[185] A few observations from y^e former letters, and then I shall set
downe the simple truth of y^e things (thus in controversie betweene
them), at least as farr as by any good evidence it could be made to
appeare; and so laboure to be breefe in so tedious and intricate a
bussines, which hunge in expostulation betweene them many years before
y^e same was ended. That though ther will be often occasion to touch
these things about other passages, yet I shall not neede to be large
therin; doing it hear once for all.
First, it seemes to appere clearly that Ashley's bussines, and y^e
buying of this ship, and y^e courses framed ther upon, were first
contrived and proposed by M^r. Allerton, as also y^t the pleaes and
pretences which he made, of y^e inablitie of y^e plantation to repaye
their moneys, &c., and y^e hops he gave them of doing it with profile,
was more beleeved & rested on by them (at least some of them) then any
thing y^e plantation did or said.
2. It is like, though M^r. Allerton might thinke not to wrong y^e
plantation in y^e maine, yet his owne gaine and private ends led him a
side in these things: for it came to be knowne, and I have it in a
letter under M^r. Sherley's hand, that in y^e first 2. or 3. years of
his imploymente, he had cleared up 400^li. and put it into a brew-house
of M^r. Colliers in London, at first under M^r. Sherley's name, &c.;
besids what he might have other wise. Againe, M^r. Sherley and he had
perticuler dealings in some things; for he bought up y^e beaver that
sea-men & other passengers brought over to Bristoll, and at other
places, and charged y^e bills to London, which M^r. Sherley payed; and
they got some time 50^li. a peece in a bargen, as was made knowne by
M^r. Hatherley & others, besids what might be other wise; which might
make M^r. Sherley harken unto him in many things; and yet I beleeve, as
he in his forementioned leter write, he never would side in any
perticuler trade w^ch he conceived would wrong y^e plantation, and eate
up & destroy y^e generall.
3^ly. It may be perceived that, seeing they had done so much for y^e
plantation, both in former adventures and late disbursements, and allso
that M^r. Allerton was y^e first occasioner of bringing them upon these
new designes, which at first seemed faire & profitable unto them, and
unto which they agreed; but now, seeing them to turne to loss, and
decline to greater intanglments, they thought it more meete for y^e
plantation to bear them, then them selves, who had borne much in other
things allready, and so tooke advantage of such comission & power as
M^r. Allerton had formerly had as their agente, to devolve these things
upon them.
4^ly. With pitie and compassion (touching M^r. Allerton) I may say with
y^e apostle to Timothy, 1. Tim. 6. 9. _They that will be rich fall into
many temtations and snares, &c., and pearce them selves throw with many
sorrows, &c.; for the love of money is y^e roote of all evill_, v. 10.
God give him to see y^e evill in his failings, that he may find mercie
by repentance for y^e wrongs he hath done to any, and this pore
plantation in spetiall. They that doe such things doe not only bring
them selves into snares, and sorrows, but many with them, (though in an
other kind,) as lamentable experience shows; and is too manifest in this
bussines.
[186] Now about these ships & their setting forth, the truth, as farr as
could be learned, is this. The motion aboute setting forth y^e fishing
ship (caled y^e Frindship) came first from y^e plantation, and y^e
reasons of it, as is before remembered; but wholy left to them selves to
doe or not to doe, as they saw cause. But when it fell into
consideration, and y^e designe was held to be profitable and hopefull,
it was propounded by some of them, why might not they doe it of them
selves, seeing they must disburse all y^e money, and what need they have
any refferance to y^e plantation in y^t; they might take y^e profile
them selves, towards other losses, & need not let y^e plantation share
therin; and if their ends were other wise answered for their supplyes to
come too them in time, it would be well enough. So they hired her, & set
her out, and fraighted her as full as she could carry with passengers
goods y^t belonged to y^e Massachussets, which rise to a good sume of
money; intending to send y^e plantations supply in y^e other ship. The
effecte of this M^r. Hatherley not only declared afterward upon
occasion, but affirmed upon othe, taken before y^e Gov^r & Dep: Gov^r of
the Massachusets, M^r. Winthrop & M^r. Dudley: That this ship-Frindship
was not sett out nor intended for y^e joynt partnership of y^e
plantation, but for y^e perticuler accounte of M^r. James Sherley, M^r.
Beachampe, M^r. Andrews, M^r. Allerton, & him selfe. This deposition was
taken at Boston y^e 29. of Aug: 1639. as is to be seen under their
hands; besids some other concurente testimonies declared at severall
times to sundrie of them.
