A VALOROVS Sea-fight.
MAster Hackluit, in his well composed booke of Voyages, doth truly relate of many brave Attempts, and resolute Sea-fights, and withall hee doth name the Chiefe Commanders and others who va∣liantly liv'd and dy'd in the said Atchievements; as Sebastian Cabot a Venetian borne, brought up in Eng∣land, VVindam, VVilloughby, Chancelour, Grinvill, Caven∣dish, Gilbert, Chidlie, Frobisher, Hawkins, Clifford, Wing∣field, Devoreux, Bascarvill, Drake, Rawleigh, who have all left famous remembrances of their valiant adven∣turous and fortunate services performed by them for the honour of their Prince and countrey, and their owne just commendations to the end of time. And in these later times this Kingdome hath produced many brave and able mem, that (to the admiration of the world) have plowed and furrowed the dangerous Page [unnumbered] Ocean, and (Maugre all oposition) bin profitable and victorious, for the service and renowne of our Nation, such as were and are Pennington, Nicholas, Maldam, Weddell, Hyde, and many others, who doe de∣serve to have their names enrowl'd in the Booke of Fame. So (for the continuation of this Kingdomes renowne) it pleases God to supply us with va∣liant and undaundted Spirits, such as these of whom I am to make mention in this following dis∣course.
On the 17. day of Iune last, a Ship of the Port of Plimmouth, of 200. in burthen, (the name of her being the Elizabeth, and the owner of her is our Master Abraham Iennings, the Ship having binne in a Voyage to New-England, and thence to Virginia, after some 12. Months time returned Laden from thence, and making their best speed for their arrivall at home, they were (on the day aforesaid) about two of the clocke in the morning, within two Leagues neere to the Liz∣zard, which is a small Iland, a good Sea marke on the West part of the mount in Cornewall be∣tween Scilly & the main, Assaulted furiously by 3 Tur∣kish Pirats (or men of war) where there was a most Bloody and cruell bickering. The accursed Maho∣metans, having gotten the winde of the Elizabeth, which was a great advantage for them, their Ad∣mirall being in burthen 230. Tunnes, with 22. Pieces of ordnance in her. The Vice Admirall was of a greater burthen, about 300. Tunnes, with 26. Pieces of ordnance: The Reare Admi∣rall Page [unnumbered] was in burthen 200. Tunnes, and had but 8. Pieces in her. So the Turkes had in their three Ships 56: Pieces of Artillerie, the number of their men is unknowne.
On the other side the Elizabeth had but 30. men, and three of that small number were Passengers, or (as they tearme them planters) and they had but ten Pieces of ordnance aboord, and of those, they could make use of, or plye but five Gunnes, the Ship was so pestered with packes, and other carriage betweene the Decks. The Master of the Ships name was Master Doves, (who dwelt in Plimmouth) a Man of an excellent and invincible Spirit, as the sequell of the fight, and his wor∣thy life, and unfortunate death will shew.
The fight continued about the time be∣tweene seven and eight houres, and though the English Ship had but 3. Pieces of ord∣nance (that could be used) yet by Gods Assi∣stance the Master Gunner (being a skilfull valiant and experienc'd man, he so ply'd and play'd upon the miscreants, that he kill'd many of them.
The Gunners of the Ships name is John Whidon. And all the while that the Master of the Shippe (Master Doves) most manfully and couragiously, did labour and bestire himselfe, and by his Valorous example gave encou∣ragement to all the rest of his Companie that were in the Ship, amongst whom the three Passengers which were with us, did Page 8 most worthy deserving service. The Master still chear'd them up, and told them, that (by Gods Grace) he would not give away his ship and him∣selfe to those accursed mis-believers, but that he was resolved with Christian courage to fight it out so long as his life lasted.
And indeed hee was as good as his word, for being so long a time furiously assaulted with ma∣ny Ordnance, and about 500 Enemies, and also being three times boorded, and entred by the Turkes (who were also thrice beaten out againe) their ship being fired, and their round house burnt, their maine-sayle was likewise consumed in the flames, and their rigging and Cordage cut downe and spoyl'd. At last the Master was slaine, ending his dayes Nobly, likewise the Masters-mate, and the Pilot, and quarter-Master were kild outright, they having done as much as men could do against so strong an enemy, kept Master Doves company, both in life and death, and in hea∣venly happinesse.
