USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Bradford's history "of Plimoth plantation" from the original manuscript > Part 24
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Having by a providence a letter or to yt came to my hands concerning the proceedings of their Red: freinds in ye Bay of ye Massachusets, who were latly come over, I thought it not amise here to inserte them, (so farr as is pertenente, and may be usefull for after times,) before I conclude this year.
S": Being at Salem ye 25. of July, being ye saboath, after ye evēing exercise, Mr. Johnson received a letter from ye
people to increase the plantation, he should have his life spared; but jus- tice otherwise determined, and rewarded him, the first murtherer of his neigh- bour there, with the deserved punishment of death, for a warning to others." The first offence committed in the colony was by Billington, in 1621, who, for contempt of the Captain's lawful command, with opprobrious speeches, was adjudged to have his neck and heels tied together. Prince, I. 103, from Bradford's pocket-book.
* This paragraph was written on the reverse of page 180 of the original manuscript, near this place.
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Gov", Mr. John Winthrop, manifesting ye hand of God to be upon them, and against them at Charles-towne, in visit- ing them with sicknes, and taking diverse from amongst them, not sparing ye righteous, but partaking with ye wicked in these bodily judgments. It was therfore by his desire taken into ye Godly consideration of ye best hear, what was to be done to pacifie ye Lords wrath, &c. Wher it was con- cluded, that the Lord was to be sought in righteousnes ; and to that end, ye 6. day (being Friday) of this present weeke, is set aparte, that they may humble them selves before God, and seeke him in his ordenances; and that then also such godly persons that are amongst them, and know each to other, may publickly, at ye end of their exercise, make known their Godly desire, and practise ye same, viz. solemly to enter into [181] covenante with ye Lord to walke in his ways. And since they are so disposed of in their outward estats, as to live in three distinct places, each having men of abilitie amongst them, ther to observe ye day, and be- come 3. distincte bodys; not then intending rashly to pro- ceed to ye choyce of officers, or ye admitting of any other to their societie then a few, to witte, such as are well knowne unto them ; promising after to receive in such by confession of faith, as shall appeare to be fitly qualified for y estate. They doe ernestly entreate that ye church of Plimoth would set apparte ye same day, for ye same ends, beseeching ye Lord, as to withdraw his hand of correction from them, so also to establish and direct them in his wayes. And though ye time be shorte, we pray you be provocked to this godly worke, seing ye causes are so urgente ; wherin God will be honoured, and they & we undoubtedly have sweete com- forte. Be you all kindly saluted, &c.
Your brethren in Christ, &c. Salem, July 26. 1630.
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S': &c. The sadd news here is, that many are sicke, and many are dead ; ye Lord in mercie looke upon them. Some are here entered into church covenante; the first were 4. namly, ye Gov", Mr. John Winthrop, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Dud- ley, and M. Willson; since that 5. more are joyned unto them, and others, it is like, will adde them selves to them dayly ; the Lord increase them, both in number and in holi- nes for his mercie sake. Here is a gentleman, one Mr. Cot- tington, (a Boston man,) who tould me, that Mr. Cottons charge at Hamton was, that they should take advise of them at Plimoth, and should doe nothing to offend them. Here are diverce honest Christians that are desirous to see us, some out of love which they bear to us, and ye good perswasion they have of us; others to see whether we be so ill as they have heard of us. We have a name of holines, and love to God and his saincts; the Lord make us more and more answerable, and that it may be more then a name, or els it will doe us no good. Be you lovingly saluted, and all the rest of our friends. The Lord Jesus blese us, and ye whole Israll of God. Amen.
Your loving brother, &c.
Charles-towne, Aug. 2. 1630.
Thus out of smalle beginings greater things have been prodused by his hand yt made all things of nothing, and gives being to all things that are; and as one small candle may light a thousand, so ye light here kindled hath shone to many, yea in some sorte to our whole nation ; let ye glorious name of Jehova have all ye praise.
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[182] Anno Dom: 1631.
ASHLEY being thus by ye hand of God taken away, and Mr. Allerton discharged of his imploymente for them, their bussines began againe to rune in one chanell, and them selves better able to guide the same, Penobscote being wholy now at their disposing. And though Mr. William Peirce had a parte ther as is before noted, yet now, as things stood, he was glad to have his money repayed him, and stand out. Mr. Winslow, whom they had sent over, sent them over some supply as soone as he could; and afterwards when he came, which was something longe by reason of bussines, he brought a large supply of suitable goods with him, by which ther trading was well carried on. But by no means either he, or ye letters yey write, could take off Mr. Sherley & ye rest from putting both ye Friend- ship and Whit-Angell on ye generall accounte; which caused continuall contention betweene them, as will more appeare.
I shall inserte a leter of Mr. Winslow's about these things, being as foloweth.
S": It fell out by Gods providence, yt I received and brought your leters pr Mr. Allerton from Bristoll, to London ; and doe much feare what will be ye event of things. Mr. Allerton intended to prepare ye ship againe, to set forth upon fishing. Mr. Sherley, Mr. Beachamp, & MT. Andrews, they renounce all perticulers, protesting but for us they
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would never have adventured one penie into those parts ; Mr. Hatherley stands inclinable to either. And wheras you write that he and Mr. Allerton have taken ye Whit-Angell upon them, for their partners here, they professe they neiver gave any such order, nor will make it good; if them selves will cleare ye accounte & doe it, all shall be well. What ye evente of these things will be, I know not. The Lord so directe and assiste us, as he may not be dishonoured by our divissions. I hear (pr a freind) that I was much blamed for speaking w ** I heard in ye spring of ye year, concerning ye buying & setting forth of yt ship ; ; sure, if I should not have tould you what I heard so peremtorly reported (which report I offered now to prove at Bristoll), I should have been unworthy my imploymente. And concerning ye comis- sion so long since given to M'. Allerton, the truth is, the thing we feared is come upon us; for M'. Sherley & ye rest have it, and will not deliver it, that being ye ground of our agents credite to procure shuch great sumes. But I looke for bitter words, hard thoughts, and sower looks, from sundrie, as well for writing this, as reporting ye former. I would I had a more thankfull imploymente; but I hope a good conscience shall make it comefortable, &c.
Thus farr he. Dated Nov: 16. 1631.
The comission above said was given by them under their hand and seale, when Mr. Allerton was first imployed by them, and redemanded of him in ye year 29. when they begane to suspecte his course. He tould them it was amongst his papers, but he would seeke it out & give it them before he wente. But he
* Wth in manuscript.
t This was about ye selling ye ship in Spaine.
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being ready to goe, it was demanded againe. He said he could not find it, but it was amongst his papers, which he must take wth him, [183] and he would send it by ye boat from ye eastward; but ther it could not be had neither, but he would seeke it up at sea. But whether Mr. Sherley had it before or after, it is not cer- taine ; but having it, he would not let it goe, but keeps it to this day. Wherfore, even amongst freinds, men had need be carfull whom they trust, and not lett things of this nature lye long unrecaled.
Some parts of MY. Sherley's letters aboute these things, in which ye truth is best manifested.
S": Yours I have received by our loving friends, Mr. Aller- ton & M". Hatherley, who, blesed be God, after a long & dangerous passage with ye ship Angell, are safely come to Bristoll. M. Hatherley is come up, but Mr. Allerton I have not yet seen. We thanke you, and are very glad you have disswaded him from his Spanish viage, and yt he did not goe on in these designes he intended; for we did all uterly dislick of that course, as allso of ye fishing yt ye Freindship should have performed ; for we wished him to sell ye salte, and were unwilling to have him undertake so much bussines, partly for ye ill success we formerly had in those affairs, and partly being loath to disburse so much money. But he per- swaded us this must be one way yt must repay us, for ye plantation would be long in doing of it; ney, to my remem- berance, he doubted you could not be able, with ye trade ther, to maintaine your charge & pay us. And for this very cause he brought us on yt bussines with Ed : Ashley, for he was a stranger to us, &c.
