establishing the constitution of the colony. This pro vided, that henceforth there should be two supreme coun cils in Virginia, the one to be called the council of state, to be appointed and displaced by the treasurer and com pany, and to assist the governor with advice on executive subjects; the other to be denominated the general assembly, and to consist of the governor, the council, and two burgesses, to be chosen for the present by the inhabitants of every town.

The assembly was empowered to consult and determine on matters respecting the public weal. It was declared, that no acts passed by the assembly should be in force until confirmed by the general court in England, and the ratification returned under its seal, and that, on the other hand, no order of the general court should bind the colony until assented to by the assembly. In 1622, the controversy which had for some time existed be tween the crown and the company, concerning the importation of tobacco, was at length adjusted by amicable agreement.

The king had demanded high duties on that article, while he admitted its importation from the dominions of Spain, and had also restrained the company from transporting it directly from Virginia to their warehouses in Holland, to which expedient his exactions had driven them. It was now agreed, that they should enjoy the sole right of importing that commodity into the kingdom, for which they should pay a duty of nine pence per pound, in lieu of all charges, and that the whole productions of the colony should be brought to England. The industry of the colony had now greatly increased. At peace with the Indians, their settlements had extended not only along the banks of James and York rivers, but to the Rappahannoc, and even to the Potowmac.

It now became extremely inconvenient to bring all causes to Jamestown before the governor and council. Thus originated the present county courts of Virginia. In this year the cup of prosperity, of which the colony now began to taste, was dashed from their lips, by an event which shook to its foundation, and nearly destroyed the colony. In the year 1618, Powhatan, the most pow

erful of the Indian kings in Virginia, who, after the marriage of his daughter to Mr. Rolfe, had remained faithful to the English, departed this life, and was succeeded by Opechancanough, a bold and cunning chief, remarkable for his jealousy and hatred of the new settlers; but for a considerable time the general peace remained undisturbed.

The Indians were furnished with fire arms, and taught the use of them; they were admitted at all times freely into the habitations of the English, as harmless visitants; were fed at their tables, and lodged in their chambers. The 22d of March, was designated as the day on which all the English were to be at the same instant attacked. Thus, in one hour, and almost at the same instant, fell 347 men, women, and children. The massacre would have been still greater, had not information been given the preceding night, to a Mr. Pace, by an Indian, who disclosed to him the plot.-He immediately carried the intelligence to Jamestown, and the alarm was given to some of the nearest settlements, which were thereby saved.

As soon as intelligence reached England of these calamities of the sufferers, relief was ordered. Arms from the tower were delivered to the treasurer and company, and several vessels were immediately despatched with articles for their relief. While the Virginians were mourning their losses, the Plymouth company began to experience the distress of famine. By the time their planting was finished, 1623, their provisions were so far exhausted, that they had neither bread nor corn, for three or four months. A drought continued from May until some time in July. Under these afflictions, they appointed a day of fasting and prayer, to humble themselves before God.But a plentiful harvest soon followed, which was noticed by a day of thanksgiving.

Mr. White, a non-conformist minister at Dorchester, who had prevented some few of his countrymen who had settled around the Bay at Massachusetts, from returning to England, by his assurances of procuring them relief and assistance, formed by great exertions an association of several gentlemen, who had imbibed puritanical opinions, for the purpose of conducting thither a colony, and ren

dering it an asylum from the persecution of his own persuasion. In prosecution of their views, a treaty was concluded with the council of Plymouth, for the purchase of part of New-England; and that corporation, in March, 1627, conveyed to Sir Henry Roswell, and others, all that part of New-England lying three miles to the south of Charles River, and three miles north of Merrimack River, and extending from the Atlantic to the south sea.

A small number of planters and servants were soon af terwards despatched under Endicot, a deep enthusiast, who, in September,' 1628, laid the foundation of Salem, the first permanent town in Massachusetts. In the year 1629, soon after the organization of the company, under the sanction of the royal charter, they resolved a second embarkation for their new colony, to support the expenses of which, it was resolved, that every person who should subscribe fifty pounds, should be entitled to two hundred acres of land, as the first dividend.

