ANNOUNCER
So Carver gathered together his company in the common cabin, and standing before the stern-faced, storm-weary gathering, the Elder spoke:
CARVER
Men of the Pilgrim company, as no doubt you are all well aware by now, the land we made this morning with such joy and thanksgiving in our hearts is not the land of the Virginia Plantation.
ALL
Aye, we know as much! So we have heard. [etc.]
CARVER
But our ship is sore distressed from the buffeting of the storms, and Captain Jones must needs make repairs before we can sail on to our destination. [protests and grumblings]
I would it were not so, for I know how weary you find yourselves after the many days upon the sea. But there's naught else to do.
PETER [calling]
Why can't we land here? [mob assents]
CARVER
Nay, nay, it cannot be. This is not Virginia; we have no patent to these lands. We must sail on. The captain and his crew will make their repairs as soon as they can, but our stores in the hold are all of them in danger of spoiling—so we must needs unship them ourselves until such time as we may sail away from here. So let every man prepare himself for work.
PETER
Master Carver—we are not able to work. [mob assents]
CARVER
I know, but—
PETER
And more—'tis not our wish to stay aboard this ship longer—[mob assents]
CARVER
But we can do naught else—
PETER
Aye, we kin land here, and find a goodly place to build our homes and prepare against the winter that will be down upon us long before we kin get to Virginia. [mob agrees heartily]
CARVER
Men—men—quiet—hark to me! We've no right under our charter to settle here!
PETER
Then tear up the charter. [mob agrees]
CARVER
Tear up the charter? Have no government? Nay, we can't do that!
PETER
We be freemen, Master Carver; we have a right to a voice in what we'll do, and what we won't do—and we all want to land here, don't we, men? [all agree]
CARVER
But if we make our home here, we are outside the King's rule.
PETER
We'll rule ourselves—we be free-born Englishmen! [all agree]
CARVER
Mayhap—if that is your wish—
ALL
It is!
Aye, aye! [etc.]
CARVER
It may be for the best interest of the company and for the glory of Jehovah. I consent to your wishes. [cheers] But it behooves us to enter into a compact, one with the other—that no man may say, once we have landed in New England, that we have no law and cannot punish the disobedient.
PETER
May it please ye, sir, we be more than willing for the masters to write a compact that all can sign to be governed like any free-born Englishmen by the will o' the majority—[all agree]
CARVER
So be it—let the masters of the company join me in my cabin, and we shall make a compact joining all the company of freemen into a body politic. [cheers]