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The present estate of New-Plimoth.
AT New-Plimoth there is about 180 persons, some cattell and goats,* 1.1 but many swine and poultry, 32 dwelling houses, whereof 7 were burnt the last winter, and the value of fiue hundred pounds in other goods; the Towne is impailed about halfe a mile compasse. In the towne vpon a high Mount they haue a Fort well built with wood, lome, and stone, where is planted their Ordnance: Also a faire Watch-tower, partly framed for the Senti∣nell, the place it seemes is healthfull, for in these last three yeeres, notwithstan∣ding their great want of most necessaries, there hath not one died of the first planters, they haue made a salt worke, and with that salt preserue the fish they take, and this yeare hath fraughted a ship of 180. tunnes. The Gouernour is one Mr. William Bradford, their Captaine Miles Standish; a bred Souldier in Holland; the chiefe men for their assistance is Master Isaak Alderton, and diuers others as occasion serueth; their Preachers are Master William Bruster and Master Iohn Layford.
The most of them liue together as one family or houshold,* 1.2 yet euery man fol∣loweth his trade and profession both by sea and land, and all for a generall stocke, out of which they haue all their maintenance, vntill there be a diuident betwixt the Planters and the Aduenturers. Those Planters are not seruants to the Ad∣uenturers here, but haue onely councells of directions from them, but no iniun∣ctions or command, and all the masters of families are partners in land or whatso∣euer, setting their labours against the stocke, till certaine yeeres be expired for the diuision: they haue young men and boies for their Apprentises and seruants, and some of them speciall families, as Ship-carpenters, Salt-makers, Fish-masters, yet as seruants vpon great wages. The Aduenturers which raised the stocke to begin and supply this Plantation were about 70. some Gentlemen, some Merchants, some handy-crafts men, some aduenturing great summes, some small, as their estates and affection serued. The generall stocke already imploied is about 7000. l. by reason of which charge and many crosses, many of them would aduenture no more, but others that knowes, so great a designe cannot bee effected without both charge, losse and crosses, are resolued to goe forward with it to their pow∣ers; which deserue no small commendations and encouragement. These dwell most about London, they are not a corporation, but knit together by a voluntary combination in a society without constraint or penalty, aiming to doe good & to plant Religion; they haue a President & Treasurer, euery yeere newly chosen by the most voices, who ordereth the affaires of their Courts and meetings, and with the assent of the most of them, vndertaketh all ordinary businesses, but in more weighty affaires, the assent of the whole Company is required. There hath beene a fishing this yeere vpon the Coast about 50. English ships: and by Cape Anne, there is a Plantation a beginning by the Dorchester men, which they hold of those of New-Plimoth, who also by them haue set vp a fishing worke; some talke there is some other pretended Plantations, all whose good proceedings the eternal God protect and preserue. And these haue beene the true proceedings and accidents in thos•• Plantations.
Now to make a particular relation of all the acts and orders in the Courts be∣longing vnto them, of the anihilating old Patents and procuring new; with the charge, paines and arguments, the reasons of such changes, all the treaties, con∣sultations, orations, and dissentions about the sharing and diuiding those large territories, confirming of Counsailers, electing all sorts of Officers, directions, Letters of aduice, and their answers, disputations about the Magazines and Im∣positions, su••ers for Patents, positions for Freedomes, and confirmations with complaints of iniuries here, and also the mutinies, examinations, arraignements, executions, and the cause of the so oft reuolt of the Saluages at large, as many