Upon the 20th of April, 1662, his majesty granted the colony his letters patent, conveying the most ample privileges,

and generous friendship at Newhaven, which they had received in Massachusetts. The more the people became acquainted with them, the more they esteemed them, not only as men of great minds, but of piety and religion. For some time, no danger was apprehended: but it was not long, before the news of the king's proclamation against the regicides arrived, requiring that, wherever they might be found, they should be immediately apprehended. The governor of Massachusetts, in consequence of the royal proclamation, issued his warrant to arrest them. They removed to Milford. There they appeared openly, in the day time; but, at night, often retired privately to Newhaven, and were generally secreted at Mr. Davenport's. This muchesteemed minister of the gospel used all his energies in their favour; and, doubtless with a view to influence his congregation to screen them, preached a sermon from Isaiah, xvi. 3, 4. in which are these words: "Hide the outcasts: bewray not him that wandereth: let mine outcasts dwell with thee." In the mean time, the governor of Massachusetts received a royal mandate, requiring him to apprehend them. This gave a general alarm. A feigned search had been previously made in Massachusetts, for Whalley and Goffe ; but the governor and magistrates now began to view the affair in a more serious point of light, and appear to have been in earnest to secure them. They perceived that their own personal safety, and the liberties and peace of the country, might be materially affected by their conduct towards those unhappy men. They therefore immediately gave a commission to two zealous active royalists, to go through the colonies, as far as the Manhadoes, and make a careful and universal search for them. They pursued the judges to Hartford, and afterwards to Guilford; but were very unwelcome messengers. Governor Leet, and the principal men in Guilford and Newhaven, had no ill opinion of the judges. They either viewed their conduct as right, or no more than an error in judgment; and as the fault of great and good men, under peculiar and extraordinary circumstances. They were touched with compassion and sympathy, and had real scruples of conscience, with respect to delivering up such men to death. They were afraid to betray them, lest they should be instrumental in shedding innocent blood. They saw no advantage in putting them to death. They were therefore not zealous to assist the pursuivants. Governor Leet delayed to furnish them with horses, and declined to give them any powers, until he had consulted with his council at Newhaven. The judges were apprized of every transaction, and took their measures accordingly. They changed their quarters from one place to another, as circumstances required, and had faithful friends, to give them information, and to conceal them from their enemies.

On the 13th of March, the pursuivants came to Newhaven. Governor Leet stated all the circumstances to his council, and asked their advice, respecting what ought to be done; but, after he and they had been together

under the great seal of England. It confirmed to it the whole tract of country, granted by king Charles the first, unto the earl of Warwick, and which was the next year by him assigned unto Lord Say and Seal, Lord Brook, and others. The patent granted the lands in free and common socage. The facts stated and pleaded in the petition, were recognized in the charter, nearly in the same words, as reasons of the royal grant, and of the ample privileges which it conveyed.

The company were authorized to have a common seal; to appoint judicatories; make freemen; constitute officers; establish laws; impose fines; assemble the inhabitants in martial array, for the common defence; and, in cases of necessity, to exercise martial law.

It was ordained by the charter, that all the king's subjects, in the colony, should enjoy the privileges of free and natural subjects, within the realm of England, and that the patent should always have the most favourable construction, for the benefit of the governor and company. By it, the restored monarch established a free representative government, or rather confirmed that which the people, twenty-three years before, had established by their own authority, and ever since acted upon. Every power, legislative, judicial, and

five or six hours, they dispersed, without doing any thing. The governor declared that they could not act, without calling a general assembly of the freemen.

The tradition is, that the pursuivants searched Mr. Davenport's house, and also other houses, where they suspected the regicides to be concealed; but they never could find them.

Whalley and Goffe, after the search which had been made for them at Newhaven, left Mr. Davenport's, and took up their quarters with Mr. William Jones, son-in-law to governor Eaton. There they secreted themselves antil the 11th of May. Thence they removed to a mill, in the environs of the town. For a short time, they made their quarters in the woods, and fixed themselves in a cave, in the side of a hill, which they named Providence Hill.

To prevent any damage to Mr. Davenport, or the colony, they came into the town openly, and offered to deliver up themselves, to save their friends but their friends neither desired nor advised them to adopt so dangerous a measure. They hoped to save themselves and the colony harmless, without such a sacrifice; and were not disappointed.

executive, was invested in the freemen of the corporation, or their delegates, and the colony was under no obligation to communicate its legislative acts to the national sovereign.

This charter has remained without any material alteration to the present day. Its enemies represent it as being in practice a virtual aristocracy. These charges are not supported by the fruits which have been gathered from it. These have been justice, order, peace, and happiness.

An unchecked popular government, existing for a hundred and seventy years, in its primitive simplicity, purity, and energy, answering all the legitimate ends for which social compacts have been formed, is a rare phenomenon in the political world. Such has been the colony and state of Connecticut. Its chartered liberties have been attacked by British kings; its early peace was interrupted by hostile Indians, and threatened by the adjacent French colony of Canada. These have all been honourably and successfully resisted. It was seriously distressed by British invasions, in the revolutionary war: but its internal peace has been preserved, and its constitution has continued under all changes, with undiminished energy. The people of Connecticut were nearly as free before the American revolution, as they have been since.

The charter of Connecticut comprehended Newhaven, though a distinct colony. The latter for some time declined the proposed union; but dangers pressing on all sides, the consolidation of the two colonies was happily effected, in 1665. The town of Branford was so dissatisfied with the union, that the inhabitants, with Mr. Pierson their minister, moved off in a body to Newark, in New Jersey. They carried off the records of the church and town; and, after it had been settled about twenty-five years, left it so destitute of inhabitants, that for many years there was no church formed in the town. People, from various parts of the colony, gradually moved into it, and purchased the lands of the first planters, so that in about twenty years it was re-settled, and, in 1685, was re-invested with town privileges.

It

The union of the two colonies was a happy event. greatly contributed to the convenience, strength, peace, and welfare of the inhabitants of both.

While the negotiations for the union of Connecticut and Newhaven were pending, measures were concerted in England for the conquest of the New Netherlands. In 1664, colonel Nichols appeared before New Amsterdam, and without bloodshed obtained its surrender. This was the more easily accomplished, as it was well known, that the New Englanders, by previous arrangement, were ready to add their force to that of Nichols, so as to make resistance hopeless on the part of the New Amsterdamers. Thus fell the Dutch power in the New Netherlands, to the great joy of English America. This henceforward extended in unbroken continuity, from New Hampshire to Carolina.

Connecticut had but a short respite from political anxiety. In about eleven years, after the conquest of New Amsterdam had freed the New Englanders from troublesome neighbours, they had to encounter a fierce and bloody war, with the Indians, under Philip, one of their most celebrated chiefs. The particulars of this shall be hereafter related. This had scarcely terminated, when the projects of the Stuart kings of England, for consolidating their colonies under a general government, at the expense of their liberties and charters, began to be developed.

In the last years of the reign of king Charles the second, the rights of the nation were violated, and a great number of corporations in England and Wales were deprived of their charters. King James the second began his reign, with the most flagrant violation of the laws. He proceeded in the same lawless manner with the colonies, to vacate the colonial charters.

In 1685, a quo warranto was issued against the governor and company of Connecticut, requiring their appearance before him within eight days of St. Martin's, to show by what warrant they exercised certain powers and privileges. The governor called a special assembly, to consult what

should be done for the preservation of the rights of the colony.

The assembly addressed a letter to his majesty, beseeching him to pardon their faults in government, and continue them a distinct colony, in the full enjoyment of their pri vileges. Especially they besought him to recal the writ of quo warranto, which had been issued against them. They pleaded the charter which they received of his royal brother, and made the strongest professions of loyalty.

On the 21st of July, 1686, two writs of quo warranto were delivered to Treat, governor of Connecticut; but the time for appearance before his majesty was past, before the writ arrived.

Upon the reception of the writs, the assembly appointed Mr. Whiting to be their agent, to present their petition to the king. He was instructed to represent the great injury which the colonists would sustain by the suspension of their charter and if Connecticut could not be continued a distinct government, to supplicate his majesty to continue to them the enjoyment of their property, their houses and lands, and especially their religious privileges.

A second writ of quo warranto was served on the governor and company, requiring their appearance before his majesty. The design of the king was to reunite all the colonies to the crown. James the second wantonly trampled on the constitution, laws, and liberties of the nation. The most humble petitions, arguments from reason, charters the most solemn, compacts and royal promises, appeals derived from justice, humanity, or other considerations had no weight or influence with him. Nearly fifty corporations in England had been deprived of their charters. The city of London and the corporation of Bermudas had stood trial, and their charters had been taken from them. The charter of Massachusetts had been vacated, and Rhode Island had submitted to his majesty. These events, though discouraging, did not produce despair, nor relax exertions. The governor and company of Connecticut spared no pains for the preservation. of their chartered rights.