Governor William Bradford's letter book

by William Bradford

Salem July 26, Anno 1630.

To his loving friend, Mr. William Bradford, Governour of Plymouth, these.

Sir,

There is come hither a ship (with cattle, and more passengers) on Saturday last; which brings this news out of England; that the plague is sore, both in the city and country, and that the University of Cambridge is shut up by reason thereof; also, that there is like to be a great dearth in the land by reason of a dry season. The Earl of Pembroke is dead, and Bishop Laud is Chancellor of Oxford; and that five sundry ministers are to appear before the High Commission, amongst whom, Mr. Cotton, of Boston, is one. The sad news here is, that many are sick, and many are dead, the Lord in mercy look upon them! Some are here entered into a church covenant, the first four, namely, the Governour, Mr. John Winthrop, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Dudley, and Mr. Willson; since that, five more are joined unto them, and others it is like will add themselves to them daily. The Lord increase them, both in number and holiness, for his mercy’s sake. I here but lose time and long to be at home, I can do them no good, for I want drugs, and things fitting to work with: I purpose to be at home this week (if God permit) and Mr. Johnson, and Captain Endicott will come with me; and upon their offer, I requested the Governour to bear them company, who is desirous to come, but saith he cannot be absent two hours. Mrs. Cottington is dead. Here are divers honest Christians that are desirous to see us; some out of love, which they bear to us, and the good persuasion they have of us; others to see whether we be so evil, as they have heard of us. We have a name of love and holiness to God and his saints; the Lord make us answerable and that it may be more than a name, or else it will do us no good. Be you lovingly saluted, and my sisters, with Mr. Brewster, and Mr. Smith, and all the rest of our friends. The Lord Jesus bless us and the whole Israel of God. Amen.

Your loving brother in law,
SAMUEL FULLER.

Charlestown, August 2, Anno 1630.

But this worthy gentleman, Mr. Johnson, was prevented of his journey, for shortly after he fell sick and died, whose loss was great and much bewailed.

