work with speedy and blessed successes; and when bloody salvages in their neighbourhood, known by the name of Pequots, had like to have nipt the plantation in the bud, by a cruel war, within a year or two after their settlement, the marvellous providence of God immediately extinguished that war, by prospering the New-English arms, unto the utter subduing of the quarrelsome nation, and affrightning of all the other natives. § 3. It was with the countenance and assistance of their brethren in the Massachuset-bay, that the first Planters of Connecticut made their essays thus to discover and cultivate the remoter parts of this mighty wilderness; and accordingly several gentlemen went furnished with some kind of commission from the government of the Massachuset-bay, for to maintain some kind of government among the inhabitants, till there could be a more orderly settlement. But the inhabitants quickly perceiving themselves to be without the line of the Massachuset-charter, entered into a combination among themselves, whereby with mutual consent they became a body-politick, and framed a body of necessary laws and orders, to the execution whereof they chose all necessary officers, very much, though not altogether, after the form of the colony from whence they issued. So they jogged on for many years; and whereas, before the year 1644, that worthy gentleman, George Fenwick Esq., did, on the behalf of several persons of quality, begin a plantation about the mouth of the river, which was called Say-brook, in remembrance of those right honourable persons, the Lord Say and the Lord Brook, who laid a claim to the land thereabouts, by virtue of a patent granted by the Earl of Warwick; the inhabitants of Connecticut that year purchased of Mr. Fenwick this tract of land. But the confusions then embarrassing the affairs of the English nation, hindred our Connecticotians from seeking of any further settlement, until the restoration of K. Charles II., when they made their application to the King for a charter, by the agency of their hon ourable governour, John Winthrop, Esq., the most accomplished son of that excellent person who had been so considerable in the foundations. of the Massachuset-colony. This renowned virtuoso had justly been the darling of New-England, if they had only considered his eminent qualities, as he was a Christian, a gentleman, and a philosopher, well worthy to be, as he was, a member of the Royal-Society; but it must needs further endear his memory to his country, that God made him the instrument of obtaining for them, as he did from the King of England, as amply privi ledged a charter as was ever enjoyed perhaps by any people under the cope of heaven. Under the protection and encouragement of this charter they flourished many years; and many towns being successively erected among them, their churches had "rest, and walked in the fear of God, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit."

§ 4. The church-order observed in the churches of Connecticut, has been the same that is observed by their sisters in the Massachuset-bay; and in

this order they lived exceeding peaceably all the eleven years that Mr. Hooker lived among them. Nevertheless there arose at length some unhappy contests in one town of the colony, which grew into an alienation that could not be cured without such a parting, and yet, indeed, hardly so kind a parting, as that whereto once Abraham and Lot were driven. However, these little, idle, angry controversies, proved occasions of enlarge ments to the church of God; for such of the inhabitants as chose a cottage in a wilderness, before the most beautiful and furnished edifice, overheated with the fire of contention, removed peaceably higher up the river, where a whole county of holy churches has been added unto the number of our congregations.

§ 5. But there was one thing that made this colony to become very considerable; which thing remains now to be considered. The well-known Mr. Davenport, and Mr. Eaton, and several eminent persons that came over to the Massachuset-bay among some of the first planters, were strongly urged, that they would have settled in this Bay; but hearing of another Bay to the south-west of Connecticut, which might be more capable to entertain those that were to follow them, they desired that their friends at Connecticut would purchase of the native proprietors for them, all the land that lay between themselves and Hudson's River, which was in part effected. Accordingly removing thither in the year 1637, they seated themselves in a pleasant Bay, where they spread themselves along the seacoast, and one might have been suddenly as it were surprized with the sight of such notable towns, as first New-Haven; then Guilford; then Milford; then Stamford; and then Brainford, where our Lord Jesus Christ is worshipped in churches of an evangelical constitution; and from thence, if the enquirer make a salley over to Long-Island, he might there also have seen the churches of our Lord beginning to take root in the eastern parts of that island. All this while this fourth colony wanted the legal basis of a charter to build upon; but they did by mutual agreement form themselves, into a body-politick as like as they judged fit unto the other colonies in their neighbourhood; and as for there church-order, it was generally secundum usum Massachusettensem.*

