Bradford's History of 'Plimoth Plantation' Part 5

Mr. Foxe recordeth how y^t besids those worthy martires & confessors which were burned in queene Marys days & otherwise tormented,[D] _many (both studients & others) fled out of y^e land, to y^e number of 800.

And became severall congregations. At Wesell, Frankford, Ba.s.sill, Emden, Markpurge, Strausborugh, & Geneva, &c._ Amongst whom (but especialy those at Frankford) begane y^t bitter warr of contention & persecuti[=o]

aboute y^e ceremonies, & servise-booke, and other popish and antichristian stuffe, the plague of England to this day, which are like y^e highplases in Israell, w^ch the prophets cried out against, & were their ruine; [3] which y^e better parte sought, according to y^e puritie of y^e gospell, to roote out and utterly to abandon. And the other parte (under veiled pretences) for their ouwn ends & advancments, sought as stifly to continue, maintaine, & defend. As appeareth by y^e discourse therof published in printe, An^o: 1575; a booke y^t deserves better to be knowne and considred.

The one side laboured to have y^e right wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d & discipline of Christ established in y^e church, according to y^e simplicitie of y^e gospell, without the mixture of mens inventions, and to have & to be ruled by y^e laws of G.o.ds word, dispensed in those offices, & by those officers of Pastors, Teachers, & Elders, &c. according to y^e Scripturs.

The other partie, though under many colours & pretences, endevored to have y^e episcopall dignitie (affter y^e popish ma[=n]er) with their large power & jurisdiction still retained; with all those courts, cannons, & ceremonies, togeather with all such livings, revenues, & subordinate officers, with other such means as formerly upheld their antichristian greatnes, and enabled them with lordly & tyranous power to persecute y^e poore servants of G.o.d. This contention was so great, as neither y^e honour of G.o.d, the commone persecution, nor y^e mediation of Mr. Calvin & other worthies of y^e Lord in those places, could prevaile with those thus episcopally minded, but they proceeded by all means to disturbe y^e peace of this poor persecuted church, even so farr as to charge (very unjustly, & unG.o.dlily, yet prelatelike) some of their cheefe opposers, with rebellion & hightreason against y^e Emperour, & other such crimes.

And this cont[=e]tion dyed not with queene Mary, nor was left beyonde y^e seas, but at her death these people returning into England under gracious queene Elizabeth, many of them being preferred to bishop.r.i.c.ks & other promotions, according to their aimes and desires, that inveterate hatered against y^e holy discipline of Christ in his church hath continued to this day. In somuch that for fear [4] it should preveile, all plotts & devices have been used to keepe it out, incensing y^e queene & state against it as dangerous for y^e co[=m]on wealth; and that it was most needfull y^t y^e fundamentall poynts of Religion should be preached in those ignorante & superst.i.tious times; and to wi[=n]e y^e weake & ignorante, they might retaine diverse harmles ceremoneis; and though it were to be wished y^t diverse things were reformed, yet this was not a season for it. And many the like, to stop y^e mouthes of y^e more G.o.dly, to bring them over to yeeld to one ceremoney after another, and one corruption after another; by these wyles begyleing some & corrupting others till at length they begane to persecute all y^e zealous professors in y^e land (though they knew little what this discipline mente) both by word & deed, if they would not submitte to their ceremonies, & become slaves to them & their popish trash, which have no ground in y^e word of G.o.d, but are relikes of y^t man of sine.

And the more y^e light of y^e gospell grew, y^e more y^ey urged their subscriptions to these corruptions. So as (notwithstanding all their former pretences & fair colures) they whose eyes G.o.d had not justly blinded might easily see wherto these things tended. And to cast contempte the more upon y^e sincere servants of G.o.d, they opprobriously & most injuriously gave unto, & imposed upon them, that name of Puritans, which [it] is said the Novatians out of prid did a.s.sume & take unto themselves.[E] And lamentable it is to see y^e effects which have followed. Religion hath been disgraced, the G.o.dly greeved, afflicted, persecuted, and many exiled, sundrie have lost their lives in prisones & otherways. On the other hand, sin hath been countenanced, ignorance, profannes, & atheisme increased, & the papists encouraged to hope againe for a day.

