USA > Maine > The history of the state of Maine; from its first discovery, A. D. 1602, to the separation, A. D. 1820, inclusive, Vol. I > Part 22
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Attempts to colonize the Eastern Country by Rocroft.
* Though writers differ as to the time. Prince says [in Jan. 1616.] Ann, p. 46. 4 Coll. M. Hist. Soc. 108. Neal's N. E. p. 87. This pestilence was known in England before Nov. 3, 1620. See N. E. charter of that year. Sce 1 Holmes' A. Ann. 217-8. Note 4.
t This plague slew most of the Mass. Tribe. 1 Coll. M. Hist. Soc. 145 8 HI. 226-204.
t Gorges' Nar. p. 12. 22. 27. He says the country was sorely afflicted, by the plague so that " in a manner it was left void of inhabitants." -- Hub- bard's N. E. p. 195, represents the disease as very loathsome; many of the dead were left unburied " as appeared by the multitude of carcasses found up and down the country."-1 Belk. Biog. 355.
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he travelled through the kingdom, for that purpose ; making the A. D. 1618. subject a favourite topic, and distributing copies of his history and map. Besides receiving promises and other encourage- ments, he was at last provided with three ships at Plymouth, and presented with 15 settlers ready to embark. He was prepared to sail early in the spring (1617), with full intent to begin a plantation upon this coast. But being windbound three months, he abandoned the voyage; receiving nothing more for all his la- bours, losses and disappointments, than a commission from the Plymouth Company, as Admiral of New England .*
Never were attempts to accomplish an attainable object more April. uniformly thwarted ; and at the same time with greater persever- ance renewed. It was represented that one Thomas Dermer, then in Newfoundland was an active friend to the cause of set- tlement and discovery : and therefore the Plymouth Company through the persuasions of Gorges sent out Edward Rocroft in a ship to North America to assist Dermer. Though missing him, Rocroft had the good fortune, in April, to seize a French barque, obtrusively fishing and trading upon the coast ; and finding her a valuable prize, he sent the master and crew in his own ship to England ; determined to retain possession of her himself, and with a part of his men to keep or guard the coast through the winter.
But ascertaining that several of his men had conspired to as- sassinate him and run away with the prize, he set them ashore at Saco ;+ and in December sailed for Virginia, where he was killed. The wretched men, he left, having some knowledge of Mon- hegan, as a noted station, succeeded in reaching that Island, where they passed a tedious winter. This, and the winter previ- ously spent by Vines and his companions at Saco, are the earliest, in which any Englishmen, except the Sagadahock colonists, are known to have remained during the winter season, in the territo- ries of this State.
Dermer, being a man of great prudence, and industry, embark- 1619. Feb. ed at Plymouth in February, to find and assist Rocroft ; also to Voyage. Dermer's bring about if possible, a reconciliation of the savages towards the English .¿ For the treacherous management of Hunt and
* 1 Belk. Biog. 314.
t " Sawguatock"-15 Leagues from Monhegan .- Princes' Ann. 55.
Į" About Kennebeck."-Hubb. Narra. p. 288-9. VOL I. 15
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A. D. 1619. others, had so highly exasperated the natives, that the business of trade and settlement was greatly interrupted. At Monhegan, he was informed by the Islanders, that Rocroft left the coast six months before for Virginia. He then took an exploring survey of the country, and found southwestwardly, " some ancient plan- tations, not long since populous, now utterly void." Other places were not yet free from the sickness ; where only a remnant of peo- ple with some stores had escaped. At Patuxet, [Plymouth,] Squanto's native country, all were dead."*
In performing the trust of reconciling the hostile Indians, Dermer had Squanto's generous help, whom he had brought with him, from England, and whose heart he had won with kind- ness. He had also with him Samoset, a native of Sagadahock, whom Capt. John Mason, governour of Newfoundland, had lately sent home, and whose friendly feelings Dermer had secured. These were two of Hunt's captives, and had probably learned to speak the English tongue. Having succeeded in his mission, he put Squanto, (as he wished) ashore at Saco; sent some dis- patches to England by a Capt. Ward ;f and June 23, left Mon- hegan for Virginia.
Dermer's Death.
