USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Plymouth church records, 1620-1859 > Part 9
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3 The people are for the body of them Industruous and frugall wee think wee may safely say as any Companie of people in the world;
4 Wee are knitt together as a body in a more strict and sacred bond and Couenant of the Lord of the violation whero[f] wee mak 1 Consience; and by vertue wherof wee doe hold our selues straitly tyed to all Care of each others Good; and of the whole by euery and soe Mutuall;
5 And lastly it is not with vs as with other men whome smale thinges can discurrage or smale discontentments Cause to wish them selues att home againe wee know our entertainment in England and holland; wee shall much prejudice both our artes and meanes by Remouall whoe if wee should be driuen to Returne wee should not hope to Recouer our p'sent healps and Comforts neither indeed " looke euer to attaine " the like in any other place during our lives which are Now drawing towards theire Periods.
These motiues wee haue ben bould to tender vnto you which you in · youer wisdome may alsoe Impart to any other our worshipfull frinds of the Councell with you of all whose Godly dispositions and loueing, towards our dispised pisons wee are most Glad and shall not faile by all Good meanes to Continew and Increase the same; wee shall not be further troublesome But doe with the Renewed Remembrance of our humble dutyes to youer Worshipp and soe farr as in Modesty wee may be bold to any other of our welwillers of the Councell with you, wee tak our Leaues Comitting youer prsons and Councells to the Guidance and Protection of the almighty
Youers much bounden in all duty
JOHN ROBINSON' WILIAM BREWSTER
Leyden the 15 of december 1617
[17]
I found anexed vnto the forgoeing letters these following lines written by m' Bradford, with speciall Reference vnto the fourth paticular on the other syde written
! Here Morton has omitted Bradford's "great" (History, i. 77).
' Here "hope" is crossed out.
' Here "any" is crossed out.
35
LETTER OF ROBINSON AND BREWSTER, 1618
O Sacred bond whilest Inviolably pserued how sweet and precious were the fruites that flowed from the same but when this fidelitie de- cayed then there Ruine approached oh that these antient members had not died or bin dissipated if it had bine the will of God or else that this holy Care and Constant faithfulnes had still liued and Remained with those that survived that were in times afterwards aded vnto them; but alas that Subtile Serpent hath slyly wound in him selfe vnder faire pretences of Nessesitie and the like to vntwist1 these Sacred bonds and tyes and as it were Insensibly by degrees to desolue or in a Great measure to weaken the same I haue bin happy in my first times to see and with much Comfort to Injoy the blessed fruites of this sweet Comunion; But it is now a p'te of my Misery in old age to find and feele the decay and want ' therof in a Great measure, and with Greiffe and sorrow of hart to Lament and bewaile the same, and for others warning and ' admonition and my owne humilliation doe I heer Note the same,
thuse much by way of digression‘
ffor further light in these proceedinges fornamed see some other letters and Notes as followeth
The Coppy of a letter sent to Sir John Worsingham
RIGHT WORTFLL
With due acknowledgement of our thankfulnes for youer singular Care and paines in the busines of Verginia for our and (wee hope, " the Comon good) wee doe Remember our humble duties vnto you and haue sent as is (desired) a further explanation of our Judgments in the three points specifyed by some of his Maties honorable privy Councell, and although it be Greuious vnto vs that such vnjust Insinuations are made against vs, yett wee are most Glad of the occation of making our Just purgation, vnto the soe honorable p"sonages the declarations wee haue sent Inclosed, the one more breiffe and Generall which wee think the fitter to be presented, the other som thing " more large and in which wee expresse some smale accedentall differences which if it seeme Good vnto you and other of youre Worshipps frinds you may send in steed of the former; our prayers vnto God is that youer worshipp may see the fruite of youer worthy Indeauors, which on our p'te wee shall Not faile
1 Here a word or two are crossed out.
' Here the letters "ther"' are crossed out.
* Here "my" is crossed out.
' These words are written in the margin.
" Altered from "hopes."
· Here "more" is crossed out.
