Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 2] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

¶Another like story of Gods prouidence, vpon three men deliuered vpon the Sea.

THere was a ship (saith the sayd Tho. Morse) whereof I had a part,* 1.1 goyng toward the Bay for salt, with two ships of Bricklesey, which were altogether goyng for salt, as before is sayd. At what tyme they were within x. myle of the North Foreland, otherwyse called Tennet, y^e wynd did come so contrary to our ship, that they were forced to go cleane out of the way, and the other two shippes kept their course still, vntill our ship was almost out of sight of them. And then they sawe a thing driuyng vpon the sea, & hoysed out their boat and went vnto it: and it was three men sittyng vpon a piece of their ship, which had sitten so two dayes and two nights.

There had bene in their shippe eight men more, which were drowned, beyng all Frenchmen, dwelling in a place in France called Olloronne. They had bene at Danswike and lost their ship about Orford Nas, as might be lear∣ned by their words. They were men that feared God, the one of them was owner of the ship. Their exercise, while they wer in our ship, was, that after the comming in, they gaue thankes for their deliueraunce: both mornyng and euenyng they exercised praier, and also before & after meat, and when they came into Fraunce, our ships went to the same place, where these men dwelled and one of them dyd sell vnto our men their ships lading of salt, and did vse thē very curteously and friendly, and not at that tyme onely, but alwayes whensoeuer that ship commeth thether (as she hath bene there twise since) he alwayes doth for them, so that they can lacke nothyng. I should haue noted that after our ship had taken vp those iij. men out of the Sea, they had the wynd fayre presently, and came and ouertooke the other two ships agayne, and so they proceeded in their voiage together.

¶For the more credite of this story aboue recited, to satisfie eyther the doubtfull, or to preuent the quareller, I haue not on∣ly alledged the name of the partie which was the doer thereof, but also expressed the matter in his owne wordes as I of him re∣ceiued it: the partie & reporter hymself beyng yet alyue, & dwel¦lyng at Lee, a man so wel known amongst the Merchants of Lon∣don, that who so heareth the name of Thomas Morse, will ne∣uer doubt thereof. And agayne, the matter it selfe beyng so no∣toriously knowen to Merchaunts as well here as at Andwerpe, that though hys name were not expressed, the story can lacke no witnesses.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An other 〈…〉〈…〉 that 〈…〉〈…〉 Seas. 〈…〉〈…〉 vpon a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••hippe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dayes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 two 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the Sea.