Born to Sail the Seas

By Anne Larson

The author wrote this book in honor of her mother who was passionate about genealogy. When the internet made it possible to research 17th century documents in England, Anne found a birth record with her ancestors name and followed his activities for almost 50 years. During that time, Englands citizenry faced wars on land and at sea, unreasonably high taxes, and severe punishment without justification or trial. Annes ancestor realized his dream to sail on the big ships, where they were able to defend themselves against manmade and natural dangers. He was promoted to Captain. Ships powered by sails and oars provided transportation to other continents, carried supplies and prinsoners to British territories, and battled enemies and severe storms on the seas. It was the authors challenge to give the characters some joy in life when on home shores. Born to Sail the Seas is a book of fiction based on records from the 17th century.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Abbott Press
• Release date: May 26, 2015
• ISBN: 9781458218889

Anne Larson

Anne Larson earned a college degree and worked as a teacher. She is a published textbook author, a successful grant writer, an editor of professional journals and newsletters, a self-publisher of books on travel and short stories, and an enthusiastic student of English and early American history.

Book preview

Copyright © 2015 Anne Larson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Abbott Press

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.abbottpress.com

Phone: [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4582-1890-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4582-1889-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4582-1888-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015904524

Abbott Press rev. date: 05/21/2015

Contents

1. Young John

2. Ships and the Sea

3. Mary

4. Tragedy at Sea

5. First Battle at Sea

6. Ashes to Ashes

7. Life in the Royal Navy

8. A Taste of Elegance

9. Captain of the Friendship

10. Trading Again

11. A Doomed Venture

12. Pirates’ Surprise

13. Coming Home

14. A Government in Distress

15. Captain John

16. John Jr.

Young John

1603-1625

T HE YOUNG MAN STOOD NERVOUSLY in the outer chamber. The days since they set the wedding date had passed so quickly that he had no time to give the matter deep thought. He was ill-prepared for what lie ahead. Mary, his childhood friend, had attended the same parish church school as he had. Then suddenly, years later, their friendship bloomed into a courtship. He was not sure how their relationship took them to this point, but he knew other persons were paving the way for them.

John was a laborer. He had never explored the world beyond Banstead in Surrey County, England. He worked the fields and tended the sheep at the Banstead estate, rarely given time off. Ever since his father died, he had taken on the responsibilities of the breadwinner for the family. You are fortunate to have a good job, his mother said. Your father would have been so proud of you. John realized his mother spoke the truth. Since he had to be the man of the family, it was fortunate that the foreman chose him over others wanting work.

Getting married was not the same as getting a job, John realized. He and Mary needed more time, he thought, to explore each other’s feelings and to express their hopes for the future. His uncle said John was fortunate to marry a childhood friend, no matter how brief those times had been. Marrying a friend makes the first years of marriage easier, his uncle assured John. The childhood memories give you something to talk about while you learn how to become husband and wife.

John’s mother claimed that their friendship would blossom into love in the years ahead, just as it had for her and his father. And do not wait too long to have children, she said with a twinkle in her eye. John knew his mother looked forward to becoming a grandmother.

As encouraging as his two family counsels were, he knew he was unprepared for marriage. He was puzzled over many minute details. Mary had an attendant who accompanied her everywhere. Did she sleep in Mary’s bedroom? John knew the attendant prepared Mary for bed and dressed her in the morning. Where did they expect John to sleep? By gosh, he intended to sleep with his wife, but he did not want to show his ignorance of such matters on their first night together. If his father had been alive, they would have had a long talk, just as they had many times during John’s childhood.

Maybe no childhood experiences were as huge as marriage, but many times, as a child, John depended upon his father’s wise counsel to do the right thing, such as getting John to understand that animals that were born in the wild should be allowed to grow and live in the wild. A smile came to his lips as John recalled the little rabbit that he had found in the woods. It was shivering and appeared to be abandoned. John knew that it would not live long once a hawk spied it, so he carefully carried the little furry thing home. He assured his parents that he could care for it so his father agreed he could keep the baby rabbit until it was older. He showed John how to tie sticks together to make a cage. John bonded with the tiny furry pet immediately; he loved it, played with it, fed it, and slept on a mat beside its cage. During the day, John allowed it to run free in the house to get exercise. It grew rapidly in spite of being away from its family.

One morning, John was jarred awake when someone stumbled over him. Lands sake, said his mother. I almost fell when I stumbled over you lying there by the door. I could have broke my leg. From now on, you sleep in the bed with your brothers.

John knew her complaint would reach his father’s ears and the decision would be a final one. His mother ruled the house; but when his father was home, she always presented the case to him for his decision. There was no doubt in John’s mind that the rabbit would soon be leaving its human home. John pet his friend, talking soothing words to him as he often did. John hated to think of all the dangers awaiting his pet once it was set free, but there was nothing more he could do to prepare it for life in the wild. It had to follow its instincts and be very wary.

