THE PILGRIMS OF 1620.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16895, 17 November 1920, Page 3

THE PILGRIMS OF 1620.

SETTING SAIL FROM PLYMOUTH,

[On September 6, 1620, the Mayflower sailed with the Pilgrim Fathers from Plymouth for America. The tercentenary was celebrated at Plymouth by a pageant and a round of conferences and festivities, in which representatives_ of England, Holland, and the United States took part.] ,

The voyage of the Mayflower was no unique success of 'transferring 100 bearded old men from one Plymouth in the Old World to Plymouth Rock in the New. Of many migrations it lias proved the most fecund. , But that was not a little due to cha’nce.

Deliberately it was a plea for separation, primarily in religion, by men in their first manhood. All the leaders were men of 32 and under, with the exception of Miles Standish, the soldier, and he was cnly 36. They were not Puritans in the ordinary sense, for no men hated separation more than Puritans did. Indeed, they claimed the freedom not to tolerate. They pinned their faith to the Bible, their own interpretatio i of it, but nobody else’s. They loathed being arraigned and punished in matters of religion. They had grave suspicions about the value of religious conformity. In other matters they were quite content to he subjects of King James. They knew that if they crossed, the Atlantic he would he a good way off. They had tried Holland for a change, and did secure a good measure of religions toleration for themselves, hut they did not ike tho idea of becoming Dutch men. They were English at heart, and Englishmen they remained. DEPARTURE FROM HOLLAND. Having decided on leaving Leyden in 1619 or thereabouts, the Pilgrims set to work to obtain a ship, some capital, and a charter from the Crown. An advanced guard set out from Delfshaven late in July. 1620, in the rickety ship Speedwell. Robinson, their pas-' tor, “falling down on his knees (and they all with him), with watrio cheeks commended them with most fervent praiers to the Lord, and His blessing.” Among them were leaders such as Bradford, Brewster, and Miles Standish, and a fair wind carried them in four days 1 to. Southampton. They had been in Leyden since' 1608. ■ After putting in at Southampton the Speedwell pinnace was relegated to a minor place as consort to.a larger ship. She took 11 days to sail over from Holland. Meanwhile, tho “good ship Mayflower of nine score tons burthen,” had been found and equipped for the voyage to tho mouth of the Hudson River. When the Speedwell voyagers arrived at Southampton they found the Mayflower ready .awaiting them. *ll was at last ready, and on August o they set sail, but had not got far down Channel when they learned that the Speedwell was leaking badly. Dartmouth could do nothing with her. It was decided, therefore, to send her back' to London with 13 faint hearts rejected by the God of Gideon; tho balance of ’a dozen or thereabouts crowded on to: the Mayflower. Many believed that the crew of tho Speedwell (apprehensive of a North American winter) of set purpose had crowded on more’sail than"was expedient. Thirty-two of those left trl tho adventure were of the Leyden. congregation ; other 67 came direct from England, mostly from the eastern counties, including Essex, London, Kent, and Southampton.

ATLANTIC GALES. After a day or two at Plymouth, they once more turned their prow to the west. This was on September 6, 1920. The wind was prosperous in early September and continued so for several days. Till they-were half-way ovei' the Atlahtic indeed, everything seemed in their favour. Then their good fortune appeared to have left them. The equinoctial gales came sweeping down upon them with terrific force, shaking the Mayflower from stem to stern, and so twisting one of her main beams out of its place that even the manners began to be alarmed for her safety. After setting this right they once more committed themselves to the will of God, and resolved to proceed. On November 9, and nine weeks after leaving Plymouth harbour, to the great joy of all, land was sighted. SAFE IN NEW ENGLAND.

It was the white sand banks of the flat hut then well-wooded coast of Capo Cod that rose to the view of trie brightening faces of the Pilgrims. Cn ascertaining this the emigrants resolved to sail south-westward with the intention of settling near the mouth o c the Hudson, which had been, explored in 1609. A contrary wind, however, drove them back. Seeing that tire southern passage was dangerous, that the season was . late, and that disease had begun to show itself among the passengers, the Pilgrims abandoned ire journey to the Hudson, and sailed round the crook of the Cape, put into Cape Cod harbour. Finding themselves cnce more safe o harbour,, they fell upon their knees, Bradford tells us, and blessed the God of heaven who had brought them over tile vast and furious ocean and delivered them from all its perils and miseries. A question now arose. The Virginia Company to which, as adventurers, they were affiliated, bad no rights in New England. Here was an end of all legal authority, said the hired labourers. Hence the memorable compact, so often depicted, in the Mayflower cabin, which became the basis of the constitution of the infant colony. It was signed by 41 adult males. The cold was severe, but several principal men led by Standish (whom Doyle cads the John Smith of the. expedition) made an exploration in the beginning of which they stood their ground against six Indians and a dog, who fled into the woods. On December 11, by, the old style, they found a site in the bay. Thus ended the 1620 pilgrimage from the Old World to the New*