Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647

William Bradford

Rutgers University Press, 1952 - History - 448 pages

"Bradford's history is a story of a simple people inspired by an ardent faith to a dauntless courage in danger, a resourcefulness in dealing with new problems, an impregnable fortitude in adversity that exalts and heartens one in an age of uncertainty, when courage falters and faith grows dim. It is this story, told by a great human being, that has made the Pilgrim Fathers in a sense the spiritual ancestors of all Americans, all pioneers." Thus Samuel Eliot Morison, the pre-eminent American historian in this field, in his Preface to this great American classic.

For the first time the printed text of Bradford's history has been compared word for word with the original manuscript; for the first time the difficult abbreviations and contractions used by Bradford have been filled out and his archaic and variant spellings made uniform. This edition has double value: it presents Governor Bradford's text in readable form and it provides contemporary readers with a history of that text and its enduring significance by the historian clearly elect to interpret it.

Contents

• THE FIRST BOOK: xxviii
• The Separatist Interpretation of the Reforma: 3
• Of their Departure into Holland and their: 11
• Showing the Reasons and Causes of Their: 23
• Concerning the Agreements and Articles: 36
• Of their Departure from Leyden and other: 47
• Of their Voyage and how they Passed the Sea: 58
• Showing how they Sought out a Place: 64
• The Remainder of Anno 1620: 75
• Anno 1621: 85
• Anno 1622: 98
• Anno Domini 1623: 116
• Anno Domini 1624: 140
• Anno Domini 1625: 165
• Anno Domini 1626: 179
• Anno Domini 1628: 197
• Anno Domini 1629: 213
• Anno Domini 1630: 226
• Anno Domini 1631: 237
• Anno Domini 1632: 250
• Anno Domini 1634: 262
• Anno Domini 1635: 272
• Anno Domini 1636: 286
• Anno Domini 1637: 294
• Anno Domini 1639 and Anno Domini 1640: 304
• Anno Domini 1641: 312
• Anno Domini 1642: 322
• Anno Domini 1643: 324
• Anno Domini 1644: 333
• Anno Domini 1645: 339
• Anno Domini 1646: 345
• Correspondence with the Virginia Company: 353
• HI Correspondence of June 1620 between: 360
• Rev John Robinsons Farewell Letters to John: 367
• 1627: 378
• Governor Winthrops Letters on the Pequot: 394
• Opinions of Three Ministers on Unnatural Vice: 404
• Conclusion of Business with London Partners: 414
• Official Documents: 421
• INDEX AND FAMILIAR QUOTATIONS follow page: 448

About the author

Bradford's history is a story of a simple people inspired by an ardent faith to a dauntless courage in danger, a resourcefulness in dealing with new problems, an impregnable fortitude in adversity that exalts and heartens one in an age of uncertainty, when courage falters and faith grows dim. It is this story, told by a great human being, that has made the Pilgrim Fathers in a sense the spiritual ancestors of all Americans, all pioneers." Thus Samuel Eliot Morison, the preeminent American historian in this field, in his Preface to this great American classic.

For the first time the printed text of Bradford's history has been compared word for word with the original manuscript; for the first time the difficult abbreviations and contractions used by Bradford have been filled out and his archaic and variant spellings made uniform. This edition has a double value: it presents Governor Bradford's text in readable form and it provides contemporary readers with a history of that text and its enduring significance by the historian clearly elect to interpret it.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647; A Borzoi book; American past. New editions of classical commentaries; American studies collection; The American Past : An Informal Series; The American past
• Author: William Bradford
• Editor: Samuel Eliot Morison
• Contributor: Samuel Eliot Morison
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: Rutgers University Press, 1952
• ISBN: 0394438957, 9780394438955
• Length: 448 pages
• Subjects: History / United States / Colonial Period (1600-1775); History / United States / State & Local / General