with the salt fish, traine oile and Furres, I returned for England the 18 of July, and ariued safe with my company the latter end of August. Thus in six moneths I made my voyage out and home; and by the labour of 45, got neare the value of 1500 pounds in those grosse commodities. This yeare also one went from Plimmouth, set out by diuers of the Isle of Wight and the West country, by the directions & instructions of Sir Ferdinando Gorge, spent their victuals, and returned with nothing.

Proofe 2. 1615.

The Virginia Company vpon this sent 4 good ships; and because I would not undertake it for them, hauing ingaged my selfe to them of the West, the Londoners entertained the men that came home with me. They set saile in Ianuary, and ariued there in March; they found fish enough untill halfe June, fraughted a ship of 300 Tuns, went for Spaine, which was taken by the Turks; one went to Virginia to relieue that Colonie, and two came for England with the greene fish, traine oile and Furres within six moneths. Proofe 3. 1615. In lanuary with 200 pounds in cash for aduenture, and six Gentlemen wel furnished, I went from London to the foure ships was promised, prepared for me in the West country, but I found no such matter; notwithstanding at the last with a labyrinth of trouble I went from Plimmoth with a ship of 200 Tuns, and one of fiftie: when the fishing was done onely with 15 I was to stay in the country; but ill weather breaking all my masts, 1 was forced to returne to Plimmoth, where rather then lose all, reimbarking myselfe in a Bark of 60 Tuns, how I escaped the English pyrates and the French, and was betrayed by foure French men of warre, I referre you to the Description of New England: but my Vice-Admirall, notwithstanding the latenesse of the yeare, setting forth with me in March, the Londoners in lanuary, she ariued in May, they in March, yet came home well fraught in August, & all her men well, within 5 months, odde days. Proofe 4. 1616. The Londoners ere I returned from France, for all their losse by the Turks, which was valued about 4000 pounds, sent two more in Iuly; but such courses they took by the Canaries to the West Indies, it was ten moneths ere they ariued in New England, wasting in that time their seasons, victuall and healths, yet there they found meanes to refresh themselues, and the one returned, neare fraught with fish and traine, within 2 moneths after.

Proofe 5. 1616.

From Plimmoth went 4 ships, onely to fish and trade, some in Frebruarie, some in March, one of 200 Tuns got thither in a month, and went full fraught for Spain, the

rest returned to Plimmoth well fraught, and their men well, within fiue moneths, odde dayes.

From London went two more, one of 200 Tuns, Proofe 6. 1616. got thither in six weeks, and within six weeks after with 44 men and boyes was full fraught, and returned again into England within fiue moneths and a few daies; the other went to the Canaries with drie fish, which they sold at a great rate, for Rials of 8, and as I heard turned pirats.

1 being at Plimmoth prouided with 3 good Froofe 7, 1617. ships, yet but fifteen men to stay with me in the country was Windbound three moneths, as was many a hundred saile more, so that the season being past, ships went for New-foundland, whereby my designe was frustrate, which was to me & my friends no small losse, in regard whereof here the Westerne Commissioners in the behalfe of themselues; and the rest of the Companie, contracted with me by articles indented under our hands, to be Admirall of that Country during my life, and in the renewing of their Letters pattents so to be nominated, halfe the fruits of our endeuours theirs, the rest our owne; being thus ingaged; now the businesse doth prosper, some of them would willingly forget me; but I am not the first they haue deceived.

There was foure good ships prepared at Plim- Proofe 8. 1618. moth, but by reason of their disagreement, the season so wasted, as onely 2 went forward, the one being of 200 Tuns, returned well fraught for Plimmoth, and her men in health, within fiue moneths; the other of 80 Tuns, went for Bilbow with drie fish, and made a good returne. In this voyage Edward Rowcroft, alias Stallings, a valiant souldier, that had bin with me in Virginia, and seven yeares after went with me from Plimoth towards New England with Thomas Dirmer an understanding and an industrious Gentleman to inhabite it ; all whose names with our proceedings you may reade at large in my description of New England, upon triall before the ludge of the Admiraltie, how when we had past the worst, for pure cowardize the Maister and sailers ran away with the ship and all I had, and left me alone among 8 or 9 French men of Warre in the yeare 1615. This Stallings went now againe in those ships, and having some wrong offered him in New England by a French man, hee tooke him, and as he writ to me, he went with her to Virginia with fish, to trade with them for such commodities as they might spare; he knew both these countries well, yet he promised me the next Spring to meet me in New England; but the ship and he perished in Virginia.

Proofe 9. 1619.

This yeare againe, diuers ships intending to go from Plimmoth, so disagreed, as there went but one of 200 Tuns, who stayed in the country about 6 weeks, with 38 men and boyes, had her fraught, which she sold at the first penie, for 2100 pounds, besides the Furres: so that euery poor sailer that had but a single share, had his charges, and 16.1. 10.s. for his seuen moneths worke. Mr. Thomas Dirmer having lived about a yeare in New-found-land, returning to Plimmoth, went for New England in this ship, and not only confirmes what I have writ, but so much more approued of it, that he stayed there with fiue or six men in a little boate; finding 2 or 3 Frenchmen among the sauages, who had lost their ship, augmented his companie, with whom he ranged the coast to Virginia, where he was kindly welcomed and well refreshed; thence returned to New England again, where having bin a yeare, in his back-returne to Virginia, he was so wounded by the sauages, he died vpon it, them escaped were relieued at Virginia. Let not men attribute their great aduentures and vntimely deaths to vnfortunatenesse, but rather wonder how God did so long preserue them, with so small means to do so much, leaving the fruits of their labours to be an encouragement to those our poore vndertakings; and this for advantage as they writ vnto me, that God had laid this Country open for vs, and slaine the most part of the inhabitants by cruell warres and a mortall disease; for where I had seene 100 or 200 people, there is scarce ten to be found. From Pembrocks bay to Harrintons bay there is not 20; from thence to Cape An, some 30; from Taulbuts bay to the Riuer Charles, about 40; and not any of them touched with any sicknes, but one poore Frenchman that died.