36
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
to further by all Good meanes and soe praying that you would with all Conveniency that may be;1 Giue vs knowlidge of the successe of the busines with his Maties Privey Councell and accordingly what youer further pleasure is, either for our direction or furtherance in the same, soe wee Rest
Youer worshipps in all dutye JOHN ROBINSON WILLAM BREWSTER
Leyden January 27 1617 old stile
[18]
The first 2 breiffe note was this *
Touching the Eclesiastical minnestry Namely of Pastours for teaching Elders for Ruleing and deacons for distributing the Churches Con- tribution as alsoe for the two sacraments Baptisme and the Lords sup- per wee doe wholly and in all points agree with the ffrench Reformed Churches, according to theire publick confession of ffaith though some smale differences
The oath of Supremacye we shall willingly tak if it be Required of vs if ' that Convenient satisfaction be not 5 giuen by our takeing the oath of Allegience
JOHN ROBINSON WILLAM BREWSTER
the second was "
This touching the Eclesiasticall Minnestry as in the former, &c wee agree in all thinges with the ffrench Reformed Churches according to theire publick Confession of ffaith though some smale differences be to be found in our practices not att all in the substance of the 7 thinges but onely in some accedentall Cercumstances,
1 as first theire 8 minnesters doe pray with theire heads Couered; wee vncouered;
2 Wee Chose none for Gou ning Elders but such as are able to teach which abillitie they doe not Require.
.
1 Here "to" is crossed out.
' Here "no" is crossed out.
* These words are written in the margin.
' Here "and" is crossed out.
" Here "taken" is crossed out.
" These words are written in the margin.
" Altered from "them."
. Here "head" is crossed out.
.
·
37
LETTER OF SABINE STARESMORE, 1618
1 Theire Elders and deacons are Anuall or att the most for two or three yeers; ours pipetuall;
4 our Elders doe Adminnester theire office in Admonitions and ex- comunicatio[n] for publick scandalls publickly and before the Congrega- tion theires more privately and in theire Consistories;
5 Wee doe Adminnester Baptismee onely to such Infants as wherof the one parent (att the least) is of some Church; which some of theire Churches doe not obserue, although in it our practices accords with theire publick Confession; and the Judgment of the most learned amongst them
other differences (worthy mensioning) wee know none
Subscribed JOHN ROBINSON WILLAM BREWSTER
London ffeb 14 1617
p'te of an other letter from him that delivered these,
Youer letter to Sir John Worsingham I delivered allmost as soone as I had it to his owne hands (and stayed with him the opening and Reading therof) there were 2 papers Inclosed hee Read them to himself as alsoe the Letter, and in the Reading hee spake to mee and said whoe shall make them viz: the Minnesters I answared his worship; that the power of making was in the Church; to be ordained by the Imposition of hands by the fitest Instruments, they haue It must either be in the Church or from the Pope and the Pope is Antichrist; he said Sir John, what the Pope holds Good (as in the trenity) that wee doe well to Assent to, but said hee wee will not enter into dispute Now, and as for youer letters hee would Not shew them att any hand lest hee should spoyle all; hee ex- pected you should haue bin of the Archbishops mind for the Calling of minnesters, but it seemes you differed; I Could haue wished to haue known the Contents of youer two enclosed, att which hee stuck soe much especially the larger; I asked his worshipp what Good Newes hee had for mee to write tomorrow; hee told mee' Good newes for both the Kinges Matie and the Bishopps haue Consented; hee said hee would Goe to ME Chanceler Sir ffolke Griuell, as this day, and Next week I should know more. I mett [19] I mett with Sir Edwin Sands on weddensday Night, hee wished mee to be att the Verginnia Court the Next weddensday, where I purpose to be thus loath to be troublesome att Present, I hope to haue somthing Next week of Certainty Concerning you I Comitt you to the Lord;
1
Youers S: B :?
1 Here Morton has omitted Bradford's "very" (History, i. 83).
" This letter was written by Sabine Staresmore.
.
38
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
These thinges being longe in agitation and Messengers passing to and againe about them after all theire hopes they were longe de- layed by many obstacles that fell in the way, for att the Returne of these Messengers into England; they found thinges farr other wise then they expected; for the Verginia Councell was Now soe dis- turbed with factions and qvarrells amongst themselues as Noe busines Could well Goe forward; the which may the better appeer in one of the Messengers, Letters as followeth;
To his Loueing frinds
I haue thought Long since to haue writt vnto you but Could Not effect that which I aimed att Neither Can Yett: sett thinges as I wished yett Notwithstanding I doubt Not but MY Brewster hath written to m' Robinson, but I think my selfe bound alsoe to doe somthinge least I be thought to Neglect you; The maine hinderance of our proceedinges in the verginia busines is the desentions and factions as they tearme it amongst the Councell and companie of Verginia which are such as that euer since wee Came vp noe busines Could by them be dispatched the occation of this trouble amongst them is, That a while since Sir Thomas Smith Repining att his Many offices and troubles, wished the Companie of Verginia to ease him of his office in being Treasurer, and Gou" of the Verginia Companie; whervpon the Companie tooke occation to dismise him, and Chose Sir Edwin Sands Treasurer and Gou" of the Companie, hee haueing 60 voyces; Sir John Worsingham 16 voyces and alderman Johnson 24 But Sir Thomas Smith when hee saw som p'te of his honor lost was very Angry and Raised a ffaction to Cauill and Contend about the election; and sought to tax Sir Edwin with Many thinges that might both disgrace him and alsoe put him by his office, of Gou": In which Contensions they yett Stick and are not fitt Nor Reddy to entermeddle in Any busines, and what Issue thinges will Come to I know Not, nor are wee yett Certaine It is most like Sir Edwin will Carry it away and if hee doe thinges will Goe well in Verginia, if otherwise they will Goe ill enough alwaies; wee hope in 2 or 3 Court dayes thinges will settle, mean space I thinke to Goe downe into Kent, and come vp againe about 14 dayes or three weekes hence, except either by these aforsaid Contentions or by ill tidings from Verginia, wee be wholly discurraged of which tidinges as followeth
Capt. Argoll is Come home this week; hee vpon Notice of the Intent of the Councell Came away before Sir Gorge yeardly Came there and soe there is Noe smale desention but his tidinges is ill altho his prson be welcome; hee saith M' Blackwells Shipp Came, not ther vntill march
-
39
LETTER OF ROBERT CUSHMAN, MAY 8, 1619
but Goeing towards winter they had still Northwest winds which Carryed them to the southworth beyond theire Course and the M' of the Shipp and some six of the Marriners dieing It seemed they Could not find the Bay; till after long seeking and beating about; M" Blackwell is dead, and m" Maggner the Capt: yee there are dead hee saith 130 psons one and other in the shipp; It is said there was in all 180 p'sons in the ship; soe as they were packed together like herrings they had amongst them a fflux and alsoe want of ffresh water soe as it is heer Rather [20]1 won- dered that soe many are aliue then that soe many are dead the " the marchants heer say it was m' Blackwells fault to packe soe many in the shipp yee and there was Great murmuring and Repining amongst them and obraiding of m" Blackwell for his dealing and disposing of them when they saw how hee had disposed of them and how hee Insulted ouer them; yee the streets att Grausend Rang of theire extream qvarrelling crying out one of another thou hast brought mee to this I may thank thee for this, heavy Newes it is and I would 3 be Glad to heare how farr it will discurrage: I see none heer discurraged much but Rather desire to learne to beware by other mens harmes, and to amend that wherin they haue fayled, as wee desire to serue one another in loue soe take heed of being Inthraled by other Imperious pisons, especially if they be descerned to haue an eye to themselues; It doth often trouble mee to think that in this busines wee are to learne and none to teach but beter soe then to depend vpon such teachers as m' Blackwell, was such a strattagem hee made for m' Johnson and his people att Emden much was their subver- sion but though hee their Clenlely yett vnhonestly plucked his Neck out of the Coller yett att last his foot is caught; heer are noe letters Come; the shipps captain Argoll came in is yett in the west prtes, all that wee heare is but his Report it seemeth hee came away secretly, the shipp that m" Blackwell went in wilbe heer shortly; It is as m' Robinson once said, hee thought wee should heare Noe good of them, m" Brewster is not well, att this time whether hee will Goe back to you or goe into the North I yett know not, for my self I hope to see an end of this Busines eare I Come tho I am sorry to be thus from you; if thinges had gon ' Roundly forward I should haue bin with you within this fourteen dayes I pray God direct vs and Giue vs that 'speritt, which is fiting for such a busines thus haueing " sumarily pointed att thinges, which m' Brewster
1 Here a word, perhaps "wondered," is crossed out.
" Here the letters "March" are crossed out.
' Here a word is crossed out.
' Written above "bin," crossed out.
' Here "soe" is crossed out.
·
.
40
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
I think hath 1 more largely write of, to m' Robinson, I leaue you to the Lords Protection;
Youer in all Reddynes &c:
ROBERT CUSHMAN
London May the 8th 1619
-
digression
·
.
