Online Texts for Craig White's Literature Courses

Instructor’s notes to Chapter 4: The standard immigrant story of moving and adapting to a new culture and language continues in this chapter but then takes a surprising turn.

The Pilgrims, fearful of losing their separate identity and seeing their children assimilate and wander off from their special community, decide not to assimilate to the modern Dutch culture that gave them freedom of worship.

Instead, the Pilgrims move once again, this time to America and into a very different immigrant story, where assimilation to the Indian culture is not an option.

In these regards, the Pilgrims become a prototype of the USA's dominant culture, which does not assimilate (but implicitly expects to be assimilated to).

The Pilgrims also copy the model of the ancient Israelites, who migrated from Egypt to the "Promised Land" but did not assimilate to the Canaanite culture already existing there. (See Connections b/w the Pilgrims' immigrant story and the Exodus of the Israelites.)

[chapter 4, paragraph 1a = ¶4.1a] After they [the English Pilgrims] had lived in this city [Leiden, Holland] about some eleven or twelve years (which is the more observable being the whole time of that famous truce between that state and the Spaniards) [the Thirty Years’ War rising from Protestant-Catholic divisions] and sundry [various] of them [Pilgrims] were taken away by death and many others began to be well stricken in years (the grave mistress of experience having taught them many things), those prudent governors [the Pilgrims’ leaders] with sundry of the sagest [wisest] members began both deeply to apprehend their present dangers and wisely to foresee the future and think of timely remedy. In the agitation of their thoughts, and much discourse of things hereabout, at length they began to incline to this conclusion: of removal to some other place. Not out of any newfangledness or other such like giddy humor by which men are oftentimes transported to their great hurt and danger, but for sundry weighty and solid reasons, some of the chief of which I will here briefly touch.

[¶4.2] And first, they saw and found by experience the hardness of the place and country to be such as few in comparison would come to them, and fewer that would bide it out and continue with them. For many that came to them, and many more that desired to be with them, could not endure that great labor and hard fare, with other inconveniences which they underwent and were contented with. But though they loved their persons, approved their cause and honored their sufferings, yet they left them as it were weeping, as Orpah did her mother-in-law Naomi, or as those Romans did Cato in Utica who desired to be excused and borne with, though they could not all be Catos. [This double-allusion demonstrates Bradford's intellectual range. In the Old Testament’s Book of Ruth, where Orpah (whose name inspired Oprah Winfrey's) stayed with her own people rather than joining a new people, as did Naomi and Ruth. The second reference is to the Roman statesman Cato the Younger (95-46BC) during the Civil Wars of Pompey and Caesar. ]

[¶4.2a] For many, though they desired to enjoy the ordinances of God in their purity and the liberty of the gospel with them, yet (alas) they admitted of [accepted] bondage with danger of conscience, rather than to endure these hardships. Yea, some preferred and chose the prisons in England rather than this liberty in Holland with these afflictions. But it was thought that if a better and easier place of living could be had, it would draw many and take away these discouragements. Yea, their pastor would often say that many of those who both wrote and preached now against them, if they were in a place where they might have liberty and live comfortably, they would then practice as they did.

[¶4.3] Secondly. They saw that though the people generally bore all these difficulties very cheerfully and with a resolute courage, being in the best and strength of their years; yet old age began to steal on many of them; and their great and continual labors, with other crosses and sorrows, hastened it before the time. So as it was not only probably thought, but apparently seen, that within a few years more they would be in danger to scatter, by necessities pressing them, or sink under their burdens, or both. And therefore according to the divine proverb, that a wise man seeth the plague when it cometh, and hideth himself, Proverbs 22:3, so they like skillful and beaten soldiers were fearful either to be entrapped or surrounded by their enemies so as they should neither be able to fight nor fly. And therefore [they] thought it better to dislodge [relocate] betimes to some place of better advantage and less danger, if any such could be found.

[¶4.4] Thirdly. As necessity was a taskmaster over them so they were forced to be such, not only to their servants but in a sort to their dearest children, the which as it did not a little wound the tender hearts of many a loving father and mother, so it produced likewise sundry sad and sorrowful effects. For many of their children that were of best dispositions and gracious inclinations, having learned to bear the yoke in their youth and willing to bear part of their parents' burden, were oftentimes so oppressed with their heavy labors that though their minds were free and willing, yet their bodies bowed under the weight of the same, and became decrepit in their early youth, the vigor of nature being consumed in the very bud as it were. But that which was more lamentable, and of all sorrows most heavy to be borne, was that many of their children, by these occasions and the great licentiousness of youth in that country, and the manifold temptations of the place, were drawn away by evil examples into extravagant and dangerous courses, getting the reins off their necks and departing from their parents. Some became soldiers, others took upon them far voyages by sea, and others some worse courses tending to dissoluteness and the danger of their souls, to the great grief of their parents and dishonor of God. So that they saw their posterity would be in danger to degenerate and be corrupted. [Like many immigrants, the Pilgrims interpret their children’s assimilation to a new culture as “corruption.”]

