Chapter 31

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

Your loving friend, JAMES SHERLEY.

Sep^t: 14. 1636.

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

Nov^br 8. An^o 1631. By M^r. Peirce 0400^li. waight of beaver, & otters 20. July 13. An^o 1632. By M^r. Griffin 1348^li. beaver, & otters 147. An^o 1633. By M^r. Graves 3366^li. bever, & otters 346. An^o 1634. By M^r. Andrews 3738^li. beaver, & otters 234. An^o 1635. By M^r. Babb 1150^li. beaver, & otters 200. June 24. An^o 1636. By M^r. Wilkinson 1809^li. beaver, & otters 010. Ibidem. By M^r. Langrume 0719^li. beaver, & otters 199. -------- ----- 12150^li.[DR] 1156.

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

They write back to M^r. Andrews & M^r. Beachamp, and tould them they marveled they should write they had sent nothing home since y^e last accounts; for they had sente a great deale; and it might rather be marveled how they could be able to send so much, besids defraying all charg at home, and what they had lost by the French, and so much cast away at sea, when M^r. Peirce lost his ship on y^e coast of Virginia. What they had sente was to them all, and to them selves as well as M^r. Sherley, and if they did not looke after it, it was their owne falts; they must referr them to M^r. Sherley, who had received [218] it, to demand it of him. They allso write to M^r. Sherley to y^e same purposs, and what the others complaints were.

This year 2. shallops going to Coonigtecutt with goods from y^e Massachusetts of such as removed theither to plante, were in an easterly storme cast away in coming into this harbore in y^e night; the boats men were lost, and the goods were driven all alonge the shore, and strowed up & downe at high-water marke. But y^e Gov^r caused them to be gathered up, and drawn togeather, and appointed some to take an inventory of them, and others to wash & drie such things as had neede therof; by which means most of y^e goods were saved, and restored to y^e owners. Afterwards anotheir boate of theirs (going thither likwise) was cast away near unto Manoanscusett, and such goods as came a shore were preserved for them. Such crosses they mette with in their beginings; which some imputed as a correction from God for their intrution (to y^e wrong of others) into y^t place. But I dare not be bould with Gods judgments in this kind.

In y^e year 1634, the Pequents (a stoute and warlike people), who had made warrs with sundry of their neigbours, and puft up with many victories, grue now at varience with y^e Narigansets, a great people bordering upon them. These Narigansets held correspondance and termes of freindship with y^e English of y^e Massachusetts. Now y^e Pequents, being conscious of y^e guilte of Captain-Stones death, whom they knew to be an-English man, as also those y^t were with him, and being fallen out with y^e Dutch, least they should have over many enemies at once, sought to make freindship with y^e English of y^e Massachusetts; and for y^t end sent both messengers & gifts unto them, as appears by some letters sent from y^e Gov^r hither.

Dear & worthy S^r: &c. To let you know somwhat of our affairs, you may understand that y^e Pequents have sent some of theirs to us, to desire our freindship, and offered much wampam & beaver, &c. The first messengers were dismissed without answer; with y^e next we had diverce dayes conferance, and taking y^e advice of some of our ministers, and seeking the Lord in it, we concluded a peace & freindship with them, upon these conditions: that they should deliver up to us those men who were guilty of Stones death, &c. And if we desired to plant in Conightecute, they should give up their right to us, and so we would send to trade with them as our freinds (which was y^e cheefe thing we aimed at, being now in warr with y^e Dutch and y^e rest of their neigbours). To this they readily agreed; and that we should meadiate a peace betweene them and the Narigansetts; for which end they were contente we should give the Narigansets parte of y^t presente, they would bestow on us (for they stood [219][DS] so much on their honour, as they would not be seen to give any thing of them selves). As for Captein Stone, they tould us ther were but 2. left of those who had any hand in his death; and that they killed him in a just quarell, for (say they) he surprised 2. of our men, and bound them, to make them by force to shew him y^e way up y^e river;[DT] and he with 2. other coming on shore, 9. Indeans watched him, and when they were a sleepe in y^e night, they kiled them, to deliver their owne men; and some of them going afterwards to y^e pinass, it was suddainly blowne up. We are now preparing to send a pinass unto them, &c.

In an other of his, dated y^e 12. of y^e first month, he hath this.

Our pinass is latly returned from y^e Pequents; they put of but litle comoditie, and found them a very false people, so as they mean to have no more to doe with them. I have diverce other things to write unto you, &c.

Yours ever assured, JO: WINTHROP.

Boston, 12. of y^e 1. month, 1634.

