William Bradford

“ Though we who speak of William Bradford as our Forefather should not be moved by pride, as no man is responsible for his own birth, it causes in us profound gratitude that we can affirm our relationship to one who has been called the first great American. ”

“ Next to Brewster, William Bradford was the most prominent of the lay preachers among the Scrooby fraternity. He became Governor Bradford of the Plymouth Colony—"the first American citizen of the English race who bore rule by the free choice of his brethren"—and the historian of the Plymouth Plantation. Bradford, a yeoman's son with comfortable home surroundings, lived at Austerfield, an ancient [Pg 12] agricultural village about three miles from Scrooby on the Yorkshire side. ”

“ The Council for New England, over the signature of its president the Earl of Warwick, made out a patent to William Bradford, granting territory thirteen miles on the River, and extending fifteen miles on either side. Business there did so well at first, that the American debtors gained headway, until a disappointing agent abroad occasioned trouble by private competition. ”

“ William Bradford.
Governour, &c.
Plymouth, Oct. 1, Anno 1627.
We well knew likewise, that this dealing and friendship with the Dutch (though it was wholly sought of themselves) yet it would procure us envy from others in the land, and that at one time or other, our enemies would take occasion to raise slanders and frame accusations against us for it; therefore, to prevent their malice, as also to shew the sincerity of our dealing and our loyal and dutiful respect to his Majesty and the Honourable Council for New England ”

“ The extended New Plymouth patent having been taken out in the name of William Bradford, as in trust, ran in these terms: “To him, his heirs, associates, and assigns.” [302] But the number of freemen having now greatly increased, and several townships being established and settled in several quarters such as New Plymouth, Duxbury, Scituate, Taunton, Sandwich, Yarmouth, Barnstable, Marshfield, and not long after Seekonk,—afterwards called at the wish of the inhabitants Rehoboth,—and Nauset, it was desired by the Court that William Bradford should make surrender of the same into their hands. ”

“ WILLIAM BRADFORD OF PLYMOUTH I
THE BOY
Earth's transitory things decay,
Its pomps, its pleasures pass away;
But the sweet memory of the good
Survives in the vicissitude.
J. Bowring.
THE world has nothing more worthy of our regard than its unconscious heroes. Though many can discern their own true importance, a peculiar charm invests such as do not realize it, even if they are told. They seem to think others would have done better in their place, and they lightly estimate their services, at less than their fellow-men accredit them. ”

“ BRADFORD, SAMUEL, D.D. (1652–1731) , bishop successively of Carlisle and Rochester, was the son of William Bradford, a citizen of London, who distinguished himself as a parish officer at the time of the plague, and was born in St. Anne's, Blackfriars, on 20 Dec. 1652. He was educated at St. Paul's School; and when the school was closed, owing to the plague and the fire of London, he attended the Charterhouse. He was admitted to Corpus Christi, Cambridge, in 1669, but left without a degree in consequence of religious scruples. He devoted himself for a time to the study of medicine ”

“ In the words of Governor Wolcott, at the ceremony of the gift of the manuscript of Bradford’s History, by England to America: “They stablished what they planned. Their feeble plantation became the birthplace of religious liberty, the cradle of a free Commonwealth. To them a mighty nation owns its debt. Nay, they have made the civilized world their debtor. In the varied tapestry which pictures our national life, the richest spots are those where gleam the golden threads of conscience, courage, and faith, set in the web by that little band. ”

“ John Robinson at Leyden to Governor Bradford at New Plymouth:
My loving and much beloved friend, whom God has hitherto preserved, preserve and keep you still to His glory and the good of many that His blessing may make your godly and wise endeavours equal to the occasion. Of your love, too, and care for us here, we have never doubted, and are glad to take full knowledge of it. Our love and care to and for you is mutual, though our hopes of coming to you are small, and weaker than ever. ”

“ A self-made man, a scholar of repute, a writer of renown, an upright and fearless magistrate, a model citizen, a courageous leader, gentle, just and generous, practical and wise, William Bradford stands in history as the essence and exponent of what was best in the Puritanism of his day, the architect and builder of a God-fearing, independent, and progressive community that, throughout the (p. 177) ages, remains the most notable because the most typical of the foundation-stones that underlie the mighty structure of the Republic of the United States of America. ”

“ And the new arrivals, when they came ashore and found all well, and saw plenty of victuals in every house, were no less glad. Most of them were healthy young men, many of them wild enough, who had little considered what they were undertaking,—till they reached the harbour of Cape Cod, and there saw nothing but a naked and barren place. They then began to wonder what would become of them, should the people be dead or cut off by the Indians. So, hearing what some of the sailors were saying, they [90] began to plot to seize the sails, lest the ship should go, and leave them there. ”

“ He was tender-hearted and compassionate with those in misery, especially when they were of good birth and rank and had fallen into want and poverty, either for religion’s sake or through the oppression of others; he would always say that of all men such deserved to be most pitied. None displeased him more than those who would haughtily and proudly exalt themselves, having risen from nothing, and having little else to commend them than a few fine clothes, or more means than others. ”

“ However, it shows us the uncertainty of all human things, and how foolish it is to take pleasure in them or trust to them.
In the big ship Captain Standish was sent over from the settlement, with instructions and letters both to their friends of the company and to the honourable Council of [167] New England. They requested the company, since they only meant to let them have goods for sale, that they might have them upon easier terms, as they would never be able to bear such high interest or allow so much per cent; and that they should send goods which were useful and suitable to them. ”

“ It is much better to keepe a good conscience and have ye Lord's blessing, whether in life or death.
William Bradford.
AS Plymouth's third summer displayed its saved harvest which, with a fresh food supply from the Anne, promised enough by prudent management for the increased Colony, a sense of security and content was justified. The new-comers, who had wept to see the founders' leanness and scanty clothing, were glad to help as they could, and consoled their much tried spirits in the reunited and new families. ”

“ Indeed it is our calamity that we are, beyond expectation, yoked with some ill-disposed people, who, while they do no good themselves, corrupt and abuse others.
The rest of the letter stated that they had subscribed to the conditions according to his desire, and sent him the previous accounts very exactly; also how the ship was laden, and in what condition their affairs stood; that the arrival of the new people would bring famine upon them unavoidably, if they did not receive supplies, in time,—as Mr. Cushman could more fully inform him and the rest of the adventurers. ”

“ He had orders to procure a patent for a suitable trading-house on the river Kennebec; for the settlers at Piscataqua and other places to the eastward of them, and also the fishing ships, [183] competed with them for the trade of the Indians, and threatened by procuring a grant to exclude them from thereabouts,—and they found they were so well furnished with goods for the purpose that they might take all the trade from them. They thought it essential to prevent this, and at least to preserve free-trade for themselves in localities which they themselves had first discovered and developed. ”

“ Articles of Agreement between the Colony of New Plymouth of the one part, and William Bradford, Captain Myles Standish, Isaac Allerton, etc., of the other part; and such others as they shall think good to take as partners in the trade for beaver and other furs and commodities, etc. ”

“ Besides, I showed you by letter the equity of the new condition as against our inconveniences, which might be set against all the inconveniences cited by Mr. Robinson, and showed that without the alteration of that clause, we could neither have means to get there, nor supplies for our subsistence when we arrived. Yet, notwithstanding all those reasons, which were not mine, but other men’s wiser than myself, without answer to any one of them, many complaints are directed against me, of [43] lording it over my brethren, and making conditions fitter for thieves and bondslaves than honest men. ”

“ Secondly, I told him of the alterations long ago, and he was content; but now he domineers, and says I betrayed them into the hands of slave-drivers; he is not beholden to them; he can fit out two ships himself for a voyage—when he has only £50 worth of shares in the venture, and if he gave in his accounts he would not have a penny left, as I am persuaded.
Friend, if ever we establish a colony, God works a miracle; especially considering how scanty our provisions will be and most of all how disunited we are among ourselves, and devoid of good leaders. Violence will break all. ”

“ He also began to sell to others outside the settlement, which, considering their agreement, they disliked. But love thinks no evil, nor is suspicious; so they took his fair words for excuse, and decided to send [200] him to England again this year, considering how well he had done formerly and how well he stood with their friends there; and particularly as some of their friends from Leyden were to be sent for, the arrangements for which he could, or might, assist in. ”

“ However, he spoke with some of the honoured Council, who promised all possible help to the colony. Several of the friendly adventurers were so reduced by their losses last year, and now by the ship taken by the Turks, and the decreased profits on their fish, and such multitudes in London were dying weekly of the plague, that all trade was dead and little money was available; so that with great difficulty he raised £150 (and spent a good deal of it in expenses) at 50 per cent, which he expended on trading goods and such other commodities as he knew they needed. ”

“ Some would crawl out on all fours to get a little water, and sometimes die by the way, not being able to get home again. But the people of the English trading-house, though they were at first afraid of the infection, seeing their woful condition and hearing their pitiful cries, had compassion on them, and daily fetched them wood and water and made them fires, and got them food whilst they lived, and buried them when they died. Very few of the Indians escaped, notwithstanding that they did what they could for them at great risk to themselves. ”

“ This, while it made many praise God that the truth had so famous a victory, procured him much honour and respect from those learned men and others who loved the truth. So far from being weary of him and his people, or desiring their absence, had it not been for fear of giving offence to the government of England, they would have conferred upon him some public honour. Indeed, when there was talk of their departure to America, several men of prominence in the country tried to induce them to become naturalized, and even made them large offers to do so. ”

“ Afterwards he fell into the hands of the Indians, who robbed him of all that he had saved from the wreck, and stripped him of all his clothes to his shirt. At last he got to Piscataqua and borrowed a suit of clothes, and so came to New Plymouth. A strange alteration there was in him, to such as had seen him in his former flourishing condition; so uncertain are the mutable things of this unstable world! And yet men set their hearts upon them, though they daily see their vanity. ”

“ He says we take a heady course; and he is offended that our provisions are being made so far off, and that he was not made acquainted with our quantity of things. He says that working thus, in three places, so far distant, we shall, with going hither and thither, wrangling and expostulating, let the summer slip by before we start. And to tell the truth, there is already a flat schism among us. We are readier to dispute than to undertake a voyage. I have received from Leyden, since you went, three or four letters directed to you ”

“ Hatherley’s hands, to the above effect. Mr. Allerton being best acquainted with the people, sold all such goods as he had no need of for fishing, as nine shallop-sails made of good new canvas, and the roads for them, all new, and several such useful things, for beaver, by Mr. Hatherley’s permission. Thus they thought they had well provided for themselves. However those at the colony censured Mr. Allerton for entering upon this project, doubting its success. Mr. Allerton brought to the town, after he had sold what he could elsewhere, a great quantity of other goods, besides trading commodities ”

“ And long after, the most generous present given to a Captain who had won a victory over their enemies, was as much ground as he could till in one day; in fact a man was not considered a good but a dangerous citizen, who was not content with seven acres of land; also how they used to pound their corn in mortars, as the settlers were forced to do for many years, until they got a mill.
The ship which brought these supplies was speedily unloaded, and, with her captain and crew was sent out fishing to Cape Ann, where they had got a patent, as mentioned above. ”