One of the company, who was employed in taking notice of the particulars of that tragedy, gave such testimony of the said Mr. Winslow, as followeth in this poem.
God took from us our grand commissioner,
Winslow by name, a man of chiefest trust,
Whose life was sweet, and conversation just;
Whose parts and wisdom most men did excel;
An honour to his place, as all can tell.6
1656.
Mr. William Bradford was chosen governor of the jurisdiction of Plimouth. Mr. Thomas Prince, Mr. William Collier, Mr. Timothy Hatherly, Capt. Miles Standish, Mr. John Alden, Capt. Thomas Willet, and Capt. James Cudworth, were chosen his assistants in government.
This year Capt. Miles Standish expired his mortal life. He was a gentleman, born in Lancashire, and was heir apparent unto a great estate of lands and livings, surreptitiously detained from him; his great- grandfather being a second or younger brother from the house of Standish. In his younger time he went over into the low countries, and was a soldier there, and came acquainted with the church at Leyden, and came over into New England, with such of them as at the first set out for the planting of the plantation of New Plimouth, and bare a deep share of their first difficulties, and was always very faithful to their interest. He growing ancient, became sick of the stone, or stranguary, whereof, after his suffering of much dolorous pain, he fell asleep in the Lord, and was honourably buried at Duxbury.7
Standish’s descendants are very numerous in the Old Colony and elsewhere. It is said, “Duxborough have a manor in England as their right of inheritance, and has for a long time been held in abeyance for the heirs at law.”
1657.
This year Mr. Thomas Prince was chosen governor of the jurisdiction of New Plimouth. Mr. William Collier, Mr. Timothy Hatherly, Mr. John Alden, Capt. Thomas Willet, Capt. James Cudworth, Capt. Josiah Winslow, and Lieut. Thomas Southworth, were chosen his assistants in government.8
This year it pleased God to put a period to the life of his precious servant, Mr. William Bradford, who was the second governor of the jurisdiction of New Plimouth, and continued in the same place for the most part of his time, with little intermission. Concerning whom the following poems made, the one by himself, and the other by such as were well acquainted with his worth and excellency, will give a large testimony thereof.
Certain verses left by the honoured William Bradford, Esq., governor of the jurisdiction of Plimouth, penned by his own hand, declaring the gracious dispensations of God’s providence towards him in the time of his life, and his preparation and fittedness for death.
God did make known to me his truth,
And call’d me from my native place
For to enjoy the means of grace.
In wilderness he did me guide,
And in strange lands for me provide.
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 on dust!
A man of sorrows I have been,
And many changes I have seen.
Wars, wants, peace, plenty, have I known;
And some advanc’d, others thrown down.
The humble poor, cheerful and glad;
Rich, discontent, sower and sad:
When fears and sorrows have been mixt,
Consolations came betwixt.
Faint not, poor soul, in God still trust,
Fear not the things thou suffer must;
For, whom he loves he doth chastise,
And then all tears wipes from their eyes.
Farewell, dear children, whom I love,
Your better Father is above:
When I am gone, he can supply;
To him I leave you when I die.
Fear him in truth, walk in his ways,
And he will bless you all your days.
My days are spent, old age is come,
My strength it fails, my glass near run.
Now I will wait, when work is done,
Until my happy change shall come,
When from my labours I shall rest,
With Christ above for to be blest.
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