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On October 18, the
Ark and the Dove departed Gravesend the River Thames to the English
channel. But they were stopped the next day by Privy Council ships and
forced to take an oath, the oath of supremacy.
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The
voyage of the Ark and the Dove
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All one hundred twenty-eight passengers on board took the oath.
The next stop was the Isle of Wright where some Catholics boarded
the ships. Now there were over two hundred pilgrims on board including
three Jesuit priests, Father Andrew White, Father John Altham and
Brother Thomas Gervase. The Catholics had waited for the ships in
Cowes to avoid having to take the oath of supremacy.
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Lord Baltimore had instructed his fellow Catholics to practice their
religion in private. He also reminded the governor and the commissioners
of his charter, "to treat the Protestants with as much mildness and favour
as justice will require", on ship and on land.
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