the spot, he would procure a patent for them, and send them over friends, goods, provisions, and what was necessary to assist their undertakings. Mr. Conant, then looking out a scituation more commodious for a town, gave his three disheartened companions to understand, that he did believe God would make this land a receptacle for his people; and that if they should leave him, yet he would not stir; for he was confident he should not long want company; which confidence of his caused them to abandon the thoughts of leaving him. Well, it was not long before the Council of Plymouth in England had, by a deed bearing date March 19, 1627, sold unto some knights and gentlemen about Dorchester, viz: Sir Henry Rowsel, Sir John Young, Thomas Southcott, John Humphrey, John Endicott, and Simon Whetcomb, and their heirs and assigns, and their associates for ever, that part of New-England which lyes between a great river called Merrimack, and a certain other river there called Charles' River, in the bottom of the Massachuset-Bay. But shortly after this, Mr. White brought the aforesaid honourable persons into an acquaintance with several other persons of quality about London; as, namely, Sir Richard Saltonstall, Isaac Johnson, Samuel Adderly, John Ven, Matthew Cradock, George Harwood, Increase Nowel, Richard Perry, Richard Bellingham, Nathaniel Wright, Samuel Vassal, Theophilus Eaton, Thomas Goff, Thomas Adams, John Brown, Samuel Brown, Thomas Hutchings, William Vassal, William Pinchon, and George Foxcraft. These persons being associated unto the former, and having bought of them all their interest in NewEngland aforesaid, now consulted about settling a plantation in that country, whither such as were then called Non-conformists might, with the grace and leave of the King, make a peaceable secession, and enjoy the liberty and the exercise of their own perswasions about the worship of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whereupon petitioning the King to confirm what they had thus purchased with a new patent, he granted them one, bearing date from the year 1628, which gave them a right unto the soil, holding their titles of lands, as of the mannor of East Greenwich in Kent, and in common soccage. By this Charter they were empowered yearly to elect their own governour, deputy-governour and magistrates; as also to make such laws as they should think suitable for the plantation: but as an acknowledgment of their dependance upon England, they might not make any laws repugnant unto those of the kingdom; and the fifth part of all the oar of gold or silver found in the territory, belonged unto the crown. So, soon after Mr. Cradock being by the company chosen governour, they sent over Mr. Endicott in the year 1628, to carry on the plantation, which the Dorches ter-agents had lookt out for them, which was at a place called Nahumkeick. Of which place I have somewhere met with an odd observation, that the name of it was rather Hebrew than Indian; for D, Nahum, signifies comfort, and pin, Keik, signifies an haven; and our English not only found it an Haven of Comfort, but happened also to put an Hebrew name upon

it; for they called it Salem, for the peace which they had and hoped in it; and so it is called unto this day.

§ 4. An entrance being thus made upon the design of planting a country of English and Reformed Churches; they that were concerned for the plantation, made their application to two non-formists ministers, that they would go over to serve the Cause of God and of Religion in the beginning of those Churches. The one of these was Mr. Higginson, a minister in Leicestershire, silenced for his non-conformity; the other was Mr. Skelton, a minister of Lincolnshire, suffering also for his non-conformity; both of which were men eminent for learning and virtue, and who, thus driven out of their native country, sought their graves on the American-Strand, whereon the Epitaph might be inscribed that was on Scipio's: Ingrata Patria, ne Mortui quidem habebis Ossa.* These ministers came over to Salem in the summer of the year 1629, and with these there came over a considerable number of excellent Christians, who no sooner arrived, but they set themselves about the Church-work, which was their errand hither.

"Tis true, there were two other Clergy-men, who came over about the same time; nevertheless, there has been very little account given of their circumstances; except what a certain little Narrative-writer has offered us, by saying, "there were two that began to hew stones in the mountains, for the building of the temple here; but when they saw all sorts of stones would not fit in the building, the one betook himself to the seas again and the other to till the land;" for which cause, burying all further mention of them among the rubbish, in the foundation of the Colony, we will proceed with our story; which is now to tell us, that the passage of these our pilgrims was attended with many smiles of Heaven upon them. They were blessed with a company of honest seamen; with whom the ministers and passengers constantly served God, morning and evening; reading, expounding and applying the word of God, singing of his praise, and seeking of his peace; to which exercises they added on the Lord's day two sermons, and a catechising: and sometimes they set apart an whole day for fasting and prayer, to obtain from Heaven a good success in their voyage, especially when the weather was much against them, whereto they had very remarkable answers; but the seamen said, "that they believed these were the first sea-fasts that ever were kept in the world." At length, Per varios Casus, per Tot Discrimina Rerum,† they landed at the haven of rest provided for them.

