Le Marin Combattant devenu paisible

A True Account of George Pattison’s Being Taken by The TurksTurks; And How Redeemed by God’s Direction and Assistance, Without Bloodshed, Putting the Turks on Shoar in Their Own Country, About the Eighth Month, 1663

58 Thomas Lurting: The Fighting Sailor Turn’d Peaceable A True Account of George Pattison’s Being Taken by The Turks; And How Redeemed by God’s Direction and Assistance, Without Bloodshed, Putting the Turks on Shoar in Their Own Country, About the Eighth Month, 1663. 59 Thomas Lurting : Le marin combattant devenu paisible Un récit vrai de la capture de George Pattison par les turcs et sa liberation grâce à la direction et au soutien de dieu, sans effusion de sang, déposant les turcs sur la côte de leur propre pays, le huitième mois 1663. 60 Thomas Lurting: The Fighting Sailor Turn’d Peaceable I , Thomas Lurting, was then George Pattison’s Mate, and coming from Venice, we heard that many Turks Men of War were at Sea, and that they had taken many English Ships; and it was much in my Mind, that we should be taken; and I was very much concerned, as well for the Men, as for my self; at which I went to the Master, and desired of him to go to Leghorn, and to stay for a Convoy, and so long we would have no Wages; but the Master would not agree to this, but kept the Sea, much contrary to our Minds: And coming near a Spanish Island, called May-York, we were chased by a Turks Vessel, or a Man of War, called a Patach, as some time before we had been; and thought by our Vessel’s well Sailing, to escape; but by carrying over much Sail, some of our Materials gave way, by which means the Turks came up with us, and commanded the Master on board; who accordingly went, with four men more, leaving me, and three Men and a Boy, on Board our Vessel; and so soon as our Boat came on Board the Turks Vessel, they took all our Men out of the Boat, and put in fourteen Turks. All this while I was under a great Exercise in Spirit, not so much for my self, because I had a secret hope of Relief, but a great stress lay upon me for the Men, in this very Juncture of time; for all hopes of outward Deliverance being then gone, the Master then on Board the Turks, with four of our Men, and the Turks just coming on Board of us: And being much concerned n Mind, I desired of the Lord Patience under such an Exercise, and going to the Ship’s side to see the Turks come in, the Word of the Lord ran through me, thus; Be not afraid, for all this, thou shalt not go to Algiers: And I having formerly great Experience of the Lord’s Doings upon several Deliverances in times of War; I believed what the Lord did say in me. 61 Thomas Lurting : Le marin combattant devenu paisible M oi, Thomas Lurting j’étais le second de George Pattison et nous revenions de Venise lorsque nous apprîmes que plusieurs navires de guerre turcs étaient en mer, et qu’ils avaient capturé plusieurs navires anglais. J’avais tellement le pressentiment qu’à notre tour nous serions capturés que je me faisais beaucoup de soucis tant pour les hommes d’équipage que pour moi-même. Pour cette raison, je partis voir le capitaine et lui demandai d’aller attendre un convoi à Livourne sachant que pendant tout ce temps, nous n’aurions pas de solde, le capitaine ne l’accepta pourtant pas mais continua à naviguer contrairement à mes souhaits. Alors que nous nous approchions d’une île espagnole nommée Majorque nous étions poursuivis par un vaisseau ou navire de guerre turc appelé Patach, comme nous avions été poursuivis auparavant. Nous étions convaincus de pouvoir y échapper grâce au fait que notre vaisseau naviguait bien, mais comme nous avions donné trop de voiles, certains de nos matériels tombèrent en panne. Avec ce handicap, les Turcs nous attrapèrent et ordonnèrent au capitaine de monter à leur bord. Il le fit justement avec quatre autres hommes de notre équipage, tandis qu’il me laissa à notre bord avec trois hommes et un mousse. Aussitôt que notre bateau vint à la hauteur du vaisseau turc, ils en firent débarquer tous nos hommes et y embarquèrent quatorze Turcs. Pendant tout ce temps je traversais une très grande épreuve morale, pas tellement pour moim...