About the middle of summer arrives Mr. Hatherley, one of the partners, at the Bay of Massachusetts, having come over in the ship that was sent fishing, called the Friendship. They sent to him at once, not doubting that now their goods had come, and they would know how everything stood. They found the news was true, that this ship had been so long at sea and her provisions had been so largely consumed or spoiled, that she abandoned the voyage. He himself had been sent over by the rest of the partners to see how things went here. He was at Bristol with Mr. Allerton in the ship they had bought called the White Angel, which was all ready to set sail, when that night came a messenger to Mr. Allerton from Barnstable, and told him of the return of the fishing ship Friendship, and what had happened. He, not knowing what to do, the ship lying there at his expense ready to set sail, got Mr. Hatherley to go and discharge her and take order for the goods. To be short, they found Mr. Hatherley somewhat reserved and troubled, Mr. Allerton not being there, and not knowing how to dispose of the goods till he came; but he said he heard he had arrived by the White Angel, to eastward, and expected to meet him there. He told them there was not much for them in the Friendship,—only two parcels of Barnstable rugs, and two hogsheads of methylene in wooden flackets. When these flackets came to be examined, only six gallons of the two hogsheads remained, the rest having been drunk up under the name “leakage.” For the rest, the ship was laden with goods for various gentlemen and others who had come to settle in Massachusetts, for which they had paid freight by the ton. This was all the satisfaction they could get at present. They took this small lot of goods and returned with the news, and a letter as obscure, as follows:
James Sherley in England to the Colonists at New Plymouth:
Gentlemen, Partners, and loving Friends,
Briefly thus: we have this year fitted out both a fishing ship and a trading ship. The latter we have bought, and so have disbursed a great deal of money as will appear by our accounts. This trading ship, the White Angel, is however to perform two duties: fishing for bass and trading; and lest, while Mr. Allerton is employed trading, the fishing might suffer by neglect of the sailors, we have begged our mutual friend, Mr. Hatherley, to go over with him, knowing he will be a comfort to Mr. Allerton, and that it will be a joy to you to see a careful, loving friend, and one who is a great stay to the business. If it should please God that one should die,—as God forbid,—the survivor would keep the accounts and the other matters straight. We have now spent large sums of money, as they will acquaint you.... When it was only four or five hundred pounds a piece, we did not trouble much about it, but left it to you and your agent, who without flattery deserves infinite thanks both from you and us for his pains.... But now that our ventures are double, nay treble for some of us, we have decided to send over our friend Mr. Hatherley, whom we pray you to entertain kindly. The main object of sending him is to examine the accounts and report on the condition of the business, about all of which we beg you to inform him fully. I will not promise, but shall endeavour to obtain the grant of your patent as desired, and that ere long. Pray do not take anything unkindly; I have not written out of suspicion of any unjust dealing. Be you all kindly saluted in the Lord, so I rest,
Yours in what I may,
JAMES SHERLEY.
March 25th, 1630.
It is not surprising that these things troubled them. First, there was this fishing ship which had been fitted out, laden with other goods and scarcely any of theirs, though their main object was that he should bring them ample supplies, and their special orders were not to fit out a ship except for this purpose; and now to have the expenses charged to their account, though clean contrary to their orders, was a mystery they could not understand,—the more serious seeing that she had lost both her voyage and her provisions. Secondly, that another ship should be bought, and sent out on business never thought of by any here, much less intimated to their friends in England either by word or letter, was equally inexplicable. Bass fishing was never favoured by them, and as soon as ever they heard of this project they foresaw loss. As for Mr. Allerton’s trading for them, it never entered their thoughts. Thirdly, that their friends should complain of disbursements, and yet incur such great risks contrary to all orders, seemed very strange,—all these important projects being wrapped up in a brief and obscure letter. But amidst all their doubts they must have patience till Mr. Allerton and Mr. Hatherley arrived. In the meantime Mr. Winslow had gone to England, and the rest of them were forced to follow their employments as best they could.
