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A TRUE RELATION OF THE

LAST VOYAGE TO

NEW ENGLAND

The co?pany of New England consisting of many worthy gentlemen in y^e citty of London, Dorcester & other places, ayming at y^e glory of God, y^e propagac?o?n of y^e gospell of Christ, y^e conversio? of y^e Indians, & y^e enlarge^ of y^e Kings ma^ dominions in America, & being authorised by his royall letters patents for y^t end, at their very great costs & chardgs furnished 5 Ships to go to new England, for y^e further setling of y^e English plantac?o?n y^t y^y had already begun there.

The names of y^e 5 Shipps were as followeth. The first is called y^e Talbot, a good & strong shipp of 300 tunnes, & 19 pieces of ordinance & served w^ 30 mariners. This ship carried about an 100 planters, 6 goates, 5 great pieces of ordinaunce, w^ meale, oatemeale pease, & all maner of munitio? and provisio? for y^e plantac?o?n for a twelve month. The second y^e George, another strong ship also, about 300 tunnes, 20 pieces of ordinance, served w^ about 30 mariners; her chiefe carriage were cattell, 12 mares, 30 kyne, & some goates: also ther gad in her 52 planters & other provision. The 3^d is called y^e Lyons whelpe, a neate & nimble ship of 120 tunnes, 8 pieces of ordinaunce, carrying in her many mariners & about 40 planters, specially fro? dorcester & other places thereabouts, w^ provision, and 4 goates.

The 4^ is called y^e 4 sisters, as I heare of about 300 tuns, w^ fayre ship carried many cattell w^ passengers & provision.

The 5th is called y^e Mayflower, carrying passengers & provision.

Now amongst these 5 ships, y^e George hauing the speciall & urgent cause of hastening her passage sett sayle before y^e rest about y^e midst of April. And y^e 4 Sisters & y^e Mayflower being not throughly furnished, intended as we heard to sett forth about 3 weeks after vs: But we y^t were in y^e Talbot & y^e Lions whelpe being ready for o^r voyage by y^e good hand of Gods providence hoysed o^r sayle fro? Graues end on Saturday y^e 25^ of April about 7 a clocke in y^e morning. Having but a faynt wynd we could not go farre y^tday, but at night wee ancred against Lie w^ is 12 miles fro? graues end, & there we rested y^t night & kept Sabbath y^e next day.

On monday we sat forward & came to y^e flats, a passage so?ewhat difficult by reason of y^e narrownes of y^e channell & shallownes of y^e water: & going ouer this wee were in so?e daunger: for o^r ship being heavy laden & drawing deepe water was sensibly felt of vs all to strike 3 or 4 tymes on y^e ground: but y^e wynd blowing so?ewhat strong we were carried Swiftly on, & at last by Gods blessing came safe to ancre at Gorin roade.

Tewsday we went a little further, & ancred ouer ag^t Margret Towne, staying for a wind for y^e downes.

Wednesday we came safely though w^ much turning & tacking thorow y^e gullies into y^e downes, & stayed y^t night.

Thursday, Fryday & Saturday y^e wind blew hard fro? south west & caused o^r ship to daunce, & diuers of o^r passengers & my wiffe specially were sea sicke. Here y^e Kings ship called y^e Assurance pressed 2 of o^r mariners. Here we saw many Porpuses playing in y^e sea w^ y^y say is a signe of fowle weather.

Sabbath day a windye day & could: we kept Sabbath staying still at y^e downes.

Monday God sent vs a fayre gale of wind north: n: East, whereby we came merily fro? y^e downes: & passing Dover we saw 6 or 7 saile of dunkirkes, wafting after vs: but it seemed y^y saw o^r co?pany was too strong for y^m, for then wee had w^ vs 3 or 4 ships y^t went for y^e Straits: so y^y returned backe fro? pursuing vs any longer. But sayling w^ a good wind wee went speedily, & at night came neere y^e Ile of Wight but being darke wee durst not put into y^e channell, but put backe for sea roome 4 houres, & then other 4 houres sayled backe agayne y^e same way.

Tewsday early in y^e morning we entred y^e channell y^e wind being weake & calme, & passed by Portsmouth very slowly; but in y^e afternoone y^e wind quickened, & wee were forced to ancre a little on this side Cowcastle but y^e wind growing more favourable wee weighed & came to ancre again right against Cowcastle thinking to stay y^t night, y^e wind being very calme. Here I & my wiffe & my daughter Mary & 2 maids & so?e others w^ vs obtained of y^e m^r of y^e shipp to go a shoare to refresh vs & to wash o^r linnens, & so we lay at Cowes y^t night. But y^e wind turning when wee were absent, y^y hoysed sayle & left vs there, & ancred 8 miles further ouer ag^t Yarmouth about 8 of y^e clocke at night.

