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BRIEF HISTORY 
 of the PILGRIMS 
 
 A Continuous History 
 
 Their 
 
 Formation in England 
 
 Life in Holland 
 
 Experiences 
 
 Throughout the Years of 
 
 The Establishment 
 
 At Plymouth 
 
 Taken from Bradford's History and Contem- 
 poraneous Writings of Bradford and Winslow 
 
B Cornell University 
 B) Library 
 
 The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028817067 
 
A Brief History of 
 the Pilgrims 
 
 Compiled from the writings of Governor Bradford 
 
 and Governor Winslow, and largely in their 
 
 own words. With alphabetical list 
 
 of Mayflower passengers 
 
 Published by BURBANK INC. 
 
 PLYMOUTH, MASS. 
 
 !■. 'J ,. , ' 
 
/ -' ^ la u 
 Linotyped, Printed and Bound by 
 
 THE MEMORIAL PRESS 
 
 PLYMOUTH, MASS. 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 There has long been need of a short history of 
 the Pilgrims — something between the short 
 sketchy outlines of Pilgrim History that every 
 one knows, and the more exhaustive and schol- 
 arly histories which few people have the time or 
 Inclination to read. This booklet gives a fairly 
 comprehensive account of what the Pilgrims did 
 during the most interesting period of their his- 
 tory, and their reasons for so doing. 
 
 No scholarship or literary merit is claimed or 
 intended. The most valuable book we have on 
 this subject is "Bradford's History," written by 
 the Governor himself. This booklet iS largely 
 composed of selections from that history, with 
 Bradford's own language used so far as advisa- 
 ble. Bradford's book is rather brief as to the daily 
 doings and incidents of the first year or two at 
 Plymouth, probably because several pamphlets 
 had been distributed in England dealing in more 
 detail with this period. The most valuable of 
 these are the so-called Mourt's Relation, written 
 either by Governor Bradford or Governor Wins- 
 low, but more probably in collaboration, and 
 Winslow's Narrative. These two latter valuable 
 manuscripts, together with others, are included 
 in Young's Chronicles of the Pilgrims. Anyone 
 wishing to read more fully will get practically all 
 of Pilgrim History from "Bradford's History" 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 and Young's Chronicles. From the latter book, 
 the day-to-day activities of the Pilgrims during 
 the first winter, and some of the happenings of 
 the first few years, have been taken. 
 
 Any merit in this booklet is simply that of 
 selection. The above-mentioned books abound in 
 so many incidents showing the intense human 
 nature and commonsense of the Pilgrims, and 
 their attitude toward life that it is very difficult 
 for one who intensely admires and respects them 
 (as all must who read more fully) to leave out 
 as many as are necessary to keep within the lim- 
 its imposed by this booklet. 
 
 No effort has been made to comment upon the 
 facts, but it is hoped that the reader will appre- 
 ciate for himself their fortitude, forbearance, 
 patience and persistence; the peculiar prepara- 
 tion that this band had for this special work, 
 leaving England a band of religious enthusiasts, 
 trusting in God, and, through the hard years in 
 Holland, learning to take up new work and make 
 their own way under strange surroundings, until, 
 when they came to a new country, they had added 
 to their trust in God a confidence in themselves 
 backed by experience and ability; and the won- 
 derful providence that was shown leading them 
 to probably the only place on the American coast 
 where the ground had been cleared for planting 
 by the Indians, and yet where there were no 
 Indians to dispute possession with them except 
 one, who had been in England, learned the Eng- 
 lish language, and wished to be their friend. 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 The language of the participants has been used 
 as largely as is consistent with a continuous and 
 brief history. The spelling has been modernized, 
 and all dates changed to accord with the modern 
 calendar. For the sake of easy reading, liberty 
 has been taken of making no note of elisions from 
 the text in quotations. These have nowhere 
 changed the meaning. 
 
 The reader can probably derive more actual 
 information and facts concerning the Pilgrims 
 from this booklet than from anything heretofore 
 published which can be read in the same length 
 of time, and it is hoped that more busy people 
 will be enabled to know the sahent points of Pil- 
 grim History, and that there will, therefore, be 
 a more widespread appreciation of their charac- 
 ter and influence. 
 
A Brief History of the Pilgrims 
 
 AFTER the long contest between Protestant- 
 ism and Catholicism in England had been 
 ■ won by the Protestants, and the Church of 
 England became the recognized Church, a great 
 controversy still existed concerning the power of 
 Bishops and church ceremonials. 
 
 "The one side labored to have the right worship 
 of God and discipline of Christ established in the 
 Church, according to the sinrplicity of the gospel, 
 without the mixture of men's inventions, and to 
 have and be ruled by the laws of God's word, dis- 
 pensed in those offices and by those officers of 
 Pastors, Teachers and Elders, etc., according to 
 the Scripture." 
 
 "The other party endeavored to have the epis- 
 copal dignity (after the popish manner) with 
 their large power and jurisdiction still retained." 
 
 "As in other places in the land, so in the North 
 parts, many became enlightened till they were 
 occasioned to see further into things by the light 
 of the word of God. How not only these base and 
 beggarly ceremonies were unlawful, but also that 
 the lordly and tyrannous power of the prelates 
 ought not to be submitted unto, which thus, con- 
 trary to the freedom of the Gospel, would by their 
 compulsive power make a profane mixture of 
 persons and things in the worship of God." 
 
8 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 1606 
 
 One congregation of these independents was 
 formed at Scrooby near the junction of Notting- 
 hamshire, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. 
 
 "But they could not long continue in any peace- 
 able condition, but were hunted and persecuted 
 on every side. For some were taken and clapt up 
 in prison, others had their houses beset and 
 watched night and day." 
 
 "Seeing themselves thus molested, and that 
 there was no hope of continuance there, they re- 
 solved to go into the Lowlands, where they heard 
 was freedom of Religion for all men, which was 
 in the year 1607 and 1608." 
 
 "But to go into a country they know not (but 
 by hearsay) , where they must learn a new lan- 
 guage, and get their living they knew not how, 
 was by many thought a venture almost desperate. 
 Especially seeing they were not acquainted with 
 trade nor traffic, but had only been used to a plain 
 country life, and the innocent trade of husban- 
 dry." 
 
 "But these things did not dismay them (though 
 they did sometimes trouble them), for their de- 
 sires, were set on the ways of God, but they rested 
 on His providence, and knew whom they had 
 believed." 
 
 "Though 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 bribe the 
 mariners, and give extraordinary rates for their 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 
 
 passages, and yet were they oftentimes betrayed, 
 and both they and their goods intercepted." 
 
 "And in the end, notwithstanding all these 
 storms of opposition, they all got over at length, 
 some at one time and some at another, and some 
 in one place and some in another, and met togeth- 
 er again with no small rejoicing." 
 
 1609 
 
 After living in Amsterdam a while and finding 
 that city a hotbed of religious controversy they 
 "thought it was best to remove before they were 
 any way engaged with the same, though they well 
 knew it would be much to the prejudice of their 
 outward estates as indeed it proved to be." 
 
 "For these and some other reasons they re- 
 moved to Leyden. Being now here pitched, they 
 fell to such trade and employment as they best 
 could, and at length they came to raise a compe- 
 tent and comfortable living, but with hard ard 
 continual labor." 
 
 1620 
 
 "After they had lived in this city about some 
 eleven or twelve years, the grave mistress Experi- 
 ance having taught them many things, at length 
 they began to incline to this conclusion, of re- 
 moval to some other place. Not out of any new- 
 fangledness or other such like giddy humor, by 
 which men are oftentimes transported to their 
 great hurt and danger, but for sundry weighty 
 and solid reasons." 
 
 They felt that they were getting older, and 
 were gradually being absorbed with the life of 
 
10 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 Holland, and being broken up without having 
 established anything of permanence. Their chil- 
 dren were drifting away from them "so that they 
 saw their posterity would be in danger to degen- 
 erate and be corrupted. Lastly (and which was 
 not least) a great hope and inward zeal they had 
 of laying some good foundation, or at least to 
 make some way thereunto, for the propagation 
 and advancing of the gospel of the Kingdom of 
 Christ in those remote parts of the world; yea, 
 though they should be but even as stepping-stones 
 unto others for the performing of so great a 
 work." 
 
 America was proposed and many objections 
 were made as to the difficulties in the way both 
 of getting there and living afterwards. 
 
 "It was answered, that all great and hon- 
 orable actions are accompanied with great diffi- 
 culties, and must be both enterprised and over- 
 come with answerable courages. It was granted 
 the dangers were great but not desperate; the 
 difficulties were many, but not invincible. For 
 though there were many of them likely, yet they 
 were not certain, it might be sundry 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." 
 
 "It was finally concluded by the major part to 
 put this design in execution and to prosecute it 
 by the best means they could." 
 
OF THE PILGRI MS 11 
 
 Considerable was known about America by this 
 time. Several attempts had been made to settle 
 there by the English, but all were very short- 
 lived, except the settlement at Jamestown, which 
 flickered along for a number of years. Hundreds 
 of vessels had fished along the coast and traded 
 with the Indians, all bringing back more or less 
 information. At first North America from 
 Jamestown to Maine was called Virginia, and the 
 northern part North Virginia. 
 
 In 1614, Capt. John Smith visited North Vir-' 
 ginia, explored the coast fairly thoroughly and 
 drew a map, calling this section New England. 
 This map was shown to Charles I., then a prince, 
 and he gave the names of English towns to points 
 along the coast; among the points so named by 
 him was Plymouth. 
 
 The Leyden congregation also knew of the 
 Dutch trading-posts about the mouth of the Hud- 
 son River, so that while they contemplated a part 
 of the country where no permanent settlement 
 had been made, it was country concerning which 
 much was known, and for which various patents 
 had been granted by King James. 
 
 Having decided to go to the New World they 
 sent two of their number to England to take the 
 business up with the Virginia Company as to a 
 patent, and to obtain from the King a confirma- 
 tion, under his seal, of their religious liberty. The 
 King finally agreed to "connive at them, and not 
 molest them, provided they carried themselves 
 peaceably. But to allow or tolerate them by his 
 
12 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 public authority, under his seal, they found it 
 would not be." 
 
