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 the ordnance; for you can but drop them close to the ship’s side, and where the water is shallow they will lie up against the side of the ship and fret it, and with the working of the sea make her to spring leaks presently.

Wh. I think thou speakest good reason, and I will try a little longer before it be done.

Bo. My Lord, do not doubt but God will show Himself, and bring you off by His own hand from this danger.

Wh. Hast thou any ground to judge so, or dost thou see any probability of it?

Bo. I confess there is no probability for it; but God hath put it into my heart to tell your Excellence that He will appear our Deliverer when all other hopes and helps fail us, and He will save us by His own power; and let us trust in Him.

Upon this discourse with the honest boatswain, who walked up and down as quite unconcerned, Whitelocke forbade the throwing of the ordnance overboard; and as he was sitting on the deck, Mr. Ingelo, one of his chaplains, came to him, and said that he was glad to see him in so good a temper.

Whitelocke. I bless God, who keeps up my spirit.

Ingelo. My Lord, such composedness, and not being daunted in this distress, is a testimony of God’s presence with you.

Wh. I have cause to thank God, whose presence hath been with me in all my dangers, and most in this greatest, which I hope and pray that He would fit us all to submit unto.