FROM"OFPLYMOUTHPLANTATION"

WilliamBradford
BookI,ChapterIX.OFTHEIRVOYAGE,ANDHOWTHEYPASSEDTHESEA;AND
OFTHEIRSAFEARRIVALATCAPECOD
September6.Thesetroublesbeingblownover,andnowallbeingcompacttogetherin
oneship,theyputtoseaagainwithaprosperouswind,whichcontinueddiversdaystogether,
whichwassomeencouragementuntothem;yetaccordingtotheusualmannermanywere
afflictedwithseasickness.AndImaynotomithereaspecialworkofGod'sprovidence.There
wasaproudandveryprofaneyoungman,oneoftheseamen,ofalusty,ablebody,whichmade
himthemorehaughty;hewouldalwaysbecondemningthepoorpeopleintheirsickness,and
cursingthemdailywithgrievousexecrations,anddidnotlettotellthem,thathehopedtohelpto
casthalfofthemoverboardbeforetheycametotheirjourney'send,andtomakemerrywith
whattheyhad;andifhewerebyanygentlyreproved,hewouldcurseandswearmostbitterly.
ButitpleasedGodbeforetheycamehalfseasover,tosmitethisyoungmanwithagrievous
disease,ofwhichhediedinadesperatemanner,andsowashimselfthefirstthatwasthrown
overboard.Thushiscurseslightonhisownhead;anditwasanastonishmenttoallhisfellows,
fortheynotedittobethejusthandofGoduponhim.
Aftertheyhadenjoyedfairwindsandweatherforaseason,theywereencounteredmany
timeswithcrosswinds,andmetwithmanyfiercestorms,withwhichtheshipwasshroudly
shaken,andherupperworksmadeveryleaky;andoneofthemainbeamsinthemidshipswas
bowedandcracked,whichputtheminsomefearthattheshipcouldnotbeabletoperformthe
voyage.Sosomeofthechiefofthecompany,perceivingthemarinerstofearthesufficiencyof
theship,asappearedbytheirmutterings,theyenteredintoseriousconsultationwiththemaster
andotherofficersoftheship,toconsiderintimeofthedanger;andrathertoreturnthentocast
themselvesintoadesperateandinevitableperil.Andtrulytherewasgreatdistractionand
differenceofopinionamongthemarinersthemselves;fainwouldtheydowhatcouldbedonefor
theirwagessake,(beingnowhalftheseasover,)andontheotherhandtheywereloathtohazard
theirlivestoodesperately.Butinexaminingofallopinions,themasterandothersaffirmedthey

knewtheshiptobestrongandfirmunderwater;andforthebucklingofthemainbeam,there
wasagreatironscrewthepassengersbroughtoutofHolland,whichwouldraisethebeaminto
hisplace;thewhichbeingdone,thecarpenterandmasteraffirmedthatwithapostputunderit,
setfirminthelowerdeck,andotherwaysbound,hewouldmakeitsufficient.Andasforthe
decksandupperworkstheywouldcaulkthemaswellastheycould,andthoughwiththe
workingoftheshiptheywouldnotlongkeepstaunch,yettherewouldotherwisebenogreat
danger,iftheydidnotoverpressherwithsails.SotheycommittedthemselvestothewillofGod,
andresolvedtoproceed.Insundryofthesestormsthewindsweresofierce,andtheseassohigh,
astheycouldnotbearaknotofsail,butwereforcedtohull,fordiversdaystogether.Andinone
ofthem,astheythuslayathull,inamightystorm,alustyyoungman(calledJohnHowland)
cominguponsomeoccasionabovethegratings,was,withaseeleoftheshipthrownintothesea;
butitpleasedGodthathecaughtholdofthetopsailhalyards,whichhungoverboard,andranout
atlength;yetheheldhishold(thoughhewassundryfathomsunderwater)tillhewashauledup
bythesameropetothebrimofthewater,andthenwithaboathookandothermeansgotintothe
shipagain,andhislifesaved;andthoughhewassomethingillwithit,yethelivedmanyyears
after,andbecameaprofitablememberbothinchurchandcommonwealth.Inallthisvoyage
therediedbutoneofthepassengers,whichwasWilliamButten,ayouth,servanttoSamuel
Fuller,whentheydrewnearthecoast.Buttoomitotherthings,(thatImaybebrief,)afterlong
beatingatseatheyfellwiththatlandwhichiscalledCapeCod;thewhichbeingmadeand
certainlyknowntobeit,theywerenotalittlejoyful.Aftersomedeliberationhadamongst
themselvesandwiththemasteroftheship,theytackedaboutandresolvedtostandforthe
southward(thewindandweatherbeingfair)tofindsomeplaceaboutHudson'sRiverfortheir
habitation.Butaftertheyhadsailedthatcourseabouthalfaday,theyfellamongstdangerous
shoalsandroaringbreakers,andtheyweresofarentangledtherewithastheyconceived
themselvesingreatdanger;andthewindshrinkinguponthemwithal,theyresolvedtobearup
againfortheCape,andthoughtthemselveshappytogetoutofthosedangersbeforenight
overtookthem,asbyGod'sprovidencetheydid.AndthenextdaytheygotintotheCapeharbor
wheretheyridinsafety.Awordortwobythewayofthiscape;itwasthusfirstnamedby
CaptainGosnoldandhiscompany,Anno.1602,andafterbyCaptainSmithwascalledCape
James;butitretainstheformernameamongstseamen.Alsothatpointwhichfirstshowedthese

