lers, and examples of the like kinde, to shew the untruth and unlicklyhode of this slander, yet these shall suffice, seeing it was beleeved of few; being only raised by the malice of some, who laboured their disgrace.

alcuni medesimamente per occasione di mercanzia nella città di Midelburgo in Zelanda. Per ogni parte dunque, e da tutti gli angoli, si può dire, delle Provincie Unite, s' odono i latrati, e gli urli di tanti infetti loro settarii." Relazione di Fiandra, Parte II. cap. II.

A

The .4. Chapter

Showing the reasons, and causes of their remoovall.

FTER they had lived in this citie about some. II. or.12. years, (which is the more observable being the whole time of that famose truce between that state and the Spaniards,)1 and sundrie of them were taken away by death; and many others begane to be well striken in years (the grave mistris Experience haveing taught them many things) [152] those prudent governours, with sundrie of the sagest members begane both deeply to apprehend their present dangers, and wisely to foresee the future; and thinke of timly remedy. In the agitation of their thoughts, and much discours of things hear aboute, at length they began to incline to this conclusion, of remoovall to some other place. Not out of any new fanglednes, or other shuch like giddie humor, by which men are oftentimes transported to their great hurt, and danger. But for sundrie weightie and solid reasons; some of the cheefe

1 Spain and the Netherlands entered into a truce for twelve years, signed at Antwerp, March 30, 1609. For more than a year a truce had been pending, but the two provinces most actively engaged in commerce, and the seats of refuge to the oppressed of other countries, had in a measure escaped the horrors of the war. "The States contented themselves with a general recognition of their independence. The King of Spain, though he reserved a right to prohibit traffic with his own territories in the Indies, yet declared that he would throw no impediment in the way of the trade of the Dutch with any of the native states beyond the limits of the Spanish possessions. This was the greatest concession which had yet been wrung from Spain." Gardiner, History of England, 11. 29.

2 Page 15 is repeated in the Ms.

"I persuade myselfe, never people upon earth lived more lovingly, and parted more sweetly then wee the Church at Leyden did, not rashly, in a distracted humour; but upon joynt and serious deliberation, often seeking the minde of GOD by fasting and prayer: whose gracious presence we not onely found with us; but his blessing upon

of which I will hear breefly touch. And first, they saw and found by experience the hardnes of the place and countrie to be shuch, as few in comparison would come to them; and fewer that would bide it out, and continew with them. For many that came to them, and many more that desired to be with them; could not endure that great labor and hard fare, with other inconveniences which they underwent and were contented with. But though they loved their persons, approved their cause, and honoured their sufferings, yet they left them, as it weer weeping, as Orpah did her mother in law Naomie; or as those Romans did Cato in Utica, who desired to be excused, and borne with, though they could not all be Catoes. For many, though they desired to injoye the ordinances of God in their puritie, and the libertie of the gospell with them, yet (alass) they admitted of bondage-with deanger of conscience, rather then to indure these hardships; yea, some preferred, and chose the prisons in England, rather then this libertie in Holland, with these afflictions. But it was thought that if a better, and easier place of living, could be had, it would draw many, and take away these discouragments. Yea, their pastor would often say, that many of those that both wrate, and preached now against them, if they were in a place, wher they might have libertie and live comfortably, they would then practise as they did.1

us from that time to this instant [1646]: to the indignation of our adversaries, the admiration of strangers, and the exceeding consolation of our selves, to see such effects of our prayers and teares before our pilgrimage here bee ended." Winslow, Hypocrisie Unmasked, *88.

