_The Proceedings and present Estate of_ New England, _since_ 1624.
_to this present_ 1629.
When I went first to the North part of _Virginia,_ where the Westerly
Colony had been planted, it had dissolved it self within a Year, and there
was not one _Christian_ in all the Land. I was set forth at the sole
Charge of four Merchants of _London;_ the Country being then reputed by
your Westerlings, a most Rocky Barren, Desolate Desart; {MN-1} but the
good Return brought from thence, with the Maps and Relations I made of the
Country, which I made so manifest, some of them did believe me, and they
were well embraced both by the _Londoners_ and the _Westerlings,_ for whom
I had promised to undertake it, I thinking to have joined them all
together, but that might well have been a work of _Hercules._ Betwixt them
long there was much contention; the _Londoners_ indeed went bravely
forward; but in three or four Years, I and my Friends consumed many
hundred Pounds amongst the _Plimothians,_ who only fed me with delays,
promises and excuses, but no Performance of any thing to any purpose. In
the interim, many particular Ships went thither, and finding my Relations
true, and that I had not taken that I brought home from the _French_ Men,
as had been reported; yet further, for my Pains to discredit me, and my
calling it _New-England,_ they obscured, and shadowed it, with the Title
of _Canada,_ till at my humble suit, it pleased our most Royal King
_Charles,_ whom God long keep, bless and preserve, then Prince of _Wales,_
to confirm it with my Map and Book, by the Title of _New England;_ the
gain thence returning, did make the same thereof so increase, that thirty,
forty, or fifty sail went Yearly only to Trade and Fish; but nothing would
be done for a Plantation, till about some Hundred of your Brownists of
_England, Amsterdam_ and _Leyden,_ went to _New Plimouth,_ whose humorous
Ignorances, caused them for more than a Year to endure a wonderful deal of
misery, with an infinite patience; saying my Books and Maps were much
better cheap to teach them than my self; {MN-2} many other have used the
like good Husbandry, that have payed soundly in trying their self-will'd
conclusions; but those in time doing well, divers others have in small
handfuls undertaken to go there, to be several Lords and Kings of
themselves, but most vanished to nothing; notwithstanding the Fishing
Ships, made such good returns, at last it was ingrossed by twenty
Patentees, that divided my Map into twenty parts, and cast Lots for their
shares; but Money not coming in as they expected, procured a Proclamation,
none should go thither without their Licences to Fish; but for every
thirty Tuns of Shipping, to pay them five Pounds; besides, upon great
Penalties, neither to Trade with the Natives, cut down Wood for their
Stages, without giving satisfaction, though all the Country is nothing but
Wood, and none to make use of it, with many such other pretences, for to
make this Country plant it self, by its own Wealth: Hereupon most Men grew
so discontented, that few or none would go; so that the Patentees, who
never a one of them had been there, seeing those Projects Would not
prevail, have since not hindred any to go that would, that within these
few last years, more have gone thither than ever.
* * * * *
{MN-1} _Considerations about the loss of time._
{MN-2} _The effect of negardliness._
{MN} Now this Year 1629, a great company of People of good Rank, Zeal,
Means, and Quality, have made a great Stock, and with six good Ships in
the Months of April and May, they set Sail from _Thames,_ for the Bay of
the _Massachusets,_ otherwise called _Charles's_ River; _viz._ the _George
Bonaventure,_ of twenty pieces of Ordnance, the _Talbot_ nineteen, the
_Lions-whelp_ eight, the _May-flower_ fourteen, the _Four Sisters_
fourteen, the _Pilgrim_ four, with three hundred and fifty Men, Women, and
Children; also an hundred and fifteen head of Cattel, as Horse, Mares, and
neat Beast; one and forty Goats, some Conies, with all Provision for
Houshold and Apparel; six pieces of great Ordnance for a Fort, with
Muskets, Pikes, Corselets, Drums, Colours, with all Provision necessary
for a Plantation, for the good of Man; other Particulars I understand of
no more, than is writ in the general History of those Countries.
* * * * *
{MN} _A new Plantation_ 1629.
But you are to understand, that the noble Lord chief Justice _Popham,_
Judge _Doderege;_ the Right Honourable Earls of _Pembroke, Southampton,
Salisbury,_ and the rest, as I take it, they did all think, as I and them
went with me, did; That had those two Countries been planted, as it was
intended, that no other Nation should complant betwixt us. If ever the
King of _Spain_ and we should fall foul, those Countries being so capable
of all Materials for shipping, by this might have been Owners of a good
Fleet of Ships, and to have relieved a whole Navy from _England_ upon
occasion; yea, and to have furnished _England_ with the most Easterly
Commodities; and now since, seeing how conveniently the _Summer Isles_
fell to our shares, so near the _West-Indies,_ we might with much more
facility than the _Dutch_ Men have invaded the _West-Indies,_ that doth
now put in practice, what so long hath been advised on, by many an honest
_English_ States-man.
{MN} Those Countries, Captain _Smith_ oft times used to call his Children
that never had Mother; and well he might, for few Fathers ever payed
dearer for so little content; and for those that would truly understand,
how many strange Accidents hath befallen them and him; how oft up, how oft
down, sometimes near despair, and ere long flourishing, cannot but
conceive Gods infinite Mercies and Favours towards them. Had his Designs
been to have perswaded Men to a Mine of Gold, though few doth conceive
either the charge or pains in refining it, nor the power nor care to
defend it; or some new Invention to pass to the South Sea, or some strange
Plot to invade some strange Monastery, or some portable Country, or some
chargeable Fleet to take some rich Carocks in the _East-Indies;_ of
Letters of Mart to rob some poor Merchants; What multitudes of both People
and Money would contend to be first imployed? But in those noble
endeavours (now) how few of quality, unless it be to beg some Monopoly;
and those seldom seek the common good, but the Commons Goods, as you may
read at large in his general History, _pag._ 217, 218, 219, his general
Observations and Reasons for this Plantation; for yet those Countries are
not so forward, but they may become as miserable as ever, if better
courses be not taken than is; as this _Smith_ will plainly demonstrate to
his Majesty, or any other noble Person of Ability, liable generously to
undertake it; how within a Short time to make _Virginia_ able to resist
any Enemy, that as yet lieth open to all, and yield the King more Custom
within these few years, in certain staple Commodities, than ever it did in
Tobacco; which now not being worth bringing home, the Custom will be as
uncertain to the King, as dangerous to the Plantation.
* * * * *
{MN} _Notes of inconveniency._
* * * * *