cution of this Designe, and tooke order for the dissoluing of the Company on Land, and sold away their Shipping and other Provisions.

Two things withall may be intimated by the way, the first, that the very proiect it selfe of planting by the helpe of a fishing Voyage, can never answer the successe that it seemes to promise (which experienced Fisher-men easily have foreseene before hand, and by that meanes haue preuented divers ensuing errors) whereof amongst divers other reasons these may serue for two. First that no sure fishing place in the Land is fit for planting, nor any good place for planting found fit for fishing, at least neere the Shoare. And secondly, rarely any Fisher-men will worke at Land, neither are Husband-men fit for Fisher-men but with long vse & experience. The second thing to be obserued is, that nothing new fell out in the managing of this stocke seeing experience hath taught vs that as in building houses the first stones of the foundation are buried vnder ground and are not seene, so in planting Colonies, the first stockes employed that way are consumed, although they serue for a foundation to the worke.

CHAP. IX.

The vndertaking and prosecution of the Colony by the Londoners.

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VT to returne to our former subject from which we digressed. Vpon the manifestation of the Westerne Aduenturers resolution to give off their worke, most part of the Land-men being sent for returned; but a few of the most honest and industrious resolved to stay behinde and to take charge of the Cattell sent over the yeare before; which they performed accordingly and not likeing their seate at Cape Anne chosen especially for the supposed commoditie of fishing, they transported them selues to Nahum-keike, about foure or fiue. leagues distant to the South-West from Cape Anne.

Some then of the Aduenturers that still continued their desire to set forwards the Plantation of a Colony there; conceiving

that if some more Cattell were sent over to those few Men left behinde; they might not onely be a meanes of the comfortable subsisting of such as were already in the Country; but of inviting some other of their Friends and Acquaintance to come over to them: aduentured to send over twelue Kine and Buls more. And conferring casually with some Gentlemen of London, moved them to adde vnto them as many more. By which occasion the businesse came to agitation a-fresh in London, and being at first approved by some and disliked by others, by argument and disputation it grew to be more vulgar. In so much, that some men shewing some good affection to the worke, and offering the helpe of their purses, if fit men might be procured to goe over; Enquiry was made whither any would be willing to engage their persons in the Voyage: by this enquiry it fell out that among others they lighted at last on Master Endecott, a man well knowne to divers persons of good note: who manifested much willingnesse to accept of the offer as soone as it was tendered: which gaue great encouragement to such as were upon the point of resolution to set on this worke, of erecting a new Colony upon the old foundation. Hereupon divers persons having subscribed for the raising of a reasonable Summe of Mony: A Patent was granted with large encouragements every way by his most Excellent Maiestie. Master Endecott was sent over Governour assisted with a few men, and arriving in safety there, in September 1628. and uniting his owne men with those which were formerly planted in the Country, into one body, they made up in all not much above fiftie or sixtie persons. His prosperous Iourney and safe arrivall of himselfe and all his Company, and good report which he sent backe of the Country, gave such encouragement to the worke, that more Aduenturers joyning with the first Vndertakers, and all engaging themselues more deepely for the prosecution of the Designe; they sent over the next yeare about three hundred persons more, most seruants with a conuenient proportion of rother Beasts, to the number of sixty or seventy or there about and some Mares and Horses, of which the Kine came safe for the most part; but the greater part of the Horses dyed, so that there remained not above twelue or fourteen alive. By this time the often agitation of this affayre in sundry parts of the Kingdome, the good report of Captaine Endecotts Government and the encrease of the Colony began to awaken the Spirits of some Persons of competent estates, not formerly engaged, cōsidering that they lived either without any vsefull employment at home, and might be more seruiceable in assisting the planting of a Colony in New-England, tooke at last a resolution to unite

themselues for the prosecution of that worke: And as it usually falls out; some other of their acquaintance, seeing such men of good estates engaged in the Voyage, some for love to their persons, and others upon other respects united unto them, which together made up a competent number (perhaps far lesse then is reported) and embarked themselues for a Voyage to NewEngland, where I hope they are long since safely arrived.

This is an unpartiall, though briefe Relation of the occasion of planting of this Colony. The particulars whereof, if they could be entertained, were cleare enough to any indifferent judgement, that the, suspicious and scandalous reports raysed upon these Gentlemen and their friends (as if under the colour of planting a Colony they intended to rayse and erect a seminary of faction and separation) are nothing else, but the fruits of jealousie of some distempered minde, or which is worse, perhaps savour of a desperate malicious plot of men ill affected to Religion, endevouring by casting the vndertakers into the jealousie of State, to shut them out of those advantages which otherwise they doe and might expect from the Countenance of Authoritie. Such men would be entreated to forbeare that base and unchristian course of traducing innocent persons, under these odious names of Separatists and enemies to the Church and State, for feare least their owne tongues fall upon themselves by the justice of his hand who will not fayle to cleare the innocency of the just, and to cast backe into the bosome of every slaunderer the filth that he rakes up to throw in other mens faces. As for men of more indifferent and better tempered mindes, they would be seriously advised to beware of entertaining and admitting, much more countenancing and crediting such uncharitable persons as discover themselves by their carriage, and that in this particular, to be men ill affected towards the worke it selfe, if not to Religion (at which it aymes) and consequently unlikely to report any truth of such as undertake it.

