Chapter VI: Part 6

I will first begine (saith he) w^th that place from whence _Squanto_,
or _Tisquantem_, was taken away; w^ch in Cap: _Smiths mape_ is called
_Plimoth_: and I would that Plimoth had y^e like comodities. I would
that the first plantation might hear be seated, if ther come to the
number of 50. persons, or upward. Otherwise at Charlton, because ther
y^e savages are lese to be feared. The _Pocanawkits_, which live to
y^e _west_ of _Plimoth_, bear an inveterate malice to y^e English, and
are of more streingth then all y^e savags from thence to Penobscote.
Their desire of revenge was occasioned by an English man, who having
many of them on bord, made a great slaughter with their murderers &
smale shot, when as (they say) they offered no injurie on their parts.
Whether they were English or no, it may be douted; yet they beleeve
they were, for y^e Frenche have so possest them; for which cause
_Squanto_ ca[=n]ot deney but they would have kiled me when I was at
_Namasket_, had he not entreated hard for me. The soyle of y^e borders
of [59] this great bay, may be compared to most of y^e plantations
which I have seene in Virginia. The land is of diverce sorts; for
_Patuxite_ is a hardy but strong soyle, _Nawsel & Saughtughtett_ are
for y^e most part a blakish & deep mould, much like that wher groweth
y^e best Tobaco in Virginia. In y^e botume of y^t great bay is store
of Codd & basse, or mulett, &c.

But above all he comends _Pacanawkite_ for y^e richest soyle, and much open ground fitt for English graine, &c.

_Massachussets_ is about 9. leagues from _Plimoth_, & situate in y^e
mids betweene both, is full of ilands & peninsules very fertill for
y^e most parte.

With sundrie shuch relations which I forbear to transcribe, being now better knowne then they were to him.

He was taken prisoner by y^e Indeans at _Manamoiak_ (a place not farr from hence, now well knowne). He gave them what they demanded for his liberty, but when they had gott what they desired, they kept him still & indevored to kill his men; but he was freed by seasing on some of them, and kept them bound till they gave him a cannows load of corne. Of which, see Purch: lib. 9. fol. 1778. But this was An^o: 1619.

After y^e writing of y^e former relation he came to y^e Ile of _Capawack_ (which lyes south of this place in y^e way to Virginia), and y^e foresaid _Squanto_ w^th him, wher he going a shore amongst y^e Indans to trad, as he used to doe, was betrayed & assaulted by them, & _all his men slaine, but one that kept the boat_; but him selfe gott abord very sore wounded, & they had cut of his head upon y^e cudy of his boat, had not y^e man reskued him with a sword. And so they got away, & made shift to gett into Virginia, wher he dyed; whether of his wounds or y^e diseases of y^e cuntrie, or both togeather, is uncertaine. [60] By all which it may appeare how farr these people were from peace, and with what danger this plantation was begune, save as y^e powerfull hand of the Lord did protect them. These things[AM] were partly the reason why they kept aloofe & were so long before they came to the English. An other reason (as after them selvs made kno[=w]) was how aboute 3. _years before_, a French-ship was cast away at _Cap-Codd_, but y^e men gott ashore, & saved their lives, and much of their victails, & other goods; but after y^e Indeans heard of it, they geathered togeather from these parts, and never left watching & dogging them till they got advantage, and _kild them all but 3. or 4._ which they kept, & sent from one Sachem to another, to make sporte with, and used them worse then slaves; (of which y^e foresaid M^r. Dermer redeemed 2. of them;) and they conceived this ship was now come to revenge it.

Also, (as after was made knowne,) before they came to y^e English to make freindship, they gott all the _Powachs_ of y^e cuntrie, for 3. days togeather, in a horid and divellish maner to curse & execrate them with their cunjurations, which asembly & service they held in a darke & dismale swampe.

But to returne. The spring now approaching, it pleased God the mortalitie begane to cease amongst them, and y^e sick and lame recovered apace, which put as it were new life into them; though they had borne their sadd affliction with much patience & contentednes, as I thinke any people could doe. But it was y^e Lord which upheld them, and had beforehand prepared them; many having long borne y^e yoake, yea from their youth. Many other smaler maters I omite, sundrie of them having been allready published in a Jurnall made by one of the company; and some other passages of jurneys and relations allredy published, to which I referr those that are willing to know them more perticulerly. And being now come to y^e 25. of March I shall begine y^e year 1621.

[61] _Anno. 1621._

They now begane to dispatch y^e ship away which brought them over, which lay tille aboute this time, or y^e begining of Aprill. The reason on their parts why she stayed so long, was y^e necessitie and danger that lay upon them, for it was well towards y^e ende of Desember before she could land any thing hear, or they able to receive any thing ashore. Afterwards, y^e 14. of Jan: the house which they had made for a generall randevoze by casulty fell afire, and some were faine to retire abord for shilter. Then the sicknes begane to fall sore amongst them, and y^e weather so bad as they could not make much sooner any dispatch. Againe, the Gov^r & cheefe of them, seeing so many dye, and fall downe sick dayly, thought it no wisdom to send away the ship, their condition considered, and y^e danger they stood in from y^e Indeans, till they could procure some shelter; and therfore thought it better to draw some more charge upon them selves & freinds, then hazard all. The m^r. and sea-men likewise, though before they hasted y^e passengers a shore to be goone, now many of their men being dead, & of y^e ablest of them, (as is before noted,) and of y^e rest many lay sick & weake, y^e m^r. durst not put to sea, till he saw his men begine to recover, and y^e hart of winter over.

