Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/112

 bad. The pinnesse came roome with vs, and tolde vs that shee had receiued many grieuous Seas, and that her ropes did euery houre fayle her, so as they could not tell what shift to make: wee being vnable in any sort to helpe them, stood vnder our coarses in view of the lee-shore, still expecting our ruinous end.

The fourth of October the storme growing beyond all reason furious, the pinnesse being in the winde of vs, strake suddenly ahull, so that we thought shee had receiued some grieuous sea, or sprung a leake, or that her sayles failed her, because she came not with vs: but we durst not hull in that vnmercifull storme, but sometimes tried vnder our maine coarse, sometime with a haddock of our sayle, for our ship was very leeward, and most laboursome in the sea.

This night wee lost the pinnesse, and neuer saw her againe.

The fift, our foresayle was split, and all to torne: then our Master tooke the mizzen, and brought it to the foremast, to make our ship worke, and with our spritsaile we mended our foresayle, the storme continuing without all reason in fury, while haile, snowe, raine, and winde such and so mighty, as that in nature it could not possibly be more, the seas such and so lofty, with continuall breach, that many times we were doubtfull whether our ship did sinke or swimme.

The tenth of October being by the accompt of our Captaine and Master very neere the shore, the weather darke, the storme furious, and most of our men hauing giuen ouer to trauell, we yeelded ourselues to death, without further hope of succour. Our captaine sitting in the gallery very pensiue, I came and brought him some Rosa solis to comfort him; for he was so cold, that he was scarce able to mooue a ioint. After he had drunke, and was comforted in heart, hee began for the ease of his conscience to make a large repetition of his forepassed time, and with many grieuous sighs be concluded in these words: Oh most glorious God, with whose power the mightiest things among men are matters of no moment, I most humbly beseech thee, that the intollerable burthen of my sinnes may through the blood of Iesus Christ be taken from me: and end our daies with speedy, or shew vs some mercifull signe of thy loue and our preseruation. Hauing thus ended, he desired me not to make knowen to any of the company his intollerable griefe and anguish of minde, because they should not thereby be dismayed. And so suddenly, before I went from him the Sunne shined cleere; so that he and