Tho jolley Esq. F. S. A.    

  

A Valorous and perilous Sea-fight.  
Fought with three Turkish Ships, pirates or men of war, on the coast of Cornwall, (or Western part of England) by the good Ship named the Elizabeth, of Plymouth, She being of the burden of 200 Tuns, which fight was bravely fought, on Wednesday, the 17 of June last past. 1640.  
London Printed by E. P. for Edward Wright, dwelling near Christs-Church gate. 1640.   

A valorous Sea-fight.  
MAster Hackluit, in his well composed book of Voyages, doth truly relate of many brave Attempts, and resolute Sea-fights, and withal he doth name the chief Commanders and others who valiantly lived and dy'd in the said achievements; as Sebastian Cabot a Venetian borne, brought up in England, Windam, Willobie, chancellor, Grinvill, Cavendish, Gilbert, Chidlie, Frobisher, Hawkins, Clifford, Wingfield, Devoreux, Bascarvill, Drake, Raleigh, who have all left famous remembrances of their valiant adventurous and fortunate services performed by them for the honour of their Prince and country, and their own just commendations to the end of time. And in these later times this kingdom hath produced many brave and able mem, that (to the admiration of the world) have ploughed and furrowed the dangerous Ocean, and (Maugre all opposition) been profitable and victorious, for the service and renown of our Nation, such as were and are Pennington, Nicholas, Maldam, Weddell, Hyde, and many others, who do deserve to have their names enrowl'd in the book of Fame. So (for the continuation of this kingdom's renown) it pleases God to supply us with valiant and undaundted Spirits, such as these of whom I am to make mention in this following discourse.  
On the 17. day of June last, a Ship of the Port of Plymouth, of 200. in burden, (the name of her being the Elizabeth, and the owner of her is our Master Abraham jenning's, the Ship having been in a Voyage to New-England, and thence to Virginia, after some 12. Month's time returned Laden from thence, and making their best speed for their arrival at home, they were (on the day aforesaid) about two of the clock in the morning, within two Leagues near to the Lizzard, which is a small island, a good Sea mark on the West part of the mount in Cornwall between Scilly & the main, Assaulted furiously by 3 Turkish pirates (or men of war) where there was a most Bloody and cruel bickering. The accursed Mahometans, having gotten the wind of the Elizabeth, which was a great advantage for them, their admiral being in burden 230. Tons, with 22. Pieces of ordnance in her. The Vice admiral was of a greater burden, about 300. Tons, with 26. Pieces of ordnance: The rear admiral was in burden 200. Tons, and had but 8. Pieces in her. So the Turks had in their three Ships 56: Pieces of artillery, the number of their men is unknown.  
On the other side the Elizabeth had but 30. men, and three of that small number were Passengers, or (as they term them planters) and they had but ten Pieces of ordnance aboard, and of those, they could make use of, or ply but five guns, the Ship was so pestered with packs, and other carriage between the Decks. The Master of the Ships name was Master Doves, (who dwelled in Plymouth) a Man of an excellent and invincible Spirit, as the sequel of the fight, and his worthy life, and unfortunate death will show.  
The fight continued about the time between seven and eight hours, and though the English Ship had but 3. Pieces of ordnance (that could be used) yet by God's Assistance the Master Gunner (being a skilful valiant and experienced man, he so plied and played upon the miscreants, that he killed many of them.  
The Gunners of the Ships name is John Whidon. And all the while that the Master of the ship (Master Doves) most manfully and courageously, did labour and bestir himself, and by his Valorous example gave encouragement to all the rest of his company that were in the Ship, amongst whom the three Passengers which were with us, did most worthy deserving service. The Master still cheered them up, and told them, that (by God's Grace) he would not give away his ship and himself to those accursed misbelievers, but that he was resolved with Christian courage to fight it out so long as his life lasted.  
And indeed he was as good as his word, for being so long a time furiously assaulted with many Ordnance, and about 500 Enemies, and also being three times boarded, and entered by the Turks (who were also thrice beaten out again) their ship being fired, and their round house burnt, their main-sail was likewise consumed in the flames, and their rigging and Cordage cut down and spoiled. At last the Master was slain, ending his days Nobly, likewise the Masters-mate, and the Pilot, and quartermaster were killed 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 heavenly happiness.  