Later that day, his father called John aside. He told John that the rabbit needed to live in the woods where it could learn how to survive. He said it had nothing to do with the care John was giving. Every living thing has a place to live and its way to live, his father explained. Keeping a rabbit as a pet is robbing him of a chance at happiness out there with its own kind. That was tough to accept; yet John knew that, if the rabbit could talk, it would ask to be returned to the woods.

John carried the cage outside, opened the door, and solemnly said goodbye to his friend. The rabbit looked out at the view beyond the cage. His little nose twitched at the smells of the outdoors. He hopped out, hopped again, standing on his back feet and stretching to get a better look at the green fields ahead. Then suddenly, he took off like a shot toward the woods. John watched for a long time, but he never heard anything that indicated danger, and he never saw the rabbit again.

I wonder if my bunny is okay, John said at dinner that evening. His mother gave him a stern look across the table, so he let the matter drop. Again the next day, John commented, I wonder if my bunny is still alive. His father cleared his throat and started discussing the latest tax mandate from the King. John could not stop wondering if the rabbit was doing okay. The following day, just as his mother was assigning the chores that the boys had to do, John interrupted with, What if he is hungry?

That is enough! John’s father said. I do not want you bringing up the subject of the rabbit again, and I most certainly do not want to hear you interrupting your mother when she is speaking.

However, today as John waited to say his marriage vows, he had a strong urge to run for the woods as his pet had! He was breaking out in a sweat, worrying about the unknowns facing him as he became a family man. He could use some of his father’s wise counsel now.

His mother hoped he and Mary would have a baby soon. Mary was such a little thing; John could not imagine her giving birth. He remembered that two of his siblings had died at birth. He never saw them, for he was always removed from the premises when his mother went into labor. He knew it was difficult, and women and babies often died from an infection. Because their lives were so fragile in childbirth, babies among the working class were not baptized until about a year after their birth, when it seemed certain that they were going to live. John hoped that Mary would not get pregnant for a year or so.

Even animals could die at birth. He recalled a mare that lived at the estate where his father worked had died giving birth. He heard the men say that the little colt would not live without mother’s milk. When he saw the colt, John knew he had to help her. Cow milk was readily available, so John coaxed the colt to suck his fingers wet with milk. It was a slow process, but patience persevered. When the colt began to suck, John was ecstatic. When she was tired, he would ease her down on the hay; but he made sure that she was standing upright when he gave her milk. When the foreman came to check on the colt, John said. See Mr. Charles, he cried; she takes the milk. We can feed her cow milk.

Excited about the turn of events, John added, I can stay here with the babe until she is old enough to drink from a pail. At that, the foreman sent someone to fetch John’s father. In the meanwhile, the foreman rode off to neighboring estates to find a solution.

John’s father sighed when he saw his son petting the newborn colt and talking to her in soothing tones. Feeling that John was again trying to save a helpless animal and not ready to let go of his role, his father sat down beside him. I am proud of how you have helped the colt, John, he said. You probably saved her life by teaching her to suckle.

She listens to me, John said. I make sure she gets up when she suckles so her legs will get stronger. May I bed down here on the straw to take care of her for a while?

You have a good way with animals, John, and I admire your willingness to be her nurse, John’s father said. However, the colt belongs to the estate and the foreman has experience with these situations. Sometimes it takes more than kindness to keep a baby alive. Think how you would feel if she became too weak to live? No, it is up to the foreman to make this decision.

Later that day, Mr. Charles rode up and spoke to John’s father. The Waltons have a mare that just lost her babe. If the mare will let the colt suckle, she will have the milk she needs and a mother. It will be her best chance to live.

That is good news, John’s father agreed. Both he and the foreman looked over at John who was stroking the colt’s neck and telling her how beautiful she was. They shook their heads sadly.

I will tell him, John’s father said.

John took a break at the request of his father and they sat beneath an old oak beside the barn. John seemed to be taking the news well; at least he was listening to his father tell about the neighbor with many horses and a big pasture for them. John was looking up at his father, waiting for the bottom line to the story. Then, suddenly, the colt whinnied. John glanced toward the stable door and saw the colt being carried into a waiting wagon.

No, No! John cried, running as fast as he could toward the wagon. Too late! The wagon lurched forward as the horse started to pull it, and the colt fell forward on the rushes that had been spread on the floor of the wagon.

She fell! John cried; She might be hurt! John ran after the wagon, crying Wait! Wait! His father caught up to him and grabbed him in a bear hug.

It is all right, John; I would not let it happen if there were a better way for the colt. John calmed down a bit when his father said, I promise you that we will go see the colt when I have time. And several long agonizing months later, after occasional reminders from John, his father took him to the pasture of the neighboring manor. The colt that he had nurtured so lovingly was following his adopted mother around the pasture. She was beautiful, her body filled out and her legs strong.

