SInce what I have formerly imparted to you was so well accepted , I have thought good to continue my correspondence with you , by relating several things that have fallen out on Board us since my last : I told you then , that the great Councel of Officers was called , whereby the Saylers hoped to have had the Ship put into ●uch a condition , as not to have fear'd the attempts either of the Mahometans or the Algerines , but might have rendred the hopes of the one , and the expectations of the other frustrated ; our hopes hereof were very much heightned , when at the opening of the Councel , the noble Captain gave them large assurance of his ready compliance with all the means they should think convenient , to this end the Councel upon serious debate , and mature deliberation , came to this Resolve , That the only way to secure the Ship , and the Christian Religion , against the attempts of the Mahometans , was by an order of the Captain and his Councel of Officers , to disable the Lieutenant from succeeding to the Captains place after the Captains death , all other ways being insufficient and dangerous , like the false healing of a Wound , or Building on a rotten Foundation : The Captain not liking their proceeding , sent them word by an Officer , that a small Pinnace belonging to the Ship , was in danger to be taken by some set on and incouraged as it's thought by the Mahometans and Algerines , especially the latter , from whom it is thought they have been furnished with Powder , Shot , and Guns , wherewith to batter this Pinnace , and therefore he would have them let the Lieutenant alone , and bend all their thoughts to the defence of this Pinnace , since it was of so great consequence to the Van-Herring , that if once lost , we can never Trade into the Straits with safety : the Councel after a serious debate on this Message , resolved to draw up an Address to the Captain , wherein they assured him they would withal readiness comply with the motion of relieving the Pinnace , if there might be a satisfying assurance given them , that it would be in order to the securing the Old Ship , which they were humbly bold to tell him , they had found by woful experience hitherto , to be altogether manned with , and mannaged by the Mahometans ; and they appeal'd to the Captain himself , that he knew it was not long since one of the Arch-Traytors , now in the Hold , for endeavouring to Murther the Captain , and seize the Ship for the Lieutenant , sayled in , and commanded this Pinnace ; therefore since the whole Ship was in danger to be lost , they could not hazard the whole Ship by endeavouring to relieve this Pinnace , which had been a Nest of our implacable Enemies the Mahometans : they also with all humility shewed him , that all , or most of the supplies they had formerly given to maintain the Captains Honour , and the Ships safety , were abused by ill Officers , the design wholly inverted to serve the Mahometans interest . They told him also , that since the best defence this Ship had , was to endeavour the advancing the Christian Religion abroad , they admired to find his Officers endeavouring to procure Mahometan Chappels in other Christian Ships : they desired also , that those which endeavoured to render the endeavours of this Councel , as dangerous to the Captains Interest , might be looked on by him as Enemies to him and his Government : The Councel have also punished some persons , that by obstructing Petitions for the meeting of this Councel , have betrayed the Liberty of the Saylers , which we hope will have this good effect , that in the Vacansy of Councel , there will be no more Abhorrors found amongst us . They have also made several Addresses to the Captain , to remove from his Presence several pernicious Officers , who by their fawning words , and flattering Councels , would draw his affection from the Loyal Sa●lers , one of them was chief Clark to the great Cabbine , him they have got removed , but the rest remain as they were , only one advanced by the influence of the Lieutenant to the dignity of chief Boat-Swain , was by the Councel of the lower Bench charged with Treason against the Captain , and betraying the Liberty of the Sa●lers , requiring to have him secured , but could not prevail ; the Councel of the lower Bench after many debates and consultations , drew up an order to disable the Lieutenant to succeed to the Captains place after the Captains death . Now Sir ; I cannot tell you the different humors that filled the Saylers ; all men were big with expectation what would become of this order , when presented to the Councel of the upper Bench , all perswading themselves it would be according to their own desires ; the Councel of the lower Bench handed it to the Officers of the upper Bench , where the Captain sat , where after some debate , it was rejected , to the great grief of the Christian Saylers , and the Joy of the Mahometan Faction ; the Officers of the Red Robe were indifferently divided , but those of the White Robe , although they pretend to be the