USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > The history of Salem, Massachusetts, vol 1, 1924 > Part 12
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graunt in his good tyme that wee may. Meanwhile, I am, in the behalf of ou whole company, (weh are much inlarged sence yo' depture out of England,) to give yo" harty thankes ffor yo' lardge advize contained in this yo' letter, weh I haue fully imparted vnto them, and, farther, to giue proof that thei intende not to bee wantinge by all good meanes to furder the plantacon; to weh purpose (God willinge) you shall heare more at another time, & that speedily; there beeinge one shipp bought for the company of xxo tunnes, & 2 others hyred of about 200 tunns each of them, 1 of 19 and I of 10 peeces of ordnance, besides not vnlike but one other vessell shall come in companie wth theise; in all wch shipps, for the genall stocke and propty of the adventures, there is likelye to be sent thether twixt 2 & 300 psons, wee hope to reside there, and about 100 head of cattell ; wherefore, as I wrote y" in full, and sent by M' Allerton of New Plimoth in November last, soe ye desire of them is, that you would endeuour to gett convenient howsinge, fitt to lodge as manye as you can, against they doe come; and wthall wt bever, or other comodities, or ffishe, if the meanes to pserve it, can be gotten readie, to returne in the foresaid shipps; and likewise wood, if noe better ladinge be to be had; that yo" would endevour to get in readines wtyow can, whereby our shipps, wherof twoe are to returne backe directlye heather, maye not come wholye emptye. There hath not bine a better tyme for sale of tymber theise twoe seaven yeres then at present ; & therefore pittye these shipps should come backe emptye, if it might be made readie yt they neede not stope I daye for it; otherwise mens wages & victualls, together wth the shipps, will quicklie rise too high, if to be reladen wth wood, & yt the same be not readie to put aboord as soone as the shipps are discharged of theire outward ladings. I wishe alsoe yt there be some sassaffras and sarsaparilla sent vs, as alsoe good store of shoomacke, if there to be had, as wee are informed there is. The like doe I wishe for a tun waight at least of silke grasse, & of ought elce yt maye be vsefull for dyinge or in phisicke; to have some of ech sent, & advise given wthall wt store of each to be had there, if vent maye be found here for it. Alsoe, I hope you will have some good sturgion in a readines to send vs; & if it be well cured, 2 or 300 ffirkins thereof would helpe well towards our charge. Wee are very confident of yo" best endevors for the genall good; & wee doubt not but God will in mcye give a blessinge vpo our laboures; & wee trust you will not be vnmindfull of the mayne end of our plantacon, by indevoringe to bringe ye Indians to the knowledge of the gospell ; wch, yt it maye be speedier & better effected, ye earnest desire of our whole compa is, y yo" have dilligent & watchfull eye ou our owne people, that they live vnblameable & wthout reproofe, & demeane themselves iustlye & curteous towards ye Indians, thereby to drawe them to affect our psons, & consequentlye our religion; as alsoe to endevour to gett some of theire children to trayne up to readinge, & consequentlye to re- ligion, whilest they are yonge; herein to yonge or olde to omitt noe good opportunitye yt maye tend to bring them out of yt woefull state and condicon they now are in; in wch care of predecessors in this our land sometymes were, and but for ye mcye and goodnes of our good God might have continued to this daye; but God, whoe out of the boundles ocean of his mcye hath shewed pittie and compassion to our
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land, he is alsuffitient, & can bringe this to passe weh wee now desire in y& countrye likewise. Onlie let vs not be wantinge on o' ptes, nowe wee are called to this worke of the Lords; neither, having put our handes to the plowe, let us look back, but goe on cheerfullye, and de- pend upon God for a blessing upon our labours; whoe by weake in- struments is able (if he see it good) to bringe glorious thinges to passe.
Be of good courage, goe on, and doe woorthilye, & the Lord psp yo' endeavor.
It is fullie resolued, by Gods assistance, to send over twoe min- isters, at the least, with the shippes now intended to be sent thether ; but for M' Peters, he is now in Holland, from whence his returne hether I hold to be vncertaine. Those wee send shall be by the appro- bacon of M' White, of Dorchester, and M' Davenport. For w'soeuer else you have given advise, care shall be taken, God willinge, to pforme the needefull, as neere as wee can, and the tymes will pmitt; whereof alsoe yo" maye expect more ample advertisement, in theire genall letter, when God shall send our shipps thether. The course you have taken, in givinge our countrymen theire content in the point of plantinge tobacco there for the present, (theire necessitie considered,) is not dis- allowed; but, wee trust in God, other meanes will be found to imploye theire tyme more comfortable, and profitable alsoe in the end; and we cannot but genallie approve and comend their good resolution to desist fro the plantinge thereof, when as they shall discerne howe to imploye their laboures otherwise, weh wee hope they will be speedilye induced vnto by such precepts & examples as wee shall give them. And now, mindinge to conclude this, I maye not omitt to put you in mynde, how eu yo" seeme to feare noe enimies there, yet that you have a watchfull eye for yo' owne saftye, and the saftye of all those of our nation with you, and not to bee too confident of the ffidellitie of the salvages. It is an old proverb, yet as true, The burnt childe dreades the fyre. Our countrymen have suffered by theire too much confidence in Virginea. Let vs by theire harmes learne to beware; and as wee are comanded to be innocent as doves, soe wth all we are enjoined to be wise as serpents. The God of heaven & earth pserve & keepe you from all forayne and inland enimies, & blesse & psp this plantacon, to the enlargement of the kingdom of Jesus Christ, to whose mcifull pteccon I recomend yo" and all your assotiates there, knowne or vnknowne. And soe, tyll my next, weh shall be, God willinge, by our shipps, whoe I make account will be readie to set sayle from hence about the 20th of this next monetlı of Marche, I end, and rest
Yo' assured loving friende and cussen, MATHEWE CRADOCK.
From my howse in Swithens Lane, neere Lon- don Stone, this 16th Februarye, 1628, stilo Angliæ.
One ship, the Lion's Whelp, had been purchased, and two others, the George Bonaventure and the Talbot, hired to transport the two or three hundred colonists and about a hundred head of cattle, which were to be sent to Naumkeag the next summer.
1Massachusetts Bay Colony Records, volume I, pages 383-385.
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The letter from Mr. Endecott greatly influenced people to in- terest themselves anew in the undertaking. Preparations were actively made for the cargoes, supplies, etc. Among other things, to serve as ballast for the ships, were two loads of chalk, ten thousand bricks and five caldron of sea coal. There were also provided nails, red lead, iron, steel, lead, salt, sail cloth, leather, plaster of paris, material for millstones ; cannon, muskets, flasks, ensigns, partizans, halberds, pikes, swords, belts, shot and powder for military use and armor for twenty soldiers ; for planting were secured seeds of various grains, beans and peas, stones and seeds of fruit shrubs and trees ; seeds and roots of plants for coloring, hemp and flax seed, potatoes, hop roots ; various utensils and im- plements; clothing of all sorts; and cows, horses, conies and turkeys.1
For accommodation on the voyage were procured fifty bed- ticks and bolsters, with wool, of Scotch ticking, fifty mats to lie under fifty beds, fifty rugs, fifty pair of Welch cotton blankets, one hundred pair of sheets, linen for towels, table-cloths and napkins, and sea-chests. For consumption during the voyage and as sup- plies for the colonists at Naumkeag were secured twelve thousand pounds of bread, twenty-two hogsheads of beef, one hundred and sixty-two flitches of bacon, fourteen hundred pounds of haberdine cod, three thousand pounds of cheese, forty bushels of peas, twenty bushels of oat meal, groats and malt, twenty firkins of butter, two tierces of beer vinegar, forty-five hogsheads of beer, Malaga and Canary wines, two runlets2 of Spanish wine, twenty gallons of aqua vitæ3 and six hogsheads of water. There were, also, twenty gallons of Gallipoly or Mayorke oil and one hundred and twenty gallons of sweet oil, eight dozens of candles, one and a half bushels of mustard seed, two firkins of soap and four thousand billets.4
Able men, skilful in making pitch and salt, carpenters and wheelwrights and vine planters, were hired and sent to Naumkeag upon these vessels. There was, also, Mr. Samuel Sharpe who was to have the oversight of the ordnance and fort and of the artillery in general.® Thomas Graves® of Gravesend, Kentshire, gentleman,
1Massachusetts Bay Colony Records for 1628.
