The Seeding of New England 75 



For this communitie (so fan as it was) was found to breed 

 much confusion and discontent and retard much imployment that 

 would have been to their benefite and comforte. For the yong-men 

 that were most able and fitte for labour and service did repine that 

 they should spend their time and strength to worke for other 

 men's wives and children, without any recompence. 



The strong, or man of parts, had more in devision of victails and 

 cloaths than he that was weake and not able to doe a quarter the 

 other could; this was thought injustice. The aged and graver men 

 to be ranked and equalized in labours and victails and cloaths etc. 

 with the meaner and yonger sorte thought it some indignitie and 

 disrespect unto them. And for men's wives to be commanded to 

 doe service for other men as dressing their meate, washing their 

 cloaths, etc. they deemed it a kin of slaverie, neither could many 

 husbands well brooke it. 



Upon the poynte all being to have alike, and all to doe alike, 

 they thought themselves in the like condition; and one as good as 

 another, and so, if it did not cut of those relations that God hath 

 set amongst men, yet it did at least much diminish and take of the 

 mutuall respects that should be preserved amongst them. And 

 would have bene worse if they had bene men of another condition. 



Let none object that this is men's corruption, and nothing to 

 the course itselfe. I answer, seeing all men have this corruption in 

 them God in his wisdome saw another course fiter for them. . . . 



In abandoning the communal system in favor of private 

 ownership of land, Massachusetts was following the example 

 and experience of Virginia, ten years earlier. 



But with this notable difference. In Massachusetts the de- 

 termination to throw it off sprang from the people. In Vir- 

 ginia it was by edict of the new Governor, Sir Thomas Dale, 

 who arrived in May, 1611, to find the settlers playing bowls 

 in the streets of Jamestown during the hours when they should 

 have been planting and hoeing their corn. 



Without John Smith's firm direction and enforcement of 

 his rule that "only he who works shall eat/' things in James- 

 town had come to a pretty pass. The few who worked, ap- 

 proximately one-fifth of the company, were carrying a weighty 