This made that holy man Mr. Perkins[F] crie out in his exhortation to repentance, upon Zeph. 2. _Religion_ (saith he) _hath been amongst us this 35. years; but the more it is published, the more it is contemned & reproached of many, &c. Thus not prophanes nor wickednes, but Religion it selfe is a byword, a moking-stock, & a matter of reproach; so that in England at this day the man or woman y^t begines to profes Religion, & to serve G.o.d, must resolve with him selfe to sustaine_ [5] _mocks & injueries even as though he lived amongst y^e enimies of Religion._ And this co[=m]one experience hath confirmed & made too apparente.

_A late observation, as it were by the way, worthy to be Noted._[G]

Full litle did I thinke, y^t the downfall of y^e Bishops, with their courts, cannons, & ceremonies, &c. had been so neare, when I first begane these scribled writings (which was aboute y^e year 1630, and so peeced up at times of leasure afterward), or that I should have lived to have seene or heard of y^e same; but it is y^e Lords doing, and ought to be marvelous in our eyes! Every plante which mine heavenly father hath not planted (saith our Saviour) shall be rooted up. Mat: 15. 13.[H] I have snared the, and thou art taken, O Babell (Bishops), and thou wast not aware; thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the Lord. Jer. 50. 24. But will they needs strive against y^e truth, against y^e servants of G.o.d; what, & against the Lord him selfe? Doe they provoke the Lord to anger? Are they stronger than he? 1. Cor: 10. 22. No, no, they have mete with their match.

Behold, I come unto y^e, O proud man, saith the Lord G.o.d of hosts; for thy day is come, even the time that I will visite the. Jer: 50. 31.

May not the people of G.o.d now say (and these pore people among y^e rest), The Lord hath brought forth our righteousnes; come, let us declare in Sion the work of the Lord our G.o.d. Jer: 51. 10. Let all flesh be still before the Lord; for he is raised up out of his holy place. Zach: 2. 13.

In this case, these poore people may say (among y^e thousands of Israll), _When the Lord brougt againe the captivite of Zion, we were like them that dreame. Psa: 126. 1. The Lord hath done greate things for us, wherof we rejoyce. v. 3. They that sow in teares, shall reap in joye. They wente weeping, and carried precious seede, but they shall returne with joye, and bring their sheaves, v. 5, 6._

Doe you not now see y^e fruits of your labours, O all yee servants of y^e Lord that have suffered for his truth, and have been faithfull witneses of y^e same, and yee litle handfull amongst y^e rest, y^e least amongest y^e thousands of Israll? You have not only had a seede time, but many of you have seene y^e joyefull harvest; should you not then rejoyse, yea, and againe rejoyce, and say Hallelu-iah, salvation, and glorie, and honour, and power, be to y^e Lord our G.o.d; for true and righteous are his judgments. Rev. 19. 1, 2.

But thou wilte aske what is y^e mater? What is done? Why, art thou a stranger in Israll, that thou shouldest not know what is done? Are not those Jebusites overcome that have vexed the people of Israll so long, even holding Jerusalem till Davids days, and been as thorns in their sids, so many ages; and now begane to scorne that any David should meadle with them; they begane to fortifie their tower, as that of the old Babelonians; but those proud Anakimes are throwne downe, and their glory laid in y^e dust. The tiranous bishops are ejected, their courts dissolved, their cannons forceless, their servise casheired, their ceremonies uselese and despised; their plots for popery prevented, and all their superst.i.tions discarded & returned to Roome from whence they came, and y^e monuments of idolatrie rooted out of y^e land. And the proud and profane suporters, and cruell defenders of these (as b.l.o.o.d.y papists & wicked athists, and their malignante consorts) marvelously over throwne. And are not these greate things? Who can deney it?

