No charge or pains were wanting in my education.—­My father designed me for the law; yet nothing would serve me but I must go to sea, both against the will of my father, the tears of my mother, and the entreaties of friends.  One morning my father expostulated very warmly with me:  What reason, says he, have you to leave your native country, where there must be a more certain prospect of content and happiness, to enter into a wandering condition of uneasiness and uncertainty?  He recommended to me Augur’s wish, “Neither to desire poverty nor riches:”  that a middle state of life was the most happy, and that the high towering thoughts of raising our condition by wandering abroad, were surrounded with misery and danger, and often ended with confusion and disappointment.  I entreat you, nay, I command you, (says he) to desist from these intentions.  Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.  If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father’s counsel.—­He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions.  But this soon wore, off, and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to any business, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged she would gain my father’s consent only to go one voyage; which, if I did not prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second.  But my desire was as vain as my folly in making.  My mother passionately expressed her dislike of this, proposal, telling me, “That as she saw I was bent upon my own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say no more; but leave me to do whatever I pleased.”

I was then, I think, nineteen years old, when one time being Hull; I met a school-fellow of mine, going along with his father, who was master of a ship, to London; and acquainted him with my wandering desires; he assured me of a free passage, and a plentiful share of what was necessary.  Thus, without imploring a blessing, or taking farewell of my parents, I took shipping on the first of September 1651.  We set sail soon after, and our ship had scarce left the Humber astern, when there arose so violent a storm, that, being extremely sea-sick, I concluded the judgment of God deservedly followed me for my disobedience to my dear parents.  It was then I called to mind, the good advice of my father; how easy and comfortable was a middle state of life; and I firmly resolved, if it pleased God to set me on dry land once more, I would return to my parents, implore their forgiveness, and bid a final adieu to my wandering inclinations.