Chapter IV: Part 4

But now another difficultie arose, for M^r. Weston and some other that were for this course, either for their better advantage or rather for y^e drawing on of others, as they pretended, would have some of those conditions altered y^t were first agreed on at Leyden. To which y^e 2. agents sent from Leyden (or at least one of them who is most charged with it) did consente; seeing els y^t all was like to be dashte, & y^e opportunitie lost, and y^t they which had put of their estats and paid in their moneys were in hazard to be undon. They presumed to conclude with y^e marchants on those termes, in some things contrary to their order & co[=m]ission, and without giving them notice of y^e same; yea, it was conceled least it should make any furder delay; which was y^e cause afterward of much trouble & contention.

It will be meete I here inserte these conditions, which are as foloweth.

An^o: 1620. July 1.

1. The adventurers & planters doe agree, that every person that goeth
being aged 16. years & upward, be rated at 10^li., and ten pounds to
be accounted a single share.

2. That he that goeth in person, and furnisheth him selfe out with
10^li. either in money or other provissions, be accounted as haveing
20^li. in stock, and in y^e devission shall receive a double share.

3. The persons transported & y^e adventurers shall continue their
joynt stock & partnership togeather, y^e space of 7. years, (excepte
some unexpected impedimente doe cause y^e whole company to agree
otherwise,) during which time, all profits & benifits that are gott by
trade, traffick, trucking, working, fishing, or any other means of any
person or persons, remaine still in y^e co[=m]one stock untill y^e
division.

4. That at their co[=m]ing ther, they chose out such a number of fitt
persons, as may furnish their ships and boats for fishing upon y^e
sea; imploying the rest in their severall faculties upon y^e land; as
building houses, tilling, and planting y^e ground, & makeing shuch
co[=m]odities as shall be most usefull for y^e collonie.

5. That at y^e end of y^e 7. years, y^e capitall & profits, viz. the
houses, lands, goods and chatles, be equally devided betwixte y^e
adventurers, and planters; w^ch done, every man shall be free from
other of them of any debt or detrimente concerning this adventure.

[29] 6. Whosoever cometh to y^e colonie herafter, or putteth any into
y^e stock, shall at the ende of y^e 7. years be alowed proportionably
to y^e time of his so doing.

7. He that shall carie his wife & children, or servants, shall be
alowed for everie person now aged 16. years & upward, a single share
in y^e devision, or if he provid them necessaries, a duble share, or
if they be between 10. year old and 16., then 2. of them to be reconed
for a person, both in tr[=a]sportation and devision.

8. That such children as now goe, & are under y^e age of ten years,
have noe other shar in y^e devision, but 50. acers of unmanured land.

9. That such persons as die before y^e 7. years be expired, their
executors to have their parte or sharr at y^e devision, proportionably
to y^e time of their life in y^e collonie.

10. That all such persons as are of this collonie, are to have their
meate, drink, apparell, and all provissions out of y^e co[=m]on stock
& goods of y^e said collonie.

The cheefe & principall differences betwene these & the former conditions, stood in those 2. points; that y^e houses, & lands improved, espetialy gardens & home lotts should remaine undevided wholy to y^e planters at y^e 7. years end. 2^ly, y^t they should have had 2. days in a weeke for their owne private imploymente, for y^e more comforte of them selves and their families, espetialy such as had families. But because letters are by some wise men counted y^e best parte of histories, I shall shew their greevances hereaboute by their owne letters, in which y^e passages of things will be more truly discerned.

_A letter of M^r. Robinsons to John Carver._

June 14. 1620. N. Stile.

