of our course, or tenderness of affection towards us, cannot conceive so much of our way as we could desire, we would intreat such not to despise us, nor to desert us in their prayers and affections; but to consider rather, that they are so much the more bound to express the bowels of their compassion towards us, remembering always that both nature and grace doth ever bind us to relieve and rescue, with our utmost and speediest power, such as are dear unto us, when we conceive them to be running uncomfortable hazards.

What goodness you shall extend to us, in this or any other Christian kindness, we, your brethren in Christ Jesus, shall labour to repay, in what duty we are or shall be able to perform; promising, so far as God shall enable us, to give him no rest on your behalfs, wishing our heads and hearts may be fountains of tears for your everlasting welfare, when we shall be in our poor cottages in the wilderness, overshadowed with the spirit of supplication, through the manifold necessities and tribulations which may not altogether unexpectedly, nor, we hope, unprofitably befall us.

- And so commending you to the grace of God in
Christ, we shall ever rest your assured friends and
brethren,

JOHN WINTHROP, Gov. RICH: SALTONSTALL,
CHARLES FINES,

ISAAC JOHNSON,

WILLIAM CODDINGTON,

THO: DUDLEY,

CHAP. XXIV.

&c.

Here begins The fleet set forth to sea for New England: their pasThe dependence sage, and safe arrival there.

fthy author THINGS being thus ordered at Hampton, four of the the History principal ships, viz. the Arbella, a ship of three hundred & Goor. Min and fifty tons, Capt. Milbourne being master, manned with hrop, and fifty two seamen, and furnished with twenty eight pieces from this to of ordnance; the Talbot, whereof was master Mr. Tho: ваде bage 536, Belcher; the Ambrose, whereof was master Mr. John is borrowed, in the fair proportion of seven eighths, from The original of the first Governor of Massachusetts Bay

Low; and the Jewel, whereof was master Mr. Richard Harlston, having left their former harbour, were riding at the Cowes, March 29, 1630, being Easter Monday, and ready to sail : they were advised so to do by Mr. Cradock, (who was that morning aboard the Arbella,) the late governour, and owner of the two last ships, where, upon conference, it was so argued, in regard the rest of the fleet, viz. the Charles, the Mayflower, the William and Francis, the Hopewel, the Whale, the Success, and the Tryal, being at Hampton not then ready, and uncertain when they would, that these four ships should consort together, and take the first opportunity of wind and weather to sail. Accordingly, articles of consortship were drawn between the said captain and mariners; the Arbella to be the admiral, the Talbot viceadmiral, the Ambrose rear admiral. After this was done, Mr. Cradock took leave of his friends aboard the Arbella: then weighing anchor, about ten o'clock, on the 29th of March, they attempted to sail; but meeting with contrary winds, they made it the 12th of April before they could clear the channel; before which time the rest of the fleet came up with them. And on the 10th of April, while they were at a distance, they took them for Dunkirkers, and provided to fight them, and were much comforted to see how cheerful all the company were, as they were preparing for an expected engagement; not aman, woman, or child seeming to fear, though all were apprehensive of no small danger, if they had not mistaken their friends for enemies: for it had been told them, at the Isle of Wight, that ten ships of Dunkirk, with brass guns, were waiting for them, the least of which carried thirty ordnance a piece. But if their confidence had not, next under God, depended more on the courage, care, and diligence of the captain of the admiral, than in their own company's valour or skill, their hearts might soon have failed. But this tempest of fear being thus happily blown over, they took their course forward for the Massachusetts, where, on Saturday, June the 12th, the Arbella, admiral of the whole fleet, found her port to be very near, about two in the morning;

when, shooting off two pieces of ordnance, they sent their skiff aboard the Lyon, whereof was master Mr. William Peirse, which was some days arrived there before, though none of the present fleet that was now expected. According as the wind would bear, they stood in towards the harbour; and by the assistance of some shallops that in the morning came aboard them, they passed through the narrow strait betwixt Baker's Island and another little island, and came to an anchor a little way within the said island. Mr. Peirse came presently aboard them, but returned to fetch Mr. Endicot, who came to them about two o'clock in the afternoon, bringing with him Mr. Skelton and Capt. Levit. The governour, with those of the assistants aboard the said admiral, with some other gentlemen and gentlewomen, returned with them that night to Naumkeag, by the English called Salem, as is noted before, where they supped, with a good venison pasty and good beer, (which probably was not their every day's commons ;) but most of them returned back to the ship that night, liking their supper better than the lodging which, at the time, could be provided on the sudden; or else, that they might leave the same free for the gentlewomen that went ashore with them, who, like Noah's dove, finding sure footing on the firm land, returned no more to their ark, floating on the unstable waves. In the mean time, many of the rest of the people went ashore on the other side of the harbour, toward Cape Anne, where they were as well feasted, with strawberries, (with which, in those times, the woods were every where well furnished,) and it is like, as merry, as the gentlefolks at their venison pasty and strong beer; those fruits affording both meat and drink, and peradventure physick also, to some that were inclining to scorbutick distempers.