Afterwards they (as many as were able) began to plant ther corne, in which servise Squanto stood them in great stead, showing them both y^e maner how to set it, and after how to dress & tend it. Also he tould them excepte they gott fish & set with it (in these old grounds) it would come to nothing, and he showed them y^t in y^e midle of Aprill they should have store enough come up y^e brooke, by which they begane to build, and taught them how to take it, and wher to get other provissions necessary for them; all which they found true by triall & experience. Some English seed they sew, as wheat & pease, but it came not to good, eather by y^e badnes of y^e seed, or latenes of y^e season, or both, or some other defecte.

[62] In this month of _Aprill_ whilst they were bussie about their seed, their Gov^r (M^r. John Carver) came out of y^e feild very sick, it being a hott day; he complained greatly of his head, and lay downe, and within a few howers his sences failed, so as he never spake more till he dyed, which was within a few days after. Whoss death was much lamented, and caused great heavines amongst them, as ther was cause. He was buried in y^e best maner they could, with some vollies of shott by all that bore armes; and his wife, being a weak woman, dyed within 5. or 6. weeks after him.

Shortly after William Bradford was chosen Gove^r in his stead, and being not yet recoverd of his ilnes, in which he had been near y^e point of death, Isaak Allerton was chosen to be an Asistante unto him, who, by renewed election every year, continued sundry years togeather, which I hear note once for all.

_May 12._ was y^e first mariage in this place, which, according to y^e laudable custome of the Low-Cuntries, in which they had lived, was thought most requisite to be performed by the magistrate, as being a civill thing, upon which many questions aboute inheritances doe depende, with other things most proper to their cognizans, and most consonante to y^e scripturs, Ruth 4. and no wher found in y^e gospell to be layed on y^e ministers as a part of their office. "This decree or law about mariage was published by y^e Stats of y^e Low-Cuntries An^o: 1590. That those of any religion, after lawfull and open publication, coming before y^e magistrats, in y^e Town or Stat-house, were to be orderly (by them) maried one to another." Petets Hist, fol: 1029. And this practiss hath continued amongst, not only them, but hath been followed by all y^e famous churches of Christ in these parts to this time,--An^o: 1646.

Haveing in some sorte ordered their bussines at home, it was thought meete to send some abroad to see their new friend Massasoyet, and to bestow upon him some gratuitie to bind him y^e faster unto them; as also that hearby they might veiw y^e countrie, and see in what maner he lived, what strength he had aboute him, and how y^e ways were to his place, if at any time they should have occasion. So y^e 2. _of July_ they sente M^r. Edward Winslow & M^r. Hopkins, with y^e foresaid Squanto for ther guid, who gave him a suite of cloaths, and a horsemans coate, with some other small things, which were kindly accepted; but they found but short co[=m]ons, and came both weary & hungrie home. For y^e Indeans used then to have nothing [63] so much corne as they have since y^e English have stored them with their hows, and seene their industrie in breaking up new grounds therwith. _They found his place to be 40. miles from hence_, y^e soyle good, & y^e people not many, being dead & abundantly wasted in y^e late great mortalitie which fell in all these parts aboute _three years_ before y^e coming of y^e English, wherin thousands of them dyed, they not being able to burie one another; ther sculs and bones were found in many places lying still above ground, where their houses & dwellings had been; a very sad spectackle to behould. But they brought word that y^e Narighansets lived but on y^e other side of that great bay, & were a strong people, & many in number, living compacte togeather, & had not been at all touched with this wasting plague.

Aboute y^e _later end of this month_, one John Billington lost him selfe in y^e woods, & wandered up & downe some 5. days, living on beries & what he could find. At length he light on an Indean plantation, 20. mils south of this place, called _Manamet_, they conveid him furder of, to _Nawsett_, among those peopl that had before set upon y^e English when they were costing, whilest y^e ship lay at y^e Cape, as is before noted. But y^e Gove^r caused him to be enquired for among y^e Indeans, and at length Massassoyt sent word wher he was, and y^e Gove^r sent a shalop for him, & had him delivered. Those people also came and made their peace; and they gave full satisfaction to those whose come they had found & taken when they were at Cap-Codd.

