But the merriest agent of all, was _Shelvocke_ himself, who calling the next day to Mr. _Hendrie_, the Gentlemen’s agent, told him that he himself would now be agent for the owners, and _Hendrie_ might be purser of the ship, if he pleased: at which arbitrary usurpation, Mr. _Hendrie_ was very much shockt; well knowing that as agent he had a right to twenty shares; but as purser, only what _Shelvocke_ was pleased to allow; for as yet we had no such officer mentiond aboard the ship: wherefore seeing the difficulties we lay under, he believed it was in vain to struggle, and only made this gentle return.----Sir, I hope I have done nothing unbecoming my duty, either in my office, or personally to you; and therefore beg leave to remind you, that those gentlemen who gave you your commission in this ship, made me also their agent for all such captures as she should make: for which _Hendrie_ got no satisfaction, but _Shelvocke_’s adding with an oath that if he did not accept a purser, he should neither be one nor the other. Whereupon Mr. _Hendrie_ demanded, in his own right, to have a council of the officers calld who should hear and determine the case; which being absolutely refused, _Hendrie_ drew up a protest against the captain’s arbitrary procedings, a copy of which he gave into his own hand, and deliverd one to each officer of his mess: which is a proof of _Hendrie_’s honest spirit, and that he was worthy of the post the gentlemen gave him. My reader may possibly question how so much craft, so much treachery, such an abuse of power, could meet together in the person of one man: but I here solemnly aver every circumstance of this affair to be true; and appeal to all persons concernd therein, besides the depositions aforesaid. Nor is it so much to be wonder’d at, if we consider a commander of a ship in a far distant latitude, with unlimited power, bad views, ill nature and ill principles all concurring.----I say, it’s not to be wondered at whatever such a Man does, for he is past all restraint. A late instance of this kind is captain _Jayne_, of _Bristol_ who, in a most extraordinary lingering manner, cruelly starved and tortured his cabin boy to death; nor could his whole ship’s company hinder it, tho’ it was long a doing: however, when ashore, the men were freed from that tyrannical power, and were bold enough to speak the truth, which hanged him. But to return. Thus was _Shelvocke_’s great estate to be got suddenly, without any one in the ship to be a check upon him, or even a witness of the _quantum_ or _quomodo_, _how_ or _how much_; for now ’tis evident all must pass through his own and his two creatures hands; _Shelvocke_ being agent for the owners, his kinsman for us of the cabin, and _Stewart_ agent for the petty officers and men.