My dear freind & brother, whom with yours I alwaise remember in my
best affection, and whose wellfare I shall never cease to co[=m]end to
God by my best & most earnest praires. You doe throwly understand by
our generall letters y^e estate of things hear, which indeed is very
pitifull; espetialy by wante of shiping, and not seeing means lickly,
much less certaine, of having it provided; though withall ther be
great want of money & means to doe needfull things. M^r. Pickering,
you know before this, will not defray a peny hear; though Robart
Cushman presumed of I know not how many 100^li. from him, & I know
not whom. Yet it seems strange y^t we should be put to him to receive
both his & his partners adventer, and yet M^r. Weston write unto him,
y^t in regard of it, he hath drawne upon him a 100^li. more. But ther
is in this some misterie, as indeed it seems ther is in y^e whole
course. Besids, wheras diverse are to pay in some parts of their
moneys yet behinde, they refuse to doe it, till they see shiping
provided, or a course taken for it. Neither doe I thinke is ther a man
hear would pay any thing, if he had againe his money in his purse. You
know right well we depended on M^r. Weston alone, and upon such means
as he would procure for this commone bussines; and when we had in hand
another course with y^e Dutchmen, broke it of at his motion, and upon
y^e conditions by him shortly after propounded. He did this in his
love I know, but things appeare not answerable from him hitherto. That
he should have first have put in his moneys, is thought by many to
have been but fitt, but y^t I can well excuse, he being a marchante
and haveing use of it to his benefite; wheras others, if it had been
in their hands, would have consumed it. [30] But y^t he should not but
have had either shipping ready before this time, or at least certaine
means, and course, and y^e same knowne to us for it, or have taken
other order otherwise, cannot in my conscience be excused. I have
heard y^t when he hath been moved in the bussines, he hath put it of
from him selfe, and referred it to y^e others;[P] and would come to
Georg Morton, & enquire news of him aboute things, as if he had scarce
been some accessarie unto it. Wether he hath failed of some helps from
others which he expected, and so be not well able to goe through with
things, or whether he hath feared least you should be ready too soone
& so encrease y^e charge of shiping above y^t is meete, or whether he
have thought by withhoulding to put us upon straits, thinking y^t
therby M^r. Brewer and M^r. Pickering would be drawne by importunitie
to doe more, or what other misterie is in it, we know not; but sure we
are y^t things are not answerable to such an occasion. M^r. Weston
maks himselfe mery with our endeavors about buying a ship, but we have
done nothing in this but with good reason, as I am perswaded, nor yet
that I know in any thing els, save in those tow; y^e one, that we
imployed Robart Cushman, who is known (though a good man, & of
spetiall abilities in his kind, yet) most unfitt to deale for other
men, by reason of his singularitie, and too great indifferancie for
any conditions, and for (to speak truly) that[Q] we have had nothing
from him but termes & presumptions. The other, y^t we have so much
relyed, by implicite faith as it were, upon generalities, without
seeing y^e perticuler course & means for so waghtie an affaire set
down unto us. For shiping, M^r. Weston, it should seeme, is set upon
hireing, which yet I wish he may presently effecte; but I see litle
hope of help from hence if so it be. Of M^r. Brewer you know what to
expecte. I doe not thinke M^r. Pickering will ingage, excepte in y^e
course of buying, in former letters specified. Aboute y^e conditions,
you have our reasons for our judgments of what is agreed. And let this
spetially be borne in minde, y^t the greatest parte of y^e Collonie is
like to be imployed constantly, not upon dressing ther perticuler land
& building houses, but upon fishing, trading, &c. So as y^e land &
house will be but a trifell for advantage to y^e adventurers, and yet
the devission of it a great discouragmente to y^e planters, who would
with singuler care make it comfortable with borowed houres from their
sleep. The same consideration of co[=m]one imploymente constantly by
the most is a good reason not to have y^e 2. daies in a weeke denyed
y^e few planters for private use, which yet is subordinate to
co[=m]one good. Consider also how much unfite that you & your liks
must serve a new prentishipe of 7. years, and not a daies freedome
from taske. Send me word what persons are to goe, who of usefull
faculties, & how many, & perticulerly of every thing. I know you wante
not a minde. I am sorie you have not been at London all this while,
but y^e provissions could not wante you. Time will suffer me to write
no more; fare you & yours well allways in y^e Lord, in whom I rest.

Yours to use,
JOHN ROBINSON.

_An other letter from sundrie of them at y^e same time._

[31] To their loving freinds John Carver and Robart Cushman, these,
&c.

Good bretheren, after salutations, &c. We received diverse letters at
y^e coming of M^r. Nash & our pilott, which is a great incouragmente
unto us, and for whom we hop after times will minister occasion of
praising God; and indeed had you not sente him, many would have been
ready to fainte and goe backe. Partly in respecte of y^e new
conditions which have bene taken up by you, which all men are against,
and partly in regard of our owne inabillitie to doe any one of those
many waightie bussineses you referr to us here. For y^e former wherof,
wheras Robart Cushman desirs reasons for our dislike, promising
therupon to alter y^e same, or els saing we should thinke he hath no
brains, we desire him to exercise them therin, refering him to our
pastors former reasons, and them to y^e censure of y^e godly wise. But
our desires are that you will not entangle your selvs and us in any
such unreasonable courses as those are, viz. y^t the marchants should
have y^e halfe of mens houses and lands at y^e dividente; and that
persons should be deprived of y^e 2. days in a weeke agreed upon, yea
every momente of time for their owne perticuler; by reason wherof we
cannot conceive why any should carie servants for their own help and
comfort; for that we can require no more of them then all men one of
another. This we have only by relation from M^r. Nash, & not from any
writing of your owne, & therfore hope you have not proceeded farr in
so great a thing without us. But requiring you not to exseed the
bounds of your co[=m]ission, which was to proceed upon y^e things or
conditions agred upon and expressed in writing (at your going over
about it), we leave it, not without marveling, that you^r selfe, as
you write, knowing how smale a thing troubleth our consultations, and
how few, as you fear, understands the busnes aright, should trouble us
with such matters as these are, &c.

Salute M^r. Weston from us, in whom we hope we are not deceived; we
pray you make known our estate unto him, and if you thinke good shew
him our letters, at least tell him (y^t under God) we much relie upon
him & put our confidence in him; and, as your selves well know, that
if he had not been an adventurer with us, we had not taken it in hand;
presuming that if he had not seene means to accomplish it, he would
not have begune it; so we hope in our extremitie he will so farr help
us as our expectation be no way made frustrate concerning him. Since
therfore, good brethren, we have plainly opened y^e state of things
with us in this matter, you will, &c. Thus beseeching y^e Allmightie,
who is allsufficiente to raise us out of this depth of dificulties, to
assiste us herein; raising such means by his providence and fatherly
care for us, his pore children & servants, as we may with comforte
behould y^e hand of our God for good towards us in this our bussines,
which we undertake in his name & fear, we take leave & remaine

Your perplexed, yet hopfull
bretheren,

S. F.
E. W.
W. B.
J. A.[R]

June 10. New Stille,
An^o: 1620.

