Bradford's History of 'Plimoth Plantation' Part 27

_M^r. Sherleys to M^r. Attwood._

M^r. Attwood, my approved loving friend: Your letter of y^e 18. of October last I have received, wherin I find you have taken a great deall of paines and care aboute y^t troublesome bussines betwixte our Plimoth partners & freinds, & us hear, and have deeply ingaged your selfe, for which complements & words are no reall satisfaction, &c.

For y^e agreemente you have made with M^r. Bradford, M^r. Winslow, & y^e rest of y^e partners ther, considering how honestly and justly I am perswaded they have brought in an accounte of y^e remaining stock, for my owne parte I am well satisfied, and so I thinke is M^r.

Andrewes, and I supose will be M^r. Beachampe, if most of it might acrew to him, to whom y^e least is due, &c. And now for peace sake, and to conclud as we began, lovingly and freindly, and to pa.s.s by all failings of all, the conclude is accepted of; I say this agreemente y^t you have made is condesended unto, and M^r. Andrews hath sent his release to M^r. Winthrop, with such directions as he conceives fitt; and I have made bould to trouble you with mine, and we have both sealed in y^e presence of M^r. Weld, and M^r. Peeters, and some others, and I have also sente you an other, for the partners ther, to seale to me; for you must not deliver mine to them, excepte they seale & deliver one to me; this is fitt and equall, &c.

Yours to co[=m]and in what I may or can, JAMES SHERLEY.

June 14. 1642.

_His to y^e partners as followeth._

Loving freinds,

M^r. Bradford, M^r. Winslow, M^r. Prence, Captaine Standish, M^r.

Brewster, M^r. Alden, & M^r. Howland, give me leave to joyne you all in one letter, concerning y^e finall end & conclude of y^t tedious & troublsome bussines, & I thinke I may truly say uncomfurtable & unprofitable to all, &c. It hath pleased G.o.d now to put us upon a way to sease all suits, and disquieting of our spirites, and to conclude with peace and love, as we began. I am contented to yeeld & make good what M^r. Attwood and you have agreed upon; and for y^t end have sente to my loving friend, M^r. Attwood, an absolute and generall release unto you all, and if ther wante any thing to make it more full, write it your selves, & it shall be done, provided y^t all you, either joyntly or severally, seale y^e like discharge to me. And for y^t end I have drawne one joyntly, and sent it to M^r. Attwood, with y^t I have sealed to you. Mr. Andrews hath sealed an aquitance also, & sent it to M^r. Winthrop, whith such directions as he conceived fitt, and, as I hear, hath given his debte, which he maks 544^li. unto y^e gentlemen of y^e Bay. Indeed, M^r. Welld, M^r. Peters, & M^r. Hibbens have taken a great deale of paines with M^r. Andrews, M^r. Beachamp, & my selfe, to bring us to agree, and to y^t end we have had many meetings and spent much time aboute it. But as they are very religious & honest gentle-men, yet they had an end y^t they drove at & laboured to accomplish (I meane not any private end, but for y^e generall good of their patente). It had been very well you had sent one over. M^r.

Andrew wished you might have one 3. parte of y^e 1200^li. & the Bay 2.

thirds; but then we 3. must have agreed togeather, which were a hard mater now. But M^r. Weld, M^r. Peters, & M^r. Hibbens, & I, have agreed, they giving you bond (so to compose with M^r. Beachamp, as) to procure his generall release, & free you from all trouble & charge y^t he may put you too; which indeed is nothing, for I am perswaded M^r.

Weld will in time gaine him to give them all that is dew to [251] him, which in some sorte is granted allready; for though his demands be great, yet M^r. Andrewes hath taken some paines in it, and makes it appear to be less then I thinke he will consente to give them for so good an use; so you neede not fear, that for taking bond ther to save you harmles, you be safe and well. Now our accord is, y^t you must pay to y^e gentle-men of y^e Bay 900^li.; they are to bear all chargs y^t may any way arise concerning y^e free & absolute clearing of you from us three. And you to have y^e other 300^li. &c.

