Early this year, the time of election of officers having arrived and the members of the colony having increased, it was considered advisable to provide more assistance to the Governor. “The issue was, that as before there was but one assistant, they now chose 5, giving the Governor a double voice; and afterwards they increased them to 7, which course hath continued to this day.”

In the spring Edward Winslow returned from England. His mission had two objectives, viz., to acquaint the Merchant Adventurers with the exact condition of the Plymouth Colony, their progress and their needs and to obtain certain necessary supplies. He reported dissension among the English company as a result of which, one faction sent over a Mr. Lyford who with one John Oldham, who had come over in the Anne, attempted to create an unfavorable impression in their report to the Adventurers. Letters of Oldham were intercepted, and, faced with the proof of their duplicity, which they couldn’t deny, they were forced to leave the colony.

A ship-carpenter arriving on the ship with Mr. Winslow, proved of great value. He had completed the building of several small craft when he was stricken with fever. Bradford says of him: “He quickly built them 2 very good and strong shallops (which after did them great service) and a great and strong lighter, and had hewn timber for 2 catches; but that was lost, for he fell into a fever and though he had the best means the place could afford, yet he died.”

The First Cattle

An important acquisition to the colony was brought over by Mr. Winslow. This consisted of three heifers and a bull, “the first beginning of any cattle of that kind in the land.” Of the increment of this small herd, mention is made later.

Mr. Winslow, who had gone back to England in the fall of 1624 now returned. He brought a letter from some of their friends in the English company to the effect that the company was dissolved and that the agreement by which they were sharers and partners was no longer in effect and that ways and means should be devised whereby their advancements would be secured. This letter states: “Now we think it but reason, that all such things that there appertain to the general, be kept and preserved together and rather increased daily, than anyway be dispersed, and, after your necessities are served, you gather together such commodities as the company yields and send them over to pay debts and clear engagements here, which are not less than 1400 pounds.”

Two vessels had been sent over to expedite their settlement. The larger a cargo of dried fish, but because there was threat of war with France the master “neglected (through timerousness) his order and put first into Plymouth and after into Portsmouth.” This was much to their loss for the cargo “would have yielded them (as such fish was sold that season) 1800 pounds, which would have enriched them.”

The smaller vessel, the Little James, (before mentioned) with a cargo of 700 lbs. of beaver skins, was captured by a Turkish man-of-war.

Captain Standish had left on the larger vessel with letters and instructions to arrange with the Council of New England and those of the company “which still clave to them” for easier terms in their purchase of supplies and future transactions. They had sustained heavy losses although there were some redeeming offsets as: “after harvest this year, they sent out a boat’s load of corn 40 or 50 degrees to the eastward up a river called Kenebeck (Kennebec); it being one of those two shallops which their carpenter had built them the year before. God preserved them and gave them good success for they brought home 700 lbs. of beaver besides some other furs.”

1626