 The lack of the desired official document from 
 the King caused some apprehension. "But some 
 of the chiefest thought otherwise, and that they 
 might well proceed hereupon, and the King's 
 majesty was willing enough to suffer them with- 
 out molestation, though for other reasons he 
 would not confirm it by any public act. And 
 furthermore, if there was no security in this 
 promise intimated, there would be no great cer- 
 tainty in a further confirmation of the same; for 
 if afterwards there should be a purpose or a 
 desire to wrong them, though they had a seal as 
 broad as the house floor, it would not serve the 
 turn, for there would be means enough found to 
 recall or reverse it. Seeing, therefore, the course 
 was probable, they must rest herein on God's 
 providence, as they had done in other things." 
 
 Having come to this conclusion they sent Rob- 
 ert Cushman and John Carver back to England 
 to make arrangements with the Virginia Com- 
 pany and to finance the venture. The patent was 
 obtained and issued in the name of John Wincob, 
 a religious man in England, who intended to join 
 them. 
 
 "But God so disposed as he never went, nor 
 they ever made use of this patent." 
 
 The matter of finance was more complicated 
 and discouraging and led to many recriminations 
 between the agent, Robert Cushman, and the con- 
 gregation at Leyden. A Mr. Weston was found 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 13 
 
 who undertook to raise the funds in connection 
 with others, and finally, after much cross pulling 
 the following agreement was signed by Robert 
 Cushman and the adventurers (as those who were 
 to remain in England and venture their money 
 were called, and shall be referred to hereafter by 
 that name) . 
 
 1. The adventurers and planter do agree, that every 
 person that goeth being aged 16 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 furnishes himself 
 out with ten pounds, either in money or other provisions, 
 be accounted as having twenty pounds in stock, and in the 
 division shall have 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 impediment 
 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, remain still in the common stock 
 until the division. 
 
 4. That at their coming here, they choose out such a 
 number of fit persons, as may furnish 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 seven years, the capital and 
 profits, viz.; the houses, lands, goods and chattels, be equal- 
 ly divided betwixt the adventurers and planters; which 
 done, every man shall be free from other of them of any 
 debt or detriment concerning this adventure. 
 
 6. Whosoever cometh to the colony hereafter, or put- 
 teth any into the stock, shall at the end of the seven years 
 be allowed proportionately to the time of his so doing. 
 
 7. He that shall carry his wife and children, or servants, 
 
14 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 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 ten years 
 old and sixteen, 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 ten 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, proportionately to the time of their life in the 
 colony. 
 
 10. That all such as are of this colony, are to have their 
 meat, drink, apparel and all provision out of the common 
 stock and goods of the said colony. 
 
 In answer to the charge that the Pilgrims be- 
 lieved in communism is the fact that they never 
 attempted it in Holland, and that these terms 
 were forced on tliem by the adventurers for their 
 own protection, and were very unsatisfactory to 
 the Pilgrims. 
 
 Their real opinion, after very few years of 
 trial, we will find clearly expressed later. 
 
 Finally a small vessel, the Speedwell, was se- 
 cured in Holland to carry those to England who 
 were going from Leyden, and a larger vessel, 
 the Mayflower, of 180 tons burden, was secured 
 in London. 
 
 They had a day of service and prayer at Ley- 
 den, their pastor, John Robinson, who was to re- 
 main, delivering a sermon, and then went to 
 Delft-Haven to take ship. "So they left that 
 goodly and pleasant city, which had been their 
 resting place near twelve years, but they knew 
 they were Pilgrims, and looked not much on 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 15 
 
 those things, but lifted up their eyes to the heav- 
 ens, their dearest country." 
 
 They soon reached Southampton and met the 
 Mayflower there. A dispute arose between them 
 and the adventurers concerning the division of 
 houses in Article 5 of the agreement, vi^hich they 
 said they v^ould not abide by, as Mr. Cushman 
 had not been authorized to agree to it. 
 
 "And this was the first ground of discontent 
 between them." 
 
 Both vessels finally being ready, they put to 
 sea, and had gone but a short way when the 
 Speedwell sprung a leak and both vessels put back 
 to Dartmouth. Here the Speedwell was looked 
 over thoroughly and repairs made, and they set 
 out the second time, and again after going a 
 short distance they came back to Plymouth on 
 account of the Speedwell, and it was finally de- 
 cided that she was not strong enough for the voy- 
 age. They then decided to go ahead with what 
 passengers the Mayflower could carry, and on 
 September 16th they set sail for the third and 
 last time with a total passenger list of 102, men, 
 women and children. 
 
 The voyage lasted a little over two months, 
 during which they encountered a great deal of 
 severe weather. Only one of the passengers died 
 on the trip, William Butten, a servant. A son, 
 Oceanus, was born to Steven Hopkins on the voy- 
 age. 
 
 "After long beating at sea, they fell with that 
 land which is called Cape Cod. They were not a 
 
16 A B RIEF HISTORY 
 
 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 the Hudson River for 
 their habitation. But after they had sailed that 
 course about half the day, they fell amongst dan- 
 gerous shoals and roaring breakers, and they 
 were so far entangled therewith as they conceived 
 themselves in great danger ; and the wind shrink- 
 ing upon them withal, they resolved to bear up 
 again for the Cape, and thought themselves hap- 
 py to get out of those dangers before night over- 
 took them, as by God's providence they did. And 
 the next day they got into the Cape Harbor, 
 where they rode in safety." 
 
 This was Provincetown Harbor, where they ar- 
 rived on November 21st, 1620. 
 
 While in Provincetown Harbor, they made "the 
 first foundation of their government in this place; 
 occasioned partly by the discontented and mutin- 
 ous speeches that some of the strangers among 
 them had let fall in the ship, that when they came 
 ashore they would use their own liberty, for none 
 had power to command them, and partly that such 
 an act might be as firm as any patent." 
 
 This compact was as follows, and stands as the 
 corner-stone of our present democracy. 
 
 In the name of God, amen. We, whose names are under- 
 written, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King 
 James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, Prance and 
 Ireland king, defender of the faith, etc., having undertaken, 
 for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 17 
 
 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 
 ofBces 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, 
 Prance, and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the 
 fifty-fourth. Anno Domino. 1620. 
 
 "After this they chose, or rather confirmed, Mr. 
 John Carver their governor for that year." 
 
 From the date of arriving at Provincetown 
 Harbor until the following spring it will prob- 
 ably be more interesting to follow them, so far 
 as possible, day by day. 
 
 It was Saturday, Nov. 21st, when they sailed 
 into Provincetown Harbor, and on that day they 
 sent a party of fifteen or sixteen men ashore to 
 spy out the land, and bring back wood. 
 
 Monday, Nov. 23d, they started repairs on the 
 shallop, a large boat they had brought in the 
 Mayfiower, but which they had been obhged to 
 cut down in order to stow between decks. This 
 day they all went ashore, the women to do their 
 washing. 
 
 Wednesday, Nov. 25, a party of sixteen men, 
 under the command of Myles Standish, set out on 
 foot to explore along the Cape, saw their first 
 
18 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 Indians, and following their tracks until dark, 
 camped in the woods for the night. 
 
 Thursday, Nov. 26, they went as far as Pamet 
 River in Truro, and returned to the Pond in Pond 
 Village to spend the night. During this day they 
 found Indian graves, and a cache of Indian corn, 
 of which they took all they could back to the May- 
 flower. 
 
 Friday, Nov. 27, they returned to the rest of 
 their party, and for the ensuing days they busied 
 themselves with cutting wood, making handles 
 for their tools, and pushing the repairs on the 
 shallop. This being finally ready, a party of 
 thirty-four, including Capt. Jones, of the May- 
 flower, and some of his sailors, set out on Mon- 
 day, Dec. 7, to go along the shore, using both the 
 shallop and the long boat. The wind was so 
 strong that they soon had to put to shore for the 
 night. 
 
 Tuesday, Dec. 8, they went as far as Pamet 
 River, where they landed for further exploration, 
 but on account of rough travelling did not get 
 far, and camped. 
 
 Wednesday, Dec. 9, they went to the place 
 where the former party had found the corn. The 
 balance of the original cache, and two others, 
 yielded about ten bushels of corn and some beans, 
 all of which they took to use as seed in the spring. 
 It was well they did, as it was the only oppor- 
 tunity they had to obtain any. They determined 
 to make reparation as soon as possible to the 
 Indians, which about six months later they did. 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 19 
 
 That night all but eighteen went back to the 
 ship. 
 
 Thursday, Dec. 10, the remaining eighteen ex- 
 plored further, finding other graves and some 
 Indian houses or tepees, and at night met the 
 shallop, which had returned to take them back to 
 the ship. 
 
 While at Provincetown, Peregrine White was 
 born. 
 
 Tuesday, Dec. 15, Francis Billington, a boy, 
 got hold of a loaded gun and some gunpowder, 
 and nearly set the ship afire. 
 
 Wednesday, Dec. 16, a party of eighteen, com- 
 posed of Myles Standish, John Carver, William 
 Bradford, Edward Winslow, John Tilley, Edward 
 Tilley, John Rowland, Richard Warren, Steven 
 Hopkins, Edward Dotey, John Allerton, Thomas 
 English, the two mates of the Mayflower (Mr. 
 Clark and Mr. Choppin) , the master gunner and 
 three sailors, set out in the shallop to make more 
 extended exploration around Cape Cod Bay. It 
 was so cold that the water froze on their clothing. 
 They started to land at Wellfleet Bay, but saw ten 
 or twelve Indians on the shore and kept along as 
 far as Eastham, where they landed, built a barri- 
 cade, put out sentinels and camped for the night. 
 
 Thursday, Dec. 17, the company divided, eight 
 staying in the shallop, and the rest exploring the 
 surrounding country. They found no place they 
 liked for a permanent settlement, and at night 
 rejoined the shallop, and erected their barricade, 
 probably not far from where they had spent the 
 
20 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 previous night. On this day at Provincetown, 
 Dorothy Bradford, wife of WiUiam Bradford, 
 who was on the exploring party, fell overboard 
 and was drowned. 
 