But who hath done it? Who, even he that siteth on y^e white horse, who is caled faithfull, & true, and judgeth and fighteth righteously, Rev: 19. 11. whose garments are dipte in blood, and his name was caled the word of G.o.d, v. 13. for he shall rule them with a rode of iron; for it is he that treadeth the winepress of the feircenes and wrath of G.o.d almighty. And he hath upon his garmente, and upon his thigh, a name writen, The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, v. 15, 16.

Hallelu-iah.

Anno Dom: 1646.

But that I may come more near my intendmente; when as by the travell & diligence of some G.o.dly & zealous preachers, & G.o.ds blessing on their labours, as in other places of y^e land, so in y^e North parts, many became inlightened by the word of G.o.d, and had their ignorance & sins discovered unto them, and begane by his grace to reforme their lives, and make conscience of their wayes, the worke of G.o.d was no sooner manifest in them, but presently they were both scoffed and scorned by y^e prophane mult.i.tude, and y^e ministers urged with y^e yoak of subscription, or els must be silenced; and y^e poore people were so vexed with apparators, & pursuants, & y^e comissarie courts, as truly their affliction was not smale; which, notwithstanding, they bore sundrie years with much patience, till they were occasioned (by y^e continuance & encrease of these troubls, and other means which the Lord raised up in those days) to see further into things by the light of y^e word of G.o.d. How not only these base and beggerly ceremonies were unlawfull, but also that y^e lordly & tiranous power of y^e prelats ought not to be submitted unto; which thus, contrary to the freedome of the gospell, would load & burden mens consciences, and by their compulsive power make a prophane mixture of persons & things in the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d. And that their offices & calings, courts & cannons, &c.

were unlawfull and antichristian; being such as have no warrante in y^e word of G.o.d; but the same y^t were used in poperie, & still retained. Of which a famous author thus writeth in his Dutch co[=m]taries.[I] At the coming of king James into England; _The new king_ (saith he) _found their established y^e reformed religion, according to y^e reformed religion of king Edward y^e 6. Retaining, or keeping still y^e spirituall state of y^e Bishops, &c. after y^e ould maner, much varying & differing from y^e reformed churches in Scotland, France, & y^e Neatherlands, Embden, Geneva, &c. whose reformation is cut, or shapen much nerer y^e first Christian churches, as it was used in y^e Apostles times._[J]

[6] So many therfore of these proffessors as saw y^e evill of these things, in thes parts, and whose harts y^e Lord had touched w^th heavenly zeale for his trueth, they shooke of this yoake of antichristian bondage, and as y^e Lords free people, joyned them selves (by a covenant of the Lord) into a church estate, in y^e felows.h.i.+p of y^e gospell, to walke in all his wayes, made known, or to be made known unto them, according to their best endeavours, whatsoever it should cost them, the Lord a.s.sisting them. And that it cost them something this ensewing historie will declare.

These people became 2. distincte bodys or churches, & in regarde of distance of place did congregate severally; for they were of sundrie townes & vilages, some in Notingams.h.i.+re, some of Lincollins.h.i.+re, and some of Yorks.h.i.+re, wher they border nearest togeather. In one of these churches (besids others of note) was Mr. John Smith, a man of able gifts, & a good preacher, who afterwards was chosen their pastor. But these afterwards falling into some errours in y^e Low Countries, ther (for y^e most part) buried them selves, & their names.

But in this other church (w^ch must be y^e subjecte of our discourse) besids other worthy men, was M^r. Richard Clifton, a grave and rever[=e]d preacher, who by his paines and dilligens had done much good, and under G.o.d had ben a means of y^e conversion of many. And also that famous and worthy man M^r. John Robinson, who afterwards was their pastor for many years, till y^e Lord tooke him away by death. Also M^r.

