An essay for the recording of illustrious providences

Which words I had no sooner spoken, but by a mighty wave I was with the piece of the Barque washed out upon part of the Rock, where the wave left me almost drowned, but recovering my feet I saw above me on the Rock my Daughter Mary, to whom I had no sooner gotten, but my Cousin Avery, and his eldest Son came to us, being all four of us washed out by one and the same Wave, we ⟨p. 9⟩went all into a small hole on the top of the Rock, whence we called to those in the Pinnace to come unto us, supposing we had been in more safety than they were in. My Wife seeing us there was crept up into the scuttle of the Quarter Deck to come unto us, but presently came another wave and dashing the Pinnace all to pieces, carried my Wife away in the Scuttle, as she was, with the greater part of the quarter Deck unto the Shore; where she was cast safely, but her Legs were something bruised, and much Timber of the Vessel being there also cast, she was sometime before she could get away being washed by the Waves. All the rest that were in the Barque were drowned in the merciless Seas. We four by that wave were clean swept away from off the Rock also, into the Sea; the Lord in one instant of time disposing of fifteen Souls of us, according to his good pleasure and will, His pleasure and wonderful great mercy to me was thus. Standing on the Rock as before you heard, with my eldest Daughter, my Cousin and his eldest Son, looking upon, and talking to them in the Barque, whenas we were by that merciless wave washed off the Rock, as before you heard. God in his mercy caused me to fall by the stroke of the ⟨p. 10⟩wave flat on my face, for my face was toward the Sea, insomuch that as I was sliding off the Rock into the Sea, the Lord directed my toes into a joint in the Rocks side, as also the tops of some of my fingers with my right hand, by means whereof, the wave leaving me, I remained so, having in the Rock only my head above the water. When on the left hand I espied a Board or Plank of the Pinnace. And as I was reaching out my left hand to lay hold on it, by another coming over the top of the Rock, I was washed away from the Rock, and by the violence of the waves was driven hither and thither in the Seas a great while, and had many dashes against the Rocks.

Which words I had no sooner spoken, but by a mighty wave I was with the piece of the Barque washed out upon part of the Rock, where the wave left me almost drowned, but recovering my feet I saw above me on the Rock my Daughter Mary, to whom I had no sooner gotten, but my Cousin Avery, and his eldest Son came to us, being all four of us washed out by one and the same Wave, we