Bradford's history of the Plymouth settlement, 1608-1650 / Rendered into modern English by Harold Paget

by William Bradford

This agreement was approved by all the plantation, and consented to, though they did not know just how to raise the payment, and meet other engagements, and supply the yearly wants of the colony, since they were forced to raise money or purchase goods at such high interest to supply themselves with necessities. However, they undertook it, and seven or eight of the chief members became jointly bound for the payment of the £1800, on behalf of the rest, at the days set. It was a great risk as things stood at present. At the return of their agent it was absolutely confirmed on both sides, and the bargain was fairly engrossed on parchment, and many things put into better form by the advice of the most learned counsel they could get; and to prevent forfeiture of the whole, for non-payment on any of the days, it ran thus: to forfeit thirty shillings a week if they missed the time.

Now there were some unsuitable people among them from the first who came from England, and others sent later by some of the adventurers, concerning whom the Governor and Council had seriously to consider how to settle things in regard to this new bargain, in respect of the distribution of things both for the present and future. For the present, unless peace and unity were preserved, they would be able to do nothing, but would endanger everything. So they decided to include all in the partnership—i. e. either heads of families or single young men of ability who were free and able to be helpful to the commonwealth; for, first, they had need of men for defence and carrying on business; secondly most of them had borne their part in former miseries, and ought to be allowed to partake of the greater prosperity, if the Lord were pleased to give it.

So they called the company together and conferred with them, and came to the conclusion that the trade should be managed as before, to help to pay the debts; and all eligible persons should be enrolled as purchasers, single freemen to have a single share, and every father of a family to be allowed to purchase as many shares as there were members of his family,—that is to say one for himself, one for his wife, and one for every child that he had living with him. As for servants, they had none, except what their masters gave them out of theirs, or their deserts should gain them from the company afterwards. The shares were allotted accordingly, and everyone was to pay his proportion towards the purchase and all other debts which the profits derived from trading did not cover. This gave satisfaction to all.

The cattle they had were divided first, in this proportion: a cow to six persons or shares, and two goats to the same, the stock being first equalised in value according to age and quality, and then drawn for by lots. Pigs, though more numerous, were dealt with similarly. Then they agreed that every person or share should have twenty acres of land allotted to them, besides the single acres they owned already. Those appointed to make the allotment were instructed to begin first on one side of the town, up to a certain distance, and then on the other side, similarly; and to include only tillable land,—or at least such of it as was along the water-side, as most of it was,—and to leave the rest as common land. They were all to agree as to the fitness of it before the lots were drawn, to avoid dissatisfaction afterwards. For the same reason they agreed by mutual consent, before any lots were drawn, that those whose land was nearest the town should choose a neighbour or two whom they would allow to plant corn with them for four years; and afterwards they should be allowed to use as much of theirs for the same period if they wished. Every plot of twenty acres was to be laid out five acres in breadth along the water side and four acres in length, excepting nooks and corners which were to be measured to best advantage. But no meadows were to be laid out at all; nor were they for many years after, because of the scarceness of meadow land. If they had been given out now, it would have hindered later developments; so each season everyone was shown where to mow, according to the proportion of cattle he had, and the fodder he required.

This distribution gave general satisfaction, and settled men’s minds. They gave the Governor and four or five leading men among them the houses they lived in; the other houses were valued, and equalised fairly, and everyone kept his own; so that he who had a better house made some allowance to him who had a worse, according to the valuation.

One thing which occurred at the beginning of the previous winter I have deferred mentioning till now, so that I might handle it altogether. A ship with goods and many passengers aboard, bound for Virginia, lost herself at sea, either through the incompetence of the captain, or his illness,—for he was so ill with scurvy that he could only lie at the cabin door and give directions,—and it seemed he was poorly helped by the mate and the crew; or perhaps the fear and unruliness of the passengers made them steer a course between the southwest and the northwest, so that they might make land the sooner. They had been six weeks at sea, and had no water or beer or wood left, having burnt up all their empty casks. One of the passengers had a hogshead of wine or two, which was almost used up, and they feared they would be starved at sea or wiped out by disease,—and so they ran this desperate course. But it pleased God that though they either only just avoided the shoals of Cape Cod, or else ran stumbling over them in the night they knew not how, they made right towards a small blind harbour which lies about in the middle of Manamoick Bay, to the south of Cape Cod; and about high water they touched upon a bar of sand that lies across it, but took no harm, the sea being smooth; so they put out an anchor. But towards the evening the wind sprang up at sea, and it was so rough that their cable broke and they were beaten over the bar into the harbour, where they saved their lives and their cargo, though much was injured by salt water, for in the storm they had sprung the butt-end of a plank or two and beat out their oakum; but they were soon over, and ran onto a dry flat within the harbour, close by the beach. So at low water they got out their goods and dried those that were wet, and saved most of their things without any great loss; nor was the ship so badly damaged but that she might be mended and made serviceable again. But though they were glad that they had saved their lives, when they had refreshed themselves a little they began to realize their condition, and not knowing where they were or what they should do they lost heart. Shortly after, they saw some Indians coming to them in canoes, which made them stand upon their guard. But when they heard some of the Indians speak English to them, they were relieved, especially when they asked if they were the Governor of Plymouth’s men, or friends of theirs, and offered to guide them to the English settlement or carry their letters.

