Two years ago, the British Parliament released Lord Pride’s 1658 Will on the Web (Orig). In its tenth paragraph, he left 4,000 British Pounds Sterling Coins to his fifth-born son Joseph Pride who settled Prides Corner, Maine as a fugitive two years later in 1661. In 1968, two hunters from Windham found 300 of the Coins in a half-melted lump in Suckfish Brook at Highland Lake. The unaccounted for 3700 pounds sterling would be worth $234 Million Dollars if calculated at 2015 auction values. All the same or different types of pound sterling coins is unknown, but its a vast fortune in any case.
There are no records of such a vast fortune ever being spent here or in the UK. The rest of the family is reported in desperate poverty in Britain within five years of Charles 2nd return in May of 1660. No accusations of theft were recorded in history. The vast fortune of an English Lord simply vanished without a trace from English History along with its inheritor.
Seventy Five Percent of the time, treasure hoards are found within line of sight of the house (in this case “dwelling 362” at the corner of Pride Farm Road and Mast Road). This however was not a normal circumstance. Joseph was being hunted by the King of England who likely knew he possessed the inheritance of an English Lord. If the Redcoats found Joseph, their next step might be to start looking for the inheritance. To the Royalists, it was the bankroll not only of a Regicide, but also of a possible future opposition.
The legend seems to imply the silver coins and Joseph arrived on different ships. If he had a plan, it apparently went awry leading to the dramatic swim for freedom to a ship not expecting him. (“By luck it was the last longboat”). This all occurs during the transition of power from the Puritans to Charles 2nd. The British Navy's puritan leanings and lifelong loyalty to Lord Pride, Joseph’s father, may have played a role here.
Lord Pride began the Civil War a front line officer, leading a "trained band", (hundred or so troops of London tradesmen) in savage hand to hand combat in a series of battles, some with 50% casualties, he lead a regiment at the wars turning point (Battle of Nasby), and commanded the armies entire right wing at the final battle of Preston. He became a forceful medical reformer in the post war years pioneering PTSD treatment for his soldiers as inspector of both of Londons military hospitals and governor of St Bartholomews hospital in London. After he arrested a third of parliment and orchestrated the execution of the King, he purchased the Nunsuche Forest and employed them harvesting Lumber to build the British Fleet, leading to his role as Supply Master to the Fleet. By 1653 Lord Pride, a commander of soldiers of foot, was so central to the British Navy Establishment that he was to be named Commander of the Entire Fleet if Admiral Blake had not survived the fever. In his final years he focused on charities to assist aging, poor and sick veterans. It was obviously a powerful lifelong bond that would have endured the Lords death in 1658.
After the execution, Joseph spent his teenage years growing up on the Nunsuche Estate while his Fathers former troops harvested its trees for the Navy. The strength of the bond that would have developed between the 13 year old recovering from beheading the King, and the troops recovering from the full savagery of the civil war fighting him can only be imagined. It is an assumption (so far) that they were the Admiralty's organized, trained, highly skilled, equipped and available lumberjacks that masted Highland Lake in the 1650s. By coincidence, in 1652, just as they finished harvesting Nunsuche Forest for the Navy, the Dutch Navy systematically blasted the Masts of the Royal Navy with a new weapon,... chain shot, creating an unprecedented crisis for the British Empire. For the first time ever the Admiralty lauched an organized masting expedition using hastily converted Navy Ships. They built the logging huts in the 1650s, Joseph fled too in 1661. Did they deliver the Silver? Before or After he fled? or was it already on the ship he fled to after his going away party was interrupted? The Navy was the Commonwealth Navy until after Charles 2nd coronation. Naval vessels are prime canidates for delivering both Joseph and the Silver. My guess is anywhere within a mile of Pride Farm and Mast Road is a possible. More ground than I can cover with my disability.
