This year Mr. Thomas Prince was chosen Governor.
Mr. Sherley’s letters were very brief in answer to theirs this year. I will not copy any extracts from them, but will mention the subjects of one or two of them. First, he hopes they will not take offence at anything he wrote previously, professing his affection for them as before, etc. Secondly, as to Mr. Allerton’s accounts, he is convinced the colony must suffer, and that to no small figure; that they have cause enough to complain, but it is now too late; that Allerton had failed them all, and himself, in his aims, and that he feared God in consequence would fail him, and it would not be strange if he fell into worse ways, etc. Thirdly, he blesses God and is thankful to Him for the good return made this year. This is the effect of his letters, other things being of a more private nature.
I now enter upon one of the saddest things that befell them since they came; and before I begin, it will be necessary to quote that part of their patent which gave them rights at Kennebec.
The said Council has further given, granted, bargained, sold, enfeoffed, allotted, assigned, and made over, and by these presents do clearly and absolutely give, grant, bargain, sell, alien, enfeoff, allot, assign, and confirm unto the said William Bradford, his heirs, associates, and assigns, all that tract of land or part of New England in America aforesaid, which lies within or between, and extends itself from the utmost limits of Cobiseconte, which adjoins the river of Kennebec, towards the Western ocean, and a place called the Falls of Nequamkeck in America aforesaid; and the space of fifteen English miles on each side of the said river, commonly called Kennebec river, and all the said river called Kennebec that lies within the said limits and bounds, eastward, westward, northward, and southward, last above mentioned; and all lands, grounds, soils, rivers, waters, fishing, etc. And by virtue of the authority to us derived by his said late majesty’s letters patent, to take, apprehend, seize, and make prize of all such persons, their ships and goods, as shall attempt to inhabit or trade with the savage people of that country within the several precincts and limits of his or their several plantations, etc.
Now it happened that one Hocking, belonging to the settlement at Piscataqua, went with a bark and some commodities to trade on the Kennebec, and must needs transgress their limits, and even go up the river above their house towards the Falls, and intercept the trade that should have come to them. The man in charge of the place forbade him, and begged him not to do them the injury of infringing their rights which had cost them so dear. He replied he would go up and trade there in spite of them, and remain there as long as he pleased. The answer was that in that case he would be forced to remove him or apprehend him. Whereupon Hocking bid him do his worst, and went up and anchored there. So the captain took a boat and some men, and followed him, and again urged him to depart. But all in vain; he could get nothing from him but ill words. So, as it was just the season for trade to come down, and if he allowed him to remain there and take it from them, all their previous expense would be wasted, he consulted with his men, who being willing, he decided to sever the boat from her anchorage, and let her drift down the river with the stream, but commanded his men not to shoot on any account unless he commanded them. He spoke to Hocking again, but all in vain; then he sent a couple of men in a canoe to cut his cable, which one of them did. Thereupon Hocking took up a gun which he had put ready, and as the bark drifted down past the canoe he shot the man in the head and killed him instantly. One of his comrades who loved him well, could not restrain himself, and making aim with his musket shot Hocking dead on the spot. This is a true account of what happened. The rest of the men took the vessel home, with these sad tidings. Now Lord Say and Lord Brook, with some other eminent men, had an interest in this settlement, so the people wrote home to them in such terms as to exasperate them as much as possible, leaving out all the extenuating circumstances, and making it appear that Hocking had been killed without provocation, suppressing the fact that he had killed a man first. So their Lordships were much offended, till they were fully informed of the details.
The news of this spread quickly, with the worst light put upon it, and reached their neighbours in Massachusetts. Their own bark came home to New Plymouth, bringing a true report of it, and all were deeply and naturally affected by it. Not long after, they had occasion to send their vessel to the Bay of Massachusetts; but the colony there was so incensed at the occurrence that they imprisoned Mr. Alden who was aboard, and had been at Kennebec, but had taken no part in the affair, having only gone up to take supplies. They freed the boat, but kept Mr. Alden for some time. This was thought strange here, and they sent Captain Standish, with letters, to give them full information, and to procure Mr. Alden’s release. I will give a letter or two which refer to these things.
Two letters from Thomas Dudley at Newtown to William Bradford at New Plymouth:
Good Sir,
I have received your letter through Captain Standish, and am unfeignedly glad of God’s mercy towards you in the steady recovery of your health. Concerning the matter you write of, I thought I would send a word or two in answer to yourself, leaving your Governor’s letter to be answered by our court, to which with myself it is directed. I presume, until I hear further, that your patent may warrant your resistance of any Englishmen trading at Kennebec, and that the blood of Hocking and the man he slew will be required, elsewhere, at his hands. But with yourself and others I grieve for their deaths. I think, also, that your general letters will satisfy our courts, and make them cease from meddling further in the matter. Upon that same letter I have liberated Mr. Alden, with his sureties; but that I may not seem to neglect the opinion of our court, I have bound Captain Standish to appear on June 3rd at our next court, to make affidavit for the copy of the patent and to testify to the circumstances of Hocking’s provocations, both of which will tend to prove your innocence. If any offence has been taken at what we have done, let it be better considered, I pray you; and I hope the more you think of it, the less blame you will impute to us. At least you ought to be just in distinguishing between those whose opinions concur with your own, and others—though I can truly say I have spoken with no one on the subject, even those who blame you most, who had not always heretofore declared their good-will towards your colony. Referring you further to the report you have from Captain Standish and Mr. Alden, I leave you for the present with God’s blessing, wishing you perfect recovery of your health and long continuance of it. I desire to be lovingly remembered to Mr. Prince—your Governor, Mr. Winslow, and Mr. Brewster, whom I would see if I could. The Lord keep you all. Amen.