Bradford's History of 'Plimoth Plantation' Part 23

in effecte, and made an inventory therof, (yett leaving out sundry things,) but made no paymente for them; but tould them in convenient time he would doe it if they came for it. For y^e house & fortification, &c. he would not alow, nor accounte any thing, saing that they which build on another mans ground doe forfite y^e same. So thus turning them out of all, (with a great deale of complemente, and many fine words,) he let them have their shalop and some victualls to bring them home. Coming home and relating all the pa.s.sages, they here were much troubled at it, & haveing had this house robbed by y^e French once before, and lost then above 500^li. (as is before remembred), and now to loose house & all, did much move them. So as they resolved to consulte with their freinds in y^e Bay, and if y^ey approved of it, (ther being now many ships ther,) they intended to hire a ship of force, and seeke to beat out y^e Frenche, and recover it againe. Ther course was well approved on, if them selves could bear y^e charge; so they hired a fair ship of above 300. tune, well fitted with ordnance, and agreed with y^e m^r. (one Girling) to this effect: that he and his company should deliver them y^e house, (after they had driven out, or surprised y^e French,) and give them peacable possession therof, and of all such trading comodities as should ther be found; and give y^e French fair quarter & usage, if they would yeeld. In consideration wherof he was to have 700^li. of beaver, to be delivered him ther, when he had done y^e thing; but if he did not accomplish it, he was to loose his labour, and have nothing. With him they also sent their owne bark, and about 20. men, with Captaine Standish, to aide him (if neede weer), and to order things, if the house was regained; and then to pay him y^e beaver, which they keept abord their owne barke. So they with their bark piloted him thither, and brought him safe into y^e harbor. But he was so rash & heady as he would take no advice, nor would suffer Captaine Standish to have time to summone them, (who had co[=m]ission & order so to doe,) neither would doe it him selfe; the which, it was like, if it had been done, & they come to affaire parley, seeing their force, they would have yeelded.

Neither would he have patience to bring his ship wher she might doe execution, but begane to shoot at distance like a madd man, and did them no hurte at all; the which when those of y^e plantation saw, they were much greeved, and went to him & tould him he would doe no good if he did not lay his ship beter to pa.s.s (for she might lye within pistoll shott of y^e house). At last, when he saw his owne folly, he was perswaded, and layed her well, and bestowed a few shott to good purposs. But now, when he was in a way to doe some good, his powder was goone; for though he had ...[DO] peece of ordnance, it did now [209] appeare he had but a barrell of powder, and a peece; so he could doe no good, but was faine to draw of againe; by which means y^e enterprise was made frustrate, and y^e French incouraged; for all y^e while that he shot so unadvisedly, they lay close under a worke of earth, & let him consume him selfe. He advised with y^e Captaine how he might be supplyed with powder, for he had not to carie him home; so he tould him he would goe to y^e next plantation, and doe his indeour to procure him some, and so did; but understanding, by intelligence, that he intended to ceiase on y^e barke, & surprise y^e beaver, he sent him the powder, and brought y^e barke & beaver home. But Girling never a.s.sualted y^e place more, (seeing him selfe disapoyented,) but went his way; and this was y^e end of this bussines.

Upon y^e ill success of this bussines, the Gov^r and a.s.sistants here by their leters certified their freinds in y^e Bay, how by this ship they had been abused and disapoynted, and y^t the French partly had, and were now likly to fortifie them selves more strongly, and likly to become ill neigbours to y^e English. Upon this they thus writ to them as folloeth:--

Worthy S^rs: Upon y^e reading of your leters, & consideration of y^e waightines of y^e cause therin mentioned, the courte hath joyntly expressed their willingnes to a.s.sist you with men & munition, for y^e accomplishing of your desires upon y^e French. But because here are none of yours y^t have authority to conclude of any thing herein, nothing can be done by us for y^e presente. We desire, therfore, that you would with all conveniente speed send some man of trust, furnished with instructions from your selves, to make such agreemente with us about this bussines as may be usefull for you, and equall for us. So in hast we co[=m]ite you to G.o.d, and remaine

Your a.s.sured loving freinds,

JOHN HAYNES, Gov^r.

