OF PLYMOUTH PLANTATION
by William Bradford
1620-1647 Book Two / pp. 109 - 151
The 2. Booke.
THE rest of this History (if God give me life, &
opportunitie) I shall, for brevitis sake, handle by way
of annalls, noteing only the heads of principall things,
and passages as they fell in order of time, and may
seeme to be profitable to know, or to make use of.
And this may be as ye 2. Rooke.
The remainder of Ano: 1620.
I SHALL a litle returne backe and begine with a
combination made by them before they came ashore,
being ye first foundation of their govermente in this
place; occasioned partly by ye discontented & mutinous
speeches that some of the strangers amongst them had
let fall from them in ye ship --That when they came
a shore they would use their owne libertie; for none
had power to comand them, the patente they had
being for Virginia, and not for New-england, which
belonged to an other Goverment, with which ye Vir-
ginia Company had nothing to doe. And partly that
shuch an [54] acte by them done (this their condi-
tion considered) might be as firme as any patent, and
in some respects more sure.
The forme was as followeth.
110 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
In ye name of God, Amen. We whose names are under-
writen, the loyall subjects of our dread soveraigne Lord, King
James, by ye grace of God, of Great Britaine, Franc, & Ireland
king, defender of ye faith, &c., haveing undertaken, for ye glorie
of God, and advancemente of ye Christian faith, and honour of
our king & countrie, a voyage to plant ye first colonie in ye
Northerne parts of Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly &
mutualy in ye presence of God, and one of another, covenant
& combine our selves togeather into a civill body politick, for
our better ordering & preservation & furtherance of ye ends
aforesaid; and by vertue hearof to enacte, constitute, and
frame such just & equall lawes, ordinances, acts, constitu-
tions, & offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most
meete & convenient for ye generall good of ye Colonie, unto
which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witnes
wherof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cap-Codd
ye 11. of November, in ye year of ye raigne of our soveraigne
lord, King James, of England, France, & Ireland ye eighteenth,
and of Scotland ye fiftie fourth. Ano: Dom. 1620.
After this they chose, or rather confirmed, Mr. John
Carver (a man godly & well approved amongst them)
their Governour for that year. And after they had
provided a place for their goods, or common store,
(which were long in unlading for want of boats,
foulnes of winter weather, and sicknes of diverce,)
and begune some small cottages for their habitation,
as time would admitte, they mette and consulted of
lawes & orders, both for their civill & military Gov-
ermente, ye necessitie of their condition did re-
quire, still adding therunto as urgent occasion in
severall times, and as cases did require.
1620.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 111
In these hard & difficulte beginings they found some
discontents & murmurings arise amongst some, and
mutinous speeches & carriags in other; but they were
soone quelled & overcome by ye wisdome, patience,
and just & equall carrage of things by ye Govr and
better part, wch clave faithfully togeather in ye maine.
But that which was most sadd & lamentable was,
that in 2. or 3. moneths time halfe of their com-
pany dyed, espetialy in Jan: & February, being ye
depth of winter, and wanting houses & other com-
forts; being infected with ye scurvie & [55] other
diseases, which this long vioage & their inacomodate
condition had brought upon them; so as ther dyed
some times 2. or 3. of a day, in ye foresaid time;
that of 100. & odd persons, scarce 50. remained. And
of these in ye time of most distres, ther was but 6.
or 7. sound persons, who, to their great comendations
be it spoken, spared no pains, night nor day, but
with abundance of toyle and hazard of their owne
health, fetched them woode, made them fires, drest
them meat, made their beads, washed their lothsome
cloaths, cloathed & uncloathed them; in a word, did
all ye homly & necessarie offices for them wch dainty
& quesie stomacks cannot endure to hear named; and
all this willingly & cherfully, without any grudging
in ye least, shewing herein their true love unto their
freinds & bretheren. A rare example & worthy to
be remembred. Tow of these 7. were Mr. William
112 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
Brewster, ther reverend Elder, & Myles Standish, ther
Captein & military comander, unto whom my selfe,
& many others, were much beholden in our low &
sicke condition. And yet the Lord so upheld these
persons, as in this generall calamity they were not at
all infected either with sicknes, or lamnes. And what
I have said of these, I may say of many others who
dyed in this generall vissitation, & others yet living,
that whilst they had health, yea, or any strength con-
tinuing, they were not wanting to any that had need
of them. And I doute not but their recompence is
with ye Lord.
But I may not hear pass by an other remarkable
passage not to be forgotten. As this calamitie fell
among ye passengers that were to be left here to
plant, and were hasted a shore and made to drinke
water, that ye sea-men might have ye more bear, and
one* in his sicknes desiring but a small cann of
beere, it was answered, that if he were their owne
father he should have none; the disease begane to
fall amongst them also, so as allmost halfe of their
company dyed before they went away, and many of
their officers and lustyest men, as ye boatson, gunner,
3. quarter-maisters, the cooke, & others. At wch ye
mr. was something strucken and sent to ye sick a
shore and tould ye Govr he should send for beer for
them that had need of it, though he drunke water
*Which was this author him selfe.
1620.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 113
homward bound. But now amongst his company [56]
ther was farr another kind of carriage in this miserie
then amongst ye passengers; for they that before had
been bootie companions in drinking, & joyllity in ye
time of their health & wellfare, beoane now to deserte
one another in this calamities saing, they would not
hasard ther lives for them, they should be infected
by coming to help them in their cabins, and so, after
they came to dye by it, would doe litle or nothing
for them, but if they dyed let them dye. But shuch
of ye passengers as were et abord shewed them what
mercy they could, wch made some of their harts re-
lente, as ye boatson (& some others), who was a
prowd yonge man, and would often curse & scofe at
ye passengers; but when he grew weak, they had
compassion on him and helped him; then he con-
fessed he did not deserve it at their hands, he had
abused them in word & deed. O! saith he, you, I
now see, shew your love like Christians indeed one
to another, but we let one another lye & dye like
doggs. Another lay cursing, his wife, saing, if it had
not ben for her he had never come this unlucky viage,
and anone cursing his felows, saing he had done this
& that, for some of them, he had spente so much,
& so much, amongst them, and they were now weary
of him, and did not help him, having need. Another
gave his companion all he had, if he died, to help
him in his weaknes; he went and got a litle spise
114 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
& made him a mess of meat once or twise, and be-
cause he dyed not so soone as he expected, he went
amongst his fellows, & swore ye rogue would cousen
him, he would see him choaked before he made him
any more meate; and yet ye pore fellow dyed before
morning.
All this while ye Indians came skulking about them,
and would sometimes show them selves aloofe of, but
when any aproached near them, they would rune away.
And once they stoale away their tools wher they had
been at worke, & were gone to diner. But about ye
16. of March a certaine Indian came bouldly amongst
them, and spoke to them in broken English, which
they could well understand, but marvelled at it. At
length they understood by discourse with him, that he
was not of these parts, but belonged to ye eastrene
parts, wher some English-ships came to fhish, with
whom he was aquainted, & could name sundrie of
them by their names, amongst whom he had gott his
language. He became proftable to them [57] in
aquainting them with many things concerning ye state
of ye cuntry in ye east-parts wher he lived, which was
afterwards profitable unto them; as also of ye people
hear, of their names, number, & strength; of their
situation & distance from this place, and who was
cheefe amongst them. His name was Samaset; he
tould them also of another Indian whos name was
Squanto, a native of this place, who had been in Eng-
1620.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 115
land & could speake better English then him selfe.
