REV. RALPH Smith 
 
 First Settled Minister 
 
 OF Plymouth 
 
 1629-1636 
 
Rev. Ralph Smith 
 
 First Settled Minister 
 
 OF Plymouth 
 
 1629-1636 
 
REV. RALPH SMITH 
 
 FIRST SETTLED MINISTER 
 OF PLYMOUTH 
 
 1629-1636 
 
 By 
 
 Edward Leodore Smith 
 
 Member »/ the New England Hiitoric Genealtgical Sceiely 
 
 0^1 ^0^T 
 
 BOSTON 
 1921 
 
Copyright Applied For, 
 
 JUL -97 
 
 iaA6176S7 
 
 f^2 
 
 n/ic I 
 

 ^ 
 
 i 
 r^ 
 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 It has long seemed to the writer that Ralph Smith, first 
 settled minister of the pilgrim church in Plymouth, deserved 
 a fairer presentation of his known career than has hitherto 
 fallen to his memory, and that this gentle, if grave and 
 severe-minded man, simple and unassuming as his life seems 
 to have been, has a right to our esteem beyond what has 
 heretofore been given when we recall the absence of that 
 carping contentious spirit that engaged the abilities of so 
 many of his contemporaries in the first pastorates in the Bay 
 plantation. 
 
 In collating the sparse and scattered facts of his career, it 
 has been an added pleasure to trace and establish the true 
 story of his English birthplace. 
 
 Edward L. Smith 
 
 Brookline, Mass. , May 5, 1921. 
 
REV. RALPH SMITH 
 
 FIRST SETTLED MINISTER 
 OF PLYMOUTH 
 
 1629-1636 
 
 On the 17th of April, 1629, the Governor and Deputy oj 
 the New England Company for a Plantation in Massachusetts Bay 
 wrote a long letter of instructions and details of afiairs to 
 the "Governor and Council for London's Planta- 
 tion IN THE Massachusetts Bay in New England." 
 
 This letter was dated, "In Gravesend," and on April 21, 
 a postscript was added stating that the letter was mainly a 
 copy of one sent in the George [The George Bonaventure, 
 Thomas Cox, Master,] "yett ryding in the Hope." 
 
 The Talbot, and Lyon's Whelpe, of the same fleet, 
 were at the time storm-bound at Blackwall below London 
 in the Thames, and from a letter dated at London, May 
 28, 1629, we learn that the Talbot, in which came the 
 Rev. Ralph Smith, had set sail at last from the Isle of 
 Wight "about" the 11th of May. 
 
 The ninth paragraph of that first long letter to Capt. John 
 Endecott, Governor, and his associates reads: 
 
 Mr Raph Smith, a Minister, hath desired passage in 
 "Concernine or ships, wch was granted him before wee vnderstood of 
 ye Minister his difference in Judgmt in some things from or Min- 
 isters. But his p'visions for his voyage being shipt 
 before notice was taken thereof, through many occasions wherewth those 
 intrusted wth this business have been employed, and forasmuch as from 
 
 [1] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 hence it is feared there may growe some distrac'con amonst yow if there 
 should bee any syding, though wee have a very good opinion of his 
 honesty [of purpose] wee shall not, [wee] hope, offend in Charitie to 
 feare the worst that may grow from their different judgmtt. We haue 
 therfore thought fitt to give yow this Order, that unless hee wilbe con- 
 formable to or govmnt, yo* suffer him not to remainc wth in the limitts of 
 Of graunt." 
 
 The historian, Hubbard, wrote regarding this: 
 
 "Mr. Ralph Smith was likewise, at the same time, proffered to be ac- 
 commodated with his passage to New England, provided he would 
 give under his hand, that he would not exercise the ministry, either 
 in public or in private, without the approbation of the Governor es- 
 tablished there, nor yet to disturb their proceedings, but to submit unto 
 such orders as should there be established."* 
 
 It may interest to note here the fitting out of the Tal- 
 BOT for the voyage. February 26, 1628 [29], the Secretary 
 entered in the Company's journal "Necessaries conseaved 
 meete for o"" intended voiadgc for Newe England to bee 
 prepared forthw'^." 
 
 "For the Talbut, if 100 passengers, & 35 maryners, 3 monthes, 
 ye maryners accounted doble: — 
 
 45 tun beere, wrof 6 tun 4' I beere; 
 
 39 tun 6' S 
 Mallega and Canari caske 16^ a tun; 
 6 tuns of water; 
 
 12 M. of bread, after -^4 C. to a man; 
 22 hheds of beiffe; 
 
 40 bushells peas, a peck a man ye voyadge; 
 20 bushells oatmeale; 
 
 •Rev. VVillitm Hubbard of Iptwich, whose History of New England was probably 
 written at the requeit of the General Court, liked to gire his own interpretation to events. 
 He has succeeded here in eivine an erronious impression of a perfectly plain record that 
 must have been well known to him. Ralph Smith was not called upon to sign any bond. 
 
 [2] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 14 C. haberdyne [cured codfish] 62 cople ech C, ech cople makes pi, 
 pl'2 a p<J a man p day; 
 
 8 dussen pounds of candeles; 
 
 2 terces of bcere vyneger; 
 114 bushells mustard seede; 
 20 gallons oyle, Gallipoly or Mayorice, a qrt a man; 
 
 2 flerkins of soape; 
 
 2 runlett Spanish wyne, 10 galls a p; 
 
 4 thousand of billets [dried codfish]; 
 10 firkins of butter; 
 10 C. of cheese; 
 20 gallons aquavite. 
 
 Estimat of 100 men, chardge of them and theire prvissions, wth others 
 "oted: 
 
 100 men, theire chardge, 15'- a man, ^1500 
 
 Freight of the shippe Taibut, 5 monthes, 
 
 801. p. m. 400 
 Victualls and wages 32 men, 70i- a 
 
 moDthe 350 
 
 750" 
 
 The Talbot, Capt. Thomas Beecher, Master, made the 
 round trip to Salem and back within four months. She 
 brought 400 bushels of salt for curing fish, a large list of 
 supplies of all sorts for the new plantation, and the house- 
 hold goods of her hundred passengers. 
 
 There is nothing preserved that would show Endecott did 
 not receive Rev. Ralph Smith as kindly and generously as 
 his station would deserve. He certainly allowed him to 
 stay within the limits of the Company's patent, and doubt- 
 less pointed out the struggling little colony of Nantascot, 
 now Hull, as a field for his endeavors. It was in all ways a 
 poor settlement for a Cambridge man of studious habit and 
 austere demeanor to thrive in. The settlement was in one 
 of the most beautiful spots in the inner bay, but only a fish- 
 ing station then and for long years after, and fishermen, then 
 
 [3] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 as now, are not comparable to sleek, well-fed, and decorous 
 yeomen for parishioners. 
 
 William Bradford, in his priceless and revered manuscript 
 "Of Plimoth Plantation," wrote under the happenings of 
 the year 1629: 
 
 "I had like to have omited an other passage that fell out ye begining 
 of this year. Ther was one Mf. Ralfe Smith & his wife & familie, 
 y« came over into ye Bay of ye Massachusets, and sojourned at prestnte 
 with some stragling people that lived at Natascoe: here being a boat of 
 this place putting in ther on some occasion, he ernestly desired that they 
 would give him & his, passage for Plimoth, and some such things as 
 they could well carrie; having before heard yt ther was liklyhood he 
 might procure house-roome for some time, till he should resolve to set- 
 tle ther, if he might, or elswher as God should dispose; for he was 
 werie of being in yt uncoth place, & in a poore house yt would neither 
 keep him nor his goods drie. So, seeing him to be a grave man, & 
 understood he had been a minister, though they had no order for any 
 such thing, yet they presumed and brought him. He was here accord- 
 ingly kindly entertained & housed & had ye rest of his goods & servants 
 sente for, and exercised his gifts amongst them, and afterwards was 
 chosen into ye ministrie, and so remained for sundrie years." 
 
 This notice of Rev. Ralph Smith, who was under Gov. 
 Bradford's eye and government, should set at rest the ill- 
 tempered imputation of the historian Hubbard, himself a 
 minister, and by all accounts a man jealous not only of his 
 calling, but of those concerned in it. 
 
 Hubbard's statement, taken from his "History," follows: 
 
 "In this way they continued till the year 1629, when one Mr. Ralph 
 Smith, who came over into the Massachusetts, and finding no people 
 there that stood in any need of his labors, ie ivas easily persuaded to 
 remo've to Plymouth; him they called to exercise the office of a pastor, 
 more induced thereunto, possibly, by his approving the rigid way of the 
 Separation principles, than any fitness for the office he undertook; being 
 much overmatched by him that he was joined with in the presbytery, 
 
 [4] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 [Brewster] both in point of discretion to rule, and aptness to teach, so 
 as through many infirmities, being found unable to discharge the trust 
 committed to him with any competent satisfaction, he was forced soon 
 after to lay it down. Many times it is foimd that a total vacancy of an 
 office is easier to be borne, than an under-performance thereof." 
 
 This statement by Hubbard seems to be the only harsh 
 criticism by a contemporary and is perhaps the source of 
 every adverse comment on Rev, Ralph Smith by later writers. 
 
 In 1669, Nathaniel Morton, writing the history of Ply- 
 mouth Church, wrote to Samuel Gorton at Warwick doubt- 
 less for information regarding Ralph Smith and Roger 
 Williams, with both of whom Gorton had come to grips. 
 Gorton's letter, which seems fair and straightforward, gives 
 evidence enough to show that Ralph Smith was a grave 
 man, not at all of the fanatic brand so impressive in Elder 
 William Brewster and Roger Williams. But Morton's 
 statement in his history of Plymouth Church regarding 
 Smith is: 
 
 "1629 Although for minnestry it was low with us; for as was 
 
 before Noted: they had Chosen Mr Ralph Smith fore named to be theire 
 Pastour yett hee proved but a poor healp to them in that being of very 
 weake parts in the [work] of the Ministry; onely they had a Great healp by 
 their Revered mr Brewster whoe was well Accomplished with Gifts and 
 G[race] for such worke; they had alsoe some Good healp by a Godly 
 [yovmgjman] Called Mr. Roger Williams * * , # " 
 
 Nowhere do we find mention of Ralph Smith's family 
 beyond general terms. Higginson mentions "his child," 
 Bradford mentions his "wife" and "servants." Perhaps his 
 wife and her maid, the child, and a man servant, comprised 
 the family. Of the loss of his child, or his wife, no mention 
 is made, though his wife was alive in 1638 it would seem 
 from Gorton's statement. 
 
 [S] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 In late September, 1632, Governor Winthrop and a com- 
 pany from the new plantation travelled the Indian trail to 
 Plymouth to pay their respects to the Government there. 
 
 Some minor clashes had occurred between those un ier 
 the jurisdiction of the two Patents, and some servants had 
 run away to escape hard masters in either plantation, and 
 Winthrop, whose actions had been rather cool, if not over- 
 bearing, towards the Plymouth men, seems to have decided 
 to make advances toward a more cordial understanding. 
 Without doubt, the action of Bradford in sending Samuel 
 Fuller over to Salem to break up a threatened epidemic of 
 what was, perhaps, scurvy or ship-fever among those who 
 came in the fleet in 1629, had borne good fruit,* and Win- 
 throp deserves praise for going frankly on a mission of con- 
 ciliation when it would have been easier to have let things 
 drift. 
 
 On October 3, 1632, came Sunday, and the Bay Gov- 
 ernor and his retinue sat in state in the little plank church 
 on the burial hill and listened to a sermon by Ralph Smith. 
 We can imagine him impressed by the grave demeanor and 
 calm logic of Smith, even if the form of the worship did not 
 appeal, so far apart were the religious ideas of the Bay and 
 Plymouth. 
 
 In July, 1634, Bradford, Winslow and Rev. Ralph Smith 
 went to Boston to protest against the detention of Captain 
 John Alden, as a seeming unjust retaliation for the unfor- 
 tunate affair of the Kennebec and to assert their right in 
 
 *Hubbard, again blundcttne, stales that Endecott sent to Plymouth for help "of one Mr. 
 Fuller, a deacon of Mr. Robinson's church, skilled in the designi of the country, which 
 those people that first came over in those two years were filled withal, and also well rersed 
 in the way of church discipline practiced by Mr. Robinson's church"; thus intimating that 
 church affairs was the object, whereas the ministrations of a pbyaician seem to have been 
 the tole reason. 
 
 Compare, also, Hubbard's statement that "July 2, came in the Talbot, which had been 
 ■ore visited with the small-pox in her passage, and whereof fourteen died in the way," with 
 Higginton'a itatement that "only one person died of the pox," though numbers were ill of 
 it. and that "two children died," probably of the measles. 
 
 [6] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 upholding their claim to that trading post. They accom- 
 plished their ends, Winthrop and the Bay clergy being com- 
 pelled to admit both logic and position as correct, and this 
 without bitterness remaining on cither side. 
 
 It was about this time that Plymouth sought to obtain 
 Rev. John Norton for their pastor, and Ralph Smith stepped 
 aside for a while, but Norton was not attracted by the Ply- 
 mouth situation and disagreeing with the tenets of baptism 
 as practiced by that church, went elsewhere. 
 
 With what must have been saintly forbearance, the duties 
 of pastor were again taken up by Ralph Smith, to continue 
 until March, 1636, when John Reynor began to preach on 
 trial. Reynor was ordained the same year. Ralph Smith 
 remained at Plymouth, however, for a while. In 1637,^ 
 "Mr. Ralph Smith, Gent." was, with Elder Brewster, on 
 the committee to revise the Ordinances of the Colony. This 
 year he had a grant of land and in 1640 another grant was 
 made to him. 
 
 It was in 1636 that Plymouth Church and Ralph Smith 
 eased off their bonds. Bradford wrote: 
 
 "This year Mr. Smith layed downe his place of ministrie, partly by 
 his owne willingnes, as thinking it too heavie a burthen, and partly at 
 the desire, and by ye perswasion, of others." 
 
 Plymouth Colony records show that Ralph Smith was 
 made a freeman in 1633. He had various grants of lands, 
 but none of large proportions, and a house lot, mowing, 
 orchard, and tilling sufficient for comfort, but not extensive 
 enough to be more than a means of support, appear to be 
 the extent of his holdings, B'rom the fact that he is called 
 "Gentleman" in the records, after retiring from the minis- 
 try, it would seem as if he had been of some means, and his 
 estate, at his death, rather confirms that view. 
 
 [7] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 In 1636, Ralph Smith, still at that time pastor of the Ply- 
 mouth Church, went through a most disagreeable affair in 
 connection with Samuel Gorton. The following extract 
 from Winslow's " Hypocrisie Vnmasked,'" and the letter from 
 Samuel Gorton to Nathaniel Morton, give the gist of the 
 matter.* 
 
 "The first complaynt that came against him [Samuel Gorton] for 
 wch hee was brought before athority, was by M' Ralph Smith, who be- 
 ing of Gorton's aquaintance Recevid him & his famely in to his house 
 wt Much humilety & christian Respeck, promising him as free use of it 
 as him self: but gorton becomming trublesom, after means used to Re- 
 move ye ofences taken by Mf Smith, but to no purpose, Growing still 
 more insolent, Mf Smyth desired him to provid elcewhere for himself: 
 but Gorton Refused sayeing hee had as good intrest in the house as 
 Mr. Smith had: and when hee was brought before authorety stoutly 
 maintained it to our amasment, but was to depart by ordere, & to pro- 
 vid other ways for him self by a time apointed. " 
 
 About thirty-one years after Gorton was driven out of 
 Plymouth for his attempt to override constituted authority, 
 he wrote a letter to Nathaniel Morton of Plymouth. This 
 letter was dated at Warwick, 30 June, 1669. In it he wrote 
 that he had been in New England thirty-three years. He 
 claimed to be of gentle blood and in every way showed the 
 manner of an educated man. In referring to Ralph Smith 
 he said: "their preaching minister then with them, I knew 
 to be a godly man and was familiarly acquainted with him 
 now above half a hundred yeares agoe, in Gorton where I was 
 born and bred and the fathers of my body for many gener- 
 ations." He further wrote: 
 
 *WhiIe it is amusine to the unbliscd to read the fulsome defence of Gorton'i career by • 
 Chief Justice of Rhode Island, it is saddening to read in "Thi Lift and Timti 0/ Samuel Gtmn" 
 the ignorant misapplication of supposed evidence in the case there displayed, in using facts 
 in the career of one Ralph Smith, yeoman, to blacken the character of our Rev. Ralph Smith. 
 This inexcusable carelestnets shows thai this was an ill considered attack on him to bolster 
 up the assumed innocence of Gorton. 
 
