USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Bradford's history "of Plimoth plantation" from the original manuscript > Part 26
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Plimoth as farmes for the same; and ther they might keepe their catle & tillage by some servants, and re- taine their dwellings here. And so some spetiall lands were granted at a place generall, called Greens Harbor, wher no allotments had been in ye former divission, a plase very weell meadowed, and fitt to keep & rear catle, good store. But alass ! this remedy proved worse then ye disease ; for wthin a few years those that had thus gott footing ther rente them selves away, partly by force, and partly wearing ye rest with importunitie and pleas of necessitie, so as they must either suffer them to goe, or live in continuall opposition and con- tention. And others still, as yey conceived them selves straitened, or to want accomodation, break away under one pretence or other, thinking their owne conceived necessitie, and the example of others, a warrente suffi- cente for them. And this, I fear, will be ye ruine of New-England, at least of ye churches of God ther, & will provock ye Lords displeasure against them.
[193] This year, Mr. William Perce came into ye cuntry, & brought goods and passengers, in a ship caled ye Lyon, which belonged cheefly to Mr. Sherley, and ye rest of ye London partners, but these hear had nothing to doe with her. In this ship (besides beaver which they had sent home before) they sent upwards of 800ti. in her, and some otter skines; and also ye coppies of Mr. Allertons accounts, desiring that they would also peruse & examene them, and rectifie shuch
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things as they should find amise in them; and rather because they were better acquaynted with ye goods bought ther, and ye disbursments made, then they could bee here; yea, a great part were done by them selves, though Mr. Allerton brougt in ye accounte, and sundry things seemed to them obscure and had need of clearing. Also they sente a booke of excep- tions against his accounts, in such things as they could manifest, and doubted not but they might adde more therunto. And also shewed them how much Mr. Aller- ton was debtor to ye accounte; and desired, seeing they had now put ye ship White-Angell, and all, wholy into his power, and tyed their hands here, that they could not call him to accounte for any thinge, till ye time was expired which they had given him, and by that time other men would get their debts of him, (as sume had done already by suing him,) and he would make all away here quickly out of their reach ; and therfore prayed them to looke to things, and gett paymente of him ther, as it was all ye reason they should, seeing they keept all ye bonds & covenants they made with him in their owne hands; and here they could doe nothing by ye course they had taken, nor had any thing to show if they should goe aboute it. But it pleased God, this ship, being first to goe to Verginia before she wente home, was cast away on yt coast, not farr from Virginia, and their beaver was all lost (which was ye first loss they sustained in that
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kind) ; but Mr. Peirce & ye men saved their lives, and also their leters, and gott into Virginia, and so safly home. Ye accounts were now sent from hence againe to them. And thus much of ye passages of this year.
A part of Mr. Peirce his leter * from Virginia.
It was dated in Des: 25. 1632. and came to their hand ye 7. of Aprill, before they heard any thing from England.
Dear freinds, &c. Ye bruit of this fatall stroke that ye Lord hath brought both on me and you all will come to your ears before this cometh to your hands, (it is like,) and ther- fore I shall not need to inlarg in perticulers, &c. My whole estate (for ye most parte) is taken away; and so yours, in a great measure, by this and your former losses [he means by ye French & MT. Allerton]. It is time to looke aboute us, before ye wrath of ye Lord breake forth to utter destruc- tion. The good Lord give us all grace to search our harts and trie our ways, and turne unto ye Lord, and humble our selves under his mightie hand, and seeke atonemente, &c. Dear freinds, you may know yt all your beaver, and ye books of your accounts, are swallowed up in ye sea ; your letters remaine with me, and shall be delivered, if God bring me home. But what should I more say? Have we lost our outward estates? yet a hapy loss if our soules may gaine ; ther is yet more in ye Lord Jehova than ever we had yet in ye world. Oh that our foolish harts could yet be wained from ye things here below, which are vanity and vexation
* This letter was written on the reverse of folio 192 of the original manu- script, and may properly be inserted here.
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of spirite; and yet we fooles catch after shadows, yt flye away, & are gone in a momente, &c. Thus with my con- tinuall remembrance of you in my poore desires to ye throne of grace, beseeching God to renew his love & favoure towards you all, in & through ye Lord Jesus Christ, both in spirituall & temporall good things, as may be most to the glory & praise of his name, and your everlasting good. So I rest,
Your afflicted brother in Christ,
WILLIAM PEIRCE.
