USA > Massachusetts > Chronicles of the first planters of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, 1623-1636 > Part 33
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3 The original of this Letter is preserved among the Hutchinson manuscripts in the library of the Mass. Hist. Society.
RICHARD MATHER'S JOURNAL.
CHAPTER XXII.
RICHARD MATHER'S JOURNAL.
PRAISE the Lord, O my soul ; and all that is with- CHAP. in me, praise his holy name ! Praise the Lord, O XXII. my soul, and forget not all his benefits ! Yea, let all that is within me, and all that is without me, praise his holy name ! And let every thing that hath breath praise the name of the Lord for ever and ever ! Who gave unto us, his poor servants, such a safe and com- fortable voyage to New-England; the particular passages whereof were as followeth.
We came from Warrington1 on Thursday, April 16, and came to Bristol2 on the Thursday following, viz. April 23; and had a very healthful, safe, and prosperous journey all the way, (blessed be the name of our God for the same,) taking but easy journeys, because of the children and footmen, despatching
1635.
April 16. 23.
1 Warrington is a market town in Lancashire, on the river Mersey, 77 miles from Birmingham, and 20 miles equidistant from Manchester
and Liverpool by railway. Popula- tion in 1841, 21,901.
2 Bristol is 114 miles west from London, on the Avon, and in 1841 had a population of 140,158.
448
RICHARD MATHER AT BRISTOL.
CHAP. XXII. a hundred and nineteen or twenty miles in seven - days.1
1635.
May 23.
Coming to Bristol, we found divers of the compa- ny come before us ; but some came not till after us. Howbeit, the last was come by the first of May. Nevertheless, we went not aboard the ship until Saturday, the 23d of May ; so that the time of our staying in Bristol was a month and two days ; during all which time we found friendship and courtesy at the hands of divers godly Christians in Bristol. Yet our stay was grievous unto us, when we considered how most of this time the winds were steady, and served directly for us. But our ship was not ready ; so ill did our owners deal with us.
Going aboard the ship in King Road the 23d of May, we found things very unready, and all on heaps, many goods being not stowed, but lying on disordered heaps here and there in the ship. This day there came aboard the ship two of the searchers, and viewed a list of all our names, ministered the oath of Allegiance2 to all at full age, viewed our certificates from the ministers in the parishes from whence we came, approved well thereof, and gave us tickets, that is, licenses under their hands and
1 Cotton Mather says that his first had and obtained, and they to grandfather, on his journey "to Bristol, to take ship there, was forced to change his apparel, that he might escape the pursuivants, who were endeavouring to appre- hend him." See Mather's Magna- lia, i. 406.
2 Sir Ferdinando Gorges says, " In a short time, numbers of peo- ple of all sorts flocked thither (to New-England,) in heaps, that at last it was specially ordered by the King's command, that none should be suffered to go without license
take the oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance." Certificates were to be given by the ministers and jus- tices of the several parishes, that this regulation had been complied with. The principal object of it seems to have been to prevent the emigration of Puritan ministers to New-England. But the measure was wholly ineffectual. See note 5 on page 260; Chronicles of Ply- mouth, note 2 on page 64 ; Mass. Hist. Coll. xxvi. 80, xxviii. 252- 276.
449
THE JAMES AT ANCHOR IN KING ROAD.
seals to pass the seas, and cleared the ship, and so CHAP. departed. When we came to King Road, which is a
XXII. spacious harbour of five or six miles broad, and four 1635.
or five miles distant from Bristol,1 we found near our
May 23. ship another ship of Bristol, called the Diligence, bound for Newfoundland, riding at anchor.
The 24th, being the Lord's day, the wind was 24. strong in the morning, and the ship danced, and many of our women and some children were not well, but seasick, and mazy or light in their heads, and could scarce stand or go without falling, unless they took hold of something to uphold them. This day Mr. Maud 2 was exercised3 in the forenoon and I in the afternoon. The wind still easterly.
The 25th, we that were passengers would fain have had anchor weighed and sail set, that we might have been gone. But the mariners would insist that they could not stir till the goods were stowed, and the hatches or deck above cleared, &c. ; so we were forced to sit still, and fall in hand with the goods. Which stay was a greater grief unto us, because the Diligence, that lay within two or three stones' cast of us, did this morning go out in our sight.
The [26th,] Tuesday morning, the wind being
26.
