Governor Bradford's first dialogue : $b A dialogue, or the sum of a conference between some young men born in New England and sundry ancient men that came out of Holland and old England, anno Domini 1648. — John Shaqi
Governor Bradford's first dialogue : $b A dialogue, or the sum of a conference between some young men born in New England and sundry ancient men that came out of Holland and old England, anno Domini 1648.Bradford, William
History
Governor Bradford's first dialogue : $b A dialogue, or the sum of a conference between some young men born in New England and sundry ancient men that came out of Holland and old England, anno Domini 1648.
Bradford, William
Pilgrims (New Plymouth Colony) -- Early works to 1800; Separatists
_Ancient men._--The truth is, their condition for the most part was
for some time very low and hard. It was with them as, if it should be
related, would hardly be believed. And no marvel. For many of them
had lain long in prisons, and then were banished into Newfoundland,
where they were abused, and at last came into the Low Countries, and
wanting money, trades, friends or acquaintances, and languages to help
themselves, how could it be otherwise? The report of Mr. Ainsworth was
near those times, when he was newly come out of Ireland with others
poor, and being a single young man and very studious, was content
with a little. And yet, to take off the aspersion from the people in
that particular, the chief and true reason thereof is mistaken; for
he was a very modest and bashful man, and concealed his wants from
others, until some suspected how it was with him, and pressed him to
see how it was; and after it was known, such as were able mended his
condition; and when he was married afterwards, he and his family were
comfortably provided for. But we have said enough of these things.
They had few friends to comfort them, nor any arm of flesh to support
them; and if in some things they were too rigid, they are rather to be
pitied, considering their times and sufferings, than to be blasted with
reproach to posterity.
_Young men._--Was that Brown that fell away and made apostasy, the
first inventor and beginner of this way?
_Ancient men._--No, verily; for, as one answers this question very
well in a printed book, almost forty years ago, that the prophets,
apostles, and evangelists have in their authentic writings laid down
the ground thereof; and upon that ground is their building reared up
and surely settled. Moreover, many of the martyrs, both former and
latter, have maintained it, as is to be seen in The Acts and Monuments
of the Church. Also, in the days of Queen Elizabeth there was a
separated church, whereof Mr. Fitts was pastor, and another before that
in the time of Queen Mary, of which Mr. Rough was pastor or teacher,
and Cudbert Simpson a deacon, who exercised amongst themselves, as
other ordinances, so church censures, as excommunication, etc., and
professed and practised that cause before Mr. Brown wrote for it. But
he being one that afterwards wrote for it, they that first hatched
the name of Puritans and bestowed it on the godly professors that
desired reformation, they likewise out of the same storehouse would
needs bestow this new livery upon others that never would own it,
nor had reason so to do. Mr. Cotton, likewise, in his Answer to Mr.
Baylie, page fourth, shows how in the year 1567 there were a hundred
persons who refused the common liturgy, and the congregations attending
thereunto, and used prayers and preaching and the sacraments amongst
themselves, whereof fourteen or fifteen were sent to prison, of
whom the chiefest were Mr. Smith, Mr. Nixon, James Ireland, Robert
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