1620. tans in Holland. Meanwhile, the Puritans, discouraged at the various dif- CHAP. IV. ficulties which had embarrassed their negotiations in England, had been entertaining serious thoughts of emigra- Condition ting to America under the auspices of the United Provinces, of the PuriTheir Holland hosts had treated them, from the first, with constant kindness. Although it was low with many of them, yet their word would be taken among the Dutch when they wanted money, because they had found by experience how careful they were to keep their word, and saw them so painful and diligent in their callings, that they strove to get their custom and to employ them above others in their work, for their honesty and diligence." Nor did the state become "weary of them," or think of driving them out. It was "their own free choice and motion" which led them to seek a new home; and when the magistrates of Leyden heard of their purpose, they bore spontaneous testimony to the good conduct of their guests. "These English," said they, "have lived among us now this twelve years, and yet we never had any suit or accusation come against any of them."* pose to go Nether It is not surprising that the Puritans, thus treated with Their purgood-will, toleration, and hospitality in the Fatherland, to New should have purposed to emigrate to New Netherland, if land. they could obtain sufficient encouragement from the Dutch government. Barneveldt was now dead, and one great obstacle in the way of the formation of a general Dutch West India Company was removed. But various questions of detail embarrassed the States General, and protracted the settlement of the question. The Amsterdam Trading Company, whose special charter had expired two years before, in the mean time continued to send their ships thither, and other merchants had begun to participate in the trade. Colonization, however, had been postponed, until the proposed powerful monopoly should be able to * Bradford, 38, 39; Morton's Memorial, 21. Mr. George Sumner, in Mass. Hist. Coll., xxix., 42-62, labors to prove-what was clearly the case-that the condition of the Puritans at Leyden "was one of poverty and obscurity." But his attempt to exhibit the Dutch as wanting in hospitality and good-will, is not sustained by evidence, and is contradictory to the testimony of the Puritans themselves. See ante, p. 115, note. CHAP. IV. undertake it with success. In this conjuncture, Robinson began to sound the Amsterdam merchants respecting the 1620. immediate formation of a colony on the North River. Betans pro- ing "well versed in the Dutch language," he represented igrate eth to them that he was himself favorably inclined to go and The Puri New erland. to The Am settle in New Netherland, and that over four hundred families would go with him, not only from Leyden, but also from England, provided they could be assured that the government of the United Provinces would protect and defend them there from the assaults of other powers. They desired to go to New Netherland, said Robinson, "to plant there the true and pure Christian religion, to convert the savages of those countries to the true knowledge and understanding of the Christian faith, and, through the grace of the Lord, and to the glory of the Netherlands government, to colonize and establish a new empire there, under the order and command" of the Prince of Orange, and the High Mighty Lords States General.* The Amsterdam Company gladly listened to these overtures. They saw at once that so many families going in sterdam a body to New Netherland could hardly fail to form a merchants, successful colony; and, accordingly, they made "large to the Puri- offers" to the Puritans, promising to transport them free tans. offers of cost to the North River, and to furnish every family with cattle. The political part of the question, however, the Dutch merchants could not decide. They were ready to expend their capital in conveying the emigrants to New Netherland, and in supplying them with necessaries; but they had no authority to promise that the Dutch government would afford to the colonists that special protection, after their arrival there, which Robinson required for his followers as an indispensable condition. They, therefore, determined to apply directly to the general government at the Hague. The Prince of Orange was now at the zenith of his * Holland Documents, i., 95; N. Y. Senate Documents, 1845, No. 111, pages 15, 16; Address before N. Y. H. S., 1844, Appendix, p. 54; O'Call., i., 84. + Bradford, in Young, 42; Winslow, 385. power. To him, as stadtholder, the Amsterdam mer- Chap. IV. chants accordingly presented a memorial, setting forth 1620. 12 Feb. to the ernment. their first discovery of, and continuous trade to, New Netherland, "situated between New France and Virginia, Application in the latitude of from forty to forty-five degrees," and de- Dutch govtailing the overtures which the "English preacher at Leyden" had made to them to colonize that country with his Puritan followers, "provided that, by the authority and under the protection of your Princely Excellency and the High Mighty Lords States General, they may be defended and preserved there from the attacks of other powers." The memorialists expressed their apprehension that the King of Great Britain would colonize New Netherland with English subjects, and "with violence render fruitless the discoveries and possession" of the Dutch in that country, and probably surprise their ships then trading there. They, therefore, prayed that "the aforementioned preacher and four hundred families may be taken under the protection of the United Provinces, and that two ships of war may be sent to secure, provisionally, the said lands to this government, since such lands may be of great importance whenever the West India Company shall be organized."