William Bradford was born in 1590 in the Yorkshire farming community of Austerfield, England. In his early childhood, both parents died. The boy was shuttled among several relatives, never staying long anywhere.He was about 12 when he happened into the neighboring town of Scrooby. A church service was in progress which astonished him by its fellowship and its lack of ritual. Time and again he returned, drawn to the congregation’s fervor for reform. By the age of 17 Bradford was a fully committed member, sharing the radical idea of separating from the official Church of England - a dangerous decision, for Separatist leaders were hunted and imprisoned. When the congregation learned that the king, James I, intended to "harry them from the land," they fled to the Netherlands.
From the journal of William Bradford...
Describing the Pilgrims’ Separatist religious beliefs :
From the journal of William Bradford...
Describing the Pilgrims’ Separatist religious beliefs :
"The one side [the Reformers] laboured to have ye right worship of God & discipline of Christ established in ye church, according to ye simplicitie of ye gospell, without the mixture of mens inventions, and to have & to be ruled by ye laws of Gods word, dispensed in those offices, & by those officers of Pastors, Teachers, & Elders, &c. according to ye Scripturs. The other partie [the Church of England], though under many colours & pretences, endevored to have ye episcopall dignitie (affter ye popish maner) with their large power & jurisdiction still retained; with all those courts, cannons, & ceremonies, togeather with all such livings, revenues, & subordinate officers, with other such means as formerly upheld their antichristian greatnes, and enabled them with lordly & tyranous power to persecute ye poore servants of God."
Here, for 12 years, first in Amsterdam and then in Leiden, Bradford and the rest of the exiles lived and worshipped according to their beliefs. Life in the old university town of Leiden was difficult. Many of the refugees, including Bradford, eked out a bare living as textile workers. The church, now led by the charismatic John Robinson, faced other problems. The Netherlands teetered on the brink of war with Catholic Spain and the Dutch government, pressured by their English ally King James, harassed the refugees. Presses printing Separatist tracts were smashed and some of the English had rocks thrown at them.
With Pastor Robinson’s encouragement, the congregation decided to make a new home overseas. The decision was made to locate north of the Virginia Colony "some place about Hudson’s river." There they could be loyal subjects of King James, live by English law and with English customs, but be far enough from interference in their way of worship.
From the journal of William Bradford...
The Pilgrims decide to emigrate to America despite the perils and dangers : "all great & honourable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and must be both enterprised and overcome with answerable courages. It was granted ye dangers were great, but not desperate; the difficulties were many, but not invincible. For though their were many of them likely, yet they were not cartaine; it might be sundrie of ye things feared might never befale; others by providente care & ye use of good means, might in a great measure be prevented; and all of them, through ye help of God, by fortitude and patience, might either be borne, or overcome. True it was, that such atempts were not to be made and undertaken without good ground & reason; not rashly or lightly as many have done for curiositie or hope of gaine, &c. But their condition was not ordinarie; their ends were good & honourable; their calling lawfull, & urgente; and therfore they might expecte ye blessing of god in their proceding. Yea, though they should loose their lives in this action, yet might they have comforte in the same, and their endeavors would be honourable. They lived hear but as men in exile, & in a poore condition; and as great miseries might possibly befale them in this place, for ye 12. years of truce [the truce between Holland and Spain] were now out, & ther was nothing but beating of drumes, and preparing for warr, the events wherof are allway uncertaine."
Bradford, now 30 years old and married with a young son, was in the thick of the planning. Government permissions, financing, ship hire and provisioning, and a potentially dangerous first stop in England had to be worked out. There were heartaches as well – not everybody could go. The majority of the congregation remained in Holland and with them remained their dearly-loved Pastor Robinson. And William and Dorothy Bradford’s four-year-old son would also be left behind. Yet, as Bradford wrote, "they knew they were pilgrims, and looked not much on those things, but lifted up their eyes to the heavens, their dearest country, and quieted their spirits."William Bradford was now shouldering many administrative responsibilities : record-keeping, correspondence with financial backers and negotiation for a patent to give legal permission for a settlement, and a swarm of details connected with what he called "the weighty voyage." With an instinct for the beckoning future, he carefully preserved many notes and documents. From these he later crafted his journal, known today as Of Plymouth Plantation.Clearly, lack of money was the most persistent problem. Eventually, the "Saints," as they now called themselves, were forced to join forces with "Strangers" – people unconnected with the church but willing to pay passage to the new land of opportunity. This alliance was uneasy, particularly when one of the two ships seemed unequal to the rough autumnal Atlantic. This meant that 102 passengers (including 35 children, along with young teens and several pregnant women) were crammed below decks on the Mayflower, a ship that was about 90 feet long and 26 feet broad amidships.With the first of the bad weather some of the "Strangers" and crewmen began a buzz of "discontented and mutinous speeches." Through " many fierce storms," the Mayflower struggled westward. Nearly all the passengers were wretchedly seasick. One, John Howland, fell overboard but miraculously survived "though he was somewhat ill with it, yet he lived many years after," wrote Bradford.The Mayflower’s upper decks leaked. She cracked a main beam. More and more mariners wanted to turn back. But Bradford notes that "being near half seas over," the Ship’s Master, Christopher Jones, advised continuing – particularly when the cracked beam was secured by a giant screw providentially brought by the Pilgrims for their building.Yet even as they neared landfall certain of the "Strangers" threatened "when they came ashore they would use their own liberty, for none had power to command them."The Pilgrim leaders recognized the truth of this. They now knew they were not arriving at the legally designated destination of North Virginia but in New England – and winter was upon them. After 65 days at sea the exhausted company could go no further. Here must they stay – and stay together if they were to survive.A meeting was called, attended by nearly all the adult male passengers. Both "Saints" and "Strangers" recognized that preservation was their paramount necessity. This was spelled out in a covenant outlining their decision for unity. This document binding them into a "civil body politic" is known as the Mayflower Compact.
THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT
In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are under-written, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc.
Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine our selves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the eleventh of November [New Style, November 21], in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Dom. 1620.
Signing the Mayflower Compact by Edward Percy Moran
John Carver
Here, for 12 years, first in Amsterdam and then in Leiden, Bradford and the rest of the exiles lived and worshipped according to their beliefs. Life in the old university town of Leiden was difficult. Many of the refugees, including Bradford, eked out a bare living as textile workers. The church, now led by the charismatic John Robinson, faced other problems. The Netherlands teetered on the brink of war with Catholic Spain and the Dutch government, pressured by their English ally King James, harassed the refugees. Presses printing Separatist tracts were smashed and some of the English had rocks thrown at them.
