SETTLEMENT OF MAINE. 83 land, with extensive powers. But this grant was productive of no permanent settlement, and the powers of Gorges were never exercised. In 1622, Sir Ferdinand Gorges and John Mason took a patent for a territory called Laconia, extending from the Atlantic to the St. Lawrence, and from the Merrimac to the Kennebec. Under this patent Portsmouth and Dover were settled, in 1623. A fresh patent, for the country between the Merrimac and Piscataqua, was obtained by Mason in 1629. This was the patent for New Hampshire. Its early progress was so slow that, in thirty years after its settlement, Portsmouth contained no more than sixty families. In 1628, a number of settlements were commenced on the coast of Maine, under a succession of patents granted by the Plymouth council. But, as most of these were merely temporary, having for their object the pursuits of hunting and fishing, they were soon abandoned. A district of forty miles square, which was called Lygonia, and situated between Harpswell and the Kennebunk river, was settled in 1630 and given up the next year, the settlers retiring to Massachusetts. Sir Ferdinand Gorges obtained, in 1635, a patent for the district lying between the Kennebec and the Piscataqua, and sent his nephew, William Gorges, to govern the territory, who found some settlers on the Saco and Kennebec; but he remained in the country only two years, and it was then left without a government. Sir Ferdinand still continued his schemes for colonisation, and was subsequently constituted lord proprietary of the country by a royal charter. New England would have increased but slowly in wealth and population, had not the same causes which drove the Brownists from England still continued to operate. The Puritans were constantly the objects of persecution in England, and numbers of them were desirous to seek an asylum in the new world. Several emigrations were consequently made to Massachusetts. Mr. White, a Puritan minister of Dorchester, in England, had induced some merchants and gentlemen to join him (1624) in sending out a small colony, who began a plantation at Cape Ann, recognising, however, the supremacy of the Plymouth settlers. When was New Hampshire settled? What fact proves its slow progress? What was done in Maine ? What was done by Gorges in 1635? 84 SETTLEMENT OF SALEM AND CHARLESTOWN. In 1627, Mr. White and his company concluded a treaty, with the council of Plymouth, for the purchase of that part of New England lying three miles south of Charles river, and three miles north of Merrimac river, and extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific. A small number of emigrants, under the direction of John Endicott, were soon afterwards sent out, who laid the foundation of Salem, the first permanent town in the Massachusetts colony, in 1628. . The adventurers did not deem themselves able to effect all their objects without the aid of more opulent partners. Some London merchants joined them, and a charter was obtained from the crown confirming the grant from the council of Plymouth, and conferring powers of government. The supreme authority was vested in persons residing in London, a most unwise provision, as the history of the Virginia company sufficiently proved. The patentees were styled The Governor and Company of Massachusetts Bay in New England.' The executive power was vested in a governor, deputy governor, and eighteen assistants, to be nominated by the crown, and afterwards elected by the company. The governor and assistants were to meet monthly for business. The legislative power was vested in the body of the proprietors, who were to assemble four times a year, under the denomination of the General Court, for electing officers, and making laws for the common weal. The colonists were exempted from taxes and duties, and declared entitled to all the rights and privileges of Englishmen, as had already been done in the charter of Virginia. Under this charter three vessels sailed in May, 1628, with about two hundred persons, who reached Salem in June, where they found a colony of one hundred planters under the government of John Endicott. Not satisfied with the situation at Salem, one hundred of the company, under the direction of Thomas Graves, removed to Mishawum, where they laid the foundation of a town, to which they gave the name of Charlestown. Both settlements were united under the same government; and one of their first acts was to form a church and ordain their minister and In 1627 ? When was Salem settled? By whom? What new company was formed? What form of government was established by their charter? What exemptions and privileges did it grant? How many emigrants came over in 1628? Who founded Charlestown? What was one of their first acts? SETTLEMENT OF BOSTON. 85 ruling elder, in which solemnity they were joined by a representation from the Plymouth colony. The inconveniences, which would have resulted from that provision of the charter which required the government of the colony of Massachusetts to be resident in London, had already been foreseen, and in consequence of representations to that effect, the charter was transferred to those of the freemen who should themselves reside in the colony. This gave a new impulse to emigration, and many persons of various ranks prepared for their departure to the New World. The next year (1630) brought a fleet with eight hundred and forty emigrants, among whom were governor Winthrop, deputy governor Dudley, and many other persons of wealth and respectability. In September, of the same year, a settlement was formed at a place on the south side of Charles river, called by the Indians Shawmut, and by the