st were glad to come to them; for
after midnight y^e wind shifted to the north-west, & it frose hard.
But though this had been a day & night of much trouble & danger unto
them, yet God gave them a morning of comforte and refreshing (as
usually he doth to his children), for y^e next day was a faire
sunshinig day, and they found them selvs to be on an iland secure from
y^e Indeans, wher they might drie their stufe, fixe their peeces, &
rest them selves, and gave God thanks for his mercies, in their
manifould deliverances. And this being the last day of y^e weeke, they
prepared ther to keepe y^e Sabath. On Munday they sounded y^e harbor,
and founde it fitt for shipping; and marched into y^e land, & found
diverse cornfields, & little runing brooks, a placed (as they
supposed) fitt for situation; at least it was y^e best they could
find, and y^e season, & their presente necessitie, made them glad to
accept of it. So they returned to their shipp againe with this news to
y^e rest of their people, which did much comforte their harts.

On y^e 15. of Desem^r. they wayed anchor to goe to y^e place they had
discovered, & came within 2. leagues of it, but were faine to bear up
againe; but y^e 16. day y^e winde came faire, and they arrived safe in
this harbor.[3] And afterwards took better view of y^e place, and
resolved wher to pitch their dwelling; and y^e 25. day begane to
erecte y^e first house for comone use to receive them and their goods.

I shall a litle returne backe and begine with a combination made by
them before they came ashore, being y^e first foundation of their
governmente in this place; occasioned partly by y^e discontented and
mutinous speeches that some of the strangers amongst them had let fall
from them in y^e ship--That when they came ashore they would use their
own libertie; for none had power to comand them, the patente they had
being for Virginia, and not for New-england, which belonged to an
other Government, with which y^e Virginia Company had nothing to doe.
And partly that shuch an acte by them done (this their condition
considered) might be as firme as any patent, and in some respects more
sure. The forme was as followeth:

"In y^e name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwriten, the loyall
subjects of our dread soveraigne Lord, King James, by y^e Grace of
God, of Great Britaine, Franc, & Ireland king, defender of y^e faith,
&c., having undertaken, for y^e glorie of God, and advancemente of y^e
Chr