Roswell and others, all that part of New England, which is included within a line drawn from the Atlantic ocean, three miles south of Charles river, and three miles north of the Merrimack, to the south sea. King Charles the first confirmed this patent, and constituted the patentees a body politic, with very extensive privileges. Executive, legislative and judicial powers were relinquished by the crown, and eventually vested in actual settlers, and the men of their choice.

At this time, liberty of conscience could not be enjoyed in England. Many were so harassed for their non-conformity, that they determined rather to make settlements in a dreary wilderness, at the distance of three thousand miles from their native country, than endure the persecution to which they were constantly exposed. They emigrated, not for the advantages of trade, but for religion, and the enjoyment of liberty of conscience. They wished to transmit the blessings of civil and religious liberty, to their posterity.

Mr. John Endicot was sent over, in the year 1628, with about three hundred people, to prepare the way for a permanent colony. They began a settlement which they named Salem. This was the first town in Massachusetts, and the second in New England.

About a hundred of the planters, who came over with Mr. Endicot, removed very soon, and began a settlement which they called Charlestown. It was determined, in 1629, that the patent and government of the plantation should be transferred to New England. This gave new vigour to the nascent colony. Seventeen ships full of settlers arrived in the course of the next year. Among these was governor Winthrop.*

John Winthrop, the father of Massachusetts, was born in England, in 1587, and bred to the law. Having converted a fine estate, of six hundred pounds sterling per annum, into money, he embarked for America, in the forty-third year of his age, as an associate of those persons who settled the colony of Massachusetts, and with a commission to be their governor. He arrived in 1630, and in the three following years he was chosen governor, for which office he was eminently qualified. His time and all his powers were devoted to the infant plantation. In 1634, Mr. Dudley was chosen in his

The magistrates of the colony, and a number of ministers, arrived at the same time.*

These new settlers, about fifteen hundred in number, arrived in July, 1630. They encamped in cottages, booths and tents, upon Charlestown hill. Their place of public worship was under a large spreading tree. In this and the last year, there came into New England two thousand persons. These settled about nine or ten towns or villages. From them and

place; but Winthrop was re-elected in the years 1637, 1638, and 1639, and in 1642, 1643, 1646, 1647, and 1648. He died in the sixty-third year of his age. Governor Winthrop was a faithful, upright magistrate, and an exemplary Christian. He at first was very mild in the administration of justice, but afterwards yielded to the opinions of others, who thought that severe discipline was necessary, in a new plantation. Not having a high opinion of a pure democracy, when the people of Connecticut were about forming a government, he wrote them a letter in which he observed, "the best part of a community is always the least, and of that least part, the wiser are still less." In the course of his life, he repeatedly experienced the versatility of the public opinion; but when he was left out of office, he possessed perfect calmness of mind, and still exerted himself to serve his country. In severe trials, his magnanimity, wisdom, and patience were conspicuous. He denied himself many of the elegancies of life, that he might give an example of frugality and temperance. In a severe winter, when wood was scarce, he received information that a neighbour often stole wood from the pile at his door. "Does he?" said the governor, in seeming anger; "call him to me, and I will take a course with him, that shall cure him of stealing." When the man appeared he addressed him thus: “friend, it is a cold winter, and I hear you are meanly provided with wood; you are welcome to help yourself at my pile, till the winter is over." He afterwards merrily asked his informant, whether he had not put a stop to the man's stealing? Though his fortune was great when he came to America, yet he died poor. He was so much of a theologian, that he sometimes gave the word of exhortation in the church. Governor's island in the harbour of Boston was granted to him, and still remains in the possession of his descendants. His recommendation and influence procured a law to be passed, against the practice of health drinking. He kept a journal of occurrences in the colony, from his arrival down to the year 1644. This matter of fact book was first published in 1790; but had been previously read by many, and was the basis of most of the early histories of New England.

• The first question proposed, at the first court of assistants, was, how the ministers should be maintained? The court ordered that houses be built, and salaries raised for them, at the public charge.

their subsequent associates, have sprung the many thousands, that have inhabited Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island. The Puritans, to which sect these primitive emigrants belonged, were a plain, frugal, industrious people, who were strict observers of moral and social duties but they held that the imposition of creeds, of modes of worship, habits or ceremonies, was subversive of natural rights. They also viewed church hierarchy, and especially the lordly pomp of bishops, as opposed to the simple and equal spirit of Christianity. Their sufferings for non-conformity disposed them to reflect on the nature and extent of civil authority; and led to a conviction that tyranny, whether in church or state, was contrary to nature, reason, and revelation. There was a similarity between their opinions of government, and those which they held on the subject of religion. Each strengthened the other. Both were favourable to liberty, and hostile to all undue exercise of authority.

