They doe generally professe to like well of our comming and planting here, partly because there is abundance of ground that they cannot possesse nor make vse of, and partly because our being here will be a meanes both of reliefe to them when they want, and also a defence from their Enemies, wherewith (I say) before this Plantation begun, they were often indangered.
For their Religion, they doe worship two Gods, a good God and an euill God: the good God they call Tantum, and their euill God whom they feare will doe them hurt, they call Squantum.
For their dealing with vs, we neither feare them nor trust them, for fourtie of our Musketeeres will driue fiue hundred of them out of the Field. We vse them kindly, they will come into our Houses sometimes by halfe a douzen or halfe a score at a time when we are at victuals, but will aske or take nothing but what we giue them.
We purpose to learne their Language as soone as we can, which will be a meanes to do them good.
Of the present condition of the Plantation,
and what it is.
When we came first to Neihum kek, we found about halfe a score Houses, and a faire House newly built for the Gouernour, we found also aboundance of Corne planted by them, verie good and well likeing. And we brought with vs about two hundred Passengers and Planters more, which by common consent of the old Planters were all combined together into one Body Politicke, vnder the same Gouernour.
There are in all of vs both old and new Planters about three hundred, whereof two hundred of them are setled at Nehum-kek, now called Salem: and the rest haue Planted themselues at Masathulets Bay, beginning to build a Towne there which we doe call Cherton, or Charles Towne.
We that are setled at Salem make what hast we can to build Houses, so that within a short time we shall haue a faire Towne.
We haue great Ordnance, wherewith we doubt not but we shall fortifie our selues in a short time to keepe out a potent Aduersarie. But that which is our greatest comfort, and meanes of defence aboue all other, is, that we haue here the true Religion and holy Ordinances of Almightie God taught amongst vs: Thankes be to God, we haue here plentie of Preaching, and diligent Catechizing, with strickt and carefull exercise, and good and commendable orders to bring our People into a Christian conuersation with whom we
haue to doe withall. And thus we doubt
not but God will be with vs, and
if God be with vs, who can
be against vs?