Good bretheren, after salutations, &c. We received diverse letters at y^e coming of M^r. Nash & our pilott, which is a great incouragmente unto us, and for whom we hop after times will minister occasion of praising God; and indeed had you not sente him, many would have been ready to fainte and goe backe. Partly in respecte of y^e new conditions which have bene taken up by you, which all men are against, and partly in regard of our owne inabillitie to doe any one of those many waightie bussineses you referr to us here. For y^e former wherof, wheras Robart Cushman desirs reasons for our dislike, promising therupon to alter y^e same, or els saing we should thinke he hath no brains, we desire him to exercise them therin, refering him to our pastors former reasons, and them to y^e censure of y^e godly wise. But our desires are that you will not entangle your selvs and us in any such unreasonable courses as those are, viz. y^t the marchants should have y^e halfe of mens houses and lands at y^e dividente; and that persons should be deprived of y^e 2. days in a weeke agreed upon, yea every momente of time for their owne perticuler; by reason wherof we cannot conceive why any should carie servants for their own help and comfort; for that we can require no more of them then all men one of another. This we have only by relation from M^r. Nash, & not from any writing of your owne, & therfore hope you have not proceeded farr in so great a thing without us. But requiring you not to exseed the bounds of your co[=m]ission, which was to proceed upon y^e things or conditions agred upon and expressed in writing (at your going over about it), we leave it, not without marveling, that you^r selfe, as you write, knowing how smale a thing troubleth our consultations, and how few, as you fear, understands the busnes aright, should trouble us with such matters as these are, &c.