In conjunction with Edward Winslow, Bradford wrote “A Diary of Occurrences,” covering the first year of the colony, which may be found in the Mass. Hist. Soc. Collections, viii. and xix.
Bradford’s First Dialogue, given in the present leaflet, was first printed in 1648. It was copied by Morton in the records of the Plymouth Church, and thence reprinted by Young in his “Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers,” in 1841. It is of the highest historical value, giving fuller accounts than we have elsewhere of many of the first English Independents. Bradford’s Second Dialogue is lost. Deane says, “I have never seen it, nor any reference to it.” The Third Dialogue, “Concerning the Church and the Government thereof,” was published in the Proceedings of the Mass. Hist. Soc. for 1870, with an important historical introduction by Charles Deane.
Mather included a biography of Bradford in his Magnalia. This was reprinted in the first series of Old South Leaflets.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] That is, the Dialogue was held or written in 1648.
[2] Here something seems to have been omitted.
[3] Some word is here omitted.
Transcriber’s Notes
The year on [page 24] “born at Austerfield, a little village in Yorkshire, in 1688” was corrected to 1588.