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diff --git a/old/53270-0.txt b/old/53270-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index b8d7263..0000000 --- a/old/53270-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3142 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Pilgrim Story, by William Franklin Atgood - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Pilgrim Story - Being largely a compilation from the documents of Governor - Bradford and Governor Winslow, severally and in - collaboration; together with a list of Mayflower passengers. - -Author: William Franklin Atgood - -Illustrator: Leo Schreiber - -Release Date: October 13, 2016 [EBook #53270] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PILGRIM STORY *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, xteejx and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - _The - PILGRIM STORY_ - - -BEING LARGELY A COMPILATION FROM THE DOCUMENTS OF GOVERNOR BRADFORD AND - GOVERNOR WINSLOW, SEVERALLY AND IN COLLABORATION; TOGETHER WITH A LIST - OF MAYFLOWER PASSENGERS. - - - Compiled and written by - WILLIAM FRANKLIN ATWOOD - - - ILLUSTRATED BY LEO SCHREIBER - - - Published by MPG Communications, Plymouth, Mass. - - Copyright 1940 - By - PAUL W. BITTINGER - Plymouth, Mass. - - Second Edition - October, 1947 - - Third Edition - June, 1950 - - Fourth Edition - June, 1952 - - Fifth Edition - April, 1955 - - Sixth Edition (revised) - April, 1958 - - Seventh Edition - January, 1963 - - Eighth Edition - January, 1966 - - Ninth Edition - April, 1968 - - Tenth Edition - May, 1971 - - Eleventh Edition - May, 1975 - - Twelfth Edition - April, 1980 - - Thirteenth Edition - April, 1984 - - Fourteenth Edition - July, 1987 - - Linotyped, Printed and Bound - by MPG Communications, Plymouth, Mass. - - Distributed by Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth, MA 02360 - - - - - CONTENTS - - - Page - - - CHAPTER I - Scrooby: Persecution 7 - - - CHAPTER II - Escape: Holland 11 - - - CHAPTER III - Holland: An Alien Peace 15 - Historic Decision 16 - - - CHAPTER IV - London: Preparation 20 - Articles of Agreement 22 - False Accusations 23 - The Embarkation 25 - Voyage and Arrival 26 - Signers of the Compact 28 - First Town Meeting 30 - Search for Permanent Settlement 30 - The Shallop Arrives 32 - Historic Landing 33 - Permanent Settlement 35 - - - CHAPTER V - A New Home 37 - First Winter Losses 40 - - - CHAPTER VI - Samoset’s Visit 42 - Treaty with Massasoit 44 - The First Marriage 47 - The First Duel 47 - Visit to Massasoit 47 - Arrival of Hobamock 48 - The Fortune Arrives 49 - Pierce’s Attempt 49 - - - CHAPTER VII - Preparations for Winter 51 - The First Thanksgiving 51 - Bradford’s Letter 53 - - - CHAPTER VIII - Indian Trouble 56 - - - CHAPTER IX - Consolidation 61 - Arrival of the Anne and the Little James 62 - The First Cattle 64 - The Wollaston Incident 67 - The First Settled Minister 69 - The First Capital Offence 69 - Increase of Obligations 69 - Roger Williams 70 - Winslow Elected Governor 71 - Boundaries Established 71 - New England Confederacy 72 - Conclusion 73 - List of Mayflower Passengers 74 - List of Fortune Passengers 75 - List of Little James Passengers 75 - - - Index to Illustrations - - NOTE—Many well-known pictures of the Pilgrims have grossly - misinterpreted their true spirit. A “Signing of the Compact” or a - “Departure from Delfthaven,” for example, that employs the sentimental - piety, the eyes and arms raised to heaven, of Italian Baroque art, - (that Jesuitical, most Catholic art), fails to reflect the real spirit - of the Protestant Pilgrims. The use of the gracefully reclining and - swooning figures of Italianate renaissance art is likewise - inappropriate. - - Reacting sharply from this, the illustrations in the book portray in - the modern spirit both the activities of the Pilgrims and their - settings with strict realism. - - Unsparing effort in consulting authorities, old documents, prints, and - actual scenes was expended to secure convincing authenticity. - - - Stock Scene, showing church attended by Brewster and approximate - location of the stocks in Scrooby 7 - Birdseye view of Brewster Manor in Scrooby 9 - Church at Scrooby 10 - Capture of escaping Pilgrims by an English mob 11 - Love Scene, showing actual bridge and the Cloth Hall in Leyden, - headquarters of the guild of woolen workers, of whom the - Pilgrims were a part 15 - Destruction of Brewster’s printing shop 18 - Cushman before the Merchant Adventurers 20 - Embarkation, showing buildings and actual wharf from which the - Pilgrims departed 24 - Sighting of Provincetown, showing deck construction of Mayflower - type of boat 26 - Signing the Compact 29 - The first building, showing position in relation to Town Brook and - Pilgrim Spring 37 - The First Street, in its true topographical setting 39 - Samoset’s Visit 42 - The Treaty with Massasoit, in its actual setting, “an unfinished - building” 45 - A Good Harvest 51 - Thanksgiving Feast 54 - The Snakeskin Warning 56 - Capt. Standish Slays Pecksuot 58 - The First Cattle 61 - - - - - PREFACE - - -No phase of early American history presents a finer example of faith, -fortitude and determination of purpose than the story of that little -band of devout souls who landed at Plymouth in the winter of 1620 and to -whom we refer as the Pilgrims. - -In the following limited pages the writer attempts to present something -of the conditions obtaining in England prior to the Departure, also -something of the struggles, privations, courage and forbearance during -the first years of the settlement at Plymouth. - -In so doing dependence is placed particularly upon the contemporaneous -writings of Bradford and Winslow, both members of the Mayflower party. - -With the vast bibliography relating to the Pilgrim history, together -with the requirements of brevity, it is indeed fortunate that we are -able to look to those who played such an important part in this historic -episode and who were thoughtful enough to leave a record for posterity. - -It is difficult to epitomize a story so broad and sweeping in its -ramifications, its religious and material aspects and its touch of -romanticism. Consequently it is intended to include only such events as -may prove of interest and value to the reader as adduced from the -recognized authorities. - -These authorities as before indicated are: - - - Bradford, William: History of Plimouth Plantation. (Printed from the - original manuscript in 1898 under the supervision of the - Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.) - Young, Alexander: Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers. (1880.) Including - Mourt’s Relation (London 1622) by William Bradford and Edward - Winslow in collaboration; Good News from England, Winslow’s - Journal of 1622-23 (London 1624); Winslow’s Relation and - Winslow’s Brief Narrative. - Hazard, Ebenezer; Hazard’s Historical Collections, Vol. 1. Including - Old Colony and Plymouth Records, Philadelphia (1812). - - -Note:—With regard to the original manuscript of Bradford’s History of -Plymouth Plantation, it may be stated that it was first obtained by -Thomas Prince, the historian, from Judge Sewall, to whom it was “lent -but only lent” by Major John Bradford of Kingston, son of Major William -Bradford, formerly Deputy Governor of the Plymouth Colony, and grandson -of Governor William Bradford. - -This precious document which seems to have passed through several hands, -finally found refuge, together with Prince’s library, in the tower of -the Old South Church in Boston, whence it later disappeared. - -In 1856 it was found in the library of the Lord Bishop of London, at -Fulham Palace. A transcript was made and it was printed in Boston the -same year, under the auspices of the Massachusetts Historical Society. - -In 1897 the original manuscript was brought to this country by the Hon. -Thomas F. Bayard, our Ambassador to England at the time, to whom it had -been delivered by the Rt. Rev. Mandell Creighton, Lord Bishop of London. -Much credit is due to the late Senator George F. Hoar of Massachusetts, -to the former Bishop of London, Dr. Temple, who later became the -Archbishop of Canterbury, and the aforementioned Ambassador Bayard, who -were all in accord as to the right and justice of the transfer. - -This historic document now reposes in the state library in the State -House in Boston, priceless in both historic and sentimental value. - -W. F. A. - - - - - FOREWORD - Expansion on Cape Cod - - -The early settlements on Cape Cod all came about under the aegis of the -parent colony in Plymouth. Several times in Pilgrim chronicles we read -how Captain Myles Standish was sent to Sandwich, Barnstable and Yarmouth -on tours of inspection and to supervise the division of lands purchased -for little or nothing by the newcomers from the remnants of an Indian -population decimated years before by disease. - -Direct Pilgrim influence on the religious life, the administration and -the courts of the Cape settlements continued from the earliest -beginnings at Sandwich in 1637, with steadily diminishing strength, -until the election of Thomas Prence of Eastham as Governor of Plymouth -Colony in 1657. Meanwhile the parent settlement itself was coming under -the domination of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and its Puritan -hierarchs. The Plymouth connection finally lapsed, for all practical -purposes, in 1685, when Plymouth Colony was divided up into Plymouth, -Barnstable and Bristol Counties. - -First Cape settlement was in 1637, when a band of Puritan families from -Saugus and Lynn on the North Shore got permission from the Pilgrim -Fathers to migrate to the precincts of the Plymouth Colony, of which the -Cape was a part. Some Pilgrim families from Duxbury and Plymouth came -along with these first settlers to carve out homesteads in the Sandwich -area. - -Next towns to be settled were Yarmouth and Barnstable, in 1639, an -earlier attempt to populate the Mattacheesett section of what is now -Barnstable having failed. - -Yarmouth was a direct offshoot of Pilgrim Plymouth, and prominent among -its settlers was Giles Hopkins, son of Stephen Hopkins, who came over -with his father on the Mayflower. - -Barnstable, at its inception, was dominated by the personality of the -Rev. John Lothrop, a very strongminded man of dissident Pilgrim -persuasion who, together with fifty of his parishioners, had once served -two years in jail in England for religious schism. For a time the spirit -of controversy continued in the new Cape Colony, fanned by the radical -views of Marmaduke Matthews, a firebrand Welshman. But by the time -Captain Myles Standish and two companions came down from Plymouth in -1643 to divide up the salt hay marshes, cleared farmlands and woods of -Barnstable into legally recorded homesteads, the colony had settled down -and become absorbed with more workaday matters. - -Last of the very early Cape Cod towns to be settled was Eastham in 1644, -by a party led by the Rev. John Mayo, bearer of another of the names -later to become famous on the Cape in its great mercantilist period. - -Falmouth, in 1686, fissioned off quite directly from Plymouth, and was -incorporated in 1686, originally under the name of Succonesset. Harwich -officially came into being in 1694, as an offshoot from Barnstable, and -very much later, in 1803, gave rise to Brewster. Dennis, meanwhile, had -fissioned from Yarmouth in 1794. But by this time Pilgrim origins and -influence were but the dimmest of memories. - -Also influential on the early Cape, after the middle 1650’s, were the -Quakers, at first persecuted, but eventually accepted as a manifestly -superior kind of people. They, too, quickly merged during the following -century into the Cape Cod way of life, and became indistinguishable from -families of Pilgrim or Puritan origin. - - [Illustration: Stock Scene, showing church attended by Brewster and - approximate location of the stocks in Scrooby] - - - - - CHAPTER I - - - Scrooby: Persecution - -The Pilgrim story may well begin from the period of the Reformation or -the ascendency of the Protestant Church in England. Previous to 1600 -much friction had existed between the Crown and the Papacy in matters -ecclesiastical and civil. The process of reform however had been -crystalizing during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. This came to -culmination in the establishment of the English Church (known as the -Church of England) as the official or state church of which the King was -to be the temporal head with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual -head or primate. - -But still there was friction. It was like a house divided against -itself. There were those who could not conscientiously subscribe to the -laws and rituals laid down by the established church. They were -dissenters or non-conformists and are best described by Bradford as -follows: “The one side labored to have the right worship of God and -discipline of Christ established in the Church, according to the -simplicity of the gospel, without the mixture of men’s inventions, and -to have and be ruled by the laws of God’s word, dispensed in those -offices and by those officers of Pastors, Teachers and Elders, etc., -according to the Scriptures.” - -“The other party endeavored to have episcopal dignity (after the popish -manner) with their large power and jurisdiction still retained.” - - Note: In the subject matter in quotations, the spelling of some words - has been changed to the modern form without otherwise affecting the - text. - -This strained and anomalous situation led to the founding of the -Separatist Church in 1602 in the Old Hall in Gainsborough, with John -Smyth as pastor. - -Smyth was highly esteemed by the non-conformist group. He was a graduate -of Cambridge, “an eminent man in his time,” and his pastorate at -Gainsborough extended from 1602 until 1606 when he was forced to retire. - -The Scrooby fraternity, an off-shoot from Gainsborough, was presided -over by Richard Clyfton as first pastor. Prominent among the -non-conformists at Scrooby were William Brewster, born in Scrooby in -1560, William Bradford, born in Austerfield, a village three miles -distant, in 1588, and John Robinson, born in Lincolnshire about 1576. -Robinson received orders from the Church of England, was suspended for -non-conformity and later joined the Congregation at Scrooby where he was -made pastor. - -This triumvirate became the ruling spirits of the Scrooby community, -Brewster became the Elder of the Church and later the religious leader -of the Plymouth settlement, of which Bradford became Governor. Robinson, -to whom both looked for inspiration and guidance, was destined by -circumstances to remain in Holland where he had later been forced to -take refuge. - -These independent thinkers who firmly asserted their right to worship -according to their belief, were brought into constant conflict with the -constituted authorities of the Church of England. As Bradford says: -“This contention was so great, as neither the honour of God, the common -persecution, nor the mediation of Mr. Calvin and other worthies of the -Lord in those places, could prevail with those thus episcopally minded, -but they proceeded by all means to disturb the peace of this poor -persecuted church, even so far as to charge (very unjustly and ungodly, -yet prelate like) some of their chief opposers, with rebellion and high -treason....” And then