It may please the worthy and much Honored Governour, Deputy, and Assistants, and with them, the present Courte, to take knowledge that our 19Desire of staying within this patent was Reall and Strong, if the eye of Gods providence (to whom we have committed our Waies especially in so important an enterprise as this, which, we confess, is farr above our Capacityes) had guided us to a place convenient for our familyes, and for our freinds. Which as our words have often expressed, so, we hope, the trueth thereof is sufficiently declared by our almost nine moneths patient wayting in expectacion of some opportunity to be offered us, for that end, to our great charge and hindrance, many waies.

In all which time we have, in many prayers commended the guidance of our apprehensions, judgments, spirits, resolucions and wayes into the good hand of the onely wise God, whose praerogative it is to determine the bounds of our habitacions according to the ends for which he hath brought us into these Countryes, and we have considered, as we were able, by his helpe, whatsoever place hath bene propounded to us, being ready to have, with contentment, accepted (if by our stay any publick good might be promoved) smaller Accommodacions, and upon dearer termes (if they might be moderatly commodious) then, we beleive, most men, in the same Case with us, in all respects, would have done. And, whereas a place for an Inland plantacion beyond Watertowne, was propounded to us, and pressed with much importunity by some, whose words have the power of a law with us, in any way of God, we did speedily, and seriously deliberate thereupon, it being the subject of the greatest part of a Dayes discourse: The conclusion was, that, if the upland should answer the meddow ground in goodnes and desirablenes (whereof yet there is some ground of doubting) yet, considering that a Boate cannot pass from the Bay thither, nearer then 8 or 10 miles distance, and that it is so remote from the Bay, and from any towne, we could not see how our dwelling there would be advantagious to these plantacions, or compatible with our conditions, or commodious for our familyes, or for our freinds:

Nor can we satisfye our selves that it is expedient, for our selves, or for our freinds, that we chuse such a condition, wherein we must be compelled to have our dwelling houses so farr distant from our Farmes, as Boston, or Charlestowne is from that place, few of our freinds being able to beare the charge thereof (whose Cases nevertheles we are bound to consider) and some of them that are able not being persuaded that it is lawfull for them to live continually from the greatest part of theyre familyes, as, in this Case, they 20would be necessitated to doe. The Season of the yeare, and other weighty Consideracions, compelled us to hasten to a full and finall Conclusion which we are, at last, come unto, by Gods appointment and direction, we hope, in mercy, and have sent letters to Connectacutt for a speedy transacting the purchase of the parts about Quillypieck from the Natives which may pretend title thereunto. By which Act we are Absolutely, and irrevocably ingaged that way, and we are persuaded that God will order it for good unto these plantations, whose love so abundantly, above our desarts, or expectacions, expressed, in your desire of our abode in these parts, as we shall ever retaine in thanckfull memory, so we shall account ourselves thereby obliged to be any way instrumentall, and serviceable for the common good of these plantacions as well as of those; which the Divine providence hath combined together in as strong a bond of Brotherly affection, by the sameness of theyre condition, as Joab and Abishai were, whose severall armyes did mutually strengthen them boath against severall enimyes, 2 Sam. 10. 9. 10. 11. or rather they are joyned together, as Hippocrates his Twinnes, to stand, and fall, to growe and decay, to flourish, and wither, to live and dye together. In witnes of the premises we subscribe our names