.

ftrument of his, be as ready to receive it as ever you were to receive any truth by my miniftry; for I am verily perfuaded, the Lord has more truth

yet to break forth out of his holy word. For my part, I cannot fufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed churches, who are come to a period in religion, and will go at prefent no farther than the inftruments of their reformation. The Lutherans cannot be drawn to go beyond what Luther faw; whatever part of his will our God ⚫ has revealed to Calvin, they will rather die then embrace it; and the Calvinifts, you fee, stuck faft where they were left by that great man of God, ⚫ who yet faw not all things.

6

• This is a mifery much to be lamented, for though they were burning and fhining lights in their times, yet they penetrated not into the whole council of God, but were they now living, would be as willing to embrace further light as that which they first received. I beseech you, remember 'tis an article of our church covenants, that you be ready to re'ceive whatever truth fhall be made known to you from the written word of God. Remember that and every other article of your facred covenant. But I must here withal exhort you, to take heed what you receive as truth, examine it, confider it, and compare it with other fcriptures of truth, before you receive it, for it is not poffible that the chriftian world should come fo lately out of fuch thick antichriftian darknefs, and that perfection of knowledge fhould break forth at once.'

On the firft of July, the adventurers went from Leyden to Delfthaven, whither Mr Robinfon and the ancients of his congregation accompanied them; they continued

continued together all night, and next morning, after mutual embraces, Mr Robinson kneeled down on the fea-fhore, and with a fervent prayer, committed them to the protection and bleffing of heaven. The adventurers were about one hundred and twenty, who having joined their other fhip, failed for New-England on the fifth of Auguft; but one of their veffels proving leaky, they left it, and embarked in one veffel, which arrived at Cape Cod on the ninth of November, one thousand fix hundred and twenty. Sad was the condition of these poor men, who had winter before them, and no accommodations on land for their entertainment: moft of them were in a weak and fickly condition with the voyage, but there was no remedy they therefore manned their long-boat, and having coafted the fhore, at length found a tolerable harbour, where they landed their effects, and on the twenty-fifth of December, began to build a ftore-house, and fome fmall cottages to preferve them from the weather. Their company was divided into nineteen families, each family having an allotment of land for lodging and gardens, in proportion to the number of perfons of which it confifted; and to prevent difputes, the fituation of each family was decided by lot. They agreed likewife upon fome laws for their civil and military government, and having chofen a governor, they called the place of their fettlement by the name of New Plymouth.

These new planters underwent great hardships when they first went over, and many of them died through the fatigues of their voyage, and a diftemper which raged among them. Their friends in England fent them supplies, and notwithstanding all difficulties they maintained they ftation, and laid the foundation of one of the nobleft fettlements in America; which

has

has proved an afylum to many Non-conformists fince that time.

In the first spring after thefe new fettlers had weathered out a fevere winter, when they began to look after what things were neceffary for their further fuftenance, they were fuddenly furprised with the appearance of two Indians, who, in broken English, bad them welcome. One of thefe Indians had been acquainted with fome of the English who had been fishing on the eastern parts of New-England, and the other had been feduced by a fhipmafter aboard his veffel, and carried to Europe, with fome others, and there fold a flave, but had made his efcape to England, out of Spain, and become fervant to one Mr. Slany, from whom he had found a way to return to his own country. This Indian's name was Squanto. He performed many good offices to this infant colony, and instructed them how to plant Indian corn, and made them acquainted with one of the principal Sachems in the country, who came with fome of his people from a great distance to pay them a vifit, entered into a league with them, and became fubjects of England. Hiftorians inform us of a ftrange device that this Squanto obferved, to bring the Sachems and Indians into friendship with the colonists, and under the government of the English. He perfuaded them that the King of England kept the plague locked up in a cellar, and could let it out when he pleafed, to destroy them all. This had a great effect upon the apprehenfions of thofe ignorant favages, who had feen the greatest part of their neighbours a few years before swept away by a most terrible plague. This friendly ftratagem of Squanto was a happy mean of preferving this infant colony, and was by the pious and religious people of thefe times, confidered

as

as a special interpofition of providence in their fa

vour.

In the midst of many trials, dangers, and difappointments, thofe colonists continued to fupport themfelves, and maintain their religion, as their circumftances would permit, till a company of gentlemén in England gave them further relief and affiftance.

From the time that the firft adventurers went over to America, the loffes that thofe at home had fuftained in their substance in fupporting them, made them turn fick of those adventures. But there were other noblemen and gentlemen who were ready to engage in this caufe, and obtained a new grant, 1620, of all the country between the latitudes 40 and 48, and had a patent made out to them, under the title of " the Council established at Plymouth, in the county of Devon, for the planting, ruling, ordering, and governing of New-England in America, their heirs and af figns. "This afterwards received the name of the grand Plymouth Patent.

Mr White a clergyman of Dorchester, having projected a scheme of a new fettlement of, and afylum for ejected minifters, entered into a treaty with these new patentees. In confequence of this, the council of Plymouth, by a deed under their common feal, gave, granted, bargained, and fold to Henry Bofwell, and five others, gentlemen of Dorfetfhire, their heirs and affigns, and their affociates for ever, all that part of New-England therein defcribed, at the bottom of a certain bay there, commonly called Maffachusetts bay. In this deed, there was granted, all rights, jurifdictions, royalties, liberties, freedoms, immunities, privileges, franchises, pre-eminences, and commodities whatfoever, which they themfelves had or might exercife, or enjoy within the faid lands. Some years

after

after, this company was joined with feveral gentle. men in London, the principal of whom was Sir Rich ard Saltonstall, and a new draught of the former patent was made out, and the names of the new adven turers inferted in it. It was confirmed by the King, and paffed the feals March 4th 1628. By the royal charter, this company was created a corporation, and had governors and affiftants appointed, and were impowered to chufe annually their fucceffors upon the first day of Eafter term. They accordingly met, and for the first time, on the 13th of May 1628, chofe a governor, deputy-governor, and eighteen affiftants. At this time the court agreed that every one of the company who should fubfcribe 50 l. fhould have 200 acres of land for their dividend, and in proportion for a greater fum. A lift of the names of subscribers, and the fums fubfcribed, was tranfmitted to Mr Endicot, whom they had just a little before fent over as governor in the plantation. This was the first royal charter, and the original of fettling the Maffachufetts bay, This company was formed upon a plan fimilar to that of the Eaft-India company. The gentlemen who formed this company were refident in England, and chofe their governor, deputy-governor and affiftants out of their own body, refident among themselves, and then fent out a perfon under their authority, as governor, to difpofe of the new fettlement. The first of these was Mr Endicot, whom they fent away as foon as the charter was executed, to take care of the colony, and to prevent the new fettlers from returning home, who were in great distress, and intended to have returned to England.

Among the several debates concerning the nature of charters, it has never been yet fairly determined, whether fuch royal patents,"granted for ever, to cor

porate