Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647

In 1636, Winslow—now back from England—becomes governor. The Pilgrims’ problems with the partners continue to mount as an outbreak of the plague in England has, according to Sherley, prevented the sale of most of the animal skins the Pilgrims have sent over. When they learn this, the Pilgrims decide not to send over any more skins for the time being, particularly because they believe they have already supplied the partners with more than enough goods to cancel out their debt. The question of just how much the Pilgrims owe is confused because of poor bookkeeping on their part and also because the English partners allege that Sherley has not split the payments with them.

In the meantime, the Pilgrims profit from an accident that befalls the Massachusetts colony: the wreck of two supply ships traveling to the Massachusetts settlers in Connecticut. Bradford suggests that the events may be a form of divine retribution for Massachusetts' incursions into a region Plymouth owns a patent for.

The Massachusetts colony also becomes involved in a war between the Narragansett and the Pequot—a "warlike tribe that had conquered many of its neighbours and was puffed up with numerous victories" (184). Massachusetts had historically been friendly with the Narragansetts, but when the Pequot reach out about a possible alliance, the colony is initially receptive. After visiting with the tribe, however, they reject the idea, and a man named John Oldham is subsequently killed while on a trading expedition. Massachusetts seeks revenge for his death but does so "so superficially"(185) that it only causes further problems:

Some of the murderers of Oldham fled to the Pequots, and though the English went to the Pequots and had some parley with them, they only deluded them, and the English returned without doing anything effective. After the English had returned, the Pequots watched their opportunity to kill some of the English as they passed in boats, or went out following, and next spring even attacked them in their homes (185-186).

That same year, Smith retires from the ministry, but the Pilgrims find an "able and godly man, Mr. John Rayner" (186) to replace him, as Norton had ended up leaving for Ipswich after just one year in Plymouth.

The conflict between Massachusetts and the Pequot continues into the spring of 1637, with the Pequot launching attacks on settlers along the Connecticut River and ultimately attempting to seize a fort. In response, the Governor of Massachusetts, Mr. Vane, writes to Plymouth asking for help. An exchange of letters follows, as the Pilgrims "took the opportunity to write to [Massachusetts] about some previous events" (186). Plymouth's reservations become clearer in Massachusetts’s response, which attempts to rebut them. Governor Winthrop claims that Massachusetts settlers have not been trading at Kennebec or with the French and argues that the present situation is not comparable to Plymouth's earlier skirmishes with the French, which Massachusetts declined to participate in. He also suggests the Pilgrims should come to Massachusetts's aid for reasons including their own safety: "We suppose you look upon the Pequots and all other Indians as a common enemy, who though he may vent the first outburst of his rage upon some one section of the English, nevertheless, if he succeed, will thereupon pursue his advantage to the undoing of the whole nation" (187). Finally, Winthrop warns Plymouth that failure to help could cost them a potential ally, either because the Massachusetts colony will be destroyed or because public sentiment there will turn against the Pilgrims.

Meanwhile, the Pequot have been using what Bradford calls "pernicious arguments" (188) to urge the Narragansett to ally with them against the English settlers. These attempts are ultimately unsuccessful, however, and a joint force of Narragansett and Connecticut River settlers launch a successful strike on the Pequot even before Plymouth has the chance to send additional men. The colonists play the leading role in the victorious attack on the Pequot stronghold, which Bradford recounts in detail: "Others of the attacking party ran to their houses and set them on fire, the mats catching quickly, and, all standing close together, the wind soon fanned them into a blaze—in fact more were burnt to death than killed otherwise" (189).

A letter from Winthrop explains the fallout from this attack. The settlers hunt down the remaining Pequot, killing two sachems and eventually driving a large group of men, women, and children into a swamp. Several Pequot die in the ensuing fight, many hundreds are taken prisoner, and some escape to seek refuge with other tribes. These tribes are often reluctant to provide sanctuary, however: the Mohawk, for instance, execute the chief Pequot sachem when he comes to him. This puts an end to the war, and the remaining Pequot either submit to the rule of the Narragansett or find sanctuary with the Monhigg—something that irritates the Narragansett, who want "whole sway" (192) over the Pequot.

Finally, 1637 also draws the Pilgrims deeper into the dispute between Sherley and the other English partners, two of whom write to Plymouth complaining that Sherley still has not divided the profits with them. The Pilgrims accordingly decide to send furs directly to the other partners and take steps to end their association with Sherley.

In the aftermath of the Pequot war, a veteran named Arthur Peach is executed for murder, along with two other men. Peach had a record of "good service" (192) but becomes restless after the war and stirs up discontent:

Being now out of means and loth to work, and taking to idle ways and company, he intended to go to the Dutch colony, and had lured the other three [men], who were servants and apprentices, to go with him. But there was also another cause for his going away secretly in this manner; he had not only run into debt, but he had seduced a girl, a maid-servant in the town, and fear of punishment made him wish to get away(193).

While on the run, the men come across a Narragansett man, whom Peach attacks after inviting him to share a smoke. The man is wounded but escapes, living long enough to explain what happened to the Narragansett, who fear the English are betraying them as the Pequot had predicted. To assuage these concerns, the Pilgrims therefore try and execute Peach and his accomplices over the complaints of the "more ignorant colonists [who] objected that an Englishman should be put to death for an Indian" (194).

Meanwhile, the Pilgrims continue to have problems with the partners, who blame the Pilgrims for their difficulties with Sherley. Nevertheless, trade—particularly in cattle and corn—continues to be profitable. In fact, these two goods are so lucrative that many of the investors lose interest in other forms of trade, and the trading house at Kennebec barely escapes being closed down: "But a few of [the investors] […] joined with some others and agreed to give the colony about one-sixth of the profits from it. […] [F]or, as some well foresaw, such high prices for corn and cattle could not long continue, and the revenue got by trade would be much missed" (195). This quickly proves true, since the next several farming seasons suffer from unseasonably cold and wet weather, which Bradford suggests may have been caused by an earthquake that strikes in the summer of 1638. This earthquake occurs just as "several of the chief citizens" (195) are debating leaving Plymouth, "as if the Lord would hereby show His displeasure at their thus shaking apart and removing from one another" (195).