 Friday, Dec. 18, at five o'clock in the morning, 
 while preparing to start off for the day, they were 
 attacked by thirty or forty Indians with bows 
 and arrows. After a sharp encounter, although 
 there do not seem to have been any casualties on 
 either side, the Indians ran away. The Pilgrim 
 party pursued them for about a quarter of a mile 
 and then returned to the shallop. They coasted 
 the shore all that day, during which it began to 
 storm. The storm increased in fury until, as 
 they were about off Rocky Point at Manomet, 
 both their rudder and mast broke, and they were 
 being swept into Saquish Cove, which was full 
 of breakers. By dint of extraordinary effort with 
 the oars, they managed to round Saquish Head, 
 and land in the lee of Clark's Island, where they 
 spent the night, during which "the wind shifted 
 to the northwest, and it froze hard." 
 
 Saturday, Dec. 19, "God gave them a morning 
 of comfort and refreshing (as usually he doth to 
 his children) for it was a fair, 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 
 gave God thanks for his mercies, in their mani- 
 fold deliverances." 
 
 Sunday, Dec. 20, they kept the Sabbath on 
 (Clark's Island. 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 21 
 
 Monday, Dec. 21, "they sounded the harbor, 
 and found it fit for shipping, and marched into 
 the land,i and found divers cornfields and little 
 running brooks, a place fit for situation ; at least 
 it was the best they could find, and the season, 
 and their present necessity made them glad to 
 accept of it. So they returned to their ship^ 
 again with the news to the rest of their people, 
 which did much comfort their hearts." 
 
 Friday, Dec. 25, they weighed anchor in Prov- 
 incetown Harbor to go to Plymouth, but the wind 
 was such that they had to put back. 
 
 Saturday, Dec. 26, they had a fair wind and the 
 Mayflower sailed into Plymouth Harbor, where 
 they spent the Sabbath on the ship. 
 
 Monday, Dec. 28, they went ashore and ex- 
 plored the coast for several miles. They saw no 
 Indians, but signs of where they had been and 
 where the land had been cleared for planting corn. 
 
 Tuesday, Dec. 29, they explored further, both 
 on land and in the shallop. They went as far 
 north as Jones River, where they had a strong in- 
 clination to settle. Others favored Clark's Island. 
 
 Wednesday, Dec. 30, they determined to make 
 their final decision as to the actual site of their 
 settlement. "After our landing and viewing of 
 the places, as well as we could, we came to a con- 
 clusion, by most voices, to set on the main land, 
 on the first place, on a high ground, where there 
 
 1 This was the first landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, and la the 
 day that is celebrated. 
 
 2 The "Mayflower", with all these eighteen, was still at Province- 
 town. 
 
22 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 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 hill- 
 side." 
 
 Thursday, Dec. 31, was so stormy that it was 
 eleven A. M. before they could send the shallop 
 with provisions from the ship for those that were 
 left on shore, and it was so bad that the shallop 
 could not return to the ship. 
 
 1621 
 
 Friday, Jan. 1, the storm continued. 
 
 Saturday, Jan. 2, as many as could went on 
 shore and. cut timber for houses. 
 
 Mondlafyj'^Jan. 4, they continued work on lumber 
 for building, and started to erect the common 
 house. 
 
 Tuesday, Jan. 5, was so stormy that they could 
 not go ashore. 
 
 Wednesday, Jan. 6, they resumed work. 
 
 Thursday, Jan. 7, they planned for the fort on 
 Burial Hill, and decided how many houses it was 
 necessary to build to hold all their company. By 
 assigning the single men to different families 
 they comprised their number into nineteen fami- 
 lies, and allotted plots to each family according 
 to its size. 
 
 Friday, Jan. 8, and Saturday, Jan. 9, were 
 stormy and cold. 
 
 Monday, Jan. 11, they resumed work on shore, 
 continuing during the week. 
 
 All this time the greater number were living on 
 board the ship, which was probably anchored in 
 the Cow Yard, that being about as near as she 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 23 
 
 could float at low tide, and were going back and 
 forth in the long boat and the shallop. In fact, 
 a great number lived on the ship until the last of 
 March. 
 
 Monday, Jan. 18, was fair and they continued 
 their work. Francis Billington and one of the 
 mates went to Billington Sea, which the boy had 
 seen several days before from the top of a tree 
 on a hill. 
 
 Tuesday, Jan. 19, the common house was all 
 finished but thatching. Some were detailed to 
 make mortar, and others to gather thatch, and 
 in four days the roof was half done. On this day 
 they divided the land by lot to the different fam- 
 ilies, "after the proportion formerly allotted." 
 "We agreed that every man should build his own 
 house, thinking by that course, men would make 
 more haste than working common." 
 
 Sunday, Jan. 24, the new roof of the common 
 house caught fire from a flying spark, but no dam- 
 age was done beyond the burning of the thatch. 
 
 Monday, Jan. 25, it rained all day. 
 
 "Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were very 
 fair, sunshiny days, as if it had been in April," 
 what we call a January thaw, and they got ahead 
 with their work. 
 
 Friday, Jan. 29, it rained from noon on and in- 
 terrupted their work. 
 
 Saturday, Jan. 30, they erected a shed for their 
 common goods. 
 
 Sunday, Jan. 31, they held their meeting ashore. 
 
24 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 Monday, Feb. 1, was fair, and they were able to 
 continue their work during the week. 
 
 Monday, Feb. 8, both boats brought their com- 
 mon goods ashore. 
 
 Tuesday, Feb. 9, and Wednesday, Feb. 10, were 
 so inclement that they could not work. 
 
 Sunday, Feb. 14, was one of the stormiest days 
 they had had, and blew out much of the clay 
 packing in their houses. 
 
 Friday, Feb. 19, was still cold and they could do 
 little work. The roof of the small hospital they 
 had built caught fire, but little harm was done. 
 
 Friday, Feb. 26, was fair, but the cold still con- 
 tinued. One of their number, gunning in the 
 woods, saw twelve Indians coming toward the 
 settlement, and thought he heard others in the 
 woods. He hurried home with the alarm, and all 
 others were called in. They saw no more of the 
 Indians, but when Myles Standish and Francis 
 Cook went back to work they found that their 
 tools had been stolen. 
 
 Saturday, Feb. 27, Myles Standish was chosen 
 Captain, and given authority in military affairs. 
 While engaged in consultation two more Indians 
 were seen on Watson's Hill, but when Myles 
 Standish and Steven Hopkins approached them, 
 endeavoring to make signs of peace, they fled. 
 
 Wednesday, Mar. 3, the captain of the ship with 
 his crew brought a cannon ashore, and helped the 
 colonists draw it, together with ordnance previ- 
 ously landed, to the top of Burial Hill, where they 
 mounted them. 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 25 
 
 Saturday, Mar. 13, it turned fair and warmer 
 and they heard the spring birds singing. In the 
 afternoon a thunder-storm came up which was 
 the first they had experienced. 
 
 Wednesday, Mar. 17, was cold but fair, and 
 they planted some of their garden seed. 
 
 "In two or three months' time half of their 
 company died, especially in January and Febru- 
 ary, being the depth of winter, and wanting 
 houses and other comforts being infected with 
 the scurvy and other diseases which this long 
 voyage had brought upon them; so as they died 
 sometimes two or three of a day ; that of the hun- 
 dred and odd persons, scarce fifty remained. And 
 of these in the time of most distress, there was 
 but six or seven sound persons, who spared no 
 pains, night nor day, but with abundance of toil 
 and hazard of their own health, fetched them 
 wood, made them fires, dressed their 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 quesie stomachs cannot endure to hear 
 named ; and all this willingly and cheerfully, with- 
 out any grudging in the least. Two of these 
 seven were William Brewster their Reverend 
 Elder, and Myles Standish. 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 whilst they 
 
26 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 had health, yea, or any strength continuing, they 
 were not wanting to any that had need of them, 
 and I doubt not but their recompense is with the 
 Lord." 
 
 All that died the first winter they buried on 
 Cole's Hill, levelling the ground, and planting 
 corn over the graves in the spring. This was 
 done that the Indians, whom they still feared, 
 might not see the signs of how much their com- 
 pany had been weakened. 
 
 Friday, March 26, while they were holding a 
 further conference concerning military orders, a 
 single Indian walked boldly down the street and 
 would have walked right into the house had he 
 not been stopped. Much to their amazement, he 
 said, "Welcome," and told them that his name 
 was Samoset, that his home was in Maine, where 
 he had become acquainted with, and could call by 
 name, the captains of many of the vessels that 
 had fished along that coast for years. He was 
 a fine-appearing Indian, and very free and friend- 
 ly in his manner. He gave them a great deal of 
 information concerning the Indian tribes and 
 their chiefs. He told them that the Indian name 
 for Plymouth was Patuxet, and that four years 
 before all the local Indians had died of an epi- 
 demic, which had taken great toll of all the In- 
 dians along the New England coast. He said 
 that he knew another Indian who could speak 
 better English than he, and that he would get 
 him. 
 
 Saturday, Mar. 27, Samoset left, promising to 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 27 
 
 bring back with him some of the neighboring 
 tribe of Indians. These were the Wampanoags, 
 who lived in the territory between Taunton and 
 Middleboro. Massasoit, their sagamore (or 
 chief) , was also overlord of the Indians on Cape 
 Cod and around Massachusetts Bay. 
 
 Sunday, Mar. 28, Samoset reappeared with five 
 of these Indians, who returned all the tools that 
 had been stolen, and brought three or four skins. 
 The Pilgrims would not trade for these on Sun- 
 day, but urged them to return with more later. 
 They gave them some presents, and dismissed 
 them. Samoset was not so easily gotten rid of. 
 He pretended to be sick and remained till Wednes- 
 day, when they sent him away. 
 
 Monday and Tuesday were fine days, and they 
 worked in their gardens, planting seed. 
 
 Wednesday, Mar. 31, they started another 
 meeting to confirm their military orders, and for 
 the third time were interrupted by Indians. Three 
 of them appeared on Watson's Hill. They made 
 certain shows of defiance, but when Captain 
 Standish and three others went toward them, 
 they ran away. 
 
 This day the carpenter, who had been sick, 
 fixed up the shallop to bring everybody ashore. 
 