They feasted these Indians and gave them many presents, and sent two of their men and a letter with them to the Governor, and begged him to send a boat to them with some pitch and oakum and spikes and various other necessaries to mend their ship. They also asked him to help them with some corn and several other things they wanted, to enable them to continue their voyage to Virginia. They promised to pay for anything they received in any goods which they had aboard. After the Governor had been informed by the messengers of their condition, he had a boat got ready with the supplies they needed, and as the other more responsible members of the colony were away trading, he went himself and took some trading goods, too, to buy corn from the Indians. It was no season of the year to go outside the Cape: but knowing where the ship lay, he coasted along the lower side of the Bay and put into a creek called Namskeket, where it is not much above two miles overland to the bay where they were; and he had Indians ready to carry over anything to them. They were very glad of his arrival, and of the things to mend their ship, and other necessaries. He also brought them as much corn as they wanted; and some of their sailors having run away among the Indians, he had them sent back to the ship, and so left them well provided and very grateful for the courtesies shown them.

After the Governor left them, he went into some other harbours near there, and loaded his boat with corn, which he traded, and then went home. He had not been home many days before he received word from them that in a violent storm, owing to the bad mooring of the ship after she had been mended, she was driven ashore again, and so beaten that she was wholly unfit to go to sea. So their request was that they might have leave to come to them and live with them, till they could convey themselves to Virginia. If they might have means to transport their goods, they would pay for it and for anything else with which the plantation could provide them. Considering their distress all their requests were granted, and all help rendered them,—their goods transported and they themselves accommodated in their houses as well as they could.

The chief among these people were a Mr. Fells and a Mr. Sibsie, who had a number of servants belonging to them, many of them Irish. Some others had a servant or two each; but most of the people were themselves servants and were engaged by the two men mentioned above, who owned most of the cargo. After they had arrived and were settled, the masters asked for some land to employ their servants upon, since it was likely to be the latter end of the year before they could get passage for Virginia, and they had now the winter before them. If they had opportunity to take passage before the crop was ripe, they would sell it standing. So they had ground allotted in convenient places, and Fells and some of them grew a great deal of corn which they sold at their departure. This Fells, amongst his other servants, had a maid-servant who kept his house and did his household affairs; and, as was intimated by some who were with him, he was suspected of keeping her as his concubine. Both of them were questioned as to this, but nothing could be proved and they stood upon their justification; so they were dismissed with admonition. But afterwards it appeared she was with child, so he got a small boat and ran away with her for fear of punishment. First he went to Cape Ann, and afterwards to the Bay of Massachusetts; but he could get no passage and was nearly wrecked, so he was forced to come back and submit himself. So they packed him away and those that belonged to him at the first opportunity, and dismissed all the rest as soon as they could, as there were many undesirable people among them, though they were also some who behaved themselves very well all the time they stayed. And the plantation benefited by selling them corn and other provisions in exchange for clothing of which they had a variety, such as cloth, perpetuanas and other stuffs, besides stockings and shoes and such like goods, which the planters stood in need of. So the advantage was mutual, and a couple of barks took them away at the latter end of the summer. Several of them have since acknowledged their gratitude from Virginia.

So that they might lose no opportunity of trading, the settlers decided to build a small pinnace at Manomet, a place on the sea 20 miles to the southward of them, towards which ran a creek, so that they could convey their goods to within four or five miles of it, and then transport them overland to their vessel, and so avoid rounding Cape Cod, with its dangerous shoals. By this means they could make voyages southward in much shorter time and with far less danger. For the safety of their vessel and goods they built a house and kept some servants there, who also planted corn and kept swine and were always ready to go out with the bark when needed. It was a satisfactory and profitable enterprise.