This is their own judgment of the man’s proceedings. I thought it better to describe them in their words than my own. Yet, though no other compensation was got from him than the reversion of this patent and the shares he had in the adventure, he was never quiet, but sued them in the chief courts of England, and when he was still frustrated, brought it before Parliament. But he is now dead, and I will leave him to the Lord.
This ship was in greater extremity at sea, during her second attempted passage, than one could often hear of—without being wrecked—as I have been informed by Mr. William Pierce who was then captain of her, and by many others who were passengers on her. It was about the middle of February. The storm lasted for fourteen days altogether; but for two or three days and nights continuously it was of fearful violence. After they had cut down their mast, their round house and all their upper works were swept away; three men had all they could do to keep the helm, and the man who held the ship before the wind was obliged to be bound fast to prevent him from washing away. The seas so over-raked them, that many times those on the deck did not know whether they were within board or without; and once she was so foundered in the sea that they all thought she would never rise again. But yet the Lord preserved them, and brought them at last safe to Portsmouth, to the wonder of all who saw what a state she was in, and heard what they had endured.
About the latter end of June there arrived a ship, with Captain Francis West, commissioned to be Admiral of New England, to restrain interlopers and such fishing ships as came to fish and trade without a license from the Council of New England, for which rights they were to be made to pay a substantial sum of money. But he could do no good with them; they were too strong for him, and he found the fishermen stubborn fellows; and their owners, upon complain made to Parliament, procured an order that fishing should be free. He told the Governor they spoke with a ship at sea and were aboard her, which was coming to this settlement, in which there were several passengers; he wondered she had not arrived and feared some mischance, for they parted company in a storm shortly after they had been aboard. This report filled them with fear, though they still had hopes. The captain of this ship had some two hogshead of peas to sell, but seeing their need he held them at £9 sterling a hogshead, and would not take under £8, and yet he wanted to buy their beaver at less than the market rate. So they told him they had lived so long without, they would do so still, rather than give such an unreasonable price. So he went on to Virginia.
About fourteen days after, the ship called the Anne arrived, of which Mr. William Pierce was captain; and about a week or ten days later came the pinnace which they had lost in foul weather at sea,—a fine new vessel, of about forty-four tons, which the company had built to stay in the country. They brought about sixty settlers for the colony, some of them very useful persons, who became good members to the body, and some were the wives and children of those who were here already. Some of the new settlers were so unruly, that they were obliged to go to the expense of sending them home again the next year. Besides these there were a number who did not belong to the general body, but came on their own resources, and were to have lands assigned to them, to work for themselves,—but subject to the general Government. This caused some differences, as will appear. I shall here again take the liberty to insert a few things out of letters which came in this ship, desiring to give account of things in their own words as much as may be.
Robert Cushman in England to the Settlers at New Plymouth:
Beloved Friends,
I kindly salute you all, with trust of your healths and welfare. I am sorry that no supplies have been sent to you all this time, and in explanation I must refer you to our general letters. Nor have we now sent you all that we would, for want of money. But there are people more than enough,—though not all who are fit to go,—for people come flying in upon us, but money comes creeping in. Some few of your old friends have come.... So they come dropping to you, and by degrees, I hope ere long, you will enjoy them all. As people are pressing so hard upon us to go, and often they are none of the fittest, I pray you write earnestly to the treasurer, and direct what persons should be sent. It grieves me to see so weak a company sent you, and yet had I not been here, they would have been weaker. You must still call upon the company here to see that honest men are sent you, and threaten to send back others.... In no way are we in such danger as from corrupt and disorderly persons. Such and such came without consent; but the importunity of their friends got our Treasurer’s word in my absence. There is no need why we should take lewd men for we have honest men enough....
Your assured friend,
R. C.