On the morning of the first Christmas after our houses had been built,
many of the men and boys, when called upon to go out to work for the
common good, as had been the custom every week day during the year,
declared that they did not believe it right to labor at the time
when it was said Christ had been born. Whereupon Governor Bradford,
after telling them plainly that he believed laziness rather than any
religious promptings of the spirit inclined them to remain idle on
that day, said he would leave them alone until they were come to have
a better understanding of the matter.
Then he, with those who were ready to obey the rules, went to their
work; but on coming back at noon, he found those who did not believe it
seemly to labor on Christmas day, at play in the street, some throwing
bars, and others at stoolball. Without delay the governor seized the
balls and the bars, carrying them into the fort, at the same time
declaring that it was against his conscience for some to play while
others worked. This, as you may suppose, brought the merrymaking to an
end.
For my part I enjoyed the Christmas festivities as we held them at
Scrooby, and cannot understand why, simply because certain heathen
people turned the day into a time for play and rejoicing, we should not
make merry after the custom of those in England.