Mayflower Pilgrims, 1606-1620 | William Bradford | Plymouth Plantation | Mayflower Compact

A separatist congregation is formed in Scrooby, England. William Bradford is in the congregation. The Separatists want to break away from the Church of England, which is politically charged because the King, James I, is head of the Church of England.

East of Nottingham, in a town called Boston, Separatists are jailed while trying to go to Holland. But the next, 1608, they try again.

The Separatists flee for Holland (the Netherlands). The Separatists relocate from Amsterdam to Leiden. William Brewster starts a printing press there. John Robinson is the minister of the church.

The King is displeased with Separatists printing materials in Holland. Arrests are made. It is time to look for a new home in America.

Robert Cushman and John Carver are in London forming terms with the Virginia Company. However, Thomas Weston of the Merchant Adventurers convinces the Separatists to go with his company. He has a patent for the Hudson River mouth.

The Pilgrims acquire the Speedwell in Delfshaven, Holland. The Mayflower is acquired in England. The two ships meet in Southampton, England. The ships sail through the channel, but must return to Dartmouth, England after the Speedwell is leaky. Again the ships set off and again they return to Plymouth. The Speedwell will not come on the voyage.

The Mayflower sets off alone. There are 102 passengers. Elisabeth Hopkins gives birth at sea. She names the child Oceanus.

The Mayflower reaches Cape Cod, over 200 miles from their intended landing spot at the Hudson River. They attempt to sail for the Hudson, but dangerous shoals force the ship back.

The Mayflower turns north, cycling around Cape Cod. The passengers write the Mayflower Compact.

On November 11, 1620, the Mayflower Compact is signed. The Mayflower is near modern Provincetown, Massachusetts.
 
Music credit:
“Mongrel Dance” by Dan Bodan

A film by Jeffrey Meyer

On July 22nd 1620 English separatists living in Holland are boarding a ship at Del’s Haven to begin their journey across the Atlantic to America one of the separatists William Bradford remembered the day stating so they left the goodly and pleasant city which had been their resting place near 12 years

But they knew they were pilgrims and look not much on those things but lift up their eyes to the heavens their dearest country and quieted their Spirits we will zoom into England in the adjacent area on this map we can see Ireland Wales England and Holland it’s

1606 on the bottom right the Monarch is shown King James I the date is below the Monarch for most most of this program we will be using months and years however the English are using the Julian or old style calendar at this time which is different than the Gregorian or new

Style calendar used in much of the continent of Europe the Gregorian new style calendar is what we use today there is a difference of 10 days between these calendars for instance June 1st 1606 in England would actually be June 10606 in France Spain and much of Europe

I will list both calendar dates when a specific date is used otherwise a single month or year will be used in 1606 there is a commotion in the region of Nottinghamshire several ministers there are opposing King James pressure to adhere to the Church of England some ministers in the Nottinghamshire area

Claim they should separate from the church of England King James at London is the head of the Church of England so the claim to separate from the church of England is politically dangerous because it insinuates contempt for the monarchy we will zoom into the Nottinghamshire region Nottingham is here Sherwood

Forest is here the village of scroby is here at scroby William Brewster is active in the organization of a separatist Church John Robinson is the separatist Minister there separatists are a unique community and it’s important to understand how they fit into the religious landscape of 17th century England in England at this time

The king is the head of the official state religion the Church of England so religious affiliation automatically becomes political because the king is the head of the Church of England this is why Roman Catholics would be held in great suspicion in England at this time because the head of the Catholic church

Is the Pope in Rome not the king in England there is an opposing faction within the Church of England the Puritans the Puritans want to purify the Church of England but they remain within the Church of England separatists on the other hand want a complete separation from the church of England so

Separatists claiming to break away from the church of England could be interpreted as wanting to break away from the King himself therefore it’s easy to see why the separatists will be targeted by the state in scruby a teenager is attending the separatist church he is William Bradford in London

That same year King James establishes the Virginia Company we will zoom out to the transatlantic World 1607 the Virginia Company founds Jamestown in that same year the separatist community in scruby formally breaks from the church of England we will Zoom back to England so in 16007 there is a declared

Independent church in scruby separatist churches are doing something unique instead of a topown hierarchy with Bishops and archbishops the clergy are only active in the local congregation the Ley are active in the governance of a separatist church and the congregation elects the minister thus Scruby’s congregation is electing

Its own clergy and acting independently in ter ter of religion from the King these activities will not go unnoticed shortly thereafter in scruby members of Brewster separatist congregation are imprisoned the congregation realizes it may be time to leave England William Bradford described the Allure of Holland the nation located just across the

