From the journal of William
Bradford... |
The Pilgrims decide to emigrate to America despite the perils and
dangers :
"all great & honourable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and
must be both enterprised and overcome with answerable courages. It was granted ye dangers
were great, but not desperate; the difficulties were many, but not invincible. For though
their were many of them likely, yet they were not cartaine; it might be sundrie of ye
things feared might never befale; others by providente care & ye use of good means,
might in a great measure be prevented; and all of them, through ye help of God, by
fortitude and patience, might either be borne, or overcome. True it was, that such atempts
were not to be made and undertaken without good ground & reason; not rashly or lightly
as many have done for curiositie or hope of gaine, &c. But their condition was not
ordinarie; their ends were good & honourable; their calling lawfull, & urgente;
and therfore they might expecte ye blessing of god in their proceding. Yea, though they
should loose their lives in this action, yet might they have comforte in the same, and
their endeavors would be honourable. They lived hear but as men in exile, & in a poore
condition; and as great miseries might possibly befale them in this place, for ye 12.
years of truce [the truce between Holland and Spain] were now out, & ther was nothing
but beating of drumes, and preparing for warr, the events wherof are allway
uncertaine." |