Virginia, Des : 25. 1632.
Anno Dom: 1633.
THIS year Mr. Ed: Winslow was chosen Governor.
By the first returne this year, they had leters from Mr. Sherley of Mr. Allertons further ill success, and ye loss by Mr. Peirce, with many sadd complaints ; but litle hope of any thinge to be gott of Mr. Aller- ton, or how their accounts might be either eased, or any way rectified by them ther ; but now saw plainly yt the burthen of all would be cast on their backs. The spetiall passages of his letters I shall here inserte, as shall be pertinente to these things; for though I am weary of this tedious & uncomfortable subjecte, yet for ye clearing of ye truth I am compelled to be more larg in ye opening of these matters, upon wch [194] so much trouble hath insued, and so many hard cen- sures have passed on both sids. I would not be par- tiall to either, but deliver ye truth in all, and, as nere as I can, in their owne words and passages, and so leave it to the impartiall judgment of any that shall
ÑO : DOÑA 16SH ÆTIS: SVE:$
EDWARD WINSLOW.
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come to read, or veiw these things. His leters are as folow, dated June 24. 1633.
Loving friends, my last * was sente in ye Mary & John, by Mr. William Collier, &c. I then certified you of ye great, & uncomfortable, and unseasonable loss you & we had, in ye loss of Mr. Peirce his ship, ye Lyon ; but ye Lords holy name be blessed, who gives & taks as it pleaseth him; his will be done, Amen. I then related unto you y& fearfull accidente, or rather judgmente, ye Lord pleased to lay on London Bridge, by fire, and therin gave you a touch of my great loss ; the Lord, I hope, will give me patience to bear it, and faith to trust in him, & not in these slipery and un- certaine things of this world.
I hope M". Allerton is nere upon sayle with you by this ; but he had many disasters here before he could gett away ; yet ye last was a heavie one; his ship, going out of ye har- bor at Bristoll, by stormie weather was so farr driven on ye shore, as it cost him above 100". before shee could be gott off againe. Verily his case was so lamentable as I could not but afford him some help therin (and so did some were strangers to him) ; besids, your goods were in her, and if he had not been supported, he must have broke off his viage, and so loss could not have been avoyded on all sides. When he first bought her, I thinke he had made a saving match, if he had then sunck her, and never set her forth. I hope he sees ye Lords hand against him, and will leave of these viages. I thinke we did well in parting with her; she would have been but a clogge to ye accounte from time to time, and now though we shall not gett much by way of satisfaction, yet we shall lose no more. And now, as before I have writte, I pray you finish all ye accounts and reconings with him there; for here
* March 22.
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he hath nothing, but many debtes that he stands ingaged to many men for. Besids, here is not a man yt will spend a day, or scarce an hower, aboute ye accounts but my selfe, and yt bussines will require more time and help then I can afford. I shall not need to say any more; I hope you will doe yt which shall be best & just, to which adde mercie, and consider his intente, though he failed in many perticu- lers, which now cannot be helped, &c.
To morrow, or next day at furthest, we are to pay 300". and Mr. Beachamp is out of ye towne, yet ye bussines I must doe. Oh the greefe & trouble yt man, Mr. Allerton, hath brought upon you and us! I cannot forgett it, and to thinke on it draws many a sigh from my harte, and teares from my eyes. And now ye Lord hath visited me with an other great loss, yet I can undergoe it with more patience. But this I have follishly pulled upon my selfe, &c. [And in another, he hath this passage :] By Mr. Aller- tons faire propositions and large [195] promises, I have over rune my selfe; verily, at this time greefe hinders me to write, and tears will not suffer me to see; wherfore, as you love those that ever loved you, and yt plantation, thinke upon us. Oh what shall I say of that man, who hath abused your trust and wronged our loves ! but now to complaine is too late, nither can I complaine of your backwardnes, for I am perswaded it lys as heavie on your harts, as it doth on our purses or credites. And had ye Lord sent M. Peirce safe home, we had eased both you and us of some of those debts; the Lord I hope will give us patience to bear these crosses; and that great God, whose care & providence is every where, and spetially over all those that desire truly to fear and serve him, direct, guid, prosper, & blesse you so, as yt you may be able (as I perswade my selfe you are willing) to discharge & take off this great & heavie burthen which now lyes upon me for your saks ; and I hope in ye ende for ye good of you, and many thou-
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sands more ; for had not you & we joyned & continued together, New-England might yet have been scarce knowne, I am perswaded, not so replenished & inhabited with honest English people, as it now is. The Lord increase & blesse them, &c. So, with my continuall praiers for you all, I rest Your assured loving friend,
JAMES SHERLEY.