1 "Amongst many other inconveniences," wrote Winslow (Hypocrisie Unmasked, *89), they considered "how hard the Country was where we lived, how many spent their estate in it, and were forced to return for England, how grievous to live from under the protection of the State of England; how like we were to lose our language, and our name of English; how little good wee did, or were like to do to the Dutch in reforming the Sabbath; how unable there to give such education to our children, as wee our selves had received &c." Morton intimates some activity on the part of the Pilgrims towards reforming the Dutch practices. "In ten years time, whiles their Church sojourned amongst them, they could not bring them to reform the neglect of Observation of the

2ly. They saw, that though the people generally, bore all these difficulties very cherfully, and with a resolute courage, being in the best, and strength of their years, yet old age began to steale on many of them, (and their great and continuall labours, with other crosses, and sorrows, hastened it before the time) so as it was not only probably thought, but apparently seen, that within a few years more, they would be in danger to scatter (by necessities pressing them) or sinke under their burdens, or both. And therfore according to the devine proverb, that a wise man seeth the plague when it cometh, and hideth him selfe, Pro. 22. 3. so they like skillfull and beaten souldiers were fearfull, either to be intrapped or surrounded by their enimies, so as they should neither be able to fight nor flie. And therfor thought it better to dislodge betimes to some place of better advantage and less danger, if any shuch could be found. [16]

3ly. Thirdly; As necessitie was a taskmaster over them, so they were forced to be shuch, not only to their servants (but in a sorte) to their dearest chilldren; the which as it did not a litle wound the tender harts of many a loving father, and mother; so it produced likwise sundrie sad and sorowfull effects. For many of their children, that were of best dispositions, and gracious Inclinations; (haveing lernde to bear the yoake in their youth) and willing to bear parte of their parents burden, were (often times) so oppressed with their hevie labours, that though their minds were free and willing, yet their bodies bowed under the weight of the same, and became

Lord's-day, as a Sabbath, or any other thing amiss amongst them." New Englands Memoriall, *3.

"Here is little respect had to sanctify the sabbath: the young children girls walked all the Sabbath in the afternoon with cups or tins in their hands; they were about five or six years of age; others elder, about ten, and thirteen, and fourteen years of age, guided these little ones, and sung, screaming, and squeaking, and straining their voices. Such as they met gave them money, which they put into the cups, which was intended to buy a wassail-cup, a carouse: this they continued all Monday." Sir William Brereton, Travels, 6.

decreped in their early youth; the vigor of nature being consumed in the very budd as it were. But that which was more lamentable, and of all sorowes most heavie to be borne, was that many of their children, by these occasions, and the great licentiousnes of youth in that countrie, and the manifold temptations of the place, were drawne away by evill examples into extravagante and dangerous courses, getting the raines off their neks, and departing from their parents. Some became souldiers, others tooke upon them farr viages by sea; and other some worse courses, tending to dissolutnes, and the danger of their soules, to the great greefe of their parents and dishonour of God. So that they saw their posteritie would be in danger to degenerate and be corrupted.

Lastly, (and which was not least) a great hope, and inward zeall they had of laying some good foundation, (or at least to make some way therunto) for the propagating, and advancing the gospell of the kingdom of Christ in those remote parts of the world; yea, though they should be but even as stepping-stones, unto others for the performing of so great a work.1

1 In their address to Charles the Second, dated June 5, 1661, the General Court of New Plymouth asked for his protection and "the confirmation of our Religiouse and Civill liberties and priviledges conferred by pattent from your Royall Grandfather (whoe well knew the ends your servants Aymd at in our transplantation) and since farther inlarged by your most Illustrious Father, even to us the first colony of your English subjects in New England, who did hither transport ourselves to serve our God with a pure conscience according to his will revealed, not a three daies journey as Moses but nere three thousand miles into a vast howling wilderness inhabited onely by Barbarians, yet part of your Majesties dominions. This we rather chose, then to live under a forreign state where yet we had libertie of conscience with all civill respects. But such was our duety love and loyaltie to our naturall Lord, desire to enlarge his dominions and enjoy his protection that we willingly overlooked all difficulties and discouragements, came hither, took possession in our persons for our Sovereign. In attempting whereof by reason of many hardships attending such a designe, we lost many of our dearest relations, the living scarcely able to bury their dead, yet then not without hopes that God might make us stepping stones for others more fit for such a worke." Gay Transcripts (Ms.) from the P. R. O. America and the West Indies, 16611668, 102.