Classic Poem

Of the reasons moving this people to transplant themselves and Families to those remote parts

The great Jehova's working word effecting wondrously,
This earths vast globe, those parts unknown, to civill people by.

Columbus or Alkmerricus by providence direction,
Found out this Western world with store of mettels cleer extraction.
The Spanish project working well, tooke sudden such impression
In minds of many Europe held, who fell to like progression.
It's strange to see the Spanish fleete so many should provoke,
In English searching for like prize, they are vanisht into smoake.
Yet these undaunted hearts stir'd up a Colony to plant,
Hight Nova Anglia, for which they gain'd a patten grant.
Now all ancient seild and read in lands new population,
No parallell like this (I deeme) you'l finde in any Nation.
These people now begin with care to vese and plot, each man
That heares of this new Colony, with diligence doth scan.
Such motives as he hath in Eye, one he desires land,
Quoth he I see here landed men in reputation stand.
Hundreds and thousands I have not to purchase, but I will
Through seas much wood-land to atchieve, and medow ground my fill.

Up starts another from a sad and serious contemplation,
How he a Gentleman might be, good man is his vexation.
House implements being turn'd to coyne, his Cloath of fashion new,
To ship he hyes, much welcome Sir, for none his person knew.
New rais'd from sleepe, another cries, my earnings are but small,
I'le venter to this new-found world, and make amends for all.
In hast halfe breathlesse running, comes a man with longing sore
For novelties of new-found lands, the seas he would leap o're.
His kindreds letters looking in, ha ha here's newes indeed,
From Brothers, Sisters, Uncles, Aunts, I'le ship my selfe with speed.
These but the straglers now remaines the chiefest troopes to eye,
Truth 'tis, their standard of resort was Christianity.
Couragious Captaines leading on, their coynes and lands 'way throwing,
Made many Souldiers follow fast, their bands in number growing.
When England by Elizabeth began a Reformation,
It was a joyful day to all, the godly of that Nation.
Proh Dolor , it did not goe on with joyfull acclamation,
But hirarchy and lordly throne of Prelacy invading,
The government of Christs deare flocke, then godlinesse was fading.
Some men impute it to the pride of Bishops, others say,
The loosenesse of the Laity did carry most away.
But sure it is that godlinesse, and purities deriding,
Mov'd many godly ones to seek, a place of new abiding.
Proud Bishops skil'd in policie of machivilian learning,
Fore-saw their pomp would fall to ground by Scripture cleer discerning.
New fangled fetches were devis'd for soone intrapping those
Who to the people faithfully truth wholly did disclose.
While things thus craftly were contriv'd, Preachers to prisons packe,
The Bishops Courts were fill'd with worke, and consciences on racke.
Come sirrah quoth the Commissary, you will no Surplice weare,
Nor yet proclaime our Sunday sports, a Puritan I feare
You are, and shall no more preach forth to people stir to reare
Against my Lords grace, I know well, your preaching doth him scare.
And to another: as for you, your faction is so much,
Whole townes run from their Parish Church to heare your word, are such
As for to overthrow my Lord, and his commanding power,
If I live in this Diocesse, you shall not stand one houre.
In midst of all these wofull stirs grave godly men sit musing,
How they their talents might improve, to honour God in using.
Nine hundred leagues of roaring seas dishearten feeble parts,
Till cruell handling hasten on, and God doth strengthen hearts.
Come quoth the husband, my deare wife, canst thou the seas endure,
With all our young and tender babes, let's put our faith in ure.
With watry eyes the wife replies, what remedie remaines,
Forsaking all for Christ his sake, will prove the greatest gaines.
From in-land parts poore Christians packe to Sea-ports ships to enter,
A wonderment, in streets they passe, dividing their strange venter.
What meane these mad men soone sayes one, witlesse to run away,
From English beere, to water, where no boone companions stay.
But tis the Surplice scares them hence, the Tippet and the Crosse,
Nay more they feare, my Lords grace here, will bring again the masse.
Yea further I have heard of late our Puritans much wonder,
Because our Metropolitan intends to bring them under.
Thus passe the people to their ships, some grieve they should goe free,
But make them sweare, and search them bare, taking what coyne they see.
Now Satan seeing God had crost, his minde in making way,
For's people and his Pastors too, in wildernesse to stay,
Fearing Christs Kingdom would encrease, and his to ground be falling,
Stirs up fresh instruments like sheepe that wolfishly were haling.
Proud errour brochers, these croud in for liberty pretending,
The overthrow of Romish trash, their words against it bending.
Quoth one here none but Scholler may in pulpit be a Preacher,
I'le ship my selfe, for sure I am, full gifted for a Teacher.
Up starts another from a crowd, of women, her admiring,
An able tongue in Scripture learn'd, to preach forsooth desiring,
With revelations strange, yet true, as Scripture them accounting,
Another comes to ship himselfe, in knowledge all surmounting.
'Gainst Magistrates another cries, none such on earth should stand,
I'le venture o're the broadest Seas for freedome from their hand.
Thus diversly dispos'd doe people pack up and away,
To populate new Collonies, where none but Heathen stay.

