d thousands these mute pages shall eloquently speak of high
resolve, great suffering and heroic endurance made possible by an
absolute faith in the over-ruling providence of Almighty God.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

BY THE

BISHOP OF LONDON.

[Illustration: THE BISHOP OF LONDON]

(Copy)

FULHAM PALACE, S.W.
Oct. 16, 1897.

DEAR SIR,

I would ask you to express to the Convention of the two branches of the
General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts my grateful thanks
for the copy of their resolution of May 26, which was presented to me by
Mr. Adams.[A]

I consider it a great privilege to have been associated with an act of
courtesy, which was also an act of justice, in restoring to its proper
place a document which is so important in the records of your
illustrious Commonwealth.

I am

Yours faithfully,
M. London.

H.D. COOLIDGE, Esq.
Clerk of the Convention.

OF PLIMOTH PLANTATION.

Of Plimoth Plantation.

And first of y^e occasion and ind[~u]sments ther unto; the which that I
may truly unfould, I must begine at y^e very roote & rise of y^e same.
The which I shall endevor to manefest in a plaine stile, with singuler
regard unto y^e simple trueth in all things, at least as near as my
slender judgmente can attaine the same.

1. Chapter.

It is well knowne unto y^e godly and judicious, how ever since y^e first
breaking out of y^e lighte of y^e gospell in our Honourable Nation of
England, (which was y^e first of nations whom y^e Lord adorned ther
with, affter y^t grosse darknes of popery which had covered & overspred
y^e Christian worled,) what warrs & opposissions ever since, Satan hath
raised, maintained, and continued against the Saincts, from time to
time, in one sorte or other. Some times by bloody death and cruell
torments; other whiles imprisonments, banishments, & other hard usages;
as being loath his kingdom should goe downe, the trueth prevaile, and
y^e churches of God reverte to their anciente puritie, and recover their
primative order, libertie, & bewtie. But when he could not prevaile by
these means, against the maine trueths of y^e gospell, but that they
began to take rootting in many places, being watered with y^e blooud of
y^e martires, and blessed from heaven with a gracious encrease; He then
begane to take him to his anciente strategemes, used of old against the
first Christians. That when by y^e bloody & barbarous persecutions of
y^e Heathen Empe