John called to her and she looked over at him but did not cross over to the fence. It hurt to know that he had been forgotten, but John could see that his colt was happy with his adopted mother and the other horses in this bright green pasture.

The next spring, his father said he would take John to the field to help during the lambing season. Now are we going to have lambs in the house? John’s mother asked. And are you sure John will understand the birthing?

John’s father said, Our son already knows about birthing. He needs to understand how we earn money for things we need; how we raise food for the table. His father continued, Raising sheep is very important to our economy. It is more than just a daily job for us. I want John to know that animals are not pets; they enable us to live here. Sheep provide wool that is spun into yarn at the mill, and that gives us jobs. If he can grasp that concept, then he will be able to make sound decisions as an adult.

So John worked alongside his father to care for the ewes and their lambs. He helped make warm havens out of hay for the ewes and their young because the night temperatures dropped to near freezing. When his mother asked if he loved the lambs as much as he had loved the pet rabbit and the colt, John replied, If a lamb lost its mother, I would want to protect it; but there are many lambs and plenty of ewes to take over. His mother smiled, glad that John was seeing the sheep collectively, not individually.

John sighed and returned to the present. He began pacing the ante-room. How he missed his father even at his age of 23. His father had died while serving in King James Navy when John was 14. His father was a skilled archer and had been called to serve the monarch several times that John could recall. When he returned home, he would be exhausted and hungry. Sometimes it would take weeks before he could be coaxed to tell stories about his assignment.

The seas never change much and neither does my job on ship, he would say to discourage the boys when they asked questions.

John was the most curious of the boys about ships and the seas. He wanted to know more details. What makes the ship move? he asked one time.

The sun shows the way; the current moves the sea; and the wind provides power, his father might quip.

So, the more wind, the better for the ship? John asked.

Every ship has its limits, and strong winds in a storm can cause a ship to sink, his father said.

Ever watchful, his mother would tell the boys to leave their father alone. He is too tired to talk about it now. The children knew that was all they would get from him that day.

John lived for stories about the seas and ships. He would grow impatient waiting, not understanding the wear and tear that each voyage had on his father’s body. Eventually, John’s father would begin to open up about events that happened while he was at sea.

We saw a whale rear out of the sea. It’s head and body was as big as most ships, he said. And then right between it and our ship, a young one popped up. We were all clapping and shouting at once, John’s father continued. Then mother whale and her young pup dove down and disappeared under the water.

Are the whales dangerous, John asked. Could they wreck the ship?

The whales could upset a ship if they had a mind to his father replied, but the mum whale we saw was teaching the young pup about ships and other sea life in their home waters.

They are intelligent and they do not fear the ships. John’s father continued. If they wanted to wreck the ship, they would come up underneath and break it in two. The crew would be doomed if that happened because whales weigh more than the ships and are powerful swimmers.

The boys were all eyes and ears. They had no end of questions after that story.

Do not make your service seem so glamorous, John’s mother admonished. The children are listening to every word. Compared to their life here, it sounds like a great adventure.

John’s father took pause. Yes, I am glossing over the horrors of battle and the boredom of living on a ship, he admitted. Many days we do not have enough to eat, and often our food is moldy or wormy.

The children were shocked. Did you eat worms, Father? Thomas asked.

Probably would not notice if it was cooked, his father said and then laughed lightly as the kids made faces at the thought. The point is, when we sail, we have to leave behind the joys of having a bed, a family, good food, and shelter from the cold. It is a lonely life to be among men who are also hungry, cold, tired, and unwashed. I would rather sleep with the sheep than sleep with a crew that has been out to sea for a week and more.

That statement prompted further explanation, for the children had never considered that everyday odors could multiply tenfold in a confined area that had no routine for bathing. Still, John was not discouraged by his father’s description of living on a ship. He wanted to experience life on a ship for himself. He vowed that someday he would travel to distant places, maybe islands with warm breezes and no fog or cold.

Did you see any pirates? John wanted to know.

We might have, but none made themselves known to us, John’s father said. If a ship does not fly the colors of England, we fire warning shots to send them away. Our job was to protect England’s shores from an invasion by enemy ships, so we did not try to start a battle.

The greatest shock of John’s life had been the death of his father at the age of 40. From habit, John continued to watch for the sight of his father returning home, finding it impossible to accept his father’s death. Someone could have made a mistake, he reasoned. After that sudden event, the joys of everyday life were diminished. It was as if a film covered the sun and night sky, because days and nights were dim. Finally, he knew it was not a mistake; his father was gone forever.

In the 17th century, few people died due to old age. Most succumbed to disease (plague, infection), malnutrition, accidents, beatings, and injury in battle. The worst causes of death were hangings and burnings, the penalties for breaking a law. When a citizen displeased the monarch, he would be hung as a warning to other citizens.

