ANTIQUARIAN RESEARCHES: COMPRISING A HISTORY OF THE INDIAN WARS, ON CONNECTICUT RIVER, &c. CHAPTER I. The settlements made by various European nations in Canada, Newfoundland, New Netherlands and Virginia, previous to the year 1620, attracted considerable notice in Europe, but New England still remained in possession of the natives, whose hostility, in consequence of the abuses they had received from the English ships that had visited the coast, rendered it dangerous to land on the territory. But the period had now arrived in which a permanent settlement was to be effected, and the country no longer to be known as a savage wild. Religious persecution in England, had for some time been preparing the minds of a small company of people to encounter every hardship and danger, that they might enjoy religious freedom in some distant land. These were a congregation of English Puritans residing in Holland. The sect bearing this name, arose in England about the year 1550, on occasion of bishop Hooper's refusing to be consecrated in the popish habits. The archbishop of Canterbury, with other bishops and divines, having concluded an order of divine worship, an act confirming this liturgy passed both houses of Parliament, on the fifteenth of January 1649. But it was protested against by the bishops of London, Durham, Norwich, Carlisle, Hereford, Worcester, Westminster and Chichester; the Parliament notwithstanding, persisted in enforcing the liturgy, and an act was passed subjecting such clergy as should refuse the service, or should officiate in any other manner, to forfeitures and imprisonment; and for the third offence to imprisonment for life. Who ever should write, or print against the book, was to be fined ten pounds for the first offence, twenty pounds for the second, and be imprisoned for life for the third. The council immediately appointed visitors to see that the liturgy was received throughout England. In January, 1563, the convocation of the English clergy met, and finished the thirty nine articles. Of the lower house, forty three present, were for throwing out the ceremonies, but thirty five were for retaining them; and these, with the help of proxies, carried their measure by one vote. The bishops now zealously urged the clergy to subscribe to the liturgy and ceremonies, as well as the articles of the established church; and all who refused were branded with the name of Puritans, from their rejecting what they deemed unscriptural ceremonies, and confining their churches entirely to scriptural rules, and apostolical purity, worship and doctrine.* A most cruel persecution followed, and so violent was the zeal for uniformity, that popular preachers of this sect, though men of learning and purity, were suspended, deprived, imprisoned and ruined, for not using garments, or ceremonies, which even their adversaries acknowledged to be indifferent. Puritanism nevertheless, gained ground, not only among the lower sort of people, but also in the universities; and the established churches began to be neglected by many, and meetings for worship were held at other places, without adherence to the established forms. To put a stop to these irregularities, an act was passed in 1593, for punishing all who refused to come to church, or were present at any conventicle, or unauthorised meeting. The punishment was imprisonment until the convicted agreed to conform, and made a declaration of his conformity; and if that was not done in three months, he was to quit the realm, or go into perpetual banishment, In case he did not depart within the time limited, or returned without license, he was to suffer death. Several underwent this punishment, in preference to purchasing an exemption from legal penalties, by doing what, in their opinion, was wrong. In April, 1693, Henry Barrow *Neal's History of the Puritans, Vol. i.-Prince's New England Chronology— Holmes' American Annals, Vol. i. p. 95. and John Greenwood were put to death, for publishing certain books against the hierarchy; and in May the same year, John Penry suffered the same fate, for having in his possession a manuscript against the hierarchy and persecution.* Finding these sanguinary proceedings to fail of their intended effect, it was resolved to punish all who were guilty, by banishment only; to avoid these evils, many voluntarily exiled themselves from their native country. Nor were punishments confined wholly to nonconformity. In 1607, Nicholas Fullur, an eminent lawyer, for merely pleading in defence of some puritan clients, against the power of the ecclesiastical commissioners, was committed to prison, and there detained till he died; and the Rev. Mr. Fairfull, minister of Dumferling, in Scotland, was imprisoned, during the king's pleasure, only for ing for the distressed ministers. pray. The zeal of the puritans was not to be put down by such arbitrary and horrid proceedings. A number upon the borders of Notinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, having suffered severely, under the