William Bradford's Life and Influence Have Been Chronicled by Many. As the Co-Author of Mourt's Relation, the Author of of Plymo
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William Bradford's life and influence have been chronicled by many. As the co-author of Mourt's Relation, the author of Of Plymouth Plantation, and the long-term governor of Plymouth Colony, his documented activities are vast in scope. The success of the Plymouth Colony is largely due to his remarkable ability to manage men and affairs. The information presented here will not attempt to recreate all of his activities. Instead, we will present: a portion of the biography of William Bradford written by Cotton Mather and originally published in 1702, a further reading list, selected texts which may not be usually found in other publications, and information about items related to William Bradford which may be found in Pilgrim Hall Museum. Cotton Mather's Life of William Bradford (originally published 1702) "Among those devout people was our William Bradford, who was born Anno 1588 in an obscure village called Ansterfield... he had a comfortable inheritance left him of his honest parents, who died while he was yet a child, and cast him on the education, first of his grand parents, and then of his uncles, who devoted him, like his ancestors, unto the affairs of husbandry. Soon a long sickness kept him, as he would afterwards thankfully say, from the vanities of youth, and made him the fitter for what he was afterwards to undergo. When he was about a dozen years old, the reading of the Scripture began to cause great impressions upon him; and those impressions were much assisted and improved, when he came to enjoy Mr. Richard Clifton's illuminating ministry... "...he set himself by reading, by discourse, by prayer, to learn whether it was not his duty to withdraw from the communion of the parish-assemblies, and engage with some society of the faithful, that should keep close unto the written word of God, as the rule of their worship. And after many distresses of mind concerning it, he took up a very deliberate and understanding resolution, of doing so..." For the complete text of the Life of William Bradford, from Cotton Mather's Magnalia Christi Americana: or, the Ecclesiastical History of New-England, click HERE Selected Reading List PRIMARY SOURCES Bradford, William. Of Plymouth Plantation. Samuel Eliot Morison, Editor. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1991.Heath, Dwight B., ed. Mourt's Relation: A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. Chester, Conn.: Applewood Books, 1963. James, Sydney V., ed. Three Visitors to Early Plymouth. Plymouth, Mass.: Plimoth Plantation, 1963. BIOGRAPHIES OF WILLIAM BRADFORD Dolby, Malcolm. William Bradford of Austerfield: his life and work. Doncaster, England: Doncaster Library and Information Services, 1991. Plumb, Albert H. William Bradford of Plymouth. Boston: Richard G. Badger, 1920. Westbrook, Perry D. William Bradford. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1978. WILLIAM BRADFORD AS A WRITER Gay, Peter. A loss of mastery: Puritan historians in colonial America. Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press, 1966. Meyer, Isidore S., ed. The Hebrew Exercises of Governor William Bradford. Plymouth, Mass.: The Pilgrim Society, 1973. Sargent, Mark L. "William Bradford's `Dialogue' with history." New England Quarterly 65:389-421. Wish, Harvey. The American historian: a social-intellectual history of the writing of the American past. New York: Oxford University Press, 1960. William Bradford in Holland From the Leyden Archives: "Katfort [Bradford], William, Fustian-worker of Austerfield in England. betr[othed]. 15 Nov. 1613 to Dorethea May of Wisbech in England, Did not appear themselves but attestation delivered on their behalf. "Braetfort, Willem, of Austerfield, Fustian-worker, aged 23 years, living in Leiden, where the banns were read upon him, declared he had no parents, on the one side, and Dorethea Mayer [May] of Wisbech in England, 16 years, living for 5 years on the Nieuwendijk, acc[ompanied]. by Herry Mayr [May] on the other side, etc." Johanna W. Tammel, The Pilgrims and other people from the Bitish Isles in Leiden 1576-1640 (Isle of Man: Mansk-Svenska Publishing Co., Ltd., 1989), p. 57. From the Amsterdam Archives: "Appeared as before William Bradford from Austerfield, fustianworker, aged 23 years, dwelling in Leyden, where the banns are imposed upon him, declared to have no parents, on the one side, and Dorothy May, aged 