USA > Massachusetts > Chronicles of the first planters of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, 1623-1636 > Part 5
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53
THOMAS GRAVES, THE ENGINEER.
of his bringing back for England, and he to leave his CHAP. III. servant and the chest for the Company's service.
Agreed with Robert Morley, servant to Mr. An- 1629. drew Mathewes, late barber surgeon, to serve the March 5. Company in New-England, for three years ; the first year to have 20 nobles,1 the second year [30, and the third] year 20 marks,2 to serve as a barber and a surgeon, on all occasions belonging to his calling to any of this Company that are planters, or their servants ; and for his chest and all in it, whereof he hath given an inventory, [if, on the] sight of it, it be approved, five pounds is [to be allowed] and paid to him for it, and the same to be fo[rthwith paid.]
The business concerning the division of the lands, propounded the 3d of this month, was again taken into consideration, and it was resolved that Captain Waller, Captain Venn, Mr. Eaton, and Mr. Adams, Mr. Whetcombe, Mr. Wright, Mr. Vassall, Mr. Treasurer, with the Governor, and Deputy, shall consider seriously of the business, calling to their assistance Mr. Graves, Mr. Sharpe, or any other, and to set down in writing what course they con- ceive fit to be held herein, whereby an equality may be held, to avoid all contention 'twixt the adventur- ers ; and Tuesday morning appointed for the com- mittees to meet about this business.
[At] this Court also Mr. Thomas Graves was pro- pounded to go over with the ships now bound for New-England, to have his charges borne out and home ; and being a man experienced in iron works,
1 A noble is an old English coin, worth about 6s. 8d.
2 A mark is an old coin, worth
13s. 4d., just twice as much as the noble.
54
ARMS FOR THE COLONY.
CHAP. in salt works, in measuring and surveying of lands, III. and in fortifications, &c., in lead, copper, and alum 1629. March 5. mines, having a charge of wife, five children, a man and maid-servant ; after some conference with him, he tendering his employment, to go and return with one of our ships, to the Company's discretion for his salary in that time, it was thought fit that he should consider 'twixt this and to-morrow what to demand in case he do return presently with the ships he should take his passage in; and what his demands would be if the Company should continue him there, and be at charges of the transportation of his wife and family thither in their next ships, if he take liking to continue in New-England.
1
Mr. John Malbon1 being also desired to be here, after conference had with him touching the proposi- tion made in his behalf the 2d of this month, he was wished to consider what further proposition he would make, that the Company might take it into consid- eration.
The 6th March, 1628.
6.
Agreed with Mr. Thomas Steevens, armourer in Buttolph Lane, for twenty arms, viz. corselet, breast, back, culet, gorget, tasses,2 and head-piece3 to each, varnished all black, with leathers and buckles, at
1 Not Oldham, as Felt has it in his Annals, i. 64.
2 Defensive armour : the culet, or guarde de reins, for the lower part of the body, the gorget for the neck, and the tasses for the front part of the thighs. These last were append- ages to the ancient corselet, consist- ing of skirts, made of overlapping
plates, fastened to the cuirass with hooks, and reaching down to the middle of the thigh. See Meyrick's Ancient Armour, and Grose's Mili- tary Antiquities.
3 The head-pieces were probably · morions, circular scull-caps, with a rim round them.
55
WASHBURN CHOSEN SECRETARY.
17s. each armour, excepting four which are to be CHAP. with close head-pieces, and these four armours at III. 24s. apiece, to be delivered all by the 20th of this March 6.
1629. month ; whereof one left now for a sample,
Agreed with John Wise, shoemaker in Mark Lane, for
1 dozen pair shoes, of tens
3 dozen
of 11 3 dozen « 66 of 12
1
at 2s. 7d. a pair,
1 dozen pair of 13
1 dozen pair
of 8 at 2s. 5d. a pair,
1 dozen pair of 9
10 dozen pair, to be delivered by the 20th of this month.
The 9th March, 1628.
