them stand upon their gard. But when they heard some of the Indeans speake English unto them, they were not a litle revived, especially when they heard them demand if they were the Gov[erno]r of Plimoths men, or freinds; and that they would bring them to the English houses, or carry their letters.1 They feasted these Indeans, and gave them many giftes; and sente. 2. men and a letter with them to the Gove[rno]r, and did intreat him to send a boat unto them, with some pitch, and occume, and spikes, with divers other necessaries for the mending of ther ship (which was recoverable). Allso they besought him to help them with some corne and sundrie other things they wanted, to enable them to make their viage to Virginia; and they should be much bound to him, and would make satisfaction for any thing they had, in any comodities they had abord. After the Gov[erno]r was well informed by the messengers of their condition, he caused a boate to be made ready, and shuch things to be provided as they write for; and because others were abroad upon trading, and shuch other affairs, as had been fitte to send unto them, he went him selfe, and allso carried some trading comodities, to buy them corne of the Indeans. It was no season of the year to goe withoute the Cape, but understanding wher the ship lay, he went into the bottom of the bay, on the inside, and put into a crick called Naumskachett, wher 1 "Furthermore, if any roaving ships be upon the coasts, and chance to harbour either East-ward, North-ward, or South-ward in any unusuall Port, they [the Indians] will giue us certaine intelligence of her burthen and forces, describing their men either by language or features; which is a great priviledge and no small advantage." Wood, New Englands Prospect, *70. The creek still bears this name, and lies between Orleans and Brewster. On the harbors of Chatham, and the changes wrought by tide and storm the reader may consult 1 Mass. Hist. Collections, VIII. 143. The old wreck was found on the strip of sand lying to the east of Namequoit Point or Potanumaquut. Freeman (Ib. 144) states "in the year 1626, there was an entrance into Monamoyick harbour, opposite Potanumaquut, six miles north of the present mouth. The ship mentioned by Prince [Bradford] came in here, and was stranded on the beach, where its ruins were to be seen about twenty years ago [i.e. circa 1780]. This part of the beach still bears the name of the Old ship. The entrance has been closed for many years." it is not much above 2. mile over [148] land to the bay wher they were, wher he had the Indeans ready to cary over any thing to them. Of his arrivall they were very glad, and received the things to mend ther ship, and other necessaries. Allso he bought them as much corne as they would have; and wheras some of their sea-men were rune away amonge the Indeans, he procured their returne to the ship, and so left them well furnished and contented, being very thankfull for the curtesies they receaved. But after the Gove[rno]r thus left them, he went into some other harbors ther aboute and loaded his boat with corne, which he traded, and so went home. But he had not been at home many days, but he had notice from them, that by the violence of a great storme, and the bad morring of their ship (after she was mended) she was put a shore, and so beatten and shaken as she was now wholy unfitte to goe to sea. And so their request was that they might have leave to repaire to them, and soujourne with them, till they could have means to convey them selves to Virginia; and that they might have means to transport their goods, and they would pay for the same, or any thing els wher with the plantation should releeve them. Considering their distres, their requests were granted, and all helpfullnes done unto them; their goods transported, and them selves and goods sheltered in their houses as well as they could. The cheefe amongst these people was one Mr. Fells and Mr. Sibsie,1 which had many servants belonging unto them, many of them being Irish. Some others ther were that had a servante or 2-a 1 The name of Captain John Sibsey frequently occurs in the local records of Norfolk County, Virginia. He served as a member of the House of Burgesses, of the Governor's Council, and of the county Board of War, positions which spoke to the confidence reposed in him. In 1638 he figured in the case of Deborah Glasscock, who, "without any ground, brought an outrageous charge" against him, and was sentenced to "receive one hundred stripes on her bare shoulders and to implore his pardon, first, in court in the justices' presence and afterwards in the parish church during divine service." Bruce, Institutional History of Virginia in the Seventeenth Century, 1. 51, etc. peece; but the most were servants, and shuch as were ingaged to the former persons, who allso had the most goods. Affter they were hither come, and some thing setled, the maisters desired some ground to imploye ther servants upon; seing it was like to be the latter end of the year before they could have passage for Virginia, and they had now the winter before them; they might clear some ground, and plant a crope (seeing they had tools, and necessaries for the same) to help to bear their charge, and keep their servants in imployment; and if they had oppertunitie to departe before the same was ripe, they would sell it on the ground. So they had ground appointed them in convenient places, and Fells and some other of them raised a great deall of corne, which they sould at their departure. This Fells, amongst his other servants, had a maid servante which kept his house and did his household affairs, and by the intimation of some that belonged unto him, he was susspected to keep her, as his concubine; and both of them were examined ther upon, but nothing could be proved, and they stood upon their justification; so with admonition they were dismiste. But afterward it appeard she was with child, so he gott a small boat, and ran away with her, for fear of punishmente.1 First he went to Cap-Anne, and after into the bay of the Massachussets, but could get no passage, and had like to have been cast away; and was forst to come againe and submite him selfe; but they pact him away and those that belonged unto him by the first oppertunitie, and dismiste all the rest as soone as could, being many untoward people amongst them; though ther were allso some that caried them selves very orderly all the time they stayed. And the plan[149]tation had some benefite by them, in selling them corne and other provissions of food for cloathing; for they had of diverse kinds, as cloath, perpetuanes,' 1 The two more than mysterious chapters, in Book II of Morton's New English Canaan (ch. Ix and xiii) on the "barren doe of Virginia," may have some reference to this incident. A kind of wool, or wool and silk cloth. The New English Dictionary gives the |