In the fall of 1617, John Carver and Robert Cushman were dispatched to London to confer with Sir Edwin Sandys about the matter. Sandys was a brother of Sir Samuel Sandys, at that time lessee of the Scrooby Manor, in which Brewster had lived, and was favorably disposed toward the Leyden people. He was also a member of the East India, Bermuda, and Virginia companies, the last of which he was virtually managing at the time of the emissaries' arrival, owing to the illness of that Company's treasurer.[207] The “Seven Articles of the Church at Leyden,” which the Pilgrims had carefully worded in the somewhat naïve expectation that they might satisfy the authorities without committing themselves, were privately submitted to some of the members of the Virginia Council, and approved; so that Sandys wrote hopefully of the prospects to Robinson and Brewster.[208] The upshot of the matter, however, was what might have been expected, or was perhaps even more favorable than should reasonably have been hoped for under the circumstances. The King would not grant them toleration under his “broad seale, according to their desires,” which would naturally have got him into serious difficulties politically; but, apparently, he did agree to “connive at them, and not molest them, provided they carried themselves peaceably.”[209] They wisely decided that, if this were not enough, nothing would be, for, if the King meant to wrong them “though they had a seale as broad as the house floor, it would not serve the turne, for ther would be means enow found to recall or revers it.”[210] With this and, perhaps, the vain regret that they had not let sleeping dogs lie, they had to be content. Footnote 207: Brown, _Genesis_, pp. 991-94. Footnote 208: Correspondence in Bradford, _Plymouth_, pp. 31-38. The articles are reprinted by E. D. Neill, _History of the Virginia Company of London_ (Albany, 1869), pp. 123 _f._; Arber, _Pilgrim Fathers_, pp. 280 _f._; and elsewhere. Footnote 209: Bradford, _Plymouth_, pp. 29 _ff._ Footnote 210: _Ibid._, p. 30. The next step was to secure a patent, and find “adventurers,”—as men were still called who invested in such enterprises,—who would supply the necessary money. Owing to the dissensions in the Virginia Company, which now became acute, the negotiations were delayed; but on April 19, 1619, that company elected Sandys treasurer; and a patent, taken out in the name of John Wincob, “comended to the Company by the Earle of Lincolne,” received its seal June 9.[211] This was never made use of, and apparently the one they intended to utilize was that previously granted to John Pierce, on February 2, antedating a later one to the same person.[212] Footnote 211: