[With the death of Governor John Carver in April 1621, “Shortly after William Bradford was chosen Gover in his stead, and being not yet recoverd of his ilnes, in which he had been near ye point of death; Isaak Allerton was chosen to be an Asistante unto him, who, by renewed election every year, continued sundry years together”.]
[The Pilgrims were not, in the beginning, experienced businessmen. In 1625, at the death of their “right hand” man in England, Robert Cushman, they found they needed Allerton’s negotiating abilities and sent him post-haste as their agent to England.]
[This mission (the first of several) was particularly significant. It produced a change in the financial arrangements between the merchant Adventurers and the Pilgrims whereby the former sold their entire interest to the latter, know as Purchasers, for 1,800 English ponds. Allerton negotiated the agreement in 1626. (Society of Mayflower Descendants in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania)]
Bradford tells what happened, “This year [1626] they sent Mr. Allerton into England, and gave him order to make a composition with ye adventurers, upon as good termes as he could (unto which some way had ben made ye year before by Captaine Standish);”
“but yet injoyned him not to conclud absolutly till they knew ye termes, and had well considered of them; but to drive it to as good an issew as he could, and referr ye conclusion to them.”
“Also they gave him a commission under their hands & seals to take up some money, provided it exeeded not such a sume specified, for which they engaged them selves, and gave him order how to layout ye same for ye use of ye plantation.”
“And finding they rane a great hazard to goe so long viages in a smale open boat, espetialy ye winter season, they begane to thinke how they might gett a small pinass; as for ye reason afforesaid, so also because others had raised ye prise with ye lndeans above ye halfe of what they had formerly given, so as in such a boat they could not carry a quantity sufficient to answer their ends.”
“And thus passed ye affairs of this year.”
“At ye usuall season of ye coming of ships [1627] Mr. Allerton returned, and brought some usfull goods with him, according to ye order given him. For upon his commission he tooke up 200li. which he now gott at 30. per cent.”
“The which goods they gott safly home, and well conditioned, which was much to the comfort & contente of ye plantation.”
“He declared unto them, allso, how, with much adoe and no small trouble, he had made a composition with ye adventurers, by the help of sundrie of their faithfull freinds ther, who had allso tooke much pains ther about.”
The 1626 Allerton Agreement
“The agreement or bargen he had brought a draught of, with a list of ther names ther too annexed, drawne by the best counsel of law they could get, to make it firme. The heads wherof I shall here inserte.”
“To all Christian people, greeting, &c. Wheras at a meeting ye 26. of October last past, diverse & sundrie persons, whose names to ye one part of these presents are subscribed in a schedule hereunto annexed, Adventurers to New-Plimoth in New-England in America, were contented and agreed,”
“in consideration of the sume of one thousand and eight hundred pounds sterling to be paid, (in maner and forme folling,) to sell, and make sale of all & every ye stocks, shares, lands, marchandise, and chatles, what soever, to ye said adventurers, and other ther fellow adventurers to New Plimoth aforesaid, any way accruing, or belonging to ye generalitie of ye said adventurers aforesaid;”
“as well by reason of any sume or sumes of money, or marchandise, at any time heretofore adventured or disbursed by them, or other wise howsoever; for ye better expression and setting forth of which said agreemente,”
“the parties to these presents subscribing, doe for them selves severally, and as much as in them is, grant, bargan, alien, sell, and transfere all & every ye said shares, goods, lands, marchandice, and chatles to them belonging as aforesaid, unto Isaack Alerton, one of ye planters resident at Plimoth afforesaid, assigned, and sent over as agente for ye rest of ye planters ther,”
“and to such other planters at Plimoth aforesaid as ye said Isack, his heirs, or assignes, at his or ther arrivall, shall by writing or otherwise thinke fitte to joyne or partake in ye premisses, their heirs, & assignes, in as large, ample, and beneficiall maner and forme, to all intents and purposes, as ye said subscribing adventurers here could or may doe, or performe.”
“All which stocks, shares, lands, &c. to the said adven: in severallitie alloted, apportioned, or any way belonging, the said adven: doe warrant & defend unto the said Isaack Allerton, his heirs and assignes, against them, their heirs and assignes, by these presents.”
