The Mayflower and Her Log Part 4

--- Ely, the other seaman in the Planters' employ, also hired to "remain a year in the countrie," appears to have been drafted, like Trevore, from the SPEEDWELL before she returned to London, having, no doubt, made pa.s.sage from Holland in her. Both Trevore and Ely survived "the general sickness" at New Plimoth, and at the expiration of the time for which they were employed returned on the FORTUNE to England

Of course the initial embarkation, on Friday, July 21/31 1620, was at Leyden, doubtless upon the Dutch ca.n.a.l-boats which undoubtedly brought them from a point closely adjacent to Pastor Robinson's house in the Klock-Steeg (Bell, Belfry, Alley), in the garden of which were the houses of many, to Delfshaven.

Rev. John Brown, D.D., says: "The barges needed for the journey were most likely moored near the Nuns' Bridge which spans the Rapenburg immediately opposite the Klok-Steeg, where Robinsons house was. This, being their usual meeting-place, would naturally be the place of rendezvous on the morning of departure. From thence it was but a stone's throw to the boats, and quickly after starting they would enter the Vliet, as the section of the ca.n.a.l between Leyden and Delft is named, and which for a little distance runs within the city bounds, its quays forming the streets. In those days the point where the ca.n.a.l leaves the city was guarded by a water-gate, which has long since been removed, as have also the town walls, the only remaining portions of which are the Morsch-gate and the Zylgate. So, gliding along the quiet waters of the Vliet, past the Water-gate, and looking up at the frowning turrets of the Cow-gate, 'they left that goodly and pleasant city which had been their resting-place near twelve years.' . . . Nine miles from Leyden a branch ca.n.a.l connects the Vliet with the Hague, and immediately beyond their junction a sharp turn is made to the left, as the ca.n.a.l pa.s.ses beneath the Hoom-bridge; from this point, for the remaining five miles, the high road from the Hague to Delft, lined with n.o.ble trees, runs side by side with the ca.n.a.l. In our time the ca.n.a.l-boats make a circuit of the town to the right, but in those days the traffic went by ca.n.a.l through the heart of the city . . . . Pa.s.sing out of the gates of Delft and leaving the town behind, they had still a good ten miles of ca.n.a.l journey before them ere they reached their vessel and came to the final parting, for, as Mr. Van Pelt has clearly shown, it is a mistake to confound Delft with Delfshaven, as the point of embarkation in the SPEEDWELL. Below Delft the ca.n.a.l, which from Leyden thither is the Vliet, then becomes the Schie, and at the village of Overschie the travellers entered the Delfshaven Ca.n.a.l, which between perfectly straight d.y.k.es flows at a considerable height above the surrounding pastures.

Then finally pa.s.sing through one set of sluice gates after another, the Pilgrims were lifted from the ca.n.a.l into a broad receptacle for vessels, then into the outer haven, and so to the side of the SPEEDWELL as she lay at the quay awaiting their arrival."

Dr. Holmes has prettily pictured the "Departure" in his "Robinson of Leyden," even if not altogether correctly, geographically.

"He spake; with lingering, long embrace, With tears of love and partings fond, They floated down the creeping Maas, Along the isle of Ysselmond.

"They pa.s.sed the frowning towers of Briel, The 'Hook of Holland's' shelf of sand, And grated soon with lifting keel The sullen sh.o.r.es of Fatherland.

"No home for these! too well they knew The mitred king behind the throne; The sails were set, the pennons flew, And westward ho! for worlds unknown."

Winslow informs us that they of the Leyden congregation who volunteered for the American enterprise were rather the smaller fraction of the whole body, though he adds, as noted "that the difference was not great."

A careful a.n.a.lysis of the approximate list of the Leyden colonists, --including, of course, Carver, and Cushman and his family,--whose total number seems to have been seventy-two, indicates that of this number, forty-two, or considerably more than half (the rest being children, seamen, or servants), were probably members of the Leyden church. Of these, thirty, probably, were males and twelve females. The exact proportion this number bore to the numerical strength of Robinson's church at that time cannot be determined, because while something less than half as we know, gave their votes for the American undertaking, it cannot be known whether or not the women of church had a vote in the matter. Presumably they did not, the primitive church gave good heed to the words of Paul (i Corinthians xiv. 34), "Let your women keep silence in the churches." Neither can it be known--if they had a voice--whether the wives and daughters of some of the embarking Pilgrims, who did not go themselves at this time, voted with their husbands and fathers for the removal. The total number, seventy-two, coincides very nearly with the estimate made by Goodwin, who says: "Only eighty or ninety could go in this party from Leyden," and again: "Not more than eighty of the MAY-FLOWER company were from Leyden. Allowing for [i.e. leaving out]

the younger children and servants, it is evident that not half the company can have been from Robinson's congregation." As the total number of pa.s.sengers on the MAYFLOWER was one hundred and two when she took her final departure from England, it is clear that Goodwin's estimate is substantially correct, and that the number representing the Leyden church as given above, viz., forty-two, is very close to the fact.

