USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Bradford's history "of Plimoth plantation" from the original manuscript > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
* Sr Robert Nanton.
39
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1617.]
But this made a dampe in ye busines, and caused some distraction, for many were afraid that if they should unsetle them selves, & put of their estates, and goe upon these hopes, it might prove dangerous, and but a sandie foundation. Yea, it was thought they might better have presumed hear upon without makeing any suite at all, then, haveing made it, to be thus rejected. But some of ye cheefest thought other wise, and yt they might well proceede hereupon, & that ye kings majestie was willing enough to suffer them without molestation, though for other reasons he would not confirme it by any publick acte. And fur- dermore, if ther was no securitie in this promise inti- mated, ther would be no great certainty in a furder confirmation of ye same ; for if after wards ther should be a purpose or desire to wrong them, though they had a seale as broad as ye house flore, it would not serve ye turne ; for ther would be means enew found to recall or reverse it. Seeing therfore the course was probable, they must rest herein on Gods provi- dence, as they had done in other things.
Upon this resolution, other messengers were dis- patched, to end with ye Virginia Company as well as they could. And to procure [20] a patent with as good and ample conditions as they might by any good means obtaine. As also to treate and conclude with such merchants and other freinds as had manifested their forwardnes to provoke too and adventure in this
40
HISTORY OF
CHAP. V.
vioage. For which end they had instructions given them upon what conditions they should proceed with them, or els to conclude nothing without further ad- vice. And here it will be requisite to inserte a letter or too that may give light to these proceedings.
A coppie of leter from S": Edwin Sands, directed to Mr. John Robinson & Mr. William Brewster.
After my hartie salutations. The agents of your congre- gation, Robert Cushman & John Carver, have been in comunication with diverse selecte gentlemen of his Majesties Counsell for Virginia ; and by ye writing of 7. Articles sub- scribed with your names, have given them yt good degree of satisfaction, which hath caried them on with a resolution to sett forward your desire in ye best sorte yt may be, for your owne & the publick good. Divers perticulers wherof we leave to their faithfull reporte ; having carried them selves heere with that good discretion, as is both to their owne and their credite from whence they came. And wheras being to treate for a multitude of people, they have requested further time to con- ferr with them that are to be interessed in this action, aboute ye severall particularities which in ye prosecution therof will fall out considerable, it hath been very willingly assented too. And so they doe now returne unto you. If therfore it may please God so to directe your desires as that on your parts ther fall out no just impediments, I trust by ye same direction it shall likewise appear, that on our parte, all forwardnes to set you forward shall be found in ye best sorte which with reason may be expected. And so I betake you with this designe (wch I hope verily is ye worke of God), to the gracious protection and blessing of ye Highest.
London, Novbr: 12. Your very loving freind
Anº: 1617. EDWIN SANDYS.
41
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1617.]
Their answer was as foloweth.
Righte Worp! :
Our humble duties remembred, in our owne, our messengers, and our churches name, with all thankfull acknowledgmente of your singuler love, expressing [21] itselfe, as otherwise, so more spetially in your great care and earnest endeavor of our good in this weightie bussines aboute Virginia, which ye less able we are to requite, we shall thinke our selves the more bound to comend in our prayers unto God for recompence ; whom, as for ye presente you rightly behould in our indeavors, so shall we not be wanting on our parts (the same God assist- ing us) to returne all answerable fruite, and respecte unto ye labour of your love bestowed upon us. We have with ye best speed and consideration withall that we could, sett downe our requests in writing, subscribed, as you willed, wth the hands of ye greatest parte of our congregation, and have sente ye same unto ye Counsell by our agente, & a deacon of our church, John Carver, unto whom we have also requested a gentleman of our company to adyone him selfe ; to the care & discretion of which two, we doe referr ye prosecuting of ye bussines. Now we perswade our selves Right WorPP: that we need not provoke your godly & loving minde to any further or more tender care of us, since you have pleased so farr to interest us in your selfe, that, under God, above all persons and things in the world, we relye upon you, expecting the care of your love, counsell of your wisdome, & the help & countenance of your authority. Notwithstanding, for your encouragmente in ye worke, so farr as probabilities may leade, we will not for- beare to mention these instances of indusmente.
1. We veryly beleeve & trust ye Lord is with us, unto whom & whose service we have given our selves in many trialls; and that he will graciously prosper our indeavours according to ye simplicitie of our harts therin.
42
HISTORY OF
[CHAP. V.