16 years, from Wisbech in England, 5 years dwelling on the Niewendyk, assisted by Henry May, on the other side - and declared that they were betrothed and bound to each other with faith, asking their three Sunday proclamations, in order to sollemnize after them the aforesaid faith and to carry out in all, as far as else no lawful hindrance may happen. And because they in truth declared that they were free persons and were not related to each other in blood - by which a Christian marriage might be hindered, the Banns have been permitted to them. William Bradford Dorothy May." Leyden documents relating to the Pilgrim Fathers (Leyden, The Netherlands: E. J. Brill Ltd., 1920), p. LXX. From the Leyden Archives: "Willem Bradfort Englishman, guar[anteed]. as Cit[i]z[en]. by Rogier Wiltzen [Wilson] and Willem Lisle. 30 March 1612. ... "Crallens, Henrick (Henry Cullandt) of England, Bombasine-worker, living in Amsterdam, widr. of Margriete Grimsdeys, acc. by Eduwaert (Edward Southworth) and Willem Bredford (William Bradford) his acq. betr. I Nov. 1613, mar. 20 Nov. 1613 to Dorethea Pettinger of Moortel in England, acc. by Elyzabeth Pettinger her sister and Anna Ras her acq. ... "Pantes, Willem of England, Fustian-worker, living in the Marendorp near Douveren, acc. by Willam Bruyster (William Brewster), Rogier Wilson and Eduaert Sutwaert (Edward Southworth) his acq. betr. 13 Nov. 1610, mar. 4 Dec. 1610 to Wybre Hanson of England, acc. by Janneken Wit, Anne Foller and Mary Botlaer her acq." Johanna W. Tammel, The Pilgrims and other people from the British Isles in Leiden 1576-1640 (Isle of Man: Mansk-Svenska Publishing Co., Ltd., 1989), p. 57, 163, 203. William Bradford: Mayflower passenger "The names of those which came over first, in the year 1620, and were by the blessing of God the first beginners and in a sort the foundation of all the Plantations and Colonies in New England; and their families... "William Bradford and Dorothy his wife, having but one child, a son left behind who came afterward." William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647, ed. Samuel Eliot Morison (New York: Knopf, 1991), p. 441. William Bradford: Signer of the Mayflower Compact "I shall ... begin with a combination made by them before they came ashore ; being the first foundation of their government in this place. Occasioned partly by the discontented and mutinous speeches that some of the strangers amongst them had let fall from them in the ship: That when they came ashore they would use their own liberty, for none had power to command them, the patent they had being for Virginia and not for New England... And partly that such an act by them done, this their condition considered, might be as firm as any patent, and in some respects more sure. "The form was as followeth: IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc. Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honour 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 Offices, 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, France and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini 1620." William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647, ed. Samuel Eliot Morison (New York: Knopf, 1991), p. 75-76. William Bradford and the Early Exploration of Plymouth "Monday, the 13th of November [1620]. We unshipped our shallop, and drew her on land, to mend and repair her, having been forced to cut her down in bestowing her betwixt the decks, and she was much opened with the people's lying in her; which kept us long there, for it was sixteen or seventeen days before the carpenter had finished her. Our people went on shore to refresh themselves, and our women to wash, as they had great need. But whilst we lay thus still, hoping our shallop would be ready in five or six days at the furthest, (but our carpenter made slow work of it, so that) some of our people, impatient of delay, desired for our better furtherance to travel by land unto the country... The willingness of the persons was liked, but the thing itself, in regard to the danger, was rather permitted than approved; and so with cautions, directions, and instructions, sixteen men were set out, with every man his musket, sword, and corselet, under the conduct of Captain Miles Standish, unto whom was adjoined, for counsel and advice, William Bradford, Stephen Hopkins, and Edward Tilley... [This is followed by an account of several days exploration.] "As we wandered we came to a tree, where a young spirit [sapling] was bowed down over a bow, and some acorns strewed underneath.