regarding their treatment he says: “They could not -long continue in any peaceable condition but were hunted and persecuted -on every side.” - - [Illustration: Birdseye view of Brewster Manor in Scrooby] - -From 1603 when King James I succeeded Elizabeth who had reigned as Queen -during the preceding forty-five years, conditions grew increasingly -worse until as Bradford continues: - -“Seeing themselves thus molested and that there was no hope of their -continuance there, they resolved to go into the Low Countries, where -they heard was freedom of religion for all men; as also how sundry from -London, and other parts of the land had been exiled and persecuted for -the same cause, and were gone thither and lived at Amsterdam and in -other places of the land. So after they had continued together about a -year, and kept their meetings every sabbath, in one place or other, -exercising the worship of God amongst themselves, notwithstanding all -the diligence and malice of their adversaries, they seeing they could no -longer continue in that condition, they resolved to get over into -Holland as they could which was in the year 1607-1608.” - - [Illustration: Church at Scrooby] - - [Illustration: Capture of escaping Pilgrims by an English mob] - - - - - CHAPTER II - - - Escape: Holland - -_The Migration to Holland_ was not accomplished without its set-backs -and misgivings. In the first place it was unlawful under an old statute -which made emigrating without authority a penal crime. They were several -times intercepted in their attempt to depart from English soil. But they -were determined in purpose and brave in heart. - -“Being thus constrained to leave their native country, their lands and -livings, and all their friends and familiar acquaintance, it was much, -and thought marvellous by many. But to go into a country they knew not, -but by hearsay, where they must learn a new language, and get their -livings they knew not how, it being a dear place, and subject to the -miseries of war,[1] it was by many thought an adventure almost -desperate, a case intolerable, and a misery worse than death; especially -seeing they were not acquainted with trades nor traffic, (by which the -country doth subsist) but had only been used to a plain country life and -the innocent trade of husbandry. But these things did not dismay them, -(although they did sometimes trouble them,) for their desires were set -on the ways of God, and to enjoy his ordinances. But they rested on his -providence, and knew whom they had believed. Yet this was not all. For -although they could not stay, yet were they not suffered to go; but the -ports and havens were shut against them, so as they were fain to seek -secret means of conveyance, and to fee the mariners, and give -extraordinary rates for their passages. And yet were they oftentimes -betrayed, many of them, and both they and their goods intercepted and -surprised, and thereby put to great trouble and charge; of which I will -give an instance or two, and omit the rest.” - -“There was a great company of them purposed to get passage at Boston, in -Lincolnshire; and for that end had hired a ship wholly to themselves, -and made agreement with the master to be ready at a certain day, and -take them and their goods in, at a convenient place, where they -accordingly would all attend in readiness. So after long waiting and -large expenses, though he kept not the day with them, yet he came at -length, and took them in, in the night. And when he had them and their -goods aboard, he betrayed them, having beforehand complotted with the -searchers and other officers so to do; who took them and put them into -open boats, and there rifled and ransacked them, searching them to their -shirts for money, yae, even the women, further than became modesty; and -then carried them back into the town, and made them a spectacle and -wonderment to the multitude, which came flocking on all sides to behold -them. Being thus by the catchpole officers riffled and stripped of their -money, books and much other goods, they were presented to the -magistrates, and messengers sent to inform the Lords of the Council of -them; and so they were committed to ward. Indeed the magistrates used -them courteously, and showed them what favor they could; but could not -deliver them until order came from the Council table. But the issue was, -that after a month’s imprisonment the greatest part were dismissed, and -sent to the places from whence they came; but seven of the principal men -were still kept in prison and bound over to the assizes.” - -In the spring of 1608 another attempt was made to embark and another -Dutch shipmaster engaged. This second party assembled at a point between -Grimsby and Hull not far from the mouth of the Humber. The women and -children arrived in a small bark which became grounded at low water and -while some of the men on shore were taken off in the ship’s boat they -were again apprehended. And to quote again: - -“But after the first boat-full was got aboard, and she was ready to go -for more, the master espied a great company, both horse and foot, with -bills and guns and other weapons: for the country was raised to take -them.” - -“But the poor men which were got on board were in great distress for -their wives and children, which they saw thus to be taken, and were left -distitute of their helps, and themselves also not having a cloth to -shift them with, more than they had on their backs, and some scarce a -penny about them, all they had being on the bark. It drew tears from -their eyes, and anything they had they would have given to have been on -shore again. But all in vain; there was no remedy; they must thus sadly -part; and afterwards endured a fearful storm at sea, being fourteen days -or more before they arrived at their port; in seven whereof they neither -saw sun, moon, nor stars, and were driven to the coast of Norway; the -mariners themselves often despairing of life, and once with shrieks and -cries gave over all, as if the ship had been foundered in the sea, and -they sinking without recovery. But when man’s hope and help wholly -failed, the Lord’s power and mercy appeared for their recovery; for the -ship rose again, and gave the mariners courage again to manager her; and -if modesty would suffer me, I might declare with what fervent prayers -they cried unto the Lord in this great distress, (especially some of -them,) even without any great distraction.”[2] - -Those left ashore were in a pitiable state, women were left without -their husbands and children without their fathers, their property had -been sold in anticipation of a safe departure and the situation was, for -a time at least, desperate. But a kind Providence intervened and while -their purpose was thus hindered, they finally were united at Amsterdam. -As Bradford states: “Notwithstanding all these storms of opposition, -they all got over at length, some at one time and some at another, and -yet met together again, according to their desires, with no small -rejoicing.” - -Let us pause here a moment and reflect. In our contemplation of the -present and concern for the future, we must not be unmindful of the -past. It was not easy to make final decision in such matter as -permanently breaking away from homes, relatives and friends, not to -mention the material factors involved. Fortunately however for them and -for us, this devout band was imbued with enduring faith. Faith fortified -by grim determination. - -Thus they planned and executed. They left the land of their nativity. -They braved the perils of an unknown ocean and a still more unknown -future that they might find a refuge free from religious bondage and -where they might worship God according to their conscience. This they -accomplished in the face of almost insurmountable hardships. - -They made concord with the Indians, they builded homes, they framed laws -and agreements in accordance with the time and the necessity. They -established a governmental process sufficient for their needs, an -outgrowth of the government of their religious life in which decisions -were made by the will of the majority. They paved the way for future -generations. They suffered much. They attained much. They left a -heritage that must not be sacrificed. - -We of today are faced with ominous problems. A re-dedication to the -faith, vision and determination of our fathers, will be America’s -salvation. - - [Illustration: Love Scene, showing actual bridge and the Cloth Hall - in Leyden, headquarters of the guild of woolen workers, of whom the - Pilgrims were a part] - - - - - CHAPTER III - - - Holland: An Alien Peace - -They remained in Amsterdam about a year when for both material and -spiritual reasons they decided to move to Leyden 22 miles distant. They -had come into some contention with the church that had established -itself before them which seemed difficult to settle to their -satisfaction and their means of livelihood had become so restricted that -they were threatened with poverty. “For these and some other reasons -they removed to Leyden, a fair and beautiful city. But being now here -pinched, they fell to such trades and employments as they best could, -valuing peace and their spiritual comfort above any other riches -whatsoever; and at length they came to raise a competent and comfortable -living, but with hard and continual labor.” - - - The Final and Historic Decision - -Some eleven or twelve years were spent in Leyden where they enjoyed -“much sweet and delightful society and spiritual comfort together, in -the ways of God, under the able ministry and prudent government of Mr. -John Robinson and Mr. William Brewster, who was an assistant unto him in -the place of an Elder, unto which he was now called and chosen by the -church; so as they grew in knowledge and other gifts and graces of the -spirit of God; and lived together in peace, and love, and holiness.” - -Yet while they seemed to have more spiritual freedom and to have enjoyed -the society of their Dutch neighbors and had established a good credit -among them, they were confronted with the fear of final absorption in an -alien country. They preferred to maintain their language and traditions -as English men and women. Moreover, King James was beginning to exercise -an unwarrantable influence in the Low Countries. This went to the -extreme of confiscating their types[3] and presses and the suppression -of the religious matter printed and issued by William Brewster, the -Elder of the Leyden congregation. A compelling force seemed to drive -them on to seek some place of permanent settlement. And to quote from -Bradford: - -“Although the people generally bore all their difficulties very -cheerfully and with a resolute courage, being in the best of their -strength, yet old age began to come on some of them; and their great and -continual labors, with other crosses and sorrows, hastened it before the -time; so as it was not only probably thought, but apparently seen, that -within a few years more they were in danger to scatter by necessity -pressing them, or sink under their burdens, or both; and therefore, -according to the divine proverb, that ‘a wise man seeth the plague when -it cometh, and hideth himself,’ so they, like skilful and beaten -soldiers, were fearful either to be entrapped or surrounded by their -enemies, so as they should neither be able to fight nor fly; and -therefore thought it better to dislodge betimes to some place of better -advantage and less danger, if any could be found.” - -“Lastly (and which was not the least,) a great hope and inward zeal they -had of laying some good foundation, or at least to make way thereunto, -for the propagating and advancing the Gospel of the kingdom of Christ in -these remote parts of the world; yea, though they should be but as -stepping-stones unto others for performing of so great a work.” - -“The place they had thoughts on were some of those unpeopled countries -of America, which are fruitful and fit for habitation, being devoid of -all civil inhabitants, where there are only savage and bruitish people, -which range up and down little otherwise than the wild beasts. This -proposition being made public, and coming to the scanning of all, it -raised many variable opinions amongst men, and caused many fears and -doubts amongst themselves. Some from their reasons and hopes conceived, -labored to stir up and encourage the rest to undertake and prosecute the -same; others again, out of their fears, objected against it, and sought -to divert from it, alleging many things, and those neither unreasonable -nor unprobable: as that it was a great design, and subject to many -inconceivable perils and dangers; as, besides the casualties of the -seas, (which none can be freed from,) the length of the voyage was such -as the weak bodies of women and other persons worn out with age and -travail, (as many of them were,) could never be able to endure; and yet -if they should, the miseries of the land which they should be exposed -unto would be too hard to be borne, and likely, some or all of them, to -consume and utterly to ruinate them. For there they should be liable to -famine, and nakedness, and the want, in the manner, of all things.” - - [Illustration: Destruction of Brewster’s printing shop] - -“It was answered, that all great and honorable actions were accomplished -with great difficulties, and must be both enterprised and overcome with -answerable courages. It was granted the dangers were great, but not -desperate, and the difficulties were many, but not invincible; for -although there were many of them likely, yet they were not certain. It -might be that some of the things feared might never befall them; others, -by providence, care and use good of means, might in a great measure be -prevented; and all of them through the help of God, by fortitude and -patience, might either be borne or overcome. True it was that such -attempts were not to be made and undertaken but upon good ground and -reason, not rashly or lightly, as many have done for curiosity or hope -of gain, etc. But their condition was not ordinary. Their ends were good -and honorable, their calling lawful and urgent, and therefore they might -expect a blessing of God in their proceeding; yea, although they should -lose their lives in this action, yet they might have comfort in the -same; and their endeavours would be honorable.”