The Mayflower and Her Log; July 15, 1620-May 6, 1621 — Volume 1 — John Shaqi
The Mayflower and Her Log; July 15, 1620-May 6, 1621 — Volume 1Ames, Azel
History
The Mayflower and Her Log; July 15, 1620-May 6, 1621 — Volume 1
Ames, Azel
Massachusetts -- History -- New Plymouth, 1620-1691; Mayflower (Ship); Pilgrims (New Plymouth Colony)
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 analysis 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
passengers 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."
Saturday, 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 God, 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."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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