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HE time of new election of ther officers for this year being come, and the number of their people increased, and their troubles and occasions therwith, the Gov[erno]r desired them to chainge the persons, as well as renew the election; and also to adde more Assistans to the Gov[erno]r for help and counsell, and the better carrying on of affairs. Showing that it was necessarie it should be so. If it was any honour or benefite, it was fitte others should be made pertakers of it; if it was a burthen, (as doubtles it was,) it was but equall others should help to bear it; and that this was the end of Annuall Elections. The issue was, that as before ther was but one Assistante, they now chose.5. giving the Gov[erno]r a duble voyce; and aft[er]wards they increased them to 7. which course hath continued to this day.1

They having with some truble and charge new-masted and rigged their pinass, in the begining of March they sent her well vitaled to the eastward on fishing. She arrived safly at a place near Damarins cove, and was there well harbored in a place wher ships used to ride, ther being also some ships allready arived out of England. But shortly after ther [109] arose shuch a violent and extraordinarie storme, as the seas broak over shuch places in the

1 The company in London appears to have made some inquiry into the manner of governing the plantation and to have given suggestion for a modification, in some manner not shown by the records. "Touching our governemente you are mistaken if you think we admite weomen and children to have to doe in the same, for they are excluded, as both reason and nature teacheth they should be; neither doe we admite any but such as are above the age of 21. years, and they also but only in some weighty maters, when we thinke good; yet we like well of your course, and advice propounded unto us, and will as soon as we can with convenience bring it into practice, though it should be well it were so ordered in our patent." Bradford's letter of September 8,

harbor as was never seene before, and drive her against great roks, which beat shuch a hole in her bulke,1 as a horse and carte might have gone in, and after drive her into deep-water, wher she lay sunke. The m[aste]r was drowned, the rest of the men, all save one, saved their lives, with much a doe; all her provision, salt, and what els was in her, was lost. And here I must leave her to lye till afterward.

1 Bradford first wrote the word "bilge."

2 Altham, continuing his account of his acts in New England after intending to meet Bridge and receive his cargo of fish (supra, p. 344), wrote to Sherley: "but by the bacwordness of our people and strange mishap thes hopes were quite altered for coming within one daies jorney of our ship this untimely news came to mee that our pinnace was cast away and Mr. Bridge and two of our men drowned being John Vow and

You

Peter Morrett (all which news did not a little troble mee) knowinge what great cost and charge you have bin at for us, and also knowing that upon the good and prosperity of the ship and vioage depended part of my reputation and profit. but this unwelcome news did in conceite deprive of both. But cominge home to our ship I there found this news true thus farr, that Mr. Bridge our master was drowned and the two men, and the ship in a very strange manner spoiled for thus it fortuned that upon the 10th of Aprill 1624 hapned a greate storme and some of our cables that we were mored withall gave way and slip of on the place they were made fast to ashore and soe the winde and sea being very high drave our ship a shore upon rockes where she beate. In the mean time being night the master and Company arose and every man shifted for them selves to save life, but the master going in to his cabin to fetch his whishell could not get in to any boate aboute the ship the sea brake soe over the ship and soe by that meanes before a boat could come the ship overset and drowned him and the other two and the rest that were got into our shallops that hung about the ship had much a doe to recover the shore your cosin for one for the ship oversettinge pich her maineyard in to one boate where were 6 or 7 of our men and soe sunke her for thoes that could then swim got to the shore with much hurt the rest that could not swim were drowned, and soe before the next morninge our ship was quite under water sunke and nothing to be sene save only the tops of her masts some times for the sea did rake her to and fro upon the rocks All which disasters did not a little troble mee for our ship was not only spoiled, our men drowned, but wee that were saved lost

Some of those that still remained hear on their perticuler, begane privatly to nurish a faction, and being privie to a strong faction that was among the adventurers in England, on whom sundry of them did depend, by their private whispering they drew some of the weaker sorte of the company to their side, and so filld them with discontente, as nothing would satisfie them excepte they might be suffered to be in their perticuler allsoe; and made great offers, so they might be freed from the generall. The Gov[erno]r consulting with the ablest of the generall body what was best to be done hear in, it was resolved to permitte them so to doe, upon equall conditions. The conditions were the same in effect with the former before related.1 Only some more added, as that they should be bound here to remaine till the generall partnership was ended. And also that they should pay into the store, the on halfe of all shuch goods and comodities as they should any waise raise above their food, in consideration of what charg had been layed out for them, with some shuch like things. This liberty granted, soone stopt this gape, for ther was but a few that undertooke this course when it came too; and they were as sone weary of it. For the other had perswaded them, and Mr. Weston togeather, that ther would never come more supply to the generall body; but the perticulers had shuch freinds as would carry all, and doe for them I know not what.

Shortly after, Mr. Winslow came over,2 and brought a prety the most part of what wee had in the ship, my selfe especially lost my bokes and some clothes and most of what I had, but my comfort is that God will restore mee some thinge one day againe for afflictions are but trialls of his love. [We lost three shallops and our ships boate and another shallop we borrowed which we ..]" The words in brackets were written lengthways in the margin, and the sentence was not completed.

1 See p. 326, supra.

...

"Morton says, 'in the month of March.' According to this History, it appears that Winslow and Lyford came in the same ship which brought the first cattle; and this is called the Charity. In the Plymouth Records relative to the division of cattle, in 1627, it is stated that they were brought in the Ann. If both ships had arrived at

good supply, and the ship came on fishing, a thing fatall to this plantation.' He brought 3. heifers and a bull, the first begining of any catle of that kind in the land,2 with some cloathing and other

this time, with passengers and supplies for the colony, it seems probable that Bradford. would have mentioned it; and we are therefore led to infer that an error exists either in the Colony Records, or in this History, as to the name of this ship. It will be observed that she is called the 'Charitie' in Sherley's letter on the following page." DEANE. The Charity reached New Plymouth "about five weekes after her departure from the English coast," and after discharging her goods and passengers went immediately to Cape Ann.

1 In spite of this unfavorable view of the fishing ventures, a few months earlier Bradford held a more sanguine position. "It is for certain that great profite is here raised by fishing; the shipes have this year [1623] made great viages, and were a great many of them; and if we could fall once more into the right cource about it, and be able to manage it, it would make good all; a good fishing place will be a great advantage for it, wher the boats may goe quickly in and out to sea at all times of the tide, and well stoed with fish neer at hand, and convenient places to make it, and build stages in, and then it will not only serve for our own fishing, but after it be known once by experience to be a place well quallified for that purpose, benefite will be made of it by granting licence to others to fish there." Bradford's letter of September 8, 1623. In these sanguine views he was supported by the favorable opinion of Altham, at this time at New Plymouth: "Out of all question the course that you have setled now will bring in profit inough, for they make salt at Plimoth, and have good store of boates, all which is meanes to bring in profit, and I make noe question now but that new Plimoth will quickly returne your mony againe for the most part they are honest and carefull men, however they have had many crosses, yet now they will florish god blessinge them, which god grant. . . . but I doe not doubt of the profit that may be raised the next yere for now you have laiyed as good a ground plot as ever was and better then before, for with out this course of fishinge you cannot have your monies againe."

2 The suggestion for cattle came from New Plymouth. "It would be a principall stay and a comfortable help to the Colonie if they had some catle, in many respects, first it would much encourage them, and be in time a gretter ease both for tillage of ground, and cariag of burden; 2ly, it will make victuals both more plentifull, and comfortable; 3ly, it might be a good benefite after some encrease that they might be able to spare some to others that should have thoughts this way; espetialy goats are very useful for the first, and very fite for this place, for they will here thrive very well, are a hardly creature, and live at no charge, ether wenter or sommer, their increas is great and milke very good, and need little looking toe; also they are much more easily transported and with less difficulty and hassard, then other kattle; yet tow of those

necessaries, as will further appear; but withall the reporte of a strong faction amongst the adventure[r]s against them,1 and espetially against the coming of the rest from Leyden, and with what difficulty this supply was procured, and how, by their strong and long opposision, bussines was so retarded as not only they were now falne too late for the fishing season, but the best men were taken up of the fishermen in the west countrie, and he was forct to take shuch a m[aste]r and company for that imployment as he could procure upon the present. Some letters from thence shall beter declare these things, being as followeth [110].

MOST WORTHY AND LOVING FREINDS, Your kind and loving leters I have received, and render you many thanks, etc. It hath plased God to stirre up the harts of our adventure[r]s to raise a new stock for the seting forth of this shipe, caled the Charitie, with men and necessaries, both for the plantation and the fishing, though accomplished with very great difficulty; in regard we have some amongst us which undoubtedly aime more at their owne private ends, and the thwarting and opposing of some hear, and other worthy instruments of Gods which came last dyed by the way, but it was by some neclegence. For kine and other catle it will be best when any comes that it be in the spring, for if they should come against the winter, they would goe near to dye; the Colonie will never be in good estate till they have some." Bradford's letter of September 8, 1623.

Speculating on the climate of New England, at more length than can here be quoted, Hubbard (History, 19-21) notes as follows the effect of the long winters on the cattle: "By reason of this long continued and extreme sharpness of the cold through the whole country, the seven months of the summer's increase are usually devoured by the five lean and barren ones of the winter following, as was shewed to Pharoah in his dream; so as if some stranger should chance to be there in the end of every winter, he might be ready to think, that all the cattle here were the issue of Pharoah's lean kine, that had been transported hither; the cattle at that time of the year much resembling the wild deer in Greenland, when the bridegroom of the earth begins to smile upon them, after the long, cold, and dark night of winter begins to take his leave." Hubbard wrote about fifty years after the settlement of New Plymouth. 1 This clearly refers to Lyford and to Oldham, who were on their particular, and possessed some influence among the adventurers in England. See p. 392, infra. 2 He means Mr. Robinson. BRADFORD.