Articles of agreemente betweene the collony of New-Plimmoth of the one partie, and William Bradford, Captein Myles Standish, Isaack Allerton, etc. one the other partie; and shuch others as they shall thinke good to take as partners and undertakers with them, concerning the trade for beaver and other furrs and comodities, etc.; made July, 1627. First, it is agreed and covenanted betweexte the said parties, that the afforsaid William Bradford, Captain Myles Standish, and Isaack Allerton,1 etc.,2 have undertaken, and doe by these presents, covenante and agree to pay, discharge, and acquite the said collony of all the honesty that made our friends rest and rely upon us, assuring themselves, that if we lived and it was possible, we should see them have their monies: Therefore we thought it our safest and best course to come to some agreement with the people, to have the whole trade consigned to us for some years; and so in the time to take upon us, to pay all the debts and set them free: Another reason which moved us to take this heavy burthen upon our shoulders was, our great desire to transport as many of our brethren of Leyden over unto us, as we could, but without this course we could never have done it, all here being (for peace and unity's sake) made joint purchasers with us, and every one thereby had as much interest as ourselves; and many were very opposite here against us in respect of the great charge: Again we well knew, that, except we followed our trading roundly, we should never be able to do the one or the other; therefore we sought means to have our patent enlarged, and to have some good trading places included therein; that if we could not keep them thereby wholly to ourselves, yet that none should exclude or thrust us wholly out of them, as we well knew that some would have done, if we now had not laid hold of the opportunity: Therefore Mr. Allerton was sent over to prosecute these things, and to acquaint those few of our friends in England, whom the year before were joined purchasers with us, what agreements we had made and concluded with our people, and for what ends, and so to offer them to be our partners in trade and the whole business; writing our letters unto them for that end." 59. 1 These three made choice of others to be associated with them as undertakers Edward Winslow, William Brewster, John Howland, John Alden and Thomas Prence, "and though they knew not their minds before (many of them being absent) yet they did presume they would join with them in the thing, as afterward they did." The London associates were James Sherley, John Beauchamp, Richard Andrews and Timothy Hatherley. Letter Book. Allerton seems to have had closer relations with the London partners than with those of New Plymouth, a circumstance which led him into courses that in the event proved generally disastrous. The "etc." stands for "and such others as they shall take unto them." debtes both due for the purchass, or any other belonging to them, at the day of the date of these presents. [153] Secondly, the above-said parties are to have and freely injoye the pinass latly builte, the boat at Manamett, and the shalop, called the Bass-boat, with all other implements to them belonging, that is in the store of the said company; with all the whole stock of furrs, fells, beads, corne, wampampeak, hatchets, knives, etc. that is now in the storre, or any way due unto the same uppon accounte. 3ly. That the above said parties have the whole trade to them selves their heires and assignes, with all the privileges therof, as the said collonie doth now, or may use the same, for 6. full years, to begine the last of September next insuing. 4ly. In furder consideration of the discharge of the said debtes, every severall purchaser doth promise and covenante yearly to pay, or cause to be payed, to the above said parties, during the full terme of the said .6. years, 3 bushells of corne, or 6li. of tobaco, at the undertakers choyse. 5ly. The said undertakers shall dureing the afforesaid terme bestow 5oli. per annum, in hose and shoese, to be brought over for the collonies use, to be sould unto them for corne at 6s. per bushell. 6ly. That at the end of the said terme of 6. years, the whole trade shall returne to the use and benefite of the said collonie, as before. Lastly, if the afforesaid undertakers, after they have aquainted their freinds in England with these covenants, doe (upon the first returne) resolve to performe them, and undertake to discharge the debtes of the said collony, according to the true meaning and intente of these presents, then they are (upon shuch notice given) to stand in full force; otherwise all things to remaine as formerly they were, and a true accounte to be given to the said collonie, of the disposing of all things according to the former order.1 1 From the Letter Book are obtained the names of the signers of this agreement, and Bradford states, "this agreement was by these subscribed; for some would not subscribe, and some were from home." Mr. Allerton carried a coppy of this agreemente with him into England, and amongst other his instructions had order given him to deale with some of their speciall freinds, to joyne with them in this trade upon the above recited conditions; as allso to imparte their further ends that moved them to take this course, namly, the helping over of some their freinds from Leyden, as they should be able; in which if any of them would joyne with them they should thankfully accepte of their love and partnership herein. And with all (by their letters) gave them some grounds of their hopes of the