2. The lands had at first belonged to the Plymouth Company, but, in 1627, the colony purchased them for eighteen hundred pounds, and received a patent for the same, with ample powers of government. Seven assistants, with the governor, constituted the government. This system was continued till 1639, when deputies, or representatives of the people, began for the first time to have a voice in the government.

3. The main object of the first settlers of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, like that of the colonists at Plymouth, was to escape persecution, to which they were exposed in England, and to enjoy the high privilege of worshipping God according to the dictates of their own consciences. The settlers of both colonies were, for the most part, Puritans.

4. At first the affairs of government for the colony of Massachusetts Bay had been, to all intents and purposes, transacted by a board of officers in London. But in August, 1629, the Company very wisely concluded to transfer the government from London to Massachusetts; and for this purpose proceeded to the choice of a new board of officers.

5. In virtue of this arrangement, John Winthrop was chosen governor, and Thomas Dudley deputy governor. They came over in June, 1630, with a fleet of eleven ships, and more than eight hundred emigrants, at an expense of one hundred thousand dollars. Seven hundred more emigrants are said to have come over the same year.

6. Governor Winthrop and his associates brought with them a charter for the colony, which, among other things, empowered them to elect their own officers. They held their charter about sixty years, or till the union of the colonies of Massachusetts and Plymouth-an event which took place in the year 1691.

7. Under the charter which has just been mentioned, the legislature of the colony consisted of a governor, deputy governor, and eighteen assistants, to be elected annually by the freemen, and to constitute, as it were, an upper house or senate; and of the general body of the freemen themselves. They met four times a year, and oftener if found necessary.

8. The first legislative assembly, or General Court, as it was called, met at Boston, in October, 1630. Upward of one hundred persons were made freemen. At the General Court, in May, 1631, the number of freemen had increased to about one hundred and fifty.

2. What of the lands? The government of the colony from 1627? 8. Object of the settlers of Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay? What were they, mostly? 4. What of the government of Massachusetts Bay before 1629? What change then took place? 5. What of John Winthrop? What of emigrants in 1630? 6. What of a charter? When were the colonies of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth united? 7. What was the government of Massachusetts Bay under the charter? 8. When and where did the first general court meet?

Number of freemen in 1031 ?

CUSTOMS IN NEW ENGLAND.

75

9. The population did not increase at this period so rapidly as it had done a short time before. Only three hundred and forty persons came over in the space of two years. Emigrants were probably deterred by sickness; for during the single winter of 1629 more than two hundred of the Massachusetts settlers died. Such was the terror inspired by sickness and other causes, that about one hundred returned to England.

10. Nor was this all. The dwellings, and perhaps the clothing, of the settlers were insufficient for the climate. The winter of 1631 was one of unusual severity, even for New England, and some were actually frozen to death. Famine followed on disease. Not a few were compelled to live on shell-fish, groundnuts, and acorns. The governor himself, at one time, had "his last corn in the oven.'

11. A day of fasting and prayer for the colony was appointed for February 6, 1632; but on the 5th a ship arrived from England, well laden with provisions. The day of fasting was changed to a day of thanksgiving—the first of the kind ever kept in the present territory of the United States.

12. It is worthy of notice, as showing the rigid character of the people of New England, that the custom of drinking healths at ordinary meals, which prevailed at this time in England, and had found its way to America, was early abolished in the colonies; Governor Winthrop setting the example of self-denial at his own table, and urging among his people.

it

13. The first churches in Boston and Charlestown were founded in the summer of 1630, after a solemn fast. At the close of another fast, in August of the same year, a minister was installed. For two or three of the first years of the colony none but members of the church were allowed to vote in the General Court or Assembly.

9 What of the increase of the colony? Sickness in 1629? Return of settlers to Eng land? 10. What of the winter of 1631? 11. Fasting? Arrival of a ship? Th. st Thanksgiving? 12 Drinking healths? 13. First churches? Who were the voters during the first years of the settlement?

CHAPTER XXXII.

History of Maryland.-Lord Baltimore's Visit to America.-Leonard Calvert's Arrival.-Settlement of Maryland.-Clayborne's Rebellion.

1. THE settlement of Maryland had its origin in the exertions of Sir

LORD BALTIMORE.

George Calvert, a Catholic, afterward called Lord Baltimore. He had been a secretary of state under King James I., and was made a lord on account of his services to the crow 1-one of which services, it is said, consisted in bringing about a marriage between the king's son and a Spanish princess.

