leauing all them they found and caried to New England well and in health, with victuall and corne sufficient till the next haruest.

The copie of [a] Letter sent by this ship.

Louing cousin, at our ar[r]iuall at New Plimmoth in New England, we found all our friends and planters in good health, though they were left sicke and weake with very small meanes, the Indians round about vs peaceable and friendly, the country very pleasant and temperate, yielding naturally of it self great store of fruites, as vines of diuers sorts in great abundance. There is likewise walnuts, chesnuts, small nuts and plums, with much varietie of flowers, rootes, and herbs, no lesse pleasant then wholsome and profitable: no place hath more goose-berries and straw-berries, nor better. Timber of all [the] sorts you haue in England, doth couer the Land, that affoords beasts of diuers sorts, and great flocks of Turkies, Quailes, Pigeons, and Partriges: many great lakes abounding with fish, fowle, Beuers, and Otters. The sea affoords vs as great plenty of all excellent sorts of sea-fish, as the riuers and Iles doth varietie of wilde fowle of most usefull sorts. Mines we find to our thinking, but neither the goodnesse nor qualitie we know. Better grain cannot be then the Indian corne, if we will plant it upon as good ground as a man need desire. We are all free-holders, the rent day doth not trouble vs; and all those good blessings we have, of which and what we list in their seasons for taking. Our companie are for most part very religious honest people; the word of God sincerely taught vs euery Sabbath: so that I know not any thing a contented mind can here want. I desire your friendly care to send my wife and children to me, where I wish all the friends I haue in England, and so I rest

Your louing kinsman
William Hilton.

From the West country, went ten or twelue ships to fish, which were all well fraughted; those that came first at Bilbow made 17 pounds a single share, besides Beuer, Otters and Martins skins: but some of the rest that came to the same ports that were already furnished, so glutted the market, their price was abated; yet all returned so well contented, they are a preparing to go againe.

There is gone from the West of England onely to fish 35 ships, and about the last of April [1622] two more from London, the one of 100 Tuns, the other of 30, with some 60 passengers to supply the plantation [of T. Weston] with all necessary prouisions.

Now though the Turke and French hath bin somewhat too busie, would all the Christian princes but be truly at vnitie, as his royal Maiestie our Soueraigne Lord and King desireth, 70 saile of good ships were sufficient to fire the most of his coasts in the Leuant, and make such a guard in the straits of Hellespont, as would make the great Turke himselfe more afraid in Constantinople, then the smallest red crosse, [that] crosses the seas, would be, either of any French Piccaroun, or the pirats of Argere.

An abstract of Letters sent from the Collony in New England, July 16, 1622.

Since the newes of the massacre in Virginia [22 Mar. 1622], though the Indians continue their wonted friendship, yet are we more wary of them then before; for their hands hath bin embrued in much English blood, onely by too much confidence, but not by force.

Here I must intreate a little your fauours to digresse. They did not kill the English because they were Christians, but for their weapons and commodities, that were rare nouelties; but now they feare we may beate them out of their dens, which Lions and Tygers would not admit but by force. But must this be an argument for an English man, or discourage any either in Virginia or New England? No: for I haue tried them both.

For Virginia, I kept that country with 38, and had not to eate but what we had from the sauages. When I had ten men able to go abroad, our common wealth was very strong: with such a number I ranged that vnknown country 14 weeks; I had but 18 to subdue them all, with which great army I stayed six weekes