5

Effects of Persecution.

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when archbishop Laud, unwilling that so many objects of his hatred should be removed out of the reach of his power, applied for and obtained an order from the court to put a stop to these transportations. "Restrictions were laid upon their escape, and whilst some had fled to foreign countries, others were not so fortunate as to obtain this dreadful privilege, but were detained as hostages for the good conduct of their brethren abroad." However, he was not able to prevail so far as to hinder New England from receiving vast additions, as well of the clergy, who were silenced and deprived of their livings for non-conformity, as of the laity, who adhered to their opini on As in all countries where persecution rages, so here, the wisest, most wholesome, and most useful members of the com munity, were compelled to leave their country. "Multitudes (said Dr. Owen, speaking of these times) of pious and peaceable protestants were driven by the severiti esof their persecutors to leave their native country, and seek a refuge for their lives and liberties, with freedom for the worship of God, in a wilderness, in the ends of the earth." By such people New England was first settled. A body of men more remarkable for their wisdom never perhaps commenced the settlement of any country.

As early as 1626, a few people from Plymouth, conducted by Mr. Roger Conant, commenced a settlement on Naumkeag river. Discouraged by the difficulties they had to encounter, they had determined to quit America and return to England; but, encouraged by the Rev. Mr. White, of Dorchester, in England, who, with other influential characters that were desirous of providing an asylum in America for the persecuted nonconformists, assured them if they would remain, that they should receive a patent, supplies and friends, they relinquished their design, and concluded to wait the event. Accordingly, on the 19th of March, 1627, Sir Henry Roswell, and several other gentlemen, in the vicinity of Dorchester, purchased of the council of Plymouth, all that part of New England, included within a line drawn from the Atlantic ocean, three miles north of the Merrimac to the South Sea. But as the council gave them no powers of government, they afterwards obtained a charter of incorporation, from Charles I. constituting them a body politic, by the name of the "Governor and Company of Massachusetts Bay in New England," with powers as extensive as any other corporation in England. The charter recited the grant of American territory to the council of Plymouth in 1620. It regranted Mas

sachusetts Bay to Henry Roswell and others. The whole executive power of the corporation was vested in a governor, deputy governor, and eighteen assistants; and until the annual election of the company could commence, the governor, deputy governor, and eighteen assistants, were specified. The governor, and seven or more assistants, were authorised to meet in monthly courts, for dispatching such business as concerned the company or settlement. But the legislative powers of the corporation were vested in a more popular assembly, composed of the governor, deputy governor, the assistants, and freemen of the company. This assembly to be convened on the last Wednesday of each of the four annual terms, by the title of "the General Court," was empowered to enact laws and ordinances for the good of the body politic, and the government of the plantation, and its inhabitants; provided they should not be repugnant to the laws and and statutes of England. This assembly was empowered to elect their governor, deputy governor, and other necessary officers, and to confer the freedom of the company. The company was allowed to transport persons, merchandize, weapons, &c. to New England, exempt from duty for the term of seven years; and emigrants were entitled to all the privileges of Englishmen. Such are the general outlines of the charter. Under this charter Matthew Cradock was elected the first governor, and Thomas Goff, deputy governor; Capt. John Endicott, who the year before (1627) had gone over with one hundred persons to Salem to prepare the way for the settlement of a permanent colony, was appointed, by the Plymouth company, governor for the plantation.

In May, 1628, about two hundred persons, with the Rev. Messrs. Skelton, Higginson, and Bright, embarked for New England, and arrived at Naumkeag, now Salem, on the 29th of June. The whole colony under governor Endicott now consisted of three hundred souls; one hundred of whom, the same year removed to Charlestown, Messrs. Skelton and Higginson remained at Salem, where they formed, and were ordained over, the first church in that town; Mr. Bright removed with the others to Charlestown. The colony was formed on the plan of the East India company, or any other trading corporation; for, though the object of the settlers was religion, the company had no motive but profit. Those who came over expected liberty of conscience, the company who sent them waited for furs and other articles of commerce. Accordingly the governor, deputy governor, and assistants, were all residents in England. The nominal

Large Increase of Inhabitants,

37

governor here was merely their agent; Mr. Endicott was the first. But the situation of the persecuted Puritans in England becoming more and more intolerable, this interested numbers of respectable and wealthy people in their behalf, and converted them to their principles. Several more of consequence in the nation had formed a resolution to emigrate to Massachusetts, provided they should be permitted to carry the charter with them. They were aware of the inconvenience of being governed, in a new and distant country, different in most respects from England, by men, over whom they had no control; they wished to govern themselves. They insisted, therefore, that the charter should be transmitted with them, and that the corporate powers which it conferred, should in future be executed in New England. Though the legality of the proposed measure was questioned, yet the importance of engaging men of wealth and influence in the enterprize, by which great profits were expected, induced governor Cradock, who entered fully into their views, to call a general court Aug. 29th, 1629, to whom he submitted the question: whereupon it was unanimously resolved "That the patent shall be transferred, and the government of the corporation removed from London to Massachusetts Bay." The members of the corporation, who remained in England, were, by agreement, to retain a share in the trading stock, and the profits of it, for seven years; but it does not appear that any dividend was ever made, or that any trade was carried on for the company.

