Thus much of this letter; it was dated March 19th, 1629; but the fact of the matter was (as came out later), it was Mr. Allerton’s object to have an opportunity to be sent over again for purposes of his own; and with that idea he requested them to write thus. The extension of the patent might easily have been finished, omitting the clause about the customs (which was Mr. Allerton’s and Mr. Sherley’s device), it having passed the king’s hand. But covetousness never brings anything home, as the proverb says; and this opportunity being lost, it was never accomplished, though a great deal of money was vainly and lavishly expended on it. But of this more in its place. * * * * * I almost omitted to mention that this year Mr. Allerton gave them great and just offence by bringing over the unworthy Morton, who had been sent home only the year before for his misdemeanours. He not only brought him over, but into the very town (as if to beard them), and lodged him at his own house, employing him as his secretary till he was forced to send him away. So he returned to his old nest in Massachusetts, where it was not long before his misconduct gave them proper cause to apprehend him, and he was again sent by them a prisoner to England, where he lay a good time in Exeter Gaol. For, besides his misdeeds here, he was strongly suspected of the murder of a man who had ventured money with him, when he first came to New England. A warrant had been sent from the Lord Chief Justice to apprehend him, by virtue of which the Governor of Massachusetts sent him to England; and as punishment for his misdemeanours there, they demolished his house, so that it might no longer be a roost for such unclean birds to nestle in. But he got free again, and wrote an infamous and scurrilous book full of lies and slanders against many godly men of the country in high position, and of profane calumnies against their names and persons, and the ways of God. After several years, when the war was at its height in England, he returned to the country, and was imprisoned at Boston, for the book and other things, having grown old in wickedness. As for the rest of Mr. Allerton’s instructions, enjoining him not to exceed the £50 worth of goods before mentioned, nor to bring any but trading commodities, he ignored them, and brought over many other kinds of retail goods, selling what he could by the way on his own account, and delivering them the rest, which he said were theirs. Of trading goods he brought scarcely any, making excuses that they had expended so much on the Leyden people, the patent, etc. As regards exceeding his instructions, he laid the responsibility on Mr. Sherley, etc. He promised that next year they should have whatever trading goods they sent for. In this way he put them off, and though Mr. Sherley had written somewhat bearing out his statements, he was probably over-ruled by Mr. Allerton to do so.