Publications of

    The Colonial Society

    of Massachusetts

    Volume xciii

    officers of the society

    • Donald R. Friary, President
    • Robert J. Allison, Vice President
    • Daniel R. Coquillette, Vice President
    • Susan L. Lively, Vice President
    • Celeste Walker, Vice President
    • Leslie A. Morris, Secretary
    • Thomas R. Appleton, Treasurer

    committee on publications

    • Kenneth P. Minkema, Chair
    • Robert Anderson
    • Catherine Brekus
    • David D. Hall
    • Christopher Jedrey
    • Celeste Walker

    editor of publications

    • John W. Tyler

    Of Plimoth Plantation

    by William Bradford

    Of Plimoth Plantation

    by William Bradford

    the 400th anniversary edition

    edited and introduced by

    Kenneth P. Minkema

    Francis J. Bremer

    &

    Jeremy D. Bangs

    with a special introduction by

    Paula Peters

    bradford’s hebrew vocabularies edited and introduced by

    Eric D. Reymond

    BOSTON

    Colonial Society of Massachusetts

    New England Historic Genealogical Society

    2020

    frontispiece: Manuscript page one of Of Plimoth Plantation

    (Courtesy of the State Library of Massachusetts, Boston, Mass.)

    Copyright © 2020 by the Colonial Society of Massachusetts and New England Historic Genealogical Society

    isbn 978–0–9975191–8–1

    Library of Congress Control Number 2020934598

    We come on the ship they call The Mayflower,

    We come on the ship that sailed the moon.

    We come in the age’s most uncertain hour,

    And sing an American tune.

    —paul simon, 1973

    What has happened cannot be changed, but today we must work towards a more humane America, a more Indian America, where men and nature once again are important; where the Indian values of honor, truth, and brotherhood prevail. You the white man are celebrating an anniversary. We the Wampanoags will help you celebrate in the concept of a beginning. It was the beginning of a new life for the Pilgrims. Now, 350 years later it is a beginning of a new determination for the original American: the American Indian.

    —frank wamsutta james, 1970

    And as you are a body together, so hang not together by skins and gimmicks, but labour to be jointed together and knit by flesh and sinews; away with envy at the good of others, and rejoice in his good, and sorrow for his evil, let his joy be thy joy, and his sorrow thy sorrow: let his sickness be thy sickness: his hunger thy hunger: his poverty thy poverty: And if you profess friendship, be friends in adversities: for then a friend is known, and tried, and not before.

    —robert cushman, 1621

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