Mayflower Pilgrims - John Roland
Memorial of the three hundredth anniversary of the landing of the
Pilgrims at Plymouth, 1620-1920; a record of the Pilgrim descendants
who early in its history settled in Cape May County, and some of their
children throughout the several states of the union at the present time
(1921)
Copyright, 1921; ALBERT R. HAND, Publisher Cape May, N. J. May 7,
1921 Printed and Published by: ALBERT R. HAND, Cape May, N. J.
Extracted by: Laverne Tornow
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JOHN ROWLAND, THE PILGRIM
The general history of the men who founded Plymouth Colony in New England
begins with the events described in Bradford's manuscript History of
Plymouth Plantation, pages 11 to 14, ending with the words, ' ' Seeing
they could no longer continue in yt condition they resolved to get over
into Holland as they could which was in ye year 1607 & 1608." The
sufferings of the Pilgrims in England is a part of general history which
it is not the purpose of this introduction to dis- cuss. The general
history of the colony comes to an end with the last meeting of the Board
of Assistants, April 15, 1692. From this time Plymouth is merged with
Massachusetts Bay and ceases to exist as an independent colony. The
word ** Pilgrim" is often used to include the early settlers who came
to Plymouth in the three ships, the May- flower, 1620, the Fortune,
1621, and the Ann, 1623. The word is here limited to those men, women
and children who came in the Mayflower in 1620. The high resolution
of the colony of Separatists from the Church of England to leave Holland
and seek a home for themselves and their children in the New World made
them pilgrims from that time. The history of the Pilgrim Fathers properly
begins early in 1620 with the visit to the band of Separatists at Leyden
of Mr. Thomas "Weston, of London, who offered to furnish funds for the
proposed migration to the New World. Mr. Weston associated with him
some seventy merchants who, as a matter of speculation, offered to take
stock at ten pounds per share for the purpose of promoting the enterprise.
(Bradford's Manu- script, page 54.) This offer made the migration possible.
The account of the life at Scrooby, the escape to Amster- dam and the
removal to Leyden, is preliminary to the great drama whose epic period
is the subject of this short outline. Briefly, the introductory facts
are as follows : In 1607 a large 66 THE MAYFLOWER AT ANCHOR, 1620 MAYFLOWER
DESCENDANTS IN CAPE 3IAY COUNTY ship was hired by members of the congregation
at Scrooby, which was to take a portion of the company to Holland. They
embarked during the night, but in spite of caution, were forced to return,
and their leaders were imprisoned. (Brad- ford, pages 16, 17.) In the
spring of 1608 another attempt was made; Bradford and a few others landed
at Flushing at this time. By August, 1608, the whole company were in
Am- sterdam. After about a year, according to Bradford (nine months,
actually), one hundred removed to Leyden, "A fair & bewtifull citie
and of sweete situation, but made more famous by ye Universitie. " Their
pastor, John Robinson, was honored by the Uni- versity, and the congregation
grew to ''not much fewer than three hundred communicants." (Young's
Chronicles; but Goodwin, in The Pilgrim Republic, page 35, where Young
is quoted, places the number at not less than five hundred.) It is remarkable
that neither Bradford, Mourt or other manu- scripts mention the exact
place of residence in England. That this was Scrooby was the discovery
of the Rjcv. Joseph Hunter, whose work, * ' The Founders of New Plymouth,
' ' was published in 1849. The Pilgrims did not leave Holland because
of persecu- tion or disability, civil or religious. Under the wise policy
of Prince Maurice, civil and religious liberty was granted all, and
the salaries of the clergy of all religions were paid in part by the
state, with the exception of the Separatists, whom the Dutch ignored
out of deference to the King of England, while personally respecting
and honoring them. (Bradford, page 26; Goodwin, page 34.) The agreement
between the ]\Ierchant Adventurers and the expectant Pilgrims was signed
July 1, 0, S., 1620, and was on the basis of an equal division of the
colony's posses- sions at the end of seven years between the Adventurers
and the colonists. This included all the property of the colonists,
houses and garden plots, and the hardness of the terms im- posed was
immediately a cause of controversy. As a matter 67 MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS
IN CAPE MAI COtlNTt of fact, this division was never made; in 1627 the
colonists bought out the Adventurers. (Bradford, pages 56, 5T, 75.)
On or near the last day of July, the younger and stronger of the congregation
left Leyden for Delft-Haven, the place of embarkation. Robinson 's famous
sermon on the text, Ezta 8:21, was preached at this time: "And thel'e
at the river by Ahava I proclaimed a fast, that we might humble ourselves
before our God, and seek of him a right way for us, and for all our
children, and all our substance." So affecting was the scene of the
parting of old and young, of husbands and wives, that the people of
Delft-Haven held it in memory twenty-five years later. (Goodwin, page
59.) "So they lefte yt goodly & pleasante citie which had been ther
resting place near 12 years; but they knew they pilgrims & looked
not much on those things, but lift up their eyes to ye heavens, their
dearest cuntrie and quieted their spirits." The next morning the colonists
embarked on the Speed- well, a ship of sixty tons burden, and proceeded
to South- ampton. Here Weston, representing the Adventurers, de- clined
to make further advances, alleging that the Pilgrims had broken their
agreement in insisting upon the right to retain their houses and garden
plots at the division, and to have a part of the working days of the
week for their own improvement. This was a part of the original contract
which, without the consent of the Pilgrims, had been modified by their
agent, Thomas Cushman. They remained at South- ampton one week for the
purpose of securing the necessary stores, but, Weston having failed
them, it was necessary to sell provisions brought from Holland to obtain
money for port dues. On August 15, the emigrants proceeded in two ships,
the Speedwell and the Mayflower, the latter of one hundred and eighty
tons burden. When four days out of port, the Speedwell began to leak,
and it was decided that the two ships should put in at Dartmouth, where
sixteen days were spent in making repairs. Again the voyage was begun,
but when three hundred miles beyond Lands End, the Speedwell showed
such signs of 68 MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS IN CAPE MAY COUNTY unseaworthiness
that the passengers were compelled to aban- don hope of continuing the
voyage with her, and both ships returned to harbor at Plymouth - the
exact date is not known. The Speedwell returned to her owners at London,
carrying with her eighteen of her thirty passengers, who now aban- doned
the undertaking, through fear or discontent, among them Robert Cushman,
The twelve remaining were added to the ninety of the Mayflower list,
making the total number one hundred and two at the time of sailing.
