in this perticuler to joyne with us, fearing the charge and doubting the success, yet thus much we intreate of you, to afford him all the help you can, either by men, commodities, or boats; yet not but that we will pay you for any thing he hath. And we desire you to keep the accounts apart, though you joyne with us; becase ther is, as you see, other partners in this then the other; so, for all mens wages, boatshire, or comodities, which we shall have of you, make him debtore for it; and what you shall have of him, make the plantation or your selves debtors for it to him, and so ther will need no mingling of the accounts.

And now, loving freinds and partners, if you joyne in Ashles patent and bussines, though we have laid out the money and taken up much to stock this bussines and the other, yet I thinke it conscionable and reasonable that you should beare your shares and proportion of the stock, if not by present money, yet by securing us for so much as it shall come too; for it is not barly the interest that is to be alowed and considered of, but allso the adventure; though I hope in God, by his blessing and your honest indeavors, it may soon be payed; yet the years that this partnership holds is not long, nor many; let all therfore lay it to harte, and make the best use of the time that possiblie we cann, and let every man put too his shoulder, and the burthen will be the lighter. I know you are so honest and conscionable men, as you will consider hereof, [170] and returne shuch an answer as may give good satisfaction. Ther is none of us that would venture as we have done, were it not to strengthen and setle you more then our owne perticuler profite.*

1 "he," in Letter Book.

2 66 as I cannot see but it is for your good to do." Letter Book.

"For though some speak or write not of it, but are contented to do as I do, and wholly rely on me, yet I would be loath they should think themselves hardly dealt with all; but I know," etc. Letter Book.

4 Sherley mentioned at this point the names of four who had some intentions of taking part in the adventure, but did not for one reason or another. Three of these names are not met with in any connection with New Plymouth. "Mr. Fogge, Mr. Coalson, and Mr. Thomas, though they seemed earnest to be partners, yet when they saw the debt and charge fell themselves off, and left you, us, and the business; but some though honest, yet I think they minded their own particular profit so much, as both you and we may be glad we are rid of them: For Mr. Collier verily I could have

Ther is no liclyhood of doing any good in buying the debte for the purchas. I know some will not abate the interest, and therfore let it rune its course; they are to be paied yearly, and so I hope they shall, according to agreemente. The Lord grante that our loves and affections may still be united, and knit togeither; and so we rest your ever loving friends,

Bristoll, March 19. 1629 [-30].1

JAMES SHERLEY.
TIMOTHY HATHERLEY.

This mater of the buying the debts of the purchass was parte of Mr. Allertons instructions, and in many of them it might have been done to good profite for ready pay (as some were); but Mr. Sherley had no mind to it. But this bussines aboute Ashley did not a litle trouble them; for though he had wite and abillitie enough to menage the bussines, yet some of them knew him to be a very profane yonge man; and he had for some time lived amonge the Indeans as a savage, and wente naked amongst them, and used their maners (in which time he got their language), so they feared he might still rune into evill courses (though he promised better), and God would not prosper his ways. As soone as he was landed at the place intended, caled Penobscote, some ·4. score leagues from this place, he write (and afterwards came) for to desire to be supplyed with Wampampeake, corne AGAINST WINTER, and other things. They considered these were of their cheefe commodities, and would be continually needed by him, and it would much prejudice their wished it would have sorted his other affairs, to have been one of us, but he could not spare money, and we thought it not reasonable to take in any partner, unless he were willing and able to spare money, and to lay down his portion of the stock; however, account of him as a sure friend, both ready and willing to do you all the offices of a firm friend." Letter Book. Mr. Fogg may have been Ralph Fogg, who came to New Plymouth in 1633, but removed to Salem in 1634, where he held office, and later returned to England.

1 I conclude, according to the old English account, March 19, 1629-30. So that Ashley came to Penobscot in the spring, and to Plymouth in the fall, of 1630; and the four following paragraphs belong to 1630.- PRINCE in Bradford Ms.

owne trade at Kenebeck if they did not joyne with him in the ordering of things, if thus they should supply him; and on the other hand, if they refused to joyne with him, and allso to afford any supply unto him, they should greatly offend their above named friends, and might hapily lose them hereby; and he and Mr. Allerton, laying their craftie wits togither, might gett supplies of these things els wher; besides, they considered that if they joyned not in the bussines, they knew Mr. Allerton would be with them in it, and so would swime, as it were, betweene both, to the prejudice of boath, but of them selves espetially. For they had reason to thinke this bussines was cheefly of his contriving, and Ashley was a man fitte for his turne and dealings. So they, to prevente a worse mischeefe, resolved to joyne in the bussines, and gave him supplies in what they could, and overlooked his procceedings as well as they could; the which they did the better, by joyning an honest yonge man,1 that came from Leyden, with him as his fellow (in some sorte), and not merely as a servante. Which yonge man being discreete, and one whom they could trust, they so instructed as keept Ashley in some good mesure within bounds. And so they returned their answer to their freinds in England, that they accepted of their motion, and joyned with them in Ashleys bussines; and yet withall tould them what their fears were concerning him.

1 Thomas Willett. BRADFORD. Thomas Willett (1605-1674) was one of the few agents concerned in the fur trade who retained a reputation for honesty in the service of his employers. He was born in August, 1605, the fourth son of Rev. Andrew Willet (1562-1621), rector of Barley, Co. Leicester. He is believed to have joined the Leyden people in Holland and to have come with the party of 1629 to Plymouth. Because of his discretion and character he received the responsibility of an association with Ashley at Kennebec, and remained in charge after Ashley had shown his true disposition. Successful as a trader with the Indians, he extended his own operations, becoming a ship-owner, a trader with the Dutch, and an assistant of the plantation for some years. In 1650 he acted as an arbitrator on behalf of the Dutch in their disputes with the planters of Connecticut, and four years later (in 1654) with Standish was named to lead the New Plymouth forces against the Dutch. In 1664 he accompanied Nicolls to New Amsterdam, and on the surrender of the city became its first Mayor, to the content of English and Dutch alike. Returning to Massachusetts soon after 1667 he settled in Swansea. Magazine of Am. History, XVII. 233.