Being, after some time of entertainments & gifts, dis-
mist, a while after he came againe, & 5. more with
him, & they brought againe all ye tooles that were
stolen away before, and made way for ye coming of
their great Sachem, called Massasoyt; who, about 4.
or 5. days after, came with the cheefe of his freinds
& other attendance, with the aforesaid Squanto. With
whom, after frendly entertainment, & some gifts given
him, they made a peace with him (which hath now
continued this 24. years) in these terms.
1. That neither he nor any of his, should injurie
or doe hurte to any of their peopl.
2. That if any of his did any hurte to any of
theirs, he should send ye offender, that they might
punish him.
3. That if any thing, were taken away from any of
theirs, he should cause it to be restored; and they
should doe ye like to his.
4. If any did unjustly warr against him, they would
aide him; if any did warr against them, he should
aide them.
5. He should send to his neighbours confederats,
to certifie them of this, that they might not wrong
them, but might be likewise comprised in ye condi-
tions of peace.
6. That when ther men came to them, they should
leave their bows & arrows behind them.
116 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
After these things he returned to his place caled
Sowams, some 40. mile from this place, but Squanto
contiued with them, and was their interpreter, and
was a spetiall instrument sent of God for their good
beyond their expectation. He directed them how to
set their corne, wher to take fish, and to procure other
comodities, and was also their pilott to bring them to
unknowne places for their profitt, and never left them
till he dyed. He was a native [58] of the place, &
scarce any left alive besids him selfe. He was caried
away with diverce others by one Hunt, a mr. of a
ship, who thought to sell them for slaves in Spaine;
but he got away for England, and was entertained by a
marchante in London, & imployed to New-found-
land & other parts, & lastly brought hither into these
parts by one Mr. Dermer, a gentle-man imployed by
Sr. Ferdinando Gorges & others, for discovery, & other
designes in these parts. Of whom I shall say some
thing, because it is mentioned in a booke set forth
Ano: 1622. by ye Presidente & Counsell for New-Eng-
land,* that he made ye peace betweene ye salvages
of these parts & ye English; of which this planta-
tion, as it is intimated, had ye benefite. But what a
peace it was, may apeare by what befell him & his
men.
This Mr. Dermer was hear the same year that these
people came, as apears by a relation written by him,
*Page 17.
162O.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 117
& given me by a freind, bearing date June 30. Ano:
1620. And they came in Novembr: following, so ther
was but 4. months differance. In which relation to
his honored freind, he hath these passages of this very
place.
I will first begine (saith he) wth that place from whence
Squanto, or Tisquantem, was taken away; wch in Cap: Smiths
mape is called Plimoth: and I would that Plimoth had ye like
comodities. I would that the first plantation might hear be
seated, if ther come to the number of 50. persons, or upward.
Otherwise at Charlton, because ther ye savages are lese to be
feared. The Pocanawkits, which live to ye west of Plimoth,
bear an inveterate malice to ye English, and are of more
streingth then all ye savags from thence to Penobscote. Their
desire of revenge was occasioned by an English man, who hav-
ing many of them on bord, made a great slaughter with their
murderers & smale shot, when as (they say) they offered no
injurie on their parts. Whether they were English or no, it
may be douted; yet they beleeve they were, for ye Frenche
have so possest them; for which cause Squanto canot deney
but they would have kiled me when I was at Namasket, had
he not entreated hard for me. The soyle of ye borders of
[59] this great bay, may be compared to most of ye planta-
tions which I have seene in Virginia. The land is of diverce
sorts; for Patuxite is a hardy but strong soyle, Nawsel &
Saughtughtett are for ye most part a blakish & deep mould,
much like that wher groweth ye best Tobaco in Virginia.
In ye botume of yt great bay is store of Codd & basse, or
mulett, &c.
But above all he comends Pacanawkite for ye richest
soyle, and much open ground fitt for English graine, &c.
118 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
Massachussets is about 9. leagues from Plimoth, & situate
in ye mids betweene both, is full of ilands & peninsules very
fertill for ye most parte.
With sundrie shuch relations which I forbear to tran-
scribe, being now better knowne then they were to him.
He was taken prisoner by ye Indeans at Manamoiak
(a place not farr from hence, now well knowne). He
gave them what they demanded for his liberty, but
when they had gott what they desired, they kept him
still & indevored to kill his men; but he was freed
by seasing on some of them, and kept them bound
till they gave him a cannows load of corne. Of
which, see Purch: lib. 9. fol. 1778. But this was
An°: 1619.
After ye writing of ye former relation he came to
ye Ile of Chapawack (which lyes south of this place
in ye way to Virginia), and ye foresaid Squanto wth
him, wher he going a shore amongst ye Indans to
trad, as he used to doe, was betrayed & assaulted by
them, & all his men slaine, but one that kept the boat;
but him selfe gott abord very sore wounded, & they
had cut of his head upon ye cndy of his boat, had
not ye man reskned him with a sword. And so they
got away, & made shift to gett into Virginia, wher
he dyed; whether of his wounds or ye diseases of
ye cuntrie, or both togeather, is uncertaine. [60] By
all which it may appeare how farr these people were
from peace, and with what danger this plantation was
1620.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 119
begune, save as ye powerfull hand of the Lord did
protect them. These things* were partly the reason
why they kept aloofe & were so long before they
came to the English. An other reason (as after them
selvs made know) was how aboute 3. years before, a
French-ship was cast away at Cap-Codd, but ye men
gott ashore, & saved their lives, and much of their
victails, & other goods; but after ye lndeans heard
of it, they geathered togeather from these parts, and
never left watching & dogging them till they got
advantage, and kild them all but 3. or 4. which they
kept, & sent from one Sachem to another, to make
sporte with, and used them worse then slaves; (of
which ye foresaid Mr. Dermer redeemed 2. of them;)
and they conceived this ship was now come to re-
venge it.
Also, (as after was made knowne,) before they came
to ye English to make freindship, they gott all the
Powachs of ye cuntrie, for 3. days togeather, in a
horid and divellish maner to curse & execrate them
with their cunjurations, which asembly & service they
held in a darke & dismale swampe.
But to returnee. The spring now approaching, it
pleased God the mortalitie begane to cease amongst
them, and ye sick and lame recovered apace, which
put as it were new life into them; though they had
borne their sadd affliction with much patience & con-
*Thing in the manuscript.
120 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
tentednes, as I thinke any people could doe. But it
was ye Lord which upheld them, and had beforehand
prepared them; many having long borne ye yoake, yea
from their youth. Many other smaler maters omite,
sundrie of them having been allready published in a
Jurnall made by one of ye company; and some other
passages of jurneys and relations allredy published, to
which I referr those that are willing to know them
more perticulerly. And being now come to ye 25.
of March I shall begine ye year 1621.
[61] Anno. 1621.
THEY now begane to dispatch ye ship away which
brought them over, which lay tille aboute this time,
or ye begining of Aprill. The reason on their parts
why she stayed so long, was ye necessitie and danger
that lay upon them, for it was well towards ye ende
of Desember before she could land any thing hear, or
they able to receive any thing ashore. Afterwards,
ye 14. of Jan: the house which they had made for a
generall randevoze by casulty fell afire, and some were
faine to retire abord for shilter. Then the sicknes
begane to fall sore amongst them, and ye weather so
bad as they could not make much sooner any dispatch.
Againe, the Govr & cheefe of them, seeing so many
dye, and fall downe sick dayly, thought it no wisdom
to send away the ship, their condition considered, and
ye danger they stood in from ye Indeans, till they
1621.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 121
could procure some shelter; and therfore thought it
better to draw some more charge upon them selves
& freinds, then hazard all. The mr. and sea-men like-
wise, though before they hasted ye passengers a shore
to be goone, now many of their men being dead, &
of ye ablest of them, (as is before noted,) and of
ye rest many lay sick & weake, ye mr. durst not put
to sea, till he saw his men begine to recover, and ye
hart of winter over.
Afterwards they (as many as were able) began to
plant ther corne, in which servise Squanto stood them
in great stead, showing them both ye maner how to
set it, and after how to dress & tend it. Also he
tould them excepte they gott fish & set with it (in
these old grounds) it would come to nothing, and he
showed them yt in ye midle of Aprill they should have
store enough come up ye brooke, by which they be-
gane to build, and taught them how to take it, and
wher to get other provissions necessary for them; all
which they found true by triall & experience. Some
English seed they sew, as wheat & pease, but it came
not to good, eather by ye badnes of ye seed, or latenes
of ye season, or both, or some other defecte.
[62] In this month of Aprill whilst they were bussie
about their seed, their Govr (Mr. John Carver) came
out of ye feild very sick, it being a hott day; he
complained greatly of his head, and lay downe, and
within a few howers his sences failed, so as he never
122 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
spake more till he dyed, which was within a few days
after. Whoss death was much lamented, and caused
great heavines amongst them, as ther was cause. He
was buried in ye best maner they could, with some
vollies of shott by all that bore armes; and his wife,
being a weak woman, dyed within 5. or 6. weeks after
him.
Shortly after William Bradford was chosen Gover
in his stead, and being not yet recoverd of his ilnes,
in which he had been near ye point of death; Isaak
Allerton was chosen to be an Asistante unto him,
who, by renewed election every year, continued sundry
years togeather, which I hear note once for all.
May 12. was ye first mariage in this place, which,
according to ye laudable custome of ye Low-Cuntries,
in which they had lived, was thought most requisite
to be performed by the magistrate, as being a civill
thing, upon which many questions aboute inheritances
doe depende, with other things most proper to their
cognizans, and most consonante to ye scripturs, Ruth
4. and no wher found in ye gospell to be layed on
ye ministers as a part of their office. "This decree
or law about mariage was published by ye Stats of
ye Low-Cuntries Ano: 1590. That those of any re-
ligion, after lawfull and open publication, coming before
ye magistrats, in ye Town or Stat-house, were to beorderly (by them) maried one to another." Petets
Hist. fol: 1029. And this practiss hath continued
1621.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 123
amongst, not only them, but hath been followed by
all ye famous churches of Christ in these parts to
this time, -- Ano: 1646.
Haveing in some sorte ordered their bussines at
home, it was thought meete to send some abroad to
see their new freind Massasoyet, and to bestow upon
him some gratuitie to bind him ye faster unto them;
as also that hearby they might veiw ye countrie, and
see in what maner he lived, what strength he had
aboute him, and how ye ways were to his place, if
at any time they should have occasion. So ye 2. of
July they sente Mr. Edward Winslow & Mr. Hopkins,
with ye foresaid Squanto for ther guid, who gave him
a suite of cloaths, and a horsemans coate, with some
other small things, which were kindly accepted; but
they found but short comons, and came both weary
& hungrie home. For ye lndeans used then to have
nothing [63] so much corne as they have since ye
English have stored them with their hows, and seene
their industrie in breaking up new grounds therwith.
They found his place to be 40. miles from hence, ye
soyle good, & ye people not many, being dead &
abundantly wasted in ye late great mortalitie which
fell in all these parts aboute three years before ye
coming of ye English, wherin thousands of them dyed,
they not being able to burie one another; ther sculs
and bones were found in many places lying still above
ground, where their houses & dwellings had been; a
124 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
very sad spectackle to behould. But they brought
word that ye Narighansets lived but on ye other side
of that great bay, & were a strong people, & many
in number, living compacte togeather; & had not been
at all touched with this wasting plague.
Aboute ye later end of this month, one John Billing-
ton lost him selfe in ye woods, & wandered up &
downe some 5. days, living on beries & what he could
find. At length he light on an Indean plantation, 20.
mils south of this place, called Manamet, they conveid
him furder of, to Nawsett, among those peopl that had
before set upon ye English when they were costing,
whilest ye ship lay at ye Cape, as is before noted.
But ye Gover caused him to be enquired for among
ye Indeans, and at length Massassoyt sent word wher
he was, and ye Gover sent a shalop for him, & had
him delivered. Those people also came and made their
peace; and they gave full satisfaction to those whose
corne they had found & taken when they were at Cap-
Codd.
Thus ther peace & aquaintance was prety well estab-
lisht wth the natives aboute them; and ther was an
other Indean called Hobamack come to live amongst
them, a proper lustie man, and a man of accounte
for his vallour & parts amongst ye Indeans, and con-
tinued very faithfull _and constant to ye English till
he dyed. He & Squanto being gone upon bussines
amonge ye Indeans, at their returne (whether it was
1621.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 125
out of envie to them or malice to the English) ther
was a Sachem called Corbitant, alyed to Massassoyte,
but never any good freind to ye English to "this day,
mett with them at an lndean towne caled Namassakett
14. miles to ye west of this place, and begane to
quarell wth [64] them, and offered to stabe Hobamack;
but being a lusty man, he cleared him selfe of him,
and came runing away all sweating and tould ye Govr
what had befalne him, and he feared they had killed
Squanto, for they threatened them both, and for no
other cause but because they were freinds to ye Eng-
lish, and servisable unto them. Upon this ye Gover
taking counsell, it was conceivd not fitt to be borne;
for if they should suffer their freinds & messengers
thus to be wronged, they should have none would
cleave unto them, or give them any inteligence, or
doe them serviss afterwards; but nexte they would
fall upon them selves. Whereupon it was resolved to
send ye Captaine & 14. men well armed, and to goe
& fall upon them in ye night; and if they found that
Squanto was kild, to cut of Corbitants head, but not
to hurt any but those that had a hand in it. Hoba-
mack was asked if he would goe & be their guid,
& bring them ther before day. He said he would, &
bring them to ye house wher the man lay, and show
them which was he. So they set forth ye 14. of
August, and beset ye house round; the Captin giving
charg to let none pass out, entred ye house to search
126 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
for him. But he was goone away that day, so they
mist him; but understood yt. Squanto was alive, &
that he had only threatened to kill him, & made an
offer to stabe him but did not. So they withheld
and did no more hurte, & ye people came trembling,
& brought them the best provissions they had, after
they were aquainted by Hobamack what was only in-
tended. Ther was 3. sore wounded which broak out
of ye house, and asaid to pass through ye garde.
These they brought home with them, & they had
their wounds drest & cured, and sente home. After
this they had many gratulations from diverce sachims,
and much firmer peace; yea, those of ye Iles of Capa-
wack sent to make frendship; and this Corbitant him
selfe used ye mediation of Massassoyte to make his
peace, but was shie to come neare them a longe while
after.
After this, ye 18. of Sepembr: they sente out ther
shalop to the Massachusets, with 10. men, and Squanto
for their guid and [65] interpreter, to discover and
veiw that bay, and trade with ye natives; the which
they performed, and found kind entertainement. The
people were much affraid of ye Tarentins, a people to
ye eastward which used to come in harvest time and
take away their corne, & many times kill their persons.
They returned in saftie, and brought home a good
quanty of beaver, and made reporte of ye place, wish-
ing they had been ther seated; (but it seems ye Lord,
1621.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 127
who assignes to all men ye bounds of their habitations,
had apoynted it for an other use. And thus they
found ye Lord to be with them in all their ways, and
to blesse their outgoings & incomings, for which let
his holy name have ye praise for ever, to all posteritie.
They begane now to gather in ye small harvest they
had, and to fitte up their houses and dwellings against
winter, being all well recovered in health & strenght,
and had all things in good plenty; for as some were
thus imployed in affairs abroad, others were excersised
in fishing, aboute codd, & bass, & other fish, of which
yey tooke good store, of which every family had their
portion. All ye somer ther was no wante. And now
begane to come in store of foule, as winter aproached,
of which this place did abound when they came first
(but afterward decreased by degrees). And besids
water foule, ther was great store of wild Turkies, of
which they tooke many, besids venison, &c. Besids
they had aboute a peck a meale a weeke to a person,
or now since harvest, Indean corne to yt proportion.
Which made many afterwards write so largly of their
plenty hear to their freinds in England, which were
not rained, but true reports.
In Novembr, about yt time twelfe month that them
selves came, ther came in a small ship to them unex-
pected or loked for,* in which came Mr. Cushman (so
much spoken of before) and with him 35. persons to
*She came ye 9. to ye Cap.
128 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
remaine & live in ye plantation; which did not a litle
rejoyce them. And they when they came a shore and
found all well, and saw plenty of vitails in every
house, were no less glade. For most of them were
lusty yonge men, and many of them wild enough,
who litle considered whither or aboute what they
wente, till they came into ye harbore at Cap-Codd,
and ther saw nothIng but a naked and barren place.
They then begane to thinke what should become of
them, if the people here were dead or cut of by ye
Indeans. They begane to consulte (upon some speeches
that some of ye sea-men had cast out) to take ye sayls
from ye yeard least ye ship [66] should gett away and
leave them ther. But ye mr. hereing of it, gave them
good words, and tould them if any thing but well
should have befallne ye people hear, he hoped he had
vitails enough to cary them to Virginia, and whilst he
had a bitt they should have their parte; which gave
them good satisfaction. So they were all landed; but
ther was not so much as bisket-cake or any other
victialls* for them, neither had they any beding, but
some sory things they had in their cabins, nor pot,
nor pan, to drese any meate in; nor overmany cloaths,
for many of them had brusht away their coats & cloaks
at Plimoth as they came. But ther was sent over some
burching-lane suits in ye ship, out of which they were
supplied. The plantation was glad of this addition
*Nay I they were faille to spare ye shipe some to carry her home.
1621.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 129
of strenght, but could have wished that many of them
had been of beter condition, and all of them beter
furnished with provissions; but yt could not now be
helpte.
In this ship Mr. Weston sent a large leter to Mr.
Carver, ye late Gover, now deseased, full of complaints
& expostulations aboute former passagess at Hampton;
and ye keeping ye shipe so long in ye country, and
returning her without lading, &c., which for brevitie
I omite. The rest is as followeth.
Part of Mr. Westons letter.
I durst never aquainte ye adventurers with ye alteration of
ye couditions first agreed on betweene us, which I have since
been very glad of, for I am well assured had they knowne as
much as I doe, they would not have adventured a halfe-peny
of what was necesary for this ship. That you sent no lading
in the ship is wonderfull, and worthily distasted. I know your
weaknes was the cause of it, and I beleeve more weaknes of
judgmente, then weaknes of hands. A quarter of ye time you
spente in discoursing, arguing, & consulting, would have done
much more; but that is past, &c. If you mean, bona fide, to
performe the conditions agreed upon, doe us ye favore to coppy
them out faire, and subscribe them with ye principall of your
names. And likwise give us accounte as perticulerly as you
can how our moneys were laid out. And then I shall be able
to give them some satisfaction, whom I am now forsed with.
I good words to shift of. And consider that ye life of the bussi-
nes depends on ye lading of this ship, which, if you doe to any
good purpose, that I may be freed from ye great sums I have
disbursed for ye former, and must doe for the later, I promise
130 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
you I will never quit ye bussines, though all the other adventurers
should.
[67] We have procured you a Charter, the best we could,
which is beter then your former, and with less limitation. For
any thing yt is els worth writting, Mr. Cushman can informe
you. I pray write instantly for Mr. Robinson to come to you.
And so praying God to blesse you with all graces nessessary
both for this life & that to come, I rest
Your very loving frend,
THO. WESTON.
London, July 6. 1621.
This ship (caled ye Fortune) was speedily dispatcht
away, being laden with good clapbord as full as she
could stowe, and 2. hoggsheads of beaver and otter
skins, which they gott with a few trifling comodities
brought with them at first, being alltogeather unpro-
vided for trade; neither was ther any amongst them
that ever saw a beaver skin till they came hear, and
were informed by Squanto. The fraight was estimated
to be worth near 500li. Mr. Cushman returned backe
also with this ship, for so Mr. Weston & ye rest had
apoynted him, for their better information. And he
doubted not, nor them selves neither, but they should
have a speedy supply; considering allso how by Mr.
Cushmans perswation, and letters received from Ley-
den, wherin they willed them so to doe, they yeelded*
to ye afforesaid conditions, and subscribed them with
their hands. But it proved other wise, for Mr. Wes-
* Yeeled in the manuscript.
1621.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 131
ton, who had made yt large promise in his leter, (as
is before noted,) that if all ye rest should fall of, yet
he would never quit ye bussines, but stick to them,
if they yeelded to ye conditions, and sente some lad-
ing in ye ship; and of this Mr. Cushman was confi-
dent, and confirmed ye same from his mouth, & serious
protestations to him selfe before he came. But all
proved but wind, for he was ye first and only man
that forsooke them, and that before he so much as
heard of ye returne of this ship, or knew what was
done; (so vaine is ye confidence in man.) But of this
more in its place.
A leter in answer to his write to Mr. Carver, was
sente to him from ye Govr, of which so much as is
pertenente to ye thing in hand I shall hear inserte.
Sr: Your large letter writen to Mr. Carver, and dated ye
6. of July, 1621, I have received ye 10. of Novembr, wherin
(after ye apologie made for your selfe) you lay many heavie
imputations upon him and us all. Touching him, he is de-
parted this life, and now is at rest [68] in ye Lord from all
those troubls and incoumbrances with which we are yet to
strive. He needs not my appologie; for his care and pains
was so great for ye commone good, both ours and yours, as
that therwith (it is thought) he oppressed him selfe and short-
ened his days; of whose loss we cannot sufficiently complaine.
