Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

PECULIARITIES OF THE PILGRIMS.

53

P'D. III.

Leyden.

cause to be satisfied, and they removed to Leyden. PT.I. Here, by hard labor and frugal honesty, they lived highly respected; but after a few years they experi- CH.1. enced evils, which made them think of another removal. 6. Not only were their own toils constant and severe, but they were obliged to employ their children, so that they were necessarily deprived of education. And the health of the young, often fell a sacrifice to for rethe length of time and confined positions, in which moval. they labored. Some died, and some became deformed. Their morals also were likely to suffer from the habitual profanation of the sabbath, witnessed around them.

Reasons

Agents

7. The Pilgrims had heard of America; and in its wilderness, they believed that they might serve God unmolested, and found a church, where not only the oppressed in England, but unborn generations, might enjoy a pure worship. The Dutch wished them to colonize under their government. But they still loved gland. their country; and they sent agents to England, to procure, by the influence of Sir Edwin Sandys, a patent under the Virginia Company.

8. For the encouragement of this company, disheartened by the failures at Chesapeake Bay, Robinson, and Brewster, the ruling elder of his church, wrote to Sir Edwin, showing, in five particulars, the difference of their motives, their circumstances, and characters, from those of other adventurers. First, "We verily believe the Lord is with us, to whose service we have given ourselves, and that he will graciously prosper our endeavors, according to the simplicity of our hearts therein. Second, We are all well weaned from the delicate milk of our mother country, and inured to a strange and hard land, wherein we have learned patience.

9. Third, our people are as industrious and frugal as any in the world. Fourth, We are knit together in a

5. Where remove? In what estimation were they held? 6. What reasons had they for another removal? 7. What for thinking of America? What did the Dutch wish? What moved the Pilgrims to send agents to England?-8. Who wrote a letter? To whom? To show what? Mention the first particular? The second?-9. The third ?-fourth?

go to En

Letter to

Sir E.

Sandys.

The Pilgrims a peculiar

people.

54

сн. 1.

THE PARTING AT DELFT-HAVEN.

P'T. I. sacred bond of the Lord, whereof we make great conP'D. III. science, holding ourselves tied to all care of each other's good. Fifth, It is not with us as with other men, whom small discontentments can discourage, and cause to wish themselves at home again. We have nothing to hope for from England or Holland, and our lives are drawing towards their period."

10. By the aid of Sandys, the petitioners obtained the patent. But they needed money. To provide this, their agents formed a stock company, jointly, with with some men of business in London, of whom Mr. Thomas London Weston was the principal; they to furnish the capital, chants. the emigrants to pledge their labor for seven years, at

Contract

mer

Aug. 3d,

ten pounds per man; and the profits of the enterprise, all houses, lands, gardens, and fields, to be divided at the end of that time among the stockholders, according to their respective shares.

11. They then prepared two small vessels, the MayFlower and the Speedwell; but these would hold only 1620 a part of the company, and it was decided that the Prepara- youngest and most active should go, and the older, among whom was the pastor, should remain. If they were successful, they were to send for those behind; if unsuccessful, to return, though poor, to them.

tion.

12. Previous to their separation, this memorable church worshipped together for the last time, on an appointed day, when they humbled themselves by fasting, and "sought of the Lord a right way for themselves and their children." When they must no longer Parting tarry, their brethren accompanied them from Leyden at Delft to the shore at Delft-Haven. Here the venerable pas

Haven.

tor knelt with his flock upon the ground; and the wanderers, while tears flowed down their cheeks. heard for the last time, his beloved voice in exhortation, and in prayer for them. "But they knew they were PILGRIMS, and lifted up their eyes to heaven, their dearest country, and quieted their spirits."

9. The fifth.-10. What did they obtain? What did they then need? How contrive to procure it?-11. What did the agents then prepare? Could all go? Which part was to go? On what condition did the others remain ?-12. Give an account of their parting?

THE LEADING MEN.

55

CHAPTER II.

Progress of the Pilgrims from Holland to America.

PT. I.

P'D. III.

CH. II.

men.

1. FROM Delft-Haven, the Pilgrims sailed to Southampton, in England. Among the leaders of the party was ELDER BREWSTER, who at this time was fifty-six, but sound in body, as in spirit. JOHN CARVER was Leading near his age, beloved and trusted, as he was good and wise. WILLIAM BRADFORD was strong, bold, and enduring; but withal, a meek and prudent Christian. Next these in honor, and superior in native endowments, was EDWARD WINSLOW. He was at this time twenty-six; Bradford was thirty-two. MILES StandISH had been in the English army, and was a brave and resolute officer.

Final de

2. After remaining in Southampton a fortnight, the party put to sea. But misfortunes befalling, they re- Sept. 6, turned, left the Speedwell, and finally, to the number parture. of one hundred, they set sail from Plymouth, in the solitary May-Flower. On the 6th of September, they took their last, sad look, of their native shore. After a stormy and perilous passage, they made land, on the 9th of November, at Cape Cod.