dangerousshoalsuntothem,theycalledPointCare,andTucker'sTerror;buttheFrenchand
DutchtothisdaycallitMalabar,byreasonofthoseperilousshoals,andthelossestheyhave
sufferedthere.
Beingthusarrivedinagoodharborandbroughtsafetoland,theyfellupontheirknees
andblessedtheGodofheaven,whohadbroughtthemoverthevastandfuriousocean,and
deliveredthemfromalltheperilsandmiseriesthereof,againtosettheirfeetonthefirmand
stableearth,theirproperelement.Andnomarveliftheywerethusjoyful,seeingwiseSeneca
wassoaffectedwithsailingafewmilesonthecoastofhisownItaly;asheaffirmed,thathehad
ratherremaintwentyyearsonhiswaybyland,thenpassbyseatoanyplaceinashorttime;so
tediousanddreadfulwasthesameuntohim.
ButhereIcannotbutstayandmakeapause,andstandhalfamazedatthispoorpeople's
presentcondition;andsoIthinkwillthereadertoo,whenhewellconsidersthesame.Beingthus
passedthevastocean,andaseaoftroublesbeforeintheirpreparation(asmayberemembered
bythatwhichwentbefore),theyhadnownofriendstowelcomethem,norinnstoentertainor
refreshtheirweatherbeatenbodies,nohousesormuchlesstownstorepairto,toseekforsuccor.
Itisrecordedinscriptureasamercytotheapostleandhisshipwreckedcompany,thatthe
barbariansshowednosmallkindnessinrefreshingthem,butthesesavagebarbarians,whenthey
metwiththem(asafterwillappear)werereadiertofilltheirsidesfullofarrowsthenotherwise.
Andfortheseasonitwaswinter,andtheythatknowthewintersofthatcountryknowthemtobe
sharpandviolentandsubjecttocruelandfiercestorms,dangeroustotraveltoknownplaces,
muchmoretosearchanunknowncoast.Besides,whatcouldtheyseebutahideousanddesolate
wilderness,fullofwildbeastsandwildmen?andwhatmultitudestheremightbeofthemthey
knewnot.Neithercouldthey,asitwere,gouptothetopofPigsah,toviewfromthiswilderness
amoregoodlycountrytofeedtheirhopes;forwhichwaysoevertheyturnedtheireyes(save
upwardtotheheavens)theycouldhavelittlesolaceorcontentinrespectofanyoutwardobjects.
Forsummerbeingdone,allthingsstanduponthemwithaweatherbeatenface;andthewhole
country,fullofwoodsandthickets,representedawildandsavagehew.Iftheylookedbehind
them,therewasthemightyoceanwhichtheyhadpassed,andwasnowasamainbarandgulfto
separatethemfromallthecivilpartsoftheworld.Ifitbesaidtheyhadashiptosuccorthem,it
istrue;butwhatheardtheydailyfromthemasterandcompany?Butthatwithspeedtheyshould

lookoutaplacewiththeirshallop,wheretheywouldbeatsomeneardistance;fortheseason
wassuchashewouldnotstirfromthencetillasafeharborwasdiscoveredbythemwherethey
wouldbe,andhemightgowithoutdanger;andthatvictualsconsumedapace,buthemustand
wouldkeepsufficientforthemselvesandtheirreturn.Yea,itwasmutteredbysome,thatifthey
gotnotaplaceintime,theywouldturnthemandtheirgoodsashoreandleavethem.Letitalso
beconsideredwhatweakhopesofsupplyandsuccortheyleftbehindthem,thatmightbearup
theirmindsinthissadconditionandtrialstheywereunder;andtheycouldnotbutbeverysmall.
Itistrue,indeed,theaffectionsandloveoftheirbrethrenatLeydenwascordialandentire
towardsthem,buttheyhadlittlepowertohelpthem,orthemselves;andhowthecasestood
betweenthemandthemerchantsattheircomingaway,hathalreadybeendeclared.Whatcould
nowsustainthembutthespiritofGodandhisgrace?Maynotandoughtnotthechildrenof
thesefathersrightlysay:"OurfatherswereEnglishmenwhichcameoverthisgreatocean,and
werereadytoperishinthiswilderness;buttheycrieduntotheLord,andheheardtheirvoice,
andlookedontheiradversity,etc.LetthemthereforepraisetheLord,becauseheisgood,andhis
merciesendureforever.Yea,letthemwhichhavebeenredeemedoftheLord,showhowhehath
deliveredthemfromthehandoftheoppressor.Whentheywanderedinthedesertwildernessout
oftheway,andfoundnocitytodwellin,bothhungry,andthirsty,theirsoulwasoverwhelmed
inthem.LetthemconfessbeforetheLordhislovingkindness,andhiswonderfulworksbefore
thesonsofmen.
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