_A letter of Robart Cushmans to them._

Brethern, I understand by letters & passagess y^t have come to me,
that ther are great discontents, & dislike of my proceedings amongst
you. Sorie I am to hear it, yet contente to beare it, as not doubting
but y^t partly by writing, and more principally by word when we shall
come togeather, I shall satisfie any reasonable man. I have been
perswaded [32] by some, espetialy this bearer, to come and clear
things unto you; but as things now stand I ca[=n]ot be absente one
day, excepte I should hazard all y^e viage. Neither conceive I any
great good would come of it. Take then, brethern, this as a step to
give you contente. First, for your dislike of y^e alteration of one
clause in y^e conditions, if you conceive it right, ther can be no
blame lye on me at all. For y^e articles first brought over by John
Carver were never seene of any of y^e adventurers hear, excepte M^r.
Weston, neither did any of them like them because of that clause; nor
M^r. Weston him selfe, after he had well considered it. But as at y^e
first ther was 500^li. withdrawne by S^r. Georg Farrer and his brother
upon that dislike, so all y^e rest would have withdrawne (M^r. Weston
excepted) if we had not altered y^t clause. Now whilst we at Leyden
conclude upon points, as we did, we reckoned without our host, which
was not my falte. Besids, I shewed you by a letter y^e equitie of y^t
condition, & our inconveniences, which might be sett against all M^r.
Rob: inconveniences, that without y^e alteration of y^t clause, we
could neither have means to gett thither, nor supplie wherby to
subsiste when we were ther. Yet notwithstanding all those reasons,
which were not mine, but other mens wiser then my selfe, without
answer to any one of them, here cometh over many quirimonies, and
complaints against me, of lording it over my brethern, and making
conditions fitter for theeves & bondslaves then honest men, and that
of my owne head I did what I list. And at last a paper of reasons,
framed against y^t clause in y^e conditions, which as y^ey were
delivered me open, so my answer is open to you all. And first, as they
are no other but inconveniences, such as a man might frame 20. as
great on y^e other side, and yet prove nor disprove nothing by them,
so they misse & mistake both y^e very ground of y^e article and nature
of y^e project. For, first, it is said, that if ther had been no
divission of houses & lands, it had been better for y^e poore. True,
and y^t showeth y^e inequalitie of y^e condition; we should more
respecte him y^t ventureth both his money and his person, then him y^t
ventureth but his person only.

2. Consider wheraboute we are, not giveing almes, but furnishing a
store house; no one shall be porer then another for 7. years, and if
any be rich, none can be pore. At y^e least, we must not in such
bussines crie, Pore, pore, mercie, mercie. Charitie hath it life in
wraks, not in venturs; you are by this most in a hopefull pitie of
makeing, therfore complaine not before you have need.

3. This will hinder y^e building of good and faire houses, contrarie
to y^e advise of pollitiks. A. So we would have it; our purpose is to
build for y^e presente such houses as, if need be, we may with litle
greefe set a fire, and rune away by the lighte; our riches shall not
be in pompe, but in strenght; if God send us riches, we will imploye
them to provid more men, ships, munition, &c. You may see it amongst
the best pollitiks, that a co[=m]onwele is readier to ebe then to
flow, when once fine houses and gay cloaths come up.

4. The Gove^t may prevente excess in building. A. But if it be on all
men beforehand resolved on, to build mean houses, y^e Gove^r laboure
is spared.

5. All men are not of one condition. A. If by condition you mean
wealth, you are mistaken; if you mean by condition, qualities, then I
say he that is not contente his neighbour shall have as good a house,
fare, means, &c. as him selfe, is not of a good qualitie. 2^ly. Such
retired persons, as have aneie only to them selves, are fitter to
come wher catching is, then closing; and are fitter to live alone,
then in any societie, either civill or religious.

6. It will be of litle value, scarce worth 5^li. A. True, it may be
not worth halfe 5^li. [33] If then so smale a thing will content them,
why strive we thus aboute it, and give them occasion to suspecte us to
be worldly & covetous? I will not say what I have heard since these
complaints came first over.

7. Our freinds with us y^t adventure mind not their owne profite, as
did y^e old adventurers. A. Then they are better then we, who for a
litle matter of profite are readie to draw back, and it is more
apparente brethern looke too it, that make profite your maine end;
repente of this, els goe not least you be like Jonas to Tarshis. 2^ly.
Though some of them mind not their profite, yet others doe mind it;
and why not as well as we? venturs are made by all sorts of men, and
we must labour to give them all contente, if we can.

8. It will break y^e course of co[=m]unitie, as may be showed by many
reasons. A. That is but said, and I say againe, it will best foster
comunion, as may be showed by many reasons.

9. Great profite is like to be made by trucking, fishing, &c. A. As it
is better for them, so for us; for halfe is ours, besids our living
still upon it, and if such profite in y^t way come, our labour shall
be y^e less on y^e land, and our houses and lands must & will be of
less value.

10. Our hazard is greater then theirs. A. True, but doe they put us
upon it? doe they urge or egg us? hath not y^e motion & resolution
been always in our selves? doe they any more then in seeing us
resolute if we had means, help us to means upon equall termes &
conditions? If we will not goe, they are content to keep their moneys.
Thus I have pointed at a way to loose those knots, which I hope you
will consider seriously, and let me have no more stirre about them.