Wednesday betyme in y^e morning y^e shalope was sent fro? y^e shipp to fetch vs to Yarmouth; but y^e water prooued rough & o^r weomen desired to bee sett on shoare 3 miles short of Yarmouth, & so went on foote by land & lodged in Yarmouth y^t night.

On Thursday & fryday there M^r Beecher allowed by y^e co?pany gaue mee 40^s to make o^r provisio? of what things we would for the voyage.

Saturday we went to board agayne: & this day wee had 2 other men pressed to serve y^e Kings Shippe; but we got one agayne by intreaty.

The Sabbath next day we kept y^e shipp where I preached in y^e morning; & in y^e afternoon was intreated to preach at Yarmouth, where M^r Meare & captayne Borley entertained vs very kyndly, & earnestly desyred to bee certified of o^r safe arrivall in new England, & of y^e state of y^e countrey

Monday morning blew a fayre wind fro? East S: E: And y^e lions whelpe having taken in all her provisio? for passengers, about 3 of y^e clocke in y^e afternoone wee hoysed sayle for y^e Needles, & by Gods guidance safely passed y^t narrow passage a little after 4 a clocke in y^e afternoone. And being entred into y^e sea, fro? y^e top of y^e mast we discerned 4 sayle of shipps lying southward fro? vs. But night coming on wee tooke in o^r long boate & shalope. And y^e next day we had a fayre gale of Easterly wind y^t brought vs towards night as farre as y^e Lizzard.

Wednesday y^e wind still houlding Easterly, wee came as farre as y^e lands end, in y^e vtmost part of Cornewall, & so left o^r deare natiue soile of England behind vs; & sayling about 10 leagues further we passed y^e Isles of Sillie & launched y^e same day a great way into y^e maine ocean. And now my wiffe & other passengers began to feele y^e tossing waues of y^e westerne sea, & so were very sea-sicke.

And this is to be noted, y^t all this while o^r passage hath bene vpo? y^e coast of England, & so ought truly to be accounted y^e first day of o^r parting w^ ould England.

Thursday y^e same Easterly wind blew all day & night; & y^e next day; so y^t so?e of y^e seamen thought we were co?e by this tyme 100 leagues fro? England, but toward night y^e wind was calme.

Saturday we were becalmed all day. This day met vs a little shipp of Bristoll y^t came fro? Christopher Ilands.

Sabath being y^e first Lords day we held at sea was very calme, especially in the morning, but we were disturbed in o^r morning Service by y^e approach of a Biskaniers shippe, a man of warre, y^t made towards vs, & manned out his boate to viewe vs: But fynding vs too strong for him he durst not venture to assault vs, but made off.

This day my 2 children Samuel & Mary began to be sicke of y^e small-pockes & purples together, w^ was brought into y^e ship by one M^r Browne w^ was sicke of y^e same at Graues End, who? it pleased God to make y^e first occasio? of bringing y^t contagious sicknes among vs, wherew^ many were after afflicted.

Monday calme still, y^e wind being no: w: blowing a little towards euening, but contrary to o^r course.

Tewsday wind so: w: as little helpfull as y^e former & blowing uery weake. This day y^e m^r of o^r ship, my selfe & another went aboard the Lions whelpe, where M^r Gibs made vs welco?e w^ bountifull entertayne^. And this day towards night my daughter grew sicker & many blew Spots were seene vpo? her breast, w^ affrighted vs. At y^e first wee thought y^y had bene y^e plague tokens; but we found afterwards y^t it was onely an high measure of y^e infectio? of y^e pockes, w^ were strucke agayne into y^e child, & so it was Gods will y^e child dyed about 5 of y^e clocke at night, being y^e first in o^r shipp y^t was buried in the bowells of y^e great Atlanticke Sea; w^ as it was a griefe to vs her parents, & a sorrow to all y^e rest as being y^e beginning of a contagious disease & mortality: so in y^e same judge^ it pleased God to remember mercy in y^e child, in freeing it fro? a world of misery wherein otherwise shee had liued all her daies. For being about 4 yeares ould a yeare since, wee know not by what meanes, sweyed in y^e backe, so y^t it was broken & grew crooked, & y^e joynts of her hipps were loosed & her knees went crooked pittifull to see. Since w^ tyme shee hath had a most lamentable payne in her belly, & would oft times cry out in y^e day & in her sleep also my belly, w^ declared so?e extraordinary distemper. So y^t in respect of her wee had cause to take her death as a blessing fro? y^e Lord to shorten her miserie.