The final departure of the ^Mayflower was on September 16, O. S. The
ship came to anchor at Cape Cod sixty-seven days after the final em-
barking at Plymouth, ninety-nine days after leaving South- hampton,
one hundred and thirty-three days after leaving Delft-Haven, and it
was many months before the last of the passengers were released from
the ship. A great storm beset the ship in the middle of the ocean, and
it is at this time that the chronicler of the voyage, Wil- liam Bradford,
afterward governor of the colony, makes the first mention of John Howland
the Pilgrim: - "After they had injoyed faire winds and weather for a
season, they were incountred many times with crosse winds, and mette
with many feirce stoiTnes, with which ye shipe was shroudly shaken,
and her upper works made very leakie; and one of the maine beames in
ye mid ships was bowed & craked, which put them in some fear that
ye shipe could not be able to perform ye vioage. So some of j'^e cheefe
of ye company, perceiveing ye mar- iners to feare ye suffisiencie of
ye shipe, as it appeared by their mutterings, they entred into serious
consultation with ye mr. & other officers of ye ship, to consider
in time of ye danger; and rather to returne then to cast them selves
into a desperate & inev- itable perill. And truly ther was great
distraction & diiferance of opinion amongst ye mariners them selves;
faine would they doe what could be done for their wages sake, (being
now half the seas over), and on ye other hand they were loath to hazard
their lives too desperately. But in examening of all opinions, the mr. &
others affirmed they knew ye ship to be stronge & firme under water;
and for the buckling of ye maine beame, ther was a great iron sci-ue
ye passengers brought out of Holland, which would raise ye beame into
his place; ye which being done, the carpenter & mr. affirmed that
with a post put under it, set firme in ye lower deck, & otherways
bounde, he would make it sufficiente. And as for ye decks & uper
workes they would calke them as well as they could, and though with
ye workeing of ye ship they would not longe keep 69 MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS
IN CAPE MAY COUNTY stanch, yet ther would otherwise be in no great danger,
if they did not overpress her with sails. So they comited them selves
to ye will of God, & resolved to proseede. In sundrie of these stormes
the winds were so feirce, & ye seas so high, as they could not beare
a knote of saile, but were forced to hull, for divorce days togither.
And in one of them, as they thus lay at hull, in a mighty storme, a
lustie yonge man (called John Howland) coming upon some occasion above
ye grat- tings, was, with a seele of ye shipe throwne into ye sea; but
it pleased God yt he caught hould of ye top-saile halliards, which hunge
over board, & rane out at lengfth; yet he held his hould (though
he was sundrie fadomes under water) till he was hald up by ye same rope
to ye brime of ye water, and then with a boat hooke Sc other means got
into ye shipe againe, & his life saved; and though he was something
ill with it, yet he lived many years after, and became a probtable member
both in church & commons wealthe." This is the first mention in
history of the Pilgrim John Howland. td The Number and Character of
the Mayflower Passengers The number of passengers is variously given
- one hun- dred, one hundred and one, one hundred and two. In com- puting
the number who are entitled to be enrolled in the list of Mayflower
passengers, it must be remembered that five of those who sailed on the
Mayflower did not land at Plymouth, and two landed at Plymouth who did
not sail in the May- flower. The ages of the passengers, as far as known,
and the dates of death have been collected from records, deeds, wills,
depositions and other documents, and are given in Goodwin, page 183.
It was a migration of families - men, women and children - and not a
mere fishing expedition or commercial undertaking, as some have attempted
to show. (Note, quot- ing error of Hutchinson in Young, page 81.) Jones,
captain of the ship, and the crew were no part of the Pilgrim band ;
but two seamen, under contract to remain a year, were in- cluded in
the number of colonists. Of the total number, eighteen were women; nine
were servants, probably minors; thirty-three were children, of whom
twenty-two were boys and eleven girls. Two dogs - a spaniel and a mastiff
- were brought over in the ship. For genealogical qualifications, William
Butten, who died on the voyage; Oceanus Hopkins, who was born on the
voyage ; Peregrine White, who was born while the ship lay at anchor
at Cape Cod ; as well as the two seamen, who were considered by the
Pilgrims a part of the colony (Bradford, page 534), must be included
in the list of Mayflower passengers. Prince, in his New England Chronology,
makes the mis- take of excluding the two seamen, while rightly retaining
the names of William Butten and Oceanus Hopkins, thus making the number
one hundred and one. Young says the servant of 71 MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS
IN CAPE MAY COUNTY William White, who died at Cape Cod before the ship
came into Plymouth Harbor, should be excluded, making the num- ber one
hundred (page 122, where quotation from Prince is given in note). This
further error is repeated by Russell in Pilgrim Memorials, page 43,
and is widely copied in popular histories. All of the histories, including
Bradford's list, omit the name of Peregrine White, yet the child of
Pilgrim parents, born on the Mayflower, is surely entitled to be included
in the Pilgrim band. Furthermore, the two seamen who undertook the hardships
of the first year, as well as the unfortunate servant of William White,
are in the number of those "who for an undefiled conscience and the
love of pure Christianity, first left their native and pleasant Land
and encountered the Toils and Hazzards of the tumultuous Ocean." (Prince.)
The exact number of the Pilgrims is, therefore, one hundred and four,
and the full list of names is given in Pilgrim Notes and Queries, a
publication of the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants. It
is interesting to note that of the whole number of one hundred and four,
only fifty are known to have left descendants. The high character of
the Pilgrims is shown by their ability to attract to their number men
of the type of Standish, who was not a member of the congregation, and
the aristo- cratic Winslow. During the sojourn at Leyden, the towns-
men gave them credit freely and were never defrauded. Their peaceful,
upright life was publicly acknowledged by the magistrates of the city.
They lived after the pattern of the early church, and the Communion
was celebrated each Sabbath. (Bradford, pages 26, 27 and 194 - in answer
to objections to Pilgrims.) 72 Manuscripts and Sources of Pilgrim History
for the First Two Years and Preceding Events (1) First of all in importance
is Bradford's Manuscript History of Plymouth Plantation, sometimes called
"The Log of the Mayflower." The autographic manuscript, the most precious
historical document in the United States, is in the Massachusetts State
Library at Boston, and with proper care may be seen by the historical
investigator. The famous manuscript is a folio 71^ inches by 12, backed
with parchment. In scope, the his- tory extends from 1602 to 1646, with
a list of Mayflower pas- sengers at the end, under the date 1650. Prince,
in his New England Chronology, thus describes the manuscript: "The manuscripts
I have opportunity to search (1736) - In folio, Gov. Bradford's History
of Plimouth People and Colony from 1602 to 1646, in 270 pages, with
some account of the Increase of those who came over with Him, from 1620
to 1650, and all in his own handwriting." Preface to Chronology, Vol.
