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THE PURITANS 
 
 DEDICATED TO THE INDIANA SOCIETY OF 
 MAYFLOWER DESCENDENTS 
 
Copyrighted t9i7 by 
 
 THE BUTLER PRINTING HOUSE 
 
 NOBLESVILLE, INDIANA 
 
 0£C 17 1917 
 
 ©CI.A47 9 697 
 
 7'U . / . 
 

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THE PURITANS 
 
 AN HISTORICAL POEM OF 
 
 America and the Birth of Freedom 
 
 WITH NOTES 
 BY 
 
 P. DeLEON |:A4.4J 
 
 
 BUTLER PRINTING HOUSE 
 NOBLESVILLE, INDIANA 
 
^-t-^ 
 
 ■^^v 
 
 DEC ! 7 1917 
 
THE PURITANS 
 
 An Historical Poem of 
 
 AMERICA AND THE BIRTH OF FREEDOM 
 
 OUR PILGRIM FATHERS 
 
 1 — The Puritan Pilgrims! what a name to conjure with, 
 men of Earth! 
 Three hundred years ago they came and gave to Free- 
 dom that new birth 
 
 Which makes Autocracy unbend before a Sovereign 
 
 people's will 
 In Church and State — but hark ye! how our God his 
 
 wonders did fulfill: 
 
 6— From England into Holland fled, with grievance 
 naught against their king — 
 To worship as their conscience led chose they a home- 
 less wandering. 
 
 They, weak in numbers and in wealth, save in the 
 
 wealth to dare and bear — 
 Low-born but loyal Englishmen, who liked not Holland's 
 
 tongue and gare. 
 7 
 
TH¥. PURITANS 
 
 Each longed in deed of sterling worth, to show allegi-' 
 ance to his king — 
 10 — Not in mere gold or founts of youth like Spanish 
 venture sought to bring, 
 
 But in sweet homes across the Deep, to make his king- 
 dom track the sun — 
 
 In more of lasting worthiness than brutal conquest 
 ever won. 
 
 Across old Plymouth's bar they saiUd, led on by Free- 
 dom, all aflame, 
 Like pillar' d fire in Egypt's land whence God of Hosts 
 with bondsmen came. 
 
 15 — And in a wilderness of sea, uncharted and unknown to 
 man. 
 Sought they Virginia's northern bounds, which then 
 was where the Hudson ran. 
 
 But glad they were, in those fierce gales, to land on 
 
 any friendly shore, 
 Albeit, so bleak and far away from that fair port on 
 
 which they bore, 
 
 Tho' weak in flesh, not one would land upon that 
 welcome, wave-dashed beach, 
 20 — Till solemn compact pledged they all, to God and King, 
 and each to each. 
 
 First written constitution that! — mark well the place 
 
 and mark the day 
 Where Freedom found a Hemisphere, eons prepared, 
 
 to eons stay! 
 
 8 
 
OUR PILGRIM FATHERS 
 
 But superstition later came with all of bigot* s trail 
 of woe, 
 
 Which epidemic world-wide ran, nor spared the Puri- 
 tans a blow. 
 
 25 — The witches burnt at Salem-town, and Roger Williams 
 forced to flee; 
 The Quaker persecutions, rank, and Blue-laiv multi- 
 misery, 
 
 All teach how our Forefathers were but erring flesh, the 
 
 like as ive, 
 Possessed though of the strength omd will to break 
 
 the fetters and go free. 
 
 When human beings average well, their lapses, all, 
 should be forgot — 
 30 — For Peter thrice denied the Christ, and Moses brake 
 the stones God wrought. 
 
 Perfection doth prd^laim the God we worship not from 
 
 love but fear — 
 To err reveals a tie of kin which our affections hover 
 
 7iear. 
 
 The bulwarks of Free Government, and equal rights 
 
 twixt Man and Man, 
 O'er-balance far the weaknesses, charged up against 
 the Puritan. 
 
THE PURITANS 
 
 11 
 
 OUR DEBT TO THE PURITANS 
 
 35 — They gave us Liberty of Speech, and right to publish 
 as we thought, 
 Implanting rev'rence for a God, in worship as our 
 conscience taught. 
 
 As childhood shapes the life of Man, ivho late returns, 
 
 tho' far may stray 
 From living principles instilVd — so Nations in like 
 
 orbits play. 
 
 Most favor' d this our Nation was, and ive who in her 
 precincts divell, 
 J^O — That Freedom sang her cradle-song and taught her lips 
 a God to spell. 
 
 As like a comet, she may roam, and seem intent to 
 
 loose her way — 
 The laws that bind will bring her home, where she was 
 safe, initially. 
 
 The sons and daughters of our wars, who fan the patri- 
 otic flame. 
 Inspired are with noble zeal, and we their honor loud 
 proclaim. 
 
 J^5 — Descendants of the Puritans, who first set foot on Ply- 
 mouth Rock! 
 The honor, and chief burden, yours, that Doors of 
 Freedom still unlock! 
 
 . 10 
 
EVIDENCE OF DIVINE GUIDANCE 
 
 in 
 
 EVIDENCE OF DIVINE GUIDANCE 
 
 Three years before the Pilgrim feet gave Plymouth 
 
 Rock enduring fame 
 The neighbors of Mas-sas-so-it were much cmcerned 
 
 by star-like flame 
 
 Which swept its lurid tail across, in ill-foreboding 
 path, the sky 
 50 — From East to West along that course which Stars of 
 Empire travel by. 
 
 In fright Patuxit Indians cried — who owned the land 
 
 where soon would be 
 A Nation born to set the World, in civics and religion, 
 
 free — 
 
 In fright at recent prophet-words, which they had 
 
 scoff'd till lurid loom 
 Of omen through a comet high, foretold the coming of 
 
 their doom. 
 
