which they never doubted of, seeing he affirmed he had power; and they both knew his honestie, and that he was spetially imployed for their agente at this time. And he was as shorte in resting on a verball order from them; which was now denyed, when it came to a perticuler of loss; but he still affirmed the same. But they were both now taught how to deale in the world, espetially with marchants, in shuch cases. But in the end this light upon these here also, for Mr. Allerton had gott all into his owne hand, and Mr. Hatherley was not able to pay it, except they would have uterlie undon him, as the sequell will manifest.1

In an other leter bearing date the 24 of this month, being an answer to the generall leter, he hath these words: [184]

For the White Angell, against which you write so ernestly, and say we thrust her upon you, contrary to the intente of the buyer, herin we say you forgett your selves, and doe us wrong. We will not take uppon us to devine what the thougts or intents of the buyer was, but what he spack we heard, and that we will affirme, and make good against any that oppose it; which, is that unles shee were bought, and shuch a course taken, Ashley could not be supplyed; and againe, if he weer not supplyed, we could not be satisfied what we were out for you. And further, you were not able to doe it; and he gave some reasons which we spare to relate, unless by your unreasonable refusall you will force us, and so hasten that fire which is a kindling too fast allready, etc.

Out of another of his, bearing date Jan[uary] 2. 1631[-32] 2

We purpose to keep the Freindship and the Whit Angell, for the last year viages, on the generall accounte, hoping togeither they will rather produse profite then loss, and breed less confution in our accounts, and less disturbance in our affections. As for the White Angell, though we layed out the money, and tooke bills of salle in our owne names, yet none of us had so much as a thought (I dare say) of deviding from you

1 This paragraph is written on the reverse of page 182 of the manuscript.

2 That is, January 2, 1631-32. — PRINCE in Bradford Ms.

1

in any thing this year, because we would not have the world (I may say Bristoll) take notice of any breach betwixte Mr. Allerton and you, and he and us; and so disgrace him in his proceedings or in his intended viage. We have now let him the ship at 30li. per month, by charterpartie, and bound him in a bond of a 1000li. to performe covenants, and bring her to London (if God please). And what he brings in her for you, shall be marked with your marke, and bils of laden taken, and sent in Mr. Winslows letter, who is this day riding to Bristoll about it. So in this viage, we deale and are with him as strangers. He hath brought in 3. books of acounts, one for the company, an other for Ashley's bussines, and the third for the Whit-Angell and Freindship. The books, or coppies, we purpose to send you, for you may discover the errours in them better than we. We can make it appear how much money he hath had of us, and you can charg him with all the beaver he hath had of you. The totall sume, as he hath put it, is 7103. 17. 1. Of this he hath expended, and given to Mr. Vines 2 and others, aboute 543li. ode money, and then by your books you will find whether you had shuch, and so much goods, as he chargeth you with all; and this is all that I can say at presente concerning these accounts. He thought to dispatch them in a few howers, but he and Straton and Fogge were above a month aboute them; but he could not stay till we had examined them, for losing his fishing viage, which I fear he hath allready done, etc.

1 Bristol was at this time not only an important manufacturing place, but ranked among the largest shipping ports of the kingdom. After the war with Spain, when the diplomacy of Charles and his successors had isolated England from the Continent, and so made her commerce a prey to the privateers of Dunkirk and the vessels of Spain (1658), the trade of the west of England was almost ruined, and Bristol alone had lost upwards of two hundred and fifty ships. Sherley recognized the importance of

yours my god standing well with the shipmasters of that Richard Binss:

port.

The patent to Oldham and Vines had been issued on February 13, 1629-30, and

Vines took possession of his grant in June of that year. Probably his goods formed part of the "particular" cargo of the White Angel, and were delivered to Vines at Winter Harbor. See p. 100, supra.

See p. 82, supra.

We blese God, who put both you and us in mind to send each to other, for verily had he rune on in that desperate and chargable course one year more, we had not been able to suport him; nay, both he and we must have lyen in the ditch, and sunck under the burthen, etc. Had ther been an orderly course taken, and your bussines better managed, assuredly (by the blessing of God) you had been the ablest plantation that, as we think, or know, hath been undertaken by Englishmen, etc.

Thus farr of these letters of Mr. Sherley. [185]

A few observations from the former letters, and then I shall set downe the simple truth of the things (thus in controversie betweene them), at least as farr as by any good evidence it could be made to appeare; and so laboure to be breefe in so tedious and intricate a bussines, which hunge in expostulation betweene them many years before the same was ended. That though ther will be often occasion to touch these things about other passages, yet I shall not neede to be large therin; doing it hear once for all.

