tedious delays, by this misfortune almost quite extinguished. But this is not all, for another occurrent fell in here, which was as disastrous in a manner as the former. The company of New England had, in the return of the year 1615, found means likewise to set out Capt. Smith, with Mr. Darmer, Rocraft and others, with a ship from Plymouth; either to lay the foundation of a new plantation, or strengthen and second that of Capt. Hobson; but they being scarce free of the English coast, were suddenly attacked by a violent storm, shaking his mast overboard, which forced him back into the harbor, where the undertakers furnishing them with another ship, they put to sea a second time; but after they got to the height of the Western Islands, they were chased by a French pirate, who took them prisoners, and detained them so long that their voyage was wholly overthrown; nor do we find that ever Capt. Smith had an opportunity in his own person afterwards to visit these coasts of New England, though his inclination and purpose ran strongly that way. However, Capt. Darmer, meeting with some one or more of those natives transported by Hunt, and encouraged by Capt. Mason, at that time Governor of Newfoundland,|| carried them to Plymouth, from whence he was sent again to New England, where, about the year 1619, by his prudence and great diligence, he procured a peace between our men and the savages of the place, that had been so much exasperated against them by the wrongs formerly received. This industrious and prudent gentleman, having spent almost two years in searching the coast between New England and Virginia, the fruit of whose labors and hazards many others have since reaped, was at the last, in his return to Virginia, set upon by some malicious savages in some parts beyond Cape Cod, from whom he receiving fourteen or fifteen wounds, upon which occasion, retiring to Virginia, he there ended his days, about the year 1621. What expeditions were made by the English, or attempts to plant any part of the country between the year 1614 and 1620, may be seen more at large in Purchas, fol. 1778, and in Capt. Smith's General History of New England,

New England.

lib. 6, pag. 228 & 229; as likewise in a Script, published [in] 1622, in the name of the Governor and Company of New England. But they being, at the best, matters very inconsiderable and of small consequence, relating to the plantations that followed after that time, it is judged not worth the while to transcribe out of those imperfect relations any other particulars about those transactions, which may well be looked upon rather as dead and superfluous branches of the body of the following history, than any thing likely to confer much delight to the reader, or benefit to the compiler thereof.

CHAP. IX.

Of the Plantation at Patuxit, or New Plymouth, in the year 1620, with the occasions that led thereunto.

THE fore mentioned discoveries of the north parts of Virginia, being bruited abroad amongst the western country of Europe, no doubt filled the minds of many with expectations of famous plantations likely ere long to be erected in those parts of the new world: "Est enim natura hominum novitatis avida :" or, whether some divine virtue had inspired them with a desire of being instruments to promote some higher ends than ever as yet had been brought to light-all former attempts for planting those parts being vanished away, or like to come to little, about this time a strange impression was left upon the minds of some religious and well affected persons of the English nation, sojourning in a foreign country, that some place in that remote region might be found out far more convenient for their purpose, that seemed studious for reformation, than hitherto they elsewhere either had, or were like to attain unto, under the wings of a foreign state. Which consideration, for as much as it gave the first rise to the flourishing plantations of New England, since erected, we shall, in the first place, take a little notice of the occasion that led thereunto.

Notwithstanding the bright and clear rays of the Gospel light, that began to dawn and diffuse themselves

1

through the whole hemisphere of the English nation, promising an hopeful day of reformation to arise upon them after the long night of antichristian darkness, in the glorious reign of our English Josiah, king Edward the 6th, and Queen Elizabeth of blessed and famous memory; yet were not all that had opportunity to sit under the shadow of their royal authority so well satisfied with every part of that so happy and hopeful reformation by them begun, as to rest contented, without strenuous endeavors to shape and mould the business of church discipline more to the primitive pattern. Therefore sundry of them, having wearied themselves with their private contrivements all the whole reign of Queen Elizabeth, and finding little hope of bettering their condition under her successor, resolved to try, if change of air would not afford a remedy to the distemper at last, to their grievances and burdens they labored under at home. Divers therefore of that persuasion, that had about the year 1602 entered into a private covenant, first in the north of England, then in the Netherlands, Ann. 1610, to walk with God and one with another, according to the best and primitive patterns (as they conceived) of the word of God, finding the low and watery situation of that country as unwholesome and infectious to their bodies, and [the] national ||vices|| of the place [as] dangerous for their minds, by reason of bad example, as those of their own country [were] uncomfortable for their purses and estates, by reason of opposition, they at last projected the transporting themselves and their families into America, hoping by that means that if not all, yet the greatest and more general ends to be aimed at in reformation, might better be provided for, in a place of their own, free from all former inconveniences. The persons engaged in this design were Mr. Robinson's church, that ten years before settled at Leyden in Holland. 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 Stoo great tinctures of the *sensorious* spirit of their rigid separation, as is too well known by sundry of his writings, published to the world about those times :