I, vi, Boston, 1736. (Copy in library of author of this volume.) Governor
Hutchinson also used the manuscript in the preparation of the second
volume of his history, 165T. From that time the manuscript disappeared
; no trace of it was left behind, and after nearly a century, to the
despair of investi- gators, the mystery was as great as ever. In 1855,
a lover of antiquities, John Wingate Thornton, while lounging in a London
book-shop, chanced to pick up a book by Wilberforce, Bishop of Oxford,
published in 1844, entitled, History of the Episcopal Church in America.
On page 56 he found a refer- ence to a "Ms. History of the Plantation
of Plymouth, - dn Fulham Library. ' ' Thus the long-lost manuscript
was recov- ered and identified from the description of Prince. The stu-
73 MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS IN CAPE MAT COUNTY dent of Pilgrim history
must begin by mastering this manu- script - a task of some years. A
working copy has been issued by the State of Massachusetts (1898), and
the refer- ences in this introduction are to this official copy. On
a fly- leaf there is written by the grandson of the Governor : "This
book was rit by govener William Bradford and given to his son mager
(major) William Bradford and by him to his son mager John Bradford,
rit by me Samuel bradford, mach 20, 1705." The great struggle of the
early colonists was not against Indians, famine or **muskeetos" (Bradford,
196), but against illiteracy. The Bradford of 1705 was inferior in education
to the Bradford of 1620. (2) Mourt's Relation, including: (a) A daily
journal of Governor Bradford extending from November 20, 1620, to April
2, 1621. (&) Four narratives of Winslow, detailing chief events
of the colony to the return of the Fortune, December 21, 1621 This ship
carried the manuscript to England, where it was published in 1622. From
the signature in the preface, "6. Mourt" (probably George Morton), the
publication took its name. (3) Winslow 's Brief Narration, containing
Robinson's Farewell Address to the Pilgrims, printed in London, 1646,
These documents, Mourt's Relation and Winslow 's Brief Narration, are
included in Dr. Young's Chronicles of the Pilgrims, 1844. The references
are to this collection. Thus, Mourt, page 209, refers to page 209 in
Young's Chronicles. (4) Plymouth Colony Records, printed by the State
of ]\Iassachusetts. (5) Bradford's Letter Book, a fragment of a collection
of letters pertaining to the early days of the colony. This complete
collection was at one time in the possession of Prince. Lost at the
time of the Revolution (probably), a fragment was found in a grocer's
shop in Halifax, N. S., in 1793. The text used here is that of the Massachusetts
His- 74 MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS IN CAPE MAT COUNTY torieal Society Collections,
Vol. Ill, 1794, pages 27 to 76, the whole reprinted by the Massachusetts
Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1906. (6) Founders of New Plymouth,
by Rev. Joseph Hunter, 1849. This work identifies the place of residence
of the Pil- grims in England. (7) Pilgrim Memorials and Guide to Plymouth,
Russell, 1855 (containing errors as to the number of Mayflower pas-
sengers). (8) History of Plymouth, Thacher, 2nd edition, 1835, (containing
errors as to the ancestry of John Howland). (9) Goodwin's Pilgrim Republic.
This is the most com- plete work on the subject to the date of the death
of the author, 1884 (published 1888). The fact that Goodwin ad- mits
that he has found nothing new makes him absolutely reliable. He was
of Pilgrim stock, and had access to all the sources. (10) The publication
of the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, edited by G.
E. Bowman. Here new matter has been found, and the editor is the greatest
author- ity on the subject of Pilgrim history and genealogy. The twenty
volumes of the publication. The Pilgrim Descendant, have been used in
preparing this introduction. Pilgrim Notes and Queries is an additional
publication of this society. 75 Cape Cod and Plymouth The Mayflower
came to anchor at what is now called Provincetown, Cape Cod, on Saturday,
November 21 (11, 0. S.), 1620. On the next day the Sabbath was observed
on the ship, and on Monday the life in the New World began. Some, in
their eagerness to land, jumped from the landing boat into the shallow
surf, and contracted coughs and colds, laying the foundation for the
severe mortality of the follow- ing winter. On Saturday preceding, the
Compact had been signed, forming the Pilgrim band into a body politic,
with authority to make and execute laws. That this coast was not the
intended destination of the colonists, and the legal signifi- cance
of the compact, are matters of general history, too lengthy to be discussed
here. John Carver, who had been appointed governor of the ship, continued,
by election, in that office. Immediately an exploring expedition was
organized, and now appears for the first time one of the most famous
of the Pilgrim band, Captain Myles Standish. That, having a com- mission
under Elizabeth, he had served in Flanders, and was of distinguished
family, so much we know, but how he became associated with the Pilgrims
is unknown. He was not, and never was, a member of the Pilgrim church.
(Young, page 125, note.) Under the command of Standish, with Bradford,
Stephen Hopkins and Edward Tilley, brother of John Tilley, as advisers,
the exploring party set out on Wednesday, No- vember 25. When they had
proceeded along the shore a mile, they saw five or six Indians with
a dog. Seeing the party, the Indians whistled the dog after them, and
ran away. The explorers followed ten miles, without overtaking them,
but the next day made a discovery which saved the life of the colony,
namely, a cellar of Indian corn. The ethical question in- 76 MONUMENT
TO CAPTAIN MYLES STANDISH, CAPTAIN'S HILL, DUXBERRY, MASS. By permission
of A. S. Burbank, Plymouth MATI'LOWER DESCENDANTS IN CAPE MAY COUNTY
volved in appropriating a part of the com will be referred to later.
