an English merchant named Weston, who had long
endeavored to encourage the colonization of New England; but from very
different motives to those which had actuated the Pilgrim Fathers, and
led them to forsake the comforts of a European home for the toils and
uncertainties of an American wilderness. A desire for profit appears to
have been the ruling principle in Weston's mind. He was, therefore,
very indifferent as to the moral character of the men whom he sent out
to join the emigrants, and was only solicitous to secure a quick return
of the money that he had expended: and, finding that the prospect of
gain from a connection with the New Plymouthers was doubtful and tardy,
he had resolved to found a colony himself.

For this purpose he had, some time previously, obtained a grant of a
portion of land in Massachusetts, and sent over sixty men to cultivate
it, in two ships, which he placed under the command of his brother-in-
law. The arrival of this fresh band of emigrants had proved a fruitful
source of trouble and annoyance to the first settlers, for they were
chiefly idle and profligate vagabonds, who had no settled occupation at
home, and no characters to sustain. Weston himself described them in a
letter to Bradford, as 'tolerably rude and profane.' And a friend of
the Pilgrims wrote from England to warn them against having any
connection with the new colony: and recommended them to have it
distinctly explained to the Indians, that they were a new and
independent society, for whose conduct and good faith they could in no
way be responsible.

Notwithstanding all these warnings, and the very unprepossessing
appearance of the new emigrants, the Plymouthers had shown more
kindness and hospitality than they had prudence and caution: and had
received their countrymen into their own settlement on their arrival in
America. They had even permitted on half of their number to reside at
New Plymouth during the whole summer, while the strongest and
healthiest had proceeded to Massachusetts to fix on a spot for their
settlement, and prepare habitations. They had decided on a place called
Wessagussett,[*] a little to the south of Boston; and thither they were
afterwards followed by their companions from New Plymouth. The long
residence of these men among the pious and high-minded Pilgrims had
not, however, made any salutary impression on their minds: and all the
kindness and hospitality they had received were most ungratefully