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a relative, an intimate friend, and a poetical correspondent of Robert Dinsmoor, a brother of Governor Dinsmoor, and well known in the State as the author of "The Rustic Bard."

Gov. Thomas Dudley's Letter to the Count·ess of Lincoln. March, 1631.

[The copy of Gov. Dudley's Letter to the Countess of Lincoln, from which the following is printed, has lately been discovered by one of the Publishing Committee in a munuscript, of the chirography of the beginning of the 17th century, and bound up with Johnson's Wonder Working Providence and Winslow's New England Salamander Discovered. works printed more than 180 years since. It is valuable on account of its containing much more than the printed copy which was used by the annalist, Mr. Prince, and which is preserved in the 8th volume first series, of the Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society. It is to be regretted that the first part of the manuscript is missing-how much cannot be ascertained, but probably only a small part. The description_of the Bays and Rivers is wanting, and a few lines, giving some account of the Indians. It has been copied and compared with scrupulous care, the orthography not only being retained, but the abbreviations, and divisions into paragraphs.— There is good reason to believe that the original printed copy was made from this manuscript, just so much of it being marked as was printed, and having the printer's mark for the end of the signature. The introduction being lost from the MS., it is here copied from the Collections referred to.]

To the Right Honourable, my very good Lady, the Lady BRIDGET, Countess of Lincoln.

MADAM,

Your letters (which are not common nor cheap) following me hither into New England, and bringing with them renewed testimonies of the accustomed favours you honoured me with in the old, have drawn from me this narative retribution, which (in respect of your proper interest in some persons of great note amongst us) was the thankfullest present I had to send over the seas. Therefore I humbly intreat your

Honour this be accepted as payment from him, who netiher hath, nor is any more, than

Your Honour's

Old

Thankful Servant,

THOMAS DUDLEY.

Boston in New England,
March 12th 1630.*

For the satisfaction of your Honour, and some friends, and for the use of such as shall hereaf ter intend to increase our plantation in New England, I have in the throng of domestick, and not altogether free from publick business, thought fit to commit to memory our present condition, and what hath befallen us since our arrival here; which I will do shortly, after my usual manner, and must do rudely, having yet no table, nor other room to write in, than by the fire-side upon my knee, in this sharp winter; to which my family must have leave to resort, though they break good manners, and make me sometimes forget what I would say, and say what I would not.

(Here commences the ancient MS. copy, which probably contained an account of the Bays and. Rivers, and then a brief notice of the Indian tribes living on them.)

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* Sachim in New England whom I saw the last somer. Vpon the river of Naponset neere to the Mattachusetts feilds dwelleth Chicka Talbott, who hath betweene 50 and 60 subiects. This man least favoureth the English of any Sagamore (for soe are the kinges with vs called, as they are Sachims Southwards) wee are acquainted with, by reason of

*That is, 1631, the double date being omitted.

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the old quarrell betweene him and those of Plymouth, wherein hee lost 7 of his best men, yet hee lodged one night the last winter at my house in freindly manner. About 70 or 80 miles westward from theis, are seated the Nipnett men, whose Sagamore wee know not, but wee heare their numbers exceed any but the Pecoates and the Narragansets, and they are the only people wee yet heare of in the inland Country. Vppon the river of Mistick is seated Saggamore John,* and vppon the river Sawgus, Sagamore Jamest his brother, both soe named by the English.The elder brother John is a handsome young (one line missing) conversant with vs, affecting English Apparell and howses and speaking well of our God. His brother James is of a farr worse disposition, yet repaireth often to vs. Both theis brothers command not above 30 or 40 men for aught I can learne. Neer to Salem dwelleth 2 or 3 families, subiect to the Saggamore of Agawam, whose name he tould mee, but I have forgotten it. This Sagamore hath but few subiects and them and himself tributary to Sagamore James, hauinge beene before the last yeare (in James his minority) tributary to Chicka Talbott. Vppon the river Merimack is seated Sagamore Passaconaway, haueing under his command 4 or 500 men, being esteemed by his countrymen a false fellow, and by vs a wich. For any more northerly I know not, but leave it to after relacons. Haueing thus breifly and disorderly, especially in my description of the Bays and Rivers set downe what is come to hand touching the (one line missing)

*[His Indian name was Wonohaquaham.]

His original name was Montowampate. He died three years after the dato of this letter. Lewis, Hist. Lynn, 16, 17.]

Now concerninge the English that are planted here, I find that about the year 1620, certaine English sett out from Leyden, in Holland, intending their course for Hudson's river; the mouth whereof lyeth south of the river of the Pecoates, but ariseth as I am informed, northwards in about 43 degrees, and soe a good part of it within the compass of our Patent. Theis being much weather beaten and wearied with seeking the river after a most tedious voyage, arrived at length in a small Bay, lyeing north east from Cape Cod, where, landing about the moenth of December, by the favour of a calm winter, such as was never seene here since, beganne to build their dwellinges in that place, which now is called New Plymouth, where, af ter much sicknes, famine, povertie and great mortality, (through all which God by an unwonted Providence caryed them) they are now groune vpp to a people, healthfull, wealthy, politique and religious: such thinges doth the Lord for those that waite for his mercies. Theis of Plymouth came with Patents from King James, and have since obtained others from our Sovereigne King Charles, hauinge a Governour and Counsaile of their owne. There was about the same time one Mr. Wesen,* an English merchant, who sent diverse men to plant and trade who sate downe by the river Wesaguscus, but theis not comeing for soe good ends as those of Plymouth, spedd not soe well, for the most of them dyinge and languishing away, they who survived were rescued by those of Plymouth out of the hands of

*[Thomas Weston, who commenced in May 1622, the settlement of Weymouth, a town, although the settlement was suspended a short time, probably the oldest in Massachusetts, out of Plymouth Colony. He returned to England, and died at Bristol.]

Chicka Talbott, and his Indians, who oppressed these weake English, and intended to have distroyed them, and the Plymotheans also, as is set downe in a tract written by Mr. Winslow of Plymouth. Also since, one Capt. Wollastone wth. some 30 with him, came neer to the same place, aud built on a hill, which he named Mount Wollaston; but being not supplied with renewed provisions, they vanished away as the former did. Also, diverse merchants of Bristow and some other places have yearly for theis 8 years or thereabouts sent ships hether at the fishing times to trade for Beaver where there factors dishonestly for their gaines, haue furnished the Indians with guns, swords, powder and shott.

Touching the plantacon which wee here haue begun, it fell out thus:-About the yeare 1627, some friends beeing togeather in Lincolnshire, fell into some discourse about New England, and the plantinge of the gospell there; and after some deliberation wee imparted our resaons by lres. and messages to some in London and the west country, where it was likewise deliberately thought vppon, and at length with often negotiation soe ripened that in the year 1628, wee procured a patent from his Matie for our planting betweene the Matachusets Bay and Charles River on the south and the River of Merimack on the North; and 3 miles on eyther side of those Rivers and Bay; as allso for the goverment of those who did or should inhabit wth. in that compass: and the same yeare, we sent Mr. John Endicott* and

[*The PLANTERS PLEA, printed at London, by William Jones, in 1630, gives the following account of this emigration. "Master Endecott was sent over Governour assisted with a few men, and arriving in safety there, in September 1628, and uniting his own men with those which were formerly planted in the country, into one body; they made up in all not much above fiftie or sixtie persons. His prosperous Iourney and safe arrivall of himselfe and all his Company, and good report he sent backe of the Country, gave such encouragement to the worke, that

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