Joy depart bid Merriment be gone Bid Friends stand by sit sorrowful alone But ah what sorrow can be to suffice Though Heaven and Earth were filled with our cries The Clouds were turned into drops of tears The Mourning for to last an Age of Years 'T were all too little to lament his death Whose life so precious was for Heaven and Earth Job wish'd his day might quite forgotten me Which brought him forth this world's light first to see O let not the day numbred be i' th Year That took this Light out of our Hemisphere A fatal day a day of sad presage To us survivers of this present Age The hour of thy decease when Sun went down When light turn'd dark when heavens began to frown 'T is ominous to us who saw his light That Grace provok'd should turn our day to night And Gospels light which shineth from on high Should clouded be and darkned in our skie O happy dayes when such Lights shine on Earth O bitter dayes when they are hid beneath This is our grief He which late shin'd on high Is hid in grave and now beneath doth lye Let Hartford sigh and say I 've lost a Treasure Let all New-England mourn at Gods Displeasure In taking from us one more gracious Then is the Gold of Ophir precious Sweet was the savour which his grace did give It season'd all the place where he did live His Name did as an Ointment give it's smell And all bare witness that it savour'd well Wisdome Love Meekness Friendly Courtesie Each Moral Virtue with rare Pietie Pure Zeal yet mixt with mildest Clemency Did all conspire in this one Breast to lye Deep was his Knowledge Judgement was acute His Doctrine solid which none could confute To Minde he gave light of intelligence And search'd the corners of the Conscience To Sinners stout which no Law could bring under To them he was a Son of dreadful Thunder When all strong Oaks of Bashan us'd to quake And fear did Lebanus his Cedars shake The stoutest Hearts he filled full of fears He clave the Rocks they melted into tears Yet to sad Souls with sense of Sin cast down He was a Son of Consolation Sweet peace he gave to such as were centrite Their darkness sad he turn'd to joyous light Of Preaching he had learn'd the rightest Art To every one dividing his own part Each Ear that heard him said He spake to me So piercing was his holy Ministrie His Life did shine Times Changes stain'd it not Envy it self could not there finde a spot Had he surviv'd to finish Works begun 'T had been a Blessing to all Christendome Then should the world have known what God had show'd him And what themselves for all his Works had ow'd him But this unthankfull Age is now cut short Of that rich Treasure ' cause they car'd not for 't O that his love may turn us yet to prize The blessings yet enjoy'd herein be wise Lest that which he not long ago foretold Be now in us fulfil'd as 't was of old That wantonness of Churches would bereave Them of their Ministers without their leave God plaguing this his messengers contempt With this soul-stroying Plague and Punishment But whatsoever wrath doth us abide Whatever plague for sin doth us betide Yet thou O blessed Saint art now at rest I' th bosom of thy Christ which is the best Bathing in rivers of divine pleasure Which is at Gods right hand most sweet and pure Tasting the fruit of all thy labours spent To honour God which was thy whole intent From God thou camest forth who sent thee hither And now hath call'd thee back to live together Him didst thou serve while life and breath did last With him now blest while life and breath is past Sense of our loss would call thee back again But out of love we bid thee there remain Till we yet left behinde our course fulfil To meet thee on the top of Zion hill When thou and we shall both rejoyce together So fast united as no death shall sever Both to sing praises to our heavenly King Who hath us saved from deaths poisonous sting And will restore our bodies from the grave Which them to dust of death consumed have Making them shine like brightness of the Sun With Glory ne'r to end when once begun Let Heaven and Earth Angels and Men him praise Sounding his Glory past all length of dayes P. B. 1648. THis Year Mr. William Bradford was elected Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth And were chosen his Assistants in Government Mr. Thomas Prince Mr. William Collier Captain Miles Standish Mr. Timothy Hatherly Mr. John Brown Mr. William Thomas 1649. THis Year Mr. William Bradford was Elected Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth were Chosen his Assistants in Government Mr. Thomas Prince Mr. William Collier Captain Miles Standish Mr. Timothy Hatherly Mr. John Brown And Mr. William Thomas This Year Mr. John Winthrop Governour of the Jurisdiction of the Massachusets deceased the twenty sixth day of March about ten of the clock The death of Mr. Winthrop He was singular for Piety Wisdom and of a publick spirit he brought over a great estate into the Country and partly by his liberality partly by the unfaithfulness of his Baily spent the most part of it so