1 Just below the junction of the Avon with the Severn.
2 Daniel Maude was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he took the degree of A. B. in 1606 and of A. M. in 1610. On the 12th of August, 1636, he was chosen "free-school master" of Boston. In 1642 he became minis- ter of the church at Dover, N. H., where he continued till his death in 1655. Edward Johnson speaks of him as "godly and diligent in the work," and Hubbard says that he
was " a good man, and of a serious spirit, and of a peaceable and quiet disposition." See Savage's Win- throp, ii. 215; Snow's History of Boston, p. 348 ; Mass. Hist. Coll. xvi. 364, xvii. 33, xxviii. 248; New Hamp. Hist. Coll. iv. 7, 11.
3 The same expression is used by Winthrop. "The Lord's day fol- lowing, Mr. Cotton exercised in the afternoon." "Mr. Phillips exercis- ed with us the whole day." See Winthrop's Hist. i. 110, 371.
29
25.
450
THE ANGEL GABRIEL ALSO IN KING ROAD.
CHAP. easterly, and the deck somewhat cleared, the mari- XXII. ners began to address themselves for going. But 1635. about nine of the clock, when they had taken up one May 26. of their anchors, and were in a manner ready to set forward, the wind turned directly against us, unto the west ; so that we were forced to cast anchor again, and sit still. This evening the Diligence, that went out the day before, came in again, and cast anchor about the place where she lay before, and found us riding at anchor where she left us. And another ship, also bound for New-England, came unto us ; which other ship was called the Angel Gabriel.
27. On Wednesday, the wind continuing still at the west, we having sent some of our men ashore to fetch more bread and victuals, and more water for the cattle, our master, Captain Taylor, went aboard the Angel Gabriel, Mr. Maud, Nathaniel Wales,1 Barnabas Fower,2 Thomas Armitage,3 and myself, accompanying him. When we came there, we found divers passengers, and among them some loving and godly Christians, that were glad to see us there. And soon after we were come aboard there, there came three or four boats, with more passengers, and
1 Nathaniel Wales was admitted a freeman Nov. 2, 1637, at the same time with John Harvard, the found- er of the College. He settled in Dorchester, but removed to Boston as early as 1654, where he died Dec. 4, 1661, at an advanced age. His wife's name was Susan. He had three sons, Nathaniel, jr., Tim- othy, and John. Nathaniel remov- ed to Boston with his father, and died there May 10, 1662. Timothy and John settled in Dorchester. Nathaniel, son of Nathaniel, jr.,
settled in Braintree, and had fifteen children.
2 Barnabas Fower settled at Dor- chester with his minister. He sub- sequently removed to Boston, and died there in 1654. His wife's name was Dinah, who died Dec. 27, 1642 ; after which he married a se- cond wife, whose name was Grace. By his first wife he had a son Elea- zar, born in 1636. See Blake's' Annals of Dorchester, p. 16.
3 Thomas Armitage, according to Lewis, was at Lynn in 1635, and in 1637 removed to Sandwich.
451
SIR FERDINANDO GORGES COMES ON BOARD.
one wherein came Sir Ferdinando Gorge,1 who came CHAP. to see the ship and the people. When he was come,
XXII. he inquired whether there were any people there 1635. that went to Massachusetts Bay. Whereupon Mr. May 27. Maud and Barnabas Fower were sent for to come before him.2 Who being come, he asked Mr. Maud of his country, occupation, or calling of life, &c., and professed his good will to the people there in the Bay, and promised that, if he ever came there, he would be a true friend unto them.
On Thursday, the wind being still at west, the master of the Angel Gabriel and some of their pas- sengers came aboard our ship, and desired to have our company, &c. This day their cattle came aboard, and our master and some of the sailors and passengers went ashore.
28.
Friday morning, the wind was south-east; but our master and some of the mariners being away, we could not set sail. So being constrained to ride at anchor still, and fearing a want if our journey should prove long, some of our company were sent by boat to Bristol to provide some more oats for the cattle, and bread and other provisions for ourselves, which they performed, and so came aboard again at evening.
Saturday, at morning, the wind waxed strong at north-west, and against our going out ; and, besides, our master and some of the sailors were gone ashore and not come aboard again ; so that this day also we were constrained to sit still. In the afternoon the wind waxed louder, and our ship danced with wind
29.
30.
1 For an excellent account of Gorges see Belknap's Am. Biog. i. 346-393.
2 Mather himself keeps in the background, probably from fear of being recognized and stopped. See note 1 on page 448.
452
THEY SET SAIL FROM KING ROAD ..
CHAP. and waves, and many passengers, especially women, XXII.
and some children, were seasick.
1635.
May
31.
The second Sabbath on shipboard. The wind easterly, and directly for us. But our master and many of the sailors being away, and it being also the Lord's day, there could be no going out that day. I was exercised in the forenoon, and Mr. Maud in the afternoon.
