Bradford's History of 'Plimoth Plantation' Part 16

3. Then with an impudente face he would have you take notice, that (in his leters) he hath write nothing but what is certainly true, yea, and he could make it so appeare plainly to any indifferente men. This indeed doth astonish us and causeth us to tremble at y^e deceitfullnes [128]

and desperate wickednes of mans harte. This is to devoure holy things, and after voues to enquire. It is admirable that after such publick confession, and acknowledgmente in court, in church, before G.o.d, & men, with such sadd expressions as he used, and with such melting into teares, that after all this he shoud now justifie all againe. If things had bene done in a corner, it had been some thinge to deney them; but being done in y^e open view of y^e c.u.n.trie & before all men, it is more then strange now to avow to make them plainly appear to any indifferente men; and here wher things were done, and all y^e evidence that could be were presente, and yet could make nothing appear, but even his freinds condemnd him & gave their voyce to his censure, so grose were they; we leave your selves to judge herein. Yet least this man should triumph in his wikednes, we shall be ready to answer him, when, or wher you will, to any thing he shall lay to our charg, though we have done it sufficiently allready.

4. Then he saith he would not inlarge, but for some poore souls here who are destiute of y^e means of salvation, &c. But all his soothing is but that you would use means, that his censure might be released that he might here continue; and under you (at least) be sheltered, till he sees what his freinds (on whom he depends) can bring about & effecte. For such men pretend much for poor souls, but they will looke to their wages & conditions; if that be not to their content, let poor souls doe what they will, they will shift for them selves, and seek poore souls some wher els among richer bodys.

Next he fals upon y^e church, that indeed is y^e burthensome stone that troubls him. First, he saith they hold this principle, that the Lord hath not apointed any ordinarie ministrie for y^e converssion of those without. The church needs not be ashamed of what she houlds in this, haveing G.o.ds word for her warrente; that ordinarie officers are bound cheefly to their flocks, Acts 20. 28. and are not to be extravagants, to goe, come, and leave them at their pleasurs to shift for them selves, or to be devoured of wolves. But he perverts y^e truth in this as in other things, for y^e Lord hath as well appoynted them to converte, as to feede in their severall charges; and he wrongs y^e church to say other wise. Againe, he saith he was taxed for preaching to all in generall.

This is a meere untruth, for this dissembler knows that every Lords day some are appointed to visite suspected places, & if any be found idling and neglecte y^e hearing of y^e word, (through idlnes or profanes,) they are punished for y^e same. Now to procure all to come to hear, and then to blame him for preaching to all, were to play y^e mad men.

[129] 6. Next (he saith) they have had no ministrie since they came, what soever pretences they make, &c. We answer, the more is our wrong, that our pastor is kept from us by these mens means, and then reproach us for it when they have done. Yet have we not been wholy dist.i.tute of y^e means of salvation, as this man would make y^e world beleeve; for our reve^d Elder hath laboured diligently in dispencing the word of G.o.d unto us, before he came; and since hath taken equalle pains with him selfe in preaching the same; and, be it spoaken without ostentation, he is not inferriour to M^r. Lyford (& some of his betters) either in gifts or larning, though he would never be perswaded to take higher office upon him. Nor ever was more pretended in this matter. For equivocating, he may take it to him selfe; what y^e church houlds, they have manifested to y^e world, in all plaines, both in open confession, doctrine, & writing.

This was y^e sume of ther answer, and hear I will let them rest for y^e presente. I have bene longer in these things then I desired, and yet not so long as the things might require, for I pa.s.s many things in silence, and many more deserve to have been more largly handled. But I will returne to other things, and leave y^e rest to its place.

The pina.s.s that was left sunck & cast away near Damarins-cove, as is before showed, some of y^e fishing maisters said it was a pity so fine a vessell should be lost, and sent them word that, if they would be at y^e cost, they would both directe them how to waygh her, and let them have their carpenters to mend her. They thanked them, & sente men aboute it, and beaver to defray y^e charge, (without which all had been in vaine).

So they gott coopers to trime, I know not how many tune of cask, and being made tight and fastened to her at low-water, they boyed her up; and then with many hands hald her on sh.o.r.e in a conveniente place wher she might be wrought upon; and then hired sundrie carpenters to work upon her, and other to saw planks, and at last fitted her & got her home. But she cost a great deale of money, in thus recovering her, and buying riging & seails for her, both now and when before she lost her mast; so as she proved a chargable vessell to y^e poor plantation. So they sent her home, and with her Lyford sent his last letter, in great secrecie; but y^e party intrusted with it gave it y^e Gov^r.

The winter was pa.s.sed over in ther ordinarie affairs, without any spetiall mater worth noteing; saveing that many who before stood something of from y^e church, now seeing Lyfords unrighteous dealing, and malignitie against y^e church, now tendered them selves to y^e church, and were joyned to y^e same; proffessing that it was not out of y^e dislike of any thing that they had stood of so long, but a desire to fitte them selves beter for such a state, and they saw now y^e Lord cald for their help. [130] And so these troubls prodused a quite contrary effecte in sundrie hear, then these adversaries hoped for. Which was looked at as a great worke of G.o.d, to draw on men by unlickly means; and that in reason which might rather have set them further of. And thus I shall end this year.

_Anno Dom: 1625._

At y^e spring of y^e year, about y^e time of their Election Court, Oldam came againe amongst them; and though it was a part of his censure for his former mutinye and miscariage, not to returne without leave first obtained, yet in his dareing spirite, he presumed without any leave at all, being also set on & hardened by y^e ill counsell of others. And not only so, but suffered his unruly pa.s.sion to rune beyond y^e limits of all reason and modestie; in so much that some strangers which came with him were ashamed of his outrage, and rebuked him; but all reprofes were but as oyle to y^e fire, and made y^e flame of his coller greater. He caled them all to nought, in this his mad furie, and a hundred rebells and traytors, and I know not what. But in conclusion they co[=m]ited him till he was tamer, and then apointed a gard of musketers w^ch he was to pa.s.s throw, and ever one was ordered to give him a thump on y^e brich, with y^e but end of his musket, and then was conveied to y^e water side, wher a boat was ready to cary him away. Then they bid him goe & mende his maners.

Whilst this was a doing, M^r. William Peirce and M^r. Winslow came up from y^e water side, being come from England; but they were so busie with Oldam, as they never saw them till they came thus upon them. They bid them not spare either him or Liford, for they had played y^e vilans with them. But that I may hear make an end with him, I shall hear once for all relate what befell concerning him in y^e future, & y^t breefly.

After y^e removall of his familie from hence, he fell into some straits, (as some others did,) and aboute a year or more afterwards, towards winter, he intended a vioage for Virginia; but it so pleased G.o.d that y^e barke that caried him, and many other pa.s.sengers, was in that danger, as they dispaired of life; so as many of them, as they fell to prayer, so also did they begine to examine their consciences [131] and confess such sins as did most burthen them. And M^r. Ouldame did make a free and large confession of y^e wrongs and hurt he had done to y^e people and church here, in many perticulers, that as he had sought their ruine, so G.o.d had now mette with him and might destroy him; yea, he feared they all fared y^e worce for his sake; he prayed G.o.d to forgive him, and made vowes that, if y^e Lord spard his life, he would become otherwise, and y^e like. This I had from some of good credite, yet living in y^e Bay, and were them selves partners in the same dangers on y^e shoulds of Cap-Codd, and heard it from his owne mouth. It pleased G.o.d to spare their lives, though they lost their viage; and in time after wards, Ouldam caried him selfe fairly towards them, and acknowledged y^e hand of G.o.d to be with them, and seemed to have an honourable respecte of them; and so farr made his peace with them, as he in after time had libertie to goe and come, and converse with them, at his pleasure. He went after this to Virginia, and had ther a great sicknes, but recovered and came back againe to his familie in y^e Bay, and ther lived till some store of people came over. At lenght going a trading in a smale vessell among y^e Indians, and being weakly mand, upon some quarell they knockt him on y^e head with a hatched, so as he fell downe dead, & never spake word more. 2. litle boys that were his kinsmen were saved, but had some hurte, and y^e vessell was strangly recovered from y^e Indeans by another that belonged to y^e Bay of Ma.s.sachusets; and this his death was one ground of the Pequente warr which followed.

I am now come to M^r. Lyford. His time being now expired, his censure was to take place. He was so farre from answering their hopes by amendmente in y^e time, as he had dubled his evill, as is before noted.

But first behold y^e hand of G.o.d concei[=r]ing him, wherin that of y^e Psalmist is verified. Psa: 7. 15. He hath made a pitte, & digged it, and is fallen into the pitte he made. He thought to bring shame and disgrace upon them, but in stead therof opens his owne to all y^e world. For when he was delte with all aboute his second letter, his wife was so affected with his doings, as she could no longer conceaill her greefe and sorrow of minde, but opens y^e same to one of their deacons & some other of her freinds, & after uttered y^e same to M^r. Peirce upon his arrivall.

Which was to this purpose, that she feared some great judgment of G.o.d would fall upon them, and upon her, for her husbands cause; now that they were to remove, she feared to fall into y^e Indeans hands, and to be defiled by them, as he had defiled other women; or some shuch like [132] judgmente, as G.o.d had threatened David, 2. Sam. 12. 11. I will raise up evill against y^e, and will take thy wives & give them, &c. And upon it showed how he had wronged her, as first he had a b.a.s.t.a.r.d by another before they were maried, & she having some inkling of some ill cariage that way, when he was a suitor to her, she tould him what she heard, & deneyd him; but she not certainly knowing y^e thing, other wise then by some darke & secrete muterings, he not only stifly denied it, but to satisfie her tooke a solemne oath ther was no shuch matter. Upon which she gave consente, and maried with him; but afterwards it was found true, and y^e b.a.s.t.a.r.d brought home to them. She then charged him with his oath, but he prayed pardon, and said he should els not have had her. And yet afterwards she could keep no maids but he would be medling with them, and some time she hath taken him in y^e maner, as they lay at their beds feete, with shuch other circ.u.mstances as I am ashamed to relate. The woman being a grave matron, & of good cariage all y^e while she was hear, and spoake these things out of y^e sorrow of her harte, sparingly, and yet w^th some further intimations. And that which did most seeme to affecte her (as they conceived) was, to see his former cariage in his repentance, not only hear with y^e church, but formerly about these things; sheding tears, and using great & sade expressions, and yet eftsone fall into the like things.

Another thing of y^e same nature did strangly concurr herewith. When M^r. Winslow & M^r. Peirce were come over, M^r. Winslow informed them that they had had y^e like bickering with Lyfords freinds in England, as they had with him selfe and his freinds hear, aboute his letters & accusations in them. And many meetings and much clamour was made by his freinds theraboute, crying out, a minister, a man so G.o.dly, to be so esteemed & taxed they held a great skandale, and threated to prosecute law against them for it. But things being referred to a further meeting of most of y^e adventurers, to heare y^e case and decide y^e matters, they agreed to chose 2. eminente men for moderators in the bussines.

Lyfords faction chose M^r. White, a counselor at law, the other parte chose Re[~v]e^d. M^r. Hooker, the minister, and many freinds on both sids were brought in, so as ther was a great a.s.semblie. In y^e mean time, G.o.d in his providence had detected Lyford's evill cariage in Ireland to some freinds amongst y^e company, who made it knowne to M^r.

Winslow, and directed him to 2. G.o.dly and grave witnesses, who would testifie y^e same (if caled therunto) upon their oath. The thing was this; he being gott into Ireland, had wound him selfe into y^e esteeme of sundry G.o.dly & zelous professours in those parts, who, having been burthened with y^e ceremonies in England, found ther some more liberty to their consciences; amongst whom were these 2. men, which gave [133]

this evidence. Amongst y^e rest of his hearers, ther was a G.o.dly yonge man that intended to marie, and cast his affection on a maide which lived their aboute; but desiring to chose in y^e Lord, and preferred y^e fear of G.o.d before all other things, before he suffered his affection to rune too farr, he resolved to take M^r. Lyfords advise and judgmente of this maide, (being y^e minister of y^e place,) and so broak y^e matter unto him; & he promised faithfully to informe him, but would first take better knowledg of her, and have private conferance with her; and so had sundry times; and in conclusion co[=m]ended her highly to y^e yong man as a very fitte wife for him. So they were maried togeather; but some time after mariage the woman was much troubled in mind, and afflicted in conscience, and did nothing but weepe and mourne, and long it was before her husband could get of her what was y^e cause. But at length she discovered y^e thing, and prayed him to forgive her, for Lyford had overcome her, and defiled her body before marriage, after he had comended him unto her for a husband, and she resolved to have him, when he came to her in that private way. The circ.u.mstances I forbear, for they would offend chast ears to hear them related, (for though he satisfied his l.u.s.t on her, yet he indeaoured to hinder conception.) These things being thus discovered, y^e wom[=a]s husband tooke some G.o.dly freinds with him, to deale with Liford for this evill. At length he confest it, with a great deale of seeming sorrow & repentance, but was forct to leave Irland upon it, partly for shame, and partly for fear of further punishmente, for y^e G.o.dly withdrew them selves from him upon it; and so co[=m]ing into England unhapily he was light upon & sente hither.

But in this great a.s.sembly, and before y^e moderators, in handling y^e former matters aboute y^e letters, upon provocation, in some heate of replie to some of Lyfords defenders, M^r. Winslow let fall these words, That he had delte knavishly; upon which on of his freinds tooke hold, & caled for witneses, that he cald a minister of y^e gospell knave, and would prosecute law upon it, which made a great tumulte, upon which (to be shorte) this matter broke out, and the witnes were prodused, whose persons were so grave, and evidence so plaine, and y^e facte so foule, yet delivered in such modest & chast terms, and with such circ.u.mstances, as strucke all his freinds mute, and made them all ashamed; insomuch as y^e moderators with great gravitie declared that y^e former matters gave them cause enough to refuse him & to deal with him as they had done, but these made him unmeete for ever to bear ministrie any more, what repentance soever he should pretend; with much more to like effecte, and so wisht his freinds to rest quiete. Thus was this matter ended.

From hence Lyford wente to Natasco, in y^e Bay of y^e Ma.s.sachusets, with some other of his freinds with him, wher Oldom allso lived. From thence he removed to Namkeke, since called Salem; but after ther came some people over, wheather for hope of greater profite, or what ends els I know not, he left his freinds that followed him, and went from thence to Virginia, wher he shortly after dyed, and so I leave him to y^e Lord.

His wife afterwards returned againe to this c.u.n.try, and thus much of this matter.

[134] This storme being thus blowne over, yet sundrie sad effects followed y^e same; for the Company of Adventurers broake in peeces here upon, and y^e greatest parte wholy deserted y^e colony in regarde of any further supply, or care of their subsistance. And not only so, but some of Lyfords & Oldoms freinds, and their adherents, set out a shipe on fishing, on their owne accounte, and getting y^e starte of y^e ships that came to the plantation, they tooke away their stage, & other necessary provisions that they had made for fishing at Cap-Anne y^e year before, at their great charge, and would not restore y^e same, excepte they would fight for it. But y^e Gov^r sent some of y^e planters to help y^e fisher men to build a new one, and so let them keepe it. This shipe also brought them some small supply, of little value; but they made so pore a bussines of their fishing, (neither could these men make them any returne for y^e supply sente,) so as, after this year, they never looked more after them.

