This leter was write the year after the agreement, as doth appear; and what his judgmente was herein, the contents doth manifest, and so I leave it to the equall judgmente of any to consider, as they

see cause.

Only I shall adde what Mr. Sherley furder write in a leter of his, about the same time, and so leave this bussines. His is as followeth on the other side.1 [253]

LOVING FREINDS, Mr. BRADFORD, Mr. WINSLOW, Cap: STANDISH, Mr. PRENCE, and the rest of the partners with you; I shall write this generall leter to you all, hoping it will be a good conclude of a generall, but a costly and tedious bussines I thinke to all, I am sure to me, etc. half their increase, to be disposed among the poor of your plantation, but have not heard either from him or yourself what is done therein; wherefore having some occasion of writing to Mr. William Pinchon, I entreated him to enquire and to certify me, and to be assistant to your worships in the prosecution of the partners for the satisfying of what remains due on my account, because I conceive your worships have so many other occasions that it may be some ease to you therein. I have been here at Rotterdam almost one year and a half, since I last came hither, and it may be may not see either Mr. Sherley or Mr. Bechamp in several years more; but if I did, will not so end as to make myself seem guilty with them of doing the partners such injuries as they complain of, that Mr. Sherley and Mr. Bechamp may seem the less guilty therein, which seems to me to be one main end in regard of them two in the endeavoured plotted end, yet the partners may have several other ends to themselves therein likewise. 3 Mass. Hist. Collections, 1. 21. That Andrewes could have been so completely misinformed as to the relations really existing between the partners is improbable. Only a few years before, he had acted with Beauchamp against Sherley, and must then, presumably, have been well advised as to the operations of the partnership.

In February or March, 1644-45, Andrewes appears to have been interested in a vessel then being fitted out for a voyage to Massachusetts Bay. "Mr. Weld and I were agreed soe soone as Mr. [Thomas] Graves shipp should be gone hence to cleare the Account with Maior [Nehemiah] Boorne, but I am prevented by his suddaine and vnexpected goeing away with Mr. Graves. Mr. Bourne told us that he would be ready to goe with vs in Mr. Andrewes shipp, soe that I much marveyled at his goeing with Mr. Graves, he having putt in his name to be an vndertaker in Mr. Andrewes shippe." Emanuel Downing to John Winthrop, Jr., March 3, 1644–45. 4 Mass. Hist. Collections, vi. 63.

1 "Being the conclusion, as will be seen, of page 252 of the original." DEANE.

I received from Mr. Winslow a letter of the 28. of Sept[ember] last, and so much as concernes the generall bussines I shall answer in this, not knowing whether I shall have opportunitie to write perticuler letters, etc. I expected more letters from you all, as some perticuler writes, but it seemeth no fitt opportunity was offered. And now, though the bussines for the maine may stand, yet some perticulers is alltered; I say my former agreemente with Mr. Weld and Mr. Peters, before the[y] could conclude or gett any grante of Mr. Andrews, they sought to have my release; and ther upon they sealed me a bond for a Ioli. So I sente my acquittance, for they said without mine ther would be no end made (and ther was good reason for it). Now they hoped, if they ended with me, to gaine Mr. Andrews parte, as they did holy, to a pound, (at which I should wonder, but that I observe some passages,) and they also hoped to have gotten Mr. Beachamps part, and I did thinke he would have given it them. But if he did well understand him selfe, and that acounte, he would give it; for his demands make a great sound.1 But it seemeth he would not parte with it, supposing it too greate a sume, and that he might easily gaine it from you. Once he would have given them 40li. but now they say he will not doe that, or rather I suppose they will not take it; for if they doe, and have Mr. Andrewses, then they must pay me their bond of 11oli 3 months hence. Now it will fall out farr better for you, that they deal not with Mr. Beachamp, and also for me, if you be as kind to me as I have been and will be to you; and that thus, if you pay Mr. Andrews, or the Bay men, by his order, 544/i. which is his full demande; but if looked into, perhaps might be less. The man is honest, and in my conscience would not wittingly doe wronge, yett he may forgett as well as other men; and Mr. Winslow may call to minde wherin he forgetts; (but some times it is good to buy peace.) The gentle-men of the Bay may abate 100li. and so both sides have more right and justice then if they exacte all, etc. Now if you send me a 150li. then say Mr. Andrews full sume, and this, it is nere 700li. Mr. Beachamp he demands 400li. and we all know that, if a man demands money, he

1 This was a misterie to them, for they heard nothing hereof from any side the last year, till now the conclution was past, and bonds given. BRADFORD.

must shew wherfore, and make proofe of his debte; which I know he can never make good proafe of one hunderd pound dew unto him as principall money; so till he can, you have good reason to keep the 500li. etc. This I proteste I write not in malice against Mr. Beachamp, for it is a reall truth. You may partly see it by Mr. Andrews making up his accounte, and I think you are all perswaded I can say more then Mr. Andrews concerning that accounte. I wish I could make up my owne as plaine and easily, but because of former discontents, I will be sparing till I be called; and you may injoye the 500li. quietly till he begine; for let him take his course hear or ther, it shall be all one, I will doe him no wronge; and if he have not on peney more, he is less loser then either Mr. Andrews or I. This I conceive to be just and honest; the having or not having of his release matters not; let him make shuch proafe of his debte as you cannot disprove, and according to your first agreemente you will pay it, etc.

Your truly affectioned freind,

London, Aprill 27. 1643.

JAMES SHERLEY.

I

Anno Dom: ·1643°

AM to begine this year whith that which was a mater of great saddnes and mourning unto them all. Aboute the 18. of Aprill

dyed their Reve[ren]d Elder, and my dear and loving friend, Mr. William Brewster; a man that had done and suffered much for the Lord Jesus and the gospells sake, and had bore his parte in well and woe with this poore persecuted church above 36. years [254] in England, Holand, and in this wildernes, and done the Lord and them faithfull service in his place and calling. And notwithstanding the many troubles and sorrows he passed throw, the Lord upheld him to a great age. He was nere fourskore years of age (if not all out) when he dyed. He had this blesing added by the Lord to all the rest, to dye in his bed, in peace, amongst the mids of his freinds who mourned and wepte over him, and ministered what help and comforte they could unto him, and he againe recomforted them whilst he could. His sicknes was not long, and till the last day therof he did not wholy keepe his bed. His speech continued till somewhat more then halfe a day, and then failed him; and aboute .9.or.10. a clock that ev[e]ning he dyed, without any pangs at all. A few howers before, he drew his breath shorte, and some few minutes before his last, he drew his breath long, as a man falen into a sound slepe, without any pangs or gaspings, and so sweetly departed this life unto a better.

1 The Assistants this year were Edward Winslow, Thomas Prence, William Collier, Timothy Hatherley, John Brown, Edmund Freeman, and William Thomas.

2 In an affidavit at Leyden, dated June 25, 1609, Brewster described himself as "aged about forty two years," which Dr. Dexter interprets as indicating that he was born in 1566. This would make him about seventy-eight at the time of his death. The known facts connected with Brewster's life may be found in Dexter, The England and Holland of the Pilgrims, 253, 273 n.

I would now demand of any, what he was the worse for any former sufferings? What doe I say, worse? Nay, sure he was the better, and they now added to his honour. It is a manifest token (saith the Apostle, 2. Thes: 1. 5, 6, 7.) of the righteous judgmente of God that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdome of God, for which ye allso suffer; seing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you: and to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels. 1. Pet. 4. 14. If you be reproached for the name of Christ, hapy are ye, for the spirite of glory and of God resteth upon you.' What though he wanted the riches and pleasures of the world in his life, and pompious monuments at his funurall? yet the memoriall of the just shall be blessed, when the name of the wicked shall rott (with their marble monuments). Pro: 10. 7.2

I should say something of his life, if to say a litle were not worse then to be silent. But I cannot wholy forbear, though hapily more may be done hereafter. After he had attained some learning, viz. the knowledg of the Latine tongue, and some insight in the Greeke,3 and spent some small time at Cambridge, and then being first seasoned with the seeds of grace and vertue, he went to the Courte, and served that religious and godly gentlman, Mr. Davison, diverce

1 In these citations Bradford has used the King James Bible. 2 He reverts to the Genevan text.

• "Preparation for Cambridge or Oxford turned largely upon a good knowledge of Latin. . . . The writing and speaking of Latin also were subjects of special drill." Greek, however, had fallen almost into disuse at Cambridge. Dexter, The England and Holland of the Pilgrims, 256, 276.

He matriculated at St. Peter's, better known as Peterhouse, University of Cambridge, December 3, 1580. The master of Peterhouse was Dr. Andrew Perne (1519?1589). John Penry, chief author of the Martin Mar-Prelate tracts, was an undergraduate at this time. The nature of a college and the university at that time is fully described by Dr. Dexter. The training was almost exclusively of a religious nature. Prof. Franklin B. Dexter found that of seventy names of New Englanders traced to Cambridge University, "more than twenty of them were connected with Emanuel College, notorious almost from its foundation, in 1584, as a Puritan seed-plot."