REMOVAL TO LEYDEN. 35 estate, both at present and, in likelihood, in the fu- CHAP. ture; as indeed it proved to be. 2 III. For these and some other reasons they removed to 1609. Leyden,' a fair and beautiful city, and of a sweet situation, but made more famous by the university wherewith it is adorned, in which of late it had been by so many learned men; but wanting that traffic by sea which Amsterdam enjoyed, it was not so beneficial for their outward means of living and estates. But being now here pitched, they fell to such trades and employments as they best could, valuing peace and their spiritual comfort above any other riches whatsoever; and at length they came to raise a competent and comfortable living, and with hard and continual labor. Being thus settled, after many difficulties, they continued many years in a comfortable condition, enjoying much sweet and delightful society and spiritual comfort together, in the ways of God, under the able ministry "By several passages in Gov. Bradford's manuscript it seems as if they began to remove to Leyden at the end of 1608. Prince, p. 120. The distance from Amsterdam to Leyden is about 22 miles. 2 The university of Leyden was established in 1575, the year after the memorable siege of that place. The Prince of Orange, wishing to reward the citizens for their constancy and valor, gave them the choice of two privileges — either an exemption from taxes, or a university; they chose the latter. It has been at times one of the most celebrated in Europe; and from its reputation the city itself was called the Athens of the West, and the North Star of Holland. Among its distinguished professors and scholars were Arminius, Episcopius, Grotius, Lipsius, Junius, Vossius, Descartes, Scaliger, Salma 36 III. to INCREASE OF THE CHURCH. CHAP. and prudent government of Mr. John Robinson and Mr. William Brewster, who was an assistant unto him 1609 in the place of an elder, unto which he was now called 1617. and chosen by the church; so as they grow in knowledge and other gifts and graces of the spirit of God; and lived together in peace, and love, and holiness. And many came unto them from divers parts of England, so as they grew a great congregation.' And if at any time any differences did arise or offences broke out, (as it cannot be but that sometimes there will, even amongst the best of men), they were ever so met with and nipped in the head betimes, or otherwise so well composed, as still love, peace, and communion was continued, or else the church purged of those that were incurable and incorrigible, when, after much patience used, no other means would serve ; which seldom comes to pass. Yea, such was the mutual love and reciprocal respect that this worthy man had to his flock, and his flock to him, that it might be said of them, as it was once said2 of that famous emperor, Marcus Aurelius, and the pcople of Rome, that it was hard to judge whether he delighted more in having such a people, or they in having 66 It is impossible to ascertain the exact number of Robinson's congregation; yet we may approximate to it. Gov. Bradford tells us, in his Dialogue, that in Johnson's church, at Amsterdam, there were about three hundred communicants; and for the church of Leyden, they were sometimes not much fewer in number." Edward Winslow says, in his Brief Narration, that "the difference of number was not great between those who remained at Leyden and those who embarked for America. Now we know that 120 set sail from England in the Mayflower and Speedwell. Of these 100 arrived at Plymouth in the Mayflower in 1620; 36 came in the Fortune, in 1621; 60 in the Anne, in 1623; 35, with their families, in the Mayflower, in 1629; and 60 in 1630 in the Handmaid ; — making in all more than 300, including the "families." We have the names of those who came in the first three ships; and also a list of the persons in the Colony in May, 1627. See Prince, pp. 264 and 343; Morton's Memorial, p. 381; Winthrop's Journal, i. 37, 378. 2 Golden Book, &c.— Morton's Note. JOHN ROBINSON'S CHARACTER. 37 III. to such a pastor. Ilis love was great towards them, and CHAP. his care was always bent for their best good, both for soul and body. For, besides his singular abilities in 1609 divine things, wherein he excelled, he was able also to 1617. give direction in civil affairs, and to foresee dangers and inconveniences; by which means he was very helpful to their outward estates; and so was every way as a common father unto them. And none did more offend him than those that were close and cleaving to themselves, and retired from the common good; as also such as would be stiff and rigid in matters of outward order, and inveigh against the evils of others, and yet be remiss in themselves, and not so careful to express a virtuous conversation. They, in like manner, had ever a reverent regard unto him, and had him in precious estimation, as his worth and