"When they came to the place" [Delfshaven], says Bradford, "they found the ship and all things ready; and such of their friends as could not come with them [from Leyden] followed after them; and sundry also came from Amsterdam (about fifty miles) to see them shipped, and to take their leave of them."

Sat.u.r.day, July 22/Aug. 1, 1620, the Pilgrim company took their farewells, and Winslow records: "We only going aboard, the ship lying to the key [quay] and ready to sail; the wind being fair, we gave them [their friends] a volley of small shot [musketry] and three pieces of ordnance and so lifting up our hands to each other and our hearts for each other to the Lord our G.o.d, we departed."

Goodwin says of the parting: "The hull was wrapped in smoke, through which was seen at the stern the white flag of England doubly bisected by the great red cross of St. George, a token that the emigrants had at last resumed their dearly-loved nationality. Far above them at the main was seen the Union Jack of new device."

And so after more than eleven years of banishment for conscience' sake from their native sh.o.r.es, this little band of English exiles, as true to their mother-land--despite persecutions--as to their G.o.d, raised the flag of England, above their own little vessel, and under its folds set sail to plant themselves for a larger life in a New World.

And thus opens the "Log" of the SPEEDWELL, and the "Westward-Ho" of the Pilgrim Fathers.

THE SPEEDWELL'S LOG

Sunday, July 23/Aug. 2.

On the German Ocean. Wind fair. General course D.W., toward Southampton. sails set, running free.

Monday, July 24/Aug. 3.

Fair. Wind moderate. Dover Straits English Channel. In sight Dover Cliffs.

Tuesday, July 25/Aug. 5 Hugging English sh.o.r.e. Enters Southampton Water.

Wednesday, July 26/Aug. 5.

Came to anchor in Port of Southampton near ship MAYFLOWER of Yarmouth, from London (to which this pinnace is consort), off the north of the West Quay.'

Thursday, July 27/Aug. 6.

At anchor in port of Southampton.

Friday, July 28/Aug. 7.

Lying at anchor at Southampton.

Sat.u.r.day, July 29/Aug. 8.

Lying at Southampton. MAY-FLOWER ready for sea, but pinnace leaking and requires re-tr.i.m.m.i.n.g.

Sunday, July 30/Aug. 9.

Lying at Southampton.

Monday, July 31/Aug. 10.

Ditto.

Tuesday, Aug. 1/11.

Ditto.

Wednesday, Aug. 2/22.

Ditto. Pinnace leaking. Re-trimmed again.

Thursday, Aug 3/13.

Ditto. Receiving pa.s.sengers, etc. Some of princ.i.p.al Leyden men a.s.signed to SPEEDWELL.

Friday, Aug. 4/14 Southampton. Making ready to leave.

Sat.u.r.day, Aug. 5/55.

Dropped down Southampton Water and beat down Channel. Wind dead ahead. Laid general course W.S.W.

Sunday, Aug. 6/16.

Wind baffling. Beating down Channel.

Monday, Aug. 7/17.

Ditto.

Tuesday, Aug. 8/18.

Ditto. Ship leaking.

Wednesday, Aug. 9/19.

Ship leaking badly. Wind still ahead.

Thursday, Aug. 10/20.

Ship still leaking badly. Gaining on pumps. Hove to. Signalled MAY-FLOWER, in company. Consultation with Captain Jones and princ.i.p.al pa.s.sengers. Decided vessels shall put back, Dartmouth, being nearest convenient port. Wore ship and laid course for Dartmouth with good wind.

Friday, Aug. 11/21.

Wind fair. Ship leaking badly.

Sat.u.r.day, Aug. 12/22.

Made port at Dartmouth MAY-FLOWER in company. Came to anchor near MAY-FLOWER.

Sunday, Aug. 13/23.