In this terrible turmoyle, there were two of the Turkes had got themselves up into the Top, and one of the three passengers (with a Musket) shot at them, and kil'd them both: one of those slaine Pirats, was a man of an extraordinary great stature, and for his Corpulency, not to be equal'd amongst them all; he being kil'd, the En∣glish did cleave his head, and then they divided it from his carkasse, they shewed the head and corps to the Turkes, and with renewed courages and Page [unnumbered] unwearied Valour they haled to the enemy, and in braving manner said, come aboord you Dogges if you dare, and fetch your countrey-man; But the Turkes finding the businesse so hot, and the men so resolute, that their damnable courages were quel'd, that they had no more mind to assault the English Ship any more. So they in deriding and showting to the Turkes, cast the dead body over-boord, on the one side of the Ship, and the Cloven head into the Sea, on the other.
There were also three Turkes more slaine that came aboord. But how many the number of them that were kil'd is uncertaine, therefore let them reckon them. But surely their losse must needs be great, for the Master Gunner was so diligent, wa∣rie and expert, that it was not perceived that there was a shot lost or spent in vaine, and indeed for his skill and courage, he is esteemed not to have many fellowes in the West parts of England, for his knowledge in that Art.
The losse on the Christian side, were those foure men, which were killed outright (as is afore∣said) there were also eight more of them danger∣ously wounded, whereof one of them is dead, since their arrivall at Plimmouth; And (praise be given to God) the other seaven are all on the mending hand and indifferent well, so that there is no doubt of their recovery, to health and limbs unmaimed, onely their scars will remaine, as markes of their Valour, and badges of famous reputation.
The Master Gunner, being the Chiefe Com∣mander Page [unnumbered] left alive in the Ship, did haile to the Turks againe, and dared them to come on againe and try the other bowt. But they had had such proofe of his courage and knowledge before in the fight, be∣ing so shattered, torne, and gauled; That they could neither boast of Victory, nor durst then venture any more to gaine it, for they perceived the Gunners resolution was never to yeeld, and so they fell to their sayles, and tacklin, and very much discontented slunk away, making their moanes to Mahomet.
There were certaine Hogges, and Powltrey, in the Elizabeth; And in the heat of the fight, (the Ship being much rent and torne with the Shot of the enemy) the poore Swine and Pullen were killed, partly with the Bullets, but most with the shatters and splinters of shivered Planks, and timber of the Ship. Wherefore (in derision and scorne of the Turkes, who doe abhorre and hold all manner of Swines flesh in abhomination) The English marriners lifted up the Hogges, and shewed them to the Turke, as it were in a merry or jeeringway, to invite them to come aboord of their Ship to eate some Porke. Thus (by the mercifull assistance of God) this one poore Ship, so weakely man'd, and so meanely furnished with Artillery or Ord∣nance, against so many, and so great a multitude, (as were 3. Ships, 500. Men, and 56. Peeces, maintaine a fight almost 8. houres, and (with the losse of 3. Men) not onely kill and spoyle a great number of their enemies, but also to escape them, Page [unnumbered] and come off with reputation, (as it were with Conquest, Tryumph, and Victory. It is almost to be thought miraculous and beyond beliefe, but that the truth of the matter is so plainly mani∣fested that all oposing unbelief is vaine and frivo∣lous.
For after the Turkes had quite left them, they began every man to worke hard, some to lay the dead corps as decently and coole as time and place would give them leave, some others (who had es∣caped hurts, or had not received great harmes in the fight) did their best to helpe, dresse and com∣fort their wounded men: And some of them (with all speed and diligence) fell to mending their Ropes, Cordage, Rigging, and Sayles, which were cut, broken, spoyl'd, and burnt in the fight; So that no one was Idle, every man imployed in doing something necessary, that (by Gods gui∣dance) the Ship and goods arrived safe in the harbour, or port of Plimmouth. The next mor∣ning, which was Thursday, the eighteenth day of Iune last 1640.
