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...and jugemental as their persecutors. This small group of settlers held with the German reformer Martin Luther that no one had the right to impose any law upon any individual without his consent. They also followed the teachings of John Calvin, the French Protestant reformer, who believed that God alone selects people for salvation. For Puritans, the Bible provided a complete body of laws, governing every facet of life. Of Plymouth Plantation was not intended for publication. Indeed, it was not published until 1856, when the manuscript was found in a library in London. Bradford kept his chronicle for essentially practical reasons; such a detailed account would greatly help future settlers in their attempt to tame the wilderness. It remains one of the primary sources for information about the early days of the "Pilgrims." SUMMARY: In the first of these excerpts from Of Plymouth Plantation, Bradford ford relates how the religious faith of the settlers helped them face the hardships of the New World. The first excertp describes the voyage. During an especially fierce storm, the boat develops leaks and one of the main beams cracks. Repairs are made, and the Puritans, placing their fate in God's hands, continue on their voyage. A sailor swept overb...