PILGRIM PATENTS
:
THE 1621 SECOND PEIRCE PATENT AND
THE 1630 BRADFORD PATENT
THE 1621 PEIRCE PATENT
Patents were charters to large areas of land. In 1620, the Virginia Company issued the
(First) Peirce Patent to the company of merchant adventurers. The patent gave the
merchant adventurers permission to start a new settlement (to be inhabited by the Pilgrims) in the
Virginia territory. The First Peirce Patent was never effective, because the Mayflower landed
outside the bounds of the Virginia Company.
When the Mayflower returned to England in April 1621, the
merchant adventurers
learned that the Pilgrims had settled at Plymouth. They then obtained a patent from the
Council for New England; the Council had the authority to plant and govern land in the
Plymouth area. This Second Peirce Patent confirmed the Pilgrims’ settlement and
governance of Plymouth.
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The Peirce Patent on display at Pilgrim Hall Museum |
The text of the 1621 Peirce Patent begins:
"This Indenture made the First Day of June 1621 And in the yeeres of the raigne of
our soueraigne Lord James by the grace of god King of England Scotland Fraunce and Ireland
defendor of the faith etc. That is to say of England Fraunce and Ireland the Nynetenth and
of Scotland the fowre and fiftith. Betwene the President and Counsell of New England of
the one partie And John Peirce Citizen and Clothworker of London and his Associates of the
other partie Witnesseth that whereas the said John Peirce and his Associates have already
transported and vndertaken to transporte at their cost and chardges themselves and dyvers
persons into New England and there to erect and built a Towne and settle dyvers
Inhabitantes for the advancem[en]t of the generall plantacon of that Country of New
England Now the sayde President and Counsell in consideracon thereof and for the
furtherance of the said plantacon and incoragem[en]t of the said Vndertakers haue agreed
to graunt assigne allott and appoynt to the said John Peirce and his associates and euery
of them his and their heires and assignes one hundred acres of grownd for euery person so
to be transported...
In witnes whereof the said President and Counsell haue to the one part of this p[rese]nte
Indenture sett their seales And to th’other part hereof the said John Peirce in the
name of himself and his said Associates haue sett to his seale geven the day and yeeres
first aboue written.
[signed] LENOX HAMILTON WARWICK SHEFFIELD FERD: GORGES
THE 1630 BRADFORD PATENT
The Pilgrims had a contract with the company of merchant adventurers : all land and
profits accrued to the company for 7 years, at which time the assets would be divided
among the shareholders. Most of the Pilgrims held stock.
In 1626, the Pilgrims negotiated a more favorable contract. 53 Plymouth freemen, known
as "The Purchasers," agreed to buy out the company over a period of years. In
turn, 12 "Undertakers" (8 from Plymouth and 4 from London) agreed to pay off
Plymouth’s debts in return for trade benefits.
Renegotiating the contract necessitated a new patent. The Council for New England
granted the "Bradford Patent" jointly to Bradford and his associates, The
Purchasers, in 1630.
The text of the 1630 Bradford Patent begins:
To all to whom these present shall come greetinge: - Whereas our late sovereigne lord King
James for the advancemente of a colonie and plantacon in the cuntry called or knowne by
the name of New-Englande in America, by his highnes letters pattents under the greate
seale of Englande bearinge date att Westminster the third day of November in the
eighteenth yeare of his highnes raigne of England &c. did give graunte and confirme
unto the right honorble Lodowicke late lord duek of Lenox, George late lord marques of
Buckingham, James Marques Hamilton, Thomas earle of Arundell, Robert earle of Warwicke and
Ferdinando Gorges, knight, and divers others whose names are expressed in the said letters
pattents and their successors that they should bee one bodie pollitique and corporate
perpetually consistinge of forty persons, and that they should have perpetuall succession
and one common seale to serve for the said body and that they and their successors should
be incorporated called and knowne by the name of the Councell established at Plymouth in
the county of Devon for the plantinge ruelinge orderinge and governinge of New Englande in
America, and alsoe of his spetiall grace certaine knowledge and meere motion did give
graunte and confirme unto the said presidente and councell and their successors forever
under the reservations limitations and declaracons in the said letters pattents expressed,
all that part and portion of the said cuntry now called New-England in America scituate,
lyinge and beinge in breadth from ffourty degrees of northerly latitude from the
aquinoctiall line to ffourty eight degrees of the said northerly latitude inclusively, and
in length of and in all the breadth aforesaide throughout the maine lande from sea to sea,
together alsoe with all the firme landes soyles grounds creeks inletts havens portes seas
rivers islands waters fishinges mynes and mineralls...
In witness whereof, the said councell established att Plimouth in the county of Devon for
the plantinge ruleinge orderinge and governinge of New England in America have hereunto
putt their seale the thirteenth day of January in fifte yeare of the raigne of our
Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of God, Kinge of Englande Scotland Fraunce and
Ireland defender of the ffaithe &c Anno Domi 1629.
[signed] R. WARWICKE
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