In this terrible turmoil, there were two of the Turks had got themselves up into the Top, and one of the three passengers (with a Musket) shot at them, and killed them both: one of those slain pirates, was a man of an extraordinary great stature, and for his Corpulency, not to be equaled amongst them all; he being killed, the English did cleave his head, and then they divided it from his carcase, they showed the head and corpse to the Turks, and with renewed courages and unwearied Valour they haled to the enemy, and in braving manner said, come aboard you dogs if you dare, and fetch your countryman; But the Turks finding the business so hot, and the men so resolute, that their damnable courages were queled, that they had no more mind to assault the English Ship any more. So they in deriding and shouting to the Turks, cast the dead body overboard, on the one side of the Ship, and the Cloven head into the Sea, on the other.  
There were also three Turks more slain that came aboard. But how many the number of them that were killed is uncertain, therefore let them reckon them. But surely their loss must needs be great, for the Master Gunner was so diligent, wary and expert, that it was not perceived that there was a shot lost or spent in vain, and indeed for his skill and courage, he is esteemed not to have many fellows in the West parts of England, for his knowledge in that Art.  
The loss on the Christian side, were those four men, which were killed outright (as is aforesaid) there were also eight more of them dangerously wounded, whereof one of them is dead, since their arrival at Plymouth; And (praise be given to God) the other seven are all on the mending hand and indifferent well, so that there is no doubt of their recovery, to health and limbs unmaimed, only their scars will remain, as marks of their Valour, and badges of famous reputation.  
The Master Gunner, being the chief Commander left alive in the Ship, did hail to the Turks again, and dared them to come on again and try the other bout. But they had had such proof of his courage and knowledge before in the fight, being so shattered, torn, and gauled; That they could neither boast of Victory, nor durst then venture any more to gain it, for they perceived the gunner's resolution was never to yield, and so they fell to their sails, and tacklin, and very much discontented slunk away, making their moans to Mahomet.  
There were certain hogs, and Powltrey, in the Elizabeth; And in the heat of the fight, (the Ship being much rent and torn with the Shot of the enemy) the poor 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 scorn of the Turks, who do abhor and hold all manner of swine's flesh in abomination) The English mariners lifted up the hogs, and showed them to the Turk, as it were in a merry or jeeringway, to invite them to come aboard of their Ship to eat some pork. Thus (by the merciful assistance of God) this one poor Ship, so weakly manned, and so meanly furnished with Artillery or Ordnance, against so many, and so great a multitude, (as were 3. Ships, 500 Men, and 56. Pieces, maintain a fight almost 8. hours, and (with the loss of 3. Men) not only kill and spoil a great number of their enemies, but also to escape them, and come off with reputation, (as it were with Conquest, triumph, and Victory. It is almost to be thought miraculous and beyond belief, but that the truth of the matter is so plainly manifested that all oposing unbelief is vain and frivolous.  
For after the Turks had quite left them, they began every man to work hard, some to lay the dead corpse as decently and cool as time and place would give them leave, some others (who had escaped hurts, or had not received great harms in the fight) did their best to help, dress and comfort their wounded men: And some of them (with all speed and diligence) fell to mending their Ropes, Cordage, Rigging, and sails, which were cut, broken, spoiled, and burnt in the fight; So that no one was Idle, every man employed in doing something necessary, that (by God's guidance) the Ship and goods arrived safe in the harbour, or port of Plymouth. The next morning, which was Thursday, the eighteenth day of June last 1640.  
The bodies of the four men that were slain aboard the Elizabeth, were brought on shore, and in seemly manner buried. And at their funerals they had two Learned, acute, and gratulatory Sermons, the one of them was preached at the Master of the Ships funeral, by the archdeacon of Exeter, who is Vicar of Plymouth, and the other was preached (at the Masters-mates funeral) by Master Thomas Bedfourd, bachelor in divinity, and Lecturer of Plymouth, and this may suffice for sufficient testimony of the certainty of this former Relation.  
But if there be any that be yet doubtful or diffident in this case, let them (for their further satisfaction) read this following examination, of John Whiddon, the valiant and well deserving Gunner, whom my Pen cannot praise enough, nor these ingrateful times gratify him; Read but his examination as followeth, and be confirmed in the Truth, for this is a true copy of it, which was sent up from Plymouth, to London, to the right Honourable the Lords of his majesty's most Honourable privy counsel.  

The examination of John Whiddon of Plymouth, in the County of Devon, Gunner, had and taken at Plymouth aforesaid, before Robert gobs, Merchant, Major of the Borough of Plymouth aforesaid, and one of his majesty's justices of the Peace, within the said Borough, the nineteenth day of June, 1640.  