This day John Washborne is entertained for Secre- tary for one whole year, to enter the courts, to keep the Company's accounts, to make warrant for all moneys to be brought in or paid out, and to give no- tice at every meeting of such as are backward in pay- ment of their subscriptions ; as also for all provision to be made ready, to call upon such as have the charge thereof, whereby the ships now bound for New-England1 may be despatched by the 25th of this month, at furthest. His salary for this year is to be [torn off], he, in the premises and the office of a Sec- retary, to perform [his] faithful, diligent and true en- deavours, whereunto [he] doth fully [consent and] agree. JOHN WASHBORNE.2
9.
1 With Higginson's company.
2 The original is Washburne's own signature.
56
PROVISIONS FOR THE COLONY.
CHAP. III. 1629. March 9.
Agreed with John Gace, of London, turner, for forty bandoleers,1 to be made of neat's leather, broad girdles, each with twelve charges, whereof one a priming [box, the boxes] of wood, covered with black leather, at 2s. apiece, to be delivered next meeting, the boxes to be for bastard musket size, excepting ten for full musket size ; and those to be marked M, the other for bastard muskets, B.
Moreover, agreed with him for ten dozen of shov- els and spades, at eighteen shillings the dozen, of three several sizes, whereof the smallest proportion to be of the smallest sizes ; and three spades and three shovels left here for samples.
This day these things were ordered to be provided by these men, for 120 men's provisions.
Mr. Thomas Hewson,
Mr. Deputy,
120 flitches bacon, 120 gallons sweet oil, 150 quarters of meal, 30 quarters of pease, at 26s. 15 q'rs of groats, at 4s. full dried, 20 firkins of butter, 17s. 60 quarters of malt, 17s. 6d. 30 c. of cheese.
10. This 10th March, 1628, I, Thomas Graves, of Gravesend, in the county of Kent, gent., and by my profession skilful and experienced in the discovery and finding out of iron mines, as also of lead, copper, mineral salt, and alum,2 in fortifications of all sorts, according to the nature of the place, in surveying of
1 See note on page 44.
2 Alum. So says Prince, quot-
ing the Records. The word is now obliterated in the MS.
57
GRAVES'S CONTRACT.
buildings and of lands, and in measuring of lands, in CHAP. describing a country by map, in leading of water [courses] to proper uses for mills or other uses, in finding out all sorts of limestones and materials for buildings, in manufacturing, &c., have this present day agreed to serve the New-England Company, and in their employment to take my passage for New- England, in such ship as they shall appoint me ; and during my stay there, according to the conditions hereafter expressed, to do my true and uttermost endeavour, in all or any the particulars above men- tioned, for the most good and benefit of the said Company ; and I do hereby faithfully promise to do my uttermost endeavour for the discovery of aught that may be beneficial to the Company, and not to conceal aught from them whom I shall be enjoined to reveal the same unto, that may tend or conduce to the good and profit of the said Company. Neither that I shall 1 or disclose aught that they shall enjoin me to keep secret, to any man whomsoever ; but in all things to bend my uttermost skill and ability to do the Company the best, true, and faithful service I may or can perform.
In consideration whereof, the said Company are to bear all my charges by sea into New-England, toge- ther with my charges during my stay in their em- ployments in New-England, and my charges at sea in my return home, apparel only excepted, which is to be always at my own charge. And it is agreed moreover, that from the time of my first landing in New-England, to the time of the return from thence
1 A word seems to have been accidentally omitted.
III. 1629. March 10. .
58
GRAVES'S CONTRACT.
CHAP. for London of such ships as shall be sent from Lon- III. don next after Michaelmas next, and in which I shall 1629. take my passage for London, that there shall be al- March 10. lowed unto me five pounds for each month that I shall continue in New-England, as aforesaid, for my salary or wages, but nothing to be allowed [for] my charges during the time of my being at sea outward and home ; with this further proviso, that in case the said Company, [after I] shall have continued six or eight months in the country [aforesaid], shall desire my continuance in [the same for] three years from the time of my f [irst arrival], I will and do hereby [torn off ] thereof. [And the said Company, in case it be] their intent to retain me in their service to the end of three years, do hereby promise to be at the charge of the transportation into New-England of my wife, five children, a boy and a maid servant, and withal to build me a convenient house for myself and my said family at their charges, and thereto to assign me one hundred acres of land, and to have part thereof planted at the Company's charge, against the coming of my family, whereby they may subsist ; till I shall be possessed of my family, to perform the same, or otherwise to allow me some competency of necessary victuals for the subsistence of me and my family till the next season of planting and reaping after their arrival. And it is further agreed, that if I continue in the Company's employments for three years, the payment of five pounds per month for my salary is to be utterly void ; and my yearly allowance in money, from the time of my first arrival in New- England to the end of three years, to be after the rate of fifty pounds by the year ; provided always,
59
GRAVES'S CONTRACT.
