Plymouth, August 14, Anno 1627.
THEIR answer to this directed to myself thus superscribed:
Monsieur Monseignieur, William Bradford, Governeur in Nieu-Plemeuen.
This I will put in English and so will end with theirs, viz.
After the wishing of all good unto you, this serves to let you understand, that we have received your (acceptable) letters dated the 14th of the last month, by John Jacobson of Wiring, who besides, by word of mouth, hath reported unto us your kind and friendly entertainment of him: For which cause (by the good-liking and approbation of the Directors and Council) I am resolved to come myself, in friendship, to visit you, that we may by word of mouth friendly communicate of things together; as also to report unto you the good will and favour that the Honourable Lords of the authorized West-Indian company bear towards you. And to show our willingness of your good accommodation, have brought with me some cloth of three sorts and colours, and a chest of white sugar, as also some seawan, &c. not doubting but, if any of them may be serviceable unto you, we shall agree well enough about the prices thereof. Also John Jacobson aforesaid hath told me, that he came to you overland in six hours, but I have not gone so far this three or four years; wherefore I fear my feet will fail me, so I am constrained to entreat you to afford me the easiest means that I may, with least weariness, come to congratulate with you: So leaving other things to the report of the bearer, shall herewith end; remembering my hearty salutations to yourself and friends, &c. from a-board the bark Nassau, the 4th of October; before Frenchman’s point.
Your affectionate friend,
ISAAC De RAZIER.
Anno 1627.
So, according to his request, we sent our boat for him, who came honourably attended with a noise of trumpeters; he was their upper commis, or chief merchant and second to the Governour; a man of a fair and genteel behaviour, but soon after fell into disgrace amongst them; by reason of their factions; and thus at length we came to meet and deal together. We at this time bought sundry of their commodities, especially their sewan or wampampeack, which was the beginning of a profitable trade with us and the Indians: We further understood, that their masters were willing to have friendship with us and to supply us with sundry commodities, and offered us assistance against the French if need were. The which, though we know it was with an eye to their own profit, yet we had reason both kindly to accept it and make use of it: So after this sundry of them came often to us, and many letters passed between us, the which I will pass by, as being about particular dealings, and would not be here very pertinent; only upon this passage we wrote one to their Lords and masters; as followeth.
Right Honourable and Worthy Lords, &c.