Part she would not have so much Hand in my Destruction; and I should never have 

it to say, that my Mother was willing when my Father was not. 

Tho' my Mother refused to move it to my Father, yet as I have heard afterwards, 
she reported all the Discourse to him., and that my Father, after shewing a 

great Concern at it, said to her with a Sigh, That Boy might be happy if he 
would stay at home, but if he goes abroad he will be the miserablest Wretch that 

was ever born: I can give no Consent to it. 

It was not till almost a Year after this that I broke loose, tho' in the mean 
time I continued obstinately deaf to all Proposals of settling to Business, and 

frequently expostulating with my Father and Mother, about their being so 
positively determin'd against what they knew my Inclinations prompted me to. But 

being one Day at Hull, where I went casually, and without any Purpose of making 
an Elopement that time; but I say, being there, and one of my Companions being 

going by Sea to London, in his Father's Ship, and prompting me to go with them, 
with the common Allurement of Seafaring Men, viz That it should cost me nothing 

for my Passage, I consulted neither Father or Mother any more, nor so much as 
sent them Word of it; but leaving them to hear of it as they might, without 

asking God's Blessing, or my Father's, without any Consideration of 
Circumstances or Consequences, and in an ill Hour, God knows. On the first of 

September 1651 I went on Board a Ship bound for London; never any young 
Adventurer's Misfortunes, I believe, began sooner, or continued longer than 

mine. The Ship was no sooner gotten out of the Humber, but the Wind began to 
blow, and the Winds' to rise in a most frightful manner; and as I had never been 

at Sea before, I was most inexpressibly sick in Body, and terrify'd in my Mind: 
I began now seriously to reflect upon what I had done, and how justly I was 

overtaken by the Judgment of Heaven for my wicked leaving my Father's House, and 
abandoning my Duty; all the good Counsel of my Parents, my Father's Tears and my 

Mother's Entreaties came now fresh into my Mind, and my Conscience, which was 
not yet come to the Pitch of Hardness to which it has been since, reproach'd me 

with the Contempt of Advice, and the Breach of my Duty to God and my Father. 

All this while the Storm encreas'd, and the Sea, which I had never been upon 
before, went very high, tho' nothing like what I have seen many times since; no, 

nor like what I saw a few Days after: But it was enough to affect me then, who 
was but a young Sailor, and had never known any thing of the matter. I expected 

every Wave would have swallowed us up, and that every time the Ship fell down, 
as I thought, in the Trough or Hollow of the Sea, we should never rise more; and 

in this Agony of Mind, I made many Vows and Resolutions, that if it would please 
God here to spare my Life this one Voyage, if ever I got once my Foot upon dry 

Land again, I would go directly home to my Father, and never set it into a Ship 
again while I liv'd; that I would take his Advice, and never run my self into 

such Miseries as these any more. Now I saw plainly the Goodness of his 
Observations about the middle Station of Life, how easy, how comfortably he had 

liv'd all his Days, and never had been expos'd to Tempests at Sea, or Troubles 
on Shore; and I resolv'd that I would, like a true repenting Prodigal, go home 

to my Father. 

These wise and sober Thoughts continued all the while the Storm continued, and 
indeed some time after; but the next Day the Wind was abated and the Sea calmer, 

and I began to be a little inur'd to it: However I was very grave for all that 
Day, being also a little Sea sick still; but towards Night the Weather clear'd 

up, the Wind was quite over, and a charming fine Evening follow'd; the Sun went 
down perfectly clear and rose so the next Morning; and having little or no Wind 

and a smooth Sea, the Sun shining upon it, the Sight was, as I thought, the most 
delightful that ever I saw. 

I had slept well in the Night, and was now no more Sea sick: but very chearful, 

looking with Wonder upon the Sea that was so rough and terrible the Day before, 
and could be so calm and so pleasant in so little time after. And now least my 

good Resolutions should continue, my Companion, who had indeed entic'd me away, 
comes to me, Well Bob, says he, clapping me on the Shoulder, How do you do after 

it? I warrant you were frighted, wa'n't you, last Night, when it blew but a Cap