some more perticulers, and that it was like Mr. Allerton would be late before he came. At length they, having an oppertunitie, resolved to send Mr. Winslow, with what beaver they had ready, into England, to see how the squares wente, being very jeolouse of these things, and Mr. Allertons courses; and writ shuch leters, and gave him shuch instructions, as they thought meet; and if he found things not well, to discharge Mr. Allerton for being any longer agent for them, or to deal any more in the bussines, and to see how the accounts stood, etc.

Aboute the midle of sommer arrives Mr. Hatherley in the Bay of the Massachusetts, (being one of the partners,) and came over in the same ship that was set out on fhishing (called the Frendship).1 They presently sent to him, making no question but now they had goods come, and should know how all things stood. But they found [175] the former news true, how this ship had been so long at sea, and spente and spoyled her provissions, and overthrowne the viage. And he being sent over by the rest of the partners, to see how things wente hear, being at Bristoll with Mr. Allerton, in the shipe bought (called the White-Angell), ready to set sayle, over night came a messenger from Bastable to Mr. Allerton, and tould him of the returne of the ship, and what had befallen. And he not knowing what to doe, having a great chareg under hand, the ship lying at his rates, and now ready to set sayle, got him to goe and discharg the ship, and take order for the goods. To be short, they found Mr. Hatherley some thing reserved, and troubled in him selfe, (Mr. Allerton not being ther,) not knowing how to dispose of the goods till he came; but he heard he was arived with the other ship to the eastward,' and expected his coming. But he tould them ther was not much for them in this ship, only 2. packs of Bastable

1 She sailed again from Barnstable about the middle of May, and arrived at Boston, July 14, 1631. Winthrop, History, 1. *58.

- PRINCE in Bradford Ms.

2 That is, of her fishing crew.
That is, the White Angel at Saco.

PRINCE in Bradford Ms.

ruggs, and 2. hoggsheads of meatheglin,2 drawne out in wooden flackets (but when these flackets came to be received, ther was left but 6 gallons of the 2. hogsheads, it being drunke up under the name leackage, and so lost). But the ship was filled with goods for sundrie gentle men, and others, that were come to plant in the Massachusetts, for which they payed fraight by the tunn. And this was all the satisfaction they could have at presente, so they brought this small parcell of goods and returned with this nues, and a letter as obscure; which made them much to marvell therat. The letter was as followeth.

GENTLE-MEN, PARTNERS, AND LOVING FRIENDS, etc.

Breefly thus: wee have this year set forth a fishing ship, and a trading ship, which later we have bought; and so have disbursed a great deale of money, as may and will appeare by the accounts. And because this ship (called the White Angell) is to acte · 2 · parts, (as I may say,) fishing for bass, and trading; and that while Mr. Allerton was imployed aboute the trading, the fishing might suffer by carlesnes or neglecte of the sailors, we have entreated your and our loving friend, Mr. Hatherley, to goe over with him, knowing he will be a comforte to Mr. Allerton, a joye to you, to see a carfull and loving friend, and a great stay to the bussines; and so great contente to us, that if it should please God the one should faile, (as God forbid,) yet the other would keepe both recconings, and things uprighte. For we are now out great sumes of money, as they will acquainte you withall, etc. When we were out

1 There were one hundred rugs, costing £75. (See p. 131, infra.) Rugs were not of great value, and twenty-four sent to Richmond's Island in 1634, cost only £6. 3 or about five shillings each. Trelawny Papers, 35. But see 3 Mass. Hist. Collections, IX. 264.

* Metheglin is defined as a "spiced or medicated variety of mead, originally peculiar to Wales." Venner, writing in his Via Recta (1620), II. 41, says: "If Rosemary, Hyssop, Time, Orgaine, and Sage, be first well boyled in the water, whereof you make the Metheglin, it will be the better." The meaning of the word is a healing liquor.

› Allerton charged some £3 a ton freight; but on what was sent to the partners he charged £4. See p. 136, infra. On the White Angel was probably sent the merchandise intended for Richard Vines. See p. 124, infra.

but 4 or 5. hundred pounds a peece, we looked not much after it, but left it to you, and your agente, (who, without flaterie, deserveth infinite thanks and comendations, both of you and us, for his pains, etc.); but now we are out double, nay, treble a peece, some of us, etc.; which makes us both write, and send over our friend, Mr. Hatherley, whom we pray you to entertaine kindly, of which we doubte not of. The main end of sending him is to see the state and accountes of all the bussines, of all which we pray you informe him fully, though the ship and bussines wayte for it and him. For we should take it very unkindly that we should intreat him to take shuch a journey, and that, when it pleaseth God he returnes, he could not give us contente and satisfaction in this perticuler, through defaulte of any of you. [176] But we hope you will so order bussines, as neither he nor we shall have cause to complaine, but to doe as we ever have done, thinke well of you all, etc. I will not promise, but shall1 indeaour and hope to effecte the full desire and grant of your patente, and that ere it be longe. I would not have you take any thing unkindly. I have not write out of jeoloucie of any unjuste dealing. Be you all kindly saluted in the Lord, so I rest,

March 25, 1630 [−31].2

Yours in what I may,
JAMES SHERLEY.

It needs not be thought strange, that these things should amase and trouble them; first, that this fishing ship should be set out, and fraight with other mens goods, and scarce any of theirs; seeing their maine end was (as is before remembred) to bring them a full supply, and their speatiall order not to sett out any excepte this was done. And now a ship to come on their accounte, clear contrary to their both end and order, was a misterie they could not understand; and so much the worse, seeing she had shuch ill suc1 Bradford wrote the word "still," but struck it out.

2 Mr. Sherley, being unmindful that, according to the old English way, 1630 ended on March 24, 1630, happens to misdate his letter, which should have been March 25, 1631. - PRINCE in Bradford мs.

-

That is, the Friendship. - PRINCE in Bradford Ms.

cess as to lose both her vioage and provissions. The · 2 · thing, that another ship1 should be bought and sente out on new designes, a thing not so much as once thought on by any here, much less, not a word intimated or spoaken of by any here, either by word or leter, neither could they imagine why this should be. Bass fishing was never lookt at by them, but as soone as ever they heard on it, they looked at it as a vaine thing, that would certainly turne to loss. And for Mr. Allerton to follow any trade for them, it was never in their thoughts. And 3ly, that their friends should complaine of disbursements, and yet rune into shuch great things, and charge of shiping and new projects of their owne heads, not only without, but against, all order and advice, was to them very strange. And 4ly, that all these matters of so great charg and imployments should be thus wrapped up in a breefe and obscure letter, they knew not what to make of it. But amids all their doubts they must have patience till Mr. Allerton and Mr. Hatherley should come. In the mean time Mr. Winslow was gone for England; 3 and others of them were forst 1 That is, the White Angel. PRINCE in Bradford Ms.

2 The bass (Labrax lupus), a corrupt form of the Dutch word baars, was found in European waters, and was there also known as sea-wolf and sea-dace. The sea-bass of the coasts of North America is an allied species. The usual fish sought near Newfoundland was cod, and little mention will be found among contemporary writers of any other fish being taken in large quantities for the European markets. The idea of a profitable bass fishery must have originated in some merchant-adventurer of greater zeal than knowledge. Perhaps the suggestion may have been derived from Captain Smith, for in his Generall Historie, which appeared in 1626, he states that the Plymouth people had taken "one thousand Bases at a draught; and in one night twelve Hogsheads of Herrings" (237); but he is inaccurate in his language, nor does he mention bass in his account of the seasons for fishing in New England, though he does mention it among the fishes to be found off that coast. Description of New England, *35, 48.

One of the adventurers in this fishing ship, Dennison by name, brought suit against Allerton for £100, a sixth part of the money disbursed on account of the ship. The exact division of the shares and the names of the shareholders are not stated. See p. 151, infra.

Which seems to be before July 14, 1631, when the Friendship arrived with Mr. Hatherley at Boston.-PRINCE in Bradford Ms.

to folow their imployments with the best means they had, till they could hear of better.

At length Mr. Hatherley and Mr. Allerton came unto them, (after they had delivered their goods,) 1 and finding them strucken with some sadnes aboute these things, Mr. Allerton tould them that the ship Whit-Angele did not belong to them, nor their accounte, neither neede they have any thing to doe with her, excepte they would. And Mr. Hatherley confirmed the same, and said that they would have had him to have had a parte, but he refused; but he made question whether they would not turne her upon the generall accounte, if ther came loss (as he now saw was like), seeing Mr. Allerton laid downe this course, and put them on this projecte. But for the fishing ship, he tould them they need not be so much troubled, for he had her accounts here, and showed them that her first setting out came not much to exceed 600li. as they might see by the accounte, which he showed them; and for this later viage, it would arrise to profite by the fraight of the goods, and the salle of some katle which he shiped and had allready sould,' and was to be paid for partly here and partly by bills into England, so as they should not have this put on their acounte at all, except they [178]3 would. And for the former, he had sould so much goods out of her in England, and imployed the money in this·2. viage, as it, togeither with shuch goods and implements as Mr. Allerton must need aboute his fishing, would rise to a good parte of the money; for he must have the sallt and nets, allso spikes, nails, etc.; all which would

1 By this it appears that Mr. Allerton and Hatherley arrive in the spring or summer of 1631. Mr. Hatherley arrived in the Friendship at Boston, July 14, 1631. Mr. Allerton arrived in the White Angel at the Massachusetts Bay, July 22, 1631. The Friendship sails from Boston for Christopher Isle on July 29, 1631. The White Angel sets sail from Boston for New Plymouth, but hindered by contrary winds, and a week after runs ashore at the Gurnet's Nose; and no doubt Mr. Allerton and Hatherley go to New Plymouth in her. - PRINCE in Bradford Ms. "The White Angel fell down for Plymouth," July 30. Winthrop, 1. *59.

* Winthrop says she landed at Boston twenty-one heifers. History, 1. *59. * 177 is omitted in Ms.