With Pastor Robinson’s encouragement, the congregation decided to make a new home overseas. The decision was made to locate north of the Virginia Colony "some place about Hudson’s river." There they could be loyal subjects of King James, live by English law and with English customs, but be far enough from interference in their way of worship.
From the journal of William Bradford...
The Pilgrims decide to emigrate to America despite the perils and dangers : "all great & honourable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and must be both enterprised and overcome with answerable courages. It was granted ye dangers were great, but not desperate; the difficulties were many, but not invincible. For though their were many of them likely, yet they were not cartaine; it might be sundrie of ye things feared might never befale; others by providente care & ye use of good means, might in a great measure be prevented; and all of them, through ye help of God, by fortitude and patience, might either be borne, or overcome. True it was, that such atempts were not to be made and undertaken without good ground & reason; not rashly or lightly as many have done for curiositie or hope of gaine, &c. But their condition was not ordinarie; their ends were good & honourable; their calling lawfull, & urgente; and therfore they might expecte ye blessing of god in their proceding. Yea, though they should loose their lives in this action, yet might they have comforte in the same, and their endeavors would be honourable. They lived hear but as men in exile, & in a poore condition; and as great miseries might possibly befale them in this place, for ye 12. years of truce [the truce between Holland and Spain] were now out, & ther was nothing but beating of drumes, and preparing for warr, the events wherof are allway uncertaine."
Bradford, now 30 years old and married with a young son, was in the thick of the planning. Government permissions, financing, ship hire and provisioning, and a potentially dangerous first stop in England had to be worked out. There were heartaches as well – not everybody could go. The majority of the congregation remained in Holland and with them remained their dearly-loved Pastor Robinson. And William and Dorothy Bradford’s four-year-old son would also be left behind. Yet, as Bradford wrote, "they knew they were pilgrims, and looked not much on those things, but lifted up their eyes to the heavens, their dearest country, and quieted their spirits."William Bradford was now shouldering many administrative responsibilities : record-keeping, correspondence with financial backers and negotiation for a patent to give legal permission for a settlement, and a swarm of details connected with what he called "the weighty voyage." With an instinct for the beckoning future, he carefully preserved many notes and documents. From these he later crafted his journal, known today as Of Plymouth Plantation.Clearly, lack of money was the most persistent problem. Eventually, the "Saints," as they now called themselves, were forced to join forces with "Strangers" – people unconnected with the church but willing to pay passage to the new land of opportunity. This alliance was uneasy, particularly when one of the two ships seemed unequal to the rough autumnal Atlantic. This meant that 102 passengers (including 35 children, along with young teens and several pregnant women) were crammed below decks on the Mayflower, a ship that was about 90 feet long and 26 feet broad amidships.With the first of the bad weather some of the "Strangers" and crewmen began a buzz of "discontented and mutinous speeches." Through " many fierce storms," the Mayflower struggled westward. Nearly all the passengers were wretchedly seasick. One, John Howland, fell overboard but miraculously survived "though he was somewhat ill with it, yet he lived many years after," wrote Bradford.The Mayflower’s upper decks leaked. She cracked a main beam. More and more mariners wanted to turn back. But Bradford notes that "being near half seas over," the Ship’s Master, Christopher Jones, advised continuing – particularly when the cracked beam was secured by a giant screw providentially brought by the Pilgrims for their building.Yet even as they neared landfall certain of the "Strangers" threatened "when they came ashore they would use their own liberty, for none had power to command them."The Pilgrim leaders recognized the truth of this. They now knew they were not arriving at the legally designated destination of North Virginia but in New England – and winter was upon them. After 65 days at sea the exhausted company could go no further. Here must they stay – and stay together if they were to survive.A meeting was called, attended by nearly all the adult male passengers. Both "Saints" and "Strangers" recognized that preservation was their paramount necessity. This was spelled out in a covenant outlining their decision for unity. This document binding them into a "civil body politic" is known as the Mayflower Compact.
THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT
In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are under-written, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc.
Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine our selves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the eleventh of November [New Style, November 21], in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Dom. 1620.
Signing the Mayflower Compact by Edward Percy Moran
John Carver
William Bradford
Edward Winslow
William Brewster
Isaac Allerton
Miles Standish
John Alden
Samuel Fuller
Christopher Martin
William Mullins
William White
William White
James Chilton
John Craxton
John Billington
Richard Warren
John Howland
Steven Hopkins
Edward Tilly
John Tilly
Francis Cook
Thomas Rogers
Thomas Rogers
Thomas Tinker
John Rigdale
Edward Fuller
John Turner
Francis Eaton
Moses Fletcher
Digery Priest
Thomas Williams
Gilbert Winslow
Edmond Margeson
Edmond Margeson
Peter Brown
Richard Bitteridge
Richard Clark
Richard Gardiner
John Allerton
Thomas English
Edward Doten
Edward Liester
John Goodman
George Soule
The original Compact has not survived. The reliable, careful Bradford, however, made a true copy. Terse and specific, this agreement had ramifications far beyond the Pilgrims’ immediate necessity. It provided the basics for self-government based on the general good, tenets which would reappear many times in the future.In November 1620, the storm-battered Mayflower finally dropped anchor off Cape Cod. The passengers, exhausted, dirty and frightened, still numbered 102. One of the "saints," young William Button, was dead – but a baby had been born mid-ocean. Another baby arrived shortly after the ship’s arrival, Bradford noting that little Peregrine White was "the first of the English born in these parts."Curiously, Bradford does not mention the tragic loss of his own wife, Dorothy, who fell from the Mayflower’s deck and drowned. But his pent-up emotions are clearly revealed in this moving passage from his journal.
From the journal of William Bradford...