“And therfore ye said Isaack Allerton doth, for him, his heirs & assigns, covenant, promise, & grant too & with ye adven: whose names are here unto subscribed, ther heirs, &c. well & truly to pay, or cause to be payed, unto ye said adven: or 5. of them which were, at yt meeting afforsaid, nominated & deputed,”
“viz. John Pocock, John Beachamp, Robart Keane, Edward Base, and James Sherley, marchants, their heirs, &c. too and for ye use of ye generallitie of them, the sume of 1800li. of lawfull money of England, at ye place appoynted for ye receipts of money on the west side of ye Royall Exchaing in London, by 200li. yearly, and every year, on ye feast of St. Migchell, the first paiment to be made Ano: 1628. &c.”
“Allso ye said Isaack is to indeavor to procure & obtaine from ye planters of N. P. aforesaid, securitie, by severall obligations, or writings obligatory, to make paiment of ye said sume of 1800li. in forme afforsaid, according to ye true meaning of these presents.”
“In testimonie wherof to this part of these presents remaining with ye said Isaack Allerton, ye said subscribing adven: have sett to their names,* &c. And to ye other part remaining with ye said adven: the said Isaack Allerton hath subscribed his name, ye 15. Novbr. Ano: 1626. in ye 2. year of his Majesties raigne.”
[“This agreemente was very well liked of, & approved by all ye plantation, and consented unto; though they knew not well how to raise ye payment, and discharge their other ingagements, and supply the yearly wants of ye plantation, seeing they were forced for their necessities to take up money or goods at so high intrests.”]
[The original company of adventurers or “venture capitalists” was wound up in 1627, leaving a debt of £1,800 that was assumed by the Undertakers. In return a monopoly was granted to Bradford, Allerton, and Standish in their position as original Undertakers.]
[The Plymouth “Undertakers” included 8 Pilgrims (Bradford, Standish, Allerton, Winslow, Howland, Alden, Brewster, and Prence) and four London partners (Sherley, Beauchamp, Andrews and Hatherly.)]
[This agreement led to the first “dividend” of privately owned land (at 20 acres a person) to each resident family or single man – together with shares in valuable milk goats and cattle – that began the expansion of the settlement beyond the bounds of downtown Plymouth. (Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants)]
Distribution of Lands (1627)
[After two harvests the colony itself had decided that the task of raising food for the settlers would prosper only if it was separated from that of earning profits for London. In 1623 a parcel of land was allotted to each man to till for his family and to maintain those who were exempt from agricultural employment because of other duties. Each family was given one acre per family member.]
[In abandoning the “common course and condition” everyone worked harder and more willingly. The food problem was ended, and after the first abundant harvest under individual cultivation, the Pilgrims did not have to endure the meager rations of the first years. The plots assigned them permanently in 1624 became privately owned in 1627.]
[Three heifers and a bull sent over by the adventurers in response to Bradford’s request throve and multiplied, so there was cattle to be divided among the households when the general stock was terminated. (McIntyre)]
“Then they agreed that every person or share should have 20. acres of land devided unto them, besids ye single acres they had allready; and they appoynted were to begin first on ye one side of ye towne, & how farr to goe; and then on ye other side in like maner; and so to devid it by lotte;”
“and appointed sundrie by name to doe it, and tyed them to certaine ruls to proceed by; as that they should only layout settable or tillable land, at least such of it as should butt on ye water side, (as ye most they were to layout did,) and pass by ye rest as refuse and comune; and what they judged fitte should be so taken.”
“Allso every share or 20. acers was to be laid out 5. acres in breadth by ye water side, and 4. acres in lenght, excepting nooks & corners, which were to be measured as yey would bear to best advantage. But no meadows were to be laid out at all, nor were not of many years after, because they were but streight of meadow grounds;”
“and if they had bene now given out, it would have hindred all addition to them afterwards; but, every season all were appoynted. wher they should mowe, according to ye proportion of catle they had.”
“This distribution gave generally good contente, and settled mens minds. Also they gave ye Gover & 4. or 5. of ye spetiall men amongst them, ye houses they lived in; ye rest were valued & equalised at an indiferent rate, and so every man kept his owne, and he that had a better alowed some thing to him that had a worse, as ye valuation wente.”
Click the following link to a general summary about Allerton Negotiates a New Agreement with the Merchant Adventurers: