1632 - The Making of Money

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In that day, it was not the norm to own land.  A Lord was granted a Patent from the King, or from someone who had been granted a patent to a larger tract than what he wanted.  From there, the "Lord of the land" would lease property to those who would manage and use the land, and presumably make a profit from it, and in turn pay the Lord rent, or a tax.  The Lord would pay the next Lord in the chain a portion of that tax, and on up to the King, who "owned" the land of the Realm.

It seems Vines was a very generous Lord.  He leased out tracts of 100 acres, for very small amounts.  Some of the amounts listed amount to only 2 days of average pay for a years worth of rent.  Vines, apparently, was quite wealthy.

Most of the settlers farmed, fished, or traded with the natives.  The first actual company found to be registered in Vine's records was a Clapboard manufacturing business,  owned by a R. Williams, who died before the first known "Book of Rates" was issued. 

The rate for the company was "Two full men's charges of two laborers for wages" per year.  That apparently didn't hurt the company, because it did quite well, selling the important building material to other colonists, especially to those in Virginia and Massachusetts. 

Fishing was the most common occupation.  It was easy, and profitable, to barter fish and soon after, lobster, for corn from Virginia, and for other products from England.

In 1636, a report went to the king saying that the farms were well stocked with cattle, which would indicate that they had had ample monies to purchase and ship them from England.

The average income of the residents in the 1636 report was said to have been about 3 pounds, 3 shillings per year.   That was about 14% of the average income for the average Englander at the time... which made recruiting more settlers difficult.