CHAP. XXVII.

Various occurrences in New England, from the year

1631 to 1636.

THE 21st of November, 1632, the Governor of the Massachusetts received a letter from Captain Neal, that one Bull,' with fifteen more of the English who kept beyond Pascataqua, were turned pirates, and had taken divers boats, and rifled Pemaquid, &c. Hereupon the Governor called the Council; and it was agreed to send his bark, (then newly built,) with twenty men to join with those of Pascataqua for the taking the said pirates. But the extremity of the frost hindering the making ready the bark, and being informed that those of Pascataqua had sent out two pinnaces and two shallops, with forty men, above a fortnight before, they altered their resolution, and deferred any further expedition till they heard what Captain Neal's company had done; from whom they were certified, soon after, that the vessels they sent in pursuit of those pirates were wind-bound three weeks at Pemaquid. From Penobscot they were informed that they had lost one of their chief men by a musket-shot from Pemaquid, and that four or five were detained amongst them against their wills, and that they had been at some English Plantations, and used so much civility as to take nothing but what they paid for, and that they had compounded with Mr. Maverick, whose pinnace they had taken by force at first. They also sent a writing to all the Governors, signifying their intent not to do harm to any more of their countrymen, and resolution to sink rather than be taken, and that their purpose was to go southward. This writing was signed, Fortune le garde.3

Upon these informations they surceased any further pursuit after them; only they took warning thereby, to look to themselves, not knowing but that some of the French in those parts might join with such loose fellows,

I. e. The pirates. Sav. "And no name to it." Ibid.-H.

'See Clap's Memoirs, pp. 35-6.-н. Win. i. 98.-H.

and mischief either their vessels or Plantations. For on the 17th of January following they had intelligence that the French had bought the Scottish Plantation near Cape Sables, and that the fort there, with all the ammunition, was delivered to them, and that the Cardinal of France, (supposed to be Richlieu,) having the managing of that affair, had sent some companies already, and that preparation was made to send more the next year, with divers priests and Jesuits among them. This news alarmed the Governor and Council to stand upon their guard, and look to themselves; and, upon further debate and consultation with the chief of the country, it was agreed with all expedition to finish the fort began at Boston, and raise another at Nantaskit, and to hasten the planting of Agawam, (since Ipswich,) one of the most commodious places in the country for cattle and tillage, lest an enemy should prevent them by taking possession of the place. To that end the Governor's son' was ordered forthwith to go and begin a Plantation there, although he had but twelve men allowed him to make the attempt, which was that spring effected, but it was not long before many others came after. This was well advised, but, as it proved in the sequel, they were more afraid than hurt, for the French aimed at nothing but trade, and therefore were not forward to molest any of the English Plantations that intended something else. However it was just reason to take notice of these alarums, for the middle of June before the French had rifled the trading-house of Plymouth at Penobscot, and carried away three hundred weight of beaver, with what other goods they found there, which was but as the distraining|| of a landlord for his rent, for default of which it was not long before he seized the place itself, which happened in the year 1635, when a French ship came with commission from the King of France, (as was pretended,) and took the trading-house of Plymouth men at Penobscot, and sent away the men which were in it, but kept their goods, and gave them bills for them, and bid them tell all the Plantations as far as forty degrees, that they would come with eight ships next year, and displace them all. distressing |

1 John Winthrop, Jun.-H.

2 In March.-H.

But by a letter which the captain wrote to the Governor of Plymouth he informed, that he had commission from Monsieur Rossillon, commander of the fort near Cape Brittain, called La Haver, to displace the English as far as Pemaquid, and by it he professed all courtesy to them that were planted westward.

The Plymouth men were not willing to put up an injury so quietly, being ready to believe they had a right to the place before God and man. Therefore they hired a great ship (called the Hope of Ipswich, Mr. Girling being master,) to displace the French and regain their possession. He was to have £200 if he effected the design. They sent a bark of their own, with him and twenty men. But the French having notice, so strongly fortified the place, and entrenched themselves, (about eighteen persons,) as that, having spent near all his powder and shot, he was ready to give over the design. The Plymouth bark came to the Massachusetts to advise what to do. The General Court agreed to aid them with men and ammunition, and therefore wrote to Plymouth to send one with commission to treat with them. The next week they sent Mr. Prince and Captain Standish with a commission so to do. They brought the matter to this issue, that they would assist their neighbors at Plymouth as their friends, and at their charge, but not as the common cause of the whole country, and every one to contribute their part. And at that time provision was so scarce, (by reason of a great hurricane that spoiled much of their corn, on the 15th of August that year,') that they knew not where, on the sudden, to find means to victual out an hundred men, which the expedition would require: so all was deferred to further counsel, by which occasion Mr. Girling was forced to return, without effecting their purpose. Nor did they find any means afterward to recover their interest there any more. In October following, a pinnace sent by Sir Richard Saltonstall upon a design for Connecticut, in her return home, was cast away upon the Isle of Sables. The men were kindly entertained by the French there, and had passage to La Haver, about twenty

