History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 19

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1706

USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 19

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Lest this law might be evaded, it was enacted in 1660. "that in reference unto the law prohibiting buying or hiring land of the Indians directly or indi- rectly bearing date 1643, the court interprets those words also to comprehend under the same penalty a prohibition of any man's receiving any lands under pretence of any gift from the Indians without the approbation of the court." Indeed, it may be said with entire truth that notwithstanding the various patents securing to the Pilgrims a legal title to their lands, until King Philip's war, in which the right of conquest was recognized, the Pilgrims never occupied a foot of territory within the limits of the Old Colony to which they had not secured the right from the In- dians either by purchase or treaty.

On the 23d of March, the last day but one in the year under the old style, the military orders and laws were successfully concluded, and John Carver was rechosen Governor. On the 5th of April, the "May- flower" set sail on her return without a passenger. Before her departure, forty-four of the Pilgrim Com- pany had died, and nearly a half of the ship's crew. Among the number were William White, Chris- topher Martin, Solomon Power, John Langemore, William Mullins, Edward Thompson, James Chilton, Degory Priest, Richard Britteridge, Elizabeth Wins- low, Dorothy Bradford, Mary Allerton, and Rose Standish. Notwithstanding the appalling inroads of disease and death, none were deterred from remaining. Indeed, it is questionable whether the graves of ford says, "many afterwards wrote largely of their

fathers and mothers, and husbands and wives and children, had not bound them indissolubly by the most sacred ties to their new home. Death had been so constant a companion as to have lost its terrors, and if they were to die, there could be no resting- place preferable to that beside the bodies of those they had loved. During the remaining seven months before the arrival of the " Fortune" on the 9th of No- vember, the number of deaths was reduced to six, among which were those of Governor Carver on the day of the departure of the " Mayflower," and his wife at a later date. After that time the colony enjoyed remarkable health, and of the survivors remaining in the country, the average length of life, counting from the time of the landing, was more than thirty-seven years. The first marriage in the colony was that on the 12th of May of Edward Winslow, whose wife, Susanna, died March 24th, and Susanna White, whose husband, William, died on the 21st of Feb- ruary. So short a period of widowhood must be viewed in the light of the extraordinary conditions of a time in which, as laws are silent in war, the pre- vailing social rules must fail to apply. On the 18th of June, the first duel fought in the New World occurred between Edward Doty and Edward Leister, in which both were wounded. Doty remained with the colony, becoming a prominent member, and Leister removed to Virginia, where he may have introduced the code which for many years had there so thorough a recognition. L

Soon after the death of Carver, William Bradford was chosen Governor, and Isaac Allerton an assistant. The date of the election is nowhere recorded. The planting season was successfully improved, and the clouds which had lain so heavy and dark over the colony began to disappear. In July it was thought desirable to send an embassy to Massasoit, to bestow on him gratuities and confirm his friendly feelings. Edward Winslow and Stephen Hopkins were selected for the expedition, with Tisquantum for a guide, and an in- teresting account of the journey and visit, from the pen of Winslow, may be found in Mourt's " Relation." On the 18th of September, a shallop was sent to the Massachusetts tribe with ten men and Tisquantum for interpreter and guide, to trade with the natives, and a considerable quantity of beaver skins was brought home, and the explorers reported concerning the place, and wished that there the settlement had been made. An account of this expedition may also be found in Mourt's " Relation." Soon the harvest was gathered, an abundance of fish were caught, deer, water-fowl, and wild turkeys were killed, and, as Brad-

HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

plenty to their friends in England, which were not feigned but true reports."

On the 9th of November, the " Fortune," a vessel of fifty-five tons, unexpectedly arrived with thirty-five passengers, having sailed from London early in July. The names of the passengers were as follows :

John Adams.

Robert Hiekes.

William Bassite (2).

William Hilton.

William Beale.

Bennet Morgan.

Edward Bompasse.

Thomas Morton.

Jonathan Brewster.

Anstin Nicolas.

Clement Briggs.

William Palmer (2).

John Cannon.

William Pitt.

William Coner.

Thomas Prenee.