RI: BELLINGHAM, Dep.

JO: WINTHROP.

THO: DUDLEY.

JO: HUMFRAY.

W^M: CODDINGTON.

W^M: PINCHON.

ATHERTON HOUGHE.

INCREAS NOWELL.

RIC: DUMER.

SIMON BRADSTRETE.

New-towne, Octo^r 9. 1635.

Upon the receite of y^e above mentioned, they presently deputed 2. of theirs to treate with them, giving them full power to conclude, according to the instructions they gave them, being to this purposs: that if they would afford such a.s.sistance as, togeather with their owne, was like to effecte the thing, and allso bear a considerable parte of y^e charge, they would goe on; if not, [210] they (having lost so much allready) should not be able, but must desiste, and waite further opportunitie as G.o.d should give, to help them selves. But this came to nothing, for when it came to y^e issue, they would be at no charge, but sente them this letter, and referd them more at large to their owne messengers.

S^r: Having, upon y^e consideration of your letter, with y^e message you sente, had some serious consultations aboute y^e great importance of your bussines with y^e French, we gave our answer to those whom you deputed to conferr w^th us aboute y^e viage to Pen.o.bscote. We shewed our willingnes to help, but withall we declared our presente condition, & in what state we were, for our abilitie to help; which we for our parts shall be willing to improve, to procure you sufficiente supply of men & munition. But for matter of moneys we have no authority at all to promise, and if we should, we should rather disapoynte you, then incourage you by y^t help, which we are not able to performe. We likewise thought it fitt to take y^e help of other Esterne plantations; but those things we leave to your owne wisdomes.

And for other things we refer you to your owne co[=m]itties, who are able to relate all y^e pa.s.sages more at large. We salute you, & wish you all good success in y^e Lord.

Your faithfull & loving friend, RI: BELLINGHAM, Dep: In y^e name of the rest of the Comities.

Boston, Octob^r 16. 1635.

This thing did not only thus breake of, but some of their merchants shortly after sent to trad with them, and furnished them both with provissions, & poweder & shott; and so have continued to doe till this day, as they have seen opportunitie for their profite. So as in truth y^e English them selves have been the cheefest supporters of these French; for besids these, the plantation at Pemaquid (which lyes near unto them) doth not only supply them with what y^ey wante, but gives them continuall intelligence of all things that pa.s.ses among y^e English, (espetially some of them,) so as it is no marvell though they still grow, & incroach more & more upon y^e English, and fill y^e Indeans with gunes & munishtion, to y^e great deanger of y^e English, who lye open & unfortified, living upon husbandrie; and y^e other closed up in their forts, well fortified, and live upon trade, in good securitie. If these things be not looked too, and remeady provided in time, it may easily be conjectured what they may come toe; but I leave them.

This year, y^e 14. or 15. of August (being Sat.u.r.day) was such a mighty storme of wind & raine, as none living in these parts, either English or Indeans, ever saw. Being like (for y^e time it continued) to those Hauricanes and Tuffons that writers make mention of in y^e Indeas. It began in y^e morning, a litle before day, and grue not by degrees, but came with violence in y^e begining, to y^e great amasmente of many. It blew downe sundry [211] houses, & uncovered others; diverce vessells were lost at sea, and many more in extreme danger. It caused y^e sea to swell (to y^e southward of this place) above 20. foote, right up & downe, and made many of the Indeans to clime into trees for their saftie; it tooke of y^e borded roofe of a house which belonged to the plantation at Manamet, and floted it to another place, the posts still standing in y^e ground; and if it had continued long without y^e shifting of y^e wind, it is like it would have drouned some parte of y^e c.u.n.trie. It blew downe many hundered thowsands of trees, turning up the stronger by the roots, and breaking the hiegher pine trees of in the midle, and y^e tall yonge oaks & walnut trees of good biggnes were wound like a withe, very strang & fearfull to behould. It begane in y^e southeast, and parted toward y^e south & east, and vered sundry ways; but y^e greatest force of it here was from y^e former quarters. It continued not (in y^e extremitie) above 5. or 6. houers, but y^e violence begane to abate. The signes and marks of it will remaine this 100. years in these parts wher it was sorest. The moone suffered a great eclips the 2. night after it.