 55 — "Though like the sands" a Seer had said, ''in numbers 
 now, your tribe may boast. 
 For wickedness you are condemned to quickly vanish 
 from this coast!'' 
 
 As whirl-wind drops its funnel-end and picks out 
 
 victims from the sky — 
 So came a plague which swept that tribe as flies before 
 
 a Winter die. 
 
 it 
 
1. 
 
 THE PURITANS 
 
 Passed thus Patuxit title-claim, ere Puritans assert 
 their will 
 60 — On corn-land cleared and ready by the hand of God, 
 for them to till. 
 
 Yet, some there were who grumbled loud because they 
 
 missed a warmer clime, 
 With shores less bleak and better soil, where bare 
 
 existence took less time. 
 
 But we, in retrospect can see, with fuller knowledge as 
 
 our guide. 
 How Providence took them in hand and journeyed 
 with them., side by side. 
 
 65 — He guided them to that one spot where Indian rights 
 no challenge gave. 
 And spared them all uncertainty of purchase or of 
 conquest grave. 
 
 Their sandy loam and easy soil — so needful where no 
 
 beasts were owned — 
 Good Fortune found there on that coast, — else more 
 
 in labor they had groaned. 
 
 By game in season princely fed — by fish the finest in 
 the Sea — 
 70 — And friendship ofMas-sas-so-it, — could I sar el more in 
 favor be? 
 
 12 
 
THEIR SPECIAL PREPARATION 
 
 IV 
 THEIR SPECIAL PREPARATION 
 
 The hand of God is further shown in binding them for 
 
 His great plot, 
 Not by the ties of wealth or blood, but by ideals for 
 
 which they wrought. 
 
 In common faith they all were bound, of high estate or 
 
 low degree — 
 When 'cross the German Ocean fled they into Holland 
 
 to be free, 
 
 75~With rustic Scrooby fades away the joy of farm and 
 rural life, 
 And Leyden makes them artisans at loom and press, 
 in Labor's strife. 
 
 And there, sequestered from the V/orld by habit, thought 
 
 and language, strange — 
 Did Providence inscrutable, the desfny of this Earth 
 
 arrange! 
 
 Ten years of common labor meant, all autocratic 
 seeds were dead, 
 SO— And Liberty's majestic tree was raised on equal 
 rights, instead. 
 
 The People there came to their own, for Ages sought, 
 
 which Man did pray — 
 And from that spark a flame was blown, which circles 
 
 'round the World today. 
 J3 
 
THE PURITANS 
 
 Without probation such as that, to colonize would all 
 
 been vain. 
 When liberty means license, oft, to those whom Time 
 
 alone can train. 
 
 85 — Not forty years, but ten, were they as Israel in the 
 Wilderness — 
 *'For Glory of our God and King'', as oft their records 
 do confess. 
 
 Came pestilence and famine, both, in one short year at 
 
 Plymouth Bay, 
 Which put to proof their trust in God, and swept their 
 
 numbers half away. 
 
 Their leader to our Promised Land, like Moses — saw 
 but not enjoyed — 
 90 — They laid him 'neath the barley field, which stealth 
 and strategy employed 
 
 To hide depleted numbers from the Indian bands which 
 
 skulked and pried 
 Till Squanto's friend brought him to them, and he 
 
 became their friend and guide. 
 
 14 
 
SQUANTO MIRACUOUSLY SAVED 
 
 SQUANTO MIRACUOUSLY SAVED AND 
 SENT TO THEM 
 
 He told ' them how a plague had swept the brave 
 
 Patuxits from the land — 
 And taught them how to plant the corn — a fish to Jer- 
 
 tilize each stand, 
 
 95 — He brought Mas-sas-so-it to them, and other Chief- 
 tains f near and far — 
 Who kept the peace for fifty years, till breaking out of 
 Phillip's War. 
 
 He showed them where to cast for fish, the cod and 
 
 millet — bass, beside; 
 He proudly counted them as friends, and never left 
 
 them till he died. 
 
 This S quanta was near Plymouth born, but spared the 
 plague and tribal fate 
 100 — By special Providence of God, in circumstance strange 
 to relate: 
 
 15 
 
1. 
 
 THE PURITANS 
 
 Kidnapped by white man ere the plague, — intent to 
 
 sell him into Spain, 
 Was rescued, he, hy British' ship, and years in England 
 
 did remain. 
 
 With knowledge got of Eyiglish ways, and mind im- 
 proved — as British boast — 
 
 Good Squanto when the chance occurred, was landed 
 on his native coast 
 
 105 — In time to help the Puritans, without whose aid they 
 all had died: 
 Let those who study miracles not turn this modern one 
 aside. 
 
 t6 
 
ORIGIN OF OUR THANKSGIVING DAY 
 
 VI 
 
 THE ORIGIN OF OUR THANKSGIVING DAY 
 
 The setting of our Day of Thanks, vjhich Presidents 
 
 do yet proclaim, 
 Was founded on a miracle which Pilgrims saved ere 
 
 famine came. 
 
 Their genWous natures over-taxed ivith feeding Weston's 
 hungry men 
 110 — Till hope of life next winter through must on that 
 summer's corn depend. 
 
 So labored they from morn till night — whole families 
 
 with good heart and will. 
 And planted as the Indians taught — a fish well 
 
 cover'd in each hill. 
 
 With season's start, as they could wish, the corn was 
 
 standing fair and green. 
 But sun of summer laid it lovj, by drought as like no 
 
 man had seen: 
 
 115 — As Bradford wrote, it ''languished sore" and some was 
 ''parched like withered hay" — 
 In humble prayer and great distress, they set apart 
 a solemn day. 
 
