selves merry with the terms, and proceeded in their own way. By the 20th of May, they had erected five batteries, one of which mounted five forty-two pounders, and did great execution.

132. Meanwhile the fleet, cruising in the harbor, had been equally successful. It captured a French ship of sixty-four guns, loaded with stores for the garrison, to whom the loss was as distressing, as to the besiegers the capture was fortunate. English ships of war were, besides, continually arriving, and added such strength to the fleet that a combined attack upon the town was resolved upon. The enemy, discovering this design, deemed it unwise to abide the hazard of an assault. On the 15th of June, the French commander proposed a cessation of hostilities, and, on the 17th, capitulated.

133. Intelligence of this event, flying swiftly through the colonies, diffused great and universal joy. And well might the citizens of New-England be elated with the glad tidings. Without even a suggestion from the mother country, they had projected, and, with but little assistance, had achieved, an enterprise of vast importance to her and to them. Their commerce and fisheries were now secure, and their maritime cities relieved from all fear of attack from that quarter.

134. France, fired with resentment at her loss, made extraordinary exertions to retrieve it, and to inflict chastisement on New-England. The next summer, she despatched to the American coast a powerful fleet, carrying a large number of soldiers. The news of its approach spread terror throughout New-England; but an uncommon succession of disasters, which the pious of that time attributed to the special interposition of Providence, deprived it of all power to inflict injury. After remaining a short time on the coast, it returned to France, having lost two admirals, both of whom, it was supposed, put an end to their lives through chagrin; having also, by tempests, been reduced to one half its force, and effected nothing.

135. In 1748, peace was concluded, each party restoring all its prisoners and conquests; a striking, but not uncommon, illustration of the folly of war. Louisburg, though conquered by the colonies, was exchanged, by Great Britain, for territories which she had lost in Europe. New-England murmured at this injustice; but what avail the murmurs of the weak?

136. From this period to the commencement of the next French war, but few important events occurred in Massachusetts. The bills of credit, which the colony had issued to defray its enormous expenditure, were redeemed by the government, at their depreciated value. This example was followed, though

tardily, by the other governments. At the time of their redemp tion, they were worth no more, in some colonies, than one tenth, and in others, one twentieth, of the sum for which they had been issued.

CHAPTER III.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE.

WITH the history of Massachusetts, the parent of the NewEngland colonies, that of New-Hampshire has been necessarily blended. A brief relation of some detached events, which occurred in the latter colony, will now be given.

2. John Mason, Ferdinand Gorges, and others, having ob tained, of the Plymouth or New-England company, grants of several tracts of land, lying north of Massachusetts, sent from England, in 1623, a few persons to begin a settlement. Part landed, and, for a short time, remained at Little Harbor, on the west side of Piscataqua river, and near its mouth. Here the first house was built, which was called Mason Hall. The remainder, proceeding higher up the river, settled at Cocheco, afterwards called Dover.

3. Fishing and trade being the principal objects of these emigrants, their settlements increased slowly. In 1629, the territory situated between Merrimac and Piscataqua rivers, and extending sixty miles from the sea, was granted to Mason alone, and then first called New-Hampshire. In 1631, the first house was built at Portsmouth. In 1638, the Reverend John Wheelwright, who, in 1629, but previous to the date of Mason's patent, had purchased the land of the Indians, laid the foundation of Exeter. The next year, thirty-five persons, residing in that town, combined and established civil government. Within a year or two afterwards, the inhabitants of Dover and Portsmouth followed their example, each town remaining distinct and independent.

4. In 1641, these little republics, distrusting their ability to protect themselves, formed a coalition with Massachusetts, and long remained a part of that colony. The civil wars in England

diverted the attention of Mason from his grant, and those who migrated to the country. purchased of Wheelwright, the lands which they occupied. In the war with Philip, the settlements on Piscataqua and Oyster rivers, were attacked by the Indians, and suffered severely.

5. In 1675, Robert Mason, grandson and heir of John Mason, applied to the king to obtain possession of the territory and rights which had been granted to his ancestor. Notice of this application was given to Massachusetts, and the parties were heard before the king in council. In 1679, a decree was passed, that New-Hampshire should be constituted a separate province, to be ruled by a president and council, who were to be appointed by the king, and a house of representatives to be chosen by the people. No decision was made affecting the t titles to land.

6. The first assembly, consisting of eleven members, met, in 1680, at Portsmouth. At this session, a code of laws was adopted, of which the first, in a style worthy of freemen, declared, "that no act, imposition, law, or ordinance, should be imposed upon the inhabitants of the province, but such as should be made by the assembly, and approved by the president and council." This was twelve years previous to the enactment of a similar law in Massachusetts.