·
A word or two by way of digression 2 touching this m' Blackwell hee was an Elder of the Church of Amsterdam a man well knowne of most of them; hee declined from the truth with m' Johnson; and the Rest and went with him when they departed assunder in that wofull manor, which brought soe Great dishonor to God scandall to the truth and outward Ruin to themselues, in this world; but I hope Notwithstanding through the mercyes of the Lord, theire soules are now att Rest with God in the heavens; and that they are ariued in the hauen of happines; though some of theire bodyes were thus burie[d] in the terible seas, and others sunck vnder the burden of bitter afflictions; hee with some others had prepared for to Goe to Verginia, and hee with sundry Godly Cittyzens being att a private meeting (I take it) att a fast in london being discouered many of them were apprehended wherof m' Blackwell was one, but hee soe Glosed with the bishop and either decembled or filatly denyed the truth which formerly hee had maintained; and not onely soe but vnworthyly betrayed and accused another Godly man' whoe had escaped that soe hee might slipp his owne Neck out of the Collor; and to obtaine his owne freedom brought others into bonds; wher- vpon hee soe won the bishopps fauor but lost the Lords, as hee was Not onely dismissed but in open Court the Archbishopp Gaue him Great Applause, and his sollem blessing to proceed in his voyage; But if such euents follow the Bishopps blessing happy are they that mise ' the same, It is much better to keep a Good Conscience 5 and haue the Lords blessing whether in life or death, but see how that man apprehended by m" Blackwells meanes writes to a frind of his;
RIGHT DEARE FRIND AND CHRISTIAN BROTHER M" CARUER
I salute you and youers in the lord; Sir as for my owne prsent Con- dition I doubt not but you well vnderstand it by our brother Master-
1 Here "m"" is crossed out.
" Here two or three letters are crossed out.
* Sabine Staresmore.
" Here "thes" is crossed out.
" Here some letters are crossed out.
41
LETTER OF SABINE STARESMORE, SEPTEMBER 4, 1618
son whoe should haue tasted of the sam cup had his place of Residence and his pason bin as well known as my selfe. [21] Somwhat I haue written to m' Cushman 1 how the matter still Continewes. . I haue Petitioned twise to m' Sheriffes and once to my lord Cook and haue vsed such Reasons to moue them to pitty; that if they were not ouer- ruled by some others I suppose I should haue soone Gained my liberty; as that I was a man liueing by " my Creditt In debt to diuers in our Sittey, liueing in more then ordinary Charges in a Close' and tedi- ous prison; besides Great Rents abroad all my busines lying still my onely servant lying lame in the Countrey my wife being alsoe Great with child; and yett noe answer vitill the lords of his Maties Councell Gaue Consent: howbeitt m" Blackwell a man as deep in this action, as I was delivered att a Cheaper Rate with a great deale lesse adoe; yee with an addition of the archbishops blessing; I ame sorry for m' Blackwells weaknes I wish it may proue noe worse, but yett hee and some others of them, were not sorry but thought it was for the best that I was Nomi- nated Not because the Lord sanctifyes euill to Good but that the action was Good; yea for the best; one Reason I well Remember hee vsed was because this trouble would Increase the Virginia plantation; that now people began More Generally to Incline to Goe and if hee had not Nom- inated some such as I; hee had not bin free being it was knowne that Many Citizens besides them selues were theire; I expect an Answare shortly what they Intend Concerning mee; I purpose to write to some other of you; by whom you shall know the Certainty, thus Not haueing further att p'sent to acquaint you withall Comending my selfe to youer prayers I sease and Comitt you and vs all to the Lord; from my Cham- ber in wood street Counter Sept: 4th 1618
Youer frind and Brother in bonds SABIN STARSMORE
But thus much by the way which may be of Good vse I haue bin the larger in these thinges that the Rising Generation may seriously take notice of the many difficultyes theire poor leaders' vnderwent in the first enterprises toward coming into New England 5
But att last after all these thinges and theire longe Attendance
1 Here the letters "wh" are crossed out.
' Here some letters are crossed out.
' Here the words "in and tedius" are crossed out.
" Here the letters "vnde" are crossed out.
" The sentence beginning "I haue bin" and ending with "New England" is written in the margin.
.
1
--.
