Besids y^e occation before mentioned in these writings concerning the
abuse of those 2. children, they had aboute y^e same time a case of
buggerie fell out amongst them, which occasioned these questions, to
which these answers have been made.
And after y^e time of y^e writ[=i]g of these things befell a very sadd
accidente of the like foule nature in this govermente, this very year,
which I shall now relate. Ther was a youth whose name was Thomas
Granger; he was servant to an honest man of Duxbery, being aboute 16. or
17. years of age. (His father & mother lived at the same time at
Sityate.) He was this year detected of buggery (and indicted for y^e
same) with a mare, a cowe, tow goats, five sheep, 2. calves, and a
turkey. Horrible [249] it is to mention, but y^e truth of y^e historie
requires it. He was first discovered by one y^t accidentally saw his
lewd practise towards the mare. (I forbear perticulers.) Being upon it
examined and co[=m]itted, in y^e end he not only confest y^e fact with
that beast at that time, but sundrie times before, and at severall times
with all y^e rest of y^e forenamed in his indictmente; and this his
free-confession was not only in private to y^e magistrats, (though at
first he strived to deney it,) but to sundrie, both ministers & others,
and afterwards, upon his indictmente, to y^e whole court & jury; and
confirmed it at his execution. And wheras some of y^e sheep could not so
well be knowne by his description of them, others with them were brought
before him, and he declared which were they, and which were not. And
accordingly he was cast by y^e jury, and condemned, and after executed
about y^e 8. of Sept^r, 1642. A very sade spectakle it was; for first
the mare, and then y^e cowe, and y^e rest of y^e lesser catle, were kild
before his face, according to y^e law, Levit: 20. 15. and then he him
selfe was executed. The catle were all cast into a great & large pitte
that was digged of purposs for them, and no use made of any part of
them.
Upon y^e examenation of this person, and also of a former that had made
some sodomiticall attempts upon another, it being demanded of them how
they came first to y^e knowledge and practice of such wickednes, the one
confessed he had long used it in old England; and this youth last
spoaken of said he was taught it by an other that had heard of such
things from some in England when he was ther, and they kept catle
togeather. By which it appears how one wicked person may infecte many;
and what care all ought to have what servants they bring into their
families.
But it may be demanded how came it to pass that so many wicked persons
and profane people should so quickly come over into this land, & mixe
them selves amongst them? seeing it was religious men y^t begane y^e
work, and they came for religions sake. I confess this may be marveilled
at, at least in time to come, when the reasons therof should not be
knowne; and y^e more because here was so many hardships and wants mett
withall. I shall therfore indeavor to give some answer hereunto. And
first, according to y^t in y^e gospell, it is ever to be remembred that
wher y^e Lord begins to sow good seed, ther y^e envious man will
endeavore to sow tares. 2. Men being to come over into a wildernes, in
which much labour & servise was to be done aboute building & planting,
&c., such as wanted help in y^t respecte, when they could not have such
as y^ey would, were glad to take such as they could; and so, many
untoward servants, sundry of them proved, that were thus brought over,
both men & women kind: who, when their times were expired, became
families of them selves, which gave increase hereunto. 3. An other and a
maine reason hearof was, that men, finding so many godly disposed
persons willing to come into these parts, some begane to make a trade of
it, to transeport passengers & their goods, and hired ships for that
end; and then, to make up their fraight and advance their profite, cared
not who y^e persons were, so they had money to pay them. And by this
means the cuntrie became pestered with many unworthy persons, who, being
come over, crept into one place or other. 4. Againe, the Lords blesing
usually following his people, as well in outward as spirituall things,
(though afflictions be mixed withall,) doe make many to adhear to y^e
people of God, as many followed Christ, for y^e loaves sake, John 6. 26.
and a mixed multitud came into y^e willdernes with y^e people of God out
of Eagipte of old, Exod. 12. 38; so allso ther were sente by their
freinds some under hope y^t they would be made better; others that they
might be eased of such burthens, and they kept from shame at home y^t
would necessarily follow their dissolute courses. And thus, by one means
or other, in 20. years time, it is a question whether y^e greater part
be not growne y^e worser.
[250] I am now come to y^e conclusion of that long & tedious bussines
betweene y^e partners hear, & them in England, the which I shall
manifest by their owne letters as followeth, in such parts of them as
are pertinente to y^e same.
_M^r. Sherleys to M^r. Attwood._
M^r. Attwood, my approved loving friend: Your letter of y^e 18. of
October last I have received, wherin I find you have taken a great
deall of paines and care aboute y^t troublesome bussines betwixte our
Plimoth partners & freinds, & us hear, and have deeply ingaged your
selfe, for which complements & words are no reall satisfaction, &c.
For y^e agreemente you have made with M^r. Bradford, M^r. Winslow, &
y^e rest of y^e partners ther, considering how honestly and justly I
am perswaded they have brought in an accounte of y^e remaining stock,
for my owne parte I am well satisfied, and so I thinke is M^r.
Andrewes, and I supose will be M^r. Beachampe, if most of it might
acrew to him, to whom y^e least is due, &c. And now for peace sake,
and to conclud as we began, lovingly and freindly, and to pass by all
failings of all, the conclude is accepted of; I say this agreemente
y^t you have made is condesended unto, and M^r. Andrews hath sent his
release to M^r. Winthrop, with such directions as he conceives fitt;
and I have made bould to trouble you with mine, and we have both
sealed in y^e presence of M^r. Weld, and M^r. Peeters, and some
others, and I have also sente you an other, for the partners ther, to
seale to me; for you must not deliver mine to them, excepte they seale
& deliver one to me; this is fitt and equall, &c.
