The Pilgrim Story / Being largely a compilation from the documents of Governor Bradford and Governor Winslow, severally and in collaboration; together with a list of Mayflower passengers.

by William Franklin Atwood

Consolidation

Again the colony was facing a shortage of food and ways and means were discussed for raising larger and better crops. This brought about a change of the policy which had been imposed upon them in the last clause of their contract with the Merchant Adventurers. It was a practical repudiation of a policy that destroyed individual initiative. It is expressed in Bradford’s own words as follows:—“So they began to think how they might raise as much corn as they could and obtain a better crop than they had done. At length, after much debate of things, the Governor (with the advice of the chief amongst them) gave way that they should set corn every man for his own and in that regard, trust to themselves. And so assigned to every family a parcel of land according to a proportion of their number for that end. This had very good success, for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been. The women now went willingly into the field, which before would allege weakness and inability; whom to have compelled, would have been thought great tyranny and oppression.”

“The experience that was had in this common course and condition, tried sundry years, and that amongst godly and sober men, may well evince the vanity of that conceit of Plato and other ancients, applauded by some of later time; that the taking away of property and bringing in community into a commonwealth, would make them happy and flourishing as if they were wiser than God. For this community was found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort. For the young men that were most able and fit for labor and service did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men’s wives and children without any recompence. The strong had no more of victuals and clothes than he that was weak and not able to do a quarter the other could; this was thought injustice. The aged and graver men to be ranked and equalized in labor, victuals and clothes, etc., with the younger, thought it some indignity and disrespect unto them. And for men’s wives to be commanded to do service for other men, as dressing their meat, washing their clothes, etc., they deemed it a kind of slavery, neither could many husbands well brook it.”

In this way provision was made for their future needs, as “God in his wisdom saw another course fitter for them.”

Arrival of Anne and Little James

In the summer of 1623 two vessels arrived, the Anne and the Little James. They brought about a hundred additional members to the Plymouth Colony, some being the wives and children of those already here. The Anne the larger vessel, having been chartered by the Adventurers, returned on September 20th, laden with clapboards and beaver. “Mr. Winslow was sent over with her to inform of all things, and procure such things as were thought needful for their present condition.”

During the period before the harvest, the enlarged community subsisted mainly upon fish and shell fish, the latter apparently being in abundance. The one boat was used in turn by different groups that all might share in the labor in proportion to their number. An occasional deer made a welcome addition to their larder, and, as those who had lately arrived had brought provisions sufficient to sustain themselves, they were able to carry on until the new harvest.

This was evidently an abundant one, for as Bradford describes it; “By this time harvest was come, and instead of famine, now God gave them plenty, and the face of things was changed, to the rejoicing of the hearts of many, for which they blessed God. And the effect of their particular planting was well seen, for all had, one way and other, pretty well to bring the year about, and some of the abler and more industrious had to spare, and sell to others, so as any general want or famine has not been amongst them since to this day.”

1624

The harvest under the new conditions having proved a success it was followed by an equal division of land. “And to every person was given only one acre of land, to them and theirs, as near the town as might be and they had no more until the seven years had expired. The reason was that they might be kept close together both for more safety and defence, and the better improvement of the general employments.”