Religion

VI. THE TESTING TIME

Extracts from Bradford’s History of the Plymouth Plantation

Being thus arived in a good harbor, and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them over the vast, and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the periles, and miseries therof againe to set their feete on the firme and stable earth, their proper elemente. And no marvell if they were thus Joyefull, seeing wise Seneca was so affected with sailing a few miles on the coast of his owne Italy; as he affirmed, that he had rather remaine twentie years on his way by land, then pass by sea to any place in a short time; so tedious, and dread-full was the same unto him.

But hear I cannot but stay, and make a pause, and stand half amased at this poore peoples presente condition; and so I thinke will the reader too, when he well considers the same. Being thus passed the vast ocean, and a sea of troubles before in their preparation (as may be remembred by that which wente before) they had now no freinds to wellcome them, nor inns to entertaine, or refresh their weatherbeaten bodys, no houses, or much less townes to repaire too, to seeke for succoure. It is recorded in scripture as a mercie to the apostle and his shipwraked company, that the barbarians shewed them no smale kindnes in refreshing them, but these savage barbarians, when they mette with them (as after will appeare) were readier to fill their sids full of arrows then otherwise. And for the season it was winter, and they that know the winters of that cuntrie, know them to be sharp and violent, and subjecte to cruell and feirce stormes, deangerous to travill to known places, much more to serch an unknown coast. Besids what could they see, but a hidious and desolate wildernes, full of wild beasts, and willd men, and what multituds ther might be of them they knew not. Neither could they (as it were) goe up to the tope of Pisgah, to vew from this will-dernes, a more goodly cuntrie to feed their hops; for which way so ever they turned their eys (save upward to the heavens) they could have litle solace or content in respecte of any outward objects. For sumer being done, all things stand upon them with a wetherbeaten face; and the whole countrie full of woods and thickets represented a wild and savage heiw. If they looked behind them, ther was the mighty ocean which they had passed, and was now as a maine barr and goulfe to seperate them from all the civill parts of the world. If it be said they had a ship to sucour them, it is trew; but what heard they daly from the m^r and company? but that with speede they should looke out a place with their shallop wher they would be, at some near distance; for the season was shuch, as he would not stirr from thence, till a safe harbor was discovered by them wher they would be, and he might goe without danger; and that victells consumed apace, but he must and would keepe sufficient for them selves, and their returne. Yea it was muttered by some, that if they gott not a place in time, they would turne them, and their goods a shore, and leave them. Let it be also considred what weake hopes of supply and succoure they left behinde them, that might bear up their minds in this sade condition and trialls they were under; and they could not but be very smale. It is true indeed, the affections and love of their brethren at Leyden was cordiall and entire towards them, but they had litle power to help them, or them selves; and how the case stode between them, and the marchants at their coming away, hath allready been declared. What could now sustaine them, but the spirite of God and his grace? May not, and ought not the children of these fathers rightly say: our fathers were English men which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this willderness; but they cried unto the Lord, and he heard their voyce, and looked on their aduersitie, etc. Let them therfore praise the Lord, because he is good and his mercies endure for ever. Yea, let them which have been redeemed of the Lord shew how he hath delivered them from the hand of the oppressour. When they wandered in the deser??e willdernes out of the way, and found no citie to dwell in, both hungrie, and thirstie, their sowle was overwhelmed in them. Let them confess before the Lord his loving kindnes, and his wonderfull works before the sons of men.

. . . After this they chose, or rather confirmed, Mr John Carver (a man godly and well approved amongst them) their Governour for that year. And after they had provided a place for their goods, or comone store, (which were long in unlading for want of boats, foulnes of the winter weather, and sickenes of diverce,) and begune some small cottages for their habitation as time would admitte, they mette and consulted of lawes, and orders, both for the civil and military Govermente, as the necessitie of their condition did require, still adding therunto as urgent occasion in severall times and as cases did require.

In these hard and difficulte beginnings they found some discontents and murmurings arise amongst some, and mutinous speeches and carriags in other; but they were soone quelled, and overcome by the wisdome, patience, and just and equall carrage of things, by the Gov^r and better part, which clave faithfully togeather in the maine. But that which was most sadd, and lamentable was, that in .2. or.3. moneths time halfe of their company dyed, espetialy in Jan: and February, being the depth of winter, and wanting houses and other comforts; being infected with the scurvie and other diseases, which this long vioage and their inacomodate condition had brought upon them; so as ther dyed some times 2. or 3. of a day, in the foresaid time; that of .100. and odd persons, scarce .50. remained. And of these in the time of most distres ther was but 6. or 7. sound persons, who, to their great comendations, be it spoken, spared no pains, night nor day, but with abundance of toyle and hazard of their owne health, fetched them wood, made them fires, drest them meat, made their beads, washed ther lothsome cloaths, cloathed and uncloathed them. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

May 12. was the first mariage in this place, which according to the laudable custome of the Low-Cuntries, in which they had lived, was thought most requisite to be performed by the magestrate as being a civill thing, upon which many questions aboute inheritances doe depende, with other things most proper to their cogaizans, and most consonante to the Scripturs. Ruth. 4, and nowher found in the gospell to be layed on the ministers as a part of their office. "This decree or law about mariage was published by the Stats of the Low-Cuntries An⁰: 1590. That those of any religion, after lawfull and open publication, coming before the magistrats, in the Town or Stat-house, were to be orderly (by them) maried one to another." Petets Hist. fol: 1029. And this practiss hath continued amongst, not only them, but hath been followed by all the famous churches of Christ in these parts to this time.—An⁰: 1646. . . .

After the departure of this ship, (which stayed not above 14. days,) the Gove^r and his assistante haveing disposed these late commers into severall families, as they best could, tooke an exacte accounte of all their provissions in store, and proportioned the same to the number of persons, and found that it would not hould out above 6. months at halfe alowance, and hardly that. And they could not well give less this winter time till fish came in againe. So they were presently put to half alowance, one as well as an other, which begane to be hard, but they bore it patiently under hope of supply. . . .

But this made them the more carefully to looke to them selves, so as they agreed to inclose their dwellings with a good strong pale, and make flankers in convenient places, with gates to shute, which were every night locked, and a watch kept and when neede required ther was also warding in the day time. And the company was by the Captaine and the Gov^r advise, devided into 4. squadrons, and every one had ther quarter apoynted them, unto which they were to repaire upon any suddane alarme. And if ther should be any crie of fire, a company were appointed for a gard, with muskets, whilst others quenchet the same, to prevent Indean treachery. This was accomplished very cherfully, and the towne impayled round by the begining of March, in which evry family had a prety garden plote secured. And herewith I shall end this year. Only I shall remember one passage more, rather of mirth then of waight. One the day called Chrismasday, the Gov^r caled them out to worke, (as was used) but the most of this new-company excused them selves and said it wente against their consciences to work on that day. So the Gov^r tould them that if they made it mater 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 noone from their worke, he found them in the streete at play openly; some pitching the barr, and some at stoole-ball, and shuch like sports. So he went to them, and tooke away their implements, and tould them that was against his conscience, that they should play and others worke. If they made the keeping of it mater of devotion, let them kepe their houses, but ther should be no gameing, or revelling in the streets. Since which time nothing hath been atempted that way, at least openly. . . .

All this whille no supply was heard of, neither knew they when they might expecte any. So they begane to thinke how they might raise as much corne as they could, and obtaine a beter crope then they had done, that they might not still thus languish in miserie. At length, after much debate of things, the Gov^r (with the advise of the cheefest amongest them) gave way that they should set corne every man for his owne perticuler, and in that regard trust to them selves; in all other things to goe on in the generall way as before. And so assigned to every family a parcell of land, according to the proportion of their number for that end, only for present use (but made no devission for inheritance), and ranged all boys and youth under some familie. This had very good success; for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corne was planted then other waise would have bene by any means the Gov^r or any other could use, and saved him a great deall of trouble, and gave farr better contente. The women now wente willingly into the feild, and tooke their litle-ons with them to set corne, which before would aledg weaknes and inabilitie; whom to have compelled would have bene thought great tiranie, and oppression. . . .

Text—Bradford: History of the Plymouth Plantation, Davis edition, pp. 95–97, 107–108, 116–117, 125–127, 146.