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Mary,
d. 17 APR 1627 Plymouth, MA
Family:

Spouse: Brewster, William
b. 1567 Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England
d. 10 APR 1644 Plymouth, MA
Parents:

Father: Brewster, William
Mother: Smythe, Mary

Family History:

At the time of the burial of Elder William Brewster's child in St. Pancras, Saturday, June 20, 1609, as recorded at Leyden, Holland, he lived in Stinksteeg, a short lane near the Hoogewoerds Bridge, and five days later he had removed to St. Ursulusteeg. Elder William Brewster's affidavit made at Leyden, June 25, 1609, states that he was then 42 years of age. He subsequently removed to the Choorsteeg, as it would appear from the title page of Cartright's Commentaries on the Proverbs of Solomon, printed by him in 1617. The Choorsteeg (vicus choralis) is an alley extending from the Broadway to the choir of St. Peter's Church. These streets are obscure but eligibly situated. "Those that stayed, being the greater number, required the pastor to stay with them; and indeed for other reasons he could not then well go, and so it was the more easily yielded unto. The other then desired the elder, Mr. Brewster, to go with them, which was also condescended unto. It was also agreed on by mutual consent and covenant that those that went should be an absolute church of themselves, as well as those that stayed, seeing in such a dangerous voyage, and a removal to such a distance, it might come to pass they should never meet again in this world." With that Elder Brewster sailed aboard Mayflower from Southampton, England, August 5, and from Plymouth, England, September 6, and anchored in Cape Cod Harbor, November 11, 1620. "before they came ashore; being the first foundation of their government in this place. Occasioned partly by the discontented and mutinous speeches that some of the strangers amongt them had let fall from them in the ship: That when they came ashore they would use their own liberty, for none had power to command them, the patent they had being for Virginia and not for New England... And partly that such an act by them done, this their condition considered, might be as firm as any patent, and in some respects more sure." In light of that, "The Mayflower Compact" was drawn up and signed . "The names of those which came over first, in the year 1620, and were by the blessing of God the first beginners and in a sort the foundation of all the Plantations and Colonies in New England; and their families..."Mr. William Brewster, Mary, his wife, with two sons, whose names were Love and Wrestling. And a boy was put to him called Richard More, and another of his brothers. The rest of his children were left behind and came over afterwards." The Pilgrims hastily laid out a town and the Brewsters built their house . "But that which was most sad and lamentable was, that in two or three months' time half of their company died, especially in January and February, being the depth of winter, and wanting houses and other comforts; being infected with the scurvy and other diseases which this long voyage and their inaccommodate condition had brought upon them. So as there died some times two or three of a day in the foresaid time, that of 100 and odd persons, scarce fifty remained. And of these, in the time of most distress, there was but six or seven sound persons who to their great commendation, be it spoken, spared no pains night nor day, but with abundance of toil and hazard of their own health, fetched them wood, made them fires, dressed them meat, made their beds, washed their loathsome clothes, clothed and unclothed them. In a word, did all the homely and necessary offices for them which dainty and queasy stomachs cannot endure to hear named; and all this willingly and cheerfully, without any grudging in the least, showing herein their true love unto their friends and brethren; a rare example and worthy to be remembered. Two of these seven were Mr. William Brewster, their reverend Elder, and Myles Standish, their Captain and military commander, unto whom myself and many others were much beholden in our low and sick condition. And yet the Lord so upheld these persons as in this general calamity they were not at all infected either with sickness or lameness." At Plymouth Brewster bore an important part in establishing the Pilgrim republic, not shrinking from even the severest manual labor, and 'when the church had no other minister, he taught twise euery saboth, and ye both powerfully and profitably, to ye great contentment of ye hearers.' The first formal military organization, distinct from the civil government, was formed February 17, 1621, Myles Standish being chosen captain, with full authority as commandant. This organization included "all those able to bear arms." Elder Brewster was a vigorous man of 54 years at the time of the Landing. He was not only a member of this military organization but he must have acted also as its chaplain. Elder Brewster "was in no way unwilling to take his part and bear his burden with the rest." "He partook with them of labor, hunger, and watching; his bible and arms being equally familiar to him; and he was always ready for any duty or suffering to which he was called." "He was able to use his armor as well as his bible." "If Elder Brewster prayed for protection against enemies, he took good care that his gun was ready and his sword sharp, so that he might do his part toward securing the blessing asked." Elder Brewster's two swords, his pistol, dagger and armor--head piece and corselet, "Costlett"--are mentioned in the inventory taken after his death. One of his swords was presented to the Massachusetts Historical Society in 1798. 1623 Division of Land. Mary "dyed at Plymouth in new England the 17th of Aprill, 1627." 