The Holy State, Book 2 · Chapter 20
CHAP. 20. The good Sea-Captain.
HIs Military part is concurrent with that of the Souldier already described: He differs onelyonly in some Sea-properties, which we will now set down. Conceive him now in a Man of warre, with his letters of mart, well arm'd victuall'd and appointed, and see how he acquits himself.
Maxime 1The more power he hath, the more carefull he is not to abuse it. Indeed a Sea-captain is a King in the Iland of a ship, supreme Judge, above appeal, in causes civill and criminall, and is seldome brought to an account in Courts of Justice on land, for injuries done to his own men at sea.
2He is carefull in observing of the Lords day. He hath a watch in his heart though no bells in a steeple to proclaim that day by ringing to prayers. Sr Francis Drake *Manuscr. of Mr. Fortescu, who went with him.in three years sailing about the world lost one whole day, which was scarce considerable in so long time. 'Tis to be feared some Captains at sea lose a day every week, one in seven, neglecting the Sabbath.
He is as pious and thankfull when a tempest is past, 3as devout when 'tis present: not clamorous to receive mercies, and tongue-tied to return thanks. Many mariners are calm in a storm▪ and storm in a calm, blustring with oathes. In a tempest it comes to their turn to be religious, whose piety is but a fit of the wind, and when that's allayed, their devotion is ended.
Escaping many dangers makes him not presumptuous to run into them. 4Not like those Sea-men who (as if their hearts were made of those rocks they have often sayled by) are so alwayes in death they never think of it. These in their navigations observe that it is farre hotter under the Tropicks in the coming to the Line, then under the Line it self, & in like manner they conceive that the fear & phancy in preparing for death is more terrible then death it self, which makes them by degrees desperately to contemne it.
In taking a prize he most prizeth the mens lives whom he takes; 5though some of them may chance to be Negroes or Savages. 'Tis the custome of some to cast them over…bord, and there's an end of them: for the dumbe fishes will tell no tales. But the murder is not so soon drown'd as the men. What, is a brother by the half bloud no kinne? a Savage hath God to his father by creation, though not the Church to his mother, and God will revenge his innocent bloud. But our Captain counts the image of God neverthelesse his image cut in ebony as if done in ivory, and in the blackest Moores he sees the representation of the King of heaven.
In dividing the gains he wrongs none who took pains to get them. 6Not shifting off his poore mariners with nothing, or giving them onelyonly the garbage of the prize, and keeping all the flesh to himself. In time of peace he quietly returns home, and turns not to the trade of Pirates, who are the worst sea-vermine, and the devils water-rats.
7His voyages are not onelyonly for profit, but some for honour and knowledge; to make discoveries of new countreys, imitating the worthy Peter Columbus. Before his time the world was cut off at the middle; Hercules Pillars (which indeed are the navell) being made the feet, and utmost bounds of the continent, till his successefull industry inlarged it.
Primus ab infusis quod terra emerserat undis
Nuncius adveniens ipsa *Gen. 8.11.Columba fuit.
Occiduis primus qui terram invenit in undis
Nuncius adveniens ipse Columbus erat.
Our Sea-captain is likewise ambitious to perfect what the other began. He counts it a disgrace, seeing all mankind is one familie, sundry countreys but severall rooms, that we who dwell in the parlour (so he counts Europe) should not know the out-lodgings of the same house, and the world be scarce acquainted with it self before it be dissolved from it self at the day of judgement.
8He daily sees, and duly considers Gods wonders in the deep. Tell me, ye Naturalists, who sounded the first march and retreat to the Tide, Hither shalt thou come, and no further? why doth not the water recover his right over the earth, being higher in nature? whence came the salt, and who first boyled it, which made so much brine? when the winds are not onelyonly wild in a storm, but even stark mad in an herricano, who is it that restores them again to their wits, and brings them asleep in a calm? who made the mighty whales, who swim in a sea of water, and have a sea of oyl swimming in them? who first taught the water to imitate the creatures on land? so that the sea is the stable of horse-fishes, the stall of kine-fishes, the stye of hog-fishes, the kennell of dog-fishes, and in all things the sea the ape of the land. Whence growes the amber-greece in the Sea? which is not so hard to find where it is, as to know what it is. Was not God the first ship-wright? and all vessels on the water descended from the loyns (or ribs rather) of Noahs ark; or else who durst be so bold with a few crooked boards nayled together, a stick standing upright, and a rag tied to it, to adventure into the ocean? what loadstone first touched the loadstone? or how first fell it in love with the North, rather affecting that cold climate, then the pleasant East, or fruitfull South, or West? how comes that stone to know more then men, and find the way to the land in a mist? In most of these men take sanctuary at Occulta qualitas, and complain that the room is dark, when their eyes are blind. Indeed they are Gods Wonders; and that Seaman the greatest Wonder of all for his blockishnesse, who seeing them dayly neither takes notice of them, admires at them, nor is thankfull for them.