Yours to co[=m]and in what I may or can,
JAMES SHERLEY.
June 14. 1642.
_His to y^e partners as followeth._
Loving freinds,
M^r. Bradford, M^r. Winslow, M^r. Prence, Captaine Standish, M^r.
Brewster, M^r. Alden, & M^r. Howland, give me leave to joyne you all
in one letter, concerning y^e finall end & conclude of y^t tedious &
troublsome bussines, & I thinke I may truly say uncomfurtable &
unprofitable to all, &c. It hath pleased God now to put us upon a way
to sease all suits, and disquieting of our spirites, and to conclude
with peace and love, as we began. I am contented to yeeld & make good
what M^r. Attwood and you have agreed upon; and for y^t end have sente
to my loving friend, M^r. Attwood, an absolute and generall release
unto you all, and if ther wante any thing to make it more full, write
it your selves, & it shall be done, provided y^t all you, either
joyntly or severally, seale y^e like discharge to me. And for y^t end
I have drawne one joyntly, and sent it to M^r. Attwood, with y^t I
have sealed to you. Mr. Andrews hath sealed an aquitance also, & sent
it to M^r. Winthrop, whith such directions as he conceived fitt, and,
as I hear, hath given his debte, which he maks 544^li. unto y^e
gentlemen of y^e Bay. Indeed, M^r. Welld, M^r. Peters, & M^r. Hibbens
have taken a great deale of paines with M^r. Andrews, M^r. Beachamp, &
my selfe, to bring us to agree, and to y^t end we have had many
meetings and spent much time aboute it. But as they are very religious
& honest gentle-men, yet they had an end y^t they drove at & laboured
to accomplish (I meane not any private end, but for y^e generall good
of their patente). It had been very well you had sent one over. M^r.
Andrew wished you might have one 3. parte of y^e 1200^li. & the Bay 2.
thirds; but then we 3. must have agreed togeather, which were a hard
mater now. But M^r. Weld, M^r. Peters, & M^r. Hibbens, & I, have
agreed, they giving you bond (so to compose with M^r. Beachamp, as) to
procure his generall release, & free you from all trouble & charge y^t
he may put you too; which indeed is nothing, for I am perswaded M^r.
Weld will in time gaine him to give them all that is dew to [251] him,
which in some sorte is granted allready; for though his demands be
great, yet M^r. Andrewes hath taken some paines in it, and makes it
appear to be less then I thinke he will consente to give them for so
good an use; so you neede not fear, that for taking bond ther to save
you harmles, you be safe and well. Now our accord is, y^t you must pay
to y^e gentle-men of y^e Bay 900^li.; they are to bear all chargs y^t
may any way arise concerning y^e free & absolute clearing of you from
us three. And you to have y^e other 300^li. &c.
Upon y^e receiving of my release from you, I will send you your bonds
for y^e purchass money. I would have sent them now, but I would have
M^r. Beachamp release as well as I, because you are bound to him in
them. Now I know if a man be bound to 12. men, if one release, it is
as if all released, and my discharge doth cutt them of; wherfore
doubte you not but you shall have them, & your commission, or any
thing els that is fitt. Now you know ther is tow years of y^e purchass
money, that I would not owne, for I have formerley certified you y^t
would but pay 7. years; but now you are discharged of all, &c.
Your loving and kind friend in what I may or can,
JAMES SHERLEY.
June 14. 1642.
The coppy of his release is as followeth.
Wheras diverce questions, differences, & demands have arisen &
depended betweene William Bradford, Edward Winslow, Thomas Prence,
Mylest Standish, William Brewster, John Allden, and John Howland,
gent: now or latly inhabitants or resident at New-Plimoth, in
New-England, on y^e one party, and James Sherley of London, marchante,
and others, in th' other parte, for & concerning a stocke & partable
trade of beaver & other comodities, and fraighting of ships, as y^e
White Angell, Frindship, or others, and y^e goods of Isaack Allerton
which were seazed upon by vertue of a leter of atturney made by y^e
said James Sherley and John Beachamp and Richard Andrews, or any other
maters concerning y^e said trade, either hear in Old-England or ther
in New-England or elsewher, all which differences are since by
mediation of freinds composed, compremissed, and all y^e said parties
agreed. Now know all men by these presents, that I, the said James
Sherley, in performance of y^e said compremise & agreemente, have
remised, released, and quite claimed, & doe by these presents remise,
release, and for me, myne heires, executors, & Administrators, and for
every of us, for ever quite claime unto y^e said William Bradford,
Edward Winslow, Thomas Prence, Myles Standish, William Brewster, John
Allden, & John Howland, and every of them, their & every of their
heires, executors, and administrators, all and all maner of actions,
suits, debts, accounts, rekonings, comissions, bonds, bills,
specialties, judgments, executions, claimes, challinges, differences,
and demands whatsoever, with or against y^e said William Bradford,
Edward Winslow, Thomas Prence, Myles Standish, William Brewster, John
Allden, and John Howland, or any of them, ever I had, now have, or in
time to come can, shall, or may have, for any mater, cause, or thing
whatsoever from y^e begining of y^e world untill y^e day of y^e date
of these presents. In witnes wherof I have hereunto put my hand &
seale, given the second day of June, 1642, and in y^e eighteenth year
of y^e raigne of our soveraigne lord, king Charles, &c.