agreement or bargen he had brought a draught of, with a list of ther names ther too annexed, drawne by the best counsell of law they could get, to make it firme. The heads wherof I shall here inserte.

TO ALL CHRISTIAN PEOPLE, GREETING, etc. Wheras at a meeting the 26. of October last past, diverse and sundrie persons, whose names to the one part of these presents are subscribed in a schedule hereunto annexed, Adventurers to New-Plimoth in New-England in America, were contented and agreed, in consideration of the sume of one thousand and eight hundred pounds sterling to be paid, (in maner and forme foll[ow]ing,) to sell, and make sale of all and every the stocks, shares, lands, marchandise, and chatles, what soever, to the said adventurers, and other ther fellow adventurers to New Plimoth aforesaid, any way accruing, or belonging to the generalitie of the said adventurers afforesaid; as well by reason of any sume or sumes of money, or marchandise, at any times heretofore adventured or disbursed by them, or other wise howsoever; for the better expression and setting forth of which said agreemente, the parties to these presents subscribing, doe for [144] them selves severally, and as much as in them is, grant, bargain, alien, sell, and transfere all and every the said shares, goods, lands, marchandice, and chatles to them belonging as afforesaid, unto Isaack Alerton, one of the planters resident at Plimoth afforesaid, assigned, and sent over as agente for the rest of the planters ther, and to shuch other planters at Plimoth afforesaid as the said Isack, his heirs, or assignes, at his or ther arrivall, shall by writing or otherwise thinke fitte to joyne or partake in the premisses, their heirs, and assignes, in as large, ample, and beneficiall maner and forme, to all intents and purposes, as the said subscribing adventurers here could or may doe, or performe. All which stocks, shares, lands, etc. to the said adven[turers] in severallitie alloted, apportioned, or any way belonging, the said adven[turers] doe warrant and defend unto the said Isaack Allerton, his heirs and assignes, against them, their heirs and assignes, by these presents. And therfore and agreement with the body of the adventurers, Mr. Allden (something now softened by my letter before mentioned) who was one of our powerfulest opposers, did not only yield thereunto, but was a furtherer of the same." Bradford Letter Book, 46. Probably the Robert Allden mentioned on p. 6, infra.

the said Isaack Allerton doth, for him, his heirs and assigns, covenant, promise, and grant too and with the adven[turers] whose names are here unto subscribed, ther heirs, etc. well and truly to pay, or cause to be payed, unto the said adven[turers] or 5. of them which were, at that meeting afforsaid, nominated and deputed, viz. John Pocock,1 John Beauchamp, Robart Keane, Edward Base, and James Sherley, marchants, their heirs, etc. too and for the use of the generallitie of them, the sume of 1800li. of law full money of England, at the place appoynted for the receipts of money, on the west side of the Royall Exchaing3 in

1 This is the only mention of John Pocock to be found in Bradford, yet he had a long and close interest in New England affairs. He became a member of the Company of the Massachusetts Bay, and in 1629 received an election as assistant. Fifteen years after, at the suggestion of Thomas Weld, he received a commission from the Colony to act, with others, as its agents for conducting its business in England. Winthrop, History (Savage), II. 260. While acting on that commission he was directed to appear before the Commissioners for Plantations, on the question of jurisdiction over the lands adjoining Narragansett Bay. Mass. Col. Rec., 111. 48. He received the thanks of the Colony for his conduct of the controversy with Alderman Barkeley. Winthrop (Savage), 11. 244; Mass. Col. Rec., 11. 138. With Weld his name appears as a promoter of the younger Winthrop's iron works at Braintree, 1645-1647. 2 Mass. Hist. Soc. Proceedings, VIII. 16. For his services or supplies sent to the colony a claim for £50 was made, and payment delayed for many years, the settlement probably being effected after 1652. The name of James Sherley appears in the same position as creditor of Massachusetts Bay, with that of Pocock. 4 Mass. Hist. Collections, vi. III; Mass. Col. Rec., 11. 262; III. 247, 255, 291.

Little is known of Robert Keayne's career before he came to Massachusetts in the Defence, in 1635. He belonged to the Merchant Tailors Company of London, and possessed means. His son, Benjamin, influenced by

domestic troubles, returned to England and set up as a cloak seller in Birching Lane, where it is not unlikely

the father had followed the same trade. 4 Mass. Hist. Collections, vi. 568. His name is so closely identified with Boston that further notice will be deferred for the Winthrop History.

'This was the usual place and time for payments. In the Gorges-Mason patent of 1631, payments were to be made "at the Assurance house on the west side of the Royall Exchange London (if it be demanded), the first payment to begin at the feast of St. Michael the Archangell." Records of the Council for New England, 98. The lane to the west of the Royal Exchange was named St. Christopher's Alley, and ran from Cornhill to Three Needle Street. On it was the Castle Tavern. The parish church of

London, by 200li.1 yearly, and every year, on the feast of St. Migchell, the first paiment to be made Anno: 1628. etc. Allso the said Isaack is to indeavor to procure and obtaine from the planters of N[ew] P[limoth] aforesaid, securitie, by severall obligations, or writings obligatory, to make paiment of the said sume of 1800li. in forme afforsaid, according to the true meaning of these presents. In testimonie wherof to this part of these presents remaining with the said Isaack Allerton, the said subscribing adven[turers]; have sett to their names, etc. And to the other part remaining with the said adven[turers]; the said Isaack Allerton hath subscribed his name, the 15∙ Nov[em]b[e]r Anno. 1626. in the 2 year of his Majesties raigne.3

St. Michael the Archangel stood on Cornhill, one block to the east of the Exchange and on the opposite side of the street. Michaelmas, the 29th of September, was one of the four quarter-days in England on which rents were paid. The selection showed consideration on the part of the Adventurers, for the returns of the summer's fishing and trading would then be available.

1 "These disasters, losses and uncertainties, made such disagreement among the Adventurers in England, who beganne to repent, and rather lose all, than longer continue the charge, being out of purse six or seven thousand pounds, accounting my bookes and their relations as old Almanacks. But the Planters, rather than leave the Country, concluded absolutely to supply themselves, and to all their adventurers pay them for nine yeares two hundred pounds yearely without any other account." Smith, Advertisements for the Unexperienced Planters, *19.

2 Sherley claimed to be the "first propounder" of this plan at the meeting, and to have induced the other four associates to sign with him. For his own attitude, see P. 35, infra.

From Bradford's Letter Book the names of the Adventurers subscribing this paper are learned: