with Robart Cushman, were to receive yo moneys & make provissione both for shiping & other things for y° vioage; with this charge, not to exseede their comission, but to proseed according to ye former articles. Also some were chossen to doe y like for such things as were to be prepared there; so those that weare to goe, prepared them selves with all speed, and sould of their estats and (such as were able) put in their moneys into y commone stock, which was disposed by those appointed, for y° making of generall provissions. Aboute this time also they had heard, both by Mr. Weston and others, y' sundrie Honbl Lords had obtained a large grante from y° king, for ye more northerly parts of that countrie, derived out of y Virginia patente, and wholy secluded from their Govermente, and to be called by another name, viz. New-England.* Unto which M'. Weston, and y' cheefe of them, | begane to incline it was [28] best for them to goe, as for other reasons, so cheefly for ye hope of present profite to be made by y fishing that was found in y' countrie.

But as in all bussineses y acting parte is most difficulte, espetially wher ye worke of many agents must concurr, so it was found in this; for some of those y' should have gone in England, fell of & would not goe; other marchants & freinds y' had offered to adventure their moneys

precisely when the Wincob patent was granted; the date of Weston's visit to Leyden, here narrated; and also when Carver and Cushman were despatched into England to make provision for the voyage. Doubtless these and other events in this connection took place within a few months of the sailing of the Speedwell; but it would be a satisfaction to have the exact chronology from Bradford's pen. - ED.

• On the 3d of March, 1619-20, the Council for the second colony, "in the North Partes of Virginia," petitioned his majesty for a new act of incorporation, and "that their territory may be called as by the Prince His Highness it hath been named-NEW ENGLAND."

The royal warrant to the Solicitor-General "to prepare a patent for his majesties royal signature" is dated 23d July, 1620. This patent passed the seals on the 3d of November following, and is the great civil basis of all the future patents that divide New England. The company thus incorporated was styled "The Council established at Plymouth, in the county of Devon, for the planting, ruling, ordering, and governing of New England in America." See the petition, which was read 3d March, in Documents relative to the Colonial History of New York, III. 2, 3; the warrant in Gorges's New England, p. 21; and the Patent in Hazard, I. 103-118. ED.

they wente not to Guiana; others againe would adventure nothing excepte they wente to Virginia. Some againe (and those that were most relied on) fell in utter dislike with Virginia, and would doe nothing if they wente thither. In ye midds of these distractions, they of Leyden, who had put of their estats, and laid out their moneys, were brought into a greate streight, fearing what issue these things would come too; but at length y generalitie was swaid to this, latter opinion.

But now another difficultie arose, for M'. Weston and some other that were for this course, either for their better advantage or rather for y drawing on of others, as they pretended, would have some of those conditions altered y' were first agreed on at Leyden. To which y° 2. agents sent from Leyden (or at least one of them who is most charged with it) did consente; seeing els y' all was like to be dashte, & ye opportunitie lost, and y' they which had put of their estats and paid in their moneys were in hazard to be undon. They presumed to conclude with y marchants on those termes, in some things contrary to their order & comission, and without giving them notice of y' same; yea, it was conceled least it should make any/ furder delay; which was y cause afterward of much trouble & contention.

It will be meete I here inserte these conditions, which are as foloweth.

2. That he that goeth in person, and furnisheth him selfe out with 10. either in money or other provissions, be accounted as haveing 20". in stock, and in yo devission shall receive a double share.

3. The persons transported & y adventurers shall continue their joynt stock & partnership togeather, y space of 7. years, (excepte some unexpected impedimente doe cause ye whole company to agree otherwise,) during which time, all profits & benifits that are gott by trade, traffick, trucking, working, fishing, or any other means of any person or persons, remaine still in y0 comone stock untill ye division.

4. That at their coming ther, they chose out such a number of fitt persons, as may furnish their ships and boats for fishing upon y⚫ sea; imploying the rest in their severall faculties upon y land; as building houses, tilling, and planting ye ground, & makeing shuch comodities as shall be most usefull for yo collonie.

5. That at y end of y 7. years, y capitall & profits, viz. the houses, lands, goods and chatles, be equally devided betwixte ye adventurers, and planters; wch done, every man shall be free from other of them of any debt or detrimente concerning this adventure.

[29] 6. Whosoever cometh to y° colonie herafter, or putteth any into y stock, shall at the ende of yo 7. years be alowed proportionably to y° time of his so doing.

7. He that shall carie his wife & children, or servants, shall be alowed for everie person now aged 16. years & upward, a single share in ye devision, or if he provid them necessaries, a duble share, or if they be between 10. year old and 16., then 2. of them to be reconed for a person, both in trasportation and devision.

of ten 8. That such children as now goe, & are under y' age years, have noe other shar in yo devision, but 50. acers of unmanured land.

9. That such persons as die before y 7. years be expired, their executors to have their parte or sharr at ye devision, proportionably to ye time of their life in y collonie.

10. That all such persons as are of this collonie, are to have their meate, drink, apparell, and all provissions out of y comon stock & goods of y' said collonie.

The cheefe & principall differences betwene these & the former conditions, stood in those 2. points; that y° houses, & lands improved, espetialy gardens & home lotts should remaine undevided wholy to ye planters at y° 7. years end. 2, y' they should have had 2. days in a weeke for their owne private imploymente, for y more comforte of them selves and their families, espetialy such as had families. But because letters are by some wise men counted yo best parte of histories, I shall shew their greevances hereaboute by their owne letters, in which yo passages of things will be more truly discerned.

A letter of Mr. Robinsons to John Carver.

June 14. 1620. N. Stile.*

My dear freind & brother, whom with yours I alwaise remember in my best affection, and whose wellfare I shall never cease to comend to God by my best & most earnest praires. You doe throwly understand by our generall letters y estate of things hear, which indeed is very pitifull; espetialy by wante of shiping, and not seeing means lickly, much less certaine, of having it provided; though withall ther be great want of money & means to doe needfull things. Mr. Pickering, you know before this, will not defray a peny hear; though Robart Cushman presumed of I know not how many 100*. from him, & I know not whom. Yet it seems strange y' we should be put to him to receive both his & his partners adventer, and yet Mr. Weston write unto him, y' in regard of it, he hath drawne upon him a 1001i. more. But ther is in this some misterie, as indeed it seems ther is in ye whole course. Besids, wheras diverse are to pay in some parts of their moneys yet behinde, they refuse/

• Prince has the following note here as to the date of this letter: June 14, N. S. is June 4, O. S., which is Lord's day, and therefore here is doubtless a mistake. It seems more likely to have been June 24, N. S., which is June 14, O. S., especially since this letter is plainly dated June 24, both at the beginning and end in Governor Bradford's Collection of Letters, and also observing here that the figure 1, in 14, seems to have

been altered on the paper." But what we may suppose to be a later note by him is found in his Annals, I. 68, where he makes a brief extract from this letter. "The date in the Manuscript is June 14, N. S. But the figure 1, being somewhat blurred, and June 14, N. S. being Lord's day, and this letter placed before the following of June 10, N. S., I conclude it should be June 4, N.S."; which corresponds to May 25, O. S.-ED.