The Pilgrims safe arrival at Cape Cod aboard the Mayflower :"Being thus arived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees & blessed ye God of heaven, who had brought them over ye vast & furious ocean, and delivered them from all ye periles & miseries therof, againe to set their feete on ye firme and stable earth, their proper elemente. And no marvell if they were thus joyefull, seeing wise Seneca was so affected with sailing a few miles on ye coast of his owne Italy; as he affirmed, that he had rather remaine twentie years on his way by land, then pass by sea to any place in a short time; so tedious & dreadfull was ye same unto him.But hear I cannot but stay and make a pause, and stand half amased at this poore peoples presente condition; and so I thinke will the reader too, when he well considered ye same. Being thus passed ye vast ocean, and a sea of troubles before in their preparation (as may be remembred by yt which wente before), they had now no friends to wellcome them, nor inns to entertaine or refresh their weatherbeaten bodys, no houses or much less townes to repaire too, to seeke for succoure. ..Let it also be considred what weake hopes of supply & succoure they left behinde them, yt might bear up their minds in this sade condition and trialls they were under; and they could not but be very smale. It is true, indeed, ye affections & love of their brethren at Leyden was cordiall & entire towards them, but they had litle power to help them, or them selves; and how ye case stode betweene them & ye marchants at their coming away, hath already been declared. What could not sustaine them but ye spirite of God & his grace? May not & ought not the children of these fathers rightly say : Our faithers were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this willdernes; but they cried unto ye Lord, and he heard their voyce, and looked on their adversitie…"
Almost immediately there was a frightening encounter with the Native People which convinced the Pilgrims they must find a better location as soon as possible. A handful of men, mariners and passengers, set forth in a small shallop. As they sailed north along the coast they came upon an ice storm which broke their mast. Rowing for their lives they washed ashore on a small island. By morning the weather had cleared and they saw a harbor "fitt for shipping." Behind it was cleared land – a deserted Indian settlement with "divers cornfeilds, & litle runing brooks, a place (as they supposed) fitt for situation; at least it was ye best they could find, and ye season, & their presente necessitie, made them glad to accepte of it."
From the journal of William Bradford...
William Bradford writes of how the exploring party from the Mayflower, sailing in the shallop, survived a storm and landed on Clark’s Island. After spending the Sabbath on the island, the party finally landed for the first time in Plymouth :
From hence they departed, & co[a]sted all along, but discerned no place likely for harbor; & therfore hasted to a place that their pillote, (one Mr. Coppin who had bine in ye cuntrie before) did assure them was a good harbor, which he had been in, and they might fetch it before night; of which they were glad, for it begane to be foule weather. After some houres sailing, it begane to snow & raine, & about ye midle of ye afternoone, ye wind increased, & ye sea became very rough, and they broake their ruder, & it was as much as 2 men could doe to steere her with a cupple of oares. But their pillott bad them be of good cheere, for he saw ye harbor; but ye storme increasing, & night drawing on, they bore what saile they could to gett in, while they could see. But herwith they broake their mast in 3 peeces, & their saill fell over bord, in a very grown sea, so as they had like to have been cast away; yet by Gods mercie they recovered them selves, & having ye floud with them, struck into ye harbore. But when it came too, ye pillott was deceived in ye place, and said, ye Lord be mercifull unto them, for his eys never saw yt place before; & he & the mr. mate would have rune her ashore, in a cove full of breakers, before ye winde. But a lusty seaman which steered, bad those which rowed, if they were men, about with her, or ells they were all cast away; the which they did with speed. So he bid them be of good cheere & row lustly, for ther was a faire sound before them, & he doubted not but they should find one place or other wher they might ride in saftie. And though it was very darke, and rained sore, yet in ye end they gott under ye lee of a smale iland, and remained ther all yt night in saftie. But they knew not this to be an iland till morning, but were devided in their minds; some would keepe ye boate for fear they might be amongst ye Indians; others were so weake and cold, they could not endure, but got a shore, & with much adoe got fire, (all things being so wett,) and ye rest were glad to come to them; for after midnight ye wind shifted to the north-west, & it frose hard. But though this had been a day & night of much trouble & danger unto them, yet God gave them a morning of comforte & refreshing (as usually he doth to his children), for ye next day was a faire sunshinig day, and they found them sellvs to be on an iland secure from ye Indeans, wher they might drie their stufe, fixe their peeces, & rest them selves, and gave God thanks for his mercies, in their manifould deliverances. And this being the last day of ye weeke, they prepared there to keepe ye Sabath.On Munday they sounded ye harbor, and founde it fitt for shipping; and marched into ye land [Plymouth], & found diverse cornfeilds, & litle runing brooks, a place (as they supposed) fitt for situation; at least it was ye best they could find, and ye season, & their presente necessitie, made them glad to accepte of it. So they returned to their shipp againe with this news to ye rest of their people, which did much comforte their harts.
And so the Mayflower reached Plymouth Harbor, their final destination. Several days later, Pilgrim men went ashore "to erect ye first house for comone use to receive them and their goods." But now began their worst ordeal, the "Starving Time." Nearly all became ill, including Bradford himself. Within five months half the company were dead including John Carver, whom they had elected their first governor, and all but four of the adult women. The man chosen to succeed Carver as Governor was William Bradford. Except for five brief year-long respites, he would remain governor almost until his death in 1657, a total of 36 years of public service.
From the journal of William Bradford...
A description of the hard circumstances of the winter of 1621 :"In these hard & difficulte beginings they found some discontents & murmurings arise amongst some, and mutinous speeches & carriags in other; but they were soone quelled & overcome by ye wisdome, patience, and just & equall carrage of things by ye Govr and better part, wch clave faithfully togeather in ye maine. But that which was most sadd & lamentable was, that in 2. or 3. moneths time halfe of their company dyed, espetialy in Jan: & February, being ye depth of winter, and wanting houses & other comforts; being infected with ye scurvie & other diseases, which this long vioage & their inacomodate condition had brought upon them; so as ther dyed some times 2. or 3. of a day, in ye foresaid time; that of 100. & odd persons, scarce 50. remained. And of these in ye time of most distres, ther was but 6. or 7. sound persons, who, to their great comendations be it spoken, spared no pains, night nor day, but with abundance of toyle and hazard of their owne health, fetched them woode, made them fires, drest them meat, made their beads, washed their lothsome cloaths, cloathed & uncloathed them; in a word, did all ye homly & necessarie offices for them wch dainty & quesie stomacks cannot endure to hear named; and all this willingly & cherfully, without any grudging in ye least, shewing herein their true love unto their friends & bretheren. A rare example & worthy to be remembred. Two of these 7. were Mr. William Brewster, ther reverend Elder, & Myles Standish, ther Captein & military comander, unto whom my selfe, & many others, were much beholden in our low & sicke condition."
