Voyagers Tales | Page 8

Saul scape the wrath of God therefor, neither
had these that thing which they desired so, and did thirst after. Such is
God's justice. He that they put their trust in to deliver them from the
tyrannous hands of their enemies, he, I say, could supply their want of
necessaries.
Now these eight, being armed with such weapons as they thought well
of, thinking themselves sufficient champions to encounter a stronger
enemy, and coming unto the prison, Fox opened the gates and doors
thereof, and called forth all the prisoners, whom he set, some to
ramming up the gate, some to the dressing up of a certain galley which
was the best in all the road, and was called "The Captain of
Alexandria," whereinto some carried masts, sails, oars, and other such
furniture, as doth belong unto a galley.
At the prison were certain warders whom John Fox and his company

slew, in the killing of whom there were eight more of the Turks which
perceived them, and got them to the top of the prison, unto whom John
Fox and his company were fain to come by ladders, where they found a
hot skirmish, for some of them were there slain, some wounded, and
some but scarred and not hurt. As John Fox was thrice shot through his
apparel, and not hurt, Peter Vuticaro and the other two, that had armed
them with the ducats, were slain, as not able to wield themselves, being
so pestered with the weight and uneasy carrying of the wicked and
profane treasure; and also divers Christians were as well hurt about that
skirmish as Turks slain.
Amongst the Turks was one thrust through, who (let us not say that it
was ill-fortune) fell off from the top of the prison wall, and made such a
groaning that the inhabitants thereabout (as here and there stood a
house or two), came and questioned him, so that they understood the
case, how that the prisoners were paying their ransoms; wherewith they
raised both Alexandria, which lay on the west side of the road, and a
castle which was at the city's end next to the road, and also another
fortress which lay on the north side of the road, so that now they had no
way to escape but one, which by man's reason (the two holds lying so
upon the mouth of the road) might seem impossible to be a way for
them. So was the Red Sea impossible for the Israelites to pass through,
the hills and rocks lay so on the one side, and their enemies compassed
them on the other. So was it impossible that the walls of Jericho should
fall down, being neither undermined nor yet rammed at with engines,
nor yet any man's wisdom, policy, or help, set or put thereunto. Such
impossibilities can our God make possible. He that held the lion's jaws
from rending Daniel asunder, yea, or yet from once touching him to his
hurt, cannot He hold the roaring cannons of this hellish force? He that
kept the fire's rage in the hot burning oven from the three children that
praised His name, cannot He keep the fire's flaming blasts from among
His elect?
Now is the road fraught with lusty soldiers, labourers, and mariners,
who are fain to stand to their tackling, in setting to every man his hand,
some to the carrying in of victuals, some munitions, some oars, and
some one thing some another, but most are keeping their enemy from
the wall of the road. But to be short, there was no time misspent, no
man idle, nor any man's labour ill-bestowed or in vain. So that in short

time this galley was ready trimmed up. Whereinto every man leaped in
all haste, hoisting up the sails lustily, yielding themselves to His mercy
and grace, in Whose hands is both wind and weather.
Now is this galley a-float, and out of the shelter of the road; now have
the two castles full power upon the galley; now is there no remedy but
to sink. How can it be avoided? The cannons let fly from both sides,
and the galley is even in the middest and between them both. What man
can devise to save it? There is no man but would think it must needs be
sunk.
There was not one of them that feared the shot which went thundering
round about their ears, nor yet were once scarred or touched with five
and forty shot which came from the castles. Here did God hold forth
His buckler, He shieldeth now this galley, and hath tried their faith to
the uttermost. Now cometh His special help; yea, even when man
thinks them past all help, then cometh He Himself down from Heaven
with