Landing, on his way at Martha's Vineyard, he and his men were assailed by Epenow and his countrymen, and in the affray, sever- al of his crew were killed, and himself was so severely wounded, that he died in September, soon after his arrival in Virginia. The untimely death of this worthy man so exceedingly discour- aged Gorges, that he declared, it " made him almost resolve "never to intermeddle again in any of these undertakings."}
The Ply- mouth Pil- at Patuxet. Unexpectedly at length, the first settlement in New-England grims settle was established by a people and in a manner, very few if any had previously contemplated. The English Puritans who resided in Holland, having resolved upon a removal to America, procured of the Virginian Company, in Sept. 1619, a Patent ; and im-
* Prince's Ann. 63. Smith's Hist. 127. 229.
t It is said Dermer loaded a ship of 200 tons with fish and furs at Monhe- gan and dispatched it for England; and each sailor had £16. 10s. for seven months .- Hol. A. Ann. p. 196.
# Hubbard, says ( Hist. N. E. p. 40.) Dermer was employed " to settle " the affairs of the plantation now a third time revived again about Kenne- " bec in the year 1619."-See Hubbard's Narrative of Indian Wars, p. 289. Ed. Worcester, 1807 .- Smith's Hist. 228-9.
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mediately made preparations for leaving Europe to locate them- A. D. 1620 selves on or near the river Hudson. Neither the dangers of the ocean, nor a wilderness of savages, could extinguish their heaven- born courage; for God and truth, religion and liberty, inspir- ed their resolution and enterprize. Led on by hopes from above, though filled with anxieties, they embarked at Plymouth, Sept. 6, in the following year, 1620. But they were treated with treachery. The Dutch, desirous of possessing the same country which these pi- ous pilgrims were seeking for their refuge, bribed their captain ; and he brought them in November, to the shores of Patuxet. They knew their patent would now avail them nothing, for they were entirely without the limits of the Virginian territory : therefore they formed a social compact and a temporary government, and resolutely entered upon a country as they viewed it, provided for their abode by the allotment of Providence.
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CHAPTER III.
New-England patent granted-Its extent and government-Patent to Mason-Charter of N. Scotia to Alexander-Its civil powers and management-Laconia, a province, a company-Monhegan and other places on the castern coast settled-Intruders-Saco, New-Hampshire, and Pemaquid settled-Robert Gorges, and his council-Free fishery discussed-Agamenticus settled- The rights to Acadia, and of the Plymouth Council discussed -N. Scotia confirmed to Alexander-Monhegan sold-Trade to Kennebec-Massachusetts patent and charter-Canada taken by the Kirks-Peace -- New-Hampshire, Commocks, Kennebec, Saco, Lygonia, Muscongus and Pemaquid patents-Settlements at Sag- adahock and Piscataqua.
A. D. 1620. Settlements promoted,
AN era now opens which was far more favourable to the set- tlement of North America, than that of any preceding period. The country was perpetually growing in importance ; and adven- turers, through the increase of their knowledge and experience, became more judicious and prudent in their enterprizes. In 1620, after our Pilgrim Fathers had founded the colony of New Plymouth, seven English ships made voyages to New England for fish and fur, and eight others carried 1,095 settlers to the Virginia plantation.
Patent to Plymouth Council.
Observing that colony to flourish under new patents* with more ample privileges, the Plymouth Company, or the other branch in the corporation of 1606, petitioned the crown, through Gor- ges for a new Patent, which might prescribe a definite extent of territory, with the necessary powers and privileges ; and give an exclusive right to the soil, fishery, and trade, within its limits. The king was easily moved by the entreaty ; and accordingly orderedt one to be drafted which should compare with that pre- viously " granted to the present company in Virginia."
Granted.
This charter was dated Nov. 3, 1620. Its corporate members
* I' second Patent 23d May 1609-3d Patent March 12th 1621 .- 1 Haz. Coll. 58, 72, 81.
+ 1 Haz. Coll. 99-where the order of council is entire.
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consisted of forty noblemen, knights and gentlemen,* who were A. D. 1620. collectively denominated, " The Council established at Plymouth in the County of Devon, for planting, ruling and governing New-Eng-
NEW-ENGLAND in America." The extensive country, now grant- land. ed in fee-simple, was situated between the 40th and 48th degrees of northern latitude, in breadth ; and in length by the same breadth " throughout the main land from sea to sea ;"-extending in fact, from the bay of Chaleur, and the north line of Maine, southerly, to a parallel of latitude, more than a degree below Long Island, or the mouth of the river Hudson.
After expressly recognizing the patent to Hanham, Gilbert and others in 1606, and the possessions acquired, and settlements undertaken, within its limits ; the new charter premises, that this country had lately experienced, under a visitation from God, an uncommon desolation, by " a destructive plague," and " horrible slaughters and murders among the savages ;" and that none other than English subjects had any possessions within that territory.
* Namely, -- Lodowick, duke of Lenox, Sir John Brooks. Lord Steward. -- Thomas Gates, [in the patent of 1606.]