Thus ther peace & aquaintance was prety well establisht w^th the natives aboute them; and ther was an other Indean called _Hobamack_ come to live amongst them, a proper lustie man, and a man of accounte for his vallour & parts amongst y^e Indeans, and continued very faithfull and constant to y^e English till he dyed. He & Squanto being gone upon bussines amonge y^e Indeans, at their returne (whether it was out of envie to them or malice to the English) ther was a Sachem called Corbitant, alyed to Massassoyte, but never any good friend to y^e English to this day, mett with them at an Indean towne caled Namassakett 14. miles to y^e west of this place, and begane to quarell w^th [64] them, and offered to stabe Hobamack; but being a lusty man, he cleared him selfe of him, and came ru[=n]ing away all sweating and tould y^e Gov^r what had befalne him, and he feared they had killed Squanto, for they threatened them both, and for no other cause but because they were freinds to y^e English, and servisable unto them. Upon this y^e Gove^r taking counsell, it was conceivd not fitt to be borne; for if they should suffer their freinds & messengers thus to be wronged, they should have none would cleave unto them, or give them any inteligence, or doe them serviss afterwards; but nexte they would fall upon them selves. Whereupon it was resolved to send y^e Captaine & 14. men well armed, and to goe & fall upon them in y^e night; and if they found that Squanto was kild, to cut of Corbitants head, but not to hurt any but those that had a hand in it. Hobamack was asked if he would goe & be their guid, & bring them ther before day. He said he would, & bring them to y^e house wher the man lay, and show them which was he. So they set forth y^e 14. _of August_, and beset y^e house round; the Captin giving charg to let none pass out, entred y^e house to search for him. But he was goone away that day, so they mist him; but understood y^t Squanto was alive, & that he had only threatened to kill him, & made an offer to stabe him but did not. So they withheld and did no more hurte, & y^e people came trembling, & brought them the best provissions they had, after they were aquainted by Hobamack what was only intended. Ther was 3. sore wounded which broak out of y^e house, and asaid to pass through y^e garde. These they brought home with them, & they had their wounds drest & cured, and sente home. After this they had many gratulations from diverce sachims, and much firmer peace; yea, those of y^e Iles of Capawack sent to make frendship; and this Corbitant him selfe used y^e mediation of Massassoyte to make his peace, but was shie to come neare them a longe while after.

After this, y^e 18. of Septemb^r: they sente out ther shalop to the Massachusets, with 10. men, and Squanto for their guid and [65] interpreter, to discover and veiw that bay, and trade with y^e natives; the which they performed, and found kind entertainement. The people were much affraid of y^e Tarentins, a people to y^e eastward which used to come in harvest time and take away their corne, & many times kill their persons. They returned in saftie, and brought home a good quanty of beaver, and made reporte of y^e place, wishing they had been ther seated; (but it seems y^e Lord, who assignes to all men y^e bounds of their habitations, had apoynted it for an other use). And thus they found the Lord to be with them in all their ways, and to blesse their outgoings & inco[=m]ings, for which let his holy name have y^e praise for ever, to all posteritie.

They begane now to gather in y^e small harvest they had, and to fitte up their houses and dwellings against winter, being all well recovered in health & strenght, and had all things in good plenty; for as some were thus imployed in affairs abroad, others were excersised in fishing, aboute codd, & bass, & other fish, of which y^ey tooke good store, of which every family had their portion. All y^e so[=m]er ther was no wante. And now begane to come in store of foule, as winter aproached, of which this place did abound when they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besids water foule, ther was great store of wild Turkies, of which they tooke many, besids venison, &c. Besids they had aboute a peck a meale a weeke to a person, or now since harvest, Indean corne to y^t proportion. Which made many afterwards write so largly of their plenty hear to their freinds in England, which were not fained, but true reports.

In Novemb^r, about y^e time twelfe month that them selves came, ther came in a small ship to them unexpected or loked for,[AN] in which came Mr. Cushman (so much spoken of before) and with him 35. persons to remaine & live in y^e plantation; which did not a litle rejoyce them. And they when they came a shore and found all well, and saw plenty of vitails in every house, were no less glade. For most of them were lusty yonge men, and many of them wild enough, who litle considered whither or aboute what they wente, till they came into y^e harbore at Cap-Codd, and ther saw nothing but a naked and barren place. They then begane to thinke what should become of them, if the people here were dead or cut of by y^e Indeans. They begane to consulte (upon some speeches that some of y^e sea-men had cast out) to take y^e sayls from y^e yeard least y^e ship [66] should gett away and leave them ther. But y^e m^r. hereing of it, gave them good words, and tould them if any thing but well should have befallne y^e people hear, he hoped he had vitails enough to cary them to Virginia, and whilst he had a bitt they should have their parte; which gave them good satisfaction. So they were all landed; but ther was not so much as bisket-cake or any other victialls[AO] for them, neither had they any beding, but some sory things they had in their cabins, nor pot, nor pan, to drese any meate in; nor overmany cloaths, for many of them had brusht away their coats & cloaks at Plimoth as they came. But ther was sent over some burching-lane suits in y^e ship, out of which they were supplied. The plantation was glad of this addition of strenght, but could have wished that many of them had been of beter condition, and all of them beter furnished with provissions; but y^t could not now be helpte.

In this ship M^r. Weston sent a large leter to M^r. Carver, y^e late Gove^r, now deseased, full of complaints & expostulations aboute former passagess at Hampton; and y^e keeping y^e shipe so long in y^e country, and returning her without lading, &c., which for brevitie I omite. The rest is as followeth.

_Part of Mr. Westons letter_.