 It pleased the Lord to hear their prayer, and gracious 
 
 speedy answer make; 
 Hot was the morn and afternoon — no sign of rain the 
 
 sky to break 
 
 17 
 
THE PURITANS 
 
 Yet, evening clouds came on apace, and shortly after 
 that, a rain — 
 120 — Siich sweet and gentle showers as made them rejoice in 
 glad refrain. 
 
 Its great abundance soaked the Earth, without a wind 
 
 or violence 
 Which made the Indians marvel much, as did all others, 
 
 then and since. 
 
 And afterwards, the season through, came showers 
 
 right and weather rare 
 Which so built up the corn and fruits that harvest 
 
 time was full and fair. 
 
 125 — Such comfort and rejoicing caused a day of thanks to 
 be proclaimed 
 Which each year since — three hundred times — by 
 proclamation has been named. 
 
 And as each year's Thanksgiving Day increasing 
 
 mercy does reveal 
 Decendants of the Puritans a special choice and charge 
 
 should feel 
 
 Of greatest weight on them imposed by reason of their 
 blood descent 
 130 — To fight for that Democracy which God in trust their 
 Sires lent. 
 
 18 
 
DEBTS OF THE PURITANS 
 
 VII 
 
 THE DEBTS OF THE PURITANS. 
 
 The Puritans were hound in debt for transportation 
 
 and support 
 To 'Venturers whom Cushman coax'd Dame Fortunes, 
 
 fickle hand to court. 
 
 Half of their increase first vms pledged, of buildings, 
 
 land, and goods, as well. 
 Conditioned on such further aid as their distresses might 
 
 compel. 
 
 135 — But human-nature, then as novo, let idle pledge out- 
 strip the will 
 And London merchants promised more than they were 
 ready to fulfill. 
 
 Most men who lay a dollar down expect that hand to 
 
 pick up two. 
 Or break their pledges wantonly, regardless of the harm 
 
 they do. 
 
 Before the Speedwell and its mate weighed anchor and 
 put out to Sea 
 IW — Part of the Pilgrims' food vjas sold to make up a 
 difficiency 
 
 Which owners of the vessels asked before the voyage 
 
 would begin — 
 But Christian courage falters not at any sacrifice to 
 
 win. 
 
 19 
 
THE PURITANS 
 
 The London purses tighter dosed as word of pestilence 
 
 and need 
 Came hack to make the hazzard more, and failure 
 
 hovered close, indeed. ' 
 
 11^5 — But He who notes the sparrow's fall and counts the 
 hairs upon the head; 
 Who sendeth rain upon the Earth and Elijah by the 
 ravens fed 
 
 Approved them by His miracles and led them to a 
 
 fovored spot 
 Where dusky neighbors friendly came and much their 
 
 halting strangeness taught. 
 
 20 
 
THEIR HOPE OF RELEASE FROM DEBT 
 
 VIII 
 
 THEIR HOPE OF RELEASE FROM DEBT 
 
 Thanksgiving Day commemorates the answer to a day 
 of prayer 
 150 — Which drought and famine threatening y was followed 
 by a harvest rare. 
 
 The tide of their affairs was turned toward the better 
 
 from that year, 
 And surplus traded they for furs which Europe bought 
 
 at prices dear. 
 
 Their greatest aid to Indian trade was in the wampum 
 
 money made 
 Like beads from multi-colored shells which red-men 
 
 coveted and laid 
 
 155 — Strange patterns out, in mystic lore, for pipes of peace 
 and belts of war: 
 And as their surplus slowly grew, they pushed their 
 enterprises far 
 
 Along the coast now known as Maine, and traded up 
 
 the Kennebeck 
 Where never knavish Whites had been, the Indian 
 
 confidence to wreck. 
 21 
 
fHE PURITANS 
 
 Soon many from the North came down that river in 
 the early Spring 
 160 — With otter, beaver and rich furs, to trade for much-loved 
 wampum string 
 
 And corn and peas, which shifless ways made them 
 
 impotent oft to raise — 
 As Pilgrims' wealth increasing grew, God's mercy 
 
 held them in amaze! 
 
 They visioned their release from debt to those Adven- 
 tures who gave 
 
 A grudging part of promised aid, and still withheld 
 when need was grave. 
 
 22 
 
MYLES"STANDISH SENT BACK TO ENGLAND 
 
 IX 
 
 MYLES STANDISH SENT BACK TO 
 ENGLAND 
 
 1S5 — Myles Standish, they to England sent, commissicn'd 
 to investigate 
 The fairest terms for their release, in payments and 
 low interest rate. 
 
 The outcome was a bond to pay a stated sum in yearly 
 
 parts 
 Subscribed by undertakers, eight, of solid men with 
 
 staunchest hearts; 
 
 And a monopoly of the trade by Patent Grant to them 
 was made 
 170 — With Indians on the Kennebeck, 'gainst competition's 
 threatened raid. 
 
 23 
 
1HE PURITANS 
 
 X 
 JOHN ROWLAND CHOSEN COMMANDER 
 ON THE KENNEBECK 
 
 A goodly house they built of logs, hard by where whirling 
 
 waters run, 
 And he who in the Mayflower came as servant, but 
 more apt the son 
 
 By widowed marriage of that man — the chief est servant 
 
 of them all — 
 Whose judgment in the face of death when raging 
 
 waters did apall 
 
 175 — Saved him when cast into the Sea by lurching of the 
 broken ship — 
 Was chosen fittest to command their fortunes on each 
 trading trip, 
 
 John Howland justified their choice, by profits from 
 the Kennebeck, 
 
 Which, year by year, made rapid growth, till competi- 
 tion gave it check. 
 
