He found himself mov'd with Compasion at the Distresses of the poor Creatures, whom he saw as aforesaid in that miserable Condition upon the Sands, and the first Thing he did, he made Application to the Custom-House Officers for the Assistance of their Boats and Men, to save the Lives of as many as they could come at, the Custom House Men rudely refus'd, either to send their Men, or to part with their Boats. Provoked with the unnatural Carriage of the Custom House Officers, he calls the People about him; and finding some of the Common People began to be more than ordinarily affected with the Distresses of their Countrymen, and as he thought a little enclin'd to venture; he made a general Offer to all that would venture out, that he would pay them out of his own Pocket _5s. per head_ for all the Men whose Lives they could save, upon this Proposal several offered themselves to go, if he would furnish 'em with Boats. Finding the main Point clear, and that he had brought the Men to be willing, he with their Assistance took away the Custom House Boats by Force; and tho' he knew he could not justify it, and might be brought into Trouble for it, and particularly if it were lost, might be oblig'd to pay for it, yet he resolv'd to venture that, rather than hazard the loss of his Design, for the saving so many poor Men's Lives, and having Mann'd their Boat with a Crew of stout honest Fellows, he with them took away several other Boats from other Persons, who made use of them only to Plunder and Rob, not regarding the Distresses of the poor Men. Being thus provided both with Men and Boats he sent them off, and by this means brought on Shore above 200 Men, whose Lives a few Minutes after, must infallibly ha' been lost. Nor was this the End of his Care, for when the Tide came in, and 'twas too late to go off again, for that all that were left were swallow'd up with the Raging of the Sea, his Care was then to relieve the poor Creatures, who he had sav'd, and who almost dead with Hunger and Cold, were naked and starving. And first he applied himself to the Queen's Agent _for Sick and Wounded Seamen_, but he would not relieve them with One Penny, whereupon, at his own Charge, he furnish'd them with Meat, Drink and Lodging. The next Day several of them died, the Extremities they had suffer'd, having too much Master'd their Spirits, these he was forc'd to bury also at his own Charge, the Agent still refusing to Disburse one Penny. After their Refreshment the poor Men assisted by the Mayor, made a fresh Application to the Agent for Conduct Money to help them up to _London_, but he answer'd he had no Order, and would Disburse nothing, whereupon the Mayor gave them all Money in their Pockets, and Passes to _Graves-End_.