George, Ld. Marquis Buckingham, High Admiral. -- Richard Hawkins, [Pres. of N. V. Col. 1615.]
James, Marquis Hamilton.
William, Earl of Pembroke, Lord Chamberlain.
-- Richard Edgecomb.
-- Allen Apsley.
Thomas, Earl of Arundel.
Warwick Heale.
William, Earl of Bath.
--- Rich'd F. Cotchmay.
Henry, Earl of Southampton.
--- John Bourchier.
William, Earl of Salisbury.
-- Nathaniel Rich. Robert, Earl of Warwick.
John, Viscount Haddington.
-- Giles Mompesson. - Thomas Wroth .- KNIGHTS.
Edd. Lord Zouche, Lord Warden of the Cinque ports. Edmund, Lord Sheffield.
Mathew Shurteleffe, Deanof Exeter. Henry Bouchier, Esqr.
Edward, Lord Gorges.
Sir Edd. Seymour, Knight Baronet.
-- Robert Mansell.
-- Edward Zouche, Knight Mar- shal.
--- Dudley Diggs.
-- Thomas Rowe.
- Ferdinando Gorges.
-- Francis Popham,[son of the late Chief Jus. of Eng.]
-- Edward Giles ..
Robert Heathe, Recorder of Lon- don. John Drake.
Raleigh Gilbert, [in the Patent of 1606.] George Chudley. Thomas Hammond. John Argal .- Esquires.
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A. D. 1620. Nay ' many places for leagues,' it was stated, ' were without na- tive inhabitants to challenge any interest in the lands.
Powers.
The charter created a body politic, and corporate with per- petual succession, vested with powers to fill vacancies ; to elect a president and secretary ; to appoint all governors, and other offi- cers needful for managing the affairs of the Colony, whether in America or in England ; and to establish all such laws, and or- dinances as might be suitable for a regular administration of jus- tice. The Corporation or Council were democratical in their proceedings ; and all their governors, magistrates and other au- thorities in the colony, were directed to rule, punish and pardon, according to the orders and instructions given them under the corporate seal and signature of the President .*
Privileges.
In general, the privileges granted in the former charter were confirmed to the Plymouth Council now incorporated ;- such as the rights of citizenship ; the exclusive trade and fishery within their territorial limits ; importations from England seven years duty-free ; and the expulsion of all intruders. But no coining of money was allowed in the colony, nor any catholic permitted to settle there.t
This Charter, which existed upwards of fourteen years, and longer than the former one, is the foundation of the numerous sub- sequent patents by which New England was first divided ; and its settlements and colonies located and limited.
F. Gorges.
The more zealous and prominent men in the council were two, who might be justly placed at the head of the list. One was Sir Ferdinando Gorges. He had been president, under the former charter ; and the settlement of this country was still his favourite pursuit. Capt. John Mason, returning home about this time from Newfoundland, of which he had been governour, also exhibited great courage and confidence in the cause ; and when there was an occasion to fill an early vacancy in the Council, he was elected a member and became their secretary.}
John Mason. The first territorial grant by the Plymouth Council was to him. This was dated March 2, 1621 ; and it embraced the lands be-
* Yet the Plymouth Council doubted its right to transfer the powers of government to any of its Patentees : though it certainly had the sole power of granting the lands from the 40th to the 48th degree .- Hubbards' N. E. 627-620. t See this Charter entire .- 1 Haz. Coll. 103-118.
+ 1 Belknap's N. H. p. 14.
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tween Merrimack and Naumkeag, from their sources to the sea, A. D. 1621. including all islands within three miles of the coast .* It was called "MARIANA."
But though the expectations and plans of Gorges were great, French he was nevertheless exercised with very discouraging apprehen- Claim. sions. He had obtained due information that the French were settled at Quebec, at Port-Royal, at Mount Desert and at other places ; and intended to become the exclusive posses- sors of the country. He foresaw, that though the coast was thoroughly cleared of them by Argal, eight years before, as far as Port-Royal : the most efficient measures ought to be adopted without delay to thwart their designs and exclude them from New England. A difficulty however arose from a deficiency or defect in the new Charter itself. It extended indeed, two de- grees farther north than the former one; yet he found after all it only embraced the bay of Chaleur, which was a degree at least below the southerly bank of the gulf of St. Lawrence.