Pillars of the Christian Religion , and have long been thought by some of the Saylers to be so ; Yet now to convince the World , their own pretences were untrue , and the Saylers good opinion of them false ; they most of them came in as a dead weight , and speedily carried the Scale on the Lieutenants side , which is a thing so strange , that it makes some of the Saylers think , that as they were the Relicks of the Mahometan suppression , which remains unpurged , when the rest of their Innovations were expelled this Ship ; so they have secret inclinations to return again to the Obedience of the Mufty . Yet something has been done to the discouraging the Mahomitans , and incouraging the Christian Saylers ; for one of the Arch Traytors was at last brought to his Tryal before the Councel , and condemned to loose his Head upon the Capstorm , which was done accordingly ; the Counsel notwithstanding the rejecting the Order , consulted of some other way to disable the Lieutenant , which to prevent , the Captain minded them again of the danger of the Pinnis , whereupon they resolved to draw up another Address to the Captain , wherein they gave him great thanks for the care he had taken to prevent the Mahometan design , and his gracious promise of complying with all means they should think convenient for securing the Ship ; yet they much grieved to find his promise so limited , as to render it wholly useless , by refusing to grant that wherein alone our safety doth consist , there being no safety to him or the Ship , until the Lieutenant be Excluded ; all the Answer the Captain returned , was , that the Councel of the upper Bench , by rejecting the Order , had confirmed him in an Opinion , that it is not his Interest to desert the Lieutenant ; the Counsel hereat amazed , after some Debate , entred into the Journal of their Proceedings , That it is their Opinion , that there can be no security to the Captain , the Ship , or the Christian Religion , without preventing the Lieutenant from being Captain ; and that notwithstanding the Captains promises of complying with all other ways of securing us , that unless this Order be passed , they can give him no supplies , without Betraying the Captains person , the Christian Religion , and the trust reposed in them by the Saylers ; and whosoever should advise the Captain to put off this Councel to any other purpose then to the making this Order , are betrayers of the Captain , the Christian Religion , and Promoters of and Pentioners to Argere , and that the thanks of this Bench be given to the Saylers in the great Cabbine , for their Loyalty to , and endeavors for the preservation of the Captain , and the Christian Religion ; immediately they were put off for a few days , which the Mahometans have the impudence to say , it was done in favour to them , but the Loyal Saylers hope the contrary , and that it is only to give the Councel an occasion to bring in the Order again ; yet the Saylers of the great Cabbine , fearing the Mahometans , might take this opportunity to attempt something against the Cabbine , requested the Master of this Cabbine to take all imaginable care for its preservation . I had almost forgotten one thing that hath occasioned much discourse amongst us ; a Loyal Officer made an ingenious Speech , containing a short and true Account of our Affairs : It was condemned by some , although others think it will prove somewhat like a late Treatise , called , The Growth of Mahometanism , which when first Published , was generally condemned as a design falsly to asperse the Captains Favourites , but in short time we found the thing too true . I should have told you also , that while the Councel of Officers were inquiring into this Plot , some came on Board us from on Board the Harp , and acquainted our Councel , that Ship also was in danger to be Betrayed to the Algerines : We are informed , that the Algerines , by the help of the Mufty and his Agents , have got a Stout Ship that Rides near us , called , The Eagle , to be so Betrayed by the Captains Officers , that it must shortly fall into their hands . As for our Lieutenant , he at present Sayles in the Lyon , but is expected on Board us ; I suppose his absence will be more welcome to them , then his presence to us : just as I was finishing this Letter , I saw the Sayles flocking about the Main-Mast , whereupon I went to enquire the reason , and found them with great amazement and admiration reading an Order of the Captains for discharging this Councel of Officers , and calling a New one , which are not to meet in the Old Cabbin , which they have done time out of mind , but in the Academy , a small Cabbin in a more remote part of the Ship ; this unexpected and prodigious News filled the Loyal Saylers with sad hearts and dejected countenances , yea , the Heavens have put on Mourning , appearing Dark and Gloomy , and the Sun not seen for three or four days together . Thus I have given you a short but impartial account of all or most of the material things that have fallen out since my last .