in six months after landing, in consequence of the hardships they were called to encounter. Mrs. Rose Standish, consort of captain Standish, departed this life,on the 29 of January, 1621. This circumstance is mentioned as an introduction to the following anecdote, which has been carefully handed down by tradition.

In a very short time after the decease of mrs. Standish, the captain was led to think, that, if he could obtain miss Priscilla Mullins, a daughter of mr. William Mullins, the breach in his family would be happily repaired. He, therefore, according to the custom of those times, sent to ask mr. Mullins' permission to visit his daughter. John Alden, the messenger, went and faithfully communicated the wishes of the captain. The old gentleman did not object, as he might have done, on account of the recency of captain Standish's bereavement. He said it was perfectly agreeable to him, but the young lady must also be consulted. The damsel was then called into the room, and John Alden, who is said to have been a man of most excellent form with a fair and ruddy complexion, arose, and, in a very courteous and prepossessing manner, delivered his errand. Miss Mullins listened with respectful attention, and at last, after a considerable pause, fixing her eyes upon him, with an open and pleasant countenance, said, prithee, John, why do you not speak for yourself? He blushed, and bowed, and took his Jeave, but with a look, which indicated more, than PEN. J.--VOL. III. Y

his diffidence would permit him otherwise to ex press. However, he soon renewed his visit, and it was not long before their nuptials were celebrated in ample form. From them are descended all of the name, Alden, in the United States. What report he made to his constituent, after the first interview, tradition does not unfold ; but it is said, how true the writer knows not, that the captain never forgave him to the day of his death.

For a few years, the subject of this article lived in Plymouth and then settled in Duxborough on a farm, which, it is a little remarkable, has remained in the possession of his descendants ever since and is one of the best in the town. He built his house on a rise of land near Eagle Tree Pond, where the ruins of his well are still to be seen.

He had four sons and four daughters, who lived to enter the marriage state, who had many children and most of whom lived to a good old age.

1. John Alden, who settled in Boston, had & son by the name of Nathaniel, two daughters, Anna and Elizabeth, and probably other children. A certain avenue, leading from one street to another in Boston, is called Alden's Lane, from the circumstance, as it is supposed, of his having lived in that part of the town. Zechariah Alden, who was graduated at Harvard college, in 1692, was of his family, and must have been either his son or grandson.

2. Joseph Alden, who was one of the first settlers of the Duxborough Plantation, now Bridgewater, as noticed in the 382 article of this Collection.

3. David Alden, who was the representative of Duxborough, for a number of years,in the Old Colony court, and, in 1690, one of the assistants. He had two sons, Benjamin and Samuel, and one daughter, Alice, who was married, 5 December, 1706, to Judah Paddock of Yarmouth, now Dennis, grandfather of the present Judah Paddock, esq. Benjamin had four sons and one daughter, Mary, who was the wife of doctor John Wadsworth and the mother of John Wadsworth, A. M. a much beloved tutor at Harvard college, whose elegant epitaph forms the 533 article of this Collection. The sons of Benjamin Alden were David, Bezaleel, Wrestling, and Abiathar; the first and last of whom removed to the District of Maine, Abiathar, a physician, and a man of uncommon metaphysical talents, to Scarborough; the other two spent their days in their native place. Samuel is further noticed in a subsequent article.

4. Captain Jonathan Alden, who inherited and occupied the ancient homestead and died in 1697. He is the subject of the 622 article of this Collection.

5. Elizabeth Alden, the wife of William Paybody of Little Compton, of whom some account is given in the 623 article of this work.

6. Sarah Alden, the wife of Alexander Standith, a son of captain Myles Standish.

7. Ruth Alden, the wife of John Bass, of Braintree, now Quincy, a son of deacon Samuel Bass,

who, according to the Quincy Ch. Rec. was elected a ruling elder, in 1653.

8. Mary Alden, the wife of Thomas Dillano.

John Alden, the principal subject of this memoir, is supposed to have been a native of some part of the island of Great Britain. A very few of the name, however, appear ever to have been in England. The name has probably been more common in Germany. In a certain printed catalogue of the graduates of Cambridge university, but one of this name is to be found. In that part of Calamy's Account of ejected ministers and others confined to the county of Bedford, mr. Alden, a scholar of St. John's college, is mentioned as one, who suffered from the tyrannical Bartholomew act. In Guillim's Display of Heraldry, the following armorial passage is recorded. "He beareth gules, three crescents within a border engrailed ermine by the name of Alden. This coat was assigned, 3 September, 1607, by William Cambden, clarencieux, to John Alden of the Middle Temple."

Through a long protracted life, the subject of this article was almost continually engaged in publick employments. In the patent for Plymouth in NewEngland, dated 16 January, 1629, and signed by Robert earl of Warwick, Myles Standish, Edward Winslow, John Howland, and John Alden, or any of them, are named as the true and lawful attornies of the council established at Plymouth in the county of Devon. Accordingly, John Alden entered into some part of the tracts specified in the patent

took possession in due form and delivered the full and peaceable possession and seizin of the same to Wilfiam Bradford, governour of the Old Colony, his heirs, associates, and assigns secundum formain chartæ.

From 1641 to represent the

He was one of the court of assistants in 1633 and, successively, for a number of years. 1649, inclusively, he was chosen to town of Duxborough in the general court of the Old Colony. In 1653, and for several succeeding years he was one of the council of war, appointed on account of danger apprehended from the Indians In the year, 1650, he was again elected one of the assistants to the governour and every year after till 1686.

In December of the last mentioned year, sir Edmund Andros arrived with an extensive commission from king James II. appointing him governour of all the New England colonies. Of course, the Jiberties of the people of the Old Colony were supposed to be at an end. The measures of sir Edmund were very disgusting to the free born sons of this western world; and, at length, he was seized and imprisoned at Boston. In 1688, a happy revolution took place; William and Mary came to the throne of England and Andros had leave to depart from the country. This colony then resumed its original powers, and elections by the people took place till May, 1692, when the charter, uniting the Old Colony of Plymouth with Massachusetts, arrived.