June 24. 1633.
By this it apperes when Mr. Sherly sould him ye ship & all her accounts, it was more for Mr. Allertons ad- vantage then theirs; and if they could get any there, well & good, for they were like to have nothing here. And what course was held to hinder them there, hath allready beene manifested. And though Mr. Sherley became more sinsible of his owne condition, by these losses, and therby more sadly & plainly to complaine of Mr. Allerton, yet no course was taken to help them here, but all left unto them selves; not so much as to examene & rectifie ye accounts, by which (it is like) some hundereds of pounds might have been taken off. But very probable it is, the more they saw was taken off, ye less might come unto them selves. But I leave these maters, & come to other things.
Mr. Roger Williams (a man godly & zealous, having many precious parts, but very unsettled in judgmente) came over first to ye Massachusets, but upon some dis- contente left yt place, and came hither, (wher he was friedly entertained, according to their poore abilitie, ) and exercised his gifts amongst them, & after some
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time was admitted a member of ye church; and his teaching well approoved, for ye benefite wherof I still blese God, and am thankfull to him, even for his sharpest admonitions & reproufs, so farr as they agreed with truth. He this year begane to fall into some strang oppiions, and from opinion to practise; which caused some controversie betweene ye church & him, and in ye end some discontente on his parte, by occa- sion wherof he left them some thing abruptly. Yet after wards sued for his dismission to ye church of Salem, which was granted, with some caution to them concerning him, and what care they ought to have of him. But he soone fell into more things ther, both to their and ye goverments troble and [196] disturb- ance. I shall not need to name perticulers, they are too well knowen now to all, though for a time ye church here wente under some hard censure by his occasion, from some that afterwards smarted them selves. But he is to be pitied, and prayed for, and so I shall leave ye matter, and desire ye Lord to shew him his errors, and reduse him into ye way of truth, and give him a setled judgment and constancie in ye same; for I hope he belongs to ye Lord, and yt he will shew him mercie.
Having had formerly converse and famliarity with ye Dutch, (as is before remembred,) they, seeing them seated here in a barren quarter, tould them of a river called by them ye Fresh River, but now is known
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by ye name of Conightecute-River, which they often comended unto them for a fine place both for plantation and trade, and wished them to make use of it. But their hands being full otherwise, they let it pass. But afterwards ther coming a company of banishte Indeans into these parts, that were drivene out from thence by the potencie of ye Pequents, which usurped upon them, and drive them from thence, they often sollisited them to goe thither, and they should have much trad, espetially if they would keep a house ther. And having now good store of comodities, and allso need to looke out wher they could advantage them selves to help them out of their great ingagments, they now begane to send that way to discover ye same, and trade with ye natives. They found it to be a fine place, but had no great store of trade; but ye Indeans excused ye same in re- gard of ye season, and the fear ye Indans were in of their enemise. So they tried diverce times, not with out profite, but saw ye most certainty would be by keeping a house ther, to receive ye trad when it came down out of ye inland. These Indeans, not seeing them very forward to build ther, solisited them of ye Massachusets in like sorte (for their end was to be restored to their countrie againe) ; but they in ye Bay being but latly come, were not fitte for ye same; but some of their cheefe made a motion to joyne wth the partners here, to trad joyntly with them in yt river, the which they were willing to imbrace, and so they
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should have builte, and put in equall stock togeather. A time of meeting was appointed at ye Massachusets, and some of ye cheefe here was appointed to treat with them, and went accordingly ; but they cast many fears of deanger & loss and the like, which was perceived to be the maine obstacles, though they alledged they were not provided of trading goods. But those hear offered at presente to put in sufficiente for both, pro- vided they would become ingaged for ye halfe, and prepare against ye nexte year. They conffessed more could not be offered, but thanked them, and tould them they had no mind to it. They then answered, they hoped it would be no offence unto [197] them, if them sellves wente on without them, if they saw it meete. They said ther was no reason they should; and thus this treaty broake of, and those here tooke conveniente time to made a begining ther; and were ye first English that both discovered that place, and built in ye same, though they were litle better then thrust out of it after- ward as may appeare.