About y^e Whit-Angell, though she was first bought, or at least the
price beaten, by M^r. Allerton (at Bristoll), yet that had been nothing
if M^r. Sherley had not liked it, and disbursed y^e money. And that she
was not intended for y^e plantation appears by sundrie evidences;[CZ]
as, first, y^e bills of sale, or charter-parties, were taken in their
owne names, without any mention or refferance to y^e plantation at all;
viz. M^r. Sherley, M^r. Beachampe, M^r. Andrews, M^r. Denison, and M^r.
Allerton; for M^r. Hatherley fell off, and would not joyne with them in
this. That she was not bought for their accounte, M^r. Hatherley tooke
his oath before y^e parties afforesaid, y^e day and year above writen.
M^r. Allerton tooke his oath to like effecte concerning this ship, the
Whit-Angell, before y^e Gov^r & Deputie, the 7. of Sep: 1639. and
likewise deposed, y^e same time, that M^r. Hatherley and him selfe did,
in the behalfe of them selves and y^e said M^r. Sherley, M^r. Andrews, &
M^r. Beachamp, agree and undertake to discharge, and save harmless, all
y^e rest of y^e partners & purchasers, of and from y^e said losses of
Freindship for 200^li., which was to be discounted therupon; as by ther
depossitions (which are in writing) may appeare more at large, and some
other depositions & other testemonies by M^r. Winslow,[DA] &c. But I
suppose these may be sufficente to evince the truth in these things,
against all pretences to y^e contrary. And yet the burthen lay still
upon y^e plantation; or, to speake more truly and rightly, upon those
few that were ingaged for all, for they were faine to wade through these
things without any help from any.
[187] Concerning M^r. Allerton's accounts, they were so larg and
intrecate, as they could not well understand them, much less examine &
correcte them, without a great deale of time & help, and his owne
presence, which was now hard to gett amongst them; and it was 2. or 3.
years before they could bring them to any good pass, but never make them
perfecte. I know not how it came to pass, or what misterie was in it,
for he tooke upon him to make up all accounts till this time, though
M^r. Sherley was their agente to buy & sell their goods, and did more
then he therin; yet he past in accounts in a maner for all disbursments,
both concerning goods bought, which he never saw, but were done when he
was hear in y^e cuntrie or at sea; and all y^e expences of y^e Leyden
people, done by others in his absence; the charges aboute y^e patente,
&c. In all which he made them debtore to him above 300^li. and demanded
paimente of it. But when things came to scaning, he was found above
2000^li. debtore to them, (this wherin M^r. Hatherley & he being joyntly
ingaged, which he only had, being included,) besids I know not how much
y^t could never be cleared; and interest moneys which ate them up, which
he never accounted. Also they were faine to alow such large bills of
charges as were intolerable; the charges of y^e patent came to above
500^li. and yet nothing done in it but what was done at first without
any confirmation; 30^li. given at a clape, and 50^li. spent in a
journey. No marvell therfore if M^r. Sherley said in his leter, if their
bussines had been better managed, they might have been y^e richest
plantation of any English at y^t time. Yea, he scrued up his poore old
father in law's accounte to above 200^li. and brought it on y^e generall
accounte, and to befreind him made most of it to arise out of those
goods taken up by him at Bristoll, at 50. per cent., because he knew
they would never let it lye on y^e old man, when, alass! he, poore man,
never dreamte of any such thing, nor y^t what he had could arise nere
y^t valew; but thought that many of them had been freely bestowed on him
& his children by M^r. Allerton. Nither in truth did they come nere y^t
valew in worth, but y^t sume was blowne up by interest & high prises,
which y^e company did for y^e most parte bear, (he deserving farr more,)
being most sory that he should have a name to have much, when he had in
effecte litle.
This year also M^r. Sherley sent over an accounte, which was in a maner
but a cash accounte what M^r. Allerton had had of them, and disbursed,
for which he referd to his accounts; besids an account of beaver sould,
which M^r. Winslow & some others had carried over, and a large supply of
goods which M^r. Winslow had sent & brought over, all which was
comprised in that accounte, and all y^e disbursments aboute y^e
Freindship, & Whit-Angell, and what concerned their accounts from first
to last; or any thing else he could charg y^e partners with. So they
were made debtor in y^e foote of that accounte 4770^li 19. 2.[DB] besids
1000^li. still due for y^e purchase yet unpayed; notwithstanding all y^e
beaver, and returnes that both Ashley & they had made, which were not
small.