At great charges in this adventure, I confess you have beene,
and many losses may sustaine; but ye loss of his and many
other honest and industrious mens lives, cannot be vallewed
at any prise. Of ye one, ther may be hope of recovery, but
ye other no recompence can make good. But I will not in-
132 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
siste in generalls, but come more perticulerly to ye things them
selves. You greatly blame us for keping ye ship so long in
ye countrie, and then to send her away emptie. She lay 5.
weks at Cap-Codd, whilst with many a weary step (after a
long journey) and the indurance of many a hard brunte, we
sought out in the foule winter a place of habitation. Then
we went in so tedious a time to make provission to sheelter
us and our goods, aboute wch labour, many of our armes &
leggs can tell us to this day we were not necligent. But it
pleased God to vissite us then, with death dayly, and with
so generall a disease, that the living were scarce able to burie
the dead; and ye well not in any measure sufficiente to tend
ye sick. And now to be so greatly blamed, for not fraighting
ye ship, doth indeed goe near us, and much discourage us. But
you say you know we will pretend weaknes; and doe you think
we had not cause? Yes, you tell us you beleeve it, but it was
more weaknes of judgmente, then of hands. Our weaknes herin
is great we confess, therfore we will bear this check patiently
amongst ye rest, till God send us wiser men. But they which
tould you we spent so much time in discoursing & consulting,
&c., their harts can tell their toungs, they lye. They cared
not, so they might salve their owne sores, how they wounded
others. Indeed, it is our callamitie that we are (beyound ex-
pectation) yoked with some ill conditioned people, who will
never doe good, but corrupte and abuse others, &c.
The rest of ye letter declared how they had sub-
scribed those conditions according to his desire, and
sente him ye former accounts very perticulerly; also
how ye ship was laden, and in what condition their
affairs stood; that ye coming of these [69] people
would bring famine upon them unavoydably, if they
had not supply in time (as Mr. Cushman could more
1621.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 133
fully informe him & ye rest of ye adventurers). Also
that seeing he was now satisfied in all his demands ,
that offences would be forgoten, and he remember his
promise, &c.
After ye departure of this ship, (which stayed not
above 14. days,) the Gover & his assistante haveing
disposed these late comers into severall families, as
yey best could, tooke an exacte accounte of all their
provissions in store, and proportioned ye same to ye
number of persons, and found that it would not hould
out above 6. months at halfe alowance, and hardly that.
And they could not well give less this winter time till
fish came in againe. So they were presently put to
half alowance, one as well as an other, which begane
to be hard, but they bore it patiently under hope of
supply.
Sone after this ships departure, ye great people of
ye Narigansets, in a braving maner, sente a messenger
unto them with a bundl of arrows tyed aboute with
a great sneak-skine; which their interpretours tould
them was a threatening & a chaleng. Upon which
ye Govr, with ye advice of others, sente them a round
answere, that if they had rather have warre then peace,
they might begine when they would; they had done
them no wrong, neither did yey fear them, or should
they find them unprovided. And by another messenger
sente ye sneake-skine back with bulits in it; but they
would not receive it, but sent it back againe. But
134 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
these things I doe but mention, because they are more
at large allready put forth in printe, by Mr. Winslow,
at ye requeste of some freinds. And it is like ye
reason was their owne ambition, who, (since ye death
of so many of ye Indeans,) thought to dominire &
lord it over ye rest, & conceived ye English would be a
barr in their way, and saw that Massasoyt took sheil-
ter allready under their wings.
But this made them ye more carefully to looke to
them selves, so as they agreed to inclose their dwell-
ings with a good strong pale, and make flankers in
convenient places, with gates to shute, which were
every night locked, and a watch kept, and when neede
required ther was also warding in ye day time. And
ye company was by ye Captaine and ye Govr [70] ad-
vise, devided into 4. squadrons, and every one had
ther quarter apoynted them, unto which they were to
repaire upon any suddane alarme. And if ther should
be any crie of fire, a company were appointed for a
gard, with muskets, whilst others quenchet ye same, to
prevent Indean treachery. This was accomplished very
cherfully, and ye towne impayled round by ye begin-
ing of March, in which evry family had a prety garden
plote secured. And herewith I shall end this year.
Only I shall remember one passage more, rather of
mirth then of waight. One ye day called Chrismas-
day, ye Govr caled them out to worke, (as was used,)
but ye most of this new-company excused them selves
1622.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 135
and said it wente against their consciences to work on
yt day. So ye Govr tould them that if they made it
mater of conscience, he would spare them till they
were better informed. So he led-away ye rest and
left them; but when they came home at noone from
their worke, he found them in ye streete at play,
openly; some pitching ye barr, & some at stoole-ball,
and shuch like sports. So he went to them, and tooke
away their implements, and tould them that was against
his conscience, that they should play & others worke.
If they made ye keeping of it mater of devotion, let
them kepe their houses, but ther should be no game-
ing or revelling in ye streets. Since which time noth-
ing hath been atempted that way, at least openly.
Anno 1622.
AT ye spring of ye year they had apointed ye Massa-
chusets to come againe and trade with them, and be-
gane now to prepare for that vioag about ye later end
of March. But upon some rumors heard, Hobamak,
their Indean, tould them upon some jealocies he had,
he feared they were joyned wth ye Narighansets and
might betray them if they were not carefull. He inti-
mated also some jealocie of Squanto, by what he gath-
ered from some private whisperings betweene him and
other Indeans. But [71] they resolved to proseede,
and sente out their shalop with 10. of their cheefe
men aboute ye begining of Aprill, and both Squanto
136 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
& Hobamake with them, in regarde of ye jelocie be-
tweene them. But they had not bene gone longe, but
an Indean belonging to Squantos family came runing
in seeming great fear, and tould them that many
of ye Narihgansets, with Corbytant, and he thought
also Massasoyte, were coming against them; and he
gott away to tell them, not without danger. And
being examined by ye Govr, he made as if they were
at hand, and would still be looking back, as if they
were at his heels. At which the Govr caused them
to take armes & stand on their garde, and suppos-
ing ye boat to be still within hearing (by reason it
was calme) caused a warning peece or 2. to be shote
of, the which yey heard and came in. But no Indeans
apeared; watch was kepte all night, but nothing was
seene. Hobamak was confidente for Massasoyt, and
thought all was false; yet ye Govr caused him to send
his wife privatly, to see what she could observe (pre-
tening other occasions), but ther was nothing found,
but all was quiet. After this they proseeded on their
vioge to ye Massachusets, and had good trade, and
returned in saftie, blessed be God.
But by the former passages, and other things of
like nature, they begane to see yt Squanto sought his
owne ends, and plaid his owne game, by putting ye
Indeans in fear, and drawing gifts from them to en-
rich him selfe; making them beleeve he could stur up
warr against whom he would, & make peece for whom
1622.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 137
he would. Yea, he made them beleeve they kept ye
plague buried in ye ground, and could send it amongs
whom they would, which did much terrifie the Indeans,
and made them depend more on him, and seeke more
to him then to Massasoyte, which proucured him envie,
and had like to have cost him his life. For after ye
discovery of his practises, Massasoyt sought it both pri-
vatly and openly; which caused him to stick close to
ye English, & never durst goe from them till he dyed.