as when he died he was but low in that respect and yet notwithstanding very much honoured and beloved of the most and continued in the place of Governour for the most part until his death which was much lamented by many He was a man of unbyassed Justice patient in respect of personal wrongs and injuries a great lover of the Saints especially able Ministers of the Gospel very sober in desiring and temperate in improving earthly contentments very humble courteous and studious of general good His body was with great solemnity and honour buried at Boston in New-England the third of April 1649. This year some parts of the Country was much troubled with numerable hosts of Caterpillers An innumerable company of catterpillers in some parts of the Country which destroyed the fruits of the earth in divers places and did eat off the leaves of the trees so as they looked as bare as if it had been winter and in some places did eat the leaves from off the Pease straw and did not eat the Pease It pleased God to give them a check and a rebuke so as they hurt but in some places and of his goodness in short time removed them This Year August 25. that faithful and eminent servant of Christ Mr. Thomas Shepard died who was a soul-searching Minister of the Gospel and Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridge By his death not only that Church and people but also all New-England sustained a very great loss he not only preached the Gospel profitably and very successively but also hath left behinde him divers worthy works of special use in reference unto the clearing up the state of the
Teacher of the Church of Christ at Boston in New-England ANd after Winthrop's Hooker's Shepard's Hâ—rse Doth Cotton's death call for a mourning Verse Thy will be done yet Lord who dealest thus Make this great death expedient for us Luther pull'd down the Pope Calvin the Prelate slue Of Calvin's Lapse chief cure to Cotton's due Cotton whose Learning Temper Godliness The German Phoenix lively did express Melancthon's all may Luthers word but pass Melancthons all in our great Cotton was Then him in flesh scarce dwelt a better one So great 's our loss when such a Spirit 's gone Whil'st He was here Life was more Life to me Now He is not Death hence less Death shall be That Comets great Mens deaths do oft forego This present Comet doth too sadly show This Prophet dead yet must in 's Doctrine speak This Comet saith else must New-England break VVhat ere it be the Heavens avert it far That Meteors should succeed our greatest Star In Bostons Orb Winthrop and Cotton were These Lights extinct dark is our Hemisphere In Boston once how much shin'd of our glory We now lament Posterity will story Let Boston live who had and saw their worth And did them Honour both in life and death To him New-England trust in this distress Who will not leave his exiles comfortless J. N. Upon the TOMB of the most Reverend Mr. John Cotton late Teacher of the Church of Boston in New-England HEre lies magnanimous Humility Majesty Meckness Christian Apathy On soft Affections Liberty in thrall A Noble Spirit Servant unto all Learnings great Master-piece who yet would sit As a Disciple at his Schollars feet A simple Serpent or Serpentine Dove Made up of Wisdome Innocence and Love Neatness Embroider'd with it self alone And Civils Canonized in a Gown Embracing old and young and low and high Ethicks imbodyed in Divinity Ambitious to be lowest and to raise His Brethrens Honour on his own Decayes Thus doth the Sun retire into his bed That being gone the Stars may shew their head Could wound at Argument without Division Cut to the quick and yet make no Incision Ready to Sacrifice Domestick Notions To Churches Peace and Ministers Devotions Himself indeed and singular in that Whom all admired he admired not Liv'd like an Angel of a Mortal Birth Convers'd in Heaven while he was on Earth Though not as Moses radiant with Light Whose Glory dazell'd the beholders sight Yet so divinely beautifi'd youl 'd count He had been born and bred upon the Mount A living breathing Bible Tables where Both Covenants at large engraven were Gospel and Law in 's Heart had each its Colume His Head an Index to the Sacred Volume His very Name a Title Page and next His Life a Commentary on the Text. O what a Monument of glorious worth When in a New Edition he comes forth Without Errata's may we think hee 'll be In Leaves and Covers of Eternitie A man of Might at heavenly Eloquence To fix the Ear and charm the Conscience As if Apollos were reviv'd in him Or he had learned of a Seraphim Spake many Tongues in one one Voice and Sense Wrought Joy and Sorrow Fear and Confidence Rocks rent before him Blinde receiv d their sight Souls levell'd to the dunghil stood upright Infernal Furies burst with rage to see Their Pris'ners captiv'd into Libertie A Star that in our Eastern England rose Thence hurry'd by the Blast of stupid foes Whose foggy Darkness and benummed Senses Brook'd not his daz'ling fervent Influences Thus did he move on