Navigating Unauthorized Agreements

The Pilgrims stood at a crucial crossroads as they anxiously reviewed a letter from their financial backers. On July 1, 1620, only three weeks before their life-altering American journey, they were shocked to read that the Merchant Adventurers of London changed the terms of their agreement. The labor they now demanded, the extended length of the contract, and the portion of assets they would claim at the conclusion – it all seemed impossible. 

After a decade in self-exile in Holland, the desperate Pilgrims spent two years carefully planning the details of their migration. They had little bargaining room with their homes and belongings now liquidated to finance the expedition. One of the challenges during the negotiations was the lack of direct communication between the colonists in Holland and their London investors. The Pilgrims’ representatives, Robert Cushman and John Carver, had to broker the final details without consulting the Holland congregation. And Thomas Weston, the shady representative of the Merchant Adventurers, claimed that the substantial changes were essential to secure the funds. 

Though they wanted the best possible terms for their fellow Pilgrims, Cushman and Carver were aware of another looming reality; the longer they put off their transatlantic journey the more they risked arriving in the unforgiving winter of the rugged New World, far from any assistance. Caught in the web of negotiations, with reluctant investors and a fast-approaching departure date, the Pilgrims felt they had no choice but to accept the new agreement. 

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“He that hateth, will counterfeit with his lips, but in his heart he layeth up deceit. Though he speak favorably, believe him not.”

(Proverbs 26:24-25; 1599 Geneva Bible)