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Note: EDUCATION: William Brewster was one of the most learned men to arrive on the Mayflower. Knew Latin & some Greek. Studied for a period at Cambridge. 1580 He matriculated at Peterhouse, University of Cambridge. However, unclear that he obtained a degree at the college. After Cambridge he went to Court in the service of Sir William Davison, Secretary of State. Davison's selection of Brewster indicates Brewster was of significant position by birth. Bradford reports that Davison found Brewster to be "so discrete and faithful" that Davision "trusted him above all other." Bradford said Davision only employed Brewster in "all matters of greatest trust and secrecy." Bradford said Davision held Brewster in esteem as a son rather than as a servant.
RETURN TO SCROOBY: In 1856 Davison fell in disfavor with Queen Elizabeth because of his involvement in the execution of Mary Queen of the Scots and was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Brewster then returned to Scrooby to perform his father's duties as postmaster of Scrobby Manor, an activity which continued after his father's death in 1590. Brewster made his home available for worship by a secret congregation of religious reformists. About 1602 his neighbors began to assemble at the Manor house for worship, where Brewster, "did much good in promoting and furthering religion." He was opposed to the laxness and excess of the clergy, and favored greater strictness of morals and doctrine. He and his friends organized a branch of the Separatists, or those who preferred the congregational system, whereby each charge would be responsible to itself alone. In the face of persecution, in 1607 he with his friends chartered a Dutch boat to take them to Holland, but through the treachery of the Captain they were seized and imprisoned for a time.
SEPRATIST PERSECUTION: By 1606 Persecution of Separatists had begun. Brewster resigned his post in September of 1607. In December 1607 he was cited and fined before the High Court of Commission for religious disobedience. When Separatists left for Holland he stayed behind to help the weakest members of the group. He was in charge of the group of Separatists captured at Boston, ENG. He suffered the greatest loss. He was one of seven Separatists kept in prison and bound over to the assises (archaic term for a court consisting of a number of men summoned together to try disputed cases - origin of the jury).
PILGRIM MOVEMENT: William Brewster was the ruling Elder of the Pilgrims. the Separatists first left for Holland. Brewster had a large family and lost most of his funds in ENG. As a highborn Englishman, he was little prepared for employment. However, his lot improved during his 12 years in Holland. He taught Latin and English. Between 1617 and 1619 he operated a printing business. His books were known as Brewster Imprints and dealt with religious subjects. In July 1619, the English Ambassador to Hague discovered that Brewster was the printer of several theological works banned in ENG. The Ambassador issued a complaint, but Brewster had already left for ENG to arrange a loan of funds from a group of London lenders to finance passage for the Separatists to North America.
MAYFLOWER: Brewster was a passanger on the Mayflower in 1620 along with his wife Mary and two younger sons, Love and Wrestling. The rest of his family stayed in Leyden, Holland. They joined him in Plymouth Colony later. Brewster was the fourth signator of the Mayflower Compact.
PLYMOUTH COLONY: Brewster was 54 when he arrived. Bradford reported that Brewster bore the burdens well. He worked in the fields, tended the sick, bore arms and tought twice each Sabbath whenever the church was without a second Minister. Brewster and seven other Plymouth planters entered a partnership in 1626 to repay the London lenders.
At Plymouth he bore an important part in establishing the Pilgrim Republic, not shrinking from the severest manual labor, and "when the church had no other minister, he taught twice every Sabbath, both powerfully and profitably, to ye great contentment of ye hearers." He took a prominent part in the affairs of the colony, and served in the Indian Wars under Captain Myles Standish. Nearly every ship which came from ENG brought books to Brewster, and at his death his library inventoried 400 volumes, 62 of which were in Latin. There were 98 commentaries or translations of the Bible.
