Such "Particular," Even Although An
Adventurer, Had No Partnership Share In The Planters' Half-Interest;
Had No Voice In The Government, And No Claim For Maintenance.
He
was, however, amenable to the government, subject to military duty
and to tax.
The advantage of being an Adventurer without a voice in
colony affairs would be purely a moral one.]
that every person joining the enterprise, whether man, woman, youth,
maid, or servant, if sixteen years old, should count as a share; that a
share should be reckoned at L10, and hence that L10 worth of money or
provisions should also count as a share. Every man, therefore, would be
entitled to one share for each person (if sixteen years of age) he
contributed, and for each L10 of money or provisions he added thereto,
another share. Two children between ten and sixteen would count as one
and be allowed a share in the division, but children under ten were to
have only fifty acres of wild land. The scheme was admirable for its
equity, simplicity, and elasticity, and was equally so for either
capitalist or colonist.
Goodwin notes, that, "in an edition of Cushman's 'Discourse,' Judge Davis
of Boston advanced the idea that at first the Pilgrims put all their
possessions into a common stock, and until 1623 had no individual
property. In his edition of Morton's 'Memorial' he honorably admits his
error." The same mistake was made by Robertson and Chief Justice
Marshall, and is occasionally repeated in this day. "There was no
community of goods, though there was labor in common, with public
supplies of food and clothing." Neither is there warrant for the
conclusion of Goodwin, that because the holdings of the Planters' half
interest in the undertaking were divided into L10 shares, those of the
Adventurers were also. It is not impossible, but it does not necessarily
follow, and certain known facts indicate the contrary.
Rev. Edward Everett Hale, in "The Pilgrims' Life in Common," says:
"Carver, Winslow, Bradford, Brewster, Standish, Fuller, and Allerton.
were the persons of largest means in the Leyden group of the emigrants.
It seems as if their quota of subscription to the common stock were paid
in 'provisions' for the voyage and the colony, and that by 'provisions'
is meant such articles of food as could be best bought in Holland." The
good Doctor is clearly in error, in the above. Allerton was probably as
"well off" as any of the Leyden contingent, while Francis Cooke and
Degory Priest were probably "better off" than either Brewster or
Standish, who apparently had little of this world's goods. Neither is
there any evidence that any considerable amount of "provision" was bought
in Holland. Quite a large sum of money, which came, apparently, from the
pockets of the Leyden Adventurers (Pickering, Greene, etc.), and some of
the Pilgrims, was requisite to pay for the SPEEDWELL and her refitting,
etc.; but how much came from either is conjectural at best. But aside
from "Hollands cheese," "strong-waters" (schnapps), some few things that
Cushman names; and probably a few others, obtained in Holland, most of
the "provisioning," as repeatedly appears, was done at the English
Southampton.
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