John White,
John Pocock,
Robert Kean,
Edward Bass,
William Hobson,
William Penington,
William Quarles,
Daniel Poynton,
Richard Andrews,
Newman Rookes,
Henry Browning,
Richard Wright,
John Ling,
Thomas Goffe,
Samuel Sharp,
Robert Holland,
James Shirley,
Thomas Mott,
Thomas Fletcher,
Timothy Hatherly,
Thomas Brewer,
John Thorned,
Myles Knowles,
William Collier,
John Revell,
Peter Gudburn,
Emnu. Alltham,
John Beauchamp,
Thomas Hudson,
Thomas Andrews,
Thomas Ward,
Fria. Newbald,
Thomas Heath,
Joseph Tilden,
William Penrin,
Eliza Knight,
Thomas Coventry,
Robert Allden,
Laurence Anthony,
John Knight,
Matthew Thornhill,
Thomas Millsop,
In all forty-two.
This year, Anno 1627, Mr. Allerton was sent again as for other things, so especially to ratify and confirm this bargain; and for that end we gave him full authority under our hands, and seal, and became bound in several bonds for the payment of the money yearly: So the thing was fully concluded, and the bargain fairly engrossed in parchment, under their hands and seals, as legally and formally done, as by the learnedest lawyers could be devised, as by the deed itself will better appear; which I will not here insert, being long, but the substance may be seen in the former, to which it hath reference; only I will mention this particular clause, how we were bound thereby to forfeit thirty shillings a week, for every week that we failed of due payment, at any the several days. Thus all now is become our own, as we say in the proverb, when our debts are paid. And doubtless this was a great mercy of God unto us, and a great means of our peace and better subsistence, and wholly dashed all the plots and devises of our enemies, both there and here, who daily expected our ruin, dispersion and utter subversion by the same; but their hopes were thus far prevented, though with great care and labour, we were left to struggle with the payment of the money.
A letter of Mr. Sherley’s to myself upon this conclusion, as followeth:
To his very loving and much respected friend, Mr. William Bradford, Governour of Plymouth, in New-England, these.
Most Worthy and Beloved
Sir,
I have received your letter of the 14th of June last, by your and my loving friend, Mr. Allerton, wherein it pleaseth you to express more thankfulness than I have deserved; I confess my desire is much larger than my power, to do you and those good friends with you, the good I would. We cannot but all take notice how the Lord hath been pleased to cross our proceedings and caused many disasters to befal us therein; and sure I conceive the only cause to be, we, or many of us here, aimed at other ends than God’s glory: But now I hope that cause is taken away, the bargain being fully concluded and, as far as our powers will reach, confirmed under our hands and seals to Mr. Allerton and the rest of his and your co-partners: But for my own part, I confess, as I was loath to hinder this bargain, being the first propounder thereof at our meeting, so, on the contrary side, I was as unwilling to set my hand to the sale, being the receiver of the most part of the adventures and a second causer of much of the engagements, and one more threatened, being most envied and aimed at (if they could find any step to ground their malice on) than any other of the adventurers whosoever: I profess I know no just cause they ever had, or have so to do, neither shall it ever be proved that I have wronged them or any of the adventurers, wittingly or willingly, one penny in the disbursement of the best part of five thousand pounds, in those two years’ troubles: No, the sole cause why they malice me (as I and others have conceived) was that I would not side with them against you and the going over of the Leyden; but as I then cared not, so now I little fear what they can do; yet charge and trouble I know they may cause me to be at; and for these reasons, I would gladly have persuaded the other four to have sealed to this bargain and so have left me out; but Mr. Allerton knoweth they would not; so rather than it should now fail, Mr. Allerton having taken so much pains (as I am even ashamed to relate) I have sealed with the rest, with this proviso and promise of Mr. Allerton’s, that if any troubles arise here, you are to be at half the charge: Wherefore now I doubt not but you will give your generality good content and self peace amongst yourselves, and peace with the natives, then, no doubt but the God[5] of peace will bless your going out and returning in, and cause all that you set your hand to to prosper: The which I shall ever pray the Lord to grant, if it be his most blessed will, and that for Jesus Christ his sake.
I acknowledge myself much obliged to you, and others with you, for your good counsel and loving respect to my kinsman; I pray you continue the same still and set it as on my score to requite when occasion is offered. My wife and I most kindly remember our loves unto you and Mrs. Bradford, desiring you to remember us in your prayers, for assuredly unless the Lord be merciful unto us and the whole land in general, our estate and condition is far worse than yours; wherefore if the Lord send persecution here (which is much to be feared) and so should put into our minds to fly for refuge, I know no place safer than to come to you, (for all Europe is at variance one with another, but chiefly with us) not doubting but to find such friendly entertainment as shall be honest and conscionable, notwithstanding what hath lately passed; for I profess in the word of an honest man, had it not been to procure your peace and quiet from some turbulent spirits here, I would not have sealed to this deed, though you have given me all my adventure and debt ready down: And this I leave to your serious consideration, not questioning, but you will approve yourselves faithful and honest before God and men: And thus desiring the Lord to bless, preserve and prosper you and all with you, I for this time cease, but ever resting,