They also made good use of ye emulation yt grue be-
tweene Hobamack and him, which made them cary more
squarely. And ye Govr seemed to countenance ye one,
and ye Captaine ye other, by which they had better
intelligence, and made them both more diligente.
[72] Now in a maner their provissions were wholy
spent, and they looked hard for supply, but none came.
But about ye later end of May, they spied a boat at
sea, which at first they thought had beene some French-
man; but it proved a shalop which came from a ship
which Mr. Weston & an other had set out a fishing,
at a place called Damarins-cove, 40. leagues to ye
eastward of them, wher were yt year many more
ships come a fishing. This boat brought 7. passengers
and some letters, but no vitails, nor any hope of any.
Some part of which I shall set downe.
Mr. Carver, in my last leters by ye Fortune, in whom Mr.
Cushman wente, and who I hope is with you, for we daly
138 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
expecte ye shipe back againe. She departed hence, ye begin-
ing of July, with 35. persons, though not over well provided
with necesaries, by reason of ye parsemonie of ye adventurers.
I have solisited them to send you a supply of men and provis-
sions before shee come. They all answer they will doe great
maters, when they hear good news. Nothing before; so faith-
full, constant, & carefull of your good, are your olde & honest
freinds, that if they hear not from you, they are like to send
you no supplie, &c. I am now to relate ye occasion of send-
ing this ship, hoping if you give credite to my words, you will
have a more favourable opinion of it, then some hear, wherof
Pickering is one, who taxed me to mind my owne ends, which
is in part true, &c. Mr. Beachamp and my selfe bought this
litle ship, and have set her out, partly, if it may be, to uphold !
ye plantation, as well to doe others good as our selves; and
partly to gett up what we are formerly out; though we are
otherwise censured, &c. This is ye occasion we have sent
this ship and these passengers, on our owne accounte; whom we
desire you will frendly entertaine & supply with shuch neces-
aries as you cane spare, and they wante, &c. And among
other things we pray you lend or sell them some seed corne,
and if you have ye salt remaining of ye last year, that yu will
let them have it for their presente use, and we will either pay
you for it, or give you more when we have set our salt-pan to
worke, which we desire may be set up in one of ye litle ilands
in your bay, &c. And because we intende, if God plase, [73]
(and ye generallitie doe it not,) to send within a month another
shipe, who, having discharged her passengers, shal goe to Vir-
ginia, &c. And it may be we shall send a small ship to abide
with you on ye coast, which I conceive may be a great help to
ye plantation. To ye end our desire may be effected, which, I
assure my selfe, will be also for your good, we pray you give
them entertainmente in your houses ye time they shall be with
* Adventures in the mannscript. !I know not wch way.
1622.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 139
you, that they may lose no time, but may presently goe in hand
to fell trees & cleave them, to ye end lading may be ready and
our ship stay not.
Some of ye adventurers have sent you hearwith all some
directions for your furtherance in ye comone bussines, who
are like those St. James speaks of, yt bid their brother eat,
and warme him, but give him nothing; so they bid you make
salt, and uphold ye plantation, but send you no means wher-
withall to doe it, &c. By ye next we purpose to send more
people on our owne accounte, and to take a patente; that if your
peopl should be as unhumane as some of ye adventurers, not
to admite us to dwell with them, which were extreme barba-
risme, and which will never enter into my head to thinke you
have any shuch Pickerings amongst you. Yet to satisfie our
passengers I must of force doe it; and for some other reasons
not necessary to be writen, &c. I find ye generall so backward,
and your freinds at Leyden so could, that I fear you must stand
on your leggs, and trust (as they say) to God and your selves.
Subscribed,
your loving freind,
Jan: 12. 1621. THO: WESTON.
Sundry other things I pass over, being tedious &
impertinent.
All this was but could comfort to fill their hungrie
bellies, and a slender performance of his former late
promiss; and as litle did it either fill or warme them,
as those ye Apostle James spake of, by him before
mentioned. And well might it make them remember
what ye psalmist saith, Psa. 118. 8. It is better to trust
in the Lord, then to have confidence in man. And Psa.
146. Put not you trust in prince (much less in ye
140 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
marchants) nor in ye sane of man, for ther is no help
in them. v. 5. Blesed is he that hath ye God of
Jacob for his help, whose hope is in ye Lord his God.
And as they were now fayled of sllply by him and
others in this their greatest neede and wants, which
was caused by him and ye rest, who put so great a
company of men upon them, as ye former company
were, without any food, and came at shuch a time as
they must live almost a whole year before any could
[74] be raised, excepte they had sente some; so, upon
ye pointe they never had any supply of vitales more
afterwards (but what the Lord gave them otherwise);
for all ye company sent at any time was allways too
short for those people yt came with it.
Ther came allso by ye same ship other leters, but of
later date, one from Mr. Weston, an other from a parte
of ye adventurers, as foloweth.
Mr, Carver, since my last, to ye end we might ye more readily
proceed to help ye generall, at a meeting of some of ye prin-
cipall adventurers, a proposition was put forth, & alowed by
all presente (save Pickering), to adventure each man ye third
parte of what he formerly had done. And ther are some other
yt folow his example, and will adventure no furder. In regard
wherof ye greater part of ye adventurers being willing to uphold
ye bussines, finding it no reason that those yt are willing should
uphold ye bussines of those that are unwilling, whose back-
wardnes doth discourage those that are forward, and hinder
other new-adventurers from coming in, we having well con-
sidered therof, have resolved, according to an article in ye
1622.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 141
agreemente, (that it may be lawfull by a generall consente of
ye adventurers &; planters, upon just occasion, to breake of their
joynte stock,) to breake it of; and doe pray you to ratifie, and
confirme ye same on your parts. Which being done, we shall
ye more willingly goe forward for ye upholding of you with
all things necesarie. But in any case you must agree to ye
artickls, and send it by ye first under your hands & seals. So
I end
Your loving freind,
THO: WESTON.
Jan: 17. 1621.
Another leter was write from part of ye company
of ye adventurers to the same purpose, and subscribed
with 9. of their names, wherof Mr. Westons & Mr.
Beachamphs were tow. Thes things seemed strang unto
them, seeing this unconstancie & shufling; it made
them to thinke ther was some misterie in ye matter.
And therfore ye Govr concealed these letters from ye
publick, only imparted them to some trustie freinds
for advice, who concluded with him, that this tended
to disband & scater them (in regard of their straits);
and if Mr. Weston & others, who seemed to rune in
a perticuler way, should come over with shiping so
provided as his letters did intimate, they most would
fall to him, to ye prejudice of them selves & ye rest
of the adventurers, their freinds; from whom as yet
they heard nothing. And it was doubted whether he
had not sente [75] over shuch a company jn ye former
* Adventures in the mannsclipt.
142 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
ship, for shuch an end. Yet they tooke compassion
of those 7. men which this ship, which fished to ye
eastward, had kept till planting time was over, and so
could set no corne; and allso wanting vitals, (for yey
turned them off wthout any, and indeed wanted for
them selves,) neither was their salt-pan come, so as
yey could not performe any of those things which Mr.
