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Subject: [GenConnecticut-L] Cotton Mather's Magnalia report of the Phantom Ship of Capt Turner
Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2001 10:42:37 EDT

Found in roots archives for November 1997 is the actual report by Cotton
Mather,
on the Phantom Ship:

Cotton Mather's Magnalia, Book I,
Chapter VI, section 6:

"Being Londoners, or merchants and men of traffick and business, their
design was in a manner wholly to apply themselves unto trade; but the
design failing, they found their great estates sink so fast, that they
must quickly do something. Whereupon in the year 1646, gathering
together almost all the strength which was left them, they built one
ship more, which they fraighted for England with the best part of their
tradable estates; and sundry of their eminent persons embarked
themselves in her for the voyage. But, alas, the ship was never after
heard of! she foundered in the sea; and in her were lost, not only the
hopes of their future trade, but also the lives of several excellent
persons, as well as divers manuscripts of some great men in the country,
sent over for the service of the church, which were now buried in the
ocean. The fuller story of that grievous matter, let the reader with a
just astonishment accept from the pen of the reverend person, who is now
the pastor of New-Haven. I wrote unto him for it, and was thus
answered.

"'Reverend and Dear Sir,

"'In compliance with your desires, I now give you the relation of that
apparition of a ship in the air, which I have received from the most
credible, judicious and curious surviving observers of it.

"'In the year 1647, besides much other lading, a far more rich treasure
of passengers, (five or six of which were persons of chief note and
worth in New-Haven) put themselves on board a new ship, built at
Rhode-Island, of about 150 tuns; but so walty, that the master,
(Lamberton) often said she would prove their grave. In the month of
January, cutting their way through much ice, on which they were
accompanied with the Reverend Mr. Davenport, besides many other friends,
with many fears, as well as prayers and tears, they set sail. Mr.
Davenport in prayer with an observable emphasis used these words, Lord,
if it be thy pleasure to bury these our friends in the bottom of the
sea, they are thine; save them! The spring following, no tidings of
these friends arrived with the ships from England: New-Haven's heart
begain to fail her: this put the godly people on much prayer, both
publick and private, that the Lord would (if it was his pleasure) let
them hear what he had done with their dear friends, and prepare them
with a suitable submission to his Holy Will. In June next ensuing, a
great thunder-storm arose out of the north-west; after which (the
hemisphere being serene) about an hour before sun-set a SHIP of like
dimensions with the aforesaid, with her canvass and colours abroad
(though the wind northerly) appeared in the air coming up from our
harbour's mouth, which lyes southward from the town, seemingly with her
sails filled under a fresh gale, holding her course north, and
continuing under observation, sailing against the wind for the space of
half an hour.

"'Many were drawn to behold this great work of God; yea, the very
children cryed out, There's a brave ship! At length, crouding up as far
as there is usually water sufficient for such a vessel, and so near some
of the spectators, as that they imagined a man might hurl a stone on
board her, her main-top seemed to be blown off, but left hanging in the
shrouds; then her missen-top; then all her masting seemed blown away by
the board: quickly after the hulk brought unto a careen, she overset,
and so vanished into a smoaky cloud, which in some time dissipated,
leaving, as everywhere else, a clear air. The admiring spectators could
distinguish the several colours of each part, the principal rigging, and
such proportions, as caused not only the generality of persons to say,
This was the mould of their ship, and thus was her tragick end: but Mr.
Davenport also in publick declared to this effect, That God had
condescended, for the quieting of their afflicted spirits, this
extraordinary account of his sovereign disposal of those for whom so
many fervent prayers were made continually. Thus I am, Sir,
Your humble servant,
JAMES PIERPONT

"Reader, there being yet living so many credible gentlemen, that were
eye-witnesses of this wonderful thing, I venture to publish it for a
thing as undoubted, as 'tis wonderful."

I might add that no name for the ship was ever recorded, and no complete
passenger list has ever been made. My wife is a descendant of the
captain, Nathaniel Turner.

********************************************************************
Richard N. Platt, Jr.
132 Platt Lane
Milford, CT 06460-2054

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