 [«] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 "A difference betweene Mr. Ralph Smith and my selfe I say 
 
 Mr. Ralph Smith as you please to call him, but why is not your Canon- 
 ization not exercised upon him, he was your ancient pastor and of my 
 knowledge as pure and precise in your religion as any of you all, What, 
 was he not rich enough, or was he not honorable [well-bom] enough 
 or had neither himselfe nor his poets made verses enough to bring him 
 into the ranke. What a wofull neglect was that, yet I never knew it be- 
 fore that without poetrie we cannot be esteemed holy and honorable; 
 
 In the time of these agitations Mr. Smith tooke offence at me whether 
 of himselfe or instigated I know not, neither know I any ocation I gave 
 him, vnlesse it was because his ancient wife and others of his family fre- 
 quented mine vsually morning and evening in the time of family exer- 
 cises, and so did a religious maid living then with your teacher, Mr. 
 Reyner, Mistriss Smith often expressing her selfe how glad she was that 
 she could come into a family where her spirit was refreshed in the ordin- 
 ances of god as in former dayes which she said was much decayed and 
 allmost worne out of religion since she came to Plimouth; In this of- 
 fence taken by Mr. Smith he applied himselfe to the government of Pli- 
 mouth for help to breake his covenant made with my self, I having hired, 
 one part of his house for the terme of foure whole yeares. " 
 
 Gorton and his son, Thomas, volunteered with other Ply- 
 mouth men, June 7, 1638, for service in the Pequot war, 
 under Thomas Prence. 
 
 Ralph Smith, having given up his pastoral relation to the 
 Plymouth church late in 1636 and being engaged in the re- 
 vision of the ordinances in 1637, yet remained in Plymouth 
 for several years more. He had a grant of land from the 
 town in 1637, and one in 1640 of eight acres in the "South 
 Meddowes toward Aggawam, Colebrook Meddowes, "which 
 would show him resident there as a townsman at that time. 
 
 "The xviij day of April 1642. Memorandum. That Mr. Ralph 
 Smith doth acknowledge that for the sum of six score pounds he hath 
 sold unto John Doane agent for the Church of Plymouth, all his house 
 and buildings and garden plotts in Plymouth together with the six acres 
 of upland in the field." 
 
 [9] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 This brief deed of what was the parsonage of Plymouth 
 Church, and was bought for Reyner's settlement, must 
 mark about the time when Ralph Smith received his call to 
 Jeffrey's Creek, since called Manchester. How long a pas- 
 torate it was is undetermined. He was preaching there in 
 1645 and Good News from New England" printed in London 
 in 1648, but probably written in 1647, states that he was 
 pastor there then. He must have concluded his ministry to 
 that little hamlet of seven families about this time, however, 
 as a deed of what was formerly the es'ate of Deacon Rich- 
 ard Masterson, inserted further on, shows that he was plan- 
 ning to remove to Boston. 
 
 The Salem Church records show that a Ralph Smith was 
 a member of that church in 1647, and a Mary Smith, pre- 
 sumably his wife, a little later. 
 
 Tradition says that the first meetings in Jeffrey's Creek 
 were held in 1640 under a tree at what is now Gale's Point. 
 But Thomas Jenner preached there earlier than that, it is 
 known. 
 
 No meeting house was built at Jeffrey's Creek until 1656, 
 so far as the records show. Another tradition, seemingly 
 borne out by those who have gone into the matter carefully, 
 is that it was at Jeffrey's Creek that Gov. Winthrop landed 
 when he first came out of the ArbcUa. Seventy-five years 
 ago the changes since Winthrop's time had been slight in- 
 deed and the hills still were overrun with wild strawberries 
 as at the time when Masconomo treated the Governor and 
 those with him to a feast of those lucious fruits, so grateful 
 to the unsated palates of weary seafarers. 
 
 Among the most ancient place-names of that territory 
 now are "Smith's Farm Spring," "Smith's Island," "Smith's 
 Point," and "Smith's Landing." As no man by the name 
 of Smith is known to have settled there until about 1700, 
 
 [10] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 except the Rev. Ralph Smith, these names may mark his 
 brief residence there, though there is no positive proof of it. 
 From the following in the first book of deeds, Plymouth 
 Colony Records, it is entirely probable that Rev. Ralph 
 Smith had married the w^idow of Deacon Richard Master- 
 son sometime between 1642 and 1648. Hence the settle- 
 ment of Masterson's estate upon his children. 
 
 "This writting underneath was Recorded by order from the governor 
 the 27 of October 1652. 
 
 We have graunted to Nathaniell Masterson our Lands in Wellingsley 
 with our house there and the fences and the mersh and the upland in the 
 woods; Reserving our trees for John Wood to enioy for our good and 
 his, and to bee Remooved the next autume; And this we doe upon con- 
 sideration; agreed betweene vs the 15th day of the fift month 1648, and 
 heer unto have sett our hands. Ralph Smith 
 
 and Mary Smith IV marke. 
 
 The trees are to bee 
 
 Johns whiles 
 
 they beare and halfe 
 
 the fruite to be sent 
 
 to Boston for vs while 
 
 Either of us live if God please. 
 
 Memorand the day and yeare first above written; That Nathaniell 
 Masterson above mencioned doth acknowlidge that for such consider- 
 acon as wher with hee is satisfied hee hath freely and absolutely made 
 over vnto John Wood of Plymouth senior; all his Right hee hath in the 
 one halfe of all the Mersh Meddow hee hath at goose point neare plym: 
 aforesaid; which said mersh the said Nathaniell bought of his father in law 
 Mr Smith To have and to hold the said one halfe of the said Marsh 
 and all the appurtenances belonging ther unto the onely pper vse of the 
 said John Wood his heires and assignes for ever to belonge vnto the 
 onely pper vse and behoofe of him the said John Wood his heires and 
 assignes for ever;" 
 
 '1649. Bradford Governor. 
 
 A deed apointed to bee Recorded. 
 Bee it known vnto all Men that I Mary Smith sometimes the wife of 
 
 [11] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 Richard Masterson desseased doe by these prsents acknowlidg y< I have 
 ffreely and absolutly given and made over and doe by this my deed 
 ffrcely give and Resigne vnto my soon Nathaneel Masterson and vnto 
 my daughter Sara the wife of John Wood all my Right title and Interest 
 of and into an house in Leyden in Holland somtimes apertaining unto 
 my dessesed husband Richard Masterson aforsaid the house to have and 
 to hold vnto the said Nathaneel Masterson and Sara Wood to them their 
 heaires and assignes for ever vnto the onely prper vse and behoof of them 
 the said Nathaneel Masterson and Sara Wood vnto them and their heairs 
 and assignes for ever." 
 
 The removal to Boston did not come about at that con- 
 templated time it would seem, as Ralph Smith and his wife 
 were in Ipswich in 1650 as shown by the following extract 
 from the Aspinwall Notarial Records. 
 
 "22 (8) 165. [1650] Mr Raph Smith of Ipsv?ich in N: Eng: consti- 
 tuted Mr Hugh Goodyeare of Leidon in Holland his true and lawfull 
 Attr: granting him full power &c: to aske levie &c: for him & in his 
 name & to his use & to the use of Mary his wife (sometime formerly 
 wife of Rich: Masterson of Leidon) all rents arrearages due unto the 
 aforesd Mary Smith for a certaine house or tenem'- Scituate uppon the 
 uppermjst graft neere the quackle brigg in leiden aforesd & of the receipt 
 to give acquitt: also to compound &c: & to appeare in any Court &c: 
 to doe say sue &c: & generally to doe all things &c: ffurther granting 
 him power to sett lett &c: the sd house dureing the naturall [life] of the 
 sd Mary: wih power to substitute &c: ratifying &c: in presence of 
 Wm Worcester. Richard Cooke. 
 
