Leyden, Dec. 15th, 1617.
For further light on these proceedings, here follow some other letters and notes.
Mr. John Robinson and Mr. William Brewster at Leyden to Sir John Worstenholme in London:
Right Worshipful,
With due acknowledgment of our gratitude for your singular care and pains in the business of Virginia, we have sent enclosed, as is required, a further explanation of our judgments in the three points specified by some of his majesty’s Honourable Privy Council; and though we are grieved that such unjust insinuations are made against us, we are glad of the opportunity of clearing ourselves before such honourable personages. The declarations we have enclosed. The one is more brief and general, which we think fitter to be presented; the other is somewhat more comprehensive, expressing some small accidental differences, which if you think well you can send instead of the former. Our prayer to God is, that your Worship may see the fruit of your endeavours, which on our parts we shall not fail to further. And so praying you, as soon as convenient, to give us knowledge of the success of the business with his majesty’s Privy Council, and accordingly what your further pleasure is, so we rest,
Your worshipful in all duty,
JOHN ROBINSON.
WILLIAM BREWSTER.
Leyden, Jan. 27th, 1617.
The first brief declaration was this:
As regards the Ecclesiastical ministry, namely of pastors for teaching, elders for ruling, and deacons for distributing the churches’ contribution, as also for the two sacraments,—baptism and the Lord’s supper,—we agree wholly and in all points with the French Reformed Churches, according to their public Confession of Faith.
The Oath of Supremacy we shall willingly take, if it be required of us, and if it be not sufficient that we take the Oath of Allegiance.