Part 27

The Gove^r & Counsell of New-Plim: wisheth, &c. We have received your leters, &c. wherin appeareth your good wills & frendship towards us; but is expresed w^th over high titls, more then belongs to us, or is meete for us to receive. But for your good will, and congratulations of our prosperitie in these smale beginings of our poore colonie, we are much bound unto you, and with many thanks doe acknowledg y^e same; taking it both for a great honour done unto us, and for a certaine testimoney of your love and good neighbourhood.

Now these are further to give your Wor^pps to understand, that it is to us no smale joye to hear, that his majestie hath not only bene pleased to confirme y^t ancient amitie, aliance, and frendship, and other contracts, formerly made & ratified by his predecessors of famous memorie, but hath him selfe (as you say) strengthened the same with a new-union the better to resist y^e prid of y^t co[=m]one enemy y^e Spaniard, from whose cruelty the Lord keep us both, and our native countries. Now forasmuch as this is sufficiente to unite us togeather in love and good neighbourhood, in all our dealings, yet are many of us further obliged, by the good and curteous entreaty which we have found in your countrie; haveing lived ther many years, with freedome, and good contente, as also many of our freinds doe to this day; for which we, and our children after us, are bound to be thankfull to your Nation, and shall never forgett y^e same, but shall hartily desire your good & prosperity, as our owne, for ever.

Likwise for your freindly tender, & offer to aco[=m]odate and help us with any comodities or marchandise you have, or shall come to you, either for beaver, otters, or other wares, it is to us very acceptable, and we doubte not but in short time we may have profitable co[=m]erce & trade togeather. But for this year we are fully supplyed with all necessaries, both for cloathing and other things; but hereafter it is like we shall deale with you, if your rates be reasonable. And therfore when you please to send to us againe by any of yours, we desire to know how you will take beaver, by y^e pounde, & otters, by y^e skine; and how you will deale per cent. for other comodities, and what you can furnishe us with. As likwise what other commodities from us may be acceptable unto you, as tobaco, fish, corne, or other things, and what prises you will give, &c.

Thus hoping that you will pardon & excuse us for our rude and imperfecte writing in your language, and take it in good parte, because for wante of use we cannot so well express that we understand, nor hapily understand every thing so fully as we should. And so we humbly pray the Lord for his mercie sake, that he will take both us and you into his keeping & gratious protection.

By y^e Gove^r and Counsell of New-Plimoth, Your Wor^pps very good freinds & neigbours, &c.

New-Plim: March 19.

After this ther was many passages betweene them both by letters and other entercourse; and they had some profitable commerce togither for diverce years, till other occasions interrupted y^e same, as may happily appear afterwards, more at large.

Before they sent M^r. Allerton away for England this year, y^e Gove^r and some of their cheefe freinds had serious consideration, not only how they might discharge those great ingagments which lay so heavily upon them, as is affore mentioned, but also how they might (if possiblie they could) devise means to help some of their freinds and breethren of Leyden over unto them, who desired so much to come to them, [=a]d they desired as much their company. To effecte which, they resolved to rune a high course, and of great adventure, not knowing otherwise how to bring it aboute. Which was to hire y^e trade of y^e company for certaine years, and in that time to undertake to pay that 1800^li. and all y^e rest of y^e debts that then lay upon y^e plantation, which was aboute some 600^li. more; and so to set them free, and returne the trade to y^e generalitie againe at y^e end of y^e terme. Upon which resolution they called y^e company togeither, and made it clearly appear unto all what their debts were, and upon what terms they would undertake to pay them all in such a time, and sett them clear. But their other ends they were faine to keepe secrete, haveing only privatly acquaynted some of their trusty freinds therwith; which were glad of y^e same, but doubted how they would be able to performe it. So after some agitation of the thing w^th y^e company, it was yeelded unto, and the agreemente made upon y^e conditions following.

Articles of agreemente betweene y^e collony of New-Pli[=m]oth of y^e one partie, and William Bradford, Captein Myles Standish, Isaack Allerton, &c. one y^e other partie; and shuch others as they shall thinke good to take as partners and undertakers with them, concerning the trade for beaver & other furrs & comodities, &c.; made July, 1627.

First, it is agreed and covenanted betweexte y^e said parties, that y^e afforsaid William Bradford, Captain Myl Standish, & Isaack Allerton, &c. have undertaken, and doe by these presents, covenante and agree to pay, discharge, and acquite y^e said collony of all y^e debtes both due for y^e purchass, or any other belonging to them, at y^e day of y^e date of these presents.

