COLLECTIONS, Historical and Miscellaneous. FEBRUARY, 1823. HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY. An account of the voyage of the Plymouth Pilgrims, from their leaving Leyden in Holland, till their arrival in New-England, and settlement of Plymouth. [Collected by the Rev. THOMAS PRINCE, principally from Gov. Bradford's History of the Plymouth people and colony, from 1602 to 1646, in 270 MS. pages, in folio. It is greatly to be regzetted, that this first and valuable history of the pilgrims was never published, and still more, that the manuscript is supposed now to be lost beyond recovery. It was deposited with Mr. Prince's valuable collection of papers in the library of the old south church in Boston, and was either destroyed or carried away by the barbarians of the British army, who converted the old south church into a riding school.] On the deck then the pilgrims together knelt down, All hushed were the breezes, the ocean at rest Was bright in the radiance that lingered at even, Where their perils were ended, their wanderings were o'er. UPHAM "About the 21st of July, the English voyagers at Leyden leave that city, where they had lived near twelve years; being accompanied by most of their brethren to Delph-Haven, where their ship lay ready, and sundry come from Amsterdam, to see them ship'd and take their leave: they spend the night in friendly, entertaining and christian converse. And July 22, the wind being fair, they go aboard, their friends attending them: at their parting, Mr. Robinson school and the family. In this age of religious inquiry, when few are found holding a faith which they do not suppose sanctioned by the Divine Oracles, an intimate knowledge of the Bible is esteemed a necessary part of education. The person, therefore, who adapts the inspired volume to the literary taste of the present day, cannot fail to receive public commendation. We conceive Mr. Strong has done it, and that, in this new labor for the rising generation, he will acquire additional reputation as a scholar and as one of the most useful clergymen in our country. B. BILL OF MORTALITY FOR MILFORD, N. H. For sixteen years, commencing Jan. 1, 1806. By Hon. JOHN WALLACE, JR. M. S. S. Years. Jan. Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Total. Total, 1918|22|18|17| 7 |18 |15 120 20 18 22 | 214 DISEASES.-Apoplexy, 1; cancer, 2; throat distemper, 11; casualties, 2; consumptions, 28; cholic, 1; dropsy, 5: do. of the head, 2; dysentery, 21; dyspepsia, 1; fever typhus, 9; do. lung, 15; do. spotted, 17; do. worm, 6; fits, 8; gout, 2; hepatitis, 4; hooping cough, 4; infantile diseases, 27; phrenitis, 1; old age, 8; quinsey, 1; scalds, 2; still born, 4; sudden, 3; rheumatism, 2; palsy, 1; unknown, 25. COLLECTIONS, Historical and Miscellaneous, FEBRUARY, 1823. HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY. An account of the voyage of the Plymouth Pilgrims, from their leaving Leyden in Holland, till their arrival in New-England, and settlement of Plymouth. [Collected by the Rev. THOMAS PRINCE, principally from Gov. Bradford's History of the Plymouth people and colony, from 1602 to 1646, in 270 MS. pages, in folio. It is greatly to be regzetted, that this first and valuable history of the pilgrims was never published, and still more, that the manuscript is supposed now to be lost beyond recovery. It was deposited with Mr. Prince's valuable collection of papers in the library of the old south church in Boston, and was either destroyed or carried away by the barbarians of the British army, who converted the old south church into a riding school.] On the deck then the pilgrims together knelt down, All hushed were the breezes, the ocean at rest Was bright in the radiance that lingered at even, Where their perils were ended, their wanderings were o'er. "About the 21st of July, the English voyagers at Leyden leave that city, where they had lived near twelve years; being accompanied by most of their brethren to Delph-Haven, where their ship lay ready, and sundry come from Amsterdam, to see them ship'd and take their leave: they spend the night in friendly, entertaining and christian converse. And July 22, the wind being fair, they go aboard, their friends attending them: at their parting, Mr. Robinson falling down on his knees, and they all with him. He with watery cheeks commends them with most fervent prayer to God; and then with mutual embraces and many tears, they take their leave, and with a prosperous gale, come to SouthHampton, where they find the bigger ship from