that my said family going over as aforesaid, there CHAP. shall be such a proportion of land allowed me for III. - 1629. March 10.
them hereafter as if they had now taken their passage with me in the ships now bound for New-England. And for further recompense for my true and faithful endeavours in the said Company's employments, (which I do promise, with God's assistance, to per- form truly and sincerely, to the best of my ability and understanding,) I do and shall refer myself wholly to the Company's discretion, as my true en- deavours and the success thereof, through God's mercy, shall encourage them to do.
In witness of all the premises, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this present 10th day of March, anno 1628, in London.
THO. GRAVES.1 [Seal.]
Witness hereunto, GEORGE HARWOOD, JOHN VENN.
The 10th March, 1628. Present,
THE GOVERNOR,
MR. EATON,
MR. DEPUTY,
MR. ADAMS,
CAPT. VENN,
MR. WHETCOMB,
MR. TREASURER,
MR. HUTCHINS.
MR. VASSALL,
A proposition was made this day by Samuel Sharpe, who was formerly entertained to do his endeavour in the Company's employments concerning artillery business, (as appeareth the 3d of this month,) that all or the better part of his salary might be paid him
1 Graves's signature is in his own handwriting.
60
CHARGES OF THE PATENT.
CHAP. now, to provide him apparel withal; and if he should III. happen to die before he had deserved it, his said ap-
March
1629. parel should satisfy it. Upon debate whereof, it was 10. thought fit that twenty pounds should be paid him ; and this to be the Treasurer's warrant for payment thereof, upon his salary of £10 a year, for three years ; I say, twenty pounds, to be paid him pre- sently.
This day being appointed to take into considera- tion touching the division of the lands in New-Eng- land, where our first Plantation shall be, it was, after much debate, thought fit to refer this business to the Governor, and a committee to be chosen to that pur- pose to assist him ; and whatsoever they shall do herein, that to stand for good.
This day order was given to the Treasurer for pay- ment of twenty pounds more to Mr. John Humphry towards charges of our patent ;1 and this to be his warrant for the payment thereof.
Captain Venn,2 Mr. Eaton, Mr. Samuel Vassall, and Mr. Nowell, and Mr. Whetcombe, or any three of them, are intreated once more to confer with Mr. .
1 The patent had been obtained, by the solicitation of Lord Viscount Dorchester, March 4, 1629. Chal- mers prints a copy of the docket of the grant to Sir Henry Rosewell and others, and remarks, " The follow- ing paper demonstrates that what was so strongly asserted during the reign of Charles II., to prove that the Charter was surreptitiously ob- tained, is unjust." See page 29, and Chalmers's Political Annals, pp. 136, 147, 148.
2 Mr. John Venn, commonly call- ed Captain or Colonel Venn, was a distinguished citizen of London, and is commemorated by Clarendon
as " leading the city after him in se- ditious remonstrances:" Hutchin- son says, "he was in the design from the beginning, and intended to have removed, but never did. Upon the change of affairs in England, he made a figure there, being one of the members for the city in the Long Parliament, and among the most ac- tive in the opposition to the Court, and was one of the King's judges." He was one of the ten, Pym and Hambden being two others, whom Charles charged with high treason. See Clarendon's Hist. of the Rebel- lion, ii. 10, 91, iii. 618, (Oxford ed. 1826), and Hutchinson's Mass. i. 18.
61
JOHN AND SAMUEL BROWNE.