Rohert Cushman.

Moses Simonson,

Themas Cushman.

Hngh Statie.

Stephen Dean.

James Steward.

Philip De La Noye.

William Tench.

Themas Flavell (2).

John Winslow.

Widow Foord (4).

William Wright.

In this list only thirty-four are accounted for, and it is probable that the thirty-fifth either died before the division of lands in which the names are disclosed, or was the wife or child of one of the passengers of the " Mayflower." The " Fortune" also brought a patent from the Northern Virginia Company, which, since the departure of the Pilgrims, had received a new charter from the king, under the title of " The council established at Plymouth, in the county of Devon, for the planting, ordering, ruling, and governing of New England in America," empowering it to hold territory extending from sea to sca, and in breadth from the fortieth to the forty-eighth degree of north latitude. This territory included all between New Jersey and the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the Atlantic coast, and the northern part of California, Oregon, and nearly all of Washington Territory on the Pacific. The patent was issued under date of June 1, 1621, to John Peirce and his associates, and was in trust for the benefit of the company. It is now preserved in Pilgrim Hall at Plymouth. It is engrossed on parch- ment, and bears the signatures of the Duke of Lenox, the Marquis of Hamilton, the Earl of Warwick, Lord Sheffield, and Sir Ferdinando Gorges. Another signature is illegible, and the seal of Hamilton is missing. As the oldest state paper in New England, it deserves a place in this narrative :

" This Indenture made tbo first day ef Jnno 1620 And in the years of the raigne of onr soveraigne Lord James by the grace of god King ef England Scotland France and Iroland defendor of the faith &e That is te say of England Fraunce and Ire- land the nynetenth and of Scotland the four and fiftieth Be- twene the President and Counsell ef New England of the ono ptie And Jehn Peirce Citisen and Clethworker of Londen and his Associates of the ether ptie Witnosseth that whereas the said Jehn Peirco and his Associates have already transportod aud

undertaken to transporte at their cost and charges themselves and dyver's pson's into New England and there to erect and build a Towne and settle dyvers Inhabitants for the advance- ment of the generall plantacon of that Conntry of New Eng- land now the Sayde President and Connsell in consideracon thereof and for the furtherance of the said plantacon and in- ceragement of the said Undertakers have agreed to grant as- signe allott and appoynt to the said John Peirce and his asso- ciates and every of them his and their heires and assignes ene hundred acres of gronnd for evry pson so to be transported be- sides dyvers pryviledges Liberties and commodytees hereafter menconed, And to that intent they have granted allotted as- signed and confirmed And by their presents doe grant allott assign and confirme unto the said Jobn Peirce and his Asseci- ates his and their heires & assignes and the heires & assignes of evry of them sevrally and respectyvelle ene hundred sevrall acres of greund in New England for evry pson so transported or to be transported yf the said John Peirce or his Associates centynne there three whole yeers eitber at one or severall tymes or dye in the meane season after he or they are shipped with intent there to inhabit. The same land to be taken & chosen by them their deputies er assignes in any place or place where- seever net already inhabited by any English and where no Eng- lish pson or psons are already placed or settled or have by order ef said President and Ceuncell made choyce of nor within Tenn myles of the same unless it be on the opposite syde of some great or Navigable Ryver to the fermer particular plantacon together with the one half of the Ryver or Ryvers that is to say to the middest thereof as shall adjoyne te snch lands as they shall make choyce of together with all such Liberties pryvileges prefitts & comodyties as the said Land and Ryvers which they shall make ehoyce of shall yield together with free libertie te fish on and npon the coast of New England and in all havens ports and creeks Therennto belonging and that no pson or psons whatsoever shall take any benefitt or libertie of or to any of the grounds on the one half of the Ryvers afore- said excepting the free use of highways by land and Navigable Ryvers bnt that the said nndertakers and planters their heires and assignes shall have the sole right and nse of the said gronnds and the ene half of the said Ryvers with all their profitts and appartenances. And for as much as the said John Peirce and his associates intend and have undertaken to build Churches, Schooles, Hospitalls Town Honses, Bridges and snch like workes of charytie. As also for the maynteyuing of Magistrates and other inferior officers in regard whereof and to the end that the said Jehn Peirce and his Associates his aud their heires and assignes may have wherewithall to beare & support sneh like charges Therefore the said President and Conncill aforcsaid do graunt unto the said Undertakers their heirs & assignes Fifteene hundred acres of Land moreover and ahove the afore- said possescon of oue hundred the pson for evry Undertaker and planter to be ymployed npon such puhlie nsis as the said Undertakers & Planters shall thinek fitt, And they do further grannt unte the said John Poirce and his Associates thoir hoires and assignes that for evry pson that they or any of them shall transport at their ewne proper oosts & charges into New Eng- land either unto the Lands heroby grannted or adjeyninge to them within seaven years after the feast of St. Johu Baptist next eomcing yf the said pson transportod contynue these three whele years cithor at ono or severall tymes or dyo iu the meane seasin after he is shipped with intent there to inhabit that the said pson or psens that shall so at his or their owno charges transport any other shall have graunted and allewed to him and them and his & their heirs respectyvelie for evry psen so transportod or dycing after he is shipped one hundred aeres of Land and also that ovry pson or psons who by contraet &