§ 6. Behold, a fourth colony of New-English Christians, in a manner stolen into the world, and a colony, indeed, constellated with many stars of the first magnitude. The colony was under the conduct of as holy, and as prudent, and as genteel persons as most that ever visited these nooks of America; and yet these too were tryed with very humbling circumstances. Being Londoners, or merchants and men of traffick and business, their design was in a manner wholly to apply themselves unto trade; but the design failing, they found their great estates sink so fast, that they must quickly do something. Whereupon in the year 1646, gathering together almost all the strength which was left them, they built one ship more,

After the Massachusetts model.

which they fraighted for England with the best part of their tradable estates; and sundry of their eminent persons embarked themselves in her for the voyage. But, alas! the ship was never after heard of: she foun dred in the sea; and in her were lost, not only the hopes of their future trade, but also the lives of several excellent persons, as well as divers manuscripts of some great men in the country, sent over for the service of the church, which were now buried in the ocean. The fuller story of that grievous matter, let the reader with a just astonishment accept from the pen of the reverend person who is now the pastor of New-Haven. I wrote unto him for it, and was thus answered:

"Reverend and DEAR SIR: In compliance with your desires, I now give you the relation of that APPARITION of a SHIP IN THE AIR, which I have received from the most credible judicious, and curious surviving observers of it.

"In the year 1647, besides much other lading, a far more rich treasure of passengers, (five or six of which were persons of chief note and worth in New-Haven) put themselves on board a new ship, built at Rhode-Island, of about 150 tuns; but so walty, that the master (Lamberton) often said she would prove their grave. In the month of January, cutting their way through much ice, on which they were accompanied with the Reverend Mr. Davenport, besides many other friends, with many fears, as well as prayers and tears, they set sail. Mr. Davenport in prayer, with an observable emphasis, used these words: 'Lord, if it be thy pleasure to bury these our friends in the bottom of the sea, they are thine: save them.' The spring following, no tidings of these friends arrived with the ships from England: New-Haven's heart began to fail her: this put the godly people on much prayer, both publick and private, 'that the Lord would (if it was his pleasure) let them hear what he had done with their dear friends, and prepare them with a suitable submission to his Holy Will.' In June next ensuing, a great thunder-storm arose out of the north-west after which (the hemisphere being serene) about an hour before sun-set, a SHIP of like dimensions with the aforesaid, with her canvas and colours abroad (though the wind northernly) appeared in the air coming up from our harbour's mouth, which lyes southward from the town, seemingly with her sails filled under a fresh gale, holding her course north, and continuing under observation, sailing against the wind for the space of half an hour.

"Many were drawn to behold this great work of God; yea, the very children cryed out, "There's a brave ship! At length, crowding up as far as there is usually water sufficient for such a vessel, and so near some of the spectators, as that they imagined a man might hurl a stone on board her, her main-top seemed to be blown off, but left hanging in the shrouds; then her mizzen-top; then all her masting seemed blown away by the board: quickly after the hulk brought unto a careen, she overset, and so vanished into a smoaky cloud, which in some time dissipated, leaving, as everywhere else, a clear air. The admiring spectators could distinguish the several colours of each part, the principal rigging, and such proportions, as caused not only the generality of persons to say, 'This was the mould of their ship, and thus was her tragick end,' but Mr. Davenport also in publick declared to this effect, 'That God had condescended, for the quieting of their afflicted spirits, this extraordinary account of his sovereign disposal of those for whom so many fervent prayers were made continually.' Thus I am Sir, "Your humble servant,

"JAMES PIERPONT."

Reader, there being yet living so many credible gentlemen, that were eye-witnesses of this wonderful thing, I venture to publish it for a thing as undoubted as 'tis wonderful.

