CONDITIONS AND LETTERS. V. 79 cern the conditions of their agreement with several CHAP. merchant adventurers towards the voyage, &c. as also several letters sent to and fro from friend to friend 1620. relating to the premises, which are not so pertinent to the nature of this small History. Wherefore I shall here omit to insert them,' judging them not so suitable to my present purpose; and here also cease to follow the foregoing method by way of Chapters.2 1 It is much to be regretted that Morton did not see fit to copy these letters. It will be seen, a few pages further on, that he again testifies that "their transactings with the merchant adventurers were penned at large in Mr. Bradford's book.” Though omitted in this copy, 66 'the Conditions" were fortunately preserved from oblivion by Hubbard, and we are thus enabled to present them in the next Chapter. They are undoubtedly the most valuable portion of Hub bard's History, and their existence For the sake of uniformity I CHAPTER VI. THE CONDITIONS OF THEIR AGREEMENT WITH SEVERAL CHAP. [ABOUT this time they were informed by Mr. Weston and others, that sundry honorable lords and worthy 1620. gentlemen had obtained a large patent from the King for the more northerly part of America, distinct from the Virginia patent, and wholly excluded from their government, and to be called by another name, viz. NEW ENGLAND.1 Unto which Mr. Weston and the chiefest of them began to incline, thinking it was best for them to go thither; as for other reasons, so chiefly 1 On the 23d of July, 1620, King The name of New England was first given, in 1614, by the famous Capt. John Smith, to North Virginia, lying between the degrees of 41 and 45. In that year he ranged along the coast, from the Penobscot to Cape Cod, in a small boat, with eight men. "I took the description" he says "of the coast as well by map as writing, and called it New England. At my humble suit, Charles, Prince of Wales, was pleased to confirm it by that title." Smith, in Mass. Hist. Coll. xxiii. 20. This map was published with his "Description of New England," in 1616. They are both reprinted in Mass. Hist Coll. xxiii. 1, and xxvi. 95-140. THE PILGRIMS MEET WITH DISCOURAGEMENTS. VI. 81 for the hope of present profit, to be made by fishing1 CHAP. on that coast. But in all business the active part is most difficult, especially when there are many agents 1620. that may be concerned. So it was found in them; for some of them who should have gone in England, fell off, and would not go. Other merchants and friends, that proffered to adventure their money, withdrew and pretended many excuses; some disliking they went not to Guiana; others would do nothing unless they went to Virginia; and many who were most relied on refused to adventure if they went thither. In the midst of these difficulties, they of Leyden were driven to great straits; but at the length, the generality was swayed to the better opinion. Howbeit, the patent for the northern part of the country not being fully settled at that time, they resolved to adventure with that patent they had, intending for some place more southward than that they fell upon in their voyage, at Cape Cod, as may appear afterwards. The CONDITIONS, on which those of Leyden engaged with the merchants, the adventurers,2 were hard 1 Edward Winslow says, in his Brief Narration, that on King James asking the agents of the Pilgrims "what profits might arise in the part they intended, it was answered, Fishing." I know not what authority Hutchinson had for asserting, ii. 472, that "their views when they left England were rather to establish a factory than a colony. They had no notion of cultivating any more ground than would afford their own necessary provisions, but proposed that their chief secular employment should be commerce with the natives." This seems inconsistent with the views with which they left Holland; and the simple fact of their bringing their wives and 2 Little is known of these mer- 82 THE CONDITIONS OF THE PARTNERSHIP CHAP. enough at the first for the poor people, that were to VI. adventure their persons as well as their estates. Yet 1620. were their agents forced to change one or two of them, to satisfy the merchants, who were not willing to be concerned with them; although the altering them without their knowledge or consent was very distasteful to them, and became the occasion of some contention amongst them afterwards. They are these that follow. 1. The adventurers and planters do agree, that every person that goeth, being sixteen years old and upward, be rated at ten pounds, and that ten pounds be accounted a single share. 2. That he that goeth in person, and furnisheth himself out with ten pounds, either in money or other provisions, be accounted as having twenty pounds in stock, and in the division shall receive a double share. 3. The persons transported and the adventurers shall continue their joint stock and partnership the space of seven years, except some unexpected impediments do cause the whole Company to agree otherwise; during which time all profits and benefits. that are gotten by trade, traffic, trucking, working, fishing, or any other means, of any other person or persons, shall remain still in the common stock until the division. 4. That at their coming there they shall choose out such a number of fit persons as may furnish their ships are not a corporation, but knit to- served by Gov. Bradford, were very friendly to the Colony, and a few came over and settled in it. Others were unreasonable, clamorous, and hostile. Their names in 1626 are preserved. See Mass. Hist. Coll. iii. 27-34, 48. WITH THE MERCHANT ADVENTURERS. VI. 83 and boats for fishing upon the sea; employing the CHAP. rest in their several faculties upon the land, as building houses, tilling and planting the ground, and mak- 1620. ing such commodities as shall be most useful for the Colony. 5. That at the end of the seven years, the capital and the profits, viz. the houses, lands, goods, and chattels, be equally divided among the adventurers. If any debt or detriment concerning this adventure 1 6. Whosoever cometh to the Colony hereafter, or putteth any thing into the stock, shall at the end of the seven years be allowed proportionally to the time of his so doing. 7. He that shall carry his wife, or children, or servants, shall be allowed for every person, now aged sixteen years and upward, a single share in the division; or if he provide them necessaries, a double share; or if they be between ten years old and sixteen, then two of them to be reckoned for a person, both in transportation and division. 8. That such children that now go and are under the age of ten years, have no other share in the division than fifty acres of unmanured land. 9. That such persons as die before the seven years be expired, their executors to have their parts or share at the division, proportionably to the time of their life in the Colony. 10. That all such persons as are of the Colony are to have meat, drink, and apparel, and all provisions, out of the common stock and goods of the said Colony. 1 Here something seems to be wanting, of the nature of a new article or condition, which cannot now be supplied. This hiatus might, possibly, be filled up from |