After these things, and, as I take, this year, John Oldom, (of whom much is spoken before,) being now an inhabitant of y^e Massachusetts, went w^th a small vessell, & slenderly mand, a trading into these south parts, and upon a quarell betweene him & y^e Indeans was cutt of by them (as hath been before noted) at an iland called by y^e Indeans Munisses, but since by y^e English Block Iland. This, with y^e former about the death of Stone, and the baffoyling of y^e Pequents with y^e English of y^e Massachusetts, moved them to set out some to take revenge, and require satisfaction for these wrongs; but it was done so superfitially, and without their acquainting of those of Conightecute & other neighbours with y^e same, as they did litle good. But their neigbours had more hurt done, for some of y^e murderers of Oldome fled to y^e Pequents, and though the English went to y^e Pequents, and had some parley with them, yet they did but delude them, & y^e English returned without doing any thing to purpose, being frustrate of their oppertunitie by y^e others deceite. After y^e English were returned, the Pequents tooke their time and oppertunitie to cut of some of y^e English as they passed in boats, and went on fouling, and assaulted them y^e next spring at their habytations, as will appear in its place. I doe but touch these things, because I make no question they wall be more fully & distinctly handled by them selves, who had more exacte knowledg of them, and whom they did more properly concerne.

This year M^r. Smith layed downe his place of ministrie, partly by his owne willingnes, as thinking it too heavie a burthen, and partly at the desire, and by y^e perswasion, of others; and the church sought out for [220][DU] some other, having often been disappointed in their hops and desires heretofore. And it pleased the Lord to send them an able and a godly man,[DV] and of a meeke and humble spirite, sound in y^e truth, and every way unreproveable in his life & conversation; whom, after some time of triall, they chose for their teacher, the fruits of whose labours they injoyed many years with much comforte, in peace, & good agreemente.

_Anno Dom: 1637._

In y^e fore parte of this year, the Pequents fell openly upon y^e English at Conightecute, in y^e lower parts of y^e river, and slew sundry of them, (as they were at work in y^e feilds,) both men & women, to y^e great terrour of y^e rest; and wente away in great prid & triumph, with many high threats. They allso assalted a fort at y^e rivers mouth, though strong and well defended; and though they did not their prevaile, yet it struk them with much fear & astonishmente to see their bould attempts in the face of danger; which made them in all places to stand upon their gard, and to prepare for resistance, and ernestly to solissite their freinds and confederats in y^e Bay of Massachusets to send them speedy aide, for they looked for more forcible assaults. M^r. Vane, being then Gov^r, write from their Generall Courte to them hear, to joyne with them in this warr; to which they were cordially willing, but tooke opportunitie to write to them aboute some former things, as well as presente, considerable hereaboute. The which will best appear in y^e Gov^r answer which he returned to y^e same, which I shall here inserte.

S^r: The Lord having so disposed, as that your letters to our late Gov^r is fallen to my lott to make answer unto, I could have wished I might have been at more freedome of time & thoughts also, that I might have done it more to your & my owne satisfaction. But what shall be wanting now may be supplyed hereafter. For y^e matters which from your selfe & counsell were propounded & objected to us, we thought not fitte to make them so publicke as y^e cognizance of our Generall Courte. But as they have been considered by those of our counsell, this answer we thinke fitt to returne unto you. (1.) Wereas you signifie your willingnes to joyne with us in this warr against y^e Pequents, though you cannot ingage your selves without y^e consente of your Generall Courte, we acknowledg your good affection towards us, (which we never had cause to doubt of,) and are willing to attend your full resolution, when it may most seasonably be ripened. (2^ly.) Wheras you make this warr to be our peopls, and not [221] to conceirne your selves, otherwise then by consequence, we do in parte consente to you therin; yet we suppose, that, in case of perill, you will not stand upon such terms, as we hope we should not doe towards you; and withall we conceive that you looke at y^e Pequents, and all other Indeans, as a co[=m]one enimie, who, though he may take occasion of y^e begining of his rage, from some one parte of y^e English, yet if he prevaile, will surly pursue his advantage, to y^e rooting out of y^e whole nation. Therfore when we desired your help, we did it not without respecte to your owne saftie, as ours. (3^ly.) Wheras you desire we should be ingaged to aide you, upon all like occasions; we are perswaded you doe not doubte of it; yet as we now deale with you as a free people, and at libertie, so as we cannot draw you into this warr with us, otherwise then as reason may guid & provock you; so we desire we may be at y^e like freedome, when any occasion may call for help from us. And wheras it is objected to us, that we refused to aide you against y^e French; we conceive y^e case was not alicke; yet we cannot wholy excuse our failing in that matter. (4^ly.) Weras you objecte that we began y^e warr without your privitie, & managed it contrary to your advise; the truth is, that our first intentions being only against Block Iland, and y^e interprice seeming of small difficultie, we did not so much as consider of taking advice, or looking out for aide abroad. And when we had resolved upon y^e Pequents, we sent presently, or not long after, to you aboute it; but y^e answer received, it was not seasonable for us to chaing our counsells, excepte we had seen and waighed your grounds, which might have out wayed our owne.