In April 1621, the Mayflower sailed away back to England. Not one of the survivors, "Saints" or "Strangers," chose to leave with the ship. To Bradford this must have been the colony’s strongest expression of their bond. This, plus the aid of the Wampanoags under the leadership of Massasoit, signaled new hope. They had "recovered their health" and gladly planted native corn more suitable to the climate than their English seed. By autumn they had "fitted their houses against winter" and had "all things in good plenty." So the Governor called for a celebration of their harvest, a Thanksgiving shared with their Wampanoag friends. In 1621, another ship, the Fortune, arrived in Plymouth. The passengers were a mixed lot and Bradford found it necessary to provide firm leadership. By 1623 yet more ships, the Anne and Little James, found their way to Plymouth Harbor. They brought with them, in Bradford’s words, some "very useful persons … some were the wives and children of such as were here already. And some were so bad, as they were fain to be at charge to send them home again next year…" Among the new arrivals was Alice Carpenter Southworth, a young widow with two small sons. She shortly became William Bradford’s wife. Emmanual Altham, a ship captain who attended the wedding, wrote :
And now to say somewhat of the great cheer we had at the Governor’s marriage. We had about 12 pasty venison, besides others, pieces of roasted venison and other such good cheer in such quantity that I could wish you some of our share. For here we have the best grapes that ever you [saw] and the biggest, and divers sorts of plums and nuts
Bradford’s second marriage appears to have been happy. His last will & testament describes Alice as "my dear and loving wife." She provided a home in Plymouth for Bradford’s son who had been left behind in Leiden, and she and William had three children of their own, two sons and a daughter.Meanwhile, the colony was growing, and so were the responsibilities of the Governor and his Court of Assistants. As Governor, Bradford and his assistants were financial managers for the colony. The Governor and Assistants were also judges in disputes and negotiators with the Dutch in New York and the new Massachusetts Bay Colony. They had to watchdog the ultimately unsuccessful trading posts in Maine and Connecticut and also to maintain friendly relations with the Native People. What clearly distressed Bradford most was the breakup of the original colony. As the settlers moved out for more land, the church was divided and the old "comfortable fellowship" ended. In 1650, Bradford finished piecing together his journal, bringing the record up to 1646. He notes sorrowfully the death of Elder William Brewster and the departure of Edward Winslow for England. Nevertheless Bradford struggled on until 1656, leaving office just few short months before his death in 1657.William Bradford's life and influence have been chronicled by many. As the author of a manuscript journal and the long-term governor of Plymouth Colony, his documented activities are vast in scope. His remarkable ability to manage men and affairs was a large factor in the success of the Plymouth Colony. The Pilgrims "desperate adventure" was marked by Bradford’s stamina, versatility and vision.
Chronology of William Bradford’s Life
1590
William Bradford is born and then baptized on March 19 in Austerfield, Yorkshire, England.
1602
William Bradford becomes a regular attender at Puritan and Separatist meetings, coming under the influence of William Brewster and John Robinson of the Scrooby Separatist Congregation.
1608
The Scrooby Separatists begin to leave England and settle in Holland.
1609
William Bradford joins the Scrooby Separatists in Amsterdam.
1613
William Bradford marries Dorothy May.
1620
The Mayflower Pilgrims voyage to Plymouth. Dorothy May dies.
1621
The first governor of Plymouth, John Carver, dies. William Bradford is elected governor, holding the position (except for 5 years) for the remainder of his life.
1622
Mourt's Relation, based on writings by William Bradford and Edward Winslow among others, is published in London.
1623
William Bradford marries the widow Alice Carpenter Southworth.
1630
William Bradford begins the writings that eventually become Of Plymouth Plantation.
1650
William Bradford stops writing Of Plymouth Plantation, ending with the year 1646 and adding a current list of the Mayflower passengers and their status in the year 1650.
1657
William Bradford dies.
Before his death, William Bradford made a will.
The Last Will & Testament of William Bradford
The last Will and Testament Nunckupative of Mr William Bradford senir : Deceased May the Ninth 1657 and exhibited to the court held att Plymouth June 3d 1657Mr Willam Bradford senir : being weake in body but in prfect memory haveing Defered the forming of his Will in hopes of haveing the healp of Mr Thomas Prence therin; feeling himselfe very weake anddrawing on to the conclusion of his mortall life spake as followeth; I could have Desired abler than myselfe in the Desposing of that I have; how my estate is none knowes better than youerselfe, said hee to Lieftenant Southworth; I have Desposed to John and WIllam alreddy theire proportions of land which they are possessed of; My Will is that what I stand Ingaged to prforme to my Children and others may bee made good out of my estate that my Name Suffer not;ffurther my WIll is that my son Josepth bee made in some sort equall to his brthern out of my estate;My further Will is that my Deare & loveing wife Alice Bradford shalbee the sole Exequitrix of my estate; and for her future maintainance my Will is that my Stocke in the Kennebecke Trad bee reserved for her Comfortable Subsistence as farr as it will extend and soe further in any such way as may bee Judged best for her;I further request and appoint my welbeloved Christian ffrinds Mr Thomas Prence Captaine Thomas Willett and Leiftenant Thomas Southworth to bee the Suppervissors for the Desposing of my estate according to the prmises Confiding much in theire faithfulnessI commend unto youer Wisdome and Descretions some smale bookes written by my owne hand to bee Improved as you shall see meet; In speciall I Commend to you a little booke with a blacke cover wherin there is a word to Plymouth a word to Boston and a word to New England with sundry usefull verses;These pticulars were expressed by the said Willam Bradford Govr the 9th of May 1657 in the prsence of us Thomas Cushman Thomas Southworth Nathaniell Morton; whoe were Desposed before the court held att Plymouth the 3d of June 1657 to the truth of the abovesaid Will that it is the last Will and Testament of the abovesaid Mr WIllam Bradford Senir.
1590
William Bradford is born and then baptized on March 19 in Austerfield, Yorkshire, England.
1602
William Bradford becomes a regular attender at Puritan and Separatist meetings, coming under the influence of William Brewster and John Robinson of the Scrooby Separatist Congregation.
1608
The Scrooby Separatists begin to leave England and settle in Holland.
1609
William Bradford joins the Scrooby Separatists in Amsterdam.
1613
William Bradford marries Dorothy May.
1620
The Mayflower Pilgrims voyage to Plymouth. Dorothy May dies.
1621
The first governor of Plymouth, John Carver, dies. William Bradford is elected governor, holding the position (except for 5 years) for the remainder of his life.
