The extension of the English settlements gave rise to misunderstandings, and the Dutch governors were engaged in a series of disputes and contests.

21. In 1664, Charles II. of England, being then at war with the Dutch, granted the country to his brother, the Duke of York: Governor Stuyvesant was compelled to capitulate to an English force, under Colonel Nicholls; the whole territory became subject to the British crown, and, in honor of the duke the country and city were named New York.

22. The Plymouth Company, to whom the country of North Virginia was assigned, commenced a small settlement on the river Sagadahoc, or Kennebec, in 1607, the same year in which Jamestown was founded; but it was soon abandoned. In 1614, Captain Smith, having visited the country, and examined its shores and harbors, on his return to England, constructed a map of it, which he presented to Prince Charles, who changed its name from North Virginia to New England; and a patent was granted by King James, in 1620, to the Duke of Lenox, Ferdinando Gorges, and others, styled "The Council of Plymouth, in the county of Devon, for settling and govern ing New England." This patent granted to them the country extending from lat. 40° to 48° N.; and it was the foundation of the subsequent grants of the several parts of the territory.

23. In the year in which this patent was granted, the first permanent settlement was commenced in New England, at Plymouth, in Massachusetts, by 101 Puritans, a class of dissenters from the Church of England, who were now beginning to become numerous, and who were called Puritans, because they were desirous of a purer form of discipline and worship. This small colony formed a part of the congregation of John Robinson, who is regarded as the founder of the denomination of Independents or Congregationalists.

24. Being driven from England by persecution, several years before, the congregation, together with their minister, had fled to Holland; but a part of them were, at length, induced to seek an asylum, where they might enjoy religious liberty, in the wilds of America. The principle of religious toleration was not, at this period, understood or practised by any denom ination of Christians. The Puritans were severely persecuted by the Church of England; but their own principles, also, were intolerant; and, in their turn, they persecuted those who differed from them.

25. The colonists sailed, on the 6th of September, 1620 from Plymouth in England, in the Mayflower, for Hudson's River, in the neighborhood of which they intended to settle,

but they were carried, by head winds, farther to the north; and the first land which they discovered was Cape Cod. They arrived on the coast in November; and, as they had not determined on the place for their settlement, parties were despatched to explore the country, who, after incredible suffering from the severity of the weather, found a harbor. Here they landed, December 22d, 1620, and began to build a town, which they called Plymouth, from the name of the town which they last left in England.

26. The difficulties and sufferings which they had to encounter were sufficient to dishearten men of ordinary resolution. Cast upon an unknown and barbarous coast, in a severe climate, and at an inclement season; worn down with their long voyage, excessive fatigue, the severity of the weather, and the want of comfortable provisions and habitations, they were, soon after their arrival, visited with distressing sickness, and, in three months, reduced to about one half of their original number. The sickness was so general, that, at some times, there were only six or seven well persons in the company.

On

27. They instituted a republican form of government, and chose John Carver for their first governor, who, dying in 1621, was succeeded by William Bradford. The governor, who was chosen annually, had at first but one assistant; afterwards five; and the number was, at length, increased to seven. the opening of the spring, they sowed barley and peas, which produced but an indifferent crop. They were assisted in planting and dressing Indian corn or maize, which they had never before seen, by Squanto, a friendly Indian: this afforded them a great part of their subsistence; and it has ever since been a staple production of the country. For several years the whole property of the settlers was held in common.

28. In order to protect themselves against the hostilities of the Indians, they formed a military organization, and Miles Standish was chosen their captain. In March, 1621, they were visited by Samoset, a sagamore or petty sachem, who addressed them with the friendly salutation of "Welcome, Englishmen! Welcome, Englishmen !" From him they obtained important information respecting the country, and learned that, not long before, a mortal pestilence had swept off almost all the Indians in the vicinity. By his assistance they entered into a treaty of peace and friendship with Massasoit, sachem of the Wampanoags, who was the most powerful Indian chief in the region. This treaty, which was of great importance to the colony, was strictly observed till the commencement of Philip's war, a period of 54 years.

29. During subsequent years, there were numerous arrivale

of other persons from England, whose character and views were similar to those of the first settlers at Plymouth. In 1628, the foundation was laid of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, by a company of adventurers under John Endicott, who formed a settlement at Naumkeag, now Salem; and in 1630, 1,500 persons, under John Winthrop, who was appointed gov ernor, arrived at Charlestown, and soon afterwards commenced the settlement of Boston and other towns in the vicinity.

30. In 1623, the settlement of New Hampshire was com menced at Dover and Portsmouth, by persons sent out by John Mason and Ferdinando Gorges, to whom the country had been granted. The former became afterwards sole proprietor of a large part of the country, and the claims of his heirs furnished a fruitful source of contention. The settlements were annexed to Massachusetts in 1641, and so continued till 1679, when a separate government was instituted for New Hampshire.

31. In 1635, the settlement of the colony of Connecticut was begun, at Windsor and Wethersfield, by about 60 persons from Massachusetts; and, in 1638, the colony of New Haven was commenced by Theophilus Eaton, John Davenport, and others. These colonies were united into one in 1665.