A number of Indian graves were also found. On the return the next day,
Bradford became entangled in a deer trap baited with acorns. The identification
of the trap by Hopkins, and his knowledge of Indian skill, confirms
the belief that he had been in this part of the world before. (Goodwin,
pages 76, 435.) Thomas Snell Hopkins, Esq., gov- ernor general of the
Society of Mayflower Descendants, said to the author : ' * Hopkins was
an all-round adventurer. ' ' He was a lay minister of the Church of
England ; a leader of in- surrection; a member of Governor Bradford's
Council; a trusted ambassador to Massasoit; a tavern-keeper who more
than once was fined, as shown by the colony records. Ten days later,
a large boat called the shallop had been put together, and in company
with the ship 's long boat, began the second exploring expedition under
the command of Jones, the captain of the ship, with nine sailors. A
cold, blustering snowstorm compelled them to put in at East Harbor and
wade ashore in the freezing weather. "Some of our people that are dead
took the original of their death here." (Mourt.) The following day,
Tuesday, December 8, the party re- joined the shallop and sailed to
the mouth of a supposed river, which they named Cold Harbor. Landing
here, the party proceeded along the shore, the shallop following. (The
vagueness of Bradford in writing here, "4 or 5 miles," is especially
illustrated in the list of Mayflower passengers given at the end of
his manuscript, page 534: "These being about a hundred sowls, came over
in the first ship." He did not take the pains to add up his own figures.)
For supper that night they had three fat geese and six ducks, which
they ate with "soldiers' stomachs." The next day they revisited the
corn cellar, now covered with snow and ice, and Bradford notes the "spetiall
providence of God and great mercie to this poore people," that the corn
was discov- ered before the fall of snow. (Bradford, 100.) 77 MAYFLOWER
DESCENDANTS IN CAPE MAY COUNTY Those who were sick from exposure were
now sent back in the shallop. The remaining members, eighteen in number,
made an interesting discovery the next day. A grave, cov- ered by a
board carved and painted with three tynes like a crown, containing the
body of a blond-haired man and the bones of a little child, a little
bow and child's trinkets. The wreck of a French ship on this coast four
years before, and the probable marriage of a European and a native,
seem to explain this grave. (Bradford, 119.) After finding an Indian
village, the party returned to the ship. The question was now discussed
as to whether they should settle here or make further explorations.
It was nec- essary to make haste, as disease had broken out in the narrow
quarters of the ship ; Edward Thompson, servant of William White, had
died, and the orphan boy Jasper Moore, adopted by the Pilgrims, was
dying. The question of the future site of the colony was settled by
Robert Coppin, pilot of the May- flower, who said that there was a good
harbor and a naviga- ble river on the other headland, and that he had
been there. The third exploring party set out in the shallop late in
the afternoon of Wednesday, December 16. The party was composed of eighteen
men, and the names are given by Mourt : Captain Myles Standish, Governor
Carver, William. Brad- ford, Edward Winslow, John Tilley, Edward Tilley
and John Howland, all from the Leyden congregation, the following from
those who joined the emigrants in England: Richard Warren, Stephen Hopkins,
Edward Doty. John Allerton and Thomas English, seamen of the Pilgrims,
accompanied them, and Jones sent six of his men, including Clark, the
mate, Coppin, the pilot, and the master-gunner of the Mayflower. This
is the second time the name of John Howland appears. It was such freezing
weather that the spray froze on their garments, making them like coats
of iron. Edward Tilley, brother of John, became insensible from cold;
the master-gunner was sick unto death (neither survived the win- ter).
The shallop put in at the place afterward known as 78 MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS
IN CAPE MAY COUNTY First Encounter, on the interior side where the arm
of the Cape begins to widen out. Here they saw ten or twelve In- dians
busy over the carcass of a grampus which had washed up on the shore.
That night, as they were encamped, they saw the fires of Indian camps.
Thursday, December 17, the bay and adjoining land were explored, and
graves and com fields discovered. Their rest that night was disturbed
by great cries, which at the time they supposed to be wolves. Friday,
December 18, was a memorable day in Pilgrim history. The party rose
at 5, beginning the day with the accustomed prayer. Some, fearing no
danger, carried their arms down to the boat, but at breakfast the strange
cry of the night was heard again, and the men ran to recover their arms.
Then occurred the First Encounter with the Indians, in which no one
was killed, and the Indians ran away, badly fright- ened. Some of the
arrows shot by the Indians were tipped with eagles' claws, some with
deers' horn, and some with brass. Bradford relates, as an incident of
the affray, that a certain lusty Indian was wounded by one of the Pilgrims.
Edward Johnson, in his Wonder-working Providence (Lon- don, 1624), says
that "the lustie man" was the stoutect sachem of the Indians, and that
Standish struck the sachem's right arm with a shot from his fowling
piece. (Young, 158, note.) There is no authority for this statement,
and it is an illustration of the mythological element which early appears
in Pilgrim history. They now set sail for the good harbor, which Coppin
assured them they would reach before night, ' ' of which they were glad,
for it begane to be f oule weather, ' ' and by afternoon a heavy storm
of snow and rain settled upon them ; the rudder was broken by the force
of the waves, and two men had difficulty in steering with a "cupple
of oares. ' ' As the night drew on, Pilot Coppin bade them be of good
cheer, for he saw the harbor. The storm increasing, the mast fell down,
broken in three pieces, but having the flood tide with them, they rowed
by the point, called the Gurnet, at the entrance to Plymouth Harbor.
As they rounded the 79 MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS IN CAPE MAY COUNTY point,
Pilot Coppin exclaimed: **Ye Lord be mercifull unto us, for my eyes
never saw yt place before." With difficulty, as it became dark, they
rowed along the stretch between the Gurnet and Saquish, coming to safe
anchorage between the latter point and Clark's Island, where later,
as it grew colder, the whole company spent the night around the watch
fire. Saturday, December 19, was a "faire sunshining day," and as the
equipment was wet, the day was spent in drying and putting it in order.
"And this being the last day of ye weeke they prepared to keepe ye Sabbath."
(Bradford.) "On the Sabbth day we rested." (Mourt.) Monday (Forefathers'
Day) was the date of the landing on Plymouth Rock, yet no account of
the exact place and manner of landing is given in the original manuscripts.
