Bradford's History of 'Plimoth Plantation': From the Original Manuscript. With a Report of the Proceedings Incident to the Return of the Manuscript to MassachusettsBradford, William
History
Bradford's History of 'Plimoth Plantation': From the Original Manuscript. With a Report of the Proceedings Incident to the Return of the Manuscript to Massachusetts
Bradford, William
Massachusetts -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
Mr. Hatherley came over againe this year, but upon his owne occasions,
and begane to make preparation to plant & dwell in y^e countrie. He with
his former dealings had wound in what money he had in y^e patnership
into his owne hands, and so gave off all partnership (excepte in name),
as was found in y^e issue of things; neither did he medle, or take any
care aboute y^e same; only he was troubled about his ingagmente aboute
y^e Friendship, as will after appeare. And now partly aboute y^t
accounte, in some reconings betweene M^r. Allerton and him, and some
debts y^t M^r. Allerton otherwise owed him upon dealing between them in
perticuler, he drue up an accounte of above 2000^li., and would faine
have ingaged y^e partners here with it, because M^r. Allerton had been
their agent. But they tould him they had been fool'd longe enough with
such things, and shewed him y^t it no way belonged to them; but tould
him he must looke to make good his ingagment for y^e Freindship, which
caused some trouble betweene M^r. Allerton and him.
M^r. William Peirce did y^e like, M^r. Allerton being wound into his
debte also upon particuler dealings; as if they had been bound to make
good all mens debts. But they easily shooke off these things. But M^r.
Allerton herby rane into much trouble & vexation, as well as he had
troubled others, for M^r. Denison sued him for y^e money he had
disbursed for y^e 6. part of y^e Whit-Angell, & recovered y^e same with
damages.
Though y^e partners were thus pl[=u]ged into great ingagments, &
oppresed with unjust debts, yet y^e Lord prospered their trading, that
they made yearly large returnes, and had soone wound them selves out of
all, if yet they had otherwise been well delt with all; as will more
appear here after. [192] Also y^e people of y^e plantation begane to
grow in their owtward estats, by reason[DG] of y^e flowing of many
people into y^e cuntrie, espetially into y^e Bay of y^e Massachusets; by
which means corne & catle rose to a great prise, by w^ch many were much
inriched, and co[=m]odities grue plentifull; and yet in other regards
this benefite turned to their hurte, and this accession of strength to
their weaknes. For now as their stocks increased, and y^e increse
vendible, ther was no longer any holding them togeather, but now they
must of necessitie goe to their great lots; they could not other wise
keep their katle; and having oxen growne, they must have land for
plowing & tillage. And no man now thought he could live, except he had
catle and a great deale of ground to keep them; all striving to increase
their stocks. By which means they were scatered all over y^e bay,
quickly, and y^e towne, in which they lived compactly till now, was left
very thine, and in a short time allmost desolate. And if this had been
all, it had been less, thoug to much; but y^e church must also be
devided, and those y^t had lived so long togeather in Christian &
comfortable fellowship must now part and suffer many divissions. First,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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