Wednesday a wett morning, y^e wind was W: S: W: & in y^e afternoone N: W: & by W: both being contrary to o^r course, w^ was to saile W: & by S: Thus it pleased god to lay his hand vpo? vs by sicknes & death & contrary winds; & stirred vp so?e of vs to make y^e moto?n of humbling o^r selves vnder y^e hand of God by keeping a solemne day of fasting & prayer unto God, to beseech him to remooue y^e continuance & further increase of these evills fro? vs. w^ was willingly condescended vnto as a duty very fitting & needfull for o^r present state and condic?o?n.

Thursday, there being 2 ministers in y^e ship, M^r Smith & my selfe, we endevoured together w^ others to consecrate y^e day as a solemne fasting & humiliac?o?n to almighty God, as a furtheraunce of o^r present worke. And it pleased God y^e ship was becalmed all day, so y^t we were freed fro? any encumbraunce: And as soone as we had done prayers, see & behould y^e goodnes of god, about 7 a clocke at night y^e wind turned to n: e: & we had a fayre gale y^t night as a manifest evidence of y^e Lords hearing o^r prayers. I heard so?e of y^e mariners say, y^y thought this was y^e first sea-fast y^t euer was kept, & y^t y^y neuer heard of y^e like perfourmed at sea before.

Fryday y^e wind fayre, & east northerly, & for o^r purpose for new England. it did blow strongly & carried vs on amayne w^ tossing waues, w^ did affright y^m y^t were not wonted to such sights.

Saturday y^e same wind blowing but more gently. Now we were co?forted w^ hope of my sonne Samuels recovery of y^e pockes.

The 2 Lords day, a fayre day, an orderly wind & prosperous.

On Monday a fayre frummegale, y^e wind South S: W:

Tewsday about 10 of y^e clocke in y^e morning, whilest we were at prayers a strong and sudden blast came fro? y^e north, y^t hoysed vp y^e waues & tossed vs more then euer before & held vs all y^t day till towards night & then abated by little & little till it was calme. This day M^r Goffes great dogg fell ouer board & could not be recouered.

Wednesday, y^e wind still no: & calme in y^e morning, but about noone there arose a So: wind, w^ encreased more & more, so y^t it seemed to vs y^t are land men a sore & terrible storme; for y^e wind blew mightily, y^e rayne fell vehemently, y^e sea roared & y^e waues tossed vs horribly; besides it was fearfull darke & y^e mariners maid was afraid; & noyse on the other side w^ their running here & there, lowd crying one to another to pull at this & y^t rope. The waues powred y^mselues ouer y^e shippe y^t y^e 2 boates were filled w^ water, y^t y^y were fayne to strike holes in y^e midst of y^m to let y^e water out. Yea by y^e violence of y^e waues y^e long boate coard w^ held it was broken, & it had like to haue bene washed ouerboard, had not y^e mariners w^ much payne & daunger recouered y^e same. But this lasted not many houres; after which it became a calmish day. All w^ while I lay close & warme in my cabine, but farre fro? hauing list to sleepe w^ Jonah; my thoughts were otherwise employed as y^e tyme & place required. Then I saw y^e truth of y^e Scripture Psal. 107, fro? y^e 23 to y^e 32. And my feare at this tyme was ye lesse, when I rememberd what a loving friend of myne, a minister accustomed to sea stormes said to mee y^t I might not be dismayed at such stormes, for y^y were ordinary at seas, & it seeldome falls out y^t a shipp perisheth at storms if it haue sea-roome, w^ I y^e rather wryte y^t others as well as my selfe by y^e knowledge hereof may be encouraged & prepared ag^t these ordinary sea-stormes.

Thursday So: wind: calme at night: On fryday a boistrous wind blowing crosse, but was allayed towards night w^ a showre of rayne. Saturday So: w: wind, but faire & quiett.

Sabbath day being y^e 3 Lords day, fayre & calme; wee saw abundance of grampas fishes, 2 or 3 yards long, & a body as bigg as an oxe.