[4] - -“They lived here but as men in exile and in a poor condition; and as -great miseries might possibly befall them in this place; for the twelve -years of truce were now out,[5] and there was nothing but beating of -drums and preparing for war, the events whereof are always uncertain. -The Spaniard might prove as cruel as the savages of America, and the -famine and pestilence are sore here and there, and their liberty less to -look out for remedy.” - -“After many other particular things answered and alleged on both sides, -it was fully concluded by the major part to put this design in -execution, and to prosecute it by the best means they could.” - - [Illustration: Cushman before the Merchant Adventurers] - - - - - CHAPTER IV - - - London: Preparation - -The coast of North America was not entirely unknown. There had been -several attempts at settlement and exploration. One by Sir Walter -Raleigh in 1584. He had taken possession under a patent confirmed by act -of Parliament, of the territory from the Carolinas north to Virginia, -the name Virginia being given the new country in honor of the Virgin -Queen. - -In 1606 another party under command of Capt. John Smith sailed in three -small vessels under authority of a charter granted by James I. They -landed at a point in Chesapeake Bay, thirty-two miles from the mouth of -the James river in Virginia and established a settlement called -Jamestown. - -In 1614 Smith made a voyage to the North Virginia coast at which time he -made a comprehensive map calling this section New England. Upon his -return to England he showed this map to Charles I, then a prince, who in -applying the names of English towns to points along the coast gave the -place which was to become the Pilgrim settlement the name of Plymouth, -which it has since retained. - -There were many matters of moment to be settled before the Pilgrims -could depart their native shores. The liquidation of what property they -had acquired was to be augmented by further financing. It was necessary -to obtain a patent to any land they might acquire for settlement and the -matter of how many and who should go first had to be determined. - -“Those that stayed, being the greater number, required the pastor to -stay with them; and indeed for other reasons he could not then well go, -and so it was the more easily yielded unto. It was also agreed on by -mutual consent and covenant that those who went should be an absolute -church of themselves, as well as those that stayed, seeing in such a -dangerous voyage, and a removal to such a distance, it might come to -pass that they should (for the body of them) never meet again in this -world. Yet with this proviso, that if any of the rest came over to them, -or of the other returned upon occasion, they should be reputed as -members without further admission or testimonial. It was also promised -to those that went first, by the body of the rest, that if the Lord gave -them life and means, and opportunity, they should come to them as soon -as they could.” - -The next step was to secure a patent. Already letters-patent had been -granted two companies of Englishmen to territory 100 miles in width on -the Atlantic coast of North America from the 34th to the 45th degrees -north latitude. These were designated as the South and North Virginia -companies. Through emissaries sent to England a patent was obtained -bearing date of Feb. 12th, 1620. This patent was issued to John Pierce -and Associates and covered territory in the vicinity of the Virginia -Capes. As it happened the Pilgrims settled outside the limits defined -therein and another patent was granted covering the territory around -Cape Cod Bay. This patent bears the date of June 1st, 1621, and was -issued by the Council of New England which had been created by royal -authority to succeed the North Virginia Company after the departure of -the Pilgrims from England. - -It shows the signatures of the Duke of Lenox, the Marquis of Hamilton, -the Earl of Warwick, Lord Sheffield and Sir Ferdinand Gorges. Several -parts of this ancient document have broken away, including the seal of -Hamilton and the seal and signature of John Pierce, the party of the -second part thereto. This valuable document, the oldest state document -in New England, was brought over in the Fortune in 1621 and now reposes -in Pilgrim Hall. - -Arrangements were concluded with a group of London business men who -styled themselves the Merchant Adventurers who were in sympathy with the -movement and who had agreed to finance the expedition. Perhaps they are -best described by Capt. John Smith who wrote in 1624: - -“The adventurers which raised the stock to begin and supply this -plantation, were about seventy, some gentlemen, some merchants, some -handicraftsmen, some adventuring great sums, some small, as their -estates and their affection served. These dwelt most about London. They -are not a corporation, but knit together by a voluntary combination in a -society without constraint or penalty, aiming to do good and to plant -religion.” - - - Articles of Agreement - -The Articles of Agreement entered into with the Merchant Adventurers -were as follows:— - -“1. The adventurers and planters do agree, that every persons that -goeth, being aged sixteen years and upward, be rated at ten pounds, and -ten pounds to be accounted a single share. - -2. That he that goeth in person, and furnisheth himself out with ten -pounds, either in money or other provisions, be accounted as having -twenty pounds in stock, and in the division shall receive a double -share. - -3. The persons transported and the adventurers shall continue their -joint stock and partnership together the space of seven years, (except -some unexpected impediments do cause the whole company to agree -otherwise,) during which time all profits and benefits that are got, by -trade, traffic, trucking, working, fishing, or any other means, of any -person or persons, shall remain in the common stock until the division. - -4. That at their coming there they choose out such a number of fit -persons as may furnish their ships and boats for fishing upon the sea; -employing the rest in their several faculties upon the land, as building -houses, tilling and planting the ground, and making such commodities as -shall be most useful for the colony. - -5. That at the end of the seven years, the capital and profits, viz., -the houses, lands, goods and chattels, be equally divided among the -adventurers and planters; which done, every man shall be free from other -of them of any debt or detriment concerning the adventure. - -6. Whosoever cometh to the colony hereafter, or putteth any into the -stock, shall at the end of the seven years be allowed proportionally to -the time of his so doing. - -7. He that shall carry his wife and children or servants, shall be -allowed for every person now aged 16 years and upward, a single share in -the division; or if he provide them necessaries, a double share, or if -they be between 10 years old and 16 then two of them to be reckoned for -a person, both in transportation and division. - -8. That such children as now go and are under the age of 10 years, have -no other share in the division, but 50 acres of unmanured land. - -9. That such persons as die before the seven years be expired, their -executors to have their part or share at the division, proportionally to -the time of their life in the colony. - -10. That all such persons as are of this colony are to have their meat, -drink, apparel and all provisions out of the common stock and goods of -the said colony.” - - - False Accusations - -It has been declared by some commentators that this agreement savored of -communism. This interpretation is however unfair. As a matter of record -it was not entirely satisfactory to the colonists but was imposed upon -them by the Merchant Adventurers who, looking to the final liquidation -of their advancements, preferred to hold the community as a whole to -meet the obligation. Several letters written by Robert Cushman to his -associates in Leyden tend to substantiate this view and emphasize that -he had made the best possible terms under the circumstances. - - [Illustration: Embarkation, showing buildings and actual wharf from - which the Pilgrims departed] - -Pertinent to the foregoing it is interesting to quote from Young’s -Chronicles, page 84, as follows:—“There is no foundation for this -charge. The Plymouth people were not ‘misguided by their religious -theories,’ nor influenced by an ‘imitation of the primitive Christians,’ -in forming their joint stock company. They entered into this hard and -disadvantageous engagement with the Merchant Adventurers not -voluntarily, but of necessity, in order to obtain shipping for -transporting themselves to America; and they put their own little -property into a common fund in order to purchase provisions for the -voyage. It was a partnership that was instituted, not a community of -goods, as that phrase is commonly understood.” - - - The Embarkation - -A small vessel of about sixty tons called the Speedwell and commanded by -Captain Reynolds was secured in Holland and another, somewhat larger, -the Mayflower, of London, commanded by Captain Jones. The Speedwell left -Delft-Haven in July, 1620, with a company of thirty, including William -Bradford, William Brewster, John Carver, Edward Winslow, Isaac Allerton, -Samuel Fuller and John Howland. Captain Myles Standish was also a member -of the company although not of the congregation. He was a soldier whose -value to the Colony proved outstanding. They left with the blessing of -John Robinson who intended to follow but whose dreams were never to be -realized. - - Note: Dates following accord with the modern calendar except those - marked O.S. indicating Old Style. - -The first party reached Southampton where the Mayflower awaited them -with ninety passengers. On the fifteenth of August both vessels set sail -but had gone but a short distance when the Speedwell began to leak. They -put back to Dartmouth where eight days were spent in repairs when the -ships again put to sea. They had covered scarcely three hundred miles -when the Speedwell again began leaking. Both vessels turned back, -putting into Plymouth harbor where the leaking craft was abandoned. Here -eighteen of her passengers decided not to continue. - - [Illustration: Sighting of Provincetown, showing deck construction - of Mayflower type of boat] - - - Voyage and Arrival - -The Mayflower with its added burden, now numbering one hundred and two -souls, left Plymouth September 16th, 1620, and began its historic -journey westward. For a goodly part of the voyage of over two months -duration the ship was buffeted by equinoctial winds and high seas and, -as they neared the coast, a death is recorded, that of William Butten, a -youth, servant of Samuel Fuller. The records also disclose the birth of -a son, Oceanus, to Stephen and Elizabeth Hopkins. “After long beating at -sea they fell with that land which is called Cape Cod; the which being -made and certainly known to be it, they were not a little joyful. After -some deliberation had amongst themselves and with the master of the -ship, they tacked about and resolved to stand for the southward (the -wind and weather being fair) to find some place about Hudson River for -their habitation. - -“But after they had sailed the course about half the day, they fell -amongst dangerous shols and roaring breakers, and they were so far -entangled therewith as they conceived themselves in great danger; and -the wind shrinking upon them withall; they resolved to bear up again for -the Cape, and thought themselves happy to get out of those dangers -before night overtook them, as by God’s providence they did. And the -next day they got into the Cape Harbor where they rode in safety.” - -It was the 21st of November (present calendar) when the Mayflower -dropped anchor in the sheltered and quiet waters of Provincetown Harbor -and one may well imagine the happiness and gratitude of these weary -voyagers when they sighted this haven of refuge and were once more able -to place their feet upon dry land. As Bradford records: “Being thus -arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their -knees and blessed the God of heaven who had brought them over the vast -and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries -thereof, again to set their feet on the firm and stable earth, their -proper element.” - -On Monday the 23rd a landing was made, the men to make repairs to the -shallop and the women to wash, thus establishing Monday as the generally -accepted “Washday.” - -The Mayflower Compact was drawn up and signed in all probability before -Mayflower dropped anchor in Provincetown Harbor. This document was -partly the result of friction that had arisen during the voyage and the -intimation that some among them might exercise their individual liberty -without restraint and against the peace and welfare of the community as -a whole. The text follows with Bradford’s explanatory note: - -“I shall a little return back and begin with a combination made by them -before they came ashore, being the first foundation of their government -in this place; occasioned partly by the discontented and mutinous -speeches that some of the strangers amongst them had let fall from them -in the ship—That when they came ashore they would use their own liberty; -for none had power to command them, the patent they had being for -Virginia, and not for New England, which belonged to another Government, -with which the Virginia Company had nothing to do. And partly that such -an act by them done (this their condition considered) might be as firm -as any patent, and in some respects more sure.” - - - The Compact - -“In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal -subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, -of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, defender of the faith, etc., -having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and advancement of the -Christian faith, and honor of our King and country, a voyage to plant -the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents -solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another, -covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for -our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends -aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just -and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices from time to -time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good -of the colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. -In witness whereof, we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, -the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, -King James of England, France, and Ireland the eighteenth, and of -Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domino. 1620.” - - - Signers of the Compact - -The earliest known list of the signers of the Compact is that contained -in Morton’s “New-Englands Memoriall,” published in 1669. The names -follow: - - - John Carver - William Bradford - Edward Winslow - William Brewster - Isaac Allerton - Myles Standish - John Alden - John Turner - Frances Eaton - James Chilton - John Crakston - Degory Priest - Thomas Williams - Gilbert Winslow - Edmund Margeson - Peter Brown - Richard Britterige - George Soule - Edward Tilley - John Tilley - Francis Cooke - Thomas Rogers - John Billington - Moses Fletcher - John Goodman - Samuel Fuller - Christopher Martin - William Mullins - William White - Richard Warren - John Howland - Stephen Hopkins - Thomas Tinker - John Rigdale - Edward Fuller - Richard Clark - Richard Gardiner - John Allerton - Thomas English - Edward Doty - Edward Leister - - - [Illustration: Signing the Compact] - -“After this they chose, or rather confirmed, Mr. John Carver (a man -godly and well approved amongst them) their Governor for that year.” - -This meeting, held in the cabin of the Mayflower, is generally accepted -as the first New England town meeting, although on the 27th of February -following, a meeting, later referred to, was held in the common house -for the purpose of establishing a military guard at which Myles Standish -was chosen captain. - -On April 2nd another meeting was held on “common business” and at which -laws “convenient for the common state” were passed. - -From these first meetings evolved our present form of town meeting, -held, and elections made, according to the will of the majority. - - - Search for Permanent Settlement - -On November 25th, a party of sixteen men under the leadership of Captain -Standish set out on foot looking for a place for permanent settlement -“having such instructions as was thought meet.” They had proceeded but a -short distance when they met a small party of Indians who fled upon -approach. They were followed for some miles, when, darkness coming on, -they made camp for the night. - -[Sidenote: Nov. 26 to 28] - -The following day further exploration was made. Some Indian corn was -discovered, also fresh water from which they drank being sorely in need -thereof “this being the first New England water drunk of.” - -Returning from the vicinity of Truro and the Pamet River to which their -exploration had taken them, they saw deer and “great flocks of wild -geese and ducks, but they were fearful of us.”