Waters noting by a joint consent they resolved to go into the low countries where they heard there was freedom of religion for all men separatists in the previous generation had fled to Amsterdam in the 1590s so such a transplant had a precedence we will Zoom back in to England the

Congregation in screwy plans to leave England for Holland the refugees make for the coast where transportation is waiting however in Lincolnshire they are betrayed by the shipping crew that is to take them to Holland money and property is stolen and the church members who had been robbed are then jailed this

Betrayal robbery and jailing occurs at a town called Boston but the separatists will make another attempt for Holland 16008 the congregation prepares to board ships in the waters between Hall and grimby but while the ship is being loaded in Hall authorities are seen approaching and ship officers Panic families are

Separated as many of the women are not on the ship at departure nevertheless the first round of refugees after being blown by storms near the coast of Norway make it to Amsterdam though initially separated more rounds of settlers from scroby will come over in the following months we will zoom into Holland the

Separatists are initially in Amsterdam in 1609 the English immigrants make their way from Amsterdam to Leiden we will zoom into Len in Leiden the separatist form a community near Peter’s Kirk William Bradford called Leiden a fair and beautiful city the Leiden congregation is under the leadership of the minister

John Robinson and the lay Elder William Brewster both of whom had led the congregation in screwby so in Leiden the English separatists have formed a near self-governing community in which their congregation is managed by an elected Minister and lay Elder and they see no point in the king having a role in

Church CH governance we will zoom out to The Wider region 1611 various Scholars at Westminster Oxford and Cambridge have completed a translation of the Bible into English King James had sponsored the project thus this version is still known today as the King James Bible 1613 across the waters in Leiden William

Bradford now in his 20s marries Dorothy may fall 1617 in London the separatists have Robert kushman and John Carver in communication with his Majesty’s Council for Virginia otherwise known as a Virginia Company in order to secure a land patent for a colony in America Meanwhile by 1618 back in Leiden William

Brewster Edward Winslow and Thomas Brewer are operating a printing press this press Prince Works opposing the Church of England but there are signs that the separatists may need to leave Holland there is the looming Prospect of war between Holland and Spain which might turn a city like

Leiden into a war zone in addition the English have been in Holland for long enough that a new generation of children have been born and raised there are fears that the youth are losing their English Heritage but with the congregation at odds with King James a

Return to England is not an option but there is another option we will zoom out the alternative is to sail across the Atlantic Ocean and plant a new life in America and this is why the separatists have agents in London speaking with the Virginia Company while a voyage across

The ocean is very dangerous Bradford provides an insight into its appeal a mission of advancing the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in those remote parts of the world but where to go across the Atlantic the Dutch are active in Guana in South America this region would

Provide a warm climate however Spain is dominant in The Wider region and if the colony became profitable Spain would surely overthrow it also Europeans had enough experience with exploration to know that regions with year-long warm weather also fostered a higher rate of disease but what about Virginia

Jamestown was already settled so on the one hand the English are already there on the other hand the English are already there a separatist community in or near jamest town might find itself right back under the thumb of King James in the Church of England the question of

Where to go will take time to sort out the separatist will need to acquire a patent from an organization like the Virginia Company in order to have a legal title to land in the meantime there is a sign from above November 6 1618 a comet shows in the heavens

Visible for multiple weeks a community like the separatists who understood all workings as the product of God’s sovereignty would most certainly take such a Wonder as a sign in May 1619 in London Robert kushman the official in communication with the Virginia Company reports ill Tidings from Virginia a recent Voyage to

Virginia had ended in disaster Master with most passengers dead from sickness and want of fresh water at this time King James is aware of the separatist press in lien lien separatist materials are being sold in England Agents from England work with the University of lden to seize the Leiden printing press

Thomas Brewer is arrested however William Brewster escapes arrest though in a different country Holland may not be as safe as a separa said hoped it is time to leave by June 1619 in London Robert kushman has secured a patent from the Virginia Company for the lien separatists this patent provides a legal

Land title for a plantation in America in the early 17th century a plantation Means A colony which is different from the connotation of a 19th century cash crop Plantation and in a separatist context the idea of a plantation takes on a religious meaning of planting a church from this point forward we will

Refer to the separatists who have decided to leave for America as pilgrims in order to distinguish this group from other separatists who will remain in Europe the news of the late and disastrous Voyage from the Virginia Company causes concern however another agency comes into the Pilgrim’s business

About this time it is the merchant adventurers another London agency Thomas Weston the adventurers agent from London met with the lien congregation Weston convinces the separatists to go with him and not the Virginia Company the adventurers offer to create a joint stock company with the pilgrims the