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For ye fishing ship, we are sorie it proves so heavie, and will be willing to bear our parts. What Mr. Hatherley & Mr. Allerton have done, no doubt but them selves will make good ; * we gave them no order to make any composition, to seperate you and us in this or any other. And I thinke you have no cause to forsake us, for we put you upon no new thing, but what your agent perswaded us to, & you by your letters desired. If he exceede your order, I hope you will not blame us, much less cast us of, when our moneys be layed out, &c. But I fear neither you nor we have been well delte withall, for sure, as you write, halfe 4000“., nay, a quarter, in fitting comodities, and in seasonable time, would have furnished you beter then you were. And yet for all this, and much more I might write, I dare not but thinke him honest, and that his desire and intente was good; but ye wisest may faile. Well, now yt it hath pleased God to give us hope of meeting, doubte not but we will all indeavore to perfecte these accounts just & right, as soone as possibly we can. And I supposs you sente over Mr. Winslow, and we Mr. Hatherley, to certifie each other how ye state of things stood. We have received some contente upon Mr. Hath- erley's returne, and I hope you will receive good contente
* They were too short in resting on Mr. Hatherleys honest word, for his order to discharg them from ye Friendship's accounte, when he and Mr. Allerton made ye bargane with them, and they delivered them the rest of ye goods; and therby gave them oppertunitie also to receive all the fraight of boath viages, without seeing an order (to have such power) under their hands in writing, which they never doubted of, seeing he affirmed he had power; and they both knew his honestie, and yt he was spetially imployed for their agente at this time. And he was as shorte in resting on a verball order from them; which was now denyed, when it came to a perticuler of loss; but he still affirmed the same. But they were both now taught how to deale in ye world, espetially with marchants, in such cases. But in ye end this light upon these here also, for Mr. Allerton had gott all into his owne hand, and Mr. Hatherley was not able to pay it, except they would have uterlie undon him, as ye sequell will manifest.
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upon Mr. Winslow's returne. Now I should come to answer more perticulerly your letter, but herin I shall be very breefe. The coming of ye White Angele on your accounte could not be more strang to you, then ye buying of her was to us; for you gave him comission * that what he did you would stand too; we gave him none, and yet for his credite, and your saks, payed what bills he charged on us, &c. For yt I write she was to acte tow parts, fishing & trade; beleeve me, I never so much as thought of any perticuler trade, nor will side with any yt doth, if I conceive it may wrong you ; for I ever was against it, useing these words: They will eate up and destroy ye generall.
Other things I omite as tedious, and not very perte- nente. This was dated Novr. 19. 1631.
In an other leter bearing date ye 24. of this month, being an answer to ye generall order, he hath these words : -
[184] For ye White Angell, against which you write so ernestly, and say we thrust her upon you, contrary to ye intente of ye buyer, herin we say you forgett your selves, and doe us wrong. We will not take uppon us to devine what ye thougts or intents of ye buyer was, but what he spack we heard, and that we will affirme, and make good against any yt oppose it; which is, y' unles shee were bought, and shuch a course taken, Ashley could not be supplyed ; and againe, if he weer not supplyed, we could not be satisfied what we were out for you. And further, you were not able to doe it; and he gave some reasons
* This comission is abused; he never had any for shuch end, as they well knew, nether had they any to pay this money, nor would have paid a peny, if they had not pleased for some other respecte.
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which we spare to relate, unless by your unreasonable re- fusall you will force us, and so hasten yt fire which is a kindling too fast allready, &c.
Out of another of his, bearing date Jan. 2. 1631.
We purpose to keep ye Freidship and ye Whit Angell, for ye last year viages, on the generall accounte, hoping togeither they will rather produse profite then loss, and breed less confution in our accounts, and less disturbance in our affections. As for ye White Angell, though we layed out ye money, and tooke bills of salle in our owne names, yet none of us had so much as a thought (I dare say) of deviding from you in any thing this year, because we would not have ye world (I may say Bristoll) take notice of any breach betwixte Mr. Allerton and you, and he and us ; and so disgrace him in his proceedings on * in his intended viage. We have now let him ye ship at 30". pr month, by charter- partie, and bound him in a bond of a 1000". to performe covenants, and bring her to London (if God please). And what he brings in her for you, shall be marked wth your marke, and bils of laden taken, & sent in M. Winslows letter, who is this day riding to Bristoll about it. So in this viage, we deale & are with him as strangers. He hath brought in 3. books of accounts, one for ye company, an other for Ashley's bussines, and ye third for ye Whit-Angell and Freidship. The books, or coppies, we purpose to send you, for you may discover ye errours in them better then we. We can make it appear how much money he hath had of us, and you can charg him with all ye beaver he hath had of you. The totall sume, as he hath put it, is 7103. 17. 1. Of this he hath expended, and given to Mr. Vines & others, aboute 543". ode money, and then by your books you will
* o in MS.
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find whether you had such, & so much goods, as he chargeth you with all ; and this is all that I can say at presente con- cerning these accounts. He thought to dispatch them in a few howers, but he and Straton & Fogge were above a month aboute them; but he could not stay till we had examined them, for losing his fishing viage, which I fear he hath allready done, &c.
We blese God, who put both you & us in mind to send each to other, for verily had he rune on in that desperate & chargable course one year more, we had not been able to suport him; nay, both he and we must have lyen in ye ditch, and sunck under ye burthen, &c. Had ther been an orderly course taken, and your bussines better managed, assuredly (by ye blessing of God) you had been ye ablest plantation that, as we think, or know, hath been under- taken by Englishmen, &c.
Thus farr of these letters of Mr. Sherley's .*
[185] A few observations from ye former letters, and then I shall set downe the simple truth of ye things (thus in controversie betweene them), at least as farr as by any good evidence it could be made to appeare ; and so laboure to be breefe in so tedious and intricate a bussines, which hunge in expostulation betweene them many years before ye same was ended. That though ther will be often occasion to touch these things about other passages, yet I shall not neede to be large therin; doing it hear once for all.
First, it seemes to appere clearly that Ashley's bussines, and ye buying of this ship, and ye courses
* The last two words not found in the MS. but obviously intended ..
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framed ther upon, were first contrived and proposed by Mr. Allerton, as also yt the pleaes and pretences which he made, of ye inablitie of ye plantation to repaye their moneys, &c., and ye hops he gave them of doing it with profite, was more beleeved & rested on by them (at least some of them) then any thing ye plantation did or said.
2. It is like, though Mr. Allerton might thinke not to wrong ye plantation in ye maine, yet his owne gaine and private ends led him a side in these things ; for it came to be knowne, and I have it in a letter under Mr. Sherley's hand, that in ye first 2. or 3. years of his imploymente, he had cleared up 400". and put it into a brew-house of Mr. Colliers in London, at first under Mr. Sherley's name, &c .; besids what he might have other wise. Againe, Mr. Sherley and he had perticuler dealings in some things; for he bought up ye beaver that sea-men & other passengers . brought over to Bristoll, and at other places, and charged ye bills to London, which Mr. Sherley payed ; and they got some time 50". a peece in a bargen, as was made knowne by Mr. Hatherley & others, besids what might be other wise; which might make M". Sherley harken unto him in many things; and yet I beleeve, as he in his forementioned leter write, he never would side in any perticuler trade wch he conceived would wrong ye plantation, and eate up & destroy ye generall.
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3ly. It may be perceived that, seeing they had done so much for ye plantation, both in former adventures and late disbursements, and allso that Mr. Allerton was ye first occasioner of bringing them upon these new designes, which at first seemed faire & profitable unto them, and unto which they agreed; but now, seeing them to turne to loss, and decline to greater intanglments, they thought it more meete for ye plan- tation to bear them, then them selves, who had borne much in other things allready, and so tooke advan- tage of such comission & power as Mr. Allerton had formerly had as their agente, to devolve these things upon them.
4ly. With pitie and compassion (touching Mr. Aller- ton) I may say with ye apostle to Timothy, 1. Tim. 6. 9. They that will be rich fall into many temtations and snares, &c., and pearce them selves throw with many sorrows, &c .; for the love of money is ye roote of all. evill, v. 10. God give him to see ye evill in his failings, that he may find mercie by repentance for ye wrongs he hath done to any, and this pore plantation in spetiall. They that doe such things doe not only bring them selves into snares, and sorrows, but many with them, (though in an other kind,) as lamentable experience shows; and is too manifest in this bussines.
[186] Now about these ships & their setting forth, the truth, as farr as could be learned, is this. The motion aboute setting forth ye fishing ship (caled ye
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Frindship) came first from ye plantation, and ye rea- sons of it, as is before remembered; but wholy left to them selves to doe or not to doe, as they saw cause. But when it fell into consideration, and ye designe was held to be profitable and hopefull, it was propounded by some of them, why might not they doe it of them selves, seeing they must disburse all ye money, and what need they have any refferance to ye plantation in yt; they might take ye profite them selves, towards other losses, & need not let ye plantation share therin ; and if their ends were other wise answered for their supplyes to come too them in time, it would be well enough. So they hired her, & set her out, and fraighted her as full as she could carry with passen- gers goods yt belonged to ye Massachussets, which rise to a good sume of money; intending to send ye plan- tations supply in ye other ship. The effecte of this Mr. Hatherley not only declared afterward upon occa- sion, but affirmed upon othe, taken before ye Govr & Dep: Gov" of ye Massachusets, Mr. Winthrop & M. Dudley : That this ship-Frindship was not sett out nor intended for ye joynt partnership of ye plantation, but for ye perticuler accounte of Mr. James Sherley, Mr. Beachampe, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Allerton, & him selfe. This deposition was taken at Boston ye 29. of Aug : 1639. as is to be seen under their hands; besids some other concurente testimonies declared at severall times to sundrie of them.
