trouble you, because unless I were unhumane, I can doe no les. Bad news doth spread it selfe too farr; yet I will so farr informe you that my selfe, with many good freinds in the south-collonie of Virginia, have received shuch a blow, that 400. persons large will not make good our losses. Therfore I doe intreat you (allthough not knowing you) that the old rule which I learned when I went to schoole, may be sufficente. That is, Hapie is he whom other mens harmes doth make to beware. And now againe and againe, wishing all those that willingly would serve the Lord, all health and happines in this world, and everlasting peace in the world to come. And so I rest.

Yours,

JOHN HUDLSTON.

By this boat the Gov" returned a thankfull answer, as was meete, and sent a boate of their owne with them, which was piloted by them, in which Mr. Winslow was sente to procure what provissions he could of the ships, who was kindly received by the foresaid gentill-man, who not only spared what he could, but writ to others to doe the like. By which means he gott some good quantitie and returned in saftie, by which the plantation had a duble benefite, first, a present refreshing by the food brought, and secondly, they knew the way to those parts for their benifite hearafter. But what was gott, and this small boat brought, being devided among so many, came but to a litle, yet by Gods blesing it upheld them till harvest. It arose but to a quarter of a pound of bread a day to each person; and the Gov' caused it to be dayly given them, otherwise, had it been in their owne custody, they would have eate it up and then starved. But thus, with what els they could get, they made pretie shift till corne was ripe.

This sommer they builte a fort with good timber, both strong and comly, which was of good defence, made with a flate rofe and batelments, on which their ordnance were mounted, and wher they kepte constante watch, espetially in time of danger. It served them allso for a meeting house, and was fitted accordingly for that use.' It was a great worke

An interesting description of the town and its fortifications, a few years later, is given by Isaac de Rasières, secretary of New Netherland, who visited

for them in this weaknes and time of wants; but the deanger of the time required it, and both the continuall rumors of the fears from the Indeans hear, espetially the Narigansets, and also the hearing of that great massacre in Virginia, made all hands willing to despatch the same.

Now the wellcome time of harvest aproached, in which all had their hungrie bellies filled. But it arose but to a litle, in comparison of a full years supplie; partly by reason they were not yet well aquainted with the manner of Indean corne, (and they had no other,) allso their many other imployments, but cheefly their weaknes for wante of food, to tend it as they should have done. Also much was stolne both by night and day, before it became scarce eatable, and much more afterward. And though many were well whipt (when they were taken) for a few ears of corne, yet hunger made others (whom conscience did not restraine) to venture. So as it well appeared that famine must still insue the next year allso, if not some way prevented, or supplie should faile, to which they durst not trust. Markets there was none to goe too, but only the Indeans, and they had no trading comodities. Behold now another providence of God; a ship comes into the harbor, one Captain Jons being cheefe therin. They were set out by some marchants to discovere all the harbors betweene this and Virginia, and the shoulds of Cap-Cod, and to trade along the coast wher they could. This ship had store of English-beads (which were then good trade) and some knives, but would sell none but at dear rates, and also a good quantie togeather. Yet they weere glad of the occasion, and faine to buy at any rate; they were faine to give after the rate of cento per cento, if not more, and yet pay away coat-beaver at 3s. per li., which in a few years after yeelded 20s. By this means they were fitted againe to trade for beaver and other things, and intended to buy what corne they could.

it in 1627. His letter is printed in the Collections of the New York Historical Society second series, II. 351. See also pp. 225, 226, 234, post.

But I will hear take liberty to make a little digression. Ther was in this ship a gentle-man by name Mr. John Poory;1 he had been secretarie in Virginia, and was now going home passenger in this ship. After his departure he write a leter to the Gov in the postscrite wherof he hath these lines.

To your selfe and Mr. Brewster, I must acknowledg my selfe many ways indebted, whose books I would have you thinke very well bestowed on him, who esteemeth them shuch juells. My hast would not suffer me to remember (much less to begg) Mr. Ainsworths elaborate worke upon the 5. books of Moyses. Both his and Mr. Robinsons doe highly comend the authors, as being most conversante in the scripturs of all others. And what good (who knows) it may please God to worke by them, through my hands, (though most unworthy,) who finds shuch high contente in them. God have you all in his keeping.

