Of Plymouth Plantation. William Bradford

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ to y^e simplicitie of our harts therin.

      2^ly. We are well weaned from y^e delicate milke of our mother countrie, and enured to y^e difficulties of a strange and hard land, which yet in a great parte we have by patience overcome.

      3^ly. The people are for the body of them, industrious, & frugall, we thinke we may safly say, as any company of people in the world.

      4^ly. We are knite togeather as a body in a most stricte & sacred bond and covenante of the Lord, of the violation13 wherof we make great conscience, and by vertue wherof we doe hould our selves straitly tied to all care of each others good, and of y^e whole by every one and so mutually.

      5. Lastly, it is not with us as with other men, whom small things can discourage, or small discontentments cause to wish them selves at home againe. We knowe our entertainmente in England, and in Holand; we shall much prejudice both our arts & means by removall; who, if we should be driven to returne, we should not hope to recover our present helps and comforts, neither indeed looke ever, for our selves, to attaine unto y^e like in any other place during our lives, w^ch are now drawing towards their periods.

      [22] These motives we have been bould to tender unto you, which you in your wisdome may also imparte to any other our wor^pp: freinds of y^e Counsell with you; of all whose godly dispossition and loving towards our despised persons, we are most glad, & shall not faile by all good means to continue & increase y^e same. We will not be further troublesome, but doe, with y^e renewed remembrance of our humble duties to your Wor^pp: and (so farr as in modestie we may be bould) to any other of our wellwillers of the Counsell with you, we take our leaves, com̅iting your persons and counsels to y^e guidance and direction of the Almighty.

      Yours much bounden in all duty,

      John Robinson,

      William Brewster.

      Leyden, Desem: 15.

      An^o: 1617.

      For further light in these proceedings see some other letters & notes as followeth.

      The coppy of a letter sent to S^r. John Worssenham.

      Right Wor^pll: with due acknowledgmente of our thankfullnse for your singular care & pains in the bussines of Virginia, for our, &, we hope, the com̅one good, we doe remember our humble dutys unto you, and have sent inclosed, as is required, a further explanation of our judgments in the 3. points specified by some of his majesties Hon^bl Privie Counsell; and though it be greevious unto us that such unjust insinuations are made against us, yet we are most glad of y^e occasion of making our just purgation unto so honourable personages. The declarations we have sent inclosed, the one more breefe & generall, which we thinke y^e fitter to be presented; the other something more large, and in which we express some smale accidentall differances, which if it seeme good unto you and other of our wor^pl freinds, you may send in stead of y^e former. Our prayers unto God is, y^t your Wor^pp may see the frute of your worthy endeaours, which on our parts we shall not faile to furder by all good means in us. And so praing y^t you would please with y^e convenientest speed y^t may be, to give us knowledge of y^e success of y^e bussines with his majesties Privie Counsell, and accordingly what your further pleasure is, either for our direction or furtherance in y^e same, so we rest

      Your Wor^pp in all duty,

      John Robinson,

      William Brewster.

      Leyden, Jan: 27.

      An^o: 1617. old stile.

      The first breefe note was this.

      Touching y^e Ecclesiasticall ministrie, namly of pastores for teaching, elders for ruling, & deacons for distributing y^e churches contribution, as allso for y^e too Sacrements, baptisme, and y^e Lords supper, we doe wholy and in all points agree [23] with y^e French reformed churches, according to their publick confession of faith.

      The oath of Supremacie we shall willingly take if it be required of us, and that conveniente satisfaction be not given by our taking y^e oath of Alleagence.

      John Rob:

      William Brewster.

      Y^e 2. was this.

      Touching y^e Ecclesiasticall ministrie, &c. as in y^e former, we agree in all things with the French reformed churches, according to their publick confession of faith; though some small differences be to be found in our practises, not at all in y^e substance of the things, but only in some accidentall circumstances.

      1. As first, their ministers doe pray with their heads covered; ours uncovered.

      2. We chose none for Governing Elders but such as are able to teach; which abilitie they doe not require.

      3. Their elders & deacons are anūall, or at most for 2. or 3. years; ours perpetuall.

      4. Our elders doe administer their office in admonitions & excommunications for publick scandals, publickly & before y^e congregation; theirs more privately, & in their consistories.

      5. We doe administer baptisme only to such infants as wherof y^e one parente, at y^e least, is of some church, which some of ther churches doe not observe; though in it our practice accords with their publick confession and y^e judgmente of y^e most larned amongst them.

      Other differences, worthy mentioning, we know none in these points. Then aboute y^e oath, as in y^e former.

      Subscribed,

      John R.

      W. B.

      Part of another letter from him that delivered these.

       London. Feb: 14.

       1617.

      Your letter to S^r. John Worstenholme I delivered allmost as soone as I had it, to his owne hands, and staid with him y^e opening & reading. Ther were 2. papers inclosed, he read them to him selfe, as also y^e letter, and in y^e reading he spake to me & said, Who shall make them? viz. y^e ministers; I answered his Wor^pp that y^e power of making was in y^e church, to be ordained by y^e imposition of hands, by y^e fittest instruments they had. It must either be in y^e church or from y^e pope, & y^e pope is Antichrist. Ho! said S^r. John, what y^e pope houlds good, (as in y^e Trinitie,) that we doe well to assente too; but, said he, we will not enter into dispute now. And as for your letters he would not show them at any hand, least he should spoyle all. He expected you should have been of y^e archbp̃ minde for y^e calling of ministers, but it seems you differed. I could have wished to have known y^e contents of your tow inclosed, at w^ch he stuck so much, espetially y^e larger. I asked his Wor^p what good news he had for me to write to morrow. He tould me very good news, for both the kings majestie and y^e bishops have consented. He said he would goe to M^r. Chancelor, S^r. Fulk Grivell, as this day, & СКАЧАТЬ