The words of Bradford and Mourt are the same, Bradford in the third
person, Mourt in the first. "On Munday they sounded ye harbor, and founde
it fitt for shipping; and marched into ye land, & found diverse
cornfeilds, & litle runing brooks, a place (as they supposed) fitt
for situation; at least it was ye best they could find, and ye season, &
their presente necessitie, made them glad to accepte of it. So they
returned to their shipp againe with this news to ye rest of their people,
which did much comforte their harts." To Elder Faunee, the third and
last of the ruling elders, we owe the identification of the famous rock
as the landing place of the Pilgrims. It must be understood that the
popu- lar belief that the passengers landed directly from the ship on
the rock is mistaken; there was no general landing of the passengers
in a body. The Mayflower never came nearer than one and one-half miles
of the rock, and the landing was made in the shallop, or the ship 's
boat. Only eighteen in all landed on the rock on Forefathers' Day, and
the names are given in Mourt. (See ante, page 78). Elder Faunee was
born in 1646, and was ten years old when Standish died, eleven when
Bradford died, forty-one when Alden died, fifty- three when M'ary Allerton
died, in 1699, at the age of ninety. John Soule and Priscilla Mullins
were still living when he 80 MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS IN CAPE MAY COUNTY
was approaching early manhood. In 1741, four years before his death
at the age of ninety-nine, hearing that a wharf was to be built over
the rock, Elder Faunce visited the landing place for the last time,
and in the presence of many hearers declared that to his certain knowledge
this was the rock on which the Pilgrims landed. (Russell, page 31.)
Five days later the Mayflower came to anchor in the harbor. THE REMAINDER
OF THE YEAR 1620. From November 21, the date of the landing on the rock,
the time was spent in making explorations of the new country, and on
December 30, urged on by the increasing sickness, it was decided by
common vote to settle at the "first place." On Monday following the
work of the settlement was under way, and Mourt takes pains to tell
us that, though it was Christmas Day by the old reckoning, **no man
rested that day." Bradford says: "And ye 25 begane to erecte ye first
house for common use and to receive them and their goods." The workmen
returned to the ship at night, and it was many days before the little
village was ready for the families of the infant colony. Not only was
there no general landing of men, women and children, as represented
in popular pic- tures, but some died on the ship, among others William
Mul- lins, father of Priscilla, who afterward married John Alden, and
this fact, established by the recent discovery of Mr. Mul- lin's will,
is an important contribution to our knowledge of Pilgrim history. (Mayflower
Descendants, 1916, Vol. 1, page 13.) On the first page of the Colony
Records a plan of the set- tlement, with the explanation, "The meersteads &
garden plotes of those which came first layd out 1620", gives us an
idea of the location and form of the village. Seven houses only are
indicated on this plan, and it is possible that the loss by death was
so great that the families into which the 81 MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS IN
CAPE MAT COUNTY colony was divided were, for a time, crowded into these
build- ings, little more than one-story huts. From now on to the end
of the year (March 24, 0. S.) the history of the settlement is a record
of sickness and death, with exploring parties intervening. January 11,
Degory Priest, died ; January 18, Mr. Cristopher Martin, treasurer of
the ship, died; February 9, Rose, wife of Myles Standish, died; March
5, Mr. William White, Mr. William MuUins, "with two more," died; "March
5, dies Mary, the wife of Mr. Isaac Allerton," Two - Dorothy, wife of
Bradford, and James Chilton - ^had died at the Cape, in addition to
those already mentioned. "This month 17 of our number died." With distressing
lack of particularity, Bradford tells us that in two or three months
half of the company died, through exposure and "scurvie," so that "ther
died sometimes 2 or 3 of a day." So severe was the infection that at
the time of greatest distress but six or seven sound persons were left
to care for the sick, of whom Standish and Elder Brewster are honorably
mentioned by both Bradford and Mourt. The first building completed was
the Common House, a structure twenty feet square, in which religious
services were held Sunday, January 31. Saturday, February 17, Standish
was elected captain, with authority of command, a step has- tened by
the appearance of Indians, on one occasion twelve in number. The winter
on the whole was mild, and the great mor- tality was due to lack of
proper food rather than to extreme cold. Monday, January 8, was a fair
day, and during the week Bradford worked out of doors without discomfort.
The next week began with rain, but Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were
bright and mild "as it had been April." A week later it was fair (but
cold and frosty weather in the middle of February). On March 3 the wind
was south, and toward noon it was warm and fair, and the birds sang
in the woods most pleasantly. In the afternoon it thundered. (Mourt,
181.) 82 The First Communication With the Indians On March 26, **a fair
warm day," the Pilgrims were astonished at the appearance of a naked
Indian, who fear- lessly walked down the street of the new village,
and ad- dressed the colonists in broken English, one word being unmistakable
in its import, "Welcome." The "Welcome Englishmen" of the text books
is an amplification of history, and without authority. The story of
Samoset, the sachem who had learned English from fishermen on the Maine
coast, and the subsequent visit of Massasoit, Grand Sachem of the Pokanoket
Confederacy, is narrated in all works on American history. There are
three overlooked facts in this first friendly contact of the colonists
and the Indians which throw side- lights upon the Pilgrims and their
character. (1) Samoset appears abruptly in Pilgrim history, and after
eight days as abruptly disappears, yet his service to the colonists
as the peaceful intermediary between them and the Sachem Massasoit was
of incalculable value. He was, never- theless, a troublesome visitor,
fond of eating and strong drink, and when the night of March 26 came,
his entertainers were in a quandary as to the disposal of their guest,
in whom they did not have full confidence. An attempt was made to row
out to the ship with him, but the roughness of the sea made this impossible.
Finally, he was foisted upon the hopitality of Stephen Hopkins. This
is further evidence that Hopkins had previous experience with the Indians,
(See ante, page 77.) (2) Samoset brought to the colonists an Indian,
Tis- quantum, who henceforth becomes their adviser and spends the two
remaining years of his life with them, hoping as he dies to go to the
white man's heaven. He was the sole sur- viving member of the Patuxets
that formerly inhabited the territory of Plymouth, and had been enticed
on shipboard by Captain Hunt, 1614, who intended to sell him with divers
83 MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS IN CAPE MAY COUNTY others into slavery. (Bradford,
116.) Somehow he "got away for England, and was entertained by a marchant
in London - & lastly brought hither to into these parts by one Mr.
