714 GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES. 



understanding that possibly there may be brought under consideration something in order to the restraint of foreigners 

 from fishing there, and it may seem an expedient, founded on good reason, that it should so be, I would humbly intreat 

 this honoured court that I may, as I desire with humbleness, so I may without any offence to this honoured Assembly, 

 present you with some particulars referring to that small town of Hull, in which we live. 



" May it therefore please this honoured Court to understand that my humble request is, first, whether that the 

 honoured Court may not have or see just cause why our little place of Hull, though not out of your jurisdiction, may 

 still enjoy the privileges we have hitherto had, though others should be denied ; and the reasons I would humbly sug- 

 gest are these: First, because we were some of the first that were the discoverers and first bringers of it to light, as it 

 now is attended to the profit of the whole colony here, which we would willingly think were some ground to build 

 our hopes on for the enjoyment of such a privilege. Secondly, because we humbly conceive that those of your town 

 who have been on that employ will say, as well as we know, that ours coming there have been a further aim and no 

 hindrance to them. And, thirdly, let me with all humbleness say that, had it not been for some of us, we believe it 

 had not been kept afoot to this time ; for our frieriUs in yoar patent, after the first or second voyage, had given it off 

 again, and had not some of us kept on, and so been instrumental, beating out by evening 'there, and travelling on the 

 shore at all times and seasons, and so discovered the way to take them in light as well as dark nights, it had not been 

 so certain a thing as now it is; or had we kept but that one thing private, we know it had, if we may inoffensively 

 so speak, been a great obstruction to it to this day. But we were open-hearted to jours, and told them what we 

 knew, and we hope that your Honours, and this honoured Assembly, would be so to us. We humbly beseech your 

 Worthies not to be offended, though we thus speak, if it may be said that as we were the first that laboured in it, so 

 we have had the first and most profit by it: may it please you to let us freely say, without offence, that this last year, 

 wherein your both persons and colony had the opportunity to improve it, hath yielded more profit clear that two or 

 three years before, because we were but just now come fully to understand it; but the truth is, by reason of the dear- 

 ness of salt and lowness of mackerel in the years before, and our gaining was not so considerable; especially add this 

 to it, that in three, we lost one voyage for want of understanding what we have made them acquainted with, as to the 

 light moons. But if you think that the motion, as to the whole town, may be too large, because it may be there may 

 be very many, we humbly leave it to the honoured Court to bound the town to what number you see good, two or 

 three, or what you see good; and so having made bold to present and trouble you with lines, I pray account it not a 

 presumption, but an humble request in the behalfs of that little town of ours, which hath a great part of its livelihood 

 by fishing. And so, in all humbleness, leaving these things to your consideration, I humbly take leave, and rest your 

 humble petitioners in the half of ourselves and town. 



"JOHN PRINCE. 

 "NATHANIEL BOSWORTH. 



"PLYMOUTH, this 8th June, 1671. " 



In answer to the above petition the following grant was made, providing certain persons of Hull with means to 

 enable them to prosecute the mackerel fishery at Cape Cod : 



"Att the Generall Court of Election, att Ply mouth, the fift of June, 1671. 



"In answare vnto the petition prefered to this Court by M r John Prince and M r Nathaniel Bosworth, of the towno 

 of Hull, allias Nantaskett, in the behalfe of the said towne, to have libertie to imploy some boates and theire compa- 

 nies for the takeing of mackerell with nets, att the season thereof, att Cape Codd, this Court doth grannt vnto them 

 libertie for two boates and these companies, to take mackerell there att the season thereof; soe as they make payment 

 of what is due to the collonie from forraigners, notwithstanding, any order of Court extant, prohibiting ethers to fish 

 I here." 3 



For the management of the town business, as also for the greater encouragement of the fishery industry at this 

 place, the order below appended was in 1647 directed in these words: 



"Att a Generall Courte of Eleecon, held y" 2Gth of y 3 m: 1647. 



"There being now diners ffreeraen & men of good abillity in Hull who may comfortably carry on the affayres 

 of a towne, they are enabled by the authorities of this Court to order the prudential! affayres of y towne, according 

 to former orders of this Court & course of other plantations, pvided that, according to former orders of Court they 

 ondevonr the advanucem* of fishing, & that such fishermen as are there already & others w ch shall come thither may 

 have all such reasonable priviledges-& encouragem' as the place will afford, & that such places as are fitt for fishermen 

 may be reserved for that purpose ; & w tb this caution also, that W m Parkes, M r Glouer, & M r Duncan, or any two of 

 them, be appoynted to se the order of Court for advance of ffishingduely obserued." 3 



HINGHAM. 



TUB FISHERIES OF HiKGHAM IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. In the middle of the seventeenth century Hiugham 

 and the employment of its inhabitants were thus briefly described : 



" Hingham, which is scituate upon the Sea coasts South-east of Charles River, being a place nothing iuferiour to 

 their Neighbours for scituation, and the people have much profited themselves by transporting Timber, Planke and 

 Mast for Shipping to the Town of Boston, as also Cedar and Pine-board to supply the wants of other Townes, and also 

 to remote parts, even as far as Barbadoes. They want not for Fish for themselves and others also."* 



1 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc., vol. vl, 1st series, pp. 127, 128. "Records of MassachnseWs, vol. iii, p. 106. 



2 1'lj month Colony Rccoids, vol. v, 1668-1678, p. 63. 'Wonder-working Providence. London, 1654, p. 85. 