 Thursday, April 1, Samoset reappeared, bring- 
 ing with him Squanto, the Indian concerning 
 whom he had spoken, and who appeared to have 
 been the only living native of Plymouth. 
 
 He had been taken away by an Englishman 
 named Hunt, who, under pretense of trading, had 
 
28 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 lured a lot of Indians on his ship, and had them 
 carried oflf to be sold as slaves. Squanto had 
 found his way into the home of John Slany, an 
 English merchant much interested in the New- 
 foundland Company, who had treated him kindly. 
 Mr. Dermer, an explorer, employed by Sir Fer- 
 dinando Gorges, who had been very prominent 
 in the early companies for the exploration and 
 settlement of Northern Virginia, brought Squan- 
 to back to his native place, not very long before 
 the Pilgrims arrived. 
 
 Squanto reported that Massasoit, their great 
 sagamore, was nearby with all his men. Parleys 
 were had vwth Massasoit, and a treaty was made 
 between him and the Pilgrims as follows. 
 
 "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 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. If any did unjustly war against him they would 
 aid him; if any did war against them, he should aid them. 
 
 5. He should send to his neghbors confederates to certify 
 them of this, that they might not wrong them, but might 
 be likewise comprised in the condition of peace. 
 
 6. That when their men came to them, they should 
 leave their bows and arrows behind them. 
 
 Lastly, that doing thus. King James would esteem of 
 him as his friend and ally." 
 
 This treaty was scrupulously observed on both 
 sides as long as Massasoit lived, and was in force 
 until broken by Philip, his successor, in 1675. 
 
 Massasoit returned to his home, and Samoset 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 29 
 
 and Squanto remained. How long Samoset stayed 
 we do not know, probably not long, as this is the 
 last mention we have of him in connection with 
 this colony, but he appears later in the early his- 
 tory of Maine, where he still proved a kindly and 
 helpful friend to the white settlers. 
 
 "But Squanto continued with them, and was 
 their interpreter, and wag a special instrument 
 sent of God for their good, beyond their expec- 
 tation. He directed them how to set their corn, 
 where to take fish, and to procure other commodi- 
 ties, and was also their pilot to bring them to un- 
 known places for their profit, and never left them 
 till he died." 
 
 He taught them how to fertilize their corn- 
 fields with the herring which run up Town Brook 
 in great numbers every spring, by putting two 
 or three in each hill. 
 
 Friday, April 2, they concluded their military 
 regulations and made such civil laws as seemed 
 necessary, and re-elected John Carver governor 
 for the ensuing year. Their year under the old 
 calendar began on April 4th (March 25th, old 
 style) . 
 
 "The first offence since our arrival is of John 
 Billington, who came on board at London, and is 
 this month convented before the whole colony 
 for his contempt of the Captain's lawful command 
 with opprobrious speeches, for which he is ad- 
 judged to have his neck and heels tide together; 
 but upon humbling himself and craving pardon, 
 and it being the first offence, he is forgiven." 
 
30 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 On April 15th, the Mayflower sailed back to 
 England. 
 
 "In this month of April while they were busy 
 about their seed, their Governor (Mr. John Car- 
 ver) came 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 till he died, which was 
 within a few days after. 
 
 "Shortly after William Bradford was chosen 
 Governor in his stead, and being not yet recovered 
 of his illness, in which he had been near the point 
 of death, Isaac Allerton was chosen to be an as- 
 sistant unto him, who,^ by renewed election every 
 year, continued sundry years together, which I 
 here note once for all." 
 
 "May 22 was the first marriage in this place^ 
 which, 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 inheritance to depend, and 
 most consistent to the scriptures (Ruth 4), and 
 nowhere found in the gospel to be laid on the min- 
 iters as a part of their office. And this practice 
 hath continued amongst not only them, but hath 
 been followed by all the famous churches of 
 Christ in these parts." 
 
 3 William Bradford. He is the writer of tliis, and does not wisll to 
 report his election every year. He was elected continuously until 1633 
 when he begged to be relieved, and Edward Winslow was elected Wltli 
 the exception of this year and five others, he was elected governor pvcrv 
 year until 1657, when he died. B"»oinor every 
 
 4 Edward Winslow, whose wife had died in March, to Susanna White 
 whose husband, William White, had died in February. 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 31 
 
 June 28, "The second offence is the first duel 
 fought in New England, upon a challenge at single 
 combat with sword and dagger, between Edward 
 Dotey, and Edward Leister, servants of Mr. Hop- 
 kins. Both being wounded, the one in the hand, 
 the other in the thigh, they are adjudged by the 
 whole company to have their head and feet tied 
 together, and so to lie for twenty-four hours, 
 without meat or drink; which is begun to be in- 
 flicted, but within an hour, because of their great 
 pains, at their own and their master's humble re- 
 quest, upon promise of better carriage, they are 
 released by the Governor." 
 
 On July 12, Edward Winslow and Steven 
 Hopkins were sent to visit Massasoit and further 
 cement their friendship with him. 
 
 The latter part of the month John Billing- 
 ton, Jr., lost himself in the woods, and finally 
 struck an Indian settlement near Sandwich. 
 These Indians took him farther down the Cape 
 to the Nauset Indians, near Orleans. The Gover- 
 nor received word through Massasoit as to his 
 situation, and the shallop was sent with a party of 
 ten men to bring him home. Squanto went with 
 the party as interpreter. The first day they went 
 as far as Barnstable, where they met lyanough, 
 the sachem of that section. He and two of his 
 men accompanied them the next day and they 
 went to the Nausets. Aspinet, the sachem of 
 this tribe, delivered the boy to them. This was 
 the tribe that had attacked the exploring party 
 in the morning of Dec. 18, 1620. On this trip they 
 
32 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 made peace with them and finding one of the 
 owners of the corn they had taken when on Capt 
 Cod, arranged compensation. 
 
 During this summer another Indian, Hoba- 
 mack, came to live with them, and remained with 
 them as a friend until this death. 
 
 On Sept. 28, they sent an exploring party of 
 ten men, with interpreters, to visit and trade 
 with the Indians around Massachusetts Bay. 
 They also made peace with these Indians. 
 
 "They began now to gather in the small har- 
 vest they had, and to fit up their houses against 
 winter, being all well recovered in health and 
 strength, and had all things in good plenty. All 
 the summer there was no want. And now began 
 to come in store of fowl, of which this place did 
 abound when they came first. And beside water 
 fowl, there was great store of wild turkeys, of 
 which they took many, besides venison, etc. Be- 
 sides they had about a peck of meal a week to a 
 person." 
 
 The Fortune, a small vessel of 55 tons, arrived 
 Nov. 19, 1621. She brought over Robert Cush- 
 man, and thirty-five additional members for the 
 colony. On the arrival of the Fortune there were 
 fifty of the Mayflower passengers left alive. At 
 this time Edward Winslow wrote a letter to Eng- 
 land to be taken back in this ship, from which 
 the following are extracts : 
 
 "In this little time that a few of us have been 
 here, we have built seven dwelling houses, and 
 
OF THE PILGRIM S 33 
 
 four for the use of the plantation and have made 
 preparation for divers others." 
 
 "We set the last spring some twenty acres of 
 Indian corn, and sovt^ed some six acres of barley 
 and peas." "Our corn did prove well, and, God be 
 praised, we had a good increase of Indian corn." 
 
 "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." 
 
 "So that there is now great peace amongst the 
 Indians themselves, which was not formerly; 
 neither would have been, but for us; and we, for 
 our parts, walk as peacefully and safely in the 
 wood, as in the highways in England." 
 
 In England it had been growing very difficult 
 to raise funds for this colony, as shown in a letter 
 from Mr. Weston, brought in this ship : 
 
 "That you sent no lading in the ship^ is wonder- 
 ful. I know your weakness was the cause of it, 
 and I believe more weakness of judgment, than 
 weakness of hands." "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 consider 
 that the life of the business depends upon the lad- 
 ing of this ship." 
 
 Following Robert Cushman's recommendation, 
 they yielded to all the conditions of the adventur- 
 ers, including the one they had refused to accept 
 
 5 This was the first New England Thanksgiving. 
 
 6 The "Mayflower", when she returned. Knowing the situation of this 
 little band all the time the "Mayflower" was at Plymouth, this criticism 
 seems cruel and unjust. 
 
34 A BRIEF H ISTORY 
 
 before leaving England, and sent the Fortune 
 away, "laden with good clapboards as full as she 
 could stow, and two hogshead of beaver and 
 otter skins, which they got with a few trifling 
 commodities, being altogether unprovided for 
 trade. The freight was estimated to be worth 
 near 500 pounds." 
 
 Mr. Cushman returned on the ship, which on 
 the way home was captured by the French and 
 all her cargo taken. 
 
 Funds being so low in England, the Fortune did 
 not bring any food to leave for her thirty-five 
 passengers. "Neither had they any bedding, nor 
 pot, nor pan, nor over many clothes." 
 
 What had looked like reasonable provision for 
 fifty people assumed a new aspect with thirty-five 
 additional mouths to feed, especially as they had 
 given some food to the crew of the ship. 
 
 "The Governor took an exact account of all 
 their provision, and found that it would not hold 
 out above six months at half allowance, and 
 hardly that." 
 
 The Narragansetts were a powerful tribe of In- 
 dians, accupying a large part of what is now 
 Rhode Island. They were not friendly with Mas- 
 sasoit, and as they had lost very few men in the 
 great plague, "thought to domineer and lord it 
 over the rest, and conceived the English would be 
 a bar in their way." 
 
 "Shortly after the departure of the Fortune, 
 their chief, Canonicus, in a braving manner, sent 
 a messenger unto them with a bundle of arrows 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 35 
 
 tied about with a great snake skin which their 
 interpreters told them was a threatening and a 
 challenge. Upon which the Governor sent them 
 a round answer, that if they had rather have war 
 than peace, they might begin when they would. 
 And by another messenger sent the snake skin 
 back with bullets in it." 
 
 "But this made them the more carefully to 
 look to themselves, so as they agreed to inclose 
 their dwellings with a good strong pale, with 
 gates to shut which were every night locked, and 
 a watch kept. This was accomplished and the 
 town impaled round by the beginning of March." 
 
