your good counsel and loving respect to my kinsman; I pray you
continue the same still and set it as on my score to requite when
occasion is offered. My wife and I most kindly remember our loves
unto you and Mrs. Bradford, desiring you to remember us in your
prayers, for assuredly unless the Lord be merciful unto us and the
whole land in general, our estate and condition is far worse than
yours; wherefore if the Lord send persecution here (which is much
to be feared) and so should put into our minds to fly for refuge,
I know no place safer than to come to you, (for all Europe is at
variance one with another, but chiefly with us) not doubting but to
find such friendly entertainment as shall be honest and conscionable,
notwithstanding what hath lately passed; for I profess in the word of
an honest man, had it not been to procure your peace and quiet from
some turbulent spirits here, I would not have sealed to this deed,
though you have given me all my adventure and debt ready down: And
this I leave to your serious consideration, not questioning, but you
will approve yourselves faithful and honest before God and men: And
thus desiring the Lord to bless, preserve and prosper you and all
with you, I for this time cease, but ever resting,
Your faithful and loving friend
to my power,
JAMES SHIRLEY.
_London, Dec, 27th, Anno 1627._
* * * * *
This year we had letters sent us from the Dutch plantation, of whom
we had heard much by the natives, but never could hear from them nor
meet with them before themselves thus writ to us, and after sought us
out; their letters were writ in a very fair hand, the one in French,
and the other in Dutch, but were one verbatim, so far as the tongue
would bear.
[_Here follows a letter in Low Dutch, from Isaac de Razier at
Manhatas, in fort, Amsterdam Mar. 9, 1627. N. S. to the Governour
of New-Plymouth._]
I will not trouble myself to translate this letter, seeing the effect
of it will be understood by the answer which now follows in English,
though writ to them in Dutch.
_To the Honourable and Worshipful the Director and Council of
New Netherland, our very loving and worthy friends and christian
neighbours._
The Governour and Council of Plymouth in New England wish your
Honours and Worships all happiness, and prosperity in this life, and
eternal rest and glory with Christ Jesus our Lord in the world to
come.
We have received your letters wherein appeareth your good will, and
friendship toward us, but is expressed with over high titles, and
more than belongs to us, or than is meet for us to receive: But for
your good will and congratulation of our prosperity in this small
beginning of our poor colony, we are much bound unto you, and with
many thanks do acknowledge the same; taking it both for a great
honour done unto us, and for a certain testimony of your love, and
good neighbourhood. Now these are further to give your Honours,
Worships and Wisdoms to understand, that it is to us no small joy,
to hear, that it hath pleased God to move his Majesty’s heart, not
only to confirm that ancient amity, alliance, and friendship, and
other contracts formerly made, and ratified by his predecessors of
famous memory; but hath himself (as you say) and we likewise have
been informed, strengthened the same with a new union, the better
to resist the pride of that common enemy the Spaniards, from whose
cruelty the Lord keep us both, and our native countries. Now for
as much as this is sufficient to unite us together in love, and
good neighbourhood in all our dealings; yet are many of us further
tied by the good and courteous entreaty which we have found in
your country; having lived there many years, with freedom and good
content, as many of our friends do to this day; for which we are
bound to be thankful, and our children after us and shall never
forget the same but shall heartily desire your good and prosperity,
as our own forever. Likewise for your friendly proposition and offer
to accommodate and help us with any commodities or merchandize which
you have and we want, either for beaver, otters or other wares, is
to us very acceptable, and we doubt not but in short time, we may
have profitable commerce and trade together: But you may please to
understand that we are but one particular colony or plantation in
this land, there being divers others besides, unto whom it hath
pleased those Honourable Lords of his Majesty’s Council for New
England, to grant the like commission, and ample privileges to
them (as to us) for their better profit and subsistence; namely to
expulse, or make prize of any, either strangers or other English
which shall attempt, either to trade, or plant within their limits
(without their special licence and commission) which extends to
forty degrees: Yet for our parts, we shall not go about to molest
or trouble you in any thing, but continue all good neighbourhood
and correspondence as far as we may; only we desire that you
would forbear to trade with the natives in this bay, and river of
Naragansett and Sowames, which is (as it were) at our doors: The
which if you do, we think also no other English will go about any way
to trouble or hinder you; which otherwise are resolved to solicit his
Majesty for redress, if otherwise they cannot help themselves.
May it please you further to understand, that for this year we are
fully supplied with all necessaries, both for clothing and other
things; but it may so fall out, that hereafter we shall deal with
you, if your rates be reasonable: And therefore when your people come
again, we desire to know how you will take beaver by the pound, and
otters by the skin, and how you will per cent. for other commodities,
and what you can furnish us with; as likewise what commodities from
us, may be acceptable with you, as tobacco, fish, corn, or other
things, and what prices you will give.
Thus hoping that you will pardon and excuse us for our rude and
imperfect writing in your language, and take it in good part;
because, for want of use, we cannot so well express that we
understand; nor happily understand every thing so fully as we should:
And so we humbly pray the Lord, for his mercy’s sake, that he will
take both us and our native countries, into his holy protection and
defence. Amen.
By the Governour and Council, your Honours’ and
Worships’ very good friends and neighbours.
_New-Plymouth, March 19th._
Next follows their reply to this our answer, very friendly but
maintaining their right and liberty to trade in those parts, which
we had desired they would forbear; alleging that as we had authority
and commission from our king; so they had the like from the States of
Holland, which they would defend.
_August 7, 1627._
_Another of theirs upon our answer to their last, which I here
omit._
_An answer to the former letters._
We have received your[6]letters dated the 7th of August, and with
them a rundlet of sugar, and two Holland cheeses, by John Jacobson
of Wiring; for which we give you many thanks and must remain your
debtors till another time, not having any thing to send you for
the present that may be acceptable: Further, you shall understand
that it is also our resolution and hearty desire to hold and
continue all friendship and good neighbourhood with you as far as
we may and lies in our power; we desire also that we might have
opportunity (according as you write) by word of mouth, to confer
together touching our mutual commerce and trading in such things
as our countries afford; and would now have sent one, but that one
of our boats is abroad, and we have much business at home; But if
by the next you would please to depute one (according as you have
propounded) to come hither and to confer hereabouts, we should be
glad and he should be welcome. If not, we shall send as soon as
conveniently we can (after harvest) if we can know when your bark
comes this way. We cannot likewise omit (out of our love and good
affection toward you and the trust you repose in us) to give you
warning of the danger which may befal you, that you may prevent it;
for if you light either in the hands of those of Virginia or the
fishing ships, which come to New England, peradventure they will
make prize of you, if they can, if they find you trading within
those limits; as they surprised a colony of the French, not many
years since, which was seated within these bounds: For howsoever
you allege in your former letter, that you have navigated and traded
in these parts above this twenty-six years, and that your company
have now authority from the States and the Prince of Orange to do
so; yet you must understand that her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, of
famous memory hath began to navigate and plant in these lands well
nigh forty years ago, as appeareth by her patents and royal grants
conferred upon divers of her subjects and since confirmed and
enlarged by his late Majesty, and still continued by possession.
Therefore it were best (in our opinion) that your masters should
solicit the States that they might come to some order and agreement
with the King’s Majesty and State of England hereabout, before any
inconvenience befal; for howsoever you may be assured for ourselves,
yet we should be sorry to hear you should sustain harm from any of
our nation; but more of these things when we shall speak one with
another: In the mean time we commit you and your affairs to the
protection of the highest.
Your loving friends, the Governour
and Council of New-Plymouth.
WILLIAM BRADFORD.