William Brewster a reverent man, who afterwards was chosen an elder of y^e church and lived with them till old age.

But after these things they could not long continue in any peaceable condition, but were hunted & persecuted on every side, so as their former afflictions were but as flea-bitings in comparison of these which now came upon them. For some were taken & clapt up in prison, others had their houses besett & watcht night and day, & hardly escaped their hands; and y^e most were faine to flie & leave their howses & habitations, and the means of their livelehood. Yet these & many other sharper things which affterward befell them, were no other then they looked for, and therfore were y^e better prepared to bear them by y^e a.s.sistance of G.o.ds grace & spirite. Yet seeing them selves thus molested, [7] and that ther was no hope of their continuance ther, by a joynte consente they resolved to goe into y^e Low-Countries, wher they heard was freedome of Religion for all men; as also how sundrie from London, & other parts of y^e land, had been exiled and persecuted for y^e same cause, & were gone thither, and lived at Amsterdam, & in other places of y^e land. So affter they had continued togeither aboute a year, and kept their meetings every Saboth in one place or other, exercising the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d amongst them selves, notwithstanding all y^e dilligence & malice of their adverssaries, they seeing they could no longer continue in y^t condition, they resolved to get over into Holl[=a]d as they could; which was in y^e year 1607. & 1608.; of which more at large in y^e next chap.

2. Chap.

_Of their departure into Holland and their troubls ther aboute, with some of the many difficulties they found and mete withall_.

An^o. 1608.

Being thus constrained to leave their native soyle and countrie, their lands & livings, and all their freinds & famillier acquaintance, it was much, and thought marvelous by many. But to goe into a countrie they knew not (but by hearsay), wher they must learne a new language, and get their livings they knew not how, it being a dear place, & subjecte to y^e misseries of warr, it was by many thought an adventure almost desperate, a case intolerable, & a misserie worse then death. Espetially seeing they were not aquainted with trads nor traffique, (by which y^t countrie doth subsiste,) but had only been used to a plaine countrie life, & y^e inocente trade of husbandrey. But these things did not dismay them (though they did some times trouble them) for their desires were sett on y^e ways of G.o.d, & to injoye his ordinances; but they rested on his providence, & knew whom they had beleeved. Yet [8] this was not all, for though they could not stay, yet were y^e not suffered to goe, but y^e ports and havens were shut against them, so as they were faine to seeke secrete means of conveance, & to bribe & fee y^e mariners, & give exterordinarie rates for their pa.s.sages. And yet were they often times betrayed (many of them), and both they & their goods intercepted & surprised, and therby put to great trouble & charge, of which I will give an instance or tow, & omitte the rest.

Ther was a large companie of them purposed to get pa.s.sage at Boston in Lincoln-s.h.i.+re, and for that end had hired a s.h.i.+pe wholy to them selves, & made agreement with the maister to be ready at a certaine day, and take them and their goods in, at a conveniente place, wher they accordingly would all attende in readines. So after long waiting, & large expences, though he kepte not day with them, yet he came at length & tooke them in, in y^e night. But when he had them & their goods abord, he betrayed them, haveing before hand complotted with y^e serchers & other officers so to doe; who tooke them, and put them into open boats, & ther rifled & ransaked them, searching them to their s.h.i.+rts for money, yea even y^e women furder then became modestie; and then caried them back into y^e towne, & made them a spectackle & wonder to the mult.i.tude, which came flocking on all sids to behould them. Being thus first, by the chatch-poule officers, rifled, & stripte of their money, books, and much other goods, they were presented to y^e magestrates, and messengers sente to informe y^e lords of y^e Counsell of them; and so they were co[=m]ited to ward. Indeed y^e magestrats used them courteously, and shewed them what favour they could; but could not deliver them, till order came from y^e Counsell-table. But y^e issue was that after a months imprisonmente, y^e greatest parte were dismiste, & sent to y^e places from whence they came; but 7. of y^e princ.i.p.all were still kept in prison, and bound over to y^e a.s.sises.

The nexte spring after, ther was another attempte made by some of these & others, to get over at an other place. And it so fell out, that they light of a Dutchman at Hull, having a s.h.i.+p of his owne belonging to Zealand; they made agreemente with him, and acquainted [9] him with their condition, hoping to find more faithfullnes in him, then in y^e former of their owne nation. He bad them not fear, for he would doe well enough. He was by appointment to take them in betweene Grimsbe & Hull, wher was a large co[=m]one a good way distante from any towne. Now aganst the prefixed time, the women & children, with y^e goods, were sent to y^e place in a small barke, which they had hired for y^t end; and y^e men were to meete them by land. But it so fell out, that they were ther a day before y^e s.h.i.+pe came, & y^e sea being rough, and y^e women very sicke, prevailed with y^e seamen to put into a creeke hardby, wher they lay on ground at lowwater. The nexte morning y^e s.h.i.+pe came, but they were fast, & could not stir till aboute noone. In y^e mean time, y^e s.h.i.+pe maister, perceiveing how y^e matter was, sente his boate to be getting y^e men abord whom he saw ready, walking aboute y^e sh.o.r.e.

But after y^e first boat full was gott abord, & she was ready to goe for more, the m^r espied a greate company, both horse & foote, with bills, & gunes, & other weapons; for y^e countrie was raised to take them. Y^e Dutch-man seeing y^t, swore his countries oath, "sacremente," and having y^e wind faire, waiged his Ancor, hoysed sayles, & away. But y^e poore men which were gott abord, were in great distress for their wives and children, which they saw thus to be taken, and were left dest.i.tute of their helps; and them selves also, not having a cloath to s.h.i.+fte them with, more then they had on their baks, & some scarce a peney aboute them, all they had being abord y^e barke. It drew tears from their eyes, and any thing they had they would have given to have been a sh.o.r.e againe; but all in vaine, ther was no remedy, they must thus sadly part.

And afterward endured a fearfull storme at sea, being 14. days or more before y^ey arived at their porte, in 7. wherof they neither saw son, moone, nor stars, & were driven near y^e coast of Norway; the mariners them selves often despairing of life; and once with shriks & cries gave over all, as if y^e s.h.i.+p had been foundred in y^e sea, & they sinking without recoverie. But when mans hope & helpe wholy failed, y^e Lords power & mercie appeared in ther recoverie; for y^e s.h.i.+p rose againe, & gave y^e mariners courage againe to manage her. And if modestie woud suffer me, I might declare with what fervente [10] prayres they cried unto y^e Lord in this great distres, (espetialy some of them,) even without any great distraction, when y^e water rane into their mouthes & ears; & the mariners cried out, We sinke, we sinke; they cried (if not with mirakelous, yet with a great hight or degree of devine faith), Yet Lord thou canst save, yet Lord thou canst save; with shuch other expressions as I will forbeare. Upon which y^e s.h.i.+p did not only recover, but shortly after y^e violence of y^e storme begane to abate, and y^e Lord filed their afflicted minds with shuch comforts as every one ca[=n]ot understand, and in y^e end brought them to their desired Haven, wher y^e people came flockeing admiring their deliverance, the storme having ben so longe & sore, in which much hurt had been don, as y^e masters freinds related unto him in their congrattulations.