[6] Also signs of Indian -habitation and “heaps of sand newly padled with their hands, which they, -digging up, found in them divers fair Indian baskets filled with corn, -and some in ears, fair and good, of divers colors, which seemed to them -a goodly sight (having never seen any such before). So their time -limited to them being expired, they returned to the ship, lest they -should be in fear of their safety; and took with them part of the corn -... of which on their return they were marvellously glad....” - -The days immediately following were occupied in completing repairs to -the shallop, in cutting wood and getting tools in readiness, in -anticipation of a permanent landing. - -With this in view a party of thirty set forth on Dec. 7, “for the better -discovery of this place.” They found signs of Indian habitation also -“more of their corn and of their beans of various colors. The corn and -beans they brought away proposing to give them good satisfaction when -they should meet with any of them (as about 6 months afterward they did, -to their good content).” “And here it is to be noted a special -Providence of God, and a great mercy to this poor people that here they -got seed to plant them corn the next year or else they might have -starved, for they had none, nor any likelihood to get any until the -season had been past (as the sequel did manifest).” - -Not finding the desired harborage or place for permanent settlement this -party returned to the Mayflower. - -During their absence and while the Mayflower lay in the Harbor of -Provincetown, a son was born to Susanna White, wife of William White. He -was named Peregrine. - - - THE SHALLOP ARRIVES AT PLYMOUTH - The Landing - -[Sidenote: Wed. Dec. 16] - -On the sixteenth of December another party set out in the shallop “upon -further discovery intending to circulate that deep bay of Cape Cod.” -This party consisted of Myles Standish, John Carver, William Bradford, -Edward Winslow, John Tilley, Edward Tilley, John Howland, Richard -Warren, Stephen Hopkins, Edward Dotey, John Allerton, Thomas English, -the ship’s mates, Mr. Clark and Mr. Coppin, and the master gunner and -three sailors. - -“The weather was very cold and it froze so hard as the spray of the sea -lighting on their coats, they were as if they had been glazed.” - -Proceeding as far as Wellfleet they discovered a party of “ten or twelve -Indians very busy about a black thing,—what it was we could not -tell,—until afterwards they saw us, and ran to and fro, as if they had -been carrying something away. We landed a league or two from them where -we made us a barricade and got firewood and set out sentinels and betook -us to our lodging, such as it was.” This landing was at Eastham ten -miles distant. - -[Sidenote: Thurs. Dec. 17] - -When morning came the company was divided, eight cruising along shore in -the shallop while the remainder explored the land bordering thereon. -They came to the spot “where they saw the Indians the night before and -found they had been cutting up a great fish like a grampus.” (small -whale or blackfish). - -Nothing of importance having been discovered this day, they returned to -the shallop which had come ashore at their calling. “So being weary and -faint,—for we had eaten nothing all day,—we fell to make our rendezvous -and get firewood and we fed upon such victuals as we had, and betook us -to our rest, and we had set out our watch.” - -[Sidenote: Fri. Dec. 18] - -In the early morning of the 18th, they had their first encounter with -the Indians “some thirty or forty of them, though some thought that they -were many more.” Many arrows were shot but “none of them either hit or -hurt us, though many came close by us and on every side of us and some -coats which hung up in our barricade were shot through and through.” But -after several shots were fired at them, they all left with apparently no -casualties. This was the first actual encounter with the Indians. - -During the day the reunited party skirted the coast, the wind increasing -during the afternoon to gale force. The boat’s rudder was broken and the -mast split and they were dependent upon their oars for steering. In this -condition they were driven across the bay toward Saquish where the high -seas prevented landing. By skillful maneuvering however they managed to -round Saquish head and “although it was very dark and rained sore, yet -in the end they got under the lee of a small island,[7] and remained -there all the night in safety.” - -[Sidenote: Sat. Dec. 19] - -“Yet, God gave them a morning of comfort and refreshment for the next -day was a fair and sunshiny day and they found themselves to be on an -island secure from the Indians, where they might dry their stuff, fix -their pieces and rest themselves. And this being the last day of the -week, they prepared there to keep the Sabbath.” - - - The Historic Landing - -[Sidenote: Sun. Dec. 20 -Mon. Dec. 21] - -This Sabbath was spent on Clark’s Island where they rested and held -service. “On Monday they sounded the harbor and found it fit for -shipping, and marched into the land,[8] and found divers cornfields, and -little running brooks, a fit place for situation; at least it was the -best they could find, and the season, and their present necessity, made -them glad to accept it. So they returned to their ship again with this -news to the rest of their people, which did much comfort their hearts.” - -The romance surrounding the Rock that has become famous in history is -not easily discredited. The fact is, that Elder Thomas Faunce, who was -born in Plymouth in 1647 and died in 1746 at the age of ninety-nine -years, made a statement a few years prior to his death, at a time when -removal or covering of the rock was under contemplation, protesting -vigorously at what he considered the desecration of an object of deep -veneration. He stated in the presence of many hearers that his father, -John Faunce, who came over in the ship Anne, had told him that it was on -that rock that the Pilgrims landed as stated by them to him. It is -further probable that they may have imparted this information to him -directly as a number of the Mayflower passengers lived for many years -subsequent to his birth. - -This information has passed from generation to generation. “Plymouth -Rock has now become a symbol of the Pilgrim venture into the unknown of -their day and has inspired present-day Americans with a new Faith in -democracy and in the American way of living.” - -It was during their absence on December 17th, that Dorothy Bradford, -wife of William Bradford, was drowned in Provincetown harbor. - -[Sidenote: Fri. Dec. 25 -Sat. Dec. 26] - -On the 25th, they set out in the Mayflower for Plymouth, but the wind -being unfavorable, they failed to make the harbor and put back to -Provincetown. “But it pleased God, the next day being Saturday, the wind -came fair, and we put to sea again and came safely into a safe harbor.” -This was the first arrival of the Mayflower at Plymouth. Sunday was -spent on the ship. - - - A Permanent Settlement - -It is evident that they were favorably impressed both with the security -of the harbor and the general surroundings, although there was some -division of opinion as to the best location for a permanent settlement -as the following discloses: “This bay is a hopeful place, innumerable -store of fowl, skate, cod, turbot and herring we have tasted of; -abundance of muscles, the greatest and best that ever we saw; crabs and -lobsters, in their time infinite.” - -[Sidenote: Mon. Dec. 28] - -“Monday we went aland manned with the master of the ship and three or -four of the sailors. We marched along the coast in the woods seven or -eight miles, but saw not an Indian nor an Indian house; only we found -where formerly had been some inhabitants, and where they had planted -their corn.” - -“We found not any navigable river but four or five small running brooks -of very sweet fresh water, that all ran into the sea.” - -They speak of the trees, the herbs and the soil, some sandy and some -rich and fertile. They also speak of the streams that are beginning to -fill with fish. That night they returned to the ship, “many being weary -with marching.” - -[Sidenote: Tues. Dec. 29] - -The next day being Tuesday, Dec. 29, the party divided, some going on -foot and some in the shallop. They came to a creek and “went up three -English miles, a very pleasant river[9] at full sea. This place we had a -great liking to plant in, but that it was so far from our fishing, our -principal profit, and so encompassed with woods that we should be in -much danger of the savages. Some of us, having a good mind for safety, -to plant in the greater isle,[10] we crossed the bay, which is there -five or six miles over. We judged it cold for our corn and some part -very rocky; yet divers thought of it as a place defensible, and of great -security.” - -That night they returned again to the Mayflower determined to settle the -next day on a permanent location. - -[Sidenote: Wed. Dec. 30] - -The final selection of a place for settlement is described as follows: -“After our landing and viewing of the places, so well as we could, we -came to a conclusion, by most voices, to set on the main land, on the -first place, on a high ground, where there is a great deal of land -cleared, and hath been planted with corn three or four years ago; and -there is a very sweet brook, runs under the hillside, and many delicate -springs of as good water as can be drunk, and where we may harbor our -shallops and boats exceeding well; and in this brook much good fish in -their seasons; on the further side of the river also much corn-ground -cleared. In one field is a great hill, on which we point to make a -platform, and plant our ordinance, which will command all round about.” - -“So there we made our rendezvous, and a place for some of our people, -about twenty, resolving in the morning to come all ashore and to build -houses.” - - [Illustration: The first building, showing position in relation to - Town Brook and Pilgrim Spring] - - - - - CHAPTER V - - - A New Home - -From the foregoing the reader will readily recognize Coles Hill and -Burial Hill and the site of the first fort, marked now by an appropriate -tablet. Also Town Brook and the adjacent spring which has quenched the -thirst of many a modern day pilgrim as well as residents of this -historic town. - -[Sidenote: 1621 Sat. Jan. 2 to Sat. Jan. 9] - -During Dec. 31, and Jan. 1, a violent storm prevailed and it was -Saturday, Jan. 2, before work on shore could be started. In the several -days following trees were felled, timbers shaped, and work begun on the -Common House and the “platform” or fort on the hill. - -[Sidenote: Mon. Jan. 11 -Mon. Jan. 18] - -Allotments of land were made, first by taking notice of “how many -families there were, willing all single men that had not wives, to join -with some family as they thought fit, that so we might build fewer -houses; which was done and we reduced them to nineteen families.” Friday -and Saturday being stormy and Jan. 10 being the Sabbath, work was -resumed on Monday, Jan. 11. During this period the greater number were -living on the Mayflower which presumably anchored in the lower harbor, -necessitated going to and fro and in bad weather seriously interfered -with work on shore. It was on Monday, the 18th, that Francis Billington -made a visit to the “great sea” as he thought and which he had seen from -a tree the week previous. This fine pond of sparkling water “full of -fish and fowl” thus derived its name Billington Sea. - -After some interruptions occasioned by bad weather, work was again -resumed on the 19th. “We agreed that every man should build his own -house, thinking by that course men would make more haste than working in -common.” - -[Sidenote: Tues. Jan. 19 to Fri. Mar. 26] - -With this end in view work was resumed and “we went to labor that day in -the building of our town, in two rows of houses for more safety. We -divided by lot the plot of ground whereon to build our town, after the -proportion formerly allotted. The common house in which for the first we -made our rendezvous, being near finished, wanted only covering, it being -only about twenty foot square. Some should make mortar, and some gather -thatch; so that in four days half of it was thatched.” - -During this period William Bradford was seriously ill which caused much -concern. Two of the colony became lost in the nearby woods and after a -night’s exposure to cold, found their way back in an exhausted -condition. Indians were seen upon several occasions. The roof of the -Common House was set on fire by a spark but fortunately only the thatch -burned. John Goodman was attacked by “two great wolves” but succeeded in -fighting them off. A shed was built for common storage. On Sunday, Jan. -31st, they held their first meeting on land. A heavy wind on Sunday, -Feb. 14th, did some damage to their houses and on Friday, Feb. 19th, the -roof of the little house they had built for their sick caught fire but -no serious damage resulted. “That evening the master going ashore, -killed five geese, which he friendly distributed among the sick people.” - - [Illustration: The First Street, in its true topographical setting] - -On Friday, Feb. 26th, a party of twelve Indians were seen near the -plantation and on the same day the tools of Captain Myles Standish and -Francis Cooke, who had been at work in the woods, were stolen during -their absence. - -On the morning of the next day, Saturday, Feb. 27th, a meeting was -called, Myles Standish was chosen Captain and given authority to command -in military affairs. Two Indians were seen on this day “upon the top of -a hill” (Watson’s Hill) but upon the approach of Captain Standish and -Stephen Hopkins, they ran away. - -These frequent visitations caused much alarm among the colonists and -“caused us to plant our great ordinances in most convenient places.” - -On Saturday, Mar. 13th, they experienced their first thunderstorm. This -occurred in the afternoon following a day of sunshine and warmth while -“birds sang in the woods most pleasantly.” - -On Wednesday, Mar. 17th, though the weather was cold, it was fair and -they planted their garden seed. - - - Their Great Losses - -Nothing has been said thus far about the crushing losses the first -winter this little colony sustained through exposure and disease. Their -sufferings must have been well nigh indescribable, yet history records -very little complaint. William Bradford bore his sufferings with the -rest and it seems fitting to quote here his vivid description: - -“But that which was most sad and lamentable was, that in two or