XXIII. WILLIAM BRADFORD.

WILLIAM BRADFORD was born

in 1588, at Anfterfield, an obfcure village, in the North of England.* His parents dying when he was young, he was educated, firft by his grand parents, and afterward by his uncles, in the practice of agriculture. His paternal inheritance was confiderable; but he had no other learning than fuch as generally falls to the fhare of the children of husbandmen.

At twelve years of age, his mind became seriously impressed by divine truth, in reading the Scriptures; and as he increased in years, a native firmnefs enabled him to vindicate his opinions against oppofition. Being ftigmatized as a Separatift, he was obliged to bear the frowns of his relatives, and the fcoff of his neighbours; but nothing could divert or intimidate him from attending on the miniftry of Mr. Richard Clifton, and connecting himself with the church over which he and Mr. Robinson prefided.

When

DD

Magnalia, IL 3.

When he was eighteen years old, he joined in their attempt to go over to Holland, and was one of the feven who were imprisoned at Bofton, in Lincolnshire, as is already related in the life of Robinson; but he was foon liberated on account of his youth. He was alfo one of those who the next year fled from Grimsby Common, when part of the Company went to fea, and part were taken by the pursuivants.

After fome time, he went over to Zealand, through various difficulties; and was no fooner fet on fhore, than a malicious paffenger in the fame veffel accufed him before the Dutch magiftrates, as a fugitive from England. But when they understood the cause of his emigration, they gave him protection, and permiffion to join his brethren at Amfterdam.

It being impoffible for him to prosecute agriculture in Holland, he was obliged to betake himself to fome other bufinefs; and, being then under age, he put himself as an apprentice to a French Proteftant, who taught him the art of filk-dying. As foon as he attained the years of manhood, he fold his paternal estate in England, and entered on a commercial

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commercial life, in which he was not very fuccefsful.

When the Church of Leyden contemplated a removal to America, Bradford zealously engaged in the undertaking, and came with the firft Company, in 1620, to Cape Cod. Whilft the fhip lay in that harbour, he was one of the foremost in the feveral hazardous attempts to find a proper place for the feat of the Colony, in one of which, he, with others of the principal perfons, narrowly efcaped the deftruction which threatened their fhallop. On his return from this excurfion to the fhip with the joyful news of having found an harbour, and a place for fettlement, he had the mortification to hear that during his absence, his wife had accidentally fallen into the fea, and was drowned.

After the fudden death of Governor Carver, the infant Colony caft their eyes on Bradford to fucceed him; but, being at that time fo very ill that his life was despaired of, they waited for his recovery, and then

invefted him with the command.

He was

in the thirty-third year

of his age;

his wif

dom,

* Prince, 76.

dom, piety, fortitude, and goodness of heart, were fo confpicuous as to merit the fincere esteem of the people. Carver had been alone in command. They confided in his prudence, that he would not adventure on any matter of moment without the confent of the people, or the advice of the wifeft. To Bradford they appointed an affiftant, Ifaac Allerton, not because they had not the fame confidence in him, but partly for the fake of regularity, and partly on account of his precarious health. They appointed but one, because they were fo reduced in num, ber, that to have made a greater difpropor tion between rulers and people would have been abfurd; and they knew that it would always be in their power to increase the number at their pleasure. Their voluntary com bination was defigned only as a temporary expedient, till they should obtain a charter under the authority of their fovereign.

One of the first acts of Bradford's adminiftration, was, by advice of the Company, to fend Edward Winflow and Stephen Hopkins to Mafaffcit, with Squanto for their guide. The defign of this embaffy was to explore the

Hubbard's MS. Hif. p. 49.

1

the country, to confirm the league, to learn the fituation and ftrength of their new friend, to carry some prefents, to apologize for fome misbehaviour, to regulate the intercourse be tween them and the Indians, and to procure feed-corn for the next planting season.

Thefe gentlemen found the Sachem at Pokanoket,* about forty miles from Plymouth. They delivered the prefents, renewed the friendship, and fatisfied themselves refpecting the strength of the natives, which did not appear formidable, nor was the en-, tertainment which they received either liberal or fplendid. The marks of defolation and death, by reason of the peftilence, were very confpicuous, in all the country through which they paffed; but they were informed that the Narraganfets, who refided on the western shore of the bay of that name, were

very

*This was a general name for the northern fhore of the Narraganfet Bay, between Providence and Taunton rivers, and comprehending the present townships of Bristol, Warren, and Barrington, in the State of Rhode-Island, and Swanzey in Massachusetts. Its northern extent is unknown. The principal feats of the Sachem were at Sowams and Kikèmuit. The former is a neck of land formed by the confluence of Barrington and Palmer's Rivers; the latter is Mount Hope.

See Callender's Century Difcourfe, p. 30, 73.