Nov. 9.

Cod.

3. The mouth of the Hudson had been selected as the place of their settlement, and they accordingly steered southerly; but soon falling in with dangerous at Cape breakers, and all, especially the women, being impatient to leave the ship, they determined to return and settle on or near the Cape. The next day they turned the point of that singular projection, and entered the harbor, now called Provincetown.

4. They fell on their knees to thank the kind Power who had preserved them amidst so many dangers; and

CHAPTER II.-1. From Holland where did the Pilgrims next ? Name their leading men. What is said of the first named? The second? The third? The fourth? The fifth ?-2. What happened when they first put out to sea? From what place did they last depart? In what vessel? How many persons? What was the length and character of the passage? What the first land made?-3. On what place had they intended to settle? Why did they change their minds?-4. What was their first act on arriving?

56

OBEDIENCE ESSENTIAL TO THE COMPACT.

PT. I. then "they did," says Cotton Mather, "as the light of P'D. III. nature itself directed them, immediately, in the harbor, CH. II. sign an instrument, as the foundation of their future Compact and needful government;" solemnly combining themsigned in selves into a civil body politic, to enact all such ordinances, and frame all such constitutions and offices, as, from time to time, should be thought most meet and convenient for the general good; all which they bound themselves to obey.

the cabin.

5. This simple, but august compact, was the first of a series, by which the fetters of a vast system of political oppression have been broken. Upon some parts of the old continent that system still remains; building upon the fiction, that sovereigns own the world and its inhabitants, having derived all from God; Important trans- and that the people are to have only such a measure of personal freedom, and such possessions, as kings may choose to bestow. Here was assumed for the first time the grand principle of a voluntary confederacy of independent men; instituting government, for the good, not of the governors, but of the governed.

act on.

100 of the

6. There were the same number of persons on board the May-Flower as had left England; but one, a serPilgrims. vant, had died; and one, a male child, Peregrine White, was born on the passage. Carver was immediately chosen governor, and Standish, captain.

7. No comfortable home, or smiling friends, awaited the Pilgrims. They, who went on shore, waded through the cold surf, to a homeless desert. But a place to settle in must be found, and no time was to be lost. The shallop unfortunately needed repairs, and Nov. 11, in the meantime a party set out to make discoveries by They go land. They found "a little corn, and many graves; and in a second excursion they encountered the chilling blasts of a November snow storm, which laid in some, the foundation of mortal disease. The country was wooded, and tolerably stocked with game.

on shore.

[ocr errors]

4. What their next step? For what did they combine into one body? To what did they bind themselves?-5. What may be said of this compact? Upon what fiction are some governments founded? What was here assumed? 6. What number of persons arrived? What officers were chosen?-7. What can you say of their first arrival? What had they to do? What excursions did they make?

THE ROCK OF PLYMOUTH.

8. When the shallop was finished, Carver, Bradford and Winslow, with a party of eighteen, manned the feeble bark, and set forth. (Steering along the western shore of Cape Cod, they made, in three days, the inner circuit of the bay. "It was," says one of the number, "very cold; for the water froze our clothes, and made them many times like coats of iron." They landed occasionally to explore; and at night, inclosed with only a slight barricade of boughs, they stretched themselves upon the hard ground.

57

PT. I.

P'D. III.

Cн. II.

Dec. 6,

A party set sail

in the

shallop.

Attacked

9. On the second morning, as their devotions closed, they received a shower of Indian arrows;) when, sallying out, they discharged their guns, and the savages fled. Again they offered prayers with thanksgiving; and proceeding on their way, their shallop was nearly wrecked by a wintry storm of terrible violence. After Dec. 8, unspeakable dangers, they sheltered themselves under by the the lee of a small island, where, amidst darkness and Nausets. rain, they landed, and with difficulty, made a fire. In the morning, they found themselves at the entrance of a harbor. The next day was the Sabbath. They rested and kept it holy, though all that was dear to them depended on their promptness.

10. The next day, the pilgrims landed on the rock of Plymouth. Finding the harbor good, springs abundant, and the land promising for tillage, they decided to settle here, and named the place from that which 1620. they last left in England. In a few days they brought Dec. 14, Plythe May-Flower to the harbor; and on the 25th of mouth December they began building, having first divided the Rock. whole company into nineteen families, and assigned them contiguous lots, of size according to that of the family, about eight feet front, and fifty deep, to each person. Each man was to build his own house. Besides this, the company were to make a building of twenty feet square, as a common receptacle. This was

8. What party set sail in the shallop? What course did they take? What sufferings encounter? 9. What happened on the second morning? Recollect Capt. Hunt, and say if these Indians had any cause to dislike the English? Relate what further happened, and where the Pilgrims landed? How did they spend the Sabbath? 10. On what day and year did the Pilgrims land on the rock of Plymouth? At what time commence building? How proceed with it? How divide the land?

« ZurückWeiter »