Some of their neighbours in y^e Bay, hereing of y^e fame of Conightecute River, had a hankering mind after it, (as was before noted,) and now understanding that y^e Indeans were swepte away with y^e late great mortalitie, the fear of whom was an obstacle unto them before, which being now taken away, they begane now to prosecute it with great egernes. The greatest differances fell betweene those of Dorchester plantation and them hear; for they set their minde on that place, which they had not only purchased of y^e Indeans, but wher they had builte; intending only (if they could not remove them) that they should have but a smale moyety left to y^e house, as to a single family; whose doings and proceedings were conceived to be very injurious, to attempte not only to intrude them selves into y^e rights & possessions of others, but in effect to thrust them out of all. Many were y^e leters & pa.s.sages that went betweene them hear aboute, which would be to long here to relate.

I shall here first inserte a few lines that was write by their own agente from thence.

S^r: &c. Y^e Ma.s.schuset men are coming almost dayly, some by water, & some by land, who are not yet determined wher to setle, though some have a great mind to y^e place we are upon, and which was last bought.

Many of them look at that which this river will not afford, excepte it be at this place which we have, namly, to be a great towne, and have comodious dwellings for many togeather. So as what they will doe I cannot yet resolve you; for this place ther is none of them say any thing to me, but what I hear from their servants (by whom I perceive their minds). I shall doe what I can to withstand them. I hope they will hear reason; as that we were here first, and entred with much difficulty and danger, [212] both in regard of y^e Dutch & Indeans, and bought y^e land, (to your great charge, allready disbursed,) and have since held here a chargable possession, and kept y^e Dutch from further incroaching, which would els long before this day have possessed all, and kept out all others, &c. I hope these & such like arguments will stoppe them. It was your will we should use their persons & messengers kindly, & so we have done, and doe dayly, to your great charge; for y^e first company had well nie starved had it not been for this house, for want of victuals; I being forced to supply 12. men for 9. days togeather; and those which came last, I entertained the best we could, helping both them (& y^e other) with canows, & guids. They gott me to goe with them to y^e Dutch, to see if I could procure some of them to have quiet setling nere them; but they did peremtorily withstand them. But this later company did not once speak therof, &c. Also I gave their goods house roome according to their ernest request, and M^r. Pinchons letter in their behalfe (which I thought good to send you, here inclosed). And what trouble & charge I shall be further at I know not; for they are co[=m]ing dayly, and I expecte these back againe from below, whither they are gone to veiw y^e countrie. All which trouble & charg we under goe for their occasion, may give us just cause (in y^e judgmente of all wise & understanding men) to hold and keep that we are setled upon. Thus with my duty remembred, &c. I rest

Yours to be comanded JOHNNATH[=A] BREWSTER.

Matianuck, July 6. 1635.

Amongst y^e many agitations that pased betweene them, I shal note a few out of their last letters, & for y^e present omitte y^e rest, except upon other occasion I may have fitter opportunity. After their thorrow veiw of y^e place, they began to pitch them selves upon their land & near their house; which occasioned much expostulation betweene them.

Some of which are such as follow.

Brethren, having latly sent 2. of our body unto you, to agitate & bring to an issue some maters in difference betweene us, about some lands at Conightecutt, unto which you lay challeng; upon which G.o.d by his providence cast us, and as we conceive in a faire way of providence tendered it to us, as a meete place to receive our body, now upon removall.

We shall not need to answer all y^e pa.s.sages of your larg letter, &c.

But wheras you say G.o.d in his providence cast you, &c., we tould you before, and (upon this occasion) must now tell you still, that our mind is other wise, and y^t you cast rather a partiall, if not a covetous eye, upon that w^ch is your neigbours, and not yours; and in so doing, your way could not be faire unto it. Looke y^t you abuse not G.o.ds providence in such allegations.

