I haue sent you this inclosed letter from our Company at London to that part of our Company which was then supposed to be here, the last yere,2 to certifye you that the 4 hogsheds of pease (which are assigned to my brother Wilson, in the right of the youth that is with him3) do no way belong to him but to me and the rest of our Company, and to speake the truthe to me only and properlye by reason of the Companies debt vnto me; which all that I haue (by your favour) seazed on will not countervayle my debt by a great deale, in case I could sell the goods presently, which I know not how long they will lye and torn worse and worse before they will make any satisfaction to me. The goods which are looked after for the boye came not in the ship, wherin these pease came, but (as I take it) in the Whale, if any were sent. besides, these pease comming with my goods in the William and Frauncis (the ship wherin I came) with the 12 yards of cloth mentioned in the letter, and 200 yards of liste etc. I payde both for the Tunage of it to the ship master, and for the carryage of them from the ship to New Towne. the cloth also and the liste I tooke into my keeping, and weare of it; and wraping vp the letter amonge many others forgot to seaze vpon these pease, till within these 8 or 9 dayes reading over the letter for some other occasion, I light vpon that passage which mentioneth the pease and the clothe and liste etc. whervpon I demanded of my wife what became of these pease mentioned? She answered, certainely they are the pease which lye vnowned at New Towne, whervpon I sent to compare the markes of the letter, with the markes vpon the pease hogsheds, and found them perfectly to agree, and there vnderstood, that the pease (for want of an owner) were by your authority committed to my brother to be disposed of in right of his servant: and that this day (being the 3 of this 4th moneth) my brother sent me this message, that forasmuch as 123these pease were assigned to him by the authority of your worship and the Court, (thoughe he sawe the contents of this letter the last weeke) he would sell them, and stand answerable for the monny that they yelde. My request therefore is vnto you, that forasmuch as the pease do cleerely appeare to be no goods of the boyes, but to belonge to our Company: and that I lay claime to them (as to the rest) not in respect of my adventure, but for the debt of (neere) an hundred pownds which I lent the Company in as good gould as can be waighd with scales, and that I haue payde both for the Tunage and portage of them: and only thoroughe forgetfullnes lefte them thus longe, and diverse other circemstances of reason which I forbeare for tediousnes to vrge—that you would be pleased to prevent the withhoulding of them from the right owners, at least to stay the sale of them, forasmuch as I haue disposed part of them, and the residue are exceedingly wanting in myne owne congregation: who vpon the vnderstanding of the busynes thus comming to light haue ben earnest with me for them: and I accordingly haue graunted their requests. There being equity in all that I require (as I trust will appeare vnto you vpon the sight of that passage in the letter) I trust I shall not doubt of your vprightnes towards me, and betweene my brother and me: whose care for his servant I do much approue, tho I cannot see the meanes which he vseth to recouer his servants doubtfull goods, to be so right as I could wish. for my parte, were it my case as it is his, I should easyly yeld vpon the sight of such evidence as I conceave doth appeare, that the goods can no way belong to him. one thing more, wheras I vnderstand, that you put the last day of this weeke apart, for enquire of God to discover a great and difficult secret, we will by Gods grace assist you vpon that day in like manner. And thus with my loue service and Christian respect vnto you (with myne and my wiues harty Salutations to your blessed and beloued yokefellowe) I cease any further to trouble you; and rest, at your Service and commandment, in Christ his moste vnworthy servant