"Eaglewing"

Into the scenario came John Winthrop, the son of the Governor who had been to Trinity College, Dublin in 1622-1623. He returned to England in 1635 to purchase livestock to be sent to the colony and is known to have visited Scotland where he had contact with Provost John Stewart in Ayr, David Dickson in Irvine and James Murray in Edinburgh. In Ulster one of his contacts was the affluent settler, Sir John Clotworthy. The Clotworthy family had prospered under James I and amongst other things had been granted the licence to sell wine and spirits in most of County Antrim and County Down; it is likely that their wealth supported the planned emigration. Sir John wrote to Wentworth that a ship was being built and he was anxious that the emigrant party should get underway as soon as possible as he feared action would be taken to prevent future emigration. The ship was the "Eaglewing" its name coming from Exodus Ch 14 v 4

"Ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings and brought you unto myself ".

The building of the ship got under way at the small village of Groomsport on the shore of Belfast Lough and it was not until the autumn of 1636 before it was ready. At 150 tons the "Eaglewing" was barely big enough for the 140 passengers who had gathered together to face the dangers of the seas in this small craft. Although stoutly built, the "Eaglewing" was untried in the rough seas that it was to encounter following its departure from Carrickfergus on September 9, 1636. Difficult winds drove the ship into Loch Ryan almost before it had cleared the harbour but at length they set sail once more. John Livingston, minister at Killinchy, who had been at the heart of the emigration plans, was to say afterwards that the ship was three or four hundred leagues from Ireland when it was hit by turbulent seas and a hurricane that broke the ships rudder: heavy seas broke over the vessel and poured down into the cabins and the hold. The rudder was repaired but the ministers and the passengers aboard held a meeting and concluded that it was God's will that they should return to Ireland. On November 3, the ship arrived back in Belfast Lough.

The Scottish passengers returned home and the Ulster Scots having previously sold their possessions, sought with difficulty to pick up the threads of their former life. There was no further attempt to make the trip to New England. The embarrassment of failure was felt by the ministers no doubt and they were subject of some scathing criticism - "their faith not being answerable to their zeal" as the Bishop of Derry wrote to the arch persecutor Archbishop Laud.

The failure of the expedition also meant that these strong willed Scots were able to bring their influence to bear in subsequent events in Scotland. Amongst these were John Livingston, and Robert Blair, a minister of Calvinist leanings at Bangor,who was responsible for a revival of the Presbyterian church in County Antrim and County Down.. They and others, such as Robert Cunningham minister of Holywood, fled to Scotland to escape the persecution of Strafford. It meant that these staunch supporters of Presbyterianism were present to add their respected voices to the National Covenant of 1638.

There was, however, a sweet revenge in many ways as Sir John Clotworthy was to play a part in the impeachment of the Earl of Strafford who was subsequently executed at the Tower of London in 1641

"Crown"

In Scotland there was increasing dissent and Covenanting fervour was bloodily persecuted for another 50 years but especially in "The Killing Time" from 1679 - 1689. The second of the Covenanting ships in this tale to set out with Covenanters aboard was the "Crown" Following the Battle of Bothwell Brig on June 22, 1679, some 1200 prisoners were taken and incarcerated in a make shift, open air prison next to the Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh. Of these prisoners, 257 erstwhile ringleaders and ministers were sentenced to be transported to the West Indies or Virginia as white slaves.

The vessel set sail on November 27, 1679, but within days was forced by bad weather into the Orkney port of Deersound where despite local advice, she set out once more into the deep swells of the Atlantic Ocean. The ship had hardly cleared land when she struck rocks off of Deerness and was wrecked. It is said that the captain was a heartless and cruel man and despite the pleas of the frightened prisoners he ordered the hatches to be chained. Thus it was on December 10, 1679, that 211 Covenanters went to a watery grave. The crew escaped by cutting down a mast and using it as a bridge to the shore but prisoners who tried to do the same were forced back into the foaming sea. A mere 46 Covenanters survived the wreck only to be transported later.

A magnificent granite memorial stands at Deerness commemorating the sad event.

"Henry & Francis"

It was the practice to commit dissenters, those who refused to take an Oath of Allegiance, to be imprisoned but there were so many that a policy evolved whereby Covenanters could emigrate to the American colonies. If, however, they were convicted they were sent as slaves. A Scottish laird by the name of Scott was allowed to select a party of about 100 prisoners to take with him to New Jersey. He was required to land the party in America before September 1686. To this purpose Scott chartered a 350 ton ship, armed with 20 cannon, called the "Henry and Francis" captained by Richard Hutton.

There were other emigrants who were required to pay £5 passage money but they could alternatively be indentured servants for four years after which they would receive 25 acres of land. The ship set sail on September 5, 1685, from Leith and made landfall at Perth Amboy, New Jersey, in December. It was a traumatic journey with the ship suffering leaks, shortages of food and water, as well as fever. Of the 125 that set out some 31 of their number died, including Scott and his wife. During the voyage, Scott's son-in-law (named Johnstone) had urged the prisoners to accept a four year servitude so that the costs of the venture could be recovered, which the prisoners resisted. The ship's master wanted to sail for Jamacia or Virginia since a better price would be obtained in either place for the prisoners. Perhaps it was Divine Providence intervening for these Covenanters, but a change of wind forced the ship into New Jersey as originally planned.

Although Johnstone sought to recover costs in the courts, which could have resulted in the imprisonment or slavery of the emigrants, they were cleared of charges because they had not come voluntarily nor had they entered into any agreements. Thus this party were scattered throughout Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut succeeding where their earlier compatriots had failed.

Meet the Author, Brian Orr, Researcher with The Guild of One Name Studies

Back to The Covenanters, Main Page

Part One: The Covenanters: Who Were They?
Part Two : The Kirk and its Impact on the People
Part Three : Tales of the Covenanters
Part Four : What's in a Name?
Part Five : The Sanquhar Declaration
Part Six : Covenanter Ships: The Eaglewing, The Crown and Henry & Francis
Part Seven : Female Covenanters: Execution by Drowning
Part Eight : Covenanter Prisons: Bass Rock and Dunnattor Castle
Part Nine : Greyfriars Kirk and the National Covenant
Part Ten : Battle of Rullion Green
Part Eleven : Rev. James Renwick, Martyr
Part Twelve : Presbyterians in Ireland
Part Thirteen: The Final Word on the Solway Martyrs
Part Fourteen: The Margaret Wilson Statue
Part Fifteen: After the National Covenant

Covenanters Time Line
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