I have received your letter whearein I doe vnderstand that yow are not like to returne, and accordinge to your order I have sent your servaunts Robeart and Sara. I wonder that you did not write to me but it is noe wonder seeing that since your and Mr. Phenix departure there hath beene noe provison sent but one the contrary people to eate vp that small now noe store that wee had heare hath come many vessells with provison to goe vp to the plantations but none for vs it seemes that wee have neather masters nor owners but are left like soe many servaunts whose masters are willinge to be quitt of them but now to late I wish that I had putt my thoughts in practice that was to stay and take all such provisions out of the vessells as was sufficent for a yeare. summer goods gods good providence hath not onely brought but allso stayed but if the could have gone I did intent to have taken all the victualls out and kept them for owre necesitie and seeinge that you Mr. Peeters and Phenwicke knowes that it was agaynst my minde to send the Pequitts present agayne and I with theas few men are by your wills and likeings put into a warlike Condicion there shall be noe Cause to complayne of our Fidelitie and indeavours to you ward and if I see that there be not such Care for vs that our lives may be preserved then must I be forced to shift as the lord shall direct. I wish that it may be for Gods glory and all your Credits and proffitts. heare is not 5 shillings of money and noe bevor the dutch man will bringe vs some Corne and rye but we have noe thinge to pay him for it Mr. Pinchin had a bill to receive all the wampampeige we had we have not soe much as will pay for the mendinge of our ould boate. I haue sent your Cowes vp to the plantations with 2 oxen 2 of them we have killed and eaten with the goates a ramm goate was brought from the Manatos but the Enemie gott him and all the greate swine 22 in one day and had gotten all the sheep and Cowes likewise had we not sallid out it was one the Saboath day and there was 4 men with the Cowes with fierlocks for the sheep I haue kept them thus longe and when the pinckes comes downe I hope the will bringe hay for them for I have not hay for them to eate by the way if I should sent them to the bay but now for our present Condicion since Mr. Phenwicke is gone for England I hope you will not be forgettfull of vs and 320I thinke2 if you had not beene gone away and he had not come we had not as yet beene at warrs with the Indians vppon such tearmes they vp the river when I sent to them how it stood with vs and in what need we weare did jeare or mocke vs but time and patience will shew the efect of it I heare that the bachelor is to bringe vs provison I pray you forgett vs not when shee comes from the bermudas with some potates for heare hath beene some Virginians that hath taught vs to plant them after another way and I have put it in practise and found it good I pray you when you pay or recken with the owners of the Pincke which brought the gunns heather to shorten them for 3 weekes time and diet for Sergant Tilley for pilateinge the Pincke vp with the Cowes I have instead of your man Robert hired Azarias for 20 shillings per moneth or else I should not have let him come away, heare is 2 men and ther wifes come from the duch plantation a tayler and a shipp write and I sett them boath to worke but I have neather money nor victualls to pay them. I doe intend to sett the duch man to worke to make a dutch smacke sayle which shall carry 30 or 40 tun of goods and not draw 3 foote and a halfe of water principally to tranceport goods and Passengers vp the river in safety I pray lett us not want money or victualls that some things may goe forward Mr. Peeter sayd when he was heare that I should sell victualls to John Nott Richard Graves and them that came from the duch plantation out of that little we had and if all fayled he would supply vs with more and fish likewise to sell but we have neather fish nor flesh to sell for others nor yet for ourselves your wisdome will vnderstand the meaneinge of this writeinge.3

at the closing of this letter came the Cetch from the naragansets with Corne and I haue tacken one hondard buchils of it becaus I do not know whethar we shall haue anie relief or not sum othar small things of goodman Robbingson and John Charls I haue resauid I pray yow fayl not to pay them thus with my loue to your selfe your wife Fathar mothar and brethren I reste yowrs to cumand4

Immediatly after the writing this they came in dark night beyond expectation: but I thinke it would be good if no vessels may be suffred to come but the men knowne and fitted with armes suitable charg’d not to goe ashore for they venture not onely their owne Hues but wrong others also the Indians are many hundreds of both sides the riuer and shoote at our Pinaces as they goe vp and downe; for they furnish the Indians with peeces powder and shot, and they come many times and shoot our owne pieces at vs, they haue 3 from vs allready, 5 of Capt: Stones one of Charles his etc. Pardon our hast etc. etc.5

Although it please God hitherto to denye me that which I have not soe longe expected as desired the oportunity and means to doe that holy society with you service in mine owne person, notwithstanding that my Care and desire for your good and welfare have not ben wanting is best knowen to him before whom the secrets of all hearts lye open. Which seing I can express noe other way I make bold to represent vnto you some of the thoughts of my hearte concerning your affairs. I have often heard at what harde rates necessarys for Clothing especially have ben solde amongst you for which I confess I have ben much greived as that which I am certaine will consume you by degrees. I have many times had Conference with my freinds here to lay their purses together to send over needfull provisions and to sell them there att 25li per C. free of all other Charges We had done somthing that way but that Mr. Nye informed that divers Gentlemen of note had taken 322the matter to hearte and intended to raise a sufficient stocke to furnish all the Colony with necessarys vppon the same terms that we intended only requiring that none should trade with enterlopers who perhaps might marr their markett. Sir I am not worthy to advise those that vnderstand more then I can doe yet I knowe lookers on may see more then such as play the game. I conceive the Condition to be very aequael considering the Gentlemens intention and cannot see how it may be preiudicial to any vnles perhaps to some few that desire to engross Commoditys to sell them at a dearer rate and soe to take away from others the benefite of a good markett enriching themselvs by their necessitys: an olde mischeife which hath proved a mothe to many stats and may be better prevented in the first forming of a state then remedyed afterwards. I know it will be pretended that all manner of restraint is preiudicial to Liberty and I grant the name of Liberty is pretious soe it be Liberty to doe good but noe farther. Now the good which ought to be respected is Bonum publicum not Privatum Commodum. Salus populi suprema lex was wonte to be the Rule, now I would faine know what the General shall gaine by making halfe a dosen rich by pinching more then soe many thousands. Sir I conceive the offer made to be such an advantage vnto you if it be entertained as will not easily be recovered if it be neglected; I heare shopkeeping begins to growe into request amongst you. In former age all kinde of retailing wares (which I confess is necessary for mens more convenient supply) was but an appendixe to some handicraft and to that I should reduce it if I were to advise in the government. Superfluity of Shopkeepers Inholders etc. are great burthens to any place, we in this Towne where I live (though we are somwhat reformed that way) are of my knowledg at Charge 1000li per annum in maintaining several familys in that Condition, which we might well spare for better employments wherein their labours might produce something for the common good which is not furthered by such as drawe only one from another and consequently live by the sweat of other mens brows, producing nothing themselves by their owne endevours. Sir if I might advise I wish two sufficient men were sent over with sufficient instructions to conclude an agreement with these Gentlemen who are soe well disposed towards you. I should besides thincke it very convenient and almost necessary to sent on for fishing which is the first means that will bring any income into your lande. Two or three good masters that might bring with them each halfe a dosen good boates masters and three or foure good splitters in all would keepe you a good number of boats at sea, and time would soone bring in many of your owne men to be fitt for that employment. I cannot give directions in particular these two that I have named I take to be matters of great importance, which 323I desire to recommend vnto you as one whose hearte I know to be soe firmely bent for the common good. If you conceive my intimations suite not soe well with the present Condition of your state let me sustaine noe blame but from your selfe who I know will beleive that any errour of mine in Judgment is not accompanyed with any ill intention. Sir I heartily wishe and pray the prosperity of you all and desire nothing more then to manifest my selfe Yours in the Lord