or settlement
in America, some were for Guiana, some for Virginia; but they at length
obtained a patent from the second or Northern Virginia Company for a
settlement on the northern part of their territory, which extended to
the fortieth degree of North latitude--Hutchinson Bay. "The Dutch
laboured to persuade them to go to the Hudson river, and settle under
the West India Company; but they had not lost their affection for the
English, and chose to be under their government and protection."[4]
Bancroft, after quoting the statement that "upon their talking of
removing, sundry of the Dutch would have them go under them, and made
them large offers," remarks: "But the Pilgrims were attached to their
nationality as Englishmen, and to the language of their times. A secret
but deeply-seated love of their country led them to the generous purpose
of recovering the protection of England by enlarging her dominions. They
were restless with the desire to live once more under the government of
their native land."[5] It appears from Bradford's History, as well as
from his Letter Book, and other narratives, that there were serious
disputes and recriminations among the Pilgrim exiles and their friends
in England, before matters could be arranged for their departure. But
only "the minor part [of Robinson's congregation], with Mr. Brewster,
their elder, resolved to enter upon this great work." They embarked at
Delft Haven, a seaport town on the River Maeser, eight miles from Delft,
fourteen miles from Leyden, and thirty-six miles from Amsterdam. The
last port from which they sailed in England was Southampton; and after a
tempestuous passage of 65 days, in the _Mayflower_, of 181 tons, with
101 passengers, they spied land, which proved to be Cape Cod--about 150
miles north of their intended place of destination. The pilot of the
vessel had been there before and recognised the land as Cape Cod; "the
which," says Bradford, "being made and certainly known to be it, they
were not a little joyful."[6] But though the Pilgrims were "not a
little joyful" at safely reaching the American coast, and at a place so
well known as Cape Cod; yet as that was not their intended place of
settlement, they, without landing, put again to sea for Hudson river
(New York), but were driven back by stress of weather, and, on account
of the lateness of the season, determined not to venture out to sea
again, but to seek a place of settlement within the harbour.

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