A Sad, and True RELATION Of six Seamen, who sold themselves to the DEVIL.  
THough this following Relation, contains matter of very great Wonder and Amazement; Nevertheless it comes to our hands, confirmed by that sufficient Testimony, that we offer it to the Reader, as a Narrative of unquestioned Truth and Reputation.  
By a Letter from Barbadoes, dated the 23 of July last, written by a Person of Worth and Credit in that Island, we have this strange and amazing Relation: That the Margaret from Bosten the 21 of December 1696. Bound to Barbadoes; In their Passage, one of the Sailors at the Helm, did call unto the Master of the Vessel, and told him, that he could not steer no longer; Then the Master ask the Reason, he replied, that he was not well, and for that Cause quitted his Post. Upon this the Master went immediately and took the Helm; The said Sailor did likewise further declare, that there stood a Spirit by the Binnacle, that accused him of killing a Woman, a fault which the said Spirit had falsely accused him withal, for he never committed any such unmanly Crime in his Life; The Spirit he said, likewise further told him, that all the Ships Company had contracted and signed an Agreement with the Devil, which was used as an Argument, for to entice him to do the same.  
The next day after, the Fellow fell into most strange Deliriams', and talked of wonderful Accidents that would certainly befall the Ship, the which were looked upon as nothing, thinking this proceeded from the wild Notions of his crazed Senses, the Chimeras of Frenzy. Particularly he said, That the Spirit had brought a Boat to fetch him away, with other ridiculous idle Discourse of that Nature.  
Upon the 17 of January, in the Latitude of 19, about 9 at night, a small and white Cloud arose, without any Rain or extraordinary Wind, which presently falling upon the Ship, pressed her down with strange, and indeed supernatural weight and force, that the Hatches flew out, and the whole Ship was under Water, by which unhappy Accident, the Boy was washed off and drowned.  
But here to begin the more miraculous part of my Narrative, the Ship continued 11 weeks under water, a thing that struck (as may well be imagined) an extraordinary amazing Consternation & Confusion through all the Mariners, from several strange sorts of Arguments of their Astonishment. First, That the Ship it should be so wholly immerged under the Water, & yet not to sink down right to the bottom. Secondly, That though they were apparently thus under Water, and yet the Ship was not wholly filled with Water, but that they had Air enough for to breathe in, by which great Means they continued alive, and feeding all that while upon Raw Meat, and fresh fish, which came swimming over the Vessel, and several of which they eagerly caught and eat: Their Lodging was on Board's and Planks, the which were placed athwart the Rail, near the Taffrel, covered with a Sail. The Men were alwise wet, which in so long a time, made that impression upon them, that their Flesh on their Bodies was galled and raw.  
But what was the most amazing and dismallest part of all, was, Six of the Ships Crew, upon the sinking of the Vessel under Water, were frighted with Infernal Spirits, and about twelve the very first Night, were carried away invisibly, leaving no more than four Persons alive behind them; Which indeed gave some little and small Credit, to what the forementioned Sailor at the Helm, had declared in his Deliriums.  
After this Eleven Weeks immurement in these wondrous watery Walls, for so I may justy call it. the Ship recovered herself again, and the first Land they could discover was the Island of Diffiado, which, with so few hands left, they could not fetch up, by reason of a strong Northern Current that bore against them, the next was Grand Terra, where they met with the same disappointment; But on the fifth of April, they run themselves upon the shore upon Gaurdelopo, where the French treated them very kindly, not as Prisoners.  
The Names of the three Seamen left alive, are, William Davis Master (a Man very well known in London amongst the Barbadoe's Merchants) William Cadner, and William Bywater.  
Note only the Original Letter, and the whole Relation at large, is for to be seen at Mr. Loyds Coffee-house in Lombardstreet, where likewise several Persons are to be heard of, and spoken withal upon the Royal Exchange, in Attestation of the whole Truth herein declared.  
The Reverend Mr. Baxter in his Treatise of Spirits, says, That though Hurricanes and Tempests have natural Causes, yet there is great Reason to think they are managed by Spirits. In Confirmation whereof, he hath related many Notable Instances of his own particular Deliverances, from the fury of most Boisterous Whirlwinds. Namely, when the Reapers in Evesham Vale were hurt, writhe, and one killed, Some Friendly Power (for so he expresses it) restrained the Course of Gravally Sand, raised by a Whirlwind, as it met him in a Narrow Lane.   

Licenced according to Order,   

LONDON Printed for I: W: in Holburn, 1698.