with ineffable consolations, that he seemed little short of Paul, rapt up unto the unutterable entertainments of Paradise. The next morning he told his friends, that the good Spirit of God had given him a pledge of his happiness in another world, and the first-fruits of his eternal glory: and on the day following he died, May 9, 1657, in the sixty-ninth year of his age, lamented by all the colonies of New England, as a common blessing and father to them all."

The first wife of Governor Bradford, Dorothy May, was drowned at Cape Cod harbor, December 7th, 1620. On the 14th of August, 1623, he was married again, to Alice, the widow of Edward Southworth. She arrived at Plymouth in the Anne, about a fortnight before. There is a tradition that an early attachment existed between this lady and Governor Bradford, which was not favored by her parents. For an account of his children, see Appendix I. of this volume, and Russell's Guide to Plymouth, pages 237, 238.

In conclusion, it would be a satisfaction to know by whose agency the original manuscript of this History was transferred from the New England Library in Boston to the Fulham Library in England. There was no faithful Prince to make a record of this. It is uncertain how long the volume has reposed at Fulham. The Bishop of Oxford, in a note to me on this point, writes: "I should suppose for a very long period. I discovered it for myself in searching for original documents for my History of the American Episcopal Church."

BOSTON, April 16, 1856.

CHARLES DEANE.

.1. Chapter

で

It is well knowne wnto y godly, and judicious; how euer fince yo
first breaking out of flighte of y gospell, in our Honourable na-
tion of England (which was first of nations, whom Lord adorn=
ed ther with, after große darknes of popery which had cover,
ed, cover spred & Thristian worked what warrs, & oppofiffions ever
Since Satan hath raised, maintained, and continued against the
saineks, from time, to lime,in one forte, or other. Some times by
bloody death & cruell forments: other whiles Imprisonments, Banjh =
ments, & other card a fages. As Being Lo elh his kingdom should goe
downe, the trueth prevaile; and churches of god reuerte to their
anciente purifie; and recouer, their primaline orders liberties

benfie

J

Fac-simile of a part of the First Chapter of Bradford's Manuscript History.

AND first of y occasion and indusments ther unto; the which that I may truly unfould, I must begine at y very roote & rise of ye same. The which I shall endevor to manefest in a plaine stile, with singuler regard unto yo simple trueth in all things, at least as near as my slender judgmente can attaine the same.

1. Chapter.

It is well knowne unto y° godly and judicious, how ever since ye first breaking out of ye lighte of ye gospell in our Honourable Nation of England, (which was ye first of nations whom ye Lord adorned ther with, affter y1 grosse darknes of popery which had covered & overspred ye Christian worled,) what warrs & 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, & other hard usages; as being loath his kingdom should goe downe, the trueth prevaile, and ye churches of God reverte to their anciente puritie, and recover their primative order, libertie, & bewtie. But when he could not prevaile by these means,

* No other title to the manuscript. .ED.

against the maine trueths of ye gospell, but that they began to take rootting in many places, being watered with ye blooud of ye martires, and blessed from heaven with a gracious encrease; he then begane to take him to his anciente strategemes, used of old against the first Christians. That when by ye bloody & barbarous persecutions of ye Heathen Emperours, he could not stoppe & subuerte the course of ye gospell, but that it speedily overspred with a wounderfull celeritie the then best known parts of ye world, he then begane to sow errours, heresies, and wounderfull dissentions amongst ye professours them selves, (working upon their pride & ambition, with other corrupte passions incidente to all mortall men, yea to ye saints them selves in some measure,) by which wofull effects followed; as not only bitter contentions, & hartburnings, schismes, with other horrible confusions, but Satan tooke occasion & advantage therby to foyst in a number of vile ceremoneys, with many unproffitable cannons & decrees, which have since been as snares to many poore & peaceable souls even to this day. So as in ye anciente times, the persecutions [2] by ye heathen & their Emperours, was not greater then of the Christians one against other; the Arians & other their complices against ye orthodoxe & true Christians. As witneseth Socrates in his 2. booke.* His words are these; The violence truly (saith he) was no less then that of ould practised towards y Christians when they were compelled & drawne to sacrifice to idoles; for many endured sundrie kinds of tormente, often rackings, & dismembering of their joynts; confiscating of ther goods; some bereaved of their native soyle; others departed this life under y hands of y tormentor; and some died in banishmēte, & never saw ther cuntrie againe, &c.

The like methode Satan hath seemed to hold in these

* Lib. 2. chap. 22.

later times, since ye trueth begane to springe & spread after ye great defection made by Antichrist, yt man of

sine.

For to let pass ye infinite examples in sundrie nations. and severall places of ye world, and instance in our owne, when as y old serpente could not prevaile by those firie flames & other his cruell tragedies, which he by his instruments put in ure every wher in ye days of queene Mary & before, he then begane an other kind of warre, & went more closly to worke; not only to oppuggen, but even to ruinate & destroy ye kingdom of Christ, by more secrete & subtile means, by kindling ye flames of contention and sowing ye seeds of discorde & bitter enmitie amongst y proffessors & seeming reformed them selves. For when he could not prevaile by ye former means against y principall doctrins of faith, he bente his force against ye holy discipline & outward regimente of y kingdom of Christ, by which those holy doctrines should be conserved, & true pietie maintained amongest the saints & people of God.

Mr. Foxe recordeth how y' besids those worthy martires & confessors which were burned in queene Marys days & otherwise tormented, Many (both studients & others) fled out of y land, to y number of 800. And became severall congregations. At Wesell, Frankford, Bassill, Emden, Markpurge, Strausborugh,† & Geneva, &c. Amongst whom (but especialy those at Frankford) begane y' bitter warr of contention & persecutio aboute y ceremonies, & servise-booke, and other popish and antichristian stuffe, the plague of England to this day, which are like ye highplases in Israell, wch the prophets cried out against, & were their ruine; [3] which ye better parte sought, according to ye puritie of ye gospell, to roote out and utterly to abandon. And the other parte (under veiled pretences)

* Acts & Mon: pag. 1587. editi: 2.

Marburg, Strasburg. - ED.

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