A Quakers sea-journal being a true relation of a voyage to New-England / performed by Robert Fowler of the town of Burlington in Yorkshire, in the year 1658.

A true Relation of the Voyage undertaken by me Robert Fowler, with my small Vessel called the Woodhouse, but performed by the Lord, like as he did Noahs Ark, wherein he shut up a few righteous per∣sons, and landed them as safe, even as at the Hill Ararat.

The true Discourse taken as followeth:

THis Vessel was appointed for this service from the beginning, as I have often had it manifested unto me, that it was said within me several times, Thou hath her not for nothing, and also New-England presented before me; also when she was finished and fraughted, and made to Sea, contrary to my will, was brought to London, where speaking touching this matter to Gerrard Roberts and others, who confirmed the matter in behalf of the Lord, that it must be so; yet entring into reasoning, and letting in temptations and hardships, and the loss of my life, wife and children, with the enjoyments of all earthly things, it brought me as low as the grave, and laid me as one dead, as to the things of God, but by his Instrument G. F. was I refreshed and raised up again, which before that it was much contrary to my self, that I could as wil∣lingly have died, as have gone, but by the strength of God I was made willing to do his will; yea, the customs and fa∣shions of the Custom-House could not stop me: still was I assaulted with the Enemy, who pressed from me my ser∣vants, so that for this long Voyage we were but two men and three boys, besides my self. Upon the first day of the fourth Moneth received I the Lords servants aboard, who came with a mighty hand and an out-stretched arm with

them, so that with courage we set Sayl and came into the Downs the second day, where our dearly beloved W. D. with Mich. Tomson came aboard, and in them we were much refreshed, and after recommending us to the grace of God, we lanched forth: Again reason entred upon me, and thoughts rose in me to have gone to the Admiral, and have made my complaint for the want of my servants and a Convoy, from which thing was I withholden by that hand which was my helper: Shortly after the South winde blew a little hard, so that it caused us to put in at Ports∣mouth, where I was furnished with choice of men, according to one of the Captains words to me, That I might have enough for money, but he said my Vessel was so small, he would not go the Voyage for her. Certain days we lay there, wherein the Ministers of Christ were not idle, but went forth and gathered sticks, and kindled a fire, and left it burning; also several friends came aboard and visited us, in which we were refreshed: Again we lanched from thence about the eleventh day, and was put back again into South-Yarmouth, where we went ashore, and in some measure did the like; also we met with three pretty large ships, which were for the New-found Land, who did accompany us a∣bout 50 leagues, but might have done 300, if they had not feared the Men of War, but for escaping them they took to the Northwards, and left us without hope of help to the outward, which before our parting it was shewed to H. N. early in the morning, that they were nigh unto us that sought our lives, and called unto me, and told me, but said he, thus saith the Lord, You shall be carryed away as in a Mist, and presently we espied a great Ship making up towards us, and the three great Ships were much afraid, and tacked about with what speed they could for it; in the

very interim the Lord God fulfilled his promise, and struck our enemies in the face with a contrary wind, wonderfully to our refreshment; then upon our parting from these three Ships, we were brought to ask counsel at the Lord, and the word was from him, Cut through, and steer your streightest course, and minde nothing but me, unto which thing he much provoked us, and caused us to meet together every day, and he himself met with us, and manifested himself largely unto us, so that by storms we were not prevented above three times in all our Voyage; The Sea was my figure, for if any thing got up within, the Sea without rose up against me, and then the Floods clapt their hands, of which in time I took notice, and told H. N. Again in a vision in the night I saw some Anchors swimming above the water, and some thing also of a Ship which crost our way, which in our mee∣ting I saw fulfilled, for I my self with others, had lost ours, so that for a little season the Vessels run loose in a maner, which afterwards by the wisdom of God was recovered in∣to a better condition then before: Also upon the twenty fifth day of the same moneth in the morning, we saw an∣other great Vessel making up towards us, which did ap∣pear a far off to have been a Frigot, and made her sign for us to come to them, which unto me was a great cross, we being to windward of them; and it was said, Go speak him, the cross is sure, did I ever fail thee therein? and unto others there appeared no danger in it, so that we did, and it proved a Tradesman of London, by whom we writ back; Also it is very remarkable, when we had been five weeks at Sea in a dark season, wherein the powers of darkness appear∣ed in the greatest strength against us, having sayled but a∣bout 300 leagues, H. N. falling into communion with God, told me that he had received a comfortable Answer, and

also that about such a day we should land in America, which was even so fulfilled; Also thus it was all the Voyage with the faithful, which were carried far above storms and tem∣pests, that when the Ship went either to the right or left hand, their lines joyned all as one, and did direct her way, so that we have seen and said, we see the Lord lead our Ves∣sel, even as it were a man leading a horse by the head, we re∣garding neither latitude nor longitude, but kept to our Line, which was, and is our Leader, Guide and Rule, but they that did, failed. Upon the last day of the fifth moneth we made land, it was part of the Long Island, far contrary to the expectation of the Pylot; Furthermore our drawing had been all the Voyage to keep to the Southwards, until the evening before we made land, and then the word was, There is a Lion in the way, unto which Lion we gave obe∣dience, and said, Let them steer Northwards until the day following, and soon after the middle of the day, there was drawings to meet together before our usual time, and it was said, That we may look abroad in the evening, and as we sate waiting upon the Lord, they discovered the land, and our mouthes was opened in Prayer and Thanksgiving; as way was made, we made towards it, and espying a Creek, our advice was to enter there, but the will of man resisted, but in that estate we had learned to be content, and told him both sides was safe, but going that way would be more trouble to him; also he saw after he had laid by all the night, the thing fulfilled.

Now to lay before you in short, the largeness of the Wisdom, Will and Power of God, Thus this Creek led us in between the Dutch Plantation and Long Island, where the moving of some friends whereunto, which

otherwise had been very difficult for them to have gotten too: Also the Lord God that moved them, brought them to the place appointed, and us into our way, accor∣ding to the word which came to C. H. You are in the road to Road Island. In that Creek came a Shallop to meet us, taking us to be strangers, making our way with our Boat, and they spoke English unto us, and informed us, and also guided us along: The power of the Lord fell much upon us, and an unresistable word came unto us, That the Seed in America shall be as the sand of the sea. It was published in the ears of the Brethren, which caused tears to break forth with fulness of joy, so that presently for these pla∣ces they prepared themselves, which were Robert Hog∣gen, Richard Dowdney, Sarah Gibbins, Mary Witherhead, and Dorothy Waugh, which the next day were put safely ashore: Into the Dutch Plantation called New Amster∣dam, we came, and it being the first day of the week, se∣veral came aboard on us, and we begun our work: I was caused to go to the Governor, and Robert Hoggen with me; he was moderate both in words and actions. Robert and I had several days before seen in a vision the Vessel in great danger; the day following this was fulfilled, there being a passage between two Lands, which is called by the name of Hell-gate, we happened very conveniently of a Pylot, and into that place we came, and into it were for∣ced, and over it was carried, which I never heard of any before that was; and the Scripture is fulfilled in our eyes, in the Figure, Hells gates cannot prevail against you: rocks many on both sides, so that I believe one yards length, would have endangered loss of both Vessel and Goods; Also there were a scull of fishes pursued our Vessel, and followed her strongly, and along close by our Rudder;

and in our meeting it was shewed me, These fishes is to thee a Figure, Thus doth the Prayers of the Churches proceed to the Lord for thee and the rest: surely in our meeting did the thing run through me as oyl, and did me much rejoyce.

FINIS.