May it please you further to understand, that for this year we are fully supplied with all necessaries, both for clothing and other things; but it may so fall out, that hereafter we shall deal with you, if your rates be reasonable: And therefore when your people come again, we desire to know how you will take beaver by the pound, and otters by the skin, and how you will per cent. for other commodities, and what you can furnish us with; as likewise what commodities from us, may be acceptable with you, as tobacco, fish, corn, or other things, and what prices you will give.
Thus hoping that you will pardon and excuse us for our rude and imperfect writing in your language, and take it in good part; because, for want of use, we cannot so well express that we understand; nor happily understand every thing so fully as we should: And so we humbly pray the Lord, for his mercy’s sake, that he will take both us and our native countries, into his holy protection and defence. Amen.
By the Governour and Council, your Honours’ and
Worships’ very good friends and neighbours.
New-Plymouth, March 19th.
Next follows their reply to this our answer, very friendly but maintaining their right and liberty to trade in those parts, which we had desired they would forbear; alleging that as we had authority and commission from our king; so they had the like from the States of Holland, which they would defend.
August 7, 1627.
Another of theirs upon our answer to their last, which I here omit.
An answer to the former letters.
We have received your[6]letters dated the 7th of August, and with them a rundlet of sugar, and two Holland cheeses, by John Jacobson of Wiring; for which we give you many thanks and must remain your debtors till another time, not having any thing to send you for the present that may be acceptable: Further, you shall understand that it is also our resolution and hearty desire to hold and continue all friendship and good neighbourhood with you as far as we may and lies in our power; we desire also that we might have opportunity (according as you write) by word of mouth, to confer together touching our mutual commerce and trading in such things as our countries afford; and would now have sent one, but that one of our boats is abroad, and we have much business at home; But if by the next you would please to depute one (according as you have propounded) to come hither and to confer hereabouts, we should be glad and he should be welcome. If not, we shall send as soon as conveniently we can (after harvest) if we can know when your bark comes this way. We cannot likewise omit (out of our love and good affection toward you and the trust you repose in us) to give you warning of the danger which may befal you, that you may prevent it; for if you light either in the hands of those of Virginia or the fishing ships, which come to New England, peradventure they will make prize of you, if they can, if they find you trading within those limits; as they surprised a colony of the French, not many years since, which was seated within these bounds: For howsoever you allege in your former letter, that you have navigated and traded in these parts above this twenty-six years, and that your company have now authority from the States and the Prince of Orange to do so; yet you must understand that her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, of famous memory hath began to navigate and plant in these lands well nigh forty years ago, as appeareth by her patents and royal grants conferred upon divers of her subjects and since confirmed and enlarged by his late Majesty, and still continued by possession. Therefore it were best (in our opinion) that your masters should solicit the States that they might come to some order and agreement with the King’s Majesty and State of England hereabout, before any inconvenience befal; for howsoever you may be assured for ourselves, yet we should be sorry to hear you should sustain harm from any of our nation; but more of these things when we shall speak one with another: In the mean time we commit you and your affairs to the protection of the highest.
Your loving friends, the Governour
and Council of New-Plymouth.
WILLIAM BRADFORD.
Governour, &c.