Earth from East to West There he went down and up to Heaven for Rest Nor from himself whilest living doth he vary His Death hath made him an Ubiquitary Where is his Sepulchre is hard to tell Who in a thousand Sepulchres doth dwell Their Hearts I mean whom he hath left behind In them his Sacred Relique's now Enshrin'd But let his Mourning Flock be comforted Though Moses be yet Joshua is not dead I mean Renowned NORTON worthy hee Successor to our MOSES is to bee O happy Israel in AMERICA In such a MOSES such a JOSHUA B. W. 1653. MR. William Bradford was Elected Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth were Chosen his Assistants in Government Mr. Thomas Prince Captain Miles Standish Mr. Timothy Hatherly Mr. John Brown Mr. John Alden Captain Thomas Willet Lieut. Thomas Southworth Mr. Thomas Dudley who was a principal Founder and Pillar of the Colony of the Massachusets in New-England and sundry times Governour and Deputy Governour of that Jurisdiction died at his house in Roxbury July 31. in the seventy seventh Year of his age he was a person of quick understanding and solid Judgement in the fear of the Lord he was a lover of 1 Justice 2 Order 3 the People 4 Christian Religion the supream virtues of a good Magistrate 1. His love to Justice appeared at all times and in special upon the Judgement seat without respect of persons in Judgement and in his own particular transactions with all men he was exact and exemplary 2. His zeal to Order appeared in contriving good Laws and faithfully executing them upon criminal offenders Hereticks and Underminers of true Religion He had a piercing Judgement to discover the Wolf though cloathed with a sheep-skin 3. His love to the People was evident in serving them in a publick capacity many Years at his own cost and that as a nursing Father to the Churches of Christ 4. He loved the true Christian Religion and the pure Worship of God and cherished as in his bosom all godly Ministers and Christians he was exact in the practice of Piety in his person and family all his life in a word he lived desired and died lamented by all good men The Verses following were found in his Pocket after his death which may further illustrate his Character and give a taste of his poetical fancy wherein it is said he did excel DIm Eyes deaf Ears cold stomack shew My dissolution is in view Eleven times seven near liv'd have I And now God calls I willing die My Shuttle's shot my race is run My Sun is set my Deed is done My Span is measur'd Tale is told My Flower is faded and grown old My Dream is vanish'd Shadow 's fled My Soul with Christ my Body dead Farewel dear Wife Children and Friends Hate Heresie make blessed ends Bear Poverty live with good men So shall we meet with joy agen Let men of God in Courts and Churches watch O're such as do a Toleration hatch Lest that ill Egg bring forth a Cockatrice To poyson all with Heresie and Vice If men be left and otherwise combine My Epitaph's I dy'd no Libertine This Year Mr. John Laythrop did put off his Earthly Tabernacle He was sometimes Preacher of Gods Word in Egerton in Kent from whence he went to London and was chosen Pastor of a Church of Christ there he was greatly troubled imprisoned for witnessing against the errours of the times during the
with you I was one of those That labour'd faithfully Gods Vineyard in Sowing his Seed and plucking up of Sin Now is the Harvest to my self indeed The Lord grant a supply of one to feed Your Souls with heavenly food and one to lead In wayes of God untill his Courts you tread Next to Gods love my Flock love one another And next to Christ preserve love to thy Brother Let ever precious be in your esteem Gods holy Word and such as slight it deem Of Serpents brood whatever they pretend By no means to such Blasphemies attend Decline all wanderings lest from all you stray If stept aside return in this your day Keep close to God so he that is Most High Shall you preserve as Apple of his Eye And give you peace on Earth Tranquillity Mansions in Heaven to Eternity VVhere we that Death doth for a time now sever Shall meet embrace and shall not part for ever R un is his Race A nd his work done L eft Earthly place P artridge is gone H e's with the Father and the Son P ure joyes and constant do attend A ll that so live such is their end R eturn he shall with Christ agen T o Judge both just and sinful men R ais'd is this Bird of Paradise I oy Heaven entred breaks the ice D eath under foot he trodden hath G race is to Glory straitest Path E ver enjoyes Love free from wrath This year on the last day of July it pleased God that by Thunder and Lightning one John Philips of Marshfield in the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth was suddenly slain Also in the moneth of August it pleased God to take away by death Mr. VVilliam Paddy who was a precious Servant of Christ endued with a meek and quiet Spirit of a courteous behaviour to all men and was very careful to nourish an intimate Communion with God He was Instrumental in