But let us now proceed with our story. Our colony of New-Haven apprehended themselves disadvantageously seated for the affairs of husbandry; and therefore upon these disasters they made many attempts of removing into some other parts of the world. One while they were invited unto Delaware-bay, another while they were invited unto Jamaica; they had offers made them from Ireland also, after the wars there were over; and they entred into some treaties about the city of Galloway, which they were to have had as a small province to themselves. But the God of Heaven still strangely disappointed all these attempts; and whereas they were concerned how their posterity should be able to live, if they must make husbandry their main shift for their living; that posterity of theirs, by the good providence of God, instead of coming to beggary and misery, have thriven wonderfully: the colony is improved with many wealthy husbandmen, and is become no small part of the best granary for all NewEngland. And the same good Providence has all along so preserved them from annoyance by the Indians, that although at their first setting down there were few towns but what wisely perswaded a body of Indians to dwell near them: whereby such kindnesses passed between them that they always dwelt peaceably together; nevertheless there are few of those towns but what have seen their body of Indians utterly extirpated by nothing but mortality wasting them.

§ 7. But what is now become of New-Haven colony? I must answer, It is not: and yet it has been growing ever since it first was. But when Connecticut-colony petitioned the restored King for a CHARTER, they procured New-Haven colony to be annexed unto them in the same charter; and this, not without having first the private concurrence of some leading men in the colony; though the minds of others were so uneasie about the coalition, that it cost some time after the arrival of the Charter for the colony, like Jephtha's daughter to bewail her condition, before it could be quietly complied withal. Nevertheless they have lived ever since, one colony, very happily together, and the God of love and peace has remarkably dwelt among them: however, these children of God have not been without their chastisements, especially in the malignant fevers and agues, which have often proved very mortal in most or all of their plantations. § 8. While the south-west parts of New-England were thus filled with new colonies, the north-east parts of the country were not forgotten. There were ample regions beyond the line of the Massachuset-patent, where new settlements were attempted, not only by such as designed a fishing-trade at sea, or a Bever-trade on shore; not only by some that were uneasie under the Massachuset-government in a day of temptation, which came upon the first planters; but also by some very serious Christians, who propounded the enlargement and enjoyment of our Lord's evangelical interests in those territories. The effect of these excursions were, that several well-constituted churches were gathered in the province of East

Hampshire, besides one or two in the province of Mam, whereto were added a large number of other congregations, wherein weekly prayers and sermons were made, although the inhabitants belonging to those congregations, proceeded not so far as to all the ordinances of a more compleat Church-State among them. That which contributed more than a little to the growth of Christianity in those parts of New-England, was the application, which the people being tired with many quarrelsome circumstances about their government, made unto the general court of the Massachuset bay, to be taken under their protection; which petition of theirs being answered by that general court, surely after a more charitable and accountable manner, than such authors as Ogilby in his America have represented it, [Vos magis Historicis, Lectores, Credite veris !]* there followed many successful endeavours to spread the effects and orders of the gospel along that coast.

But thus was the settlement of New-England brought about; these were the beginnings, these the foundations of those colonies, which have not only enlarged the English empire in some regards more than any other outgoings of our nation, but also afforded a singular prospect of churches erected in an American corner of the world, on purpose to express and pursue the Protestant Reformation.

CHAPTER VII.

HECATOMPOLIS;† OR, A FIELD WHICH THE LORD HATH BLESSED. A MAP OF THE COUNTRY.

Ir is proper that I should now give the reader an Ecclesiastical Map of the country, thus undertaken. Know, then, that although for more than twenty years, the blasting strokes of Heaven upon the secular affairs of this country have been such, as rather to abate than enlarge the growth of it; yet there are to be seen in it, at this present year 1696, these Colonies, Counties, and Congregations.

The Numbers and Places of the Christian Congregations, now worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ, in the several Colonies of New-England, and the Names of the Ministers at this time employed in the service of those Congregations. Notandum, Where the name of any minister hath H. C. added unto it in our catalogue, it is to be understood that Harvard-Colledge was the mother in whose arms that minister was educated.

I. In Plymouth colony there are three counties; and the several congregations therein are thus accomodated:

• Readers. rather trust truthful historians than such.

A city of sacrifice.