Thus all their hopes in regard to Mr. Weston were laid in the dust, and all his promised help turned into empty advice, which they saw it was neither lawful nor profitable for them to follow. And they were thus not only left destitute of help in their extreme want, having neither food nor anything to trade with, but others were preparing to glean up what the country might have afforded for their relief. As for the harsh censures and suspicions intimated in the former and following letters, they desired to judge them as charitably and wisely as they could, weighing them in the balance of love and reason; and though they came in part from godly and loving friends, they recognized that much might arise from over-deep jealousy and fear, or from provocation,—though they saw clearly that Mr. Weston pursued his own ends and was embittered in spirit. After the receipt of the former letters the Governor received one from Mr. Cushman, who went home in the ship and was always intimate with Mr. Weston,—as former passages prove. It had seemed strange that nothing was heard from him all this while; but it seems it was the difficulty of sending, for this letter was directed as if from a wife in England to her husband who was here, and was brought by him to the Governor. It was as follows. _Robert Cushman in England to Governor Bradford at New Plymouth_: Beloved Sir, I heartily salute you, trusting you are well, and with many thanks for your love. By God’s providence we got home safely on the 17th Feb., being robbed by the French on the way and taken by them into France, where we were kept 15 days and lost all that we had that was worth taking. But thanks be to God we escaped with our lives and our ship. It does not seem to have discouraged any here. I purpose by God’s grace to see you shortly, I hope in June next or before. In the meantime consider well the following. Mr. Weston has quite broken off from our company, through some disagreement that arose between him and some of the other adventurers, and has sold all his adventurers and has now sent three small ships for his particular colony. Of the biggest of these, which is 100 tons, Mr. Reynolds is captain; Mr. Weston intends to come himself with the others,—why I know not.