his place for common good both in the Church being sometimes by Office a Deacon of the Church of Christ at Plimouth and in other respects very officious as occasion did require He having a great Temporal Estate was occasioned thereby to have abundance of business upon him but when he was to put off this his earthly Tabernacle he laid aside all his earthly Incumbrances and Occasions even as one would have taken off a garment and laid it down and without any trouble of Spirit on that behalf prepared himself for his Journey to the Everlasting Mansions prepared for him by his Lord and Master in the highest Heavens whereof he was well assured as to the like effect he spake some words to Mr. Norton near unto the period of his life and so falling asleep in the Lord he was buried at Boston with honour and great lamentation in the year and moneth above-mentioned One who was well acquainted with his Worth and gracious Endowments presented this following as a Testimoniall of his good respects of him W eep not dear Wife Childeren nor dear Friends I live a life of Joyes that never ends L ove God and fear him to end of your dayes L ive unto him but die to sin alwayes I n heavenly place of Bliss my Soul doth rest A mong the Saints and Angels I am blest M uch better here then in the world at best P raising my God is now my great imploy A bove such troubles as did me annoy D id but my friends know what I here possess D oubtless it would cause them to mourn the less Y our Souls with mine ere long shall meet in bliss 1659. THis Year Mr. Thomas Prince was Chosen Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth were Chosen Assistants to him in Government Mr. William Collier Mr. John Alden Captain Thomas Willet Major Josias Winslow Lieut. Thomas Southworth Mr. VVilliam Bradford Mr. Thomas Hinkley Having noted before That in the Year 1657. there arrived in the Colony of New-Plimouth many of that pernicious Sect called Quakers the Reader may take notice That by this time and for some years after New-England in divers parts of it abounded with them and they sowed their corrupt and damnable Doctrines both by word and writings almost in every Town of each Jurisdiction some whereof were That all men ought to attend to the Light within them to be the Rule of their Lives and Actions and That the holy Scriptures were not for the inlightning of man nor a setled and permanent Rule of life They denied the Manhood of the Lord Jesus Christ and affirmed That as Man he is not in Heaven They denied the Resurrection from the dead They affirmed That an absolute Perfection in Holiness or Grace is attainable in this life They placed their Justification upon their Patience and Suffering for their Opinions and on their righteous life and retired demurity and affected singularity both in word and gesture As to Civil account they allowed not nor practised any civil respect to man though superiours either in Magistratical consideration or as Masters or Parents or the Ancient neither by word nor gesture They deny also the use of Oathes for the deciding of Civil Controversies with other abominable Opinions Dreams and Conceits which some of them have expressed tending to gross Blasphemy and Atheism This efficacy of Delusion became very prevalent with many so as the number of them increased to the great endangering of the subversion of the whole both of Church and Common-wealth notwithstanding the endeavours of those in Authority to suppress the same had not the Lord declared against them by blasting their Enterprizes Contrivements so as they have of late withered away in a great measure sundry of their Teachers and Leaders which have caused them to erre are departed the Country and we trust the Lord will make the folly of the remainder manifest to all men more and more Errour is not long-lived the day will declare it Let our deliverance from so eminent a danger be received amongst the principal of the Lords gracious Providences and merciful loving kindnesses towards New-England for the which let present and future generations celebrate his Praises This year that Learned and godly Servant of God Mr. Henry Dunster fell asleep in the Lord. He was sometimes President of Harvard Colledge at Cambridge in New-England in which he approved himself to the satisfaction of such as were in those Affairs concerned Afterwards he came into the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth and lived awhile in the Town of Scituate and was useful in helping to oppose the abominable Opinions of the Quakers fore-mentioned and in the defending of the Truth against them He deceasing in the said Town of Scituate his Body was embalmed and removed unto Cambridge aforesaid and there honourably buried 1660. THis Year Mr. Thomas Prince was Chosen Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth were Chosen Assistants to him in Government Mr. William Collier Mr. John Alden Captain Thomas Willet Major Josias Winslow Capt. Tho Southworth Capt. VVilliam Bradford Mr. Thomas Hinkley This