2Small barrels.
3Brandy.
4These sticks of wood were probably for firewood on board the vessels. 5 Massachusetts Bay Colony Records, March 5, 1628-9.
"The agreement which Thomas Graves made with the Company was dated March 10, 1628-9, and is printed in full in the Records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony of that date. The following is an abbreviated copy. "I haue agreed to serue the Newe England Comp, and in there ymplyment to take my passage for Newe England in such shippe as thei shall appoynt mee; and during my stay there to doe my true and vttermost indeuour. 1. the said Companey are to beare all my
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a man skilled and experienced in'iron works and salt works, in ho: Grave prospecting for iron, lead, copper, mineral salt and alum mines, limestone and other materials for build- ing, in manufacturing, in measuring and surveying of land and buildings, making maps, aqueducts and fortifications, was also among the colonists in the employ of the Company. He had a wife and five children and a boy and maid servant, who did not sail with him.
Soon after his arrival in New England, Mr. Graves wrote the following letter to England :-
Thus much I can affirme in generall, that I neuer came in a more goodly Country in all my life, all things considered: if it hath not at any time beene manured and husbanded, yet it is very beautifull in open Lands, mixed with goodly woods, and againe open plaines, in some places five hundred Acres, some places more, some lesse, not much troublesome for to cleere for the Plough to got in, no place barren, but on the tops of the Hils; the grasse & weedes grow vp to a man's face, in the Lowlands & by fresh Riuers aboundance of grasse and large Meddowes without any Tree or shrubbe to hinder the Sith. I neuer say except in Hungaria, vnto which I alwayes paralell this countrie, in all our most respects, for euery thing that is heere eyther sowne or planted prospereth far better then in old. England : the increase of Corne
chardgs by sea into Newe England, together wth my charges duringe my staie in there implyments in Newe England, & my charges at sea in my re- turne home, apparrell only excepted, weh is to bee allwaies at my owne chargs; and it is agreed moreouer, that from the tyme of my ffirst landing in Newe England, to the tyme of the returne from thence for London of such shippe as shalbee sent from London next after Michelmas next, and in which I shall take my passage for London, that there shalbee allowed unto me ffyve pounds for ech month that I shall contyneue in Newe England as afore said, for my sallery or wages, but nothinge to bee allowed for my charges during the tyme of my beeing at sea, . in case the said Comp, after I shall haue contynewed 6 or 8 months in the countrey, shall desyre to retayne me in there seruice to the end of three yeeres, do heereby pmise to bee at the chardge of the transportacon into Newe England of my wiffe, ffyve children, a boy, & a mayd seruant, & wth all to build mee a conuenient house for my selffe and my sayd ffameley, at there chargs, and thereto to assyne me one hundred acres of land, and to haue pte thereof planted at the Companies chardge against the coming of my ffameley, whereby they may subsiste till I shall be possessed of my ffameley to per- forme the same, or otherwise to alloue me some competency of necessary victualls for the subsistance of me and my ffameley till the next season of plantinge & reapinge after there arryuall: and . I contyneue in the
Companies implyments ffor three yeeres, the payment of ffyve pounds p month ffor my sallery is to bee vtterly voyde, and my yeereley allowance in money, ffrom the tyme of my ffirst arriuall in Newe England to the end of three yeeres, to bee after the rate of ffyftey pounds by the yeere, prouided alwayes that my sayd ffameley, going ouer as aforesaid, there shalbee such a proporcon of land alloued me for them heereafter as if they had nowe taken there passage wth me in the shippes nowe bound for Newe England.".