Now furder, I hear a noise of slavish conditions by me made; but
surly this is all that I have altered, and reasons I have sent you. If
you mean it of y^e 2. days in a week for perticuler, as some
insinuate, you are deceived; you may have 3. days in a week for me if
you will. And when I have spoken to y^e adventurers of times of
working, they have said they hope we are men of discretion &
conscience, and so fitte to be trusted our selves with that. But
indeed y^e ground of our proceedings at Leyden was mistaken, and so
here is nothing but tottering every day, &c.

As for them of Amsterdam I had thought they would as soone have gone
to Rome as with us; for our libertie is to them as ratts bane, and
their riggour as bad to us as y^e Spanish Inquision. If any practise
of mine discourage them, let them yet draw back; I will undertake they
shall have their money againe presently paid hear. Or if the company
thinke me to be y^e Jonas, let them cast me of before we goe; I shall
be content to stay with good will, having but the cloaths on my back;
only let us have quietnes, and no more of these clamors; full litle
did I expecte these things which are now come to pass, &c.

Yours,
R. CUSHMAN.

But whether this letter of his ever came to their hands at Leyden I well know not; I rather thinke it was staied by M^r. Carver & kept by him, forgiving offence. But this which follows was ther received; both which I thought pertenent to recite.

_Another of his to y^e aforesaid, June_ 11. 1620.[S]

Salutations, &c. I received your l[~e]r. yesterday, by John Turner,
with another y^e same day from Amsterdam by M^r. W. savouring of y^e
place whenc it came. And indeed the many discouragements I find her,
togeather with y^e demurrs and retirings ther, had made me to say, I
would give up my accounts to John Carver, & at his comeing aquainte
him fully with all courses, and so leave it quite, with only y^e pore
cloaths on my back. But gathering up my selfe by further
consideration, [34] I resolved yet to make one triall more, and to
aquainte M^r. Weston with y^e fainted state of our bussines; and
though he hath been much discontented at some thing amongst us of
late, which hath made him often say, that save for his promise, he
would not meadle at all with y^e bussines any more, yet considering
how farr we were plunged into maters, & how it stood both on our
credits & undoing, at y^e last he gathered up him selfe a litle more,
& coming to me 2. hours after, he tould me he would not yet leave it.
And so advising togeather we resolved to hire a ship, and have tooke
liking of one till Monday, about 60. laste, for a greater we cannot
gett, excepte it be tow great; but a fine ship it is. And seeing our
neer freinds ther are so streite lased, we hope to assure her without
troubling them any further; and if y^e ship fale too small, it fitteth
well y^t such as stumble at strawes allready, may rest them ther a
while, least worse blocks come in y^e way ere 7. years be ended. If
you had beaten this bussines so throuly a month agoe, and write to us
as now you doe, we could thus have done much more conveniently. But it
is as it is; I hope our freinds ther, if they be quitted of the ship
hire, will be indusced to venture y^e more. All y^t I now require is
y^t salt and netts may ther be boughte, and for all y^e rest we will
here provid it; yet if that will not be, let them but stand for it a
month or tow, and we will take order to pay it all. Let M^r.
_Reinholds_ tarie ther, and bring y^e ship to Southampton. We have
hired another pilote here, one M^r. _Clarke_, who went last year to
Virginia with a ship of kine.

You shall here distinctly by John Turner, who I thinke shall come
hence on Tewsday night. I had thought to have come with him, to have
answerd to my complaints; but I shal lerne to pass litle for their
censurs; and if I had more minde to goe & dispute & expostulate with
them, then I have care of this waightie bussines, I were like them who
live by clamours & jangling. But neither my mind nor my body is at
libertie to doe much, for I am fettered with bussines, and had rather
study to be quiet, then to make answer to their exceptions. If men be
set on it, let them beat y^e eair; I hope such as are my sinceire
freinds will not thinke but I can give some reason of my actions. But
of your mistaking aboute y^e mater, & other things tending to this
bussines, I shall nexte informe you more distinctly. Mean space
entreate our freinds not to be too bussie in answering matters, before
they know them. If I doe such things as I ca[=n]ot give reasons for,
it is like you have sett a foole aboute your bussines, and so turne
y^e reproofe to your selves, & send an other, and let me come againe
to my Combes. But setting a side my naturall infirmities, I refuse not
to have my cause judged, both of God, & all indifferent men; and when
we come togeather I shall give accounte of my actions hear. The Lord,
who judgeth justly without respect of persons, see into y^e equitie of
my cause, and give us quiet, peacable, and patient minds, in all these
turmoiles, and sanctifie unto us all crosses whatsoever. And so I take
my leave of you all, in all love & affection.

I hope we shall gett all hear ready in 14. days.

Your pore brother,
ROBART CUSHMAN.

June 11. 1620.

