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23 chapters
BRADFORD'S HISTORY "OF PLIMOTH PLANTATION."
BRADFORD'S HISTORY "OF PLIMOTH PLANTATION."
From the Original Manuscript . WITH A REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS INCIDENT TO THE RETURN OF THE MANUSCRIPT TO MASSACHUSETTS. PRINTED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH, BY ORDER OF THE GENERAL COURT. BOSTON: WRIGHT & POTTER PRINTING CO., STATE PRINTERS, 18 Post Office Square . 1898....
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INTRODUCTION.
INTRODUCTION.
To many people the return of the Bradford Manuscript is a fresh discovery of colonial history. By very many it has been called, incorrectly, the log of the "Mayflower." Indeed, that is the title by which it is described in the decree of the Consistorial Court of London. The fact is, however, that Governor Bradford undertook its preparation long after the arrival of the Pilgrims, and it cannot be properly considered as in any sense a log or daily journal of the voyage of the "Mayflower." It is, i
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JOURNAL OF THE SENATE.
JOURNAL OF THE SENATE.
MONDAY, MAY 24, 1897. The following message from His Excellency the Governor came up from the House, to wit:— Boston , May 22, 1897. To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives. I have the honor to call to your attention the fact that Wednesday, May 26, at 11 a.m. , has been fixed as the date of the formal presentation to the Governor of the Commonwealth of the Bradford Manuscript History, recently ordered by decree of the Consistory Court of the Diocese of London to be returned to the
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JOURNAL OF THE SENATE.
JOURNAL OF THE SENATE.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1897. Joint Convention. At eleven o'clock a.m. , pursuant to assignment, the two branches met in Convention in the chamber of the House of Representatives. On motion of Mr. Roe,— Ordered , That a committee, to consist of three members of the Senate and eight members of the House of Representatives, be appointed, to wait upon His Excellency the Governor and inform him that the two branches are now in convention for the purpose of witnessing the exercises of the formal presentat
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DECREE.
DECREE.
MANDELL by Divine Permission LORD BISHOP OF LONDON—To The Honorable Thomas Francis Bayard Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria at the Court of Saint James's in London and To The Governor and Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States of America Greeting—WHEREAS a Petition has been filed in the Registry of Our Consistorial and Episcopal Court of London by you the said Honorable Thomas Francis Bayard as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenip
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RECEIPT OF AMBASSADOR BAYARD.
RECEIPT OF AMBASSADOR BAYARD.
In the Consistory Court of London In the Matter of the Original Manuscript of the Book entitled and known as "The Log of the Mayflower." I the Honourable THOMAS FRANCIS BAYARD lately Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America at the Court of Saint James's London Do hereby undertake, in compliance with the Order of this Honourable Court dated the twelfth day of April 1897 and made on my Petition filed in the said Honourable Court, that I will with all due care an
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RECEIPT OF GOVERNOR WOLCOTT.
RECEIPT OF GOVERNOR WOLCOTT.
His Excellency Roger Wolcott , Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in the United States of America . To the Registrar of the Consistorial and Episcopal Court of London. Whereas , The said Honorable Court, by its decree dated the twelfth day of April, 1897, and made on the petition of the Honorable Thomas Francis Bayard, lately Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America at the Court of Saint James in London, did order that a certain original manuscript
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ADDRESS OF SENATOR HOAR.
ADDRESS OF SENATOR HOAR.
The first American Ambassador to Great Britain, at the end of his official service, comes to Massachusetts on an interesting errand. He comes to deliver to the lineal successor of Governor Bradford, in the presence of the representatives and rulers of the body politic formed by the compact on board the "Mayflower," Nov. 11, 1620, the only authentic history of the founding of their Commonwealth; the only authentic history of what we have a right to consider the most important political transactio
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ADDRESS OF AMBASSADOR BAYARD.
ADDRESS OF AMBASSADOR BAYARD.
Your Excellency, Gentlemen of the two Houses of the Legislature of Massachusetts, Ladies and Gentlemen, Fellow Countrymen: The honorable and most gratifying duty with which I am charged is about to receive its final act of execution, for I have the book here, as it was placed in my hands by the Lord Bishop of London on April 29, intact then and now; and I am about to deliver it according to the provisions of the decree of the Chancellor of London, which has been read in your presence, and the re
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ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR WOLCOTT.
ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR WOLCOTT.
On receiving the volume, Governor Wolcott, addressing Mr. Bayard, spoke as follows: I thank you, sir, for the diligent and faithful manner in which you have executed the honorable trust imposed upon you by the decree of the Consistorial and Episcopal Court of London, a copy of which you have now placed in my hands. It was fitting that one of your high distinction should be selected to perform so dignified an office. The gracious act of international courtesy which is now completed will not fail
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT BY THE BISHOP OF LONDON.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT BY THE BISHOP OF LONDON.
(Copy) Dear Sir , I would ask you to express to the Convention of the two branches of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts my grateful thanks for the copy of their resolution of May 26, which was presented to me by Mr. Adams. [A] I consider it a great privilege to have been associated with an act of courtesy, which was also an act of justice, in restoring to its proper place a document which is so important in the records of your illustrious Commonwealth. Of Plimoth Plantation.
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1. Chapter.