(5^ly.) For our peoples trading at Kenebeck, we assure you (to our knowledge) it hath not been by any allowance from us; and what we have provided in this and like cases, at our last Courte, M^r. E. W. can certifie you.

And (6^ly); wheras you objecte to us y^t we should hold trade & correspondancie with y^e French, your enemise; we answer, you are misinformed, for, besids some letters which hath passed betweene our late Gov^r and them, to which we were privie, we have neither sente nor incouraged ours to trade with them; only one vessell or tow, for y^e better conve[=a]ce of our letters, had licens from our Gov^r to sayle thither.[DW]

Diverce other things have been privatly objected to us, by our worthy freind, wherunto he received some answer; but most of them concerning y^e apprehention of perticuler discurteseis, or injueries from some perticuler persons amongst us. It concernes us not to give any other answer to them then this; that, if y^e offenders shall be brought forth in a right way, we shall be ready to doe justice as y^e case shall require. In the meane time, we desire you to rest assured, that such things are without our privity, and not a litle greeveous to us.

Now for y^e joyning with us in this warr, which indeed concerns us no other wise then it may your selves, viz.: the releeving of our freinds & Christian [222] breethren, who are now first in y^e danger; though you may thinke us able to make it good without you, (as, if y^e Lord please to be with us, we may,) yet 3. things we offer to your consideration, which (we conceive) may have some waight with you. (First) y^t if we should sinck under this burden, your opportunitie of seasonable help would be lost in 3. respects. 1. You cannot recover us, or secure your selves ther, with 3. times y^e charge & hazard which now y^e may. 2^ly. The sorrowes which we should lye under (if through your neglect) would much abate of y^e acceptablenes of your help afterwards. 3^ly. Those of yours who are now full of courage and forwardnes, would be much damped, and so less able to undergoe so great a burden. The (2.) thing is this, that it concernes us much to hasten this warr to an end before y^e end of this somer, otherwise y^e newes of it will discourage both your & our freinds from coming to us next year; with what further hazard & losse it may expose us unto, your selves may judge.

The (3.) thing is this, that if y^e Lord shall please to blesse our endeaours, so as we end y^e warr, or put it in a hopefull way without you, it may breed such ill thoughts in our people towards yours, as will be hard to entertaine such opinione of your good will towards us, as were fitt to be nurished among such neigbours & brethren as we are. And what ill consequences may follow, on both sids, wise men may fear, & would rather prevente then hope to redress. So with my harty salutations to you selfe, and all your counsell, and other our good freinds with you, I rest

Yours most assured in y^e Lord, JO: WINTHROP.

Boston, y^e 20. of y^e 3. month, 1637.

In y^e mean time, the Pequents, espetially in y^e winter before, sought to make peace with y^e Narigansets, and used very pernicious arguments to move them therunto: as that y^e English were stranegers and begane to overspred their countrie, and would deprive them therof in time, if they were suffered to grow & increse; and if y^e Narigansets did assist y^e English to subdue them, they did but make way for their owne overthrow, for if they were rooted out, the English would soone take occasion to subjugate them; and if they would harken to them, they should not neede to fear y^e strength of y^e English; for they would not come to open battle with them, but fire their houses, kill their katle, and lye in ambush for them as they went abroad upon their occasions; and all this they might easily doe without any or litle danger to them selves. The which course being held, they well saw the English could not long subsiste, but they would either be starved with hunger, or be forced to forsake the countrie; with many y^e like things; insomuch that y^e Narigansets were once wavering, and were halfe minded to have made peace with them, and jo[=y]ed against y^e English. But againe when they considered, how much wrong they had received from the Pequents, and what an oppertunitie they now had by y^e help of y^e English to right them selves, revenge was so sweete unto them, as it prevailed above all y^e rest; so as they resolved to joyne with y^e English against them, & did. [223] The Court here agreed forwith to send 50. men at their owne charg; and w^th as much speed as posiblie they could, gott them armed, and had made them ready under sufficiente leaders, and provided a barke to carrie them provisions & tend upon them for all occasions; but when they were ready to march (with a supply from y^e Bay) they had word to stay, for y^e enimy was as good as vanquished, and their would be no neede.