The next morning, Masconomo with one of his men came aboard, being the sagamore, (which is, the lord proprietor) of that side of the country towards Cape Anne, to bid them welcome, staying with them all the day.

About two in the afternoon they descried the Jewel,

another ship belonging to the fleet; and manning out their skiff, they wafted them in as near the harbour as the wind and tide would suffer.

The next morning early, June 14, the admiral weighed anchor, and because the channel was narrow, and the winds against them, they warped her in within the inner harbour, where they came to an anchor; and in the afternoon most of the passengers went ashore.

On the Thursday after, June 17, the chief of the gentlemen, with the governour, travelled to the Massachusetts, to find out a place where to begin a plantation; but returned on the Saturday, taking Nantasket in their way, where they met the Mary and John, a ship that sailed from the West Country, which brought Mr. Rossiter and Mr. Ludlow, two of the assistants, with several other passengers: who, missing of Salem, needed the help of the governour, and the rest of the assistants with him, to make the harbour, where they were set ashore, a Salem, or place of peace to them and the master, which afterward they did; the difference that had fallen out betwixt the master and the other gentlemen, being on that occasion composed.

July the 5th, the Mayflower and Whale arrived safe in the harbour of Charlestown; the passengers being all in health, but most of their cattle dead. If Jacob himself had been there, he could not have, with all his skill and care, prevented the over driving of cattle, shut up in the narrow room of those wooden walls, where the fierceness of the wind and waves would often fling, or throw them on heaps, to the mischiefing and destroying [of] one another.

July the 2d, came in the Talbot, which had been sore visited with the small pox in her passage, and whereof fourteen died in the way. In one of them came= Mr. Henry Winthrop, the governour's second son, accidentally left behind at the Isle of Wight, or Hampton, whither he went to provide further supply of provisions for the gentlemen in the Admiral. A sprightly and hopeful young gentlemen he was, who, though he escaped the danger of the main sea, yet was unhappily drowned in a small creek, not long after he came ashore, even the

beel

very next day, July the 2d, after his landing, to the no small grief of his friends, and the rest of the company.

July the Sd, arrived the William and Francis, and two days after the Tryal and Charles; on the 6th day came in the Success.

The Ambrose was brought into the harbour at Salem, before the governour and company returned from the Massachusetts. So as now, all the whole fleet being safely come to their port, they kept a publick day of thanksgiving, July the 8th, through all the plantations, to give thanks to Almighty God, for all his goodness, and wonderful works, which they had seen in their voyage.

On the 20th of August, arrived another ship in Charlestown harbour, called the Gift; which ship, though she was twelve weeks at sea, yet lost but one passenger in her whole voyage.

There were no less than ten or eleven ships employed, to transport the governour and company, with the rest of the planters, at that time bound for New-England; and some of them ships of good burthen, that carried over ? about two hundred passengers apiece; who all, by the good providence of God, arrived safe at their desired port, before the 11th of July, 1630; and some of them about the middle of June. Yet many of them were, soon after their arrival, arrested with fatal distempers, which (they being never accustomed to such hardships as then they found) carried many of them off into the other world. It was a sad welcome to the poor planters, that after a long and tedious voyage by sea, they wanted house room, with other necessaries of entertainment, when they came first ashore, which occasioned so many of their friends to drop away before their eyes; none of them that were left knowing whose turn would be next. Yet were not the surviving discouraged from attending such services, as their undertaking necessarily required of them.

Amongst others, that were at that time visited with mortal sickness, the lady Arbella, the wife of Mr. Isaac Johnson, was one, who possibly had not taken the counsel of our Saviour, to sit down and consider what the cost would be, before she began to build. For, coming from a paradise of plenty and pleasure, which she enjoy