Martin Pring

Martin Pring (1580–1626) was an English explorer from Bristol, England who in 1603 at the age of 23 was captain of an expedition to North America to assess commercial potential; he explored areas of present-day Maine, New Hampshire, and Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Pring and his crew were the first known Europeans to ascend the Piscataqua River. It is thought that Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano explored this part of the New England coast in 1524-25 looking for a route to the Far East, but he did not make landfall until he reached the St. Lawrence River further north.

In 1606 Pring returned to America and mapped the Maine coast. Later he became a ship's master, sailing for the East India Company and exploring in East Asia. He also prevented other nations from trading in the area. By 1619 he commanded all the Company's naval forces.

Returning to England in 1621, Pring was made a member of the Virginia Company and granted land in the Chesapeake Bay area. After leaving the East India Company in 1623, he served as a privateer for England, capturing several French and Spanish ships. Provided by Wikipedia