in England, but at one time with Dutch pretensions in New England, which
emanated from Fort Manhattan on the future site of New York City.
Perceiving clearly that they possessed a place of immense natural
advantage, the desire of these Hollanders was enlarged, to extend their
area, both commercially and politically, from this safe and promising
base. They therefore sent letters to Plymouth in its seventh year, the
year of the trading station's establishment near Buzzard's Bay on the
south.

Correspondence opened with this ample salutation as rendered in
English:

"Noble, honorable, wise and prudent Lords, the Governor and Councillors
residing in New Plymouth, our very good friends."

Bradford replied with an equally cordial tone, in which lay no lack of
sincerity:

"To the Honoured, &c.

"The Gov^r & Counsell of New Plim: wisheth, &c. We have received your
letters, &c. wherin appeareth your good wills & frendship toward us; but
is expressed with over high titls, more than belongs to us, or is meete
for us to receive. But for your good will, and congratulations of our
prosperitie in these smale beginings of our pore colonie, we are much
bound unto you, and with many thanks doe acknowledge y^e same; taking it
both for a great honour done unto us, and for a certaine testimony of
your love and good neighborhood."

After this modest beginning of his message, one discerns in the next
sentence, underneath its tenor of genuine amity, a deep note of well
disguised warning, that no open question exists in the matter of mutual
territorial relations. Thus the subordinate and latent inference is
couched, almost like some unintended meaning which nevertheless carries
more weight than with a studied significance; for Bradford's very
honesty itself was his constant safety:

"Now these are further to give your Wor^{pps} to understand, that it is
to us no smale joye to hear, that his majestie hath not only bene
pleased to confirme y^t ancient amitie, aliance, and frendship, and
other contracts, formerly made & ratified by his predecessors of famous
memorie, but hath him selfe (as you say) strengthened the same with a
new-union the better to resist y^e prid of y^t comone enemy y^e
Spaniard, from whose cruelty the Lord keep us both, and our native
countries."

Following the adroit but legitimate suggestion, that their harmony is
the more desirable in view of their natural foes, he concludes with this
reminder of their former h