_Governour, &c._
_Plymouth, August 14, Anno 1627._
_THEIR answer to this directed to myself thus superscribed_:
_Monsieur Monseignieur, William Bradford, Governeur in
Nieu-Plemeuen._
_This I will put in English and so will end with theirs, viz._
After the wishing of all good unto you, this serves to let you
understand, that we have received your (acceptable) letters dated
the 14th of the last month, by John Jacobson of Wiring, who besides,
by word of mouth, hath reported unto us your kind and friendly
entertainment of him: For which cause (by the good-liking and
approbation of the Directors and Council) I am resolved to come
myself, in friendship, to visit you, that we may by word of mouth
friendly communicate of things together; as also to report unto you
the good will and favour that the Honourable Lords of the authorized
West-Indian company bear towards you. And to show our willingness of
your good accommodation, have brought with me some cloth of three
sorts and colours, and a chest of white sugar, as also some seawan,
&c. not doubting but, if any of them may be serviceable unto you, we
shall agree well enough about the prices thereof. Also John Jacobson
aforesaid hath told me, that he came to you overland in six hours,
but I have not gone so far this three or four years; wherefore I
fear my feet will fail me, so I am constrained to entreat you to
afford me the easiest means that I may, with least weariness, come
to congratulate with you: So leaving other things to the report of
the bearer, shall herewith end; remembering my hearty salutations to
yourself and friends, &c. from a-board the bark Nassau, the 4th of
October; before Frenchman’s point.
Your affectionate friend,
ISAAC DE RAZIER.
_Anno 1627._
* * * * *
So, according to his request, we sent our boat for him, who came
honourably attended with a noise of trumpeters; he was their upper
_commis_, or chief merchant and second to the Governour; a man of
a fair and genteel behaviour, but soon after fell into disgrace
amongst them; by reason of their factions; and thus at length we came
to meet and deal together. We at this time bought sundry of their
commodities, especially their _sewan_ or _wampampeack_, which was the
beginning of a profitable trade with us and the Indians: We further
understood, that their masters were willing to have friendship
with us and to supply us with sundry commodities, and offered us
assistance against the French if need were. The which, though we know
it was with an eye to their own profit, yet we had reason both kindly
to accept it and make use of it: So after this sundry of them came
often to us, and many letters passed between us, the which I will
pass by, as being about particular dealings, and would not be here
very pertinent; only upon this passage we wrote one to their Lords
and masters; as followeth.
_Right Honourable and Worthy Lords, &c._
We understand by your agent, Mr. Isaac Razier, who is at this present
with us (and hath demeaned himself to your honours and his own
credit) of your honourable and respective good intentions towards us,
which we humbly acknowledge with all thankfulness, and shall ever
be ready in the performance of all offices of good and christian
neighbourhood, towards your colony and plantation here, and in all
satisfactory correspondence to your Honours, so far as in us lieth
and may stand with our allegiance to the King’s most excellent
Majesty, our Sovereign Lord the King of Great-Britain; acknowledging
ourselves tied in a strict obligation unto your country and State,
for the good entertainment and free liberty which we had, and our
brethren and countrymen yet there have and do enjoy, under our most
honourable Lords the States; and so shall be ready to accommodate
ourselves to your good satisfaction: For the propositions of your
agent concerning the matter of trade and commerce, we will have due
and respective consideration, wishing it had been sooner propounded
at the beginning of the year, before we sent our factor into England
and Holland about our trade and supplies; for, till his return, we
can determine of nothing, not yet knowing certainly what issue there
will be of the business between the merchants our partners, and
ourselves; and therefore desire suspension of our determination and
resolution herein till the next year, we being not yet altogether
free in respect of our engagements unto them: In the meantime we
will digest it in our best cogitations; only we desire your Honours,
that ye would take into your wise and honourable considerations,
that which we conceive may be a hindrance to this accordation, and
may be a means of much future evil, if it be not prevented, namely,
that you clear the title of your planting in these parts, which his
Majesty hath, by patent, granted to divers his nobles and subjects of
quality; least it be a bone of division in these stirring evil times,
which God forbid: We persuade ourselves, that now may be easily
and seasonably done, which will be harder and with more difficulty
obtained hereafter, and perhaps not without blows; so there may be
assured peace and good correspondence on all parts, and ourselves
more free and able to contract with your Honours. Thus commending
our best service to our most noble Lords, praying for the prosperous
success of your worthy designs, we rest your Lordships’
Most sincerely affected and bounden,
William Bradford.