Besids these things, ther fell out a differance amongs those 3. that received [35] the moneys & made y^e provissions in England; for besids these tow formerly mentioned sent from Leyden for this end, viz. M^r. Carver & Robart Cushman, ther was one chosen in England to be joyned with them, to make y^e provisions for y^e vioage; his name was M^r. Martin, he came from Billirike in Essexe, from which parts came sundrie others to goe with them, as also from London & other places; and therfore it was thought meete & conveniente by them in Holand that these strangers that were to goe with them, should apointe one thus to be joyned with them, not so much for any great need of their help, as to avoyd all susspition, or jelosie of any partiallitie. And indeed their care for giving offence, both in this & other things afterward, turned to great inconvenience unto them, as in y^e sequell will apeare; but however it shewed their equall & honest minds. The provissions were for y^e most parte made at Southhamton, contrarie to M^r. Westons & Robert Cushm[=a]s mind (whose counsells did most concure in all things). A touch of which things I shall give in a letter of his to M^r. Carver, and more will appear afterward.

To his loving freind M^r. John Carver, these, &c.

Loving freind, I have received from you some letters, full of
affection & complaints, and what it is you would have of me I know
not; for your crieing out, Negligence, negligence, negligence, I
marvell why so negligente a man was used in y^e bussines. Yet know you
y^t all that I have power to doe hear, shall not be one hower behind,
I warent you. You have reference to M^r. Weston to help us with money,
more then his adventure; wher he protesteth but for his promise, he
would not have done any thing. He saith we take a heady course, and
is offended y^t our provissions are made so farr of; as also that he
was not made aquainted with our quantitie of things; and saith y^t in
now being in 3. places, so farr remote, we will, with going up &
downe, and wrangling & expostulating, pass over y^e so[=m]er before we
will goe. And to speake y^e trueth, ther is fallen already amongst us
a flatt schisme; and we are redier to goe to dispute, then to sett
forwarde a voiage. I have received from Leyden since you wente 3. or
4. letters directed to you, though they only conscerne me. I will not
trouble you with them. I always feared y^e event of y^e Amsterdamers
striking in with us. I trow you must exco[=m]unicate me, or els you
must goe without their companie, or we shall wante no quareling; but
let them pass. We have reckoned, it should seeme, without our host;
and, counting upon a 150. persons, ther cannot be founde above
1200^li. & odd moneys of all y^e venturs you can reckone, besids some
cloath, stockings, & shoes, which are not counted; so we shall come
shorte at least 3. or 400^li. I would have had some thing shortened at
first of beare & other provissions in hope of other adventurs, & now
we could have, both in Amsterd: & Kente, beere inough to serve our
turne, but now we cannot accept it without prejudice. You fear we have
begune to build & shall not be able to make an end; indeed, our
courses were never established by counsell, we may therfore justly
fear their standing. Yea, ther was a [36] schisme amongst us 3. at y^e
first. You wrote to M^r. Martin, to prevente y^e making of y^e
provissions in Kente, which he did, and sett downe his resolution how
much he would have of every thing, without respecte to any counsell or
exception. Surely he y^t is in a societie & yet regards not counsell,
may better be a king then a consorte. To be short, if ther be not some
other dispossition setled unto then yet is, we y^t should be partners
of humilitie and peace, shall be examples of jangling & insulting. Yet
your money which you ther must have, we will get provided for you
instantly. 500^li. you say will serve; for y^e rest which hear & in
Holand is to be used, we may goe scratch for it. For M^r.[T] Crabe, of
whom you write, he hath promised to goe with us, yet I tell you I
shall not be without feare till I see him shipped, for he is much
opposed, yet I hope he will not faile. Thinke y^e best of all, and
bear with patience what is wanting, and y^e Lord guid us all.

Your loving freind,
ROBART CUSHMAN.

London, June 10.
An^o: 1620.

I have bene y^e larger in these things, and so shall crave leave in some like passages following, (thoug in other things I shal labour to be more contracte,) that their children may see with what difficulties their fathers wrastled in going throug these things in their first begi[=n]ings, and how God brought them along notwithstanding all their weaknesses & infirmities. As allso that some use may be made hereof in after times by others in such like waightie imployments; and herewith I will end this chapter.

The 7. Chap.

_Of their departure from Leyden, and other things ther aboute, with their arivall at South hamton, were they all mete togeather, and tooke in ther provissions._

At length, after much travell and these debats, all things were got ready and provided. A smale ship[U] was bought, & fitted in Holand, which was intended as to serve to help to transport them, so to stay in y^e cuntrie and atend upon fishing and shuch other affairs as might be for y^e good & benefite of y^e colonie when they came ther. Another was hired at London, of burden about 9. score; and all other things gott in readines. So being ready to departe, they had a day of solleme humiliation, their pastor taking his texte from Ezra 8. 21. _And ther at y^e river, by Ahava, I proclaimed a fast, that we might humble ourselves before our God, and seeke of him a right way for us, and for our children, and for all our substance._ Upon which he spente a good parte of y^e day very profitably, and suitable to their presente occasion. The rest of the time was spente in powering out prairs to y^e Lord with great fervencie, mixed with abundance of tears. And y^e time being come that they must departe, they were accompanied with most of their brethren out of y^e citie, unto a towne sundrie miles of called Delfes-Haven, wher the ship lay ready to receive them. So they lefte y^t goodly & pleasante citie, which had been ther resting place near 12. years; but they knew they were pilgrimes,[V] & looked not much on those things, but lift up their eyes to y^e heavens, their dearest cuntrie, and quieted their spirits. When they [37] came to y^e place they found y^e ship and all things ready; and shuch of their freinds as could not come with them followed after them, and sundrie also came from Amsterdame to see them shipte and to take their leave of them. That night was spent with litle sleepe by y^e most, but with freindly entertainmente & christian discourse and other reall expressions of true christian love. The next day, the wind being faire, they wente aborde, and their freinds with them, where truly dolfull was y^e sight of that sade and mournfull parting; to see what sighs and sobbs and praires did sound amongst them, what tears did gush from every eye, & pithy speeches peirst each harte; that sundry of y^e Dutch strangers y^t stood on y^e key as spectators, could not refraine from tears. Yet comfortable & sweete it was to see shuch lively and true expressions of clear & unfained love. But the tide (which stays for no man) caling them away y^t were thus loath to departe, their Re[~v][=e]^d: pastor falling downe on his knees, (and they all with him,) with watrie cheeks co[=m]ended them with most fervente praiers to the Lord and his blessing. And then with mutuall imbrases and many tears, they tooke their leaves one of an other; which proved to be y^e last leave to many of them.

