had not openly
interfered with the trade of the English. But should they now send over
a body of English emigrants, under the tricolored flag, designed to
found a colony for the benefit of the Batavian republic, the prudent
foresaw that a collision would be inevitable, and might result
disastrously to the interests of their nation. Mr. Robinson and his
associates, though exiles, were Englishmen, and would be held as such in
Holland or America. Hence, had the Pilgrims emigrated under the auspices
of the Dutch, and had James I demanded of them the allegiance of
subjects, they would have been compelled to submit, or the nation which
backed them would have been forced into war. There was wisdom,
therefore, in the policy which rejected the memorial of the merchants.

In consequence of the disaffection of Mr. Weston, there were complaints
of his delay in providing the necessary shipping; but at last the
Speedwell, of sixty tons--miserable misnomer--was purchased in Holland
for the use of the emigrants; and the Mayflower, of a hundred eighty
tons--whose name is immortal--was chartered in England, and was fitting
for their reception. The cost of the outfit, including a trading stock
of seventeen hundred pounds, was but twenty-four hundred pounds--about
twelve thousand dollars of the currency of the United States! It marks
the poverty of the Pilgrims that their own funds were inadequate to meet
such a disbursement; and it marks the narrowness of the adventurers that
they doled the sum so grudgingly, and exacted such securities for their
personal indemnity. There were some generous hearts among the members of
this company--true and tried friends of the exiles in their
troubles--but many of them were illiberal and selfish, and had very
little sympathy with the principles of their partners.

As the time of departure drew near, a day of public humiliation was
observed--the last that the emigrants kept with their pastor--and on
this memorable occasion Mr. Robinson discoursed to them from the words
in Ezra: "And there, at the river, by Ahava, I proclaimed a fast, that
we might humble ourselves before God, and seek of him a right way for
us, and for our children, and for all of our substance." The catholic
advice of this excellent man was worthy to be addressed to the _Founders
of New England_:

"We are now ere long to part asunder; and the Lord only knoweth whether
ever I shall live to see your faces again. But, whether he hath
app