2ly. We are well weaned from ye delicate milke of our mother countrie, and enured to ye difficulties of a strange and hard land, which yet in a great parte we have by patience overcome.
3ly. The people are for the body of them, industrious, & frugall, we thinke we may safly say, as any company of people in the world.
4ly. We are knite togeather as a body in a most stricte & sacred bond and covenante of the Lord, of the violation * wherof we make great conscience, and by vertue wherof we doe hould our selves straitly tied to all care of each others good, and of ye whole by every one and so mutually.
5. Lastly, it is not with us as with other men, whom small things can discourage, or small discontentments cause to wish them selves at home againe. We knowe our entertainmente in England, and in Holand; we shall much prejudice both our arts & means by removall; who, if we should be driven to returne, we should not hope to recover our present helps and comforts, neither indeed looke ever, for our selves, to attaine unto ye like in any other place during our lives, wch are now drawing towards their periods.
[22] These motives we have been bould to tender unto you,
* NOTE. - O sacred bond, whilst inviollably preserved ! how sweete and precious were the fruits that flowed from ye same, but when this fidelity de- cayed, then their ruine approached. O that these anciente members had not dyed, or been dissipated, (if it had been the will of God) or els that this holy care and constante faithfullnes had still lived, and remained with those that survived, and were in times afterwards added unto them. But (alass) that sub- till serpente hath slylie wound in himselfe under faire pretences of necessitie and ye like, to untwiste these sacred bonds and tyes, and as it were insensibly by degrees to dissolve, or in a great measure to weaken, ye same. I have been happy, in my first times, to see, and with much comforte to injoye, the blessed fruits of this sweete communion, but it is now a parte of my miserie in old age, to find and feele ye decay and wante therof (in a great measure), and with greefe and sorrow of hart to lamente & bewaile ye same. And for others warn- ing and admonnition, and my owne humiliation, doe I hear note ye same.
[The above reflections of the author were penned at a later period, on the reverse pages of his History, at this place.]
43
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1617.]
which you in your wisdome may also imparte to any other our worPP: freinds of ye Counsell with you ; of all whose godly dis- possition and loving towards our despised persons, we are most glad, & shall not faile by all good means to continue & in- crease ye same. We will not be further troublesome, but doe, with ye renewed remembrance of our humble duties to your WorPP: and (so farr as in modestie we may be bould) to any other of our wellwillers of the Counsell with you, we take our leaves, comiting your persons and counsels to ye guidance and direction of the Almighty.
Yours much bounden in all duty,
Leyden, Desem : 15. Anº: 1617.
JOHN ROBINSON, WILLIAM BREWSTER.
For further light in these proceedings see some other letters & notes as followeth.
The coppy of a letter sent to ST. John Worssenham.
Right Worp": with due acknowledgmente of our thankfullnse for your singular care & pains in the bussines of Virginia, for our, &, we hope, the comone good, we doe remember our humble dutys unto you, and have sent inclosed, as is required, a further explanation of our judgments in the 3. points specified by some of his majesties Honbl Privie Counsell ; and though it be greevious unto us that such unjust insinuations are made against us, yet we are most glad of ye occasion of making our just purgation unto so honourable personages. The declara- tions we have sent inclosed, the one more breefe & generall, which we thinke ye fitter to be presented ; the other something more large, and in which we express some smale accidentall differances, which if it seeme good unto you and other of our worp freinds, you may send in stead of ye former. Our prayers unto God is, yt your WorPP may see the frute of your worthy
44
HISTORY OF
[CHAP. V.
endeaours, which on our parts we shall not faile to furder by all good means in us. And so praing yt you would please with ye convenientest speed yt may be, to give us knowledge of ye success of ye bussines with his majesties Privie Counsell, and accordingly what your further pleasure is, either for our direc- tion or furtherance in ye same, so we rest
Leyden, Jan : 27.
Anº: 1617. old stile.
Your WorPP in all duty, JOHN ROBINSON, WILLIAM BREWSTER.
The first breefe note was this.
Touching ye Ecclesiasticall ministrie, namly of pastores for teaching, elders for ruling, & deacons for distributing ye churches contribution, as allso for ye too Sacrements, bap- tisme, and ye Lords supper, we doe wholy and in all points agree [23] with ye French reformed churches, according to their publick confession of faith.
The oath of Supremacie we shall willingly take if it be required of us, and that conveniente satisfaction be not given by our taking ye oath of Alleagence.
JOHN ROB : WILLIAM BREWSTER.
Ye 2. was this.
