HISTORICAL REFERENCES: MASSACHUSETTS. 721 



that they might gainc well by y e fishing in this way; and if they should but save, yea, or lose something by it, y* 

 other beueiite would bo advantage inough; so seeing their ernestness, he gave way, and it was refered to their 

 friends in England to alo\v, or disalow it. Of which more in its place." 1 



TROUBLE ABOUT THE FISHING VESSKL FRIENDSHIP. "They looked emestly for a timely supply this spring," 

 [1630] says Governor Bradford, "by the fishing ship which they expected, and had been at charg to kcepe a stage 

 for her; but none came, nor any supply heard of for them. At length they heard surne supply was sent to Ashley 

 by a fishing ship, at which they something marvelled, and the more y* they had no letters cither from M r . Allertou 

 or M r Sherley ; so they went on in their bussiness as well as y e could. At last they heard of M r . Peirce ; his arivall 

 in y" Bay of y c Massachusetts, who brought passengers & goods thither. They presently sent a, shallop, conceiving 

 they should have something by him. But he tonld thorn he had none ; and a ship was sett out on fishing, but 

 after 11 weeks beating at sea, she mett with shuch foull weather as she was forcte, back ngaine for England, and, 

 y season being over, gave off y e vioage. * * *. But Mr. Allerton had bought another ship, and was to come in 

 her, and was to fish for bass to y e eastward, and tp bring goods, &c. * * *. Abouto y e midle of sower arrives 

 M r . Hatherley in y Bay of Massachusetts, (being ono of y e partners.^ and came over in y e same ship that was set 

 out on fishing (called y e Frendship). * * *. Bass fishing was never lookt at by them, but as soone as ever they 

 heard on it, they looked at it as a vaine thing, that would certainly tnrno to loss. And for Mr. Allerton to follow 

 any trade for them it was never in their thoughts. < * After these things Mr. Allerto:i wcute to y c ship 

 aboute his bass fishing. * * 



"Now about these ships & their setting forth, the truth, as farr as could be learned, is this. The motion 

 aboute setting forth y e fishing ship (caled y e Friendship) came first from y e plantation, and y" reason of it, as is 

 before remembered ; but wholy left to them selves to doe or not to doe, as they saw cause. But when it fell into 

 consideration, and y e designe was held to be profitable and hojiefnll, it was propounded by some of them, why might 

 not they doe it of them selves, seeing they must disburse all y e money, and what need they have any refferancc- 

 to y e plantation in y* ; they might take y" profite thorn selves, towards other losses, & need not let y e plantation 

 share therein ; and if their ends were other wise answered for their supplycs to come too them in time, it would be 

 well enough. So they hired her, & set her out, and fraighted her as full as she could carry with passengers goods 

 y* belonged to y Massachusetts, which rise to a good surne of money; intending to send y plantation supply in y* 

 other ship. The effecte of this Mr. Hatherley not only declared afterward upou occasion, but affirmed upon othe, 

 taken before y e GoV & Dep: Gov r of y e Massachusetts, M r . Winthrop & Mr. Dudley : That this ship Friendship was 

 not sett out nor intended for y" joynt partnership of y e plantation, but for y e perticulcr accounte of Mr. James Sherley, 

 Mr. Beachampe, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Allerton, & him selfe. This deposition was taken at Boston y e 29, of Ang : 1639 

 as is to be seen under their hands; besides some other coucurente testimonies declared at scverall times to sumlrie 

 of them." 2 



THE ALEWIFE FISHERIES REGULATED IN 1633. The following order concerning the capture of alewives and some 

 other fish was passed at a general court held the 28th of October, in the ninth year of the reign of King Charles : 



" Whereas God, by his providence, hath cast the fish called alewives or herrings in the middest of the place 

 appointed for the towne of Plymouth, and that the ground thereabout hath been worno out by the whole, to the. 

 damage of those that inhabite the same, that therefore the said herring, alewives, or ghadde comonly used in the* 

 setting of come be appropriated to such as doe or shall inhabite the towne of Plymouth aforesd, and that no other 

 have any right or propriety in the same, onely for bait for fishing, & that by such an orderly cowrse as shall be 

 thought meet by the Gov r & Cowncell." 3 



FISHERY GRANTS IN 1641 AND 1642." In 1641, Mr. John Jenny was allowed certain privileges at Clarke's Island,. 

 ' to make salt, and which he was to sell to the inhabitants at 2 s. the bushel.' * * * " Herring wear let for three' 

 years to three persons, who are to deliver the shares of herrings and to receive 1 s. G the thousand for their trouble- 

 In lb'42, "Thirty acres of land were granted at Clarke's Island (the use of them) to the five partners tl-at inako 

 salt for twenty-one years." 4 



PERMISSION TO FISH AT CAPE COD." In the month of October, 1650, the permission formerly given to John 

 Stone, of Hull, to make use of lands at Cape Cod for bass fishing, was withdrawn by the court ; and. leave was 

 granted 'to Mr. Thomas Prince, Capt. Miles Standish, and Mr. William Paddy, with such others of Plymouth, 

 Duxbury, and Nawsett, as shall join with them, they to make use of any lands, creeks, timber, &c., upon the Cane, 

 ];iii(l, in such convenient places as they shall choose,' for the said fishing purposes." 6 



SCHOOLS SUPPORTED BY FISHERY. Deane, in his history of Scituate, says: 



" In 1670, ' the court did freely give and grant all such profits as might or should accrue annually to the colonv 

 for fishing with nets or seines at Cape Cod, for mackerel, bass, or herrings, to be improved for and towards a free 

 school in some town of this jurisdiction, for the training up of yonth in literature for the good and benefit of 

 posterity, provided a beginning be made within one year after s d grant, &c.' This school was immediately established 

 at Plymouth, and was supported by the proceeds of the Cape fishery until 1677, when the following change was 

 ordered, viz: 'In whatever Township in this government, consisting of fifty families or upwards, any meet men 

 shall be obtained to teach a grammar school, such township shall allow at least twelve pounds, to be raised by rate 

 on all the inhabitants of s d town: and those that have the more immediate benefit thereof, with what others shall 

 voluntarily give, shall make up the residue necessary to maintain the same, and that the profits arising from the Cape 



'Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc., vol. iii, 4th series.p. 126. 'Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc.. vol. iii,2d soriea,p. 183. 



* Una,, pp. 207 et al. * Frcnnaii'R History of Cape Coil, vol. i, p. 203. 



" Plymouth Colony Hceorrts, vol. i, 1633-1051, p 17. 



40 G R F 