Weston had apointed, and might have starved if ye
plantation had not succoured them; who, in their
wants, gave them as good as any of their owne.
The ship wente to Virginia, wher they sould both
ship & fish, of which (it was conceived) Mr. Weston
had a very slender accounte.
After this came another of his ships, and brought
letters dated ye 10. of Aprill, from Mr. Weston, as
followeth.
Mr. Bradford, these, &c. The Fortune is arived, of whose
good news touching your estate & proceeings, I am very glad
to hear. And how soever he was robed on ye way by ye French-
men, yet I hope your loss will not be great, for ye conceite of so
great a returne doth much animate ye adventurers, so yt I
hope some matter of importance will be done by them, &c. As
for my selfe, I have sould my adventure & debts unto them,
so as I am quit* of you, & you of me, for that matter, &c.
Now though I have nothing to pretend as an adventurer
amongst you, yet I will advise you a litle for your good, if
you can apprehend it. I perceive & know as well as another,
ye dispositions of your adventurers, whom ye hope of gaine hath
* See how his promiss is fulfild.
1622.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 143
drawne on to this they have done; and yet I fear yt hope will
not draw them much furder. Besids, most of them are against
ye sending of them of Leyden, fo'r whose cause this bussines
was first begune, and some of ye most religious (as Mr. Greene by
name) excepts against them. So yt my advice is (you may
follow it if you please) that you forthwith break of your
joynte stock, which you have warente to doe, both in law &
conscience, for ye most parte of ye adventurers have given
way unto it by a former letter. And ye means you have
ther, which I hope will be to some purpose by ye trade of this
spring, may, with ye help of some freinds hear, bear ye charge
of trasporting those of Leyden; and when they are with you
I make no question but by Gods help you will be able to sub-
sist of your selves. But I shall leave you to your discretion.
I desired diverce of ye adventurers, as Mr. Peirce, Mr. Greene,
& others, if they had any thing to send you, either vitails or
leters, to send them by these ships; and marvelling they sent
not so much as a letter, I asked our passengers what leters
they had, and with some dificultie one of them tould me he
had one, which was delivered him with [76] great charge of
secrecie; and for more securitie, to buy a paire of new-shoes,
& sow it betweene ye soles for fear of intercepting. I, taking
ye leter, wondering what mistrie might be in it, broke it open,
and found this treacherous letter subscribed by ye hands of Mr.
Pickering & Mr. Greene. Wich leter had it come to your hands
without auswer, might have caused ye hurt, if not ye ruine, of
us all. For assuredly if you had followed their instructions,
and shewed us that unkindness which they advise you unto, to
hold us in distruste as enimise, &c., it might have been an occa-
sion to have set us togeather by ye eares, to ye distruction of us
all. For I doe beleeve that in shuch a case, they knowing
what bussines hath been betweene us, not only my brother, but
others also, would have been violent, and heady against you,
&c. I mente to have setled ye people I before and now send,
144 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
with or near you, as well for their as your more securitie and
defence, as help on all occasions. But I find ye adventurers
so jealous & suspitious, that I have altered my resolution, &
given order to my brother & those with him, to doe as they
and him selfe shall find fitte. Thus, &c.
Your loving freind,
Aprill 10.1621. THO: WESTON.
Some part of Mr Pickerings letter before mentioned.
To Mr. Bradford & Mr. Brewster, &c.
My dear love remembred unto you all, &c. The company
hath bought out Mr. Weston, and are very glad they are freed
of him, he being judged a man yt thought him selfe above ye
generall, and not expresing so much ye fear of God as was
meete in a man to whom shuch trust should have been reposed
in a matter of so great importance. I am sparing to be so
plaine as indeed is clear against him; but a few words to ye
wise.
Mr. Weston will not permitte leters to be sent in his ships,
nor any thing for your good or ours, of which ther is some
reason in respecte of him selfe, &c. His brother Andrew,
whom he doth send as principall in one of these ships, is a
heady yong man, & violente, and set against you ther, & ye
company hear; ploting with Mr. Weston their owne ends, which
tend to your & our undooing in respecte of our estates ther,
and prevention of our good ends. For by credible testimoney
we are informed his purpose is to come to your colonie, pre-
tending he comes for and from ye adventurers, and will seeke
to gett what you have in readynes [77] into his ships, as if
they came from ye company, & possessing all, will be so much
profite to him selfe. And further to in forme them selves what
spetiall places or things you have discovered, to ye end that
they may supres & deprive you, &c.
1622.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 145
The Lord, who is ye watchman of Israll & slepeth not, pre-
serve you & deliver you from unreasonable men. I am sorie
that ther is cause to admonish you of these things concerning
this man; so I leave you to God, who bless and multiply you
into thousands, to the advancemente of ye glorious gospell of
our Lord Jesus. Amen. Fare well.
Your loving freinds,
EDWARD PICKERING.
WILLIAM GREENE.
I pray conceale both ye writing & deliverie of this leter, but
make the best use of it. We hope to sete forth a ship our selves with in this month.
The heads of his answer.
Mr. Bradford, this is ye leter yt I wrote unto you of, which
to answer in every perticuler is needles & tedious. My owne
conscience & all our people can and I thinke will testifie, yt
my end in sending ye ship Sparrow was your good, &c. Now
I will not deney but ther are many of our people rude fellows,
as these men terme them; yet I presume they will be governed
by such as I set over them. And I hope not only to be able
to reclaime them from yt profanenes that may scandalise ye
vioage, but by degrees to draw them to God, &c. I am
so farr from sending rude fellows to deprive you either by
fraude or violence of what is yours, as I have charged ye
Mr. of ye ship Sparrow, not only to leave with you 2000. of
bread, but also a good quantitie of fish,. &c. But I will
leave it to you to consider what evill this leter would or
might have done, had it come to your hands & taken ye
effecte ye other desired.
Now if you be of ye mind yt these men are, deale plainly
with us, & we will seeke our residence els-wher. If you
*But ye [he] left not his own men a bite of bread.
146 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
are as freindly as we have thought you to be, give us ye
entertainment of freinds, and we will take nothing from you,
neither meat, drinke, nor lodging, but what we will, in one
kind or other, pay you for, &c. I shall leave in ye coun-
trie a litle ship (if God send her safe thither) with mariners
& fisher-men to stay ther, who shall coast, & trad with ye
savages, & ye old plantation. It may be we shall be as
helpfull to you, as you will be to us. I thinke I shall see
you ye next spring; and so I comend you to ye protection
of God, who ever keep you.
Your loving freind,
THO: WESTON.
[78] Thus all ther hops in regard of Mr. Weston
were layed in ye dust, and all his promised helpe
turned into an empttie advice, which they apprehended
was nether lawfull nor profitable for them to follow.
And they were not only thus left destitute of help in
their extreme wants, haveing neither vitails, nor any
thing to trade with, but others prepared & ready to
glean up what ye cuntrie might have afforded for their
releefe. As for those harsh censures & susspitions in-
timated in ye former and following leters, they desired
to judg as charitably and wisly of them as they could,
waighing them in ye ballance of love and reason; and
though they (in parte) came from godly & loveing
freinds, yet they conceived many things might arise
from over deepe jealocie and fear, togeather with un-
meete provocations, though they well saw Mr. Weston
pursued his owne ends, and was imbittered in spirite.