But to returne to y^e others wher we left. The rest of y^e men y^t were in greatest danger, made s.h.i.+ft to escape away before y^e troope could surprise them; those only staying y^t best might, to be a.s.sistante unto y^e women. But pitifull it was to see y^e heavie case of these poore women in this distress; what weeping & crying on every side, some for their husbands, that were caried away in y^e s.h.i.+p as is before related; others not knowing what should become of them, & their litle ones; others againe melted in teares, seeing their poore litle ones hanging aboute them, crying for feare, and quaking with could. Being thus aprehended, they were hurried from one place to another, and from one justice to another, till in y^e ende they knew not what to doe with them; for to imprison so many women & innocent children for no other cause (many of them) but that they must goe with their husbands, semed to be unreasonable and all would crie out of them; and to send them home againe was as difficult, for they aledged, as y^e trueth was, they had no homes to goe to, for they had either sould, or otherwise disposed of their houses & livings. To be shorte, after they had been thus turmolyed a good while, and conveyed from one constable to another, they were glad to be ridd of them in y^e end upon any termes; for all were wearied & tired with them. Though in y^e mean time they (poore soules) indured miserie enough; and thus in the end necessitie forste a way for them.

But y^t I be not tedious in these things, I will omitte y^e rest, though I might relate many other notable pa.s.sages and troubles which they endured & underwente in these their wanderings & travells both at land & sea; but I hast to [11] other things. Yet I may not omitte y^e fruite that came hearby, for by these so publick troubls, in so many eminente places, their cause became famouss, & occasioned many to looke into y^e same; and their G.o.dly cariage & Christian behaviour was such as left a deep impression in the minds of many. And though some few shrunk at these first conflicts & sharp beginings, (as it was no marvell,) yet many more came on with fresh courage, & greatly animated others. And in y^e end, notwithstanding all these stormes of oppossition, they all gatt over at length, some at one time & some at an other, and some in one place & some in an other, and mette togeather againe according to their desires, with no small rejoycing.

The 3. Chap.

_Of their setling in Holand, & their maner of living, & entertainmente ther._

Being now come into y^e Low Countries, they saw many goodly & fortified cities, strongly walled and garded with troopes of armed men. Also they heard a strange & uncouth language, and beheld y^e differente ma[=n]ers & customes of y^e people, with their strange fashons and attires; all so farre differing from y^t of their plaine countrie villages (wherin they were bred, & had so longe lived) as it seemed they were come into a new world. But these were not y^e things they much looked on, or long tooke up their thoughts; for they had other work in hand, & an other kind of warr to wage & maintaine. For though they saw faire & bewtifull cities, flowing with abundance of all sorts of welth & riches, yet it was not longe before they saw the gri[=m]e & grisly face of povertie coming upon them like an armed man, with whom they must bukle & incounter, and from whom they could not flye; but they were armed with faith & patience against him, and all his encounters; and though they were sometimes foyled, yet by G.o.ds a.s.sistance they prevailed and got y^e victorie.

Now when M^r. Robinson, M^r. Brewster, & other princ.i.p.all members were come over, (for they were of y^e last, & stayed to help y^e weakest over before them,) such things were [12] thought on as were necessarie for their setling and best ordering of y^e church affairs. And when they had lived at Amsterdam aboute a year, M^r. Robinson, their pastor, and some others of best discerning, seeing how M^r. John Smith and his companie was allready fallen in to contention with y^e church y^t was ther before them, & no means they could use would doe any good to cure y^e same, and also that y^e flames of contention were like to breake out in y^t anciente church it selfe (as affterwards lamentably came to pa.s.s); which things they prudently foreseeing, thought it was best to remove, before they were any way engaged with y^e same; though they well knew it would be much to y^e prejudice of their outward estats, both at presente & in licklyhood in y^e future; as indeed it proved to be.

_Their remoovall to Leyden._

For these & some other reasons they removed to Leyden, a fair & bewtifull citie, and of a sweete situation, but made more famous by y^e universitie wherwith it is adorned, in which of late had been so many learned men. But wanting that traffike by sea which Amsterdam injoyes, it was not so beneficiall for their outward means of living & estats.

But being now hear pitchet they fell to such trads & imployments as they best could; valewing peace & their spirituall comforte above any other riches whatsoever. And at lenght they came to raise a competente & comforteable living, but with hard and continuall labor.

Being thus setled (after many difficulties) they continued many years in a comfortable condition, injoying much sweete & delightefull societie & spirituall comforte togeather in y^e wayes of G.o.d, under y^e able ministrie, and prudente governmente of M^r. John Robinson, & M^r.