INDEX

• Adams, John, [40]
• Alden, John, [24], [40]
• Robert, [26]
• Allerton, Isaac, [1], [3], [9], [10], [15], [19], [23-28], [37-40], [49-52], [54], [57]
• Alltham, Emnu., [26]
• Amsterdam, [29], [49]
• Andrews, Richard, [26], [37], [40], [45], [49], [50], [54]
• Thomas, [26]
• Anable, Anthony, [40]
• Anthony, Laurence, [26]
• Ashley, Edward, [53-55]
• Bangs, Edward, [40]
• Bass Boat, [39]
• Bass, Edward, [25], [26]
• Bassett, William, [40]
• Beauchamp } John, [2], [25], [26], [37], [38], [40], [45], [49], [50], [53], [54]
• Beuchamp }
• Billington, John, [13], [40]
• Blackstone, ——, [43]
• Blossom, Thomas, [18], [19], [22]
• Boston, Eng., [56], [58]
• Bradford, mrs., [28]
• William, [1], [3], [10], [12], [13], [15], [16], [19], [21], [23], [24], [27], [32], [34], [36], [37], [39], [40], [45-47], [49-51], [57], [58]
• Breda, [17]
• Brewer, Thomas, [1-3], [26]
• Brewster, Jonathan, [40], [56]
• William, [3], [18], [19], [21], [24], [40], [48], [51], [57], [59]
• Bristol, Eng., [51-53], [55]
• Brown, Peter, [40]
• Browning, Henry, [26]
• Brownists, [4]
• Burrow, ——, [57]
• Burslem, ——, [43]
• Cambridge University, [58]
• Cape Ann, [14]
• Catherine, the ship, [1]
• Charles, king, [17], [26]
• Charles River, [56]
• Charlestown, [57], [59]
• Coalson, ——, [55]
• Collier, William, [3], [10], [26], [45], [55]
• Cooke, Francis, [40]
• Cottington, ——, [56]
• mrs., [58]
• Cotton, John, [56], [58]
• Council for New England, [13-15], [30], [34-36], [41], [44]
• Council of New Netherland, [29]
• Coventry, Thomas, [26]
• Cradock, ——, [53]
• Cudbers, Cudbert, [40]
• Cushman, Robert, [10], [12], [13]
• Dean, Stephen, [40]
• de Razier, Isaac, [29], [33]
• Dorchester, Mass., [56]
• Doty, Edward, [40]
• Dudley, ——, [58]
• Dutch Plantation, [29], [35], [36]
• Eaton, Francis, [40]
• Elizabeth, queen, [32]
• Endicott, John, [46], [47], [57], [58]
• England, [6], [12], [17], [19], [21], [23-25], [32], [34], [35], [37], [39-41], [46], [47], [56], [58]
• Europe, [28]
• Faunce, John, [40]
• Fletcher, Thomas, [3], [10], [15], [16], [26]
• Fogge, ——, [55]
• France, [45]
• Frenchman’s Point, [33]
• Fuller, Samuel, [24], [40], [47], [48], [56-59]
• Gibs, ——, [37]
• Goffe, Thomas, [26], [37]
• Gorges, Sir Ferdinando, [36], [43], [51], [52]
• Gott, Charles, [48]
• Great-Britain, [33]
• Gudburn, Peter, [26]
• Hampton, Eng., [56]
• Hatherley, Timothy, [26], [40], [45], [49], [50], [54], [55]
• Heath, Thomas, [26]
• Hendrick, prince, [17]
• Hicks } Robert, [13], [40]
• Hix }
• Higginson, ——, [48]
• High Commission, [58]
• Hilton, Edward, [43]
• Hobson, William, [26]
• Holland, Robert, [10], [26]
• Holland, States of, [31], [34], [46], [49]
• Hopkins, Stephen, [40]
• Howland, John, [24], [40]
• Hudson, Thomas, [26]
• Humfries, ——, [53]
• Jacobson, John, [31-33]
• Jeffrey, ——, [43]
• Jenney, John, [24]
• Jessop, Francis, [22]
• Johnson, ——, [53], [57-59]
• Keayne, Robert, [3], [25], [26]
• Kempton, Manasseh, [40]
• Knight, Eliza, [26]
• John, [26]
• Knowles, Myles, [26]
• Laud, bishop, [58]
• Leyden, [12], [16], [17], [19], [21-23], [27], [38], [45], [46], [49], [50], [55]
• Ling, John, [3], [26]
• Little James, ship, [15]
• London, [3], [8], [11], [15], [17], [25], [28], [38], [40]
• Lyford, John, [1]
• Manhatas, [29]
• Manomet, [39]
• Mansfield, grave of, [17]
• Massachusetts Bay Colony, [41], [44], [51], [56], [57]
• Masterson, Richard, [22]
• Mattapan, [56]
• Maurice, grave, [17]
• May, ——, [20]
• May-flower, ship, [45]
• Millsop, Thomas, [26]
• Mitchell, Experience, [40]
• Morton, Thomas, [41], [42], [44]
• Mott, Thomas, [26]
• Nantasket, [43]
• Narraganset, [30], [44]
• Nash, Thomas, [22]
• Nassau, bark, [33]
• Naumkeak, [43], [46], [47]
• Newbald, Fria., [26]
• New England, [13-15], [31], [41]
• New Netherlands, [29]
• Oldham, John, [12], [42]
• Orange, prince of, [32]
• Oxford, Eng., [58]
• Palmer, William, [40]
• Parliament, [38], [52]
• Pascataquack, [43]
• Peirce, John, [13], [16]
• William, [51], [54]
• Pembroke, earl of, [58]
• Penington, William, [26]
• Penrin, William, [26]
• Phillips, ——, [56]
• Plymouth, N. E., [1], [3], [8], [13], [16], [19], [22-27], [29], [31], [32], [34], [36], [37], [39], [43], [46], [47], [49], [51], [57], [58]
• Pocock, John, [25], [26]
• Joseph, [3]
• Poynton, Daniel, [26]
• Pratt, Joshua, [40]
• Phineas, [40]
• Phineas, [40]
• Prince, Thomas, [40]
• Quarles, William, [26]
• Razier, Isaac de, [29], [33]
• Reayne, Robert, [3]
• Revell, John, [26]
• Robinson, mrs., [50]
• John, [15-19], [22], [23]
• Rookes, Newman, [26]
• Royal Exchange, London, [25]
• Salem, Mass., [46], [48], [49], [51], [53], [57], [58]
• Sharp, Samuel, [26]
• Shaw, John, [40]
• Shirley, James, [3], [10], [25-28], [37], [38], [40], [46], [48], [50], [51], [55]
• Skelton, ——, [48]
• Smith, Ralph, [48], [57], [59]
• Society of Plymouth in New England, [8]
• Sowames, [30], [44]
• Spain, [46]
• Standish, Myles, [12], [14], [15], [24], [39], [40], [51]
• Suffolk, Eng., [56]
• Talbot, ship, [45]
• Thomas, ——, [45], [55]
• William, [3]
• Thomson, mrs., [43]
• Thorned, John, [26]
• Thornhill, ——, [3]
• Matthew, [26]
• Tilden, Joseph, [26]
• Trasie, Stephen, [40]
• Turks, [15]
• Virginia, [20], [31]
• Ward, Thomas, [26]
• Warham, ——, [56]
• Warwick, earl of, [51]
• West-Indian Company, [32]
• Weston, ——, [1], [2], [13]
• White, John, [26]
• Roger, [16], [17], [19], [21], [22]
• Willson, ——, [58]
• Winslow, Edward, [1], [3], [9], [10], [12], [15], [24], [40], [51], [58]
• Winthrop, John, [53], [56-58]
• Wiring, [31], [32]
• Wright, Richard, [26]
• William, [40]