Wyatt, who brought with him, from the London company, a more perfect
constitution and form of government, than the colony had previously
enjoyed, although the general representative character of its
government had been established in 1619. The following year was
rendered still more memorable by the massacre of a large number of
whites, through the treachery of the Indians. The instigator and
executor of this tragedy was the successor of Powhatan, named
Opecancanough. He had enlisted the savages in all the vicinity in the
infernal plot. The colonists, in the security of friendship and good
understanding, which had existed between them and that people, were
wholly off their guard, and unprepared for the blow. It was inflicted
simultaneously, at a time agreed upon, and three hundred and
forty-seven men, women, and children, were at once butchered, in
several and separate places. It had been universal, but for the
providence of God. A converted Indian, coming to the knowledge of the
plot the night before its execution, disclosed it to the whites in
season to save the greater number of settlements. The Indians, in
their turn, now suffered the vengeance of the colonists, who felt
authorized to procure the means of future security against similar
acts of treachery. The emigrations had been so numerous, through the
few preceding years, that the colonists, at this time, amounted to
several thousands. Thus the people, with various fortune, and after
incredible hardships, had placed their colony on a firm basis, having
learned many useful lessons from their own errors, imprudence, or
sufferings. And such was the beginning of the American republic in its
southern portion, nearly two hundred and fifty years ago.
FOOTNOTE:
[5] Smith's History of Virginia.
II. NEW ENGLAND, OR NORTHERN SETTLEMENTS.
PLYMOUTH--Massachusetts--Connecticut--New Haven--New
Hampshire--Rhode Island--Maine--Vermont--Character of the
Early Settlers.
The settlement of _New England_ commenced at Plymouth in 1620. This
part of the continent between Penobscot and Cape Cod, had been
carefully explored in 1614, by Captain Smith. He says, respecting it:
"Of all the foure parts of the world I have yet seen not inhabited,
could I have but means to transport a colony, I would rather live here
than any where; and if it did not maintaine itselfe, were we but once
indifferently well fitted, let us starve." Such was the opinion early
formed of the desirableness of this region for colonization. Charles,
Prince of Wales, was pleased to call it New England, on account of the
favorable impression he received respecting it, from Smith's chart and
description. This country was settled by a class of people very
different, in many respects, from that which emigrated to the southern
colony. The latter, for the most part, as has been seen, were mere
adventurers, having in view the improvement of their secular
interests, or the _eclat_ of successful enterprise. The colonists of
New England sought chiefly the boon of religious freedom for
themselves and their descendants, and through it the advancement of
the Christian church in the world--a boon of which they had been
deprived in their native land. The ground of this disfranchisement,
was their non-conformity to the established English church, or
separation from it. Having, while members of that church, devised and
sought a greater purity in its worship without success, they at length
separated themselves from it, and formed a distinct worshiping
community. For thus professing to follow the _pure_ word of God, in
opposition to traditions and human devices, they were in derision
termed _Puritans_. In the progress of their religious views, and of
the persecuting spirit of the government, they passed from mere
puritanism, or efforts at greater purity in worship and in manners,
to non-conformity, and from non-conformity to dissent. From
difficulties in regard to the ritual of the church, they proceeded to
doctrines. The Puritans and the universities denied a portion of the
Apostles' Creed, so called: "advocated the sanctity of the Sabbath and
the opinions of Calvin; his institutions being read in their schools,
while the Episcopal party took the opposite side, and espoused the
system of Arminius." Both under Elizabeth and James, conformity was
insisted on. The latter declared, "I will have one doctrine, one
discipline, one religion, in substance and ceremony. I will make them
conform, or I will hurry them out of the land, or else worse." And he
did hurry out of the land many of those who had become obnoxious to
him; while the others were more cruelly hindered from leaving the
country, to suffer from contempt, poverty, or a lingering death in
imprisonment. Their attempts to escape were frequently frustrated, and
it was not without great vexation and loss, that portions of this
persecuted people exiled themselves from their native country. Their
first place of refuge was Holland, where religious toleration had been
established by law. The leader of the emigrants, on this occasion, was
the able and pious Mr. John Robinson, who has since been considered as
the father of that portion of the Puritans who were the founders of
New England. They successively left England, as many as found it in
their power, in the year 1606, and the two following years. Their
first place of residence was Amsterdam; but in 1609 they removed to
Leyden, with a view to avoid some difficulties that were felt or
foreseen in the former place. Here they were received with kindness,
and continued several years in a flourishing condition, under the
faithful labors of their pastor. In the mean while, notwithstanding
their general prospects, there were causes in operation which rendered
a change of location, in their case, extremely desirable. These were
the unhealthiness of the low countries where they lived; the hard
labors to which they were subjected; the dissipated manners of the
Hollanders, especially their lax observance of the Lord's day; the
apprehension of war at the conclusion of the truce between Spain and
Holland, which was then near at hand; the fear lest their young men
would enter into the military and naval service; the tendency of their
little community to become absorbed and lost in a foreign nation; the
natural and pious desire of perpetuating a church, which they believed
to be constituted after the simple and pure model of the primitive
church of Christ, and a commendable zeal to propagate the Gospel in
the regions of the new world.[6]
In this situation, they turned their attention towards America. Here
they hoped to engage in their original occupation of agriculture, and
not merely to enjoy toleration, but to form a society founded on their
favorite plan of ecclesiastical order. With this object in view, they
first applied to the Virginia company for a patent, who zealously
espoused their cause, but who were unable to obtain from the king a
toleration, under his seal, in religious liberty, though he promised
to wink at their heresy, provided they should conduct themselves
peaceably. The company granted them permission to make a settlement
near the mouth of the Hudson river. They had previously, in the want
of adequate capital of their own for the founding of a plantation,
been enabled to interest several London merchants in their scheme.
