Pietas in patriam the life of His Excellency Sir William Phips, Knt. late Captain…

TO Relate all the Dangers through which he passed, both by Sea and Land, and all the Tiresome Trials of his Patience, as well as of his Courage, while Year after Year, the most vexing Accidents imaginable, delayed the Success of his Design, it would even Tire the patience of the Reader: For very great was the Experiment that Captain Phips made of the Italian Observation, He that can't suffer both Good and Evil, will never come to any great Preferment. Wherefore I shall supersede all Journal of his Voyages to and fro, with ⟨p. 8⟩reciting one Instance of his Conduct, that showed him to be a Person of no contemptible Capacity. While he was Captain of the Algiers-Rose, his Men growing weary of their unsuccessful Enterprise, made a Mutiny, wherein they approached him on the Quarter-Deck, with Drawn Swords in their Hands, and required him to join with them in Running away with the Ship, to drive a Trade of Piracy on the South Seas. Captain Phips, though he had not so much of a Weapon, as an Ox-Goad, or a Jaw-bone in his Hands, yet like another Shamgar or Sampson, with a most undaunted Fortitude, he rushed in upon them, and with the Blows of his bare Hands, Felled many of them, and Quelled all the Rest. But this is not the Instance which I intended: That which I intend is, That (as it has been related unto me) One Day, while his Frigate lay Careening, at a desolate Spanish Island, by the side of a Rock, from whence they had laid a Bridge to the Shore, the Men, whereof he had about an Hundred, went all but about Eight or Ten, to divert themselves, as they pretended, in the Woods: Where, they all entered into an Agreement, which they Signed in a Ring, That about seven a Clock that Evening, they would seize the Captain, and those Eight or Ten, which they knew to be True unto him, and leave them to perish on this Island, and so be gone away unto the South Sea to seek their Fortune. Will the Reader now imagine, that Captain Phips having Advice of this Plot, but about an Hour and half before it was to be put in Execution, yet within Two Hours brought all these Rogues down upon their Knees, to beg for their lives? But so it was! For these Knaves considering, that they should want a Carpenter with them in their Villainous Expedition, sent a Messenger to fetch unto them the Carpenter, who was then at Work upon the Vessel;