2. Lord Baltimore visited America in 1629, and having explored a tract of country lying on the Chesapeake Bay, belonging to what was then called South Virginia, he returned to England to procure a patent of it from the king. Before the patent was made out, he died, and it was given to his son Ce'-cil.

3. The province was named Maryland, by King Charles I., in the patent, in honor of his queen, Henrietta Maria, daughter of the king of France. A part of the province appears to have been included in the grant made some time afterward to William Penn, and to have given rise to much contention between the successors of Penn and Baltimore.

4. In March, 1634, Leon'-ard Calvert, the brother of Ce'-cil, with two hundred emigrants, most of them Roman Catholic gentlemen, with their servants, arrived at the mouth of the Potomac River, and leaving

CHAP. XXXII.-1, What of Lord Baltimore? 2. What of his visit to America? His death? 8. Name of Maryland? What occasioned much contention? place in 1634?

4. What took

HISTORY OF MARYLAND.

77

the vessel, ascended in a pinnace as far as Piscataway, an Indian village, nearly opposite Mount Vernon.

5. The sachem of Piscataway gave Calvert full liberty to settle there if he chose; but, not deeming it on the whole safe, he began a settlement lower down, on a branch of the Potomac, at the Indian town of Yo-a-co-mo'-co. The settlement was called St. Mary's.

6. To gain the good-will of the Indians, Calvert made them presents of clothes, axes, hoes, and knives. Their friendship was easily secured; and their women, in return for the kindnesses of the English, taught them how to make corn-bread. This, perhaps, was the first knowledge which the settlers had of "hoe-cake," or "johnny-cake."

7. The colony of Maryland met with few of the troubles which had been experienced by its sister colonies. The settlers arrived in time to cultivate the soil for that year, and the seasons for several of the succeeding years were all favorable. They had the Virginians, moreover, for near neighbors, who furnished them with cattle and many other necessaries, and also protected them from the Indians. In addition to all this, they enjoyed good health.

8. In Fel ruary, 1635, in less than one year from the date of the settlement, the freemen of the colony assembled to make the necessary laws. The charter which had been granted them was exceedingly liberal. They were allowed the full power of legislation, without the reserved privilege, on the part of the crown, to revoke or alter their acts. The government underwent some changes in 1639; and, in 1650, they had an upper and lower house in the legislature, like their neighbors.

9. Ten or twelve years of peace having passed away, a rebellion broke out in Maryland, headed by one Clai'-borne. Having formed a little colony before the arrival of Calvert, he refused to submit to his authority. Convicted, at length, of murder and other crimes, he fled from the province, but returned with a large mob, and broke up the government. Order, however, was in a little time restored, and things again went on prosperously.

10. When every other country in the world had persecuting laws, the Catholics of Maryland raised the standard of civil and religious liberty, where their co-religionists, who were oppressed in England and Ireland, were sure to find a peaceful asylum, and where religious freedom obtained a home at the humble village which bore the name of St. Mary's.

5. What of the sachem of Piscataway? What of the se'tlements? 6. What of Calvert and the Indians? Hoe-cake? 7. In what respects did the Maryland settlers have an advantage over the other colonists? 8. What of the government of the colony? 9. What of Claiborne? 10. What of persecuting laws?

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Various Settlements in Connecticut.-Opposition of the Dutch.-A Singular Journey across the Wilderness.

1 WE now come to the settlement of Connecticut. As early as 1631

an Indiar sachem came from the valley of the Con

necticut ri

ver to Boston and Plymouth, and urged the gov

ernors to

make set

tlements

there. The

soil, he

said, was exceeding

ly rich; in addition to which, he offered them a yearly supply of corn, and eighty beaver-skins. He was treated with kindness, but no steps were immediately taken to form a settlement.

2. Some time afterward, Governor Winslow, of Plymouth, made a tour to the valley of the Connecticut, and came back so well pleased with the country, that preparations were soon made for establishing a trading-house there. But the Dutch of Manhattan, having heard of the plan, immediately proceeded to erect a fort in that quarter. This was in 1633.

3. The movements of the Dutch, however, did not intimidate the Plymouth people. Having got ready the frame of a house, they sailed for the Connecticut River. When they came opposite the Dutch fort -the spot where Hartford now stands-the Dutch forbade their proceeding any further, on penalty of being fired upon. They did not regard this, but proceeded up the river.

CHAP. XXXIII.-1. What of an Indian sachem in 1681? 2. Governor Winslow? The Dutch? 8. What of the Datch and Plymouth people!