In This Will, As Elsewhere Noted,
"Master Williamson" Is Named As One Of The "Overseers." By Most Early
Writers It
Was held that Bradford had unwittingly substituted the name
"Williamson" for that of Allerton, and this view - apparently for no
Better reasons than that both names had two terminal letters in common,
and that Allerton was associated next day with Standish on some military
duty - came to be generally accepted, and Allerton's name to be even
frequently substituted without question. - -Miss Marcia A. Thomas, in her
"Memorials of Marshfield" (p. 75), says: "In 1621, Master Williamson,
Captain Standish, and Edward Winslow made a journey to make a treaty
with Massasoit. He is called 'Master George,' meaning probably Master
George Williamson," etc.
This is certainly most absurd, and by one not familiar with the
exceptional fidelity and the conscientious work of Miss Thomas would
rightly be denounced as reckless and reprehensible fabrication. Of
course Williamson, Standish, and Winslow made no such journey, and made
no treaty with Massasoit, but aided simply in conducting, with due
ceremonial, the first meeting between Governor John Carver and the Indian
sachem at Plymouth, at which a treaty was concluded. There is no
historical warrant whatever for the name of "George," as appertaining to
"Master William son." The fact, however, - made known by the fortunate
discovery mentioned, - that "Master Williamson" was named in his will by
Master Mullens as one of its "Overseers," and undoubtedly probated the
will in England, puts the existence of such a person beyond reasonable
doubt. That he was a person of some dignity, and of very respectable
position, is shown by the facts that he was chosen as Standish's
associate, as lieutenant of the guard, on an occasion of so much
importance, and was thought fit by Master Mullens, a careful and
clear-headed man as his will proves, - to be named an "Overseer" of that
will, charged with responsible duties to Mullens's children and
property. It is practically certain that on either of the
above-mentioned dates (February 21, or March 22) there were no human
beings in the Colony of New Plymouth beside the passengers of the
MAY-FLOWER, her officers and crew, and the native savages. Visitors, by
way of the fishing vessels on the Maine coast, had not yet begun to
come, as they did a little later. It is certain that no one of the name
of "Williamson" was among the colonist passengers, or indeed for several
years in the colony, and we may at once dismiss both the passengers and
the savages from our consideration. This elimination renders it
inevitable that "Master Williamson" must have been of the ship's
company. It remains to determine, if possible, what position upon the
MAY-FLOWER'S roster he presumably held. His selection by "Master"
Mullens as one of the "Over seers" of his will suggests the probability
that, having named Governor Carver as the one upon whom he would rely
for the care of his family and affairs in New England, Mr. Mullens
sought as the other a proper person, soon to return to England, and
hence able to exercise like personal interest in his two children and
his considerable property left there? Such a suggestion points to a
returning and competent officer of the ship. That "Master Williamson"
was above the grade of "petty officer," and ranked at least with the
mates or "pilots," is clear from the fact that he is invariably styled
"Master" (equivalent to Mister), and we know with certainty that he was
neither captain nor mate. That he was a man of address and courage
follows the fact that he was chosen by Standish as his lieutenant, while
the choice in and of itself is a strong bit of presumptive proof that he
held the position on the MAY-FLOWER to which he is here assigned.
The only officer commonly carried by a ship of the MAY-FLOWER class,
whose rank, capacities, and functions would comport with every fact and
feature of the case, was "the ship's-merchant," her accountant, factor,
and usually - when such was requisite - her "interpreter," on every
considerable (trading) voyage.
It is altogether probable that it was in his capacity of "interpreter"
(as Samoset and Tisquantum knew but little English), and on account of
what knowledge of the Indian tongue he very probably possessed, that
Standish chose Williamson as his associate for the formal reception of
Massasoit. It is indeed altogether probable that it was this familiarity
with the "trade lingo" of the American coast tribes which influenced
- perhaps determined - his employment as "ship's-merchant" of the
MAY-FLOWER for her Pilgrim voyage, especially as she was expected to
"load back" for England with the products of the country, only to be had
by barter with the Indians. It is evident that there must naturally
have been some provision made for communication with the natives, for
the purposes of that trade, etc., which the Planters hoped to establish.
Trading along the northern coast of Virginia (as the whole coast strip
was then called), principally for furs, had been carried on pretty
actively, since 1584, by such navigators as Raleigh's captains, Gosnold,
Pring, Champlain, Smith, Dermer, Hunt, and the French and Dutch, and
much of the "trade lingo" of the native tribes had doubtless been
"picked up" by their different "ship's-merchants." It appears by
Bradford' that Dermer, when coasting the shores of New England, in Sir
Ferdinando Gorges's employ, brought the Indian Tisquantum with him, from
England, as his interpreter, and doubtless from him Dermer and other
ship's officers "picked up" more or less Indian phrases, as Tisquantum
(Squanto) evidently did of English. Winslow, in his "Good Newes from
New England," written in 1622, says of the Indian tongue, as spoken by
the tribes about them at Plymouth, "it is very copious, large, and
difficult. As yet we cannot attain to any great measure thereof, but
can understand them, and explain ourselves to their understanding, by
the help of those that daily converse with us." This being the case,
after two years of constant communication, and noting how trivial
knowledge of English speech Samoset and Tisquantum had, it is easy to
understand that, if Williamson had any knowledge of the native tongue,
Standish would be most anxious to have the benefit of it, in this prime
and all-important effort at securing a permanent alliance with the
ruling sachem of the region.
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