rigorous persecution of the hierarchy, resolved "to shake off the antichristian bondage, and as the Lord's people, join themselves by covenant, into a church state. to walk in all the ways of God, made known to them, according to their best endeavours, whatever it might cost them." These people, formed themselves into two societies, one chose for its pastor, the Rev. John Robinson, under whom they continued about a year; but being extremely harrased by persecution, resolved to emigrate to Holland; which after much difficulty and danger, they effected in 1607, and 1608, and took up their residence in Amsterdam. The next year, Mr. Robinson, and his church, removed to Leyden, where they continued several years. But although they enjoyed liberty of conscience, and freedom from ecclesiastical oppression, they were not fully satisfied with the morals and customs of the Dutch, and they began to look for some situation more congenial to their minds. Besides, they were ardently desirous of spreading christianity in remote regions of the earth, and of *Prince's Chronology. + Gov. Bradford's History, quoted in Prince's Chronology. handing down to posterity, what they deemed, the unadulterated worship of Jehovah. The accounts which had been communicated of America, by the various voyagers, turned their attention to that region; and they at length resolved, if possible, to emigrate to the new world. Agents were accordingly sent to the Virginia company in England, to procure a patent of lands, sufficient for their wants, which, after much delay, was obtained, under the seal of the company. They also applied to king James, to grant them liberty of conscience, provided they should remove to America, and settle a plantation; but this was granted no further than, that he would connive at their religious practices, and not molest them, provided they should conduct peaceably. The difficulties being thus surmounted, they determined that but a part of the congregation should proceed to America, and there make preparation for the remainder. By the sale of their property, and the aid of a Mr. Weston, an English merchant, money was raised and placed in a common stock, which enabled them to purchase of the Dutch, the Speedwell a vessel of sixty tons, and to hire in England, another called the May-flower, of 180 tons, for the voyage. Thus prepared, the adventurers left Delf-Haven, about the twenty-first of July, and arrived at Southampton in England, and on the fifth of August, they sailed for America; but the Speedwell proving leaky, they were compelled to put into Dartmouth to repair. They again put to sea, and were again compelled to return to port, the same ship proving leaky. Despairing of the crazy vessel, and putting their provisions and necessaries on board the May-flower, they sailed from Plymouth on the sixth of September. The voyage proving boisterous, the ship was in danger of foundering; a beam started, which, with much difficulty, and the aid of an iron screw, belonging to one of the company, was replaced, and the ship rode out the storm. At day break on the ninth of November, the adventurers were cheered with the sight of land, which proved to be Cape Cod; and finding themselves to the northward of their place of destination, they stood to the southward, intending to land near the mouth of the Hudson, in New Netherlands; but soon falling among shoals, with their feeble ship, the master, (Jones,) availing himself of their fears, shifted his course to the northward, with the design of landing the company at some place distant from the Hudson, as he had clandestinely promised the Dutch before he left Holland; for which he was to receive a reward. The next day proving stormy, the ship dropped anchor in Cape Cod harbor, in latitude forty two degrees north, and therefore without the limits of the Virginia company, of whom the adventurers had obtained their patent; this circumstance added to their embarrassments. Before the people were allowed to land, they formed themselves into a body politic, by a solemn covenant, as the basis of their government, in the following words: "In the name of God, Amen: We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign « Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, defender of the faith. Having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and the advancement of the Christian faith, and honour of the King and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern part of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof, to enact, constitute and frame such just laws, ordinances, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience: In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names, at Cape Cod, the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign Lord, King James of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty fourth. Anno Domini, 1620.” The instrument was signed by the following persons, JOHN CARVER WILLIAM BRADFORD ISAAC ALLERTON SAMUEL FULLER JAMES CHILTON JOHN CRACKSTON |