Secondly, y^e above-said parties are to have and freely injoye y^e pinass latly builte, the boat at Manamett, and y^e shalop, called y^e Bass-boat, with all other implements to them belonging, that is in y^e store of y^e said company; with all y^e whole stock of furrs, fells, beads, corne, wampampeak, hatchets, knives, &c. that is now in y^e storre, or any way due unto y^e same uppon accounte.

3^ly. That y^e above said parties have y^e whole trade to them selves, their heires and assignes, with all y^e privileges therof, as y^e said collonie doth now, or may use the same, for 6. full years, to begine y^e last of September next insuing.

4^ly. In furder consideration of y^e discharge of y^e said debtes, every severall purchaser doth promise and covenante yearly to pay, or cause to be payed, to the above said parties, during y^e full terme of y^e said 6. years, 3. bushells of corne, or 6^li. of tobaco, at y^e undertakers choyse.

5^ly. The said undertakers shall dureing y^e afforesaid terme bestow 50^li. per annum, in hose and shoese, to be brought over for y^e collonies use, to be sould unto them for corne at 6^s. per bushell.

6^ly. That at y^e end of y^e said terme of 6. years, the whole trade shall returne to y^t use and benefite of y^e said collonie, as before.

Lastly, if y^e afforesaid undertakers, after they have aquainted their freinds in England with these covenants, doe (upon y^e first returne) resolve to performe them, and undertake to discharge y^e debtes of y^e said collony, according to y^e true meaning & intente of these presents, then they are (upon such notice given) to stand in full force; otherwise all things to remaine as formerly they were, and a true accounte to be given to y^e said collonie, of the disposing of all things according to the former order.

M^r. Allerton carried a coppy of this agreemente with him into England, and amongst other his instructions had order given him to deale with some of their speciall freinds, to joyne with them in this trade upon y^e above recited conditions; as allso to imparte their further ends that moved them to take this course, namly, the helping over of some of their freinds from Leyden, as they should be able; in which if any of them would joyne with them they should thankfully acceptt of their love and partnership herein. And with all (by their letters) gave them some grounds of their hops of the accomplishmente of these things with some advantage.

Anno Dom: 1628.

After M^r. Allertons arivall in England, he aquainted them with his comission and full power to conclude y^e forementioned bargan & purchas; upon the veiw wherof, and y^e delivery of y^e bonds for y^e paymente of y^e money yearly, (as is before mentioned,) it was fully concluded, and a deede fairly ingrossed in partchmente was delivered him, under their hands & seals confirming the same. Morover he delte with them aboute other things according to his instructions. As to admitt some of these their good freinds into this purchass if they pleased, and to deale with them for moneys at better rates, &c. Touching which I shall hear inserte a letter of M^r. Sherleys, giving light to what followed therof, writ to y^e Gov^r as followeth.

S^r: I have received yours of y^e 26. of May by M^r. Gibs, & M^r. Goffe, with y^e barrell of otter skins, according to y^e contents; for which I got a bill of store, and so tooke them up, and sould them togeather at 78^li. 12^s. sterling; and since, M^r. Allerton hath received y^e money, as will apear by the accounte. It is true (as you write) that your ingagments are great, not only the purchass, but you are yet necessitated to take up y^e stock you work upon; and y^t not at 6. or 8. p^r cent. as it is here let out, but at 30. 40. yea, & some at 50. p^r cent. which, were not your gaines great, and Gods blessing on your honest indeaours more then ordinarie, it could not be y^t you should longe subsiste in y^e maintaining of, & upholding of your worldly affaires. And this your honest & discreete agente, M^r. Allerton, hath seriously considered, & deeply laid to mind, how to ease you of it. He tould me you were contented to accepte of me & some few others, to joyne with you in y^e purchass, as partners; for which I kindly thanke you and all y^e rest, and doe willingly accepte of it. And though absente, shall willingly be at shuch charge as you & y^e rest shall thinke meete; and this year am contented to forbear my former 50^li. and 2. years increase for y^e venture, both which now makes it 80^li. without any bargaine or condition for y^e profite, you (I mean y^e generalitie) stand to y^e adventure, outward, and homeward. I have perswaded M^r. Andrews and M^r. Beachamp to doe y^e like, so as you are eased of y^e high rate, you were at y^e other 2. yeares; I say we leave it freely to your selves to alow us what you please, and as God shall blesse. What course I rune, M^r. Beachamp desireth to doe y^e same; and though he have been or seemed somwhat harsh heretofore, yet now you shall find he is new moulded. I allso see by your letter, you desire I should be your agente or factore hear. I have ever found you so faithfull, honest, and upright men, as I have even resolved with my selfe (God assisting me) to doe you all y^e good lyeth in my power; and therfore if you please to make choyse of so weak a man, both for abillities and body, to performe your bussines, I promise (y^e Lord enabling me) to doe y^e best I can according to those abillities he hath given me; and wherin I faile, blame your selves, y^t you made no better choyce. Now, because I am sickly, and we are all mortall, I have advised M^r. Allerton to joyne M^r. Beachamp with me in your deputation, which I conceive to be very necessary & good for you; your charge shall be no more, for it is not your salarie maks me undertake your [156] bussines. Thus contending you & yours, and all Gods people, unto y^e guidance and protection of y^e Allmightie, I ever rest,