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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.

agreament to be had & made with the said Undertakers shall at his & their own charge transport him & themselves or any others and setle and plant themselves in New England within th said seaven yeeres for three yeeres space as aforesaid or dye in the meane tyme shall have graunted & allowed unto evry pson so transporting or transported and their heires and assignes respectyrely the lik number of one hundred acres of Land as aforesaid the same to he by him & them or their beires or assignes chosen in any entyre place together and adjoyning to the aforesaid Lands and not straglingly not before the tyme of such choyee made possessed or inhabited by any English Company or within tenne myles of the same except it he on the opposite syde of some great Navigahle Ryver as afore- said. Yielding and paying nnto the said President and Connsell for every hundred acres so ohteyned and possessed by the said John Peirce and his said Associates and by those said other psons and their heires & assignes who by contract as aforesaid shall at their onne charges transport themselves or others the Yerely rent of two shillings at the feast of St. Michael Tharchaungell to the hand of the Rent gatherer of the President & Counsell and their successors forever the first pay- ment to begyn after the xperacon of the first seaveu yeeres next after the date hereof And further it shall be lawful to and for the said John Peirce and his associates and such as contract with them as aforesaid their Tennants & servants upon dislike of one in the country to returne for England or elsewhere with all their goods & chattells at their will & pleasure without lett or disturbance of any paying all debts that justly shal he demanded And likewise it shall be lawfull and is granted to and for the said John Peirce his Associates & Planters their heires & assignes their Tennants & servants and such as they or any of them shall contract with as aforesaid and send and ymploy for the said plantacon to goe & returne trade traffig im- port and transport their goods & merchandise at their will & pleasure into England or elsewhere paying only such duties to the King's majestie his beires & successors as the President & Counsell of New England doe pay without any other taxes Im- poricons hurthens or restraints whatsoever upon them to be ymposed the rent hereby reserved being only excepted. And it shall be lawfull for the said Undertakers & Planters their beires & successors freely to truck trade & traffig with the salvages in New England or neighboring thereahouts at their wills and pleas- ures without lett or disturbanee, As also to have libertie to hunt bauke fish or fowle in any place or places not now or hereafter by the English inhabited. And the said President & Counsell do corenant & promyse to and with the said John Peirce and bie Associates and others contracted with as aforesaid his and their heires & assignes. That upon Lawfull survey to be bad & made at the charge of the said Undertakers & Planters and lawfull informacon given of the bounds meets and quantytee of Land so as aforesaid to be by them chosen & possessed they the said President & Counsell npon surrender of this presente graunt and Indenture and upon reasonable request to be made by the zaid I'ndertakers & Planters their heires & assignes within zeaven Yeeres now next coming shall and will by their Deed Indented and under their Comon Seale graunt enfeoffe and confirme all and evry the said lands so sett out and boarded as aforesaid to the said John Peirce and his associates and such as contract with them their heires & assignes in as large and beneficeall manner aa the same are in these presence graunted or intended to be graunted to all intenta & purposes with all and every particular priviledge & freedome reservaceon & con- dieon with all dependacis herein specyfied & graunted. And shall also at any tyme within the said terme of Seaven Yeeres upon request unto the said President & Counsell make graunt unto them the raid John Peirce and his Associates Undertakers

