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
But hear I cannot but stay and make a pause, and stand half amased
at this poore peoples presente condition; and so I thinke will the
reader too, when he well considers y^e same. Being thus passed y^e
vast ocean, and a sea of troubles before in their preparation (as may
be remembered by y^t which wente before), they had now no freinds to
wellcome them, nor inns to entertaine or refresh their weatherbeaten
bodys, no houses or much less townes to repaire too, to seeke for
succoure. It is recorded in scripture as a mercie to y^e apostle & his
shipwraked company, y^t the barbarians shewed them no smale kindnes in
refreshing them, but these savage barbarians, when they mette with them
(as after will appeare) were readier to fill their sids full of arrows
then otherwise. And for y^e season it was winter, and they that know
y^e winters of y^t cuntrie know them to be sharp & violent, & subjecte
to cruell & feirce stormes, deangerous to travill to known places,
much more to serch an unknown coast. Besids, what could they see but a
hidious & desolate wildernes, full of wild beasts & willd men? and what
multituds ther might be of them they knew not. Nether could they, as it
were, goe up to y^e tope of Pisgah, to vew from this willdernes a more
goodly cuntrie to feed their hops; for which way soever they turned
their eys (save upward to y^e heavens) they could have litle solace
or content in respecte of any outward objects. For sumer being done,
all things stand upon them with a wetherbeaten face; and y^e whole
countrie, full of woods & thickets, represented a wild & savage heiw.
If they looked behind them, ther was y^e mighty ocean which they had
passed, and was now as a maine barr & goulfe to seperate them from all
y^e civill parts of y^e world. If it be said they had a ship to sucour
them, it is trew; but what heard they daly from y^e m^r. & company?
but y^t with speede they should looke out a place with their shallop,
wher they would be at some near distance; for ye season was shuch as he
would not stirr from thence till a safe harbor was discovered by them
wher they would be, and he might goe without danger; and that victells
consumed apace, but he must & would keepe sufficient for them selves
& their returne. Yea, it was muttered by some, that if they gott not
a place in time, they would turne them & their goods ashore & leave
them. Let it also be considred what weake hopes of supply & succoure
they left behinde them, y^t might bear up their minds in this sade
condition and trialls they were under; and they could not but be very
smale. It is true, indeed, y^e affections & love of their brethren at
Leyden was cordiall & entire towards them, but they had litle power
to help them, or them selves; and how y^e case stode betweene them &
y^e marchants at their coming away, hath allready been declared. What
could now sustaine them but y^e spirite of God & his grace? May not &
ought not the children of these fathers rightly say: _Our faithers were
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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