one hundred and nine souls. This ship suffered the greatest extremity at sea, at her second setting forth, as is seldom the like heard of. It was about the middle of February that the storm began, and it continued for the most part of fourteen days, but for two or three days and nights together, in most violent extremity. At the beginning of the storm, their boat being above decks, was thrown overboard; they spent their main-mast, their roundhouse was beaten off with the storm, and all the upper works of their ship; he that stood to give direction for the guiding of her before the sea, was made fast, to prevent his washing overboard, and the seas did so overrake them, as that many times those upon the deck knew not whether they were within board or without; and by her extreme leaking, being a very rotten ship, and the storm increasing, she was once very near foundering in the sea, so as they thought she would never rise again: notwithstanding the Lord was pleased of his great mercy to preserve them; and after great weather-beating and extraordinary danger, they arrived safe at Portsmouth in Hampshire, to the wonderment of all that beheld in what condition they were, and heard what they had endured.¹⁸

Upon the return of the said Mr. John Pierce for England (he being personally in this his ship in the so sad storm), the other merchant adventurers got him to assign over the grand patent to the company, which he had taken in his own name, and made quite void their former patent.

About the latter end of June, came in a ship¹⁹ at Plimouth with Capt. Francis West, who had a commission to be admiral of New England, to restrain interlopers, and such fishing ships as came to fish and trade without license from the council of New England, for which they should pay a great sum of money; but he could do no good of them, for they were too strong for him, and he found the fishermen to be refractory, and their owners, upon complaint made to the Parliament, procured an order that fishing should be free. He told the governor of Plimouth that they spoke with a ship at sea, and were on board her, that was coming to the said plantation of Plimouth, in which were sundry passengers, and they marvelled she was not arrived, fearing some miscarriage; for they lost her in a storm that fell shortly after they had been on board; which relation filled them full of fears, yet mixed with hope. The master of the ship had two hogsheads of peas to sell, but seeing their wants, held them at nine pounds sterling an hogshead, and under eight he would not take, and yet would have beaver at an underrate; but they told him they had lived so long without, and would do still, rather than give so unreasonably; so the said ship went from Plimouth to Virginia.

The²⁰It may not here be omitted, that notwithstanding all their great pains and industry, and the great hopes they had of a large crop, the Lord seemed to threaten them with more and sorer famine by a great drought, which continued from the third week in May, until the middle of July, without any rain, and with great heat of weather for the most part, insomuch that their corn began to wither away, although it was planted with fish, according to the usual manner in those times; yet at length it began to languish sore, and some of the drier grounds was parched like withered hay, part whereof was never recovered. Upon which they set apart a solemn day of humiliation, to seek the Lord by humble and fervent prayer in this great distress;²¹ and he was pleased to give them a gracious and speedy answer, both to their own and the Indians’ admiration, that lived amongst them; for all the morning and the greatest part of the day, it was clear weather, and very hot, and not a cloud nor any sign of rain to be seen, yet towards evening it began to be overcast, and shortly after to rain, with such sweet and gentle showers, as gave them cause of rejoicing and blessing God. It came without either wind or thunder, or any violence, and by degrees in that abundance, as that the earth was thoroughly wet and soaked therewith, which did so apparently revive and quicken the decayed corn and other fruits, as was wonderful, and made the Indians astonished to behold.²² A little before the Lord sent this rain of liberalities upon his people, one of them having occasion to go to the house of the aforenamed Hobamak, the Indian, he, the said Hobamak, said unto him, “I am much troubled for the English, for I am afraid they will lose all their corn by the drought, and so they will be all starved; as for the Indians, they can shift better than the English, for they can get fish to help themselves.” But afterwards the same man having occasion to go again to his house, he said to him, “Now I see that the Englishman’s God is a good God, for he hath heard you, and sent you rain, and that without storms and tempests and thunder, which usually we have with our rain, which breaks down our corn, but yours stands whole and good still; surely your God is a good God;” or with words to the like effect.²³