Good News from New England, Poem 2
Of the Tranſportation of people and goods to the Mattachuſets bay, and other adjacent Collonies.
VVHen 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 Ʋndertakers 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 ſet my feet on ſhore, where cloudy pillar ſtayes,
As high as clouds he darts his words, but it is earth he wants:
For having paſt 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 Taylors 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… 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 youl' he 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 him 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 th'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 we…l away, now ſay the poore, our Benefactors going,
That fild our childrens 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 nere 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 obildren ſmall,
Hard to attaine a cleering thought, cleerely 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.
Ʋnwonted 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 fore'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 & mountain waves long time no land they kend.
At ſhips maſt doth Chriſts Paſtors preach, while waves like Prelats proud,
Would ſling 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 Gods word is known.
But Chriſt as once, ſo now ſayes peace 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.