To remove this perplexity, Gorges, " being (as Prince says)+ Sept. 10. entrusted with the affairs of this country," procured from the Nova Scotia Charter of Council a conveyance unto Sir William Alexander, Secretary of State from Scotland, and afterward earl Sterling and Vis- count of Canada ;} whereby a large northern section of their ter- ritory was assigned to him, which was forthwith confirmed and enlarged by a Patent, Sept. 10, 1621, from James I. the king of England. The western boundary line of the Province passed northwardly, from Passamaquoddy through " the river St. Croix, to the farthest source or spring which comes from the west ;" and thence north in a direct course over land to the first spring that runs into the great river of Canada ; thence northward unto the river and along the shores of it eastward to Gaspe; and thence by the coast, exclusive of Newfoundland and Cape Breton, around Cape Sable and across the bay of Fundy to the place of beginning. To this territory, which embraced a great part of Ac- adia and also the islands and waters within six leagues of the
to W. Alex -. ander.
* See this Patent in Hubbard's N.E. p. 614-616.
t Prince's Ann. p. 94. 111.
#2 Brit. Dominions in Am. p. 6 .- He was made Viscount, A. D. 1633. Sir William was master of requests for Scotland. Mason first introduced him to Gorges; and Gorges says, the king commanded us to assign Sir Wil- liam a " part of our territorice."-1 Coll. Haz. 337.
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A. D. 1621. shores, was given the name NOVA SCOTIA," or NEW-SCOT- LAND,-and it was granted to Sir William and his heirs in fee simple without any condition whatever.
No provisions for any civil government appeared in the Patent ; and the country was erected into a royal palatinate,-to be holden as a fief of the Scottish crown ; the proprietary being invested with the regal rights and prerogatives, of a count-palatine. The two rights of soil and government being in this way originally separa- ted, were for a long period kept distinct, and sometimes in dif- ferent hands. These territories must have been considered the King's Scottish dominions ; and even then, it will perplex the wisest civilian to discover the justice or propriety of the tenure.
Scotch Set- tlements at- templed.
There was a general wish, and it was also Sir William's inten- tions, to settle the country with Scotch emigrants. Utterly op- posed as they were to French catholicism, they would form a stable barrier to the encroachments of Frenchmen ; while their industrious and economical habits and religious principles would render them a fit people to settle a new country. Sir William, the next year, and from year to year, till the death of his king, sent a ship with men and necessaries to plant a colony within his Patent. One arriving late in the next season, was obliged to stay through the winter in Newfoundland. The mariners and planters, in another, coasted from that island along the shores of Nova Scotia ; selected an eligible place for a plantation on Port Joli river, eastward of Cape Sable ; and took possession. Yet, " by reason of some unexpected occurrences," they resolved to make discoveries, not to plant, and took passage in July for England ; intending to resume the enterprize the next spring. Accordingly in 1624, and afterwards, Sir William transported hither some Scottish settlers ; and after " subduing the French inhabitants, or removing them to Virginia,' he " planted a colony there himself, and held possession ten years," before "it returned to the French."+
* This Patent was in Latin ; hence the name " Nova Scotia."-See trans- lation by Palairet, 16-18. - Oldmirion 22.
1 1 Coll. Mass. His. Soc. 3d series, p. 232 .- After this Sir William per- mitted his son and Claude de la Tour to build a fort at St. Jobn's river, call- ed " La Tour and Alexander."-See Commissioners' Report .- See Chalmers p. 42, 91 .- 5 Purchas, p. 1871-3 .- 1 Holmes' A. Ann. p. 219, who cited "Laet. p. 62."
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Gorges and Mason, the projectors and prosecutors of still A. D. 1622. greater designs, were taking measures to carry a very extensive Province of plan of enterprizes into immediate execution ; wherefore they first Laconia. procured of the Plymouth Council, August 10th, 1622, a patent of all the country between the Merrimack and Sagadahock ; ex- tending from the Atlantic unto the rivers Canada and Iroquois, and including the " Savage nations towards the great lakes." It was called " The Province of Laconia," *- a region represented by travellers and novelists as abounding profusely in all the varie- ties of nature.
If their descriptions were just, the seaboard was full of har- bours and fish, the lands were variegated with elevations, vallies, rivers and streams, and clothed with forest trees of every spe- cies, where wild fruits, nuts, and gums, were spontaneous, and abundantly plentiful. In fresh waters were always seen shoals of delicious fish ; and over the declivities and through meadows might be killed multitudes of deer, beaver, and other game-truly one of the best regions in the world, for furs and settlements.
