Letter to Elder Brewster.
Loving and dear freind and brother: That which I most desired of God in regard of you, namly, y^e continuance of your life and health, and the safe coming of these sent unto you, that I most gladly hear of, and praise God for the same. And I hope M^rs.^ Brewsters weake and decayed state of body will have some reparing by the coming of her daughters,
[4] and the provissions in this and former ships, I hear is made for you; which maks us with more patience bear our languishing state, and y^e deferring of our desired tra?sportation; w^ch I call desired, rather than hoped for, whatsoever you are borne in hand by any others. For first, ther is no hope at all, that I know, or can conceive of, of any new stock to be raised for that end; so that all must depend upon returns from you, in which are so many uncertainties, as that nothing with any certaintie can thence be concluded. Besids, howsoever for y^e presente the adventurers aledg nothing but want of money, which is an invincible dificulty, yet if that be taken away by you, others without doubte will be found. For the beter clearing of this, we must dispose y^e adventurers into 3. parts; and of them some 5. or 6. (as I conceive) are absolutly bent for us, above any others. Other 5. or 6. are our bitter professed adversaries. The rest, being the body, I conceive to be honestly minded, & loveingly also towards us; yet such as have others (namly y^e forward preachers) nerer unto them, then us, and whose course so farr as ther is any differance, they would rather advance then ours. Now what a hanck [5] these men have over y^e professors, you know. And I perswade my selfe, that for me, they of all others are unwilling I should be transported, espetially such of them as have an eye that way them selves; as thinking if I come ther, ther market will be mard in many regards. And for these adversaries, if they have but halfe y^e witte to their malice, they will stope my course when they see it intended, for which this delaying serveth them very opportunly. And as c ne restie jade can hinder, by hanging back, more then two or 3. can (or will at least, if they be not very free) draw forward, so will it be in this case. A. notable experimente of this, they gave in your messengers presence, constraining y^e company to promise that none of the money now gathered should be expended or imployed to y^e help of any of us towards you. Now touching y^e question propounded by you, I judg it not lawfull for you, being a ruling Elder, as Rom. 12. 7. 8. & 1. Tim. 5. 17. opposed to the Elders that teach & exhorte and labore in ye word and doctrine, to which ye sacrements are an?exed, to administer them, nor convenient if it were lawfull. Whether any lamed man will come unto you or not, I know not if any doe, you must consiliu capere in arena. Be you most hardly saluted, & you^r wife with you, both from me & mine. Your God & ours, and y^e God of all his, bring us together if it be his will, & keep us in the mean while, and allways to his glory, and make us servisable to his majestie, and faithfull to the end. Amen.
Your very loving brother,
Leyden, Des: 20. 1623.
John Robinson.
[4] Fear and Patience, who came in the Anne, in 1623.
[5] Hank, influence.