The bodies of the foure men that were slaine a∣boord the Elizabeth, were brought on shore, and in seemely manner buried. And at their funeralls they had two Learned, Accute, and Gratulatorie Sermons, the one of them was preached at the Master of the Ships funerall, by the Arch-deacon of Exeter, who is Vicar of Plimmouth, and the o∣ther was preached (at the Masters-mates funerall) by Master Thomas Bedfourd, Batchelour in divini∣ty, Page [unnumbered] and Lecturer of Plimmouth, and this may suf∣fice for sufficient testimonie of the certainty of this former Relation.
But if there be any that be yet doubtful or diffi∣dent in this case, let them (for their further satis∣faction) read this following examination, of John Whiddon, the valiant and well deserving Gunner, whom my Pen cannot praise enough, nor these ingratefull times gratifie him; Read but his examination as followeth, and be confirmed in the Truth, for this is a true Copie of it, which was sent up from Plimmouth, to London, to the right Honourable the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable privie Counsell.
The examination of Iohn Whiddon of Plimmouth, in the County of De∣von, Gunner, had and taken at Plimmouth aforesaid, before Robert Gubbs, Merchant, Major of the Borough of Plimmouth aforesaid, and one of his Majesties Iustices of the Peace, within the said Borough, the nineteenth day of Iune, 1640.
THe said Examinant saith, that on Wednes∣day last about two of clocke in the more¦ning, being the 17 of this instant Iune, hee being Gunner of a Ship called the Elizabeth, of Plimmouth, of two hundred Tuns burthen, or thereabouts, having ten pieces of Ordnance aboard her, and comming from Virginia, bound for Plimmouth, two leagues off of the Lizard, they met three Turkish men of Warre, who wea∣thred and kept the said Elizabeth from the shoar, and gave her chase, and saith, that the Admi∣rall Page [unnumbered] was a ship of 250 Tuns burthen or ther∣abouts: and had 22 pieces of Ordnance aboard her, and the Vice-Admirall was a shippe of 300 Tuns, and had 26 pieces of Ordnance; and the Rere-Admirall was a ship of 200 tuns, and had eight pieces of Ordnance aboard her, and belie∣veth that heretofore shee was a prize, and at first they all shewed both Dutch and English colours, and had at least 500 men aboard them, who betweene three and foure of the clocke in the morning, came up with them and boarded them, and continued fight with them, untill eleven or twelve of the clock that day; during which time, the company of each of the said Turkish men of warre, boarded them three times, and fired their round House, killed their Master, Masters Mate, the Pylate, and Quarter-Master, and hurt eight other of their Company, fired their maine sayle, cut downe all their riggin, and with their great Shot did them and their Shippe a great deale of hurt and dammage, and afterwards did leave them; presently after within two Leagues, or thereabouts off of the shoare, this Examinant, and the Com∣pany of the said Elizabeth, discovered eleven small Vessels floating on the streame, with∣out sayles, or any men in them at all, which this Examinant, the Gunner of the Shippe, doth very certainely believe were taken by the said Turkish men of Warre, and their Page [unnumbered] Company carried away by them, and doth say, that upon the eighteenth of this instant moneth of Iune, about foure of the clocke in the morning, they came into the harbour of Plimmouth.
A Friendly, true, deserv'd Commendation and encouragement of all Mariners, and the noble Art of Navigation with the most ex∣cellent and necessary use of Shipping.
THe use of Shippes and shipping, is of most worthy and memorable Antiquitie. For the blessed Patriarke Noah, built an Arke, (by the Commandement of God) of which Arke, No∣ah was Admirall, Master, and Pilot. That Arke was then the Militant Church, the whole Congre∣gation being but 8 persons, and yet though they were but few, they were not all sound in Religi∣ous Piety, there was a Cham amongst them: All the people of the world, that had not grace to cōe aboord of the Arke were drowned, wherein was prefigured that as many as will not come, and be of Gods Church, are like to be cast away.
And as the Arke was tost and weather-beaten upon the troublesome waves of the All-Sea World (or Universall deluge) till such time as she happily grounded on the mountain of Ararat Page [unnumbered] in Armenia, Gen. 8.4. And so shall the Church be continually turmoyl'd with tempests of tribulati∣ons, Seas of sorrow, stormes of strife, she being like a good peaceable Ship most inestimably rich∣ly laden, is daily assaulted by 3. wicked Pirats, (the World, the Flesh, and the Devill) who with their Associates and Vassals, (the Ocean or Sea of Rome, the Schismaticall Gulfe of Separatisme, and the rough Lake of Nonconformisme,) she hath not any Ankering, rest, or Moareing at all, but upon the mountaine of Holynesse, the Rocke of righteousnesse, the True Corner-stone, Christ Iesus.
Our Saviour himselfe, did not onely passe the Sea or Lake of Genezareth, but he also did there (in the Ship) most miraculously command, and stil'd the raging windes and Seas, and he did grace one Ship so much, that he preached out of the said Ship, or another, to the people that stood on the banke of the Sea. Mat. 8.23. Mat. 13.2. Mar. 4.36. Luk. 8.22. And the Apostles (for the enlarging and divulging their Ministry, which was the meanes of the knowledge of Salvation) did make use of Ships, as it appeareth in divers places of Scripture.
A Ship well govern'd at Sea, is an Epitomy of a wel guided Church, & common-wealth on the Land, and it is a thing to be wished, that the earth were as free from some sinnes, as the salt water is. For in a Ship at Sea, it is a rare matter, to see a man play the brutish parts of a Glutton, or Page [unnumbered] Drunkard. There are no wrangling Lawyers, nor wicked Projectors, a Vsurer or a Catchpole are as rare to be found there, as it is to find Chastity in the Stewes. In a Ship is abstinency from swea∣ring, and incontinency, and twice a day there is (or ought to be) prayer & thanksgiving offered up to God.
Ships, are the impregnable Wooden walls of great Brittaine and Ireland. And the winged flying and floating Castles, forts, & fortifications for de∣fence against forraigne invasion & domesticall re∣bellion: they were of that serviceable use in the raigne of King Edgar, that it is said that he did of∣ten sayle round about this Iland with 1000 ships.
King Solomon had his Cedar brought (for the building of the Temple, by Sea to Ioppa. 2. Chron. 2.16. And he had also brought him in Ships from Ophir, 450. Talants of Gold. 2. Chron. 8.18. Besides Algummim wood, (of which Trees there were no more to be seene to this day) 1. King. 10.12. Besides, precious stones and jewels, were all brought by such Marriners and Ships as Hiram King of Tyrus lent to King Solomon.
It is recorded that the warlike Virago Queene Semiramis, had 2000. Sayle of Ships and other Vessels, when she made warre against Cyrus King of Persia, Marke Anthony (at the Battel of Actium) with Cleopatra his Aegyptian Concubine Queene, had 800. sayle of Ships and gallies, against Octavi∣us Augustus Caesar, and Caesar overcame that great number with 250 Ships; read Plutarcks Lives, Page Page [unnumbered] 1000. William the Conquerour came out of Nor∣mandy, and invaded England with 896. ships. Read Stowes Chronicle: King Charles of France, fought with 1200. Ships against King Richard the second, King of England; in revenge of an overthrow by sea that was given to the French by King Edward the third, who was King Richards Grand-father. In the yeare 1571. At the Battel of Lepanto (which is a gulph or sea neere Corinth, in Greece) betweene the uni∣ted Christians and the Turkes, on the seventh of October, the Christian fleet being of great and small, but 206. Sayle. The Turkes were in num∣ber of Ships and gallies 333. in the 14. yeare of Queene Elizabeths raigne, when Selimus the second of that name was Turkish Emperour. Then and there (aforesaid) was a bloody Battel fought where (to the great joy and safety of all Christen∣dome) the Christians in five houres won a nota∣ble and memorable Victory, and very few of the miscreant Turkes, went home to carry newes to Constantinople. Reade Knoles Turkes History, or else Reade Stowe, page 670.
And it ought thankfully ever to be remem∣bred, the great and wonderfull Victory that God vouchsafed to give us, from the Spanish invasion 1588. in the 31. yeare of the raigne of Queene Elizabeth, the Spanish Armado being 128. Vessels for warre (besides victuallers) the English navie be∣ing (one with another) 104. sayle, and there was a supply of 340. ships more which the Prince of Parma (Alexander Fernesius) was to bring for the Page [unnumbered] Spanish Ayd, and Englands ruine. But wind, weather, and the Hollanders kept Parma and his fleet in the havens of Graveling, Dunkirke, Newport, and some other Ports of Flanders, so that by Gods assistance, the Valour and Valiant service of the English marriners was so prevailing, that the Spaniards, were bea∣ten, battered, slaine, taken, sunke, and so shattered, tattered, and scattered, there were not many of them left to make report in Spaine, of their entertainment in England.
