Now it happened that one Hocking, belonging to the settlement at Piscataqua, went with a bark and some commodities to trade on the Kennebec, and must needs transgress their limits, and even go up the river above their house towards the Falls, and intercept the trade that should have come to them. The man in charge of the place forbade him, and begged him not to do them the injury of infringing their rights which had cost them so dear. He replied he would go up and trade there in spite of them, and remain there as long as he pleased. The answer was that in that case he would be forced to remove him or apprehend him. Whereupon Hocking bid him do his worst, and went up and anchored there. So the captain took a boat and some men, and followed him, and again urged him to depart. But all in vain; he could get nothing from him but ill words. So, as it was just the season for trade to come down, and if he allowed him to remain there and take it from them, all their previous expense would be wasted, he consulted with his men, who being willing, he decided to sever the boat from her anchorage, and let her drift down the river with the stream, but commanded his men not to shoot on any account unless he commanded them. He spoke to Hocking again, but all in vain; then he sent a couple of men in a canoe to cut his cable, which one of them did. Thereupon Hocking took up a gun which he had put ready, and as the bark drifted down past the canoe he shot the man in the head and killed him instantly. One of his comrades who loved him well, could not restrain himself, and making aim with his musket shot Hocking dead on the spot. This is a true account of what happened. The rest of the men took the vessel home, with these sad tidings. Now Lord Say and Lord Brook, with some other eminent men, had an interest in this settlement, so the people wrote home to them in such terms as to exasperate them as much as possible, leaving out all the extenuating circumstances, and making it appear that Hocking had been killed without provocation, suppressing the fact that he had killed a man first. So their Lordships were much offended, till they were fully informed of the details. The news of this spread quickly, with the worst light put upon it, and reached their neighbours in Massachusetts. Their own bark came home to New Plymouth, bringing a true report of it, and all were deeply and naturally affected by it. Not long after, they had occasion to send their vessel to the Bay of Massachusetts; but the colony there was so incensed at the occurrence that they imprisoned Mr. Alden who was aboard, and had been at Kennebec, but had taken no part in the affair, having only gone up to take supplies. They freed the boat, but kept Mr. Alden for some time. This was thought strange here, and they sent Captain Standish, with letters, to give them full information, and to procure Mr. Alden’s release. I will give a letter or two which refer to these things.