inds & famillier acquaintance, it was
much, and thought marvelous by many. But to goe into a countrie they
knew not (but by hearsay), wher they must learne a new language, and get
their livings they knew not how, it being a dear place, & subjecte to
y^e misseries of warr, it was by many thought an adventure almost
desperate, a case intolerable, & a misserie worse then death. Espetially
seeing they were not aquainted with trads nor traffique, (by which y^t
countrie doth subsiste,) but had only been used to a plaine countrie
life, & y^e inocente trade of husbandrey. But these things did not
dismay them (though they did some times trouble them) for their desires
were sett on y^e ways of God, & to injoye his ordinances; but they
rested on his providence, & knew whom they had beleeved. Yet [8] this
was not all, for though they could not stay, yet were y^e not suffered
to goe, but y^e ports and havens were shut against them, so as they were
faine to seeke secrete means of conveance, & to bribe & fee y^e
mariners, & give exterordinarie rates for their passages. And yet were
they often times betrayed (many of them), and both they & their goods
intercepted & surprised, and therby put to great trouble & charge, of
which I will give an instance or tow, & omitte the rest.

Ther was a large companie of them purposed to get passage at Boston in
Lincoln-shire, and for that end had hired a shipe wholy to them selves,
& made agreement with the maister to be ready at a certaine day, and
take them and their goods in, at a conveniente place, wher they
accordingly would all attende in readines. So after long waiting, &
large expences, though he kepte not day with them, yet he came at
length & tooke them in, in y^e night. But when he had them & their goods
abord, he betrayed them, haveing before hand complotted with y^e
serchers & other officers so to doe; who tooke them, and put them into
open boats, & ther rifled & ransaked them, searching them to their
shirts for money, yea even y^e women furder then became modestie; and
then caried them back into y^e towne, & made them a spectackle & wonder
to the multitude, which came flocking on all sids to behould them. Being
thus first, by the chatch-poule officers, rifled, & stripte of their
money, books, and much other goods, they were presented to y^e
magestrates, and messengers sente to informe y^e lords of y^e Counsell
of them; and so they were co[=m]ited to ward. Indeed y^e magestrats used
them