Second Attempt to Depart, 1608, and Map

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Second Attempt to Depart, 1608, and Map

In the spring of 1608, there was another attempt made by some of these and others to get over to the Low Countries. The Separatist leaders found a Dutchman at Hull, who had a ship of his own belonging to Zealand. They made an agreement with him, and hoped to find him more faithful than the former ship master who was an Englishman. The Dutch ship master told them not fear, for he would do well by them. He was to pick them up between Grimsby and Hull, near Immingham, which was a large common way at a distance from any town.

At Scrooby, the women and children with their goods were set aboard a small bark which they had hired, and traveled down the River Idle to the River Trent, to the River Umber and thence to Immingham. The men were to meet them by land.

"But it so fell out that they were there a day before the ship came, and sea being rough and the women were very sick, prevailed with the seaman to put into a creek hard by where they lay on ground at low water," Bradford said.

Because of the low tide the next morning, the bark was grounded in the stream where they waited . When the ship came they were unable to move the bark until about noon. The ship master understood the gravity of the situation and sent his boat to begin getting the men aboard since he saw they were ready and walking about the shore. The first boatload was hauled aboard and the boat was ready to go back for more passengers when the ship master saw a large company Kings' officers, both horse and foot, marching in with weapons to take those on shore. The Dutchman weighed anchor, hoisted his sails and sped away.

The poor men who were aboard were in great distress for their destitute wives and children which they saw being taken into custody. The poor women were left without aid, "and themselves also, not having a cloth to shift them with, more than they had on their backs, and some scarce a penny about them, all they had being aboard the bark. It drew tears from their eyes, and anything they had they would have given to have been ashore again; but all in vain, there was no remedy, they must thus sadly part."

While at sea the men had to endure a terrifying storm at sea, "being fourteen days or more before they arrived at their port, in seven whereof they neither saw the sun, moon or stars". In the storm the ship was driven near the coast of Norway. It was such a terrible storm that even the mariners themselves feared for their lives, "and once with shrieks and cries gave over all, as if the ship had been foundered in the sea and they sinking without recovery."

In that desperate situation, the Separatists turned to their faith. As Bradford recorded, "when man's hope and help wholly failed, the Lord's Power and mercy appeared in their recovery; for the ship rose again and gave the mariners courage again to manage her. And if modesty would suffer me, I might declare with what fervent prayers they cried unto the Lord in this great distress (especially some of them) even without any great distraction. When the water ran into their mouths and ears and the mariners cries out, "We sink, we sink!" they cried they cried (if not with miraculous, yet with a great height or degree of divine faith), "Yet Lord Thou must save! Yet Lord Thou canst save!" With such expressions as I will forbear. Upon which the ship did not only recover, but shortly after the violence of the storm began to abate, and the Lord filled their afflicted minds with such comforts as everyone cannot understand, and in the end brought them to their desired haven, where the people came flocking, admiring their deliverance, the storm having been so long and sore, in which much hurt had been done, as the master's friends related unto him in their congratulations."

Meanwhile, back on shore, a number of the remaining men were able to escape before the troop could arrest them, with a few staying to assist the women.

Those on shore who were arrested were shuffled from one place to another and from one justice to another. The authorities did not know what to do with them. If they jailed so many women and innocent children for no other reason but having to go with their husbands, there would be a public outcry against them. The remaining women had no place to go because their homes and goods had already sold or otherwise disposed of and they had no way of making a living. In the end the authorities were so weary of the problematic situation they were happy to be rid of them on any terms.

Bradford continues, "They endured many other passages and troubles and underwent these wanderings and travels both at land and at sea. Yet, by those so public troubles in so many places their cause became famous and occasioned many to look into the same, and their godly carriage and Christian behavior was such as left a deep impression in the minds of many. And though some few shrunk at these first conflicts and sharp beginnings (as it was no marvel) yet many more came on with fresh courage and greatly animated others. And in the end, notwithstanding all these storms of opposition, they all got over at length, some at one time and some at another, and some in one place and some in another, and met together again according to their desires, with no small rejoicing."

About 125 members of the Scrooby congregation got over to Amsterdam, including the two ministers Richard Clyfton and John Robinson, William Brewster and William Bradford, who had remained behind to lend their assistance in arranging the reunion of wives and children with the husbands and fathers.

Last modified November 7, 1999
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