d had been living on the
provisions that the two kind Friends, Thomasin Smales and Mary
Stringer, had sent him at Bridlington, having refused to eat the
king's food, as he could not do the king's work.

Thankful indeed he must have felt when this kind carpenter's mate came
and squeezed up against him among a crowd of sailors, and managed to
pass some meat and drink out of his own pocket and into Richard's. His
new friend did this so cleverly that nobody noticed. Pleased with his
success, he whispered to Richard, 'I'll bring you some more every day
while you need food. You needn't mind taking things from me, for they
are all bought out of my own money, not the king's.'

'What makes thee so good to me?' whispered back Richard. He was
weakened by fever and all unused to kindness on board the _Royal
Prince_. Very likely the tears came into his eyes and his voice
trembled as he spoke, though he had borne all his beatings unmoved.

The carpenter's mate told him in reply that before he came on board,
both his wife and his mother had made him promise that if any Quakers
should be on the ship he would be kind to them. Also, that quite
lately he had had a letter from them asking him 'to remember his
promise, and be kind to Quakers, if any were on board.' How much we
should like to know what put it into the two women's hearts to think
of such a thing! Were they Quakers themselves, or had they Quaker
friends? Once more there is no answer but: 'God will, and can, and
does protect His own.'

Unfortunately this kind man was sent away from the ship to do work
elsewhere, and for three days and nights Richard lay in his heavy
irons, with nothing either to eat or drink. Some sailors who had been
quarrelling in a drunken brawl on deck were thrown into prison and
chained up beside Richard. They were sorry for him and did their best
to help him. They even gave him something to drink when they were
alone, though for his sake they had to pretend that they were trying
to hurt and kill him when any of the officers were present. These
rough sailors pretended so well that one lieutenant, who had been
specially cruel to Richard before, now grew alarmed, and thought the
other prisoners really would kill the Quaker.

He went up to Sir Edward's cabin and knocked at the door. 'Who is
there?' asked the cabin-boy.

'I,' said the lieutenant, 'I want to speak to Sir Edward.' When he was
admitted he said, 'If it please your highness to remember that