But ye Dutch begane now to repente, and hearing of their purpose & preparation, indeoured to prevente them, and gott in a litle before them, and made a slight forte, and planted 2. peeces of ordnance, threten- ing to stopp their passage. But they having made a smale frame of a house ready, and haveing a great new-barke, they stowed their frame in her hold, & bords to cover & finishe it, having nayles & all other
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provisions fitting for their use. This they did ye rather that they might have a presente defence against ye Indeans, who weare much offended that they brought home & restored ye right Sachem of ye place (called Natawanute) ; so as they were to incounter with a duble danger in this attempte, both ye Dutch and ye Indeans. When they came up ye river, the Dutch demanded what they intended, and whither they would goe; they answered, up ye river to trade (now their order was to goe and seat above them). They bid them strike, & stay, or els they would shoote them; & stood by ther ordnance ready fitted. They answered they had comission from ye Govr of Plimoth to goe up ye river to such a place, and if they did shoote, they must obey their order and proceede; they would not molest them, but would goe one. So they passed along, and though the Dutch threatened them hard, yet they shoot not. Coming to their place, they clapt up their house quickly, and landed their provissions, and left ye com- panie appoynted, and sent the barke home; and after- wards palisadoed their house aboute, and fortified them selves better. The Dutch sent word home to ye Mon- hatas what was done; and in proces of time, they sent a band of aboute 70. men, in warrlike maner, with collours displayed, to assaulte them; but seeing them strengtened, & that it would cost blood, they came to parley, and returned in peace. And this was their enterance ther, who deserved to have held it, and not
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by freinds to have been thrust out, as in a sorte they were, as will after appere. They did ye Dutch no wrong, for they took not a foote of any land they bought, but went to ye place above them, and bought that tracte of land which belonged to these Indeans which they carried with them, and their friends, with whom ye Dutch had nothing to doe. But of these matters more in another place.
It pleased ye Lord to visite them this year with an infectious fevoure, of which many fell very sicke, and upward of 20. persons dyed, men and women, besids children, and sundry of them of their anciente friends which had lived in Holand; as Thomas Blossome, Richard Masterson, with sundry [198] others, and in ye end (after he had much helped others) Samuell Fuller, who was their surgeon & phisition, and had been a great help and comforte unto them; as in his facultie, so otherwise, being a deacon of ye church, a man godly, and forward to doe good, being much missed after his death; and he and ye rest of their brethren much lamented by them, and caused much sadnes & mourning amongst them; which caused them to humble them selves, & seeke ye Lord; and towards winter it pleased the Lord ye sicknes ceased. This disease allso swept away many of ye Indeans from all ye places near adjoyning ; and ye spring before, espetially all ye month of May, ther was such a quantitie of a great sorte of flies, like (for bignes)
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to wasps, or bumble-bees, which came out of holes in ye ground, and replenished all ye woods, and eate ye green-things, and made such a constante yelling noyes, as made all ye woods ring of them, and ready to deafe ye hearers. They have not by ye English been heard or seen before or since. But ye Indeans tould them yt sicknes would follow, and so it did in June, July, August, and ye cheefe heat of somer.
It pleased ye Lord to inable them this year to send home a great quantity of beaver, besids paing all their charges, & debts at home, which good returne did much incourage their freinds in England. They sent in beaver 3366". waight, and much of it coat beaver, which yeeled 20$. pr pound, & some of it above; and of otter-skines * 346. sould also at a good prise. And thus much of ye affairs of this year.
Anno Dom: 1634.
THIS year Mr. Thomas Prence was chosen Govr.
Mr. Sherleys letters were very breefe in answer of theirs this year. I will forbear to coppy any part therof, only name a head or 2. therin. First, he desirs they will take nothing ill in what he formerly write, professing his good affection towards them as before, &c. 21y. For Mr. Allertons accounts, he is perswaded they must suffer, and yt in no small sumes ;
* The skin was sold at 14s. and 15. ye pound.
