to be avoided, how much more heed is to be taken that we take not offence at God himself! Which yet we certainly do, so oft as we do murmur at his providence in our crosses, or bear impatiently such afflictions as wherewith he pleaseth to visit us. Store up therefore patience against the evil day; without which, we take offence at the Lord himself in his holy and just works. A further thing there is carefully to be provided for, namely, that with your common employments, you join common affections truly bent upon the general good, avoiding, as a deadly plague of your both common and special comforts, all retiredness of mind for proper advantage, and all singularly affected every manner of way. Let every man repress in himself, and the whole body in each person, as so many rebels against the common good, all private respects of men’s selves, not sorting with the general convenience. And as men are careful not to have a new house shaken with any violence, before it be well settled, and the parts firmly knit; so be you, I beseech you, brethren, much more careful that the house of God (which you are, and are to be) be not shaken with unnecessary novelties, or other oppositions at the first settling thereof.

Lastly, whereas you are to become a body politic, using amongst yourselves civil government, and are not furnished with persons of special eminency above the rest, to be chosen by you into office of government; let your wisdom and godliness appear not only in choosing such persons as do entirely love, and will promote the common good; but also in yielding unto them all due honour and obedience in their lawful administrations, not beholding in them the ordinariness of their persons, but God’s ordinance for your good; not being like the foolish multitude, who more honour the gay coat, than either the virtuous mind of the man, or the glorious ordinance of God. But you know better things, and that the image of the Lord’s power and authority, which the magistrate beareth, is honourable, in how mean persons soever; and this duty you may the more willingly, and ought the more conscionably to perform, because you are (at least for the present ) to have them for your ordinary governors, which yourselves shall make choice of for that work.

Sundry other things of importance I could put you in mind of, and of those before mentioned in more words; but I will not so far wrong your godly minds, as to think you heedless of these things, there being also divers amongst you so well able to admonish both themselves and others of what concerneth them. These few things, therefore, and the same in few words, I do earnestly commend to your care and conscience, joining therewith my daily incessant prayers unto the Lord, that he who hath made the heavens and the earth and sea, and all rivers of waters, and whose providence is over all his works, especially over all his dear children for good, would so guide and guard you in your ways as inwardly by his spirit, so outwardly by the hand of his power, as that you, and we also for and with you may have after matter of praising his name all the days of your and our lives. Fare you well in him in whom you trust, and in whom I rest.

An unfeigned well willer to your happy success in this hopeful voyage.

John Robinson

Upon the receipt of this letter, the company were called together; and it was publicly read amongst them, which had good acceptance with all, and after fruit with many.

OF THE TROUBLES THAT BEFEL THE FIRST PLANTERS UPON THE COAST OF ENGLAND, AND IN THEIR VOYAGE IN COMING OVER INTO NEW ENGLAND, AND THEIR ARRIVAL AT CAPE COD, ALIAS CAPE JAMES.

All things being got ready, and every business despatched, they ordered and distributed their company for either ship (as they conceived for the best) and chose

a governor, and two or three assistants for each ship, to order the people by the way, and to see to the disposing of the provision, and such like affairs; all which was not only with the liking of the masters of the ships, but according to their desires; which being done, they set sail from Southampton the fifth of August, 1620. But alas, the best enterprises meet oftentimes with many discouragements; for they had not sailed far, before Mr. Reynolds, the master of the lesser ship, complained that he found his ship so leaky, he durst not put further to sea; on which they were forced to put in at Dartmouth, Mr. Jones,