PAGE 154
I was abundantly clear in minde that the Lord approved our
intention and endeavour, and "was as ready in making all sorts of
preparation as any of the rest; yea, dureing all that time, Mr Blair,
and we that were in my mother's house, spent one day every week
in fasting and prayer for an blessing
to1
our undertaking. Yet I often told my wife, long before our outsetting, that it gave me in
my mind that we would never goe to New England. But I laid
not so great hold on that as thereafter I found I had reason to doe.
Finding it would be the end of summer before we could be ready
to goe, I went in March 1636 to Scotland to take leave of my
father and2
other dear friends there, and went to most of all the
places where I had haunted before, and found in the midst of much
mutual grief my heart often well refreshed both in publick and
private. I came back in the end of Aprile. In August, all the
rest of the honest ministers were deposed, Mr Cuninghame, Mr
Ridge, Mr Bryce, Mr Hamilton, and Mr Colwort. June 30, my
eldest son John was born, and was the next day, after sermon,
baptized by Mr Blair in our own house.
We had much toyle in our preparations, and many hinderances
in our setting out, and both sad and glad hearts in taking leave of
our friends. At last, about September 9, 1636, we loosed from
Loughfergus, but with contrary wind were detained some time in
Lochryan, in Scotland, and grounded the ship to search some
leeks in the Koyles of Boot; yet thereafter we set to sea, and for
some space had an fair wind till we were between three and four
hundred leagues from Ireland, and so nearer the bank of Newfoundland
than any part of Europe. But if ever the Lord spake
by his winds and other dispensations, it was made evident to us
that it was not his will that we should go to New England; for
Ave forgathered with an mighty horecain out of the north-east,
that brake our rudder, Which yet we got mended by the skill and
courage of Captain Andrew Agnew, a godly passenger, who upon
**************
1
"On."
2
"All."
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PAGE 153
a tow was to his neck in mending of it. It brake much of our
gallion-head, our fore-cross-tree,1
and tare our fore-sail, five or six
of our champlaitts2
made up, ane great beam under the gunnerroome door brake,
seas came in over the round-house, and brake
ane plank or two in3
the deck, and wett all them that were between
decks. We sprung a leek that gave us 700 stroak of water in two
pomps in the half-hour glass: yet we lay at hull a long time to
beat out that storm, till the master and company came one morning
and told us4
it was impossible to hold out any longer, and
although we bear5
out that storm, we might be sure in that season
of the year we would forgather with one or two more of that sort
before we could reach New England. After prayer, when we were
consulting what to doe, I proponed an overture, wherewith I was
somewhat perplexed thereafter, to witt, that seeing we thought we
had the Lord's warrant for our intended voyage, howbeit it be
presumption to propone ane sign to him, yet we being in such a
strait, and having stood out some dayes already, we might yet for
twenty-four houres stand to it, and if in that time he were pleased
to calm the storm, and send an fair wind, we might take it for his
approbation of our advancing, otherwise that he called us to return.
To this they all agreed. But that day, and especially the night
thereafter, we had the sorest storm that we had seen; so that the
next morning, so soon as we saw day, we turned, and made good
way with an main-cross and an litle of ane foretop-sail, and after
some tossing, we came at last, on the 3d of November, to ane
anchor in Lochfergus. Dureing all this time, amidst such fears
and dangers, the most part of the passengers were very cheerful
and confident; yea, some in prayer had expressed such hopes that
rather than the Lord would suffer such an companie in such sort
to perish if the ship should break, he would put wings to all our
shoulders, and carry us safe ashoare. I never
in my life6
found the day so short as all that while, although I sleeped some nights not
**************
1
"Fore-cross-trees."
2
Another MS. has
chain-plaits.
3
"On."
4
"That."
5
"Beat."
6
"Dayes."
|
