ight show him to have been a
gentleman, and satisfy for his burial. One was designing to get upon a
plank, others upon the masts, others upon other fancies, any way to
preserve life; but no way was left whereby they could have the least
shadow or hopes of a deliverance.

The captain went up to the quarter-deck, saying, there he lived and there
he would die. All the officers, sadly enough, concluded that there was
not the least show of any hopes of preservation, but that they were all
dead men, and that upon the return of the tide the ship would
questionless be dashed in pieces. Some lay crying in one corner, others
lamenting in another; some, who vaunted most in time of safety, were now
most dejected. The tears and sighs and wailings in all parts of the ship
would have melted a stony heart into pity; every swelling wave seemed
great in expectation of its booty; the raging waves foamed as if their
prey were too long detained from them; every billow threatened present
death, who every moment stared in their faces for almost two hours
together.

[SN: Exhorts his sons.]

In this condition Whitelocke encouraged his two sons to undergo the
pleasure of God with all submission. He was sorry for them, being young
men, who might have lived many years to do God and their country service,
that they now should be snatched away so untimely; but he told them, that
if father and sons must now die together, he doubted not but they should
go together to that happiness which admits no change; that he did not so
much lament his own condition, being an old man, in the course of nature
much nearer the grave than they: but he besought God to bless them and
yet to appear for their deliverance, if it were His will, or else to give
him and them, and all the company, hearts willing to submit to His good
pleasure.

[SN: Discourse with the boatswain.]

Walking on the decks to see his orders executed for throwing the ordnance
overboard, the boatswain met him and spake to him in his language:--

_Boatswain._ My Lord, what do you mean to do?

_Whitelocke._ Wherein dost thou ask my meaning?

_Bo._ You have commanded the ordnance to be cast overboard.

_Wh._ It is for our preservation.

_Bo._ If it be done, we are all destroyed.

_Wh._ What reason have you to be of this opinion? Must we not lighten the
ship? and can we do it better than to begin with the ordnance?

_Bo._ It may do well to lighten the ship, but not by throwing overboard
th