The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-01-01
ABOUT THE BRADFORD mANUsCRIpr
Description of Freedoms Document
Brought Home After Long Years.


Boston. Dec. 31.-TFne famous Bradford
manuscript will probably be deposited
tomorrow in its permanent resting place
in the State library. The place prepared
for it by c. B. Tillinghast, the state IL
orarian. is we'll worthy of the i'm
portance of the history. 1t is strong
safe, the outer doors ofwhich are very
thick, and constitute the fire proof part
OF the protection. Inside of them is an
other pair OF doors. OF the best steel,
which constitute the burglar proof part
of the safe. II has been planned by Mr.
Tillinghast that the history snail be open
to public inspection. He mas made for
it a bronze case, which is large enough
to permit the book 10 be opened Heavy
plate glass is placed over it, and the case
is made dust tight. Antiquarians have
given their assurance that the ink in
which the manuscript is written will not
fade. Already it is over $50 years old.
and this opinion would therefore seem TO
be well grounded. But close watch will
be kept OF it, and if the slightest change
is noticed, the book can be opened in an
other place, or a screen can be drawn
over it. The book viii be locked in the
case, and the case, in turn, locked TO the
top of the safe. in socket made for il. |
Every day. upon closing the library, the
history will be unlocked, and transferred
in its case, 70 the safe.
1t seems singular, but the history !
throws no light upon the dispute inre- /
gard 10 the exact day OF landing. No /
dates are given between December 16 /
and %, 1920. Some points Of interest are |
to be noticed in the appearance Of the |
book 1t was originally of parchment /
color, being evidently covered with the /
dressed skin OF the sheep, and this has |
turned kellow with age in a mottled way. /
But II is not at all dark or leather cov-
cred book. Two new MANILA paper
leaves have been pasted in st the begin
ming, on which is copied. in a very even
and compact hand. for over three pages.
the decree of the consistrolal court a.
London, by which the history was trans
ferred to the custody OF Minister Bayard
upon certain conditions On what was
PROBABLY the fly leaf in front (for i: IS
twice as thick as the ordinary leaves.
and has its COUNTERPART al the end Of -he
bokD is the note "rit'' by Samuel B-ai-
ford, March 20, 1705." setting forth t5e
way IN which the book had been handed
down TO him in ;he Bradford family.
The next leaf. though aged, seems to
nave been pasted in. for II IS OF differ
ent paper. It contains a note by John |
Prince. and other matter After that
comes the beginning Of Bradford's work.
Tne historian seems % have been sub
ject . the weakness OF not having pat
ience 10 carry out MS work as Wei as
ne began For the first Is pages he ruled
on the space very neatly within which
ne wrote. top, bottom and sides. Then ne
gave up that elaboration OF niosness. but
left suitable margin between his writ
ing ani the edge o: the leaf. Careless
hess o. the value of white pape. led him
to disregard this in time. and in the lat
ter part of the book the page Is covered
,lose to the edge Only one side of tae
eat "a written upon-tae riga; hand
1age as the book : he'd fo- ordinary
,eaiiag.
Efforts have been made 70 prove thst
his vas no: a genuine work % Brad
o-d's hand, but the internal evidence
ia;is-iss the average observer thai it =
lc copy One who has seen Il IN Lon
lon. said that ills could not D. B-ai-
'o-d's 5eca1se n tae evsnness o. tse
MIRO gre Pny-it must D. re wo-k - I
'oase copyis;- BuS c1<npar!s5a :.
ages Shcxs that Ire observation ass
lot accurate WaileEhs-e = much even
less Q. the SCRIP as rule. yet one can
lold tao pages sde by SIDE, wae-s 1zere
I-e proo35.y three times as many E1-is
2 the same spacs On ore - on -1e o.ler
sons o: the mcez cIloss.y E-i,ten page
re SAD % contain almost l,es3 Eo-5s.