32. The settlement of Rhode Island was commenced in 1636, at Providence, by Roger Williams, a minister of the Gospel, who had been banished from Massachusetts on account of his religious opinions.

33. As the quiet enjoyment of religious liberty was the leading cause of the formation of these settlements, the founders of them were particularly solicitous with regard to the support and encouragement of religion. Among the early settlers, there were many men of talents and liberal education; and a wilderness has probably never been planted by a body of men who were more mindful of the interests of learning, or more attentive to the establishment of schools. In ten years after the first settlement of Massachusetts Bay, Harvard College was founded at Cambridge.

34. The colonists were possessed of many excellent trails of character. Their enterprise and industry, their love of liberty, their attention to education, their morality and piety entitle them to respect and admiration. They were not, how. ever, without faults, some of which were vices of the age; others belonged more particularly to themselves.

35. With regard to differences in religious opinions, their views were narrow and intolerant. In some instances, it was enacted, that none except members of the church should have a right to vote at elections, or should be eligible to any office. Their rigid principles also appear in the severity with which

they punished many offences, which are not now considered as properly coming under the cognizance of the civil law The close inspection which they practised with regard to every man's principles and conduct, secured, for many years, very strict morals and great uniformity of doctrines. But it was not possible to prevent differences of opinion; and when these arose, the severity with which those were treated, who avowed. unpopular sentiments, occasioned many heart-burnings and niitual reproaches.

36. The colonists landed in the country without having ob tained the consent of the natives; yet the principle upon which they proceeded was, before taking possession of the lands, to procure them by a regular purchase of the Indians, who were considered as the rightful owners of the soil. The treatment, however, which the Indians in America had generally received from European adventurers, had given them too much reason to distrust the friendly dispositions of white men; and it must be acknowledged, that the New England colonists, in their proceedings with regard to this injured people, were not always pacific or just.

37. In the third year after the formation of the settlement at Plymouth, Captain Standish, at the head of a small party, killed a number of Indians who had manifested hostile intentions. When an account of this transaction was sent to Mr. Robinson, in Holland, in his next letter to the governor, he exclaimed, in a manner that does honor to his feelings, "O that you had converted some before you had killed any!" The settlers at Plymouth and in Massachusetts Bay, however, had but little trouble with the Indians for many years. But the colony of Connecticut, in 1637, two years after it was first planted, was engaged in a severe contest with the Pequods, or Pequots, a warlike tribe, inhabiting a district now forming the south-east part of that state. The Pequods had previously made depredations on the infant settlement, and killed several individuals. The Indians were entirely defeated, at their settlement and forts on Mystic River, by the colonists, under Captain Mason, with the loss of between 600 and 700 killed and taken prisoners, being about two thirds of their whole number; and 70 of their wigwams were also burnt. Of the English, only 2 were killed and 16 wounded.

38. Not long after this contest, the colonists had strong apprehensions of a general combination of the Indians for extirpating them; the proceedings of the Dutch and the French also created alarm. In order, therefore, to promote their se curity and welfare, the four colonies of Massachusetts Bay

Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven, united in a confed eracy, in 1643, by the name of the United Colonies of New England. Each one elected two delegates, who were to as semble by rotation, in the different colonies, annually, or oftener if necessary. This union, which subsisted a little more than 40 years, till the colonies were deprived of their charters by James II., was of great service in promoting harmony among them.selves, and increasing their means of defence. In it we may see the germ of that grand confederacy which led to American Independence.

39. The most general and destructive Indian war, in whicu the colonies were ever involved, took place in 1675 and 1676, with Philip, king or sachem of the Wampanoags, and son of Massasoit, whose principal residence was at Mount Hope, in Rhode Island. He was the most formidable enemy that the colonists had ever known; a man of great talents and undaunted courage, a shrewd politician, and a great warrior.

40. The Indian tribes, perceiving the English settlements extending in every direction, determined to make one great and combined effort to avoid the loss of their hunting-grounds, their inheritance, their liberty and independence. An extensive combination was accordingly formed among the different tribes, for the purpose of the total destruction of the colonies; and of this combination Philip was the leader.

41. A more immediate cause of the war was the circumstance, that Sausaman, a Christian Indian, gave information to the colonists of the plot which had been formed against them, for which three Indians, at the instigation of Philip, murdered him. The murderers were tried and executed by the English. In order to avenge their death, Philip soon commenced his hostile attacks, and, by his agents, drew into the contest most of the ribes in New England.

42. The Indians had now acquired, in some degree, the use of fire-arms. Hostilities were conducted with great spirit and energy on both sides, and with the usual ferocity of savage warfare. The greatest battle, not only during this contest, bu in the early history of the country, is known by the name of the Swamp Fight, which took place in December, 1675, in the Narraganset country, at the Indian fortress, in a large swamp situated in the western part of what is now the township of South Kingston. The English, who were commanded by Jo siah Winslow, Governor of Plymouth, obtained a great victory, yet with the loss of 230 men killed and wounded; and among their slain were six brave captains. About 1,000 of the Indians are supposed to have perished, besides many women and children; and 500 or 600 of their wigwams were burnt.