Five ships were provided for the purpose, and being laden with cattle and other necessaries, for the supply of the colony, with three hundred persons, men, women, and children, they sailed from the Isle of Wight, in May, and arrived at Salem in June, where they found Endicot, to whom they brought a confirmation of his commission as governor. The colony now consisted of three hundred persons, of whom one hundred removed and settled the town of Charlestown; and the remainder continued at Salem. Mr. Hugginson and Mr. Skelton, distinguished for their learning and piety, both of them, resolved to lend important services in laying the foundation of the American Church. These faithful servants of Christ cordially engaged in the great design; they embarked with the se cond party, and arrived at Salem in 1629.

Early in the following year, John Winthrop, who had been appointed governor, and Thomas Dudley, deputy governor, with one thousand five hundred persons, embarked on board of seventeen vessels, at an expense of upwards of twenty thousand pounds, and arrived at Salem in July, 1630. Dissatisfied with this situation, they explored the country in quest of a better station, and set

1

tled in many places around the bay; and laid the foundation of several towns; among others, of Boston.

On the arrival of Gov. Winthrop, in July, who was from that time to his death, the head and father of the co- . lony, he found the plantation in a suffering state. In the preceding autumn, the colony contained about three hundred inhabitants; eighty of them died, and a great part of the survivors were in a weak, sickly state. Their supply of corn was not sufficient for more than a fortnight, and their provisions nearly exhausted. Friday, February 6th, was appointed as a day of fasting and prayer; but on the fifth of February, a ship arrived with provisions, and a day of thanksgiving was appointed by the governor.

The succeeding winter commenced in December, with great severity; few of the houses which had been erected were comfortable. Unused to such severities of climate, the people suffered severely from the cold. Many of them died from the cold. On the opening of the spring of 1631, health was generally restored in the settlements; but the colony was greatly impoverished. All the provisions that were brought from England, were purchased at a very high rate. By the length of the passage, and the severity of the winter, the greater part of their cattle died. The materials for building, and implements of labour, were obtained with great difficulty and expense. This year, great exertions were made for a crop of Indian corn, which was their whole dependance; and it pleased God to give them

an abundant harvest.

Soon after

In the commencement of all the individual settlements, the planters were mindful of their great errand into the wilderness; and directed their first exertions to the establishment of the church of Christ, and the institution of the gospel. The first church after the one at Salem was gathered at Charlestown, August 27th, 1630. this a church was organized at Dorchester. was at Boston, one at Roxbury, one at Lynn, and one at Watertown. In less than two years from the organization of the first church in Salem, there were in the colony seven churches, which were indeed golden candlesticks.

The next

In 1633 came over Mr. Haynes, afterwards the first governor of Connecticut, and Mr. Stone, Mr. Hooker,

and Mr. Cotton, three of the most eminent lights of the New-England churches.

On the 21st of February, an order was made by the king in council, to stop the ships at that time ready to sail, freighted with passengers and provisions for NewEngland. But this order seems never to have been strictly executed, as the emigrations still continued, without any sensible diminution.

Let me now call the attention of the reader to the settlement of Connecticut. The first discovery of the country of Connecticut River was made by the enterprising people of Plymouth, in 1633. The Plymouth people determined to undertake the enterprise at their own risk.— Preparations were made for erecting a trading house, and establishing a small company upon the river.

The

In the mean time, the master of a vessel from Massachusetts, who was trading at New-Netherlands, showed to the Dutch Governor the commission the English had to trade and settle in New-England; and that the king had granted these parts to his own subjects; he also desired that the Dutch would not build in Connecticut. Dutch governor requested that the English would not settle in Connecticut until the affair should be determined be tween them. This appears to have been a piece of po licy in the Dutch governor, to keep the English back until the Dutch had got a firm footing upon the river.

In September, several vessels went into Connecticut River to trade. John Oldham, from Dorchester, with a few men, travelled through Connecticut, to view the country and trade with the Indians. He found that the Indian hemp grew in great abundance in the meadows, and "purchased a quantity of it, which, upon trial, was found to exceed that which grew in England. William Holmes, of Plymouth, with his company, having prepared the frame of a house, and boards and materials for covering it, immediately put them on board a vessel, and sailed for Connecticut.

When he came into the river, he found that the Dutch had got in before him, and made a light fort, and planted two pieces of cannon at the mouth of the little river since called Hartford. The Dutch forbade Holmes going up