Also by this ship, they, some of them, sent (in y^e name of y^e rest) certaine reasons of their breaking of from y^e plantation, and some tenders, upon certaine conditions, of reuniting againe. The which because they are longe & tedious, and most of them aboute the former things already touched, I shall omite them; only giveing an instance in one, or tow. 1. reason, they charged them for dissembling with his majestie in their pet.i.tion, and with y^e adventurers about y^e French discipline, &c. 2^ly, for receiving[BV] a man[BW] into their church, that in his conffession renownced all, universall, nationall, and diocessan churches, &c., by which (say they) it appears, that though they deney the name of Bro[=w]ists, yet they practiss y^e same, &c. And therfore they should si[=n]e against G.o.d in building up such a people.

Then they adde: Our dislikes thus laid downe, that we may goe on in trade w^th better contente & credite, our desires are as followeth.

First, that as we are partners in trade, so we may be in Go[~v]^rt ther, as the patente doth give us power, &c.

2. That the French discipline may be practised in the plantation, as well in the circ.u.mstances theirof, as in y^e substance; wherby y^e scandallous name of y^e Brownists, and other church differences, may be taken away.

3. Lastly, that M^r. Robinson and his company may not goe over to our plantation, unless he and they will reconcile themselves to our church by a recantation under their hands, &c.

Their answer in part to these things was then as foloweth.

Wheras you taxe us for dissembling with his majestie & y^e adventurers aboute y^e French discipline, you doe us wrong, for we both hold & practice y^e discipline of y^e French & other reformed churches, (as they have published y^e same in y^e Harmony of Confessions,) according to our means, in effecte & substance. But wheras you would tye us to the French discipline in every circ.u.mstance, you derogate from y^e libertie we have in Christ Jesus. The Apostle Paule would have none to follow him in any thing but wherin he follows Christ, much less ought any Christian or church in y^e world to doe it. The French may erre, we may erre, and other churches may erre, and doubtless doe in many circ.u.mstances. That honour therfore belongs only to y^e infallible word of G.o.d, and pure Testamente of Christ, to be propounded and followed as y^e only rule and pattern for direction herin to all churches & Christians. And it is too great arrogancie for any man, or church [135] to thinke y^t he or they have so sounded y^e word of G.o.d to y^e bottome, as precislie to sett downe y^e churches discipline, without error in substance or circ.u.mstance, as y^t no other without blame may digress or differ in any thing from y^e same. And it is not difficulte to shew, y^t the reformed churches differ in many circ.u.mstances amongest them selves.

The rest I omitte, for brevities sake, and so leave to prosecute these men or their doings any further, but shall returne to y^e rest of their freinds of y^e company, w^ch stuck to them. And I shall first inserte some part of their letters as followeth; for I thinke it best to render their minds in ther owne words.

To our loving freinds, &c.

Though the thing we feared be come upon us, and y^e evill we strove against have overtaken us, yet we cannot forgett you, nor our freindship and fellowship which togeather we have had some years; wherin though our expressions have been small, yet our harty affections towards you (unknown by face) have been no less then to our nearest freinds, yea, to our owne selves. And though this your friend M^r. Winslow can tell you y^e state of things hear, yet least we should seeme to neglecte you, to whom, by a wonderfull providence of G.o.d, we are so nearly united, we have thought good once more to write unto you, to let you know what is here befallen, and y^e resons of it; as also our purposes & desirs toward you for hereafter.

The former course for the generalitie here is wholy dissolved from what it was; and wheras you & we were formerly sharers and partners, in all viages & deallings, this way is now no more, but you and we are left to bethinke our sellves what course to take in y^e future, that your lives & our monies be not lost.