_Governour, &c._
_Plymouth, Oct. 1, Anno 1627._
* * * * *
We well knew likewise, that this dealing and friendship with the
Dutch (though it was wholly sought of themselves) yet it would
procure us envy from others in the land, and that at one time or
other, our enemies would take occasion to raise slanders and frame
accusations against us for it; therefore, to prevent their malice, as
also to shew the sincerity of our dealing and our loyal and dutiful
respect to his Majesty and the Honourable Council for New England;
we sent their first letter (with our answer thereto and their reply
to the same) unto the Council as may appear more particularly by our
letters following.
_A letter to the Council of New England._
_Right Honourable_,
We held it our bounden duty to inform and acquaint your Lordships
and Honours, with all such occurrences and matters of note as do
here befal, and may any way concern the estate of this country, in
either the good or hurt thereof, which, next his Majesty, stands
under your honourable governments and protection; or which may in
any sort, be worthy your wise and prudent considerations. May it
please your Honours and Lordships to understand, that of late we
received letters from the Dutch plantation, who using to trade near
unto us, had order to stay for an answer from us; and the effect of
their letters, being friendly and congratulatory, we answered them
in like sort; since which time, we received another from them, but
have had as yet no opportunity to give answer thereto. Their first
letters were two,[7] but both one in effect and verbatim, so far as
the proprieties of the tongues will bear; the French, with the copies
both of our answer and their reply, we have here enclosed sent unto
your Honour’s view, that according to your honourable directions
therein, we may govern ourselves, in our dealings with them. We
further understand that for strength of men and fortification, they
far exceed us, and all in this land. We cannot likewise forbear to
complain unto your Lordships, of the irregular living of many in this
land, who without either patent or licence, order or government,
live, trade and truck, not with any intent to plant, but rather to
forage the country and get what they can, whether by right or wrong,
and then be gone: So as such as have been and are at great charge to
settle plantations, will not be able to subsist, if some remedy be
not provided, both with these and the inordinate course of fishermen,
who begin to leave fishing, and fall wholly to trading, to the
great detriment of both the small beginning here, and the State of
England, by the unprofitable consuming of the victuals of the land
upon these salvages: Whereas plantations might here better raise the
same in the land, and so be enabled both to subsist and to return the
profit thereof into England for other necessaries, which would be
beneficial to the commonwealth. Our humble suits therefore to your
good Lordships is, that you would take some such order, for redress
herein, as shall seem best to your honourable wisdoms, for the relief
of all the plantations in the land. So in all humbleness we commit
ourselves to your honourable direction, and you to the protection of
the Almighty, resting
Yours ever at commandment,
WILLIAM BRADFORD,
_Governour, &c._
_New-Plymouth, June 15, Anno 1627._
_Another to Sir Ferdinando Gorges, touching the same subject._
_Honourable Sir_,
MY humble duty remembered; we have of late received letters from the
Dutch plantation and have had speech with some of them; I hold it my
duty to acquaint your Worship and the rest of the Honourable Council
therewith, unto whom we have likewise writ and sent the copies
of their letters, that, together with their and your honourable
directions, we may know how to order ourselves herein: They have used
trading there this six or seven and twenty years, but have begun
to plant of later time, and now have reduced their trade to some
order, and confined it only to their company, which heretofore was
spoiled by their seamen and interlopers, as ours is this year most
notoriously, of whom we have made some complaint in our letters to
the Council, not doubting but we shall find worshipful furtherance
therein. We are now upon concluding with our adventurers, and shall
be put upon hard straits by great payments, which we are enforced
to make, for sundry years, or else to leave all, which will be to
us very difficult; and, to say the truth, if these disorders of
fishermen and interlopers, be not remedied, no plantations are able
to stand, but will decay, whereas otherwise they may subsist and
flourish: Thus in all humbleness I take leave, and rest,
At your service,
WILLIAM BRADFORD,
_Plymouth, June 15, Anno 1627._
P. S. Besides the spoiling of the trade this last year, our boat and
men had like to have been cut off by the Indians, after the fishermen
were gone, for the wrongs which they did them, in stealing their
skins and other abuses offered them, both the last year and this; and
besides they still continue to truck pieces, powder and shot with
them, which will be the overthrow of all, if it be not looked unto.
