Ship which stood toward them and while they were Looking on her to see how fast she Came towards them she being pretty near vanished away which struck the men with great fear and made them humble themselves to the Good old Man and Desired his Prayers for them 16. In the month of November 1669 the Ship Prosperous of Bristol sailed from thence being bound for Galloway in Ireland but was forced into Bruts-Bay in Cornwal where the Ship brake in peices six persons being Drowned others wonderfully cast on Shore and bruised amongst the Rest Iohn Denny a Skinner of Bristol was Cast a Shore by a great Sea being much bruised and almost Dead and was by some stript naked and layd amongst the other dead folk that were taken up being only covered with some Straw or Rubbish But by Providence an old Man Loking on the Dead People did perceive some Life in the said Denny and the Lord opened his heart that he stript himself of his own Shirt and some Cloaths and put on him and took him from amongst the Dead through his Labour and Love by Gods blessing the said Denny is now well and liveth at Bristol This my Author had from Iohn Denny's own mouth 17. In the Year 1671. I being at Boston in new-New-England I oft went to see an Acquaintance of mine one Abraham Darby a sober honest man a Master of a Vessel who relates the following Story which he attesteth to be Truth That That some few Years agoe he the said Darby being master of a small Ketch was bound from Barbadoes to Virginia he having an Irish Woman a Servant on Board to be Delivered in Virginia but she was a vile person and having often offended at last was punished for which she said they should not carry her to Virginia though the Wind was very fair and carried them in sounding of the Capps of Virginia That they had bent one Cable to the Anckor thinking soon to get in but she still said they should not then the Wind sprang up of a sudden in a meer fret which forced them many days off and their Provisions near spent it being if I mistake not in March then the Wind came fair again a fresh Gaile and they before it in hopes to gain their passage but on a sudden there came a great Sea that cast the Vessel on her side she having but little beside Ballace in her that her goods and things in hold shifteth But it pleased God they clapt the Helm a weather and she wore and all hands as could in the hould brought her to wrights and the Wind continued fair till they came near the place that it took them short before and then took them as before that they were forced off again for many Days having then but two or three peices of Beese and no Bread nor I think above a gallon of fresh Water But after some time the Wind came fair they makeing Sail to get back it being fine weather there came a great Sea and laid her down again and carried her Mast away and a part of the Partners that hould the Mast that as she lay on one side the Sea rushed in to her but the Master with his Bed and Rug stopt the force till it pleased God they had shifted the things in the hould and brought her to rights again now these poor Souls were left as a Wrack in the Ocean and neither Victuals nor Drink but strong Water and Sugar to help them but finding a Spar or Oars in the hould made shift to get out a smal Sail I had like to have omitted that whilst they had any Food they would have given this wicked Woman a part but she would not Eat any thing then it pleased God to send a fine Gale and they got on the Cost of New-England and sounding found about forty Fathom Water and very calme then they chopt to an Ancker there and that Night got two or three Fish wherewith they Refreshed there selves but the Woman would not Eat but could get no more and finding a fine Gail weighed Ancker and thought to have got within Cape-Cod not being far of but the Wind came fresh against them and drove them off again to Sea and then t' was calm and about that time the Woman had fasted about 21. Days and yet could Curse and Damne and say she should not goe Ashore but that Night the Master and some others being on the Deck spied a great black Thing Rise out of the Sea to their thinking much bigger than the Ketch the Sea being Light all about and the Woman in the Hould made a great Noyse and when she had given a great Screach or Groan This Great black Thing Vanished the water seeming like Fire all round and made a great Sea and Noise and when the men came to their selves they looking for the Woman found her Dead and after they had flung her over Board they had a brave Wind and Weather and got safe to Plimmouth in new-New-England 18. At new England in the year 1671. I spake with Iohn Grafting of Salem and others of good repute who told me not long before the said Grafting suffered Ship wrack amongst the Leward Islands the name of the place I forget the Ship or Ketch being broken to pieces himself and mate and one or two were cast with the Sea a shore amongst the Rocks most wonderfully not knowing of each other tell by providence they met amongst the Rocks it being an Island without Inhabitants if I mistake not and they bruised yet the Lord provided for them in a wonderfull manner and not only there but in their getting of that place and bringing them safe to their Friends and Relations in Salem in New England where praises was returned to the Lord who wonderfully preserves the Children of men I hope this ere long will be inlarged from the party himself 19. I being near acquainted with one
