Brethren, having latly sent 2. of our body unto you, to agitate & bring to an issue some maters in difference betweene us, about some lands at Conightecutt, unto which you lay challeng; upon which God by his providence cast us, and as we conceive in a faire way of providence tendered it to us, as a meete place to receive our body, now upon removall. We shall not need to answer all y^e passages of your larg letter, &c. But wheras you say God in his providence cast you, &c., we tould you before, and (upon this occasion) must now tell you still, that our mind is other wise, and y^t you cast rather a partiall, if not a covetous eye, upon that w^ch is your neigbours, and not yours; and in so doing, your way could not be faire unto it. Looke y^t you abuse not Gods providence in such allegations. Theirs. Now allbeite we at first judged y^e place so free y^t we might with Gods good leave take & use it, without just offence to any man, it being the Lords [213] wast, and for y^e presente altogeather voyd of inhabitants, that indeede minded y^e imploymente therof, to y^e right ends for which land was created, Gen: 1. 28. and for future intentions of any, & uncertaine possibilities of this or that to be done by any, we judging them (in such a case as ours espetialy) not meete to be equalled with presente actions (such as ours was) much less worthy to be prefered before them; and therfore did we make some weake beginings in that good worke, in y^e place afforesaid. Ans: Their answer was to this effecte. That if it was y^e Lords wast, it was them selves that found it so, & not they; and have since bought it of y^e right oweners, and maintained a chargable possession upon it al this while, as them selves could not but know. And because of present ingagments and other hinderances which lay at presente upon them, must it therfore be lawfull for them to goe and take it from them? It was well known that they are upon a barren place, wher they were by necessitie cast; and neither they nor theirs could longe continue upon y^e same; and why should they (because they were more ready, & more able at presente) goe and deprive them of that which they had w^th charg & hazard provided, & intended to remove to, as soone as they could & were able? They had another passage in their letter; they had rather have to doe with the lords in England, to whom (as they heard it reported) some of them should say that they had rather give up their right to them, (if they must part with it,) then to y^e church of Dorchester, &c. And that they should be less fearfull to offend y^e lords, then they were them.