I am to aquainte you that we have thought good to joyne with one Edward Ashley (a man I thinke y^t some of you know); but it is only of y^t place wherof he hath a patente in M^r. Beachamps name; and to that end have furnished him with larg provissions, &c. Now if you please to be partners with us in this, we are willing you shall; for after we heard how forward Bristoll men (and as I hear some able men of his owne kindrid) have been to stock & supply him, hoping of profite, we thought it fitter for us to lay hould of such an opportunitie, and to keep a kind of ru[=n]ing plantation, then others who have not borne y^e burthen of setling a plantation, as we have done. And he, on y^e other side, like an understanding yonge man, thought it better to joyne with those y^t had means by a plantation to supply & back him ther, rather then strangers, that looke but only after profite. Now it is not knowne that you are partners with him; but only we 4., M^r. Andrews, M^r. Beachamp, my selfe, & M^r. Hatherley, who desired to have y^e patente, in consideration of our great loss we have allready sustained in setling y^e first plantation ther; so we agreed togeather to take it in our names. And now, as I said before, if you please to joyne with us, we are willing you should. M^r. Allerton had no power from you to make this new contracte, neither was he willing to doe any thing therin without your consente & approbation. M^r. William Peirce is joyned with us in this, for we thought it very conveniente, because of landing Ashley and his goods ther, if God please; and he will bend his course accordingly. He hath a new boate with him, and boards to make another, with 4. or 5. lustie fellowes, wherof one is a carpenter. Now in case you are not willing in this perticuler to joyne with us, fearing y^e charge & doubting y^e success, yet thus much we intreate of you, to afford him all the help you can, either by men, commodities, or boats; yet not but y^t we will pay you for any thing he hath. And we desire you to keep y^e accounts apart, though you joyne with us; becase ther is, as you see, other partners in this then y^e other; so, for all mens wages, boats-hire, or comodities, which we shall have of you, make him debtore for it; and what you shall have of him, make y^e plantation or your selves debtore for it to him, and so ther will need no mingling of y^e accounts.