* * * * *
But I will now return to prosecute other letters out of England,
touching our business and success thereof.
_A letter of Mr. Shirley’s._
_To his worthy and loving friend, Mr. William Bradford, Governour
of Plymouth, in New-England; these._
_Thrice worthy and beloved Sir_,
I have received your letter of the 26th of May, by Mr. Gibs and Mr.
Goff, and with all the barrel of skins according to the contents;
for which Mr. Beauchamp and I got a bill of store, and so took them
up and sold them together at £78 12_s._ sterling, and since, Mr.
Allerton hath received the money, as will appear by the account.
It is true as you write, your engagements are great, not only the
purchase, but you are yet necessitated to take up the stock you work
upon, and that not at 6 or 8 per cent. as it is here let out, but at
30, 40, yea and some 50 per cent. which were not your gains great,
and God’s blessing on your honest endeavours more than ordinary, it
could not be that you should long subsist, in the maintaining of
and upholding of your worldly affairs: And this your honest, wise,
and discreet agent, Mr. Allerton, hath seriously considered and so
deeply laid to mind how to ease you of it, as I know it hath much
troubled him: He told me you were contented to accept of me and some
few others, to join with you in the purchase, as partners; for which
I kindly thank you and all the rest and do willingly accept of it;
and though absent, shall willingly and readily be at such charge as
you and the rest shall think meet; and this year am contented to
forbear my former £50 and two years increase for the adventure, both
which now makes £80, without any bargain or condition for the profit,
you (I mean the generality) standing to the adventure outward and
homeward: Now (not that I would seem to boast or seek for undeserved
praise) I have persuaded Mr. Andrews and Mr. Beauchamp to do the
like; so as you are eased of that high rate you were at the other
two years, I say we leave it freely to yourselves, allow us what
you please and as God shall bless: I purpose, God willing, to be at
charge of sending over a man or two; and so doth Mr. Andrews and now
Mr. Beauchamp; for what course I run he desireth to do the same; and
though he have been or seemed somewhat harsh heretofore, yet, now you
shall find he is new moulded.
I also see, in your letter, your desire I should be your agent or
factor here; truly Mr. Bradford and our worthy Governour, far be
it from me to flatter you (for I profess to hate it) I have ever
esteemed and found you so faithful, honest and upright men, as I have
even resolved with myself (God assisting me) to do you all the good
that lieth in my power; and therefore if you please to make choice of
so weak a man, both for abilities and body, to perform your business,
I promise, the Lord enabling me, to do the best I can, according to
those abilities he hath given me, and wherein I fail, excuse me and
blame yourselves, that you made no better choice; now, because I am
sickly and we are all mortal, I have advised Mr. Allerton to join Mr.
Beauchamp with me in your deputation, which I conceive to be very
necessary and good for you; your charge shall be no more for it is
not your salary makes me undertake your business: Sir, for your love
and good counsel to my kinsman, I acknowledge myself much engaged
unto you, I pray you be still the same, for I know he hath much need
of it.
[The rest being news, and of sundry passages about the Parliament; I
omit as not pertinent to my purpose, it was concluded as followeth.]
Thus fearing I have been troublesome in relating of things, I cease,
heartily desiring the long continuance of your good health to the
pleasure of the Lord, and commending you and yours, and all God’s
faithful people wheresoever, unto the guidance and safe protection of
the Almighty, ever resting
Your faithful loving friend,
JAMES SHIRLEY.
_London, Nov. 17, Anno 1628._
* * * * *