the year 1616 a flemming named Pickman well known in England and Holland for the art he had in getting out of the Sea the great Guns of that Spanish Fleet that was forced upon the Coast of Ireland and Scotland in the year 1588. coming from Dronthem in Norway laden with Boards was overtaken by a Calm during which the current of the Sea carryed him in a Rock or a little Island towards the extremity of Scotland where he was in some danger of being cast away to avoide a wrack he commanded some of his men to go into the shallop and to tow of the Ship these having done so would needs go upon a certain Rock to seek for eggs but as soon as they were got up into it they espy'd a man whence they imagine there were others lay there about and that he had made an Escape thither to avoid some Pirats which might Surprize their Ship so that they made all the hast they could to the Shallop and returned to the Ship but the Calme continuing and the current of the Sea driving the Vessel against the Island they were forced to get into the Long-boat and Tow her off again the man they saw before was in the mean time come to the brink of the Island and made signes to them with his hands entreating them to come nearer and falling on his Knees and joyning his Hands together he beg'd Relief from them at last coming near the Island they saw somthing more like a Ghost than a living Person a body stark Naked black hairy of a meager and deformed Countenance hollow and distorted Eyes which raised such Compassion in them that they proffered to take him into their Boat at last with some difficulty they took him in they found upon the Island no Grass nor Trees nothing for Food nor any shelter but the ruins of a boat wherewith he had made himself an Hut under which he might be covered from Rain and injuries of the Weather when they came to ask him who he was and how he came into that un-inhabited place he replyed to them he was an English Man and that a year before he was to go from England to Dublin in Ireland in the Passage-Boat and that they were taken by a French-Pyrate who by a Storm that immediately arose was forced to let go the Passage-Boat left us to the mercy of the Waves which carryed us between Ireland and Scotland into the main Sea expecting to be cast away every minute as at last we were For the Bark being split against the Rock where you took me in I escaped with one of my Comrades into the Island in a more wretched condition than if swallowed up by the Sea who had been delivered out of the Extremities we were in for want of meat and drink of some of the boards of our Boat we made a Hutt you saw and we took some Sea-mews which we set a drying in the Wind and Sun and so eat them raw we found also in the crevices of the Rock by the Sea-side some Eggs Thus were we kept from starving but what we thought most insupportable was Thirst for there was no Water but what fell from Heaven we lived thus six weeks comforting one another and finding some ease in our common misfortune till that being left alone it began to grow insupportable to me for one day awaking in the morning and missing my Comrade I fell into such a Despair that I had some thought of casting my self head-long and so put a final period to that Affliction whereof I had but endured the one half while I had a Friend suffering with me I know not what became of him but I am of that opinion that he fell into the Sea seeking for Eggs I left with him my Knife with which we kill'd the Sea-Doggs and the Mews upon which we lived so I was forced to get out of my Hut a great Nail which I made a shift to sharpen upon the Rock that it served me for a Knife I was also forced to lade a little slake with a little Sea-dogg fat and put it out of a crevice of my Hut and so got some Mews to keep me from starving I liv'd in this condition and solitude Eleaven Moneths and was resolved to end my days in it when God sent you to deliver me out of the greatest misery that ever man was in and this Sea-man after this misery and miraculous preservation lived to return to England A Remarkable Providence of God in wonderfully preserving of Eleaven or Thirteen poor distressed mens lives 11. In the year 68. a Ketch Sailed from Salom in New-England for the Barbadoes and when they came into the Latitude of 35. it began to look like foul weather so they took in their Top-sail and because it was towards night they struck down the Main sail and Rafed it and all this time there was but a little wind which was remarkable if the ensuing story be observed but still it looked like bad weather so they sent up one to Tallow the Mast and made no great hast to set Sayl the man at the Top thinks he sees some black thing float upon the Sea and looking upon it very fixtly he conceives it to be a Boat and so calls to the men below so they hasten'd to hoise Sayl and make towards it and when they came to them there was a Long-boat with a 11 or 13 men my Author could not absolutely remember the just number which poor distressed Creatures had been bound for Virginia and the ship in which they were proved very Leaky and so exceedingly encreased that in a very little time she was ready to sink so all hands hastened to get out the boat but the Master stept into the Cabbin to fetch a Compass and took some Canvas a Sayl-needle twine which he thought might be useful to them in their Need and Extremity but while this poor industrious man was endeavouring to be useful to some other mens lives he was in danger to lose his own for the boat was put off and the ship sinking so he crys to them in this distress if they would leave him and let him there Perish so they came back and took him in they had in their boat a Capstone-bar which they made use of for a Mast and the piece of Canvas for a Sayl and so Sayled afore the wind and had no kind of Food and now comes dreadful and inexpressible distress upon them making them wish for death it self to give them a deliverance now all hopes of Relief failed them thus they continued five days some grew Lame others Feeble and all much disheartened by despair of Life and now upon the 6th day they had concluded to cast Lotts for their lives who should dye to preserve others and they put their Resolution into Execution and that poor Creature upon whom the Lott fell begs for time but alas what will a Reprieve be in this case where there is no