Your faithfull loving freind, JAMES SHERLEY.

London, Nov. 17. 1628.

With this leter they sent a draught of a formall deputation to be hear sealed and sent back unto them, to authorise them as their agents, according to what is mentioned in y^e above said letter; and because some inconvenience grue therby afterward I shall here inserte it.

To all to whom these pr[=e]ts shall come greeting; know yee that we, William Bradford, Gov^r of Plimoth, in N.E. in America, Isaak Allerton, Myles Standish, William Brewster, & Ed: Winslow, of Plimoth aforesaid, marchants, doe by these presents for us & in our names, make, substitute, & appointe James Sherley, Goldsmith, & John Beachamp, Salter, citizens of London, our true & lawfull agents, factors, substitutes, & assignes; as well to take and receive all such goods, wares, & marchandise what soever as to our said substitutes or either of them, or to y^e citie of London, or other place of y^e Relme of Engl: shall be sente, transported, or come from us or any of us, as allso to vend, sell, barter, or exchaing y^e said goods, wares, and marchandise so from time to time to be sent to such person or persons upon credite, or other wise in such maner as to our said agents & factors joyently, or to either of them severally shall seeme meete. And further we doe make & ordaine our said substituts & assignes joyntly & severally for us, & to our uses, & accounts, to buy and consigne for and to us into New-Engl: aforesaid, such goods and marchandise to be provided here, and to be returned hence, as by our said assignes, or either of them, shall be thought fitt. And to recover, receive, and demand for us & in our names all such debtes & sumes of money, as now are or hereafter shall be due incidente accruing or belonging to us, or any of us, by any wayes or means; and to acquite, discharge, or compound for any debte or sume of money, which now or hereafter shall be due or oweing by any person or persons to us, or any of us. And generally for us & in our names to doe, performe, and execute every acte & thing which to our said assignes, or either of them, shall seeme meete to be done in or aboute y^e premissies, as fully & effectually, to all intents & purposes, as if we or any of us were in person presente. And whatsoever our said agents & factors joyntly or severally shall doe, or cause to be done, in or aboute y^e premisses, we will & doe, & every of us doth ratife, alow, & confirme, by these presents. In wittnes wherof we have here unto put our hands & seals. Dated 18. Nov^br 1628.

This was accordingly confirmed by the above named, and 4. more of the cheefe of them under their hands & seals, and delivered unto them. Also M^r. Allerton formerly had authoritie under their hands & seals for y^e transacting of y^e former bussines, and taking up of moneys, &c. which still he retained whilst he was imployed in these affaires; they mistrusting neither him nor any of their freinds faithfullnes, which made them more remisse in looking to shuch acts as had passed under their hands, as necessarie for y^e time; but letting them rune on to long unminded or recaled, it turned to their harme afterwards, as will appere in its place.

M^r. Allerton having setled all things thus in a good and hopfull way, he made hast to returne in y^e first of y^e spring to be hear with their supply for trade, (for y^e fishermen with whom he came used to sett forth in winter & be here betimes.) He brought a resonable supply of goods for y^e plantation, and without those great interests as before is noted; and brought an accounte of y^e beaver sould, and how y^e money was disposed for goods, & y^e paymente of other debtes, having paid all debts abroad to others, save to M^r. Sherley, M^r. Beachamp, & M^r. Andrews; from whom likwise he brought an accounte which to them all amounted not to above 400^li. for which he had passed bonds. Allso he had payed the first paymente for y^e purchass, being due for this year, viz. 200^li. and brought them y^e bonde for y^e same canselled; so as they now had no more foreine debtes but y^e abovesaid 400^li. and odde pownds, and y^e rest of y^e yearly purchass monie. Some other debtes they had in y^e cuntrie, but they were without any intrest, & they had wherwith to discharge them when they were due. To this pass the Lord had brought things for them. Also he brought them further notice that their freinds, the abovenamed, & some others that would joyne with them in y^e trad & purchass, did intend for to send over to Leyden, for a competente number of them, to be hear the next year without fayle, if y^e Lord pleased to blesse their journey. He allso brought them a patente for Kenebeck, but it was so straite & ill bounded, as they were faine to renew & inlarge it the next year, as allso that which they had at home, to their great charge, as will after appeare. Hithertoo M^r. Allerton did them good and faithfull service; and well had it been if he had so continued, or els they had now ceased for imploying him any longer thus into England. But of this more afterwards.

Having procured a patente (as is above said) for Kenebeck, they now erected a house up above in y^e river in y^e most convenientest place for trade, as they conceived, and furnished the same with co[=m]odities for y^t end, both winter & so[=m]er, not only with corne, but also with such other commodities as y^e fishermen had traded with them, as coats, shirts, ruggs, & blankets, biskett, pease, prunes, &c.; and what they could not have out of England, they bought of the fishing ships, and so carried on their bussines as well as they could.

This year the Dutch sent againe unto them from their plantation, both kind leterss, and also diverse comodities, as suger, linen cloth, Holand finer & courser stufes, &c. They came up with their barke to Manamete, to their house ther, in which came their Secretarie Rasier; who was accompanied with a noyse of trumpeters, and some other attendants; and desired that they would send a boat for him, for he could not travill so farr over land. So they sent a boat to Manonscussett, and brought him to y^e plantation, with y^e cheefe of his company. And after some few days entertainmente, he returned to his barke, and some of them wente with him, and bought sundry of his goods; after which begining thus made, they sente often times to y^e same place, and had entercourse togeather for diverce years; and amongst other comodities, they vended much tobaco for linen cloath, stuffs, &c., which was a good benefite to y^e people, till the Virginians found out their plantation. But that which turned most to their profite, in time, was an entrance into the trade of Wampampeake; for they now bought aboute 50^li. worth of it of them; and they tould them how vendable it was at their forte Orania; and did perswade them they would find it so at Kenebeck; and so it came to pass in time, though at first it stuck, & it was 2. years before they could put of this small quantity, till y^e inland people knew of it; and afterwards they could scarce ever gett enough for them, for many years togeather. And so this, with their other provissions, cutt of they trade quite from y^e fisher-men, and in great part from other of y^e stragling planters. And strange it was to see the great allteration it made in a few years amonge y^e Indeans them selves; for all the Indeans of these parts, & y^e Massachussets, had none or very litle of it, but y^e sachems & some spetiall persons that wore a litle of it for ornamente. Only it was made & kepte amonge y^e Nariganssets, & Pequents, which grew rich & potent by it, and these people were poore & begerly, and had no use of it. Neither did the English of this plantation, or any other in y^e land, till now that they had knowledg of it from y^e Dutch, so much as know what it was, much less y^t it was a co[=m]oditie of that worth & valew. But after it grue thus to be a comoditie in these parts, these Indeans fell into it allso, and to learne how to make it; for y^e Narigansets doe geather y^e shells of which y^ey make it from their shors. And it hath now continued a current comoditie aboute this 20. years, and it may prove a drugg in time. In y^e mean time it maks y^e Indeans of these parts rich & power full and also prowd therby; and fills them with peeces, powder, and shote, which no laws can restraine, by reasone of y^e bassnes of sundry unworthy persons, both English, Dutch, & French, which may turne to y^e ruine of many. Hithertoo y^e Indeans of these parts had no peeces nor other armes but their bowes & arrowes, nor of many years after; nether durst they scarce handle a gune, so much were they affraid of them; and y^e very sight of one (though out of kilter) was a terrour unto them. But those Indeans to y^e east parts, which had co[=m]erce with y^e French, got peces of them, and they in the end made a commone trade of it; and in time our English fisher-men, led with y^e like covetoussnes, followed their example, for their owne gaine; but upon complainte against them, it pleased the kings majestie to prohibite y^e same by a stricte proclaimation, commanding that no sorte of armes, or munition, should by any of his subjects be traded with them.