I durst never aquainte y^e adventurers with y^e alteration of y^e
conditions first agreed on betweene us, which I have since been very
glad of, for I am well assured had they knowne as much as I doe, they
would not have adventured a halfe-peny of what was necesary for this
ship. That you sent no lading in the ship is wonderfull, and worthily
distasted. I know you^r weaknes was the cause of it, and I beleeve
more weaknes of judgmente, then weaknes of hands. A quarter of y^e
time you spente in discoursing, arguing, & consulting, would have done
much more; but that is past, &c. If you mean, bona fide, to performe
the conditions agreed upon, doe us y^e favore to coppy them out faire,
and subscribe them with y^e principall of your names. And likwise give
us accounte as perticulerly as you can how our moneys were laid out.
And then I shall be able to give them some satisfaction, whom I am now
forsed with good words to shift of. And consider that y^e life of the
bussines depends on y^e lading of this ship, which, if you doe to any
good purpose, that I may be freed from y^e great sums I have disbursed
for y^e former, and must doe for the later, _I promise you I will
never quit y^e bussines, though all the other adventurers should._

[67] We have procured you a Charter, the best we could, which is beter
then your former, and with less limitation. For any thing y^t is els
worth writting, M^r. Cushman can informe you. I pray write instantly
for M^r. Robinson to come to you. And so praying God to blesse you
with all graces nessessary both for this life & that to come, I rest

Your very loving frend,
THO. WESTON.

London, July 6. 1621.

This ship (caled y^e Fortune) was speedily dispatcht away, being laden with good clapbord as full as she could stowe, and 2. hoggsheads of beaver and otter skins, which they gott with a few trifling comodities brought with them at first, being alltogeather unprovided for trade; neither was ther any amongst them that ever saw a beaver skin till they came hear, and were informed by Squanto. The fraight was estimated to be worth near 500^li. M^r. Cushman returned backe also with this ship, for so Mr. Weston & y^e rest had apoynted him, for their better information. And he doubted not, nor them selves neither, but they should have a speedy supply; considering allso how by M^r. Cushmans perswation, and letters received from Leyden, wherin they willed them so to doe, they yeelded[AP] to y^e afforesaid conditions, and subscribed them with their hands. But it proved other wise, for Mr. Weston, who had made y^e large promise in his leter, (as is before noted,) that if all y^e rest should fall of, yet he would never quit y^e bussines, but stick to them, if they yeelded to y^e conditions, and sente some lading in y^e ship; and of this M^r. Cushman was confident, and confirmed y^e same from his mouth, & serious protestations to him selfe before he came. But all proved but wind, for he was y^e first and only man that forsooke them, and that before he so much as heard of y^e returne of this ship, or knew what was done; (so vaine is the confidence in man.) But of this more in its place.

A leter in answer to his write to M^r. Carver, was sente to him from y^e Gov^r, of which so much as is pertenente to y^e thing in hand I shall hear inserte.

S^r: Your large letter writen to M^r. Carver, and dated y^e 6. of
July, 1621, I have received y^e 10. of Novemb^r, wherin (after y^e
apologie made for your selfe) you lay many heavie imputations upon him
and us all. Touching him, he is departed this life, and now is at rest
[68] in y^e Lord from all those troubls and incoumbrances with which
we are yet to strive. He needs not my appologie; for his care and
pains was so great for y^e commone good, both ours and yours, as that
therwith (it is thought) he oppressed him selfe and shortened his
days; of whose loss we cannot sufficiently complaine. At great charges
in this adventure, I confess you have beene, and many losses may
sustaine; but y^e loss of his and many other honest and industrious
mens lives, cannot be vallewed at any prise. Of y^e one, ther may be
hope of recovery, but y^e other no recompence can make good. But I
will not insiste in generalls, but come more perticulerly to y^e
things them selves. You greatly blame us for keping y^e ship so long
in y^e countrie, and then to send her away emptie. She lay 5. weks at
Cap-Codd, whilst with many a weary step (after a long journey) and the
indurance of many a hard brunte, we sought out in the foule winter a
place of habitation. Then we went in so tedious a time to make
provission to sheelter us and our goods, aboute w^ch labour, many of
our armes & leggs can tell us to this day we were not necligent. But
it pleased God to vissite us then, with death dayly, and with so
generall a disease, that the living were scarce able to burie the
dead; and y^e well not in any measure sufficiente to tend y^e sick.
And now to be so greatly blamed, for not fraighting y^e ship, doth
indeed goe near us, and much discourage us. But you say you know we
will pretend weaknes; and doe you think we had not cause? Yes, you
tell us you beleeve it, but it was more weaknes of judgmente, then of
hands. Our weaknes herin is great we confess, therfore we will bear
this check patiently amongst y^e rest, till God send us wiser men. But
they which tould you we spent so much time in discoursing &
consulting, &c., their harts can tell their toungs, they lye. They
cared not, so they might salve their owne sores, how they wounded
others. Indeed, it is our callamitie that we are (beyound expectation)
yoked with some ill conditioned people, who will never doe good, but
corrupte and abuse others, &c.

The rest of y^e letter declared how they had subscribed those conditions according to his desire, and sente him y^e former accounts very perticulerly; also how y^e ship was laden, and in what condition their affairs stood; that y^e coming of these [69] people would bring famine upon them unavoydably, if they had not supply in time (as Mr. Cushman could more fully informe him & y^e rest of y^e adventurers). Also that seeing he was now satisfied in all his demands, that offences would be forgoten, and he remember his promise, &c.

After y^e departure of this ship, (which stayed not above 14. days,) the Gove^r & his assistante haveing disposed these late co[=m]ers into severall families, as y^ey best could, tooke an exacte accounte of all their provissions in store, and proportioned y^e same to y^e number of persons, and found that it would not hould out above 6. months at halfe alowance, and hardly that. And they could not well give less this winter time till fish came in againe. So they were presently put to half alowance, one as well as an other, which begane to be hard, but they bore it patiently under hope of supply.

Sone after this ships departure, y^e great people of y^e Narigansets, in a braving maner, sente a messenger unto them with a bundl of arrows tyed aboute with a great sneak-skine; which their interpretours tould them was a threatening & a chaleng. Upon which y^e Gov^r, with y^e advice of others, sente them a round answere, that if they had rather have warre then peace, they might begine when they would; they had done them no wrong, neither did y^ey fear them, or should they find them unprovided. And by another messenger sente y^e sneake-skine back with bulits in it; but they would not receive it, but sent it back againe. But these things I doe but mention, because they are more at large allready put forth in printe, by M^r. Winslow, at y^e requeste of some freinds. And it is like y^e reason was their owne ambition, who, (since y^e death of so many of y^e Indeans,) thought to dominire & lord it over y^e rest, & conceived y^e English would be a barr in their way, and saw that Massasoyt took sheilter allready under their wings.

But this made them y^e more carefully to looke to them selves, so as they agreed to inclose their dwellings with a good strong pale, and make flankers in convenient places, with gates to shute, which were every night locked, and a watch kept, and when neede required ther was also warding in y^e day time. And y^e company was by y^e Captaine and y^e Gov^r [70] advise, devided into 4. squadrons, and every one had ther quarter apoynted them, unto which they were to repaire upon any suddane alarme. And if ther should be any crie of fire, a company were appointed for a gard, with muskets, whilst others quenchet y^e same, to prevent Indean treachery. This was accomplished very cherfully, and y^e towne impayled round by y^e begining of March, in which evry family had a prety garden plote secured. And herewith I shall end this year. Only I shall remember one passage more, rather of mirth then of waight. One y^e day called Chrismasday, y^e Gov^r caled them out to worke, (as was used,) but y^e most of this new-company excused them selves and said it wente against their consciences to work on y^t day. So y^e Gov^r tould them that if they made it mater of conscience, he would spare them till they were better informed. So he led-away y^e rest and left them; but when they came home at noone from their worke, he found them in y^e streete at play, openly; some pitching y^e barr, & some at stoole-ball, and shuch like sports. So he went to them, and tooke away their implements, and tould them that was against his conscience, that they should play & others worke. If they made y^e keeping of it mater of devotion, let them kepe their houses, but ther should be no gameing or revelling in y^e streets. Since which time nothing hath been atempted that way, at least openly.

_Anno 1622._

At y^e spring of y^e year they had apointed y^e Massachusets to come againe and trade with them, and begane now to prepare for that vioag about y^e later end of March. But upon some rumors heard, Hobamak, their Indean, tould them upon some jealocies he had, he feared they were joyned w^th y^e Narighansets and might betray them if they were not carefull. He intimated also some jealocie of Squanto, by what he gathered from some private whisperings betweene him and other Indeans. But [71] they resolved to proseede, and sente out their shalop with 10. of their cheefe men aboute y^e begining of Aprill, and both Squanto & Hobamake with them, in regarde of y^e jelocie betweene them. But they had not bene gone longe, but an Indean belonging to Squantos family came runing in seeming great fear, and tould them that many of y^e Narihgansets, with Corbytant, and he thought also Massasoyte, were coming against them; and he gott away to tell them, not without danger. And being examined by y^e Gov^r, he made as if they were at hand, and would still be looking back, as if they were at his heels. At which the Governor caused them to take armes & stand on their garde, and supposing y^e boat to be still within hearing (by reason it was calme) caused a warning peece or 2. to be shote of, the which y^ey heard and came in. But no Indeans apeared; watch was kepte all night, but nothing was scene. Hobamak was confidente for Massasoyt, and thought all was false; yet y^e Gov^r caused him to send his wife privatly, to see what she could observe (pretening other occasions), but ther was nothing found, but all was quiet. After this they proseeded on their vioge to y^e Massachusets, and had good trade, and returned in saftie, blessed be God.

But by the former passages, and other things of like nature, they begane to see y^t Squanto sought his owne ends, and plaid his owne game, by putting y^e Indeans in fear, and drawing gifts from them to enrich him selfe; making them beleeve he could stur up warr against whom he would, & make peece for whom he would. Yea, he made them beleeve they kept y^e plague buried in y^e ground, and could send it amongs whom they would, which did much terrifie the Indeans, and made them depend more on him, and seeke more to him then to Massasoyte, which proucured him envie, and had like to have cost him his life. For after y^e discovery of his practises, Massasoyt sought it both privatly and openly; which caused him to stick close to y^e English, & never durst goe from them till he dyed. They also made good use of y^e emulation y^t grue betweene Hobamack and him, which made them cary more squarely. And y^e Gov^r seemed to countenance y^e one, and y^e Captaine y^e other, by which they had better intelligence, and made them both more diligente.