Thus hoysing saile,[W] with a prosperus winde they came in short time to Southhamton, wher they found the bigger ship come from London, lying ready, w^th all the rest of their company. After a joyfull wellcome, and mutuall congratulations, with other frendly entertainements, they fell to parley aboute their bussines, how to dispatch with y^e best expedition; as allso with their agents, aboute y^e alteration of y^e conditions. M^r. Carver pleaded he was imployed hear at Hamton, and knew not well what y^e other had don at London. M^r. Cushman answered, he had done nothing but what he was urged too, partly by y^e grounds of equity, and more espetialy by necessitie, other wise all had bene dasht and many undon. And in y^e begining he aquainted his felow agents here with, who consented unto him, and left it to him to execute, and to receive y^e money at London and send it downe to them at Hamton, wher they made y^e provissions; the which he accordingly did, though it was against his minde, & some of y^e marchants, y^t they were their made. And for giveing them notise at Leyden of this change, he could not well in regarde of y^e shortnes of y^e time; againe, he knew it would trouble them and hinder y^e bussines, which was already delayed overlong in regard of y^e season of y^e year, which he feared they would find to their cost. But these things gave not contente at presente. Mr. Weston, likwise, came up from London to see them dispatcht and to have y^e conditions confirmed; but they refused, and answered him, that he knew right well that these were not according to y^e first agreemente, neither could they yeeld to them without y^e consente of the rest that were behind. And indeed they had spetiall charge when they came away, from the cheefe of those that were behind, not to doe it. At which he was much offended, and tould them, they must then looke to stand on their owne leggs. So he returned in displeasure, and this was y^e first ground of discontent betweene them. And wheras ther wanted well near 100^li. to clear things at their going away, he would not take order to disburse a penie, but let them shift as they could. [38] So they were forst to selle of some of their provissions to stop this gape, which was some 3. or 4. score firkins of butter, which comoditie they might best spare, haveing provided too large a quantitie of y^t kind. Then they write a leter to y^e marchants & adventures aboute y^e diferances concerning y^e conditions, as foloweth.

Aug. 3. An^o: 1620.

Beloved freinds, sory we are that ther should be occasion of writing
at all unto you, partly because we ever expected to see y^e most of
you hear, but espetially because ther should any differance at all be
conceived betweene us. But seing it faleth out that we cannot conferr
togeather, we thinke it meete (though brefly) to show you y^e just
cause & reason of our differing from those articles last made by
Robart Cushman, without our comission or knowledg. And though he might
propound good ends to himselfe, yet it no way justifies his doing it.
Our maine diference is in y^e 5. & 9. article, concerning y^e deviding
or holding of house and lands; the injoying wherof some of your selves
well know, was one spetiall motive, amongst many other, to provoke us
to goe. This was thought so reasonable, y^t when y^e greatest of you
in adventure (whom we have much cause to respecte), when he
propounded conditions to us freely of his owne accorde, he set this
downe for one; a coppy wherof we have sent unto you, with some
additions then added by us; which being liked on both sids, and a day
set for y^e paimente of moneys, those of Holland paid in theirs. After
y^t, Robart Cushman, M^r. Peirce, & M^r. Martine, brought them into a
better forme, & write them in a booke now extante; and upon Robarts
shewing them and delivering M^r. Mullins a coppy therof under his hand
(which we have), he payd in his money. And we of Holland had never
seen other before our coming to Hamton, but only as one got for him
selfe a private coppy of them; upon sight wherof we manyfested uter
dislike, but had put of our estats & were ready to come, and therfore
was too late to rejecte y^e vioage. Judge therfore we beseech you
indiferently of things, and if a faulte have bene co[=m]ited, lay it
wher it is, & not upon us, who have more cause to stand for y^e one,
then you have for y^e other. We never gave Robart Cushman comission to
make any one article for us, but only sent him to receive moneys upon
articles before agreed on, and to further y^e provissions till John
Carver came, and to assiste him in it. Yet since you conceive your
selves wronged as well as we, we thought meete to add a branch to y^e
end of our 9. article, as will allmost heale that wound of it selfe,
which you conceive to be in it. But that it may appeare to all men y^t
we are not lovers of our selves only, but desire also y^e good &
inriching of our freinds who have adventured your moneys with our
persons, we have added our last article to y^e rest, promising you
againe by leters in y^e behalfe of the whole company, that if large
profits should not arise within y^e 7. years, y^t we will continue
togeather longer with you, if y^e Lord give a blessing.[X] This we
hope is sufficente to satisfie any in this case, espetialy freinds,
since we are asured y^t if the whole charge was devided into 4. parts,
3. of them will not stand upon it, nether doe regarde it, &c. We are
in shuch a streate at presente, as we are forced to sell away 60^li.
worth of our provissions to cleare y^e Haven, & withall put our selves
upon great extremities, scarce haveing any butter, no oyle, not a sole
to mend a shoe, [39] nor every man a sword to his side, wanting many
muskets, much armoure, &c. And yet we are willing to expose our selves
to shuch eminente dangers as are like to insue, & trust to y^e good
providence of God, rather then his name & truth should be evill spoken
of for us. Thus saluting all of you in love, and beseeching the Lord
to give a blesing to our endeavore, and keepe all our harts in y^e
bonds of peace & love, we take leave & rest,