three -months time half of their company died, especially in January and -February, being the depth of winter, and wanting houses and other -comforts, being infected with the scurvy and other diseases, which this -long voyage and their inaccommodate condition had brought upon them; so -as there died sometimes two or three a day, in the aforesaid time; that -of 100 and odd persons, scarce 50 remained. And of these in the time of -most distress, there was but 6 or 7 sound persons, who, to their great -commendations be it spoken, spared no pains, night nor day, but with -abundance of toil and hazard of their own health, fetched them wood, -made them fires, dressed them meat, made their beds, washed their -loathsome clothes, clothed and unclothed them; in a word did all the -homely and necessary offices for them which dainty and queasy stomachs -cannot endure to hear named; and all this willingly and cheerfully, -without any grudging in the least, showing herein their true love unto -their friends and brethren. A rare example and worthy to be remembered. -Two of these seven were Mr. William Brewster, their reverend elder, and -Myles Standish, their Captain and military commander, unto whom myself -and many others, were much beholden in our low sick condition. And yet -the Lord so upheld these persons, as in this general calamity they were -not at all infected either with sickness or lameness. And what I have -said of these, I may say of many others who died in this general -visitation, and others yet living, that while they had health, yea, or -any strength continuing, they were not wanting to any that had need of -them. And I doubt not but their recompence is with the Lord.” - -They who died the first winter were buried on Coles Hill. A fitting -memorial now marks the spot. - - [Illustration: Samoset’s Visit] - - - - - CHAPTER VI - - - Samoset’s Visit - -[Sidenote: Fri. Mar. 26] - -On Friday, Mar. 26, an Indian walked boldly into the settlement. He -saluted them in English and bade them “Welcome.” He explained that his -home was in Maine where he had learned some English from the captains of -fishing vessels that frequented the coast in the vicinity of Monhegan -Island, lying half way between the Penobscot and Kennebec Rivers and -about twelve miles off the coast. From him they gathered much -information. “He discoursed of the whole country and of every province -and of their sagamores and their number of men and strength.” - -“He told us that the place where we now live is called ‘Patuxet’ and -that about four years ago all the inhabitants died of an extraordinary -plague and there is neither man, woman nor child remaining, as indeed we -have found none; so there is none to hinder our possession, or lay claim -unto it.” - -The night Samoset stayed at the house of Stephen Hopkins where they -“watched him,” being suspicious of the scattering bands previously seen. -He had told them of another Indian whose name was Squanto, a native of -the place who had been in England and could speak better English than -himself and whom he would later bring with him. - -[Sidenote: Sat. Mar. 27] - -The following day he returned to the Wampanoags whence he had come. This -tribe, with the Nausets, occupied the territory lying between -Narragansett Bay and Cape Cod. He also spoke particularly of the Nausets -to the southeast who were one hundred strong while the former numbered -approximately sixty. Massasoit was the Sachem or overlord of the Indians -in the territory stated. It appeared that the Nausets were much provoked -against the English, having been deceived by a Captain Hunt who “got -them under cover of trucking with them, twenty out of this very place -and seven men from the Nausets, and carried them away and sold them for -slaves.” - -It seems that the Indian Squanto who was one of the number had -fortunately made his escape and had been returned through the good -offices of certain Englishmen who were friendly to the colonists. - -On Sunday, March 28, Samoset again appeared, bringing with him five -others. They brought with them a few skins but, it being the Sabbath, no -trading was done. However, they accepted the hospitality of the -settlement and “did eat liberally of our English victuals.” They also -returned the tools which had been taken from the woods during the -absence of the settlers. That night they departed with a promise to come -again. Samoset, who was reluctant to go, remained until Wednesday, May -31. - -[Sidenote: Thur. April 1] - -On April 1, he returned with Squanto. They reported that Massasoit, -their great sagamore, with his brother Quadequina was near with all -their men. “They could not express well in English what they would, but -after an hour the King came to the top of a hill (Watson’s Hill) over -against us and had in his train sixty men, that we could well behold -them, and they us. We were not willing to send our governor to them and -they were unwilling to come to us.” - -Squanto was accordingly sent to confer with them and returned with word -that they should send one to “parley with him.” Edward Winslow was -selected to go that they might “know his mind and signify the mind and -will of our governor which was to have trading and peace with him.” - -Hostages were exchanged and Captain Standish with a half dozen armed men -met them at the brook (Town Brook) whence they were “conducted to a -house then in building where we placed a green rug and three or four -cushions.” Here they were met by the governor and others and after due -felicitations and assurances of friendship were exchanged, a treaty -which may well have marked the first diplomatic agreement in New England -history. It was faithfully observed by both parties during the reign of -Massasoit and was in force thereafter until the breaking out of the King -Philip War in 1675. - -It seems of interest to state here that this outbreak was instigated by -Metacom or Philip as he was called by the English. He was the youngest -son of Massasoit and had succeeded his brother Wamsutta or Alexander as -head of the Wampanoags. But the recital of that devastating struggle is -not within the sphere of this booklet. Suffice it to say that it -resulted in the practical extermination of Indians including the -Narragansetts, who were hostile to the white settlers and who for some -years had been a perpetual and growing menace. - - - The Treaty With Massasoit - -“1. That neither he nor any of his, should injure or do hurt to any of -their people. - -2. That if any of his did any hurt to any of theirs, he should send the -offender that they might punish him. - -3. That if anything were taken away from any of theirs, he should cause -it to be restored; and they should do the like to his. - -4. That if any did unjustly war against him, they would aid him; if any -did war against them, he should aid them. - -5. That he should send to his Neighbor-Confederates to certify them of -this that they might not wrong them, but might be likewise comprised of -these Conditions of Peace. - -6. That when his men came to them upon any occasion, they should leave -their bows and arrows behind them as we should do our pieces when we -came to them. - -Lastly, that doing thus, King James, their Sovereign Lord, would esteem -him his friend and ally.” - - [Illustration: The Treaty with Massasoit, in its actual setting, “an - unfinished building”] - -Early in April John Carver was re-elected governor and laws and -regulations were made for the conduct of the colony. During this month -Governor Carver died. He had come “out of the field very sick, it being -a hot day; he complained greatly of his head and lay down, and within a -few hours his senses failed, so as he never spoke more until he died. -Whose death was much lamented, and caused great heaviness amongst them -as there was cause. He was buried in the best manner they could, with -some volleys of shot by all that bore arms; and his wife, being a weak -woman, died within 5 or 6 weeks after him.” - -William Bradford was chosen governor in his stead, and not having fully -recovered from his recent severe illness, wherein he had been near the -point of death, Isaac Allerton was chosen to be an assistant “unto him -who, by renewed election every year, continued sundry years together.” - -It may be stated that Bradford was re-elected to the same office no less -than 30 times, for a total term of 33 years—every year from 1622.[11] He -was Governor of Plimoth Colony continuously from 1627-1656 inclusive -excepting for five years when he “by importunity gat off.” - -On April 15th, the Mayflower left on her return voyage to England. -During this month the first offence is recorded, that of John Billington -who had defied the authority of Captain Standish. It seems however that -the offence was more a matter of words or “opprobrious speeches” than of -deeds. - - - The First Marriage - -[Sidenote: May 22] - -The first marriage in the colony took place on the 22nd of May, that of -Edward Winslow to Susanna White, widow of William White. This marriage -was performed “according to the laudable custom of the Low Countries in -which they had lived, was thought most requisite to be performed by the -magistrate, as being a civil thing, upon which many questions about -inheritances do depend, with other things most proper to their -cognizance and most consonant to the scriptures (Ruth 4) and nowhere -found in the gospel to be laid on the ministers as a part of their -office.” - - - The First Duel - -[Sidenote: June 28] - -What is recorded as the first duel fought in New England was between -Edward Dotey and Edward Leister, servants of Mr. Hopkins. They fought -with sword and dagger and both were wounded, one in hand and the other -in the thigh. This was the second offence for which punishment was -invoked by the entire company. It was ordered that their heads and feet -be tied together and to so lie for twenty-four hours. Their sufferings -being great however they were released by the governor “upon their -promise of better carriage.” - - - Winslow and Hopkins Visit Massasoit - -The months of July and August were featured by several events of -interest. On July 12, Edward Winslow and Stephen Hopkins paid a visit to -Massasoit taking with them clothing and other small gifts which the -chieftain gladly accepted. They learned that the Wampanoags had been -greatly reduced by the plague that had visited them prior to the coming -of the colonists, “wherein thousands of them died, they not being able -to bury one another; their skulls and bones were found in many places, -lying still above aground, where their houses and dwellings had been, a -very sad spectacle to behold.” - -It was learned also that the Narragansetts “lived but on the other side -of that great bay and were a strong people and many in number, living -compact together and had not been at all touched by this wasting -plague.” - -During the last of July John Billington, Jr., became lost in the woods -lying to the south of the settlement and was forced to subsist for -several days on berries and whatever nature afforded. He came in contact -with an Indian plantation below Manomet whence he was conducted to the -Nausets on the Cape. Word reached Massasoit who, in turn, informed the -Plymouth company as to his whereabouts. A party of ten men was -despatched in the shallop by the Governor and he was located and -returned to the colony apparently none the worse for the experience. - - - Arrival of Hobamack - -It was about this time that Hobamack, another Indian, came to live at -the settlement. He was a friend of Squanto and “faithful to the English -until he died.” During a visit to Nemasket (Middleboro) they came into -conflict with a sachem named Corbitant who was a minor sachem under -Massasoit and who was held to be deceitful both to his superior and the -whites. Hobamack was seized and held against his will by Corbitant but -being of great strength he broke away making his escape to Plymouth. -Fearing that Squanto might have been killed “it was resolved to send the -Captain and 14 men well armed” to investigate and to seek retribution if -harm had befallen him. They entered the house of Corbitant who at the -moment was away while others in attempting to leave against the -Captain’s orders, were injured and were later taken to Plymouth where -their injuries were treated to their apparent satisfaction. Squanto was -uninjured and made his way back to the settlement. Corbitant later -explained that his actions were only in the nature of threats and that -he intended no harm. He also sought the mediation of Massasoit to regain -the friendship of the whites. - -[Sidenote: Sept. 28] - -On September 28th a party of ten men with Squanto for guide and -interpreter, set out in the shallop to explore in and around -Massachusetts Bay. They made friendly contact with the Indians of the -neighborhood and returned with “A good quantity of beaver.” - - - The Fortune Arrives - -[Sidenote: Nov. 19] - -On November 19th the Fortune, a vessel of small tonnage, arrived -bringing Robert Cushman and thirty-five others. They brought practically -no provisions except some clothing but being mostly able-bodied young -men the colony was thus augmented in man power of which it had been much -depleted, there remaining but fifty of the original colony at this time. -They came to settle permanently and were made welcome. - - - Pierce’s Attempt Fails - -Let us now step ahead a few months. As the patent to the lands they now -occupied arrived on the Fortune, it is not irrelevant to mention here -the abortive attempt of John Pierce to get control of the Plymouth -colony. On April 20, 1622, Pierce obtained another patent, superseding -the first, broader in scope and running to himself, his heirs, -associates and assigns forever. - -As an evidence of his intention let us quote from a letter from one of -the English company to Governor Bradford—“in regard he, whom you and we -so confidently trusted, but only to use his name for the company, should -aspire to be lord over us all, and so make you and us tenants at his -will and pleasure, our assurance or patent being quite void and -disannuled by his means.” etc. The adventurers protested in vain and it -is further stated that he demanded “500 pounds which cost him but 50 -pounds” for the surrender of the patent. - -Whether or not this or any sum was paid there seems to be no record. -However the same letter states that “with great trouble and loss we have -got Mr. John Pierce to assign over the grand patent to the company, -which he had taken in his own name and made quite void our former -grant.” - -Furthermore the records of the Council for New England which appear in -Palfrey’s History of New England furnish the following: “Whereas there -were several differences between John Pierce citizen and clothmaker of -London and the Treasurer and other the associates of him the said John -Pierce that were undertaken with him for the settling and advancement of -the plantation at Plymouth, in the parts of New England, said -differences, after the full hearing and debating thereof before us were -finally concluded upon by the offer of the said John Pierce, and mutual -adoption of the said Treasurer and Company then present, in behalf of -themselves and the rest of said Company, that the said associates with -their undertakers and servants now settled or to be settled in Plymouth -aforesaid should remain and continue tenants unto the Council -established for the managing of the aforesaid affairs of New England, -notwithstanding a grant, bearing date the 20th of April, 1622, by said -Pierce obtained without the consent of the said associates, from the -said Council, contrary to a former grant to the said Pierce made in -behalf of himself and his said associates dated the 1st of June, 1621.” - -Thus the new patent was cancelled and the patent dated June 1st, 1621, -remained in force.