|| views ||

yet doth he deserve commendation in this, that although he had been transported so far with those principles as to publish his opinion against hearing any of the preachers of the Church of England, were they never so learned and pious; yea to that confidence was he arrived, that he began to play with Dr. Ames's name, styling him in one of his pamphlets, "Mr. William Amiss;" yet after the Doctor had taken him to task, and showed him his great mistake, in his unanswerable piece, called "A manuduction to Mr. Robinson," and finding himself unable to grapple any longer with so great a master of reason, he submitted, not being willing to speak any thing against the truth, that had been, by the help of an antagonist, discovered unto him. Yea farther, he came afterwards to acknowledge, and in a judicious and godly discourse to approve and defend, the lawful liberty, if not the duty, in case of hearing the godly preachers of the Church of England. Thus like Paul he preached that, which he had with his pen persecuted before; like some fruit, that before it is ripe is harsh, sour, and unpleasant, till it attain, by the advantage of after time, to the mildness and sweetness of riper age; as was observed in this good man, who, as he grew in years, grew in many excellent gifts, both of nature and grace, and great moderation of spirit in regard of what he manifested in former time, which was not often found in them of that rigid persuasion. This passage is intended as rather matter of commendation than reflection upon that eminent person, or any of the Christian brethren of his church. To proceed, therefore, there was one Mr. Brewster, a prudent, grave, and serious Christian, of great experience in things of religion, and a man of a finer alloy than the ordinary sort of the Separation, having had no small advantage by his education under Secretary Davison, in the court of Queen Elizabeth, that was joined with the said Mr. Robinson in the eldership, by whose prudence and discretion that church was kept in sweet and entire union and accord, both before and after their parting asunder, contrary to the manner and custom of some of that persuasion in Holland, as may ap

pear by the testimony given them by those amongst whom they sojourned before in Leyden, of which seell Morton, page 4 of New England's Memorial. The reasons of their removal were debated both in ||'private and public, and found more weighty than could readily be answered, in so much as a very great and considerable part of the church were persuaded to attend the motion, apprehending it to be from God; and if their minds had not been fully satisfied therein, it had been scarce possible for them to have gotten over so many difficulties and sore trials as they encountered with through the whole undertakings.-As for the reasons which prevailed with them to leave Holland, the principal were these -difference of language, difficulty of subsistence, hazarding of posterity, which they feared might come to pass, and at last occasion their losing their interest in the English nation; they being desirous (how differing soever they were in the persuasion of some matters of discipline) to live under their natural Prince, and, if it might be, to enlarge his Majesty's dominions; having also some hope and inward zeal by this means to propagate the gospel, promote and advance the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ amongst the barbarous inhabitants of these remote parts of the world-in which good work it is hoped they have not failed of their expectation altogether. After they had, upon the reasons aforementioned, resolved upon their "terminus §a§ quo," viz. to leave Holland, the next and no less difficult question was the "terminus ad quem," where to find a place, in which they might securely promise themselves a freedom from the former evils they had long groaned under, and an opportunity of enjoying the contrary benefits so much desired, viz. the liberty of a civil as well as ecclesiastical government, which they found by sad experience was not to be obtained or expected in any foreign nation of Europe therefore they in the general concluded to inquire after some place that had not formerly been inhabited; and again they were divided in their opinions. Some of their company, and those none of the meanest, were for Guiana in the West Indies, a rich and fertile soil or 'public and private ||

as we see