Governor Winslow, in his "Hypocrisie Unmasked" (pp. 89,90), indicates
that the representatives of the Leyden congregation (Cushman and Carver)
sought the First (or London) Virginia Company as early as 1613. It is
beyond doubt that preliminary steps toward securing the favor, both of
the King and others, were taken as early as 1617, and that the Wincob
Patent was granted in their interest, June 9/19, 1619. But the Leyden
people were but little advanced by the issue of this Patent. They became
discouraged, and began early in 1620 (perhaps earlier) negotiations with
the Dutch, which were in progress when, at the instance of Sir Ferdinando
Gorges, Thomas Weston undertook (February 2/12, April 1/11, 1620) to
secure the Leyden party, avowedly for the London Virginia Company, but
really for its rival, the Second Virginia Company, soon to be merged in
the "Council of Affairs for New England." It was then, and under these
influences, that the Leyden leaders "broke off," as Bradford puts it,
their negotiations with the Dutch authorities, who, however, apparently
about the same time, determined to reject their propositions. While the
renewal of the Leyden leaders' negotiations, through Weston, were, "on
their face" (and so far as the Pilgrims were concerned), with the First
Virginia Company, with whom, through Sir Edwin Sandys and other friends,
their original efforts were made, they were, as stated, subverted by
Gorges's plans and Weston's cooperation, in the interest of the Second
Virginia Company. The Merchant Adventurers were represented, in the
direct negotiations for the Patent only, by John Pierce, who, at that
time, was apparently dealing honestly, and was not, so far as appears,
in Gorges's confidence, though later he proved a traitor and a consummate
rascal, albeit he always acted, apparently, alone. The so-called "Pierce
Patent" (which displaced the Wincob) was rendered worthless by the
landing of the Pilgrims north of 41 deg. north latitude. The third
Patent (Pierce's second) was from the Council for New England to Pierce,
for the colonists, but was exchanged by him for a "deed-pole" to himself,
though at last surrendered to the colony under stress.