Sheweth that wheras your petitioner having in Newengland at his great charge searched the country and discovered Iron Ore in divers parts of that country, and made a voyage thence in to England on purpose to procure workemen and materialls for setting vp Iron works in the said place, which might be very beneficiall not only for that plantation, but also to this kingdome, and wheras said petitioner on blank of may 1643 did at great costs and charges imbarque himself with many workmen servants and materialls for the said setting vp of Iron workes in the said place, in the good ship the An Cleeve of London and the said ship lien with hir goods and passengers many daies at Gravesend to be cleered, was at length, with other ships in company cleered by the officers there apointed, and was on the next day ready with all hir passengers on board to set saile, for hir intended voyage; the said ship was againe when she was setting saile stopped and hindered by one Robinson an officer at Gravesend and wheras the other ships which were cleered at the same tyme did sett saile, and were in the Downes the next day after, your petitioners ship being so stopped, and hindered, was afterward kept in by an Easterly wind, which blew very fresh and continued so long that it might have carried our said ship, by gods assistance cleere of the coast of England and well into the sea onward of hir voyage, (it being the fairest wind could blow for that voyage) your petitioner, having beene vniustly deprived of this oportunity was afterward in the said ship kept above six weekes vpon the coast of England, and by reason thereof was above 14 weekes before he could attaine the port in Newengland, and forced to be at sea all the heat of summer, to the danger of the lives of your petitioner and all his workmen and servants, being all of vs dangerously sick of feavors in the latter part of our voyage, and so weakened that his said servants and workemen were not fitt for any labor or imployment when they came ashore, and it being neere winter before your petitioner arrived, he is hindered from proceeding in the said Iron workes, and is forced to keepe his workmen and servants at great wages and charge without imployment, and thus by this vniust hinderance of your petitioner in his intended voyage at that tyme at Gravesend your 425petitioner is damnified in the proceed his intended workes and above 1000li and doth therfore pray for redresse of this his great iniury and losse etc.

Although this place at Braintre (wherof we have had consultation for the setting vp of the Ironworke) was principally in my thoughts (in respect of the Ironston) both before I went into England and since my last arrivall heere, for the fittest and most convenient place for the first setting vp of an Iron worke, yet being a worke of consequence, I conceived it necessary to have other places searched and this place well veiwed, and considered of by the workemen, both for the vre and the conveniency of waters for furnass and forge, and woods for supply of coales for both workes.

Therfore after my arrivall heere assoone as it pleased God that I recovered from that sicknesse which I tooke at sea in some measure and the workmen also had recovered their health, I tooke them along with me to search in such parts of the country as by information from others or upon veiw, had probability of good Ironston. We went first to braintre and so towards Plimoth, and at Greensharbour we found of the same sort of Ironston that was at Braintre, but could not perceive that it lay in any other but loose stones: and being among very thick woods in a swamppy ground; after we returned thence I went with the miner to Richman Iland, and veiwed all the parts betweene that and the massachusett, it having beene affirmed confidently that both at Pascataway and Agamenticus there was Ironston and great store that triall had beene made of it in England by some sent to Bristol and some to London to Captaine Mason: Also at Sako and at Blackpoint it was informed that there was certainly great quantity of very good mine in those places: In divers of these places we saw some stones that certainly doe conteine Iron in them but in the Judgement of the miner are but poore of Iron and doubtfull how they will worke none of our workemen having seene ever such before: in those parts are very few inhabitants, and 426labourers hard to be obteined for their ordinary occasions and at deare rates. there is an other place about 30 miles westward vp in the country which the workmen have likewise viewed and where there is of the same sort of Ironston that is at Braintre but noe appearance of quantity (though great probabilitie) there is yet noe people dwelling though present intention of plantation.

This sort of vre at Braintre is of the same sorte which they call in Ireland the Bogge mine. we have tried of it since we came over from divers places, and the finer hath made good Iron out of it divers tymes, that which we sent into England was made of that from Braintre. there is of the same sort at severall places neere Greensharbour at Nashaway, at Cohasset, at Woburne, and many other places, but the most appearance of hopefull quantity is at Braintre, according to the Judgement of the workmen, who vpon search affirme that it lieth like a veine (which is not in the other places) and that there is likelihood of ynough for a furnasse for 20 yeares: There are 2 places which by the Judgement of the workmen, are convenient for furnasse and forge, but all the ground neere about them is laid out to particular men as also where the mine is, and cannot be obteined but by purchasse. In the common which wilbe above a mile from any of the workes, Boston hath determined to allot 3000 acres to belong to the worke if we sett it vp in that parte that belongeth to their towne and Dorchester etc.

Now heere I desire your serious advice what is to be done for the most advancement of the worke and profitt of the adventurers: whether to goe to some of those remote places where eyther the same sort of Ironston is, or probabilities of other as good or better, where the land may be had next to the workes and as much as may be needfull.

or to beginne heere at Brantre which wilbe in the heart of all the English colonies if the former be thought best: then there must be a beginning in way of plantation, houses must be first built workmen of all sorts must be carried from these parts and plant themselves there, great store of draft cattle must be provided and the greatest part of our stock expended in such occations before we begin:

If braintre be thought best this helpes we shall have workmen of all sorts more plenty and neere at hand teemes for carriage may be hired housing for our workmen conveniently neere to be hired and wood ynough for present to be procured neere by purchase, and for future to belong to the works to be fetched further of etc.

Therefore necessity seemes to drive vs to accept of this place.