THE AGREEMT
WTH
MR. HIGGINSON
A true note of ye allowance yt ye new England Copany haue by como consent & order of their Court & Counsell graunted vnto Mr. Francis Higginson minister, for his maintenaunce in new England April 8, 1629.
IMPRIMIS yt 30li in money shall be forthwth paid him by ye Copanyes treasurer towards ye chardges of fitting himselfe wth Apparell & other necessaryes for his voyage.
2 Item yt 10li more shall be payed ouer by ye said treasurer towards ye provyding of bookes for present vse.
3 Item yt hee shall haue 30li yearly paid him for 3 yeares to beginne fro ye tyme of his first arrivall in new England & so to be accounted & paid paid him at ye End of eury yeare.
4 Item yt during ye said tyme ye Company shall provide for him & his family necessaryes of diett housing & firewood; and shall be at chardges of transporting him into new England: and at ye end of ye said 3 yeares, if hee shall not like to continue there any longer, to be at ye chardge of transporting him backe for England.
5. Item yt in convenient tyme an house shall be built, & certayne lands allotted thereunto; wch during his stay in ye countrey & continuance in ye ministrey shall bee for his vse; & after his death or remoovall ye same to be for Succeeding ministers.
6. Item at ye expiracon of ye said 3 yeares an 100 acres of land shall be assigned to him & his heires for euer.
7. Item yt in case hee shall depart this lyfe in yt countrey, ye said Company shall take care for his widdow during her widdowhood & aboade in yt country and plantacon: & ye like for his children whilst yy remayne vpon ye said plantacon.
8. Item yt ye milke of 2 kyne shall bee appointed towards ye chardges of diett for him & his familye as aforesaid, & halfe ye increase of calves during ye said 3 yeares: but ye said 2 kyne, and ye other halfe of ye increase to returne to ye Company at ye end of ye said 3 yeares.
9. Item yt he shall haue liberty of carrying ouer bedding, linnen, brasse, iron, pewter, of his owne for his necessary vse during ye said tyme.
10 Item yt if he continue 7 yeares upon ye said plantacon, yt then 100 acres of land more shall be allotted him for him and his for ever.
The 8th of Aprill, 1629. Mr Francis Higgeson and Mr Samuel Skelton intended ministers of this plantacon, and it being thought meete to consider of their intertaynement, who expressing their willingnesse, together, also with Mr Francis Bright, being now present to doe their endevour in their places of the ministery as well in preaching, catechizing, as also in teaching, or causing to be taught, the Companyes servants & their children, as also the salvages and their children, whereby to their uttermost to further the maine end of this plantation, being, by the assistance of Allmighty God, the conversion of the salvages, the proposicons concluded on wth Mr Francis Bright, the 2 of February last, were reciprocally accepted of by Mr Francis Higgison and Mr Samuel Skelton, who are in every respect to have the like condicons as Mr Bright hath, onely whereas Mr Higgeson hath 8 children it is intended that 10li more yearely shall be allowed him towards their chardge. And it is agreed that the increase of the improvement of all their grounds during the first 3 yeares shall be at the Companies disposing, who are to fynde them dyett during that time, and tenne pounds more to Mr Higgeson towards his present fitting him and his for the voyage.
Francis Higgison.
Samuel Skelton.