1627 Division of Cattle. On December 30, 1631 "Frances Eaton of New Plimoth, hath sould vnto mr William Brewster of the same towne, one share of land, containing twenty Acers, lying at the place comonly called Nothingelse, next ajoyning to the land of the said William Brewster lying to the north therof on the one side; And haueing the resedew of the land of the foresaid Frances Eaton lying to the sowthward therof; for & in Consideration that the said William Brewster, shall pay his purchas for four shars which comes to 21 pounds 12 shillings sterling; the which the said William Brewster doth likewise by these presents confeirme, for him, his heirs, & exsecutores for euer the said portion of land abouesaid, to the said William Brewster to him & his heires for euer. in witnes wherof they haue hearunto put their hands. the day & year aboue writen. Frances Eaton Willm Brewster "Moreouer the year, & day aboue writen, the said Francis Eaton of Plimoth aforesaid, hath sould other twelfe Acers of land lying in the aforsaid place at Nothingells, next adjonying to the foresaid portion, aboue mentioned, & bounded as before ; for & in consideration of the sume of 10 pound sterling; allredy paid by the said William Brewster, to the aforesaid Francies Eaton. And therfore the said William Brewster is to haue & to hould, the abousaid portion of 12 Acers of land, to him & his heires for euer, in witnes wherof the said Francis Eaton hath put to his hand. Frances Eaten." "The Names of the Freemen of the Incorporacon of Plymoth in New England, An: 1633. ... William Brewster." On March 25, 1633 "According to an order in Court held the 2d of January, in the seaventh yeare of the raigne of o'r soveraigne lord, Charles, by the grace of God King of Engl., Scotl., France, & Irel., defendor of the faith, &c, the psons heere under menconed were rated for publike use by the Gov'r, Mr Will Bradford ... to be brought in by each pson as they are heere under written, rated in corn at vi s p bushell, at or before the last of November next ensuing" "Will Brewster (taxed) 01 pounds 07 s: 00p." On October 28, 1633 "A true Coppy of the last will & Testm of Samuell ffuller the elder as it was proved in publick Court the 28th of Oct...I give to old mr William Brewster my best hat and band wch I hf never wore." On November 11, 1633 "It was ordered, that whereas Peter Browne dyed w'thout will, having divers children by divers wives...for the rest of the estate, the widow having two children by the said Peter, together w'th her owne 3d, it is allowed her for bringing up the said children, provided that shee discharge w'tsoever debts shall be proved to be owing by the said Peter, & the legacies given by the Court. For pformance whereof shee & Mr Will Brewster bownd in two hundred pownds." On January 2, 1634 "The last will & Testamt of Will Wright late of Plymoth deceased...Also my will & pleasure is that Prisilla my wife do give unto my reverend & respected ffriend mr Will Brewster of Plymouth Elder that cloath sute of apprell wch were given me by my brother ffuller w'thin two moneths after my death." In March 1634, William Brewster was again "rated" 1 pound 7 shillings. On October 4, 1636 "The ordnances of the colony & corporacon being read, divers were fownd worthy the reforming, others the rejecting, & others fitt to be instituted & made. It was therefore ordered & agreed, that four for the towne of Plymouth, two for Scituate, and two for Duxburrow should, as comittees for the whole, be added to the Govr & Assistants, to rectefie & prepe such as should be thought most convenient, that, if approved, they may be put in force the next Generall Court. "The pties menconed for the towne of Plymouth, Mr Will Brewster, Mr Raph Smith, John Done, & Joh. Jenny; for Duxburrow, mr Jonath. Brwster & Christopher Wadsworth; for Scituate, Anthony Annable & James Cudworth; all wch to repaire to the Govr & Assistants at Plym aforesd the 15th of Nov'br next ensuing, and there continue their apparence till such time as the premises be determined." On March 6, 1637 "Whereas John Bundy stands bound by indenture to serue Griffin Mountegue, carpenter, in New Engl., the full term of eight yeares from the 14th of March, 1635, - the said John Bundy acknowledged himselfe content to serue out the remainder of his terme wth Will Brewster, the Elder, of Plimouth, who hath compounded wth the said Montegue, his master." March 20, 1637 "The pticuler psons assigned this yeare as followeth for hey:...To Francis Sprage and William Basset, the same hey ground they had last yeare ; and that Mr Brewster haue that wch was not cutt by them the last yeare." "William Brewster, sen." is also named in the List of Freemen for 1637. On August 21, 1637 "John Bundy was exaned and found guilty of lude behavior & vnciuill carriage towards Elizabeth Haybell, in the house of her mr, Mr Willm Brewster, and is therefore adjudged to be seuerely whiped, wch was executed vpon him accordingly." On October 2, 1637 "Whereas diuers were appoynted to take a view of the meadow grounds betwixt the Eele Riuer and south Riuer, that there might be an equall diuision of them to eich man, and fynding the same by estimacon to amount vnto fiue hundred acrees, or thereabouts, the Court doth order, that Mr Willm Brewster, Mr Steephen Hopkins, Mr John Done, and John Winslowe, for the towne of Plymouth, Edward Banges for the Eele Riuer, Mr John Brown for Joanes Riuer, and Jonathan Brewster and Edmond Chaundler for Ducksborrow, shalbe added to the Gounor and Assistants, to agree vpon an equall course for the diuision of them, and to depute some certaine psons afterwards to make the said diuision." On September 4, 1638 "Whereas there was a heigh way layd forth through Captaine Standish & Mr Willm Brewsters grounds on Duxborrow side, wch is not of use for the cotntrey, and they doe therefore refuse to repaire the same, the said Captaine Standish & Mr Brewster doe vndertake to repaire the said way, and it to be onely for theire owne vse." On January 8, 1639 "That Mr Willm Brewster hath assigned ouer to Johnnathan Brewster, his sonn, all his interrest and title into the service of John Bundy for the residue of his terme, wch is fiue yeares from the fourteenth of March next." On 5 June, 1644, his "onely two sonnes surviveing," Jonathan and Love, were appointed administrators of his estate. "Lres of administacon of all the goods and cattells of mr Willm Brewster deceased are graunted by the Court to Jonathan Brewster and Love Brewster And A true Inventory thereof was exhibited to the Court upon the Oathes of the said Jonathan & Love." "Lres of administracon of all the goods and cattells of mr Willm Brewster Deceased were graunted to Jonathan Brewster and Love Brewster at the genrall Court holden at Plymouth the fift Day of June in the xxth yeare of his said Mas now Raigne of England &c and a true Inventory thereof was exhibited to the Court upon the Oathes of the said Jonathan and Love the same Court.

The inventory of the goods of William Brewster, deceased 1644