John Oldham [to see what] accommodation may be CHAP. III.
made 'twixt the Company and him, that [their differ- ~ ences may be accommodated.
1629.
12th March, 1628. Present, MR. TREASURER,
MR. WHETCOMB, SIR RICHARD SALTONSTALL,
MR. NOWELL.
John Browne, gent., and Mr. Samuel Browne, of March Roxwell, in Essex, [proposing] to take their passage 12. in the Company's ships for New-England, at their own charge, and intending to plant there, it is agreed by these [present,] that for their passage and diet they shall pay five pounds [each] ; and that for their encouragement, land shall be allotted to them [there] as if they had subscribed fifty pounds in the general stock, [and to have the same] privileges as others that are in the patent do.
JOHN BROWNE, SAMUEL BROWNE.1
Richard Claydon,2 aged thirty-four years, or there- abouts, carpenter, who being desirous to transport himself, his wife, one daughter of [torn off] years old, his sister of fourteen years old, his brother Bar- naby C[laydon,] aged twenty-three years, and his brother-in-law Thomas Hanscombe, aged [torn off ], for New-England, in the Company's ships, it is pro- mised [this] day, that he being able to furnish £40 towards the charges of him and his, what shall be
1 These signatures are in their own handwriting.
that Claydon was of Bedfordshire, parish of Sutton.
2 It appears from a marginal note,
62
CLOTHING FOR THE COLONY.
CHAP. III. wanting the Company will [furnish] ; upon this con-
dition, that upon their arrival in New-England, what 1629. he shall be indebted to the Company shall be paid March 12. by the labor of himself, and his two servants or bro- thers aforesaid, allowing them all three 3s. the day for so long time [until] they have paid this debt, and in that time finding [these] three persons diet at the Company's charge, and whilst [he is] earning out this debt to instruct any of the Company's ser- vants in the trade of a ploughwright. And there is land to be [allotted] to him and his, as is usual, by the Company's orders, to those that transport them- selves. Written this 12th March, 1628.
RICHARD CLAYDON.1
Cannot go this voyage.
The 16th March, 1628.
16.
Bespoken of Mr. Durbridge, at 2s. 7d. a pair, 6 dozen pair of shoes, to be delivered this week, viz.
(4 pair delivered.)
1 dozen pair of tens, 2 dozen pair of 11, 2 of 12, 1 dozen pair of 13.
The 16th March, 1628.
Bespoke of Mr. Mayo, at 10}d. per yard for beds and bolsters,
20 bedticks, (Scotch ticking, & broad,) 2-16 long, and 1} yards broad, 11 yards each bed and bolster.
1 Claydon's signature, and his "Cannot go this voyage," are in his own handwriting.
63
PROVISIONS AND ARMS.
Bespoke the day abovesaid, of Robert Harret, 8 CHAP. III.
dozen pair neat's leather shoes,
1 dozen 10, ) 1629.
3 dozen 11,
at 2s. 7d. per pair, to be good March
3 dozen 12, liquored neat's leather, ac- 16.
1 dozen 13, J cording to the pattern.
Estimate of 100 men, charge of them and their provi- sions, with others noted,
100 men, their charge, £15 a man . £1500
Freight of the ship Talbot, 5 months, £80 per month . 400 750
Victuals and wages 32 men, £70 a month, 350 S
The Lion's Whelp set to sea 500
20 cows and bulls, £4 apiece 80
10 mares and horses, £6 apiece 60 610
Charges of these
. 470
£3360
Agreed with [illegible] Churchill for 100 swords, with [torn out] blades, at 4s. 6d. apiece, to have all chapes,1 and 10 short swords, at 2s. apiece, and Po- lonia hilts, at 3s 4d., as many as we like, to be de- livered within eight days. .
Bought of Felix Boreman, dwelling in Fleet Lane. 14 swords, at 4s. 6d apiece
7 ditto, at 3s. apiece £4 12s. 4 ditto, at 2s. apiece S 25 swords.
1 Chape is the little thin plate of silver, iron or brass, at the point of the scabbard of a sword.
64
SUPPLIES FOR THE COLONY.
