TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. The ‘Mayflower Compact’ was in the middle of a paragraph in the original book (on pages 28 and 29). It has been moved to the end of this ebook. All misspellings in the text, and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been left unchanged. [Illustration: (frontispiece)] “_Sand dunes beyond the blue salt bay, Stars twinkling on the rippling sea, Twin lights of Gurnet far away, And here sweet peace for thee and me._” —KATE GANNET WOODS [Illustration: THE MAYFLOWER SOCIETY HOUSE] The Mayflower Society House _Being the Story of_ THE EDWARD WINSLOW HOUSE · THE MAYFLOWER SOCIETY · THE PILGRIMS · _By_ WALTER MERRIAM PRATT _Governor-General of the_ GENERAL SOCIETY OF MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS 1620 [Illustration] 1897 SECOND EDITION _Privately Printed_ UNIVERSITY PRESS Cambridge, Massachusetts 1950 [Illustration: NORTH STREET, PLYMOUTH] [Illustration: (decorative banner)] THE MAYFLOWER SOCIETY HOUSE A notable accomplishment of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants was the purchase in 1941 of the Edward Winslow House in Plymouth, Massachusetts, a house of great beauty and dignity, with history and atmosphere, perfectly located on North Street, one of the five streets laid out by the Pilgrims, overlooking Plymouth Rock and Cole’s Hill, where lie the bones of many of the Pilgrims. North Street was laid out before 1633. It was first named New Street, later Queen Street, and for some years was called Howland Street, presumably because Joseph Howland, son of John Howland, the Pilgrim, owned land on the north side. His son Thomas inherited it, and in turn it descended to the latter’s son, Consider Howland, who sold it to Edward Winslow, the great-grandson of Edward Winslow, third Governor of the Colony. The younger Winslow attended Harvard College and then settled in Plymouth. He became Clerk of the Court, Registrar of Probate, and Collector of the Port. He married in 1741, the widow, Hannah Howland Dyer, a sister of Consider Howland, and in 1754 built the house. Winslow was a Royalist and an outspoken supporter of the King. Although a popular man, the townspeople became infuriated at his lack of patriotism, which eventually cost him his town offices and revenue. His son joined the King’s forces, and he frequently entertained the British officers at his home. After the evacuation of Boston by the British, Winslow moved his family to New York, and was granted a pension by Sir Henry Clinton.