THe said Examinant saith, that on Wednesday last about two of clock in the morening, being the 17 of this instant June, he being Gunner of a Ship called the Elizabeth, of Plymouth, of two hundred Tuns burden, or thereabouts, having ten pieces of Ordnance aboard her, and coming from Virginia, bound for Plymouth, two leagues off of the Lizard, they met three Turkish men of war, who weathred and kept the said Elizabeth from the shore, and gave her chase, and saith, that the admiral was a ship of 250 Tuns burden or thereabouts: and had 22 pieces of Ordnance aboard her, and the vice-admiral was a ship of 300 Tuns, and had 26 pieces of Ordnance; and the rear-admiral was a ship of 200 tuns, and had eight pieces of Ordnance aboard her, and believeth that heretofore she was a prize, and at first they all showed both Dutch and English colours, and had at least 500 men aboard them, who between three and four of the clock in the morning, came up with them and boarded them, and continued fight with them, until eleven or twelve of the clock that day; during which time, the company of each of the said Turkish men of war, boarded them three times, and fired their round House, killed their Master, Master's Mate, the pilot, and quartermaster, and hurt eight other of their Company, fired their main sail, cut down all their riggin, and with their great Shot did them and their ship a great deal of hurt and damage, and afterwards did leave them; presently after within two Leagues, or thereabouts off of the shore, this Examinant, and the Company of the said Elizabeth, discovered eleven small Vessels floating on the stream, without sails, or any men in them at all, which this Examinant, the Gunner of the ship, doth very certainly believe were taken by the said Turkish men of war, and their Company carried away by them, and doth say, that upon the eighteenth of this instant month of June, about four of the clock in the morning, they came into the harbour of Plymouth.   

A Friendly, true, deserved Commendation and encouragement of all Mariners, and the noble Art of Navigation with the most excellent and necessary use of Shipping.  
THe use of ships and shipping, is of most worthy and memorable antiquity. For the blessed patriarch Noah, built an ark, (by the commandment of God) of which ark, Noah was admiral, Master, and Pilot. That ark was then the Militant Church, the whole Congregation being but 8 persons, and yet though they were but few, they were not all sound in Religious Piety, there was a Cham amongst them: All the people of the world, that had not grace to come aboard of the ark were drowned, wherein was prefigured that as many as will not come, and be of God's Church, are like to be cast away.  
And as the ark was tossed and weather-beaten upon the troublesome waves of the All-Sea World (or universal deluge) till such time as she happily grounded on the mountain of Ararat in Armenia, Gen. 8.4. And so shall the Church be continually turmoiled with tempests of tribulations, Seas of sorrow, storms of strife, she being like a good peaceable Ship most inestimably richly laden, is daily assaulted by 3. wicked pirates, (the World, the Flesh, and the devil) who with their Associates and Vassals, (the Ocean or Sea of Rome, the schismatical gulf of Separatism, and the rough Lake of nonconformism,) she hath not any anchoring, rest, or mooring at all, but upon the mountain of holiness, the rock of righteousness, the True cornerstone, Christ Jesus.  
Our Saviour himself, did not only pass the Sea or Lake of Genezareth, but he also did there (in the Ship) most miraculously command, and styled the raging winds 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 bank 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 means of the knowledge of Salvation) did make use of Ships, as it appeareth in divers places of Scripture.  
A Ship well governed at Sea, is an epitome of a well guided Church, & commonwealth on the Land, and it is a thing to be wished, that the earth were as free from some sins, 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 Drunkard. There are no wrangling Lawyers, nor wicked Projectors, a usurer or a Catchpole are as rare to be found there, as it is to find Chastity in the stews. In a Ship is abstinency from swearing, and incontinency, and twice a day there is (or aught to be) prayer & thanksgiving offered up to God.  
Ships, are the impregnable Wooden walls of great Britain and Ireland. And the winged flying and floating Castles, forts, & fortifications for defence against foreign invasion & domestical rebellion: they were of that serviceable use in the reign of King Edgar, that it is said that he did often sail round about this island with 1000 ships.  
King Solomon had his Cedar brought (for the building of the Temple, by Sea to Joppa. 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 seen to this day) 1. King. 10.12. Besides, precious stones and jewels, were all brought by such mariners and Ships as Hiram King of Tyrus lent to King Solomon.  
It is recorded that the warlike Virago Queen Semiramis, had 2000 Sail of Ships and other Vessels, when she made war against Cyrus' King of Persia, Mark Anthony (at the battle of Actium) with Cleopatra his Egyptian Concubine Queen, had 800. sail of Ships and galleys, against Octavius Augustus Caesar, and Caesar overcame that great number with 250 Ships; read plutarcks' Lives, Page 1000 William the conqueror came out of Normandy, and invaded England with 896. ships. Red Stow's 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 Richard's grandfather. In the year 1571. At the battle of Lepanto (which is a gulf or sea near Corinth, in Greece) between the united Christians and the Turks, on the seventh of October, the Christian fleet being of great and small, but 206. sail. The Turks were in number of Ships and galleys 333. in the 14. year of Queen Elizabeth's reign, when Selimus the second of that name was Turkish Emperor. Then and there (aforesaid) was a bloody battle fought where (to the great joy and safety of all Christendom) the Christians in five hours won a notable and memorable Victory, and very few of the miscreant Turks, went home to carry news to Constantinople. read Knoles Turk's History, or else read Stowe, page 670.  