PERSONALITY: Bradford reported on Brewster's personality in his journal of the Plymouth Colony. Bradford reported that Brewster was "qualified above all others." He reports that Brewster was "wise", "discrete", and "well spoken, having a grave and deliberate utterance." Bradford described Brewster as having a "cheerful spirit" and being "sociable and pleasant." He said Brewster was "humble" with a "modest mind." He said Brewster had a "peaceable disposition" and "underVAlued" his own abilities while often "overVAluing others." Bradford said Brewster was "inoffensive" and "innocent in his life and conversation." These were traits that Bradford said gained Brewster the "love of those without as well as those within." Bradford described Brewster as "tender hearted" and "compassionate of such as were in misery." Bradford said Brewster was offended and displeased by persons who were "hauty and proud." [Br�derbund WFT Vol. 7, Ed. 1, Tree #4112, Date of Import: Sep 6, 1998]
W'm Brewster was a leader of the PILGRIMS, who established PLYMOUTH COLONY. The William Brewster who later came to America was for many years postmaster at Scrooby, a little village on the great North road about fifty miles from London. Nowadays a postmaster has mainly to do with letters and parcels and money orders, but three hundred years ago he had to do almost entirely with horses. Letters then posted were mainly governmental correspondence, sent by members of the Court. He did not live in a little house on a side street, but had a grand mansion called Scrooby Manor with a large brick stable and his duty was to supply horses to all travelers who desired to hire them. He was appointed by the government and had what 300 years ago was considered a handsome salary, namely 2 shillings a day, besides what travelers used to pay him if they stayed for a night or so at Scrooby Manor on their journey. He was also responsible for the relays of horses on the post road. He held the position of postmaster from 1590 to 1607. About 1602 his neighbors began to assemble at the Manor house for worship, where Brewster, "did much good in promoting and furthering religion." He was opposed to the laxness and excess of the clergy, and favored greater strictness of morals and doctrine. He and his friends organized a branch of the Separatists, or those who preferred the congregational system, whereby each charge would be responsible to itself alone. In the face of persecution, in 1607 he with his friends chartered a Dutch boat to take them to Holland, but through the treachery of the Captain they were seized and imprisoned for a time. A year later they reached The Hague, where Brewster spent most of his means in providing for his family. In ENG he had studied briefly at Cambridge, the only Pilgram Father to have some university training. A member of the local gentry in Scrooby, he helped organize a separatist religious congregation in 1606 and financed its move to Holland in 1608. His influence was instrumental in winning the aproval of theVA Company for the proposal to resettle the congregation in America, and he was one of the few original Scrooby separatists who sailed on the MAYFLOWER in 1620. As the church's ruling elder in Leyden and then in Plymouth, BREWSTER shared with William BRADFORD and Edward WINSLOW in the leadership of the Pilgrim enterprise.*Academic American Encyclopedia. Priscilla Mullins, who was an orphan, was the ward of Ruling Elder William Brewster. Elder Brewster took care of several Pilgrim orphans. It was he who gave the permission for Priscilla to marry John Alden.*The Pilgrims by Lynn Groh. William BREWSTER Mayflower Passenger, son of William, b. Scrooby,Nottinghamshire,ENG., 1560, came to Plymouth, MA 1620. Directory of ancestral heads of New ENG families 1620-1700. by Holmes, Frank R. Mass Vital rec. film # 0889258 ref Landmarks of Plymouth, Families of Pilgrims
William Brewster matriculated at Peterhouse, one ofthe colleges forming Cambridge University on 12-3-1580. (He was 14 years old). He did not remain to take his degree. He bacame assistant to William Davidson, Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth. He accompanied Davidson on his embassy to the NETH in August of 1585. He served Davidson at Court until 1587. He returned to Scrooby and became converted to the doctrine of John Robinson, the founder of Congregationalism and the first prominent layman who rejected conformity to the Church of ENG. The manor house at Scrooby became the place for worship for all members of the new churchin the vicinity. In 1590, he was appointed the administrator of his father's will. William was appointed the post master in his fathers' place until September 30, 1607. In 1592, he was appointed the executor of the will of his uncle John Smythe of Hull. In 1607, determined to flee to Holland, Brewster and several others were arrested at Boston, ENG, through the treachery or the ship master that was engaged to transport them. They were detained in the Boston jail for several weeks, but finally arrived at Leyden, Holland. William was a teacher and printer at Leyden. An affadavit made at Leyden on June 25, 1609 states him as 41 years old, Mary as 40, and Jonathan as 16 years old. In the summer of 1619, Brewster was in London,ENG secretly as he was being hunted both in Holland and ENG for publishing a seditious book. William had the guardianship of Anne and Robert Peck in Leyden. He was the ruling elder of the Pilgrims. He was a passenger