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is here farre beyond expectation, as I haue seene here by experience in Barly, the which because it is so much aboue your conception I will not mention. And Cattle doe prosper very well, and those that are bredd here farr greater then those with you in England. Vines doe grow here plentifully laden with th biggest Grapes that euer I saw, some I haue seene foure inches about, so that I am bold to say of this countrie, as it is commonly in Germany or Hungaria, that for Cattel, Corne, and Wine it excelleth. We haue many more hopefull commodities here in this countrie, the which time will teach to make good vse of: In the meane time wee abound with such things which next vnder God doe make vs subsist, as Fish, Foule, Deere, and sundrie sorts of fruits, as musk-millions, water-millions, Indian-Pompions, Indian-Pease, Beanes, & many other odde fruits that I cannot name; all which are made good and pleasant through this maine blessing of God, the healthfulnesse of the countrie which far exceedeth all parts that euer I haue beene in: It is obserued that few or none doe here fal sicke, vnless of the Scuruy that they bring from aboard the Ship with them, whereof I haue cured some of my companie onely by labour.
March 12, 1628-9, John Browne, gentleman, and Mr. Samuel Browne, of Roxwell, in Essex- shire, agreed to take passage in the ships of the Company for New England, intending to be- come planters there. William Dixie,1 a young man of twenty-
John Brown
Samwell Brown willa ficou
two, also went to Naumkeag on one of these three vessels.
As the propagation of the gospel was the principal purpose for settling this plantation, the Company were "carefull to make plentyfull pvision of godly ministers" of "faithfull preachinge, godly conversacon, and exemplary lyfe." Rev. Hugh Peter was one of the ministers considered for this purpose, but when the spring of 1629 came he was preaching in Holland, and was not available. Rev. Francis Bright of Roiley,2 in Essexshire, a non- conformist minister, arranged to leave England for America with this colony, in his clerical capacity. It is said that he had been
1Capt. William Dixie, born about 1607, arrived at Naumkeag in June, 1629; planter ; lived in that part of Salem which was incorporated as Beverly in 1668; married Anna or Hannah -; she died between 1681 and 1684; he died in the spring of 1690; children: I. Mary; married Hugh Woodberry; and removed to Bristol; 2. Anna; married, first, Nicholas Hayward; second, Judkins; 3. Abigail; married John Stone; 4. Elizabeth; married Samuel Morgan of Marblehead; 5. Sarah; married Edmund Gale of Bever- ly; 6. John; died before Sept. 24, 1676, when his two children were bap- tized in Beverly.
2Rayleigh ?
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trained under Rev. John Davenport, who held the living of St. Stephen's, Coleman Street, in London.
Feb. 2, 1628-9, he agreed to be ready with his wife, two children and a maid servant by the beginning of March to take passage to the plantation, where he agreed to serve in the work of the ministry for three years for their support and twenty pounds yearly, the expense of their transportation, etc. It is not known under what circumstances Mr. Bright left England.
Two other ministers were engaged to go to America with the colony. One of them was Rev. Samuel Skelton, a non-conformist clergyman, who was in middle life. The desire of Mr. Skelton to go to New England was a matter of course as he was associated in his religious work with the family and people of the late Earl of Lincoln, who were in full sympathy with the colonial move- ment. It is probable that the religious authorities had not prosecuted him, and indeed it is supposed that his position at Tattershall was such that he was answerable for his conduct to the crown only. Isaac Johnson learned that Rev. Francis Higgin- son of Leicester, who was widely known as an able and con- scientious non-conformist minister, of grave demeanor and fit for this service, desired to go to America. Mr. Johnson wrote letters to the Company, informing them of what he had learned ; and at a meeting of the company March 23, 1628-9, Mr. John Humphrey was requested to ride to Leicester presently and learn if Mr. Higginson could conveniently go on one of the ships which were nearly ready to sail. If Mr. Higginson could leave at once with- out reflection on his people whom he had served, and his removal be approved of and consented to by some of the best among them, and especially by Mr. Arthur Hildersham of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in Leicestershire, he was to make an agreement with him. Mr. Higginson was to be allowed to take his family with him, unless for their better accommodation they preferred to remain in England till toward Bartholomew.1
An agreement made with the Company April 8, 1629, by Messrs. Skelton and Higginson follows :-
The 8th of Aprill 1629.