Monday y^e wind westerly & calme: but besides o^r being stayed by contrary winds we began to fynd y^e temperature of y^e ayre to alter & to become more soletry & subject to vnwholsome foggs. For com?ing now to y^e height of y^e westerne Islands, so?e of o^r men fell sicke of y^e scuruie & others of the small pockes, w^ more & more increased: yet thankes be to God none dyed of it but my owne child menc?o?n?d. And therefore, according to o^r great need we appointed another fast for the next day.

Tewsday we solemnely celebrate another fast. The Lord y^t day heard vs before wee prayed & gaue vs aunswere before we called; for early in y^e morning y^e wind turned full East, being as fitt a wind as could blowe. And sitting at my study on y^e shipps poope I saw many bonny fishes & porpuses pursuing one another, and leaping so?e of y^m a yard aboue y^e water. Also as we were at prayer, vnder y^e hatch, so?e y^t were aboue saw a whale puffing vp water not farre fro? y^e shippe. Now my wiffe was prettily well recouered of her sea sicknesse.

Wednesday a fayre day & fyne gale of full East wind. This day my selfe & others saw a large round fish sayling by y^e ships side about a yard in length & roundnes euery way. The mariners cald it a sunne fish; it spreadeth out y^e finnes like beames on euery side 4, or 5.

Saturday wind direct E: still. The 4 Sabb: we kept at sea the wind full full Easterly till noone, & then it came full So: E: a strong gale y^t night & y^e next day till night.

Tewsday y^e same wind held till 9 a clock in y^e morning: & then a great showre w^ lasted till about 7 at night, & then it was a very calme. There we sounded w^ a dipled lyne aboue 100^ fadome & found no bottome. This day we saw a fish called a turkle, a great & large shell fish swiming aboue y^e water neere y^e shippe.

Wednesday wind northerly a fyne gale but calmish in y^e afternoone.

Thursday y^e wind at no: an easye gale & fayre morning we saw a mountayne of Ice shyning as white as snow like to a great rocke or clift on y^e shoare. it stood still & therefore we thought it to be on ground & to reach y^e bottome of y^e sea. For though there came a mighty streame fro? y^e no: yet it mooued not, w^ made vs sound, & we found a banke of 40 fathom deepe whereupo? we judged it to rest: & y^e height aboue was as much. Wee also saw 6 or 7 pieces of Ice, floating on y^e sea, w^ was broken off fro? y^e former mountayne, we also saw great store of water fowle swim?ing by y^e shipp w^in musket shott, of a pyde colour & about y^e bignes of a wild ducke, about 40 in a co?pany, the mariners call y^m hag birds. Toward night came a fogge, y^t y^e lions whelp was lost till morning. And now we saw many bony toes porpuses and grampases every day more & more.

Fryday foggie & calmish, y^e wind northerly in y^e morning, but about noone it came S: E: a dainty loome gale w^ carried vs 6 leagues a watch.

Saturday y^e same wind till night, & we saw great store of porpuses & grampases.

The 5^ Sabbath, y^e same wind, towards noone it began to be foggie, & then it rained till night we went 4 or 5 leagues a watch.

Monday a fayre day but foggie, y^e same wind blowing but w^ fresh gale carryed vs 7 leagues a watch. In y^e afternoone it blew harder, so y^e sea was rough, & we lost y^e sight of y^e lions whelpe: it being foggie we drum?ed for y^m & y^y shot off a great piece of ordinance but we feared not one another.

Tewsday wind So: & by E: foggie till about 10 a clocke while we were at prayers it cleared vp about an houre, & then we saw y^e lions whelpe distant about 2 leagues southward. wee presently tackt about to meet her & shee did y^e same to meete vs, but before we could get together a thick fogge came, y^t we were long in fynding each other. This day we sounded divers tymes, & found o^rselves on another banke, at first 40 fathom, after 36. after 33. after 24. wee thought it to haue bene y^e banke ouer ag^t chap Sable, but we were deceiued, for we knew not certainly where we were because of y^e fogge. After 3 or 4 houres co?pany we lost y^e lions whelpe agayne: & beate o^r drume & shot off a great piece of ordinaunce & yet heard not of y^m. But perceiuing y^e banke to grow still y^t shallower we found it 27 & 24 fathoms. Therefore being a fogg & fearing wee were too neere land we tackt about for sea roome for 2 or 3 watches, & steered Southeast.

Wednesday very foggie still & wind S: and by w: & sounding found no bottome y^t we could reach.

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