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About ye Whit-Angell, though she was first bought, or at least the price beaten, by Mr. Allerton (at Bris- toll), yet that had been nothing if Mr. Sherley had not liked it, and disbursed ye money. And that she was not intended for ye plantation appears by sun- drie evidences ; * as, first, ye bills of sale, or charter- parties, were taken in their owne names, without any mention or refferance to ye plantation at all; viz. Mr. Sherley, Mr. Beachampe, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Denison, and Mr. Allerton ; for Mr. Hatherley fell off, and would not joyne with them in this. That she was not bought for their accounte, Mr. Hatherley tooke his oath before ye parties afforesaid, ye day and year above writen.
Mr. Allerton tooke his oath to like effecte concerning this ship, the Whit-Angell, before ye Govr & Deputie, the 7. of Sep: 1639. and likewise deposed, ye same time, that Mr. Hatherley and him selfe did, in the behalfe of them selves and ye said Mr. Sherley, Mr. Andrews, & Mr. Beachamp, agree and undertake to discharge, and save harmless, all ye rest of ye partners & purchasers, of and from ye said losses of Freindship for 200“., which was to be discounted therupon; as by ther depossitions (which are in writing) may appeare more at large, and some other depositions & other
* About ye Whit-Angell they all mette at a certaine taverne in London, wher they had a diner prepared, and had a conference with a factore aboute selling of her in Spaine, or at Port a porte, as hath been before mentioned; as Mr. Hatherley manifested, & Mr. Allerton could not deney.
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testemonies by Mr. Winslow,* &c. But I suppose these may be sufficente to evince the truth in these things, against all pretences to ye contrary. And yet the burthen lay still upon ye plantation; or, to speake more truly and rightly, upon those few that were ingaged for all, for they were faine to wade through these things without any help from any.
[187] Concerning Mr. Allerton's accounts, they were so larg and intrecate, as they could not well understand them, much less examine & correcte them, without a great deale of time & help, and his owne presence, which was now hard to gett amongst them; and it was 2. or 3. years before they could bring them to any good pass, but never make them perfecte. I know not how it came to pass, or what misterie was in it, for he tooke upon him to make up all accounts till this time, though Mr. Sherley was their agente to buy & sell their goods, and did more then he therin; yet he past in accounts in a maner for all disbursments, both concerning goods bought, which he never saw,
* Mr. Winslow deposed, ye same time, before ye Govr afore said, &c. that when he came into England, and ye partners inquired of ye success of ye Whit Angell, which should have been laden wth bass and so sent for Port, of Porting-gall, and their ship & goods to be sould; having informed them that they were like to faile in their lading of bass, that then Mr. James Sherley used these termes : Feck, we must make one accounte of all; and ther upon presed him, as agente for ye partners in Neu-England, to accepte ye said ship Whit-Angell, and her accounte, into ye joynte partner-ship; which he refused, for many reasons ; and after received instructions from New-Engl : to refuse her if she should be offered, which instructions he shewed them; and wheras he was often pressed to accept her, he ever refused her, &c.
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but were done when he was hear in ye cuntrie or at sea ; and all ye expences of ye Leyden people, done by others in his absence ; the charges aboute ye patente, &c. In all which he made them debtore to him above 300ti. and demanded paimente of it. But when things came to scaning, he was found above 2000ti. debtore to them, (this wherin Mr. Hatherley & he being joyntly ingaged, which he only had, being included,) besids I know not how much yt could never be cleared; and interest moneys which ate them up, which he never accounted. Also they were faine to alow such large bills of charges as were intolerable; the charges of ye patent came to above 500". and yet nothing done in it but what was done at first without any confirmation ; 30". given at a clape, and 50". spent in a journey. No marvell therfore if Mr. Sherley said in his leter, if their bussines had been better managed, they might have been ye richest plantation of any English at yt time. Yea, he scrued up his poore old father in law's accounte to above 200". and brought it on ye generall accounte, and to befreind him made most of it to arise out of those goods taken up by him at Bristoll, at 50. per cent., because he knew they would never let it lye on ye old man, when, alass! he, poore man, never dreamte of any such thing, nor yt what he had could arise nere yt valew; but thought that many of them had been freely bestowed on him & his children by Mr. Allerton. Nither in truth did they come nere yt
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