made a commander in the royal navy, with an annuity to him and his
heirs for ever of £100. The family have recently become extinct.
His fisher-boat was moored for a considerable time in the Thames,
opposite Whitehall. Years had rolled on, but the Quaker mate
who had so materially assisted the flying prince--by keeping the
secret--arranging the escape with the crew, and when, in fear of
danger from a privateer, rowing the prince ashore, and in shoal
water carrying him on his shoulders to the land, near the village
of Fecamp, in Normandy, yet he had not been with the king to claim
any reward. This escape took place in 1651, and nearly twenty years
had elapsed, ten of which were after the Restoration; so that in all
probability the king, who with all his faults was not ungrateful,
was agreeably surprised with his appearance at the palace. Whatever
alteration the rough life of a sailor had made on his appearance,
the king at once recognized him. All the progress he had made as
to worldly prosperity was from being mate of a fisher-boat, under
Tattersall, to becoming mate of a West Indiaman, under Captain
Grove. His Majesty, who had passed his time more with courtiers
than with Quakers, was doubtless astonished that a poor man, having
such a claim on his bounty, should have been so many years without
seeking his recompense. On asking the reason, the Quaker nobly
answered to this effect, That the performance of his duty in saving
the life of the hunted prince, was only a moral obligation, for the
discharge of which God had amply repaid him by peace and satisfaction
in his mind and conscience. And now, Sire, I ask nothing for myself,
but that your Majesty would do the same to my friends that I did
for you--set the poor pious sufferers at liberty, that they may
bless you, and that you may have that peace and satisfaction which
always follows good and benevolent actions. The king attempted
feebly to argue, that they would soon offend again, and that they