At length Mr. Hatherley and Mr. Allerton came, and finding those at the settlement very depressed about it, Mr. Allerton told them that the White Angel did not belong to them, and had not been bought on their account; they need not have anything to do with her unless they wished. Mr. Hatherley confirmed this, and said that they wanted him to put in his share but he had refused. However, he questioned whether they would not charge her to the general account, if there were a loss,—which he now saw was likely,—seeing that Mr. Allerton had proposed the undertaking. As for the fishing ship, he told them they need not be anxious; and he produced her accounts, which showed that her first fitting out did not much exceed £600. On the failure of the first voyage, at her return, he had sold goods out of her in England, and applied the money to the second voyage, which, together with such goods and implements as Mr. Allerton would need for fishing, such as salt, nets, spikes, nails, etc., would amount to nearly £400. As for this second voyage it would show a profit on the freight of the goods, and the sale of some cattle which would be paid for partly here and partly by bills in England. So the total loss, which would not be much above £200, would be all they would have to bear on this account. Mr. Hatherley also told them he was sent over as the agent of those in England, and that whatever he and Mr. Allerton did jointly they would stand by; that they would not sanction what Mr. Allerton did alone, unless they wished; but what he (Mr. Hatherley) did alone they would guarantee. So they sold him and Mr. Allerton all the rest of their stock of goods, and gave them possession of them; and a statement was drawn up in writing, and confirmed under both Mr. Allerton’s and Mr. Hatherley’s hands, to the above effect. Mr. Allerton being best acquainted with the people, sold all such goods as he had no need of for fishing, as nine shallop-sails made of good new canvas, and the roads for them, all new, and several such useful things, for beaver, by Mr. Hatherley’s permission. Thus they thought they had well provided for themselves. However those at the colony censured Mr. Allerton for entering upon this project, doubting its success. Mr. Allerton brought to the town, after he had sold what he could elsewhere, a great quantity of other goods, besides trading commodities; as linen, bed-ticks, stockings, tape, pins, rugs, etc., and said they could have them if they wished. But they told him they had forbidden him before to bring any such things on their account, as it would injure their trade and reduce their returns. But he and Mr. Hatherley said if they would not take them they would sell them themselves, and take corn for what they could not sell otherwise. They told them they might, if they had instructions to do so. These goods came to upwards of £500.
Mr. Allerton then went off on his bass fishing; and Mr. Hatherley, as ordered, after examining the affairs of the settlement, about all of which they informed him fully, asked for a boat to go and visit the trading-house at Kennebec and Ashley at Penobscot. They accordingly supplied him with a boat and men for the voyage, and acquainted him thoroughly with everything. He was fully satisfied, and now saw plainly that Mr. Allerton played his own game, not only to the great detriment of the partners at the colony who employed and trusted him, but to that of the partners in England also, by prejudicing them against the settlement, assuring them that they would never be able to recoup themselves for their great expenses if they would not follow his advice and support his projects. Mr. Hatherley disclosed, besides, a further scheme in connection with this ship the White Angel. It appeared that as she was well fitted with good ordnance, and known to have made a great fight at sea in which she came off victorious, they had agreed with Mr. Allerton that after she had brought her cargo of goods here and had loaded with fish, she would go to Oporto, and there be sold, freight, ordnance, and all. But this was prevented partly by the advice given by their friends here to Mr. Allerton and Mr. Hatherley, showing how it might ruin their friends in England, who were men of property, should it become known,—and in the interests of the colony they utterly disallowed it, and protested against it; and partly by their ill success, for they had arrived too late to do any good with the fishing, and had brought such a drunken crew that neither Mr. Allerton nor any one else could keep them in order, as Mr. Hatherley and every one could see to their shame.
Ashley also was caught in a trap before Mr. Hatherley returned, for trading powder and shot to the Indians. He was apprehended by those in authority, who would have confiscated over a thousand weight of beaver, but that the Governor here showed a bond, under Ashley’s hand, to the amount of £500, not to trade any arms or ammunition to the Indians, or otherwise misbehave himself. It was proved, besides, that he had committed uncleanness with Indian women,—things feared at the outset. So their goods were freed, but he was sent home in custody. To make an end of him, after some time of imprisonment in the Fleet, by means of friends he was set at liberty, and intended to come over again, but the Lord prevented it; for he had an offer made to him by some merchants to go to Russia, owing to his skill in the beaver trade, which he accepted, and on returning home was drowned at sea. This was his end.