fall out that any goods that comes to our hands from our native countrie, may be serviceable unto you, we shall take ourselves bound to help and accommodate you ther with; either for beaver or any other wares or merchandise that you should be pleased to deale for. And if in case we have no commodity at present that may give you contente, if you please to sell us any beaver, or otter, or shuch like comodities as may be usefull for us, for ready money, and let us understand therof by this bearer in writing, (whom we have apoynted to stay 3 or 4 days for your answer,) when we understand your minds therin, we shall depute one to deale with you, at shuch place as you shall appointe. In the mean time we pray the Lord to take you, our honoured good freinds and neighbours, into his holy protection.

By the appointment of the Gov[erno]r and Counsell, etc.

ISAAK DE RASIER[E], Secrectaris." From the Manhatas, in the fort Amsterdam,

March 9. Anno, 1627.

1 There can be no question that Manhattan received from the West India Company a better assortment of Indian goods than New Plymouth enjoyed, and, being a trading settlement, developed a keener commercial sense and a wider experience than did the settlers at New Plymouth. This experience was marked by some great errors and blunders which imperilled their relations and friendship with the Indians; but on the whole the Dutch, lying as they did between two hostile tribes, the Mohawks and the Mohegans, evidenced quite as high skill in maintaining trade connections with the natives as did the French. Had Rasiere realized the interest of New Plymouth in the development of a trade for furs, made all the more necessary by the agreement with the London Adventurers, he would not have made a proposition that could be interpreted only as one injurious to the interests of New Plymouth. Bradford meets it by asking prices and if other produce would be taken, and suggested the measure for controlling the trade in furs (p. 26, infra).

2 Bradford elsewhere speaks of Rasiere as the "upper commis, or chief merchant, and second to the Governor; a man of a fair and genteel behavior, but soon after fell into disgrace amongst them, by reason of their factions." Letter Book. Rasiere was a French Protestant, a Walloon, and had become "Opper Koopman" or chief commissary under Director Minuit at New Netherland, acting at the same time as Secretary of the Colony. He went out on the ship Arms of Amsterdam, which arrived at New Netherland on July 27, 1626 (N. S.), and is believed to have returned to the Netherlands in the following year. See note" by J. Romeyn Brodhead in 2 New York Hist. Soc. Coll., 11. 341.

46

To this they returned answer as followeth, on the other side.[151]1

TO THE HONOURED, etc.

The Gove[rno]r and Counsell of New-Plim[outh] wisheth, etc.2 We have received your leters, etc. wherin appeareth your good wills and frendship towards us; but is expresed with over high titles, more then belongs to us, or is meete for us to receive. But for your good will, and congratulations of our prosperitie in these smale beginings of our poore colonie, we are much bound unto you, and with many thanks doe acknowledge the same; taking it both for a great honour done unto us, and for a certaine testimoney of your love and good neighbourhood. Now these are further to give your Wor[shi]pps to understand, that it is to us no smale joye to hear, that his majestie hath not only bene pleased to confirme that ancient amitie, aliance, and frendship, and other contracts, formerly made and ratified by his predecessors of famous memorie, but hath him selfe (as you say) strengthened the same with a new-union the better to resist the pride of that commone enemy the Spaniard, from whose cruelty the Lord keep us both, and our native countries. Now forasmuch as this is sufficiente to unite us to geather in love and good neighbourhood, in all our dealings, yet are many of us further obliged, by the good and curteous entreaty which we have found in your countrie; haveing lived ther many years, with freedome, and good contente, as also many of our freinds doe to this day; for which we, and our children after us, are bound to be thankfull to your Nation, and shall never forgett the same, but shall hartily desire your good and prosperity, as our owne, for ever.

Likewise for your freindly tender, and offer to accommodate and help us with any comodities or marchandise you have, or shall come to you, either for beaver, otters, or other wares, it is to us very acceptable, and we doubte not but in short time we may have profitable commerce and trade togeather. But for this year we are fully supplyed with all

1 This being the conclusion of page 150 in the manuscript.

2 Bradford added fit terms for the complimentary language of the Dutch: "your Honors and worships all happiness, and prosperity in this life, and eternal rest and glory with Christ Jesus our Lord in the world to come."

'The original letter contained at this point the following warning: "But you may

necessaries, both for cloathing and other things; but hereafter it is like we shall deale with you, if your rates be reasonable. And therfore when you please to send to us againe by any of yours, we desire to know how you will take beaver, by the pounde, and otters, by the skine; and how you will deal per cent: for other comodities, and what you can furnishe us with. As likwise what other commodities from us may be acceptable unto you, as tobaco, fish, corne, or other things, and what prises you will give, etc.

Thus hoping that you will pardon and excuse us for our rude and imperfecte writing in your language, and take it in good parte, because [152] for wante of use we cannot so well express that we understand, nor hapily understand every thing so fully as we should. And so we humbly pray the Lord for his mercie sake, that he will take both us and you into his keeping and gratious protection.

By the Gove[rno]r and Counsell of New-Plimoth,

Your Wor[shi]pps very good freinds and neigbours, etc.1 New-Plim[outh]: March 19.

please to understand that we are but one particular colony or plantation in this land, there being divers others besides, unto whom it hath pleased those Honourable Lords of his Majesty's Council for New England, to grant the like commission, and ample privileges to them (as to us) for their better profit and subsistence; namely to expulse, or make prize of any, either strangers or other English, which shall attempt, either to trade or plant within their limits (without their special licence and commission) which extends to forty degrees: Yet for our parts, we shall not go about to molest or trouble you in any thing, but continue all good neighbourhood and correspondence as far as we may; only we desire that you would forbear to trade with the natives in this bay, and river of Naragansett and Sowames, which is (as it were) at our doors: The which if you do, we think also no other English will go about any way to trouble or hinder you; which otherwise are resolved to solicit his Majesty for redress, if otherwise they cannot help themselves." Bradford Letter Book. As no answer was received by the Dutch to their letters, early in August Minuit despatched to New Plymouth a messenger, in the person of Jan Jacobsen, of Wiringen, captain of the ship Three Kings, then at Manhattan. By him some sugar and cheese were presented as a token of good will, and the request made that Bradford should either send a representative to Manhattan, or receive one from that place, to confer upon mutual commerce and trading. Jacobsen performed his mission, was entertained by Bradford, and returned 1 Bradford feared lest his correspondence with the Dutch of New Netherland