With this letter he sent a draft of power of attorney to be sealed and returned to them, authorizing them to act as their agents. As some trouble arose about it afterwards, I will insert it.
To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting; know ye that we, William Bradford, Governor of New Plymouth, in New England, in America, Isaac Allerton, Myles Standish, William Brewster, and Edward Winslow, of New Plymouth aforesaid, merchants, do by these presents for us and in our names make, substitute, and appoint James Sherley, goldsmith, and John Beauchamp, salter, citizens of London, our true and lawful agents, factors, substitutes, and assigns; as well to take and receive all such goods, wares, merchandise whatsoever as to our said substitutes or either of them, or to the city of London, or other place of the Realm of England, shall be sent, transported, or come from us or any of us; as also to vend, sell, barter, or exchange the said goods, wares, and merchandise, so from time to time to be sent to such person or persons upon credit, or otherwise in such manner as to our said agents and factors jointly, or to either of them severally, shall seem proper. And further we make and ordain our said substitutes and assigns jointly and severally for us, and to our uses, and accounts, to buy and consign for us and to us to New England aforesaid, such goods and merchandise to be provided here, and to be returned hence as by our said assigns, or either of them, shall be thought fit. And to recover, receive, and demand for us and in our names all such debts and sums of money, as now are or hereafter shall be due, incident, accruing, or belonging to us, or any of us, by any ways or means; and to acquit, discharge, or compound for any debt or sum of money, which now or hereafter shall be due or owing by any person or persons to us, or any of us. And generally for us and in our names to do, perform, and execute every act and thing which to our said assigns, or either of them, shall seem proper to do, as fully and effectually, to all intents and purposes, as if we or any of us were in person present. And whatsoever our said agents and factors jointly or severally shall do, or cause to be done, in or about the premises, we will and do, and each of us does ratify, allow, and confirm, by these presents. In witness whereof we have hereunto put our hands and seals.
Dated November 18th, 1628.
This was accordingly confirmed by the above named, and four more of the principal members, under their hands and seals, and delivered to them. Mr. Allerton had formerly received authority under their hands and seals for transacting their business, raising money, etc., and this deed he still retained while he was employed on these affairs. Their complete trust in him and their other friends made them remiss in cancelling such previous deeds, which was a disadvantage to them later, as will appear in due course.
Mr. Allerton having settled everything satisfactorily, returned to the colony in the early spring of the year with their supplies for trading, the fishermen with whom he came being accustomed to sail in the winter and get here betimes. He brought a fair stock of goods for the settlement, not subject to such high interest, and an account of the beaver sold and of the money expended for goods and the payment of other debts. He had discharged all engagements, except to Mr. Sherley, Mr. Beauchamp, and Mr. Andrews; and from them he also brought an account, which amounted to not above £400, for which he had given bonds. He had also made the first payment for the purchase, due this year, viz., £200, and brought them the bond for it, duly cancelled. So they had now no foreign debts except £400, odd, and the balance of the yearly purchase money. They had some other debts over here, but they were without interest, and they were in a position to discharge them when they were due. To this pass the Lord had brought things for them.
Mr. Allerton also brought them notice that their friends referred to above, with some others who wished to join them in the trading and in the purchase, intended that a reasonable number of the congregation at Leyden should be sent over next year without fail, if the Lord pleased to bless their journey. He also brought them a patent for Kennebec; but it was so inadequate that they were obliged to endeavour to renew and enlarge it the next year, and also that which they had at home, at great expense, as will appear. Hitherto Mr. Allerton had done them good and faithful service: would that he had so continued, or that they had now ceased employing him any longer in England. But of this more afterwards.
Having procured a patent for Kennebec, they erected a house in the most convenient place for trade up the river, and stocked it with goods for that purpose, both for winter and summer; not only with corn, but with such other commodities as the fishermen had traded to them, such as coats, shirts, rugs, blankets, biscuits, peas, prunes, etc. What they could not procure from England they bought from the fishing ships and so carried on their business as well as they could.
This year the Dutch visited them again. With kind letters from the colony they sent a variety of goods, such as sugar, linen, Holland finer and coarser stuffs, etc. Their secretary de Rasieres came with them in their bark to Manomet, to the house the settlers had established there. He brought attendants, and his coming was heralded by trumpets. He requested them to send a boat to take him on to New Plymouth, as he could not travel so far overland. So they sent a boat to Manoanscussett, and brought him to the plantation with most of his people. After some few days’ entertainment he returned to his bark, and some of the leading settlers went with him and bought some of his goods. After this beginning they often sent over to them, and had intercourse for many years.
Amongst other commodities they sold the Dutch a good deal of tobacco in exchange for linen, stuffs, etc.; and tobacco was profitably traded with them by the New Plymouth colony, till the Virginians learned of the Dutch settlement. But what become most profitable, in time, was the beginning they then made in the trade for wampum. They bought £50 worth of it from the Dutch who told them how much they sold of it at Fort Orange, and assured them they would find it so at Kennebec. At first they could not sell it—in fact it was two years before they cleared this small quantity. Afterwards, when the Indians further inland began to know of it, for many years they could scarcely get enough for them.
This, with their other sources of supply, reduced their trade with the fishermen, and in the main also with the scattered settlers. It was strange to see the great change it wrought in a few years among the Indians themselves. The natives of these parts and in Massachusetts hitherto had none or very little of this wampum, except the Sachems and some of the chiefs who wore a little of it for ornament. It was, however, largely made and used by the Narragansetts and Pequots, who grew rich and powerful while the Indians here were poor and beggarly, and had no use for it. Nor did the English of New Plymouth or any of the other settlements, until told of it by the Dutch, so much as know what it was, much less that it was a commodity of such value. But after it grew to be valuable here, the local Indians took to it too, and learned how to make it, gathering the shells from the shores. It has remained a current commodity now for about twenty years, and it may prove a drug in time. In the meantime it makes the tribes hereabouts rich and powerful and proud, and provides them with arms and powder and shot, through the depravity of some unworthy persons, both English, Dutch, and French, and likely to be the ruin of many. Hitherto the Indians round here had no guns or other arms but their bows and arrows, nor for many years after; they scarcely dared handle guns, they were so afraid of them; and the very sight of one, though out of kilter, was a terror to them. But the Indians to the East who had dealings with the French got guns from them, and in time our English fishermen, with equal covetousness, followed their example. But upon complaint it pleased the king’s majesty to prohibit it by a strict proclamation, commanding that no sort of arms or munition should be traded to the Indians by his subjects.