2

'See page 199.-H. 2 See Saltonstall's letter to Gov. Winthrop, in Mass. Hist. Coll. xviii. 42.. -H.

leagues to the east of Cape Sables, where Rossillon aforesaid was Governor, who entreated them courteously, granting four of them passage for France, and furnishing the rest with a shallop to return back to New England, but made them pay dear for their vessel. In this their return they put into Penobscot, while Girling's ship lay there, but were kept prisoners till the said ship was gone and then were sent home with a courteous letter to the Governor.

Before this, in the year 1634, a pinnace, belonging to Mr. Allerton of Plymouth, going to Port Royal to fetch two or three men that had been carried from a place called Machias,' where Mr. Allerton and some of Plymouth had set up a trading wigwam, and left five men and store of commodities, La Tour coming to displace them, and finding resistance, killed two of them, as was said, and carried three away, of which he afterward cleared himself, Anno 1643: and when some were sent to demand the goods taken thence, Monsieur La Tour, then chief upon the place, made answer, that he took them as lawful prize, and that he had authority from the King of France, who challenged all from Cape Sable to Cape Cod, wishing them to take notice and certify the English, that if they traded to the eastward of Pemaquid he would make prize of them. And being desired to show his commission, he answered, like a French Monsieur, that his sword was his commission when he had strength to overcome, and where he wanted he would show his commission. But we shall afterwards find this Monsieur speaking softer words, when D'Aulney and he came to quarrel one with another, of which there will be much occasion to speak in the following part of this history; and to observe how La Tour was dealt withal, as he had dealt with others, when his fort and all his goods were plundered by his neighbor Monsieur D'Aulney.

In November, 1636, the same D'Aulney, Captain of Penobscot, in his answer to the Governor's letter,' said that they claimed no further than Pemaquid, nor would unless they had further order: and that he supposed the cause why he had no further order was, that the English

1 "1633. Nov. News of the taking of Machias by the French." Sav. Win. i. 117.-H. 2 The pinnace returned about the middle of January, 1634-5. Ibid. 154.-H. 3 Written, perhaps, in Oct. 1635. Ibid. 171.-H.

VOL. V. SECOND SERIES.

14

ambassador had dealt effectually with the Cardinal of France, for settling those limits for their peace.

Amongst other things which about that time befell the Governor and Council of the Massachusetts as matter of disturbance, one was occasioned by an over zealous act of one of the Assistants of Salem, too much inspired by the notions of Mr. Roger Williams, who, to prevent the continuance or appearance of superstition, did of his own authority cut out the red cross out of the King's colors. Good men's zeal doth many times boil over. Complaint was made hereof by Richard Browne, the ruling elder of the church of Watertown, in the name of the rest of the freemen, at a Court of Assistants in November, 1634. The offence was argued by the complainant as a matter of an high nature, as fearing it might be interpreted a kind of rebellion to deface the King's colors: much indeed might have been said, had it been done in his coin. It was done upon this apprehension, that the red cross was given to the King of England by the Pope, as an ensign of victory, and so indeed by him as a superstitious thing, and a relic of Antichrist. No more was done therein at the first Court, but the awarding of an attachment against R. D.', the ensign-bearer of Salem, to appear at the next Court; and when that came about, many minds being much taken up about the matter, because several of the soldiers refused to follow the colors so defaced, the Commissioners of Military Affairs (which at [that] time were established, with power of life and limb,) knew not well how to proceed in those matters. Therefore was the whole case left to the next General Court, which was the Court of Election, May 6, 1635;3 when Mr. Endicot, that had cut out the red cross, or caused it to be done, in the ensign at Salem, was not only left out from being an Assistant by the freemen, but was also by a committee of the freemen of the several towns, (the magistrates choosing two to join with them,) judged to be guilty of a great offence, viz. rash indiscretion, in proceeding to act by his sole authority in a matter wherein all the rest of the magistrates were equally concerned, and thereby giving occasion to the Court of England to think ill of them,

-1 Richard Davenport. Sav. Win. i. 146.-H.

2 March 4, 1634-5, at Newtown. Ibid. 155.-H. 3 At Newtown. Ibid. 158.-H.

Four. Ibid.-
-H.