1622
Mourt's Relation, based on writings by William Bradford and Edward Winslow among others, is published in London.
1623
William Bradford marries the widow Alice Carpenter Southworth.
1630
William Bradford begins the writings that eventually become Of Plymouth Plantation.
1650
William Bradford stops writing Of Plymouth Plantation, ending with the year 1646 and adding a current list of the Mayflower passengers and their status in the year 1650.
1657
William Bradford dies.
Before his death, William Bradford made a will.
The Last Will & Testament of William Bradford
The last Will and Testament Nunckupative of Mr William Bradford senir : Deceased May the Ninth 1657 and exhibited to the court held att Plymouth June 3d 1657Mr Willam Bradford senir : being weake in body but in prfect memory haveing Defered the forming of his Will in hopes of haveing the healp of Mr Thomas Prence therin; feeling himselfe very weake anddrawing on to the conclusion of his mortall life spake as followeth; I could have Desired abler than myselfe in the Desposing of that I have; how my estate is none knowes better than youerselfe, said hee to Lieftenant Southworth; I have Desposed to John and WIllam alreddy theire proportions of land which they are possessed of; My Will is that what I stand Ingaged to prforme to my Children and others may bee made good out of my estate that my Name Suffer not;ffurther my WIll is that my son Josepth bee made in some sort equall to his brthern out of my estate;My further Will is that my Deare & loveing wife Alice Bradford shalbee the sole Exequitrix of my estate; and for her future maintainance my Will is that my Stocke in the Kennebecke Trad bee reserved for her Comfortable Subsistence as farr as it will extend and soe further in any such way as may bee Judged best for her;I further request and appoint my welbeloved Christian ffrinds Mr Thomas Prence Captaine Thomas Willett and Leiftenant Thomas Southworth to bee the Suppervissors for the Desposing of my estate according to the prmises Confiding much in theire faithfulnessI commend unto youer Wisdome and Descretions some smale bookes written by my owne hand to bee Improved as you shall see meet; In speciall I Commend to you a little booke with a blacke cover wherin there is a word to Plymouth a word to Boston and a word to New England with sundry usefull verses;These pticulars were expressed by the said Willam Bradford Govr the 9th of May 1657 in the prsence of us Thomas Cushman Thomas Southworth Nathaniell Morton; whoe were Desposed before the court held att Plymouth the 3d of June 1657 to the truth of the abovesaid Will that it is the last Will and Testament of the abovesaid Mr WIllam Bradford Senir.
The inventory of the goods of William Bradford, deceased 1657
Note: inventories are valued in pounds (L), shillings (s) and pence (d). There were 12 pence (or pennies) to a shilling and 20 shillings to a pound.
beding and other thinges in ye old parler
L pounds
s shillings
d pence
Impr: one feather bed and bolster
03 L 00 00
It a featherbed a featherbolster a featherpillow
03 L 00 00
It a Canvas bed with feathers and a bolster and 2 pillowes
01 L 15 S 00
It one green rugg
01 00 00
It a paire of whit blanketts
01 00 00
It 2 paire of old blanketts
01 00 00
It one whit blankett
00 12 00
It 2 old Coverlidds
01 00 00
It 1 old white rugg and an old ridd Coverlidd
01 00 00
It 1 paire of old curtaines Darnickes & an old paire of say Curtaines
15 00
It a Court Cubberd
01 05 00
It a winescot bedsteed and a settle
01 10 00
It 4 lether Chaires
01 12 00
It 1 great lether Chaire
00 10 00
It 2 great wooden Chaires
00 08 00
It a Table & forme and 2 stooles
01 05 00
It a winscott Chist & Cubburd
01 05 00
It a Case with six knives
00 05 00
It 3 matchlock musketts
02 02 00
It a Snaphance Muskett
01 00 00
It a birding peece and an other smale peece
00 18 00
It a pistoll and Cutlas
00 12 00
It a Card and a platt
00 05 00
in the great rome
It 2 great Carved Chaires
01 04 00
It a smale carved Chaire
00 06 00
It a Table and forme
01 02 00
It 3 striped Carpetts
01 05 00
It 10 Cushens
01 01 00
It 3 old Cushens
00 02 00
It a Causlett and one headpeece
01 10 00
It 1 fouling peece without a locke 3 old barrells of guns one paire of old bandeleers and a rest
00 16 00
linnin
It 2 paire of holland sheets
02 00 00
It 1 Dowlis sheet
00 10 00
It 2 paire of Cotten and linnin Sheets
01 15 00
It 2 paire of hemp and Cotten sheets
01 15 00
It 2 paire of Canvas sheets
01 10 00
It 2 paire of old sheets
00 15 00
It 4 fine shirts
02 00 00
It a Douzen of Cotten and linnin napkins
00 12 00
It a Douzen of Canvas Napkins
00 06 00
It a Diaper Tablecloth and a Douzen of Diaper Napkins
02 10 00
It 10 Diaper napkins of an other sort a Diaper tablecloth and a Diaper Cubbard cloth
03 00 00
It 2 holland Tableclothes
01 00 00
It 2 short Tableclothes
00 05 00
It a Douzen of old Napkins
00 08 00
It halfe a Dousen of Napkins
00 08 --
It 3 old Napkins
00 02 00
It a Douzen of Course napkins & a course tablecloth
00 06 00
It 2 find holland Cubburd clothes
00 12 00
It 3 paire of holland pillowbeers
00 18 00
It 3 paire of Dowlis pillowbeers and an old one
00 14 00
It 4 holland Towells and a lockorum one
00 05 00
pewter
It 14 pewter dishes weying 47 pounds att 15d pr pound
02 18 09
It 6 pewter plates & 13 pewter platters ewying thirty 2 pounds att 15d pr pound
02 00 00
It 2 pewter plates 5 sawsers 4 basons & 5 Dishes weying eighteen pounds att 15d pr pound
01 02 06