[¶4.5] Lastly (and which was not least), a great hope and inward zeal they had of laying some good foundation, or at least to make some way thereunto, for the propagating and advancing the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in those remote parts of the world; yea, though they should be but even as stepping-stones unto others for the performing of so great a work. [Bradford’s modesty in this ambition is accurate, as the first generations of Puritans found little time or inclination for converting the American Indians.]

[¶4.6] These and some other like reasons moved them to undertake this resolution of their removal; the which they afterward prosecuted with so great difficulties, as by the sequel will appear.

[¶4.7] The place they had thoughts on was some of those vast and unpeopled countries of America, which are fruitful and fit for habitation, being devoid of all civil inhabitants, where there are only savage and brutish men which range up and down, little otherwise than the wild beasts of the same. [Typology between the Canaanites of the biblical Promised Land and the Indians of America is potential here (along with the Palestinians of modern Israel), as the established occupants are depicted as not having rights of possession or equal treatment. This situation alters the classic immigrant story: instead of the immigrants assimilating to the culture of the land to which they journey, the immigrants will impose their own culture on that land.]

[¶4.7a] This proposition being made public and coming to the scanning of all, it raised many variable opinions amongst men and caused many fears and doubts amongst themselves. Some, from their reasons and hopes conceived, labored to stir up and encourage the rest to undertake and prosecute the same; others again, out of their fears, objected against it and sought to divert from it; alleging many things, and those neither unreasonable nor improbable; as that it was a great design and subject to many unconceivable perils and dangers; as, besides the casualties of the sea (which none can be freed from), the length of the voyage was such as the weak bodies of women and other persons worn out with age and travail (as many of them were) could never be able to endure. And yet if they should, the miseries of the land which they should be exposed unto, would be too hard to be borne and likely, some or all of them together, to consume and utterly to ruin them. For there they should be liable to famine and nakedness [exposure] and the want, in a manner, of all things. The change of air, diet and drinking of water would infect their bodies with sore sicknesses and grievous diseases. And also those which should escape or overcome these difficulties should yet be in continual danger of the savage people, who are cruel, barbarous and most treacherous, being most furious in their rage and merciless where they overcome; not being content only to kill and take away life, but delight to torment men in the most bloody manner that may be; flaying some alive with the shells of fishes, cutting off the members and joints of others by piecemeal and broiling on the coals, eat the collops [slices of meat] of their flesh in their sight whilst they live, with other cruelties horrible to be related. [Indians as terrorists—compare Israeli perceptions of Palestinians]

[¶4.8] And surely it could not be thought but the very hearing of these things could not but move the very bowels [guts] of men to grate within them and make the weak to quake and tremble. It was further objected that it would require greater sums of money to furnish such a voyage and to fit them with necessaries, than their consumed estates would amount to; and yet they must as well look to be seconded with supplies as presently to be transported. Also many precedents of ill success and lamentable miseries befallen others in the like designs were easy to be found, and not forgotten to be alleged; besides their own experience, in their former troubles and hardships in their removal into Holland, and how hard a thing it was for them to live in that strange place, though it was a neighbor country and a civil and rich commonwealth.

[¶4.9] It was answered, that all great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties and must be both enterprised and overcome with answerable courages. It was granted the dangers were great, but not desperate. The difficulties were many, but not invincible. For though there were many of them likely, yet they were not certain. It might be sundry [various] of the things feared might never befall; others by provident care and the use of good means might in a great measure be prevented; and all of them, through the help of God, by fortitude and patience, might either be borne or overcome.

[¶4.9a] True it was that such attempts were not to be made and undertaken without good ground and reason, not rashly or lightly as many have done for curiosity or hope of gain, etc. But their condition was not ordinary, their ends were good and honorable, their calling lawful and urgent; and therefore they might expect the blessing of God in their proceeding. Yea, though they should lose their lives in this action, yet might they have comfort in the same and their endeavors would be honorable. They lived here but as men in exile and in a poor condition, and as great miseries might possibly befall them in this place; for the twelve years of truce were now out and there was nothing but beating of drums and preparing for war, the events whereof are always uncertain. The Spaniard might prove as cruel as the savages of America, and the famine and pestilence as sore here as there, and their liberty less to look out for remedy.

[¶4.10] After many other particular things answered and alleged on both sides, it was fully concluded by the major part to put this design in execution and to prosecute it by the best means they could.

 End Chapter 4

Of Plymouth Plantation