The reasons and causes of this allteration have been these. First and mainly, y^e many losses and crosses at sea, and abuses of sea-men, w^ch have caused us to rune into so much charge, debts, & ingagements, as our estats & means were not able to goe on without impoverishing our selves, except our estats had been greater, and our a.s.sociats cloven beter unto us. 2^ly, as here hath been a faction and siding amongst us now more then 2. years, so now there is an uter breach and sequestration amongst us, and in too parts of us a full dissertion and forsaking of you, without any intente or purpose of medling more with you. And though we are perswaded the maine cause of this their doing is wante of money, (for neede wherof men use to make many excuses,) yet other things are pretended, as that you are Brownists, &c. Now what use you or we ought to make of these things, it remaineth to be considered, for we know y^e hand of G.o.d to be in all these things, and no doubt he would admonish some thing therby, and to looke what is amise. And allthough it be now too late for us or you to prevent & stay these things, yet it is[BX] not to late to exercise patience, wisdom, and conscience in bearing them, and in caring our selves in & under them for y^e time to come.

[136] And as we our selves stand ready to imbrace all occasions that may tend to y^e furthrance of so hopefull a work, rather admiring of what is, then grudging for what is not; so it must rest in you to make all good againe. And if in nothing else you can be approved, yet let your honestie & conscience be still approved, & lose not one jote of you^r innocencie, amids your crosses & afflictions. And surly if you upon this allteration behave your selves wisly, and goe on fairly, as men whose hope is not in this life, you shall need no other weapon to wound your adversaries; for when your righteousnes is revealled as y^e light, they shall cover their faces with shame, that causlesly have sought your overthrow.

Now we thinke it but reason, that all such things as ther apertaine to the generall, be kept & preserved togeather, and rather increased dayly, then any way be dispersed or imbeseled away for any private ends or intents whatsoever. And after your necessities are served, you gather togeather such co[=m]odities as y^e c.u.n.trie yeelds, & send them over to pay debts & clear ingagements hear, which are not less then 1400^li. And we hope you will doe your best to free our ingagements, &c. Let us all indeavor to keep a faire & honest course, and see what time will bring forth, and how G.o.d in his providence will worke for us. We still are perswaded you are y^e people that must make a plantation in those remoate places when all others faile and returne.

And your experience of G.o.ds providence and preservation of you is such as we hope your harts will not faile you, though your freinds should forsake you (which we our selves shall not doe whilst we live, so long as your honestie so well appereth). Yet surly help would arise from some other place whilst you waite on G.o.d, with uprightnes, though we should leave you allso.

And lastly be you all intreated to walke circ.u.mspectly, and carry your selves so uprightly in all your ways, as y^t no man may make just exceptions against you. And more espetially that y^e favour and countenance of G.o.d may be so toward you, as y^t you may find abundante joye & peace even amids tribulations, that you may say with David, Though my father & mother should forsake me, yet y^e Lord would take me up.

We have sent you hear some catle, cloath, hose, shoes, leather, &c., but in another nature then formerly, as it stood us in hand to doe; we have co[=m]itted them to y^e charge & custody of M^r. Allerton and M^r. Winslow, as our factours, at whose discretion they are to be sould, and co[=m]odities to be taken for them, as is fitting. And by how much y^e more they will be chargable unto you, the better[BY] they had need to be husbanded, &c. Goe on, good freinds, comfortably, pluck up your spirits, and quitte your selves like men in all your difficulties, that notwithstanding all displeasure and threats of men, yet y^e work may goe on you are aboute, and not be neglected. Which is so much for y^e glorie of G.o.d, and the furthrance of our countrie-men, as that a man may with more comforte [137] spend his life in it, then live y^e life of Mathusala, in wasting y^e plentie of a tilled land, or eating y^e fruite of a growne tree. Thus with harty salutations to you all, and harty prayers for you all, we lovingly take our leaves, this 18. of Des: 1624.

Your a.s.sured freinds to our powers, J. S.

W. C.

T. F.

R. H. &c.

By this leter it appears in what state y^e affairs of y^e plantation stood at this time. These goods they bought, but they were at deare rates, for they put 40. in y^e hundred upon them, for profite and adventure, outward bound; and because of y^e [=v]nture of y^e paiment homeward, they would have 30.[BZ] in y^e 100. more, which was in all 70.