 Considering Christmas a man-made ceremonial, 
 the Pilgrims did not observe it. Evidently some 
 of the arrivals on the Fortune were not of their 
 faith, and the following episode will show the 
 broad tolerance, shrewd common sense and dry 
 humor of the Pilgrims. 
 
 "On the day called Christmas, the Governor 
 called them out to work (as was used), but the 
 most of this new company excused themselves and 
 said it went against their conscience to work on 
 that day. So the Governor told them that if they 
 made it a matter of conscience, he would spare 
 them till they were better informed. So he led 
 away the rest and left them ; but when they came 
 home at noon from their work he found them in 
 the street at play, openly ; some pitching the bar, 
 and some at stool-ball, and such like sports. So he 
 went to them, and took away their implements, 
 and told them that was against his conscience, 
 
36 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 that they should play and others work. If they 
 made the keeping of it matter of devotion, let 
 them keep their houses but there should be no 
 gaming or revelling in the streets. Since which 
 time nothing has been attempted that way, at 
 least openly." 
 
 1622 
 
 "They began to see that Squanto sought his 
 own ends, by putting the Indians in fear, and 
 drawing gifts from them to enrich himself ; mak- 
 ing them believe he could stir up war against 
 whom he would. Yea, he made them believe they 
 kept the plague buried in the ground, and could 
 send it among whom they would, which did much 
 terrify the Indians, and made them depend more 
 on him." 
 
 "They also made good use of the emulation that 
 grew between Hobamack and him, which made 
 them carry more squarely. And the Governor 
 seemed to countenance one, and the Captain the 
 other, by which they had better intelligence, and 
 made them both more diligent." 
 
 This spring they made another trading trip to 
 Massachusetts Bay. The latter part of May a 
 shallop came into the harbor. This was from the 
 Sparrow, a fishing vessel sent out by Mr. Weston. 
 They brought seven passengers for the colony, 
 and some letters, but no supplies of any kind. 
 
 In July two more ships of Mr. Weston's came 
 into the harbor. They were the Charity and the 
 Swan and brought fifty or sixty men for a sepa- 
 rate plantation under Mr. Weston's auspices. 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 37 
 
 These ships also brought letters advising the Pil- 
 grims that Mr. Weston had sold all his interest in 
 the Plymouth plantation to the other adven- 
 turers. 
 
 This was a rather hard lot of men, between 
 whom and the Pilgrims there could be no sym- 
 pathy, but still, in spite of Mr. Weston's desertion 
 of them, "they received them and gave housing 
 for themselves and their goods; and many being 
 sick, they had the best means the place could 
 afford them. They stayed here the most part of 
 the summer. Then they removed into the Massa- 
 chusetts Bay. Yet they left all their sick folks 
 here till they were settled." 
 
 "That little store of corn we had was exceed- 
 ingly wasted by the unjust and dishonest walking 
 of these strangers ; who spared not day or night 
 to steal the same, it being then eatable and pleas- 
 ant to taste." 
 
 "Amid these straits, and the desertion of those 
 from whom they had hoped for supply, and when 
 famine began now to pinch them sore, the Lord 
 (who never fails His) presents them with an oc- 
 casion." 
 
 They received a friendly letter from the Cap- 
 tain of a fishing boat, advising them of the great 
 Indian massacre that had occurred in Virginia. 
 They sent their boat out to his ship, and procured 
 from him and other fishing boats a supply of pro- 
 visions. 
 
 "But what was got, being divided amongst so 
 many came but to a little, yet by God's blessing it 
 upheld them till harvest. It arose but to a quarter 
 
38 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 of a pound a day to each person ; and the governor 
 caused it to be daily given them, otherwise, had it 
 been in their own custody, they would have eaten 
 it up and then starved." 
 
 This summer they built a fort, which they also 
 used as a meeting-house. 
 
 "Now the welcome time of harvest approached. 
 But it arose to a little, in comparison vdth a full- 
 year's supply, partly by reason they were not yet 
 well acquainted with the manner of Indian corn, 
 also the many other employments, but chiefly their 
 weakness for want of food, to tend it as they 
 should have done. Also much was stolen, before 
 it became scarce eatable, and much more after- 
 wards. So, as it well appeared, famine must 
 still ensue the next year also, if not some way 
 prevented." 
 
 About this time the Discovery came into the 
 harbor, on the way to Virginia, under command 
 of Captain Jones, probably the one who had com- 
 manded the Mayflower. 
 
 "This ship had store of English beads, and some 
 knives, but would sell none but at dear rates. 
 Yet they were glad of the occasion, and fain to buy 
 at any rate, and pay away coat-beaver at three 
 shillings, which in a few years after yielded 
 twenty shillings. By this means they were fitted 
 again to trade for beaver and other things, and 
 intended to buy what corn they could." 
 
 Mr. Weston had left the Swan, a small ship, 
 with his settlement at Weymouth, and in October 
 and November they made a joint trading trip in 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 39 
 
 her, under command of Governor Bradford, as 
 far as Chatham, where Squanto died of an Indian 
 fever. 
 
 They bought on this trip about 27 hogsheads of 
 corn and beans. 
 
 "Afterward 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." 
 
 1623 
 
 In the spring of 1623 word was brought that 
 Massasoit was dangerously sick, and Edward 
 Winslow and one other with Hobamack as guide 
 and interpreter were sent to pay him a 
 friendly visit, and see if they could help him 
 any. They probably saved his life, as they 
 took his case out of the hands of the Indian 
 medicine men, and restored him to health and 
 strength. He told them of an Indian conspiracy, 
 which he had been unable to stop, although 
 he had refused to countenance it. The Indians 
 around Weymouth, where Weston's colony 
 was seated, had started it and brought in all the 
 Indians on Cape Cod. Their idea was to wipe 
 out all the whites. Weston's colony, although 
 better provided for the winter than the Pilgrims, 
 had not shown the same sturdy self-control. They 
 had consumed all their provisions, and had stolen 
 from the Indians, and then, so low had their 
 self-respect fallen, they worked for the Indians 
 to obtain food, and humbled themselves before 
 them, going so far as to execute one of their 
 
40 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 number to appease the Indians. These actions 
 changed the attitude towards the English which 
 the Pilgrims had inspired. The Indians lost their 
 respect for the whites, and thought they could 
 easily be suppressed. 
 
 Captain Standish and eight men were sent to 
 Weymouth to break up this conspiracy and do 
 what they could for Weston's people. The Pil- 
 grims had been denying themselves corn that 
 they might have enough for seed, but to aid a 
 colony in distress, although they had been very 
 unfriendly to them, they gave Standish part of 
 their hardly saved seed-corn for this relief expe- 
 dition. Standish found things in very bad shape, 
 with the Indians openly defiant and insolent. One 
 of their leaders, Pecksuot, a large Indian, told 
 Standish that though he might be "a great 
 captain, yet he was but a little man."' Later, 
 when Standish had decided that violence was the 
 only possible means, he killed this Pecksuot, in 
 single-handed combat, with the Indian's own 
 knife, which was specially sharpened for this 
 occasion, but which Standish wrested from him. 
 Several others of the leaders were killed, and a 
 due respect for the English instilled into the 
 remaining Indians. 
 
 Most of Weston's colony decided that they 
 would prefer to take their small ship, the Swan, 
 and go to the fishing grounds off Maine, where 
 they would fall in with other ships and find their 
 way back to England. Standish gave them corn, 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 41 
 
 and saw them sail away, and brought the smaller 
 part of the colony, which preferred it, back to 
 Plymouth. 
 
 "This was the end of these that sometime 
 boasted of their strength (being all able, lusty 
 men), and what they would do in comparison of 
 the people here, who had many women and chil- 
 dren and weak ones amongst them. But a man's 
 way is not in his own power; God can make the 
 weak to stand." 
 
 "All this while no supply was heard of, neither 
 knew when they might expect any. So they be- 
 gan to think how they might raise as much corn 
 as they could. At length the Governor gave way 
 that they should set corn, every man for his own, 
 and in that regard trust to themselves. In all 
 other things to go on in the general way as before. 
 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 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 an- 
 cients, applauded by some of later times — 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. For the young men that were most able 
 
42 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 and fit for labor did repine that they should work 
 for other men's wives and children. The strong 
 had no more in division than he that was weak. 
 This was thought injustice. The aged and graver 
 men to be ranked in labor with the younger sort, 
 thought it some indignity and disrespect unto 
 them, and for men's wives to do service for other 
 men, as dressing their meat, washing their 
 clothes, etc., they deemed it a kind of slavery. 
 And so, if it did not cut off those relations that 
 God hath set, yet it did at least much diminish the 
 mutual respects that should be preserved. And 
 would have been worse if they had been men of 
 another condition." 
 
 "After this course settled, and their corn 
 planted, all their victuals were spent, and they 
 were only to rest on God's providence; at night 
 not many times knowing where to have a bite of 
 anything the next day." 
 
 After the planting they had a drought for six 
 weeks that nearly spoiled their whole crop. A day 
 of prayer was had which was very successful, "for 
 though in the morning when we assembled, the 
 heavens were as clear as ever, yet (our exercise 
 continuing some eight or nine hours) before our 
 departure, the clouds gathered together, and on 
 the next morning distilled such soft, sweet and 
 moderate showers, continuing some fourteen days, 
 as it was hard to say whether our withered corn 
 or drooping affections were most revived." 
 
 Deer being hard to kill with their muskets, and 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 43 
 
 fowl not coming in until fall, they lived almost 
 entirely until harvest on fish and shell-fish. 
 
 Late in July or early in August came the Anne, 
 and about ten days later the Little James, a ship 
 of about 44 tons, which had been sent over to stay 
 with the Pilgrims. 
 
 "They brought about sixty persons, some being 
 very useful persons, and some were the wives and 
 children of such as were here already. And some 
 were so bad they were fain to send them home 
 next year." 
 
 Their old friends that came on these boats were 
 much distressed when they saw how poor a condi- 
 tion the colonists were in. "And truly it was no 
 marvel they should be thus aflfected, for they were 
 ragged in apparel, and some little better than 
 half naked." 
 
 "The best dish they could present their friends 
 with was a lobster, or a piece of fish, without 
 bread or anything else but a cup of fair spring 
 water." 
 