June 1.
Monday, the wind was westerly, and against us. This day we sent some of our company ashore to wash linens, and some to buy more hay and provi- sions. Towards night the wind grew stronger, and our ship danced, and many of the passengers were ill through casting and seasickness.
2.
Tuesday, the wind still westerly. This day we sent some of our people ashore to provide more water and hay for the cattle.
3.
Wednesday morning, the wind was easterly, and good for our purpose. But our master and many of the sailors were away ; and those that were aboard with us told us it was no going out till the wind was settled, lest we should be forced to come in again, upon change of wind, as the Diligence was. This evening there came to anchor in King Road another ship of Bristol, of 240 tons, called the Bess, or Eli- zabeth, bound for Newfoundland, as there had done another two or three days before, called the Mary, which was also bound for Newfoundland.
4.
Thursday morning, the wind serving for us, and our master and all the sailors being come aboard, we set sail, and began our sea voyage, with glad hearts that God had loosed us from our long stay wherein we had been holden, and with hope and trust that
453
FORCED TO ANCHOR IN THE CHANNEL.
he would graciously guide us to the end of our jour- CHAP. ney. We were, that set sail together this morning, XXII. ~ 1635. June 4. five ships, three bound for Newfoundland, viz. the Diligence, a ship of 150 tons, the Mary, a small ship of 80 tons, and the Besse ; and two bound for New- England, viz. the Angel Gabriel, of 240 tons, [and] the James, of 220 tons. And even at our setting out, we that were in the James had experience of God's gracious providence over us, in that the Angel Gabriel, hauling home one of her anchors, had like, being carried by the force of the tide, to have fallen foul upon the forepart of our ship ; which made all the mariners as well as passengers greatly afraid. Yet, by the guidance of God, and his care over us, she passed by without touching so much as a cable or cord ; and so we escaped that danger. This day we went about ten or twelve leagues afore twelve of the clock, and then the wind turned to the west, and the tide also was against us, so that we were forced to come to anchor again in the channel, between Wales and Winnyard,1 in Somersetshire, and there we abode till about six or seven of the clock at night ; and then the tide turning for us, we tacked about with the tide to and fro, as the wind would suffer, and gained little, yet continued all night till about two of the clock after midnight, and then (the tide turning,) we came to anchor again.
Friday morning, the wind still strong at west, we tacked about again with the tide to and fro, till about one of the clock after dinner ; about which time the tide and wind being both against us, we came to an-
5.
1 There is no such place as Winnyard in Somersetshire. It may possi- bly be an error for Minehead.
454
THEY ANCHOR OFF LUNDY.
CHAP. chor again within sight of Lundy, about two leagues XXII. short thereof; which Lundy is an island about twenty
1635. leagues short of the Land's End, and twenty-eight
June 5. leagues from King Road.1 This day many passen- gers were very seasick, and ill at ease through much vomiting.
6.
This day, at night, when the tide turned, we set sail again, and so came, on Saturday morning, to anchor again under Lundy, where abiding, because the wind was strong against us, some of us were desirous to go ashore into the island. And speaking thereof to our master, he was very willing to satisfy us therein, and went with us himself. Mr. Maude, Mathew Michell,2
1 This island lies off the entrance of the Bristol Channel. It is high, rising upwards of 450 feet above the level of the sea, the shores consist- ing of perpendicular granite cliffs. It is about two miles and three quarters in length, and half a mile in breadth. There is still but one farm-house on the island; and live stock, vegetables, and good water may be obtained from the shore. Lundy Road is on the east side of the island. See Norie's British Channel Pilot, p. 99.
2 The father of the Rev. Jona- than Mitchell, who at this time was only eleven years of age, and in 1650 succeeded Shepard as pastor of the church in Cambridge. Mat- thew Mitchell was from Halifax, in Yorkshire. "All his family," says Mather, " were visited with sick- ness the winter after their first arri- val at Charlestown, and the scarcity then afflicting the country added to the afflictions of their sickness. Re- moving to the town of Concord, his beginnings were there consumed by fire, and some other losses befell him in the latter end of that winter. The next summer he removed unto Saybrook, and the next spring unto Weathersfield, upon Connecticut
river, by which he lost yet more of his possessions, and plunged him- self into other troubles. Towards the close of that year he had a son- in-law slain by the Pequot Indians ; and many of his cattle were destroy- ed, and his estate, unto the value of some hundreds of pounds, was dam- nified. A shallop, which he sent unto the river's mouth, was taken and burned by the Pequots, and three men in the vessel slain, in all of whom he was nearly concerned ; so that indeed the Pequot scourge fell more on this family than on any other in the land. Afterwards there arose unhappy differences in the place where he lived, wherein he met with many injuries ; for which causes he transferred himself, with his interests, unto Stamford, in the Colony of New-Haven, where he died in 1645, about the 55th year of his age." Matthew Mitchell's name is recorded by Trumbull among the first settlers of Stam- ford ; and Lion Gardiner speaks of "old Mr. Mitchell " being with him at Saybrook in the fall of 1636, and says that the Indians "took the brother of Mr. Mitchell, who is the minister of Cambridge, and roasted him alive." See Mather's Magna-
455
THEY LAND ON THE ISLAND.