[72] Now in a maner their provissions were wholy spent, and they looked hard for supply, but none came. But about y^e _later end of May_, they spied _a boat_ at sea, which at first they thought had beene some Frenchman; but it proved a shalop which came from a ship which M^r. Weston & an other had set out a fishing, at a place called Damarins-cove, 40. leagues to y^e eastward of them, wher were y^t year many more ships come a fishing. This boat brought 7. passengers and some letters, but no vitails, nor any hope of any. Some part of which I shall set downe.

M^r. Carver, in my last leters by y^e Fortune, in whom M^r Cushman
wente, and who I hope is with you, for we daly expecte y^e shipe back
againe. She departed hence, y^e begining of July, with 35. persons,
though not over well provided with necesaries, by reason of y^e
parsemonie of y^e adventurers.[AQ] I have solisited them to send you a
supply of men and provissions before shee come. They all answer they
will doe great maters, when they hear good news. Nothing before; so
faithfull, constant, & carefull of your good, are your olde & honest
freinds, that if they hear not from you, they are like to send you no
supplie, &c. I am now to relate y^e occasion of sending _this ship_,
hoping if you give credite to my words, you will have a more
favourable opinion of it, then some hear, wherof Pickering is one, who
taxed me to mind my owne ends, which is in part true, &c. _M^r.
Beachamp and my selfe_ bought _this litle ship_, and have set her out,
partly, if it may be, to uphold[AR] y^e plantation, as well to doe
others good as our selves; and partly to gett up what we are formerly
out; though we are otherwise censured, &c. This is y^e occasion we
have sent _this ship_ and these passengers, on our owne accounte; whom
we desire you will frendly entertaine & supply with shuch necesaries
as you cane spare, and they wante, &c. And among other things we pray
you lend or sell them some seed corne, and if you have y^e salt
remaining of y^e last year, that y^u will let them have it for their
presente use, and we will either pay you for it, or give you more when
we have set our salt-pan to worke, which we desire may be set up in
one of y^e litle ilands in your bay, &c. And because we intende, if
God plase, [73] (and y^e generallitie doe it not,) _to send within a
month another shipe_, who, having discharged her passengers, _shal goe
to Virginia_, &c. And it may be we shall send a _small ship to abide
with you_ on y^e coast, which I conceive may be a great help to y^e
plantation. To y^e end our desire may be effected, which, I assure my
selfe, will be also for your good, we pray you give them
entertainmente in your houses y^e time they shall be with you, that
they may lose no time, but may presently goe in hand to fell trees &
cleave them, to y^e end lading may be ready and our ship stay not.

Some of y^e adventurers have sent you hearwith all some directions for
your furtherance in y^e co[=m]one bussines, who are like those S^t.
James speaks of, y^t bid their brother eat, and warme him, but give
him nothing; so they bid you make salt, and uphold y^e plantation, but
send you no means wherwithall to doe it, &c. By _y^e next_ we purpose
_to send more people on our owne accounte_, and _to take a patente_;
that if your peopl should be as unhumane as some of y^e adventurers,
not to admite us to dwell with them, which were extreme barbarisme,
and which will never enter into my head to thinke you have any shuch
Pickerings amongst you. Yet to satisfie our passengers I must of force
doe it; and for some other reasons not necessary to be writen, &c. I
find y^e generall so backward, and your freinds at Leyden so could,
that I fear you must stand on your leggs, and trust (as they say) to
God and your selves.

Subscribed,
your loving freind,
THO: WESTON.

Jan: 12. 1621.

Sundry other things I pass over, being tedious & impertinent.

All this was but could comfort to fill their hungrie bellies, and a slender performance of his former late promiss; and as litle did it either fill or warme them, as those y^e Apostle James spake of, by him before mentioned. And well might it make them remember what y^e psalmist saith, Psa. 118. 8. _It is better to trust in the Lord, then to have confidence in man._ And Psa. 146. _Put not you trust in princes_ (much less in y^e marchants) _nor in y^e sone of man, for ther is no help in them._ v. 5. _Blesed is he that hath y^e God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in y^e Lord his God._ And as they were now fayled of suply by him and others in this their greatest neede and wants, which was caused by him and y^e rest, who put so great a company of men upon them, as y^e former company were, without any food, and came at shuch a time as they must live almost a whole year before any could [74] be raised, excepte they had sente some; so, upon y^e pointe they never had any supply of vitales more afterwards (but what the Lord gave them otherwise); for all y^e company sent at any time was allways too short for those people y^t came with it.

Ther came allso _by y^e same ship_ other leters, but of later date, one from M^r. Weston, an other from a parte of y^e adventurers, as foloweth.