—Ancient Landmarks of Plymouth. Wm. T. Davis, 1883. p. -45. - - [Illustration: A Good Harvest] - - - - - CHAPTER VII - - - Preparations for Winter - -The harvest season drawing near, attention was given to gathering their -crops and to putting their houses in readiness for the approaching -winter. While some were thus engaged others were employed in fishing and -their store of cod, bass and other fish seems to have been plentiful, -for “‘every family had their portion.’” Of water-fowl, wild turkeys and -venison, there seems, at this time, to have been an abundance. They had -a peck of meal a week to a person, also Indian corn in like proportion -of which they had planted some twenty acres with six acres of barley and -peas. - - - The First Thanksgiving - -[Sidenote: Nov. 1621] - -“Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, -that so we might after a special manner, rejoice together after we had -gathered the fruits of our labors. These four, in one day, killed as -much fowl as, with a little help besides, served the company almost a -week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, -many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest -king Massasoit with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained -and feasted;[12] and they went out and killed five deer, which they -brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the -captain and others.” - -The quotations in the few preceding paragraphs are from Bradford’s -history, and, more especially from Winslow’s letter to a friend in -England. This letter was sent when the Fortune made its return voyage. -It further stated that since their arrival in the new country in spite -of their reduced numbers, they had succeeded in building seven -dwelling-houses and four for the use of the Plantation; that they had -made friends with the Indians in the immediate vicinity and that they -“walked as peacefully and safely in the woods as in the highways in -England.” - -It is presumable that this letter was inspired, at least in part by the -letter from Mr. Weston which had arrived with the Fortune. Weston was -one of the Adventurers who had helped to finance the Plymouth colony. -His letter which follows is cold and unsympathetic and according to both -Bradford and Winslow he seems to have been a man of questionable -sincerity as his unsuccessful attempt to establish a rival colony at -Weymouth might indicate. - -Weston’s letter said in part:—“That you sent no lading in the ship is -wonderful, and worthily distasted. I know your weakness was the cause of -it, and I believe more weakness of judgment than weakness of hands. A -quarter of the time you have spent in discoursing, arguing and -consulting, would have done much more. If you mean, bona fide, to -perform the conditions agreed upon, do us the favor to copy them out -fair, and subscribe them with the principal of your names. And likewise -give us account as particularly as you can how our moneys were laid out. -And consider that the life of the business depends on the lading of this -ship.” etc. - -If Weston had been acquainted with the condition of the Plymouth colony, -their great depletion and hardships the first winter (and it is -reasonable to suppose that he was, upon the return of the Mayflower) his -letter seems unnecessarily harsh and unjust. It was addressed to Mr. -Carver, the news of whose death had not yet reached England. - -Governor Bradford’s letter in reply to which he added an itemized -accounting, follows in part. His dignified reproof, his presentation of -conditions obtaining in the colony, the extenuating circumstances, I -think the reader will agree cannot reasonably be omitted from this brief -chronicle. - - - Bradford’s Letter - -“Sir: Your large letter written to Mr. Carver, and dated the 6 of July, -1621, I have received the 10 of November, wherein (after the apology -made for yourself) you lay many imputations upon him and us all. -Touching him, he is departed this life, and now is at rest in the Lord -from all those troubles and incumbencies with which we are yet to -strive. He needs not my apology; for his care and pains were so great -for the common good, both ours and yours, as that therewith (it is -thought) he oppressed himself and shortened his days; of whose loss we -cannot sufficiently complain. At great charges in this adventure, I -confess you have been, and many losses may sustain; but the loss of his -and many other honest and industrious men’s lives, cannot be valued at -any price. Of the one, there may be hope of recovery, but the other no -recompence can make good. But I will not insist in generals but come -more particularly to the things themselves. You greatly blame us for -keeping the ship so long in the country, and then to send her away -empty. She lay 5 weeks at Cape Cod, whilst with many a weary step (after -a long journey) and the endurance of many a hard brunt, we sought out in -the hard winter a place of habitation. Then we went in so tedious a time -to make provision to shelter us and our goods, about which labor, many -of our arms and legs can tell us to this day we were not negligent. But -it pleased God to visit us then, with death daily, and with so general a -disease, that the living were scarce able to bury the dead; and the well -not in any measure sufficient to tend the sick. And now to be so greatly -blamed, for not freighting the ship, doth indeed go near us, and much -discourage us. But you say you know we will pretend weakness; and do you -think we had not cause? Yes, you tell us you believe it, but it was more -weakness of judgement than of hands. Our weakness herein is great we -confess, therefore we will bear this check patiently amongst the rest, -till God send us wiser men. But they which told you we spent so much -time in discoursing and consulting, etc., their hearts can tell their -tongues they lie. They cared not, so they might salve their own sores, -how they wounded others. Indeed, it is our calamity that we are (beyond -expectation) yoked with some ill-conditioned people, who will never do -good, but corrupt and abuse others, etc.” - - [Illustration: Thanksgiving Feast] - -Unfortunately the Fortune on her return was overhauled by French pirates -and all her cargo of value taken. Robert Cushman, who was aboard on his -return to England, later wrote “By God’s providence we got well home the -17th[13] of February. Being robbed by the Frenchmen by the way, and -carried by them into France, and were kept there 15 days and lost all -that we had that was worth taking; but thanks be to God, we escaped with -our lives and ship.” - - [Illustration: The Snakeskin Warning] - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - - - Indian Trouble - -After the departure of the Fortune the Plymouth colony faced a serious -situation. Their provisions were not sufficient to meet the demands of -their suddenly increased numbers and the threat of attack hovered over -their little community. - -The Narragansetts were not friendly with Massasoit and they resented the -intrusion of the white settlers. Their chief Canonicus by way of warning -sent a bundle of arrows wrapped in snake skin to which the Governor -replied by returning the skin with bullets wrapped therein, together -with the admonition that if they would prefer war to peace, they “could -begin when they would.” They however took the precaution to strengthen -their defences and the settlement was “impaled round by the beginning of -March.” - -Captain Standish had, in the meantime, on advice of the Governor, -divided his small forces into “four squadrons and every one had their -quarter appointed unto which they were to repair upon any sudden alarm. -And, if there should be any cry of fire, a company were appointed for a -guard, with muskets, while others quenched the same, to prevent Indian -treachery.” - -[Sidenote: 1622] - -In May the Sparrow, a fishing vessel, arrived bringing seven more -passengers. In July two more vessels, the Charity, and the Swan, -belonging to Mr. Weston, arrived with about sixty men who were left at -the Plymouth settlement. They remained there through the summer when, -upon the return of one of Weston’s ships from Virginia, they were -transferred to Weymouth, their original destination. - -These ships had brought the information that Mr. Weston had withdrawn -from the Merchant Adventurers and had acquired a patent to land in the -vicinity of Massachusetts Bay, that the men sent over were destined -therefore, that they were a rough lot and, according to a letter from -Mr. Cushman “were no men for them.” They were, however, as well provided -for as the circumstances under this added burden and their strained -supply of provisions would permit, until their removal to the Weymouth -Colony. - -After their departure and when the supply of food was well nigh -exhausted, a fishing vessel came into the harbor, from which they were -able to secure a small supply of provisions that helped sustain them -until the next harvest. This vessel also brought report of the Indian -massacre in Virginia. - -It was during the succeeding weeks that the fort was built on the hill -(Burial Hill). As Bradford says, “This summer they built a fort of good -timber both strong and comely, which was of good defence, made with a -flat roof and battlements on which their ordinance were mounted and -where they kept constant watch, especially in time of danger. It served -them also for a meeting-house and was fitted accordingly for that use. -It was a great work for them in this weakness and time of wants; but the -danger of the time required it, and both the continual rumors of the -fears from the Indians here, especially the Narragansetts, and also the -hearing of that great massacre in Virginia, made all hands willing to -despatch the same.” - - [Illustration: Capt. Standish Slays Pecksuot] - -The next harvest turned out to be a poor one owing partly to their -weakened condition and to other necessary work that they were called -upon to do. But again Providence came to the rescue. Another ship, the -Discovery, Captain Jones (Not Captain Christopher Jones of the -Mayflower) came into the harbor. She had been sent out from England to -“discover all the harbors between this and Virginia and the sholes of -Cape Cod and to trade along the coast where they could.” - -From this ship they obtained articles which they in turn were able to -exchange with the Indians for corn which they sorely needed and for -beaver skins to apply to their obligations to the Adventurers. - -The Swan, having been left by Mr. Weston at Weymouth and the colony -there being destitute of provisions, arrangement was made with the -Plymouth Colony to join them in a trading expedition along the Cape. -This was made under the direction of Governor Bradford who went with -them, taking Squanto as guide. At Chatham Squanto was stricken with -fever and died, wherein they sustained a great loss. They succeeded in -getting “about 26 or 28 hogsheads of corn and beans from the Indians,” -after which “the Governor took a few men and went to the inland places, -to get what he could, and to fetch it home at the spring, which did help -them something.” - -[Sidenote: 1623] - -The Plymouth Colony had been warned as to the type of men who composed -the Weymouth Colony. As it turned out, they were constantly fomenting -discord with the Indians and some even went so far as betray the -friendship of their Plymouth neighbors. They were repeatedly in want of -food and other supplies although having been at first well provided. - -Bradford states: “Many sold their clothes and bed coverings; others (so -base were they) became servants to the Indians and would cut them wood -and fetch them water for a cap full of corn; others fell to plain -stealing, both night and day from the Indians, of which they grievously -complained.” - -About this time word came that their friend Massasoit was gravely ill. -Following the Indian custom, Edward Winslow, together with one John -Hamden, with Hobomock for guide, went to his aid and through their -ministrations he recovered. - -From Massasoit they learned of the conspiracy among the Indians which -had spread to the Cape Indians and which he had been unable to stop. -This conspiracy engendered by the treatment of the Indians by the Weston -colony provided that the colony should be wiped out and that the -Plymouth colony being likely to seek revenge, should also be -exterminated. - -“He advised them therefore to prevent it, and that speedily, by taking -of some of the chief of them, before it was too late, for, he assured -them of the truth thereof.” - -Whereupon, this news reaching Plymouth, Captain Myles Standish set out -with eight men for Weymouth where he “found them in miserable -condition.” The Indians were openly defiant and insulting. The meeting -resulted in the killing of several Indians including a large brave named -Pecksuot whom Captain Standish killed in hand to hand combat. Those who -remained of the Weston colony thought it best to take their leave and in -the Swan sailed away for the fishing grounds off the coast of Maine -provisioned with corn from the scanty store remaining with Standish. -Thus the Weston colony came to end. - -Weston returning later, fell into the hands of the Indians who stripped -him of his belongings and reduced him to such extent that he appealed to -the Plymouth Colony for help. They gave him a generous supply of beaver -skins which he was able to exchange for supplies from the other vessels -along the coast which was “the only foundation for his future course.” - - [Illustration: The First Cattle] - - - - - CHAPTER IX - - - Consolidation - -Again the colony was facing a shortage of food and ways and means were -discussed for raising larger and better crops. This brought about a -change of the policy which had been imposed upon them in the last clause -of their contract with the Merchant Adventurers. It was a practical -repudiation of a policy that destroyed individual initiative. It is -expressed in Bradford’s own words as follows:—“So they began to think -how they might raise as much corn as they could and obtain a better crop -than they had done. At length, after much debate of things, the Governor -(with the advice of the chief amongst them) gave way that they should -set corn every man for his own and in that regard, trust to themselves. -And so assigned to every family a parcel of land according to a -proportion of their number for that end. This had very good success, for -it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted -than otherwise would have been. The women now went willingly into the -field, which before would allege weakness and inability; whom to have -compelled, would have been thought great tyranny and oppression.” - -“The experience that was had in this common course and condition, tried -sundry years, and that amongst godly and sober men, may well evince the -vanity of that conceit of Plato and other ancients, applauded by some of -later time; that the taking