Touching ye Ecclesiasticall ministrie, &c. as in ye former, we agree in all things with the French reformed churches, according to their publick confession of faith; though some small differences be to be found in our practises, not at all in ye substance of the things, but only in some accidentall circumstances.
1. As first, their ministers doe pray with their heads cov- ered ; ours uncovered.
2. We chose none for Governing Elders but such as are able to teach ; which abilitie they doe not require.
45
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1617.]
3. Their elders & deacons are anuall, or at most for 2. or 3. years ; ours perpetuall.
4. Our elders doe administer their office in admonitions & excommunications for publick scandals, publickly & before ye congregation ; theirs more privately, & in their consistories.
5. We doe administer baptisme only to such infants as wherof ye one parente, at ye least, is of some church, which some of ther churches doe not observe ; though in it our prac- tice accords with their publick confession and ye judgmente of ye most larned amongst them.
Other differences, worthy mentioning, we know none in these points. Then aboute ye oath, as in ye former.
Subscribed, JOHN R. W. B.
Part of another letter from him that delivered these. London. Feb : 14.
1617.
Your letter to ST. John Worstenholme I delivered allmost as soone as I had it, to his owne hands, and staid with him ye opening & reading. Ther were 2. papers inclosed, he read them to him selfe, as also ye letter, and in ye reading he spake to me & said, Who shall make them? viz. ye ministers; I answered his WorPP that ye power of making was in ye church, to be ordained by ye imposition of hands, by ye fittest instru- ments they had. It must either be in ye church or from ye pope, & ye pope is Antichrist. Ho! said ST. John, what ye pope houlds good, (as in ye Trinitie,) that we doe well to assente too ; but, said he, we will not enter into dispute now. And as for your letters he would not show them at any hand, least he should spoyle all. He expected you should have been of ye archbp minde for ye calling of ministers, but it seems you differed. I could have wished to have known ye contents of your tow inclosed, at wch he stuck so inuch, espetially ye larger.
46
HISTORY OF
[CHAP. V.
I asked his Worp what good news he had for me to write to morrow. He tould me very good news, for both the kings majestie and ye bishops have consented. He said he would goe to M'. Chancelor, S'. Fulk Grivell, as this day, & nexte weeke I should know more. I mett Sr. Edw : Sands on Wedens- day night ; he wished me to be at the Virginia Courte ye nexte Wedensday, wher I purpose to be. Thus loath to be troubl- some at present, I hope to have somewhate nexte week of certentie concerning you. I comitte you to ye Lord. Yours, S. B.
[24] These things being long in agitation, & mes- sengers passing too and againe aboute them, after all their hopes they were long delayed by many rubs that fell in ye way; for at ye returne of these messengers into England they found things farr otherwise then they expected. For ye Virginia Counsell was now so disturbed with factions and quarrels amongst them selves, as no bussines could well goe forward. The which may the better appear in one of ye messengers letters as followeth.
To his loving freinds, &c.
I had thought long since to have write unto you, but could not effecte yt which I aimed at, neither can yet sett things as I wished ; yet, notwithstanding, I doubt not but Mr. B. hath writen to Mr. Robinson. But I thinke my selfe bound also to doe something, least I be thought to neglecte you. The maine hinderance of our proseedings in ye Virginia bussines, is ye dissentions and factions, as they terme it, amongs ye Counsell & Company of Virginia; which are such, as that
47
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1619.]
ever since we came up no busines could by them be dis- patched. The occasion of this trouble amongst them is, for that a while since ST. Thomas Smith, repining at his many offices & troubls, wished ye Company of Virginia to ease him of his office in being Treasurer & Gover". of ye Virginia Com- pany. Wereupon ye Company tooke occasion to dismisse him, and chose ST. Edwin Sands Treasure" & Gover" of ye Company. He having 60. voyces, St. John Worstenholme 16. voices, and Alderman Johnsone 24. But ST. Thomas Smith, when he saw some parte of his honour lost, was very angrie, & raised a faction to cavill & contend aboute ye election, and sought to taxe Sr. Edwin with many things that might both disgrace him, and allso put him by his office of Governour. In which con- tentions they yet stick, and are not fit nor readie to intermedle in any bussines ; and what issue things will come to we are not yet certaine. It is most like Sr. Edwin will carrie it away, and if he doe, things will goe well in Virginia ; if otherwise, they will goe ill enough allways. We hope in some 2. or 3. Court days things will setle. Mean space I thinke to goe downe into Kente, & come up againe aboute 14. days, or 3. weeks hence; except either by these afforesaid contentions, or by ye ille tidings from Virginia, we be wholy discouraged, of which tidings I am now to speake.
