Set in the early Plymouth settlement, the poem recounts a love triangle in which a stern military captain, his younger friend and a modest Puritan maiden become entangled when the captain asks his friend to plead for the maiden’s hand; the friend secretly loves her, prompting awkward letters, comic misunderstandings and tests of loyalty. Interlaced with scenes of everyday colonial life and occasional threats from the surrounding wilderness, the verse contrasts martial pride with domestic affection and moves from rivalry and embarrassment to an honest resolution of feelings, blending humor, sentiment and moral reflection in a narrative lyrical form.