On the 20th of October, 1629, the company proceeded to a new choice of officers, to elect such persons only, as had determined to go over with the charter. John Winthorp was chosen governor, John Humphreys, deputy governor, Sir Richard Saltonstal and seventeen others, assistants. The deputy governor and several of the assistants never came to America. Their places were supplied by a new choice. Thomas Dudley was chosen deputy governor in place of Mr. Humphreys. In the spring of 1630, these officers, with about fifteen hundred emigrants, embarked at various ports in England, in eleven vessels, fitted at the expence of more than £21,000 sterling, having their charter on board. This was the first charter that ever arrived in New England, and the only one under which Massacusetts ever acted, till king William granted them another after the revolution. After a tedious voyage, they arrived at Salem, in June, and at Charlestown the beginning of July. In consequence, the 8th day of this month was celebrated in all the plantations in New Eng

land as a day of public thanksgiving to God, "for all his good ness, and wonderful works to them."

But there were several circumstances which operated as drawbacks upon the joys of this occasion. An extensive and formidable conspiracy of the Indians, as far as Narraganset, for the purpose of extirpating the English colonists, had been, but a few months before, discovered to the inhabitants of Charlestown by John Sagamore, in season, however, to prevent its horrid execution. The alarm and terror, which this event occasioned, had hardly subsided. Of three hundred persons, who were previously at Salem and Charlestown, eighty had died the preceding winter. There was not corn enough to supply their necessities for a fortnight; and their other provisions, in consequence of their long voyage, were reduced to a scanty pittance. They were obliged to let their servants (who had cost them from fifteen to twenty pounds each) go free, and provide for themselves. Under all these disadvantages they had but a few months to prepare shelter and food for a long and cold winter.

To encrease their calamities, a mortal sickness soon commenced its ravages among them, and before December, two hundred of their number had died. Among these was lady Arabella, who "came from a paradise of plenty and pleasure, in the family of a noble Earl, into a wilderness of wants," Mr. Johnson, her husband, highly esteemed for his piety and wisdom, and one of the assistants, and Mr. Rositer, another of the assistants. To console them under their severe distresses, Mr. Wilson preached to them on the subject of Jacob's behaviour, who was not disheartened by the death of his nearest friends on the when God called him to remove. way, This worthy minister was liberal, almost to an extreme, in administering to the relief of the necessitous; he was at all times a father to the poor: and the wretched Indians often tasted his bounty.

Discouraged by such calamities and gloomy prospects, about an hundred persons, who had lately arrived, of" weaker minds," and not of the best characters, returned to England in the vessels which brought them over. The return of these was considered as no loss to the plantation. This new accession to the Massachusetts colony collected, some from the west of England, but chiefly from the vicinity of London, were of all trades and occupations, necessary for planting a new country. As there were not buildings sufficient to accomodate such a num

First Church gathered in Charlestown.

39.

ber of people, the artificers among them erected tents and temporary booths for their accommodation.

CHAP. VII.

Church gathered in Charlestown-First Court held there-Morton sentenced for stealing an Indian Cange-Boston, Watertown, and Roxbury settled-Description of the former-Scarrity and its good Effects---Account of Newbury---Arrival of Governor Winthorp's Family---Union of the two Colonies.

AS the great object of these christian pilgrims, in leaving their native country, and settling in this wilderness, was to “enjoy the ordinances of the gospel, and worship the Lord Jesus Christ according to his own institutions," Governor Winthorp, Lieut. Governor Dudley, Mr. Johnson, and the Rev, Mr. Wil son, on the 30th of July, 1630, entered into a formal and so lemn covenant with each other, and thus laid the foundation of the church in Charlestown. This was the first ordination that took place in Massachusetts.

On the 23d of August, 1630, the first court of assistants was held at Charlestown on board the Arabella, consisting of Governor Winthorp, Deputy Governor Dudley, and Sir Richard Saltonstall, Messrs. Ludlow, Rossiter, Newell, T. Sharp, Pynchon, and Bradstreet, assistants. This court was formed for the determination of great affairs, civil and criminal; justices of the peace, invested with the same authority as like magistrates in England, and other officers, were appointed for the preservation of tranquillity. The first question that came before them was, "how the ministers should be maintained?" On the proposal of Messrs. Wilson and Philips, the court ordered that houses should be built for them at the public charge, and the Governor and Sir Richard Saltonstall were appointed to carry the order into effect. It was at the same time ordered that Mr. Phillips's salary should be thirty pounds a year and Mr. Wilson's twenty pounds, "till his wife should come over." Thomas Wollaston, who had stolen a boat froin the Indians, was ordered to be brought before them for trial without delay. Carpenters, joiners, bricklayers, sawyers, and thatchers, were ordered to take no more than two shillings a day, under a penalty of ten shillings, to giver or taker, and Mr. Bradstreet was chosen secretary.