Captaine A'rgoll is come home this weeke (he upon notice of ye intente of ye Counsell, came away before St. Georg Yeardley came ther, and so ther is no small dissention). But his tidings are ill, though his person be wellcome. He saith Mr. Blackwells shipe came not ther till March, but going towards winter, they had still norwest winds, which carried them to the southward beyond their course. And ye m' of ye ship & some 6. of ye mariners dieing, it seemed they could not find ye bay, till after long seeking & beating aboute. M. Blackwell is dead, & Mr. Maggner, ye Captain; yea, ther are dead, he saith, 130. persons, one & other in yt ship; it is said
48
HISTORY OF
[CHAP. V.
ther was in all an 180. persons in ye ship, so as they were packed togeather like herings. They had amongst them ye fluxe, and allso wante of fresh water; so as it is hear rather wondred at yt so many are alive, then that so many are dead. The marchants hear say it was Mr. Blackwells faulte to pack so many in ye ship; yea, & ther were great mutterings & repin- ings amongst them, and upbraiding of Mr. Blackwell, for his dealing and dispossing of them, when they saw how he had dispossed of them, & how he insulted over them. Yea, ye streets at Gravsend runge of their extreame quarrelings, cry- ing out one of another, Thou hast brought me to this, and, I may thanke the for this. Heavie newes it is, and I would be glad to heare how farr it will discourage. I see none hear dis- couraged much, [25] but rather desire to larne to beware by other mens harmes, and to amend that wherin they have failed. As we desire to serve one another in love, so take heed of being inthraled by any imperious persone, espetially if they be discerned to have an eye to them selves. It doth often trouble me to thinke that in this bussines we are all to learne and none to teach ; but better so, then to depend upon such teachers as Mr. Blackwell was. Such a strategeme he once made for M'. Johnson & his people at Emden, wch was their subversion. But though he ther clenlily (yet unhonstly) plucked his neck out of ye collar, yet at last his foote is caught. Hear are no letters come, ye ship captain Argole came in is yet in ye west parts ; all yt we hear is but his report; it seemeth he came away secretly. The ship yt Mr. Blackwell went in will be hear shortly. It is as Mr. Robinson once said ; he thought we should hear no good of them.
Mr. B. is not well at this time; whether he will come back to you or goe into ye north, I yet know not. For my selfe, I hope to see an end of this bussines ere I come, though I am sorie to be thus from you ; if things had gone roundly forward, I should have been with you within these 14. days. I pray
49
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1619.]
God directe us, and give us that spirite which is fitting for such a bussines. Thus having sumarily pointed at things weh Mr. Brewster (I thinke) hath more largly write of to Mr. Robin- son, I leave you to the Lords protection.
Yours in all readines, &c. London, May 8. Anº: 1619.
ROBART CUSHMAN.
A word or tow by way of digression touching this Mr. Blackwell; he was an elder of ye church at Am- sterdam, a man well known of most of them. He declined from ye trueth wth Mr. Johnson & ye rest, and went with him when yey parted assunder in yt wofull maner, wch brought so great dishonour to God, scandall to ye trueth, & outward ruine to them selves in this world. But I hope, notwithstanding, through ye mercies of ye Lord, their souls are now at rest with him in ye heavens, and yt they are arrived in ye Haven of hapines ; though some of their bodies were thus buried in ye terrable seas, and others sunke under ye burthen of bitter afflictions. He with some others had prepared for to goe to Virginia. And he, with sundrie godly citizens, being at a private meēing (I take it a fast) in London, being discovered, many of them were apprehended, wherof Mr. Blackwell was one; but he so glosed wth ye bps,* and either dissembled or flatly denyed ye trueth which formerly he had maintained ; and not only so, but very unworthily betrayed and accused another godly man who had escaped, that so
* Bishops.
50
HISTORY OF
CHAP. V.
he might slip his own neck out of ye collar, & to obtaine his owne freedome brought others into bonds. Wherupon he so wone ye bps favour (but lost ye Lord's) as he was not only dismiste, but in open courte ye arch- bishop gave him great applause and his sollemne bless- ing to proseed in his vioage. But if such events follow ye bps blessing, happie are they yt misse ye same; it is much better to keepe a good conscience and have ye Lords blessing, whether in life or death.
But see how ye man thus apprehended by Mr. Black- wells means, writs to a freind of his.
