Such a party of persecuted Puritans chose as leaders one of their ministers, John Robinson, and their ruling elder, William Brewster, and resolved to seek refuge and religious liberty in Holland. This country was selected on account of its friendly attitude towards Calvinism, a view which harmonized with those of the Puritans; and also on account of the near relations which England as an ally of Holland sustained to this country.
Their first attempt at leaving England (1607) was anticipated and prevented by the magistrates; but the following spring they made a second attempt, which was so far successful that the officers of the crown succeeded only in seizing and detaining some helpless women and children. These were, however, later on set at liberty and permitted to embark. At first these Pilgrims, as they came to be called, settled in Amsterdam, but in 1609 they removed to Leyden, where their number was constantly increased by new arrivals from England. In Holland, though they gained the confidence and respect of the Dutch, their condition was not entirely satisfactory. Brought up as tillers of the soil, they could not become entirely reconciled to the trades and handicrafts which they were now necessitated to learn. Moreover, they felt that the Dutch language could not become a homelike speech to them. There was also, deep in their hearts, a devout patriotism, which first led them to think of establishing themselves in some of the colonies under English rule.
The first step, they saw, was to decide on a suitable locality in the New World. After making such investigations as they could, they planned to locate in the territory which King James granted to the Plymouth Company in 1606. But before they were ready to embark, two other grave problems confronted them, and it took years before these were solved.
Would they in the king’s dominions be allowed religious freedom and be undisturbed in their worship? Representatives of their congregation visited England for the purpose of trying to get the king’s guarantee to this effect. In presenting their request they stated they were willing to promise “obedience in all things, active if the thing commanded be not against God’s word, or passive if it be.” They were disappointed of obtaining the pledge they sought; and left with nothing more encouraging or definite than an assurance that so long as they gave no offense they should not be disturbed.
The other problem was that of finding the means necessary for the enterprise. After lengthy negotiations, during which several propositions were rejected as impracticable, they formed a compact with some London merchants that had become interested in the American fisheries. These merchants, in return for services to be rendered by the Pilgrims, furnished money for the passage, stipulating that all profits were to be “reserved till the end of seven years, when the whole amount, and all lands and fields, were to be divided among the share-holders according to their respective interests.”
The two vessels that had been provided could not carry the entire congregation, and so it was determined that “the youngest and strongest who freely offered themselves” should leave. Their head and leader was Brewster, the governing elder. Robinson, the spiritual elder, it was decided, should follow later with the others if the reports were favorable.
After solemn fasts and worship, in which they invoked the blessing of God and commended themselves to his guidance, the Pilgrims set sail from Holland. They touched at Southampton, England, and a fortnight later started westward for the shores of America. The two vessels on which they were embarked were the Speedwell, of sixty tons burden, and the Mayflower, of one hundred and eighty tons. After some distance at sea, the Speedwell was found to leak, and they were compelled to return to port at Dartmouth for repairs. After a delay of a week they were again under way, and once more the captain of the Speedwell signaled distress, claiming that his vessel was not in a seaworthy condition. This necessitated their return to Plymouth; the Speedwell was abandoned, and such of her passengers as could be accommodated were transferred to the Mayflower.
On the sixth day of September, 1620, the Mayflower with one hundred and two passengers besides her crew started alone. After a voyage of over two months they hove in sight of the sandy shore of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Filled with the responsibility of their enterprise, they met in the cabin, drafted and signed the following solemn compact before going on shore:
“In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are here underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc., having undertaken, for the glory of God and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern part of Virginia, do, by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God and of one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic for our better ordering and preservation, and in the furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.
“In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, Anno Domini 1620.”
In order still further to perfect the arrangements for governing the colony, they unanimously chose John Carver as their governor for one year.