foode; neither ever had they any supply of foode but what they first brought with them. After harvest this year, they sende out a boats load of corne 40 or 50. leagues to the eastward, up a river called Kenibeck; it being one of those 2. shalops which their carpenter had built them the year before; for bigger vessell had they none. They had laid a litle deck over her midships to keepe the corne drie, but the men were faine to stand it out all weathers without shealter, and that time [139] of the year begins to growe tempestious. But God preserved them, and gave them good success, for they brought home 700li. of beaver, besides some other furrs, having litle or nothing els but this corne, which themselves had raised out of the earth. This viage was made by Mr. Winslow and some of the old standards,1 for seamen they had none.2

1 "First written as in the text, then altered to standerss." Deane.

This voyage, the promise of future profits in like adventures, and the possibility of being shut out entirely from the Kennebec by the people of Piscataqua induced New Plymouth to take out a patent for a trading station there. Vol. 11. p. 18.

A

Anno Dom: .1626.

BOUT the begining of Aprill they heard of Captain Standish his arrivall, and sent a boat to fetch him home, and the things he had brought. Welcome he was, but the news he broughte was sadd in many regards; not only in regarde of the former losses, before related, which their freinds had suffered, by which some in a maner were undon, others much disabled from doing any further help, and some dead of the plague, but also that Mr. Robinson, their pastor, was dead, which struck them with much sorrow and sadnes, as they had cause. His and their adversaries had been long and continually plotting how they might hinder his coming hither, but the Lord had appointed him a better place; concerning whose death and the maner therof, it will appere by these few lines write to the Gov[erno]r and Mr. Brewster.1

1 Of Robinson Hubbard said: "He was, as it seemed, highly respected of his people, (now dispersed into two companies, further asunder than was Dothan and Hebron,) as they were also of him. That which was the principal remora that detained him with the rest in Holland is not mentioned by any of his friends here, yet may it easily be supposed, viz., the sad difficulties, and sore trials, that his friends in New England had hitherto been encountered withal; so as those that were here could not seriously advise him and the rest to follow them, till things were brought to some better settlement in this their new Plantation, together with some back friends that did all they could to obstruct his coming over. The temptations of a wilderness, though not invincible, yet may be very hard to overcome; witness the experience of Israel of old, who were only to pass through it, and not first plant it, as were those here. The small hopes these had of their pastor's coming over to them, being heretofore revived by the new approach of the shipping every spring, possibly made them more slow in seeking out for another supply, as also more difficult in their choice of any other." History, 96. Hubbard (History, 42) gives an account of Robinson that is "intended as rather matter of commendation than reflection" upon him or any of the Christian brethren of his church. "The said Robinson, to give him his due, was a man of good learning, of a polished wit, and ingenious disposition and courteous behavior, yet not without too great tinctures of the sensorious spirit of their rigid separation;" but as

ESSAYES

OR, OBSERVATIONS

DIVINE AND
MORALL.

COLLECTED OVT OF
holy Scriptures, Ancient and
Moderne Writers,both di
vine and humane.

As alfo, out of the great volume of mens manners: Tending to the furtherance of knowledge

and vertue:

LOVING AND KIND FRINDS, etc. I know not whether this will ever come to your hands, or miscarie, as other my letters have done; yet in regard of the Lords dealing with us hear, I have had a great desire to write unto you, knowing your desire to bear a parte with us, both in our joyes, and sorrows, as we doe with you. These are therfore to give you to understand, that it hath pleased the Lord to take out of this vaell of tears, your and our loving and faithfull pastor, and my dear and Reve[ren]d brother, Mr. John Robinson, who was sick some .8. days. He begane to be sick on Saturday in the morning, yet the next day (being the Lords day) he taught us twise. And so the weeke after grew weaker, ever[y] day more then other; yet he felt no paine but weaknes all the time of his sicknes. The phisick he tooke wrought kindly in mans judgmente, but he grew weaker every day, feeling litle or no paine, and sensible to the very last. He fell sicke the .22. of Feb[ruary], and departed this life the 1. of March. He had a continuall inwarde ague, but free from infection, so that all his freinds came freely to him. And if either prayers, tears, or means, would have saved he grew in years, he "grew in many excellent gifts both of nature and grace, and great moderation of spirit in regard of what he manifested in former time." Hubbard had little sympathy with the Separatists, and speaks (p. 43) of Brewster as "of a finer alloy than the ordinary sort of the Separation." See p. 444, infra.

John Robinson's Observations Divine and Morall had appeared in 1625 and in two issues, a second title reading Essayes; or Observations, etc. Three years later, in 1628, an issue was made somewhat different in certain pages. "The most curious feature of the transaction is, that the obvious design of these alterations is to leave out, in the first instance, all that closing portion of the Essay on ‘Religion, and the Differences and Disputations thereabout,' which touches upon Toleration; and in the second instance to drop out the whole of the Essay on 'Heresie and Schisme."" As correct copies of this edition of 1628 are found we have "one perfect as the author left them, the other doctored for some unguessed market." Henry M. Dexter, in Mass. Hist. Proceedings, XVII. 63.

Robinson was buried in St. Peter's Church, March 4, but the exact location of the place of burial is unknown. "A tradition, possibly well-founded, locates it in the bay or alcove which projects from the cathedral at the point nearest to his house." In 1891, a memorial tablet to Robinson, erected by the National Council of Congregational Churches of the United States, was placed in the outside wall of the church, and unveiled with appropriate ceremony on July 24. Dexter, The England and Holland of the Pilgrims, 591, 592 n.

his life, he had not gone hence. But he having faithfully finished his course, and performed his worke which the Lord had appointed him here to doe, he now resteth with the Lord in eternall hapines. We wanting him and all Church Gov[erno]rs yet we still (by the mercie of God) continue and hould close togeather, in peace and quietnes; and so hope we shall doe, though we be very weake. Wishing (if shuch were the will of God) that you and we were againe united togeather in one, either ther or here; but seeing it is the will of the Lord thus to dispose of things, we must labour with patience to rest contented, till it please the Lord otherwise to dispose. For [140]1 news, is here not much; only as in England we have lost our old king James, who departed this life aboute a month agoe,2 so here they have lost the old prince, Grave Maurise; who both departed this life since my brother Robinson. And as in England we have a new-king Charles, of whom ther is great hope, so

Charles &

hear they have made prince Hendrick Generall in his brothers place, etc. Thus with my love remembred, I take leave and rest,

Your assured loving freind,

Leyden, Aprill 28. Anno: 1625.

ROGER WHITE.

Thus these too great princes, and their pastor, left this world near aboute one time. Death makes no difference.

He further brought them notice of the death of their anciente freind, Mr. Cush-man, whom the Lord tooke away allso this year, and aboute this time, who was as their right hand with their freinds the adventurers, and for diverce years had done and agitated all

1 To this point the record was written upon every other page of the manuscript book. Every page is now written upon till folio 154, when the practice of leaving every other page blank was resumed.

2 March 27.

Maurice, son of William the Silent and Louise de Coligny, died April 23, 1625, five days before this letter was written, and was succeeded by his younger brother, Frederick Henry, one of the most capable of the House of Orange.