It pleased y^e Lord to visite them this year with an infectious fevoure, of which many fell very sicke, and upward of 20. persons dyed, men and women, besids children, and sundry of them of their anciente friends which had lived in Holand; as Thomas Blossome, Richard Masterson, with sundry [198] others, and in y^e end (after he had much helped others) Samuell Fuller, who was their surgeon & phisition, and had been a great help and comforte unto them; as in his facultie, so otherwise, being a deacon of y^e church, a man godly, and forward to doe good, being much missed after his death; and he and y^e rest of their brethren much lamented by them, and caused much sadnes & mourning amongst them; which caused them to humble them selves, & seeke y^e Lord; and towards winter it pleased the Lord y^e sicknes ceased. This disease allso swept away many of y^e Indeans from all y^e places near adjoyning; and y^e spring before, espetially all y^e month of May, ther was such a quantitie of a great sorte of flies, like (for bignes) to wasps, or bumble-bees, which came out of holes in y^e ground, and replenished all y^e woods, and eate y^e green-things, and made such a constante yelling noyes, as made all y^e woods ring of them, and ready to deafe y^e hearers. They have not by y^e English been heard or seen before or since. But y^e Indeans tould them y^t sicknes would follow, and so it did in June, July, August, and y^e cheefe heat of so[=m]er. It pleased y^e Lord to inable them this year to send home a great quantity of beaver, besids paing all their charges, & debts at home, which good returne did much incourage their freinds in England. They sent in beaver 3366^li. waight, and much of it coat beaver, which yeeled 20^s. [p=]^r pound, & some of it above; and of otter-skines[DJ] 346. sould also at a good prise. And thus much of y^e affairs of this year. _Anno Dom: 1634._ This year M^r. Thomas Prence was chosen Gov^r. M^r. Sherleys letters were very breefe in answer of theirs this year. I will forbear to coppy any part therof, only name a head or 2. therm. First, he desirs they will take nothing ill in what he formerly write, professing his good affection towards them as before, &c. 2^ly. For M^r. Allertons accounts, he is perswaded they must suffer, and y^t in no small su[=m]es; and that they have cause enough to complaine, but it was now too late. And that he had failed them ther, those here, and him selfe in his owne aimes. And that now, having thus left them here, he feared God had or would leave him, and it would not be strang, but a wonder if he fell not into worse things, &c. 3^ly. He blesseth God and is thankfull to them for y^e good returne made this year. This is y^e effecte of his letters, other things being of more private nature.