John knew he would rather face the dangers on the high seas than those on land, especially since the family lived so close to London and its main roadways. His Uncle Ed, who promised to see the boys to manhood, hoped to keep John safe and employed locally. Fatherless children were fair game for men who kidnapped them and sold them into servitude, either in England or its territories. So his uncle impressed upon John that freedom, even as a laborer, was a better lot in life than servitude as a slave. He told John not to walk alone, especially at night, and to be very observant of his surroundings.

John was given work in the fields of the estate at a reduced wage because of his age, so life went on, one exhausting day after another. His uncle had grown up with the foreman so had his assurance that John would be treated fairly. Soon the foreman had to admit that John was proving to be as productive as an adult except in the matter of strength, but that would come with maturity.

For now, he had to help provide for his mother and siblings. As the oldest in the family, he had to do the work of a man in the fields and tend the sheep on the local estate. The work was not mentally challenging, but he was kept so busy that he had little time to think about playing with children his age. His mother continued working in the kitchen of the estate, and his brothers were given many simple tasks at the estate: running errands, gathering firewood, and watching over the sheep. When they got older, there would be labor jobs for them.

Living so close to London and an estate of the monarch’s meant that they were often the first to suffer at the whims of the king or queen. Increasing the national treasury was accomplished through taxation. If the king wanted a strong navy defended by archers, no thought was ever given to whether the citizens could afford another tax. When the monarch determined the country needed a fighting army to conquer neighboring countries, the poorest class shook with fear and prayed that their lives would somehow make it through another period of heavy unrealistic demands for their earnings. For the penalty for not paying taxes was death!

John sat down on the bench under the window in the anteroom. He had no social life as a lad, so he was unprepared for an encounter with girls about his age who arrived at the estate for the weekend. Guests from the city came to the manor to participate in racing, gambling, and entertainment. Of course, it also meant longer hours to prepare for their comforts, because attention to all their whims was expected. The staff at the manor was curious for a glimpse of people who enjoyed a better life: carriages pulled by teams of thoroughbred horses, colorful clothes made with expensive silks, an abundance of food with much of it wasted, and special musicians and entertainers. John was astonished at the difference between the life of the nobility and the lives of laborers.

He was carrying the luggage to the rooms of a visiting family when a young girl asked him his name. I am John Cornwall, he said.

Looking at him curiously, the young girl asked, Why do you dress so funny?

The question surprised John. He did not know how to answer it because he did not know what was funny about his clothing. Instead he asked, Will there be anything else I can get you before I return to my job?

What is your job? the inquisitive girl asked.

I work in the garden and tend the lambs, John replied. It is wise to wear old clothes for my job, John added by way of explanation.

I would like to see the lambs, the girl said. Could you take me to see them some time? John looked to an older girl for a response. He feared he would not respond properly to the question.

We are only here for two days, replied the older girl, and we must get ready for the dinner and ball tonight. There will be clowns and dancing.

She was interrupted by the young girl who asked John, Do you dance? My sisters say there are not enough young men for the dance, she explained.

Seeing the surprised look on the faces of the older girls, John quickly said, Thank you, but I must tend the sheep all night during the lambing season.

As he was leaving, he heard someone say, I bet his wardrobe does not include clothing that is suitable for our ball.

The younger girl brought up a solution; He could borrow clothes from our brother. Now the older girls broke out laughing. Hush, little one; you will get us all in trouble with father.

John could not tell if they were being rude or not. It does not matter, John reminded himself. My future is on the seas.

John had confided to his uncle that he would like to sign on as a crewman on a ship. Merchant ships employed a lad or boye to run errands and climb the ropes to serve as lookout from the eagles nest, a high point of the ship. His uncle, though, hoped John would sign on as an apprentice in the trades. There would always be a demand for skilled blacksmiths in England to make armour, weaponry, metal pieces for clothing, eating utensils, and tools. An apprenticeship with a blacksmith was a contract for seven years at no pay, after which he would be licensed as an expert at creating objects from metal. England’s territories, located all around the world, were demanding blacksmiths to make everything from buttons on clothing to bullets for guns. When mentioning an apprenticeship to John, however, his nephew was horrified at the thought of seven years working at no pay. That is not the life for me, he told his uncle.

One day when John was working in the fields, he heard a voice directed at him. Could you please retrieve my scarf for me? The wind took it for a ride.

John had been bent over, concentrating on the task at hand and had not noticed the red and gold scarf sailing past him. Without saying a word, John retrieved the wayward item and handed it to a young girl astride her horse and smiling at him. He also noted an attendant nearby. He was surprised that this pretty girl was so openly friendly with him, a stranger.

Thank you, she said. I am Mary Straighthorn, she smiled again.

"I am John