[188] In these accounts of M^r. Sherley's some things were obscure, and
some things twise charged, as a 100. of Bastable ruggs which came in
y^e Freindship, & cost 75^li., charged before by M^r. Allerton, and now
by him againe, with other perticulers of like nature doubtfull, to be
twise or thrise charged; as also a sume of 600^li. which M^r. Allerton
deneyed, and they could never understand for what it was. They sent a
note of these & such like things afterward to M^r. Sherley by M^r.
Winslow; but (I know not how it came to pass) could never have them
explained.
Into these deepe sumes had M^r. Allerton rune them in tow years, for in
y^e later end of y^e year 1628. all their debts did not amounte to much
above 400^li., as was then noted; and now come to so many thousands. And
wheras in y^e year 1629. M^r. Sherley & M^r. Hatherley being at
Bristoll, and write a large letter from thence, in which they had given
an account of y^e debts, and what sumes were then disbursed, M^r.
Allerton never left begging & intreating of them till they had put it
out. So they bloted out 2. lines in y^t leter in which y^e sumes were
contained, and write upon it so as not a word could be perceived; as
since by them was confessed, and by y^e leters may be seene. And thus
were they kept hoodwinckte, till now they were so deeply ingaged. And
wheras M^r. Sherley did so ernestly press y^t M^r. Allerton might be
sent over to finish y^e great bussines aboute y^e patente, as may be
seen in his leter write 1629. as is before recorded, and y^t they should
be ernest w^th his wife to suffer him to goe, &c., he hath since
confessed by a letter under my hands, that it was M^r. Allerton's owne
doings, and not his, and he made him write his words, & not his owne.
The patent was but a pretence, and not y^e thing. Thus were they abused
in their simplicitie, and no beter then bought & sould, as it may seeme.
And to mend y^e matter, M^r. Allerton doth in a sorte wholy now deserte
them; having brought them into y^e briers, he leaves them to gett out as
they can. But God crost him mightily, for he having hired y^e ship of
M^r. Sherly at 30^li., a month, he set forth againe with a most wicked
and drunken crue, and for covetousnes sake did so over lade her, not
only filling her hould, but so stufed her betweene decks, as she was
walte, and could not bear sayle, and they had like to have been cast
away at sea, and were forced to put for Millford Havene, and new-stow
her, & put some of ther ordnance & more heavie goods in y^e botome;
which lost them time, and made them come late into y^e countrie, lose
ther season, and made a worse viage then y^e year before. But being come
into y^e countrie, he sells trading comodities to any y^t will buy, to
y^e great prejudice of y^e plantation here; but that which is worse,
what he could not sell, he trustes; and sets up a company of base felows
and maks them traders, to rune into every hole, & into y^e river of
Kenebeck, to gleane away y^e trade from y^e house ther, aboute y^e
patente & priviledge wherof he had dasht away so much money of theirs
here; [189] and now what in him lay went aboute to take away y^e
benefite therof, and to overthrow them. Yea, not only this, but he
furnishes a company, and joyns with some consorts, (being now deprived
of Ashley at Penobscote,) and sets up a trading house beyoned
Penobscote, to cute of y^e trade from thence also. But y^e French
perceiving that that would be greatly to their damage allso, they came
in their begining before they were well setled, and displanted them,
slue 2. of their men, and tooke all their goods to a good valew, y^e
loss being most, if not all, M^r. Allerton's; for though some of them
should have been his partners, yet he trusted them for their partes; the
rest of y^e men were sent into France, and this was the end of y^t
projecte. The rest of those he trusted, being lose and drunken fellows,
did for y^e most parte but coussen & cheate him of all they got into
their hands; that howsoever he did his friends some hurte hereby for y^e
presente, yet he gate litle good, but wente by y^e loss by Gods just
hand. After in time, when he came to Pli[=m]oth, y^e church caled him to
accounte for these, and other his grosse miscarrages; he confessed his
faulte, and promised better walking, and that he would wind him selfe
out of these courses as soone as he could, &c.
This year also Mr. Sherley would needs send them over a new-acountante;
he had made mention of such a thing y^e year before, but they write him
word, that their charge was great allready, and they neede not increase
it, as this would; but if they were well delte with, and had their goods
well sent over, they could keep their accounts hear them selves. Yet he
now sente one, which they did not refuse, being a yonger brother of M^r.
