“After I had sat down, he asked me, What I would drink? I thank’d him, and told him, I did not much Care for drinking; but out of a Sense of the Honour he did me in asking, I would drink any Thing with him which he pleased to drink. He told me, It would not avail me any Thing to be cast down: It was Fortune of War, and grieving or vexing myself, might be of no good Consequence in respect to my Health; besides, it would be more taking, he said, with the Company, to appear brisk, lively, and with as little Concern as I could. And come, says he, you may, and I hope you will, have better Fortune hereafter. So ringing the Cabbin-bell, and one of his Valet de Chambres, or rather Valet de Cabins, appearing, he commanded him to make a Bowl of Punch, in the great Bowl, which was a rich silver one, and held, I believe, about two Gallons; which being done, he ordered likewise some Wine to be set on the Table, and accordingly two Bottles of Claret were brought; and then he took the Bowl and drank to me in Punch; but bid me pledge him in which I liked best; which I did in Wine. He told me, That what he could favour me in, he would, and wished that it had been my Fortune to have been taken by them ten Days or a Fortnight sooner; for then, he said, they had abundance of good Commodities, which they took in 2 Portugueze outward-bound Brasile Men, viz. Cloth, as well Linens as Woollens, both fine and coarse, Hats of all sorts, Silk, Iron, and other rich Goods in abundance, and believed, he could have prevailed with the Company even to have loaded my Sloop. But now they had no Goods at all, he believed, having disposed of them all, either by giving them to other Prizes, &c. or heaving the rest into David Jones’s Locker (i.e. the Sea); but did not know, but it might be his Lot, perhaps, to meet with me again, when it might lie in his Way to make me a Retaliation for my present Loss; and he did assure me, that when such an Occasion, as he was but now a speaking of, offered, I might depend he would not be wanting to serve me in any Thing that might turn to my Advantage, as far as his Power or Interest could reach. I could do no less, in common Civility, and the Truth is, I dared do no less, than thank him....
“I was order’d to remain on Board the Commodore till by a general Vote of the Company it should be determin’d how I and the Sloop were to be dispos’d of; and Captain Loe ordered a Hammock and Bedding to be fix’d for me, and told me, That he would not oblige me to sit up later than I thought fit, nor drink more than suited my own Inclination; and that he lik’d my Company no longer than his was agreeable to me; adding, That there should be no Confinement or Obligation as to drinking, or sitting up, but I might drink, and go to sleep, when I pleas’d, without any Exceptions being taken, ordering me to want for nothing that was on Board; for I was very welcome to anything that was there, as to Eatables and Drinkables. I thank’d him, and told him, I would, with all due Gratefulness, make Use of that Freedom which he was so generous to offer me, &c. About Eight a-Clock at Night I took my Leave of him, and went to my Hammock, where I continued all Night, with Thoughts roving and perplex’d enough, not being able, as yet, to guess what they design’d to do with me, whether they intended to give me the Sloop again, or to burn her, as I heard it toss’d about by some, or to keep me as a Prisoner on Board, or put me ashoar.
“My two Boys and Mate remained still on Board the Sloop, but all the rest they took on Board of them, not once so much as asking them whether they would Enter with them, only demanding their Names, which the Steward writ down in their Roll-Book.
“About eight a-Clock in the Morning I turn’d out, and went upon Deck, and as I was walking backwards and forwards, as is usual amongst us Sailors, there came up one of the Company to me, and bid me Good-Morrow, and told me, He was very sorry for my Misfortune. I answer’d, So was I: He look’d at me, and said, He believ’d I did not know him. I replied, It was true, I did not know him; neither, at present, could I call to mind that ever I had seen him before in the whole Course of my Life. He smil’d, and said, He once belong’d to me, and sail’d with me when I was Commander of the Susannah in the Year 1718 (At that Time I was Master of a Ship call’d the Susannah, about the Burthen of 300 Tons, whereof was sole Owner Mr. Richard Stephens, Merchant, living at this present writing in Shad-Thames, Southwark Side, near London——) In the Interim came up two more, who told me they all belong’d to me in the Susannah, at one Time. By this time I had recollected my Memory so far as just to call them to Mind, and that was all; and then I told them I did remember them. They said, they were truly very sorry for my Misfortune, and would do all that lay in their Power to serve me, and told me, they had among them the Quantity of about 40 or 50 Pieces of white Linnen Cloth, and 6 or 8 Pieces of Silk, besides some other Things; and they would also, they said, make what Interest they could for me with their Consorts and Intimates, and with them would make a Gathering for me of what Things they could, and would put it on Board for me as soon as the Company had determined that I should have my Sloop again. They then look’d about them as tho’ they had something to say that they were not willing any body should hear; but as it happen’d, there was no body nigh us, which was an Opportunity very rare in these Sort of Ships, of speaking without Interruption: But we lying too all Night, no body had any thing to do, but the Lookers-out, at the Topmast-head; the Mate of the Watch, Quarter-master of the Watch, Helmsman, &c. being gone down to drink a Dram, I suppose, or to smoak a Pipe of Tobacco, or the like. However it was, we had the Quarter Deck intire to our selves, and they seeing the Coast clear, told me, with much seeming Concern, That if I did not take abundance of Care, they would force me to stay with them, for my Mate had inform’d them, that I was very well acquainted on the Coast of Brasile, and they were bound down along the Coast of Guinea, and afterwards design’d to stretch over to the Coast of Brasile: That there was not one Man of all the Company that had ever been upon any Part of that Coast; and that there was but one Way for me to escape being forced; but I must be very close, and not discover what they were going to tell me; for if it was known that they had divulg’d it, notwithstanding they were enter’d Men, and as much of the Company as any of them, yet they were sure it would cost them no smaller a Price for it than their Lives. I told them, I was very much obliged to them for their Goodwill, and did not wish them to have any Occasion for my Service; but if ever it should be so, they might depend it should be to the utmost of my Power; and as for my betraying any thing that they should tell me of, they could not fear that, because my own Interest would be a sufficient Tye upon me to the contrary; and were it not so, and that I was sure to get Mountains of Gold by divulging it to their Prejudice, I would sooner suffer my Tongue to be pluck’d out.
“They said, they did not much fear my revealing it, because the disclosing it would rather be a Prejudice to me than an Advantage, and therefore out of pure Respect to me they would tell me; which was thus: You must know, said they, that we have an Article which we are sworn to, which is, not to force any married Man, against his Will, to serve us: Now we have been at a close Consultation whether we should oblige you to go with us, not as one of the Company, but as a forc’d Prisoner, in order to be our Pilot on the Coast of Brasile, where we are designed to Cruise, and hope to make our Voyage; and your Mate, continued they, has offer’d to Enter with us, but desires to defer it till we have determined your Case. Now your Mate, as yet, is ignorant of our Articles, we never exposing them to any till they are going to sign them. He was ask’d, Whether you was married or not? and he said, he could not tell for certain, but believed you was not: Upon which we spoke, and said, we had known you several Years, and had sail’d with you in a Frigat-built Ship of 300 Tons, or more: That you was an extraordinary good Man to your Men, both for Usage and Payment; and that, to our Knowledge, you was married, and had four Children then: However, there is one Man who would fain have the Company break through their Oath on that Article, and tells them, they may, and ought to do it, because it is a Case of Necessity, they having no Possibility of getting a Pilot at present for that Coast, except they take you: And in their Run along the Coast of Guinea, if they should light of any body that was acquainted with the Coast of Brasile, and no way exempted from serving them by the Articles, then they might take him, and turn you ashore, but ’till such offer’d, he did not see but the Oath might be dispens’d with; but, continued they, Captain Loe is very much against it, and told them, That it would be an ill Precedent, and of bad Consequence; for if we once take the Liberty of breaking our Articles and Oath, then there is none of us can be sure of any thing: If, said Captain Loe, you can perswade the Man upon any Terms to stay with us as a Prisoner, or otherwise, well and good; if not, do not let us break the Laws that we have made our selves, and sworn to. They went on, and told me, That most of the Company seem’d to agree with Captain Loe’s Opinion, but Russel, said they, seem’d to be sadly nettled at it, that his Advice was not to be taken; and, continued they, you will be ask’d the Question, we reckon, by and by, when Russel comes on Board, and all the Heads meet again; but you must be sure to say you are married, and have five or six Children; for it is only that, that will prevent your being forced; tho’, you may depend upon it, Russel will do what he can to perswade the Company to break the Article, which we hope they will not, nor shall they ever have our Consent; and, indeed, there are very few of the Company but what are against it, but Russel bears a great Sway in the Company, and can almost draw them any Way. However, we have put you in the best Method that we can, and hope it will do: But, for fear Notice should be taken of our being so long together, we have told you as much as we can, and leave you to manage it; and so God bless you.