they had enjoyed fair winds for a season they met with many contrary winds and fierce storms with which their Ship was shrewdly shaken and her upper works made very leaky and one of the main Beams of the Mid-ships was bowed and cracked which put them to some fear that she would not be able to perform the Voyage on which the principal of the Seamen and Passengers had serious consultation what to do whether to return or hold on but the Ship proving strong under water by a Screw the said Beam was brought into his place again which being done and well secured by the Carpenter they resolved to hold their Voyage and so after many boisterous storms in which they could bear no sail but were forced to lye at Hull many dayes together after long beating at Sea they fell in with the land called * Cape Cod so called at the first by Captaia Gosnold and his Company Anno 1602 because they took much of that Fish there and afterward called Cape James by Captain Smith The Point of the Cape is called Point Care and Tuckers Terrour and by the French and Dutch Mallacar by reason of the perillous Sholes Cape Cod the which being made and certainly known to be it they were not a little joyful After some little deliberation had amongst themselves with the Master of the Ship they tacked about to stand to the Southward to finde some place about Hudsons River according to their first intentions for their Habitations But they had not sailed that Course above half a day but they fell amongst perillous Sholes and Breakers and they were so farre intangled therewith as they conceived themselves in great danger and the wind shrinking upon them withall they resolved to bear up again for the Cape aforesaid the next day by Gods Providence they got into the Cape harbour Thus they arrived at Cape Cod aliàs Cape James in November 1620. and being brought safe to land they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven who had brought them over the vast and furious Ocean and delivered them from many perils and miseries Nevertheless it is to be observed that their putting into this place was partly by reason of a storm by which they were forced in but more especially by the fraudulency and contrivance of the aforesaid Mr. Jones Of this Plot betwixt the Dutch and Mr. Jones I have had late and certain Intelligence the Master of the Ship for their Intention as is before-noted and his Engagement was to Hudsons River but some of the Dutch having notice of their intentions and having thoughts about the same time of erecting a Plantation there likewise they fraudulently hired the said Jones by delayes while they were in England and now under pretence of the danger of the Sholes c. to disappoint them in their going thither But God out-shoots Satan oftentimes in his own Bow for had they gone to Hudsons River as before expressed it had proved very dangerous to them for although it is a place farre more commodious and the Soil more fertile yet then abounding with a multitude of pernicious Salvages whereby they would have been in great peril of their lives and so the work of transplanting the Gospel into these parts much endangered to have been hindred and retarded but God so disposed that the place where they afterward setled was much depopulated by a great Mortality amongst the Natives which fell out about two years before their arrival whereby he made way for the carrying on of his good purpose in promulgating of his Gospel as aforesaid But before we pass on let the Reader with me make a pause and seriously consider this poor peoples present condition the more to be raised up to admiration of Gods goodness towards them in their preservation for being now passed the vast Ocean and a sea of Troubles before in their Preparation they had now no Friends to welcome them no Inns to entertain or refresh them no Houses or much less Towns to repair unto to seek for succour the Barbarians that Paul the Apostle fell amongst in his Shipwrack at the Isle Melita Acts 28. shewed him no small kindness but these Salvage Barbarians when they met with them as after will appear were readier to fill their sides full of Arrows then otherwise and for the season it was Winter and they that know the Winters of the Country know them to be sharp and violent subject to cruel and fierce Storms dangerous to travel to known places much more to search unknown Coasts Besides what could they see but a hideous and desolate Wilderness full of wilde Beasts and wilde Men and what multitudes of them there were they then knew not neither could they as it were go up to the Top of Pisgah to view from this Wilderness a more goodly Country to feed their hopes for which way soever they turned their eyes save upward to Heaven they could have little solace or content in respect of any outward object for Summer being ended all things stand in appearance with a weather-beaten face and the whole Country full of Woods and Thickets represented a wilde and salvage hew if they looked behinde them there was the mighty Ocean which they had passed and was now as a main Bar and Gulph to separate them from all the Civil Parts of the World The Master of the Ship and his Company pressing with speed to look out a place for their Settlement at some near distance for the season was such as he would not stir from thence untill a safe Harbour was discovered by them with their Boat yea it was sometimes threatned that if they would not get a place in time that they and their goods should be turned on shore and that the Ship would leave them the Master expressing himself that Provisions spent apace and that he would keep sufficient for himself and his Company for their return It is true indeed that the love and affections of their Brethren they left behinde them in Holland was cordial and intire towards them but they had little power to help them or themselves what could now sustain them but the Spirit of God and his grace Ought not and may not the Children of these Fathers rightly say Psal 107.1 2 4 5 8. Our Fathers Were English-men which came over this great Ocean and were ready to perish in this Wilderness but they cried unto the Lord and he heard their voice and looked on their adversity Let them therefore praise the Lord because he is good and his mercy endureth for ever yea let them who have been the redeemed of the Lord shew how he hath delivered them from the hand of the oppressor when they wandred in the desert Wilderness out of the way and found no City to dwell in both hungry and thirsty their soul was overwhelmed in them Let them therefore confess before the Lord his loving kindness and his wonderful works before the children of
Squanto being their Guide and Interpreter fell sick and within a few dayes died Squanto's Death A little before his death he desired the Governour of Plimouth who then was there to pray for him that he might go to the English-mans God in Heaven and bequeathed divers of his things to sundry of his English Friends as Remembrances of his love of whom they had a great loss Here they got a considerable quantity of Corn and so returned After these things John Sanders who was left chief over Mr. Westons men at Wesagusquaset in the Month of February sent a Messenger shewing the great wants they were fallen into and would have borrowed Corn of the Indians but they would lend him none and desired advice whether he might take it from them by force to succour his men untill return from the Eastward whither he was now going But the Governour and the rest disswaded him by all means from it for it might so exasperate the Indians as might endanger their safety and all of them might smart for it for they had already heard how they had wronged the Indians by stealing their Corn c. so as the Natives were much incensed against them yea so base were some of their own Company as they went and told the Indians that their governour was purposed to come and take their Corn by force which with other things made them enter into a Conspiracy against the English And herewith I end the Relation of the most Remarkable Passages of Gods Providence towards the first Planters which fell out in this Year 1623. MR. Westons people fore-named notwithstanding all helps they could procure for supply of Provisions fell into great Extremity which was occasioned by their excessive expence while they had it or could get it and after they came into want many sold away their Clothes and Bed-coverings others were so base as they became servants to the Indians and would cut them Wood and fetch them Water for a Cap full of Corn others fell to stealing both night and day from the Indians of which they grievously complained In the end they came to that misery that some starved and died with hunger and one in gathering of Shell-fish was so weak as he stuck fast in the mud and was found dead in the place and most of them left their Dwellings and were scattered up and down in the Woods by the Water-side where they could finde Ground-nuts and Clams here six and there ten by which their carriages they became contemned and scorned of the Indians insomuch as they began greatly to insult over them in a most insolent manner so as if they had set on such Victuals as they had gotten to dress it when it was ready the Indians would come and eat it up and when Night came when as possibly some of them had a sorry Blanket or such like to lap themselves in the Indians would take it and let the other lye all night in the cold so as their condition was very lamentable and in the end they were fain to hang one of their Company whom they could not reclaim from stealing to give the Indians content Whiles things went on in this manner with them the Governour and People of Plimouth had notice that the Sachem Massasoiet their Friend was sick and near unto death and they sent to visit him and sent him some comfortable things which gave him content and was a means of his recovery Upon which occasion he discovered the Conspiracy of these Indians how they were resolved to cut off Mr. Westons Company for