---
1
--
42
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
they had a Patent Graunted them and Confeirmed vnder the Com- panies seale but these deuisions and destractions had shaken of Many of theire pretended frinds and disapointed them of many of theire hoped for and proffered meanes; by the advice of some frinds this Pattent was Not taken in the Name of any of theire owne But in the Name of m" John Wincobb a Religious Gentleman then be- longing to the Countice of Lincolne; whoe Intended to Goe with them But God soe disposed as hee Neuer went Nor they neuer made vse of this Pattent which had Cost them soe much labour and Charge; as by the sequell will appeer This Pattent being sent ouer for them to view and Consider as alsoe the passages about the propositions between them and such Marchants and frinds as should either Goe or adventure with them, and especially with them on whome they did Cheiffly depend for shiping and meanes whose proffers had bin large they were Requested to fitt and prepare themselues with all 1 speed;
A Right Imblem It may be of the vncertaine thinges of this world that when men have toyled them selues they vanish into smoak;
vpon a Receipt of these thinges by one of theire Messengers they had a sollemne meeting and a day of humilliation to seeke the lord for his direction And theire Pastour took this text 1 Sam: 23: 3: 4: and dauids men said vnto him see wee be affraid heer 'in Judah ;? how much more if wee Come to Keilah against the host of the Phil- listines; Then dauid asked Counsell of the Lord againe; from which text hee taught many thinges very aptly and befitting theire present occation and condition to strengthen' them against theire feares and pªplexeties and Incurrageing them in theire Resolutions; [22]
In the foregoing fiue Chapters the Reader may take a view of some of the many difficulties our blessed prdecessors went through in theire first " acheiuement of this waightey Interprise of Re- mouall of our Church into these American pites; the Imediate fol- lowing Relations in m' Bradfords book (out of which diuers of these matters are Recollected) doe more especially Concerne the Condi- tions of theire agreement; with seuerall Marchant adventures towards
1 Here a word is crossed out.
" This word has been altered.
" Here a word is interlined and crossed out.
" Here two or three letters are crossed out.
1
.
43
DEPARTURE OF THE PILGRIMS FROM LEYDEN, 1620
the voyage &c: as alsoe seuerall 1 letters sent too and fro from frind to frind Relateing to the premises which are Not soe prtenent to the Nature of this smale history; wherfore I shall heer omitt to Insert them; Judging them Not soe suitable to my prsent purpose, and heer alsoe sease to follow the foregoeing meathod; by way of Capters; .
After such trauell and tormoiles 2 and debates which they went much of theire thorow thinges were Gotten Reddy for theire departure from Ley- troubles Re- den a smale shipp ' was provided in holland of about sixty tun expressed in matter is not this booke which was Intended as to serue ' to transport some of them ouer the seas; soe to stay in the Country and to tend vpon ffishing; and such other affaires as might be for the Good and benifitt of the whol, when they should Come to the place Intended; another " was hiered att London of burden about Nine score and all other thinges Gott in a Reddynes, soe be[ing rea]dy to depart they had a day of sollemne humilliation theire Pastour takeing his te[xt fr]om Ezra the 8th 21 and theire att the Riuer by.º Ahaua I proclaimed a ffast, that [wee] might humble ourselues before our God and seek of him a Right way for vs and our children and for all our substance 7 vpon which hee spent a good p'te of the day very profittably and suitably to theire prsent occation the Rest of the time was spent in powering out prayers to the lord with Great feuency mixed with aboundance of teares; and the time being Come that they must depart they were accompanied with the most of theire bretheren out of the Cittey vnto a towne sundry miles off Called dealfes hauen; where the shipp lay Reddy to Receive them; soe they left that Goodly and pleasant Citty which had bin theire Resting place Neare 12 yeers, but they kne[w] they were pilgrimes 8 and looked not much on those thinges, bob: 11 but lifted.vp theire eyes to heauen; theire dearest Country and quieted theire speritts; when they Came to the place they fou[nd] the shipp and all thinges Reddy, and such of theire frinds as Could Not Come with them followed after them; and sundry alsoe Came from Amster-
1 Here a letter is crossed out.
" Here a word, perhaps "turmoill," is crossed out.
* The Speedwell, which is nowhere mentioned by name in Bradford's History.
' Here a word or two are crossed out.
" The Mayflower.
' Written above "of," crossed out.
" The words from "Gott in" to "our substance" are underscored.
. Cf. Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, xvii. 293-391.
44
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
of this see New Eng- lands Memo- riall pago 4: 5:
dam to see them shippt, and to 1 take theire leaue of them; that Night was spent with little sleep by the most, but with frindly en- tertainment and Christian discourse; and other Reall expressions of true Christian loue the Next day the wind being ffaire they went on board and frinds with them; wher truely dolfull was the sight of that sad and Mornfull prteing to see what sythes and sobbs and prayers did sound amongst them; what? teares did Gush from euery eye; and pithey speeches peirsed each others harte; That sundry of the duch strangers that stood on the keey as spectators 3 Could Not Refraine from teares; yett Comfortabl and sweet it was to see such liuely and true expression of deare and vnfeighned loue' but the tide which stayes for noe man Calling them away that were thus loth to depart theire Reuerend Pastour falling downe on his knees and they all with him with watery Cheekes Coinended them with most feruent prayers to the lord and his blessing and then with mutuall Imbraces and many teares they took theire leaues of one another which proued to be theire last leaue to many of them;
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