Upon y^e receiving of my release from you, I will send you your bonds for y^e purcha.s.s money. I would have sent them now, but I would have M^r. Beachamp release as well as I, because you are bound to him in them. Now I know if a man be bound to 12. men, if one release, it is as if all released, and my discharge doth cutt them of; wherfore doubte you not but you shall have them, & your commission, or any thing els that is fitt. Now you know ther is tow years of y^e purcha.s.s money, that I would not owne, for I have formerley certified you y^t would but pay 7. years; but now you are discharged of all, &c.

Your loving and kind friend in what I may or can, JAMES SHERLEY.

June 14. 1642.

The coppy of his release is as followeth.

Wheras diverce questions, differences, & demands have arisen & depended betweene William Bradford, Edward Winslow, Thomas Prence, Mylest Standish, William Brewster, John Allden, and John Howland, gent: now or latly inhabitants or resident at New-Plimoth, in New-England, on y^e one party, and James Sherley of London, marchante, and others, in th' other parte, for & concerning a stocke & partable trade of beaver & other comodities, and fraighting of ships, as y^e White Angell, Frindship, or others, and y^e goods of Isaack Allerton which were seazed upon by vertue of a leter of atturney made by y^e said James Sherley and John Beachamp and Richard Andrews, or any other maters concerning y^e said trade, either hear in Old-England or ther in New-England or elsewher, all which differences are since by mediation of freinds composed, compremissed, and all y^e said parties agreed. Now know all men by these presents, that I, the said James Sherley, in performance of y^e said compremise & agreemente, have remised, released, and quite claimed, & doe by these presents remise, release, and for me, myne heires, executors, & Administrators, and for every of us, for ever quite claime unto y^e said William Bradford, Edward Winslow, Thomas Prence, Myles Standish, William Brewster, John Allden, & John Howland, and every of them, their & every of their heires, executors, and administrators, all and all maner of actions, suits, debts, accounts, rekonings, comissions, bonds, bills, specialties, judgments, executions, claimes, challinges, differences, and demands whatsoever, with or against y^e said William Bradford, Edward Winslow, Thomas Prence, Myles Standish, William Brewster, John Allden, and John Howland, or any of them, ever I had, now have, or in time to come can, shall, or may have, for any mater, cause, or thing whatsoever from y^e begining of y^e world untill y^e day of y^e date of these presents. In witnes wherof I have hereunto put my hand & seale, given the second day of June, 1642, and in y^e eighteenth year of y^e raigne of our soveraigne lord, king Charles, &c.

JAMES SHERLEY.

Sealed and delivered in y^e presence of THOMAS WELD, HUGH PETERS, WILLIAM HIBBINS.

ARTHUR TIRREY, Scr.

THO: STURGS, his servante.

M^r. Andrews his discharg was to y^e same effecte; he was by agreem[=e]te to have 500^li. of y^e money, the which he gave to them in y^e Bay, who brought his discharge and demanded y^e money. And they tooke in his release and paid y^e money according to agreem[=e]te, viz.

one third of the 500^li. they paid downe in hand, and y^e rest in 4.

equall payments, to be paid yearly, for which they gave their bonds. And wheras 44^li. was more demanded, they conceived they could take it of with M^r. Andrews, and therfore it was not in the bonde. [252] But M^r.

Beachamp would not parte with any of his, but demanded 400^li. of y^e partners here, & sent a release to a friend, to deliver it to them upon y^e receite of y^e money. But his relese was not perfecte, for he had left out some of y^e partners names, with some other defects; and besids, the other gave them to understand he had not near so much due.

So no end was made with him till 4. years after; of which in it plase.

And in y^t regard, that them selves did not agree, I shall inserte some part of M^r. Andrews letter, by which he conceives y^e partners here were wronged, as followeth. This leter of his was write to M^r. Edmond Freeman, brother in law to M^r. Beachamp.

M^r. Freeman,

My love remembred unto you, &c. I then certified y^e partners how I found M^r. Beachamp & M^r. Sherley, in their perticuler demands, which was according to mens principles, of getting what they could; allthough y^e one will not shew any accounte, and y^e other a very unfaire and unjust one; and both of them discouraged me from sending y^e partners my accounte, M^r. Beachamp espetially. Their reason, I have cause to conceive, was, y^t allthough I doe not, nor ever intended to, wrong y^e partners or y^e bussines, yet, if I gave no accounte, I might be esteemed as guiltie as they, in some degree at least; and they might seeme to be y^e more free from taxation in not delivering their accounts, who have both of them charged y^e accounte with much intrest they have payed forth, and one of them would likwise for much intrest he hath not paid forth, as appeareth by his accounte, &c. And seeing y^e partners have now made it appear y^t ther is 1200^li. remaining due between us all, and that it may appear by my accounte I have not charged y^e bussines with any intrest, but doe forgive it unto y^e partners, above 200^li. if M^r. Sherley & M^r.

Beachamp, who have betweene them wronged y^e bussines so many 100^li.

both in princ.i.p.all & intrest likwise, and have therin wronged me as well and as much as any of y^e partners; yet if they will not make & deliver faire & true accounts of y^e same, nor be contente to take what by computation is more then can be justly due to either, that is, to M^r. Beachamp 150^li. as by M^r. Allertons accounte, and M^r.

Sherleys accounte, on oath in chancerie; and though ther might be nothing due to M^r. Sherley, yet he requirs 100^li. &c. I conceive, seing y^e partners have delivered on their oaths y^e su[=m]e remaining in their hands, that they may justly detaine y^e 650^li. which may remaine in their hands, after I am satisfied, untill M^r. Sherley & M^r. Beachamp will be more fair & just in their ending, &c. And as I intend, if y^e partners fayrly end with me, in satisfing in parte and ingaging them selves for y^e rest of my said 544^li. to returne back for y^e poore my parte of y^e land at Sityate, so likwise I intend to relinquish my right & intrest in their dear patente, on which much of our money was laid forth, and also my right & intrest in their cheap purcha.s.s, the which may have cost me first & last 350^li.[EO] But I doubte whether other men have not charged or taken on accounte what they have disbursed in y^e like case, which I have not charged, neither did I conceive any other durst so doe, untill I saw y^e accounte of the one and heard y^e words of y^e other; the which gives me just cause to suspecte both their accounts to be unfaire; for it seemeth they consulted one with another aboute some perticulers therin. Therfore I conceive y^e partners ought y^e rather to require just accounts from each of them before they parte with any money to either of them. For marchants understand how to give an acounte; if they mean fairley, they will not deney to give an accounte, for they keep memorialls to helpe them to give exacte acounts in all perticulers, and memoriall cannot forget his charge, if y^e man will remember. I desire not to wrong M^r. Beachamp or M^r. Sherley, nor may be silente in such apparente probabilities of their wronging y^e partners, and me likwise, either in deneying to deliver or shew any accounte, or in delivering one very unjuste in some perticulers, and very suspitious in many more; either of which, being from understanding marchants, cannot be from weaknes or simplisitie, and therfore y^e more unfaire. So comending you & yours, and all y^e Lord's people, unto y^e gratious protection and blessing of y^e Lord, and rest your loving friend,

RICHARD ANDREWES.

Aprill 7. 1643.

This leter was write y^e year after y^e agreement, as doth appear; and what his judgmente was herein, y^e contents doth manifest, and so I leave it to y^e equall judgmente of any to consider, as they see cause.

Only I shall adde what M^r. Sherley furder write in a leter of his, about y^e same time, and so leave this bussines. His is as followeth on y^e other side.[EP]

[253] Loving freinds, M^r. Bradford, M^r. Winslow, Cap: Standish, M^r.

