I wish to acquaint you that we have thought good to become partners in a separate venture with one Edward Ashley—a man I think some of you know—but it only concerns the place for which he has a patent in Mr. Beauchamp’s name. For this purpose we have supplied him plentifully with provisions, etc. If you wish to join us as partners in this, we are willing you should. Hearing how anxious Bristol men were to join the enterprise and supply him, expecting good profits, we thought it important that we should not to miss such opportunity. He, on his side, like a shrewd man, thought it better to join with those who already had a settlement to back him there, than with strangers. It is not known that you are in the partnership, but only we four, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Beauchamp, myself, and Mr. Hatherley, who entered upon it in view of the great loss we have already sustained in the first plantation there. But as I said before, if you wish to join with us, we are willing you should. Mr. Allerton had no power from you to make this new contract, nor was he willing to do anything without your consent. Mr. William Pierce joined with us because of landing Ashley and his goods there. He has a new boat with him, and boards to make another, with four or five strong fellows, one of whom is a carpenter. In case you are not willing to join us, fearing the expense and doubting the success, we beg you to afford him all the help you can, either with men, goods, or boats, and we will pay you for anything that he has. We wish you to keep the accounts separate, even if you join us, because there are partners in this enterprise who are not in the other; so charge him with men’s wages, boat-hire, or goods; and anything you receive from him, charge to the colony. And now loving friends and partners, if you join in Ashley’s project, we having found the money to stock this business and the other, it seems reasonable that you should bear your share of the stock, if not in money, by security to that amount. I hope in God, by His blessing and your honest endeavour, it may soon be paid; but the term of the partnership is not long, so it behoves us all to make the best use of the time that we possibly can, and let every one put his shoulder to the burden and it will be lighter. I know you will consider this carefully, and return a satisfactory answer. None of us would have risked this, except as a support to your own enterprise. There is no likelihood of doing any good by attempting to buy the debts for the purchase of the old adventurer’s shares. I know some would not forego their interest, so let it run its course; it is arranged they are to be paid yearly, and so I hope they will be, according to agreement. The Lord grant that our loves and affections may still be united and knit together; and so we rest your ever loving friends,