 These were the first additions to the colony who 
 had brought provisions for themselves. It 
 being so near harvest, the arrangement was made 
 that those from the ship should divide amongst 
 themselves what they had brought, and that the 
 former colonists should struggle along until 
 harvest, when each would have the corn he had 
 raised. 
 
 The Anne went back on September 20th, laden 
 with clapboard, and all the furs they had. Edward 
 
44 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 Winslow went to England in this ship upon the 
 Pilgrims' business. 
 
 "By this time harvest was come, and the effect 
 of their particular planting was well seen, for all 
 had pretty well to bring the year about, and 
 some of the more industrious had to spare, and 
 sell to others, so as any general want or famine 
 hath not been amongst them since." 
 1624 
 
 The individualistic arrangement for raising 
 corn had proved a success. " They began now 
 highly to prize corn as more precious than silver, 
 and those that had some to spare began to trade 
 for small things, for money they had none, and 
 if any had, corn was preferred before it." 
 
 Therefore this year, "to every person was given 
 one acre of land, as near the town as might be, 
 that they might be kept together both for more 
 safety and defense, and the better improvement 
 of the general employments." 
 
 In the spring Edward Winslow returned from 
 England. He brought three heifers and a bull, 
 which were the first cattle they had. A ship 
 carpenter and saltmaker were also sent in this 
 ship. The first proved a very useful man, and 
 built them two shallops and a lighter. He had 
 hewn timber for two larger boats, when he was 
 taken with a fever and died that summer. The 
 salt-maker was "an ignorant, foolist, self-willed 
 fellow," who put the colony to great trouble and 
 expense with no results. 
 
 Edward Winslow brought reports of further 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 45 
 
 dissensions among the adventurers, some wanting 
 to withdraw, and others wishing to continue aid 
 to the colony. One faction sent over Mr. Lyford, 
 a minister, who was evidently intended to act as 
 a spy, to give them information that might be 
 used against the Colonists in England. He became 
 a member of the Church in Plymouth, but was 
 never elected minister. He associated himself 
 with one John Oldham, who had come in the 
 Anne, and who also apparently was a representa- 
 tive of the dissatisiied adventurers. They started 
 a faction of the malcontents in the colony, and 
 when the ship returned to England Lyford sent 
 away many letters. The Governor, under his 
 authority as a magistrate, accompanied the ship 
 to sea for a few miles and opened these letters, 
 and found them full of scurrilous and untrue 
 statements, all to the detriment of those in author- 
 ity. He took copies of all these letters, in the case 
 of some of the worst retaining the originals and 
 forwarding copies. Upon his return he made 
 no comments upon what he had done. "The 
 reason was to let things ripen, that they might 
 the better discover their intents, and see who 
 were their adherents." When their faction later 
 became more insolent and open, "the Governor 
 called a court and summoned the whole company 
 to appear, and then charged Lyford and Oldham 
 with such things as they were guilty of." They 
 denied everything and demanded proof. When 
 <-he letters were produced Lyford was struck 
 Tiute. But Oldham took a high tone and called 
 
46 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 upon his followers for support, which none gave 
 him. Lyford, who was afterwards found to be a 
 very immoral man, who had a bad reputation 
 before he was sent over, made the fullest confes- 
 sion and most abject apology. "After their trial 
 and conviction, the court censured them to be ex- 
 pelled from the place; Oldham presently, though 
 his wife and family had liberty to stay all winter. 
 Lyford had hberty to stay six months. It was 
 indeed with some eye to his release, if he carried 
 himself well, and that his repentance proved 
 sound." But within a month or two they found 
 him again writing letters, justifying his former 
 ones. 
 
 This fall Edward Winslow again went to Eng- 
 land. 
 
 1625 
 "At the spring of the year, Oldham came again 
 amongst them, and though it was part of his 
 censure not to return without leave, yet, in his 
 daring spirit, he presumed without any leave at 
 all and not only so, but suffered his unruly pas- 
 sion to run beyond the limits of all reason and 
 modesty. He called them all to nought, in this 
 his mad fury, and a hundred rebels and traitors, 
 and I know not what. But in conclusion they 
 committed him till he was tamer, and then ap- 
 pointed a guard of musketeers which he was to 
 pass through, and every one was ordered to give 
 him a thump with the butt end of his musket, and 
 then he was conveyed to the water side, where a 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 47 
 
 boat was ready to carry him away. Then they 
 bid him go and mend his manners. 
 
 "Whilst this was a-doing, Mr. WilHam Pierce 
 and Mr. Winslow came up from the water side, 
 being come from England ; but they were so busy 
 with Oldham, as they never saw them till they 
 came thus upon them." 
 
 Winslow reported that the past life of Lyford 
 had been aired, and that he was discredited with 
 the adventurers. His reprieve having elapsed, 
 he was also sent from the colony. He and Oldham 
 went to Nantasket with some of their friends. 
 
 This year the company of adventurers in Eng- 
 land broke in pieces, and the general conditions 
 are shown in a letter from some of their friends 
 in the company who wanted to stand by them. 
 "To our loving friends, etc. 
 
 Though the thing we feared be come upon us, we cannot 
 forget you. The former course for the generality here is 
 wholly dissolved from what it was, and whereas you and we 
 were formerly sharers and partners in all voyages and 
 dealings this way is now no more, but you and we are left 
 to bethink ourselves what course to take in the future, that 
 your lives and our moneys be not lost. 
 
 The reasons and causes of this alteration have been 
 these: First and mainly, the many losses and crosses at 
 sea and abuses of sea men, which have caused us to run 
 into so much charge, debts and engagements, as our 
 estates and means were not able to go on. Secondly, as here 
 hath been a faction and siding amongst us now more than 
 two years, so now there is an utter breach and sequestra- 
 tion amongst us, and in two parts of us a full desertion 
 for forsaking of you. And though we are persuaded 
 the main cause of this their doing is want of money (for 
 need whereof men use to make many excuses) yet other 
 things are pretended. Now what use you or we ought 
 
48 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 to make of these things, it remaineth to be considered. 
 And although it be now too late for us or you to prevent 
 or stay these things, yet it is not too late to exercise 
 patience, wisdom and conscience in bearing them, and in 
 carrying ourselves in and under them for the time to come. 
 
 And as we ourselves stand ready to em.brace all occasions 
 that may tend to the furtherance of so hopeful a work, 
 rather admiring of what is, than grudging for what is not; 
 so it must rest in you to make all good again. 
 
 Now we think it but reason that aU such things as there 
 appertain to the general be kept and preserved together 
 and rather increased daily, than any way be dispersed, and 
 after your necessities are served, you gather together such 
 commodities as the country yields, and send them over to 
 pay debts and clear engagements here, which are not less 
 than 1400 pounds. Let us all endeavor to keep a fair and 
 honest course and see what time will bring forth, and how 
 God in his providence will work for us. We still are per- 
 suaded you are the people that must make a plantation 
 in those remote places when all others fail and return. 
 
 We have sent you here some cattle, cloth, hose, shoes, 
 leather, etc., but in another nature than formerly. We 
 have committeed them to the charge and custody of Mr. 
 Allerton and Mr. Winslow, as our factors, at whose dis- 
 cretion they are to be sold, and commodities to be taken 
 for them, as is fitting." 
 
 The adventurers sent over two ships for fishing, 
 the smaller of them the Little James, which had 
 once been in the colony. The larger one lost the 
 advantageous sale of her fish on account of the 
 war, and the smaller one in which the Pilgrims 
 had sent 800 lbs. of beaver and some other valu- 
 able furs, was captured by a Turkish man-of-war. 
 On the larger ship, Capt. Standish went to Eng- 
 land to make more definite arrangements with the 
 remaining adventurers. 
 
 "After harvest this year, they sent out a boat 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 49 
 
 load of corn forty or fifty leagues to the eastward, 
 up a river called Kennebec ; it being one of those 
 two shallops which their carpenter had built for 
 them the year before. They had laid a little 
 deck over her midships to keep the corn dry, but 
 the men were fain to stand it out all weathers 
 without shelter, and that time of the year begins 
 to grow tempestuous. But God preserved them, 
 and gave them great success, for they brought 
 home 700 lbs. of beaver, besides some other furs, 
 having little or nothing else but this corn, which 
 themselves had raised out of the earth." 
 
 1626 
 
 Capt. Standish returned on a fishing vessel, and 
 in April a boat was sent to bring him home. He 
 brought news of the death of their old pastor, 
 John Robinson, and of Robert Cushman. 
 
 Fishing, of which they had expected much, had 
 been very unfortunate for the colony, so "they set 
 themselves to follow trading and planting with the 
 the best industry they could." "The planters, find- 
 ing their corn to be a commodity, used great dili- 
 gence in planting the same. And the Governor 
 and such as were designed to manage the trade 
 (for it was retained for the general good) fol- 
 lowed it to the best advantage they could." 
 
 They bought the stock of a plantation that 
 broke up at Monhigan, and the cargo of a French 
 ship that was cast away. They enlarged one of 
 their shallops, by cutting it in the middle and 
 lengthening it out, and laying a deck on her. 
 
 "But now they began to be envied, and others 
 
50 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 went and filled the Indians with corn, and beat 
 down the price, giving them twice as much as 
 they had done, and under traded them in other 
 commodities also." 
 
 "This year they sent Mr. AUerton to England, 
 and gave him order to make a composition with 
 the adventurers, upon as good terms as he could 
 (upon which some way had been made the years 
 before by Capt. Standish) ; but yet enjoined him 
 not to conclude absolutely till they knew the 
 terms." 
 
 1627 
 
 "At the usual season of the coming of ships, 
 Mr. Allerton returned and brought some useful 
 goods with him." He had also made the following 
 agreement with the adventurers : All partnership 
 between them was to cease. The Pilgrims were to 
 own all goods in the general stock at the colony, 
 and were to pay in full settlement of all claims 
 1800 pounds, at the rate of 200 pounds a year, be- 
 ginning in 1628. 
 