M' Francis Higgeson and M' Samuel Skelton intended ministers. for this plantacon, and it being thought meete to consider of their in- tertaynement, who expressing their willingnesse, together, also with M™ Francis Bright, being now present to doe their endeavour in their places of the ministery as well in preaching, catechizing as also in teaching, or causing to bee taught, the Companyes servants & their children, as also the salvages and their children, whereby to their utter- most to further the maine end of this plantation, being, by the assistance of Allmighty God, the convertion of the salvages, the proposicons con-
1Massachusetts Bay Colony Records for March 22, 1628-9.
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cluded on with M' Francis Bright, the 2 of February last, were reciprocally accepted of by M' Francis Higgison and M' Samuel Skelton, who are in every respect to have the like condicons as M™ Bright hath, only whereas M' Higgeson hath 8 children it is intended that Io" more yearely shall be allowed him towards their chardge. And it is agreed that the increase to be improvement of all their grounds during the first 3 yeares shall be at the Companies disposing, who are to 'fynde them dyett during that tyme; and tenne pounds more to M' Higgeson towards his present fitting him and his for the voyage.
FRANCIS HIGGISON, SAMUEL SKELTON.
Mr. Higginson made an agreement with the Company, sim- ilar to that of Mr. Bright. The following is a copy of this one :-
THE AGREEIt WTH MR HIGGINSON2
A true note of ye allowance yt ye new England Copany haue by como consent & order of their Court & Counsell graunted vnto M' Francis Higginson minister, for his maintenaunce in new England April 8, 1629.
Imprimis y' 3011 in money shall be forthwth paid him by ye Copanyes treasurer towards ye chardges of fitting himselfe wth Ap- parell & other necessaryes for his voyage.
2 Item y' 1011 more shall be payed ouer by ye said treasurer to- wards ye provyding of bookes for present vse.
3 Iten y' hee shall haue 3011 yearly paid him for 3 yeares to beginne fro ye tyme of his first arrivall in new England & so to be accounted & paid him at ye End of eury yeare.
4 Item yt during ye said tyme ye Company shall provide for him & his family necessaryes of diett housing & firewood; and shall be at chardges of transporting him into new England: and at ye end of ye said 3 yeares, if hee shall not like to continue there any longer, to be at ye chardge of transporting him backe for England.
5. Item y' in convenient tyme an house shall be built, & certayne lands allotted thereunto; weh during his stay in ye countrey & con- tinuance in ye ministrey shall bee for his vse; & after his death or remoovall ye same to be for Succeeding ministers.
6. Item at ye expiracon of ye said 3 yeares an 100 acres of land shall be assigned to him & his heires for euer.
7. Item yt in case hee shall depart this lyfe in ye countrey, ye said Company shall take care for his widdow during her widdowhood & aboade in ye country and plantacon : & ye like for his children whilst ye remayne vpon ye said plantacon.
8. Item yt ye milke of 2 kyne shall bee appointed towards ye chardges of diett for him & his familye as aforesaid, & halfe ye increase of calves during ye said 3 yeares : but ye said 2 kyne, and ye other halfe of ye increase to returne to ye Company at ye end of ye said 3 yeares.
9. · Item y' he shall haue liberty of carrying ouer bedding, linnen,
1New Englands Plantation, Etc., Salem, 1908.
2Hutchinson's Historical Collections, page 24.
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HISTORY OF SALEM.
brasse, iron, pewter, of his owne for his necessary vse during ye said tyme.