Yours, &c.

Aug. 3. 1620.

It was subscribed with many names of y^e cheefest of y^e company.

At their parting M^r. Robinson write a leter to y^e whole company, which though it hath already bene printed, yet I thought good here likwise to inserte it; as also a breefe leter writ at y^e same time to M^r. Carver, in which y^e tender love & godly care of a true pastor appears.

My dear Brother,--I received inclosed in your last leter y^e note of
information, w^ch I shall carefuly keepe & make use of as ther shall
be occasion. I have a true feeling of your perplexitie of mind & toyle
of body, but I hope that you who have allways been able so plentifully
to administer comforte unto others in their trials, are so well
furnished for your selfe as that farr greater difficulties then you
have yet undergone (though I conceive them to have been great enough)
cannot oppresse you, though they press you, as y^e Aspostle speaks.
The spirite of a man (sustained by y^e spirite of God) will sustaine
his infirmitie, I dout not so will yours. And y^e beter much when you
shall injoye y^e presence & help of so many godly & wise bretheren,
for y^e bearing of part of your burthen, who also will not admitte
into their harts y^e least thought of suspition of any y^e least
negligence, at least presumption, to have been in you, what so ever
they thinke in others. Now what shall I say or write unto you & your
goodwife my loving sister? even only this, I desire (& allways shall)
unto you from y^e Lord, as unto my owne soule; and assure your selfe
y^t my harte is with you, and that I will not forslowe my bodily
coming at y^e first oppertunitie. I have writen a large leter to y^e
whole, and am sorie I shall not rather speak then write to them; & the
more, considering y^e wante of a preacher, which I shall also make
sume spurr to my hastening after you. I doe ever co[=m]end my best
affection unto you, which if I thought you made any doubte of, I would
express in more, & y^e same more ample & full words. And y^e Lord in
whom you trust & whom you serve ever in this bussines & journey, guid
you with his hand, protecte you with his winge, and shew you & us his
salvation in y^e end, & bring us in y^e mean while togeather in y^e
place desired, if shuch be his good will, for his Christs sake.

Amen.
Yours, &c.
Jo: R.

July 27. 1620.

This was y^e last letter y^t M^r. Carver lived to see from him. The other follows.

[Y]Lovinge Christian friends, I doe hartily & in y^e Lord salute you
all, as being they with whom I am presente in my best affection, and
most ernest longings after you, though I be constrained for a while to
be bodily absente from you. I say constrained, God knowing how
willingly, & much rather then otherwise, I would have borne my part
with you in this first brunt, were I not by strong necessitie held
back for y^e present. Make accounte of me in y^e mean while, as of a
man devided in my selfe with great paine, and as (naturall bonds set a
side) having my beter parte with [40] you. And though I doubt not but
in your godly wisdoms, you both foresee & resolve upon y^t which
concerneth your presente state & condition, both severally & joyntly,
yet have I thought it but my duty to add some furder spurr of
provocation unto them, who rune allready, if not because you need it,
yet because I owe it in love & dutie. And first, as we are daly to
renew our repentance with our God, espetially for our sines known, and
generally for our unknowne trespasses, so doth y^e Lord call us in a
singuler maner upon occasions of shuch difficultie & danger as lieth
upon you, to a both more narrow search & carefull reformation of your
ways in his sight; least he, calling to remembrance our sines
forgotten by us or unrepented of, take advantage against us, & in
judgmente leave us for y^e same to be swalowed up in one danger or
other; wheras, on the contrary, sine being taken away by ernest
repentance & y^e pardon therof from y^e Lord sealed up unto a mans
conscience by his spirite, great shall be his securitie and peace in
all dangers, sweete his comforts in all distresses, with hapie
deliverance from all evill, whether in life or in death.