Prence, and y^e rest of y^e partners w^th you; I shall write this generall leter to you all, hoping it will be a good conclude of a generall, but a costly & tedious bussines I thinke to all, I am sure to me, &c.

I received from M^r. Winslow a letter of y^e 28. of Sept: last, and so much as concernes y^e generall bussines I shall answer in this, not knowing whether I shall have opportunitie to write perticuler letters, &c. I expected more letters from you all, as some perticuler writs,[EQ] but it seemeth no fitt opportunity was offered. And now, though y^e bussines for y^e maine may stand, yet some perticulers is alltered; I say my former agreemente with M^r. Weld & M^r. Peters, before they[ER] could conclude or gett any grante of M^r. Andrews, they sought to have my release; and ther upon they sealed me a bond for a 110^li. So I sente my acquittance, for they said without mine ther would be no end made (& ther was good reason for it). Now they hoped, if y^ey ended with me, to gaine M^r. Andrews parte, as they did holy, to a pound, (at which I should wonder, but y^t I observe some pa.s.sages,) and they also hoped to have gotten M^r. Beachamps part, & I did thinke he would have given it them. But if he did well understand him selfe, & that acounte, he would give it; for his demands make a great sound.[ES] But it seemeth he would not parte with it, supposing it too great a sume, and y^t he might easily gaine it from you. Once he would have given them 40^li. but now they say he will not doe that, or rather I suppose they will not take it; for if they doe, & have M^r. Andrewses, then they must pay me their bond of 110^li. 3 months hence. Now it will fall out farr better for you, y^t they deal not with Mr. Beachamp, and also for me, if you be as kind to me as I have been & will be to you; and y^t thus, if you pay M^r. Andrews, or y^e Bay men, by his order, 544^li. which is his full demande; but if looked into, perhaps might be less. The man is honest, & in my conscience would not wittingly doe wronge, yett he may forgett as well as other men; and M^r. Winslow may call to minde wherin he forgetts; (but some times it is good to buy peace.) The gentlemen of y^e Bay may abate 100^li. and so both sids have more right & justice then if they exacte all, &c. Now if you send me a 150^li. then say M^r. Andrews full sume, & this, it is nere 700^li. M^r. Beachamp he demands 400^li.

and we all know that, if a man demands money, he must shew wherfore, and make proofe of his debte; which I know he can never make good proafe of one hunderd pound dew unto him as princ.i.p.all money; so till he can, you have good reason to keep y^e 500^li. &c. This I proteste I write not in malice against M^r. Beachamp, for it is a reall truth.

You may partly see it by M^r. Andrews making up his accounte, and I think you are all perswaded I can say more then M^r. Andrews concerning that accounte. I wish I could make up my owne as plaine & easily, but because of former discontents, I will be sparing till I be called; & you may injoye y^e 500^li. quietly till he begine; for let him take his course hear or ther, it shall be all one, I will doe him no wronge; and if he have not on peney more, he is less loser then either M^r. Andrews or I. This I conceive to be just & honest; y^e having or not having of his release matters not; let him make such proafe of his debte as you cannot disprove, and according to your first agreemente you will pay it, &c.

Your truly affectioned friend, JAMES SHERLEY.

London, Aprill 27. 1643.

_Anno Dom: 1643._

I am to begine this year whith that which was a mater of great saddnes and mo[=u]ring unto them all. Aboute y^e 18. of Aprill dyed their Reve^d Elder, and my dear & loving friend, M^r. William Brewster; a man that had done and suffered much for y^e Lord Jesus and y^e gospells sake, and had bore his parte in well and woe with this poore persecuted church above 36. years [254] in England, Holand, and in this wildernes, and done y^e Lord & them faithfull service in his place & calling. And notwithstanding y^e many troubls and sorrows he pa.s.sed throw, the Lord upheld him to a great age. He was nere fourskore years of age (if not all out) when he dyed. He had this blesing added by y^e Lord to all y^e rest, to dye in his bed, in peace, amongst y^e mids of his freinds, who mourned & wepte over him, and ministered what help & comforte they could unto him, and he againe recomforted them whilst he could. His sicknes was not long, and till y^e last day therof he did not wholy keepe his bed. His speech continued till somewhat more then halfe a day, & then failed him; and aboute 9. or 10. a clock that ev[=i]ng he dyed, without any pangs at all. A few howers before, he drew his breath shorte, and some few minuts before his last, he drew his breath long, as a man falen into a sound slepe, without any pangs or gaspings, and so sweetly departed this life unto a better.

I would now demand of any, what he was y^e worse for any former sufferings? What doe I say, worse? Nay, sure he was y^e better, and they now added to his honour. _It is a manifest token_ (saith y^e Apostle, 2.

Thes: 1. 5, 6, 7.) _of y^e righeous judgmente of G.o.d that you may be counted worthy of y^e kingdome of G.o.d, for which ye allso suffer; seing it is a righteous thing with G.o.d to recompence tribulation to them y^t trouble you: and to you who are troubled, rest with us, when y^e Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels._ 1. Pet. 4.

14. _If you be reproached for y^e name of Christ, hapy are ye, for y^e spirite of glory and of G.o.d resteth upon you._ What though he wanted y^e riches and pleasurs of y^e world in this life, and pompous monuments at his funurall? yet y^e memoriall of y^e just shall be blessed, when y^e name of y^e wicked shall rott (with their marble monuments). Pro: 10. 7.

