Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647 by William Bradford

Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647

William Bradford

Published

Early American non-fiction

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Of Plymouth Plantation is an account of the trials and tribulations endured by the Separatists (Christians who wanted to separate from the Church of England) during their first twenty-seven years in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  It was written by William Bradford, governor to the first group of Pilgrims who left their homes in England to make a new life in America, in 1620. 

Bradford recounts painful stories of heartbreak, disappointment, and discouragement that would cause any well-grounded individual to give up and return to England.  But these Christians were perseverant and trusted in God's infinite mercy and grace. Those who survived the first few years served as encouragement to those remaining in England to come to America and practice religious freedom.  

According to Bradford, the Pilgrims began their trials with several setbacks, even before the long and treacherous journey across the Atlantic.  In addition, these God-fearing people were traveling with sailors and other "lusty" men, whom they called Adventurers, traveling to America for personal gain.

After landing miles from their calculated target, the majority of Pilgrims remained aboard the Mayflower for several months, while others scouted the area daily for food and a place to build shelter.  But the winter was harsh; of the 102 passengers, about 50 died within three months due to illness, starvation, lack of supplies, and the elements. 

Encounters with Indians were frequent; some were not pleased with the arrival of the English, while others were a blessing - such as Squanto, Samoset and Massasoit, who were familiar with the English language.  They showed the Pilgrims where to fish and how to grow successful crops; the seeds the Pilgrims brought from England did not do well in the new climate.  

After the first arduous winter passed, summer was plentiful, and their small harvests were a blessing. Hence, the Pilgrims declared the first day of Thanksgiving in the New World.  Even Massasoit, and at least 90 of his tribe, joined in the feasting, hunting, and games for three days.

Once the Mayflower returned to England, then another ship arrived in America with more Puritans, private (non-religious) citizens, and supplies.  Year after year, the English came to America; they grew, expanded, and spread out, founding Massachusetts Bay Colony, Boston, and many other colonies. 

But it was not without suffering.  

There were disputes with the Dutch and French, who were trapping beaver in New England.  And there was friction with some Indian tribes.  Bradford described the events leading up to the Pequot War and how the Puritans were pulled into the conflict, which was instigated, in part, by one tribe's jealousy of another tribe's relationship with the English colonists.

There were disagreements about how to set up the economy, apply justice, choose pastors, bless marriages, perform baptisms, divide the land, and how to live with the ungodly Adventurers and Indians. 

There was an abundance of sin in the New World, such as theft and murder, which had to be met with justice.  But the worst of it, Bradford explains, was the sexual immorality: adultery, fornication, sodomy, the rape of two little girls, and even bestiality. The trial for the latter offense ended not only in the execution of the sinner but the animals involved. Like the reader, Bradford was beside himself.

Bradford asks,

But it may be demanded how came it to pass that so many wicked persons and profane people should so quickly come over into this land and mix themselves amongst them?  Seeing it was religious men that began the work and they came for religion's sake?

He responds thus: "...where the Lord begins to sow good seed, there the envious man will endeavour to sow tares."

Yet, Bradford praised the Lord for His watchfulness of the Pilgrims, even with their many "crosses, troubles, fears, wants and sorrows." 

What was it then that upheld them?  It was God's visitation that preserved their spirits, Job x 12.

God,...would have all men to behold and observe such mercies and works of His providence as these are towards His people, that they in like cases might be encouraged to depend upon God in their trials, and also to bless His name when they see His goodness towards others.  Man lives not by bread only, Deut. viii 3.

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Reading Of Plymouth Plantation has spurred a personal interest to read more about the Separatists or Puritans in America. In fact, I have three little books sitting on my bookshelf right now that may come in handy.  

This first book, Mourt's Relation, is considered the first published account of the coming of the Pilgrims to settle Plymouth Plantation and was printed in 1622.

This next book, The Puritan Dilemma, deals with the conflict the Puritans faced in the New World: "the problem of doing right in a world that does wrong."  It is the story of John Winthrop, and English lawyer who helped settle the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Finally, in Visible Saints, author Edmund Morgan seeks to prove that it wasn't until the Puritans settled in Plymouth that their true characteristic as saints was tested and developed; and he examines the influence of the Separatists on other settlements in New England that followed Plymouth.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Analysis: Of Plymouth Plantation, by William Bradford

Now that I have reviewed Of Plymouth Plantation, it is time to answer the analysis questions from Fanda's History Challenge:

Who is this story about?

This story is about the English Pilgrims and their pursuit of religious freedom.  The Pilgrims were also called Puritans because they wanted to worship purely; some only wanted to reform the Church of England, but the Separatists preferred to pull away from the Church completely and begin anew somewhere else. This story is about the Separatists' religious struggles in England and Holland, and finally of their sacrifices in America, where they eventually settled. 

What challenges did this hero face?
The short answer is: too many to list here; but a longer answer would include Godless men, nature, hunger, illness, hostility, selfishness, greed, immorality, strife, laziness, and death.

Who or what causes this challenge?
Language barriers or bad experiences caused challenges from some native tribes with the Europeans trapping (for furs) in America.  The native people were concerned about losing their land and resources.

Challenges caused by nature, like weather, climate, and illness, were completely out of their hands. Lack of food was caused by the inability to keep food supplies on long trips, and after arriving in America, being unable to find food; in desperation, the Pilgrims took some Indian corn that was buried, with every intention to repay later, which they did.

And crimes, conflict, and immorality were caused by sinfulness.  Even men who were thought to be of the church turned out to be liars and caused strife in America and England.  Plus, Bradford claimed that servants, who worked in the homes of the Pilgrims, brought their sinful behaviors to America, corrupting others.

What does it mean to be human?
It is important to recognize the courage, bravery, perseverance, and faithfulness of these religious people who sacrificed their homes and possessions for a new life in a relatively unknown land (in a new continent) for the sake of focusing on God rightly and purely. As I read through their many trials facing them, I felt as if God was surely against them; but when I arrived at the very end of the history, Bradford addresses this very issue. 

Why would anyone go through this?  Bradford wants others to know that God was with them.  He wants others to know of God's goodness and mercy, and that they, too, can rely on God in times of personal conflict. 

What was it then that upheld them?  It was God's visitation that preserved their spirits, Job x 12.

God,...would have all men to behold and observe such mercies and works of His providence as these are towards His people, that they in like cases might be encouraged to depend upon God in their trials, and also to bless His name when they see His goodness towards others.  Man lives not by bread only, Deut. viii 3.

This is what religious freedom meant to these people.  This is what they were willing to sacrifice and experience in order to provide future generations liberty in acknowledging and worshipping God, who gave them life, in the way that they knew God wanted them to live and worship, without government telling them otherwise.  And this is what they wanted the world to know: God preserved them, and God was with them, and that man cannot live on bread alone; man needs God!  For them, this is what it meant to be human.

Post Script:

In my opinion, obviously these beautiful paintings are inaccurate.  The state of the people on this journey was gloomy and mournful.  The voyage was treacherous, conditions were poor, the supplies were short, the people were starving, sick,  and miserable, and women did not come on land for at least three months. 

In fact, though Bradford does not speak of this in this account, his wife died by falling into the sea and drowning while the Mayflower was docked at Plymouth.  Some speculate it was suicide, which is not difficult to believe given the hardships it took to get to America and how uncertain it all was afterward.  My only intent is to demonstrate the spirit that is captured in these artworks.