nd for their greater security against Pyrates, had obtained
his Brother, who commanded a _Venetian_ Galley, to attend them as
Convoy. In the evening they set out from _Venice_, with a prosperous
gale, but a storm arising in the night, soon separated the Barge from
her Convoy, and before morning drove her beyond the designed Port, when,
instead of discovering the wish'd-for Island, they could see a _Turkish_
Pyrate bearing towards them, with all her Sail; their late apprehensions
of Shipwrack, were drowned in the greater danger of Captivity and
lasting Slavery, their fears drove some into resolutions as extravagant
as the terrors that caused them, but the confusion of all was so
tumultuous, and the designs so various, that nothing could be put in
execution for the publick safety; the greatest share of the passengers
being Ladies, added strangely to the consternation; beauty always adds a
pomp to woe, and by its splendid show, makes sorrow look greater and
more moving. Some by their piteous plaints and wailings proclaimed their
griefs aloud, whilst others bespoke their sorrows more emphatically by
sitting mournfully silent; the fears of some animated them to
extravagant actions, whilst the terrors of others were so mortifying,
that they shewed no sign of Life, but by their trembling; some mourned
the rigour of their proper fate, others conscious of the sorrows their
Friends and Relations should sustain through their loss, made the griefs
of them their own; but the heaviest load of misfortunes lay on
_Rinaldo's_ Lady, besides the loss of her liberty, the danger of her
honour, the separation from her dear Husband, the care for her tender
Infant wrought rueful distractions; she caught her Child in her Arms,
and with Tears extorted thro' Fear and Affection, she deplor'd the
Misfortune of her Babe, the pretty Innocent smiling in the Embraces of
its Mother, shew'd that Innocence cou'd deride the Persecution of
Fortune; at length she delivered the Infant into the Hand of _Gasper_,
begging him to use all Endeavours in its Preservation, by owning it for
his, when they fell into the Hands of the Enemy.

But _Gasper_, who amidst the universal Consternation, had a peculiar
Regard to his own Safety, and Master's Interest, undertook a Design
desperately brave. Two long Planks, which lay lengthwise in the Barge,
as Seats, he had ty'd together with Ropes, and taking the Infant from
the Mother, whilst the whole Vessel was in a distracted C