I should say something of his life, if to say a litle were not worse then to be silent. But I cannot wholy forbear, though hapily more may be done hereafter. After he had attained some learning, viz. y^e knowledg of y^e Latine tongue, & some insight in y^e Greeke, and spent some small time at Cambridge, and then being first seasoned with y^e seeds of grace and vertue, he went to y^e Courte, and served that religious and G.o.dly gentlman, M^r. Davison, diverce years, when he was Secretary of State; who found him so discreete and faithfull as he trusted him above all other that were aboute him, and only imployed him in all matters of greatest trust and secrecie. He esteemed him rather as a sonne then a servante, and for his wisdom & G.o.dlines (in private) he would converse with him more like a freind & familier then a maister. He attended his m^r. when he was sente in amba.s.sage by the Queene into y^e Low-Countries, in y^e Earle of Leicesters time, as for other waighty affaires of state, so to receive possession of the cautionary townes, and in token & signe therof the keyes of Flushing being delivered to him, in her ma^tis name, he kepte them some time, and co[=m]itted them to this his servante, who kept them under his pilow, on which he slepte y^e first night. And, at his returne, y^e States honoured him with a gould chaine, and his maister co[=m]itted it to him, and co[=m]anded him to wear it when they arrived in England, as they ridd thorrow the country, till they came to y^e Courte. He afterwards remained with him till his troubles, that he was put from his place aboute y^e death of y^e Queene of Scots; and some good time after, doeing him manie faithfull offices of servise in y^e time of his troubles. Afterwards he wente and lived in y^e country, in good esteeme amongst his freinds and y^e gentle-men of those parts, espetially the G.o.dly & religious. He did much good in y^e countrie wher he lived, in promoting and furthering religion, not only by his practiss & example, and provocking and incouraging of others, but by procuring of good preachers to y^e places theraboute, and, drawing on of others to a.s.siste & help forward in such a worke; he him selfe most comonly deepest in y^e charge, & some times above his abillitie. And in this state he continued many years, doeing y^e best good he could, and walking according to y^e light he saw, till y^e Lord reveiled further unto him. And in y^e end, by y^e tirrany of y^e bishops against G.o.dly preachers & people, in silenceing the one & persecuting y^e other, he and many more of those times begane to looke further into things, and to see into y^e unlawfullnes of their callings, and y^e burthen of many anti-christian corruptions, which both he and they endeavored to cast of; as y^ey allso did, as in y^e begining of this treatis is to be seene. [255] After they were joyned togither in comunion, he was a spetiall stay & help unto them. They ordinarily mett at his house on y^e Lords day, (which was a manor of y^e bishops,) and with great love he entertained them when they came, making provission for them to his great charge. He was y^e cheefe of those that were taken at Boston, and suffered y^e greatest loss; and of y^e seven that were kept longst in prison, and after bound over to y^e a.s.sises. Affter he came into Holland he suffered much hardship, after he had spente y^e most of his means, haveing a great charge, and many children; and, in regard of his former breeding & course of life, not so fitt for many imployments as others were, espetially such as were toylesume & laborious. But yet he ever bore his condition with much cherfullnes and contentation. Towards y^e later parte of those 12. years spente in Holland, his outward condition was mended, and he lived well & plentifully; for he fell into a way (by reason he had y^e Latine tongue) to teach many students, who had a disire to lerne y^e English tongue, to teach them English; and by his method they quickly attained it with great facilitie; for he drew rules to lerne it by, after y^e Latine maner; and many gentlemen, both Danes & Germans, resorted to him, as they had time from other studies, some of them being great mens so[=n]es. He also had means to set up printing, (by y^e help of some freinds,) and so had imploymente inoughg, and by reason of many books which would not be alowed to be printed in England, they might have had more then they could doe. But now removeing into this countrie, all these things were laid aside againe, and a new course of living must be framed unto; in which he was no way unwilling to take his parte, and to bear his burthen with y^e rest, living many times without bread, or corne, many months together, having many times nothing but fish, and often wanting that also; and drunke nothing but water for many years togeather, yea, till within 5. or 6. years of his death. And yet he lived (by y^e blessing of G.o.d) in health till very old age. And besids y^t, he would labour with his hands in y^e feilds as long as he was able; yet when the church had no other minister, he taught twise every Saboth, and y^t both powerfully and profitably, to y^e great contentment of y^e hearers, and their comfortable edification; yea, many were brought to G.o.d by his ministrie. He did more in this behalfe in a year, then many that have their hundreds a year doe in all their lives. For his personall abilities, he was qualified above many; he was wise and discreete and well spoken, having a grave & deliberate utterance, of a very cherfull spirite, very sociable & pleasante amongst his freinds, of an humble and modest mind, of a peaceable disposition, under vallewing him self & his owne abilities, and some time over valewing others; inoffencive and i[=n]ocente in his life & conversation, w^ch gained him y^e love of those without, as well as those within; yet he would tell them plainely of their faults & evills, both publickly & privatly, but in such a maner as usually was well taken from him. He was tender harted, and compa.s.sionate of such as were in miserie, but espetialy of such as had been of good estate and ranke, and were fallen unto want & poverty, either for goodnes & religions sake, or by y^e injury & oppression of others; he would say, of all men these deserved to be pitied most. And none did more offend & displease him then such as would hautily and proudly carry & lift up themselves, being rise from nothing, and haveing litle els in them to comend them but a few fine cloaths, or a litle riches more then others. In teaching, he was very moving & stirring of affections, also very plaine & distincte in what he taught; by which means he became y^e more profitable to y^e hearers. He had a singuler good gift in prayer, both publick & private, in ripping up y^e hart & conscience before G.o.d, in the humble confession of sinne, and begging y^e mercies of G.o.d in Christ for y^e pardon of y^e same. He always thought it were better for ministers to pray oftener, and devide their prears, then be longe & tedious in the same (excepte upon sollemne & spetiall occations, as in days of humiliation & y^e like). His reason was, that y^e harte & spirits of all, espetialy y^e weake, could hardly continue & stand bente (as it were) so long towards G.o.d, as they ought to doe in y^t duty, without flagging and falling of. For y^e govermente of y^e church, (which was most [256] proper to his office,) he was carfull to preserve good order in y^e same, and to preserve puritie, both in y^e doctrine & comunion of y^e same; and to supress any errour or contention that might begine to rise up amongst them; and accordingly G.o.d gave good success to his indeavors herein all his days, and he saw y^e fruite of his labours in that behalfe. But I must breake of, having only thus touched a few, as it were, heads of things.