 For, much success was never known, but imitators 
 sought to reap 
 180 — Of harvest where they had not sown, an unearned in- 
 crement to keep. 
 
 The Gov'nor and Assistants six, with undertakers of 
 
 the debt. 
 Took counsel on their Patent Grant, how competition 
 
 should be met. 
 
 24 
 
MYLES STANDISH URGES RESISTANCE 
 
 MYLES STANDISH URGES RESISTANCE 
 TO INVADERS 
 
 Myles Standish urged them to assert, with force suf- 
 
 ficient for the fray, 
 The full intendment of their grant, and interlopers 
 
 drive away: 
 
 185 — ^'John Hoivland, a staunch man we have, an under- 
 taker of the debt; 
 Assistant to our Governor — let him a goodly number 
 get 
 
 Whose wisdom hath his confidence, nor tested valor 
 
 known to shrink, 
 Wise in discretion," Standish spake, "'who have God's 
 
 grace to act and think, 
 
 And with a Christian courage make our mandate to 
 such wayward men 
 190 — Respected ere faint-heartedness, encourage them to sin 
 again!" 
 
 So said Myles Standish, arid his words had weight 
 
 with those he counseled with 
 Who list not of the tragedy which Fate man oft encom- 
 
 passeth. 
 
 25 
 
THE PURITANS 
 
 XII 
 
 THE DREADFUL FIRST WINTER AT 
 
 PLYMOUTH 
 
 O'er crowded in the Mayflower-ship, the Pilgrims 
 
 landed weak and sore 
 By resaon of their tardy trip, and hard conditions 
 
 which they bore. 
 
 195 — These made them all susceptible to dread pneumonia's 
 quick embrac3 
 When Winter's cold and landings wet, remaining 
 vigor soon erased. 
 
 The shacks they quickly improvised let cold and water 
 
 penetrate 
 Till half a dozen scarce were left on sick and dying ones 
 
 to wait. 
 
 Whole fam'lies sivept, or mayhap one — a son or 
 daughter, young, was left, 
 WO — So, scarce in teens when parents died, was Bess of 
 Tilleys sore bereft. 
 
 She solace found in virgin rare, who, like a second 
 
 mother mixed 
 Real tears of sorrow with her own, mid smiles of 
 
 comfort oft betivixt. 
 
 Thus Desire Minter, she whose name, bespoke things 
 
 hoped that never came. 
 Let one unslfish duty more her life of sacrifice lay 
 
 claim. 
 
 26 
 
JOHN ROWLAND'S COURTSHIP 
 
 XIII 
 
 JOHN ROWLAND'S COURTSHIP OF 
 DESIRE MINTER 
 
 205 — Both maids attended on the sick, and nursed John 
 Rowland day by day 
 Till he had mended and had learned to lean upon 
 them heavily. 
 
 He thought about his lonely state, and pondered 
 
 theirs of worse degree 
 Till conscience bade him break his vow, a life-long 
 
 widower to be. 
 
 As Laban put the elder first whe n Jacob served him 
 seven years 
 210 — John Rowland's sober sense of right scorned that which 
 fancy oft endears. 
 
 Tho' Bess, like cherries turning red, near changed 
 
 temptation to desire 
 He dreamed of her paternally, — not as a lover all 
 
 afire. 
 
 And with good conscience bravely spoke, to her the 
 elder of the twain. 
 
 How God approved the marriage state which they to- 
 gether should attain. 
 
 27 
 
THE PURITANS 
 
 215 — The woman yet has not been born who could not sense 
 the lover's ring 
 In tone and actions, not in words, which oft another 
 message bring. 
 
 Desire Minter felt the lack of burning passion maidens 
 
 court 
 Which made refusal easier she at all hazzards must 
 
 report. 
 
 "You do me o're much honor, John,'' Desire replied 
 in sober strain, 
 220 — *'Tho God hath called my kindred home, I durst not 
 of His will complain. 
 
 ''Your place is high in my esteem, and I exalted am 
 
 to know 
 The great respect you hold me in, which doth uplift 
 
 my spirit so. 
 
 "But love goes not from man to maid, nor maid to 
 
 to man at beck and will. 
 And in your effort to be just, you let not your affections 
 
 fill 
 
 225 — "That place an all-wise Providence intended when 
 His children ynate — 
 Besides, my heart controls my hand, and binds me to 
 another's fate." 
 
 Her speech, as like a thunder-bolt, first dumb'd her 
 suitor with amaze 
 
 28 
 
JOHN ROWLAND'S COURTSHIP 
 
 But soon in seeming paradox, his heart was shouting 
 ''Lord he praised!" 
 
 He visioned siveet Elizabeth, in solace, while with 
 calm he spake: 
 230 — "/ knew not, you were pledged to wed, else I had not 
 presumed to make 
 
 *' Proposals in the best of faith, which lack to you 
 
 sincerely — 
 No person else has raised a voice in challenge of my 
 
 verity!" 
 
 Man-like, he tried to simulate an anger that he did not 
 
 feel; 
 He first was piqued, then forced to join, when laugh 
 
 from maiden's lips did peal: 
 
 235 — ''Pray, John, let not your dignity upset the balance 
 of your mind 
 But let your love go out to Bess who fits in temperment 
 your kind, 
 
 "That she is not distaste to you, nor you to her, I 
 
 fairly know 
 She needeth loving hands to guide, and tenderness 
 in turn will show; 
 
 "I could not marry you, good John, beacuse I have no 
 heart to give, 
 2U0 — To Moses Talbot I am pledged, so long as both of us 
 may live. 
 
