_After this came another of his ships_, and brought letters dated y^e 10. of Aprill, from M^r. Weston, as followeth.
M^r. Bradford, these, &c. _The Fortune_ is arived, of whose good news touching your estate & proce[=e]ings, I am very glad to hear. And how soever he was robed on y^e way by y^e Frenchmen, yet I hope your loss will not be great, for y^e conceite of so great a returne doth much animate y^e adventurers, so y^t I hope some matter of importance will be done by them, &c. As for my selfe, I have sould my adventure & debts unto them, so as I am quit[AT] of you, & you of me, for that matter, &c. Now though I have nothing to pretend as an adventurer amongst you, yet I will advise you a litle for your good, if you can apprehend it. I perceive & know as well as another, y^e dispositions of _your adventurers_, whom y^e hope of gaine hath drawne on to this they have done; and yet I fear y^t hope will not draw them much furder. Besids, _most of them are against the sending of them of Leyden, for whose cause this bussines was first begune_, and some of y^e most religious (as M^r. Greene by name) excepts against them. So y^t my advice is (you may follow it if you please) that you forthwith break of your joynte stock, which you have warente to doe, both in law & conscience, for y^e most parte of y^e adventurers have given way unto it by a former letter. And y^e means you have ther, which I hope will be to some purpose by y^e trade of this spring, may, with y^e help of some freinds hear, bear y^e charge of tr[=a]sporting those of Leyden; and when they are with you I make no question but by Gods help you will be able to subsist of your selves. But I shall leave you to your discretion.
I desired diverce of y^e adventurers, as M^r. Peirce, M^r. Greene, & others, if they had any thing to send you, either vitails or leters, to send them _by these ships_; and marvelling they sent not so much as a letter, I asked our passengers what leters they had, and with some dificultie one of them tould me he had one, which was delivered him with [76] great charge of secrecie; and for more securitie, to buy a paire of new-shoes, & sow it betweene y^e soles for fear of intercepting. I, taking y^e leter, wondering what mistrie might be in it, broke it open, and found this treacherous letter subscribed by y^e hands of M^r. Pickering & M^r. Greene. Wich leter had it come to you^r hands without answer, might have caused y^e hurt, if not y^e ruine, of us all. For assuredly if you had followed their instructions, and shewed us that unkindness which they advise you unto, to hold us in distruste as enimise, &c., it might have been an occasion to have set us togeather by y^e eares, to y^e distruction of us all. For I doe beleeve that in shuch a case, they knowing what bussines hath been betweene us, not only my brother, but others also, would have been violent, and heady against you, &c. I mente to have setled y^e people I before and now send, with or near you, as well for their as your more securitie and defence, as help on all occasions. But I find y^e adventurers so jealous & suspitious, that I have altered my resolution, & given order to my brother & those with him, to doe as they and him selfe shall find fitte. Thus, &c.