M^r. Carver, since my last, to y^e end we might y^e more readily
proceed to help y^e generall, at a meeting of some of y^e principall
adventurers, a proposition was put forth, & alowed by all presente
(save Pickering), to adventure each man y^e third parte of what he
formerly had done. And ther are some other y^t folow his example, and
will adventure no furder. In regard wherof y^e greater part of y^e
adventurers being willing to uphold y^e bussines, finding it no reason
that those y^t are willing should uphold y^e bussines of those that
are unwilling, whose backwardnes doth discourage those that are
forward, and hinder other new-adventurers from coming in, we having
well considered therof, have resolved, according to an article in y^e
agreemente, (_that it may be lawfull by a generall consente of y^e
adventurers & planters, upon just occasion, to breake of their joynte
stock_,) to breake it of; and doe pray you to ratifie, and confirme
y^e same on your parts. Which being done, we shall y^e more willingly
goe forward for y^e upholding of you with all things necesarie. But in
any case you must agree to y^e artickls, and send it by y^e first
under your hands & seals. So I end

Your loving freind,
THO: WESTON.

Jan: 17. 1621.

Another leter was write from part of y^e company of y^e adventurers to the same purpose, and subscribed with 9. of their names, wherof M^r. Westons & M^r. Beachamphs were tow. Thes things seemed strang unto them, seeing this unconstancie & shufling; it made them to thinke ther was some misterie in y^e matter. And therfore y^e Gov^r concealed these letters from y^e publick, only imparted them to some trustie freinds for advice, who concluded with him, that this tended to disband & scater them (in regard of their straits); and if M^r. Weston & others, who seemed to rune in a perticuler way, should come over with shiping so provided as his letters did intimate, they most would fall to him, to y^e prejudice of them selves & y^e rest of the adventurers,[AS] their freinds, from whom as yet they heard nothing. And it was doubted whether he had not sente [75] over shuch a company in y^e former ship, for shuch an end. Yet they tooke compassion of those 7. men which _this ship, which fished to y^e eastward, had kept till planting time was over_, and so could set no corne; and allso wanting vitals, (for y^ey turned them off w^{th}out any, and indeed wanted for them selves,) neither was their salt-pan come, so as y^ey could not performe any of those things which M^r. Weston had apointed, and might have starved if y^e plantation had not succoured them; who, in their wants, gave them as good as any of their owne. _The ship wente to Virginia_, wher they sould both ship & fish, of which (it was conceived) M^r. Weston had a very slender accounte.

_After this came another of his ships_, and brought letters dated y^e 10. of Aprill, from M^r. Weston, as followeth.

M^r. Bradford, these, &c. _The Fortune_ is arived, of whose good news
touching your estate & proce[=e]ings, I am very glad to hear. And how
soever he was robed on y^e way by y^e Frenchmen, yet I hope your loss
will not be great, for y^e conceite of so great a returne doth much
animate y^e adventurers, so y^t I hope some matter of importance will
be done by them, &c. As for my selfe, I have sould my adventure &
debts unto them, so as I am quit[AT] of you, & you of me, for that
matter, &c. Now though I have nothing to pretend as an adventurer
amongst you, yet I will advise you a litle for your good, if you can
apprehend it. I perceive & know as well as another, y^e dispositions
of _your adventurers_, whom y^e hope of gaine hath drawne on to this
they have done; and yet I fear y^t hope will not draw them much
furder. Besids, _most of them are against the sending of them of
Leyden, for whose cause this bussines was first begune_, and some of
y^e most religious (as M^r. Greene by name) excepts against them. So
y^t my advice is (you may follow it if you please) that you forthwith
break of your joynte stock, which you have warente to doe, both in law
& conscience, for y^e most parte of y^e adventurers have given way
unto it by a former letter. And y^e means you have ther, which I hope
will be to some purpose by y^e trade of this spring, may, with y^e
help of some freinds hear, bear y^e charge of tr[=a]sporting those of
Leyden; and when they are with you I make no question but by Gods help
you will be able to subsist of your selves. But I shall leave you to
your discretion.

I desired diverce of y^e adventurers, as M^r. Peirce, M^r. Greene, &
others, if they had any thing to send you, either vitails or leters,
to send them _by these ships_; and marvelling they sent not so much as
a letter, I asked our passengers what leters they had, and with some
dificultie one of them tould me he had one, which was delivered him
with [76] great charge of secrecie; and for more securitie, to buy a
paire of new-shoes, & sow it betweene y^e soles for fear of
intercepting. I, taking y^e leter, wondering what mistrie might be in
it, broke it open, and found this treacherous letter subscribed by y^e
hands of M^r. Pickering & M^r. Greene. Wich leter had it come to you^r
hands without answer, might have caused y^e hurt, if not y^e ruine, of
us all. For assuredly if you had followed their instructions, and
shewed us that unkindness which they advise you unto, to hold us in
distruste as enimise, &c., it might have been an occasion to have set
us togeather by y^e eares, to y^e distruction of us all. For I doe
beleeve that in shuch a case, they knowing what bussines hath been
betweene us, not only my brother, but others also, would have been
violent, and heady against you, &c. I mente to have setled y^e people
I before and now send, with or near you, as well for their as your
more securitie and defence, as help on all occasions. But I find y^e
adventurers so jealous & suspitious, that I have altered my
resolution, & given order to my brother & those with him, to doe as
they and him selfe shall find fitte. Thus, &c.

Your loving friend,
THO: WESTON.

Aprill 10. 1621.

_Some part of Mr. Pickerings letter before mentioned._

To M^r. Bradford & M^r. Brewster, &c.