on the Speedwell to Southampton in July, 1620 on the first step to New ENG. William, his wife, two sons (Love and Wrestling) embarked on the ship, Mayflower, which sailed from Plymouth, ENG on September 16, 1620 and landed in Plymouth MA on December 26, 1620. William is believed to be the author of the Mayflower Compact which was signed on November 21, 1621 During the first Winter, half the Pilgrims died. At one time, there were but seven people well. Brewster was one. These seven tended the sick and performed "loathesome duties". As Ruling Elder of the church, he preached twice each Sabbath. He enjoyed a healthy old age and was sick but one day, when he died on the 10th of April, 1644, 78 years of age. His wife, Mary, fourth signer of the Mayflower Compact, died April 17th, 1627. He survived all his daughters, leaving only two sons, Jonathan and Love. William died at the home of his son, Love, in Duxbury MA in April, 1644. He left a Library of 400 volumes, 62 of which were in Latin. He died intestate and his sons Love and Jonathan had bitter differences in settling the estate. It was finally divided on August 20, 1645. There are some genealogists who believe the Brewsters had left children in ENG, who died there or remained there. There was some reference to William's son in ENG in 1616. Also, an Edward Brewster and his father William bought shares in aVA Company in 1609. This Edward was a London printer and printed between 1616 and 1640, some 25 books on sermons on religious controversy. Plymouth Colony: Its History and People 1620-1691 Part Three: Biographical Sketches Biographical Sketches Brewster, William xxx William Brewster arrived at Plymouth on the 1620 Mayflower accompanied by his wife Mary and their sons Love and Wrestling. He continued as ruling elder of the Plymouth Church until he died. Bradford summed up his work: "He would labour with his hands in the feilds as long as he was able; yet when the church had no other minister, he taught twise every Saboth, and both powerfully and profitably, to the great contentment of the hearers, and their comfortable edification. He did more in this behalfe in a year, then many that have their hundreds a year doe in all their lives�. He had a singuler good gift in prayer, both publick and private, in ripping up the hart and conscience before God, in the humble confession of sinne, and begging the mercies of God in Christ for the pardon of same" (Bradford [Ford] 2:348-50). His inventory (MD 3:15) shows a private library of hundreds of books, mostly religious, but displaying a considerable breadth of interest for a man of his times. Bradford wrote of his friend Brewster: "He was qualified above many, wise and discrete, and well-spoken, having a grave and deliberate utterance, of a very cheerful spirite, very sociable and pleasante among his friends, of an humble and modest mind, of a peacable disposition, under-valewing himself and sometimes over-valewing others, inoffensive and innocent in his life and conversation, which gained him ye love of those without, as well as those within." Up until his death in 1644, William Brewster's hand was never lifted from Pilgrim History. He shaped the counsels of his colleagues, helped to mould their policies, safeguarded their liberties, and kept in check tendencies towards religious bigotry and oppression. He tolerated differences, but put down wrangling and dissension, and promoted to the best of his power, the strength and purity of public and private life. [Br�derbund WFT Vol. 8, Ed. 1, Tree #3450, Date of Import: Sep 7, 1998]
William's life is well-documented in many books. He was among the leaders of the Pilgrims that came to America on the Mayflower in 1620 and was the religious and philosophical leader, though not a minister. He was born at Scrooby, where his father, William Brewster, held minor official positions as well as operating a tavern. His mother was Mary Smythe. He attended Peterhouse College at Cambridge where he apparently began to acquire his Separatist ideas. He visited Holland twice in the 1580s as a secretary to a minor diplomat. He resided in London at the time. The diplomat was denounced by the queen and Wiliam returned to Scrooby. His father died in 1590 and William acceded to his father's positions of bailiff and postmaster. He left for Holland with his family in 1609 and settled in Leyden, where he became a teacher and printer of Puritan ideas. Prior to leaving ENG he was charged with disobedience in religion and fined about $1000. Twice before actually leaving ENG William and many others in the Scrooby congregation tried without success to get to Holland, being arrested in the process. Apparently as a means of making money, he made ribbons in Holland also. From July, 1919 until Sepember 6, 1920, when the Mayflower left, William was in hiding to avoid English authorities. He left on the Mayflower at London with his wife and 2 of his sons, Love and Wrestling. Jonathan followed in 1621 on the Fortune, Patience and Fear came in 1623 on the Anne. One child died while the family was at Leyden. William moved from Plymouth to Duxbury in 1632. Whether Mary Wentworth was William's wife is in some dispute. Mary Wentworth is a descendent of English kings from William I to Edward I, as well as Charlemagne and Alfred the Great and many monarchs of Europe. Her father was Thomas Wentworth, bailiff of Scrooby before William's father. The position of bailiff is somewhat akin to that of a tax collector.