7. In the same year, Mason, who had been appointed a member of the council, arrived in the colony. He assumed the title of lord proprietor, claimed the soil as his property, and threatened to prosecute all who would not take from him leases of the lands they occupied. His pretensions were resisted by most of the inhabitants, who claimed the fee-simple of the soil by a more righteous, if not more legal title.

8. The peace of the colony was long disturbed by these conflicting claims. At the head of those who contended with Mason, stood Major Waldron, of Dover. Against him, and many others, suits were instituted. No defence was made, judgments were obtained, but so general was the hostility to Mason, that he never dared to enforce them.

9. Over Massachusetts and New-Hampshire, the same governor usually presided. After Andross was deposed, the. inhabitants of the latter colony desired to be incorporated with their former brethren. Their request was opposed by Samuel Allen, who had purchased Mason's title, and was refused.

Allen was

made governor of the colony, and, by his influence, John Usher, his son-in-law, was appointed lieutenant governor. Under his administration, the disputes, occasioned by adverse claims to land. continued to rage with increased violence. Other suits were instituted, and judgments obtained; but the sheriff was

forcibly resisted, by a powerful combination, whenever he attempted to put the plaintiff in possession.

10. From Indian wars this colony suffered more than any of her sisters. The surprise of Dover, in 1689, was attended by circumstances of the most shocking barbarity. That the natives had been cruelly injured by major Waldron, the principal citizen, may account for, if not extenuate, their ferocity in obtaining revenge.

11. Having determined upon their plan of attack, they employed more than their usual art, to lull the suspicions of the inhabitants. So civil and respectful was their behavior, that they often obtained permission to sleep in the fortified houses in the town. On the evening of the fatal night, they assembled in the neighborhood, and sent their women to apply for lodgings, at the houses devoted to destruction; who were not only admitted, but were shown how they could open the doors should they have occasion to go out in the night.

12. When all was quiet, the doors were opened and the signal given. The Indians rushed into Waldron's house, and hastened to his apartment. Awakened by the noise, he seized his sword and drove them back, but when returning for his other arms, was stunned with a hatchet, and fell. They then dragged him into his hall, seated him in an elbow chair, upon a long table, and insultingly asked him, "who shall judge Indians now?" After feasting upon provisions, which they compelled the rest of the family to procure, each one, with his knife, cut gashes across his breast, saying, "I cross out my account." When, weakened with the loss of blood, he was about to fall from the table, his own sword was held under him, which put an end to his misery.

13. At other houses, similar acts of cruelty were perpetrated. In the whole, twenty-three persons were killed, twenty-nine carried prisoners to Canada, and mostly sold to the French. Remembering kindness as well as injury, they spared one woman, who, thirteen years before, had conferred a favor on one of the party. Many houses were burned, much property was plundered, and so expeditious were the Indians, that they had fled beyond reach before the neighboring people could be collected.

14. The war thus commenced was prosecuted with great vigor. The French, by giving premiums for scalps, and by purchasing the English prisoners, animated the Indians to exert all their activity and address, and the frontier inhabitants endured the most aggravated sufferings. The settlements on Oyster river were again surprised; twenty houses were burned, and nearly one hundred persons were killed or made prisoners. Other

towns were attacked, many persons slain, and many carried into captivity. The peace of Ryswick, in 1697, closed the distressing scene. In 1703, an other war began, which continued ten years.

15. In 1719, above one hundred families, mostly Presbyterians, emigrated from the north of Ireland, and settled the town of Londonderry. They introduced the foot spinning wheel, the manufacture of linen, and the culture of potatoes. They wer industrious, hardy, and useful citizens.

16. From 1722, to 1726, the inhabitants again suffered the afflictions of an Indian war. Following the example of the French, the government offered premiums for scalps, which induced several volunteer companies to undertake expeditions against the enemy. One of these, commanded by captain Lovewell, was greatly distinguished, at first by its successes, and afterwards by its misfortunes.

17. Long after the transfer from Mason to Allen, some defect in the conveyance was discovered, which rendered it void. In 1746, John Tufton Mason, a descendant of the original grantee, claiming the lands possessed by his ancestors, conveyed them, for fifteen hundred pounds, to twelve persons, subsequently called the Masonian proprietors. They, to silence opposition, voluntarily relinquished their claim to the lands already occupied by others.

18. They also granted townships on the most liberal terms. Reserving certain portions of the land for themselves, for the first settled ministers, and for schools, they required merely that the grantees should, within a limited time, erect mills and meeting houses, clear out roads, and settle ministers of the gospel. In process of time, nearly all the Masonian lands, being about one fourth of the whole, were, in this manner, granted; and contention and law suits ceased to disturb the repose, and to impede the prosperity of the colony.