& Planters their heires & assignes Letters & Graunts of Incor- poracon by some usual and fitt name & tytle with Liberty to them and their successors from tyme to tyme to make orders Lawes ordynaunces & constitucons for the rule government ordering & dyrectory of all psons to be transported & settled upon the lands hereby graunted intended to be graunted or hereafter to be graunted and of the said Lands & proffitts thereby arrysing. And in the meane tyme untill such graunt made yt shal he lawfull for the said John Peirce his Associates & Un- dertakers & Planters their heires & assignes hy consent of the greater part of them To establish such lawes & ordynauncis as are for their better government and the same by such officer or officers as they shall hy most voyces elect & choose to put in execucon. And lastly the said President & Counsell do graunt and agree to and with the said John Peirce and his Associates and others contracted with and ymployed as aforesaid their beires and assignes That when they have planted the Lands hereby to thew assigned & appoynted That then it shal he law- full for them with the pryvitie & allowance of the President & Counsell as aforesaid to make choyce of to enter into and to have an addition of fiftee acres mcre for evry pson transported into New England with like reservacons conditions and privi- ledges as are above graunted to be had and chosen in such place or places where no English shal ho then settled or inhah- iting or have made choycc of and the same entered into a Book of Acts at the tyme of such choyce is to be inade or within tenne miles of the same excepting on the opposite syde of some great navigable River as aforesaid. And it shall and may bo lawfull for the said John Peirce and his Associates their heires & assignes from tyme to tyme and at all tymes hereafter for their severall defence and savetie to encounter repulse repell & resist hy force of Armes as well by Sea as by Land and hy all wayes and meanes whatsoever all such pson and psons as without the especiall lycense of the said President or Counsell and their successors or the greater part of them shall attempt to inhabit within the several presenets and lymitts of their said Plantacon ; or shall enterpryse or attempt at any tyme hereafter destruccon Invation detryment or annoyance to the said Plantacon. And the said John Peirce and his Associates and their heires & as- signes do covenant & promyse to & with the said President & Counsell and their successors That they the said John Peirce and his Associates from tyme to tymne during the said Seaven Yeeres shall make a true Certificate to the said President & Counsell and their successors from the chief officers of the places respectyvely of evry pson transported & landed in New England or shipped as aforesaid to be entered by the Secretary of the said President & Counsell into a Register book for that purpose to be kept And the said John Peirce and his Associates jointly and severally for them their beires & assignes do cove- nant promyse & graunt to and with the said President & Coun- sell and their successors That the psons transported to this their particular Plantacon shall apply themselves & their Labors in a large & competent manner to the planting setting making & procuring of goods & staple commodyties in & upon the said Land hereby graunted unto them as corne & silkgrane hemp flax pitch and tarre sopeashes aud potashes yron clapboard and other the like materealls. In Witness whereof the said Prosi- dent & Counsell have to the one part of the present Indenture sett their seales. And to the other part hereof the said John 'Peirce in the name of himself and his said Associates have sett to his seale given the day and yeeres first above written."

It has been erroneously supposed that this patent was superseded by another issued in 1622. The latter, however, was issued to Mr. Peirce on what

HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

appcar to have been false representations to subserve his personal interests, and secure, if possible, the colo- nists as his tenants. His purpose was discovered in season to prevent the consummation of his plan, and the new patent was not bought by the friends of the Pilgrims, as has been repeatedly asserted, but by order of the president and Council was surrendered and eanceled.

