It only remains I pronounce the judgment of the court against you by the king's authority, which is, You shall go from hence to the castle, from whence you came; from thence you shall be carried to the place of execution for this county: where your bodies will be hanged until you be dead. And God have mercy upon your souls. For your comfort in this world, I shall commend a learned and worthy preacher to instruct you, and prepare you for another world. All I can do for you is to pray for your repentance in this world, for the satisfaction of many, and forgiveness in the next world, for saving of your souls. And God grant you may make good use of the time you have in this world, to His glory and your own comfort.

69. JAMES I. AND THE PURITANS (1618).

It is a historical commonplace that the Tudors were notable for tact, and the Stuarts for want of it. The reign of James I. was one continuous wrangle with parliament or with the Puritans. Instead of glossing over unpopular measures, he invented forms of gratuitous insult. This proclamation on Sunday sports, besides containing a reference to the pastimes of the period, is inserted because it addresses Papists and Puritans in studied language of affront.

SOURCE.-The King's Majesty's Declaration to his Subjects concerning Lawful Sports to be used. Arber's Garner. Birmingham, 1882. Vol. iv., p. 511.

By the King,

Whereas, upon our return the last year out of Scotland, we did publish our pleasure touching the recreation of our people in those parts under our hand: for some causes us thereunto moving, we have thought good to command these our directions then given in Lancashire, with a few words thereunto added, and most applicable to these parts of our realms, to be published to all our subjects.

Whereas we did justly, in our progress through Lancashire, rebuke some Puritans and precise people, and took order that the like unlawful carriage should not be used by any of them hereafter, in the prohibiting and unlawful punishing of our good people for using their lawful recreations and honest exercises upon Sunday, and other holy days, after the afternoon sermon or service: we now find, that two sorts of people

wherewith that country [county] is much infested (we mean Papists and Puritans) have maliciously traduced and calumniated those our just and honourable proceedings. And, therefore, lest our reputation might upon the one side (though innocently) have some aspersion laid upon it, and that upon the other our good people in that country be misled by the mistaking and misinterpretation of our meaning, we have, therefore, thought good hereby to clear and make our pleasure to be manifested to all our good people in those parts.

It is true, that at our first entry to this crown and kingdom, we were informed, and that too truly, that our county of Lancashire abounded more in Popish recusants than any county of England, and thus hath still continued since, to our great regret, with little amendment, save that now of late, in our last riding through our said county, we find, both by the report of the judges and of the bishop of that diocese, that there is some amendment now daily beginning, which is no small contentment to us.

The report of this growing amendment amongst them made us the more sorry, when with our own ears we heard the general complaint of our people, that they were barred from all lawful recreation and exercise upon the Sundays afternoon, after the ending of all divine service, which cannot but produce two evils; the one, the hindering of the conversion of many, whom their priests will take occasion hereby to vex, persuading them, that no honest mirth or recreation is lawful or tolerable in our religion, which cannot but breed a great discontentment in our people's hearts, especially of such as are peradventure upon the point of turning; the other inconvenience is, that this prohibition barreth the common and meaner sort of people from using such exercises as may make their bodies more able for war, when we or our successors shall have occasion to use them, and in place thereof sets up filthy tiplings and drunkenness, and breeds a number of idle and discontented speeches in their ale-houses; for when shall the common people have leave to exercise if not upon the Sundays and holy days, seeing they must apply their labour and win their living in all working days?

Our express pleasure therefore is, that the laws of our kingdom and canons of our church be as well observed in that county, as in all other places of this our kingdom; and, on the other part, that no lawful recreation shall be barred to our good people, which shall not tend to the breach of our foresaid laws and canons of our church, which to express more

particularly our pleasure is, that the bishop, and all other inferior churchmen and churchwardens shall, for their parts, be careful and diligent, both to instruct the ignorant, and convince them that are misled in religion, presenting them that will not conform themselves, but obstinately stand out, to our judges and justices, whom we likewise command to put the law in due execution against them.

Our pleasure likewise is, that the bishop of that diocese take the like straight order with all the Puritans and Precisians within the same, either constraining them to conform themselves or to leave the country according to the laws of our kingdom and canons of our church, and so to strike equally on both hands against the contemners of our authority and adversaries of our church. And as for our good people's lawful recreation, our pleasure likewise is, that, after the end of divine service, our good people be not disturbed, letted, or discouraged from any lawful recreation, such as dancing, either men or women, archery for men, leaping, vaulting, or any other such harmless recreation, nor from having of May-games, Whitson ales, and Morris-dances, and the setting up of May-poles, and other sports therewith used, so as the same be had in due and convenient time, without impediment or neglect of divine service; and that women shall have leave to carry rushes to the church for the decorating of it, according to their old custom. But withal we do here account still as prohibited all unlawful games to be used upon Sundays only, as bear and bull baitings, interludes, and at all times in the meaner sort of people, by law prohibited, bowling.

And likewise we bar from this benefit and liberty all such known recusants, either men or women, as will abstain from coming to church or divine service, being therefore unworthy of any lawful recreation after the said service, that will not first come to the church and serve God; prohibiting in like sort the said recreations to any that, though conforme [conformable] in religion, are not present in the church at the service of God, before their going to the said recreations. Our pleasure likewise is, that they to whom it belongeth in office shall present and sharply punish all such as in abuse of this our liberty will use these exercises before the ends of all divine services for that day. And we likewise straightly command, that every person shall resort to his own parish church to hear divine service, and each parish by itself to use the said recreation after divine service. Prohibiting likewise any offensive weapons to be carried or used in the said times of recreations.

And our pleasure is, that this our declaration shall be published by order of the bishop of the diocese through all the parish churches, and that both our judges of the circuit, and our justices of our peace be informed thereof.

Given at our manor of Greenwich, the four and twentieth day of May, in the sixteenth year of our reign of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the one and fiftieth.

God save the king.

70. THE VOYAGE OF THE "MAYFLOWER" (1620).

The earliest permanent settlement in New England was founded by Puritans acting for themselves, and not on behalf of a chartered company. These colonists belonged to a religious group or congregation which had for twelve years previously been living in Holland. The severity of James I. towards Protestant dissenters from the Established Church caused an Independent congregation of Scrooby in Nottinghamshire to seek religious freedom in exile, and at Leyden they were joined by others of like purpose. Holland gave them the most generous toleration, but for certain reasons they chose to try their fortune beyond seas. Having received assurance that they might take up land in America, they proceeded from Leyden to Southampton, whence they sailed in August, 1620. The band numbered 120 persons, who embarked in two ships, the Speedwell and the Mayflower. The former proved unseaworthy and turned back: the latter continued on its way and came safe to land. William Bradford, whose narrative of the voyage is such a fine commentary on Puritan character, was a leading man in the company, and afterwards second Governor of Plymouth.

SOURCE.—History of Plymouth Plantation. William Bradford (15901657). Ed. Charles Deane. Boston, 1856. P. 74.

Of their voyage, and how they passed the sea, and of their safe arrival at Cape Cod.

Sept. 6. These troubles being blown over, and now all being. compact together in one ship, they put to sea again with a

prosperous wind, which continued diverse days together, which was some encouragement unto them; yet according to the usual manner many were afflicted with sea-sickness. And I may not omit here a special work of God's providence. There was a proud and very profane young man, one of the seamen, of a lusty, able body, which made him the more haughty; he would always be condemning the poor people in their sickness, and cursing them daily with grievous execrations, and did not let to tell them, that he hoped to help to cast half of them overboard before they came to their journey's end, and to make merry with what they had; and if he were by any gently reproved, he would curse and swear most bitterly. But it pleased God before they came half seas over, to smite this young man with a grievous disease, of which he died in a desperate manner, and so was himself the first that was thrown overboard. Thus his curses lighted on his own head; and it was an astonishment to all his fellows, for they noted it to be the just hand of God upon him.

After they had enjoyed fair winds and weather for a season, they were encountered many times with cross winds, and met with many fierce storms, with which the ship was shroudly [severely] shaken, and her upper works made very leaky; and one of the main beams in the mid ships was bowed and cracked, which put them in some fear that the ship could not be able to perform the voyage. So some of the chief of the company, perceiving the mariners to fear the sufficiency of the ship, as appeared by their muttering, they entered into serious consultation with the master and other officers of the ship, to consider in time of the danger; and rather to return, than to cast themselves into a desperate and inevitable peril. And truly there was great distraction and difference of opinion amongst the mariners themselves; fain would they do what could be done for their wages sake (being now half the seas over) and on the other hand they were loath to hazard their lives too desperately. But in examining of all opinions, the master and others affirmed they knew the ship to be strong and firm under water; and for the buckling of the main beam, there was a great iron screw the passengers brought out of Holland, which would raise the beam into his place; the which being done, the carpenter and master affirmed that with a post put under it, set firm in the lower deck, and otherways bound, he would make it sufficient. as for the decks and upper works they would caulk them as well as they could, and though with the working of the ship they would not long keep staunch, yet there would otherwise

And