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Phineas Pratt
His Perilous Journey

Bradford says, referring to Phineas, and his dangerous undertaking:—

"In ye meane time, came one of them from ye Massachucts with a small pack at his back, and though he knew not a foot of ye way yet he got safe hither, but lost his way, which was well for him for he was pursued, and so was mist. He tould them hear, how all things stood amongst them, and that he durst stay no longer, he apprehended they would be all knokt in ye head shortly."

"I Run Southward tell 3 of ye Clock, but the snow being in many places, I was the more distresed becaus of my ffoot steps. The sonn being beclouded, I wandered, not knowing my way; but att the Goeing down of the sonn, it apeared Red; then hearing a great howling of wolfs, I came to a River; the water being depe & cold & many Rocks, I pased through Wth much adoe. Then was I in great distres—ffant for want of ffood, weary with Running, ffearing to make a ffier because of ym yt pshued me. Then I came to a depe dell or hole, ther being much wood falen into it. Then I said in my thoughts, this is God's providence that heare I may make a fier. Then haveing maed a fier, the stars began to a pear and I saw Ursa Magor & the .... pole yet fearing .... beclouded. The day following I began to trafell ..... but being unable, I went back to the fier the day ffal .......... sonn shined & about three of the clock I came to that part ... Plimoth bay wher ther is a Town of Later Time .... Duxbery. Then passing by the water on my left hand ... cam to a brock & ther was a path. Haveing but a short Time to Consider .... ffearing to goe beyond the plantation, I kept Running in the path; then passing through James Ryuer I said in my thoughts, now am I as a deare Chased ... the wolfs. If I perish, what will be the Condish .... of distresed Einglish men. Then finding a peec of a ... I took it up & Caried it in my hand. Then finding a .. of a Jurkin, I Caried them under my arme. Then said I in my .... God hath giuen me these two tookens for my Comfort; ye now he will giue me my live for a pray. Then Running down a hill J ... an Einglish man Coming in the path before me. Then I sat down on a hee & Rising up to salute him said, 'Mr. Hamdin, I am Glad to see you aliue.' He said 'I am Glad & full of wonder to see you aliue: lett us sitt downe, I see you are weary.," Extracted by Bowman, "Declaration,"  from  Massachusetts Historical Society Collections (Fourth Series, IV, 487)

Phineas Pratt of Plymouth and Charlestown (MD IV,3 135).    Phineas Pratt was among those who did not return to England.  He stayed  in Plymouth, living to be "About 90 yrs." and married  Mary2 Priest (Degory1). He had six sons,  Aaron, Samuel, Daniel and Joseph John (RI)  and Peter. Phineas died in Charlestown April 19, 1680, and was buried in the Old Burying Ground. He was born about 1593, as is shown by his deposition. His wife survived him, dying probably just prior to July 22, 1689, for on that date there is the following entry in the town orders:—Then Mr Jacob Green Senr & Mr Eleazr Phillips were & are Impowered to Apprize the goods of Widd. Pratt who lately deed at Tho Barbar. . ." 

(MD IV, 3, 133+) "In 1662 he presented to the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony that interesting and valuable paper which he called "A Decliration of the Afaires of the Einglish People that first Inhabited New Eingland." Either accompanying or following this document was a petition on which the General Court took the following action May 7 of the same year (1662):—

(Mass. Bay Rcdls., IV:402) In Ansr: to. ye petition of. phineas Prat. of charls Toune. who presented this Court wth a narrative of the streights & hardships that the first planters of this Colony underwent in their endeavors to plant themselves at plimouth. & since wherof he was. one The Court judgeth it meet to Graunt him Three. hundred acres of land where it is to be had not hindering a plantation ."

In October, 1668, Phineas, then about 75 years old, presented another petition to the General Court at Boston in which, while expressing his thankfulness for the grant of land made him three years before in answer to his first petition, he refers to his physical infirmities and present lack of the actual necessities of life and entreats that he may receive some measure of support in his old age.

"Three times we fought with them, thirty miles I was pursued for my life, in time of frost, and snow, as a deer chased with wolves. Two of our men were kill'd in warr, one shot in the shoulder. It was not by the wit of man, nor by ye strength of the arme of flesh, that    
we prevailed against them. But God, that overrules all power, put fear in their hearts. And now seeing God hath added a New England to old Engl. and given both to our dread Soverg Lord King Charles the second, many thousand people enjoy the peace thereof; Now in times of prosperity, I beseech you consider the day of small things; for I was almost frozen in time of our weak beginnings, and now am lame. My humble request is for that may be for my subsistence the remaining time of my life. And I shall be obliged.
Your thankfull servant,
Phinehas Pratt.

His request was summarily denied:

The Deputyes Doe not Judge meete to graunt this petition, wth refference to the consent of or Honoed magists. hereto.
William Torrey, Cleric.

Old, lame and unable to adequately provide for himself, it was his townspeople who ultimately cared for him until the end as can be seen by numerous Town Orders in his behalf.

HERE LIES ye BODY OF PHINEHAS PRATT
AGD ABOUT 90 YRS DECD APRIL
Ye 19 1680 1 6 80
& WAS ONE OF Ye FIRST ENGLISH
INHABITANTS OF Ye MASSACHUSETTS COLONY
Above the inscription is a Death's head flanked by wings. Apparently resting on the top of the head is an hour glass separating the words "FUGIT HORA". Above the tip of the wing at the left, as one faces the stone, are a spade and pickaxe, crossed, and above the tip of the right-hand wing are a coffin and crossed bones.
The inscription on the footstone is as follows:
PHINEHAS
PRATT
(MD VI, 1, 1) Phineas Pratt's Gravestones