Aug. 28. 1622.

Your unfained and firme freind,

JOHN PORY.

These things I hear inserte for honour sake of the authors memorie, which this gentle-man doth thus ingeniusly acknowledg; and him selfe after his returne did this pooreplantation much credite amongst those of no mean ranck. But to returne.

Shortly after harvest Mr. Westons people who were now seated at the Massachusets, and by disorder (as it seems) had made havock of their provissions, begane now to perceive that want would come upon them. And hearing that they hear had bought trading comodities and intended to trade for corne, they write to the Gov" and desired they might joyne with them, and they would imploy their small ship in the servise; and furder requested either to lend or sell them so much of their trading comodities as their part might come to, and they would undertake to make paymente when Mr. Weston

A letter of Pory's describing conditions at Jamestown in 1619 is printed in Narratives of Early Virginia, in this series; its introduction gives an account of him. He was a traveller and an experienced member of Parliament. As speaker of the first elected legislative assembly in America, that which met in Jamestown in 1619, he drew up the journal of its proceedings, which is printed in the same volume.

or their supply, should come. The Gov' condesended upon equall terms of agreemente, thinkeing to goe aboute the Cap to the southward with the ship, wher some store of corne might be got. Althings being provided, Captaint Standish was apointed to goe with them, and Squanto for a guid and interpreter, about the latter end of September; but the winds put them in againe, and putting out the 2. time, he fell sick of a feavor, so the Gov' wente him selfe. But they could not get aboute the should of Cap-Cod, for flats and breakers, neither could Squanto directe them better, nor the m durst venture any further, so they put into Manamoyack Bay and got wth [what] they could ther. In this place Squanto fell sick of an Indean feavor, bleeding much at the nose (which the Indeans take for a simptome of death), and within a few days dyed ther; desiring the Gov to pray for him, that he might goe to the Englishmens God in heaven, and bequeathed sundrie of his things to sundry of his English freinds, as remembrances of his love; of whom they had a great loss. They got in this vioage, in one place and other, about 26. or 28. hogsheads of corne and beans, which was more then the Indeans could well spare in these parts, for the set but a litle till they got English hows. And so were faine to returne, being sory they could not gett about the Cap, to have been better laden. After ward the Gov" tooke a few men and wente to the inland places, to get what he could, and to fetch it home at the spring, which did help them something.

After these things, in Feb: a messenger came from John Sanders, who was left cheefe over Mr. Weston's men in the bay of Massachusets, who brought a letter shewing the great wants they were falen into; and he would have borrowed a hħ of corne of the Indeans, but they would lend him none. He desired advice whether he might not take it from them by force to succore his men till he came from the eastward, whither he was going. The Gov' and rest deswaded him by all means from it, for it might so exasperate the Indeans as

might endanger their saftie, and all of us might smart for it; for they had already heard how they had so wronged the Indeans by stealing their corne, etc. as they were much incensed against them. Yea, so base were some of their own company, as they wente and tould the Indeans that their Gov was purposed to come and take their corne by force. The which with other things made them enter into a conspiracie against the English, of which more in the nexte. Hear with I end this year.

Anno Dom: 1623.

It may be thought strang that these people should fall to IT these extremities in so short a time, being left competently provided when the ship left them, and had an addition by that moyetie of corn that was got by trade, besids much they gott of the Indans wher they lived, by one means and other. It must needs be their great disorder, for they spent excesseivly whilst they had, or could get it; and, it may be, wasted parte away among the Indeans (for he that was their cheef was taxed by some amongst them for keeping Indean women, how truly I know not). And after they begane to come into wants, many sould away their cloathes and bed coverings; others (so base were they) became servants to the Indeans, and would cutt them woode and fetch them water, for a cap full of corne; others fell to plaine stealing, both night and day, from the Indeans, of which they greevosly complained. In the end, they came to that misery, that some starved and dyed with could and hunger. One in geathering shell-fish was so weake as he stuck fast in the mudd, and was found dead in the place. At last most of them left their dwellings and scatered up and downe in the woods, and by the water sids, wher they could find ground nuts and clames, hear 6. and ther ten. By which their cariages they became contemned and scorned of the Indeans, and they begane greatly to insulte over them in a most insolente maner; insomuch, many times as