Many difficulties still remained to be overcome, factions and disturbances having in the meantime occurred in the Virginia company. At length, after long attendance, a patent was granted and confirmed under the Virginia company’s seal, being made out to Mr. John Wincob, “a religious gentleman, belonging to the Countess of Lincoln, who intended at that time to go out; but Providence ordained it otherwise.” The patent was sent over to Holland, together with proposals for their transmigration from friends and merchants in London, who were willing either to go or to adventure with them. “On receiving these,” says the chronicler, “they first kept a day of solemn prayer, Mr. Robinson preaching a very suitable sermon, strengthening them against their fears, and encouraging them in their resolutions; and then they decided how many, and who should go first, for all who were willing could not be got ready quickly. The greater number remaining required their beloved pastor to remain with them; their elder, Mr. Brewster, accompanying those who should depart.” And now, on June 10th, 1620, a ship of nine score tons being hired in London, and the ship in Holland being ready, they spent a day in solemn prayer, for with the Pilgrim every important act of life was an act of religion, and their beloved pastor, anticipating their high destiny, and the sublime doctrines of liberty that would grow out of the principles on which their religious tenets were established, gave them a farewell address, breathing a freedom of opinion and an independence of authority, such as then was hardly known in the world.[1] “I charge you,” said he, “before God and his blessed angels, that you follow me no further than you have seen me follow the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord has yet more truths to break forth out of his holy word. I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed churches, who are come to a period in religion, and will go no further than the instruments of their reformation. Luther and Calvin were great and shining lights in their times, yet they penetrated not into the whole council of God. I beseech you, remember it; ’tis an article of your church covenant—that you be ready to receive whatever truth shall be made known to you, from the written word of God.” On the 21st of July, the Pilgrims left Leyden, being accompanied by their brethren as far as Delft harbour, where many met them from Amsterdam, to take leave and see them depart; and early the next morning, “after a night spent in friendly and pleasant Christian converse, the wind being fair, they went on board, their friends accompanying them, and Robinson and they who were with him falling down on their knees, he commended them with watery cheeks and most fervent prayer to God; then with mutual embraces and many tears they took their leave, and with a prosperous wind arrived at Southampton, where they found the larger ship from London, with the rest of their company, waiting for them.”