[p=]^r. cent; a thing thought unreasonable by some, and too great an oppression upon y^e poore people, as their case stood. The catle were y^e best goods, for y^e other being ventured ware, were neither at y^e best (some of them) nor at y^e best prises. Sundrie of their freinds disliked these high rates, but co[=m]ing from many hands, they could not help it.

They sent over also 2. ships on fishing on their owne acounte; the one was y^e pina.s.s that was cast away y^e last year hear in y^e c.u.n.trie, and recovered by y^e planters, (as was before related,) who, after she came home, was attached by one of y^e company for his perticuler debte, and now sent againe on this accounte. The other was a great ship, who was well fitted with an experienced m^r. & company of fisher-men, to make a viage, & to goe to Bilbo or Sabastians with her fish; the lesser, her order was to load with cor-fish, and to bring the beaver home for England, y^t should be received for y^e goods sould to y^e plantation.

This bigger ship made a great viage of good drie fish, the which, if they had gone to a market w^th, would have yeelded them (as such fish was sould y^t season) 1800^li. which would have enriched them. But because ther was a bruite of warr with France, y^e m^r. neglected (through timerousnes) his order, and put first into Plimoth, & after into Portsmouth, and so lost their opportunitie, and came by the loss.

The lesser ship had as ill success, though she was as hopfull as y^e other for y^e marchants profite; for they had fild her with goodly cor-fish taken upon y^e banke, as full as she could swime; and besids she had some 800^li. weaight of beaver, besids other furrs to a good value from y^e plantation. The m^r. seeing so much goods come, put it abord y^e biger ship, for more saftie; but M^r. Winslow (their factor in this busines) was bound in a bond of 500^li. to send it to London in y^e smale ship; ther was some contending between y^e m^r, & him aboute it.

But he tould y^e m^r. he would follow his order aboute it; if he would take it out afterward, it should be at his perill. So it went in y^e smale ship, and he sent bills of lading in both. The m^r. was so carfull being both so well laden, as they went joyfully home togeather, for he towed y^e leser ship at his sterne all y^e way over bound, and they had such fayr weather as he never cast her of till they were shott deep in to y^e English Chanell, almost within y^e sight of Plimoth; and yet ther she was unhaply taken by a Turks man of warr, and carried into Saly, wher y^e m^r. and men were made slaves, and many of y^e beaver skins were sould for 4^d. a peece. [138] Thus was all their hops dasht, and the joyfull news they ment to cary home turned to heavie tidings.

Some thought this a hand of G.o.d for their too great exaction of y^e poore plantation, but G.o.ds judgments are unseerchable, neither dare I be bould therwith: but however it shows us y^e uncertainty of all humane things, and what litle cause ther is of joying in them or trusting to them.

In y^e bigger of these ships was sent over Captine Standish from y^e plantation, w^th leters & instructions, both to their freinds of y^e company which still clave to them, and also to y^e Honourable Counsell of New-England. To y^e company to desire y^t seeing that they ment only to let them have goods upon sale, that they might have them upon easier termes, for they should never be able to bear such high intrest, or to allow so much per cent; also that what they would doe in y^t way that it might be disburst in money, or such goods as were fitte and needfull for them, & bought at best hand; and to aquainte them with y^e contents of his leters to y^e Counsell above said, which was to this purpose, to desire their favour & help; that such of y^e adventurers as had thus forsaken & deserted them, might be brought to some order, and not to keepe them bound, and them selves be free. But that they might either stand to ther former covenants, or ells come to some faire end, by dividente, or composition. But he came in a very bad time, for y^e Stat was full of trouble, and y^e plague very hote in London, so as no bussines could be done; yet he spake with some of y^e Honourd Counsell, who promised all helpfullnes to y^e plantation which lay in them. And sundrie of their freinds y^e adventurers were so weakened with their losses y^e last year, by y^e losse of y^e ship taken by the Turks, and y^e loss of their fish, w^ch by reason of y^e warrs they were forcte to land at Portsmouth, and so came to litle; so as, though their wills were good, yet they^r power was litle. And ther dyed such mult.i.tuds weekly of y^e plague, as all trade was dead, and litle money stirring. Yet with much adooe he tooke up 150^li. (& spent a good deal of it in expences) at 50. per cent, which he bestowed in trading goods & such other most needfull comodities as he knew requiset for their use; and so returned pa.s.senger in a fhishing ship, haveing prepared a good way for y^e compossition that was afterward made.