Sources: 1. "William Brewster of the Mayflower" by Dorothy Brewster, 1970 2. "Saints and Strangers" by George Willison, 1945 3. "Families of the Pilgrims" by Hubert Kinney Shaw, 1955 4. American Genealogist, v. 41, 1965
Plymouth Colony: Its History and People 1620-1691 Part Four: Appendices. Appendix C: Bradford's Mayflower Passenger List xxx Mr. Brewster lived to very old age; about 80 years he was when he dyed, having lived some 23 or 24 years here in the countrie; and though his wife dyed long before, yet she dyed aged. His sone Wrastle dyed a yonge man unmaried; his sone Love lived till this year 1650 and dyed, and left 4 children, now living. His doughters which came over after him are dead, but have left sundry children alive; his eldest sone is still liveing, and hath �9� or �10� children; one maried, who hath a child or 2.
Saints & Strangers Pg.38 Brewster left London in 1589 and returned to the sleepy hamlet of Scrooby. Now in his early twenties, and with his father ailing; he took upon himself many of the latter's responsibilities as postmaster and bailiff-receiver of the manor, succeeding to both offices upon his father's death a year later. Court intrigue almost deprived him of the profitable postmastership, which was actually sold to another but soon restored to him through the good offices of his mentor Davison, always a loyal friend and patron. With ample income thus assured, Brewster soon married, late in 1591 or early the next year. Though a woman of great courage and strength of character, as is evident from the wide influence she radiated in later years, his wife is a mere shadow occasionally falling across the pages of the day. Almost nothing is known about her. Her name was Mary; she was a year or two younger than her husband, and died at Plymouth many years before him. On Aug. 12th 1593, she bore the first of their children_ a son named Jonathan, in due course a Pilgrim Father himself. Will of W'm BREWSTER: "Whereas William Brewster late of Plymouth, gent., deceased left only two sons surviving vizt. Jonathan the eldest and Love the younger and whereas the said William died intestate for ought can to this day appear," the two sons requested William Bradford, Edward Winslow, Thomas Prence and Myles Standish to assist them in coming to an agreement, and on 20 August 1645 a division was made. Jonathan Brewster was excused the debt he had owed to his father, except �4 "in consideration of the wintering of some cattle which the said Jonathan had the summering upon the division and for the diet of Isaack Allerton a grandchild of the said Will[ia]m which he had placed with his son Love to table and because he was the first born of his father we gave him his father's arms and also a two year old heifer over and above his part of the dividables of the said estate," and Love received his father's dwelling house. The lands were divided equally, except for a dispute over the lands at Duxbury, of which sixty-eight acres went to Jonathan (along with a "dwelling house which the said Jonathan had built on the said land by leave of his said father") and forty-three acres went to Love "and the reason wherefore we gave Love the less quantity was and is because the quality of Love's land in goodness is equal to the quantity of Jonathan's as we judge" . Long biography in "William Brewster, His True Position in our Colonial History" by Hon. Lyman Denison Brewster, in The Mayflower descendant, Vol. IV, pg. 100-109, 1902. > According to the above, he was almost certainly the draftor of the Mayflower compact. He was a scholar educated at Cambridge, the oldest aboard the Mayflower, and the spiritual leader of the Pilgrims. He was a prominent organizer of the Pilgrim movement. The following short biography is taken from Random House Encyclopedia, 1977: Pilgrim Religious Leader, Signatory of the Mayflower Compact. He withdrew from the Anglican Church (1606) forming the Separatists, who, due to persecution, fled from ENG to Holland (1608), where they became known as Pilgrims. He returned to ENG to help organize the Pilgrim migration on the Mayflower 1620. He was a leader of the > church at Plymouth and influential in management of the colony. Other sources: "Mayflower Genealogies: Vital Statistics of the Mayflower Passengers" by George Ernest Bowman, in The Mayflower Descendant, Vol.2, pg. 114-120; 1900. >"The Brewster Genealogy (1566-1907)" by Emma C. Brewster Jones, Vol. 1 & 2. The Grafton Press, Genealogical Publishers: NY; 1908. > "The