Of Plymouth Plantation (excerpts) - William Bradford

Of Plymouth Plantation (excerpts)
From a reprint of Harold Paget’s 1909 translation from 17th Century English
By William Bradford

Book I: 1608-1620
Chapter I – the causes that led to their leaving England
“So, in the early days, Christians suffered as much from internal dissension as from persecution by the heathen and their Emperors, true and orthodox Christians being oppressed by the Arians and their heretical accomplices.”
“In order to cast contempt upon the sincere servants of God, they…gave them the name of ‘Puritans,’ which it is said the novations assumed out of pride. It is lamentable to see the effects which have followed. Religion has been disgraced, the godly grieved, afflicted, persecuted, and many exiled, while others have lost their lives in prisons and in other ways; on the other hand, sin has been countenanced, ignorance, profanity, and atheism have increased, and the papists have been encouraged to hope again for another day.”
“Thus, not profanity or wickedness, but Religion itself is a byword, a mocking stock, and a matter of reproach; so that in England at this day the man or woman who begins to profess religion and to serve God, must resolve within himself to sustain mocks and injuries as though he lived among the enemies of religion.”

Chapter II – flight to Holland (Amsterdam and Leyden): 1607-1608
Chapter III – Settlement at Leyden: 1609-1620
BH - They left Amsterdam over disputes with the church there. The full colony settled at Leyden.
BH – In Leyden, they had difficulties as well. There was a large university, and was a seafaring city with needs for many skilled laborers. Unfortunately, they were simple farmers.
“…they fell to such trades and employments as they best could, valuing peace and their spiritual comfort above any other riches whatever; and at length they came to raise a competent and comfortable living, though only by dint of hard and continual labor.
“Thus, after numerous difficulties, they continued many years in good circumstances, enjoying together much sweet and delightful intercourse and spiritual comfort in the ways of God… So they grew in knowledge and other gifts and graces of the spirit of God, and lived together in peace and love an holiness…”

Chapter IV – Reasons the congregation left Leyden to settle in America (1620)
BH – the “Twelve Years’ Truce” – aka the Dutch Revolt (a religious war against Spain) was almost at an end and war was on the horizon.
“First, they saw by experience that the hardships of the country were such that comparatively few others would join them, and fewer still would bide it out and remain with them…it was thought that if there could be found a better and easier place of living, it would attract many and remove this discouragement.
“Secondly…old age began to steal on many of them, and their great and continual labours, with other crosses and sorrows, hastened it before their time…
“Thirdly……their children…were often so oppressed with their labours, that though their minds were free and willing, their bodies bowed under the weight and became decrepit in early youth… But still more lamentable, and of all sorrows most heavy to be borne, was that many of the children, influenced by these conditions, and the great licentiousness of the young people of the country, and the many temptations of the city, were led by evil example into dangerous courses, getting the reins off their necks and leaving their parents. Some became soldiers, others embarked upon voyages by sea and others upon worse courses tending to dissoluteness and the danger of their souls, to the great grief of the parents and the dishonor of God. So they saw their posterity would be in danger to degenerate and become corrupt.
“Last and not least, they cherished a great hope and inward zeal of laying good foundations, or at least of making some way towards it, for the propagation and advance of the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in the remote parts of the world, even though they should be but stepping stones to others in the performance of so great a work.
[answering raised objections] “It was replied that all great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and must be both met and overcome with answerable courage. It was granted the dangers were great, but not desperate; the difficulties were many, but not invincible. For, many of the things feared might never befall; others by provident care and the use of good 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…their ends were good and honorable; their calling, lawful and urgent; therefore they might expect the blessing of God on their proceedings. Yea, though they should lose their lives in this action, yet might they have the comfort of knowing that their endeavor was worthy.”

Chapter VII –
[Sermon text used when the first wave of Pilgrims departed Leyden for Southampton, July, 1620] Ezra 7:21 “And there at the river, by Ahava, I proclaimed a fast that we might humble ourselves before our God, and seek of Him a right way for us and for our children, and for all our substance.”

Chapter VIII – Departure from Southampton, delay of both ships at Dartmouth and Plymouth: Aug- Sep 1620
BH – They originally set out in two ships. Twice, they had to turn back due to leaks in the smaller ship. After the second re-docking in Plymouth, they decided the smaller ship was not seaworthy. They had to make decisions as to who had to stay back.
“Those that sent back were mostly willing to do so, either from discontent or fear of the ill success of the voyage, seeing they had met with so many crosses and the year was so far spent. Others, owing to their weakness and having many young children, were thought least useful and most unfit to bear the brunt of this arduous adventure; to which work of God and the judgment of the brethren they were consented to submit. And thus, like Gideon’s army, this small number was divided, as if the Lord thought these few too many for the great work He had to do.”



Chapter IX – Mayflower sails from Plymouth to arrival at Cape Cod: Sep-Nov 1620
“I must not omit to mention here a special example of God’s providence. There was an insolent and very profane young man, one of the sailors, which made him the more overbearing, who was always harassing the poor people in their sickness, and cursing them daily with grievous execrations, and did not hesitate to tell them that he hoped to help throw half of them overboard before they came to their journey’s end. If he were gently reproved by any one, he would curse and swear most bitterly. But it pleased God, before they came half seas over, to smite the young man with a grievous disease, of which he died in a desperate manner, and so was himself the first to be thrown overboard. Thus his own curses fell upon his own head, which astonished all his mates for they saw it was the just hand of God upon him.”