William Brewster, who was an a.s.sistante unto him in y^e place of an Elder, unto which he was now called & chosen by the church. So as they grew in knowledge & other gifts & graces of y^e spirite of G.o.d, & lived togeather in peace, & love, and holines; and many came unto them from diverse parts of England, so as they grew a great congregation. And if at any time any differences arose, or offences broak[13] out (as it cannot be, but some time ther will, even amongst y^e best of men) they were ever so mete with, and nipt in y^e head betims, or otherwise so well composed, as still love, peace, and communion was continued; or els y^e church purged of those that were incurable & incorrigible, when, after much patience used, no other means would serve, which seldom came to pa.s.s. Yea such was y^e mutuall love, & reciprocall respecte that this worthy man had to his flocke, and his flocke to him, that it might be said of them as it once was of y^t famouse Emperour Marcus Aurelious,[K]

and y^e people of Rome, that it was hard to judge wheather he delighted more in haveing shuch a people, or they in haveing such a pastor. His love was greate towards them, and his care was all ways bente for their best good, both for soule and body; for besids his singuler abilities in devine things (wherin he excelled), he was also very able to give directions in civill affaires, and to foresee dangers & inconveniences; by w^ch means he was very helpfull to their outward estats, & so was every way as a commone father unto them. And none did more offend him then those that were close and cleaving to them selves, and retired from y^e comm[=o]e good; as also such as would be stiffe & riged in matters of outward order, and invey against y^e evills of others, and yet be remisse in them selves, and not so carefull to express a vertuous conversation. They in like maner had ever a reverente regard unto him, & had him in precious estimation, as his worth & wisdom did deserve; and though they esteemed him highly whilst he lived & laboured amongst them, yet much more after his death, when they came to feele y^e wante of his help, and saw (by woefull experience) what a treasure they had lost, to y^e greefe of their harts, and wounding of their sowls; yea such a loss as they saw could not be repaired; for it was as hard for them to find such another leader and feeder in all respects, as for y^e Taborits to find another Ziska. And though they did not call themselves orphans, as the other did, after his death, yet they had cause as much to lamente, in another regard, their present condition, and after usage. But to returne; I know not but it may be spoken to y^e honour of G.o.d, & without prejudice [14] to any, that such was y^e true pietie, y^e humble zeale, & fervent love, of this people (whilst they thus lived together) towards G.o.d and his waies, and y^e single hartednes & sinceir affection one towards another, that they came as near y^e primative patterne of y^e first churches, as any other church of these later times have done, according to their ranke & qualitie.

But seeing it is not my purpose to treat of y^e severall pa.s.sages that befell this people whilst they thus lived in y^e Low Countries, (which might worthily require a large treatise of it selfe,) but to make way to shew y^e begining of this plantation, which is that I aime at; yet because some of their adversaries did, upon y^e rumore of their removall, cast out slanders against them, as if that state had been wearie of them, & had rather driven them out (as y^e heathen historians did faine of Moyses & y^e Isralits when they went out of Egipte), then y^t it was their owne free choyse & motion, I will therfore mention a perticuler or too to shew y^e contrary, and the good acceptation they had in y^e place wher they lived. And first though many of them weer poore, yet ther was none so poore, but if they were known to be of y^t congregation, the _Dutch_ (either bakers or others) would trust them in any reasonable matter when y^ey wanted money. Because they had found by experience how carfull they were to keep their word, and saw them so painfull & dilligente in their callings; yea, they would strive to gett their custome, and to imploy them above others, in their worke, for their honestie & diligence.