Proofe 10. 1620.

For to make triall this yeare there is gone 6 or 7 saile from the West country, onely to fish, three of whom are returned, and as I was certainly informed, made so good a voyage, that every sailer for a single share had 20 pouds for his 7 moneths work, which is more then in 20 moneths he should have gotten had he gone for wages any where. Now though all the former ships have not made such good voyages as they expected, by sending opinionated vnskilfull men, that had not experienced diligence to saue that they tooke, nor take that there was; which now patience and practise hath brought to a reasonable kind of perfection in despite of all detractors and calumniations, the Country yet hath satisfied all, the defect hath bin in their vsing or abusing it, not in it selfe

nor me.

A plantation in New England.

Vpon these inducements some few well disposed Proofe 11, 1620. Gentlemen and Merchants of London and other places prouided two ships, the one of 160 Tunnes, the other of 70; they left the coast of England the 23 of August, with about 120 persons, but the next day the lesser ship sprung a leake that forced their returne to Plimmoth, where discharging her and 20 passengers, with the great ship and a hundred persons besides sailers, they set saile againe the sixt of September, and the ninth of Nouember fell Cape Iames; but being pestred nine weeks in this leaking vnwholsome ship, lying wet in their cabbins, most of them grew very weake, and weary of the sea, then for want of experience ranging to and again, six weeks before they found a place they liked to dwell on, forced to lie on the bare ground without couerture in the extremitie of Winter, fortie of them died, and 60 were left in very weake estate at the ships coming away, about the first of April following, and ariued in England the sixt of May.

Immediately after her ariuall, from London they Proofe 12. 1620. sent another of 55 Tunnes to supply them, with 37 persons, they set saile in the beginning of Iuly, but being crossed by Westerly winds, it was the end of August ere they could passe Plimmoth, and ariued at New Plimmoth in New England the eleuenth of Nouember, where they found all the people they left in April, as is said, lustie and in good health, except six that died. Within a moneth they returned here for England, laded with clapboord, wainscot & walnut, with about three hogsheads of Beuer skins and some Saxefras, the 13 of December, and drawing neare our coast, was taken by a Frenchman, set out by the Marquis of Cera Gouernour of Ile Deu on the coast of Poytou, where they kept the ship, imprisoned the Master and companie, took from them to the value of about 500 pounds; and after 14 days sent them home with a poore supply of victuall, their owne being deuoured by the Marquis and his hungry seruants; they ariued at London the 14 of Februarie, leauing all them they found and caried to New England well and in health, with victuall and corne sufficient till the next haruest.

Plimmoth.

The copie of Letter sent by this ship. Louing cousin, at our ariuall at New Plimmoth A Letter fro New in New England, we found all our friends and planters in good health, though they were left sicke and weake with very small meanes, the Indians round about vs peaceable

and friendly, the country very pleasant and temperate, yeelding naturally of it self great store of fruites, as vines of diuers sorts in great abundance; there is likewise walnuts, chesnuts, small nuts and plums, with much varietie of flowers, rootes, and herbs no lesse pleasant then wholsome and profitable: no place hath more goose-berries and straw-berries, nor better, Timber of all sorts you haue in England, doth couer the Land, that affoords beasts of diuers sorts, and great flocks of Turkies, Quailes Pigeons and Patriges: many great lakes abounding with fish, fowle, Beuers and Otters. The sea affoords vs as great plenty of all excellent sorts of sea-fish, as the rivers and Iles doth varietie of wilde fowle of most vsefull sorts. Mines we find to our thinking, but neither the goodnesse nor qualitie we know. Better grain cannot be then the Indian corne, if we will plant it vpon as good ground as a man need desire. We are all free-holders, the rent day doth not trouble vs, and all those good blessings we haue, of which and what we list in their seasons for taking. Our companie are for most part very religious honest people; the word of God sincerely taught vs euery Sabbath: so that I know not any thing a contented mind can here want. 1 desire your friendly care to send my wife and children to me, where I wish all the friends I have in England, and so I rest

Proofe 13. 1621.

Your louing kinsman William Hilton.

From the West country went ten or twelue ships to fish which were all well fraughted; those that came first at Bilbow made 17 pounds a single share, besides Beuer, Otters and Martins skins; but some of the rest that came to the same ports that were already furnished, so glutted the market, their price was abated, yet all returned so well contented, they are a preparing to go againe.

For this yeare 1622.

There is gone from the West of England onely to fish 35 ships, & about the last of April two more from London, the one of 100 Tuns, the other of 30, with some 60 passengers to supply the plantation with all necessary provisions. Now though the Turke and French hath bin somewhat too busie, would all the Christian Princes but be truly at vnitie as his royall Maiestie our Soueraigne Lord and King desireth, 70 saile of good ships were sufficient to fire the most of his coasts in the Leuant, and make such a guard in the straits of Hellespont, as would make the great Turke himselfe more afraid in Constantinople, then the smallest red crosse, crosses the seas would be, either of any French, Piccaroun, or the pirats of Argere.