1622.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 147
For after the receit of ye former leters, the Govr re-
ceived one from Mr. Cushman, who went home in ye
ship, and was allway intimate with Mr. Weston, (as
former passages declare), and it was much marveled
that nothing was heard from him, all this while. But
it should seeme it was ye difficulty of sending, for
this leter was directed as ye leter of a wife to her
husband, who was here, and brought by him to ye
Govr. It was as followeth.
Beloved Sr: I hartily salute you, with trust of your health,
and many thanks for your love. By Gods providence we
got well home ye 17. of Feb. Being robbed by ye French-
men by ye way, and carried by them into France, and were
kepte ther 15. days, and lost all yt we had that was worth
taking; but thanks be to God, we escaped with our lives
& ship. I see not yt it worketh any discouragment hear.
I purpose by Gods grace to see you shortly, I hope in June
nexte, or before. In ye mean space know these things, and
I pray you be advertised a litle. Mr. Weston hath quite
broken of from our company, through some discontents yt
arose betwext him and some of our adventurers, & hath
sould all his adventurs, & hath now sent 3. smale ships for his
perticuler plantation. The greatest wherof, being 100. tune,
Mr. Reynolds goeth mr. and he wth ye rest purposeth to
come him selfe; for what end I know not.
The people which they cary are no men for us, wherfore
I pray you entertaine them not, neither exchainge man for
man with them, excepte it be some of your worst. He hath
taken a patente for him selfe. If they offerr to buy any
thing of you, let it be shuch as you can spare, and let
them give ye worth of it. If they borrow any thing of you,
148 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
let them leave a good pawne, &c. It is like he [78] will
plant to ye southward of ye Cape, for William Trevore hath
lavishly tould but what he knew or imagined of Capewack,
Mohiggen, & ye Narigansets. I fear these people will hardly
deale so well with ye savages as they should. I pray you
therfore signifie to Squanto, that they are a distincte body
from us, and we have nothing to doe with them, neither
must be blamed for their falts, much less can warrente their
fidelitie. We are aboute to recover our losses in France.
Our freinds at Leyden are well, and will come to you as
many as can this time. I hope all will turne to ye best,
wherfore I pray you be not discouraged, but gather up your
selfe to goe thorow these dificulties cherfully & with courage
in yt place wherin God hath sett you, untill ye day of re-
freshing come. And ye Lord God of sea & land bring us
comfortably togeather againe, if it may stand with his glorie.
Yours, ROBART CUSHMAN.
On ye other sid of ye leafe, in ye same leter, came
these few lines from Mr. John Peirce, in whose name
the patente was taken, and of whom more will follow,
to be spoken in its place.
Worthy Sr: I desire you to take into consideration that
which is writen on ye other side, and not any way to
damnifie your owne collony, whos strength is but weaknes,
and may therby be more infeebled. And for ye leters of
association, by ye next ship we send, I hope you shall re-
ceive satisfaction; in ye mean time whom you admite I will
approve. But as for Mr. Weston's company, I thinke them
so base in condition (for ye most parte) as in all apearance
* The number is repeated in the Ms.
1622.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 149
not fitt for an honest mans company. I wish they prove
other wise. My purpose is not to enlarge my selfe, but
cease in these few lins, and so rest
Your loving freind,
JOHN PEIRCE.
All these things they pondred and well considered,
yet concluded to give his men frendly entertainmente;
partly in regard of Mr. Weston him selfe, considering
what he had been unto them, & done for them, & to
some, more espetially; and partly in compassion to ye
people, who were now come into a willdernes, (as
them selves were,) and were by ye ship to be pres-
ently put a shore, (for she was to cary other passen-
gers to Virginia, who lay at great charge,) and they
were alltogeather unacquainted & knew not what to
doe. So as they had received his former company of
7. men, and vitailed them as their owne hitherto, so
they also received these (being aboute 60. lusty men),
and gave [79] housing for them selves and their
goods; and many being sicke, they had ye best means
ye place could aford them. They stayed hear ye most
parte of ye somer till ye ship came back againe from
Virginia. Then, by his direction, or those whom he
set over them, they removed into ye Massachusset
Bay, he having got a patente for some part ther, (by
light of ther former discovery in leters sent home).
Yet they left all ther sicke folke hear till they were
setled and housed. But of ther victails they had not
150 HISTORY OF [BOOK II.
any, though they were in great wante, nor any thing
els in recompence of any courtecie done them; neither
did they desire it, for they saw they were an unruly
company, and had no good govermente over them, and
by disorder would soone fall into wants if Mr. Wes-
ton came not ye sooner amongst them; and therfore,
to prevente all after occasion, would have nothing of
them.
Amids these streigths, and ye desertion of those
from whom they had hoped for supply, and when
famine begane now to pinch them sore, they not know-
ing what to doe, the Lord, (who never fails his,) pre-
sents them with an occasion, beyond all expectation.
This boat which came from ye eastward brought them
a letter from a stranger, of whose name they had
never heard before, being a captaine of a ship come
ther a fishing. This leter was as followeth. Being
thus inscribed.
To all his good freinds at Plimoth, these, &c.
Freinds, cuntrimen, & neighbours: I salute you, and wish
you all health and hapines in ye Lord. I make bould with
these few lines to trouble you, because unless I were un-
humane, I can doe no less. Bad news doth spread it selfe
too farr; yet I will so farr informe you that my selfe, with
many good freinds in ye south-collonie of Virginia, have re-
ceived shuch a blow, that 400. persons large will not make
good our losses. Therfore I doe intreat you (allthough not
knowing you) that ye old rule which I learned when I went
to schoole, may be sufficente. That is, Hapie is he whom
1622.] PLYMOUTH PLANTATION. 151
other mens harmes doth make to beware. And now againe
and againe, wishing all those yt willingly would serve ye
Lord, all health and happines in this world, and everlasting
peace in ye world to come. And so I rest,
Yours,
JOHN HUDLSTON.
By this boat ye Govr returned a thankfull answer,
as was meete, and sent a boate of their owne with
them, which was piloted by them, in which Mr. Wins-
low was sente to procure what provissions he could
of ye ships, who was kindly received by ye foresaid
gentill-man, who not only spared what he [90 *] could,
but writ to others to doe ye like. By which means
he gott some good quantitie and returned in saftie, by
which ye plantation had a duble benefite, first, a pres-
ent refreshing by ye food brought, and secondly, they
knew ye way to those parts for their benifite hear-
after. But what was gott, & this small boat brought,
being devided among so many, came but to a litle,
yet by Gods blesing it upheld them till harvest. It
arose but to a quarter of a pound of bread a day to
each person; and ye Govr caused it to be dayly given
them, otherwise, had it been in their owne custody,
they would have eate it up & then starved. But thus,
with what els they could get, they made pretie shift!
till corne was ripe.
*Mr. Hunter writes: "Here is an error in Bradford's pagination. He
passes from 79 to 90. No part of the manuscript is here lost." 79 is repeated
in the paging.
Continue on to Book Two / pp. 152 - 186
Return to the Table of Contents
Return to List of Authors and Books