the continual Injuries they had done them and would now take opportunity of their weakness and do it and for that end had conspired with other Indians their Neighbours thereabouts and thinking the People here would revenge their death they therefore thought to do the like by them therefore to prevent it and that speedily by taking some of the chief of them before it was too late for he assured them of the truth thereof This did much trouble them and they took it into serious consideration and found upon Examination and other Evidences to give light thereinto That the matter was really so as the said Sachrin had told them In the mean time came an * This mans name was Phinchas Pratt who hath penned the particular of his perillous Journey and som other things relating to this Tragedy English-man from the Massachusets from the said Company in misery as hath been above-related with a small pack at his back and although he knew not a foot of the way yet he got safe hither but lost his way which was well for him for he was pursued by two Indians who by Gods Providence missed of him by that means and he related how all things stood with them there and that he durst stay no longer for he apprehended by what he observed they would be all slain ere long This made them make the more haste and they dispatched a Boat away with some men under the conduct of Captain Standish who found them in a miserable condition out of which he rescued them and helped them to some relief cut off some of the chief Conspirators against them and according to his Order offered to bring them all to Plimouth to be there untill Mr. Weston came or some other way should be presented for their help they thanked him and the rest but they rather desired that he would help them with some Corn and they would go with their small Ship to the Eastward to look out for a way for themselves either to have relief by meeting with Mr. Weston or if not to work with the Fishermen for their supply and their passage for England so they shipped what they had of any worth and he helped them with as much Corn as he could and saw them out of the Bay under sail and so came home not taking the worth of a peny of any of them This was the end of these that sometimes boasted of their strength being all able lusty men and what they would do and bring to pass in comparison of the people at Plimouth who had many Women and Children and weak ones and said at their first arrival when they saw the wants at Plimouth Here see the effect of Pride and Vain-glory. That they would take another course and not fall into such a condition as this simple people were come to but a mans way is not in his own power God can make the weak to stand Let him that thinketh he standeth in such respect as well as other take heed lest he fall Shortly after Mr. Weston came over with some of the Fishermen where he heard of the Ruine of his Plantation and got a Boat and with a man or two came to see how things were but by the way for want of skill in a Storm he cast away his Boat in the bottome of the Bay between Merrimack and Pascataqua and hardly escaped with life
soul to God-ward the benefit thereof those can best experience who are most conversant in the improving of them and have Gods blessing on them therein to their souls good His body was honourably buried at Cambridge in New-England Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for their works follow them Rev. 13.13 This Year there passed an Act of Parliament in England for the promoting and propagating the Gospel of Jesus Christ amongst the Indians in New-England in reference unto the furtherance and advancement of so good a work a Corporation of sixteen Select men were appointed consisting of a President Treasurer and Assistants called by the name of the President and Society for the propagation of the Gospel in New-England to receive such sums of money as from time to time was or should be collected and raised by the liberal contributions of such as whose hearts God was pleased to stir up to so glorious a work and it was by the same Parliament Enacted that the Commissioners for the United Colonies of New-England for the time being by themselves or such as they shall appoint shall have Power and Authority to receive and dispose of the said monies brought in paid to the said Treasurer for the time being or any other Monies Goods or Commodities acquired and delivered by the care of the said Corporation at any time whose receipt or receipts of such Person or Persons so Authorized by them shall be a sufficient discharge to the said Corporation and Treasurer The particulars of such Orders and Instructions with which the said Act is invested the Reader may be more amply satisfied in by the perusal thereof as it is extant bearing date July 27. 