Of Plymouth Plantation

Summary

William Bradford’s Of Plimoth Plantation is the principal narrative history of the Plymouth colony, written by its long-serving governor in the plain style he promised at the outset, “with singuler regard unto y^e simple trueth in all things.” The hosted text follows the 1898 official edition of the manuscript, printed at Boston by Wright and Potter for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and now circulated as Project Gutenberg ebook 24950. The spelling is Bradford’s own, not a modernization: y^e, togeather, civill body politick. Students should expect that difficulty and should be taught to read slowly, not to treat the spelling as a defect. The history begins in England and in Holland, with the Scrooby congregation’s decision to leave rather than conform. When they left Leyden, Bradford says, “they knew they were pilgrimes,” and lifted their eyes to heaven, “their dearest cuntrie.” After the crossing of 1620, the company covenanted, “solemnly & mutualy in y^e presence of God, and one of another,” to combine themselves “into a civill body politick.” That compact should be read beside the library’s Mayflower Compact page, which presents the same agreement in a modernized form. The first winter is told without decoration. In two or three months, Bradford writes, half the company died, “espetialy in Jan: & February,” so that “of 100. & odd persons, scarce 50. remained.” Later he records that “the living were scarce able to burie the dead.” Into that weakness came Tisquantum, whom Bradford calls Squanto, “a spetiall instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation,” who taught them where to set corn and take fish, and who remained until he died. Bradford also records the peace made with Massasoyt, the Wampanoag sachem, “which hath now continued this 24. years,” and he lists its terms: neither side is to injure the other; offenders are to be sent for punishment; takings are to be restored; each will aid the other if unjustly attacked; confederates are to be told of the peace; and men coming to the settlement are to leave their bows and arrows behind. The history does not pretend that later years were only a feast. It should be read with Mourt’s Relation for the harvest gathering of 1621, and with Edward Winslow’s Good Newes from New England for later friendship, suspicion, illness, and conflict. Bradford’s own later meditation is modest: “of so small beginings so great things should insue,” and “as one small candle may light a thousand, so y^e light here kindled hath shone to many.”

Top Lessons

• Read the spelling as the author’s voice

  The 1898 official text keeps Bradford’s own spelling. Students should learn to hear y^e and togeather rather than treat them as errors to be silently modernized.

• The peace has terms

  Bradford does not only say that the English and Massasoyt were friends. He lists six conditions, including mutual aid and the leaving of bows and arrows. Accurate reading begins with those terms.

• Providence and loss together

  Bradford can call Squanto a special instrument of God and, in the same history, say that the living were scarce able to bury the dead. Neither sentence should cancel the other.

Verified Quotes

Medical Lens

Bradford’s account of the first winter is a primary description of mass death from scurvy and other diseases after a long voyage, in want of houses and comforts. It should be read as history, not as a medical diagnosis.

• The first winter, 1620–1621

  Bradford writes that in two or three months half the company died, especially in January and February, being infected with the scurvy and other diseases, so that of a hundred and odd persons scarce fifty remained.