With the return of the ships they sent Mr. Allerton to England again, giving him full power under their hands and seals to conclude the former bargain with the adventurers, and sent them bonds for the payment of the money. They also sent what beaver they could spare to meet some of their engagements and to defray his expenses; but the high rates of interest left them little margin. He had orders to procure a patent for a suitable trading-house on the river Kennebec; for the settlers at Piscataqua and other places to the eastward of them, and also the fishing ships, competed with them for the trade of the Indians, and threatened by procuring a grant to exclude them from thereabouts,—and they found they were so well furnished with goods for the purpose that they might take all the trade from them. They thought it essential to prevent this, and at least to preserve free-trade for themselves in localities which they themselves had first discovered and developed. This year they received letters and messengers from the Dutch colony sent to them from the Governor there, written both in Dutch and French. The Dutch had traded to the south of them several years before they came, but had made no settlement there till four or five years after their arrival at New Plymouth. Their letters were as follows—it being their custom to be full of complimental titles. I shall render it in English, leaving out the superfluous titles from the body of the letter. _The Dutch colonists at Manhattan to the Settlers at New Plymouth_: Noble, worshipful, wise and prudent Lords, the Governor and Councillors residing at New Plymouth, our very dear friends: The Director and Council of New Netherlands wish to your Lordships, worshipful, wise and prudent, happiness in Christ Jesus Our Lord, with prosperity and health in soul and body. We have often before this wished for an opportunity to congratulate you on your prosperous and praiseworthy undertakings, and the Government of your colony there; the more so, since we also have made a good beginning in the foundation of a colony here, and because our native country is not far from yours, and our forefathers many years ago formed friendship and alliance with your ancestors both for war and trade, confirmed under the hands of kings and princes. These have not only been confirmed by the king now reigning, but it has pleased his majesty, upon mature deliberation, to make a new alliance to take up arms against our common enemy the Spaniard, who seeks to usurp the lands of other Christian kings so that he may obtain his pretended monarchy over all Christendom, and so rule at his pleasure over the consciences of so many hundred thousand souls; which God forbid!