My dear love remembred unto you all, &c. The company hath bought out
M^r. Weston, and are very glad they are freed of him, he being judged
a man y^t thought him selfe above y^e generall, and not expresing so
much y^e fear of God as was meete in a man to whom shuch trust should
have been reposed in a matter of so great importance. I am sparing to
be so plaine as indeed is clear against him; but a few words to y^e
wise.

M^r. Weston will not permitte leters to be sent in _his ships_, nor
any thing for your good or ours, of which ther is some reason in
respecte of him selfe, &c. His brother Andrew, whom he doth send as
principall _in one of these ships_, is a heady yong man, & violente,
and set against you ther, & y^e company hear; ploting with M^r. Weston
their owne ends, which tend to your & our undooing in respecte of our
estates ther, and prevention of our good ends. For by credible
testimoney we are informed his purpose is to come to your colonie,
pretending he comes for and from y^e adventurers, and will seeke to
gett what you have in readynes [77] into _his ships_, as if they came
from y^e company, & possessing all, will be so much profite to him
selfe. And further to informe them selves what spetiall places or
things you have discovered, to y^e end that they may supres & deprive
you, &c.

The Lord, who is y^e watchman of Israll & slepeth not, preserve you &
deliver you from unreasonable men. I am sorie that ther is cause to
admonish you of these things concerning this man; so I leave you to
God, who bless and multiply you into thousands, to the advancemente of
y^e glorious gospell of our Lord Jesus. Amen. Fare well.

Your loving freinds,
EDWARD PICKERING.
WILLIAM GREENE.

I pray conceale both y^e writing & deliverie of this leter, but make the best use of it. _We hope to sete forth a ship our selves with in this month._

_The heads of his answer._

M^r. Bradford, this is y^e leter y^t I wrote unto you of, which to
answer in every perticuler is needles & tedious. My owne conscience &
all our people can and I thinke will testifie, y^t my end in sending
_y^e ship Sparrow_ was your good, &c. Now I will not deney but ther
are many of our people rude fellows, as these men terme them; yet I
presume they will be governed by such as I set over them. And I hope
not only to be able to reclaime them from y^t profanenes that may
scandalise y^e vioage, but by degrees to draw them to God, &c. I am so
farr from sending rude fellows to deprive you either by fraude or
violence of what is yours, as I have charged y^e m^r. of y^e _ship
Sparrow_, not only to leave with you 2000. of bread, but also a good
quantitie of fish,[AU] &c. But I will leave it to you to consider what
evill this leter would or might have done, had it come to your hands &
taken y^e effecte y^e other desired.

Now if you be of y^e mind y^t these men are, deale plainly with us, &
we will seeke our residence els-wher. If you are as freindly as we
have thought you to be, give us y^e entertainment of freinds, and we
will take nothing from you, neither meat, drinke, nor lodging, but
what we will, in one kind or other, pay you for, &c. I shall leave in
y^e countrie _a litle ship_ (if God send her safe thither) with
mariners & fisher-men to stay ther, who shall coast, & trad with y^e
savages, & y^e old plantation. It may be we shall be as helpfull to
you, as you will be to us. I thinke I shall see you y^e next spring;
and so I comend you to y^e protection of God, who ever keep you.

Your loving friend,
THO: WESTON.

[78] Thus all ther hops in regard of M^r. Weston were layed in y^e dust, and all his promised helpe turned into an empttie advice, which they apprehended was nether lawfull nor profitable for them to follow. And they were not only thus left destitute of help in their extreme wants, haveing neither vitails, nor any thing to trade with, but others prepared & ready to glean up what y^e cuntrie might have afforded for their releefe. As for those harsh censures & susspitions intimated in y^e former and following leters, they desired to judg as charitably and wisly of them as they could, waighing them in y^e ballance of love and reason; and though they (in parte) came from godly & loveing freinds, yet they conceived many things might arise from over deepe jealocie and fear, togeather with unmeete provocations, though they well saw M^r. Weston pursued his owne ends, and was imbittered in spirite. For after the receit of y^e former leters, the Gov^r received one from M^r. Cushman, who went home in y^e ship, and was allway intimate with M^r. Weston, (as former passages declare), and it was much marveled that nothing was heard from him, all this while. But it should seeme it was y^e difficulty of sending, for this leter was directed as y^e leter of a wife to her husband, who was here, and brought by him to y^e Gov^r. It was as followeth.

Beloved S^r: I hartily salute you, with trust of your health, and many
thanks for your love. By Gods providence we got well home y^e 17. _of
Feb_. Being robbed by y^e French-men by y^e way, and carried by them
into France, and were kepte ther 15. days, and lost all y^t we had
that was worth taking; but thanks be to God, we escaped with our lives
& ship. I see not y^t it worketh any discouragment hear. I purpose by
Gods grace _to see you_ shortly, _I hope in June nexte, or before_. In
y^e mean space know these things, and I pray you be advertised a
litle. M^r. Weston hath quite broken of from our company, through some
discontents y^t arose betwext him and some of our adventurers, & hath
sould all his adventurs, & _hath now sent 3. smale ships for his
perticuler plantation_. The _greatest_ wherof, _being 100. tune_, M^r.
Reynolds goeth m^r. and he with y^e rest purposeth to come him selfe;
for what end I know not.