However I into the church (which is a fair
large church, and a great chapel) and there heard the service,
and staid till they buried him, and then out. And there met with
Sir W. Coventry (who was there out of great generosity, and no
person of quality there but he) and went with him into his coach,
and being in it with him there happened this extraordinary case,
--one of the most romantique that ever I heard in my life, and
could not have believed, but that I did see it; which was this.
--About a dozen able, lusty, proper men come to the coach-side
with tears in their eyes, and one of them that spoke for the rest
begun and said to Sir W. Coventry, "We are here a dozen of us,
that have long known and loved, and served our dead commander,
Sir Christopher Mings, and have now done the last office of
laying him in the ground. We would be glad we had any other to
offer after him, and in revenge of him. All we have is our
lives; if you will please to get His Royal Highness to give us a
fire-ship among us all, here are a dozen of us, out of all which
choose you one to be commander, and the rest of us, whoever he
is, will serve him; and, if possible, do that which shall show
our memory of our dead commander, and our revenge.
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