Againe; y^e magistrats of y^e citie, aboute y^e time of their coming away, or a litle before, in y^e publick place of justice, gave this comendable testemoney of them, in y^e reproofe of the Wallons, who were of y^e French church in y^t citie. These English, said they, have lived amongst us now this 12. years, and yet we never had any sute or accusation came against any of them; but your strifs & quarels are continuall, &c. In these times allso were y^e great troubls raised by y^e Arminians, who, as they greatly mollested y^e whole state, so this citie in particuler, in which was y^e cheefe universitie; so as ther were dayly & hote disputs in y^e schooles ther aboute; and as y^he studients & other lerned were devided in their oppinions hearin, so were y^e 2. proffessors or devinitie readers them selves; the one daly teaching for it, y^e other against it. Which grew to that pa.s.s, that few of the discipls of y^e one would hear y^e other teach. But M^r.

Robinson, though he taught thrise a weeke him selfe, & write sundrie books, besids his manyfould pains otherwise, yet he went constantly [15]

to hear ther readings, and heard y^e one as well as y^e other; by which means he was so well grounded in y^e controversie, and saw y^e force of all their arguments, and knew y^e s.h.i.+fts of y^e adversarie, and being him selfe very able, none was fitter to buckle with them then him selfe, as appered by sundrie disputs; so as he begane to be terrible to y^e Arminians; which made Episcopius (y^e Arminian professor) to put forth his best stringth, and set forth sundrie Theses, which by publick dispute he would defend against all men. Now Poliander y^e other proffessor, and y^e cheefe preachers of y^e citie, desired M^r. Robinson to dispute against him; but he was loath, being a stranger; yet the other did importune him, and tould him y^t such was y^e abilitie and nimblnes of y^e adversarie, that y^e truth would suffer if he did not help them. So as he condescended, & prepared him selfe against the time; and when y^e day came, the Lord did so help him to defend y^e truth & foyle this adversarie, as he put him to an apparent nonplus, in this great & publike audience. And y^e like he did a 2. or 3. time, upon such like occasions. The which as it caused many to praise G.o.d y^t the trueth had so famous victory, so it procured him much honour & respecte from those lerned men & others which loved y^e trueth. Yea, so farr were they from being weary of him & his people, or desiring their absence, as it was said by some, of no mean note, that were it not for giveing offence to y^e state of England, they would have preferd him otherwise if he would, and alowd them some publike favour. Yea when ther was speech of their remoovall into these parts, sundrie of note & eminencie of y^t nation would have had them come under them, and for y^t end made them large offers. Now though I might aledg many other perticulers & examples of the like kinde, to shew y^e untruth & unlicklyhode of this slander, yet these shall suffice, seeing it was beleeved of few, being only raised by y^e malice of some, who laboured their disgrace.

The 4. Chap.

_Showing y^e reasons & causes of their remoovall._

After they had lived in this citie about some 11. or 12. years, (which is y^e more observable being y^e whole time of y^t famose truce between that state & y^e Spaniards,) and sundrie of them were taken away by death, & many others begane to be well striken in years, the grave mistris Experience haveing taught them many things, [16] those prudent governours with sundrie of y^e sagest members begane both deeply to apprehend their present dangers, & wisely to foresee y^e future, & thinke of timly remedy. In y^e 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 newfanglednes, or other such like giddie humor, by which men are oftentimes transported to their great hurt & danger, but for sundrie weightie & solid reasons; some of y^e cheefe of which I will hear breefly touch. And first, they saw & found by experience the hardnes of y^e place & countrie to be such, as few in comparison would come to them, and fewer that would bide it out, and continew with them. For many y^t came to them, and many more y^t desired to be with them, could not endure y^t great labor and hard fare, with other inconveniences which they underwent & 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 & borne with, though they could not all be Catoes. For many, though they desired to injoye y^e ordinances of G.o.d in their puritie, and y^e libertie of the gospell with them, yet, ala.s.s, they admitted of bondage, with danger of conscience, rather then to indure these hards.h.i.+ps; yea, some preferred & chose y^e 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, & take away these discouragments. Yea, their pastor would often say, that many of those w^o both wrate & 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.