for the most part; so wonderful is his powerful providence over his in all ages; for his mercy endureth for ever.

About the middle of September arrived Capt. Robert Gorges, in the day of the Massachusetts, with sundry passengers and families, intended there to begin a plantation, and pitched upon that place, which Mr. Weston forenamed had forsaken. He had a commission from the council of New England to be general governor of the country; and they appointed, for his council and assistants, Capt. Francis West, the aforesaid admiral, Christopher Levet, Esq., and the governor of Plimouth for the time being. Also they gave him authority to choose such others as he should find fit. Also they gave, by their commission, full power to him and his assistants, or any three of them (whereof himself was always to be one), to do and execute what to them should seem good, in all cases, capital, criminal, and civil; with divers other instructions; of which, and his commission, it pleased him to suffer the governor of Plimouth to take a copy.

He, meeting with the aforesaid Mr. Weston at Plimouth, called him before him and some other of the assistants, with the governor of Plimouth aforesaid, and charged him with the ill carriage of his men at the Massachusetts, by which means the peace of the country was disturbed, and himself and the people which he had brought over to plant in that bay, thereby much prejudiced. To which the said Weston easily answered, that what was done in that behalf, was done in his absence, and might have befallen any man. He left them sufficiently provided, and conceived they would have been well governed; and for any error committed he had sufficiently smarted.

Another particular was, an abuse done to his father, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, and to the state. The thing was this; he used him and others of the council of New England, to procure him a license for the transporting of many great pieces of ordnance for New England, pretending great fortification here in the country; for which when he had obtained, he sold them beyond sea for his private profit. At which the state was much offended, and his father suffered a shrewd check, and he had order to apprehend him.²⁴

The said Weston excused it as well as he could, but could not wholly deny it; but after much speech about it, by the mediation of the governor of Plimouth, and some other friends, the said Capt. Gorges was inclined to gentleness (though he apprehended the abuse of his father deeply), which when the said Weston perceived, he grew the more presumptuous, and gave such cutting and provoking speeches, as made the said captain rise up in great indignation and distemper, vowing, that he would either curb him, or send him home for England. At which the said Weston was daunted, and came privately to the governor of Plimouth, to know whether they would suffer him to send him for England? It was answered him, they could not hinder it; and much blamed him, that after they had pacified things, he should thus break out by his own folly and rashness, and bring trouble upon himself and others. He confessed it was his passion, and prayed the governor aforesaid to entreat for him, and procure a pacification for him if he could; the which at last he did obtain with much difficulty. So he was called again, and the said Capt. Gorges was content to take his own bond to be ready to make further answer, when either he or the lords of the council should send for him; and at last he took only his own word, and so there was a friendly parting on all hands.

Soon after this, the said Capt. Gorges took his leave and went to the Massachusetts by land, being very thankful for his kind entertainment. His ship stayed at Plimouth, and fitted for to go to Virginia, having some passengers to deliver there, and with her returned sundry of those from Plimouth, which came over on their particular account; some out of discontent and dislike of the country, and others by reason of fire that burnt their houses and all their provisions, so as they were necessitated thereunto.

This²⁵This fire was by some of the seamen, that were roystering in an house where it first began, making a great fire, the weather being cold, which broke out of the chimney into the thatch, and burnt three houses, and consumed all their goods and provisions. The house in which it began, was right against the storehouse at Plimouth, which they had much ado to save; in which was the common store of the provisions of the plantation, which had it been lost, the same had been overthrown; but through God’s