“Upon this, away they went, and by-and-by Captain Loe turns out, and comes upon Deck, and bidding me Good-morrow, ask’d me, How I did? and how I lik’d my Bed? I thank’d him, and told him, I was very well, at his Service, and lik’d my Bed very well, and was very much obliged to him for the Care he had taken of me. After which, he order’d a Consultation Signal to be made, which was their Green Trumpeter, as they call’d him, hoisted at the Mizen-Peek: It was a green silk Flag, with a yellow Figure of a Man blowing a Trumpet on it. The Signal being made, away came the Boats flocking on Board the Commodore, and when they were all come on Board, Captain Loe told them, He only wanted them to Breakfast with him; so down they went into the Cabbin, as many as it would well hold, and the rest in the Steerage, and where they could.
“After Breakfast, Captain Loe ask’d me, If I was married? and how many Children I had? I told him, I had been married about ten Years, and had five Children when I came from Home, and did not know but I might have six now, one being on the Stocks when I came from Home. He asked me, Whether I had left my Wife well provided for, when I came from Home? I told him, I had left her in but very indifferent Circumstances: That having met with former Misfortunes, I was so low reduc’d, that the greatest Part of my Substance was in this Sloop and Cargo; and that, if I was put by this Trip, I did not know but my Family might want Bread before I could supply them.
“Loe then turning to Russel, said, It will not do, Russel. What will not do, said Russel? Loe answer’d, You know who I mean; we must not, and it shall not be, by G—d. It must, and shall, by G—d, reply’d Russel; Self-Preservation is the first Law of Nature, and Necessity, according to the old Proverb, has no Law. Well, says Loe, It shall never be with my Consent. Hereupon most of the Company said, It was a Pity, and ought to be taken into Consideration, and seriously weighed amongst them, and then put to the Vote. At which Loe said, So it ought, and there is nothing like the Time present to decide the Controversy, and to determine the Matter. They all answered, Ay, it was best to end it now.
“Then Loe ordered them all to go upon Deck, and bid me stay in the Cabbin; so up they went all hands, and I sat still and smoak’d a Pipe of Tobacco, Wine and Punch being left on the Table: And tho’ I was very impatient to know the Determination, sometimes hoping it would be in my Favour, and sometimes fearing the contrary; yet I durst not go out of the Cabbin to hear what they said, nor make any Enquiry about it.
“After they had been upon Deck about two Hours, they came down again, and Loe ask’d me, How I did? and how I lik’d my Company since they went upon Deck? I thank’d him, and said, I was very well, at his Service; and as for my Company, I lik’d it very well, and it was Company that few would dislike. Why, said he, I thought you had been all alone ever since we went upon Deck. I answer’d, How could you think, Sir, that I was alone, when you left me three such boon, jolly Companions to keep me Company?