Brown-Crocker

In 1608 Hopkins and family moved to London. They may have lived with
his brother Robert on Coleman Street near the Guildhall. He was carly an adven-
turer as be signed on with a convoy to the Virginia colony in 1609. This under-
taking was to send supplies and reinforcements to the Jamestown settlers who
had suffered “the starving time.” Why did Hopkins, as a 29-year-old, leave his
pregnant wife and family to go on the uncertain voyage to the New World? His
adventurousness was no doubt a factor. An English source suggests that it might
have to do with his mother’s cousin. Jonas Poole, who had served under Raleigh
and had been on the 1607 voyage to Jamestown.

The Sea Venture, the flagship, with the rest of the fleet of nine ships left
Plymouth, England on 2 June 1609 (old style). Hopkins served on board as a
clerk to the chaplain, the Reverend Richard Buck. Among other duties, he would
read the scriptures and the prayers from the Book of Common Prayer. Hopkins
had a good education for the times and had already served back in Wotton-under-
Edge as a clergyman’s assistant. On board the flagship were Sir Thomas Gates,
Governor-designate of Virgina, Sir George Somers, Commander-in-Chief of the
fleet, and Captain Christopher Newport of the Sea Venture.

Shipwreck on Bermuda

About 600 miles east of Bermuda, on 25 July 1609 (old style), a great storm
scattered the fleet. There was constant bailing to keep the Sea Venture afloat.
Land was sighted. It was Bermuda, uninhabited but known to sea captains. The
ship went on a reef off shore near where Fort St. Catherine was later located. The
date was Friday, 28 July 1609 (old style).

The 150 people on board went ashore on Bermuda and constructed primitive
cabins. An Anglican service of Evensong was said that first evening. There was
fish from the sea, wild hogs from an earlier Spanish shipwreck, turtles, and what
provisions that could be salvaged from the ship kept the settlers alive.

The Sea Venture was stripped of all that could be brought ashore. Two small-
er ships, the Deliverance and the Patience were built from these parts.

Dissension arose in the ranks. Stephen Hopkins was prominent among them.
He began to question the authority of the Governor as he believed his authority
ended with the shipwreck. They were not in Virginia, Hopkins was in no hurry
to leave Bermuda and go on to Virginia. He even used the Bible for support in
his argument. He was known as “a fellow who had much knowledge of the scrip-
tures and could reason well therein.” Such activity constituted mutiny and rebel-
lion. A sentence of death by hanging was proclaimed for Hopkins.

Hopkins pleaded that his execution would cause the ruin of his wife and
family back in London. The ship's captain, Christopher Newport, requested that
the Governor release him. Stephen Hopkins was not executed.

John Rolfe, who later married Pocahontas in Virginia, with his first wife and
a child, were among those in the Bermuda group. William Strachcy and Silvester
Jourdain, who left writings covering the Bermuda expenence, were passengers
on the Sea Venture.

William Shakespeare's Tempest, written in 1611 and published in 1623 is
thought to be based upon the Bermuda shipwreck. The playwright may have used
both Strachey and Jourdain for his sources. The Bermuda party left on 10 May
1610 (old style) for Virginia. Two men who had committed offenses were left
behind.

St. Peter’s Anglican Church, St. George, Bermuda, claims Stephen Hopkins
as their first parish clerk. The parish evidently dates its origin to services held in
1609-1610. Hopkins left the island in 1610. The first church building here was
erected in 1612.