CHAP. X.

The Conclusion of the whole Treatise..

Ow for the better preventing of such suspitions and jealousies, and the ill affections to this Worke, that may arise thereupon; two things are earnestly requested of such as passe their Censures upon it, or the persons that under

take it. The first is, that although in this barren and corrupt age wherein we live, all our actions are generally swayed and carryed on by private interests; in so much as sincere intentions of furthering the common good; (grounded upon that love through which we are commanded to serve one another) be the wonders of men; notwithstanding men would not thinke it impossible, that the love which waxeth cold and dyeth in the most part, yet may revive and kindle in some mens hearts: and that there may be found some that may neglect their ease and profit to doe the Church good and God service, out of a sincere love and affection to Gods honour and the Churches good. Why may not wee conceive that God may prevaile upon the hearts of his servants, to set them on as effectually to seeke the inlargement of his kingdome; as a blind zeale fomented by the art and subtilitie of Satan may thrust on Priests and Iesuites, and their partisans, to engage their persons and estates for advancing of the Devils Kingdome? Or if in the Worlds infancy, men out of an ambitious humour, or at present for private advantages and expectation of gaine, thrust themselves out from their owne dwellings into parts farre remote from their native soyle; why should not we conceive, that if they doe this for a corruptible crowne; that the desire and expectation of an incorruptible (the reward of such as deny themselves for the service of God and his Church) may as strongly allure such as by patient cōtinuance in well-doing, seeke immortalitie & life? And yet the favourable conceits that men entertaine of such as follow in all their actions the wayes of their private gaine, and the jealousies that they are apt to entertaine of such as pretend onely the advancement of the Gospell, manifestly argue that the generall opinion of the world is that some may be true to themselves and the advancement of their owne private estates, but hardly any to God and his Church. I should be very unwilling to thinke, they cherish this suspition upon that ground that moved that sensuall Emperour to beleeve that no man was cleane or chaste in any part of his body, because himselfe was defiled and uncleane in all. This is then the first favour that is desired, of such as consider this action, to beleeve that it is neither impossible nor unlikely that these mens intentions are truely and really such as they pretend, and not collours and cloakes for secret dangerous purposes, which they closely harbour in their breasts, especially when all apparant circumstances concurre to justifie the contrary.

The next request that is presented to all indifferent minded men is; that they would be pleased to set before their eyes that

which hath beene alreadie mentioned, that as there followed the children of Israel a mixt multitude out of Egypt, so it is probable there may doe these men out of England, and that of divers tempers: some perhaps men of hot and fiery spirits, making change and innovation their scope, may conceive that (when they see that for the desire and care of preserving unitie and love, and taking away occasions of offence to tender consciences, some changes and alterations are yeelded unto) they have gained what they expect, and may as fondly triumph in their supposed Victory, as if they had overthrowne all order and discipline; as they doe absurdly mistake the grounds and ends which the course of Government proposeth and aymeth at and thereupon in their Relations to their friends, represent things not as they are really done and intended, but as they apprehend them in their fantasies. Others there will be that prooving refractary to Government, expecting all libertie in an unsetled body; and finding the restraint of Authority, contrary to expectation, in their discontented humours, meeting with no other way of revenge, may be ready to blemish the Government with such scandalous reports as their malicious spirits can devise and utter.

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Now although some say, that malice is a good informer notwithstanding no wise or good man admits it for a fit Iudge; if therefore men will be pleased to forbeare the over-hastie beliefe of such reports, as shall be sent over or given out, either by men of foolish and weake mindes or distempered humors, untill they receive more assured satisfaction from such as understand and are acquainted with the grounds and secret passages of the affayres of Government, they shall keepe their owne hearts upon the even-ballance of a right judgement, and provide for the innocency of those upon whom they passe their censure.

If by these meanes jealousies and suspitions may be prevented, I make no question but the relations which this Worke hath both to the State and Church, will upon mature advise so farre prevaile with all well-minded men, as to move them not onely to affoord their prayers for the prosperous successe of this new planted Colony, that from small and contemptible beginnings, it may grow to a setled and well formed Church; but with all their best furtherance, Consilio, auxilio, re, by advise, friends, and purses, Which howsoever the principalls of this worke, out of their modestie, crave not, yet the necessary burdens which so weightie an undertaking chargeth them withall, will certainely inforce them to need, whatsoever men judge to the contrary. Neither is or will the burden be intolerable to this State; A common stocke of ten thousand pound may be suffi