Winslows, whom they had been at charge to instructe at London before he
came. He came over in the White Angell with M^r. Allerton, and ther
begane his first imploymente; for though M^r. Sherley had so farr
befreinded Mr. Allerton, as to cause[DC] M^r. Winslow to ship y^e supply
sente to y^e partners here in this ship, and give him 4^li. [p=]er tune,
wheras others carried for 3. and he made them pay their fraight ready
downe, before y^e ship wente out of y^e harbore, wheras others payed
upon certificate of y^e goods being delivered, and their fraight came to
upward of 6. score pounds, yet they had much adoe to have their goods
delivered, for some of them were chainged, as bread & pease; they were
forced to take worse for better, neither could they ever gett all. And
if Josias Winslow had not been ther, it had been worse; for he had y^e
invoyce, and order to send them to y^e trading houses.
This year their house at Penobscott was robed by y^e French, and all
their goods of any worth they carried away, to y^e value of 400. or
500^li. as y^e cost first peny worth; in beaver 300^li. waight; and y^e
rest in trading goods, as coats, ruggs, blankett, biskett, &c. It was
in this maner. The m^r. of y^e house, and parte of y^e company with him,
were come with their vessell to y^e westward to fecth a supply of goods
which was brought over for them. In y^e mean time comes a smale French
ship into y^e harbore (and amongst y^e company was a false Scott); they
pretended they were nuly come from y^e sea, and knew not wher they were,
and that their vesell was very leake, and desired they might hale her a
shore and stop their leaks. And many French complements they used, and
congees they made; and in y^e ende, seeing but 3. or 4. simple men, y^t
were servants, and by this Scoth-man understanding that y^e maister & ye
rest of y^e company were gone from home, they fell of comending their
gunes and muskets, that lay upon racks by y^e wall side, and tooke them
downe to looke on them, asking if they were charged. And when they were
possesst of them, one presents a peece ready charged against y^e
servants, and another a pistoll; and bid them not sturr, but quietly
deliver them their goods, and carries some of y^e men aborde, & made y^e
other help to carry away y^e goods. And when they had tooke what they
pleased, they sett them at liberty, and wente their way, with this
mocke, biding them tell their m^r. when he came, that some of y^e Ile of
Rey gentlemen had been ther.[DD]
[DE] This year, on S^r Christopher Gardener, being, as him selfe said,
descended of y^t house y^t the Bishop of Winchester came of (who was so
great a persecutor of Gods saincts in Queene Maries days), and being a
great traveler, received his first honour of knighthood at Jerusalem,
being made Knight of y^e Sepulcher ther. He came into these parts under
pretence of forsaking y^e world, and to live a private life, in a godly
course, not unwilling to put him selfe upon any meane imployments, and
take any paines for his living; and some time offered him selfe to joyne
to y^e churchs in sundry places. He brought over with him a servante or
2. and a comly yonge woman, whom be caled his cousin, but it was
suspected, she (after y^e Italian maner) was his concubine. Living at
y^e Massachusets, for some miscariages which he should have answered, he
fled away from authority, and gott amonge y^e Indeans of these parts;
they sent after him, but could not gett him, and promissed some reward
to those y^t should find him. The Indeans came to y^e Gov^r here, and
tould wher he was, and asked if they might kill him; he tould them no,
by no means, but if they could take him and bring him hither, they
should be payed for their paines. They said he had a gune & a rapier, &
he would kill them if y^ey went aboute it; and y^e Massachuset Indeans
said they might kille him. But y^e Gov^r tould them no, they should not
kill him, but watch their opportunitie, & take him. And so they did, for
when they light of him by a river side, he got into a canowe to get from
them, & when they came nere him, whilst he presented his peece at them
to keep them of, the streame carried y^e canow against a rock, and
tumbled both him & his peece & rapier into y^e water; yet he got out,
and having a litle dagger by his side, they durst not close with him,
but getting longe pols they soone beat his dagger out of his hand, so he
was glad to yeeld; and they brought him to y^e Gov^r. But his hands and
armes were swolen & very sore with y^e blowes they had given him. So he
used him kindly, & sent him to a lodging wher his armes were bathed and
anoynted, and he was quickly well againe, and blamed y^e Indeans for
beating him so much. They said that they did but a litle whip him with
sticks. In his lodging, those y^t made his bed found a litle note booke
that by accidente had slipt out of his pockett, or some private place,
in which was a memoriall what day he was reconciled to y^e pope & church
of Rome, and in what universitie he tooke his scapula, and such & such
degrees. It being brought to y^e Gov^r, he kept it, and sent y^e Gov^r
of y^e Massachusets word of his taking, who sent for him. So y^e Gov^r
sent him and these notes to y^e Gov^r ther, who tooke it very thankfuly;
but after he gott for England, he shewed his malice, but God prevented
him.