§ 5. The persecuted servants of God, under the English Hierarchy, had been in a sea of ice mingled with fire; though the fire scalded them, yet such cakes of ice were over their heads, that there was no getting out; but the ice was now broken, by the American offers of a retreat for the pure worshippers of the Lord into a wilderness.

"Ungrateful country of my birth! thou shalt not possess even my lifeless bones." + Through perils, toil, and rough adventure passed.

The report of the charter granted unto the governour and company of the Massachuset-Bay, and the entertainment and encouragement which planters began to find in that Bay, came with a-Patrias age, desere Sedes,* and caused many very deserving persons to transplant themselves and their families into New-England. Gentlemen of ancient and worshipful families, and ministers of the gospel, then of great fame at home, and merchants, husbandmen, artificers, to the number of some thousands, did for twelve years together carry on this transplantation. It was indeed a banishment rather than a removal, which was undergone by this glorious generation, and you may be sure sufficiently afflictive to men of estate, breeding and conversation. As the hazard which they ran in this undertaking was of such extraordinariness, that nothing less than a strange and strong impression from Heaven could have thereunto moved the hearts of such as were in it: so the expense with which they carried on the undertaking was truly extraordinary. By computation, the passage of the persons that peopled New-England, cost at least ninety-five thousand pound; the transportation of their first small stock of cattle, great and small, cost no less than twelve thousand pound, besides the price of the cattle themselves; the provisions laid in for subsistence, till tillage might produce more, cost forty-five thousand pounds; the materials for their first cottages cost eighteen thousand pounds; their arms, ammunition and great artillery, cost twenty-two thousand pounds; besides which hundred and ninety-two thousand pounds, the adventurers laid out in England what was not inconsiderable. About an hundred and ninety-eight ships were employed in passing the perils of the seas, in the accomplishment of this renowned settlement; whereof, by the way, but one miscarried in those perils.

Briefly, the God of Heaven served as it were a summons upon the spirits of his people in the English nation; stirring up the spirits of thousands which never saw the faces of each other, with a most unanimous inclination to leave all the pleasant accommodations of their native country, and go over a terrible ocean, into a more terrible desert, for the pure enjoyment of all his ordinances. It is now reasonable that before we pass any further, the reasons of this undertaking should be more exactly made known unto posterity, especially unto the posterity of those that were the undertakers, lest they come at length to forget and neglect the true interest of New-England. Wherefore I shall now transcribe some of them from a manuscript, wherein they were then tendred unto consideration.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE PLANTATION OF NEW-ENGLAND.

a

« First, It will be a service unto the Church, of great consequence, to carry the Gospel into those parts of the world, and raise a bulwark against the kingdom of anti-christ, which the Jesuites labour to rear up in all parts of the world.

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Secondly, All other Churches of Europe have been brought under desolations; and it may

• A call to leave their country and their home.

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be feared that the like judgments are coming upon us; and who knows but God hath provided this place to be a refuge for many, whom he means to save out of the General Destruction. Thirdly, The land grows weary of her inhabitants, insomuch that man, which is the most precious of all creatures, is here more vile and base than the earth he treads upon: children, neighbours and friends, especially the poor, are counted the greatest burdens, which if things were right would be the chiefest earthly blessings.

Fourthly, We are grown to that intemperance in all excess of riot, as no mean estate almost will suffice a man to keep sail with his equals, and he that fails in it, must live in scorn and contempt: hence it comes to pass, that all arts and trades are carried in that deceit ful manner, and unrighteous course, as it is almost impossible for a good, upright man to maintain his constant charge, and live comfortably in them.

"Fifthly, The schools of learning and religion are so corrupted, as (besides the unsupportable charge of education) most children, even the best, wittiest, and of the fairest hopes, are perverted, corrupted, and utterly overthrown, by the multitude of evil examples and licentious behaviours in these seminaries.

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Sixthly, The whole earth is the Lord's garden, and he hath given it to the sons of Adam, to be tilled and improved by them: why then should we stand starving here for places of habitation, and in the mean time suffer whole countries, as profitable for the use of man, to lye waste without any improvement?