Nor could any land offer to emigrants surer pledges of health and long life ; for the atmosphere was pure and salubrious, and the face of the ground was free of every thing that could hurt or annoy. In a word, it was exalted by some romantic accounts into a kind of terrestrial paradise.+
To make large gains of a country so extensive, and so tempt- Laconia ing to adventure and rural pursuits, Gorges and Mason, united formed. with several merchants of London, Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Shrewsbury and Dorchester, in an association, self-termed " THE COMPANY OF LACONIA ;" being thus able to give a new impulse to the fur trade and fisheries ;- to discovery and settlement.} A great number of ships was sent, during the season, from the west of England, to take fish in these " northeastern waters," of which, as many as thirty visited the Damariscove Island.§ Emigrants arrived, intending to dwell in the country ; and estab- lishments were undertaken at Piscataqua,|| and other places, along these eastern shores.
* Hubbard's N. E. 616-See a certified copy [Feb. 17, 1763, from Lords Com. Plan. at Whitehall,] in Sec. office, Boston. t 1 Belk. Biog. 376-7. # Hubbard's N. E. 214 .- 1 Belk. N. H. 14. |1 Belk. N. H. 14.
§ Prince's Ann. 117-8. VOL. I. 16
Company
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Settlers un- on Monle-
A. D. 1622. MONHEGAN was permanently peopled about the year 1622. A part of Dermer's crew, as previously stated, passed the winter gan and the 1618-19 upon the Island ; and the next May, they were there, Main. for he could obtain information from none other than its resident inhabitants,' that Rocroft, the year before, had actually sailed for Virginia. The Island was a place of general resort ; and Prince says, that five of " Sir F. Gorges' men" had a skirmish with the natives near Cape Cod, in the autumn of 1620, in which three were slain, and the other two " hardly escaped to Monhegan."* The same author makes express mention of the Island in the fol- lowing February, as " a Plantation of Sir F. Gorges ;"-and again two months afterwards, as " a settlement of some begin- nings." But still, how could any confident anticipations be enter- tained of its prosperity, if the first Islanders were only resident fishermen, blended with some such stragglers as Dermer's crew? Perhaps, however, the Company of Laconia considered it appen- dant to their patent, and fishermens' dwellings were now fitted up under their auspices, for the purposes of a more extensive fishery. At any rate, these facts seem to be certain, that Mon- hegan was not without inhabitants after 1622, till the first Indian war, and that the young colony of New-Plymouth, in the spring of this and subsequent years, sent hither for provisions, which they readily obtained from the ships always found in these eastern waters. The opposite country, or main, afforded greater conven- iences for traffic ; and it seems, that slight habitations, such as cabins for fishermen and huts for temporary residence, were con- structed about this time upon the shores, between the rivers St. George and Saco.t
Intruders.
But it was a prevailing sin of early times, to treat the native inhabitants and the country, as if they were only fit to gratify the cupidity of the plunderer, or passion of the destroyer. The
* Prince's Ann. 99, 100 .- He says, "this year," 1623, there are " some scattering beginnings made at Monhiggon and some other places by sundry others." -- Ib. 127. 134.
t Hubbard in his Nar. p. 280, says, after the attempt to settle Sagada- hock, " other places adjoining were soon after seized and improved for trad- ing and fishery." But in his Hist of N. E. p. 14, speaking of the coast eastward about Monhegan, Damariscove, Casco Bay, Cape Porpoise and Metinicus, he says, no Colony was ever settled in any of these places " till the year 1620." Que-was there any so early, except that of New-Ply- mouth ?
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Plymouth Council, even complained to the king, of the repre- A. D. 1622. hensible encroachments and fabuses committed within their pa- tent. The woods were plundered of timber or set on fire, to the utter ruin of whole forests; the best harbours were unneces- sarily encumbered with overthrown ballast and impediments ; the possessions of proprietors and the first emigrants were wantonly disturbed ; the profits of trade with the natives, and the rights of fishery upon the coast, were engrossed ; and the offenders, ap- parently " resolving to omit nothing that might be impious and intolerable," had bartered away to the savages, fire-arms and am- munition and taught them the use of the gun .- But as might be expected, some of them afterwards receiving retributive justice from heaven, were slain by the same savages they " had taught, and with the same weapons they had sold them."
To rectify and prevent all improper practices, and favour the designs of the proprietors, the king by proclamation, Nov. 6, 1622, commanded his subjects, both adventurers and planters through New-England, never to disturb the trade with the na- tives-never to sell them fire-arms ; nor in any instance to inter- meddle with the woods, or freeholds of the planters, without license either from the Plymouth Council, or the crown. It also threatened the wrongdoers with confiscation and other penalties expressed in the patent, provided they did not desist ;*- as if such a mandate could effectually be a preventive of evils, in a country where eyewitnesses must be few and interested, and tri- bunals were unknown. Yet it might have some effect, to allay fears and invigorate enterprize,
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