Jailtime: It's our heritage.

When the faithful gathered for worship at Scrooby Manor, they were breaking the law. When they failed to attend the Church of England in whichever parish they belonged, they were breaking the law. When they attempted to leave England for Amsterdam, they were breaking the law. Regular lawbreakers, they were. In Boston Guildhall they were held to await trial at Crown Court in Lincoln Castle. Cobb Hall, which dates from the 12th century, may have been where they were tried. The present Crown Court at the Castle dates from the 1820's.
While breaking the law is not recommended in general, those who came before us found themselves forced to choose between God and King. They chose God.

Cobb Hall, Lincoln Castle.

Our Forefathers' Jailhouse: Guildhall, Boston.

Happy 50th Richard!

What remains of Scrooby Manor

Great Hall, Gainsborough Old Hall

All Saints' Church, Babworth

Lovely Lincolnshire

We've been in the countryside, where there are no internet hotspots. But where there is a university, there is a Starbucks with a wireless connection. We are in Lincoln today, where the Scrooby separatists (our Pilgrim Fathers & Mothers) were tried in 1607/8 for attempted illegal emmigration. But that's getting ahead of the story, which begins in Babworth, at All Saints', where Richard Clyfton preached sermons that did not conform to the requirements of the Church of England. Wm Brewster walked from Scrooby, and Wm Bradford from Austerfield, to hear Clyfton preach. When Clyfton was deprived of his parish at Babworth, he went to live with the Brewsters at Scrooby Manor House. For a time, the group worshiped with John Smyth's congregation at Gainsborough Old Hall, this seems to be where John Robinson joined with them. The Hickman family of Gainsborough Old Hall was sympathetic to non-conformist pastors and welcomed them and their congregations to meet in their Great Hall.
The Scrooby group attempted to leave England via Boston, but were robbed and betrayed by the captain of the ship they had hired, and were marched through the streets of Boston, and jailed in the Guildhall, to await trial at Lincoln Castle.
Incidently, there is still a magistrate's court at Lincoln Castle, which today was bustling with school groups, tourists, and lawyers who were conspicuous in their (immacualtely cut) dark suits & ties, with breifcases.
Our cottage in Brattleby is lovely. We celebrated Rich's 50th birthday Monday. On Fathers' Day Sunday we let him choose the outing-- a walk through Sherwood Forest.

Ely Cathedral's Womanist Beginnings

Pictured below is the labyrinth at the entrance to Ely Cathedral. As the Friday book group knows, from their reading of Sue Monk Kidd's Dance of the Dissident Daughter there is an Ariadne connection here. The first relgious house established at Ely was built by Queen Etheldred in the seventh century, she was abbess of the monastic house at this site.

Ely Cathedral, west entrance.

Punting on the Cam.

Hello from Cambridge

15 June 2005. We arrived in Cambridge the day before yesterday, by train from the Liverpool Street Station in London. Yesterday we had a long leisurely walk through the city center, looking for the colleges that are particularly significant in the story of the congregation that became the Mayflower Pilgrims. Cambridge, like Leiden, is an old University City, full of centuries-old buildings and years-young people. After touring on foot, Richard pushed us around. Poled us around, actually, on a punt. "The bridge of sighs" properly named St. Johns bridge, is pictured above.

Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, the Alma Mater of Rev. John Robinson.

Brussels. Casa Belgo-Argentina, above our host's veterinary office. Rich, our hostess Esther, & our girls, waiting for the taxi to Midi.

Brussels, Bread and Chocolate

We stayed in Brussels overnight so we could be at Brussels Midi station to board the Eurostar for London. In my old hometown of Moline, Illinois, there is a section known as Belgian Town, with a tavern called the Belgian Inn. At the corner pub near our B&B, the same people were there! Short, dark, plump people, enjoying a beer and a game of dice. Brussels was a rest stop, we did not do a lot of touring, but enjoyed our city stay. Our hostess spoke a little English, we speak very little French, but we managed. For breakfast: a variety of breads and spreads, including a chocolate spread... yum! Beats peanut butter by far!

Rotterdam, like Chicago. With Windmills

Delfhaven, in Rottedam, is the site of the Speedwell's departure for Southampton, where it was to meet the Mayflower. Aboard the Speedwell were about a quarter to a half of the Leiden congregation of Rev. John Robinson. We stopped only briefly in Rotterdam (Europe's busiest seaport), on our way to Brussels.

Delfshaven, Rotterdam-- site of the Speedwell's departure.

The graden of John Robinson's house,Leiden.

Beestenmarkt, Leiden.

Hello from Leiden

Leiden... city of canals, and lots and lots of bicycles... was home to the Mayflower Pilgrims from 1609-1620, and for longer for those who followed after on the Little James, the Ann and the Fortune. Richard wonders why they ever left Leiden. I reminded him that they were, in fact, expecting the Spanish inquisition. (I know, all you Python fans are thinking, No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!) I have kissed the bronze plaque marking the site of the first Pilgrim Press, I have strolled through the garden of Rev. John Robinson's house, I have visited with Jeremy Bangs at the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum. And from time to time, since we arrived on Tuesday, I have stopped and said "oh, my goodness," this is so beautiful. The light is like no other. No wonder the Dutch Masters painted as they did.
Leiden is also the home of the oldest University in the Netherlands, and I think the average age of the residents of the city might make it the "youngest" city in the Netherlands. We are staying just a few minute's walk from the Leiden Campus of Webster University, Webster Groves, Mo, where I went to ask for help translating a message from a local ATM ("Out of Order" was what it said. I should have guessed). That's all for now, but I promise, more photos & more stories to come. Love to you all. You are in my heart and in my prayers. Emily Hadland should definitely think about applying for grad school here. Jack, this is the place for your next bike trip.