A letter was received by the " Fortune" from Mr. Weston, one of the merchant adventurers, addressed to Governor Carver (then dead), a part of which- for a better understanding of the situation-is given below :

"I durst never acquainte the adventurers with the alteration of the conditions first agreed on between us, which I have since been very glad of, for I am well assured had they known as much as I do they would not have adventured a half-penny of what was necessary for this ship. That you sent no lading in the ship (' Mayflower') is wonderful, and worthily distorted. I know your weakness was the cause of it, and I believe more woakness of judgment than weakness of hands. A quarter of the time you spent in discoursing, arguing, & consulting would have done much more ; but that is past. If you mean bona fide to perform the conditions agreed upon do us the favor to copy them out fair and subscribe them with the principal of your names. And likewise give us account as particularly as you can how our moneys were laid out. And then I shall bo able to give them some satisfaction whom I am now forced with good words to shift off. And consider that the life of tho business depends on the lading of this ship, which if you do to any good purpose that I may be freed from the great sums I have dis- bursed for the former, and must do for the latter, I promise you I will never quit the business though all the other adventurers would.

"We have procured you a Charter, the best we could, which is better than your former and with less limitation. For any- thing that is else worth writing Mr. Cushman can inform you. I pray write instantly for Mr. Robinson to come to you. And so praying God to bless you with all graces necessary for both this lifo & that to come, I rest

"Your very loving friend,

" THOMAS WESTON.

" LONDON, July 6, 1621."

Owing to the discontent existing in consequence of the alteration of the original articles of agreement, the Pilgrims had left England without signing them. A reference to this is made in the letter. Robert Cushman, who had consented to the alteration with- out the knowledge and approval of the Leyden eomn- pany, and who had at the last moment abandoned the voyage in the " Mayflower," eame in the " Fortune" as the agent of the adventurers, to look to their inter- csts and secure the confirmation of the artieles. The' address delivered by him during his visit at Plymouth, from the text (1 Cor. x. 24), " Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth," was simply a plea for the adventurers his principals, and on the 13th of December he again set sail in the " Fortune"

for England, bearing the subscribed articles and hav- ing a cargo of clapboards and skins worth five hun- dred pounds in charge. Mr. Cushman brought with him his son, a youth fourteen years of age, whom he left under the care of Governor Bradford, and who in 1649, after the death of William Brewster, became the elder of the Plymouth Church. The " Fortune" was captured by the French on her voyage home, her cargo lost, and Cushman seriously delayed in his return. He died in 1625, before he was able to become in the flesh, as he had always been in the spirit, a member of the colony.

After the aceession of the passengers by the " For- tune" without supplies of their own, an account of provisions in store was taken, and it was found that on a half allowance a six months' stock was on hand. As the first contribution to their stoek would be made by the next spring's fish, leaving out of the account the precarious supply of wild game, a half allowance was ordered, and the winter was passed without any arrival to increase their store. In the month of May, 1622, a boat reached them from a fishing-vessel sent out by Mr. Weston, and lying at anchor at a " place called Damarin's Cove" (near Monhegan), bringing seven additional passengers, several letters, but no supplies. The letters gave a discouraging account of affairs among the adventurers, and at the latter end of June, or the first of July, the " Charity," of one hun- dred tons, and the "Swan," of thirty, arrived, bring- ing fifty or sixty men, which Weston had sent out at "his own charge to plant for him." The vessels were bound to Virginia with other passengers, and during their absence these men, who were harbored by the Pilgrims, caused such trouble as made the re- turn of the ships and their departure for some place within the bay of Massachusetts a matter of congrat- ulation. Letters were also received from Mr. Wes- ton saying, notwithstanding his protestations of abid- ing friendship, that he had sold out his interest as one of the adventurers and dissolved his connection with the Pilgrims. In August two other ships came into the harbor, one the "Sparrow," a fishing-vessel belonging to Weston, and the other the " Discovery," commanded by Capt. Jones, probably the master of the " Mayflower," on her way to Virginia, from which they were supplied with all necessary provisions at prices which a sharp trader in a bare market would be likely to exact.

In the winter of 1622-23, Governor Bradford went, among other places, to the Indian village called Manomet. At that time the whole territory from Barnstable, on Plymouth Bay, to Buzzard's Bay bore that name, and the Indian village was seated on the

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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.

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History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 19

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1706

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1706