Ant. I have seen them.

Adol. Those Mountains are Mole Hills, if they be compar’d to the Waves of the Sea.  As oft as we were toss’d up, one might have touch’d the Moon with his Finger; and as oft as we were let fall down into the Sea, we seem’d to be going directly down to Hell, the Earth gaping to receive us.

Ant. O mad Folks, that trust themselves to the Sea!

Adol. The Mariners striving in Vain with the Storm, at length the Pilot, all pale as Death comes to us.

Ant. That Paleness presages some great Evil.

Adol. My Friends, says he, I am no longer Master of my Ship, the Wind has got the better of me; all that we have now to do is to place our Hope in God, and every one to prepare himself for Death.

Ant. This was cold Comfort.

Adol. But in the first Place, says he, we must lighten the Ship; Necessity requires it, tho’ ’tis a hard Portion.  It is better to endeavour to save our Lives with the Loss of our Goods, than to perish with them.  The Truth persuaded, and a great many Casks of rich Merchandize were thrown over-Board. Ant. This was casting away, according to the Letter.

Adol. There was in the Company, a certain Italian, that had been upon an Embassy to the King of Scotland.  He had a whole Cabinet full of Plate, Rings, Cloth, and rich wearing Apparel.

Ant. And he, I warrant ye, was unwilling to come to a Composition with the Sea.

Adol. No, he would not; he had a Mind either to sink or swim with his beloved Riches.

Ant. What said the Pilot to this?

Adol. If you and your Trinkets were to drown by yourselves, says he, here’s no Body would hinder you; but it is not fit that we should run the Risque of our Lives, for the Sake of your Cabinet:  If you won’t consent, we’ll throw you and your Cabinet into the Sea together.

Ant. Spoken like a Tarpawlin.

Adol. So the Italian submitted, and threw his Goods over-Board, with many a bitter Curse to the Gods both above and below, that he had committed his Life to so barbarous an Element.

Ant. I know the Italian Humour.

Adol. The Winds were nothing the less boisterous for our Presents, but by and by burst our Cordage, and threw down our Sails.

Ant. Lamentable!

Adol. Then the Pilot comes to us again.

Ant. What, with another Preachment?

Adol. He gives us a Salute; my Friends, says he, the Time exhorts us that every one of us should recommend himself to God, and prepare for Death.  Being ask’d by some that were not ignorant in Sea Affairs, how long he thought the Ship might be kept above Water, he said, he could promise nothing, but that it could not be done above three Hours.

Ant. This was yet a harder Chapter than the former.