George1 Kenrick, myself, and some others, accompa- CHAP. nying him. When we came into the island, we found XXII. only one house therein ; and walking in it from side 1635. June 6. to side and end to end, one of the house being with us, we found thirty or forty head of cattle, about sixteen or twenty horses and mares, goats, swine, geese, &c., and fowl and rabbits innumerable. The island is seventeen hundred acres of land, but yields no corn. Here we got some milk, and fowl, and cheese, which things my children were glad of, and so came aboard again. But the wind being strong against us, especially towards night, we rode there all night and the next day ; and many of our passen- gers were this evening very sick.
The third Sabbath on shipboard. This day the wind still at west, against us, we lay still under Lundy. Mr. Maude was exercised in the forenoon, and I in the afternoon.
7.
Monday, the wind still strong at west. This day we sent some of our people on shore to Lundy, to fetch more water for the cattle.
Tuesday, the wind still strong against us. This morning the five ships, being all weary of lying at Lundy, because the harbour was not very good, and seeing the wind still contrary, weighed anchor again and set sail for Milford Haven,2 which is fourteen
8.
9.
lia, ii. 66 ; Morton's Memorial, p. (Brookline,) where his wife, Amy, 335 ; Hubbard, p. 199; Scottow's died Nov. 15, 1656, and from thence to Newton, where he died Aug. 29, 1686, aged 82. See Farmer's Gen. Reg. Narrative, p. 14; Trumbull's Con- necticut, i. 67, 68, 79, 121, 125 ; Mass. Hist. Coll. vii. 47, xxiii. 142, 143
1 I am not sure that I have deci- phered this word aright. It may possibly be John, who was at Bos- ton in 1639, admitted a freeman in 1640, removed to Muddy-river,
2 Milford Haven is the only safe port for a large ship between the Land's End and Holyhead. It is the most secure and commodious harbour in England, and may be en- tered without a pilot, either by night
456
THEY ANCHOR IN MILFORD HAVEN.
CHAP. leagues from Lundy, and lies upon Pembrokeshire, XXII. in Wales, and came thither that night. This day,
1635. as we came from Lundy to Milford Haven, the sea June 9. wrought and was rough, and most of the passengers were very sick, worse than ever before.
10. Wednesday, the wind still against us, we lay still in Milford Haven, and most of our people were in good health, and many went on shore into the coun- try, and brought more fresh water for the cattle, more fresh victuals, as eggs, loaf bread, fresh fish, &c. which things our children were glad of.
11
Thursday, the wind still against us. Many went this day also on shore, to take the air, view the country, &c., and some of us upon business, to pro- vide more hay and provisions.
12. Friday. A knight of the country, dwelling near Hartford West,1 being aboard the Diligence, sent for me to come to speak with him. Much wondering we had what should be the matter, seeing I never knew him, nor he me. When I came to him, he used me courteously, invited me to his house, wished us all good success, lamented the loss of them that stayed behind, when so many of the best people, for uphold- ing religion, were removed and taken away .? The knight's name is Sir James Parret.
13. Saturday, wind still against us.
14. The fourth Sabbath on shipboard. This day Mr. Maud, Mathew Michel, and many of our passengers,
or day, even with contrary winds, only taking the tide. In it the ship- ping of the whole British empire might ride together in perfect safety. 1 So in the MS .; but the name of the town is Haverford-West. It is the capital of the county of Pem-
broke, and one of the principal towns of South Wales, situated at one of the inland extremities of the creek or bay called Milford Haven. It is seven miles from Milford.
2 See note 2 on page 127.
457
THEY GO ASHORE AT ANGLE.
and of the Angel Gabriel's, went to a church on CHAP. shore, called Nangle,1 where they heard two good XXII. June 14. and comfortable sermons, made by an ancient, grave minister, living at Pembrooke, whose name is Mr. Jessop. His text was Psalm xci. 11. " He will give his angels charge," &c .; and his coming was purpose- ly for the comfort and encouragement of us that went to New-England. I was exercised on shipboard both ends of the day, remaining there for the help of the weaker and inferior sort, that could not go on shore.
