[The above grant was the first charter issued by the Plymouth Council of 1620 (No. 42 above). It is sometimes said that these patents from the Council had no legal force, so far as _political features_ were concerned. It is true that such grants had no force, as against the royal government; but, as long as the royal grant to the Council stood, grants from that body were valid,--certainly valid as against any later claim from that proprietary body. The king's patent of 1620 authorized the Council to arrange the government of colonies in its New England territories as it pleased. In carrying out this provision for the Pilgrims, the Council saw fit to permit a large share of self-government,--just as the London Company had done, in less degree, for the Virginians, and as Penn was to do for the Pennsylvanians in his famous charter to them in 1701 (No. 109 below). As to the overthrow of the validity of the charters to the Pilgrims in 1634, cf. _American History and Government_, # 55 close.] 48. Early Descriptions of Plymouth[30] _a. Edward Winslow's Letter (to a friend in England), December 11/21, 1621_ Arber's _Story of the Pilgrim Fathers_, 488-494. (The spelling is modernized in all printed copies.) Loving and Old Friend,-- Although I received no letter from you by this ship, yet forasmuch as I know you expect the performance of my promise, which was, to write unto you truly and faithfully of all things, I have therefore at this time sent unto you accordingly, referring you for further satisfaction to our more large Relations [Winslow's _Relations_, a considerable volume]. You shall understand that in this little time [less than one year] that a few of us have been here, we have built seven dwelling-houses and four for the use of the plantation, and have made preparation for divers others. We set the last spring some twenty acres of Indian corn, and sowed some six acres of barley and pease; and according to the manner of the Indians, we manured our ground with herrings, or rather shads, which we have in great abundance, and take with great ease at our doors. Our corn did prove well; and, God be praised, we had a good increase of Indian corn, and our barley indifferent good, but our pease not worth the gathering, for we feared they were too late sown. They came up very well, and blossomed; but the sun parched them in the blossom....