Of the Transportation of people and goods to the Mattachusets bay, and other adjacent Collonies

When as this people thus resolv'd the Ocean Sea to venter,
As was their errant, so they did addresse the ships to enter.
Ship-owners seeing like it was their gain might holpen bee
And Undertakers with like hope, to hire ships were free.
Close Cabbins being now prepar'd with bread, biefe, beere and fish,
The passengers prepare themselves that they may have their wish.
With little goods, but many words, aboord comes one, and sayes,
I long to see my feet on shore, where cloudy pillar stayes,
As high as clouds he darts his words, but it is earth he wants:
For having passed the fishing banks, soon smels the gay ground plants
In long boat with a scouring pace comes gentle-like attended,
New fashion'd by the Taylor's hand, one for his parts commended.
Master at last quoth he, I'm not with labour much inured,
Yet for to countenance good folk this toyl's to be endured.
Hee's loath to say, that men of parts to govern towns are wanting,
And therefore he will through the seas, 'mongst others to be planting.
His Cabin is too strait, his fare too mean for his degree,
Now good Sir be content a while, on shore you'l be more free.
Eftsoones comes clambring up the ropes one in his mind revived,
That hee's no servant, quoth he, this was very well contrived,
Now I may goe where I can close with people and with Preacher,
But its great wages makes his close, for there he needs no teacher.
Brief dancing on the decks doth walk another boasting sore
Of godly kindred, and he longs to be with them on shore.
These and the like may England spare, but oh it's sad to say,
That privatly for publick work thy Worthies went away.
Sage, sober, grave and godly men, together counsell seeking
At [t]h'hand of God, they fast and pray for their approved liking:
And will not stirre one foot, but by his word and will directing,
So on the seas most happily they found his hand directing.
Now large Revennewes hinder not, hoopt up in hogsheads they
Transport both lands and houses too, nine hundred leagues away.
Oh wee'l away, now say the poore, our Benefactors going,
That fild our children's mouths with bread, look yonder are they rowing.
O woe is me another cries, my Minister, its hee,
As sure as may be, yonder he from Pursevant doth flee.
With trickling tears scarce uttering speech, another sobbing sayes,
If our poore preacher shipped be, hee'l ne're live halfe the way,
But one poore friend, another cries, my secret heart to plain,
And he and his are shipped, now I'le after him amain.
'Mongst these doth Satan get a fraught, Angels of light they seeming,
Were entertain'd among the rest, as holy Saints them deeming.
Hardly beset on every side, Gods people thus attended,
To troublous seas betake themselves, yet by their God befriended.
In straits to get their goods aboord, their wives and children small,
Hard to attaine a cleering thought, cleerly dismist of all.
But God and godly friends, whom they find in their hard-ships free,
To send and lend them help in all, their great calamity.
The boysterous waves begin to hoyse their brittle barques on hye,
When suddenly the billowes breake, and dash their ships awry.
Unwonted to such wondrous workes the little babes complaine
For harbour in their Mothers armes, whom sicknesse doth constraine
To sit as helplesse, yea, for help of others they doe cry,
But all sea-sicke for present, all do others help deny.
Each corner's fill'd with goods and folke, the ships large womb could bear,
That hot diseases breed among this crowd, no roome to spare
For any weake ones, nor for those, whose fruit was ripe for light,
On soundlesse depths their babes are borne 'mongst waves above ships hight.
Both aged, weake, and tender ones the seas now tumbling tosse,
Till they I forc'd to harbour turn'd, with stormy windes being crost.
In western Anglia , and the Isle Hibernia they bide
With longing for Jehova's help, who only windes doth guide.
As loft to lose the last long sight of their deare native soile,
Both back and forth the winds them drive, with mickle restlesse toyle.
But being once in Ocean large, where depths the earth wide sever,
Returne no more, though winds them crosse, to end their course indere.
In unknown depths, and pathlesse Seas, there nights and days they spend,
'Mongst stormy winds and mountain waves long time no land they kend.
At ships mast doth Christs Pastors preach, while waves like Prelates proud,
Would fling them from their pulpits place as not by them allow'd.
The swelling surges raging come to stop their mouths with fome,
For publishing of every truth that by God's word is known.
But Christ as once, so now he sayes peace ye waves, and be still,
For all their height they fall downe flat, obey they must his will.
And now the Seas like medowes greene, whose ground and grasse even are,
Doth gently lead their ships as sheep from place to place afar.
Who would not wait on such a God, that heaven, earth, seas commands,
To serve his folke, then serve him folke, conducted by his hand.
For forty, fifty, sixty dayes and nights they safely swim,
Preparing oft for fight, at sight of ships that pirats been.
Long looke'd for land at length the eye, unknown, yet owne they will,
To plant therein new Collonies, wide wildernesse to fill.