: The Courtship of Miles Standish: With Suggestions for Study and Notes by Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Pearson P H Peter Henry Editor - Standish Myles 1584?-1656 Poetry; Massachusetts History New Plymouth 1620-1691 Poetry

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PAGE.

INTRODUCTION 5

SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDY 14

THE COURTSHIP OF MILES STANDISH 27

NOTES 91

INTRODUCTION.

"The Courtship of Miles Standish" deals with a supreme moment in the history of our nation, the moment when the harassed and thrice-winnowed little band of Puritans began to establish themselves and their institutions on these shores. In the belief that the poem will be better understood and appreciated both as poetry and as history if some of the traits and the struggles of this people are called to mind, a few words regarding them will here be given.

Though the sovereigns of England under whose auspices the movement known as the Reformation was carried through, severed connection with the Church of Rome, they did not bring about a thorough reform in matters of faith and church service. Hence there arose in England parties holding conflicting views regarding the correctness and propriety of the practices and ceremonies still in vogue. The Established Church still retained much that, in the opinion of the more radical element, should be removed. These differences of opinion exhibited various degrees of radicalism and conservatism. Those who were unwilling to conform to the regulations of the Church of England were styled "Non-conformists," and, on account of their efforts in the direction of further purification, they became known as "Puritans." There were still others who believed in carrying the reform so far as to separate the church from the state, and to reach independence in church government: these were the "Independents."

The Established Church was supported by secular authority, so that in all disputes it had on its side the king and the arm of the law. In many cases it exercised its power in bitter persecution of those who showed a tendency to depart from its teachings. The Puritans were, as one historian says, "pursued into their hiding-places with relentless fury," so that many individuals sought voluntary exile, and whole assemblages looked for some place in far countries where they could worship according to conscience and to the light they found in the Bible.

Such a party of persecuted Puritans chose as leaders one of their ministers, John Robinson, and their ruling elder, William Brewster, and resolved to seek refuge and religious liberty in Holland. This country was selected on account of its friendly attitude towards Calvinism, a view which harmonized with those of the Puritans; and also on account of the near relations which England as an ally of Holland sustained to this country.

Their first attempt at leaving England was anticipated and prevented by the magistrates; but the following spring they made a second attempt, which was so far successful that the officers of the crown succeeded only in seizing and detaining some helpless women and children. These were, however, later on set at liberty and permitted to embark. At first these Pilgrims, as they came to be called, settled in Amsterdam, but in 1609 they removed to Leyden, where their number was constantly increased by new arrivals from England. In Holland, though they gained the confidence and respect of the Dutch, their condition was not entirely satisfactory. Brought up as tillers of the soil, they could not become entirely reconciled to the trades and handicrafts which they were now necessitated to learn. Moreover, they felt that the Dutch language could not become a homelike speech to them. There was also, deep in their hearts, a devout patriotism, which first led them to think of establishing themselves in some of the colonies under English rule.

The first step, they saw, was to decide on a suitable locality in the New World. After making such investigations as they could, they planned to locate in the territory which King James granted to the Plymouth Company in 1606. But before they were ready to embark, two other grave problems confronted them, and it took years before these were solved.

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