heavy was the loss of the captain, Maurice Browne, a virtuous, honest,
and discreet gentleman, overseen only in liberty given late before
to men that ought to have been restrained, who showed himself a man
resolved, and never unprepared for death, as by his last act of
this tragedy appeared, by report of them that escaped this wrack
miraculously, as shall be hereafter declared. For when all hope was past
of recovering the ship, and that men began to give over, and to save
themselves, the captain was advised before to shift also for his life,
by the pinnace at the stern of the ship; but refusing that counsel, he
would not give example with the first to leave the ship, but used all
means to exhort his people not to despair, nor so to leave off their
labour, choosing rather to die than to incur infamy by forsaking
his charge, which then might be thought to have perished through his
default, showing an ill precedent unto his men, by leaving the ship
first himself. With this mind he mounted upon the highest deck, where he
attended imminent death, and unavoidable; how long, I leave it to God,
who withdraweth not his comfort from his servants at such times.

In the mean season, certain, to the number of fourteen persons, leaped
into a small pinnace, the bigness of a Thames barge, which was made in
the Newfoundland, cut off the rope wherewith it was towed, and committed
themselves to God's mercy, amidst the storm, and rage of sea and winds,
destitute of food, not so much as a drop of fresh water. The boat
seeming overcharged in foul weather with company, Edward Headly, a
valiant soldier, and well reputed of his company, preferring the greater
to the lesser, thought better that some of them perished than all, made
this motion, to cast lots, and them to be thrown overboard upon whom
the lots fell, thereby to lighten the boat, which otherways seemed
impossible to live, and offered himself with the first, content to take
his adventure gladly: which nevertheless Richard Clarke, that was master