"Seventhly, What can be a better or nobler work, and more worthy of a Christian, than to erect and support a reformed particular Church in its infancy, and unite our forces with such a company of faithful people, as by a timely assistance may grow stronger and prosper; but for want of it, may be put to great hazards, if not be wholly ruined?

"Eighthly, If any such as are known to be godly, and live in wealth and prosperity here, shall forsake all this to join with this reformed church, and with it run the hazard of an hard and mean condition, it will be an example of great use, both for the removing of scandal, and to give more life unto the faith of God's people in their prayers for the plantation, and also to encourage others to join the more willingly in it."

§ 6. Mr. Higginson, and Mr. Skelton, and other good people that arrived at Salem, in the year 1629, resolved, like their father Abraham, to begin their plantation with "calling on the name of the Lord." The great Mr. Hildersham had advised our first planters to agree fully upon their form. of church government, before their coming into New-England; but they had indeed agreed little further than in this general principle, "that the reformation of the church was to be endeavoured according to the written word of God." Accordingly ours, now arrived at Salem, consulted with their brethren at Plymouth, what steps to take for the more exact acquainting of themselves with, and conforming themselves to, that written word; and the Plymotheans, to their great satisfaction, laid before them what warrant, they judged, that they had in the laws of our Lord Jesus Christ, for every particular in their Church-order.

Whereupon having the concurrence and countenance of their deputygovernour, the worshipful John Endicott, Esq., and the approving presence of the messengers from the church of Plymouth, they set apart the sixth day of August, after their arrival, for fasting and prayer, for the settling of a Church State among them, and for their making a Confession of their Faith, and entering into an holy Covenant, whereby that Church State was formed.

Mr. Higginson then became the teacher, and Mr. Skelton the pastor, of the church thus constituted at Salem; and they lived very peaceably in Salem together, till the death of Mr. Higginson, which was about a twelvemonth after, and then of Mr. Skelton, who did not long survive him. Now, the Covenant whereto these Christians engaged themselves, which was about seven years after solemnly renewed among them, I shall here lay before all the Churches of God, as it was then expressed and inforced:

"We covenant with our Lord, and one with another; and we do bind our selves in the presence of God, to walk together in all his ways, according as he is pleased to reveal himself unto us in his blessed word of truth; and do explicitly, in the name and fear of God, profess and protest to walk as followeth, through the power and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"We avouch the Lord to be our God, and our selves to be his people, in the truth and simplicity of our spirits.

"We give our selves to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the word of his grace for the teaching, ruling and sanctifying of us in matters of worship and conversation, resolv ing to cleave unto him alone for life and glory, and to reject all contrary ways, canons, and constitutions of men in his worship.

"We promise to walk with our brethren, with all watchfulness and tenderness, avoiding jealousies and suspicions, back-bitings, censurings, provokings, secret risings of spirit against them; but in all offences to follow the rule of our Lord Jesus, and to bear and forbear, give and forgive, as he hath taught us.

“In public or private, we will willingly do nothing to the offence of the church; but willing to take advice for our selves and ours, as occasion shall be presented. "We will not in the congregation be forward either to show our own gifts and parts in speaking or scrupling, or there discover the weakness or failings of our brethren; but attend an orderly call thereunto, knowing how much the Lord may be dishonoured, and his gospel, and the profession of it, slighted by our distempers and weaknesses in public.

"We bind our selves to study the advancement of the gospel in all truth and peace; both in regard of those that are within or without; no way slighting our sister churches, but using their counsel, as need shall be; not laying a stumbungblock before any, no, not the Indians, whose good we desire to promote; and so to converse, as we may avoid the very appearance of evil.

"We do hereby promise to carry our selves in all lawful obedience to those that are over us, in Church or Commonwealth, knowing how well pleasing it will be to the Lord, that they should have encouragement in their places, by our not grieving their spirits through our irregularities.

"We resolve to approve our selves to the Lord in our particular callings; shunning idleness as the bane of any state; nor will we deal hardly or oppressingly with any, wherein we are the Lord's stewards.

"Promising also unto our best ability to teach our children and servants the knowledge of God, and of His Will, that they may serve Him also; and all this not by any strength of our own, but by the Lord Christ: whose blood we desire may sprinkle this our Covenant made in his name."