 The will of John Whittingham of Ipswich, which is not 
 dated, but was proved at the Ipswich court on the 27th, 1st 
 mo., 1649, [March, 1650] contained a bequest of "twenty 
 shillings to Mrs. Smith." This was, beyond question, the 
 wife of Ralph Smith. In a deed dated March 10th, 1652, 
 [1653] Bishop to Waite, of land in Ipswich "bounded on 
 land of Robert Beacham, now in possession of Mr. Ralph 
 Smith," we have, in the designation "Mr.," very good 
 evidence that this was Rev. Ralph Smith, And possibly this 
 is the basis for Cotton Mather's ill-graced statement in his 
 
 [12] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 "Magnolia Christi" that "there were indeed two other min- 
 isters early in the country, one of whom had turned to 
 trading [Lyford] and one to farming." [Smith] 
 
 There is no record of the death of any child of Ralph 
 Smith, or of his two wives; no record of his marriage to 
 Mary, the widow of Richard Masterson; but we know 
 from Gorton's letter to Nathaniel Morton, that the first or 
 "ancient" wife was living in Plymouth in 1636. And we 
 know that he had married Mary Masterson before July 15, 
 1648, when they signed the deed to Nathaniel Masterson. 
 
 It is probable that Ralph Smith continued to live in Ips- 
 wich with his son-in-law Nathaniel Masterson until about 
 1659. Masterson was fined in court at Ipswich, in 1658, 
 for selling food and drink without a license. This was 
 doubtless some petty persecution, for Masterson promptly 
 appealed to the General Court at Boston, which as promptly 
 remitted half the fine. Masterson left Ipswich and removed 
 to York, Maine, where he was made Marshal in 1660. It 
 would seem as if his mother must have been alive at this 
 time, and that he settled her and his father-in-law comfort- 
 ably in Boston before he started for York, but if so the time 
 had come for natural changes and Boston records of deaths, 
 under the year 1661, have : "Mr. Ralph Smith Pastor of the 
 Church of Plymouth died the first of March." 
 
 The Registry of Probate record has : 
 
 *'At A meeteing of the magistrates this 18th Aprill 1661 
 Power of Administration to ye estate of the late Mf- Ralph Smith is 
 granted unto Nathaniell Masterson his late wives sonne that lived A long 
 time with him and was Serviceable to him for ye most part of his time 
 to Administer according to law. 
 
 A true Inventory 
 Present ye of ye goods of Mr. 
 
 Gouenor ye Smith prized by 
 
 Dep. Gounr us whose names 
 
 Major Atherton are under written 
 
 and Recorder this 16 Aprill (61) 
 
 [13] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 Imprimis 
 
 A bed bolster and pillow and 2 ruggs one cotton one greene 
 
 rugg and two curtains 6.00,00 
 
 To two blankets and a flocke pillow 1.02.00 
 
 To old Cloth Cloake 2.10.00 
 
 To a blue long Coatc ■ 1.15.00 
 
 To a shift 4' two pillow beeres 4« 6<i 00.08.06 
 
 To old Capts 18d bands 4' towels 3/3 00.08.00 
 
 To two sheeftes 18' one hatt 12« 01.10.00 
 
 To a Silver tankard and two spoones 04.00.00 
 
 To 3 old Trunkes 01.00.00 
 
 To a little Trunke S* one box 4' 00.09.00 
 
 To one Small box 18' one Chest 6<i 00.18.06 
 
 To 4 Cushions 8« 2 Chayers 14» 01.02.00 
 
 To a nest of boxes 5' in peage 11' 00.16.00 
 
 To one old Case and Standige 00.03.00 
 
 To a payer of bellowes 2' 6<l to a warming pan 7' 6d 00. 10.00 
 
 To a payer of tongs and fire shovcll 00.05.00 
 
 To one Skellett and Candlesticke 00.05.00 
 
 To one pewter dish 12d Snuffers 12d 00.02.00 
 
 To earthen ware 8d 2 Curtains 4« 00.04.08 
 
 To a leaden stanage and Inkhome 00.02.06 
 
 To one Apple roster 9d 00.00.09 
 To bookes as ye prize first leaft of them appeared prized by 
 
 Hezekiah Usher Junior 13.07.00 
 To a shooting home and 6 woodden trenchers and a woodden 
 
 platter 00.05.09 
 
 To one watsh 00.15.00 
 
 Summe is ;£ 37.04.04 
 
 More found since in bookes to the value of 16' 
 And a watsh Cloake or alarum at Mr. Clarkes at 20' 
 And 3 other bookes at 13' 4d and a little hammer* 
 
 William Cotton 
 
 William Inglish 
 
 Nathaniel! Masterson Deposed at ye same time that this was A true In- 
 ventory of the estate of ye late Mr- Ralph Smith that came to his hand 
 to his best knowledge that when hee knowcs more he will discover it." 
 
 Those who have written of Rev. Ralph Smith in earlier 
 days, have stated that he had his degree of A. B. at Christ's 
 College, Cambridge, in 1613. As Higginson's statement, 
 in his Mss., that "Ralph Smith's child born in nenton. 
 
 *See the erronious statement of Goodwin in his "Pilgrim Republic." as to this matter. 
 
 [14] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 Lancashire," was crossed out by him, we have a fair field 
 for conjecture open for the following reasons. First, there 
 is no parish of "Nenton" in all England. Second, there is a 
 Chapelry of Denton in Lancashire. And likewise a Chap- 
 elry of Denton in Durham. The Denton in Lancashire is 
 a part of the old parish of Gorton, where Samuel Gorton 
 lived, and where, he stated, he had known Ralph Smith fifty 
 years before. There is nothing in the imperfect registers of 
 Gorton, or Denton adjoining, to show that any Ralph Smith 
 was there in 1618, the year we know Gorton claims to have 
 been in his company there. On the other hand, the records 
 of Denton, parish of Gainford, Durham, show a Ralph 
 Smith was curate there as early as 1582, and as late as 1605, 
 and perhaps until his death in 1615. 
 
 From the Registers of the Parish of Gainford, co. Durham. 
 A. D. 1587-8. Jan. 29. Rauffe Smith and Catheran Mathewson married. 
 1590. April! 5. Rauffe Smithe baptised. 
 1614-15. Feb. 7. Rauffe Smithe buried. 
 
 From the Registers of the Chapel of Denton in 
 the Parish of Gainford, co. Durham. 
 A. D. 1589, April 5, Raffe Smith baptz ye v of Aprill in ye p'ish church 
 of gayforthe [Gainford] a'd brought to dento' the same day his godfathers 
 mr Farrand vicar of gaynford and John Burrell mrs Hilton godmother. 
 A. D. 1595. Willya' Smythe baptised ye 16 of november ye sonne of 
 Raffe Smythe of denton. 
 A marginal note appears in the Register opposite the record of Ralph 
 Smith 's baptism as follows : "R. S. sent to Cambridge ye 8 of maie 1604." 
 
 From the above we may judge that our Rev. Ralph Smith 
 was born in Gainford about the end of March 1589, son of 
 Ralph Smith, Curate of Denton, and his wife Catherine 
 Mathewson, and that the curate died early in February, 1615. 
 
 The discrepancy of a year in the records of Ralph Smith's 
 baptism is a clerical error only, as the Denton record proves. 
 
 [15] 
 
Ralph Smith first settled Minister of Plymouth 
 
 What is probably the fact is that Higginson knew, from 
 conversation with him, about Ralph Smith's birth in Den- 
 ton in Durham, and of his pastorate at Denton in Lancaster, 
 where it is probable Ralph Smith's child was born. In 
 writing, he perhaps found his memory not clear as to the 
 facts, and it being a non-essential statement, he drew his 
 pen through it, and let it go at that. 
 
 It would further seem that Ralph Smith was a scholar at 
 Cambridge University in 1610. He matriculated, July term, 
 1611, in Christ College. He received his B. A. degree there 
 in 1614. Born in 1590, he was, sometime between 1614 
 and 1618 and perhaps much later, in Gorton parish, co. Lan- 
 cashire, as stated by Samuel Gorton in his letter to Morton, 
 noticed before. 
 
 He may have been in charge of Denton, a chapclry of 
 Gorton, and his child may have been born there. 
 