10. Item y' if he continue 7 yeares upon ye said plantacon, yt then 100 acres of land more shall be allotted him for him and his for ever.1
To this agreement the clerk who made the record of it added that it was unintentionally omitted therefrom that "Mr Higgeson was pmised a man seruant to take care & look to his things & to catch him fish & fowle & pvide other things needfull and also 2 maid seruants to look to his family."
One of the ships, the George Bonaventure, was a strong vessel of about three hundred tons burden, with twenty pieces of ordnance and manned by about thirty mariners. It was com- manded by Thomas Cox, and carried fifty-two planters and provisions and twelve mares, thirty kine and some goats. Among the passengers were Rev. Samuel Skelton and his family, consist- ing of his wife Susanna and three children, Samuel, aged six, Susanna, four, and Mary, nearly two. As it was specially desir- able that the George should sail as early as possible, it set out upon its voyage about the middle of April and from the Isle of Wight May 4, and safely arrived at Naumkeag June 22, 1629.
The Talbot, Thomas Beecher, master, was also a strong ship of three hundred tons, with nineteen pieces of ordnance and manned by thirty mariners. It carried about one hundred planters, and as freight six goats, five great pieces of ordnance, with oat- meal, pease and all kinds of munitions and provisions sufficient for the plantation for a year. Several servants of the Pilgrims came in this vessel at this time and also Mr. Higginson and his family, consisting of his wife Ann and children, John, the eldest, aged twelve, Francis, Timothy, Theophilus, Samuel, Mary, Ann, Charles and Neophytus.
The Lion's Whelp, John Gibbs, master, was a ship of one hundred and twenty tons, well proportioned and fast, carrying eight pieces of ordnance, six fishermen and about forty planters, principally of Dorsetshire and Somersetshire, besides the mariners and provisions and four goats. Rev. Francis Bright and his family, consisting of his wife, two children and one maid servant, were among the passengers.
The Talbot and the Lion's Whelp sailed from Gravesend on Saturday, April 25, 1629, at seven o'clock in the morning, with a wind so light that a progress of only twelve miles was made that day. They remained where they were that night and the next day, keeping the Sabbath. On Monday, they sailed as far as Gorin Road, where they anchored for the night. On Tuesday, they proceeded a little further and anchored opposite Margaret Town, waiting for wind to carry them through The Downs. The next
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day, they passed The Downs, and remained there that night. For the next three days the southwest wind caused the water to be so rought that a number of the passengers, among them Mrs. Hig- ginson, were sea-sick. At this time, officers from the king's ship, named the Assurance, impressed two of the seamen. Sunday, May 3d, was a cold windy day, and the vessels were still at The Downs. The next day, the wind became fair from the north-north- east, and sails were spread. The vessels passed Dover, where they saw six or seven sail of Dunkirks coming toward them. For some reason, probably because of the presence of other vessels, the latter returned. That night the Isle of Wight was reached, and the vessels were anchored to wait for the light before attempting to go through the channel. On the next day, they entered the channel, passed Portsmouth, and anchored at night opposite Cow- Castle. Here, Rev. Mr. Higginson, his wife and daughter Mary and several others from both vessels went on shore to refresh themselves and wash their linen. They remained on shore all night. In the evening, however, sails were hoisted, and the vessels pro- ceeded eight miles, anchoring opposite Yarmouth. The next morning, a shallop from the Talbot was sent to take in those who had gone on shore the night before. The water was so rough that the women, at their request, were put on shore when they had got within three miles of the vessels, and they walked to the town, where they lodged that night. At this place the vessels remained until Monday, May II, and took on board some fresh provision. On Saturday, officers from the king's ship impressed two more men, but by entreaty one was returned. On Sunday, Mr. Higgin- son preached aboard the Talbot in the morning and in the after- noon at Yarmouth in response to an earnest invitation. On Monday afternoon, at three o'clock, sail was again set, and about an hour later the vessels passed the narrow Needles and entered the sea.
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