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
To morrow, or next day at furthest, we are to pay 300^li. and M^r.
Beachamp is out of y^e towne, yet y^e bussines I must doe. Oh the
greefe & trouble y^t man, M^r. Allerton, hath brought upon you and us!
I cannot forgett it, and to thinke on it draws many a sigh from my
harte, and teares from my eyes. And now y^e Lord hath visited me with
an other great loss, yet I can undergoe it with more patience. But
this I have follishly pulled upon my selfe, &c. [And in another, he
hath this passage:] By M^r. Allertons faire propositions and large
[195] promises, I have over rune my selfe; verily, at this time greefe
hinders me to write, and tears will not suffer me to see; wherfore, as
you love those that ever loved you, and y^t plantation, thinke upon
us. Oh what shall I say of that man, who hath abused your trust and
wronged our loves! but now to complaine is too late, nither can I
complaine of your backwardnes, for I am perswaded it lys as heavie on
your harts, as it doth on our purses or credites. And had y^e Lord
sent M^r. Peirce safe home, we had eased both you and us of some of
those debts; the Lord I hope will give us patience to bear these
crosses; and that great God, whose care & providence is every where,
and spetially over all those that desire truly to fear and serve him,
direct, guid, prosper, & blesse you so, as y^t you may be able (as I
perswade my selfe you are willing) to discharge & take off this great
& heavie burthen which now lyes upon me for your saks; and I hope in
y^e ende for y^e good of you, and many thousands more; for had not
you & we joyned & continued togeather, New-England might yet have been
scarce knowne, I am perswaded, not so replenished & inhabited with
honest English people, as it now is. The Lord increase & blesse them,
&c. So, with my continuall praiers for you all, I rest
Your assured loving friend,
JAMES SHERLEY.
June 24. 1633.
By this it apperes when M^r. Sherly sould him y^e ship & all her
accounts, it was more for M^r. Allertons advantage then theirs; and if
they could get any there, well & good, for they were like to have
nothing here. And what course was held to hinder them there, hath
allready beene manifested. And though M^r. Sherley became more sinsible
of his owne condition, by these losses, and therby more sadly & plainly
to complaine of M^r. Allerton, yet no course was taken to help them
here, but all left unto them selves; not so much as to examene &
rectifie y^e accounts, by which (it is like) some hundereds of pounds
might have been taken off. But very probable it is, the more they saw
was taken off, y^e less might come unto them selves. But I leave these
maters, & come to other things.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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