wisdom did deserve; and although they esteemed him highly whilst he lived and labored amongst them, yet much more after his death, when they came to feel the want of his help, and saw by woful experience what a treasure they had lost, to the grief of their hearts and wounding of their souls; yea, such a loss as they saw could not It has been the practice of the Independent or Congregational clergy, both in Old and New England, from the earliest times, to take an interest and part in public affairs. The prominent and efficient agency which they exercised in the infancy of our colonial settlements is well known; Cotton, Hooker, and Davenport shared at least an equal power with Winthrop, Haynes, and Eaton in moulding the civil polity of Massachusetts and Connecticut. The services of Increase Mather in obtaining the second charter of Massachusetts are recorded in her history; and the patriotic exertions 38 to THE PILGRIMS LIVE IN PEACE. CHAP. be repaired; for it was hard for them to find such III. another leader and feeder in all respects, as the Tabo1609 rites to find another Ziska.1 And although they did 1617. not call themselves orphans, as the other did, after his death, yet they had cause as much to lament, in another regard, their present condition and after usage. But to return. I know not but it may be spoken to the honor of God, and without prejudice to any, that such was the humble zeal and fervent love of this people (whilst they thus lived together) towards God and his ways, and the single-heartedness and sincere affection one towards another, that they came as near the primitive pattern of the first churches as any other church of these latter times have done, according to their rank and quality. But seeing it is not my purpose to treat of the several passages that befell this people whilst they thus lived in the Low Countries, (which might worthily require a large treatise of itself,) but to manifest something of their beginning and after progress in New England, which I principally scope and aim at; yet, because some of their adversaries did, upon the rumor of their removal, cast out slanders. against them, as if that State had been weary of them, and had rather driven them out, (as the heathen histo 'The burning of John Huss and Jerome of Prague by order of the Council of Constance, in 1415 and 1416, caused great indignation and excitement in Bohemia, their native country, which led to an open insurrection. The insurgents took up arms, and under the command of John Ziska, retired to a mountain ten miles from Prague, to which they gave the name of Mount Tabor, from the tent which they erected there for the celebration of the communion, and in allu sion to the Mount of Transfiguration, on which the Apostle Peter wished to build tabernacles. Here they founded a city, to which also they gave the name of Tabor, and from it were themselves called Taborites. After the death of Ziska in 1424, his followers were inconsolable, and considering themselves deprived of a parent and protector, called themselves Orphans. See Gieseler's Eccles. Hist. iii. 359, and Encyc. Amer. articles Ziska and Huss. THEIR CREDIT WITH THE DUTCH. 39 III. ries did feign of Moses and the Israelites when they CHAP went out of Egypt,) than it was their own free choice and motion, I will therefore mention a particular or two to show the contrary, and that good acceptation they had in the place. And first, although it was low with many of them, yet their word would be taken amongst the Dutch when they wanted money, because they had found by experience how careful they were to keep their word, and saw them so painful and diligent in their callings, that they strove to get their custom, and to employ them above others in their work, for their honesty and diligence. Again; the magistrates of the city, about the time of their coming away, or a little before, in the public 1619. place of justice, gave this commendable testimony of them, in reproof of the Walloons,3 who were of the French church in the city. "These English," said they, "have lived amongst us now this twelve years, and yet we never had any suit or accusation come It was a vulgar slander against the Jews, that they were expelled from Egypt on account of their having the leprosy. Tacitus says "A pestilential disease, disfiguring the race of men, and making the body an object of loathsome deformity, spread all over Egypt. Bocchoris, at that time the reigning monarch, consulted the oracle of Jupiter Hammon, and received for answer that the kingdom must be purified, by exterminating the infected multitude, as a race of men detested by the gods. After diligent search, the wretched sufferers were collected together, and in a wild and barren desert abandoned to their misery. In that distress, while the vulgar herd was sunk in deep despair, Moses, one of their A great honor to the Gospel.- 3 The Walloons are the inhabit- |