Dermer." The great plague of 1617-18 had swept awaj his tribe, and he
readily joined the white men whom he found, after six years, occupying
the territory of his race. He who most of all might object to the presence
of the Pilgrims be- came their friend from the first. (3) The legal
significance of the famous treaty between Massasoit and the Pilgrims
cannot be discussed here. The important fact for us to note is that
the treaty was not forced upon the Indians, but was a willing alliance
made by Massa- soit to assure the assistance of the colonists for himself
and his tribes, decimated by the plague, under him, against the Narragansetts,
his powerful and dangerous neighbors. (Brad- ford, 123-4.) The first
year of Pilgrim history ends with the re-election of Governor Carver
on March 23, 0. S. Here the first divi- sion of Mourt's Relations, written
by Governor Bradford, ends. The remainder of this important collection
of docu- ments is the work of Winslow. On the very last day of the year,
Mrs. "Winslow died - the year ending by Old Style reck- oning on March
24th. THE SECOND YEAR. Winslow 's Relations, contained in Mourt down
to De- cember 21, 1621, and Bradford, are our authorities for this period,
"yet many historians neglect their writings, and by relying on Morton,
Hubbard, Baylies, Bancroft, the second Freeman, and so on, are led into
many errors of detail, and the setting forth of an amount of false history
that is amaz- ing." (Goodwin, 127.) Cushman's Discourse in Young and
one letter in Brad- ford's Letter Book, are documents to be read in
connection with this year. 84 MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS IN CAPE MAY COUNTY
The Mayflower sailed out of Plymouth Harbor April 5, 0. S., and reached
England in thirty-one days. In spite of sickness and hardship, no one
of the colonists accepted the opportunity to return. "The spring now
approaching, it pleased God the mortalitie begane to cease amongst them,
and ye sick and lame recovered apace, which put as it were new life
into them; though they had borne their sadd affliction with much patience
and contedness, as I thinke any people could doe." (Bradford, 119.)
After the departure of the ship, with the aid of Tisquan- tum, who showed
them the use of fish as a fertilizer, twenty acres of com were planted.
Governor Carver, being taken suddenly ill as he was working in the fields,
died shortly after, and Bradford was elected governor, in which office
he con- tinued, with the exception of five years, until his death thirty-
five years later. We now come to the important embassy of "Winslow and
Hopkins to Massasoit in the early summer. The purpose of the visit was
to strengthen the alliance between the colonists and the Indians, to
pay for the corn taken at the Cape, and furthermore, the Pilgrims had
the prudence to wish to know more of their ally, his strength and influence.
The two Pil- grims, with Tisquantum as guide, set out on Tuesday, July
3. ('Goodwin, 163, for date, the Mss. do not agree.) The first resting
place was Nemasket, now Middleborough, a distance of fifteen miles,
where they were cordially entertained by the natives. Proceeding, the
night was spent at the present vil- lage of Titicut, four or five miles
further on. The next after- noon they arrived at Massasoit 's principal
seat, Sowams, the present Warren, Rhode Island, a distance of forty
miles from Plymouth. The ambassadors saluted the great chief with the
dis- charge of their muskets, and having been received by him, declared
the purpose of their visit. Massasoit was requested to find the owner
of the com taken from the cellar in the 85 Mat FLOWER DESCENDANTS tN
CAPE MAY COtlNTt Cape, and to make known the wish of the Pilgrims to
make payment. An exchange of seed corn was also arranged, and an agreement
to open up trade in skins. The Sachem arrayed himself in the red coat
and copper chain and medal brought by the Pilgrims as presents, "and
was not a little proud to see himself so bravely attired. ' ' The Sachem
having just returned from a journey, there w^as no food in the larder,
and as Winslow and Hopkins had gener-^ ously given their stock to importunate
natives, the problem of supper became pressing. Neither the Chief nor
his retainers regarded this requirement of hospitality, and they slept
sup- perless that night on the Sachem's own bed of planks, a foot above
the ground, with a mat upon them. The royal bed was also occupied by
Massasoit, his wife, and two of the chief men who pressed in upon them,
"So that we were worse weary of our lodging than of our journey." (Mourt,
210.) Thursday there were games and shooting exhibitions, but no breakfast
or dinner, until at one o'clock, Massasoit himself shot with bow and
arrow two fish, and of the forty who par-^ took of this meal, not the
least hungry were the two Pilgrims, and this was the only meal they
had for two nights and a day, save a partridge which they bought. The
proper title of Massasoit and his son, the famous or infamous Philip,
is Grand Sachem, the appellation "king" given to the vermin- ous Massasoit
is a magnifying of titles. After another night of discomfort, the Chief
pressed them to continue their stay, but the two Pilgrims declined,
fearing that the mosquitoes without and the more domesticated insects
within would so wear them out that they "should not be able to recover
home for want of strength." Further- more, they wished to keep the Sabbath
at Plymouth. On Friday the messengers took leave, spending the night
again at Tuticut, and on Saturday reached Plymouth by night, "though
wet, weary and surbated" (footsore). 86 3IATFL0WER DESCENDANTS IN CAPE
MAY COUNTY The owner of the corn was finally discovered, during an expedition
in search of a son of John Billington, who had become lost in the Cape
woods. The boy had been well treated by the Indians with whom he had
taken refuge. Full payment was made for the com taken by the Pilgrims,
to the satisfaction of the Pilgrim conscience and the claims of the
owner. Hobomok, one of Massasoit's chief counsellors, now joins the
colonists and continues to serve them, until at an advanced age he dies
at Duxbury, at the home of Standish, cared for in his last days by the
Captain, who was kindly as well as valiant. A report that Tisquantum
had been killed by a suspected chief, Corbitant, led to another expedition
to Middleborough, and although the report was not true, the severe threat
of the Pilgrims that any misconduct on his part would be followed by
the overthrow of Corbitant and his followers so impressed the natives
that nine sachems signed a document declaring themselves to be loyal
subjects of the King of England. (Names given in Morton's Memorials
quoted by Young, 232.) September 28, an expedition in the shallop set
out to explore the neighborhood of Boston, and establish trade with
the Indians. A considerable stock of beaver skins was se- cured, and
the trade in this commodity became the founda- tion of the wealth of
the colony, a pound of beaver skin being worth in London a pound sterling.