Book II: 1620-1646 History of the Settlement at New Plymouth
Chapter I – (1620 to early 1621)
“But soon a most lamentable blow fell upon them. In two or three months’ time half of their company died, partly owing to the severity of the winter, especially during January and February, and the want of houses and other comforts; partly to scurvy and other diseases, which their long voyage and their incommodious quarters had brought upon them. Of all the hundred odd persons, scarcely fifty remained, and sometimes two or three persons died in a day. In the time of worst distress, there were but six or seven sound persons, who, to their great commendation be it spoken, spared no pains night or day, but with great toil and the risk of their own health, fetched wood, made fires, prepared food for the sick, made their beds, washed their infected clothes, dressed and undressed them; in a word did all the homely and necessary services for them…and all this they did willingly and cheerfully, without the least grudging, showing their love to the friends and brethren…”
“About the 16th of March [1620] a certain Indian came boldly among them, and spoke to them in broken English, which they could well understand, but were astonished at it... He became useful to them in acquainting them with many things concerning the state of the country in the east parts where he lived… he also told them also of another Indian, whose name was Squanto, a native of this part, who had been in England and could speak English better than himself.”
“…Squanto stayed with them, and was their interpreter, and became a special instrument sent of God for their good, beyond their expectation. He showed them how to plant corn, where to take fish and other commodities, and guided them to unknown places, and never left them till he died.”

Chapter II – the first year (1621)
“And thus they found the Lord to be with them in all their ways, and to bless their outgoings and incomings, for which let His holy name have the praise forever, to all posterity.”
“They now began to gather in the small harvest they had, and to prepare their houses for the winter, being well recovered in health and strength, and plentifully provisioned…[some] were occupied in fishing for cod, bass, and other fish, of which they caught a good quantity, every family having their portion. All the summer there was no want. And now, as winter approached, wild fowl began to arrive, of which there was plenty… As well as wild fowl, they got abundance of wild turkeys, besides venison, etc. Each person had about a peck of meal a week, or now, since harvest, Indian corn in that proportion; and afterwards many wrote at length about their plenty to their friends in England.”

“On Christmas Day, the Governor called the people out to work as usual; but most of the new company excused themselves, and said it went against their consciences to work on that day. So the Governor told them, if they made it a matter of conscience, he would spare them till they were better informed. So he went with the rest, and left them; but on returning from work at noon he found them at play in the street, some pitching the bar, some at stool-ball, and such like sports. So he went to them and took away their games, and told them that it was against his conscience that they should play and others work. If they made the keeping of the day a matter of devotion, let them remain in their houses; but there should be no gaming and reveling in the streets. Since then, nothing has been attempted in that way, at least openly.”

Chapter IV – (1623)
BH – After having to rescue a rival settlement led by an advisor who took advantage of them:
“All this while no supplies were heard of, nor did they know when they might expect any. So they began to consider how to raise more corn, and obtain a better crop than they had done, so that they might not continue to endure the misery of want. At length after much debate, the Governor, with the advice of the chief among them, allowed each man to plant corn for his own household, and to trust to themselves for that; in all other things to go on in the general way as before. So every family was assigned a parcel of land, according to the proportion of their number with that in view…all boys and children being included under some family. This was very successful. It made all hands industrious, so that much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any means the Governor or any other could devise, and saved him a great deal of trouble, and gave far better satisfaction. The women now went willingly into the field, and took their little ones with them to plant corn, while before they would allege weakness and inability; and to have compelled them would have been thought great tyranny and oppression.
“The failure of this experiment of communal service, which was tried for several years, and by good and honest men proves the emptiness of the theory of Plato and other ancients, applauded by some of later times – that the taking away of private property, and the possession of it in a community, by a commonwealth, would make a state happy and flourishing; as if they were wiser than God. For in this case, community of property (so far as it went) was found to breed much confusion and discontent, and retard much employment which would have been to the general benefit and comfort. For the young men who were most able and fit for service objected to being forced to spend their time and strength in working for other men’s wives and children, without any recompense.”

BH – Later in the year, a new, unexpected wave of settlers came. This put their new system to the test – what to do with and how to feed the newcomers?
“Now the original settlers were afraid that their corn, when it was ripe, would have to be shared with the new-comers, and that the provisions which the latter had brought with them would give out before the year was over – as indeed they did. So they went to the Governor and begged him that as it had been agreed that they should sow their corn for their own use, and accordingly they had taken extraordinary pains about it, they might be left to enjoy it. They would rather do that than have a bit of the food just come in with the ship. They would wait till harvest for their own and let the new-comers enjoy what they had brought; they would have none of it, except what they could purchase by bargain or exchange. The request was granted them and it satisfied both sides; for the newcomers were much afraid the hungry settlers would eat up the provisions they had brought, and then that they would fall into like conditions of want.
“…harvest time had not come, and then instead of famine, 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 or another, pretty well to bring the year about, and some of the abler sort and more industrious had to spare, and sell to others – in fact, no general want or famine has been amongst them since, to this day.”

 
There is only one other first-hand account of the Thanksgiving feast of 1621. Fellow colonist (later Governor) Edward Winslow wrote a letter to a friend in England that describes the meal shared by the Pilgrims with the Indians:
"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 fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, among 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, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed upon our governor, and upon the captain, and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."
http://www.chron.com/life/article/Edward-Winslow-s-1621-Thanksgiving-letter-1477900.php