bishops means, as the times then stood.1 But notwithstanding, they weer much inclined to send, and Captaine Standish was willing to goe, but they resolved, seeing they could not all agree in this thing, and that it was waighty, and the consequence might prove dangerous, to take Mr. Winthrops advise in the thing, and the rather, because Mr. Andrews had by many letters acquaynted him with the differences betweene them, and appoynted him for his assigne to receive his parte of the debte.2 (And though they

1 Winslow wrote to Winthrop, June 27, 1640: "I received a letter from Mr. Sherley this yeare; he writes that insteed of a letter he had thought to haue seen me, but is glad I came not, for if I or any partner had commen Mr. Beauchamp had trowbled him, and had for that end entertayned Soliciter, etc." 4 Mass. Hist. Collections, VI. 167. Winslow added that in the death of the Lord Keeper, Thomas, Lord Coventry, who died January 13, 1639–40, and in the retirement of Sir John Coke, one of the Secretaries of State, "New England in those two is stripped at once of our best friends at the Board: so that now we must live by Faith without any dependance on meanes at all."

2 One of these letters from Andrews, dated July 8, 1639, is in 5 Mass. Hist. Collections, 1. 271. It denotes a certain shrewd business method in Andrews. He complained that the Plymouth partners owed him some five or six hundred pounds principal, besides the interest upon it for many years, which he wished Winthrop to aid him in collecting. He then described a gift of heifers to ministers and poor, of which one-half the increase was to revert to Andrews. Then followed a transaction with a fellow partner: "I have lately sould some comoditie vnto Mr. John Beachamp of London, which amounteth vnto the some of 384 li. o6s. ood., one condition to take satisfaction in New England, either for the whoale, or ellse for so much thearof as Mr. William Bradford, Mr. Edward Winslowe, or some other or others of them shall either paie or secvre to paie vnto your Wor[ship] to content, at or before the 20th daye of June next, which shalbe in the yeare of our Lord 1640, in parte of moneys they owe and are indebted vnto Mr. Jo: Bechamp, one account between him and them, and unto me in parte or in full of the said some of 384. 06. 00, which Mr. Jo: Beachamp oweth me for the foresaid comoditie sould him. And so much of the said some of 384 li. 06. 00 as they shall not have paied or secured to paie vnto me theare for him, before or vppon the 20th daye of June nexte, Mr. Jo: Bechamp hath covenanted to paie me heare vppon the 24th day of June nexte, in full of the said some of 384 li. 06. 00. And if your wor[ship] or asseignes doe rec[eive] the said some of 384 li. 6. o., or what parte therof shalbe rec[eive]d to content, either in heyfores worth the rates, or in any good comoditie, worth the price to sell, or wherewith heyfores may bee had in exchange at indifferent rates, as they are sould, or so much as good men of Plymoth

deneyed to pay him any as a debte, till the controversie was ended, yet they had depossited 110li. in money in his hands for Mr. Andrews, to pay to him in parte as soone as he would come to any agreement with the rest.) But Mr. Winthrop was of Mr. Winslows minde, and disswaded them from sending; so they broak of their resolution from sending, and returned this answer: that the times were dangerous as things stood with them, for they knew how Mr. Winslow had suffered formerley, and for a small matter was clapte up in the Fleete, and it was long before he could gett out, to both his and their great loss and damage; and times were not better, but worse, in that respecte. Yet, that their equall and honest minds might appeare to all men, they made them this tender: to refferr the case to some gentle-men and marchants in the Bay of the Massachusetts, shuch as they should chuse, and were well knowne unto doe secure, soe to satisfie vnto your wor[ship] for me to content, and for so much thearof as shall at any tyme bee rec[eive]d in commoditie, I desire that yonge heyfores, about 2: or 3: yeares ould, or vnder, may bee thear with bought, and that all of them may bee disposed of, and distributed to and amonge the godly poore in the severall townes and villadges in America, one a peece vnto svch as have not any before, and have moste need, to bee kept for mee for halfe the increase, for 4: 5: or 6: yeares, as shalbe conceaved most meett, and after, in all things to bee disposed of, with theire increase at the time of devition, accordinge to thoase before mentioned, which are to bee provided, with what may bee rec[eived] of Mr. Bradford, Mr. Winslowe, and the reste, vppon my owne account, and in parte of the said fyve or sixe hvndred pounds principall money, they doe owe me, besides forberance, boath which said somes, the former and the latter, are due to me from them as so much redy money lent for theire trade and svply, although the latter bee now for comoditie sould Mr. Bechamp; and thearfore they have good reason to give verry good content in the satisfactions they deliver for boath the one as well as the other. I ame ashamed to bee soe troublesome vnto your wor[ship] as I feare this bussines is like to bee; yeat seinge I intend more the good of the poore herein then any to my particuler, I hope your wor[ship] will excuse my bouldnesse herin. But if our frinds at Plymoth cannot satisfie the whoale in one yeare, lett them doe it in 2 years, and if they cannot doe it in 2 years, lett them doe it in 3 years yearly, so that they would perfect accounts with vs, either as parteners, or allowinge our principall disbursements for them, with so much forberance for the same as shall indifferently bee thought meett, that I might knowe how much to expect from them." The deposit of £110 with Governor Winthrop is probably thus accounted for.

them selves, (as they perceived their wer many of their aquaintance and freinds ther, better knowne to them then the partners hear,) and let them be informed in the case by both sides, and have all the evidence that could be prodused, in writing, or other wise; and they would be bound to stand to their determination, and make good their award, though it should cost them all they had in the world. But this did not please them, but they were offended at it, without any great reasone for ought I know, (seeing nether side could give in clear accountes, the partners here could not, by reason they (to their smarte) were failed by the accountante they sent them, and Mr. Sherley preten[d]ed he could not allso,) save as they conceived it a disparagmente to yeeld to their inferiours in respecte of the place and other concurring circomstances. So this came to nothing; and afterward Mr. Sherley write, that if Mr. Winslow would met him in France, the Low-Countries, or Scotland, let the place be knowne, and he [236] come to him ther. But in regard of the troubles that now begane to arise in our owne nation, and other reasons, this did not come to any effecte. That which made them so desirous to bring things to an end was partly to stope the clamours and aspertions raised and cast upon them hereaboute; though they conceived them selves to sustaine the greatest wrong, and had most cause of complainte; and partly because they feared the fall of catle, in which most parte of their estates lay. And this was not a vaine feare; for they fell indeede before they came to a conclusion, and that so souddenly, as a cowe, that but a month before

1 The course of events here referred to had been as follows: Pressed by financial necessities and the difficulties due to what was known as the "Bishops Wars" in Scotland, concluding with the treaty of Ripon (October, 1640), Charles I summoned what is known as the "Long Parliament," which met at Westminster, November 3, 1640. See Gardiner, History, Ix. and x. "What will be the issue of these sore beginnings the Lord onely knoweth, but it concerneth us deeply to be affected with them as a people that must share with them in weale and woe. The Lord in mercy so order and dispose as what is amis may be reformed, and his name may be glorified." Winslow to Winthrop, July 7, 1640. 4 Mass. Hist. Collections, vi. 168.

was worth 20li., and would so have passed in any paymente, fell now to .5li. and would yeeld no more; and a goate that wente at .3li. or 50s. would now yeeld but .8. or · 10s. at most.1 All men feard a fall of catle, but it was thought it would be by degrees; and not be from the highest pitch at once to the lowest, as it did, which was greatly to the damage of many, and the undoing of some. An other reason was, they many of them grew aged,

1 Andrews wished to have for his claim cattle of a certain age and price. On this Winslow wrote: "But the price at that time was under their worth by a yeares growth: for yearlings and the advantage were ordinarily sold for 15li. Againe Mr. Andrews is well acquainted with payments in England and how easie a thing it is to turne any valuable commodity into money, but it is otherwise heer, and especially at this the most hard and dead time of all other these many yeares: I speak, as it is with us: but if you conceive the Gentlemen valued them too high I am contented to let them goe as I offered to your selfe at 18/i. per head the fiue. If you say it is too high, truly I marvell at it, being this weeke Mr. Hatherly made payment to Mr. Freeman and Mr. Atwood in cows (and in a busines Mr. Andrews, if I be not much mistaken, is interested) at 18/i. 15s. per head. Nay since these valued some passed in account between Mr. Paddy and some of your parts at 20li. per head; and therefore I pray you take it into further consideracon, and remember you may fall into an extreame. Truly Sir it is my desire to discharge it that makes me importune you, neither doe I conceiue how you can justly suffer in it: and to avoide suffering I see is not possible: for I finde innocency (by lamentable experience) will little helpe amongst men, yea wherein I haue been most carefull, therein most abused, and therefore in discharging a good conscience we must leaue all events to God." 4 Mass. Hist. Collections, vi. 166. Winter could sell four ewe goats at 50s. a head, and two at £3 apiece, high prices for his region. "Provision is very plentyfull now in the Bay, and very Cheape. Money growes scarce their with them; yf passengers Com not over with money, the prize of Cattell will fall spedily. I would willingly sell a score of Cattell, young and old, yf I Could gett a good Cheapman. I do purpose to go into the Bay shortly, yf I Can bringe yt to pas, to se If I Can put away any of our Cattell." To Trelawny, June 27, 1640. About three months later he wrote: "I do beleaue Cattell will be Cheape in this Country very shortly. I would willingly sell yearlings heare now for ten pound prize per head, which ar better then them which I sold for £13 and £15 per head the last yeare. Heare ar all sellers of Cattell now that haue them, but noe buyers." Trelawny Papers, 204, 218, 243.

• The severe check to emigration to New England, which followed the breaking out of the troubles preceding the Great Rebellion, and the consequent return to England of many of those who had previously emigrated, greatly influenced commercial values both in Massachusetts Bay and in New Plymouth.

(and indeed a rare thing it was that so many partners should all live together so many years as these did,) and saw many changes were like to befall; so as they were loath to leave these intanglements upon their children and posteritie, who might be driven to remove places, as they had done; yea, them selves might doe it yet before they deyed. But this bussines must yet rest; the next year gave it more ripnes, though it rendred them less able to pay, for the reasons afforesaid.1

The exportation of sheep from New Plymouth had been prohibited under heavy penalties since July, 1633. When in June, 1641, one Nehemiah Smyth was about to leave the colony taking his sheep with him, the Court interfered, and directed him to bring them to Plymouth, and there dispose of them for money or commodities, at the rate of forty shillings for each ewe, and twenty shillings for each lamb. Whatever stock remained unsold he could take with him. Plymouth Col. Rec., 1. 13; 11. 17.

yes vir worthy of you

1 Massachusetts Bay at this time proposed to send agents to England to obtain aid in men and money, and the Salem church was asked to allow Hugh Peter to go as one of the agents. The reply written by John Endecott discouraged the mission, and among other arguments urged, that "It is to be feared that vnlesse the money we explect they] would sollicit for, be freelie giuen vs, it will rather impouerish vs, and so bringe dishonour to God by such ingagements not

duely satisfyed then doe vs good, though it should come vppo[n] easie termes. Plimmoth plantacion may giue vs some light herein." 4 Mass. Hist. Collections, vI. 139.