In other words, the Pilgrims-men, women, and little oneswere to be bond-servants to the company for seven years; in all that time, no man of them was to labor, spend, or save for himself or for his wife and children; and, at the end, he was to receive for his seven years of labor and hardship in the wilderness, and of peril by sea and land, just the same share of the total product with the man who had contributed ten pounds, and lived quietly all the while in London. was a hard bargain, but they submitted to the harsh conditions, because there was no other way in which they could pursue their heroic enterprise.

It

before the seven years be expired, their executors to have their part or share at the division, proportionately to the time of their life in the colony."

In drawing up the Articles of Agreement, the Pilgrims stipulated that the houses and the land under cultivation-especially gardens and home lotsshould be, at the end of the seven years' partnership, the property of the planters; and also that every man-especially such as had families-should be at liberty, two days in a week, to work for himself. These were the two stipulations which the merchants, against the protest of the Pilgrims, insisted on striking out of the contract.

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CHAPTER XIV.

FROM LEYDEN TO SOUTHAMPTON.-ROBINSON'S PASTORAL letTER. -THE PILGRIMS THE REFORMERS OF SEPARATISM.

HARDLY less than three years had passed since the resolution was taken at Leyden to attempt the founding of a colony, and the first expedition was not yet ready. It ought to have been set forth early in the summer, so that there should be time after its arrival to make preparation for the winter. But so many were the hinderances to be overcome by the agents in England, that the longest day of summer (June 11 21, 1620) had come, when Cushman wrote from London, "I hope we shall get all here ready in fourteen days." He and Weston had resolved to hire a ship, and had obtained the refusal of one for a day or two-not so large as would be desirable, only about a hundred and eighty tons; "for a greater one," said he, we can not get, except it be too great; but a fine ship it is." It was the MAYFLOWER. At the same time a much smaller vessel-the Speedwell, of sixty tons—was purchased and fitted in Holland. She was to accompany the Mayflower as a transport, and was then to remain in the service of the colony as a fishing and coasting vessel. She was first to be employed in conveying the Leyden part of the expedition to Southampton, in England, the port whence they were to sail for America. Once more the pioneer Pilgrims were to see the green fields of their native land.

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When all other preparations had been completed, the church again devoted a day to humiliation and united prayer (July 11-21), the crowning preparation. Their pastor "spent a good part of the day very profitably and suitably to their present occasion," preaching-or, rather, teaching-from an

apposite and ever-remembered text: "And there at the river by Ahava, I proclaimed a fast, that we might humble ourselves before our God, and seek of him a right way for us, and for our children, and for all our substance."1 Prayers were offered "with great fervency, mixed with abundance of tears." The fasting was followed by a frugal feast; "they that stayed at Leyden," says one who was there, "feasted us that were to go at our pastor's house (being large), where we refreshed ourselves, after our tears, with singing of psalms, making joyful melody in our hearts as well as with the voice (there being many of the congregation very expert in music), and indeed it was the sweetest melody that ever mine ears heard." It was fit that the evening hours, after that day of prayer and tears, be cheered with sacred song.

The day had come when they must depart. But those who were to embark were accompanied by most of their brethren, about fourteen miles, to Delft-Haven, where the Speedwell lay ready to receive them. "So," floating in Dutch canal-boats, "they left the goodly and pleasant city which had been their resting-place near twelve years." As the huge pile of the Peter's-church lessened in the distance and sank below the horizon, they could not but feel how dear Leyden was to them; "but they knew they were pilgrims, and looked not much on these things." Other friends, who could not accompany them, followed at a later hour, and even from Amsterdam some came to see their embarkation and to say farewell. "That night was spent with little sleep by the most, but with friendly entertainment and Christian discourse, and other real expressions of Christian love," for "there," says Winslow," they feasted us again." Those men were neither sour nor grim; they could fast or feast as occasion might require; and on that occasion the joy of hope, and of a grand endeavor auspiciously begun, was mingled with the tender sadness of their parting.

1 Ezra viii., 21-Geneva Version.