1. First, it seemes to appere clearly that Ashley's bussines, and the buying of this ship, and the courses framed ther upon, were first contrived and proposed by Mr. Allerton, as also that the pleaes and pretences which he made, of the inab[i]litie of the plantation to repaye their moneys, etc., and the hopes he gave them of doing it with profite, was more beleeved and rested on by them (at least some of them) then any thing the plantation did or said.

2. It is like, though Mr. Allerton might thinke not to wrong the plantation in the maine, yet his owne gaine and private ends led him a side in these things; for it came to be knowne, and I have it in a letter under Mr. Sherley's hand, that in the first 2. or .3. years of his imploymente, he had cleared up 400li. and put it into a brew-house of Mr. Colliers in London,1 at first under Mr. Sherley's name, etc.; besides what he might have other wise. Againe, Mr.

1 There were many breweries in the city of London, and no one can be identified as belonging to Collier. What gives the name its interest is that it may be the Collier who was an adventurer in the company and later a resident in New Plymouth.

Sherley and he had perticuler dealings in some things; for he bought up the beaver that sea-men and other passengers brought over to Bristoll, and at other places, and charged the bills to London, which Mr. Sherley payed; and they got some time 5oli. a peece in a bargen, as was made knowne by Mr. Hatherley and others, besides what might be other wise; which might make Mr. Sherley harken unto him in many things; and yet I beleeve, as he in his forementioned leter write, he never would side in any perticuler trade which he conceived would wrong the plantation, and eate up and destroy the generall.

3ly. It may be perceived that, seeing they had done so much for the plantation, both in former adventures and late disbursements, and allso that Mr. Allerton was the first occasioner of bringing them upon these new designes, which at first seemed faire and profitable unto them, and unto which they agreed; but now, seeing them to turne to loss, and decline to greater intangl[e]ments, they thought it more meete for the plantation to bear them, then them selves, who had bourne much in other things allready, and so tooke advantage of shuch comission and power as Mr. Allerton had formerly had as their agente, to devolve these things upon them.

4ly. With pitie and compassion (touching Mr. Allerton) I may say with the apostle to Timothy, I. Tim. 6. 9. They that will be rich fall into many temtations and snares, etc., and pearce them selves throw with many sorrows, etc.; for the love of money is the roote of all evill, v. 10.1 God give him to see the evill in his failings, that he may find mercie by repentance for the wrongs he hath done to any, and this pore plantation in spetiall. They that doe shuch things doe not only bring them selves into snares, and sorrows, but many with them, (though in an other kind,) as lamentable experience shows; and is too manifest in this bussines. [186]

1 Neither the Genevan nor the King James version is here followed.

A line of writing in the original manuscript has been obliterated at this place. The subsequent ill fortune of Allerton must have been known to Bradford at

Now about these ships and their setting forth, the truth, as farr as could be learned, is this. The motion aboute setting forth the fishing ship (caled the Frindship) came first from the plantation, and the reasons of it, as is before remembered; 1 but wholy left to them selves to doe or not to doe, as they saw cause. But when it fell into consideration, and the designe was held to be profitable and hopefull, it was propounded by some of them, why might not they doe it of them selves, seeing they must disburse all the money, and what need they have any refference to the plantation in that; they might take the profite them selves, towards other losses, and need not let the plantation share therin; and if their ends were other wise answered for their supplyes to come too them in time, it would be well enough. So they hired her, and set her out, and fraighted her as full as she could carry with passengers goods that belonged to the Massachussets, which rise to a good sume of money; intending to send the plantations supply in the other ship. The effecte of this Mr. Hatherley not only declared afterward upon occasion, but affirmed upon othe, taken before the Gov[erno]r and Dep[uty] Gov[erno]r of the Massachusets, Mr. Winthrop and Mr. Dudley: That this ship-Freindship - Freindship —was not sett out nor intended for the joynt partnership of the plantations, but for the perticuler accounte of Mr. James Sherley, Mr. Beachampe, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Allerton, and him selfe. This deposition was taken at Boston the 29. of Aug[ust], 1639. as is to be seen under their hands; besides some other concurente testimonies declared at severall times to sundrie of them.

the time of writing this entry. Because of his practices Allerton was discharged from any agency at New Plymouth. He was also disciplined by the church, and sub⚫jected to suits at law by those associated with him. Of his many business ventures none seem to have proved profitable, and his character suffered through his reverses. Their bearing towards him was characteristic of those composing the Plymouth plantation.

L

1 Probably referring to the letter of September 8, 1623 (vol. 1. p. 295), to which Allerton was a signer.