It 2 plates of pewter
00 03 04
01 05 00
It a winescot bedsteed and a settle
01 10 00
It 4 lether Chaires
01 12 00
It 1 great lether Chaire
00 10 00
It 2 great wooden Chaires
00 08 00
It a Table & forme and 2 stooles
01 05 00
It a winscott Chist & Cubburd
01 05 00
It a Case with six knives
00 05 00
It 3 matchlock musketts
02 02 00
It a Snaphance Muskett
01 00 00
It a birding peece and an other smale peece
00 18 00
It a pistoll and Cutlas
00 12 00
It a Card and a platt
00 05 00
in the great rome
It 2 great Carved Chaires
01 04 00
It a smale carved Chaire
00 06 00
It a Table and forme
01 02 00
It 3 striped Carpetts
01 05 00
It 10 Cushens
01 01 00
It 3 old Cushens
00 02 00
It a Causlett and one headpeece
01 10 00
It 1 fouling peece without a locke 3 old barrells of guns one paire of old bandeleers and a rest
00 16 00
linnin
It 2 paire of holland sheets
02 00 00
It 1 Dowlis sheet
00 10 00
It 2 paire of Cotten and linnin Sheets
01 15 00
It 2 paire of hemp and Cotten sheets
01 15 00
It 2 paire of Canvas sheets
01 10 00
It 2 paire of old sheets
00 15 00
It 4 fine shirts
02 00 00
It a Douzen of Cotten and linnin napkins
00 12 00
It a Douzen of Canvas Napkins
00 06 00
It a Diaper Tablecloth and a Douzen of Diaper Napkins
02 10 00
It 10 Diaper napkins of an other sort a Diaper tablecloth and a Diaper Cubbard cloth
03 00 00
It 2 holland Tableclothes
01 00 00
It 2 short Tableclothes
00 05 00
It a Douzen of old Napkins
00 08 00
It halfe a Dousen of Napkins
00 08 --
It 3 old Napkins
00 02 00
It a Douzen of Course napkins & a course tablecloth
00 06 00
It 2 find holland Cubburd clothes
00 12 00
It 3 paire of holland pillowbeers
00 18 00
It 3 paire of Dowlis pillowbeers and an old one
00 14 00
It 4 holland Towells and a lockorum one
00 05 00
pewter
It 14 pewter dishes weying 47 pounds att 15d pr pound
02 18 09
It 6 pewter plates & 13 pewter platters ewying thirty 2 pounds att 15d pr pound
02 00 00
It 2 pewter plates 5 sawsers 4 basons & 5 Dishes weying eighteen pounds att 15d pr pound
01 02 06
It 2 plates of pewter
00 03 04
It 2 quart potts & a pint pott
00 07 00
It 2 old fflagons an a yore [ewer]
00 09 00
It a pewter Candlesticke a salt and a little pewter bottle
00 03 00
It 4 venice glasses and seaven earthen
00 10 00
In the kitchen brasse
It 2 ffrench kittles
01 10 00
It 1 brasse kittle
00 15 00
It 2 little ffrench kittles
00 06 00
It an old warming pan
00 05 00
It 2 old brasse kittles
00 02 00
It a Duch pan
00 04 00
It 3 brasse skilletts
00 04 00
It 3 brasse Candlestickes and a brasse morter and pestle
00 07 00
It an old brasse skimmer and a ladle
00 01 00
It a paire of andjrons
00 06 00
It an old brasse stewpan
00 06 00
It 2 old brasse kittles
00 05 00
It 2 Iron skilletts and a Iron kittle
00 15 00
2 old great Iron pottes
01 00 00
It 2 Iron potts lesser
00 07 00
It 2 paire of pothangers 2 paire of pothookes
00 08 00
It 2 paire of tonggs and an old fier shovell
00 03 04
It one paire of Andjrons and a gridjron
00 10 00
It a spitt and an old Iron Driping pan
00 05 00
It a paire of Iron Rackes and an Iron veele and another peec of old Iron to lay before a Driping pan
00 20 00
It 4 Dozen of Trenchers
00 02 06
It 2 Juggs and 3 smale bottles
00 02 00
in the New Chamber his clothes
It a stuffe suite with silver buttons & a Coate
04 00 00
It a Cloth Cloake faced with Taffety and lineed throw with baies
03 10 00
It a sad coullered Cloth suite
02 00 00
It a Turkey Grogorum suite and cloake
00 07 00
It 2 old fflagons an a yore [ewer]
00 09 00
It a pewter Candlesticke a salt and a little pewter bottle
00 03 00
It 4 venice glasses and seaven earthen
00 10 00
In the kitchen brasse
It 2 ffrench kittles
01 10 00
It 1 brasse kittle
00 15 00
It 2 little ffrench kittles
00 06 00
It an old warming pan
00 05 00
It 2 old brasse kittles
00 02 00
It a Duch pan
00 04 00
It 3 brasse skilletts
00 04 00
It 3 brasse Candlestickes and a brasse morter and pestle
00 07 00
It an old brasse skimmer and a ladle
00 01 00
It a paire of andjrons
00 06 00
It an old brasse stewpan
00 06 00
It 2 old brasse kittles
00 05 00
It 2 Iron skilletts and a Iron kittle
00 15 00
2 old great Iron pottes
01 00 00
It 2 Iron potts lesser
00 07 00
It 2 paire of pothangers 2 paire of pothookes
00 08 00
It 2 paire of tonggs and an old fier shovell
00 03 04
It one paire of Andjrons and a gridjron
00 10 00
It a spitt and an old Iron Driping pan
00 05 00
It a paire of Iron Rackes and an Iron veele and another peec of old Iron to lay before a Driping pan
00 20 00
It 4 Dozen of Trenchers
00 02 06
It 2 Juggs and 3 smale bottles
00 02 00
in the New Chamber his clothes
It a stuffe suite with silver buttons & a Coate
04 00 00
It a Cloth Cloake faced with Taffety and lineed throw with baies
03 10 00
It a sad coullered Cloth suite
02 00 00
It a Turkey Grogorum suite and cloake
02 00 00
It a paire of blacke briches and a rid wastcoat
00 15 00
It a lead coullered cloth suit with silver buttons
02 00 00
It a sad coullered short coate and an old serge suite
01 10 00
It a black cloth coate
00 15 00
It a broad cloth Coate
01 05 00
It a paire of blacke briches and a rid wastcoat
00 15 00
It a lead coullered cloth suit with silver buttons
02 00 00
It a sad coullered short coate and an old serge suite
01 10 00
It a black cloth coate
00 15 00
It a broad cloth Coate
01 05 00
It a light Coullered stuffe Coate
00 16 00
It an old green goune
01 00 00
It a light Cullered Cloth Cloake
01 15 00
It an old violett Coullered Cloake
01 05 00
It a short coate of Cloath