Mother of Elder William Brewster of the Mayflower" by John G. Hunt, in NEHGR 125:250. > "William Brewster: The Father of New ENG, His Life and Times 1567-1644" by Rev. H. Kirk-Smith, Richard Kay Pub. 1992, 272pages. > Parents: The parents of William Brewster are given in an article in the New ENG Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol 124, pg 150, where the authors argue that the parents of William Brewster were probably William Brewster and Mary Smythe. This is likely to be correct, although it is hard to prove it beyond the shadow of a doubt. > Birth: Mayf.Des.18:18. !Death: Mayf.Des.1:7. Birth-Death: "The True Date of the Birth & Death of Elder Brewster" NEHGR 18:18, MD 2:115, 3:15.Inventory: MD 3:15 Education:He matriculated at Cambridge University on the 3rd December 1580, as a Pensioner of Peterhouse Collect (Arber, E. 1897,p.189). In [Shurtleff 12:115-117], a long agreement between Love Brewster and Jonathan Brewster is recorded (Plymouth Deeds). It reads, in part: "Whereas: William Brewster late of Plym gent deceased left onely two sonnes surviveing viz. Jonathan the eldest and Love the yeonger And whereas the said William died intestate for ought can to this day appeare. The said Jonathan and Love his sonnes when they returned from the buriall of their father ..." agreed how to divide up the estate "wth an entire half part of the estate of the said Willm was given to the said Love and Sarah his wyfe upon a Covenant of Contract of marryage to be due at the death of the said Willm Brester now deceased. All wch was offerred to be prooved legally if neede require by solemne pmise though not in writing." Dated 20 Aug 1645.
Plymouth Church Records, Vol. I and II, 1620-1859 Chapt: 3 Being now Come into the Low countryes4 they saw many Goodly and fortified Cittyes strongly waled and Gaurded with troopes of Armed men; alsoe they heard a strange and vncouth Language and beheld the different Manors and Customes of the people with theire strange fashions and attires; all soe farr diffiring from that of theire plaine Countrye villages wherein they were bread and borne and had soe longe liued; as it seemed they were Come into a New world; but those were not the thinges they much looked on, or longe took vp theire thoughts for they had other work in hand; and another kind of warr to wage and maintain [9] ffor though they saw fair and butifull Cittyes fflowing with aboundance of all sorts of wealth and Riches, yett it was not longe before they saw the Grime and Griseled face of pouerty Comeing on them like an Armed man, with whom they must buckle & incounter, and from whom they Could not ffly But they were armed with faith and Patience against him and all his encounters and though they were sometimes foyled, yett by Gods assistance they prevailed and Gott the5 victory; Now when Mr Robinson, Mr Brewster and other principall Members were Come ouer for they were of the last and stayed to healp the weakest ouer before them; such thinges were thought on as were Nessesary for theire settleing and best ordering of the Church affaires and when they had liued att Amsterdam about a yeer; Mr Robinson theire Pastovr, and some others of best descerning seeing how mr John Smith and his Companie was alreddy fallen into Contension (with the Church) that was there before them;1 and noe meane[s] they Could vse would doe any Good to Cure the same; and also that the fflames of Contension were like to breake out in that ancient Church; it selfe as afterwards Lamentably Came to pase; which thinges they prudently foreseing; thought itt was best to Remoue before they were any way engaged [with] the same; though they well knew it would be much to the prejudice of theire outward estate both att prsent and in likelyhood in the future; as Indeed it proued to be; for these and some other Reasons they Remoued to Leyden a fayre and butifull Citty and of a sweet Scittuation; But made more famous by the vnivercety wherwith it is adorned in which of late ha[th] it bin, by soe many Learned men; But wanting that traffick by sea which Amsterdam Injoyed It was not soe benificiall for theire outward means of liueing and estates; but being Now heere pitched they fell to such trades and Imployments as they best CouldVAllueing peace and their sperituall Comfort aboue any other Riches whatsoeuer; and att length they came to Raise a Competent and Comfortable Liueing; and with hard and Continuall labour being thus settled after many difficulties they Continewed Many2 yeers In