 In searching out evidences of those who have been in- 
 clined to write in a somewhat slighting manner of the labors 
 of Plymouth's first minister, nothmg has been found con- 
 sistent with their tone. Bradford's statement that Smith 
 laid down his ministry partly because it was burdensome, and 
 partly because the Church wished it, covers the whole 
 ground. It is recorded that he was a grave and serious man. 
 There is evidence enough that he was an educated one. 
 Indeed, he and William Brewster were the only ones of Uni- 
 versity education in Plymouth at that time, they both being 
 Cambridge men. If he did not write such verse as Bradford 
 wrote, the world lost little. Mather found him anathema in 
 his sight because in the Hocking aflfair Smith "bore down on 
 the Bay ministers" and compelled recognition of the absolute 
 justness of Plymouth's position. No one's pride was hum- 
 bled, but Winthrop took a different and more conciliatory 
 stand toward Plymouth Government after that episode. 
 
 [16] 
 
As Higginson's narrative has been mentioned and as a 
 fellow voyager with Smith his journal of the trip is most 
 interesting, it is printed here as having a proper relation to 
 this brief review of the modest career of the first settled 
 minister of Plymouth. 
 
A true relation of the last voyage to New England, declar- 
 ing all circumstances with the manner of the passage we had 
 by sea, and what manner of country and inhabitants we found 
 when ive came to land; and what is the present state and con- 
 dition of the English people that are there already. 
 
 Faithfully recorded according to the very truth, for the 
 satisfaction of very many of my loving friends, who have 
 earnestly requested to be truly notified in these things. 
 
 Written from New England July 24, 1629. 
 
 Any curious criticke that lookes for exactnes of phrases, or 
 expert seaman that regards propriety of sea-terms, may be dis- 
 appointed. 
 
FRANCIS HIGGINSON^S JOURNAL 
 
 OR 
 
 Narrative of His Voyage to 
 THE Bay Plantation 
 
 - - - Mr Higgeson, a grave man, 
 & of worthy commendations; he 
 Cometh in the Talbott ----- 
 
 — LetliT to Capt. John Endecott. 
 
 A true relation of the last voyage to New England, 
 made the last summer, begun the 25th of April, being Sat- 
 urday Anno Domini, i62g. 
 
 The Company of New England consisting of many worthy 
 gentlemen in the citty of London, Dorcester, and other 
 places, ayming at the glory of God, the propagation of the 
 gospell of Christ, the conversion of the Indians, and the en- 
 largement of the King's Majesty's dominions in America, and 
 being authorised by his royal letters patents for that end, at 
 their very great cost and charges, furnished 5 ships to go to 
 New England, for the further settling of the English plan- 
 tation that had already begun there. 
 
 The names of the five shipps were as followeth. 
 
 [1] 
 
Rev. Francis Higginsons Journal 
 
 The first is called the Talbot, a good and strong ship of 
 300 tunnes, and ig pieces of ordinance, and served with JO 
 mariners. This ship: carried about an 100 planters, 6 
 goates, 5 great pieces of ordinance, zvith meale, oatmeale, 
 pease, and all manner of munition and provision for the plan- 
 tation for a twelve monthe. 
 
 The second the George, another strong ship also, about 
 JOG tunnes, 20 pieces of ordinance, served with about JO 
 mariners; her chiefe carriage ivere cattell, 12 mares, JO 
 kyne, and some goats, also there gad in her 52 planters and 
 other provision. 
 
 The third is called the Lyon's Whelp, a neat and nimble 
 ship of 120 tunnes, 8 pieces of ordinance, carrying in her 
 many mariners and about 40 planters, specially from Dor- 
 cester and other places thereabouts, with provision, and 4 
 goats. 
 
 The 4th is called the Four Sisters, as I heare, of about 
 JOO tunns, ivhich sayme ship carried many cattell, with pas- 
 sengers and provision. 
 
 The 5th is called the Mayflower, carrying passengers and 
 provision. 
 
 Now amongst these 5 ships, the George having the special 
 and urgent cause of hastening her passage, set sayle before 
 the rest about the middle of April. And the Four Sisters 
 and the Mayflower, not being throughly furnished, intended, 
 as we heard, to set forth about J weeks after us: But ive 
 that were in the Talbot and the Lyon's Whelp, being ready 
 for our voyage, by the good hand of God's providence, hoisted 
 our sayle from Graves-end on Saturday the 25th of April, 
 about 7 o'clock in the morning. Having but a faint U'ind ive 
 could not go farre that day, but at night ice ancred against 
 Lie, which is 12 miles from Gravesend, and there ice rested 
 that night, and kept Sabbath the next day. 
 
 [2] 
 
Rev. Francis Higginson's Journal 
 
 On Monday, (the 2'jth) we sat forward and came to the 
 fiats, a passage somewhat difficult by reason of the narrownes 
 of the channel and shalloivnes of the water; and going over 
 this we ivere in some daunger: for our ship being heavy laden 
 and drawing deepe water was sensibly felt of us all to strike 
 J or 4 tymes on the ground: but the wind blowing some- 
 what strong we were carried swiftly on, and at last by God's 
 blessing came safe to ancre at Gorin roade. 
 
 Tuesday {^8th) we zvent a little further, and ancred over 
 against Margret Downe, staying for a wind for the Doivnes. 
 
 Wednesday (2g) we came safely through luith much 
 turning and tacking thoroiu the Gullies into the Downes, 
 and stayed that night. 
 
 Thursday, (joth) Fryday and Saturday (May 1st & 
 2nd) the ivind blew hard from south west and caused our 
 ship to daunce, and divers of our passengers and my wiffe 
 specially ivere sea sicke. Here the King's ship called the 
 Assurance, pressed 2 of our mariners. Here lue saw many 
 porpuses playing in the sea, luhich they say is a signe of foule 
 weather. 
 
 (May 3) Sabbath day, a windy e day and could: We 
 kept Sabbath staying still at the Downes. 
 
 Monday (4th) God sent us a fayre gale of ivinde. North 
 N. East, whereby we came merrily from the Downes, and 
 passing Dover we saiv 6 or 7 saile of Dunkirkers wafting 
 after us; but it seemed they saw our company was too strong 
 for them, for then ive had with us J or 4 ships that went for 
 the Streights: So they returned backe from pursuing us any 
 longer. But sayling with a good wind we went speedily, and 
 at night ca?ne near the Isle of Wight, but being darke, we 
 durst not put into the channell , but put backe for sea-roome 
 4 hours, and then other 4 houres sayled backe agayne the 
 same way. 
 
 [3] 
 
Rev. Francis Higginson's Journal 
 
 Tuesday (5th) early in the morning we entered the chan- 
 nell, the wind being weake and calme, and passed by Ports- 
 mouth very slowly; but in the afternoone the luind quick- 
 ened, and we were forced to ancre a little on this side of 
 Cowcastle, but the wind growing more favourable, we 
 weighed and came to ancre again, right against Cowcastle, 
 thinking to stay that night, the wind being very calme. 
 Here I and my wiffe and my daughter Mary, and 2 maids, 
 and some others with us, obtained of the master of the ship 
 to go a shoare to refresh us, and to wash our linnens, and so 
 we lay at Cowes that night. But the wind turning when 
 we were absent, they hoysted sayle and left us there, and 
 ancred 8 miles further, over against Yarmouth, about 8 of 
 the clocke at night. 
 
 Wednesday (6th) betyme in the morning the shalope was 
 sent from the ship to fetch us to Yarmouth, but the water 
 proved rough and our women desired to be sett on shoare 3 
 miles short of Yarmouth, and so went on foote by land and 
 lodge in Yarmouth that night. 
 
 On Thursday and Fryday (yth Off 8th) there master 
 Becher, allowed by the Company, gave me 40 s. to make 
 our provision of what things we would for the voyage. 
 
 Saturday (9th) we went to board again; and on this day 
 we had 2 other men pressed to serve the King's ship;, but 
 we got one agayne by entreaty. 
 
 The Sabbath next day ( lOth) we kept the ship, ivhere I 
 preached in the morning ; and in the afternoone was intreated 
 to preach at Yarmouth, where Mr. Meare and Captain 
 Borley entertained us very kyndly, and earnestly desired to 
 be noetified of our safe arrivall in New England, and of 
 the state of the country. 
 