In y^e mean time it pleased y^e Lord to give y^e plantation peace and health and contented minds, and so to blese ther labours, as they had corne sufficient, (and some to spare to others,) with other foode; neither ever had they any supply of foode but what they first brought with them. After harvest this year, they sende out a boats load of corne 40. or 50. leagues to y^e eastward, up a river called Kenibeck; it being one of those 2. shalops which their carpenter had built them y^e year before; for bigger vessell had they none. They had laid a litle deck over her midships to keepe y^e corne drie, but y^e men were faine to stand it out all weathers without shelter; and y^t time [139] of y^e year begins to growe tempestious. But G.o.d preserved them, and gave them good success, for they brought home 700^li. of beaver, besids some other furrs, having litle or nothing els but this corne, which them selves had raised out of y^e earth. This viage was made by M^r. Winslow & some of y^e old standards,[CA] for seamen they had none.

_Anno Dom: 1626._

About y^e begining of Aprill they heard of Captain Standish his arrivall, and sent a boat to fetch him home, and y^e things he had brought. Welcome he was, but y^e news he broughte was sadd in many regards; not only in regarde of the former losses, before related, which their freinds had suffered, by which some in a maner were undon, others much disabled from doing any further help, and some dead of y^e plague, but also y^t M^r. Robinson, their pastor, was dead, which struck them with much sorrow & sadnes, as they had cause. His and their adversaries had been long & continually plotting how they might hinder his coming hither, but y^e Lord had appointed him a better place; concerning whose death & the maner therof, it will appere by these few lines write to Gov^r & M^r. Brewster.

Loving & kind frinds, &c. I know not whether this will ever come to your hands, or miscarie, as other my letters have done; yet in regard of y^e Lords dealing with us hear, I have had a great desire to write unto you, knowing your desire to bear a parte with us, both in our joyes, & sorrows, as we doe w^th you. These are therfore to give you to understand, that it hath pleased the Lord to take out of this vaell of tears, your and our loving & faithfull pastor, and my dear & Reve^d brother, M^r. John Robinson, who was sick some 8. days. He begane to be sick on Sat.u.r.day in y^e morning, yet y^e next day (being the Lords day) he taught us twise. And so y^e weeke after grew weaker, every day more then other; yet he felt no paine but weaknes all y^e time of his sicknes. The phisick he tooke wrought kindly in mans judgmente, but he grew weaker every day, feeling litle or no paine, and sensible to y^e very last. He fell sicke y^e 22. of Feb: and departed this life y^e 1.

of March. He had a continuall inwarde ague, but free from infection, so y^t all his freinds came freely to him. And if either prayers, tears, or means, would have saved his life, he had not gone hence. But he having faithfully finished his course, and performed his worke which y^e Lord had appointed him here to doe, he now resteth with y^e Lord in eternall hapines. We wanting him & all Church Gov^rs, yet we still (by y^e mercie of G.o.d) continue & hould close togeather, in peace and quietnes; and so hope we shall doe, though we be very weake.

Wishing (if such were y^e will of G.o.d) that you & we were againe united togeather in one, either ther or here; but seeing it is y^e will of y^e Lord thus to dispose of things, we must labour w^th patience to rest contented, till it please y^e Lord otherwise to dispose. For [140] news, is here not much; only as in England we have lost our old king James, who departed this life aboute a month agoe, so here they have lost y^e old prince, Grave Mourise; who both departed this life since my brother Robinson. And as in England we have a new-king Charls, of whom ther is great hope, so hear they have made prince Hendrick Generall in his brothers place, &c. Thus with my love remembred, I take leave & rest,

Your a.s.sured loving friend, ROGER WHITE.