I cannot but here take occasion, not only to mention, but greatly to admire y^e marvelous providence of G.o.d, that notwithstanding y^e many changes and hardships that these people wente throwgh, and y^e many enemies they had and difficulties they mette with all, that so many of them should live to very olde age! It was not only this reve^d mans condition, (for one swallow maks no summer, as they say,) but many more of them did y^e like, some dying aboute and before this time, and many still living, who attained to 60. years of age, and to 65. diverse to 70. and above, and some nere 80. as he did. It must needs be more then ordinarie, and above naturall reason, that so it should be; for it is found in experience, that chaing of aeir, famine, or unholsome foode, much drinking of water, sorrows & troubls, &c., all of them are enimies to health, causes of many diseaces, consumers of naturall vigoure and y^e bodys of men, and shortners of life. And yet of all these things they had a large parte, and suffered deeply in y^e same. They wente from England to Holand, wher they found both worse air and dyet then that they came from; from thence (induring a long imprisonmente, as it were, in y^e ships at sea) into New-England; and how it hath been with them hear hath allready beene showne; and what crosses, troubls, fears, wants, and sorrowes they had been lyable unto, is easie to conjecture; so as in some sorte they may say with y^e Apostle, 2. Cor: 11. 26, 27.

they were _in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perills of robers, in perills of their owne nation, in perils among y^e heathen, in perills in y^e willdernes, in perills in y^e sea, in perills among false breethern; in wearines & painfullnes, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in could and nakednes._ What was it then that upheld them? It was G.o.ds vissitation that preserved their spirits.

Job 10. 12. _Thou hast given me life and grace, and thy vissitation hath preserved my spirite._ He that upheld y^e Apostle upheld them. _They were persecuted, but not forsaken, cast downe, but perished not._ 2.

Cor: 4. 9. _As unknowen, and yet knowen; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yett not kiled._ 2. Cor: 6. 9. G.o.d, it seems, would have all men to behold and observe such mercies and works of his providence as these are towards his people, that they in like cases might be incouraged to depend upon G.o.d in their trials, & also blese his name when they see his goodnes towards others. Man lives not by bread only, Deut: 8. 3. It is not by good & dainty fare, by peace, & rest, and harts ease, in injoying y^e contentments and good things of this world only, that preserves health and prolongs life. G.o.d in such examples would have y^e world see & behold that he can doe it without them; and if y^e world will shut ther eyes, and take no notice therof, yet he would have his people to see and consider it. Daniell could be better liking with pulse then others were with y^e kings dainties. Jaacob, though he wente from one nation to another people, and pa.s.sed thorow famine, fears, & many afflictions, yet he lived till old age, and dyed sweetly, & rested in y^e Lord, as infinite others of G.o.ds servants have done, and still shall doe, (through G.o.ds goodnes,) notwithstanding all y^e malice of their enemies; _when y^e branch of y^e wicked shall be cut of before his day_, Job. 15. 32. _and the b.l.o.o.d.y and deceitfull men shall not live out halfe their days_. Psa: 55. 23.

By reason of y^e plottings of the Narigansets, (ever since y^e Pequents warr,) the Indeans were drawne into a generall conspiracie against y^e English in all parts, as was in part discovered y^e yeare before; and now made more plaine and evidente by many discoveries and free-conffessions of sundrie Indeans (upon severall occasions) from diverse places, concuring in one; with such other concuring circomstances as gave them suffissently to understand the trueth therof, and to thinke of means, how to prevente y^e same, and secure them selves. Which made them enter into this more nere union & confederation following.

[257] Articles of Confederation betweene y^e Plantations under y^e Govermente of Ma.s.sachusets, y^e Plantations under y^e Govermente of New-Plimoth, y^e Plantations under y^e Govermente of Conightecute, and y^e Govermente of New-Haven, with y^e Plantations in combination therwith.

Wheras we all came into these parts of America with one and y^e same end and aime, namly; to advance the kingdome of our Lord Jesus Christ, & to injoye y^e liberties of y^e Gospell in puritie with peace; and wheras in our setling (by a wise providence of G.o.d) we are further disperced upon y^e sea coasts and rivers then was at first intended, so y^t we cannot, according to our desires, with convenience comunicate in one govermente & jurisdiction; and wheras we live encompa.s.sed with people of severall nations and strang languages, which hereafter may prove injurious to us and our posteritie; and for as much as y^e natives have formerly committed sundrie insolencies and outrages upon severall plantations of y^e English, and have of late combined them selves against us; and seeing, by reason of those distractions in England (which they have heard of) and by which they know we are hindered from y^t humble way of seeking advice or reaping those comfurtable fruits of protection which at other times we might well expecte; we therfore doe conceive it our bounden duty, without delay, to enter into a presente consociation amongst our selves, for mutuall help & strength in all our future concernments. That as in nation and religion, so in other respects, we be & continue one, according to y^e tenor and true meaning of the insuing articles. (1) Wherfore it is fully agreed and concluded by & betweene y^e parties or jurisdictions above named, and they joyntly & severally doe by these presents agree & conclude, that they all be and henceforth be called by y^e name of The United Colonies of New-England.

2. The said United Collonies, for them selves & their posterities, doe joyntly & severally hereby enter into a firme & perpetuall league of frendship & amitie, for offence and defence, mutuall advice and succore upon all just occasions, both for preserving & propagating y^e truth of y^e Gospell, and for their owne mutuall saftie and wellfare.

3. It is further agreed that the plantations which at presente are or hereafter shall be setled with[in] y^e limites of y^e Ma.s.sachusets shall be for ever under y^e Ma.s.sachusets, and shall have peculier jurisdiction amonge them selves in all cases, as an intire body. And y^t Plimoth, Conightecutt, and New-Haven shall each of them have like peculier jurisdition and govermente within their limites and in refference to y^e plantations which allready are setled, or shall hereafter be erected, or shall setle within their limites, respectively; provided y^t no other jurisdition shall hereafter be taken in, as a distincte head or member of this confederation, nor shall any other plantation or jurisdiction in presente being, and not allready in combination or under y^e jurisdiction of any of these confederats, be received by any of them; nor shall any tow of y^e confederats joyne in one jurisdiction, without consente of y^e rest, which consete to be interpreted as is expresed in y^e sixte article ensewing.

4. It is by these conffederats agreed, y^t the charge of all just warrs, whether offencive or defencive, upon what parte or member of this confederation soever they fall, shall, both in men, provissions, and all other disbursments, be borne by all y^e parts of this confederation, in differente proportions, according to their differente abillities, in maner following: namely, y^t the comissioners for each jurisdiction, from time to time, as ther shall be occasion, bring a true accounte and number of all their males in every plantation, or any way belonging too or under their severall jurisdictions, of what qualitie or condition soever they be, from 16.

years old to 60, being inhabitants ther; and y^t according to y^e differente numbers which from time to time shall be found in each jurisdiction upon a true & just accounte, the service of men and all charges of y^e warr be borne by y^e pole; each jurisdiction or plantation being left to their owne just course & custome of rating them selves and people according to their differente estates, with due respects to their qualities and exemptions amongst them selves, though the confederats take no notice of any such priviledg. And y^t according to their differente charge of each jurisdiction & plantation, the whole advantage of y^e warr, (if it please G.o.d to blesse their indeaours,) whether it be in lands, goods, or persons, shall be proportionably devided amonge y^e said confederats.