00 10 00
It 2 old Dublett and a paire of briches a short coate and an old stuffe Dublitt and wastcoate
01 00 00
It 2 paire of stockens
00 07 00
It 2 hates a blacke one and a coullered one
01 10 00
It 2 old hatts
00 16 00
It 2 great Chaire and 2 wrought Stooles
01 00 00
It a Carved Chist
01 00 00
It a Table
00 15 00
the plate
It one great beer bowle
03 00 00
It an other beer bowle
02 00 00
It 2 wine Cupps
02 00 00
It a salt
03 00 00
It the trencher salt and a Drame cup
00 15 00
It 4 silver spoones
01 04 00
It 9 silver spoones
02 05 00
In the Studdie
It eight paire of shooes of the 12s
02 00 00
It 6 paire of shoes of the 10s
01 04 00
It one paire of the eights
00 03 04
It 3 pare of the 7s
00 09 00
It 2 paire of the sixes
00 02 08
Item 1 paire of the 5s 1 paire of the 4s 1 paire of the 3s
00 06 00
It 4 yards and an halfe of linncy woolcye
00 13 06
It 3 remnants of English Cotten
00 16 00
It 3 yards and an halfe of bayes
00 07 00
It 17 yards of Course English moheer
02 02 06
It 4 yards and 3 quarters of purpetuanna
01 00 00
It 18 yards of rid penistone
03 03 00
It 5 yards of broad cloth
13 15 00
It 2 yards of broad cloth
01 10 00
It 2 1/2 yards and an halfe of olive cullered Carsye
00 15 00
It a yard and an halfe of whitish Carsey
00 07 00
It 4 yards of Gray carsye
01 04 00
It 5 yards and an halfe of rid Carsye
01 07 06
It 4 yards and a quarter of Carsy ollive coullered
01 10 00
It 7 yards of Carsye sad Cullered
02 06 08
It 10 yards of gray Carsye
02 10 00
It 6 yards and an halfe of rid plaine
01 19 00
It 9 yards and an halfe of rash
03 16 00
It 6 yards of holland
01 08 00
It a remnant of Cushening
00 05 00
It 7 smale moose skines
04 08 00
It in Cash
151 09 06
It his Deske
00 05 00
It 2 Cases with some emty bottles
00 10 00
It 3 or 4 old cases
00 03 00
his bookes in folio
Mr Perkines workes
01 10 00
It 3 of Docter Willetts workes viz on genesis exodus & Daniell
01 00 00
It the ffrench acaddamey
00 08 00
It the Guiciardin
00 10 00
It the history of the Church
00 08 00
It bodins Comons wealth
00 06 00
It B Babbingtons workes
00 08 00
It Peter Martire Comon places
00 15 00
It Cartwright on the remish Testament
00 10 00
It the history of the Netherlands
00 15 00
It Peter Martire on the Romans
00 05 00
It Mayers workes on the New Testament
01 00 00
It Cottens Concordance
00 08 00
his bookes
Speeds generall Description of the world
01 10 00
Weames Christian Sinnagogue and the portrature of the Image of God in man
--
08 00
It Luther on the gallations
00 02 00
It the method of phiscicke
00 02 00
It Calvins harmony and Calvins Comentary on the actes
00 08 00
It Downhams 2cond pte of Christian Warfare
00 03 00
It Mr Cottens Answare to mr Willams
00 02 00
It Taylers libertie of Prophecye
00 01 06
It Gouges Domesticall Dutyes
00 02 06
It Justification of Seperation or reasons Descused & observations Devine & morall the synode att Dort; the Apollogye
00 06 00
It mr Ainsworths workes the Counterpoison the triing out of truth
00 02 00
It Mr Ainsworth on geniseis Exodus & livitticus
00 04 00
It Calvin on genises
00 02 06
It Dike on the Deceitfulness of mans hart
00 01 06
It Gifford refuted
00 00 06
It Dod on the Comaundments & an other of his
00 03 00
It three and fifty smale bookes
01 06 06
It Calvine on the epistles in Duch with Divers other Duch bookes
00 15 00
It 2 bibles
01 00 00
.
It a paire of boots
00 05 00
It in lether
00 18 00
It 2 old Chists
00 10 00
It 6 old barrells a bucking tubb a brewing tubb & other old lumber
01 00 00
It a pcell of Cotten woole & a pcell of sheepes woole
02 10 00
It a pcell of feathers
00 12 00
It 3 ewe sheep
04 10 00
It 3 middleing sheep & a poor one
04 00 00
It a rame lambbe and an halfe & half an ewe lamb
00 16 06
It the old mare
12 00 00
It a lame mare and an horse coult
14 00 00
It a horse of two yeare old and advantage
07 00 00
It an other horse coult of yeare and advantage
05 10 00
It 4 bullockes
20 00 00
It 7 Cowes
28 00 00
It a bull
04 00 00
It 2 young bulls of two year old
04 10 00
It a heifer of three yeare old not with Calfe
03 05 00
It 2 heifers of two years old
05 00 00
It 4 yearlings
06 00 00
It five Calves
03 00 00
It a sow and 2 hoggs
02 15 00
It five smale shoates
01 10 00
It the house and orchyard and some smale pcells of land about the towne of Plymouth
45 00 00
It 2 spinning wheeles & a wether
00 16 00
Att the Westward in Debts upon the Duch account Consisting in Divers pcells
153 00 00
Item Debts owing to the estate
It the Kennebeck Stocke Consisting in goods and Debts both English and Indians
256 00 00
More Debts owing in the bay
It in Doute the shoomakers hands
05 00 00
It in Mannsses Kemptons hands
05 00 00
It more belonging to the estate in Divers pticulars
57 00 00
Debts owing from the estate
It to Mr Davis and mr Sheffe
05 00 00
It to Samuell Sturtivant
02 03 00
It 2 the townes land
01 12 00
It John Jourdaine about
02 00 00
It To goodman Clarke about
03 10 00
It two goodman Nelson for killing of Cattle & for veale
01 18 06
It to William Palmer
12 04 00
It To the Church of Plymouth
05 10 00
Some pcells of land not mencioned above belonging to Mr William Bradford senir:It one pcell att Eastham and another att BridgwaterIt a smale pcell about Sawtuckett and his purchase land att Coasksett with his right in the townes land at Punckatessett
By us Thomas Cushman John Dunham
It Sundrey Implements forgotten belonging to the teame
00 16 00
It an old green goune
01 00 00
It a light Cullered Cloth Cloake
01 15 00
It an old violett Coullered Cloake