Company will finance much of the voyage in exchange for Revenue returns from the future Colony Weston’s adventurers hold a patent for the area at the mouth of the Hudson River an area that could yield significant fishing profits the Hudson River area is a good location for the pilgrims it is close

Enough to Jamestown that they might receive the king’s protection if need be but far enough from Jamestown that they will retain their religious freedom the company’s initial terms require the pilgrims to work five days each week for the company and the pilgrims in turn would have two days for personal gain

And worship profits and possessions would then be divided among all shareholders after 7 years in England John Carver and Robert kushman finalized the agreement and provision the voyage by next June 1620 finalized terms come back from England to Leiden in the new terms the pilgrims are required to work all seven days for

The company there is nothing in the new terms about free time for worship and personal business there Pastor Robinson defends his flock he writes back to Carver in England noting how much unfit that you and your likes must serve a new apprenticeship of seven years and not a day’s freedom from

Task the pilgrims still need ships they acquire the speed well in Holland the ship is at Del’s Haven a second ship the Mayflower has been purchased in England the speed well will transport the Pilgrims from Holland to Southampton England at Southampton the Speedwell pilgrims will rendevu with the May flow

The the intention is that the speed well will be used for fishing in America the pilgrims depart lien for Del’s Haven where the speed well is anchored July 22nd 1620 the pilgrims board the speed well and leave Del’s Haven for Southampton so at Del’s Haven goodbyes are said between the Pilgrims

And their family and friends remaining in Holland the pilgrims depart Holland having spent 12 years in that country meanwhile the Mayflower proceeds from the mouth of the T River to Southampton both ships have courses set for Southampton we will zoom in to the Mayflower the Mayflower is also carrying

English passengers Bound for America the Mayflower is 100 ft long the ship managed by a few dozen crewmen is captained by Christopher Jones we will zoom out July 26th the speed well in the Mayflower are in Southampton England passengers from England and Holland are now together let’s take a transatlantic

View the trip is some 3,400 miles from Southampton England to the mouth of the Hudson River it is still summer and an efficient Journey with cooperating winds could get them to the Hudson River before winter we will zoom in to Southampton Southampton today has modern docks lining the water I will fill those

Areas in with natural Earth so the landscape is more similar to that of the 17th century St Michael’s Church here began in the 11th century there is a key on the side of town where ships load and unload so I’ve placed the Mayflower and the speed well there William Brewster

The man who had escaped arrest for his Publications in Leiden is reunited with the Leiden congregation in Southampton some other persons here now assembled are Miles sish a professional Soldier and Steven Hopkins who had already been to Jamestown Thomas Weston of the adventurers has come to Southampton from

London to solve their remaining disputes within the company’s terms the remaining disputes have to do with how houses and lands will be divided while these issues are being worked out the pilgrims are required to sell butter stores to pay pressing expenses but there’s another issue the adventurers a company with business

Considerations sometimes different than the pilgrim has added passengers to the voyage who are not separatists the pilgrims were referred to those passengers who are not separatists as strangers nevertheless on August 5th the passengers are on board the Mayflower and the speed well set sail from Southampton for the voyage we will zoom

Out to the English Channel the Mayflower and the speed well move west through the channel the ships are nearing the Open Sea but there is trouble with the speed well the ship is leaking they must turn back the Mayflower and speed well route back to land they set course for

Dartmouth at Dartmouth Bradford says they lost time and fair wind it’s now late August the speed well has been inspected and mended the ship set sail again they clear the channel but after they progress some 100 leagues or about 300 mil the speed well is again a wash with

Seawater the ships once again turn back to land this time to Plymouth it is decided here that the speed well is not seaworthy and she will not be part of the voyage the speed well returns to the mouth of the temps River with various passengers who have lost hope in the

Voyage the stores and remaining passengers from the speed well must now be packed onto the Mayflower only the Mayflower will continue to America Amica it has been a full month since the Mayflower first departed Southampton and the ship has only progressed 120 miles to Plymouth the long delay in England

Has already reduced food stores on the Mayflower and some question whether the journey is doomed however the remaining passengers press on September 6 1620 the May Flower set sail from Plymouth William Bradford noted these troubles being blown over 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 the Mayflower is off we will zoom into the ship there are2 passengers on the Mayflower the passengers will share cramped quarters between the decks a dark narrow space

Within the ship in the early part of the voyage the winds are favorable however by October oober 1620 Crosswinds and storms Rock the ship a large Beam at Mid ship’s cracks the ship’s Carpenter using an iron screw brought by the passengers is able to repair the ship powerful opposing winds Force the

Crew to pull up or furl their sails with the sails tied up the ship will now not be thrown around by the winds the Mayflower then sits at a standstill in the ocean until the winds die down down there are some storms so strong the ship must sit furled for days

At a time only when more favorable winds blow will the sails be released or unfurled then the ship can progress Westward over the course of the journey the Mayflower manes about 2 m an hour over the waters one crew member is particularly harsh with the passenger he

Is the one crew member who dies at sea The Voyage includes a tragedy and a miracle a young servant Boy William button dies he is a sole passenger to die during the voyage but where one is lost another is provided Elizabeth Hopkins wife of Steven Hopkins gives

Birth to a son she names him oceanis November 1620 something in the air feels different November 8th comes and goes nightfalls Dawn November 9 Edward Winslow and William Bradford note by break of day we spied land which we deemed to be Cape Cod and soon afterward it proved and the

Appearance of it much comforted us especially seeing so goodly a land and wooded to the brink of the sea it caused us to Rejoice together and praise God that he had given us once again to see land the Mayflower has crossed the ocean the passengers had spent 65 days at Sea

We will zoom out the Mayflower is at Cape Cod the mouth of the Hudson river is here so the Mayflower is about 230 Mi Northeast of their legal patent title at the Hudson River Cape Cod as its name implies has great potential for the colony the fishing resources are well

Known in Europe by 1620 however Cape Cod is not technically within their rights to settle legally they need to push onto the mouth of the Hudson the crew is from their perspective in a new world and the coastlines Shore depths and distances are not known to them the Mayflower crew

Will attempt to steer the ship to the South Southwest to find the Hudson River on the one hand the Mayflower crew wants to remain within sight of land as they are traveling along an unknown coastline on the other hand being near land presents shallow water hazards for the

Ship but the crewmen detect schs or Sands in the waters below Cape Cod Sholes are submerged sandb bars that are very dangerous to ships the ships can become grounded which can damage or even wreck a ship Bradford says the Mayflower fell amongst dangerous shs and roaring Breakers it’s November and night is

Coming fast with Darkness falling on November 9th it is determined that the trip to the Hudson river is too dangerous the Mayflower circles back around facing north we will Zoom back out the ship will return to Cape Cod an area outside their patent territory with the landing now to occur outside their

Legal area there is the possibility of mutiny Bradford noted that among the passengers there were some not well affected to unite and Concord but gave some appearance of faction and that discontented and mutinous speeches that some of the strangers amongst them had let fall from them in the ship the

Passengers in order to maintain social order will need to create a document that outlines a social contract before the ship makes Landing Bradford recalled it was thought good there should be an association and agreement that we should combine together in one body nightfalls on November 9th it’s now the morning of

November 10th the Mayflower is moving North parallel to Cape Cod the captain Christopher Jones wants to get inside the bay while the ship pushes North the passengers are forming their social compact there are strangers and pilgrims aboard the ship but the separatists on board are large enough to form a unified

Body they strengthen around a leader John Carver as Darkness Falls the Mayflower is rounding the north edge of Cape Cod the Bay will provide Harbor for the ship nightfalls it’s morning November 11 1620 the Mayflower Maneuvers inside Cape cod’s interior near modern Province Town Massachusetts Bradford and Winslow

Recorded we came to an anchor in the bay which is a good Harbor and pleasant Bay circled round except in the entrance which is about 4 miles over from land to land compassed about to the very sea with Oaks Pines Juniper sasas and other sweet Woods it is a harbor wherein 1,000

Sail of ships May safely ride there we relied ourselves with food and water and refreshed our people the adult men on board signed the compact which had just been written the Mayflower Compact reads in the name of God Amen we whose names are underwritten the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord

King James by the grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King defender of the faith having undertaken for the glory of God an advancement of the Christian faith and honor of our King and Country a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia

Do by these presence solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and of one another Covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends affers said and by virtue hereof to enact constitute and frame such just and

Equal laws ordinances acts constitutions offices from time to time as shall be thought most meat and convenient for the general good of the colony unto which we promise all due submission and obedience in witness whereof we have here under subscribed our names Cape Cod 11 of

November in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James of England France and irland and Scotland a. 1620 the pilgrims had crossed the ocean Bradford noted they had now no friends to welcome them nor ins to entertain or refresh their weather-beaten bodies no

Houses or much less towns to repair to to seek for sucker yet now anchored off an unknown land thousands of miles from their mother country the pilgrims determined to create a new civilization