The Leiden Pilgrim Fathers

Should the Pilgrim Fathers return to the Dutch city of Leiden today, I am certain they would still recognize large parts of the city center. Left you see the Vliet Street If you forget about the cars and let your imagination run, you can easily picture those Brownist English Dissenters there. On the right hand the nave of the Saint Pieterschurch is partly visible. This church played an important role in the early 17th century life of the Pilgrims.

This post is not about the history of those seeking refuge in tolerant Holland. I just want to show you a small monument situated on the above mentioned Vliet Street. It displays all family names of the Leiden Pilgrims. The picture is not too clear but I'll mention all names in alphabetical order.

Allerton - Alston - Barker

Barlow - Bassett - Blossom

Bompass - Bradford

Brewster - Browne - Carey

Carpenter - Carver - Chandler

Chilton - Cooke - Cooper

Crackston - Cushman

Cuthbertson - De Lannoy

Dunham - English - Fletcher

Fuller - Goodall - Goodman

Hanson - Heale - Hooke

Jenney - Lee - Mahieu

Masterson - Minter - Mitchell

Morton - Nicholas - Norris

Pontus - Priest - Ring

Robinson - Rogers - Samson

Southworth - Standish

Symonson - Tillie - Tinker

Tracey - Turner - White

Willett - Williams - Winslow

Wood - Wright

There is also a remembrance plaque on one of the Saint Pieter Church walls honouring those who passed away during their stay in Leiden. The text on top reads:

During the Pilgrim Fathers Leiden exile

more than thirty family members died.

many were buried in the Pieterskerk along with

their Leiden neighbours.

Underneath the quote by Robert Cushman the following names have been carved in stone.

Isaac Allerton's child - 1620

John Allerton's child - 1616

Thomas Blossom's children - 1617

Thomas Brewer's wife and children - 1617, 1618

William Britsman's child - 1612

Edmund Chandler's child - 1619

Robert Cushman's wife & children - 1616

Samuel Fuller's wife & child - 1615

Edmund Jessop's child - 1618

John Keble's child - 1614

John Keble's widow - 1645

Samuel Lee's child - 1619

Robert Peck's child - 1619

John Reynold's wife & child - 1619

John Robinson's children - 1618, 1621, 1623

John Robinson - 1625

John Spooner - 1628

John & Jane Spooner's child - 1630

Randall Thickens' child - 1615

The U.S. Congregational Churches offered another plaque remembering the Rev. John Robinson.

The Mayflower, 1620

In memory of

REV. JOHN ROBINSON, M.A.

Pastor of the English Church worshiping over against

this spot. A.D. 1609-1625. Whence at his prompting

went forth

THE PILGRIM FATHERS

to settle New England

in 1620.

Buried under this House of Worship, 4 Mar. 1625

AET XLIX years.

IN MEMORIA AETERNA ERIT JUSTUS
Erected by the national Council of the Congregational
Churches of the United States of America
A.D. 1891.

The Vliet Street monument shows the name of De Lannoy. Originally this is a surname of Walloon origin. A number of their Protestant descendants lived in Leiden long after the departure of the Leiden Pilgrim Fathers in 1620. This is still visible on a shield in the Kloksteeg, the same street where the Rev. Robinson lived. The shield dates from 1683.

Dus ziet men uit het Puin van een bouwvallig Nest
Een braaf Gebouw gesticht door vruchtlooze Echtgenooten
Voor veel behoeftigen schoon Vreemden, die verstooten
Zijn uit hun Vaderland en veilig hier gevest
Gesticht door
JEAN PESYN
en zijne Huisvrouw
MARIE DE LANNOY

My translation of this text would be something along the following lines.

So one sees that on the rubble of a dilapidated house

A nice building was established by unfruitful spouses

For those foreigners in need who have been expelled

from their fatherland and safely housed here

Established by

JEAN PESYN

and his Housewife

MARIE DE LANNOY

Here in the Netherlands Marie's surname is still quite common. In the USA the surname De Lannoy has been americanized to Delano.