And it ought thankfully ever to be remembered, the great and wonderful Victory that God vouchsafed to give us, from the Spanish invasion 1588. in the 31. year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the Spanish Armado being 128. Vessels for war (besides victuallers) the English navy being (one with another) 104. sail, and there was a supply of 340. ships more which the Prince of Parma (Alexander Fernesius) was to bring for the Spanish aid, and England's ruin. But wind, weather, and the Hollanders kept Parma and his fleet in the havens of gravelling, Dunkirk, Newport, and some other Ports of Flanders, so that by God's assistance, the Valour and Valiant service of the English mariners was so prevailing, that the Spaniards, were beaten, battered, slain, taken, sunk, and so shattered, tattered, and scattered, there were not many of them left to make report in Spain, of their entertainment in England.  
Thus having showed partly the Antiquity of shipping, with the services which they do for, and in matters of war, so it is fit to be considered what commodious uses are made of shipping, and mariners in time of peace.  
It is manifest that as God hath been mercifully, liberally, bountiful, to all Nations and people of the world, giving to each Climate and country means for the maintaining of life, yet he hath not given all kinds of commodities to any one place, kingdom or dominion. But for the society of mankind he hath ordained negotiation commerce and traffic. The gold and silver jewels of India, the honey, wax, hemp, and furs of Russia; the winds, oils, spices, drugs, sugars, silks, stuffs, Copper, cotton, mashes, yards, pitch, rosin, tar, turpentine, fruits, fish, coals, and millions of commodities more (I had almost forgotten Tobacco) from America, and some rattles, babies, and Hobby-horses from Holland) all these, were it not for shipping, mariners, merchandise, and traffic, we (in England) were like to want, besides millions of commodities more, which are endless and impossible by me to be named; and other Nations would be destitute of our lead, tin, Leather, cloth, Tallow, beer, and I know not how many other pretty things which we do vent, venture, and spare, to all the realms and regions almost of the whole World. By which means customs are increased and paid, peace and unity maintained between Nation and Nation, Merchants enriched, mariners and seamen bred and maintained, and many thousands of Arts, Sciences, Trades, Crafts, Mysteries, and occupations, do live well, and innumerable numbers of poor labouring people are set on work.  
True Valour is both invincible and impregnable, and (not savouring of dull mortality) in spite of death is immortal. It knows that the only life is to live well. It shows that happiness consists in wealth, for thieves may steal that, wife, parents, children, kindred, friends, & our acquaintance may die, & all earthly goods may be spoiled & consumed by fire, water, time, or some natural or accidental way or other; but true valour is only long-lived, for it guides a Christian courageously all his life from whence it conducts to an honourable Death, and Death cannot hold it, but delivers it to Fame, Fame, lays it up in the Register of Time, and Time leaves it to everlasting Eternity. To which in all my best wishes I do give both the dead and the living that were in this former related Sea-fight; or have died or will dare to die for their Christian Faiths, Prince, and Country: I mean not rashness, anger, fury, or desperate madness, for lions, bears, Bulls, boars, dogs, tigers, cocks, and such unreasonable creatures, will fight, snarl, scratch, bite, tear, rend, and destroy one another. But if it be asked wherefore they do it, they do neither know or can tell. But true Valour indeed doth know that God hath put an immortal soul into a mortal body (or transitory tenement; to inhabit therein till such time as the (Lord of life) great Landlord of all things, doth (at his pleasure) command the tenant forth of a poor house of clay, to an everlasting Mansion and perpetual habitation of happiness.  
And as God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt, most miraculously, as his Almighty power protected David, from Saul & Absalon, Daniel from the hungry fierce lions, Noah from the almost all devouring flood, Jonah from the Whale, the three Children from the fiery Furnace, Job from the Dunghill, Nabuchadnezzar from Beasts and exile; Joseph from his brethren's malice, and Potiphar's fury, Manasses from the Dungeon, jeremy from captivity, England from Spain's invasion, and Rome's powder plot, so did he most wonderfully preserve this poor ship (the Elizabeth of Plymouth) 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 glory, Amen.  
John TAYLOR.   
FINIS.