 29 
 
THE PURITANS 
 
 " He is his aged mother's staff, in England where from 
 
 childhood grew 
 We up together and have loved, since each about the 
 
 other knew. 
 
 " He is adherent to our faith, which grieveth Mistress 
 
 Talbot sore — 
 She laycth all the blame on me, and I shall see him — 
 
 never more!'* 
 
 21^5 — No further speech the maiden gave, but sobbed as 
 tears of meynory flowed, 
 While Howland, wrapped in retrospect, forgot her 
 presence as he stood. 
 
 30 
 
JOHN ROWLAND'S VISION 
 
 XW 
 JOHN ROWLAND'S DOUBLE VISION. 
 
 Bachcard in thought, their history scanned, — their 
 
 seeming desolation here — 
 The odium upon them heaped, since days of youth mid 
 
 England's cheer 
 
 Dissenters they, whom Defoe charged king James — too 
 leniently inclined 
 250 — Toward human greed ivhich takes an ell — hred 
 regicides of CromiuelUs kind, 
 
 And nurtured on New England shore a colony of 
 
 malcontents 
 Refusing Mother Country's tax while asking much in 
 
 their defense. 
 
 Such as Defoe, through narrovj eyes, saw England's 
 
 church man's greatest boon — 
 But not the eaglet in the West to'ard human liberty 
 
 had flown. 
 
 255 — Hail! Hail! The Mayflower, Carlyle writes, poor, 
 common-looking, hired ship; 
 Yet what ship ''Argo" built by gods can match the 
 marvel of her trip? 
 3f 
 
THE PURITANS 
 
 She had the great Promethean spark — the life-spark 
 
 giving, timely birth 
 To transatlantic Saxon men — in greatest nation of 
 
 our earth! 
 
 The Golden fleece our Pilgrims sought was freedom 
 from Established church — 
 260— Sought they, like Saul, a little thing and found a great 
 one in their search. 
 
 They had the fire of heaven sent in power which they 
 
 dreamed not of: 
 Let all men honor Puritans, since God first honored 
 
 them above. 
 
 Defoe — Carlyle — each later born than those events 
 
 they differ on — 
 John Rowland vizualized both sides, in that brief 
 
 7noment near their dawn. 
 
 32 
 
THE HAND OF FATE 
 
 XV 
 
 THE HAND OF FATE 
 
 265 — From Hovdand and his child-wife, young, a numerous 
 progeny descend — 
 They christened their first-born, Dcoire, in honor of its 
 mother's friend 
 
 Who, health fast foiling, year by year, good Doctor 
 
 Fuller WMde it clear 
 Must back to England soon return, ivhere winter's 
 
 chill VMS less severe. 
 
 As Fate ivould have it, when she sailed, she passed her 
 lover on the way, 
 270 — Whose mother, dying, left him free to seek her in 
 America. 
 
 By Hoidands he was well received, in more of love 
 
 than mere respect. 
 And with the expedition went to right the wrongs at 
 
 Kennebeck, 
 
 33 
 
THE PURITANS 
 A'V7 . 
 
 THE HOCKING AFFAIR. 
 
 John Howlaud ?/.' their largest barque, which midships 
 
 had bee)i spliced to tiro. 
 With Alden second in command, sailed out of Plymouth 
 
 with a crcic 
 
 275 — Of care- picked men who oft had joined with him in 
 enterprise to tnj 
 That courage ajui devotion which the Puritan was 
 k}!ow)} best bi/. 
 
 John Hocking, Piscataway man from colony of 
 
 Lords Saye and Brooke — 
 His barque well fdled with Indian goods, a place 
 above the Pilgrims took 
 
 Between their house on Kennebeck and portage-falls 
 of Ne-quam-kick: 
 ^80 — There, trad i tig. afiswered protest made, with loud 
 defiance foul and thick 
 
 With insult, daring them to do their worst to put him 
 
 from that place 
 And with much fiourish of his guns, he fiung defiance 
 
 in their face. 
 
 **Go cut his cable" orders came, *\ind suffer him not 
 
 there to ride 
 But down the rapid water drift with current and the 
 
 ebbing tide!" 
 
 34 
 
THE HOCKING AFFAIR 
 
 :285 — Three men, with Moses Talbot, ivent, right read'ly in 
 a swift canoe 
 And cut his cable, whom, on deck, svjore what in ven- 
 geance he would do. 
 
 At Thomas Savory first he aimed, then changed as they 
 
 sicung near his bow. 
 And put his gun to Talbot's head with fierce invectives 
 
 meant to cov;e. 
 
 John Rowland, seeing, called to him, ''Shoot not my 
 man, but for your mark 
 290 — Take me who gave them the command to cut the cable of 
 your barque! 
 
 *'They but obey — give me the blame if any wrong was 
 
 do:ie to you — 
 Shoot me — not them — / stand full fair^shoot me, if 
 
 shoot you're bound to do!'' 
 
 But Hocking neither looked nor heard; he shooteth 
 
 Moses in the head — 
 And when the news to England came, by that one bullet 
 
 two were dead! 
 
 295 — John Hocking, crazed, his pistol took, but by the Lord 
 his hand was staid 
 From doing further hurt by shot from Pilgrims* 
 barque. Himself was laid 
 
 In death upon his moving ship — noiv swiftly drifting 
 
 out to sea: 
 Like it, he had his cable cut-and drifted into — mystery. 
 35 
 
THE PURITANS 
 
 *'Thou shall not kiW the Scripture saith, and of that 
 law men have more dread 
 SOO — Th^n all commandments Moses wrote, tho' none in 
 briefer words are said. 
 
