but unfortunate, Mary Queen of Scots, followed soon after. She was tried and sentenced to be beheaded, and unfortunately for Mr. Davison, it became his official duty to prepare the warrant for her execution and take it to the Queen for her signature, which he did, and after she had signed the warrant he retained it in his possession a while and then passed it to the officials whose duty it was to have the warrant executed, and the execution soon followed.

After the Queen heard that the execution had taken place she was evidently afraid that public sentiment would condemn her for allowing Queen Mary to be beheaded, and to try to shield herself from blame, she endeavored to cast the blame on Mr. Davison and very unjustly had him committed to prison in the Tower of London.

After Mr. Davison was put in prison Mr. Brewster returned to Scrooby* and continued to reside there in retirement for many years. He received the appointment of Post of Scrooby on a small salary, which position he held under the Queen and her successor for many years. Here he lived in the large old manor house which had in former years been in the possession of the Archbishops of York. About 1606, an organization of religious people, who had separated themselves from the established church, was formed and Mr. Brew

*Scrooby is situated on the Great Northern Railroad and while traveling in England in 1903, I went there to see the place where our distinguished ancestor had spent many years of his life and to see the country where most of the pilgrims came from. Very little of the ancient abode of splendor remained to be seen. The old Manor house had long since disappeared and the site where it once stood, is only indicated by a group of tall sycamore trees growing there.

ster united with them and became a leader among them. They were accustomed to hold their meetings at his house. They were called Separatists or Brownists.

After King James came to the throne, they were made to feel the consequence of their separation. He said "I will make them conform or I will harry them out of the kingdom, or else do worse." The persecution which followed drove them out of the country and about 1607 they fled to Holland where they remained eleven years. They were not satisfied, however, to make that a permanent home and took measures to obtain a charter from the King of England allowing them to establish an English Colony in America. King James gave his consent and they immediately commenced making preparations to embark for the wilds of America. As it was deemed a very hazardous undertaking it was agreed among them that only a part of their people should go at first and make a beginning. About July 21, 1620, a large company started under the leadership of Elder Brewster. They went first to England where they had chartered the Mayflower to take them to America. The Speedwell was also expected to accompany them, but after they started she commenced to leak, was considered unseaworthy and turned back. After a tempestuous voyage of about nine weeks they landed at Plymouth Rock on Dec. 21, 1620.

Here was made, by them, the first settlement in New England. Elder Brewster was one of the signers of (and according to tradition, he drafted) the celebrated "Compact" which has been called "the first written constitution of the World's history." Never were any civilized people placed more completely in a state of nature than this little band of pilgrims. They

had, indeed, literally a world before them, but that world was a vast wilderness and providence was their only guide. "This William Brewster," says an English writer, "was the most eminent person in the movement, and the one who, if that honor is to be given to any single person, must be regarded as the Father of New England."

The reason why he was not chosen to be their first governor says Hutchison, was that "He was their ruling elder, which seems to have been the bar to his being their governor; civil and ecclesiastical office in the same person being by them deemed incompatible." Little did they imagine that they were then and there laying the foundation of what was to be the most mighty nation on the face of the earth; and that in connection therewith his name would be transmitted down the ages, as long as the English language should be spoken among

men.

The following is a picture of a National Monument which was erected in the old town of Plymouth in 1889 to perpetuate the memory of the Pilgrims who came over on the Mayflower, and it may interest the descendants of Elder Brewster to see a picture of it. The names of William Brewster and the others who came on the Mayflower are inscribed on the Monument.

The monument is located on one of the highest hills of the town not far from the place where the Mayflower landed. As Elder William Brewster was considered chief among the pilgrims it is very gratifying to his descendants, to know that such a beautiful and lasting monument has been erected to perpetuate the hallowed memory of that Pilgrim band.