John Alden must have been the person here intended. He was one of the singers of the original compact in 1620, being then about twenty-two years of age. He died at Duxbury, in 1687, eighteen years after the first publication of the Memorial, in the eightyninth year of his age; having been an assistant in the administration of every governor for sixty-seven years.—Hist. Coll., ii. 6. Allen’s Biog. and Hist. Dict.

And after this gracious return of prayers, in this so seasonable a blessing of the rain, the Lord sent them such seasonable showers, with interchange of warm weather, as (through his blessing) caused in its time a fruitful and liberal harvest, to their great comfort and rejoicing; for which mercy, in time convenient, they also solemnized a day of thanksgiving unto the Lord.

About fourteen days after came in the ship, called the Ann, whereof Mr. William Pierce was master. Two of the principal passengers that came in this ship were Mr. Timothy Hatherly, and Mr. George Morton; the former, namely, Mr. Timothy Hatherly, soon after his arrival met with some cross providences by burning of his house, whereby he was much impoverished and much discouraged, and returned the winter following for England; and afterwards the Lord was pleased to renew his estate, and he came again into New England, and proved a very profitable and beneficial instrument, both in church and commonwealth, being one of the first beginners, and a good instrument to uphold the church and town of Scituate; and also served God and the jurisdiction of Plimouth in the place of magistracy, and retained his integrity in the profession of the ways of Christ unto old age; still surviving at the penning hereof.

The latter of the two forenamed, namely, Mr. George Morton, was a pious, gracious servant of God, and very faithful in whatsoever public employment he was betrusted withal, and an unfeigned well willer, and, according to his sphere and condition, a suitable promoter of the common good and growth of the plantation of New Plimouth; labouring to still the discontents that sometimes would arise amongst some spirits, by occasion of the difficulties of these new beginnings; but it pleased God to put a period to his days soon after his arrival in New England, not surviving a full year after his coming ashore. With much comfort and peace he fell asleep in the Lord, in the month of June, anno 1624.

About ten days after the arrival of the ship called the Ann, above named, there came in another small ship of about forty-four tons, named the James, Mr. Bridges being master thereof; which said ship the Ann had lost at sea by reason of foul weather; she was a fine new vessel, built to stay in the country. One of the principal passengers that came in her was Mr. John Jenny, who was a godly, though otherwise a plain man, yet singular for publicness of spirit, setting himself to seek and promote the common good of the plantation of New Plimouth; who spent not only his part of this ship (being part owner thereof) in the general concernment of the plantation, but also afterwards was always a leading man in promoting the general interest of this colony. He lived many years in New England, and fell asleep in the Lord, anno 1644. In the two ships last named, came over many other persons, besides those before recited, who proved of good use in their places.

These passengers, seeing the low and poor condition of those that were here before them, were much daunted and dismayed, and, according to their divers humours, were diversely affected. Some wished themselves in England again; others fell on weeping, fancying their own misery in what they saw in others; other some pitying the distress they saw their friends had been long in, and still were under. In a word, all were full of sadness; only some of their old friends rejoiced to see them, and that it was no worse with them, for they could not expect it should be better, and now hoped they should enjoy better days together. And truly it was no marvel they should be thus affected, for they were in a very low condition, both in respect of food and clothing at that time.

To consider seriously how sadly the Scripture speaks of the famine in Jacob’s time, when he said to his sons, go buy us food, that we may live and not die; and that the famine was great and heavy in the land, and yet they had great herds and store of cattle of sundry kinds, which, besides their flesh, must needs produce other useful benefits for food, and yet it was accounted a sore affliction. But the misery of the planters at Plimouth, at the first beginning, must needs be very great therefore, who not only wanted the staff of bread, but all the benefits of cattle, and had no Egypt to go to, but God fed them out of the sea