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and that they have cause enough to complaine, but it was now too late. And that he had failed them ther, those here, and him selfe in his owne aimes. And that now, having thus left them here, he feared God had or would leave him, and it would not be strang, but a wonder if he fell not into worse things, &c. 31y. He blesseth God and is thankfull to them for ye good returne made this year. This is ye effecte of his letters, other things being of more private nature.
I am now to enter upon one of ye sadest things that befell them since they came; but before I begine, it will be needfull to premise such parte of their patente as gives them right and priviledge at Kenebeck; as followeth :
[199] The said Counsell hath further given, granted, bar- ganed, sold, infeoffed, alloted, assigned, & sett over, and by these presents doe clearly and absolutly give; grante, bargane, sell, alliene, enffeofe, allote, assigne, and confirme unto ye said William Bradford, his heires, associates, and assignes, All that tracte of land or part of New-England in America afforesaid, which lyeth within or betweene, and extendeth it selfe from ye utmost limits of Cobiseconte, which adjoyneth to ye river of Kenebeck, towards the westerne ocean, and a place called ye falls of Nequamkick in America, aforsaid ; and ye space of 15. English myles on each side of ye said river, commonly called Kenebeck River, and all ye said river called Kenebeck that lyeth within the said limits & bounds, eastward, westward, northward, & southward, last above mentioned ; and all lands, grounds, soyles, rivers, waters, fishing, &c. And by vertue of ye authority to us de-
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rived by his said late Matis Lres patents, to take, apprehend, seise, and make prise of all such persons, their ships and goods, as shall attempte to inhabite or trade with ye savage people of that countrie within ye severall precincts and limits of his & their severall plantations, &c.
Now it so fell out, that one Hocking, belonging to ye plantation of Pascataway, wente with a barke and comodities to trade in that river, and would needs press into their limites ; and not only so, but would needs goe up ye river above their house, (towards ye falls of ye river,) and intercept the trade that should come to them. He that was cheefe of ye place forbad them, and prayed him that he would not offer them that injurie, nor goe aboute to infring their liberties, which had cost them so dear. But he answered he would goe up and trade ther in dispite of them, and lye ther as longe as he pleased. The other tould him he must then be forced to remove him from thence, or make seasure of him if he could. He bid him doe his worste, and so wente up, and anchored ther. The other tooke a boat & some men & went up to him, when he saw his time, and againe entreated him to departe by what perswasion he could. But all in vaine : he could gett nothing of him but ill words. So he considred that now was ye season for trade to come downe, and if he should suffer him to lye, & take it from them, all ther former charge would be lost, and they had better throw up all. So, con-
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sulting with his men, (who were willing thertoe,) he resolved to put him from his anchores, and let him drive downe ye river with ye streame ; but comanded ye men yt none should shoote a shote upon any occasion, except he comanded them. He spoake to him againe, but all in vaine; then he sente a cuple in a canow to cutt his cable, the which one of them performes; but Hocking taks up a pece which he had layed ready, and as ye barke shered by ye canow, he shote [200] him close under her side, in ye head, (as I take it,) so he fell downe dead instantly. One of his fellows (that loved him well) could not hold, but with a muskett shot Hocking, who fell downe dead and never speake word. This was ye truth of ye thing. The rest of ye men carried home the vessell and ye sad tidings of these things. Now ye Lord Saye & ye Lord Brooks, with some other great persons, had a hand in this plantation ; they write home to them, as much as they could to exasperate them in ye matter, leaveing out all ye circonstances, as if he had been kild without any offenc of his parte, conceling yt he had kild another first, and ye just occasion that he had given in offering such wrong; at wch their Lordsps were much offended, till they were truly informed of ye mater.
The bruite of this was quickly carried all aboute, (and yt in ye worst maner,) and came into ye Bay to their neighbours their. Their owne barke coming home, and bringing a true relation of ye matter, sundry
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were sadly affected with ye thing, as they had cause. It was not long before they had occasion to send their vessell into ye Bay of ye Massachusetts ; but they were so prepossest with this matter, and affected with ye same, as they comited Mr. Alden to prison, who was in ye bark, and had been at Kenebeck, but was no actore in ye bussines, but wente to carie them supply. They dismist ye barke aboute her bussines, but kept him for some time. This was thought strang here, and they sente Capten Standish to give them true in- formation, (together with their letters,) and ye best satisfaction they could, and to procure Mr. Alden's release. I shall recite a letter or 2. which will show the passages of these things, as folloeth.
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