away of property and bringing in community -into a commonwealth, would make them happy and flourishing as if they -were wiser than God. For this community was found to breed much -confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been -to their benefit and comfort. For the young men that were most able and -fit for labor and service did repine that they should spend their time -and strength to work for other men’s wives and children without any -recompence. The strong had no more of victuals and clothes than he that -was weak and not able to do a quarter the other could; this was thought -injustice. The aged and graver men to be ranked and equalized in labor, -victuals and clothes, etc., with the younger, thought it some indignity -and disrespect unto them. And for men’s wives to be commanded to do -service for other men, as dressing their meat, washing their clothes, -etc., they deemed it a kind of slavery, neither could many husbands well -brook it.” - -In this way provision was made for their future needs, as “God in his -wisdom saw another course fitter for them.” - - - Arrival of Anne and Little James - -In the summer of 1623 two vessels arrived, the Anne and the Little -James. They brought about a hundred additional members to the Plymouth -Colony, some being the wives and children of those already here. The -Anne the larger vessel, having been chartered by the Adventurers, -returned on September 20th, laden with clapboards and beaver. “Mr. -Winslow was sent over with her to inform of all things, and procure such -things as were thought needful for their present condition.” - -During the period before the harvest, the enlarged community subsisted -mainly upon fish and shell fish, the latter apparently being in -abundance. The one boat was used in turn by different groups that all -might share in the labor in proportion to their number. An occasional -deer made a welcome addition to their larder, and, as those who had -lately arrived had brought provisions sufficient to sustain themselves, -they were able to carry on until the new harvest. - -This was evidently an abundant one, for as Bradford describes it; “By -this time harvest was come, and instead of famine, now God gave them -plenty, and the face of things was changed, to the rejoicing of the -hearts of many, for which they blessed God. And the effect of their -particular planting was well seen, for all had, one way and other, -pretty well to bring the year about, and some of the abler and more -industrious had to spare, and sell to others, so as any general want or -famine has not been amongst them since to this day.” - -[Sidenote: 1624] - -The harvest under the new conditions having proved a success it was -followed by an equal division of land. “And to every person was given -only one acre of land, to them and theirs, as near the town as might be -and they had no more until the seven years had expired. The reason was -that they might be kept close together both for more safety and defence, -and the better improvement of the general employments.” - -Early this year, the time of election of officers having arrived and the -members of the colony having increased, it was considered advisable to -provide more assistance to the Governor. “The issue was, that as before -there was but one assistant, they now chose 5, giving the Governor a -double voice; and afterwards they increased them to 7, which course hath -continued to this day.” - -In the spring Edward Winslow returned from England. His mission had two -objectives, viz., to acquaint the Merchant Adventurers with the exact -condition of the Plymouth Colony, their progress and their needs and to -obtain certain necessary supplies. He reported dissension among the -English company as a result of which, one faction sent over a Mr. Lyford -who with one John Oldham, who had come over in the Anne, attempted to -create an unfavorable impression in their report to the Adventurers. -Letters of Oldham were intercepted, and, faced with the proof of their -duplicity, which they couldn’t deny, they were forced to leave the -colony. - -A ship-carpenter arriving on the ship with Mr. Winslow, proved of great -value. He had completed the building of several small craft when he was -stricken with fever. Bradford says of him: “He quickly built them 2 very -good and strong shallops (which after did them great service) and a -great and strong lighter, and had hewn timber for 2 catches; but that -was lost, for he fell into a fever and though he had the best means the -place could afford, yet he died.” - - - The First Cattle - -An important acquisition to the colony was brought over by Mr. Winslow. -This consisted of three heifers and a bull, “the first beginning of any -cattle of that kind in the land.” Of the increment of this small herd, -mention is made later. - -Mr. Winslow, who had gone back to England in the fall of 1624 now -returned. He brought a letter from some of their friends in the English -company to the effect that the company was dissolved and that the -agreement by which they were sharers and partners was no longer in -effect and that ways and means should be devised whereby their -advancements would be secured. This letter states: “Now we think it but -reason, that all such things that there appertain to the general, be -kept and preserved together and rather increased daily, than anyway be -dispersed, and, after your necessities are served, you gather together -such commodities as the company yields and send them over to pay debts -and clear engagements here, which are not less than 1400 pounds.” - -Two vessels had been sent over to expedite their settlement. The larger -a cargo of dried fish, but because there was threat of war with France -the master “neglected (through timerousness) his order and put first -into Plymouth and after into Portsmouth.” This was much to their loss -for the cargo “would have yielded them (as such fish was sold that -season) 1800 pounds, which would have enriched them.” - -The smaller vessel, the Little James, (before mentioned) with a cargo of -700 lbs. of beaver skins, was captured by a Turkish man-of-war. - -Captain Standish had left on the larger vessel with letters and -instructions to arrange with the Council of New England and those of the -company “which still clave to them” for easier terms in their purchase -of supplies and future transactions. They had sustained heavy losses -although there were some redeeming offsets as: “after harvest this year, -they sent out a boat’s load of corn 40 or 50 degrees to the eastward up -a river called Kenebeck (Kennebec); it being one of those two shallops -which their carpenter had built them the year before. God preserved them -and gave them good success for they brought home 700 lbs. of beaver -besides some other furs.” - -[Sidenote: 1626] - -In April Captain Standish returned bringing news of the death of their -former pastor, John Robinson, also that of Robert Cushman who had been -active in the affairs of the colony. The year thus had a cloudy -beginning. They had been unsuccessful in their fishing enterprises and -had turned to the intensive cultivation of corn which not only served -them as a food staple but as a medium of exchange, as money they had -little of. - -At a time when they were in need of equipment to carry on their work to -the best advantage, they heard that a plantation at Monhegan, owned by a -Plymouth (England) company, of Merchants, was to “break up and divers -useful goods sold.” Whereupon Governor Bradford and Mr. Winslow “took a -boat and some hands and went thither.” These goods they bought in part -with another party. They also acquired a “parcel of goats which they -distributed at home as they saw need and occasion.” - -They also obtained some rugs and other commodities from a French ship -that had been cast away on the coast, all of which added to their -material comfort. - -They had been paying a high rate of interest to the English company and -they “sent Mr. Allerton into England to make a composition upon as good -terms as he could (unto which some way had been made the year before by -Captain Standish) but yet enjoined him not to conclude absolutely until -they knew the terms.” They also gave him a commission to secure further -supplies for the colony. - -[Sidenote: 1627] - -Mr. Allerton returned from England with the needed supplies, also the -agreement which he had affected with the remaining members of the -English company. The essence of this agreement was that upon the payment -of 1800 pounds, in yearly installments of 200 pounds, the Plymouth -Colony would be relieved of their obligations. While this was approved -by “all the plantation and consented unto” it was actually assumed by -seven or eight “in behalf of the rest.” - -The second allotment of land was made in January of this year, on the -basis of first, that the original allotment wherein one acre was given -to every person, should stand, and, second, that this, the second -division, “should consist of twenty acres to every person, and to -contain five in breadth and four in length; and so accordingly to be -divided by lot, to every one which was to have a share therein.” There -followed several provisions, one to the effect “that fowling, fishing -and hunting be free.” - -In May a division of cattle was made from the three cows and bull -brought over in 1624 there had been a substantial increase “which arose -to this proportion: a cow to six persons or shares, and two goats to the -same, which were first equalized for age and goodness and then allotted -for; single persons consorting with others, as they thought good and -smaller families likewise; and swine though more in number, yet by the -same rule.” - -Mr. Allerton was again sent to England with power to conclude the -contract previously alluded to, with certain provisions. These -provisions, while still obligating “William Bradford, Captain Myles -Standish, Isaac Allerton, etc.” in the performance thereof, gave them a -tangible means of securing themselves. They also sent “what beaver skins -they could spare to pay some of their engagements and to defray his -charge.” He was also authorized to “procure a patent for a fit trading -place in the river of Kenebeck.” He was to express further the hope that -their friends in Leyden might join them, in which case “they should -thankfully accept of their love and partnership herein.” - -[Sidenote: 1628] - -Early in the spring of 1628 Mr. Allerton returned with the report that -he had effected an arrangement whereby: “William Bradford, Governor of -Plymouth in N. E., in America, Isaac Allerton, Myles Standish, William -Brewster and Ed. Winslow of Plymouth, aforesaid, merchants, do by these -presents for us and in our names, make, substitute and appoint James -Sherley, Goldsmith, and John Beachamp, Salter, citizens of London, our -true and lawful agents, factors, substitutes and assignees,” etc., etc. - -He also brought a “reasonable supply of goods for the plantation and -without those great interests as before is noted.” And he “had settled -things in a good and hopeful way.” - -He had obtained a patent for a trading post at Kennebec, “but it was so -ill bounded, as they were fain to renew and enlarge it the next year.” - -It developed that Mr. Allerton had been taking advantage of his -opportunity in his visits to England, to trade on his own account thus -acquiring the profit that should by right, go to the company. These -transactions were first overlooked for he had been of “good and faithful -service.” - -About this time trading was inaugurated with the Dutch of New Amsterdam -who had previously approached the Plymouth colony with that end in view. -It was during this period that wampum was developed, both as a commodity -and as a medium of exchange. - - - The Wollaston Incident - -The life of the colony was broken by some disquieting incidents. From -the settlements at Wollaston (now a part of Quincy) came reports of -trouble. Captain Wollaston, the founder of this colony, had departed for -Virginia with some of his retainers, leaving one Fitcher to govern in -his place. Among those of his party left behind was a Thomas Morton who, -“having more craft than honesty, persuaded them to ‘thrust out -Fitcher.’” Whereupon, “they fell to great licentiousness and Morton -became lord of misrule and maintained (as it were) a school of Atheism.” -They erected a Maypole around which they drank and danced. They -furnished firearms to the Indians and the means of moulding shot; they -danced and caroused, inviting Indian women for their consorts. This went -on until the more ordered among them appealed to Plymouth to “suppress -Morton and his consorts before they grew to further head and strength.” - -Two letters of remonstrance to Morton having been received with -insolence and defiance, Captain Standish was called into action and -proceeded with some others to take Morton by force. This they did after -a show of resistance. He had “made fast his doors, armed his consorts, -set divers dishes of powder and bullets ready on the table; and, if they -had not been over armed with drink, more hurt might have been done. At -length, fearing that they would do some violence to the house, he and -some of his crew came out, not to yield but to shoot. But they were so -steeled with drink their pieces were too heavy for them and one was so -drunk that he ran his nose upon the point of a sword.” Morton was taken -to Plymouth and later sent to England, together with a report of his -conduct to the Council of New England. - -[Sidenote: 1629] - -In 1629 the colony received thirty-five additional members from the -Leyden Congregation. They arrived with John Endicott and his company at -Salem on the ship Mayflower (not the same Mayflower that had brought the -Pilgrims to Plymouth). A charter had been granted to Endicott for -territory in and around Massachusetts Bay. A letter came at this time -from John Sherley addressed to Governor Bradford to the effect that “Mr. -Beachamp and myself, with Mr. Andrews and Mr. Hatherly, are, with your -love and liking, joined partners with you.” etc. - -On the 13th of January of this year a patent was granted to William -Bradford and Associates. This enlarged the original grant and included -territory on the Kennebec river where a trading post had already been -established. This patent, bearing the signature of the Earl of Warwick, -was later transferred to the Colony and is now in the Registry of Deeds -at Plymouth. - - - The First Settled Minister - -The first settled minister was Ralph Smith, a graduate of Cambridge -University, England, who had come with his family to the Massachusetts -Bay Colony. He arrived in Plymouth in 1629 and served as minister until -1636. He was succeeded by John Rayner, a graduate of Magdalen College, -who continued his ministry until 1654. - -During Mr. Smith’s incumbency it is probable that services were held in -both the Fort on Burial Hill and the Common House on what is now Leyden -Street as the first meeting-house which faced Town Square was not built -until 1637. - -[Sidenote: 1630] - -In May, 1630, the colony was further augmented by the arrival of “16 or -18” more of their Leyden brethren who had come to Boston with John -Winthrop and his company. These arrivals, while welcome, increased the -financial burden now resting heavily upon the shoulders of those who had -assumed the obligations. - - - First Capital Offence - -This year John Billington, the