William Bradford

William Bradford

1. Thesis: In William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation, the puritans embark in a quest for religious freedom, encountering hardships like lack of food, cold weather, and belligerent native americans, but they overcome these calamaties by finding a strength in themselves and in God.



2. Impressive passage: After they had enjoyed fair winds and weather for a season, they were encountered many times with cross winds and met with many fierce storms with which the ship was soundly shaken, and her upper works made very leaky; and one of the main beams in the mid-ship was bowed and cracked, which put them in some fear that the ship could not be able to perform the voyage. So some of the chief of the company, perceiving the mariners to fear the insufficiency of the ship as appeared by their mutterings, they entered into serious consultation with the master and other officers of the ship, to consider in time of the danger, and rather to return than to cast themselves into a desperate and inevitable peril. And truly there was great distraction and difference of opinion amongst the mariners themselves; fain would they do what could be done for their wages’ sake (being now near half the seas over) and on the other hand they were loath to hazard their lives too desperately. But in examining of all opinions, the master and others affirmed they knew the ship to be strong and firm under water; and for the buckling of the main beam, there was a great iron screw the passengers brought out of Holland, which would raise the beam into his place; the which being done, the carpenter and master affirmed that with a post put under it, set firm in the lower deck and otherwise bound, he would make it sufficient. And as for the decks and upper works, they would caulk them as well as they could, and though with the working of the ship they would not long keep staunch, yet there would otherwise be no great danger, if they did not over-press her with sails. So they committed themselves to the will of God and resolved to proceed.



3. Reflection: The Puritans in Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation prevail against all the odds that are against them through their strength and their trust in God. In the passage, the beam of the ship cracks, and the only thing they have to fix it is a screw from Holland. Even though the time of the voyage will more than likely be longer and there is a very large chance of the beam cracking once more, they ignore their doubts and fears and continue sailing. The Puritans are also able to overlook these possible outcomes as they 'commit themselves to the will of God'. They believe that God will safely carry them throughout their journey no matter what else goes wrong with their ship. The more obstacles that come in the way of the Puritans, the stronger their belief in their strength and their relationship to God becomes.