Now next after this heavenly peace with God & our owne consciences, we
are carefully to provide for peace with all men what in us lieth,
espetially with our associats, & for y^e watchfullnes must be had,
that we neither at all in our selves doe give, no nor easily take
offence being given by others. Woe be unto y^e world for offences, for
though it be necessarie (considering y^e malice of Satan & mans
corruption) that offences come, yet woe unto y^e man or woman either
by whom y^e offence cometh, saith Christ, Mat. 18. 7. And if offences
in y^e unseasonable use of things in them selves indifferent, be more
to be feared then death itselfe, as y^e Apostle teacheth, 1. Cor. 9.
15. how much more in things simply evill, in which neither honour of
God nor love of man is thought worthy to be regarded. Neither yet is
it sufficiente y^t we keepe our selves by y^e grace of God from
giveing offence, exepte withall we be armed against y^e taking of them
when they be given by others. For how imperfect & lame is y^e work of
grace in y^t person, who wants charritie to cover a multitude of
offences, as y^e scriptures speake. Neither are you to be exhorted to
this grace only upon y^e co[=m]one grounds of Christianitie, which
are, that persons ready to take offence, either wante charitie, to
cover offences, of wisdome duly to waigh humane frailtie; or lastly,
are grosse, though close hipocrites, as Christ our Lord teacheth, Mat.
7. 1, 2, 3, as indeed in my owne experience, few or none have bene
found which sooner give offence, then shuch as easily take it; neither
have they ever proved sound & profitable members in societies, which
have nurished this touchey humor. But besids these, ther are diverse
motives provoking you above others to great care & conscience this
way: As first, you are many of you strangers, as to y^e persons, so to
y^e infirmities one of another, & so stand in neede of more
watchfullnes this way, least when shuch things fall out in men & women
as you suspected not, you be inordinatly affected with them; which
doth require at your hands much wisdome & charitie for y^e covering &
preventing of incident offences that way. And lastly, your intended
course of civill comunitie will minister continuall occasion of
offence, & will be as fuell for that fire, excepte you dilligently
quench it with brotherly forbearance. And if taking of offence
causlesly or easilie at mens doings be so carefuly to be avoyded, how
much more heed is to be taken y^t we take not offence at God him
selfe, which yet we certainly doe so oft[=e] as we doe murmure at his
providence in our crosses, or beare impatiently shuch afflictions as
wherwith he pleaseth to visite us. Store up therfore patience against
y^e evill day, without which we take offence at y^e Lord him selfe in
his holy & just works.

A 4. thing ther is carfully to be provided for, to witte, that with
your co[=m]one imployments you joyne co[=m]one affections truly bente
upon y^e generall good, avoyding as a deadly [41] plague of your both
co[=m]one & spetiall comfort all retirednes of minde for proper
advantage, and all singularly affected any maner of way; let every man
represe in him selfe & y^e whol body in each person, as so many rebels
against y^e commone good, all private respects of mens selves, not
sorting with y^e generall conveniencie. And as men are carfull not to
have a new house shaken with any violence before it be well setled &
y^e parts firmly knite, so be you, I beseech you, brethren, much more
carfull, y^t the house of God which you are, and are to be, be not
shaken with unnecessarie novelties or other oppositions at y^e first
setling therof.

Lastly, wheras you are become a body politik, using amongst your
selves civill govermente, and are not furnished with any persons of
spetiall eminencie above y^e rest, to be chosen by you into office of
goverment, let your wisdome & godlines appeare, not only in chusing
shuch persons as doe entirely love and will promote y^e co[=m]one
good, but also in yeelding unto them all due honour & obedience in
their lawfull administrations; not behoulding in them y^e
ordinarinesse of their persons, but Gods ordinance for your good, not
being like y^e foolish multitud who more honour y^e gay coate, then
either y^e vertuous minde of y^e man, or glorious ordinance of y^e
Lord. But you know better things, & that y^e image of y^e Lords power
& authoritie which y^e magistrate beareth, is honourable, in how meane
persons soever. And this dutie you both may y^e more willingly and
ought y^e more conscionably to performe, because you are at least for
y^e present to have only them for your ordinarie governours, which
your selves shall make choyse of for that worke.

Sundrie other things of importance I could put you in minde of, and of
those before mentioned, in more words, but I will not so farr wrong
your godly minds as to thinke you heedless of these things, ther being
also diverce among you so well able to admonish both them selves &
others of what concerneth them. These few things therfore, & y^e same
in few words, I doe ernestly co[=m]end unto your care & conscience,
joyning therwith my daily incessante prayers unto y^e Lord, y^t he who
hath made y^e heavens & y^e earth, y^e sea and all rivers of waters,
and whose providence is over all his workes, espetially over all his
dear children for good, would so guide & gard you in your wayes, as
inwardly by his Spirite, so outwardly by y^e hand of his power, as y^t
both you & we also, for & with you, may have after matter of praising
his name all y^e days of your and our lives. Fare you well in him in
whom you trust, and in whom I rest.

An unfained wellwiller of your hapie
success in this hopefull voyage,
JOHN ROBINSON.

This letter, though large, yet being so frutfull in it selfe, and suitable to their occation, I thought meete to inserte in this place.

All things being now ready, & every bussines dispatched, the company was caled togeather, and this letter read amongst them, which had good acceptation with all, and after fruit with many. Then they ordered & distributed their company for either shipe, as they conceived for y^e best. And chose a Governor & 2. or 3. assistants for each shipe, to order y^e people by y^e way, and see to y^e dispossing of there provissions, and shuch like affairs. All which was not only with y^e liking of y^e maisters of y^e ships, but according to their desires. Which being done, they sett sayle from thence aboute y^e 5. of August; but what befell them further upon y^e coast of England will appeare in y^e nexte chapter.

The 8. Chap.

_Off the troubls that befell them on the coaste, and at sea being forced, after much trouble, to leave one of ther ships & some of their companie behind them._