01 05 00
It a short coate of Cloath
00 10 00
It 2 old Dublett and a paire of briches a short coate and an old stuffe Dublitt and wastcoate
01 00 00
It 2 paire of stockens
00 07 00
It 2 hates a blacke one and a coullered one
01 10 00
It 2 old hatts
00 16 00
It 2 great Chaire and 2 wrought Stooles
01 00 00
It a Carved Chist
01 00 00
It a Table
00 15 00
the plate
It one great beer bowle
03 00 00
It an other beer bowle
02 00 00
It 2 wine Cupps
02 00 00
It a salt
03 00 00
It the trencher salt and a Drame cup
00 15 00
It 4 silver spoones
01 04 00
It 9 silver spoones
02 05 00
In the Studdie
It eight paire of shooes of the 12s
02 00 00
It 6 paire of shoes of the 10s
01 04 00
It one paire of the eights
00 03 04
It 3 pare of the 7s
00 09 00
It 2 paire of the sixes
00 02 08
Item 1 paire of the 5s 1 paire of the 4s 1 paire of the 3s
00 06 00
It 4 yards and an halfe of linncy woolcye
00 13 06
It 3 remnants of English Cotten
00 16 00
It 3 yards and an halfe of bayes
00 07 00
It 17 yards of Course English moheer
02 02 06
It 4 yards and 3 quarters of purpetuanna
01 00 00
It 18 yards of rid penistone
03 03 00
It 5 yards of broad cloth
13 15 00
It 2 yards of broad cloth
01 10 00
It 2 1/2 yards and an halfe of olive cullered Carsye
00 15 00
It a yard and an halfe of whitish Carsey
00 07 00
It 4 yards of Gray carsye
01 04 00
It 5 yards and an halfe of rid Carsye
01 07 06
It 4 yards and a quarter of Carsy ollive coullered
01 10 00
It 7 yards of Carsye sad Cullered
02 06 08
It 10 yards of gray Carsye
02 10 00
It 6 yards and an halfe of rid plaine
01 19 00
It 9 yards and an halfe of rash
03 16 00
It 6 yards of holland
01 08 00
It a remnant of Cushening
00 05 00
It 7 smale moose skines
04 08 00
It in Cash
151 09 06
It his Deske
00 05 00
It 2 Cases with some emty bottles
00 10 00
It 3 or 4 old cases
00 03 00
his bookes in folio
Mr Perkines workes
01 10 00
It 3 of Docter Willetts workes viz on genesis exodus & Daniell
01 00 00
It the ffrench acaddamey
00 08 00
It the Guiciardin
00 10 00
It the history of the Church
00 08 00
It bodins Comons wealth
00 06 00
It B Babbingtons workes
00 08 00
It Peter Martire Comon places
00 15 00
It Cartwright on the remish Testament
00 10 00
It the history of the Netherlands
00 15 00
It Peter Martire on the Romans
00 05 00
It Mayers workes on the New Testament
01 00 00
It Cottens Concordance
00 08 00
his bookes
Speeds generall Description of the world
01 10 00
Weames Christian Sinnagogue and the portrature of the Image of God in man
--
08 00
It Luther on the gallations
00 02 00
It the method of phiscicke
00 02 00
It Calvins harmony and Calvins Comentary on the actes
00 08 00
It Downhams 2cond pte of Christian Warfare
00 03 00
It Mr Cottens Answare to mr Willams
00 02 00
It Taylers libertie of Prophecye
00 01 06
It Gouges Domesticall Dutyes
00 02 06
It Justification of Seperation or reasons Descused & observations Devine & morall the synode att Dort; the Apollogye
00 06 00
It mr Ainsworths workes the Counterpoison the triing out of truth
00 02 00
It Mr Ainsworth on geniseis Exodus & livitticus
00 04 00
It Calvin on genises
00 02 06
It Dike on the Deceitfulness of mans hart
00 01 06
It Gifford refuted
00 00 06
It Dod on the Comaundments & an other of his
00 03 00
It three and fifty smale bookes
01 06 06
It Calvine on the epistles in Duch with Divers other Duch bookes
00 15 00
It 2 bibles
01 00 00
.
It a paire of boots
00 05 00
It in lether
00 18 00
It 2 old Chists
00 10 00
It 6 old barrells a bucking tubb a brewing tubb & other old lumber
01 00 00
It a pcell of Cotten woole & a pcell of sheepes woole
02 10 00
It a pcell of feathers
00 12 00
It 3 ewe sheep
04 10 00
It 3 middleing sheep & a poor one
04 00 00
It a rame lambbe and an halfe & half an ewe lamb
00 16 06
It the old mare
12 00 00
It a lame mare and an horse coult
14 00 00
It a horse of two yeare old and advantage
07 00 00
It an other horse coult of yeare and advantage
05 10 00
It 4 bullockes
20 00 00
It 7 Cowes
28 00 00
It a bull
04 00 00
It 2 young bulls of two year old
04 10 00
It a heifer of three yeare old not with Calfe
03 05 00
It 2 heifers of two years old
05 00 00
It 4 yearlings
06 00 00
It five Calves
03 00 00
It a sow and 2 hoggs
02 15 00
It five smale shoates
01 10 00
It the house and orchyard and some smale pcells of land about the towne of Plymouth
45 00 00
It 2 spinning wheeles & a wether
00 16 00
Att the Westward in Debts upon the Duch account Consisting in Divers pcells
153 00 00
Item Debts owing to the estate
It the Kennebeck Stocke Consisting in goods and Debts both English and Indians
256 00 00
More Debts owing in the bay
It in Doute the shoomakers hands
05 00 00
It in Mannsses Kemptons hands
05 00 00
It more belonging to the estate in Divers pticulars
57 00 00
Debts owing from the estate
It to Mr Davis and mr Sheffe
05 00 00
It to Samuell Sturtivant
02 03 00
It 2 the townes land
01 12 00
It John Jourdaine about
02 00 00
It To goodman Clarke about
03 10 00
It two goodman Nelson for killing of Cattle & for veale
01 18 06
It to William Palmer
12 04 00
It To the Church of Plymouth
05 10 00
Some pcells of land not mencioned above belonging to Mr William Bradford senir:It one pcell att Eastham and another att BridgwaterIt a smale pcell about Sawtuckett and his purchase land att Coasksett with his right in the townes land at Punckatessett
By us Thomas Cushman John Dunham
It Sundrey Implements forgotten belonging to the teame
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