1. Chapter.
It is well knowne unto y e godly and judicious, how ever since y e first breaking out of y e lighte of y e gospell in our Honourable Nation of England, (which was y e first of nations whom y e Lord adorned ther with, affter y t grosse darknes of popery which had covered & overspred y e Christian worled,) what warrs & opposissions ever since, Satan hath raised, maintained, and continued against the Saincts, from time to time, in one sorte or other. Some times by bloody death and c
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2. Chap.
2. Chap.
Of their departure into Holland and their troubls ther aboute, with some of the many difficulties they found and mete withall . An o . 1608. Being thus constrained to leave their native soyle and countrie, their lands & livings, and all their freinds & famillier acquaintance, it was much, and thought marvelous by many. But to goe into a countrie they knew not (but by hearsay), wher they must learne a new language, and get their livings they knew not how, it being a dear place, &a
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The 3. Chap.
The 3. Chap.
Of their setling in Holand, & their maner of living, & entertainmente ther. Being now come into y e Low Countries, they saw many goodly & fortified cities, strongly walled and garded with troopes of armed men. Also they heard a strange & uncouth language, and beheld y e differente man̅ers & customes of y e people, with their strange fashons and attires; all so farre differing from y t of their plaine countrie villages (wherin they were bred, & had
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The 4. Chap.
The 4. Chap.
Showing y e reasons & causes of their remoovall. After they had lived in this citie about some 11. or 12. years, (which is y e more observable being y e whole time of y t famose truce between that state & y e Spaniards,) and sundrie of them were taken away by death, & many others begane to be well striken in years, the grave mistris Experience haveing taught them many things, [16] those prudent governours with sundrie of y e sagest members begane both deeply to apprehend
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The 5. Chap.
The 5. Chap.
Shewing what means they used for preparation to this waightie vioag. And first after thir humble praiers unto God for his direction & assistance, & a generall conferrence held hear aboute, they consulted what perticuler place to pitch upon, & prepare for. Some (& none of y e meanest) had thoughts & were ernest for Guiana, or some of those fertill places in those hott climats; others were for some parts of Virginia, wher y e English had all ready made enter
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The 6. Chap.
The 6. Chap.
Conscerning y e agreements and artickles between them, and such marchants & others as adventured moneys; with other things falling out aboute making their provissions. Upon y e receite of these things by one of their messengers, they had a sollemne meeting and a day of humilliation to seeke y e Lord for his direction; and their pastor tooke this texte, 1 Sam . 23. 3, 4. And David's men said unto him, see, we be afraid hear in Judah, how much more if we come to Keilah against the host of
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The 7. Chap.
The 7. Chap.
Of their departure from Leyden, and other things ther aboute, with their arivall at South hamton, were they all mete togeather, and tooke in ther provissions. At length, after much travell and these debats, all things were got ready and provided. A smale ship [U] was bought, & fitted in Holand, which was intended as to serve to help to transport them, so to stay in y e cuntrie and atend upon fishing and shuch other affairs as might be for y e good & benefite of y e colonie when t
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The 8. Chap.
The 8. Chap.
Off the troubls that befell them on the coaste, and at sea being forced, after much trouble, to leave one of ther ships & some of their companie behind them. [42] Being thus put to sea they had not gone farr, but M r . Reinolds y e master of y e leser ship complained that he found his ship so leak as he durst not put further to sea till she was mended. So y e m r . of y e biger ship (caled M r . Jonas) being consulted with, they both resolved to put into Dartmouth & have her ther
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The 9. Chap.
The 9. Chap.
Of their vioage, & how they passed y e sea, and of their safe arrivall at Cape Codd. Sept r : 6. These troubls being blowne over, and now all being compacte togeather in one shipe, [AE] they put to sea againe with a prosperus winde, which continued diverce days togeather, which was some incouragmente unto them; yet according to y e usuall maner many were afflicted with sea-sicknes. And I may not omite hear a spetiall worke of Gods providence. Ther was a proud & very profane yonge
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The 10. Chap.
The 10. Chap.
Showing how they sought out a place of habitation, and what befell them theraboute. [48] Being thus arrived at Cap-Cod y e 11. of November, and necessitie calling them to looke out a place for habitation, (as well as the maisters & mariners importunitie,) they having brought a large shalop with them out of England, stowed in quarters in y e ship, they now gott her out & sett their carpenters to worke to trime her up; but being much brused & shatered in y e shipe w th foul
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The 2. Booke.
The 2. Booke.
The rest of this History (if God give me life, & opportunitie) I shall, for brevitis sake, handle by way of annalls , noteing only the heads of principall things, and passages as they fell in order of time, and may seeme to be profitable to know, or to make use of. And this may be as y e 2. Booke. The remainder of An o : 1620. I shall a litle returne backe and begine with a combination made by them before they came ashore, being y e first foundation of their govermente in this place; occ
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APPENDIX.
APPENDIX.
No. I. [Passengers of the Mayflower.] The names of those which came over first, in y e year 1620. and were by the blessing of God the first beginers and (in a sort) the foundation of all the Plantations and Colonies in New-England; and their families. M r . John Carver; Kathrine, his wife; Desire Minter; & 2. man-servants, John Howland, Roger Wilder; William Latham, a boy; & a maid servant, & a child y t was put to him, called Jasper More. M r . William Brewster; Mary, hi
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