this trouble amongst them is, for that a while since Sr. Thomas Smith, repining at his many offices and troubls, wished the Company of Virginia to ease him of his office in being Treasurer and Gover'. of the Virginia Company.1 Whereupon the Company tooke occasion to dismisse him, and chose Sr. Edwin Sands Treasurer and Gover of the Company.. He having 60. voyces, Sr. John Worstenholme 16. voices, and Alderman Johnsone 24. But Sr. Thomas Smith, when he saw some parte of his honour lost, was very angrie, and raised a faction to cavill and contend aboute the election, and sought to taxe Sr. Edwin with many things that might both disgrace him, and allso put him by his office of Governour. In which contentions they yet stick, and are not fit nor readie to intermedle in any bussines; and what issue things will come to we are not yet certaine. It is most like Sr. Edwin will carrie it away, and if he doe, things will goe well in Virginia; if otherwise, they will goe ill enough allways. We hope in some 2. or 3. Court days things will setle. Mean space I thinke to goe downe into Kente, and come up againe aboute 14. days, or 3. weeks hence; except either by these afforesaid contentions, or by the ille tidings from Virginia, we be wholy discouraged, of which tidings I am now to speake.

Captaine Argoll is come home this weeke (he upon notice of the intente of the Counsell, came away before Sr. Georg Yeardley' came ther, and so ther is no small dissention). But his tidings are ill, though his person be wellcome. He saith Mr. Blackwells3 shipe came not ther till March, but going towards winter, they had still norwest winds, which carried them to the southward beyond their course. And the M' of the ship and some 6. of the mariners dieing, it seemed they could not find the bay, till after long seeking and beating aboute. Mr. Blackwell is dead, and Mr. Maggner, the Captain; yea, ther are dead, he saith, 130. persons, one and other in that ship; it is said ther was in all an 180. persons in the ship, so as they were packed togeather like herings. They had amongst them the fluxe, and allso wante of fresh water; so as it is hear rather wondred

1 Sir Thomas Smith's request may be seen, in the records of the Virginia Company for the transactions of this very meeting, in the fac-simile presented in Early Narratives of Virginia, p. 334, in this series. Smith had had the leading part in the Virginia Company from its beginning.

2 Samuel Argall was the abductor of Pocahontas, the destroyer of Port Royal in 1613, and deputy governor of Virginia from 1617 to 1619. Sir George Yeardley, governor of Virginia 1619-1621 and 1626-1627.

3 Francis Blackwell, one of the adherents of Rev. Francis Johnson in the "ancient church" at Amsterdam, seceded from him in 1618, became reconciled with the Anglican establishment, and sailed for Virginia with his followers, in September, 1618, in the William and Thomas.

at that so many are alive, then that so many are dead. The marchants hear say it was Mr. Blackwells faulte to pack so many in the ship; yea, and ther were great mutterings and repinings amongst them, and upbraiding of Mr. Blackwell, for his dealing and dispossing of them, when they saw how he had dispossed of them, and how he insulted over them. Yea, the streets at Gravsend' runge of their extreame quarrelings, crying out one of another, Thou hast brought me to this, and, I may thanke the for this. Heavie newes it is, and I would be glad to heare how farr it will discourage. I see none hear discouraged much, but rather desire to larne to beware by other mens harmes, and to amend that wherin they have failed. As we desire to serve one another in love, so take heed of being inthraled by any imperious persone, espetially if they be discerned to have an eye to them selves. It doth often trouble me to thinke that in this bussines we are all to learne and none to teach; but better so, then to depend upon such teachers as Mr. Blackwell was. Such a strategeme he once made for Mr. Johnson and his people at Emden,' which was their subversion. But though he ther clenlily (yet unhonstly) plucked his neck out of the collar, yet at last his foote is caught. Hear are no letters come, the ship captain Argole came in is yet in the west parts; all that we hear is but his report; it seemeth he came away secretly. The ship that Mr. Blackwell went in will be hear shortly. It is as Mr. Robinson once said; he thought we should hear no good of them. Mr. B. is not well at this time; whether he will come back to you or goe into the north, I yet know not. For my selfe, I hope to see an end of this bussines ere I come, though I am sorie to be thus from you; if things had gone roundly forward, I should have been with you within these 14. days. I pray God directe us, and give us that spirite which is fitting for such a bussines. Thus having summarily pointed at things which Mr. Brewster (I thinke) hath more largely write of to Mr. Robinson, I leave you to the Lords protection.

Yours in all readines, etc.

ROBART CUSHMAN.

London, May 8.
Ano: 1619.

A word or tow by way of digression touching this Mr. Blackwell; he was an elder of the church at Amsterdam, a

1 Gravesend, at the mouth of the Thames, from which ships from London commonly "took their departure."

2 Contention arose in the elder of the Separatist churches at Amsterdam, between the partisans of Rev. Francis Johnson and those of Rev. Henry Ainsworth. The burgomasters of the city awarded the meeting-house to the latter. The former then (1613) removed to Emden in East Friesland, and remained there three or four years.

