I intended long since to have written to you, but could not effect it; but I doubt not that Mr. B. has written to Mr. Robinson. The main hindrance to the Virginia business is the dissensions in the Council of Virginia. The cause of the trouble is, that, recently, Sir Thomas Smith, weary of his many offices, wished the Company of Virginia to relieve him of being its treasurer and governor,—he having 60 votes, Sir John Worstenholme 16 votes, and Alderman Johnstone 24. But Sir Thomas Smith, finding his honours diminished, was very angry, and raised a faction to contest the election, and sought to tax Sir Edwin Sandys, the new Governor, with many things which would both disgrace him and deprive him of his office as Governor. In these contentions they still stick, and what will result we are not yet certain. Most likely Sir Edwin will win, and if he does, things will go well in Virginia; if otherwise, they will go ill. We hope in some two or three Court-days things will be settled. Meanwhile, I intend to go down to Kent, and come up again about 14 days or three weeks hence unless these contentions or the ill tidings from Virginia (of which I will now speak) should wholly discourage us. Captain Argoll came home from Virginia this week. Upon receiving notice of the intentions of the Council, he left before Sir George Yeardley had arrived there; so there is no small dissatisfaction. But his tidings are ill. He says Mr. Blackwell’s ship did not reach there till March, owing to northwest winds, which carried them to the southward beyond their course. The captain of the ship and some six of the sailors dying, it seems they could not find the bay till after long beating about. Mr. Blackwell is dead, and Mr. Maggner, the Captain; in fact Captain Argoll says 130 persons on that ship died out of a total of 180. There were so many that they were packed together like herrings. They were ill with the flux, and they lacked fresh water; so here it is rather wondered at that as many are alive, than that so many are dead. The merchants here say it was Mr. Blackwell’s fault for packing so many in the ship. There was much grumbling at the time, and Mr. Blackwell was blamed for his disposition of them and his insults to them. They say the streets of Gravesend rang with their quarreling, crying out at each other: “Thou hast brought me to this;” and, “I may thank thee for this!” Heavy news it is, and I wonder how far it will discourage our project. No one here is much discouraged; they seem only to wish to learn by other men’s misfortunes. As we desire to serve one another in love, so take heed of being enthralled by any imperious persons,—especially if they seem to have an eye to their own advantage. It often troubles me to think that in this business all of us must learn, and none can teach; but better so, than to depend upon such teachers as Mr. Blackwell was.