Theirs.

Now allbeite we at first judged y^e place so free y^t we might with G.o.ds good leave take & use it, without just offence to any man, it being the Lords [213] wast, and for y^e presente altogeather voyd of inhabitants, that indeede minded y^e imploymente therof, to y^e right ends for which land was created, Gen: 1. 28. and for future intentions of any, & uncertaine possibilities of this or that to be done by any, we judging them (in such a case as ours espetialy) not meete to be equalled with presente actions (such as ours was) much less worthy to be prefered before them; and therfore did we make some weake beginings in that good worke, in y^e place afforesaid.

Ans: Their answer was to this effecte. That if it was y^e Lords wast, it was them selves that found it so, & not they; and have since bought it of y^e right oweners, and maintained a chargable possession upon it al this while, as them selves could not but know. And because of present ingagments and other hinderances which lay at presente upon them, must it therfore be lawfull for them to goe and take it from them? It was well known that they are upon a barren place, wher they were by necessitie cast; and neither they nor theirs could longe continue upon y^e same; and why should they (because they were more ready, & more able at presente) goe and deprive them of that which they had w^th charg & hazard provided, & intended to remove to, as soone as they could & were able?

They had another pa.s.sage in their letter; they had rather have to doe with the lords in England, to whom (as they heard it reported) some of them should say that they had rather give up their right to them, (if they must part with it,) then to y^e church of Dorchester, &c. And that they should be less fearfull to offend y^e lords, then they were them.

Answer: Their answer was, that what soever they had heard, (more then was true,) yet y^e case was not so with them that they had need to give away their rights & adventurs, either to y^e lords, or them; yet, if they might measure their fear of offence by their practise, they had rather (in that poynte) they should deal with y^e lords, who were beter able to bear it, or help them selves, then they were.

But least I should be teadious, I will forbear other things, and come to the conclusion that was made in y^e endd. To make any forcible resistance was farr from their thoughts, (they had enough of y^t about Kenebeck,) and to live in continuall contention with their freinds & brethren would be uncomfortable, and too heavie a burden to bear.

Therfore for peace sake (though they conceived they suffered much in this thing) they thought it better to let them have it upon as good termes as they could gett; and so they fell to treaty. The first thing y^t (because they had made so many & long disputs aboute it) they would have them to grante was, y^t they had right too it, or ells they would never treat aboute it. The[DP] which being acknowledged, & yeelded unto by them, this was y^e conclusion they came unto in y^e end after much adoe: that they should retaine their house, and have the 16. parte of all they had bought of y^e Indeans; and y^e other should have all y^e rest of y^e land; leaveing such a moyety to those [214] of New-towne, as they reserved for them. This 16. part was to be taken in too places; one towards y^e house, the other towards New-townes proporrtion. Also they were to pay according to proportion, what had been disbursed to y^e Indeans for y^e purcha.s.s. Thus was y^e controversie ended, but the unkindnes not so soone forgotten. They of New-towne delt more fairly, desireing only what they could conveniently spare, from a competancie reserved for a plantation, for them selves; which made them the more carfull to procure a moyety for them, in this agreement & distribution.

Amongst y^e other bussinesses that M^r. Winslow had to doe in England, he had order from y^e church to provid & bring over some able & fitt man for to be their minister. And accordingly he had procured a G.o.dly and a worthy[DQ] man, one M^r. Glover; but it pleased G.o.d when he was prepared for the viage, he fell sick of a feaver and dyed. Afterwards, when he was ready to come away, he became acquainted with M^r. Norton, who was willing to come over, but would not ingage him selfe to this place, otherwise then he should see occasion when he came hear; and if he liked better else wher, to repay y^e charge laid out for him, (which came to aboute 70^li.) and to be at his liberty. He stayed aboute a year with them, after he came over, and was well liked of them, & much desired by them; but he was invited to Ipswich, wher were many rich & able men, and sundry of his aquaintance; so he wente to them, & is their minister.

Aboute half of y^e charg was repayed, y^e rest he had for y^e pains he tooke amongst them.