in 24 hours the Old Man being sensible it was the Devil and doubtless having been a proving of his heart to God as the Circumstance of Providence he was under more immediatly called for found in himself a renewed strength put into him inabling him to hold up his head and looking the Tempter in the Face Replyes Ah Satan if thou can'st prophesy deliverance for me know my God in whom I trust will deliver me without thy help but however know I will not comply to thy wiles therefore avoyd Satan avoyd so immedately he Vanished and appeared no more to him But so it fell out the other ship being at that time in the same parallel or Latitude that night the Cabben-Boy dreams a dream that such a ship their Confort was foundred and every Soul lost except such an Old Man nameing his name who was saved on a piece of a ship and floating in the Sea which dream the Boy in the Morning confidently tells it to the Company and his Master at last the Boy began to shew more Confidence affirming it as if it must be true insomuch received some checks from his Master but however at last the Boy grew so restless that he running up from one Mast to another sometimes at Fore-top-mast-head and then on the Main-top-mast-head looking abroad that at last crying out aloud Alow there I see him I see him under our Lee-bow thus confidently affirming it some of the men stept up and spy'd something at a distance no bigger than a Crow to appearance floating which advised the Master it who presently commanded the Helm to be born up and stood a-way to it and when come near found it the Old Man as the Boy said so they hoyst out their Boat and took him in who then was speechless and almost spent but by the care of the Master and the Chyrurgion and God's Blessing recovered and gave a verbal account of his misfortune and yet wonderful deliverance together with Satans Temptation as before recited which ship in due time Arrived safe at her Port in New-found-Land where this man was well Landed a-shore For Confirmation I had this and heard it related at my Father's House in Salom in new-New-England by Mr. Iohn Blackledge a Merchant who is a person of a sober life and in fellowship there who then came from New-found-Land and did affirm that he spake with the man himself whom God wrought this wonderful deliverance for he being then at New-found-Land when the said ship Arrived there and the man went first ashore 25. Anno Christi 1630. May the first the Muscovy Marchants of London sent a ship called the Salutation of London for Green-land which arrived there in safety the eleventh of Iune following together with two other Ships all which were commanded by Captain William Goodler The Ship wherein the Captain was stayed at Bell-sound This of the Salutation at the Foreland And the Captain meeting with store of Whales quickly made a great Voyage and so sent for the Salutation to take in part of his Train-Oyl By the way as they went to him meetting with cross Winds the Master set eight of his men on Shore to kill some Venison in a place where there used to be good store These men taking with them a brace of Dogs a Snaphance two Lances and a Tinder-box went on shore and that day they laid Fourteen good Deer upon the ground And then being weary and the Night coming on they betook themselves to rest intending the next day to make an end of their hunting and so to return to their ships But the next day proved foggy and there was much Ice between the shore and the ship and the wind coming Southerly the ship was fain to stand so far off into the Sea to be clear of the Ice that they lost the sight of her and the weather growing thicker and thicker they thought fit to hunt along the shoar to Green-Harbour and there to stay aboard the ship till their own ship should come into the Port. In this passage they killed eight Deer more and so having laden their Shallop with Venison they kept on their course to Green Harbour But when they came thither they found to their great astonishment that the ship was departed Being thus frustrated of their expectation and having but three days to the uttermost expiration of their limitted time for their departure out of that Country they thought it their best course to make all speed possible to Bell-Sound to their Captain and lest delay should prove dangerous they lightned their Shallop by lieving their Venifon over board into the Sea and so they hasted all they might and that night gat half way But the dark Fog increasing they were forced to cove in a point of Land till the next day at Noon At which time the weather being clearer they hasted forward but having no Compass to direct their course by they wandred up and down so long till the ships were departed This filled them with fear and astonishment knowing that neither Christian nor Heathen had ever Inhabited those desolate Climates Yea they had heard that the Merchants had endeavoured with proffers of great rewards and of sufficient furniture and provision of all things necessary to hire some to undertake to winter in those parts but could never meet with that would adventure their lives to so hazardous an undertaking They had heard also that the company of Muscovy Merchants had once procured the reprieve of some Malefactors condemned to death here in England unto whom they promised pardon together with rewards and provision of Cloaths Victuals and all other necessaries if they would stay one Winter there But when they came thither and took a view of the desolateness of the place they conceived such horrour and fear in their hearts chose rather to return for England and there to satisfie the Law with the loss of their lives than to stay in so desolate and darksom a Country They remembred also a more terrible Example of nine good and able men left there formerly by the same Master that had now left them who all dyed miserably upon the place and whose bodies were fearfully disfigured by the Savage Bears and Hungry Foxes which are the only Inhabitants of that comfortless Country All which made them like amazed men to stand one looking upon another every one fore-seeing the future calamities both of himself and of his fellowes and that which much encreased their horrour was their want of all necessary provision for the life of man having neither Cloaths to keep them warm and for shift nor food to prevent the miseries of cruel famine nor a house wherein to shroud themselves from the extremity of cold But after a space knowing that delay in extremities is the mother of all danger they began to conceive hope out of the depth of despair and therefore they consulted together of the likeliest course for their preservation in that place and resolved upon the