 "This agreement was very well liked of, and 
 approved by all the plantation, though they knew 
 not well how to raise the payment and discharge 
 their other engagements, and supply the yearly 
 wants of the plantation, seeing they were forced 
 for their necessities to take up money or goods at 
 so high an interest. Yet they undertook it, and 
 seven or eight of the chief of the place became 
 jointly bound for the payment of this 1800 
 pounds." 
 
 As there were now in the settlement a number 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 51 
 
 of people in whom they lacked confidence, a com- 
 pany was formed, consisting of the reliable mem- 
 bers of the community, who were to take over the 
 assets, and assume the liabilities. This company 
 was to have control of the trading, until obliga- 
 tions had been met. "And first accordingly the 
 few cattle which they had were divided, which 
 arose to this proportion : a cow to six persons, and 
 two goats to the same, and swine, though more in 
 number, yet by the same rule." Then they agreed 
 that every person should have twenty acres of 
 land, besides the single acres they had already. 
 
 A house was built on the Buzzards Bay Side of 
 the Cape, near where the canal now comes, and 
 a pinnace was built to be used on that side. This 
 saved a trip around the Cape, which had proved 
 a stumbling-block to trading along the coast 
 toward Connecticut. Goods could be taken by 
 boat to vdthin four or five miles of this place, and 
 then carried over land. 
 
 "They now sent Mr. Allerton again into Eng- 
 land, giving him full power to conclude the form- 
 er bargain with the adventurers. Also they sent 
 what beaver they could spare to pay some of 
 their engagements, and to defray Yds charges. 
 Also he had an order to procure a patent for a 
 fit trading place in the river of Kennebec." 
 1628 
 
 Mr. Allerton returned in the spring with a 
 supply of goods. He left things pretty well 
 straightened out in England, the colony now ow- 
 ing 1600 pounds balance of the 1800 pound debt 
 
52 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 they had assumed the year before, and 400 pounds 
 to James Shirley, John Beauchamp and Richard 
 Andrews, and between them and the colony a busi- 
 ness partnership was formed. Besides these two 
 amounts the colonists owed only a few small bills 
 in this country. 
 
 "Hitherto Mr. Allerton did them good and 
 faithful service ; and well had it been if he had so 
 continued, or else they had ceased employing him. 
 But of this more afterwards." 
 
 This year they established a trading-post on 
 the Kennebec River. They also commenced trad- 
 ing with the Dutch, from whom they first found 
 the trading value of wampum. 
 
 Three or four years before this time Capt. 
 Wollaston had started a colony near Quincy, but 
 not finding conditions as comfortable as he had 
 hoped, he with part of the company went to 
 Virginia. 
 
 The remaining colony fell into the control of 
 one Thomas Morton. "They fell to great licen- 
 tiousness, and led a dissolute life, and Morton be- 
 came lord of misrule. And after they had got some 
 goods in their hands, they spent it vainly, quaflSng 
 and drinking both wine and strong waters in 
 great excess, and, as some reported, 10 pounds 
 worth in a morning. They also set up a May-pole, 
 drinking and dancing about it many days togeth- 
 er, inviting the Indian women for their consorts." 
 They changed the name of the place to Merry- 
 mount. Morton began to sell firearms to the 
 Indians, after instructing them in their use. 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 53 
 
 This alarmed a number of the smaller and weaker 
 settlements, and they asked Plymouth to interfere. 
 Several letters were written to Morton, to which 
 he returned insolent answers, so that it was final- 
 ly resolved to send Capt. Standish, with help, to 
 take him by force. "But they found him to stand 
 stiffly in his defense, having made fast his doors, 
 armed his consorts, set powder and bullets ready ; 
 and if they had not been overarmed with drink, 
 more hurt might have been done. At length, he 
 and some of his crew came out, but not to yield, 
 but to shoot ; but they were so steeled with drink 
 as their pieces were too heavy for them. Himself 
 with a carbine, had thought to have shot Capt. 
 Standish but he stepped to him, and put by his 
 piece, and took him. Neither was there any hurt 
 done to any of either side, save that one was so 
 drunk that he ran his own nose upon the point of 
 a sword. Morton they brought to Plymouth, 
 where he was kept till a ship went for England." 
 
 1629 
 This was the year that John Endicott came over 
 with colonists for Salem, and with them came 
 thirty-five of the Leyden congregation, bound for 
 Plymouth, and strangely enough, they came in the 
 same Mayflower that had brought the Pilgrims to 
 Plymouth. The expense of this party added 550 
 pounds to the obligations of the Plymouth Colony, 
 and they had besides to support them for over 
 sixteen months before they raised a crop of their 
 own. Ralph Smith, the first minister of the 
 colony, came to Plymouth this year. 
 
54 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 1630 
 
 This was the year that John Winthrop came to 
 Boston with his colonists. With them came more 
 of the Ley den congregation to join the Plymouth 
 Colony. In the two or three years that Isaac 
 Allerton had been their agent in England, he, 
 with the English partners, had so badly handled 
 matters that the financial affairs of the colony 
 were in very bad condition. They started all 
 kinds of expensive deals, such as trading-posts 
 and fishing expeditions, which turned out disas- 
 trously. This was always against the protest of 
 the men of Plymouth, but Allerton and the Eng- 
 lish partners stood upon a power of attorney that 
 had been granted Allerton by the colony. Allerton 
 had been bringing some of the more profitable 
 goods to trade upon his own account, but a great 
 deal had been put up with, because he was the 
 son-in-law of Elder Brewster, whom all loved. 
 They "saw plainly that Mr. Allerton played his 
 own game, not only to the great wrong and detri- 
 ment of the plantation, who employed and trusted 
 him, but abused them in England also." 
 
 "It is like, though Mr. Allerton might think not 
 to wrong the plantation in the main, yet his own 
 gain led him aside; for it came to be known that 
 in the first two or three years of his employment, 
 he had cleaned up 400 pounds." 
 
 "With pity and compassion I may say with the 
 Apostle to Timothy, 'They that will be rich, fall 
 into many temptations, etc., for the love of money 
 is the ^oot of all evil.' " 
 
OF THE PILGR IMS 55 
 
 They discharged Allerton from their service, 
 and sent Edward Winslow to England to straight- 
 en affairs as well as possible. The accounts were 
 all mixed up, and it was not until the next year 
 that they could get any statement of what they 
 owed. It was then claimed to be 4,770 pounds, 
 besides 1,000 pounds remaining unpaid of the 
 1,800. "Nothwithstanding all beaver and returns 
 they had made, which were not small." Working 
 against this debt they sent over by 1636 about 
 10,000 pounds worth of beaver, besides other 
 skins, but charges and interest had been so piled 
 up against them that the English partners still 
 held them in debt, and it was not until 1645 that 
 they made their final settlements and freed them- 
 selves from all these obligations. 
 
 "This year John Billington, the elder, was 
 arraigned, and both by grand and petit jury 
 found guilty of wilful murder, and was for the 
 same accordingly executed." 
 
 1633 
 
 Edward Winslow was chosen Governor. "Mr. 
 Roger Williams (a man Godly and zealous but 
 very unsettled in judgment) came over first to 
 Massachusetts, but upon some discontent left that 
 place, and came hither, and after some time was 
 admitted a member of the church, and his teach- 
 ing was well approved. He this year began to 
 fall into some strange opinions, and from opinions 
 to practice; which caused some controversy be- 
 tween the church and him, and in the end some 
 
56 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 discontent on his part, whereof he left them 
 abruptly." 
 
 This year they established a trading-post on 
 the Connecticut River. 
 
 "It pleased the Lord to visit them this year 
 with an infectious fever, of which many fell very 
 sick, and upward of twenty persons died, and in 
 the end (after he had much helped others) Sam- 
 uel Fuller, who was their physician." ' 
 
 In 1640 the boundary-line between the Plym- 
 outh Colony and the Massachusetts Colony was 
 agreed upon, and in 1643 the first confederation 
 between the governments of Plymouth, Massa- 
 chusetts, Connecticut and New Haven was 
 formed. 
 
 Finding the land at Plymouth not particularly 
 fertile the colonists spread out, starting various 
 settlements on the Cape, and to the north as far 
 as Scituate on the boundary-line. And thus we 
 will leave them, surrounded by self-supporting 
 and permanent colonies, their work as pioneers 
 done, their debts all paid, and having earned thfc 
 gratitude and admiration of succeeding genera- 
 tions. 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 57 
 
 ALPHABETICAL LIST OF PASSENGERS ON THE 
 MAYFLOWER 
 
 John Alden. Became one of the prominent men. Came 
 from England as a cooper, married Priscilla Mullins, 
 had eleven children, and died in Duxbury in 1687 at 
 the age of 87. 
 
 Isaac AUerton. One of the Leyden congregation, and a 
 prominent man in the Colony, assistant Governor and 
 agent to England. After his wife's death, married a 
 daughter of Elder Brewster, and died in New Haven in 
 1659. 
 
 Mrs. Mary AUerton. His wife. Died the first winter. 
 
 Bartholomew AUerton. His son. Returned to England. 
 
 Mary AUerton. A daughter. Married Elder Thos. Cushman, 
 Robert Cushman's son, and had four children. She 
 was the last survivor of those who left England in the 
 "Mayflower," and died in 1699 in Plymouth. 
 
 Remember AUerton. Went to Salem, and died there in 
 1652. 
 
 John AUerton. (Or Alderton). Probably not related to 
 above, was hired in England as a sailor, and died the 
 first winter. 
 
 John BilUngton. Came from London. Was hung for mur- 
 der in 1630. 
 
 Mrs. EUen BiUington. Married again and died in 1650. 
 
 John BUUngton. His son. Died before 1630. 
 
 Francis BiUingrton. A son. Married and had eight children, 
 and died in Yarmouth in 1650. 
 
 WUUam Bradford. Was one of the original congregation at 
 Scrooby. He was Governor from April, 1621, until his 
 death in 1657, at the age of 69, every year excepting 
 1633, 1634, 1636, 1638 and 1644. A few years after his 
 first wife's death he married Alice Southworth and had 
 four children. 
 
 Mrs. Dorothy Bradford. Drowned in Provincetown Harbor 
 December, 1620. 
 
