Page:The part taken by women in American history.djvu/44

Rh permanent homes and probably increase the number of followers of their creed. They soon found, however, that Leyden offered little encouragement.

Meanwhile, they heard marvelous stories of the American Continent and of the opportunities it offered for material prosperity, absolute freedom of conscience and perfect religious liberty.

It had been impossible, handicapped as they were by untoward environment, for them to save any money or extend their privileges in any manner. Chained by necessity to daily arduous labor for existence, and enfeebled by illness and misfortunes, they were well nigh exhausted when relief came in the form of agents seeking colonists for America, and "Merchant Adventurers" trying to procure settlers for rich plantations in the new country. The povery of these noble people is evident from the hard terms to which they were obliged to submit in their contracts with the agents and the "Merchant Adventurers" to procure passage to the Land of Hope and Liberty.

After months of negotiations, the Pilgrims finally embarked on the Speedwell, a craft scarcely sea-worthy for the voyage from Delfshaven to Southampton to join the proposed expedition. They reached that port after perilous experiences, which had the effect of discouraging very many of the party, causing the dispirited to abandon their leaders on their arrival at Southampton.

However, the indomitable spirits of such men as Robert Cushman, John Carver, and others were not to be dissuaded from their purpose. Hence, after another long period of waiting and tedious negotiations with the "Merchant Adventurers" and agents of companies interested in securing colonists for the New World, the Mayflower was chartered between the 12th and 22nd of June, 1620. Captain Thomas Jones was in