He declined from the trueth

man well known of most of them. with Mr. Johnson and the rest, and went with him when they parted assunder in that wofull maner, which brought so great dishonour to God, scandall to the trueth, and outward ruine to them selves in this world. But I hope, notwithstanding, through the mercies of the Lord, their souls are now at rest with him in the heavens, and that they are arrived in the Haven of hapines; though some of their bodies were thus buried in the terrable seas, and others sunke under the burthen of bitter afflictions. He with some others had prepared for to goe to Virginia. And he, with sundrie godly citizens, being at a private meeting (I take it a fast) in London, being discovered, many of them were apprehended, wherof Mr. Blackwell was one; but he so glosed with the bps,' and either dissembled or flatly denyed the trueth which formerly he had maintained; and not only so, but very unworthily betrayed and accused another godly man who had escaped, that so he might slip his own neck out of the collar, and to obtaine his owne freedome brought others into bonds. Wherupon he so wone the bps favour (but lost the Lord's) as he was not only dismiste, but in open courte the archbishop gave him great applause and his sollemne blessing to proseed in his vioage. But if such events follow the bps blessing, happie are they that misse the same; it is much better to keepe a good conscience and have the Lords blessing, whether in life or death.

But see how the man thus apprehended by Mr. Blackwells means, writs to a freind of his.

Right dear freind and christian brother, Mr. Carver, I salute you and yours in the Lord, etc. As for my owne presente condition, I doubt not but you well understand it ere this by our brother Maistersone,' who should have tasted of the same cupp, had his place of residence and his person

'Richard Masterson was from Sandwich, England, and was a member of the Leyden church. He married in Leyden in 1619 Mary Goodale of Leicester and came to Plymouth in 1629, where he died in 1633. He was a deacon of the Plymouth church.

been as well knowne as my selfe. Some what I have written to Mr. Cushman how the matter still continues. I have petitioned twise to Mr. Sherives, and once to my Lord Cooke,1 and have used such reasons to move them to pittie, that if they were not overruled by some others, I suppose I should soone gaine my libertie; as that I was a yonge man living by my credite, indebted to diverse in our citie, living at more then ordinarie charges in a close and tedious prison; besids great rents abroad, all my bussines lying still, my only servante lying lame in the countrie, my wife being also great with child. And yet no answer till the lords of his majesties Counsell gave consente. Howbeit, Mr. Blackwell, a man as deepe in this action as I, was delivered at a cheaper rate, with a great deale less adoe; yea, with an addition of the Archp: blessing. I am sorie for Mr. Blackwels weaknes, I wish it may prove no worse. But yet he and some others of them, before their going, were not sorie, but thought it was for the best that I was nominated, not because the Lord sanctifies evill to good, but that the action was good, yea for the best. One reason I well remember he used was, because this trouble would encrease the Virginia plantation, in that now people begane to be more generally inclined to goe; and if he had not nomminated some such as I, he had not bene free, being it was knowne that diverse citizens besids them selves were ther. I expecte an answer shortly what they intende conscerning me; I purpose to write to some others of you, by whom you shall know the certaintie. Thus not haveing further at present to acquaint you withall, commending myselfe to your prairs, I cease, and committe you and us all to the Lord.

From my chamber in Wodstreete Compter.3

Your freind, and brother in bonds,

Sept: 4. An°: 1618.

SABIN STARESMORE.

But thus much by the way, which may be of instruction and good use.

But at last, after all these things, and their long attendance, they had a patent granted them, and confirmed under the Companies seale; but these devissions and distractions had

'To the sheriffs of London and Middlesex, and to Sir Edward Coke, till lately lord chief justice. I. e., informed against.

"

'Wood Street Compter (counter) was a prison in London.

"The records of the Virginia Company for May 26 and June 9, 1619, show 'one Mr. Wencop, commended to the Company by the [late] Earle of Lincolne," presenting his patent for confirmation on the former date; on the latter it was ordered to be sealed.

shaken of many of ther pretended freinds, and disappointed them of much of their hoped for and proffered means. By the advise of some freinds this pattente was not taken in the name of any of their owne, but in the name of Mr. John Wincob (a religious gentleman then belonging to the Countess of Lincoline), who intended to goe with them. But God so disposed as he never went, nor they ever made use of this patente,' which had cost them so much labour and charge, as by the sequell will appeare. This patente being sente over for them to veiw and consider, as also the passages aboute the propossitions between them and such marchants and freinds as should either goe or adventure with them, and espetially with those on whom they did cheefly depend for shipping and means, whose proffers had been large, they were requested to fitt and prepare them selves with all speed. A right emblime, it may be, of the uncertine things of this world; that when men have toyld them selves for them, they vanish into smoke.

The 6. Chap.

Conscerning the agreements and artickles between them, and such marchants and others as adventured moneys; with other things falling out aboute making their provissions. UPON the receite of these things by one of their messengers, they had a sollemne meeting and a day of humiliation to seeke the Lord for his direction; and their pastor tooke this texte, 1 Sam. 23. 3, 4. And David's men said unto him, see, we be afraid hear in Judah, how much more if we come to Keilah against the host of the Phillistines? Then David asked counsell of the Lord againe, etc. From which texte he taught many things very aptly, and befitting ther present occasion and condition, strengthing them against their fears and perplexities, and incouraging them in the resolutions. After which they concluded both what number and what persons should prepare 1 It was undoubtedly surrendered afterward. 2" Mr. Tho: Weston, etc."

(Br.)