London, Mr. Jones, Master, with the rest of the company, who had been waiting there with Mr. Cushman seven days. Seven hundred pounds sterling are laid out at South-Hampton, and they carry about 1700 pounds venture with them and Mr. Weston comes thither from London, to see them despatched. July 23. King James gives a warrant to his Solicitor, Sir Thomas Coventry, to prepare a new patent for the incorporation of the adventurers to the Northern Colony of Virginia, between 40 and 48 deg. N. which patent the King signs on Nov. 3d, styling them the Council for the affairs of New-England and their successors. July 27. Mr. Robinson writes to Mr. Carver and people, letters, which they receive at South Hampton: and the company being called together, theirs is read among them, to the acceptance of all, and after fruit of many. Then they distribute their company into the ships, and with the approbation of the masters, choose a governor and two or three assistants for each, to order the people and provisions. Aug. 5. They sail from South-Hampton; but reach not far before Mr. Reinolds, master of the lesser ship, complained she was so leaky that he dare proceed no farther; upon which they both put in to Dartmouth, about Aug. 13, where they search and mend her to their great charge and loss of time and a fair wind, though had they staid at sea but three or four hours more, she had sunk right down. About Aug. 21, they set sail again; but having gone above a hundred leagues beyond the lands-end of England, Mr. Reinold complained of her leaking again, that they must either return or sink, for they could scarce free her by pumping: upon which they both put back to Plymouth; where, finding no defect, they judge her leakiness owing to her general weakness. They therefore, agree to dismiss her and those who are willing, to return to London, though this was very grievous and discouraging; Mr. Cushman and family returning with them; the rest taking what provisions they could well stow in the larger ship, resolve to proceed on the voyage alone. Sept. 6. They make another sad parting, and the greater ship sets sail again: But about half seas over, meets with cross winds and many fierce storms, which often force them to hull for divers days together, not being able to bear a knot of sail; make her upper works very leaky, and bow and wrack a main beam in the mid ship; which puts them in such fear, as the chief of the company enters into a serious consultation with the ship officers about returning: But a passenger having brought a great iron screw from Hol land, they with it raise the beam into its place; and then committing themselves to the Divine Will proceed. Nov. 6. Dies at sea William Butten, a youth and servant. to Samuel Fuller, being the only passenger who dies on the voyage. Nov. 9. At break of day, after long beating the sea, they make the land of CAPE COD, whereupon they tack and stand to the southward, the wind and weather being fair, to find some place about Hudson's river for settlement. But sailing this course about half the day, they fall among roar. ing shoals and breakers, and are so entangled with them as they find themselves in great hazard, and the wind shrinking upon them at the same time, they bare up for the cape, get out of those dangers before night; and the next day, into the Cape harbour, where they ride in safety. Nov. 11, Saturday. Being thus arrived, they first fall on their knees and bless the God of Heaven, &c. But their design and patent being for Virginia, and not New-England, which belongs to another jurisdiction, wherewith the Virginia company have no concern; before they land, they this day combine into a Body Politic by a Solemn Contract,* to which they set their hands, as the basis of their government, in this new found country; choose Mr. JOHN CARVER, a pious and well approved gentleman, their governor, for the first year. And then set ashore fifteen or sixteen men, well armed, to fetch wood and discover the land; who, at night, return, but found neither house nor person. Nov. 13, Monday. The people go ashore to refresh themselves, and every day the whales play round about them, and the greatest store of fowls they ever saw. But the [*In allusion to this Contract, the following toast was given at the second centurial anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, which was celebrated at that placé, Dec. 22, 1820. "The Solemn Contract of the Pilgrims, in Cape Cod Haroor-November eleventh, 1620and the several editions of it-1776-1780-1788-1820-may it never become obsolete!"] |