William Bradford - The Mayflower Voyage - Premium Edition - 4 Book Collection

known for the positive expression of Goodwin resides in the

suggestions of several letters’ of Sir Dudley Carleton to Sir Robert

Naunton, during the quest for Brewster; the later seeming clearly to

nullify the earlier.

Under date of July 22, 1619, Carleton says: “One William Brewster,

a Brownist, who has been for some years an inhabitant and printer at

Leyden, but is now within these three weeks removed from thence and

gone back to dwell in London,” etc.

On August 16, 1619 (N.S.), he writes: “I am told William Brewster is

come again for Leyden,” but on the 30th adds: “I have made good

enquiry after William Brewster and am well assured he is not

returned thither, neither is it likely he will; having removed from

thence both his family and goods,” etc.

On September 7, 1619 (N.S.), he writes: “Touching Brewster, I am now

informed that he is on this side the seas [not in London, as before

alleged]; and that he was seen yesterday, at Leyden, but, as yet, is

not there settled,” etc.

On September 13, 1619 (N.S.), he says: “I have used all diligence to

enquire after Brewster; and find he keeps most at Amsterdam; but

being ‘incerti laris’, he is not yet to be lighted upon. I

understand he prepares to settle himself at a village called

Leerdorp, not far from Leyden, thinking there to be able to print

prohibited books without discovery, but I shall lay wait for him,

both there and in other places, so as I doubt but either he must

leave this country; or I shall, sooner or later, find him out.”

On September 20, 1619 (N.S.), he says: “I have at length found out

Brewster at Leyden,” etc. It was a mistake, and Brewster’s partner

(Thomas Brewer), one of the Merchant Adventurers, was arrested

instead.

On September 28, 1619 (N.S.), he states, writing from Amsterdam:

“If he lurk here for fear of apprehension, it will be hard to find

him,” etc.

As late as February 8, 1619/20, there was still a desire and hope

for his arrest, but by June the matter had become to the King—and

all others—something of an old story. While, as appears by a

letter of Robert Cushman, written in London, in May, 1619, Brewster

was then undoubtedly there, one cannot agree, in the light of the

official correspondence just quoted, with the conclusion of Dr.

Alexander Young (“Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers,” vol. i.

p. 462), that “it is probable he [Brewster] did not return to

Leyden, but kept close till the MAYFLOWER sailed.”

Everything indicates that he was at Leyden long after this; that he

did not again return to London, as supposed; and that he was in

hiding with his family (after their escape from the pursuit at

Leyden), somewhere among friends in the Low Countries. Although by

July, 1620, the King had, as usual, considerably “cooled off,” we

may be sure that with full knowledge of the harsh treatment meted

out to his partner (Brewer) when caught, though unusually mild (by

agreement with the authorities of the University and Province of

Holland), Brewster did not deliberately put himself “under the

lion’s paw” at London, or take any chances of arrest there, even in

disguise. Dr. Griffis has lent his assent (“The Pilgrims in their

Homes,” p, 167), though probably without careful analysis of all the

facts, to the untenable opinion expressed by Goodwin, that Brewster

was “hiding in England” when the SPEEDWELL sailed from Delfshaven.

There can be no doubt that, with his ever ready welcome of sound

amendment, he will, on examination, revise his opinion, as would the

clear-sighted Goodwin, if living and cognizant of the facts as

marshalled against his evident error. As the leader and guide of

the outgoing part of the Leyden church we may, with good warrant,

believe—as all would wish—that Elder Brewster was the chief figure

the departing Pilgrims gathered on the SPEEDWELL deck, as she took

her departure from Delfshaven.

Master Isaac Allerton and his family, his wife and three children, two

sons and a daughter, were of the Leyden company and passengers in

the SPEEDWELL. We know he was active there as a leader, and was

undoubtedly one of those who bought the SPEEDWELL. He was one of

the signers of the joint-letter from Leyden, to Carver and Cushman,

May 31 (O.S.) 1620.

John Hooke, Allerton’s “servant-lad,” may have been detained at London or

Southampton, but it is hardly probable, as Allerton was a man of

means, consulted his comfort, and would have hardly started so large

a family on such a journey without a servant.

Dr. Samuel Fuller was, as is well known, one of the Leyden chiefs,

connected by blood and marriage with many of the leading families of

Robinson’s congregation. He was active in the preparations for the

voyage the first signer of the joint-letter of May 31, and doubtless

one of the negotiators for the SPEEDWELL. His wife and child were

left behind, to follow later as they did.

William Butten, the first of the Pilgrim party to die, was, in all

probability, a student-“servant” of Doctor Fuller at Leyden, and

doubtless embarked with him at Delfshaven. Bradford calls him

(writing of his death) “Wm. Butten, a youth, servant to Samuel

Fuller.” Captain Myles Standish and his wife Rose, we know from

Bradford, were with the Pilgrims in Leyden and doubtless shipped

with them. Arber calls him (“The Story of the Pilgrim Fathers,”

p. 378) a “chief of the Pilgrim Fathers” in the sense of a father

and leader in their Israel; but there is no warrant for this

assumption, though he became their “sword-hand” in the New World.

By some writers, though apparently with insufficient warrant,

Standish has been declared a Roman Catholic. It does not appear

that he was ever a communicant of the Pilgrim Church. His family,

moreover, was not of the Roman Catholic faith, and all his conduct

in the colony is inconsistent with the idea that he was of that

belief. Master William White, his wife and son, were of the Leyden

congregation, both husband and wife being among its principal

people, and nearly related to several of the Pilgrim band. The

marriage of Mr. and Mrs. White is duly recorded in Leyden. William

Holbeck and Edward Thompson, Master White’s two servants, he

probably took with him from Leyden, as his was a family of means and

position, though they might possibly have been procured at

Southampton. They were apparently passengers in the SPEEDWELL.

Deacon Thomas Blossom and his son were well known as of Pastor

Robinson’s flock at Leyden. They returned, moreover, to Holland

from Plymouth, England (where they gave up the voyage), via London.

The father went to New Plymouth ten years later, the son dying

before that time. (See Blossom’s letter to Governor Bradford.

Bradford’s Letter Book, “Plymouth Church Records,” i. 42.) In his

letter dated at Leyden, December 15, 1625, he says: “God hath taken

away my son that was with me in the ship MAYFLOWER when I went back

again.”

Edward Tilley (sometimes given the prefix of Master) his wife Ann are

known to have been of the Leyden company. (Bradford’s “Historie,”

p. 83.) It is doubtful if their “cousins,” Henry Sampson and

Humility Cooper, were of Leyden. They apparently were English

kinsfolk, taken to New England with the Tilleys, very likely joined

them at Southampton and hence were not of the SPEEDWELL’S