Thus having shewed partly the Antiquity of shipping, with the services which they doe for, and in matters of warre, so it is fit to be considered what commodious uses are made of shipping, and marriners in time of peace.
It is manifest that as God hath beene mer∣cifully, liberally, bountifull, to all Nations and people of the world, giving to each Climate and Countrey meanes for the main∣taining of life, yet he hath not given all kinds of commodities to any one place, Kingdome or dominion. But for the society of man∣kind he hath ordained negotiation commerce and Traffique. The gold and silver jewels of India, the honie, waxe, hempe, and furres of Russia; the winds, oyles, spices, drugs, su∣gers, silkes, stuffes, Copper, cotton, mashes, yards, pitch, rosen, tarre, turpentine, fruits, fish, coales, and millions of commodities more (I had almost forgotten Tobacco) from A∣merica, Page [unnumbered] and some rattels, babyes, and Hobby-hor∣ses from Holland) all these, were it not for shipping, marriners, Marchandize, and Traf∣fique, we (in England) were like to want, be∣sides millions of commodities more, which are endlesse and impossible by me to be named; and other Nations would be destitute of our Leade, Tinne, Leather, Cloath, Tallow, Beere, and I know not how many other pretty things which we doe vent, venture, and spare, to all the Realmes and regions al∣most of the whole World. By which meanes customes are encreased and payd, peace and unity maintained betweene Nation and Nati∣on, Merchants enriched, marriners and Sea∣men bred and maintained, and many thousands of Arts, Sciences, Trades, Crafts, Mysteries, and occupations, doe live well, and innumera∣ble numbers of poore labouring people are set on worke.
True Valour is both invinceable and impregna∣ble, and (not savouring of dull mortality) in spight of death is immortall. It knows that the onely life is to live well. It shews that happinesse consists in wealth, for thieves may steale that, wife, parents, children, kindred, friends, & our acquain∣tance may dye, & all earthly goods may be spoy∣led & consumed by fire, water, time, or some na∣tural or Accidentall way or other; but true valour is onely Long-liv'd, for it guids a Christian coura∣giously all his life from whence it conducts to an honourable Death, and Death cannot hold it, Page [unnumbered] but delivers it to Fame, Fame, layes it up in the Register of Time, and Time leaves it to everlasting Eternity. To which in all my best wishes I doe give both the dead and the living that were in this former related Sea-fight; or have dyed or will dare to dye for their Christian Faiths, Prince, and Country: I meane not rashnesse, anger, fury, or desperate madnesse, for Lyons, Beares, Bulls, Boares, Dogges, Tygers, Cockes, and such unreasonable creatures, will fight, snarle, scratch, byte, teare, rend, and destroy one ano∣ther. But if it be ask'd wherefore they doe it, they doe neither know or can tell. But true Va∣lour indeed doth know that God hath put an im∣mortall soule into a mortall body (or transitory tenement; to inhabite therein till such time as the (Lord of life) great Landlord of all things, doth (at his pleasure) command the tennant forth of a poore house of clay, to an everlasting Mansion and perpetuall habitation of Happinesse.
And as God delivered the Israelits out of Aegypt, most miraculously, as his Almighty power pro∣tected David, from Saul & Absolon, Daniel from the hungry fierce Lyons, Noah from the almost all devouring flood, Ionah from the Whale, the three Children from the fiery Furnace, Iob from the Dunghill, Nebuchadnezzar from Beasts and exile; Ioseph from his brethrens malice, and Potiphars furie, Manasses from the Dungeon, Ieremie from captivity, England from Spaines invasion, and Romes powder Page [unnumbered] plot, so did hee most wonderfully preserve this poore Shippe (the Elizabeth of Plimmouth) and the Valiant men therein from Apparent danger and destruction. For the which, and all other, his infinite undeserved mercies, to him alone be given all honour, and glorie, Amen.
IOHN TAYLOR.
