1587-1651 69th [or rather 68th] year of his age; lamented by all the Colonies of New England as a common Blessing and Father to them all." He was probably buried on the Plymouth Burial Hill. There is a family tradition that his son William on his deathbed expressed a wish to be buried by the side of his father. In 1835 a modest marble obelisk was erected over his supposed grave adjoining the graves of his sons William and Joseph, and in excavating for its foundation relics of an ancient grave were found. It is not certain whether he died in his house on the corner of Main Street and Town Square in Plymouth, or in his house near Stony Brook in what is now Kingston, but the inventory' of his estate leads to the conclusion that his residence was in the latter place at the time of his death." WILLIAM T. DAVIS. 'While it is unnecessary to print the entire inventory of Governor Bradford's estate, a judicious selection from its contents will throw light on the personal life of the governor, and on the habits and customs of the Plymouth Colony. Among the articles mentioned are twelve chairs, three carpets, parts of an armor, seventeen sheets, seventy-nine napkins, ninety-odd pounds of pewter, seven porringers, four dozen trenchers, a cloth cloak, clothing including two suits with silver buttons, thirteen silver spoons, two silver beer-bowls, two silver wine-cups, and a case of six knives. There are no buckles, watch, carriage, looking-glass, forks, china or lamps. The value of the entire inventory was one thousand and five pounds and two shillings. For modern reading in Pilgrim history, the student may turn to J. A. Goodwin, The Pilgrim Republic (Boston, 1888), to Rev. John Brown, The Pilgrim Fathers of New England (London and New York, 1895), to Arber's book mentioned in previous footnotes, to Dr. Azel Ames's The May-Flower and Her Log (Boston, 1901), to Rev. Morton Dexter's The England and Holland of the Pilgrims (Boston, 1905), and to W. T. Davis's Ancient Landmarks of Plymouth (Boston, 1899). HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH PLANTATION1 And first of the occasion and indusments ther unto; the which that I may truly unfould, I must begine at the very roote and rise of the same. The which I shall endevor to manefest in a plaine stile, with singuler regard unto the simple trueth in all things, at least as near as my slender judgmente can attaine the same. 1. Chapter It is well knowne unto the godly and judicious, how ever since the first breaking out of the lighte of the gospell in our Honourable Nation of England, (which was the first of nations whom the Lord adorned ther with, affter that grosse darknes of popery which had covered and overspred the Christian worled,) what warrs and opposissions ever since, Satan hath raised, maintained, and continued against the Saincts, from time to time, in one sorte or other. Some times by bloody death and cruell torments; other whiles imprisonments, banishments, and other hard usages; as being loath his kingdom should goe downe, the trueth prevaile, and the churches of God reverte to their anciente puritie, and recover their primative order, libertie, and bewtie. But when he could not prevaile by these means, against the maine trueths of the gospell, but that they began to take rootting in many places, being watered with the blooud of the martires, and blessed from heaven with a gracious encrease; He then begane 'The exact title which Bradford gave to his book, as may be seen from our fac-simile of the first page, is "Of Plimoth Plantation." The manuscript sign m, is intended for, and is properly represented in print by, mm, and in Bradford's text we shall print the name "Plimmoth." But it seems better to use, for title-page and headings, the conventional title, History of Plymouth Plantation, by which the book is commonly known. 23 |