CHAPTER IV. SHOWING THE REASONS AND CAUSES OF THEIR REMOVAL. CHAP. AFTER they had lived in this city about eleven or IV. twelve years, (which is the more observable, being the 16 09 whole time of that famous truce between that State 1620, and the Spaniards,) and sundry of them were taken to away by death, and many others began to be well stricken in years, the grave mistress experience having taught them many things, these prudent governors, with sundry of the sagest members, began both deeply 1617. to apprehend their present dangers and wisely to fore see the future, and think of timely remedy. In the agitation of their thoughts and much discourse of particulars hereabout, they began to incline to this conclusion of removal to some other place; not out of any newfangledness, or other such like giddy humor, by which men are many times transported, to their great hurt and danger, but for sundry weighty and solid After the war had been raging for more than thirty years between Spain and the United Provinces, by the mediation of Henry IV. of France and James I. of England, a truce of twelve years was concluded on the 9th of April, 1609. See Bentivoglio, Della Guerra di Fiandra, parte iii. lib. viii., Opere Storiche, iv. 564; Grotius, p. 542, 569; Brandt, ii. 54; Watson's Philip III. p. 275; Grattan's Netherlands, p. 226. THE PILGRIMS PROPOSE TO LEAVE HOLLAND. 45 reasons, the chief of which I will here recite and CHAP. briefly touch. IV. Ruth, i. 14. 1. And first, they found and saw by experience 1617. the hardness of the place and country to be such, as few in comparison would come to them, and fewer that would bide it out and continue with them. For many that came to them, and many more that desired to be with them, could not endure the great labor and hard fare, with other inconveniences, which they underwent and were contented with. But though they loved their persons, and approved their cause, and honored their sufferings, yet they left them as it were weeping, as Orpah did her mother-in-law Naomi, or as those Romans did Cato in Utica, who desired to be excused and borne with, though they could not all be Catos. For many, though they desired to enjoy the ordinances of God in their purity, and the liberty of the Gospel with them, yet, alas, they admitted of bondage, with danger of conscience, rather than to endure these hardships; yea, some preferred and chose prisons in England rather than this liberty 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 discouragements; yea, their pastor would often say, that many of those that both writ and preached now against them, if they were in a place where they might have liberty, and live comfortably, they would then practise as they did. 1 Plutarch says, in his Life of Cato the Younger, that the three hundred Roman citizens who were with him in Utica, intending to send messengers to Cæsar to intercede in their behalf, "implored him to trust them and make use of 46 IV. THE REASONS FOR REMOVAL. CHAP. 2. They saw, that although the people generally bore all their difficulties very cheerfully and with a 1617. resolute courage, being in the best of their strength, yet old age began to come on some of them;1 and their great and continual labors, 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 were in danger to scatter by necessity pressing them, or sink under their burdens, or both; and therefore, according to the Prov divine proverb, that "a wise man seeth the plague when it cometh, and hideth himself," so they, like skilful and beaten soldiers, were fearful either to be entrapped or surrounded by their enemies, so as they should neither be able to fight nor fly; and therefore thought it better to dislodge betimes to some place of better advantage and less danger, if any could be found. xxii. 3. 3. As necessity was a taskmaster over them, so they were forced to be such not only to their servants, but in a sort to their dearest children; the which, as it did a little wound the tender hearts of many a loving father and mother, so it produced also many sad and sorrowful effects. For many of their children, that were of best dispositions and gracious inclinations, having learned to bear the yoke in their youth, and willing to bear part of their parents' burden, were oftentimes so oppressed with their heavy labors, that although their minds were free and willing, yet their bodies bowed under the weight of the same, and became decrepit in their early youth; the vigor of nature be We know the age of but few of the Pilgrims. Carver was probably one of the oldest. In 1620 Elder Brewster was 56 years old, Robinson 45, Bradford 32, Edward Winslow 26, and John Howland 28. THE REASONS FOR REMOVAL. ing consumed in the very bud, as it were. 47 But that CHAP. IV. which was more lamentable, and of all sorrows most heavy to be borne, was that many of their children, by 1617. these occasions, and the great licentiousness of youth in the country, and the manifold temptations of the place, were drawn away by evil examples unto extravagant and dangerous courses, getting the reins on their necks, and departing from their parents. Some became soldiers, others took them upon far voyages by sea, and other some worse courses tending to dissoluteness and the danger of their souls, to the great grief of their parents and dishonor of God; so that they saw their posterity would be in danger to degenerate and be corrupted. 4. Lastly, (and which was not the least,) a great hope and inward zeal they had of laying some good foundation, or at least to make some way thereunto, for the propagating and advancing the Gospel of the kingdom of Christ in these remote parts of the world; yea, though they should be but as stepping-stones unto others for performing of so great a work. 1 These, and some other like reasons,1 moved them 1 Edward Winslow, in his Brief Narration, mentions three other reasons; first, their desire to live under the protection of England and to retain the language and the name of Englishmen ; second, their inability to give their children such an education as they had themselves received; and third, their grief at the profanation of the sabbath in Holland. This violation of the sabbath attracted the attention of the Synod of Dort, which assembled in 1618. The Dutch ministers acknowledged the great difficulty they met with in withdrawing the people on Sun days from their sports or their or- "It 48 IV. THEY TURN THEIR EYES TO AMERICA. CHAP. to undertake this resolution of their removal, the which they afterward prosecuted with so great difficulties ; 1617. as by the sequel will appear. The place they had thoughts on were some of those unpeopled countries of America, which are fruitful and fit for habitation, being devoid of all civil inhabitants, where there are only salvage and brutish people, which range up and down little otherwise than the wild beasts. This proposition being made public, and coming to the scanning of all, it raised many variable opinions amongst men, and caused many fears and doubts amongst themselves. Some, from their reasons. and hopes conceived, labored to stir up and encourage the rest to undertake and prosecute the same; others, again, out of their fears, from the Synod of Dort, p. 8. These reasons for their removal, as stated by Bradford and Winslow, are sufficient, and are to be received as the true and sole reasons. Yet Douglass, in his Summary, i. 369, says, Being of unsteady temper, they resolved to remove to some remote country in some wilderness, - as recluses." Chalmers, in his Political Annals, p. 85, says, "After twelve years' unmolested residence they became unhappy in their situation, because they foresaw the destruction of their society in the toleration they enjoyed; and determined to seek new adventures in America. - Continuing unhappy in a country where they were obscure and unpersecuted," &c. Robertson, in his History of America, book x. says, "They resided at Leyden for several years unmolested and obscure. But as their church received no increase, either by recruits from England or by proselytes gained in the country, they began to be afraid that all objected against it, and their high attainments in spiritual knowledge would be lost, if they remained longer in a strange land.” And Burke, in his account of the European Settlements in America, says that "though in a country of the greatest religious freedom in the world, they did not find themselves better satisfied than they had been in England. They were tolerated indeed, but watched ; their zeal began to have dangerous languors for want of opposition; and being without power or consequence, they grew tired of the indolent security of their sanctuary." These sneers are as contemptible as they are unjust. It is to be regretted that any respectable writer in this country should have incautiously given currency to such misrepresentations. Chief Justice Marshall perceived and corrected the error into which he had been led by following such unworthy authorities. Compare his Life of Washington, i. 90, (first ed.) with his History of the American Colonies, p. 78. |