In tender consideration whereof your petitioners humbly pray that your Lordships will either procure their peace with those foreign states, or else give special warrant to your petitioners and the English Colonies, to defend themselves against all foreign enemies. And your petitioners shall pray, etc.
This petition was well received by most of them, and Mr. Winslow was heard several times by them, and appointed to attend for an answer from their Lordships, having shown how this might be done without any expense or trouble to the state, simply giving the leading men there authority to undertake it at their own cost and in such a way as would avoid public disturbance. But this interfered with both Sir Ferdinand Gorges’ and Captain Mason’s plans, with whom the Archbishop of Canterbury was in league; for Sir Ferdinand Gorges, by the Archbishop’s favour, was to have been sent over to the country as Governor-General, and was about to conclude this project. The Archbishop’s intention was to send over officials with him, furnished with episcopal power, to disturb the peace of the churches here, overthrow their proceedings, and stop their further growth. But it fell out by God’s providence, that though in the end they prevented this petition from taking any further effect, his plot with Sir Ferdinand came to nothing.
So when Mr. Winslow went before the Board to have his petition granted, he found that the Archbishop had checked it. However, hoping to obtain it nevertheless, he went to the Board again; but he found that the Archbishop, Sir Ferdinand, and Captain Mason had procured Morton, the man referred to previously, to present complaints. Mr. Winslow answered them to the satisfaction of the Board, who checked Morton and rebuked him sharply, and also blamed Sir Ferdinand Gorges and Mason for countenancing him. But the Archbishop had a further object, and began to cross-question Mr. Winslow about many things. He accused him of preaching in the church publicly,—with which Morton had charged him, affirming that he had seen and heard him do it; to which Mr. Winslow answered that sometimes, for want of a minister, he had endeavoured to assist in the edification of his brethren. The Archbishop then questioned him about marriage; to which he replied that as a magistrate he had occasionally married some of the people, pointing out to their Lordships that marriage was a civil institution, and that he nowhere found in the word of God that it belonged to the ministry, and furthermore for a long time they had no minister; besides, it was now no new idea, for he himself had been married in Holland by the magistrates in their Stadt-house. To be short, in the end the Archbishop, by his vehement importunity, got the Board at last to consent to his commitment; so he was imprisoned in the Fleet, and lay there about seventeen weeks before he could get released. This was the end of the petition; but the scheme of the others was frustrated too, which was no small blessing to the people over here. The expense to this colony was heavy, though it was undertaken as much, or more, in the interests of others. Indeed, Mr. Winslow was chiefly urged to the business by them, and the colony knew nothing of it till they heard of his imprisonment, though it had to bear the whole expense.
As to their own business, whatever Mr. Sherley’s intention was before, he now declared plainly that he would neither take the White Angel from the general account, nor present any further account till he had received more goods; that though a fair supply had been sent over this time, they were mostly without notes of the prices, and not as properly invoiced as formerly. This Mr. Winslow said he could not help, because of his imprisonment. However, Mr. Sherley, Mr. Beauchamp, and Mr. Andrews sent over a letter of attorney under their hands and seals to recover what they could from Mr. Allerton on the White Angel’s account, but they sent neither the bonds nor contracts, nor such other evidence as they had, to enable those at New Plymouth to act upon it. I will here insert a few passages from Mr. Sherley’s letters about these things.
James Sherley in London to the Colony at New Plymouth:
I have received your letter of July 22nd, 1634, through our trusty and loving friend, Mr. Winslow, and your large parcel of beaver and otter skins. Blessed be our God, both he and it arrived safely. We have sold it in two parcels; the skins at fourteen shillings per lb., and some at sixteen; the coat at twenty shillings per lb. I have not sent the accounts over this year; I refer you to Mr. Winslow for the reason; but be assured that none of you shall suffer through not having them, if God spare me life. You say the six years have expired during which the people put the trade of the colony into your and our hands, for the discharge of the heavy debts which Mr. Allerton needlessly and unadvisedly ran us into; but it was promised that it should continue till our disbursements and engagements were met. You think this has been done already; we know otherwise.... I doubt not we shall lovingly agree, notwithstanding all that has been written on both sides about the White Angel. We have now sent you a letter of attorney, giving you power in our names (and to shadow it the more we say for our uses) to obtain what is possible from Mr. Allerton towards meeting the great expense of the White Angel. He certainly gave a bond, though at present I cannot find it; but he has often affirmed with great protestations that neither you nor we should lose a penny by him, and I hope you will find he has enough to meet it, so that we shall have no more trouble about it. Notwithstanding his unkind treatment of you, in the midst of justice remember mercy, and do not all you might do.... Let us get out of debt, and then let us survey the matter reasonably.... Mr. Winslow has undergone an unjust imprisonment but I am convinced it will result to your general advantage. I leave it to him to tell all particulars....
Your loving friend,
JAMES SHERLEY.
London, Sept. 7th, 1635.
This year they sustained another great loss from the French. Monsieur d’Aulney, coming into the harbour of Penobscot, having invited several of the chief men belonging to the house aboard his vessel, got them to pilot him in; and after getting the rest into his power, he took possession of the house in the name of the King of France. By threats and otherwise he made Mr. Willett, their agent there, approve of the sale of the goods to him, of which he fixed the prices himself, making an inventory, though with many omissions. But he made no payment for them, saying that in due course he would do so if they came for it. As for the house and fortifications, he would not allow anything for them, claiming that it was not built on their own land. So, turning them out, with many compliments and fine words, he let them have their shallop and some provisions to bring them home. When they got home and related the occurrence they were much disturbed about it, for the French had robbed this house once before, at a loss to them of above £500, and now to lose house and all vexed them greatly. So they decided to consult with their friends at the Bay, who now had many ships there, and if they approved of it, they intended to hire a fighting ship and try to beat out the French and regain their property. Their plan was approved of, if they themselves would bear the expense. So they hired a fine ship of over 300 tons, well fitted with ordnance, and agreed with the captain, one Girling, that he and his crew should deliver them the house after they had overcome the French and give them peaceable possession of it, with all such trading commodities as should be found there, giving the French fair quarter if they would yield. In consideration of which services he was to have 700 lbs. of beaver, to be delivered to him there when he had completed his bargain; but if he did not accomplish it, he was to lose his labour and have nothing. With him they sent their own bark, and about twenty men under Captain Standish, to help him if necessary, and to put things in order if the house were regained; and then to pay Girling the beaver, which was aboard their own bark. So they piloted him there, and brought him safely into the harbour. But he was so rash and heady he would take no advice, nor give Captain Standish time to summon them to surrender, as his orders were. If he had done so, and they had parleyed, seeing their force, the French would probably have yielded. He did not even have patience to place his ship where she could do execution, but began to shoot at a distance like a madman, and did them no harm at all. At last, when he saw his own folly, he was advised by Captain Standish and brought her well up, and placed a few shots to some purpose. But now, when he was in a position to do some good, his powder was used up, so he was obliged to draw off again. He consulted with the Captain how he could get further supplies of gun-powder, for he had not enough to carry him home; so he told him he would go to the next settlement and endeavour to procure him some, and did so. But Captain Standish gathered, from intelligence he received that he intended to seize the bark and take the beaver, so he sent him the powder and brought the bark home. Girling never attacked the place again, and went on his way; which ended the business.
Upon the ill success of their plans, the Governor and his assistants here notified their friends at the Bay, and pointed out that the French were now likely to fortify themselves more strongly, and become undesirable neighbours to the English. In reply they wrote to them as follows.