The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Robinson’s Farewell Address to the Pilgrims Upon Their Departure From Holland, 1620. The Account By Edward Winslow In His “hypocrisie Unmasked,” Printed In 1646.
• Robinson’s Disputes With the Arminians At Leyden. Bradford’s Account.
• Seven Articles Which the Church of Leyden Sent to the Council of England to Be Considered Of, In Respect of Their Judgments: Occasioned About Their Going to Virginia. [ Date Before Nov., 1617; Spelling Modernized. ]
• Letter to Sir Edwin Sandys.
• Letter to Sir John Wolstenholme.
• Robinson’s Sermon Upon the Conclusion of the Agreement to Remove to New England. Bradford’s Account.
• Robinson’s Sermon to the Pilgrims On Their Departure From Leyden, * and the Farewell At Delfthaven. Bradford’s Account.
• Farewell Letter to the Pilgrims.
• Letter to John Carver.
• To the Church of God, At Plymouth, In New England. — [ Spelling Modernized. ]
• Letter to Governor Bradford.
• Letter to Elder Brewster.
• Bradford’s Account of Robinson’s Death, With Letter From Roger White.
• Bradford’s Tributes to Robinson.

Letter to Sir John Wolstenholme.

Right Wor^pll: with due acknowledgmente of our thankfullnes for your singular care & pains in the bussines of Virginia, for our, &, we hope, the com̄one good, we doe remember our humble dutys unto you, and have sent inclosed, as is required, a further explanation of our judgments in the 3. points specified by some of his majesties Hon^bl Privie Counsell; and though it be greevious unto us that such unjust insinuations are made against us, yet we are most glad of y^e occasion of making our just purgation unto so honourable personages. The declarations we have sent inclosed, the one more breefe & generall, which we thinke y^e fitter to be presented; the other something more large, and in which we express some smale accidentall differences, which if it seeme good unto you and other of our wor^pl freinds, you may send in stead of y^e former. Our prayers unto God is, y^t your Wor^pp may see the frute of your worthy endeaours, which on our parts we shall not faile to furder by all good means in us. And so praing y^t you would please with y^e convenientest speed y^t may be, to give us knowledge of y^e success of y^e bussines with his majesties Privie Counsell, and accordingly what your further pleasure is, either for our direction or furtherance in y^e same, so we rest

The first breefe note was this.

Touching y^e Ecclesiasticall ministrie, namly of pastores for teaching, elders for ruling, & deacons for distributing y^e churches contribution, as allso for y^e too Sacrements, baptisme, and y^e Lords supper, we doe wholy and in all points agree with y^e French reformed churches, according to their publick confession of faith.

The oath of Supremacie we shall willingly take if it be required of us, and that conveniente satisfaction be not given by our taking y^e oath of Alleagence.

John Rob:

William Brewster.

Y^e 2. was this.

Touching y^e Ecclesiasticall ministrie, &c. as in y^e former, we agree in all things with the French reformed churches, according to their publick confession of faith; though some small differences be to be found in our practices, not at all in y^e substance of the things, but only in some accidentall circumstances.

1. As first, their ministers doe pray with their heads covered; ours uncovered.

2. We chose none for Governing Elders but such as are able to teach: which abilitie they doe not require.

3. Their elders & deacons are anūall, or at most for 2. or 3. years; ours perpetuall.

4. Our elders doe administer their office in admonitions & excommunications for publick scandals, publickly & before y^e congregation; theirs more privately, & in their consistories.

5. We doe administer baptisme only to such infants as whereof y^e one parente, at y^e least, is of some church, which some of ther churches doe not observe; though in it our practice accords with their publick confession and y^e judgmente of y^e most larned amongst them.

Other differences, worthy mentioning, we know none in these points. Then aboute y^e oath, as in y^e former.

Subscribed,