English, Trimountain, to which the name of Boston was now given. The succeeding autumn and winter were marked by severe distress. Sickness visited the colony, and before December, two hundred of their number had died. Among these was the lady Arabella Johnson, the daughter of a noble house in England, who had left the quiet and luxury of her home, but to leave a memorial of her virtues and misfortunes in the new country. The colonists were by no means disheartened by their sufferings, but bore all with fortitude, in the hope of transmitting free institutions to their posterity. In May, 1631, at the first court of election in Massachusetts, that the body of the commons might be preserved of good and honest men,' it was ordered that, from that time, no persons be admitted to the freedom of the body politic, but such as were members of some of the churches within its limits. This provision has been much censured by historians and statesmen, and the right of the government to make it has been questioned. It was subsequently productive of much dissension. It was, however, by no means inconsistent with the spirit of the age, and was unquestionably adopted from the most upright and conscientious motives. The settlements gradually extended in the neighbourhood of Boston and Charlestown to such remote points, that the purely democratic form of government, which admitted every What gave a new impulse to emigra- | Who died? tion? Who came over in 1630? What town was then settled? What ensued in the autumn? When was the first court of e.ection held in Massachusetts ? What law was made? What is said of it? 86 BANISHMENT OF ROGER WILLIAMS. freeman to a share in the deliberations respecting the public welfare, was found to be very inconvenient; and accordingly, in 1634, a representative form of government was adopted. The whole body of the freemen assembled but once a year for the election of magistrates, and the freemen of each town chose deputies to the general court, who were vested with the full power of all the freemen, and were required to assemble in general court four times a year. This form of government was retained, with but slight alterations, during the continuance of the charter. We have here the second instance of a house of representatives in America, the first having been convened in Virginia, June 19, 1619. 1634 Roger Williams, a minister of Salem, having put forth certain tenets, which were considered heretical and seditious, 'tending equally to sap the foundations of the establishment in church and state,' and refusing to recant and conform to the opinions of the ruling powers, was banished the colony. The heresy which he promulgated was, that the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never controul opinion; should punish guilt, but never violate the freedom of the soul.'* His firmness on this occasion made him the founder of a state, and classed him among the most celebrated assertors of intellectual freedom. His exile was not a mere transfer from one agreeable residence to another as agreeable. He was obliged to go into the wilderness of woods in the depth of winter; and when cast out from the society of civilised men, for asserting the noblest right of humanity, he found a shelter among the untutored savages. Pokanoket, Massasoit, and Canonicus, welcomed him to their rude wigwams, and thus confirmed a constant friend and benefactor. In the spring he began to build and plant at Seekonk, but finding that this place was within the patent of Ply.nouth, he passed over the water with five companions, and settled on a spot which, in token of his humble reliance on the Divine favour, he called PROVIDENCE. Under these circumstances was commenced the settlement of Rhode Island a state, whose history is marked throughout with the strongest evidences of the attachment of its people to the prin ciples of civil and religious liberty. What form of government was adopted | What is said of Roger Williams? What town and state did he found? in 1634 ? * Bancroft. In 1635, three thousand emigrants were added to the puritan colony of Massachusetts. Among them were two persons who were afterwards remarkably distinguished by their characters and fortunes; these were Hugh Peter, and Henry Vane the younger. Peter, who had formerly been pastor of a church of English exiles at Rotterdam, was a man of high spirit, great energy, eloquence and ability. Vane, who suffered much censure during his active career, is now pronounced by impartial historians to have been a man of spotless integrity and pure mind, and a genuine martyr for liberty. The freemen of Massachusetts, captivated by the talents and fascinating manners of Vane, and flattered by his abandonment of ease and high rank in England, for a residence on their own soil, elected him for their governor. He was too young and too little acquainted with the country to fulfil with success the duties of so arduous an office. The arrival of Vane was followed by certain negotiations with other men of noble rank in England, who were desirous to emigrate to Massachusetts, provided they could continue there in the enjoyment of those hereditary powers and offices, which were guaranteed to them and their families by the British constitution. Their proposals were received and considered by the leaders and freemen of the colony; but, fortunately for their posterity, these sagacious republicans foresaw the evils which would result from such an arrange ment, and the proposal was accordingly declined. The colony was not so fortunate in respect to another source Who came over in 1635 ? To what office was Vane elected? What proposal was made by certain How was it treated? |