CHAP. III. Agreed with Mr. Raphe White, in Philpot Lane,1 for 12 gallons aqua-vitæ, 2s. 6d. a gallon.
1629. March 16.
12 sides of bacon, delivered by John Gladwing, at . Mr. Goff's, of 74} stone, each stone 8 lbs., at 2s. 5d. a stone.
17th March, 1628.
17.
A warrant was made for payment of £120 to Mr. Nathaniel Wright, for so much paid by him to Mr. Jarvis Kirk, Mr. William Barkley, and Mr. Robert Charlton, for the ship.
Also, to pay for iron and steel.
Also, to pay for buhrs2 to make mill- stones, 110, 2s. apiece, bought of Edward Casson, of London, merchant tailor, £11 00
14 c. of plaster of Paris, 18d. per c. 110
And porterage, weighing the plaster, and casting out of the buhrs, 12d. and 23d. 30
£12 40
The 19th of March, 1628.
19.
A warrant was made for payment of twelve pounds and twelve shillings unto Mr. Gawen Helme and Thomas Brickhed for two coppers3 for the Lion's Whelp. I say for £12 12s. 0d.
1 See page 40.
2 "This is a hard, siliceous stone, remarkable for its cellular structure, containing always a greater or less number of irregular cavities Hence its surface, however worn and level- led, is always rough. This proper- ty renders buhrstone an invaluable material for millstones. When it is not found of sufficient size for this use, small pieces of it are fitted to- gether, cemented, and bound with
an iron hoop." This stone abounds at Epernay, in France. It has also been discovered within ten or twelve miles of Zanesville, Ohio, of a qual- ity equal if not. superior to the best French buhr, and in great abun- dance. See Bigelow's Technology, p. 13, (ed. 1829,) and Dr. Frederick Hall's Letters from the West, (1840) p. 70.
. 3 Boilers, to cook in.
65
FRANCIS HIGGINSON, OF LEICESTER.
The 19th of March, 1628. CHAP. III.
A warrant was made for payment of eighteen pounds unto Mr. [blank] Browne, and is for one bale 1629. March of French cloth, for the Lion's Whelp. I say £18. 19.
The 19th of March, 1628.
A warrant was made for payment of twenty-five pounds, fifteen shillings, unto Mr. John White, of Redding, for thirty quarters of malt, to go in the ships. I say £25 15s. 0d.
23d of March, 1628. Present,1 23.
THE GOVERNOR,
MR. DEPUTY,
MR. HUMFREY, WILLIAM VASSALL,
SIR RICHARD SALTONSTALL,
MR. WHETCOMB,
MR. DAVENPORT,
MR. NOWELL.
CAPT. VENN,
At this meeting intimation was given by Mr. No- well, by letters from Mr. Isaac Johnson, that one Mr. HIGGESON, of Leicester, an able minister, prof- fers to go to our Plantation ; who being approved for a reverend, grave minister, fit for our present occa- sions, it was thought by these present to entreat Mr. John Humfry to ride presently. to Leicester,2 and, if Mr. Higgeson may conveniently be had to go this present voyage, that he should deal with him ; first, if his remove from thence may be without scandal to that people, and approved by the consent of some of the best affected among them, with the approbation
1 This line, torn off from the top 2 Leicester is 97 miles from Lon- of the leaf, is restored from Prince, don.
p. 256.
5
66
ARTHUR HILDERSHAM.
March 23.
CHAP. of Mr. Hildersham,1 of Ashby-de-la-Zouch ; secondly, III. that in regard of the shortness of the time, the Com- 1629. pany conceive it would be best, if he so thought good, to leave his wife and family till towards Bar- tholomew, for their better accommodation. Yet if it should be held inconvenient, that may be referred to himself to take [his wife and] two children with him ; thirdly, that for his entertainment, the Company [torn off.] 2
April 30.
