62. Puritan Children
BY GOVERNOR WILLIAM BRADFORD (1622)
THE Puritans who went to Holland had hard work to
support their families in a strange land where the chief
industry was cloth-making. The children suffered, too, by
the change from country life in England to city life at
Amsterdam and Leyden.
Necessity was a taskmaster over them and so the
Puritans were forced to be taskmasters, not only to their
servants, but in a way to their dearest children. This greatly
wounded the tender hearts of many a loving father and
mother.
So also it caused many sad and sorrowful effects. Many of
their children were of the best dispositions and of right
intentions. They had learned to bear the yoke of hardships in
their youth. They were willing to bear part of their parents'
burdens also.
But oftentimes they were so weighed down by their heavy
work, that although their minds were willing, yet their
bodies bowed under the weight. And so they became like
old, weak people even in their early youth. The strength of
nature was used up in the very bud as it were.
But there were other things more to be grieved over, which
of all sorrows, were most heavy to be borne. Many of their
children, because of these hardships and the great
wickedness of young people in that country, and the many
temptations of the place, were drawn away into evil.
By bad example they were drawn into spendthrift and
dangerous ways of doing. Having got the reins off their
necks they left the good teachings of their parents. Some
became soldiers. Others went upon far voyages by sea.
Some others did worse things which led them to evil, to the
danger of their souls. This brought great sorrow to their
parents, and dishonor to God. So the parents saw that those
who would be born after them, in years to come, would be in
danger of being weak and wicked.
To show how strict and serious life was among the Puritans,
we have only to notice how different a time Christmas was
then than it is now.[220]
On the day called Christmas, the governor called them all out
to work, as was the way then. But the most of the people,
newly come at this time, said it was against their conscience
to work on that day.
So the governor said, if they made it a matter of conscience,
he would let them alone until they knew better. So he led
away the rest and left them.
But when those with him came home at noon from
their work, he found the others in the street at play publicly.
Some were pitching the bar, some were playing at stool-ball,
and such sports.
So he went to them and took away the things they were playing
with. He told them that it was against his conscience that they should
play while others worked. If they made the keeping of the day a matter
of religion, let them stay in their houses There should be no
merry-making in the streets After that time nothing of the kind was
tried again.[221]
[[220]]
This part of the extract describes life in
Plymouth, after the Puritans had come over to New England.
[[221]]
The Puritians did not celebrate Christmas because
they thought it was a Catholic day of rejoicing. Puritan children had
sport but not on Christmas Day, which is now a day of rejoicing
everywhere.
