"In fears and wants, through weal and woe,
A pilgrim passed I to and fro;
Oft left of them whom I did trust,
How vain it is to rest in dust!
A man of sorrows I have been,
And many changes I have seen,
Wars, wants, peace, plenty I have known,
And some advanc'd, others thrown down."
When Mistress Alice Bradford died she was "mourned, though aged" by many.
To her memory, Nathaniel Morton, her nephew, wrote some lines which were
more biographic than poetical, recalling her early life as an exile with
her father from England for the truth's sake, her first marriage:
"To one whose grace and virtue did surpasse,
I mean good Edward Southworth whoe not long
Continued in this world the saints amonge."
With extravagant words he extols the name of Bradford,—"fresh in
memory Which smeles with odoriferous fragrancye." This elegist records
also that, after her second widowhood, she lived a
"life of holynes and faith,
In reading of God's word and contemplation
Which healped her to assurance of salvation."
This is not a very lively, graphic description of the woman most honored,
perhaps, of all the pioneer women of Plymouth, but we may add, by
imagination, a few sure traits of human kindliness and grace. She was
typical of those women who came in The Mayflower and her sister
ships. Although she escaped the tragic struggles and illness of that first
winter, yet she revealed the same qualities of courage, good sense,
fidelity and vision which were the watchwords of that group of women in
Plymouth colony. Yes,—they had vision to see their part in the
sincere purpose to establish a new standard of liberty in state and
church, to serve God and mankind with all their integrity and resources.
As the leaders among the men were self-sacrificing and honorable in their
dealings with their financiers, with the Indians and with each other, so
the women were faithful and true in their homes and communal life. They
took scarcely any part in the civic administration, for such
responsibility did not come into the lives of seventeenth century women.
They were actively interested in the educational and religious life of the
colony. Their moral standards were high and inflexible; they extolled, and
practised, the virtues of thrift and industry. It may be well for women in
America today, who were querulous at the restrictions upon sugar and
electric lights, to consider the good sense, and good cheer, with which
these women of Plymouth Colony directed their thrifty households.
We would not assume that they were free from the whims and foibles of
womankind,—and sometimes of man-kind,—of all ages. They were,
doubtless, contradictory and impulsive at times; they could scold and they
could gossip. We believe that they laughed sometimes, in the midst of dire
want and anxiety, and we know that they prayed with sincerity and trust.
They bore children gladly and they trained them "in the fear and
admonition of the Lord." They were the progenitors of thousands of fine
men and women in all parts of America today who honor the women as
well as the men of the old Plymouth Colony,—the women who
faithfully performed, without any serious discontent,
"that whole sweet round
Of littles that large life compound."
INDEX TO PERSONS MENTIONED IN THE TEXT
Alden, Augustus E.
Elizabeth
John
Captain John
Priscilla
Ruth
Sarah
Timothy
Allerton, Bartholomew
Isaac
Mary Norton
Mary
Remember
Armstrong, Gregory
Austin, Jane G.
Bartlett, W. H.
Bass, Ruth Alden
Beckeet, Mary
Billington, Francis
Helen
John
John, Jr.
Bowman, George Ernest
Bradford, Alice
Dorothy May
John
Mary
Joseph
Gov. William
William, Jr.
Brewster, Fear
Jonathan
Love
Mary
Patience
William, Elder
Wrestling
Brown, Lydia Howland
Peter
Carpenter, Juliana
Mary
Priscilla
Carter, Robert
Carver, Catherine
Gov. John
Chandler, Isabella Chilton
Roger
Chilton, Ingle
Isabella
Isaac
Chilton, James
Jane
Mary
Mrs. James
Nicolas
Converse, Sarah
Cooke, Francis
Hester
Jacob
John
Sarah
Cooper, Humility
Crakston, John
Cromwell
Cushman, Robert
Thomas
Davis, W. T.
De La Noye, Philip
De Rassieres
Dean, Stephen
Dexter, Henry M.
Morton
Doane, Deacon John
Dotey, Edward
Earle, Alice Morse
Eaton, Francis
Sarah
Eliot, Charles W.
Ford, Widow Martha
Fuller, Ann
Bridget
Edward
Mercy
Samuel, Dr.
Samuel
William Hyslop
Goodman, John
Goodwin, John A.
Heald, Giles
Hicks, Robert
Mrs. Robert
Hobomok
Hopkins, Caleb
Constance, or Constanta
Damaris
Hopkins, Elizabeth
Giles
Oceanus
Ruth
Stephen
Howland, Elizabeth Tilley
Lydia (Brown)
John
Huiginn, E. V. J.
Jenny, John
Jeppson, William
William
Jones, Christopher, Capt.
Thomas, Capt.
Latham, William
Lister, Edward
Longfellow, Henry W.
Lord, Arthur, VI
Martin, Mrs. Christopher
Masefield, John
Massasoit
Minter, Desire
John
Thomas
William
More, Ellen
Richard
Morton, George
Juliana Carpenter
Mullins, Alice, Mrs.
Joseph
Moses
Priscilla
Sarah (Blunden)
William
William, Jr.
Newcomen, John
Oldham, John
Pabodie, Elizabeth Alden
William
Parker, Richard
Penn, Christian
Prence, Thomas
Priest, Degory
Reynolds, William
Rigdale, Alice
Robinson, Pastor John
Sampson, Alexander
Henry
Samoset
Snow, Nicholas
Soule, George
Southworth, Alice
Constant
Thomas
Squanto
Standish, Alexander
Barbara
Charles
John
Josiah
Lora or Lorea
Mary Dingley
Miles
Miles, Jr.
Rose
Taylor, Ann
Thompson, Edward
Thwing, Annie M.
Tilley, Ann
Bridget
Edward
Elizabeth
John
Tinker, Mrs. Thomas
Turner, John
Warren, Elizabeth
Richard
White, Peregrine
Resolved
Susanna
William
Williams, Roger
Thomas
Winslow, Edward
Elizabeth Barker
Elizabeth
John
John, Brig. Gen.
Josiah
Kenelm
Mary Chilton
Susanna
Winthrop, John
Wright, Priscilla Carpenter
William