_Anno Dom: 1636._

M^R. ED: WINSLOW was chosen Gov^r this year.

In y^e former year, because they perceived by M^r. Winslows later letters that no accounts would be sente, they resolved to keep y^e beaver, and send no more, till they had them, or came to some further agreemente. At least they would forbear till M^r. Winslow came over, that by more full conferance with him they might better understand what was meete to be done. But when he came, though he brought no accounts, yet he perswaded them to send y^e beaver, & was confident upon y^e receite of y^t beaver, & his letters, they should have accounts y^e nexte year; and though they thought his grounds but weake, that gave him this hope, & made him so confidente, yet by his importunitie they yeelded, & sente y^e same, ther being a ship at y^e latter end of year, by whom they sente 1150^li. waight of beaver, and 200. otter skins, besids sundrie small furrs, as 55. minks, 2. black foxe skins, &c. And this year, in the spring, came in a Dutch man, who thought to have traded at y^e Dutch-forte; [215] but they would not suffer him. He, having good store of trading goods, came to this place, & tendred them to sell; of whom they bought a good quant.i.tie, they being very good & fitte for their turne, as Dutch roll, ketles, &c., which goods amounted to y^e valew of 500^li., for y^e paymente of which they pa.s.sed bills to M^r. Sherley in England, having before sente y^e forementioned parcell of beaver. And now this year (by another ship) sente an other good round parcell that might come to his hands, & be sould before any of these bills should be due. The quant.i.ty of beaver now sent was 1809^li.

waight, and of otters 10. skins, and shortly after (y^e same year) was sent by another ship (Mr. Langrume maister), in beaver 0719^li. waight, and of otter skins 199. concerning which M^r. Sherley thus writs.

Your leters I have received, with 8. hoggsheads of beaver by Ed: Wilkinson, master of y^e Falcon. Blessed be G.o.d for y^e safe coming of it. I have also seen & acceped 3. bills of exchainge, &c. But I must now acquainte you how the Lords heavie hand is upon this kingdom in many places, but cheefly in this cittie, with his judgmente of y^e plague. The last weeks bill was 1200. & odd, I fear this will be more; and it is much feared it will be a winter sicknes. By reason wherof it is incredible y^e number of people y^t are gone into y^e c.u.n.try & left y^e citie. I am perswaded many more then went out y^e last sicknes; so as here is no trading, carriers from most places put downe; nor no receiving of any money, though long due. M^r. Hall ows us more then would pay these bills, but he, his wife, and all, are in y^e c.u.n.trie, 60. miles from London. I write to him, he came up, but could not pay us. I am perswaded if I should offer to sell y^e beaver at 8s. p^r pound, it would not yeeld money; but when y^e Lord shall please to cease his hand, I hope we shall have better & quicker markets; so it shall lye by. Before I accepted y^e bills, I acquainted M^r. Beachamp & M^r. Andrews with them, & how ther could be no money made nor received; and that it would be a great discredite to you, which never yet had any turned back, and a shame to us, haveing 1800^li. of beaver lying by us, and more oweing then y^e bills come too, &c. But all was nothing; neither of them both will put too their finger to help. I offered to supply my 3. parte, but they gave me their answer they neither would nor could, &c. How ever, your bils shall be satisfied to y^e parties good contente; but I would not have thought they would have left either you or me at this time, &c. You will and may expect I should write more, & answer your leters, but I am not a day in y^e weeke at home at towne, but carry my books & all to Clapham; for here is y^e miserablest time y^t I thinke hath been known in many ages. I have kno[=w] 3. great sickneses, but none like this. And that which should be a means to pacifie y^e Lord, & help us, that is taken away, preaching put downe in many places, not a sermone in Westminster on y^e saboth, nor in many townes aboute us; y^e Lord in mercie looke uppon us. In the begining of y^e year was a great [216] drought, & no raine for many weeks togeather, so as all was burnte up, haye, at 5^li. a load; and now all raine, so as much sommer come & later haye is spoyled. Thus y^e Lord sends judgmente after judgmente, and yet we cannot see, nor humble our selves; and therfore may justly fear heavier judgments, unless we speedyly repente, & returne unto him, which y^e Lord give us grace to doe, if it be his blessed will. Thus desiring you to remember us in your prayers, I ever rest

Your loving friend, JAMES SHERLEY.