(Goodwin, 178, note.) On November 20, just one year after the Mayflower
sighted land at Cape Cod, the ship Fortune arrived with thirty-five
new colonists, and in their number, Robert Cush- man, who came on behalf
of the Adventurei-s. The new col- onists had been two months on the
ocean and had been de- tained in the English Channel two more by adverse
winds. They brought little food with them, and the added burden made
futile the happy anticipation of Thanksgiving Day, celebrated at the
return of the harvest. 87 UATFLOWEn DESCENDANTS IN CAPE MAI COVNTt Of
the one hundred and four who are entitled to be en- rolled in the list
of Mayflower passengers, fifty were now living. The total number of
the inhabitants of Plymouth was therefore eighty-five Europeans and
two native Indians. We have seen that John Rowland is first mentioned
on the voyage across the Atlantic and that he was a member of the volunteer
party who made the third exploring expedition, ending with the landing
on Plymouth Rock on Forefathers' Bay. "The 'lustie young man' whom the
Mayflower's people fished out of the sea with a boat-hook soon became
a leader. He was an assistant in 1633-4-5, and so late as 1670 served
his seventeenth year as deputy from Plymouth. He is cred- ited with
a military turn, and at the Hocking affair showed himself a chivalrous
commander. As in the height of the Quaker troubles he was dropped from
the General Court, there is reason to think that he, like the other
Howlands, was found too liberal for the times. Yet his high standing
in their church was shown at Cotton's ordination in 1669, when four
visiting clergy conducted the exercises and Elder Cush- man preached,
while the church members appointed Howland as their proxy to join in
the laying-on of hands. ' ' "This old Pilgrim died March 5, 1673 (N.
S.), at the age of eighty. Two days later he was buried 'with honor,'
says the record, which adds that he was 'a godly man' who had proved
'a useful instrument of good in his place.' The graves of his posterity
forming a clue to his own, a stone was erected there half a century
ago (1888) by his great-great- grandson, John Howland, a soldier of
the Revolution, and long the honored president of the Rhode Island Historical
Society. Unfortunately, the good man was led by tradition into the misstatement
that the Pilgrim's wife was Governor Carver's daughter. It will be remembered
that she was the child of John and Bridget Tilley, and was left an orphan
when she was fourteen years old, which was thirteen years 88 THE ROWLAND
HOUSE, PLYMOUTH, MASS., built 1667 By permission of A. S. Burbank, Plymouth
MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS IN CAPE MAY COUNTY less than Howland's age. She
was married before the land- division of 1624, and her son Jbhn was
born February 24, 1626 (N. S.), She survived her husband, and spent
the last of her days with her children, James and Lydia Brown, of Swansea,
where she was buried in 1687. Rowland was the last signer of the 'Compact'
who remained at Plymouth; but at Duxbury, Soule and Alden both survived.
* * * The descendants of the Pilgrim pair are many, and not a few of
them honorably bear the family name. It has been fondly supposed that
they generally show in an usual degree certain genial traits of character
which are a legacy from the May- flower. At all events they are sure
that their stalwart an- cestor was brave, honorable, cheerful, and godly."
(Good- win's Pilgrim Republic, page 507.) The circumstances of the "Hocking
affair," in which John Howland played an honorable part, are as follows:
In 1630 the Council for New England sent over a new patent of the Pilgrim
territory, defining the grant as practi- cally co-extensive with the
present counties of Plymouth, Barnstable and Bristol, with a tract of
land for trade on the Kennebec River, reaching from the present city
of Augusta, thirteen miles down the stream, and extending fifteen miles
each side of the river. This patent, in the name of Bradford, known
as the "Warwick Patent," is still in the Registry of Deeds at Plymouth.
Governor Bradford surrendered the Warwick Patent to the freemen of Plymouth
Colony in 1640. As the spring trade opened in 1634, John Hocking, of
Piscataqua, agent for Lords Say and Brook, came into the river and attempted
to interrupt the trade of the Pilgrims at this post. John Howland, who
was in charge of the business of the territory, directed Hocking to
remain outside the limits of the Pilgrim Colony, declaring his intrusion
a trespass upon rights which were secured to Plymouth by a formal patent
under seal. Hocking refused to acknowledge the Pilgrim claim, and proceeded
to interrupt the trade of the post, al- though twice visited by Howland,
with renewed entreaties to 89 MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS IN CAPE MAY COUNTY
regard the rights of the colony. Rowland, as commander of the post,
made a further attempt to persuade the intruder to withdraw, the attempt
drawing further abuse and defiance from Hocking. A canoe was then sent
out to cut the cable of the intruding craft, which was accomplished
by Moses Talbot, one of Rowland's men. As the craft began to drift down
stream, Hocking, aiming a carbine at Talbot, was hailed by Howland,
who demanded that his man should not be hurt, as he had only obeyed
orders, and that if anyone was to be shot, it was himself, adding that
he would make an excellent mark. Unfortunately, Rowland's gallantry
did not save his em- ployee, who was shot through the head, and in turn
Hocking was killed by one of Talbot's friends, "that loved him well."
The whole affair and its sequel is a painful episode in early colonial
history, resulting in the arrest and imprisonment at Boston of John
Alden, who was present, but took no part in the matter, and Myles Standish,
as a member of the Plymouth government, was put under bonds, upon his
appearance at Boston on Alden 's behalf. Delegates from the plantations,
including the clergy, after reviewing the case, formally and fully exonerated
the Plymouth men and declared that Hock- ing alone had been to blame.
The record of the will of the Pilgrim Howland as exhib- ited to the
court held at Plymouth March 5, 1763, is as fol- lows: The Last Will
and testament of Mr. John Howland of Plymouth late deceased exhibited
to the Court held att Plymouth the fifth day of March Anno: Dom. 1672
on the oath of Mr. Samuel Fuller and Mr. William Crow as followeth:
Know all men to whom these presents shall Come that I, John Howland,
senr, of the town of New Plumouth, in the Colony of New Plymouth in
New England in America, this twenty ninth day of May one thousand six
hundred seventy and two being of whole mind and in Good and Perfect
Memory and Remembrance praised be God; being now Grown aged: having
many infirmities of body vpon mee; and not Knowing how soon God will
call mee out of this world, doe make and ordaine these presents to be
my testament containing heerin my last Will in manor and forme following:
90 BURIAL HILL, PLYMOUTH, MASS. By permission of A. S. Burbank, Plymouth
MAfPLOWER DESCENDANTS IN CAPE MAT COUNTt Imp I will and bequeath my
body to the dust, and my soule to God that gave it, in hopes of a joyful
Resurrection vnyo Glory; and as concerning my temporall estate, I dispose
thereof as fol- loweth Item I doe giuve and bequeath vnto John Rowland
my eldest Bonne besides what lands I haue alreddy giuen him, all my
Right and interest in that one hundred acres of land granted mee by
the Court, lying on the eastern side of Taunton River, between Titicutt
(and Taunton, bounds and all the appurtenances and Priviledges therevnto
belonging, to bdonge to him and his heires and assignes forever; And
if that tract should faile, then to haue all my Rights, title and Interest
by and in that Last Court graunted to mee, in any other place, to belonge
to him his heires and assignes forever; Item I giue and bequeath vnto
my son, Jabez Rowland, all those my vpland and Meadows that I now posesse
att Satuckett and t'aomett, and places adjacent, with all the appurtenances
and privilidges belonging therevnto, and all my right title and interest
therin, to belonge to him, his heireS and assignes forever. Item I giue
and bequeath vnto my son, Jabez Rowland all that my one peece of land
that I haue lying on the southsyde of the Milhbrook, in the town of
Plymouth, aforesaid; be it more or lesse, and is on the northsyde of
a tract that is now Gyles Richards, sen; to belonge to the said Jabez
his heires and assignes forever, Item I giue and bequeath unto Isack
Rowland my youngest Sonne all those my vplands and Meddowes devided
and undivided with all the appurtenances and priviledges vnto them belonging
lying and being in the towne of Middlebery, and in a tract of Land called
the Majors purchase, neare Namaskett Ponds; which I haue bought and
purchased of William White, of Marshfield, in the colonie of New Pljnmouth;
which may or shall appear by any deed or writing that is Giuen vnder
the said White's hand all such deeds and writinges together with the
aforementioned peticular & to belonge to the said Isack, his heires
and assignes forever. Item I giue and bequeath vnto my said son, Isack
Rowland, the one half of my twelve acree lott of Meddow that I now haue
att Winnetussett River within the towne of Plymouth aforesaid to belonge
to him the Said Isack Rowland his heires and assignes forever. Item
I Will and bequeath vnto my deare and louing wif Elizabeth Rowland the
Vse and benifit of my now dwelling house in Rockey Nook in the township
of Plymouth aforesaid, with the outhousing lands, that is vplands and
meddow lands, and all appur- tenances and priviledges therevnto belonging
in the towne of Plymouth and all other lands housings and meddows that
I haue in said towne of Plymouth, excepting what meddow and vpland I
have before given to my sonnes Jabez and Isack Rowland during her naturall
life, to injoy make vse of and improve for her benefit and comfort.
Item I giue and bequeath to niy son, Joseph Rowland after the decase
of my louing wife Elizabeth Rowland my aforesaid dwelling house at Rocky
Nook together with all the out housing Vplands and meddowes appurtenances
and privilidges belonging 91 MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS IN CAPE MAY COUNTY
thervnto, and all other housing vplands and meddowes that I haue within
the aforesaid towne of New Plymouth excepting what lands and meddowe
I haue before Given to my two sonnes Jabez and Isack to belonge to him
the said Joseph Rowland to him and his heires and assignes forever.
Item I giue and bequeath vnto my daughter, Desire Gorham, twenty shillings
Item I -giue and bequeath vnto my daughter, Hope Chipman, twenty shillings
Item I giue and bequeath vnto my daughter Elizabeth Dick- enson, twenty
shillings. Item I giue and bequeath vnto my daughter Lydia Brown, twenty
shillings Item I giue and bequeath to my daughter Hannah Bosworth, twenty
shillings Item I giue and bequeath vnto my daughter, Ruth Cushman, twenty
shillings Item I giue and bequeath to my grand child Elizabeth How-
land the daughter of my son John Howland twenty shillings Item My will
is that these legacies Giuen to my daughters, pe payd by my executrix
in such space as shee thinketh meet Item I will and bequeath to my louing
wife Elizabeth How- land - ^my debts and legacies being first payd -
^my whole estate, viz: lands, houses goods chattels, or any thinge else
that belongeth or appertaineth vnto mee, undisposed of be it either
in Plymouth, Duxburrow, Middlebery or any other place whatsoever I do
freely and absolutely giue and bequeath to my deare and loving wife
Elizabeth Howland whom I do by these presents make ordaine and constitute
to be the sole executrix of this my Last will and Testa- ment to see
the same tniely and faithfully pformed according to the tenour therof;
In witness wherof I the said John Howland, senior, haue heervnto sett
my hand and seale the aforesaid twenty ninth day of May, one thousand
six hundred and seventy and two 1672. JOHN HOWLAND Signed and sealed
and a [Seale] in the Presence of Samuel Fuller William Crow Evidently
the Pilgrim had unlimited confidence in his wife's ability to undertake
the settlement of his affairs. She spent her last days at the home of
her daughter, Lydia Brown, at Swansea, as has been said. What communications
pasesd between the grandmother and granddaughter, Hannah Gorham, as
she grew into womanhood, we can only surmise. No record of such communications
are found at Cape May. While the granddaughter and her husband, Joseph
Whilldin, 92 THE TOMBSTONE OF JOHN ROWLAND, THE PILGRIM, Burial Hill,
Plymouth By permission of A. S. Burbank, Plymouth MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS
IN CAPE MAY COUNTY were building their first home at Cape May, two of
the Pilgrim band were still living - John Cook, who died in 1694, and
Mrs. Mary Allerton Cushman, wife of Elder Cushman, who died in 1699,
at the age of ninety. She was the last surviving member of those who
sailed from Europe in the Mayflower. The colony of New Plymouth continued
its independent jurisdiction and life until after the settlement at
Cape May, coming to an end in 1692, when the colonies of Massachusetts
Bay and Ply- mouth became united. The devout character of Elizabeth
Tilley Howland is shown in the beginning and ending of her will, dated
at Swan- sea, 17 December, 1686. "Being seventy nine years of age, but
of good & perfect mem- ory thanks be to Almighty God, and calling
to Remembrance ye uncertain Estate of this transitory Life - that all
flesh must yield vnto Death when it shall please God to call: Doe make,
constitute, etc and first being penitent and sorry from ye bottom of
my heart for all my sinns past, most humbly desiring forgivness for
ye same, giue & comit my soule vnto Almighty God my Savior and Redeemer
in whome & by ye meritts of Jesus Christ I trust and believe assuredly
to be saved & to full remission & for- giveness of all my sins, &
that my Soule wh my Body at the Gen- erall Day of Resurrection shall
rise again wh joy, & through ye meritts of Christ's Death &
Passion possesse & inherit ye Kingdom of heaven prepared for his
Elect & Chosen; & my Body to be buryed in such place as it shall
please my Executr ." Elizabeth had learned her catechism when a child,
and was evidently well grounded in Effectual Calling, Assurance, and
the familiar words learned in her youth came to her mind when she made
her last will and testament. The last item in the will is an admonition
that it is her "Will and charge to all the Children that they walke
in ye Feare of Ye Lord." 93
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