Ant. O Blockhead!  I fancy he was a Hollander.

Adol. No, he was a Zealander.

Ant. I wonder no Body thought of St. Paul, who has been at Sea, and having suffered Shipwreck, leapt on Shore.  For he being not unacquainted with the Distress, knows how to pity those that are in it.

Adol. He was not so much as named.

Ant. Were they at their Prayers all the While?

Adol. Ay, as if it had been for a Wager.  One sung his Hail Queen; another, I believe in God.  There were some who had certain particular Prayers not unlike magical Charms against Dangers.

Ant. How Affliction makes Men religious!  In Prosperity we neither think of God nor Saint.  But what did you do all this While?  Did you not make Vows to some Saints?

Adol. No, none at all.

Ant. Why so?

Adol. I make no Bargains with Saints.  For what is this but a Bargain in Form?  I’ll give you, if you do so and so; or I will do so and so, if you do so and so:  I’ll give you a wax Taper, if I swim out alive; I’ll go to Rome, if you save me.

Ant. But did you call upon none of the Saints for Help?

Adol. No, not so much as that neither.

Ant. Why so?

Adol. Because Heaven is a large Place, and if I should recommend my Safety to any Saint, as suppose, to St. Peter, who perhaps, would hear soonest, because he stands at the Door; before he can come to God Almighty, or before he could tell him my Condition, I may be lost.

Ant. What did you do then?

Adol. I e’en went the next Way to God the Father, saying, Our Father which art in Heaven.  There’s none of the Saints hears sooner than he does, or more readily gives what is ask’d for.

Ant. But in the mean Time did not your Conscience check you?  Was you not afraid to call him Father, whom you had offended with so many Wickednesses?

Adol. To speak ingenuously, my Conscience did a little terrify me at first, but I presently took Heart again, thus reasoning with myself; There is no Father so angry with his Son, but if he sees him in Danger of being drowned in a River or Pond, he will take him, tho’ it be by the Hair of the Head, and throw him out upon a Bank.  There was no Body among them all behaved herself more composed than a Woman, who had a Child sucking at her Breast.

Ant. What did she do?

Adol. She only neither bawl’d, nor wept, nor made Vows, but hugging her little Boy, pray’d softly.  In the mean Time the Ship dashing ever and anon against the Ground, the Pilot being afraid she would be beat all to Pieces, under-girded her with Cables from Head to Stern.

Ant. That was a sad Shift!