The Pilgrim Story / Being largely a compilation from the documents of Governor Bradford and Governor Winslow, severally and in collaboration; together with a list of Mayflower passengers.

by William Franklin Atwood

Pierce’s Attempt Fails

Let us now step ahead a few months. As the patent to the lands they now occupied arrived on the Fortune, it is not irrelevant to mention here the abortive attempt of John Pierce to get control of the Plymouth colony. On April 20, 1622, Pierce obtained another patent, superseding the first, broader in scope and running to himself, his heirs, associates and assigns forever.

As an evidence of his intention let us quote from a letter from one of the English company to Governor Bradford—“in regard he, whom you and we so confidently trusted, but only to use his name for the company, should aspire to be lord over us all, and so make you and us tenants at his will and pleasure, our assurance or patent being quite void and disannuled by his means.” etc. The adventurers protested in vain and it is further stated that he demanded “500 pounds which cost him but 50 pounds” for the surrender of the patent.

Whether or not this or any sum was paid there seems to be no record. However the same letter states that “with great trouble and loss we have got Mr. John Pierce to assign over the grand patent to the company, which he had taken in his own name and made quite void our former grant.”

Furthermore the records of the Council for New England which appear in Palfrey’s History of New England furnish the following: “Whereas there were several differences between John Pierce citizen and clothmaker of London and the Treasurer and other the associates of him the said John Pierce that were undertaken with him for the settling and advancement of the plantation at Plymouth, in the parts of New England, said differences, after the full hearing and debating thereof before us were finally concluded upon by the offer of the said John Pierce, and mutual adoption of the said Treasurer and Company then present, in behalf of themselves and the rest of said Company, that the said associates with their undertakers and servants now settled or to be settled in Plymouth aforesaid should remain and continue tenants unto the Council established for the managing of the aforesaid affairs of New England, notwithstanding a grant, bearing date the 20th of April, 1622, by said Pierce obtained without the consent of the said associates, from the said Council, contrary to a former grant to the said Pierce made in behalf of himself and his said associates dated the 1st of June, 1621.”

Thus the new patent was cancelled and the patent dated June 1st, 1621, remained in force. —Ancient Landmarks of Plymouth. Wm. T. Davis, 1883. p. 45.

A Good Harvest