Originally published in 1955 and based on research of public records and other contemporary sources

This book builds up an excellent picture of England before the Civil War. Through a series of case studies, it examines the type of person who emigrated to New England and their motivation for doing so. The wealth of evidence from original documents is clearly arranged and provides a refreshing reassessment of the period, showing that although religious conviction was a clear motive for emigration, the Puritans were also seeking security from hardships of other kinds.