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. During this expedition, he noted a potential site for settlement as "Whitsun Bay" and a nearby hill "Mount Aldworth" after two of his merchant financiers in Bristol. The location of Pring's Whitsun Bay has, at various points, been identified as modern-day Provincetown, Plymouth, Edgartown, and Vineyard Haven (all in Massachusetts); of these, the likeliest location, based on primary source descriptions including latitudinal position and landmarks, is either Edgartown or Vineyard Haven.
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 (EIC) 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 EIC in 1623, Pring served as a privateer for England, capturing several French and Spanish ships as prizes.