Chapter New England of Index by Simonds History of American Literature

and looked on their adversity. Let them therefore praise the Lord because he is good and his mercies endure for over.'"

The manuscript of Bradford's history has itself had a rather interesting story. At the death of its author, it fell to the possession of his nephew, Edward Morton, who made liberal use of it in his own New England's Memorial (1669). It then came into the hands of Rev. Thomas Prince, who wrote a Chronological History of New England (1736). During the occupation of Boston by the British troops in 1775-76, the manuscript was lost with many other valuable documents preserved in Prince's library, which was in the tower of the Old South Church. In 1855, this valuable document was discovered in the library of the Bishop of London, was copied, and published in this country; and in 1897, the original itself was restored to America. It is kept in the Massachusetts State Library at the State House in Boston.

John Winthrop, 1588-1649.

Among the company of English Puritans who, in 1630, settled on the shore of Massachusetts Bay, the foremost figure was that of John Winthrop, already appointed Governor of the colony. His family was well known in his home shire of Suffolk, a family of property and position. Winthrop himself was a man of noble character, a conscientious Puritan, yet catholic in spirit beyond some of his associates, possessing the tastes and accomplishments of culture. During his voyage to America, he had busied himself in the composition of a little treatise which was characteristic of this broad-minded man. A Model of Christian Charity is the title of his essay; and in it he presents a plea for the exercise of an unselfish spirit on the part of all the members of this devoted band, now standing on the threshold of an experience which could not but be trying in the extreme on the nerves and temper of all. "We must be knit together in this work as one man!" was his cry.

History of New England.

John Winthrop History of New England is the contemporaneous record preserved in his journal of occurrences in the colony observed by him, or reported to him. The busy governor made a brave effort to keep up with the march of events. Notwithstanding the press of official duties, which more than filled his days, he persevered with his journal, which commences with the beginning of the voyage and comes down to a date only some few weeks previous to his death, in 1649. There are gaps in the chronicle and a significant brevity in the records of particular incidents, some of these records passing from the trivial to the pathetic with ludicrous conciseness.

"A cow died at Plymouth, and a goat at Boston, with eating Indian corn." The fact is recorded as faithfully as a previous item, mentioned with Spartan brevity: "My son, Henry Winthrop, was drowned at Salem." In the following passage, we get a curious glimpse into the Puritan mind. The pathos of the original note is almost lost in the unconscious humor of the historian's wise deductions: --

"Mr. Hopkins, the governor of Hartford upon Connecticut, came to Boston, and brought his wife with him (a godly young woman, and of special parts), who was fallen into a sad infirmity, the loss of her understanding and reason, which had been growing upon her divers years, by occasion of her giving herself wholly to reading and writing, and had written many books. Her husband, being very loving and tender of her, was loath to grieve her; but he saw his error, when it was too late. For if she had attended her household affairs, and such things as belong to women, and not gone out of her way and calling to meddle in such things as are proper for men, whose minds are stronger, etc., she had kept her wits, and might have improved t them usefully and honorably in the place God had set her.

"He brought her to Boston, and left her with her brother, one Mr. Yale, a merchant, to try what means might be had here for her. But no help could be had."

There are more momentous records than these in the annals, and Winthrop's history shares with that of Bradford in interest and importance.