Volume 1 — GOVERNOR BRADSTREET.
Reading edition
Simon Bradstreet, son of a non-conforming minister, was born March, 1603, at Horblin, Lincolnshire. His father died when he was fourteen years old, and he was committed to the care of Hon. Thomas Dudley, for eight years following. He spent one year at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, pursuing his studies amidst various interruptions. Leaving Cambridge, he resided in the family of the Earl of Lincoln, as his steward, and afterwards lived in the same capacity with the Countess of Warwick. He with Mr. Winthrop, Mr. Dudley, and others, agreed to emigrate, and form a settlement in Massachusetts; and being appointed an Assistant, he with his family and others went on board the Arbella, March 29, 1630; anchored, June 12, near Naumkeak, now Salem, went on shore, but returned to the vessel at night; came, on the 14th, into the inner harbor, and went on shore. He attended the first Court, Aug. 23, at Charlestown.
In the spring of 1631, Mr. Bradstreet with other gentlemen commenced building at Newtown, now Cambridge, and his name is among those constituting the first company, which settled in that town in 1632. He resided there several years. In 1639, the Court granted him 500 acres of land in Salem, in the next convenient place to Gov. Endicott's farm. It appears that he resided a short time at Ipswich.
Mr. Bradstreet was among the first settlers of Andover, and was highly useful in promoting the settlement, in bearing the burdens incident to a new plantation, and in giving a right direction to its affairs. About the year 1644, he built the first mill on the Cochichewick. He was a selectman from the first record of town officers to 1672, soon after which, he probably spent most of his time in Boston and Salem. He was the first Secretary of the colony, and discharged the duties of the office many years. He was one of the first Commissioners of the United Colonies in 1643, and served many years with fidelity and usefulness in this office. In 1653, he with his colleague vigorously opposed making war on the Dutch in New York, and on the Indians; and it was prevented by his steady and conscientious opposition and the decision of the General Court of Massachusetts, though earnestly and strenuously urged by all the Commissioners of the other three colonies.
He was Deputy Governor from 1672 to 1679, when he was elected Governor, and continued in office till Mr. Joseph Dudley, his nephew, was appointed, in 1686, head of the administration, and the government was changed and the Charter annulled.
Gov. Bradstreet was considered at the head of the moderate party; and, when the Charter was demanded by King Charles, he thought it better that it should be surrendered, than that it should be taken away by judgment, as in that case it might be more easily resumed.
He strenuously opposed the arbitrary proceedings of Andros; and when, in 1689, the people put down his authority, they made their old Governor their President. He continued at the head of the administration till May, 1692, at the advanced age of 89 years, when Sir William Phips arrived from England with the new Charter, in which Sir William was appointed Governor, and Mr. Bradstreet first Assistant. He had been in service in the government sixty-two years, excepting the short administrations of Dudley and Andros. No man in the country has continued in so high offices so many years, and to so advanced age as he. He was a popular magistrate, and was opposed to the witch delusion in 1692, which caused great alarm and distress at the commencement of Gov. Phips' administration. "He lived to be the Nestor of New England," for all who came over from England with him, died before him.
The following inscription is on the monument erected in Salem to Gov. Bradstreet:
SIMON BRADSTREET,
Armiger, ex ordine Senatoris in Colonia Massachusettensi ab anno 1630, usque ad annum 1673. Deinde ad annum 1679, Vice-Gubernator. Denique, ad annum 1686, ejusdem coloniae, communi et constanti populi suffragio,
GUBERNATOR,
Vir, judicio Lynceario praeditus; quem nec numma, nec honos allexit. Regis auctoritatem, et populi libertatem, aequa lance libravit. Religione cordatus, vita innocuus, mundum et vicit et deseruit, 27 die Martii, A. D. 1697, annoque Guliel: 3t. IX. et Æt. 94.
Gov. Bradstreet was married in England to Miss Ann Dudley, daughter of Mr. Thomas Dudley, when she was sixteen years old. She is the most distinguished of the early matrons of our country by her literary powers, of which proof is given in a volume of poems. It was dedicated to her father in poetry, dated March 20, 1642. The title of the book is, "Several poems, compiled with great variety of wit and learning, full of delight; wherein especially is contained a complete discourse and description of the four elements, constituting ages of man, seasons of the year, together with an exact epitome of the three first monarchies, viz., the Assyrian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman commonwealth, from the beginning to the end of their last king, with divers other pleasant and serious poems. By a Gentlewoman of New England." A second edition of it was printed at Boston, 1678, by John Foster, in a respectable 12mo of 255 pp., and a third edition was published in 1758. The work does honor to her education, by her frequent allusions to ancient literature and historical facts, and to her character, as a daughter, a wife, a parent, and Christian. This volume is a real curiosity, though no reader, free from partiality of friendship, might coincide with the commendation of her in the funeral eulogy of John Norton:
"Could Maro's muse but hear her lively strain, He would condemn his works to fire again. * * * * * * * Her breast was a brave palace, a broad street, Where all heroic, ample thoughts did meet, Where nature had such a tenement ta'en, That other souls, to her's, dwelt in a lane."
Dr. Mather, in his Magnalia, gives a high commendation of her, "whose poems, divers times printed, have afforded a grateful entertainment unto the ingenious, and a monument for her memory beyond the stateliest marbles."
Their children were as follows:
Samuel, who had two daughters b. in Boston, 1663, 1665.
Simon, who was settled in the ministry in New London, Ct.
Dudley of Andover.
John, who was b. in Andover, July 31, 1652, and settled in Salem.
Ann, who m. Mr. Wiggin of Exeter.
Dorothy, who m. Rev. Seaborn Cotton, Hampton, June 25, 1654.
Hannah, who m. Mr. Andrew Wiggin, Exeter, June 14, 1659.
Mary, who m. Mr. Nathaniel Wade, Nov. 11, 1672.
Mrs. Bradstreet died in Andover, Sept. 16, 1672, aged 60.
Gov. Bradstreet married for his second wife, a sister of Sir George Downing, who was in the first class that graduated at Harvard College, and was ambassador of Cromwell and Charles II. to Holland. See Abbot's History of Andover.