Right dear freind & christian brother, Mr. Carver, I salute you & yours in ye Lord, &c. As for my owne presente con- dition, I doubt not but you well understand it ere this by our brother Maistersone, who should have tasted of ye same cupp, had his place of residence & his person been as well knowne as my selfe. Some what I have written to Mr. Cushman how ye matter still continues. I have petitioned twise to Mr. Sherives, and once to my Lord Cooke, and have used such reasons to move them to pittie, that if they were not overruled by some others, I suppose I should soone gaine my libertie ; as that I was a yonge man living by my [26] credite, indebted to diverse in our citie, living at more then ordinarie charges in a close & tedious prison ; besids great rents abroad, all my bussines lying still, my only servante lying lame in ye countrie, my wife being also great with child. And yet no answer till ye lords of his majesties Counsell gave consente. Howbeit, Mr. Blackwell, a man as deepe in this action as I, was delivered at a cheaper rate, with a great deale less adoe; yea, with an addition of ye Archp: blessing. I am sorie for Mr. Blackwels weaknes, I wish it may prove no worse. But yet he & some others of
51
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1618.]
them, before their going, were not sorie, but thought it was for ye best that I was nominated, not because ye Lord sanctifies evill to good, but that ye action was good, yea for ye best. One reason I well remember he used was, because this trouble would encrease ye Virginia plantation, in that now people be- gane to be more generally inclined to goe; and if he had not nomminated some such as I, he had not bene free, being it was knowne that diverse citizens besids them selves were ther. I expecte an answer shortly what they intende conscerning me; I purpose to write to some others of you, by whom you shall know the certaintie. Thus not haveing further at present to acquaint you withall, comending myselfe to your prairs, I cease, & comitte you and us all to ye Lord.
From my chamber in Wodstreete Compter.
Your freind, & brother in bonds,
SABIN STARESMORE. Sept™: 4. Anº: 1618.
But thus much by ye way, which may be of instruc- tion & good use.
But at last, after all these things, and their long attendance, they had a patent granted them, and con- firmed under ye Companies seale ; but these devissions and distractions had shaken of many of ther pretended freinds, and disappointed them of much of their hoped for & proffered means. By the advise of some freinds this pattente was not taken in ye name of any of their owne, but in ye name of Mr. John Wincob (a religious gentleman then belonging to ye Countess of Lincoline), who intended to goe with them. But God so disposed as he never went, nor they ever made use of this patente,
52
HISTORY OF
[CHAP. VI.
which had cost them so much labour and charge, as by ye sequell will appeare. This patente being sente over for them to veiw & consider, as also the passages aboute ye propossitions between them & such marchants & freinds as should either goe or adventure with them, and espetially with those * on whom yey did cheefly de- pend for shipping and means, whose proffers had been large, they were requested to fitt and prepare them selves with all speed. A right emblime, it may be, of ye uncertine things of this world; yt when men have toyld them selves for them, they vanish into smoke.
The 6. Chap.
Conscerning ye agreements and artickles between them, and such marchants & others as adventured moneys; with other things falling out aboute making their provissions.
UPON ye receite of these things by one of their mes- sengers, they had a sollemne meeting and a day of humilliation to seeke ye Lord for his direction; and their pastor tooke this texte, 1 Sam. 23. 3, 4. And David's men said unto him, see, we be afraid hear in Judah, how much more if we come to Keilah against ye host of the Phillistines? Then David asked counsell of ye Lord againe, &c. From which texte he taught many things very aptly, and befitting ther present
* Mr. Tho : Weston, &c.
53
PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
1620.]
occasion and condition, strengthing them against their fears and perplexities, and incouraging them in their resolutions. [27] After which they concluded both what number and what persons should prepare them selves to goe with ye first; for all yt were willing to have gone could not gett ready for their other affairs in so shorte a time; neither if all could have been ready, had ther been means to have trasported them alltogeather. Those that staied being ye greater num- ber required ye pastor to stay with them; and indeede for other reasons he could not then well goe, and so it was ye more easilie yeelded unto. The other then desired ye elder, Mr. Brewster, to goe with them, which was also condescended unto. It was also agreed on by mutuall consente and covenante, that those that went should be an absolute church of them selves, as well as those yt staid; seing in such a dangrous vioage, and a removall to such a distance, it might come to pass they should (for ye body of them) never meete againe in this world; yet with this proviso, that as any of ye rest came over to them, or of ye other returned upon occasion, they should be reputed as mem- bers without any further dismission or testimoniall. It was allso promised to those yt wente first, by ye body of ye rest, that if ye Lord gave them life, & meās, & opportunitie, they would come to them as soone as they could.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.