58 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 William Brewster. One of the founders of the Scrooby 
 
 congregation, was the Elder of the Pilgrim Church until 
 
 his death in 1643, at the age of 80. 
 Mrs. Mary Brewster. Died before 1627. 
 Love Brewster. A son. Died in 1650, leaving 10 children. 
 Wrasling' Brewster. A son. Died a young man. 
 Richard Britterig-e. Died the first winter. 
 Peter Browne. Married twice, and had two children by 
 
 each wife. Died in 1633. 
 William Butten. The servant of Samuel Puller. Died at sea. 
 Robert Carter. A servant of William Mullins. Died the 
 
 first winter. 
 John Carver. One of the Leyden congregation who was 
 
 employed as their agent in England. Was the first 
 
 Governor of the colony until his death in April, 1621. 
 Mrs. Katherine Carver. His wife. Died the first summer. 
 Richard Clarke. Died the first winter. 
 James Chilton. Died the first winter. 
 Mrs. James Chilton. Died the first winter. 
 Mary Chilton. Married John Winslow, a brother of Edward. 
 
 They had ten children and she died in Boston in 1679. 
 Francis Cooke. Died in Plymouth in 1683. 
 John Cooke. His son, lived till 1698. Next to Mary Allerton, 
 
 the last survivor of the "Mayfiower" passengers. 
 Humility Cooper. A child who cam.e over with Edward 
 
 Tilley, and was sent back to England. 
 John Crakston. Died the first winter. 
 John Crakston. His son. Lost himself in the woods and 
 
 died from the exposure in 1628. 
 Edward Dotey. Married and had seven children. Died in 
 
 Yarmouth in 1655. 
 Francis Eaton. Married twice after the death of his first 
 
 wife and by the third wife had three children. 
 Mrs. Sarah Eaton. Died the first winter. 
 Samuel Eaton. A baby. Married and had a child. Died in 
 Middleboro in 1684. 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 59 
 
 Ely. Hired to remain in the colony a year as a 
 
 seaman. Returned to England when time was up. 
 
 rhomas English. Died the first winter. 
 
 Moses Fletcher. Died the first winter. 
 
 Edward Fuller. Died the first year. 
 
 Mrs. Edward Fuller. Died the first year. 
 
 Samuel Fuller. Their son. Married and had four children. 
 Died in Barnstable in 1683. 
 
 Samuel Fuller. He was the doctor of the colony. One of 
 the Leyden congregation. His wife came over later, 
 and they had two children. He died in 1633. 
 
 Richard Gardiner. He became a seaman, and left the 
 colony. Died elsewhere. 
 
 John Goodman. Died the first winter. 
 
 Williiam Holbeck. Died the first winter. 
 
 John Hooka. A servant boy. Joined the party in England. 
 Died the first winter. 
 
 Steven Hopkins. Joined the party in England. One of the 
 leading men. Had five children. Died in 1644. 
 
 Mrs. Elizabeth Hopkins. His wife. Died sometime after 
 1640. 
 
 Constanta Hopkins. A daughter. Married and had twelve 
 children. Died at Eastham in 1677. 
 
 Damaris Hopkins. A daughter. Married. Died in Plymouth 
 between 1666 and 1669. 
 
 Giles Hopkins. A son. Married and had four children. 
 Died in Yarmouth, 1690. 
 
 John Howland. One of the Leyden congregation. Served 
 at times as assistant to the Governor. Married Eliza- 
 beth Tilley, and had ten children. Died in Plymouth, 
 1673. 
 
 John Langremore. Died the first winter. 
 
 William Latham. A boy. Remained here about twenty 
 years. Returned to England, thence to Bahamas, where 
 he starved. 
 
 Edward Lister. Went to Virginia. 
 
 Edmund Margeson. Died the first winter. 
 
 Christooher Martin. A religious sympathizer living in Eng- 
 land, who was instrumental in arranging the voyage. 
 Died the first winter. 
 
60 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 Mrs. Christopher Martin. Died the first winter. 
 
 Desire Minter. A girl who came with the Carver family, 
 
 but returned to England. 
 Ellen Mare. A little girl. Died the first winter. 
 Jasper More. A child. Died in Provincetown Harbor. 
 Richard More. A boy. Married and had four children. 
 Died in Scituate, 1656. 
 
 More. His brother. Died the first winter. 
 
 William Mullins. Died the first winter. 
 
 Mrs. William Mullins. Died the first winter. 
 
 Prlscilla Mullins. Married John Alden. Died after 1650. 
 
 Joseph Mullins. A son. Died the first winter. 
 
 Digory Priest. Probably one of the Leyden congregation. 
 
 Died the first winter. 
 Solomon Prower. Died the first winter. 
 John Rig-dale. Died the first winter. 
 Mrs. Alice Rigdale. His wife. Died the first winter. 
 Thomas Rogers. Died the first winter. 
 Joseph Rogers. His son. Married and had six children. 
 
 Died in Eastham, 1678. 
 Henry Sampson. A child. Married and had seven children. 
 
 Died in Duxbury, 1684. 
 George Soule. Married and had eight children. Died in 
 
 Duxbury, 1680. 
 Myles Standish. Joined the Pilgrims at Leyden. Was a 
 professional soldier and came in charge of military af- 
 fairs. Two years after death of first wife married again 
 and had numerous children, of whom four lived to 
 maturity. Died in Duxbury, 1656. 
 Mrs. Rose Standish. Died the first winter. 
 Elias Story. Died the first winter. 
 Edward Thompson. Died in Provincetown Harbor. 
 Edward Tilley. One of the Leyden congregation. Died the 
 
 first winter. 
 Mrs. Ann Tilley. Died the first winter. 
 John Tilley. One of the Leyden congregation. Died the 
 
 first winter. 
 Mrs. John Tilley. Died the first winter. 
 
______ OF THE PILGRIMS 61 
 
 Elizabeth TUley. Daughter of John Tilley. Married John 
 
 Howland. Died in 1687. 
 Thomas Tinker. Died the first winter. 
 Mrs. Thomas Tinker. Died the first winter. 
 
 Tinker. A son. Died the first winter. 
 
 William Trevor. Hired as seaman for a year. Returned 
 
 to England when time was up. 
 John Turner. Died the first winter. 
 
 Turner. A son. Died the first winter. 
 
 Turner. A son. Died the first winter. 
 
 William White. One of the Leyden congregation. Died the 
 first winter. 
 
 Mrs. Susannah White. Married Edward Winslow. Died in 
 Marshfield, 1680. 
 
 Resolved White. A son, married and had five children. 
 Died in Salem after 1680. 
 
 Richard Warren. Joined the party in England, one of the 
 leading men. His wife came over later and they had 
 two children. He died in 1628. 
 
 Roger Wilder. Died the first winter. 
 
 Thomas WiUiams. Died the first winter. 
 
 Edward Winslow. Joined the Pilgrims in Leyden and was 
 prominent throughout the formation of the colony. 
 Went as agent back to England in 1623, 1624 and 
 several times later. He was Governor in 1633, 1636 and 
 1644. He did not return to New England after 1646, 
 but entered the service of Cromwell, and died in 1655 on 
 a trip to the West Indies. After his first wife died 
 he married Susannah White and left two living chil- 
 dren. 
 
 Mrs. Elizabeth Winslow. His wife. Died the first winter. 
 
 Gilbert Winslow. His brother. Stayed here a number of 
 years and then returned to England. 
 
 A maidservant of John Carver. Married here, but died in 
 a year or two. 
 
 Bom on the Voyagre 
 
 Oceanus Hopkins. Born at sea. Died in 1621. 
 
 Peregrine White. Born at Provincetown. Married and had 
 two children. Died in 1704. 
 
62 
 
 A BRIEF HISTORY 
 
 LIST OF PASSENGERS ON THE "FORTUNE," 
 "ANNE" AND "LITTLE JAMES" 
 Fortune 
 
 THE 
 
 John Adams 
 William Basset 
 William Beale 
 Edward Bumpus 
 Jonathan Brewster 
 Clement Briggs 
 John Carmon 
 William Conner 
 Robert Cushman 
 Thomas Cushman 
 Stephan Dean 
 Philip De le Noye 
 Thomas Flavell 
 Widow Ford 
 
 Robert Hicks 
 William Hilton 
 Bennet Morgan 
 Thomas Morton 
 Austin Nicolas 
 William Palmer 
 William Pit 
 Thomas Prince 
 Moses Simonson 
 Hugh Statie 
 James Steward 
 William Tench 
 John Winslow 
 William Wright 
 
 Anne and 
 
 Anthony Annable 
 Jane Annable 
 Sarah Annable 
 Hannah Annable 
 Edward Bangs 
 Robert Bartlett 
 Pear Brewster 
 Patience Brewster 
 Mary Buckett 
 Edward Burcher 
 Mrs. Burcher 
 Thomas Clarke 
 Christopher Conant 
 Hester Cooke 
 Cuthbert Cuthbertson, 
 wife and four children 
 
 Little James 
 
 Anthony Dix 
 John Paunce 
 Goodwife Flavell 
 Edmund Flood 
 Bridget F\iller 
 Timothy Hatherly 
 William Heard 
 Margaret Hicks, 
 
 three children 
 Mrs. William Hilton 
 William Hilton, Jr. 
 Edward Holeman 
 John Jenney, 
 
 wife and three children 
 Robert Long 
 Experience Mitchell 
 
OF THE PILGRIMS 
 
 63 
 
 George Morton 
 Patience Morton 
 Nathaniel Morton 
 John Morton 
 Sarah Morton 
 Ephraim Morton 
 George Morton, Jr. 
 Thomas Morton, Jr. 
 Ellen Newton 
 John Oldham 
 Francis Palmer 
 Christian Penn 
 Joshua I^att 
 James Rand 
 Robert RatclifEe and 
 wife 
 
 Nicholas Snow 
 Alice Southworth 
 Francis Sprague, 
 
 wife and child 
 Barbara Standish 
 Thomas Tilden 
 Stephen Tracey and 
 
 wife 
 Sarah Tracey 
 Ralph Wallen and wife 
 Elizabeth Warren 
 Mary Warren 
 Ann Warren 
 Sarah Warren 
 Elizabeth Warren 
 Abigail Warren 
 
Cornell University Library 
 F 68 B85 
 
 Brief history of the Pilarims / compiled 
 
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