Bradford's History of 'Plimoth Plantation': From the Original Manuscript. With a Report of the Proceedings Incident to the Return of the Manuscript to MassachusettsBradford, William
History
Bradford's History of 'Plimoth Plantation': From the Original Manuscript. With a Report of the Proceedings Incident to the Return of the Manuscript to Massachusetts
Bradford, William
Massachusetts -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
The nexte spring after, ther was another attempte made by some of these
& others, to get over at an other place. And it so fell out, that they
light of a Dutchman at Hull, having a ship of his owne belonging to
Zealand; they made agreemente with him, and acquainted [9] him with
their condition, hoping to find more faithfullnes in him, then in y^e
former of their owne nation. He bad them not fear, for he would doe well
enough. He was by appointment to take them in betweene Grimsbe & Hull,
wher was a large co[=m]one a good way distante from any towne. Now
aganst the prefixed time, the women & children, with y^e goods, were
sent to y^e place in a small barke, which they had hired for y^t end;
and y^e men were to meete them by land. But it so fell out, that they
were ther a day before y^e shipe came, & y^e sea being rough, and y^e
women very sicke, prevailed with y^e seamen to put into a creeke hardby,
wher they lay on ground at lowwater. The nexte morning y^e shipe came,
but they were fast, & could not stir till aboute noone. In y^e mean
time, y^e shipe maister, perceiveing how y^e matter was, sente his boate
to be getting y^e men abord whom he saw ready, walking aboute y^e shore.
But after y^e first boat full was gott abord, & she was ready to goe for
more, the m^r espied a greate company, both horse & foote, with bills, &
gunes, & other weapons; for y^e countrie was raised to take them. Y^e
Dutch-man seeing y^t, swore his countries oath, "sacremente," and having
y^e wind faire, waiged his Ancor, hoysed sayles, & away. But y^e poore
men which were gott abord, were in great distress for their wives and
children, which they saw thus to be taken, and were left destitute of
their helps; and them selves also, not having a cloath to shifte them
with, more then they had on their baks, & some scarce a peney aboute
them, all they had being abord y^e barke. It drew tears from their eyes,
and any thing they had they would have given to have been a shore
againe; but all in vaine, ther was no remedy, they must thus sadly part.
And afterward endured a fearfull storme at sea, being 14. days or more
before y^ey arived at their porte, in 7. wherof they neither saw son,
moone, nor stars, & were driven near y^e coast of Norway; the mariners
them selves often despairing of life; and once with shriks & cries gave
over all, as if y^e ship had been foundred in y^e sea, & they sinking
without recoverie. But when mans hope & helpe wholy failed, y^e Lords
power & mercie appeared in ther recoverie; for y^e ship rose againe, &
gave y^e mariners courage againe to manage her. And if modestie woud
suffer me, I might declare with what fervente [10] prayres they cried
unto y^e Lord in this great distres, (espetialy some of them,) even
without any great distraction, when y^e water rane into their mouthes &
ears; & the mariners cried out, We sinke, we sinke; they cried (if not
with mirakelous, yet with a great hight or degree of devine faith), Yet
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