At this time, the Raging of the Sea was so violent, and the Tempest doubled its Fury in such a Manner, that my Mate told me, we had better go away to Sea, for 'twould be impossible to ride it out; I was not of his Opinion, but was for cutting my Masts by the Board, which at last we did, and parted with them with as little Damage as could be expected, and we thought she rid easier for it by a great deal; and I believe, had it blown two Hours longer, we should have rid it out, having two new Cables out, and our best Bower and Sheet Anchor down: But about Half an Hour after Five to Six, it blew, if it be possible to conceive it so, as hard again as it had done before, and first our best Bower Anchor came Home, the Mate, who felt it give way, cried out, we are all undone, for the Ship drove; I found it too true, and, upon as short a Consultation as the Time would admit, we concluded to put out to Sea before we were driven too far to Leeward, when it would be impossible to avoid the _Goodwin_. So we slipt our Sheet Cable, and sheering the Ship towards the Shore, got her Head about, and stood away afore it; Sail we had none, nor Mast standing: Our Mate had set up a Jury Missen but no Canvass could bear the Fury of the Wind, yet he fasten'd an old Tarpaulin so as that it did the Office of a Missen and kept us from driving too fast to Leeward. In this Condition we drove out of the _Downs_, and past so near the _Goodwin_, that we could see several great Ships fast a ground, and beating to Pieces. We drove in this desperate Condition till Day-break, without any Abatement of the Storm, and our Men heartless and dispirited, tir'd with the Service of the Night, and every Minute expecting Death. About 8 a Clock, my Mate told me, he perceiv'd the Wind to abate; but it blew still such a Storm, that if we had not had a very tite Ship, she must have founder'd, as we were now farther off at Sea, and by my Guess might be in the mid Way between _Harwich_ and the _Brill_, the Sea we found run longer, and did not break so quick upon us as before, but it ran exceeding high, and we having no Sail to keep us to rights, we lay wallowing in the Trough of the Sea in a miserable Condition: We saw several Ships in the same Condition with our selves, but could neither help them, nor they us; and one we saw founder before our Eyes, and all the People perish'd. Another dismal Object we met with, which was an open Boat full of Men, who, as we may suppose, had lost their Ship; any Man may suppose, what Condition a Boat must be in, if we were in so bad a Case in a good Ship: we were soon tost out of their Sight, and what became of them any one may guess; if they had been within Cables Length of us we could not have help'd them.