 Malign report the Pilgrims charged with wilful murder 
 
 and intent - 
 Li)rds Sai/e and Brooke were much incensed, and Aldenj 
 
 soon to Boston sent 
 
 Was there within a prison thrown and laid till 
 
 Standish went his hail 
 7\) stand in court on viurder charge, which did on 
 
 fuller kiwfwledge fail. 
 
 S05 — The lives of Moses and Desire, in hope deferred upon 
 this earth. 
 But tipifij that sacrifice of those who gave our country 
 birth. 
 
 Unlooked for troubles hampered them — which but a 
 
 few we here relate — 
 Their work aful faith in what they did, brought them 
 success where failures wait. 
 
 Their daily lives of righteousness confused the hopes 
 of lying tongues 
 310 — Aiid made a name for Puritans which through all 
 ages will be sung. 
 
 P. De Leon. 
 
 36 
 
NOTES 
 
 (The marginal numbers refer to lines of the poem.) 
 
 S — 12 "The Puritans in Holland did not forget — could not forget 
 that they were Englishmen. During their ten years of 
 residence at Leyden thoy did not ceafje to long for a return 
 to the country which had cast them out. Though ruled 
 by a heartless monarch and a bigotfid priest- 
 hood, England was their country still. The unfarriiliar 
 language of the Dutch grated hur.'jhly on their ears. They 
 pined with unrest, conscious of tlieir ability and willing- 
 ness to do something which should convince even King 
 James of their patriotism and worth. It was in this 
 condition of mind that about the year 1617 the Puritans 
 began to meditate a removal to the wilds of the New 
 World. There, with hon'ir--t purpose and prudent zeal, 
 they would extend the dominions of the Englifsh king." 
 Kidpath's History of the United States, paj;e 8!) 
 
 16 — 22 At the time of the coming of the Puritans to America 
 the northern boundery of Virginia v/as considered to 
 extend to the mouth of the Hud.son River. 
 "It had been the intention of the Pilgrims to found their 
 colony in the beautiful country of the Hudson; but the 
 tempest carried them out of their course, and the first 
 land seen was the desolate Cape Cod. On the 9th of 
 November the vessel was anchored in the bay; then a 
 meeting was held on board and the colony organized under 
 a solemn com.pact. In the charter v.hich they there made 
 for themselves the emigrants declared their loyalty to the 
 English Crov.'n, and covenanted together to live in peace 
 and harmony, with equal rights to all, obedient to just laws 
 made for the common good. Such was the simple but 
 sublime constitution of the oldest Nev/ England State. A 
 nobler document is not to be found among the records 
 of the world." 
 
 Ridpath's History, page 91. 
 48 Mas-sas-soit, father of King Phillip, was the chief of the 
 
 37 
 
THE PURITANS 
 
 tribe of Wompanaog Indians, nearest neighbors to Ply- 
 mouth. He entered into a treaty of peace \^ith the Puritans 
 in 16-1 which continued !cr more then 50 years. He 
 remained their fast friend while he lived. 
 
 Bradiords' History of Plymouth Plantation vScribner^ 
 page 111, 
 51 In 1617. the Patuxit tribe of Indians, then occup>-ing the 
 country where the Pl\-mouth colony was planted, was 
 nearly depopulated by a great plague. One of 
 the early chroniclers has written! "Some of the 
 ancient Indians, that are survi\'ing at the wTiting hereof. 
 do aifirm that about some two or three years before 
 the first English arrived here, they saw a blazing star, or 
 comet, which was a forerunner of this sad mortality, for 
 soon after it came upon them in extremity. Thus God 
 made way for his people, by removing the heathen and 
 planting thejn in the land." 
 
 Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers, page 36. 
 5o A Frenchman who had been captured by the Indians and 
 mistreated by them, upon learning their language told them 
 God would punish them for their \^ickedness. "But they 
 derided him and said they were so many that God could 
 not kill them. His answer was. that though they w-ere 
 never so many. God had many )A-a>-s to destroy them that 
 they knew not. Shortly after his death came the plague. 
 a disease they never heard of beiore. and mightily swept 
 them away." 
 
 Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers, page -ill. 
 60 — 70 'It has been supposed by some that our ancestors were 
 not fortunate in the selection of their plantations, and that 
 they would have found much better land on the other side 
 of the bay. But this is a mistake, for no part of Mas- 
 sachusetts could be better suited to their condition. Had 
 they settled down upon a hard and heavj*. though rich 
 soil, what could they ha\-e done with it? They had no 
 ploughs, nor beasts of the plough, and >-et their chiel 
 subsistance was to be derived from the ground. The 
 Pl\-mouth lands were free, light, and easy of tillage, but 
 3S 
 
NOTES 
 
 hard enough for poor pilgrims to dig and plant. The land 
 yielded well, being new and unworn, And for fish, they 
 could scarcsly have been better supplied; and the forests 
 were as well supplied with game as elsewhere. Here they 
 were also favored by the Prince of the country. The 
 character of Massassoit was humane, and his friendship 
 sincere. The treaty which he made with them, he faith- 
 fully performed all his life long, whereas,in other localities, 
 they might have fallen by savage violence. And, more- 
 over. Divine Providence seems to have opened the door 
 to the pilgrims at Plymouth by removing the native 
 inhabitants, so as to make a place for their settlement 
 there," 
 
 Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers, page 28, note. 
 75 The Puritans, escaping from English persecution into 
 Holland, settled in the city of Leyden. Many of them 
 had been farmers living in the vicinity of the town of 
 Scrooby, in England. At Leyden they took up weavihg, 
 printing and other trades. 
 79 The Puritans remained about 10 years at Leyden, in Hol- 
 land, before sailing for America. 
 