Sep^t: 14. 1636.

This was all the answer they had from M^r. Sherley, by which M^r.

Winslow saw his hops failed him. So they now resoloved to send no more beaver in y^t way which they had done, till they came to some issue or other aboute these things. But now came over letters from M^r. Andrews & M^r. Beachamp full of complaints, that they marveled y^t nothing was sent over, by which any of their moneys should be payed in; for it did appear by y^e accounte sente in An^o 1631. that they were each of them out, aboute a leven hundered pounds a peece, and all this while had not received one penie towards y^e same. But now M^r. Sherley sought to draw more money from them, and was offended because they deneyed him; and blamed them hear very much that all was sent to M^r. Sherley, & nothing to them. They marvelled much at this, for they conceived that much of their moneis had been paid in, & y^t yearly each of them had received a proportionable quant.i.ty out of y^e larg returnes sent home. For they had sente home since y^t accounte was received in An^o 1631. (in which all & more then all their debts, w^th y^t years supply, was charged upon them) these sumes following.

Nov^br 8. An^o 1631. By M^r. Peirce 0400^li. waight of beaver, & otters 20.

July 13. An^o 1632. By M^r. Griffin 1348^li. beaver, & otters 147.

An^o 1633. By M^r. Graves 3366^li. bever, & otters 346.

An^o 1634. By M^r. Andrews 3738^li. beaver, & otters 234.

An^o 1635. By M^r. Babb 1150^li. beaver, & otters 200.

June 24. An^o 1636. By M^r. Wilkinson 1809^li. beaver, & otters 010.

Ibidem. By M^r. Langrume 0719^li. beaver, & otters 199.

-------- ----- 12150^li.[DR] 1156.

All these sumes were safly rceived & well sould, as appears by leters.

The coat beaver usualy at 20^s. p^r pound, and some at 24^s.; the skin at 15. & sometimes 16. I doe not remember any under 14. It may be y^e last year might be something lower, so also ther were some small furrs that are not recconed in this accounte, & some black beaver at higer rates, to make up y^e defects. [217] It was conceived that y^e former parcells of beaver came to litle less then 10000^li. sterling, and y^e otter skins would pay all y^e charge, & they w^th other furrs make up besids if any thing wanted of y^e former sume. When y^e former accounte was pa.s.sed, all their debts (those of White-Angelle & Frendship included) came but to 4770^li. And they could not estimate that all y^e supplies since sent them, & bills payed for them, could come to above 2000^li. so as they conceived their debts had been payed, with advantage or intrest. But it may be objected, how comes it that they could not as well exactly sett downe their receits, as their returnes, but thus estimate it. I answer, 2. things were y^e cause of it; the first & princ.i.p.all was, that y^e new accountante, which they in England would needs presse upon them, did wholy faile them, & could never give them any accounte; but trusting to his memorie, & lose papers, let things rune into such confusion, that neither he, nor any with him, could bring things to rights. But being often called upon to perfecte his accounts, he desired to have such a time, and such a time of leasure, and he would doe it. In y^e intrime he fell into a great sicknes, and in conclusion it fell out he could make no accounte at all. His books were after a litle good begining left altogeather unperfect; and his papers, some were lost, & others so confused, as he knew not what to make of them him selfe, when they came to be searched & examined. This was not unknowne to M^r. Sherley; and they came to smarte for it to purposs, (though it was not their faulte,) both thus in England, and also here; for they conceived they lost some hundreds of pounds for goods trusted out in y^e place, which were lost for want of clear accounts to call them in.

Another reason of this mischeefe was, that after M^r. Winslow was sente into England to demand accounts, and to excepte against y^e Whit-Angell, they never had any price sent with their goods, nor any certaine invoyce of them; but all things stood in confusion, and they were faine to guesse at y^e prises of them.