that stood on the key as spectators, could not refrain from tears."

But now the tide favoured, and the friends must part. They fall down, therefore, on their knees, and their pastor commends them, "with most fervent prayers, unto the Lord and his blessing." Then, "with mutual embraces and many tears," they take what proved "to many of them a last leave;" after which, Robinson, and the friends with him, step on shore. They hoist sail; the gale is prosperous; and in a short time the Speedwell, with its precious burden, has vanished from their sight! *

This was on the 22nd of July, 1620. On arriving at Southampton, the May-flower was waiting for them, "having some English friends on board, who proposed removing with them."+ After making the necessary preparations for the voyage, they divided themselves into two companies, one for each ship; and, with the approbation of the captain, each company chose a governor and two or three assistants, to preserve order and distribute the provisions. Before setting sail, they receive an affectionate letter from Robinson, reminding them of their religious duties, imparting most judicious counsel respecting their temper and demeanour towards one another, and preparing their minds beforehand to act a noble part when they should "become a body politic, using amongst themselves civil government." This letter, we

*It does not appear, as commonly represented, that the parting scene was on the sea-shore but on board the Speedwell, which was probably drawn up alongside the "key."

† Winterbotham's Historical View of the United States, in four volumes. Vol. ii. p. 20. Ses also Jedidiah Morse's American Geography (1792), pp. 151, 152.

are informed, had "good acceptance with all, and after-fruit with many."

The two vessels set sail on the 5th of August; but the Speedwell proving leaky, in the judgment of Reynolds the captain, they put into Dartmouth for repairs. This delayed them till the 21st of August, when they set sail again. They had not proceeded more than a hundred leagues from land, when the captain of the Speedwell again complained of the condition of his vessel, and refused to proceed any further with her. In consequence of this untoward event, both vessels put back to Plymouth, and the Speedwell was abandoned. It is thought that Reynolds was guilty of treachery, since the Speedwell performed many voyages afterwards with perfect safety. Both companies now united, * and embarked finally in the May-flower, on the 6th of September. Our space forbids our entering into any details respecting the voyage, which was tedious and perilous.

On the 11th of November, 1620, these pilgrims from the old world entered Cape Cod harbour; and before they anchored, "fell upon their knees, and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from so many perils and miseries."+

66

Not being within the limits of their patent, and observing some not well affected to unity and con

* The number was too great for one vessel; and therefore Mr. Cushman and some others returned in the Speedwell to London, much against their will. They went over in the Fortune next year. Prince, p. 161.

† According to Bradford and Winslow, this act of devout thanksgiving was performed on the May-flower. Only fifteen or sixteen were permitted to land the first day, and these were armed, in order to be prepared for any surprise.

cord," their first act was to establish themselves under a separate government, as a dependency of the British empire. A solemn contract, therefore, was entered into, and subscribed on the day of their arrival. The document was signed by forty-one heads of families, with the number of their respective families annexed, numbering, in the whole, one hundred souls. Mr. John Carver was chosen governor for the first year; the venerable Brewster retaining his office as ruling elder to the community, in its religious capacity.* Their next object was to obtain a convenient settlement. The difficulties and dangers they had to encounter in accomplishing this part of their object, were all but insurmountable. It was winter, and the season unusually severe; many were in a weak and sickly condition in consequence of the voyage; their provisions were poor and scarce; the Indians, unaccustomed to strangers, were shy and hostile; and the coast was one with which they were unacquainted. But their leading men were of the right stamp. Inured to hardships, and animated by the noblest principles, they were adequate to any emergency. After making several exploring adventures in the ship's "shallop," they fixed upon a place called by the Indians "Patuxat," as the scene of their desti

He was

* Brewster was in many respects a remarkable man. educated at Cambridge, and was under secretary to Mr. Davison, secretary of state to Queen Elizabeth. While acting in this capacity, he was employed in a service of great trust in Holland, which may have led afterwards to his repairing with Robinson to that country. He was never ordained as the minister of the colonists; but preached amongst them for about seven years after their settlement in New England. He died on the 16th of April, 1644, in the 80th year of his age. Neal's New England, vol. i. pp. 79, 211. For a full account, see Young's Chronicles, pp. 462-470.

*

nation. Hither they brought their entire company, in the following December, and in commemoration of the mother country, and the last English town of whose hospitality they had shared, they called the place New Plymouth.† A large portion of the rock on which they landed is now deposited in the centre of the town, the foundations of which were then laid, and the names of the brave adventurers grace the iron enclosure in which the memorable relic is preserved.

It is beyond our design to trace the history of these pilgrims any further; neither could justice be done to the subject without devoting considerable space to it. Suffice it to say, that "the little one" soon became a thousand," and "the small one a strong nation." A mighty people dates its origin from these beginnings. In succeeding periods New England became an asylum for those who were oppressed and persecuted in Old England; and although some sad errors were committed in the early policy of the colonists, as a necessary consequence of defective views respecting the great principle of liberty of conscience, they had enough of truth and piety amongst them to extricate them out of their difficulties, and to lead them eventually into the right course. The Carvers and Bradfords, the Winslows and Standishes of New England's early history, transferred from Leyden the defective theory of John Robinson, respecting the power of the civil magistrate in matters of religion; but in connexion with what was defective, they derived from the

* One of their number died during the voyage, and one was born. The list of names and numbers generally referred to, includes the name of the party who died-thus making 101.

This is the common account. It is affirmed, however, that Capt. John Smith gave it this name in his map of 1616.

same source so much that was calculated, in the progress of things, to rectify the defect, that their names are still honoured by a grateful posterity, and are ever likely to be so, as of the founders of a mighty republic, in which religion and liberty have grown up side by side.

A few particulars will not be out of place here, respecting some of the more prominent individuals whose names have frequently occurred in the preceding pages, and who died in the period embraced by this chapter.

Henry Jacob, after presiding over the church in London for about eight years, emigrated to New England in 1624, and shortly afterwards died.*

Henry Ainsworth became sole pastor of the church at Amsterdam, on Johnson's retiring to Embden, and remained in that office until his death, in 1623. Although a great controversialist, he was a man of a meek and peaceful spirit; and his various works, more especially his Annotations on the Pentateuch, and other portions of the Old Testament, afford abundant evidence of the laboriousness of his life. Governor Bradford, who knew him well, has given the following sketch of his character. After calling him " a man of a thousand," he adds: "A very learned man he was, and a close student, which much impaired his health. We have heard some, eminent in the tongues, of the university of Leyden, say that they thought he had not his better for the Hebrew tongue in the university, nor scarce in Europe. He was a man very modest, amiable, and sociable, in his ordinary course and carriage, of an innocent and unblameable life and conversation, of a meek spirit, and a calm temper, *Neal, i. 447.