The missing manuscript that defined the American spiritual identity
In short: For over a century, the primary account of the Pilgrims vanished into history. It was lost during the American Revolution, only to resurface in a London library. This vellum-bound journal didn't just record a voyage; it crafted the narrative of the 'spiritual ancestors' of the United States.
Written by William Bradford between 1630 and 1651, 'Of Plymouth Plantation' serves as the most authoritative primary source of the early Massachusetts colony. Bradford intended the work to be preserved for future generations, specifically so that children could understand the 'difficulties' and 'weaknesses' their fathers faced. While he never published it during his lifetime, his goal was for the text to serve as a record of how the colonists were sustained by 'the spirite of God' amidst extreme trials.
The manuscript's journey is as dramatic as the events it describes. During the American Revolutionary War, British troops occupied the Boston church where the original was held, causing it to disappear for over 100 years. Fulham Palace's library, belonging to the Bishop of London, is where it was finally found. A long legal dispute followed, involving the Church of England and the Governor of Massachusetts, before the original was finally returned to the State Library of Massachusetts in 1897.
The journal provides a visceral look at 17th-century survival and warfare. It details the colonists' arrival at Cape Cod, where they were left with 'no friends to wellcome them' and no houses to repair. It also provides a chilling account of the Pequot War, describing a coordinated assault with Narragansett and Mohegan allies. Bradford recounts a siege where the colonists and their allies surrounded a fort, using fire to destroy the enemy's dwellings, resulting in the deaths of approximately 400 Pequots in a scene he described as a 'fearfull sight.'
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Of Plymouth Plantation
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