elder who had before been charged with -minor offences, was tried and executed for murder. “He was arraigned by -both grand and petit jury” and “found guilty of willful murder by plain -and notorious evidence.” - - - Their Obligations Increase - -Having become dissatisfied with the way the affairs of the colony were -being conducted in England, Mr. Winslow was sent over to effect an -accounting while Mr. Allerton was discharged. - -It developed that while the indebtedness of 1800 pounds previously -assumed had been reduced to 1000 pounds, subsequent transactions engaged -in by Mr. Allerton had increased their obligations by 4700 pounds. While -it appears that Allerton had used the opportunity he enjoyed for his -personal gain, the attitude of the Plymouth Colony toward him was one of -generosity as shown by the following: “It is like, though Mr. Allerton -might think not to wrong the plantation in the main, yet his own gain -and private ends led him aside in these things; for it came to be known, -and I have it in a letter under Mr. Sherley’s hand, that in the first 2 -or 3 years of his employment, he had cleared up 400 pounds and put it in -a brewhouse in London, at first under Mr. Shirley’s name, etc.” - -[Sidenote: 1632] - -While the colony assumed this added burden of indebtedness, their income -seems to have increased likewise. “The Lord prospered their trading” and -“they made yearly large returns.” Cattle and corn increased in value and -thus encouraged “there was no longer holding them together, but now they -must of necessity, go to their great lots; they could not otherwise keep -their cattle, and, having oxen grown, they must have land for plowing -and tillage.” - -The influx into the Massachusetts Bay colony gave impulse to this -movement and to the increase in the price of cattle and products of the -plantations. It resulted in the establishments of settlements where the -quality of the soil encouraged cultivation. Thus the nucleus of future -towns began to appear with separate places of worship, in the territory -both to the north and south of Plymouth. - - - Roger Williams - -[Sidenote: 1633] - -Roger Williams, who had come from the Massachusetts Bay colony to -Plymouth, was born in Wales and matriculated at Pembroke College, -Cambridge. Historians differ somewhat as to his teachings and practice. -Perhaps Bradford understood him best. Let him speak: “Mr. Roger Williams -(a man godly and zealous, having many precious parts, but very unsettled -in judgment) came over first to Massachusetts, but upon some discontent, -left the place and came hither (where he was friendly entertained, -according to their poor ability) and exercised his gifts amongst them, -and after some time was admitted a member of the church: and his -teaching well approved, for the benefit whereof I still bless God, and -am thankful to him, even for his sharpest admonitions and reproofs, so -far as they agree with truth. He this year began to fall into some -strange opinions, and from opinion to practice; which caused some -controversy between part, by occasion whereof he left them something -abruptly.” etc. - - - Winslow Elected Governor - -This year Edward Winslow was elected Governor. He was re-elected in -1634-1636-1638-1644, William Bradford serving from 1621 until his death -in 1657 with the exception of these five years. - -Trading was now begun on the Connecticut river and a post established -there. - -The Colony was attacked by an epidemic which took over twenty lives, -including that of Samuel Fuller, their physician and surgeon who “had -been a great help and comfort to them.” - -[Sidenote: 1636] - -In 1636 owing to the growth of the original plantation and the -establishments of separate settlements at Scituate and Duxbury, the -purely democratic rule which had obtained under the Mayflower Compact, -wherein matters pertaining to the interests of the colony were settled -in general assembly, was superseded by a law passed providing for -government by deputies representing the several towns. - -[Sidenote: 1639] - -In 1639 the first legislative body brought together representatives from -the towns of Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Taunton, Scituate, Duxbury -and Plymouth. Thus we have representative government in its formative -state. - - - Boundaries Established - -[Sidenote: 1640] - -In 1640 the boundaries of the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies -were established. In the several patents there had been some overlapping -of territory. This resulted in considerable controversy. “The Court of -Massachusetts appointed some to range their lines according to the -bounds of their patent, and (as they went to work) they made it to take -in all Scituate and I know not how much more. Again, on the other hand, -according to the line of the patent of this place, it would take in -Hingham and much more within their bounds.” - -After much discussion it was finally settled on the 9th of April and -subscribed to by William Bradford and Edward Winslow for Plymouth and -John Endicott and Israell Stoughton for Massachusetts Bay. - -[Sidenote: 1643] - -The death of William Brewster occurred early in 1643. Bradford speaks of -him in endearing terms: “I am to begin this year with that which was a -matter of great sadness and mourning unto them all. About the 18th of -April died my dear and loving friend, Mr. William Brewster, a man who -had done and suffered much for the Lord Jesus and the gospels sake and -had borne his part in well and woe with this poor persecuted church -above 36 years, in England, Holland and in this wilderness and done the -Lord and them faithful service in his place and calling.” etc. - - - New England Confederacy - -Due to the plottings of the Narragansetts and what seemed to be a -general Indian conspiracy against the English settlers, it was decided -to form an alliance with Connecticut for mutual protection. This is -recorded in the Plymouth records as of June 6th, 1643, as follows: “It -is ordered and concluded by the Court that Mr. Edward Winslow and Mr. -William Collyer shall have full Commission and Authority in Name of the -whole Court to subscribe the Articles of Confederation (now read in the -Court) with the Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Haven and to -subscribe the same in name of the whole and to affix thereto the common -seal of the Government.” (sic.)—Plymouth records, Hazard’s Historical -Collection. Volume 1. p. 496. - -Shortly thereafter a final liquidation of the obligations of the -Plymouth Colony to their English partners and associates was effected. -This was based upon Articles of Agreement made and signed on October -15th, 1641,[14] by “John Atwode[15] (Atwood), William Bradford, Edward -Winslow, etc.”—Page 452, Bradford’s History of The Plymouth Plantation. - -In the face of the adversities that had beset them from the beginning -and from which they were never entirely free, this seems a noteworthy -achievement. - -[Sidenote: 1649] - -In 1649 the Town of Plymouth made choice of “seven discreet men whose -duty it was to act in behalf of the town in disposing of lands; to make -inquiry into the state and condition of the poor, to provide for their -comfortable support and to find them employment; to direct to the proper -means of relief for the aged and decrepid; and to attend to the affairs -of the town generally.” - -The foregoing together with a law passed in 1665 extended the functions -of the board, “a group which may well have been the forerunner of our -present Board of Selectmen.” - - - Conclusion - -It would be interesting to follow in detail the development of the -Plymouth Colony and its gradual transition from the primitive settlement -to the flourishing shire town of the county. But this is a Pilgrim story -and the writer bows to the limitations of time and space. - -The Pilgrims sought refuge far from their homeland. They established a -separate church, but they were still subjects of the crown. They were to -know little or nothing of the future developments which were to lead -eventually to complete independence from the mother country. - -Nevertheless they left an unparalleled example of devotion to a cause. -In pursuit of religious freedom, in reverence, in the exigencies of -primitive government, they sowed the seed of an ideal Americanism, that -God willing, will forever endure. - - - Complete Genealogical List of “Mayflower” Passengers - - Prepared and reprinted through the courtesy of George Ernest Bowman, - editor of “The Mayflower Descendant” - - The 50 passengers from whom descent can be proved: - - - John Alden - Isaac Allerton - wife Mary - daughter Mary - daughter Remember - John Billington - wife Eleanor - son Francis - William Bradford - William Brewster - wife Mary - son Love - Peter Brown - James Chilton - wife —— - daughter Mary - Francis Cooke - son John - Edward Doty - Francis Eaton - wife Sarah - son Samuel - Edward Fuller - wife —— - son Samuel - Dr. Samuel Fuller - Stephen Hopkins - 2nd wife, Elizabeth - son Gyles (by 1st wife) - daughter Constance (by 1st wife) - John Howland - Richard More - William Mullins - wife Alice - daughter Priscilla - Degory Priest - Thomas Rogers - son Joseph - Henry Sampson - George Soule - Myles Standish - John Tilley, and wife —— - daughter Elizabeth - Richard Warren - William White - wife Susanna - son Resolved - son Peregrine - Edward Winslow - - - The 54 passengers from whom we cannot prove descent: - - - Bartholomew Allerton - John Allerton - John Billington - Dorothy Bradford - (1st wife of William) - Wrestling Brewster - Richard Britterige - William Butten - Robert Carter - John Carver - Katherine Carver - (wife of John) - Maid servant of the Carvers - Richard Clarke - Humility Cooper - John Crakston - son John - Edmund Margeson - Christopher Martin - wife —— - Desire Minter - Ellen More - Jasper More - (a boy) More - Joseph Mullins - Solomon Prower - John Rigdale - wife Alice - Rose Standish - (1st wife of Myles) - Elias Story - Edward Thomson - Edward Tilley - wife Ann - —— Ely - Thomas English - Moses Fletcher - Richard Gardner - John Goodman - William Holbeck - John Hooke - Damaris Hopkins - Oceanus Hopkins - John Langmore - William Latham - Edward Leister - Thomas Tinker - wife —— - son —— - William Trevore - John Turner - son —— - son —— - Roger Wilder - Thomas Williams - Elizabeth Winslow - (1st wife of Edward) - Gilbert Winslow - - - Those Who Came on the “Fortune,” the “Anne” and the “Little James” - _FORTUNE_ - - - John Adams - William Basset and - wife Elizabeth - William Beale - Edward Bumpus - Jonathan Brewster - Clement Briggs - John Cannon - William Conner - Robert Cushman - Thomas Cushman - Stephen Dean - Philip De le Noye - Thomas Flavell - and son - Widow Ford and - children William, John, Martha - Robert Hicks - William Hilton - Bennet Morgan - Thomas Morton - Austin Nicolas - William Palmer and - son William Jr. - William Pit - Thomas Prince - Moses Simonson - Hugh Statie - James Steward - William Tench - John Winslow - William Wright - - - _ANNE and LITTLE JAMES_ - - - Anthony Annable - Jane Annable - Sarah Annable - Hannah Annable - Edward Bangs and - wife Rebecca, two children - Robert Bartlett - Fear Brewster - Patience Brewster - Mary Buckett - Edward Burcher - Mrs. Burcher - Thomas Clarke - Christopher Conant - Hester Cooke and - three children - Experience Mitchell - George Morton - Patience Morton - Nathaniel Morton - John Morton - Sarah Morton - Ephraim Morton - George Morton, Jr. - Thomas Morton, Jr. - Ellen Newton - John Oldham and - wife and eight associates - Frances Palmer - Christian Penn - Joshua Pratt - James Rand - Cuthbert Cuthbertson and - wife Sarah and four children - Anthony Dix - John Faunce - Goodwife Flavell - Edmund Flood - Bridget Fuller - Timothy Hatherly - William Heard - Margaret Hicks - three children - Mrs. William Hilton - William Hilton, Jr. - and another child - Edward Holeman - John Jenney - wife Sarah and three children - Robert Long - Nicholas Snow - Alice Southworth - Robert Ratcliffe and wife - and two children - Francis Sprague - wife Ann and daughter Mary - Barbara Standish - Thomas Tilden and - wife and child - Stephen Tracy and - wife Triphors - Sarah Tracey - Ralph Wallen and - wife Joyce - Elizabeth Warren - Mary Warren - Ann Warren - Sarah Warren - Elizabeth Warren, Jr. - Abigail Warren - Manassah Kempton - Mr. Perce’s two servants - - - - - Footnotes - - -[1]The religious wars involving England, Holland and Spain. - -[2]From this expression, as well as from the whole passage, there can - hardly be a doubt that Bradford himself was in the vessel. The - description is that of an eye witness.—Young’s Chronicles, p. 29. - -[3]“The printing house was searched; the type, books, and papers were - seized and searched as well as sealed.”—Life and Time of William - Brewster. Rev. Ashbed Steele, A.M. p. 178. J. B. Lippincott and Co. - 1857. - -[4]The age of but few is known. Carver was undoubtedly the oldest. In - 1620 Elder Brewster was 56 years old, Robinson 45, Bradford 32, - Edward Winslow 26, and John Howland 28. - -[5]After the war had been raging for more than thirty years between - Spain and the United Provinces, by the mediation of Henry IV of - France and James I of England, a truce of twelve years was concluded - on the 9th of April, 1609. This truce expired in 1621. - -[6]It appears that at other times they were more fortunate, quote: “So - we made there our rendezvous for that night under a few pine trees; - and as it fell out, we got three fat geese, and six ducks to our - supper, which we ate with soldiers’ stomachs, for we had eaten - little all that day”—Bradford’s and Winslow’s Journal (Young’s - Chronicles, p. 139). - -[7]Clark’s Island, probably named after Mr. Clark of the Mayflower. - -[8]Officially recognized as Forefather’s Day. The first permanent - landing. - -[9]This was Jones River, probably named after the Mayflower’s captain. - -[10]Clark’s Island where they spent their first Sabbath. - -[11]An apparent error in this count is due to the fact that in two - years, or 1646 and 1649, no election was held; the governor simply - carried on. - -[12]This is the origin of our Thanksgiving Day. As it extended over a - period of several days, it might well be termed a season of - Thanksgiving. - -[13]O. S. - -[14]O. S. - -[15]John Atwood was a trusted friend of James Sherley and represented - him in the final adjustment. Sherley was one of the Merchant - Adventurers and a friend and benefactor of the Plymouth colony. - - See letters p’s 449, 454, 478, “Bradford’s History of Plimouth - Plantation” Printed Boston 1898 from the original manuscript. - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes - - -—Silently corrected a few typos. - -—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook - is public-domain in the country of publication. - -—Added captions to illustrations, based on the “Index to Illustrations” - -—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by - _underscores_. - - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Pilgrim Story, by William Franklin Atgood - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PILGRIM STORY *** - -***** This file should be named 53270-0.txt or 53270-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/2/7/53270/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, xteejx and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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