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commons in favor of the colonists neglected, p. 450. Lord North propofes a joint address from both houses to the king, p. 455-it occafions great debates, p. 456-is protefted against, p. 461. North's conciliatory motion, p. 463. Oppofition to the bill for reftraining the New England provinces from fifhing on the banks of Newfoundland, p. 465. The Americans infulted by feveral in both houfes of parliament, p. 467.

LETTER XII. P. 468-492.

The Maffachusetts congrefs meet, p. 469. General Gage fends troops to Salem, p. 470. A battle between the whigs and tories at New York, March 5, 1775, P. 472. The precautions of the Maffachusetts people to fupply themselves with military articles, and to prevent a furprise, p. 473. Gage fends troops to Concord, p. 477-they fire upon the militia at Lexington, p. 478. The country rifes, p. 479. A reinforcement of British fent from Boston, p. 481. The origin of the term Yankee, idem. The royal troops obliged to retreat to Bunker's-hill in Charlestown peninfula, p. 482-cross over to Boston, p. 483-which is invefted by the provincials on every fide by land, p. 486. Gage agrees with the committee of the town, p. 487. Dr. Warren's letter to him, p. 489. The provincials no wife prepared for a military conteft with Great Britain, p. 492.

LETTER XIII. P. 493-504.

The fishery reftraining bill, and the bill for restraining the commerce of the colonies, p. 493. Petitions against the coercive acts, and counter-petitions, p. 496. The city of London approaches the throne with an addrefs, remonftrance, and petition, in favor of the Americans, p. 497. The earl of Effingham refigns his regiment, p. 498. Generals Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne, fail for Boston in the Cerberus, p. 500. news of the Lexington engagement reaches London, p. 503.

ERRATA befide thofe at the End of the Volume.

The

Page 4, line 20, read Brown, a fiery zealot--1. 22, dele a fiery zealot. P. 12. 1. 21, read tyrant, Philip II. of Spain. P. 20, 1. 7, read elected by the planters. P. 23, 1. 18, read declared fo late as. P. 27, 1. 5, read ceafed in 1640. P. 32, 1. 20, nad the jurifdiction. P. 35, 1. 21, read the three laft colonies, Maffachusetts, Connecticut, and New Haven. P. 39, 1. 16, read colonies of the Maffachusetts and New Hampshire. P. 44, 1. 3, read mentioned hereafter. P. 77, laft line, read James II. P. 118, 1. 11 read the London diffenting deputation. P. 166, 1. 10, read the Ministers of Charles II. down to thofe of the. P. 290, 1. 13, dele generality of the. P. 308, 1. 19, read not folely to any. P, 427, 1. 3, for other read district.

THE

RISE, PROGRESS, AND CONCLUSION

OF THE

NORTH AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

LETTER I.

MY GOOD SIR,

T

Roxbury, December 26, 1771.

O your properly understanding the nature and ori

gin of the uneafiness, that has so strongly agitated, the colonies of late years, and ftill exifts.though now fomewhat abated; and which has been occafioned by parliamentary taxation and the modern measures of government; you must be acquainted with the fentiments and hiftory of the first fettlers, no less than of their defcendants and fucceffors.

Several of the most zealous and eminent proteftants, in the reign of Edward the VIth, oppofed the popish ceremonies and habits, though otherwise united to their; brethren in religious tenets. The oppofition became ; more general and determined, after hundreds of them fled to, and refided in foreign parts, in order to escape the Marian perfecutions. There the fentiments of numbers, through their intercourfe with proteftants of VOL. I.

B

other

other nations, were much changed and improved; and they were more than ever defirous of proceeding further in the reformation, than was directed by the fervicebook of king Edward.

1558. Upon the acceffion of Elizabeth, the refugees returned to England, loaded with experience and learning, but in the utmost distress and poverty. Those of the clergy, who could comply with the queen's establishment, were quickly preferred. The reft, after being admitted to preach awhile, were fufpended, and reduced to former indigence. Several were offered bishoprics, but declined the tender, on account of the garments, ceremonies, &G. while the neceffity of the times, and the flattering hope of obtaining hereafter an amendment in the conftitution of the church, induced others to accept preferments, though with trembling.

The queen affected much pomp in religion; was fond of the old popish ceremonies, in which he had been educated; and thought her brother king Edward had gone too far in demolishing ornaments.

The clergy and laity, who fought after greater ecclefiaftic purity, in vain ftruggled hard for the abolishment of popish ceremonies and habits; or, at least, leaving the use of them, in divine fervice, indifferent. They obtained nothing but the honorable nick-name of PURITANS. The queen proved an inflexible bigot, and would be obeyed, or punifh. The parliament, in their first feffion, had very injudicioufly paffed the two acts of Supremacy and Uniformity, without guarding them properly; and, by a claufe in the latter, delivered up to the crown all ecclefiaftic jurifdiction. Men of

folid learning and piety, of fober lives, popular preachers, profeffed enemies to popery and fuperftition, and of the fame faith, in point of doctrine, with the conformifts, were fufpended, deprived, imprisoned and ruined, for not complying with the use of those garments and ceremonies, which their opponents acknowledged to be indifferent in themselves; while the sufferers adjudged fuch compliance finful, from their having been abused to idolatry, and ferving as marks and badges of that religion they had renounced.

All the puritans of thefe times were defirous of remaining in the church, might they be indulged as to the habits and a few ceremonies, though they were far from being fatisfied with the hierarchy, and had other objections befide those for which they had been deprived. Inftead of indulgence, their grievances were multiplied; and the penal laws were rigorously executed. However, the body of the conforming clergy being extremely illiterate and ignorant, the deprived minifters were employed as curates or lecturers; and received, for their fervices, a fmall confideration from the incumbent, together with the voluntary contribution of the parish. By their warm and affectionate preaching and eminent faithfulness, they gained the hearts of the common people, who were the more attached to them, the more cruelty was exercised upon them; and who had the utmoft averfion to the popish garments, as their hatred to popery increased. The preachers appealed to the fcriptures. Their hearers searched them carefully; obtained more and clearer difcoveries of the popifh fuperftitions; grew in their abhorrence of them; venerated the divine inftitutions; and longed to have the worship

of the church rendered more pure and primitive. The popularity of the deprived minifters drew numbers from neighbouring parishes. Puritanism fpread and gained ground by being perfecuted. Its growth was the greatest grief to the queen and archbishop Whitgift. But neither the fupreme head of the church, nor the primate of all England, had policy or chriftianity enough to apply the proper remedy, in granting liberty of confcience. Inftead of that, new acts were paffed, and greater feverities practifed. Such inhuman proceedings, against proteftants of good moral characters, did not pass unnoticed. They were the fubjects of converfation. The right of acting thus toward fellow-creatures, and its nonagreement with the mild and benevolent principles of Christianity, were freely canvaffed. The fupreme head and chief dignitaries of the English church being fuch intolerable perfecutors, it became a question, "Is fhe any longer a true church of Chrift, and are her ministers true minifters ?"

At length one Robert Brown, defcended from an ancient and honorable family, and nearly related to Lord Treafurer Cecil, a fiery zealot, travelled through the country, 1586, a fecond time, holding forth, wherever he went, against bishops, ecclefiaftic courts, ordaining of minifters, &c. and gathered a feparate congregation. The parties held, that the church of ENGLAND was not a true church; that her ministers were not rightly ordained; that her discipline was popish and anti-chriftian; and that all her ordinances and facraments were invalid. Therefore they would not join with her members, in any part of public worship. They not only renounced communion with the church

of

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