the freedom of his Israel, by the overthrow of his and their enemies; for which his mercy, let his holy name be praised for evermore.
The storm was blown over, yet sundry sad effects followed, for the company of the merchant adventurers break in pieces hereupon, and the greatest part wholly deserted the colony, but yet God took care of it; for although sundry of them fell off and adventured no more towards the support thereof, but rather proved manifest adversaries thereunto than otherwise; and the rest partly because they were grown (some of them) low in their estates, and there being small hopes of returns to their expectations; although courteous in words and well wishes, yet afforded little or no help after this, so that the plantation was fain to stand on their own legs, being indeed marvellously supported by the Lord, for it pleased him so to bless their endeavours, as that they raised great crops of Indian corn (about this time), so as they had enough and to spare, and began to have thoughts of improving part of it in a way of trading with the Indians, and having only two shallops and no bigger vessels, they laid a deck on one of them in the midships, to preserve the corn dry from weather, and so sent her laden with corn, to a place called Kennebeck, about fifty leagues off to the eastward;9
and notwithstanding they were strangers to the way, and place of trade, and to the people, and having no seamen, and, at that season, being the latter end of the year and drawing on to winter; yet it pleased God to preserve them, and so to bless their endeavours, as that they returned in safety, and with good success, it being the first enterprise they achieved in this kind, at least so far, and it proved an inlet to a further trade, which was greatly beneficial to them afterwards.And here I may not omit the observable dispensation of God’s providence, respecting his dealing with the adventurers aforementioned, in reference unto two ships they sent unto these parts about that time, on a fishing voyage only upon their own account, having left the plantation to shift for themselves; one of these ships was a small one, namely, the James, forenamed, which was well laden with cod-fish, and in her a great quantity likewise of beaver and other furs,10
which was sent by the plantation to the adventurers, and returned for England; the other ship was also laden with good dry fish, and she also returned with her; being thus well freighted, they went together lovingly and joyfully away, the greater ship towing the lesser at her stern all the way over bound, and had such fair weather as they never cast her off till they were shot deep into the English channel, almost within sight of Plimouth, and yet there she was unhappily taken by a Turkish man-of-war, and carried into Sallee, where the master and men were made slaves, and many of the beaver skins were sold for fourpence apiece. Thus were all their hopes dashed in this respect, and the joyful news they went to carry home, turned into heavy tidings. Some thought this an hand of God for some unkindness showed to the plantation, by exaction upon them in reference to a parcel of goods they a little before had sent over to them on extreme rates; but God’s judgments are unsearchable, neither ought we to be too bold therewith. But, however, it shows us the uncertainty of all human things, and what little cause there is in joying in them, or trusting to them.In the bigger of these ships, Capt. Miles Standish went over as agent in the behalf of the plantation, in reference unto some particulars yet depending betwixt them and the adventurers; as also to the honourable council of New England; and notwithstanding some difficulty he met with in his occasions by reason of the pestilence which was then so hot in the city of London,11
yet he accomplished his business so as he left things in a fair way for future composition, betwixt the said merchant adventurers and the plantation; and he spake also with some of the honourable council, aforenamed, who promised all helpfulness to the plantation, that lay in them. About this time it pleased the Lord likewise to give peace, health, and good success on their endeavours, his holy name be praised.1626.
About the beginning of April, they heard of Capt. Standish’s arrival, and sent a boat to fetch him home; welcome he was, but the news he brought was sad in many regards, not only in regard to the aforementioned losses which their friends had, and some of them dead of the plague, but also that Mr. John Robinson, their pastor was dead, which struck them with much sorrow and sadness, as they had great cause; his and their adversaries had been long and continually plotting how they might hinder his coming into New England,12
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