It is matter of regret, that, in violation of these noble principles, the emigrants, in the eleventh year after their settlement in America, resolved "that no man, unless a member of some of their churches, should be admitted to the freedom of their body politic," and afterwards, "that only such should share in the administration of the civil government; or have a voice in any election."

The sacred rights of conscience, and private judgment were in that age little understood. Not only the idea of toleration, but even the word itself, in the sense now affixed to it, was then unknown. Every church claimed a right to employ the hand of power, for the protection of truth and the extirpation of error. Bigotry and blind zeal prevailed among Christians of every sect or profession. Each denied to the other that liberty of conscience which they all claimed, and all had a right to enjoy.

As the intolerance of England peopled Massachusetts, so the intolerance of that province made many emigrate from it; which gave rise to various distant settlements, that, in the course of years, were formed into other provincial establish

ments. Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire were, in a great measure, shoots from the old venerable trunk, Massachusetts; and their early growth was much accelerated by her impolitic zeal for uniformity.

In reviewing these inconsistencies, in the first settlers of New England, we ought also to recollect their virtues. These were a supreme regard for religion; an ardent love of liberty, at a time when tyranny prevailed in church and state; a dauntless fortitude, which induced them to sacrifice ease, and encounter complicated hardships, in order to enjoy the sacred rights of conscience; an anxious care to lay a foundation for solid learning, and to establish wise political institutions, for the public good; an indefatigable industry in settling and cultivating a wilderness, to encounter which, no worldly motives could have been an adequate inducement. The merit of these virtues, which they eminently possessed, was enhanced by the circumstance that they were uncommon. The demerit of bigotry and intolerance, with which they are chargeable, was lessened, from the circumstance, that these were the every day vices of all sects and parties, in those times of ignorance; when all believed that it was their duty to use power in possession, for the support of their respective tenets. That the religion of many of the first settlers of New England was tinctured with enthusiasm, must be admitted: but it is equally true, that, without a portion of that noble infirmity, no great enterprize was ever accomplished.

The four provinces which have been mentioned, had been called New England, ever since the year 1614.* The pro

* This appellation was given to it, before any permanent English set. tlement had been established on its coast. In the interval, between the settlement at James Town and the settlement of Plymouth, captain John Smith, whose name is so famous in the history of Virginia, commanded a vessel, equipped for trading with the Indians, near cape Cod. He employed a part of his time in exploring the coast, and in delineating its bays and harbours. On his return, he laid a map of it before prince Charles, and, with the usual exaggeration of discoverers, painted the beauty and excellence of the coun try in such glowing colours, that the young prince, in the warmth of admiration, declared that it should be called New England, a name which effaced that of Virginia, and by which it is still distinguished.

priety of classing them under one general name became more evident, from their being settled by the same kind of people, who were so strongly connected with each other by blood, uniformity of manners, and a similarity of religious and political sentiments, as, at all times, to possess a distinct and well defined national character. The early population of this northern country was rapid. In the short space of twenty years from its first settlement, 21,200 settlers arrived in 298 vessels.

By increasing their numbers, and extending their settlements, the English became exposed to new danger. The tribes of Indians, around Massachusetts Bay, were feeble and unwarlike; yet, from regard to justice, as well as motives of prudence, the first colonists were studious to obtain the consent of the natives, before they ventured to occupy any of their lands. Though the consideration given was often very inadequate to the value of the territory acquired, it was sufficient to satisfy the demands of the proprietors. The English took quiet possession of the lands thus conveyed to them; and no open hostility broke out between them and the ancient possessors: but the colonies of Providence and Connecticut soon found that they were surrounded by more powerful and martial nations. Among these, the most considerable were the Naragansets and Pequots. The latter were a formidable people, who could bring into the field many warriors, not inferior in courage to any in the New World. They foresaw, not only that the extermination of the Indian race must be the consequence of permitting the English to spread over the continent of America; but that, if measures were not speedily concerted to prevent it, the calamity would be unavoidable. With this view, they applied to the Naragansets, requesting them to forget ancient animosities, and to co-operate with them, in expelling a common enemy, who threatened both with destruction. They represented that, when these strangers first landed, the object of their visits was not suspected, and no proper precautions were taken to check their progress; that now, from the increase of their numbers and settlements, their intentions were manifest, and