 89 John Carver, chosen by the Pilgrims for first Governor of 
 Plymouth colony, died in the Spring of 1621. 
 
 90 Nearly half of the Pilgrims died during their first Winter 
 and Spring in America, and, that the Indians might not 
 know their weakness by counting the graves, the Puritans 
 leveled the surface of the burial field and planted it to 
 grain. 
 
 92 In March, 1621, an Indian speaking broken English came 
 boldly among the Puritans. His name was Samosot. 
 Soon afterwards he brought Squanto or Tisquantum, who 
 could talk better English, and who remained with the 
 Puritans until he died; and was of great holj) to them. 
 Squanto brought Massassoit, the friendly Chief. 
 Bradfords' History, page 110. 
 99—106 Bradford's History, pages 111—112. 
 
 109 John Weston, one of the merchants who helped the Pil- 
 grims in London, brought over a colony of about "60 lusty 
 39 
 
THE PURITANS 
 
 men" in 1622, to start a colony of his own, and while he 
 continued his voyage down to Virginia he left this large 
 number of extra mouths all of the Summer of 1622, for the 
 Puritans to feed, instead of bringing them needed assis- 
 tance. 
 
 Bradford's History, page 137. 
 
 110—125 Bradford's History, page 152. 
 
 131 — 148 The Puritans were too poor to pay for their own transpor- 
 tation to America. A number of London merchants 
 formed a stock company and their partly paid subscrip- 
 tions furnished most of the first passage money. Part 
 of it, however, had to be made up at the last minute before 
 the ships' masters would put out to sea, by the sale of a 
 quantity of the food supplies which the Puritans were 
 taking with them. The merchants were known as the 
 "Adventurers" and were under agreement to send supplies 
 until the Colony became self supporting. This was not 
 done, however, and nearly resulted several times, in dis- 
 aster to the Colony. The Puritans had agreed that one- 
 half of everything which they possessed at the end of six 
 years, including lands and buildings, should belong to the 
 Adventurers. 
 
 149 — 164 A good harvest in 1623, followed a day of prayer for rain 
 when drought had threatened the Puritans with famine. 
 They set apart a day for thanks after harvest, which in- 
 augurated our present Thanksgiving Day. The abundant 
 harvest gave the Colonists a surplus to trade to the In- 
 dians for furs which Europe coveted. The Colonists also 
 learned how to make wampum beads which the Indians 
 coveted and could not get enough of. Pushing out for 
 new territory in which to trade, they established them- 
 selves as the first white traders on the Kennebeck river 
 in Maine, where they prospered and began to glimpse a 
 chance for paying off their debt to the Adventurers. 
 Bradford's History, pages 152-235-223. 
 
 165 — 168 Captain Myles Standish was sent to England in 1625, but 
 did not succeed in reaching an agreement on the debt with 
 the Adventurers. In 1626, as Governor Bradford wrote, 
 40 
 
NOTES 
 
 "This year they sent Mr. Allerton into England, and gave 
 him order to make a compensation with the Adventurers, 
 upon as good terms as he could (unto which some way had 
 been made the year before by Captain Standish) ; but yet 
 injoyned him not to conclude absolutely till they knew the 
 terms, and had well considered of them; but to drive it to 
 as good an issue as he could, and refer the conclusion to 
 them." An agreement was reached in 1627, by which the 
 obligation was fixed at 1800 pounds, payable 200 pounds 
 yearly. Governor Bradford wrote (page 215): 
 "This agreement was very well liked of, and approved by 
 all the plantations, and consented unto; though they 
 knew not well how to raise the payment and discharge their 
 other ingagements, and supply the yearly wants of the 
 plantation, seeing they were forced for their necessities to 
 take up money or goods at so high interests. Yet they 
 undertook it, and 7 or 8 of the chiefs of the place be- 
 came jointly bound for the payment of this 1800 li. (in 
 the behalf of the rest) at the several days." The names 
 of the undertakers of the debt, of the colony, were William 
 Bradford, Myles Standish, Isaac Allerton, Edward Wins- 
 low, William Brewster, John Rowland, John Alden and 
 Thomas Prence. 
 169 The patent grant covered all of the territory from Cobise- 
 conte, where Gardiner, Maine, now stands, to the falls or 
 rapids of Ne-quam-kick, near the present Winslow, Maine, 
 and 15 miles on each side of the river Kennebeck. "And 
 by virtue of the authority to us derived by his said late 
 Majesties Letters patents, to take, apprehend, siese, and 
 make prise of all such persons, their ships and goods, as 
 shall attempt to inhibite or trade with the savage people of 
 that countrie within the severall precincts and limits of 
 his and their several plantations, etc." 
 Bradford's History, page 304. 
 171_175 John Rowland. According to tradition he married the 
 daughter of John Carver, who was chosen to be their first 
 Governor — "the chiefest servant of them all"— in whose 
 family Rowland came in the Mayflower; Bradford says 
 41 
 
THE PURITANS 
 
 as a servant, but evidently not in a menial sense, judging 
 from the prominent part which he took in affairs from the 
 start. The daughter died before the voyage to America. 
 The Mayflower encountered several severe storms, in one 
 of which John Rowland was washed over board but was 
 saved by his presence of mind in grasping and holding to a 
 rope, "Ye Topsail Halliards we hung overboard," by 
 which he was drawn on deck through "several fathoms" 
 of the engulfing billows. — Signers of the Mayflower Com- 
 pact, page 29. 
 
 "One of the main beams of the midships was bowed and 
 cracked, which put them to some fear that she would not 
 be able to perform the voyage", but by a screw which one 
 of the passengers happened to have "the said beam was 
 brought into place again; which being done, and well se- 
 cured by the carpenter, they resolved to hold on their 
 voyage." 
 
 Chronicles of the Pilgrim- Fathers, page 19. 
 193 — 199 "But that which was sad and lamentable, in two or three 
 months' time half their com.pany died, especially in Jan- 
 uary and February, being the depth of winter, wanting 
 houses and other comforts, being infected with the scurvy 
 and other diseases, which this long voyage and their in- 
 commodate condition had brought upon them, so as there 
 died, sometimes two, sometimes three, on a day, in the 
 aforesaid time, that of one hundred and odd persons, 
 scarce fifty remained. 
 
 Of those that did survive in this tim.e of distress and 
 calamity that was upon them, there was sometimes but six 
 or seven sound persons, who (to their great commenda- 
 tion be it spoke) spared no pains night to day to be help- 
 ful to the rest." 
 
 Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers, page 35. 
 200 "John Tillie and his wife both died a little after they came 
 ashore; and their daughter Elizabeth married with John 
 Rowland, and hath issue as is before noted." 
 Bradford's History, page 412. 
 42 
 
NOTES 
 
 203 Desire Minter came in the Mayflower as a member of 
 Governor John Carver's family, to which family John 
 Rowland also belonged. 
 
 Bradford's History, page 407. 
 249 — 254 Daniel Defoe, best known as the author of "Robinson 
 Crusoe" was at one time a popular essayist. In his 
 "Shortest Way with the Dissenters" he wrote (about 
 1700) : "The first execution of the Laws against Dissenters 
 in England, was in the days of King James I; and what did 
 it amount to? Truly, the worst they suffered was, at their 
 own request, to let them go to New England, and erect a 
 new colony; and give them great privileges, grants, 
 and suitable powers; keep them under protection, and 
 defend them against all invaders; and receive no taxes or 
 revenue from them! 
 
 "This was the cruelty of the Church of England! Fatal 
 lenity! It was the ruin of that excellent Prince, King 
 
 Charles I 
 
 Had he so rooted the Puritans from the face of the land, 
 which he had an opportunity early to have done; they had 
 not had the power to vex the Church, as since they have 
 done." 
 
 250 Human greed is such that it has crystalized into the 
 proverb "Give an inch, will take an ell." 
 255—262 The writings of Thomas Carlyle, 
 
 265 In 1650, William Bradford wrote (Bradfords' History, 
 page 410) "John Howland, married the daughter of John 
 Tillie, Elizabeth, and they are both now living and have 
 10 children, now all living; and their eldest daughter hath 
 4 children. And their 2 daughter, 1 all living; and other 
 of their children mariagable. So 15 are come of them." 
 John Hov/land was born about 1593, and died at Plymouth 
 March 5, 1673. He married at Plymouth before 1624, 
 Elizabeth Tilley, who was born about 1607, and died at 
 Swansea, Dec. 31, 1687. 
 
 267 "This year (1627) it pleased God to visit Plymouth with 
 an infectious fever, of which many fell very sick, and up- 
 wards of twenty died, men, women, and children, and 
 43 
 
THE PURITANS 
 
 sundry of them were of their ancient friends; amongst the 
 rest, Mr. Samuel Fuller then died, after he had much 
 helped others, and was a comfort to them; he was their 
 surgeon and physician, and did much good in his place, 
 being not only useful in his faculty, but otherwise, as he 
 was a godly man, and served Christ in the office of a 
 deacon in the church for many years, and forward to do 
 good in his place, and was much missed after God removed 
 him out of this world." 
 
 Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers, page 117. 
 
 268 "Desire Minter returned to her friends, and proved not 
 very well, and died in England,." 
 Bradford's History, page 410. 
 
 273 The Puritans, needing a larger boat to hold more goods on 
 their trading trips, and the ship-carpenter who built the 
 two small boats which they had, being dead, an ingenious 
 house-carpenter of their colony "tooke one of the bigest 
 of their shallops and sawed her in the middle,and so length- 
 ened her some 5 or 6 foote, and strengthened her with 
 timbers, and so builte her up, and laid a deck on her; and 
 so made her a conveniente and wholesome vessell, very 
 fitt and comfortable for their use, which did them service 
 7 years after." 
 
 Bradford's History, page 213. 
 277—304 Bradford's History, pages 304 to 309. 
 
 The Mayflower Descendant, Vol. 2 page 11, gives the 
 following account of the "Hocking affair" which happened 
 in April, 1634: "Mr John Howland went up to him 
 (Hocking) with our barke and charged the said Hocking 
 to waye his Ankchors and depart who answered hee would 
 not with fowle speeches. Mr. Howland tould him that 
 hee would not now suffer him ther to ride, John Hocking 
 demanded what he would doe whether he would shoot; 
 Mr. Howland answered no but he would put him from 
 thence and ordered three of his men goe cutt his cable, and 
 bad Moses Talbott goe with them who accordingly went 
 very reddyly and brought the Canow to Hockings cable 
 he being upon the deck came with a carbine & a postole 
 44 
 
NOTES 
 
 in his hand Sz presently presented his piece at Thomas 
 Savory but the Canow with the tide was put nere the bow 
 of the barke which Hocking seeing presently put his piece 
 almost to Moses Talbotts head, which Mr. Rowland 
 seeing called to him desiring him not to shut his man but 
 take himselfe for his mark saying his men did but that 
 whihc hee commanded them and therefore desired him 
 not to hurt any of them if any wrong was done it was him- 
 selfe that did it and therefore coled again to him to take 
 him for his marke saying he stod very fayer but Hocking 
 would not heare nor looke towards our barke but presently 
 shooteth Moses in the head, and presently tooke up his 
 pistell in his hand but the lord stayed him from doing 
 any further hurt by a shot from our barke him.self was 
 presently strooke dead being shott neare the same place 
 in the head wher he had murderously shot Moses." 
 
 45 
 

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