11a / 12a

11a / 12a

Reverend Charles Buck, "The Works of the Rev. Charles Buck, Late Minister of the Gospel. Containing: Anecdotes, Religious, Moral, and Entertaining" (Philadelphia 1822).

The story that Sarah copies into her private commonplace book details an English ship which, having sprung a leak in its hull after a violent storm, must dock at a Spanish port. Expecting to be robbed of their goods (or possibly imprisoned), the English captain is shocked when the ship is instead given save haven in Havana, a "stranger's right to safety and protection." The story is preceded with its reason for being included:

“The following instance of Spanish honour may still dwell in the memory of many living, and deserves to be handed down to the last posterity.”

It is interesting that Sarah included this story about Spanish kindness and virtue -- it might possibly be related to the fact that she had recently moved to Lisbon with her husband.

In the year 1746, when we were in hot war with Spain, the Elizabeth of London, Captain William Edwards, coming through the gulf from Jamaica, richly laden, met with a most violent storm, in which the ship sprung a leak, that obliged them, for the saving of their lives, to run into the Havana, a Spanish port. the Captain went on shore, and directly waited on the governor, told the occasion of his putting in, and that he surrendered the ship as a prize, and him self and his men [as prisoners of war, only requesting good quarter.] "No, Sir", replied the Spanish governor "if we had taken you in fair war at sea, or approaching our coast with hostile intentions, your ship would then have been a prize, [and your people prisoners] but when distressed by a tempest, you come into our ports for the safety of your lives, we your [the] enemies, being men, are bound as such by the laws of humanity to afford relief to distressed men who ask it of us. we cannot even against our enemies [page break] take advantage of an act of God. you have leave therefore to unload your Ship, if that be necessary, to stop the leak; you may refit her here and traffic so for as shall be necessary to pay the charges; you may then depart, and I will give you a pass to be in force till you are beyond Bermuda: if after that you are taken, you will then be lawful prize: but now you are only a stranger, and have a strangers, right to safety and protection.” the ship accordingly departed, and arrived safe in London.

1822

Page 11 & Page 12