 Monday morning (nth) bleiue a fayre wind from 
 E. S. E. and the Lion's Whelp having taken in all her pro' 
 
 [4] 
 
Rev. Francis Higginsons Journal 
 
 vision for passengers, about J of the clock in the afternoone 
 we hoysed sayle for the Needles, and by God's guidance 
 safely passed that narrow passage a little after 4 a clocke in 
 the afternoone. And being entred into the sea, from the top 
 of the mast, we discerned 4 sayle of ships lying southward 
 from us. But night coming on we tooke in our long boat 
 and shalope. And the next day (12th) we had a fayre gale 
 of Easterly wind that brought us towards night as farre as 
 the Lizzard. 
 
 Wednesday (13th) the wind still houlding easterly, we 
 came as farre as to the land's end, in the utmost part of 
 Cornewall, and so left our dear native soyle of England be- 
 hind us; and sayling about lO leagues further we passed the 
 lies of Sillie and launched the same day a great way into 
 the maine ocean. And now my wiffe and other passengers 
 began to feele the tossing zuaves of the westerne sea, and so 
 were very sea sicke. 
 
 And this is to be noted, that all this while our passage 
 hath beene upon the coast of England, so ought truly to be 
 accounted the first day of our parting with Ould England. 
 
 Thursday (14th) the same easterly wind blew all day and 
 night, and the next day ( iSth) so that some of the seamen 
 thought we were come by this tyme lOO leagues from Eng- 
 land, but towards night the winde was calme. 
 
 Saturday (l6th) we were becalmed all day. This day 
 met us a little ship that came from Christopher islands. 
 
 Sabbath ( lyth) being the first Lord's day ive held at sea 
 was very calm, especially in the morning, but we were dis- 
 turbed in our morning service by the appearance of a Bis- 
 kainers ship, a man of warre, that made towards us, and 
 manned out his boate to view us: But finding us too strong 
 for him he dared not venture to assault us, but made off. 
 
 This day my tivo children Samuel and Mary began to 
 
 [5] 
 
Rev. Francis Higginsons Journal 
 
 be sicke of the small-pocks and purples together, which was 
 brought into the ship by one Mr. Browne who was sicke of 
 the same at Graves-end, whom it pleased God to make the 
 first occasion of bringing that contagious sickness among us; 
 where with many were after afflicted. 
 
 Monday ( i8th) calme still, the wind being N. JV. blow- 
 ing a little towards evening, but contrary to our course. 
 
 Tuesday ( iQth) wind S. W. as little helpfull as the 
 former, and blowing very weake. This day the master of 
 the ship, myself and another went aboard the Lion's fVhelpe, 
 where Mr. Gibs made us welcome with bountiful enter- 
 tainment. And this day towards night my daughter grew 
 sicker, and many blew spots were scene upon her breast, 
 which affrighted us. At the first we thought they had beene 
 the plague tokens; but we found afterwarde that it was only 
 an high measure of the infection of the pocks, which were 
 struck agayne into the child, and so it was God's will the 
 child dyed about 5 of the clocke at night, being the first in 
 our ship that was buried in the bowels of the great Atlantic 
 sea; which, as it was a grief e to us her parents and a ter- 
 rour to all the rest, as being the beginning of a contagious 
 disease and mortality, so in the same judgement it pleased 
 God to remember mercy in the child, in freeing it from a 
 world of misery wherein otherwise she had lived all her 
 dales. For being about 4 years ould, a yeare since, we know 
 not by what means, sweyd in the backe, so that it was 
 broken and grew crooked and the joynts of her hipps were 
 loosed, and her knees went crooked, pittiful to see. Since 
 which she hath had a most lamentable payne in her belly and 
 would oft tymes cry out in the day and in her sleep also, my 
 belly I which declared her extraordinary distemper. So that 
 in respect of her we had cause to take her death as a blessing 
 from the Lord to shorten her miserie. 
 
 [6] 
 
Rev. Francis Higginsons Journal 
 
 Wednesday (20th) a wet morning, the wind was 
 W. S. JV. and in the afternoon N. W. i5f by JV., both being 
 contrary to our course, which was to saile W. &' by S. Thus 
 it pleased God to lay his hand upon us by sickness and death 
 and contrary winds; and stirred up some of us to make the 
 motion of humbling ourselves under the hand of God, by 
 keeping a solemn day of fasting and prayer unto God, to 
 beseech him to remove the continuance and further increase 
 of these evills from us, which was willingly condescended 
 unto as a duty very fitting and needful for our present state 
 and condition. 
 
 Thursday (21st) there being two ministers in the ship, 
 Mr. Smith and myselfe, we endeavoured, together with 
 others, to consecrate the day as a solemn fasting and humilia- 
 tion to Almighty God, as a furtherance of our present worke. 
 And it pleased God the ship was becalmed all day, so that 
 we were freed from any encumbrance ; and as soone as we 
 had done prayers, see and behold the goodnes of God, about 
 7 a clocke at night the wind turned to N. E. and we had a 
 fayre gale that night, as a manifest evidence of the Lord's 
 hearing our prayers. I heard some of the mariners say, they 
 thought this was the first sea-fast that ever was kept, and 
 that they never heard of the like performed at sea before. 
 
 Fryday (22nd) The wind fayre and East northerly, and 
 for our purpose for New England. It did blow strongly 
 and carried us amayne with tossing waves, which did affright 
 them that were not wonted to such sights. 
 
 Saturday (23rd) The same wind blowing but more gently. 
 Now we were comforted with the hope of my sonne Samu- 
 el's recovery of the pockes. 
 
 (24th) The 2d Lord's day, an ordely wind and prosper- 
 ous. 
 
 On Monday (25th) a fayre frumme gale, the wind 
 S. S. W. 
 
 [7] 
 
Rev. Francis Higginson's Journal 
 
 Tuesday (26th) about 10 of the clocke in the morning, 
 whilst we were at prayers a strong and sudden blast came 
 from the north, that hoysed up the waves and tossed us more 
 than ever before, and held us all the day till toward night, 
 and then abated little by little till it was calme. This day 
 Mr. Goffe's great dog fell overboard and could not be re- 
 covered. 
 
 Wednesday (zyth) the wind still N. and calme in the 
 morning, but about noone there arose a So. wind which 
 increased more and more, so that it seemed to us that are 
 landsmen a sore and terrible storm; for the wind blew 
 mightily, the rain fell vehemently, the sea roared and the 
 waves tossed us horribly; besides it was fearfull darke and 
 the mariners maid was afraid; and noyse on the other side 
 with their running here and there, lowd crying one to an- 
 other to pull at this and that rope. The waves powred 
 themselves over the ship that the two boats were filled with 
 water, that they were fayne to strike holes in the midst of 
 them to let the water out. Yea by the violence of the waves 
 the long boat's coard which held it was broken, and it had 
 liked to have been washed overboard, had not the mariners 
 with much payne and daunger recovered the same. But this 
 lasted not many houres; after which it became a calmish day. 
 All which while I lay close and ivarm in my cabine but farre 
 from having list to sleepe with Jonah; my thoughts u-ere 
 otherwise employed as the tyme and place required. Then I 
 saw the truth of the scripture. Psal. 107 from the 23d to 
 the 32d. And my feare at this tyme teas the lesse, when I 
 remembered ivhat a loving friend of myne. a minister accus- 
 tomed to sea storms said to me that I might not he dismayed 
 at such storms, for they were ordinary at sea. and it seldom 
 falls out that a ship perisheth at storms, if it have sea-roome. 
 Which I the rather wryte that others, as ivell as myself e by 
 
 [8] 
 
Rev. Francis Higginsons Journal 
 
 the knowledge hereof may be encouraged and prepared 
 against these ordinary sea-storms. 
 
 Thursday (28th) So. wind calme at night. Mr. Smith's 
 child of nenton in Lancashire there borne, sicke this day*. 
 
 On Fryday (2gth) a boistrous wind blowing crosse, but 
 was allayed towards night with a shower of rayne. 
 
 Saturday (30th) So. Wind, but fayre and quiett. 
 
 Sabbath day (jist) being the 3d. Lord's day. fayre and 
 calme; zue saiv abundance of grampus fishes, 2 or 3 yards 
 long, and a body as bigge as an oxe. 
 
 Monday (June i) The wind westerly and calme. But 
 besides our being stayed by contrary winds we begun to find 
 the temperature of the ayre to alter and to becoTue more 
 soletry and subject to unwholesome foggs. For coming now 
 to the the height of the Westerne Islands, some of our men 
 fell sicke of scurvie and other of the small pockes, which 
 more and more increased: Yet thankes be to God none dyed 
 of it but my oivne child mentioned. And therefore, ac- 
 cording to our great need, ive appointed another fast for the 
 next day. 
 
