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This Week, Some History of the Pilgrims!

The Pilgrims Settle

The first use of the word pilgrims for the Mayflower passengers appeared in William Bradford’s,  “Of Plymouth Plantation.”  As he finished recounting his group’s July 1620 departure from Leiden, Bradford made reference to Hebrews 11:13–16, about Old Testament “strangers and pilgrims” who had opportunity to return to their old country but instead longed for a better, heavenly country. Bradford wrote:

So they lefte [that] goodly & pleasante citie, which had been ther resting place, nere 12 years; but they knew they were pilgrimes, & looked not much on these things; but lift up their eyes to ye heavens, their dearest cuntrie, and quieted their spirits.

William Bradford's statue in Plymouth Rock State Park, Plymouth, Massachusetts

For over a century and a half after Bradford wrote this passage, there is no record of the word “pilgrims” being used to describe Plymouth’s founders, except when quoting Bradford. When the Mayflower’s story was retold by historians Nathaniel Morton (in 1669) and Cotton Mather (in 1702), both paraphrased Bradford’s passage, and used Bradford’s word “pilgrims.” At Plymouth’s Forefathers’ Day observance in 1793, Rev. Chandler Robbins recited the passage from Bradford.

The historical account of the original 102 Mayflower passengers records that four died before reaching Plymouth. By the summer of 1621 there were another 46 deaths among the passengers, and about 25 deaths among the crew. In order to hide the number of deaths from the Native Americans, the Pilgrims buried their dead in the night. Bradford called this period, “The Starving Time.”

During the early months, Native American Indians did not make any contact. But, on 16 March 1621, an Algonquin Sagamore named Samoset walked boldly into the company and began speaking to them in English! Samoset was from Maine, and had learned some English from Anglo fishers and traders in the area. He hired himself out as a guide and interpreter to the English. Samoset told the group that he knew of someone, named Squanto, who could speak better English than he and that he would bring him and others to them.

The colonists were then visited by several of the Wampanoag, the main people in the area. The Wampanoag returned some tools they had stolen from the Pilgrims and told them that their great leader Massasoit was on his way. Massasoit arrived with his brother, sixty warriors, and Squanto.

Squanto, it is said, was the sole survivor of the Patuxet people, having been abducted in 1614 to be sold into slavery in Spain. He had jumped ship and gone to England where he found employment on a trip to Newfoundland and other parts, before returning home in 1618, only to find all his people dead.

God’s divine providence is obvious! Without Squanto’s help, the Plymouth Colony would not have survived. He was known as “a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation.” He acted as interpreter between the colonists and Massasoit. He taught the Pilgrims how to fish and how plant corn. He was with them until he died in 1654. The Pilgrims would have starved without his help.

The Pilgrims made a treaty with Massasoit, called the Treaty of Friendship. It included mutual defense and laid out justice for both sides. The relations between the new Plymouth Colony and Native Americans Indians were good. One of the reasons was that Colony was always careful to buy the land they wanted from the Native Americans, whereas other colonies simply took it over by force.

At the end of their first harvest, Governor John Carver suggested that they have a special celebration. The Pilgrims began to gather food for a traditional English “harvest home.” This was a common festival that was held throughout England at harvest’s end to give thanks for the bounty and celebrate the end of a long hard season of work for farmers. Obviously, this celebration for the Pilgrims was indeed a time of great thanksgiving!

Tomorrow, The Celebration of Thanks!

Have a great day!

Mike

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