1649. Moreover let the Reader take notice of the special favour of Almighty God in moving the heart of the Kings Majesty since his Restitution to his Crown and Regal Dignity particularly of his Royal Favour to countenance this work and to secure what hath been and what may be given toward this work by a legal settlement which before was wanting so as the said glorious design hath been vigorously carried on both in Old England and in New by such active and faithful Instruments as God hath raised up and improved therein with some considerable success The work coming on to such perfection as that the Holy Bible is Translated and Printed in the Indian Language whereby the glad tidings of the Gospel is and may be communicated to them with the greater facility some souls also of them being gained as may be hoped to believe on the Lord Jesus for life everlasting and daily hopes of further and greater success in that behalf for which unspeakable riches of his grace let his Holy Name have all the praise throughout all ages The Principal Instruments improved in Preaching the Gospel of Christ unto the Indians are Mr. John Eliot Senior Mr. John Eliot Junior Mr. Thomas Mayhew Mr. Pierson Mr. Brown Mr. James Mr. Cotton Besides divers of their own Nation whose Names and number I know not 1650. THis Year Mr. William Bradford was Elected Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth Chosen Assistants to him in Government Mr. Edward Winslow Mr. Thomas Prince Mr. William Collier Captain Miles Standish Mr. Timothy Hatherly Mr. John Brown and Mr. William Thomas This Year there was more then ordinary mortality in the Country especially about Boston and mostly amongst their Children since which time New diseases the fruits of new sins several diseases have been in the Country more frequently then formerly as namely gripings in the bowels with violent Vomiting and Purging which hath taken away many as also a disease in the Mouth or Throat which hath proved mortal to some in a very short time as also great distempers of Colds c. which ought to be awakening dispensations together with others to cause us to consider and examine whether we have not provoked the Lord with some general and unwonted sins inasmuch as he is pleased to exercise the Country oft-times with unwonted afflictions and punishments 1651. THis Year Mr. William Bradford was Elected Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth were Chosen his Assistants in Government Mr. Thomas Prince Mr. William Collier Captain Miles Standish Mr. Timothy Hatherly Mr. John Brown Mr. John Alden Captain Thomas Willet This Year Mr. William Thomas expired his natural life in much peace and comfort he served in the place of Magistracy in the Jurisdiction of Plimouth divers Years Mr. William Thomas his death he was a well approved and a well grounded Christian well read in the Holy Scriptures and other approved Authors and a good lover and approver of Godly Ministers and good Christians and one that had a sincere desire to promote the common good both of Church and State He died of a Consumption and was honourably buried at Marshfield in the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth 1652. THis year Mr. William Bradford was Elected Governour of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth And Were Chosen his Assistants in Government Mr. Thomas Prince Capt. Myles Standish Mr. Timothy Hatherly Mr. John Brown Mr. John Alden Captain Thomas Willet Lieut. Thomas Southworth This Year that blessed Servant of God Mr. John Cotton died Of Mr. Cottons Life Mr. Norton hath Penned a Book whereunto I refer the Reader for more full relation of the same he was sometimes Preacher of Gods Word at Boston in Lincolnshire and from thence came over into New-England in the Year 1633 and was chosen Teacher of the first Church of Christ at Boston for which Function and Office he was greatly enriched with gifts abilities being an able expounder and faithful applier of the Word of God furnished also with wisdom and prudence to go before the Church in the ordering of the affairs thereof endowed also with meekness of spirit whereby he was fitted to compose such differences as did at any time arise amongst them he was very patient also in respect unto personal wrongs or injuries done unto himself yea towards his sharpest Antagonists An influence of good not only flowed from him unto the Church over whom he was set but also into all the Churches in New-England as necessity required A Comet seen at the time of Mr. Cottons sickness and went out soon after his death About the time of his sickness there appeared in the Heavens over New-England a Comet giving a dim light and so waxed dimmer and dimmer until it became quite extinct and went out which time of its being extinct was soon after the time of the period of his life it being a very signal testimony that God had then removed a bright Star a burning and shining light out of the heaven of his Church here unto Coelestial glory above He was buried at Boston in New-England with great Honour and Lamentation in the Year above written Upon whose never enough deplored death were made these Verses following A Funeral Elegie upon the death of the truely Reverend Mr. John Cotton late