Of Plymouth Plantatio…

WilliamBradfordOfTheirVoyageandHowTheyPassedtheSea;andofTheirSafeArrivalatCapeCod.Aftertheyhadenjoyedfairwindsandweatherforaseason,theywereen－counteredmanytimeswithcrosswindsandmetwithmanyfiercestormswithwhichtheshipwasshroudlyshaken,andherupperworksmadeveryleaky;andoneofthemainbeamsinthemidshipswasbowedandcracked,whichputtheminsomefearthattheshipcouldnotbeabletoperformthevoyage.Sosomeofthechiefofthecompany,perceivingthemarinerstofearthesufficiencyoftheshipasappearedbytheirmutterings,theyenteredintoseriousconsultationwiththemasterandotherofficersoftheship,toconsiderintimeofthedanger,andrathertoreturnthantocastthemselvesintoadesperateandinevitableperil.Andtrulytherewasgreatdistractionanddifferenceofopinionamongstthemarinersthemselves:fainwouldtheydowhatcouldbedonefortheirwages’sake(beingnownearhalftheseasover)andontheotherhandtheywereloathtohazardtheirlivestoodesperately.Butinexaminingofallopinions,themasterandothersaffirmedtheyknewtheshiptobestrongandfirmunderwater;andforthebucklingofthemainbeam,therewasagreatironscrewthepassengersbroughtoutofHolland,whichwouldraisethebeamintohisplace;thewhichbe－ingdone,thecarpenterandmasteraffirmedthatwithapostputunderit,setfirminthelowerdeckandotherwaysbound,hewouldmakeitsufficient.Andasforthedecksandupperworks,theywouldcaulkthemaswellastheycould,andthoughwiththeworkingoftheshiptheywouldnotlongkeepstaunch,yettherewouldotherwisebenogreatdanger,iftheydidnotoverpressherwithsails.SotheycommittedthemselvestothewillofGodandresolvedtoproceed.Insundryofthesestormsthewindsweresofierceandtheseassohigh,astheycouldnotbearaknotofsail,butwereforcedtohullfordiversdaystogeth－er.Andinoneofthem,astheythuslayathullinamightystorm,alustyyoungmancalledJohnHowland,cominguponsomeoccasionabovethegratingswas,withaseeloftheship,thrownintosea;butitpleasedGodthathecaughtholdofthetopsailhalyardswhichhungoverboardandranoutatlength.Yetheheldhishold(thoughhewassundryfathomsunderwater)tillhewashauledupbythesameropetothebrimofthewater,andthenwithaboathookandothermeansgotintotheshipa－gainandhislifesaved.Andthoughhewassome－thingwithit,yethelivedmanyyearsafterandbecameaprofitablememberbothinchurchandcommonwealth.Inallthisvoyagetherediedbutoneofthepassengers,whichwasWilliamButten,ayouth,servanttoSamuelFuller,whentheydrewnearthecoast.Buttoomitotherthings(thatImaybebrief)afterlongbeatingatseatheyfellwiththatlandwhichiscalledCapeCod;thewhichbeingmadeandcertainlyknowntobeit,theywerenotalittlejoyful.Aftersomedeliberationhadamongstthemselvesandwiththemasteroftheship,theytackedaboutandresolvedtostandforthesouth－ward(thewindandweatherbeingfair)tofindsomeplaceaboutHudson’sRiverfortheirhabitation.Butaftertheyhadsailedthatcourseabouthalftheday,theyfellamongstdangerousshoalsandroaringbreakers,andtheyweresofarentan－gledtherewithastheyconceivedthemselvesingreatdanger;andthewindshrinkinguponthemwithal,theyresolvedtobearupagainfortheCapeandthoughtthemselveshappytogetoutofthosedangersbeforenightovertookthem,asbyGod’sgoodprovidencetheydid.AndthenextdaytheygotintotheCapeHarborwheretheyridinsafety.Beingthusarrivedinagoodharbor,andbroughtsafetoland,theyfellupontheirkneesandblessedtheGodofHeavenwhohadbroughtthemoverthevastandfuriousocean,anddeliveredthemfromalltheperilsandmiseriesthereof,a－gaintosettheirfeetonthefirmandstableearth,theirproperelement.TheStarvingTimeButthatwhichwasmostsadandlamentablewas,thatintwoorthreemonths’timehalfoftheircompanydied,especiallyinJanual3:andFebruary,be－ingthedepthofwinter,andwantinghousesandothercomforts:beinginfectedwiththescurvyandotherdiseaseswhichthislongvoyageandtheirinaccommo－dateconditionhadbroughtuponthem.Soastherediedsometimestwoorthreeofadayintheforesaidtime,thatofonehundredandoddpersons,scarcefiftyre－mained.Andofthese,inthetimeofmostdistress,therewasbutsixorsevensoundpersonswhototheirgreatcommendations,beitspoken,sparednopainsnightorday,butwithabundanceoftoilandhazardoftheirownhealth,fetchedthemwood,madethemfires,dressedthemmeat,madetheirbeds,washedtheirloathsomeclothes,clothedandunclothedthem.Inaword,didallthehomelyandnecessaryofficesforthemwhichdaintyandqueasystomachscannotenduretohearnamed;andallthiswillinglyandcheerfully,withoutanygrudgingintheleast,showinghereintheirtrueloveuntotheirfriendsandbrethren;arareexam－pleandworthytoberemembered.TwoofthesesevenwereMr.WilliamBrewster,theirreverendElder,andMylesStandish,theirCaptainandmilitarycommander,untowhommyselfandmanyothersweremuchbeholdeninourlowandsickcondition.AndyettheLordsoupheldthesepersonsasinthisgeneralcalamitytheywerenotatallinfectedeitherwithsicknessorlameness.AndwhatIhavesaidoftheseImaysayofmanyotherswhodiedinthisgeneralvisitation,itandothersyetliving:thatwhilsttheyhadhealth,yea,oranystrengthcontinuing,theywerenotwantingtoanythathadneedofthem.AndIdoubtnotbuttheirrecom－penseiswiththeLord.  [返]