Ancestral Trails 2016 » Edward SOUTHWORTH (1590-1622)

Personal data Edward SOUTHWORTH 

• He was born in the year 1590 in London, Middlesex.
• Profession: in Silk Worker in Leiden.
• (Witness) on November 4, 1611 in marriage of Isaac Allerton and Mary Norris.
• (Witness) on April 30, 1613 in Marriage of Samuel Fuller and Agnes Carpenter (sister of his wife Alice).
• He died in the year 1622 in Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands, he was 32 years old.
• A child of Thomas SOUTHWORTH and Rosamond LISTER

Household of Edward SOUTHWORTH

He is married to Alice CARPENTER.

They got married on May 28, 1613 at Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands, he was 23 years old.Source 1

Child(ren):

1. Thomas SOUTHWORTH  1616-1669 
2. Constant SOUTHWORTH  1615-???? 

Notes about Edward SOUTHWORTH

It is probable that the Southworth family came from the vicinity of Fenton, co. Notts, near Sturton-le-Steeple. Southworth families lived in various parishes in that section of England before the Pilgrim exodus.

Due to the religious persecution arising in England, Edward had moved to Leiden, Holland, where many of the future pilgrims to America were also living, including his future wife, Alice Carpenter. This group became leaders of the new colony.

After 1616 Edward and Alice removed to Heneage House, Duke's Place, Aldgate in the East End of London. This appears to have been a centre of nonconformist church activity attracting many Dutch merchants and craftsmen. He played a prominent role in the organisation of the Mayflower Company for which he became business agent.

1620 he received a letter from a friend, Robert Cushman, from Dartmouth, Kent where the "Mayflower" and "Speedwell" were in dock for repairs, to his "loving friend Ed[ward] S[outhworth] at Henige House in the Duke Place DARTMOUTH; [Thursday,] August 17, anno 1620. LOVING FRIFIND. My most kind remembrance to you, and your wife, with loving E. M. &c.; whom in this world I never look to see again. For, besides the eminent dangers of this Voyage which are no less than deadly, an infirmity of the body hath seized me which will not, in all likelihood, leave me till death. What to call it I know not. But it is a bundle of lead, as it were crushing my heart more and more these days, 14 days, as that, although I do the actions of a living man, yet I am but as dead. But the will of GOD be done. Our pinnace, [the "Speedwell"] will not cease leaking; else, I think, we had been half way to Virginia. Our voyage hither hath been as full of crosses as ourselves have been of crookedness. We put in here to trim her; and I think, as others also, if we had stayed at sea but three or four hours more, she would have sunk right down. And she was twice trimmed at [South]hampton; yet now she is as open and [as] leaky as a sieve: and there was a board, two feet long, a man might have pulled off with his fingers; where the water came in as at a mole hole. We lay at [South]hampton seven days in fair weather, waiting for her: and now we lie here for her in as fair a wind as can blow, and have done these four days [13-17 August]; and are likely to lie four more [they actually left on 23d August], and by that time the wind will happily turn, as it did at [South]hampton. Our victuals will be half eaten up, I think, before we go from the coast of England; and, if our voyage last long, we shall not have a month's victuals when we come in the countr Nearly £700 hath been bestowed [spent] at [South]hampton, upon what I know not. Master [Christopher] Martin saith, he neither can, nor will, give account of it. And if he be called upon for accounts; he crieth out of unthankfulness for his pains and care, that we are suspicious of him; and flings away, and will end nothing. Also he so insulteth over our poor people [the Leyden Pilgrims], with such scorn and contempt, as if they were not good enough to wipe his shoes. It would break your heart to see his dealing, and the mourning of our people. They complain to me; and, alas, I can do nothing for them. If I speak to him, he flies in my face, as if I were mutinous; and saith, No complaints shall be heard or received but by himself; and saith They are froward and waspish discontented people, and I do Ill to hear them. There are others that would lose all they have put in, or make satisfaction for what they have had, that they might depart: but he will not hear them; nor suffer them to go ashore, lest they should run away. The sailors also are so offended at his ignorant boldness in meddling and controling in things he knows not what belongs to [them], as that some threaten to mischief him. Others say, They will leave the ship, and go their way. But at best, this cometh of it, that he makes himself a scorn and a laughing stock unto them. As for Master Weston, except grace do greatly sway with him, he will hate us ten times more than he ever loved us, for not confirming the Conditions. But now since some pinches have taken them, they begin to reveal the truth, and say Master Robinson, was in fault, who charged them never to consent to those Conditions, nor choose me to office; but indeed appointed them to choose them they did choose. But he and they will rue too late. They may now see all and be ashamed when it is too late, that they were so ignorant, yea, and so inordinate in their courses. I am sure as they were resolved not to seal those conditions, I was not so resolute at [South]hampton to have left the whole business, except they would seal them: and better the Voyage to have broken off then, than to have brought such misery to ourselves, dishonor to GOD, and detriment to our loving friends, as now it is likely to do. Four or five of the chief of them which came from Leyden, came resolved never to go on those conditions. And Master Christopher Martin, he said, he never received no money on those Conditions! He was not beholden to the Merchants for a pin! they were bloodsuckers! and I know not what. Simple Man! He indeed never made any Conditions with the Merchants, nor ever spake with them: but did [made] all that money [the £700] fly at [South]hampton, or was it his own? Who will go and lay out money so rashly as he did; and never know how he comes by it, or on what conditions? Secondly, I told him of the alteration long ago, and he especially considering how scant we shall be of victuals; and, most of all, ununited amongst ourselves, and devoid of good tutors and regiment [leaders and organisation]. Violence will break all. Where is the meek and humble spirit of Moses? and of Nehemiah, who reedified the walls of Jerusalem, and the state of Israel? Is not the sound of Rehoboam's brags daily heard amongst us? Have not the philosophers and all wise men observed that, even in settled Commonwealths, violent Governors bring, either themselves, or the people, or both, to ruin? How much more in the raising of Common Wealths, when the mortar is yet scarce tempered that should bind the walls? If I should write to you all things which promiscuously forerun our ruin, I should overcharge my weak head, and grieve your tender heart: Only this I pray you, Prepare for evil tidings of us, every day! But pray for us instantly [without ceasing]! It may be the Lord will be intreated, one way or other, to make for us. I see not in reason, how we shall escape, even the gasping of hunger-starved persons: But GOD can do much; and his will be done! It is better for me to die, than now for me to bear it: which I do daily, and expect it hourly; having received the sentence of death both within and without me. Poor William King and myself do strive Who shall be meat first for the fishes; but we look for a glorious resurrection, knowing Christ Jesus after the flesh no more: but looking unto the joy that is before us, we will endure all things, and account them light in comparison of that joy we hope for. Remember me in all love to our friends, as if I named them; whose prayers I desire earnestly, and wish again to see them; but not till I can, with more comfort look them in the, face. The Lord give us that true comfort which none can take from us! I had a desire to make a brief Relation of our estate to some friend. I doubt not but your wisdom will teach you seasonably to utter things, as hereafter you shall be called to it. That which I have written is true; and many things more, which I have foreborne. I write it, as upon my life and last confession in England. What is of use to be spoken of presently, you may speak of it; and what is fit to conceal, conceal! Pass by my weak manner! for my head is weak, and my body feeble. The Lord make me strong in him, and keep both you and yours! Your loving frien ROBERT CUSHMAN. DARTMOUTH, august 17, 1620.
SOURCE: http://users.ev1.net/~hmltn/southworthbook/chapter1.htm

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Timeline Edward SOUTHWORTH

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