30th April, 1629.3
It is further ordered by these present, that the Governor, the Deputy, and Council aforesaid, or the
1 Arthur Hildersham, Malleus He- reticorum, as he was called, Mauler of Heretics, as old Fuller would ren- der it, was, according to Echard, " a great and shining light of the Puritan party, and justly celebrated for his singular learning and piety." He was born at Stetchworth, in Cam- bridgeshire, Oct. 6, 1563, and was educated at Christ's College, Cam- bridge. In 1593, he was presented by his kinsman, the Earl of Hunt- ingdon, to the benefice of Ashby-de- la-Zouch, 18 miles from Leicester, where he preached 43 years. In the course of that time he was four times silenced and restored. In 1615 he was committed to the Fleet pri- son by the High Commission, where he remained three months. In 1616 that execrable Court again proceed- ed against him, fined him £2000, excommunicated him, degraded him from the ministry, and ordered him to be again imprisoned. Foreseeing the danger, however, he concealed himself and escaped. In 1625 he was restored to his living ; but when Laud was in power, he was again silenced, and was not restored till a few months before his death, which took place March 4, 1632, when he was in the 69th year of his age. His
character and writings were held in high esteem by the fathers of New- England. " It is affirmed," says Hubbard, " that Mr. Hildersham advised Mr. Higginson and other ministers looking this way, to agree upon their form of church govern- ment before they came away from England." See Fuller's Worthies, i. 164, and Church Hist. iii. 370 ; Neal's Puritans, ii. 245 ; Brook's Lives of the Puritans, ii. 376-388 ; Echard's Hist. of England, p. 451, (ed. 1720); Nichols's Hist. of Leices- tershire, ii. 622 ; Mass. Hist. Coll. xv. 118.
2 A leaf of the MS. is here miss- ing. Hubbard, p. 121, and Prince, p. 257, both appear to have had it. I have endeavoured in vain to supply this deficiency by procuring an an- cient copy of these Records now ex- isting in England. Prince quotes from the Records under April 16, " Sixty women and maids, 26 child- ren, and 300 men, with victuals, arms, apparel, tools, 140 head of cattle, &c., in the Lord Treasurer's warrant (to go to New-England. )"
3 The first part of the Record of this meeting is wanting. It appears from Prince, p. 258, who had it, that at this meeting they chose Mr.
67
THE COUNCIL IN NEW-ENGLAND.
major part of them, shall make choice of a Secretary, CHAP. and such other Officers as shall in their discretions III. seem requisite and needful for the peaceable and 1629. quiet government of the Plantation ; and shall frame April 30. such oaths, and administer the same to every [one] of them for the execution of his place and office for the year ensuing next after they shall have taken [the said] oaths, as they in their discretions, or the greater number of them, shall think good.
And it is ordered, that the said Governor, Depu- ty, Council, and other Officers aforesaid, shall be established and continue in their said several places for one whole year, or until this Court shall think fit to choose others in the place or places of them, or any of them ;, and in case of death, &c.
It is further ordered, that the said Governor, Mr. Endecott, [or his Deputy,] and the said Council, be- ing chosen as aforesaid, and having taken their oaths respectively to their places, or the greater number of them, (whereof the Governor or Deputy to be always one,) at any of their meetings, (which the said Governor, at his discretion, or in his absence the Deputy, is hereby authorized to appoint, as oft as there shall be occasion,) shall have full power and authority, and they are hereby authorized by power derived from his Majesty's letters patent, to make, ordain, and establish all manner of wholesome and reasonable orders, laws, statutes, ordinances, direc- tions and instructions, not contrary to the laws of the realm of England, for the present government of
Endicott Governor of the Plantation, and Messrs. Higginson, Skelton, Bright, John and Samuel Brown,
Thomas Graves, and Samuel Sharp, to be of his Council.
68
THE GOVERNMENT IN NEW-ENGLAND.
CHAP. our Plantation, and the inhabitants residing within III. the limits of our Plantation ; a copy of all which or- 1629. April 30 ders is from time to time to be sent to the Company in England.1
It is ordered by these presents, that a copy of the Acts and Orders2 made this present day for settling the government in the Plantation of the Massachu- setts Bay aforesaid, shall be fairly engrossed, and sent under the Company's seal, subscribed by the Governor and Deputy, by the speediest3 conveyance for New-England that can be had.
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