accomplishmente of these things with some advantage. This monopoly of the trade in beaver and other commodities was apparently renewed after the expiration of the first period of six years, though no record of formal action upon it exists; for in 1637 the question again came up for regulation, as will be noted under that year. The Dutch West India Company exported from New Netherland in 1626, 7,258 beavers and 857 otters, etc., the whole valued at 45,050 guilders; in 1627, 7,520 beavers, and 370 otters, etc., valued at 12,720 guilders; and in 1628, 6,951 beavers, and 734 otters, etc., valued at 61,075 guilders. It is difficult to explain the low valuation for 1627, unless an unusual demand or very valuable furs raised the values in the other two years. Writing about this time Father Charles L'Allemant speaks of beaver skins forming the real wealth of the Indians in Canada, and in the exchange of which the traders find their greatest profit. In one year from 12,000 to 15,000 skins would be obtained at one pistole each (about 16/) “which is not doing badly." Jesuit Relations (Thwaites), Iv. 207. The Dutch ship Eendracht, which went into the harbor of Plymouth, England, in June, 1632, had five thousand beaver skins in her cargo. Sir Ferdinando Gorges and the Council for New England sought to have her held on the ground that her cargo had been obtained from English possessions, and that the Dutch were appropriating English territories. The Dutch representatives protested against the seizure, and carrying the matter to the King were told that the High Mightinesses had, at the request of his father [James I] interdicted their subjects from trading in those parts; but he was not certain of his right in the case, and could not release the vessel. Brodhead, History of New York, 214. A Anno Dom:.1628. FTER Mr. Alertons arivall in England,' he aquainted them with his comission and full power to conclude the forementioned bargan and purchas; 2 upon [154] the veiw wherof, and the delivery of the bonds for the paymente of the money yearly, (as is before mentioned,) it was fully concluded, and a deede3 fairly ingrossed in partchmente was delivered him, under their hands and seals confirming the same. Morover he delte with them aboute other things according to his instructions. As to admitte some of these their good freinds into this purchass if they pleased, and to deal with them for moneys at better rates, etc. Touching which I shall hear inserte a letter of Mr. Sherleys, giving light to what followed thereof, writ to the Gov[erno]r as followeth." SIR: I have received yours of the 26. of May by Mr. Gibs, and Mr. Goffe, with the barrell of otter skins, according to the contents; for which I got a bill of store, and so tooke them up, and sould them to 1 "In the summer or autumn of 1627." DEANE. • See p. 4, supra. * Nov. 6, 1627, Page 238.— BRADFORD. Reference is here made to the folio of the original manuscript. • Deane conjectures that this letter should be dated 1627. Thomas Goffe, a merchant of London, and adventurer in the New Plymouth settlement, and named deputy governor of the company in the patent of Massachusetts Bay. The New Plymouth plantation owed him some money, for which the Company of the Massachusetts Bay agreed with that of New Plymouth to deliver "six sowes with pigg, for which they are to be allowed 9l in accompt of what they owe vnto Mr. Goffe, Deputie." Craddock to Endecott, April 17, 1629. Mass. Col. Rec., 1. 392. He met with misfortunes in 1630. Winthrop, 1. *37; 4 Mass. Hist. Collections, VI. 14. geather at 78li. 125. sterling; and since, Mr. Allerton hath received the money, as will apear by the accounte. It is true (as you write) that your ingagments are great, not only the purchass, but you are yet necessitated to take up the stock you work upon; and that not at 6. or.8. per cent. as it is here let out, but at .30 .40. yea, and some at 50. per cent. which, were not your gaines great, and Gods blessing on your honest indea[v]ours more then ordinarie, it could not be that you should longe subsiste in the maintaining of, and upholding of your worldly affaires. And this your honest and discreete agente, Mr. Allerton, hath seriously considered, and deeply laid to mind, how to ease you of it. He tould me you were contented to accepte of me and some 1 1628. Rec. out of the Marmaduck, by John Gibbs, 220 otters' with mincks' and quash skins, sold at Rec. out of the Whitt Angell, by Christopher Burkett, 494 lb. 8 d. beaver, sold at 15s. 6d. amounts to Rec. out of the Pleasure, Wm. Peeters, master, 209 lb. 12d. beaver, at 16s. 4d. 40 otters' skins sold together Rebated, because they were exceeding wet, and doubtful some mistake in the weight, the sum of So they yielded, to be put to account £78. 12. 0 383. 14. 3 171. 5. II 29. o. O 200. 5. II 2. 15. 3 197. 10. 8 659. 16. 11 Sherley's account in 3 Mass. Hist. Collections, I. 201. The statement may have been prepared in 1631, or later, as the first recorded voyage of the White Angel was made in that year, and beaver was sent by her (p. 110, infra). No record of the Pleasure's voyage has been found. • Sherley's accounts for 1628 show that the rates of interest charged were heavier than the letter indicates. "Memorandum. The Company stand indebted unto these several men following, for principal moneys borrowed of them as foll: To John Beauchampe bond bearing date the 18th day of November, 1628, payable on the 25th day of October, 1629, being principal money only, the sum of 160. o. 0 To James Sherley, bond dated the 18th of November, 1628, payable 80. o. o 40. o. O 280. o. o |