* the States The stadtholder expressed no opinion upon this memo- Views of rial; he merely referred it to the States General. But General. the Twelve Years' truce with Spain had now nearly expired; and the statesmen of the Netherlands were meditating too large and ambitious designs to allow them to listen with favor to the petition of the Amsterdam Company. They had now in view the establishment of a grand commercial monopoly, whose concentrated capital and energy should not only direct the colonization of the Dutch discoveries in America, but should also assist the states in crushing the power of their hereditary enemy. To that company, when it should be organized, would properly belong the consideration of all the details con * Holland Documents, i., 95-99. The early New England chroniclers do not mention this application to the Dutch government, and its fate, though they speak of the "large offers" which were made to the Puritans in Holland. 1620. Views of General. CHAP. IV. nected with emigration. Besides, the memorial which placed Robinson's views before the States General, brought officially to their knowledge-what, indeed, by the States this time, had perhaps become notorious-that James was disposed to colonize the northern regions of America with English subjects; it also positively alleged, that he intended to dispossess the Dutch of their foothold in New Netherland. If such were really the king's intention, it would be folly for the States General to assist his design by aiding in the transportation thither of emigrants, whose liege services might soon be demanded by royal proclamation. The limits of New Netherland, as at first defined by the States General, extended from the fortieth to the forty-fifth parallel of latitude, from Virginia to Canada. There were unoccupied lands enough in Virginia, south of the fortieth degree, where the Puritans might settle themselves in peace and good neighborhood, between Jamestown and Manhattan, and thus preserve without inconvenience their national identity. But for them to occupy, under the express authority and with the formal protection of the Dutch government, any portion of New Netherland, might give rise to embarrassing international questions. And when that region should be colonized, it would be better that Dutch subjects, of undoubted loyalty, should themselves first plant there the laws and the venerated customs of the Fatherland. The application for tans refused. 26 Feb. Such were probably some of the arguments which the Puri- weighed with the States General in their consideration of the memorial of the 12th of February, 1620. The sub10 March. ject was several times before them during the two following months; and, finally, after repeated deliberations and consultations with the Board of Admiralty and the stadt11 April. holder, they resolved peremptorily to reject the prayer of the memorialists.* 10 April. Thus the hopes of the Puritans were again disappointed. New nego- Refused the solicited assistance of their government, the England. Amsterdam merchants, who had made the "large offers," tiations in *Hol. Doc., i., 94, 100-103. 1620. were not in a position to carry out by themselves the CHAP. IV. conditions demanded by Robinson, the zeal of whose followers to leave their home at Leyden was by this time quickened by a growing feeling of apprehension. Throughout Holland there was now "nothing but beating of drums and preparing for war." Fearful that "the Spaniard might prove as cruel as the savages of America," the Puritans once more turned their thoughts to England. About this time, they were informed, "by Mr. Weston and others," that James had determined to grant a large patent "for the more northerly parts of America, distinct from the Virginia patent, and wholly excluded from their government, and to be called by another name, to wit, New England." The proposed patent, however, was still in its preliminary stages; but Weston and his associates in London urged the Puritans to go to New England, in hope of "present profit to be made by fishing on that coast." Embarrassments still hindered. Some of the London capitalists were vexed that they "went not to Guiana;" others would do nothing "unless they went to Virginia ;" while many, "who were most relied on, refused to adventure if they went thither." In the midst of these difficulties, "they of Leyden were driven to great straits;" and the New England patent "not being fully settled," they determined "to adventure with that patent they had" from the Virginia Company.‡ 1 tans leave But the means provided by their London friends were The Purinot sufficient to convey them all at once. The congrega- Leyden. tion was, therefore, divided into two parts. The greater number and the least robust were to remain at Leyden with Robinson; the younger and abler-bodied were to emigrate, as pioneers, under Brewster. After a solemn fast and a stirring discourse from Robinson, the selected emigrants were accompanied to Delft-Haven, two miles 21 July. * Bradford, in Young, 51. + Hubbard, in Young, 80. The royal warrant to the solicitor general is dated 23d July, 1620; the patent itself did not pass the great seal until 3d November, 1620.-Lond. Doc., i., 8; N. Y. Col. MSS., iii., 4; Mass. Hist. Coll., xxvi., 64; Hazard, i., 99, 103. Hubbard, in Young, 81. |