a Comfortable Condidition Injoying much sweet and delightfull society; and sperituall Comfort together in the wayes of God vnder the able minnestry and Prudent Gouerment of Mr John Robinson and Mr William Brewster who was an Assistant vnto him in the place of an elder, vnto which hee was Now Called and Chosen by3 the Church soe as they Grew in knowlidge and other Gifts and Graces of the speritt of God And liued together in peace and loue and holines; and Many Came vnto them from diuers prtes of ENG; soe as they Grew a Great Congregation; and if att any time any differences did arise or offences broke out, as it Can not be but that somtimes4 there will euen amongst the best of men; they were eue[r] soe mett with and Nipt in the head betimes or other wise soe well Composed a[s] still loue peace and Comunion was Continewed, or else the Church purged of those that were Incurable; and Incorrigable, when after much Patience vsed noe other meanes1 would serue which seldome comes to pass yee such was the mutvall loue and Resiprocall Respect; That this worthy man had to his fflock and his fflock to him that it might be said of them2 as it once was said of that famous Emperour Marcus Aurelivs and the people of Roome; That it was hard to Judge whether hee delighted more in haueing such a people; or they in haueing such a pastor his loue was Great towards them, and his Care was alwaies bent for their best Good both for soule and body for besides his singular abillities in diuine thinges (wherin hee excelled) hee was able alsoe to Giue direccion [10] In Civill affaires and to foresee dangers and Inconveniences, by which meanes hee was [very] healpfull to theire outward estates; and soe was euery way as a Comon father vnto them, and none did more offend him; then those that were Close and Cleaueing to themselues and Retired from the Comon Good; as alsoe such as would be stiffe and Ridged in Matters of outward order and4 Invay against the euills of others; and yett be Remise in them selues, and not soe Carefull to express a vertuous Conversation; they in like manor had euer a Reverent Regard vnto him and had him in precious estemation as his worth and wisdome did deserue, and although they esteemed him highly whiles hee liued and laboured amongst them; yett much more after his death when they Came to feele the want of his healp and saw by woefull experience5 what a treasure they had lost of the Greife of theire hearts and wounding of theire soules, yee such a losse as they saw Could not be Regained for it was hard for them to find such another leader and feeder in all Respects, as the Taborites to find another Ziska; and although they did not Call themselues orphanes as the other did after his death yett they had Cause as much to Lament in another Regard, theire prsent Condition and after vsage; But to Returne I know not but it may be spoken to the honor of1 God and without prejudice to any That such was the humble Zeale and feruent loue of this people (whiles they thus liued together) towards God and his wayes and the single hartednes and senseer affection one towards another That they Came as Neare the primitiue Patteren of the first Churches as any other Church of these latter times haue don; according to theire Ranke and qvallitie; But seeing it is not my purpose to treat of the seuerall passages that befell this people whiles they thus liued in the low Countryes, which might worthyly Reqvire a large treatice of it selfe; But to manifest somthing of theire begining and after progresse in New ENG which I principally Scope, and aime att; yett because some of theire Adversaries did vpon the Rumer of theire Remoueall Cast out Slanders against them; as if that State had bine weary2 of them; and had Rather driuen them out as the heathen histories did faine of Moses and the Israellits when they went out of egipt; then it was theire owne free Choise and motion; I will therfore mention a prticular or two to shew the Contrary; and that Good acceptation they had in the place and first altho it was low with many of them yett theire word would be taken amongst the duches when they wanted mony, because they had found by experience how Care full they were to keep theire word; and saw them soe painefull and dilligent in theire Callings that they stroue to Gett theire Customes, and to Imploy them aboue others in theire work for theire honesty and dilligence; Goulden book �3 [A] Great [h]onor [to] the [G]ospell
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