Monday, I went on shore to Nangle, with my wife and children, John Smith and his wife, and Mary, Susan Michel,2 and divers others. It was a fair day, and we walked in the fields, and at a house got some milk, &c., wherewith we were much refreshed, and came aboard again at evening.
15.
Tuesday, a rainy day ; the wind still against us. Wednesday, the wind still against us.
Thursday, the wind still against us. This day, in the morning, our master and the seamen sent away and set on shore one of the seamen, called Jephrey Cornish, who had fallen out and been in quarrelling and fighting with some of the seamen. The main matter alleged against him, was his drunkenness, and blasphemy, and brawling and cursing in his drunk- enness. In the afternoon there came to the Angel Gabriel and to our ship, Mr. Jessop,3 to see the Christians bound for New-England. He was a grave and godly old man, one that had lost a good living
17.
18.
1 Angle, a village on the right of the entrance to Milford Haven, so called from being, as it were, in an- gulo, in a nook.
2 Probably the wife of Matthew Mitchell.
3 He was the father of Constan- tine Jessop, also a Nonconformist minister. See Wood's Athen. Oxon. iii. 540, Fasti, i. 461, (ed. Bliss) ; Brook's Lives of the Puritans, iii. 375.
>
458
THEY SAIL FROM MILFORD HAVEN.
XXII. CHAP. because of his Nonconformity, and wished us all well ; and we were much refreshed with his godly company and conference.
1635. June 19.
Friday, a foggy morning ; wind still westerly.
20.
Saturday, the wind still hovering to and fro.
21.
The fifth Sabbath on shipboard ; a fair, cheerful summer day. This day I was exercised both ends of the day, and had much comfort therein, because the fairness of the day freed us from distraction, and fitted us the better for attendance. Besides, the day was more comfortable to us all, in regard of the company of many godly Christians from the Angel Gabriel, and from other vessels lying in the harbour with us ; who, wanting means at home, were glad to come to us, and we were also glad of their company, and had all of us a very comfortable day, and were much refreshed in the Lord.
22.
Monday morning, the wind serving, with a strong gale at east, we set sail from Milford Haven, where we had waited for wind twelve days, and were car- ried forth with speedy course, and about noon lost all sight of land. The wind being strong, the sea was rough this day, and most of our passengers were very sick and ill through much casting.
23.
Tuesday, the wind still easterly, and a very rainy day. We were carried forward apace, and launched forth a great way into the deep. But our people were still very sick. This day, at evening, we lost sight of the three ships bound for Newfoundland, which had been in company with us from King Road ; and our master thought it best for us to stay for the Angel Gabriel, being bound for New-England, as we were, rather than to leave her and go with the other
459
A PIRATICAL LOOKING VESSEL.
three. The Angel Gabriel is a strong ship, and well CHAP. furnished with fourteen or sixteen pieces of ordnance,
XXII. and therefore our seamen rather desired her compa- 1635. ny ; but yet she is slow in sailing, and therefore we June 23. went sometimes with three sails less than we might have done, that so we might not overgo her.
Wednesday, the wind still at east, but not so 24. strong as the other two days before. This morning we saw abundance of porpoises1 leaping and playing about our ship ; and spent a great deal of time, till two or three o'clock in the afternoon, in pursuing (with the Angel Gabriel,) another ship, which we sup- posed to have been a Turkish pirate, and to have ta- ken the Mary. The ground of which supposal was, because yesternight the Mary was in our sight, behind her fellows, and a little ship, like to the Mary, had been with the other ship this morning when we first espied them. But the little ship parted from the other, and we doubted she had been the Mary, taken and sent away as a prize by the Turk; and this made us more willing to pursue them. But not being able to overtake them, we left pursuing, and turned our course again our own way.
Thursday, the wind still easterly ; in the morning
25. wet and rainy ; but about noon a fair, sunshiny day. Many of our passengers, that had been sick before, began to be far better, and came with delight to walk above, upon the deck.
Friday, wind at north, and afterward more west- 26. ward. This day we saw many porpoises leaping and running like about our ship.
1 See note 4 on page 226.
460
A PORPOISE CAUGHT.
Saturday, wind still north-west ; but a fair, cool day.
The first Sabbath from Milford Haven, and the sixth on shipboard ; a fair, cool day ; wind north- erly, good for our purpose. I was exercised in the forenoon, and Mr. Maud in the afternoon. This evening we saw porpoises about the ship, and some would fain have been striking ; but others dissuaded because of the Sabbath ; and so it was let alone.
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