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Now,
because I am much condemned for this oath,
as one of them that plotted with them,
and that by an oath I should bind them together
to performe what they had begun,
I thought good heere to set downe to the view of all,
how well their oath and deedes agreed : and thus it was.
You shall sweare truth to God, your Prince and Countrie :
you shall doe nothing, but to the glory of God,
and the good of the action in hand, and harme to no man.
This was the oath, without adding or diminishing.
I looked for more of these companions (although these were too many)
but there came no more.
It was darke,
and they in a readinesse to put this deed of darknesse in execution.
I called to Henry Greene and Wilson,
and prayed them not to goe in hand with it in the darke,
but to stay till the morning.
Now, every man (I hope) would goe to his rest,
but wickednesse sleepeth not;
for Henry Greene keepeth the Master company all night
(and gave mee bread, which his Cabbin-mate gave him)
and others are as watchfull as he.
Then I asked Henrie Greene,
whom he would put out with the Master?
he said, the Carpenter John King, and the sicke men.
I said,
they should not doe well to part with the Carpenter,
what need soever they should have.
Why the Carpenter was in no more regard amongst them, was;
first, for that he and John King were condemned for wrong done in victuall.
But the chiefest cause was,
for that the Master loved him, and made him his Mate,
upon his returne out of our wintering place,
thereby displacing Robert Billet,
whereat they did grudge,
because hee could neither write nor read.
And therefore (said they) the Master and his ignorant Mate
would carry the Ship whither the Master pleased:
the Master forbidding any man to keepe account or reckoning,
having taken from all men qhatsoever served for that purpose.
Well, I obtained of Henrie Greene and Wilson,
that the Carpenter should stay,
by whose meanes I hoped (after they had satisfied themselves)
that the Master, and the poore man might be taken into the Ship againe.
Or, I hoped, that some one or other would give some notice,
either to the Carpenter John King, or the Master;
for so it might have come to passe by some of them that were the most forward.