 Tuesday (2nd) we solemnly celebrated another fast. The 
 Lord that day heard us before we prayed and gave us an 
 answer before we called; for early in the morning the wind 
 turned full east, being as fitt a wind as could blow. And 
 sitting at my study on the ship's poope I saw many bonny 
 fishes and porposes pursuing one another, and haying some 
 of them a yard above the luater. Also as we were at prayers 
 under the hatch, some that were above saw a whale puffing 
 up water not farre from the ship. Now my wiffe was pretty 
 well recovered of her sea sicknesse. 
 
 •The words "Mr. Smith's child of nenton in Lancashire there borne, sicke this day" were 
 crossed out with a pen in the copy. The name of the town is indistinct. The oriEintl 
 manuscript has been lost for many years. 
 
 [9] 
 
Rev. Francis Higginson's Journal 
 
 Wednesday (3d) a fayre day and fine gale of full East 
 wind. This day myself e and others saw a large round fish 
 sayling by the ship's side, about a yard in length and rounders 
 every way. The mariners called it a sunne fish; it spreadeth 
 out the finnes like beames on every side 4 or 5, 
 
 Thursday and Fryday (4th ^ 5th) the wind full E. we 
 were carried with admiration on our journey. By this we 
 were more than half way to New England. This day a 
 fish very straunge to me, they call it a carvell; which came 
 by the ship side, wafting along the top of the water. It ap- 
 peared at the first like a bubble above the water as bigg as a 
 man's fist, but the fish itself e is about the bigness of a man's 
 thum, so that the fish itself e and the bubble resemble a ship 
 with sayles, which therefore is called a carvell. 
 
 Saturday (6th) wind direct East still. 
 
 (7th) The 4th Sabbath we kept at sea. The wind easterly 
 till noone, and then it came full S. E. a strong gale that 
 night and the next day (8th) till night. Tuesday (gth) 
 the same wind held till Q a clock in the morning; and then a 
 great showre which lasted till about 7 at night, and then it 
 was a very calme. There ice sounded with a dipled lyne 
 above lOO fadome and found no bottom. This day we saw a 
 fish called a turkle, a great and large shell fish, swimming 
 above the water neere the ship. 
 
 Wednesday ( lOth) wind northerly, a fine gale but calmish 
 in the afternoone. 
 
 Thursday (nth) the wind at N. an easye gale and fayre 
 morning. We saiu a mountayne of ice shining as white as 
 snow like to a great rocke or clift on shoare, it stood still 
 and therefore we thought it to be on ground and to reach the 
 bottome of the sea. For though there came a mighty streame 
 from the north yet it moved not, which made us sound, and 
 we found a banke of 40 fathom deepe whereupon we judged 
 
 [10] 
 
Rev. Francis Higginsons Journal 
 
 it to rest; and the height above was as much. We saw also 
 6 or y pieces of ice floating on the sea, which was broken off 
 from the former mountayne : We also saw great store of 
 water fowle swimming by the ship within musket shott, of a 
 pyde colour and about the bigness of a wild duck, about 40 
 in a company. The mariners call them hag birds. Towards 
 night came a fogge, that the Lion's Whelp was lost till 
 morning. And now we saw Tuany bony toes and grampuses 
 every day more and more. 
 
 Fry day (12th) Foggie and calmish, the wind northerly in 
 the morning, but about noon it came S. E. a dainty home 
 gale which carried us 6 leagues a watch. 
 
 Saturday (13) the same wind till night, and we saw 
 great store of porpuses and grampuses. 
 
 The 5th Sabbath, (14th) The same wind, towards noon 
 it began to be foggie, and then it rained till night, we went 
 4 or 5 leagues a watch. 
 
 Monday {15th) A fayer day but foggie, the same 
 wind bloiving but with fresh gales carried us 7 leagues a 
 watch. In the afternoon it blew harder, so the sea was 
 rough, and we lost the sight of the Lions Whelpe: it being 
 foggie we drummed for them, and they shot off a great 
 piece of ordinance, but we feared not one another. 
 
 Tuesday (l6th) wind S. by E. foggie till about 10 
 a clocke. While we were at prayers it cleared up about an 
 houre, and then we saw the Lions Whelpe, distant about 2 
 leagues southward. We presently tackt about to meet her, 
 and she did the same to meet us, but before we could get 
 together a thick fogge came, that we were long in finding 
 each other. This day we sounded divers tymes, and found 
 ourselves on another banke, at first 40 fathom, after 36, after 
 33, after 24. We thought it to have been the bank over 
 against Cape Sable, but ive were deceived, for we knew not 
 
 [11] 
 
Rev. Francis Higginsons Journal 
 
 certainly where we tvere because of the fogge. After 3 or 4 
 hours company we lost the Lion's Whelpe agayne, and beate 
 the drum and and shot of a great piece of ordinance, and yet 
 heard not of them. But perceiving the bank to grow stilt 
 shallower we found it 27 and 24 fathoms. Therefore, being 
 o fogge and fearing we were too near land we tackt about 
 for sea-roome for 2 or j watches and steered southeast. 
 
 Wednesday {ijth) very f aggie still, and wind S. and by 
 W. and sounding found no bottom that we could reach. 
 
 Thursday ( iSthJ wind full IV. and contrary to us. This 
 day a notorious wicked fellow that was given to szvering 
 and boasting of his former ivickedness, bragged that he had 
 got a wench with child before he came this voyage, and 
 mocked at our daies of fast, railing and jesting against puri- 
 tans, this fellow fell sick of the pockes and dyed. We 
 sounded and found 38 fathom, and stayed for a little ivhile 
 to take some cod fish, and feasted ourselves merrily. 
 
 Fry day ( igth) irind ivest still, a very fay re clear e day. 
 About 4 a clocke in the afternoon some went up to the top 
 of the mast, and affirmed to our great comfort they saw 
 land to the north eastward. 
 
 Saturday (20th) wind S. W. a fayre gale. We sounded 
 and found 40, 30, 22, and a little after no ground. 
 
 Sabbath (21st) being the 6th Lord's day; wind westerly 
 and calm. 
 
 Monday (22nd) wind easterly, a fayre gale. This day 
 we saw a great deal of froth not farre from us: we feared 
 it might be some breach of water against some sunken 
 ledge, therefore the master of our ship hoisted out the 
 shallop and ivent ii'ith some of the men to see what it was, 
 but found it onely to be a froathe carried by the streame. 
 
 Tuesday (23rd) The ivind N. E. a fayre gale. 
 
 Wednesday (24th) tvind N. E. a fayre day and clear; 
 
 [12] 
 
Rev. Francis Higginsons Journal 
 
 about g a clocke in the morning lue espied a shipp about 4 
 leagues behind us: which proved the Lion's Whelpe, which 
 had been a weeke separated from us, we stopped for her 
 company. This day a child of good man Blacke, which 
 had a consumption before it came to shipp, died. This day 
 we had all a cleare and comfortable sight of America, and 
 of the Cape Sable that was over against us 7 or 8 leagues 
 northward. Here lue saiv yellow gilliflowers on the sea. 
 
 Thursday (25th) wind still N. E. a full and fresh gale. 
 In the afternoon we had a cleare sight of many islands and 
 hills by the sea shoare. Noiu we saiv abundance of ?nackrill, 
 a great store, of great whales puffing up water as they goe, 
 some of them neare our shipp: their greatness did astonish 
 us that saw them not before; their back appeared like a 
 little island. At 5 a clocke at night the wind turned S. E. 
 a fayre gale. This day we caught mackrill. 
 
 Fryday (26th) A foggie morning, but after cleare and 
 wind calme. We saw many scools of mackrill, infinate multi- 
 tudes on every side our ship. The sea was abundantly stored 
 with rock iveed and yellow flowers like gilly flowers. By 
 noon we were within 3 leagues of Capan, and as we sayled 
 along the coasts we saw every hill and dale and every island 
 full of gay woods and high trees. The nearer we came to 
 the shoare the more flowers in abundance, sometyme scat- 
 tered abroad, sometymes joyned in sheets g or 10 yards long, 
 which we supposed to be brought from the low meadowes by 
 the tyde. Now what with fine woods and greene trees 
 by land, and these yellow flowers paynting the sea, made us 
 all desirous to see our new paradise of New England, whence 
 we saw such forerunning signals of fertilitie afarre off. 
 Coming near the harbour toivards night ice tackt about for 
 sea-roome. 
 
 Saturday (27th) A foggie morning: but after 8 o'clock 
 
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Rev. Francis Higginson's Journal 
 
 in the morning very cleare, the wind being somewhat con- 
 trary at So. and by West, we tackt to and againe ivith getting 
 little; but with much adoe, about 4 clock in the after- 
 noone, having with much payne compassed the harbour and 
 being ready to enter the same, see how things may suddenly 
 change; There came a fearful gust of ivind and rayne and 
 thunder and lightning, whereby zve were borne with no little 
 terrour and trouble to our mariners, having very much adoe 
 to loose downe the sayles when the fury of the storme held 
 up. But God be praised it lasted but a while and soon 
 abated agayne. And hereby the Lord showed us what he 
 could have done with us, if it had pleased him. But blessed 
 be God, he soone removed this storme, and it was a fayre 
 and sweet evening. 
 
 We had a westerly wind which brought us between 5 
 and 6 o'clock to a fyne and sweet harbour, 7 miles from the 
 head point of Capan. This harbour 20 ships may easily ryde 
 therein, where there was an island whither four of our men 
 with a boat went, and brought back agayne ripe strawber- 
 ries, and gooseberries, and siveei single roses. Thus God was 
 merciful to us in giving us a taste and smell of the sweet fruit 
 as an earnest of his bountiful goodnes to welcome us at our 
 first arrivall. This harbour luas two leagues and something 
 more from the harbour at Naimkecke where our ships were 
 to rest and the plantation is already begun. But because the 
 passage is difficult and night drew on, zve put into Capan 
 harbour. 
 
 (28) The Sabbath, being the first lue kept in America. 
 and the Jth Lord's day after we parted with England. 
 
 Monday (2gth) we came from Capan, to go to Naim- 
 kecke, the wind northerly. I should have told you before 
 that the planters spying our English colours, the Governour 
 sent a shalop ivith 2 men on Saturday to pilot us. These 
 
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Rev. Francis Higginsons Journal 
 
 rested the Sabbath with us at Capan; and this day, by God's 
 blessing and their directions, we passed the curious and diffi- 
 cult entrance into the large spacious harbour of Naimkecke. 
 And as we passed along it was wonderful to behold so many 
 islands replenished with thicke wood and high trees, and 
 many fayre green pastures. And being come into the har- 
 bour we saw the George to our great comfort then being 
 come on Tuesday, which was 7 dales before us. We rested 
 that night with glad and thankful hearts to God who had 
 put an end to our long and tedious journey through the 
 greatest sea in the world. 
 
 The next morning (30th) the governour came aboard to 
 our ship, and bade us kindly welcome, and invited me and my 
 wiffe to come on shoare, and take our lodging in his house 
 which we did accordingly. 
 
 Thus you have a faithful report collected from day to day 
 of all the particulars that were worth noting in our passage. 
 
 Now for the present condition of the plantation what it is. 
 When we came first to Naimkecke, now called Salem, we 
 found about half a score houses built: and a fayre house 
 newly built for the governour, and we found also abundance 
 of come planted by them, excellent good and well liking. 
 We brought with us about 200 passengers and planters 
 ?nore, which now by common consent of all the ould planters 
 are all now combyned together into one body politique under 
 the same governor. There are with us in all ould and new 
 planters 300, whereof 200 are settled at Naimkecke, now 
 called Salem, and the rest plant themselves at Massachusetts 
 bay, being to build a towne there called Charleston or 
 Charlestoivne ; we that are settled at Salem make zuhat haste 
 we can to build, so that within a short tyme ive shall have a 
 fayre towne. We have great ordnance whereof we doubt not 
 to fortifye ourselves in short tyme, to keep out a potent 
 
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Rev. Francis Higginson's Journal 
 
 adversarye. But that which is our greatest comfort and 
 means of defence above all others, is, that we have here the 
 true religion and holy ordinances of Almighty God amongst 
 us. Thanks be to God, we have plenty of preaching and dili- 
 gent catechising, with strict and carefull exercise of good and 
 commendable orders to bring our people to Christian conver- 
 sation which whilst ive do we doubt not but God will be 
 with us, and so Rom. 8. 31, what shall we then say to these 
 things. If God be with us who can be against us? 
 
 Now in our passage divers things are remarkable. 
 
 First through God's blessing our passage was short and 
 speedy, for whereas we had lOOO leagues, that is 3000 miles 
 English to saile from Ould to New England, we performed 
 the same in 6 weeks and 3 dayes. 
 
 Secondly, our passage was comfortable and easie for the 
 most part, being ordinarily fayre and moderate wind, and 
 being freed for the most part from stormie and rough seas, 
 saving one night onely, which we that were not used thought 
 to be more terrible than indeed it was, and this was Wednes- 
 day at night May 2'/th. 
 
 Thirdly, our passage was also health full to our passengers, 
 being freed from the great contagion of the scurvie and other 
 maledictions, which in other passages to other places had taken 
 away the lives of many. And yet we were in all reason in 
 wonderful danger all the way, our ship being greatly crowded 
 with passengers ; but through God's great goodness we had 
 none that died of the pockes but that wicked fellow that 
 scorned at fasting and prayer. There were indeed 2 little 
 children, one of my owne and another beside; but I do not 
 impute it merely to the passage; for they were both very 
 sickly children, and not likely to have lived long, if they had 
 not gone to sea. And take this for a rule, if children be 
 healthfull when they come to sea, the younger they are the 
 
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Rev. Francis Higginsons Journal 
 
 better they can endure the sea, and are not troubled with 
 seasickness as older people are, as we had experience in many 
 children that went this voyage. My wiffe indeed, in tossing 
 weather, was something ill by vomiting, but in calme weather 
 she recovered agayne, and is now much better for the sea- 
 sickness. And for my owne part, whereas, I have for divers 
 years past been very sickly and ready to cast up whatever I 
 have eaten, and was very sicke at London and Gravesend, 
 yet from the tyme I came on shipboard to this day, I have 
 been straungely healthfull. And now I can digest our ship 
 diett very well, which I could not when I was at land. And 
 indeed in this regard I have great cause to give God praise, 
 that he hath made my coming to be a method to cure me of 
 a wonderful weake stomacke and continued payne of mel- 
 ancholly wynd from the splene: Also divers children were 
 sicke of the small pockes, but are safely recovered agayne, 
 and 2 or 3 passengers towards the latter end of the voyage 
 fell sicke of the scurvie, but coming to land receovered in 
 a short tyme. 
 
 Fourthly, our passage was both pleasurable and profitable. 
 For we received instruction and delight in behoulding the 
 wonders of the Lord in the deepe waters, and sometimes 
 seeing the sea round us appearing with a terrible countenance, 
 and as it were full of high hills, and deepe valleys; and 
 sometimes it appeared as a vast and even meadow. And 
 ever and anon we saw divers kynds of fishes sporting in the 
 great waters, great grampuses and huge whales going by com- 
 panies and puffing up water-streames. Those that love their 
 owne chimney corner, and dare not go farre beyond their 
 owne townes end shall never have the honour to see these 
 wonderfull workes of Almighty God. 
 
 Fifthly, we had a pious and Christian-like passage; for I 
 suppose passengers shall seldom find a company of more 
 
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Rev. Francis Higginson's Journal 
 
 religious honest and kynd seamen that we had. We con- 
 stantly served God morning and evening by reading and ex- 
 pounding a chapter singing and prayer. And the Sabbath 
 was solemnely kept by adding to the former ^ preaching twise 
 and catechising. And in our great need we kept 2 solemne 
 fasts, and found a gracious effect. Let all that love and use 
 fasting and praying take notice that it is as prevaileuble by 
 sea as by land, wheresoever it is faithfully performed. Besides 
 the ship master and his company used every night to sett their 
 8 and 12 a clocke watches with singing a psalme and prayer 
 that was not read out of a booke. This I wryte not for 
 boasting and flattery; but for the benefit of those that have 
 a mynd to come to New England hereafter, that if they 
 looke for and desyre to have as prosperous a voyage as we had, 
 they may use the same meanes to attayne the same. 
 
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