reformers. Here a division arose among them; some choosing to use Edward's liturgy without alteration; others contending for a form of divine service more pure, and free from popish doctrines and ceremonies. Hence a separation took place; and those who desired a purer form of service retired to Geneva, and adopted the Genevan service. This separation gave rise to the distinction of Conformists and Puritans. After the death of queen Mary, Elizabeth succeeded to the throne of England; and as she professed to be favorable to the reformation, most of the exiles returned to England, in expectation of enjoying protection.

204. Measures under Elizabeth. Soon after Elizabeth ascended the throne of England, the laws in favor of popery, enacted in the reign of Mary, were repealed, and an act of parliament restored to the English crown the supremacy in all ecclesiastical and civil affairs; and another established uniformity of Common Prayer. Elizabeth was an arbitrary princess, and seems to have been more careful to vindicate her supremacy over the church, than to reform the doctrines or worship. By an act of parliament, the queen was authorized to appoint commissioners to visit churches, and reform all errors, heresies, and schisms. Under these laws, Elizabeth took the most violent measures to enforce uniformity in church discipline and service. The liturgy of Edward was adopted with some alterations; and all persons were enjoined to use it. Those of the reformed who refused to comply with the requisitions of the statutes, and worship in the mode prescribed, were subjected to severe penalties.

205. State of the church. In Elizabeth's reign, many of the churches were not supplied with pastors. Very few had ministers who could preach; the only public worship they enjoyed was the reading of the service or homilies; and the major part of the beneficed clergy were illiterate men, mechanics, or mass priests in disguise; many churches were closed, and in some dioceses a sermon was not to be heard in the compass of twenty miles. The Puritans, who could not conscientiously subscribe to the articles, or conform to the church forms

of service, were compelled to collect for worship in private houses, with the utmost secresy, as the first Christians did, under the persecutions of the Roman emperors. Hundreds of Puritan ministers were silenced, or deprived of their livings, and many were imprisoned, while their families were starving. These persecutions were continued, with little abatement, for forty or fifty

years.

206. Separation from the English church. The dissenters were very reluctant to separate from the established church; for many years they made efforts, by petitions, to obtain toleration; but the queen, the archbishops, and most of the bishops, were inflexible; and no toleration could be obtained. At length, a number of Puritans, headed by one Brown, abandoned the Episcopal church. They were called Brownists, from the name of their leader, a hot-headed young clergyman, who preached with great vehemence against the discipline and ceremonies of the church, and gained popularity. For this offense, he was taken by a sherif, and conveyed to London, where he confessed his fault, and obtained his release. He was afterwards repeatedly imprisoned, as were some of his adherents. At length, Brown and his congregation removed to Holland, where his church crumbled to pieces. Brown returned to England, renounced his principles, and obtained the rectory of a church in Northamptonshire, where he died in 1630.

207. Continued persecutions. Although the Brownists in Holland were dispersed, yet in England, Puritans of more moderation were very numerous, and they were firm in maintaining their religious principles. They were persecuted indeed, and the books which they published were prohibited by the queen's authority. Two persons who circulated their books were taken and hanged. Many of the Puritans were taken from their families and imprisoned; some were banished, and others put to death. In the year 1604, three hundred ministers were deprived of their livings, or excommunicated, or cast into prison, or forced to leave their country.

208. Removal to Holland. The Puritans in the northern and middle counties of England, living remote from each other, formed two distinct churches or societies, one of which chose John Smith for their pastor; the other chose John Robinson for their pastor, and William Brewster for their elder. They used to meet in private for worship, but they were frequently disturbed by officers, and some of them were ruined by persecution. At length, Smith and his adherents passed over to Holland. A party of Puritans had before left England for the same country. They hired a Dutch ship at Hull, but as they were proceeding to embark, they were pursued by officers and soldiers; to escape them, the men hurried on board, but their wives were left. These were brought before one magistrate and another, and harassed for a time; but no evidence being found against them, they were dismissed, and at last were permitted to join their husbands in Holland.

209. Removal of John Robinson. John Robinson and his congregation were the founders of the colony of Plymouth, in Massachusetts. They removed to Amsterdam in the year 1608. But on account of some differences with another congregation under Mr. Smith, they removed in about a year to Leyden, where they lived in harmony, till they removed to America. These adventurers attempted to procure a patent under the Virginia company; but they found it very difficult, on account of the odiousness of their principles. They finally obtained one in the name of John Wincob, but he failing to remove to America, it was of no use, and they resolved to remove without one.

210. Voyage of the first settlers. The first colony, consisting of a part only of Mr. Robinson's congregation, sailed from Holland in July, 1620, and put into Southampton, in England, where a larger ship was prepared. They left that port in August, but the ship being leaky they put into Dartmouth, from whence they sailed in two ships on the 21st of the same month. After proceeding a hundred leagues, they were compelled to return to Plymouth; one ship being leaky, was condemned, and the other proceeded on her voyage.

This

ship left England September 6th, and arrived in November at cape Cod; the company intending to bear away to Hudson's river, but were terrified with the breakers on the shoals, and changing their course, put into harbor.

211. Progress of the settlers. This colony did not arrive till the 11th of November, O. S., when the weather was cold, and then they had not determined on a spot for their settlements. Parties were dispatched to explore the country, which, after incredible sufferings from cold, snow, and rain, found a harbor. Here the people landed on the 20th December, 1620, after prayers and thanks to heaven, for safety and guidance, and immediately began to erect buildings, giving to the plantation the name of Plymouth, after the name of the town which they last left in England. Before they landed, they signed articles by which they formed themselves into a body politic. By means of diseases occasioned by colds and severe sufferings, the settlers, who were one hundred

and one souls, lost half. their number in about five months.

212. First cultivation of maiz or Indian corn. On the opening of spring, the settlers sowed barley, and peas, which produced an indifferent crop. Indian corn was the grain which furnished them with a great part of their subsistence; but as they never before saw it, Squanto, an Indian who had been carried to Spain by captain Hunt, but had returned, assisted them in planting and dressing it. This was the beginning of the cultivation of a grain which is the staple production of New England.

213. Patent to the duke of Lenox and others. In the very month when the first settlers arrived in America, king James granted a patent to the duke of Lenox and others, dated November 3, 1620, incorporating them with the style of the "Council established at Plymouth, in the county of Devon, for the planting and governing of New England, in America," with full powers to purchase and hold lands, appoint officers, and make laws. The limits of the grant to them were, "from 40 to 48 degrees of latitude, throughout the main lands from sea to sea," with the isles adjoining, provided they were not occupied by any other Christian prince or state, and on condition of paying to the crown a fifth of the gold and silver ore they should find and obtain. By this patent, the territory granted, which had been before called North Virginia, received the name of New England, from royal authority, and from this were derived all the subsequent grants of the several parts of the territory.

214. Grants to John Mason and Ferdinando Gorges. By a deed, dated March 9, 1621, the council of Plymouth granted to John Mason the lands from Naumkeag, now Salem, to the Merrimac, extending inland to the heads of those rivers; the lands on which are now built Beverly, Ipswich, and Newburyport. This district was called Mariana. By another grant, dated August 10, 1622, the council assigned to Gorges and Mason jointly all the lands between the Merrimac and Sagadahoc, extending westward to the rivers of Canada, which