These agreed to advance the necessary sums, to be rëpaid out of the
avails of their industry. In this way, the emigrants were enabled to
purchase the Speedwell, a ship of sixty tons, and to hire in England
the Mayflower, a ship of one hundred and eighty tons, for the intended
expedition. The Mayflower alone came, as the smaller vessel proved to
be in a leaky condition, and, after two several trials, she was
dismissed, as unfit for the service. The Mayflower took her departure
on the 6th of September, and, after a boisterous passage, they
discovered the land of Cape Cod on the 9th of November, at the break
of day. The number of pilgrims, who had embarked, was one hundred and
one, not all who had proposed to come; for the disasters that attended
their setting out, had "winowed their number of the cowardly and the
lukewarm." Their pastor, Mr. Robinson, did not leave Leyden, according
to an original agreement, that only a part of their company should go
to America to make provision for the rest.
The pilgrim voyagers found themselves on a bleak and inhospitable coast,
and much farther to the northward than they intended to go. In agreement
with their wishes, an attempt was made, by the master of the ship, to
proceed to the Hudson. But either finding, or affecting to believe the
passage to be dangerous, he readily seized on the fears which had been
excited, probably by himself, to return to the cape, with a view to make
a landing there. It afterwards appeared that he had been bribed by the
Dutch, who intended to keep possession of the Hudson river, to carry the
adventurers quite to the northward of their place of destination. They
arrived in Cape Cod harbor on the 11th of November, "and, being brought
safe to land, they fell upon their knees, and blessed the God of heaven,
who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them
from many perils and miseries." At this time, "it was thought meet for
their more orderly carrying on their affairs, and accordingly by mutual
consent they entered into a solemn combination, as a body politic, to
submit to such government and governors, laws and ordinances, as should
by general consent from time to time be made choice of and assented
unto."[7] Forty-one persons signed this compact. It contained the
essential principles of a free government, such as have since been
embodied in the institutions of republican America. John Carver was
immediately chosen their governor, "a man godly and well-approved among
them."
Severe were the trials which awaited this small and lone band of
pilgrims. The necessity of selecting a more commodious place for
living was obvious, and, in the efforts which were made for this
purpose, several of them well nigh perished. The excursions of an
adventurous band of men, on several occasions, were extremely
hazardous; and, though generally at the places where they landed, no
Indians were found, yet, in one instance, they came in contact with
the latter, and a hostile collision took place between them. By the
kind providence of God, however, they were preserved. During one of
their excursions into the country, they found a quantity of corn,
which they took, with the intention of remunerating the owners, which
intention they were afterwards happily enabled to fulfil. This was a
providential discovery, which supplied their present wants, and served
as seed for a future harvest. An entire month was occupied with these
explorations. At last, they found a tract where they concluded to
consummate their enterprise. Having sounded the harbor in front, they
ascertained it to be fit for shipping. Going on shore, they explored
the adjacent land, where they saw various corn-fields and brooks. They
then returned to the ship, with the agreeable intelligence that they
had found a place convenient for settlement. This was on Monday, the
11th of December, answering to the 22nd day, new style, the day now
celebrated in commemoration of the landing of the pilgrims at
_Plymouth_. The company had kept the Christian Sabbath, the day
before, on an island in the harbor. The ship arrived at the
newly-discovered port on the 16th. Several days were spent in
disembarking, and it was not until the 25th that they began to build
the first house. This was a structure for common use, to receive them
and their goods. The undertaking, however, was preceded by united
prayer for Divine guidance. The building having been completed, they
began to erect "some cottages for habitation, as time would admit, and
also consulted of laws and order, both for their civil and military
government, as the necessity of their present condition did require.
But that which was sad and lamentable, in two or three months half
their company died, especially in January and February, being the
depth of winter, wanting houses and other comforts, being infected
with the scurvy and other diseases, which their long voyage and their
incommodate condition brought upon them."[8] Their reduction, by
sickness, would have rendered them an easy prey to the Indians; but
the providence of God had so ordered it, that but few of this fierce
people existed, at that period, in the neighborhood of the settlers,
and those few were kept back from inflicting any injury, by the dread
which had almost supernaturally, so to speak, been inspired in their
hearts. The paucity of the Indians has been accounted for, from a
wasting sickness, of an extraordinary character, which had visited the
region some few years before.
[Illustration: Landing of the Pilgrims.]
Some time in March of 1621, an agreeable and unexpected occurrence took
place at the rendezvous of the whites. It was a visit of an Indian
sagamore, named Samoset, with professions of friendship for them, and
satisfaction at their arrival in the country. His kind greeting to them
was, "Welcome, Englishmen! Welcome, Englishmen!" He spoke in broken
English, which he had learned from English fishermen on the eastern
coast. This was an event of great consequence to the settlers, as they
learned from him many things in respect to the region around, and the
Indians that inhabited it. He came to the English settlement again, with
some other natives, and advised the emigrants of the coming of the great
sachem, named Massasoit. In a short time this chief made his appearance,
in company with his principal associates, particularly an Indian named
Squanto, who proved to be of signal service to the whites. He had
learned the English language, in consequence of having been carried to
England by an English adventurer. Mutual fear and distrust took place
between the parties, as Massasoit came in sight on the hill which
overlooked the place. After they each had taken proper precautions
against surprise, through the agency of Squanto they came together, and
the result of the interview was a league of peace, which was kept
inviolate more than fifty years.
[Illustration: Visit of Samoset to the English.]
The visit was not much prolonged. "Samoset and Squanto stayed all
night with us, and the king and all his men lay all night in the wood,
not above half an English mile from us, and all their wives and women
with them. They said that within eight or nine days they would come
and set corn on the other side of the brook, and dwell there all
summer, which is hard by us. That night we kept good watch, but there
was no appearance of danger."[9] The plantation at Plymouth enjoyed
the benefit of Squanto's presence with them, after the departure of
the others. He was a native or resident of the place, and almost the
only one that was left; and being acquainted with every part of it,
his information was made highly useful to the colonists. They learned
from him the method of cultivating corn, and where to take their fish,
and procure their commodities. He continued among them until the day
of his death. In the spring of 1621, Mr. Carver was confirmed as
governor for the succeeding year, but his death occurred soon
afterwards. Mr. William Bradford was chosen his successor, and Mr.
Israel Allerton his assistant. The intercourse of the colonists with
the Indians continued to be of a friendly character, the former
having, during the summer, made several excursions into the country
around, particularly one to Shawmut (Boston), where they had an
interview with Obbatinnua, one of the parties to the submission signed
a short time before at Plymouth. He renewed his submission, receiving,
at the same time, a promise of defence against his enemies.
[Illustration: Interview with Massasoit.]
The small number of the colonists was increased before the end of the
year by an accession of thirty-five persons, among whom was a very
active and pious agent, Mr. Robert Cushman. He became eminently useful
to the plantation. Upon the departure of the ship conveying this
latter company, the colony received a threatening token from the
Narraganset tribe of Indians--a circumstance which induced them to
fortify their little settlement as well as they were able, and to keep
a constant guard by day and by night. Happily, no attempts at that
time were made to disturb their peace. This event occurred in the year
1622. In the following year, a vigorous and successful attempt, under
the brave Captain Miles Standish, was made to defeat a conspiracy
formed by the Massachusetts tribe, with several others, against a
recent English settlement at Wessagusset (Weymouth). This settlement
had been formed under Mr. Thos. Weston on his own account, and
consisted of sixty men. The slaughter of several of the conspirators
so terrified the Indian tribes concerned in the conspiracy, that they
fled from their homes into swamps and desert places, where many of
them perished. This generous service, on the part of the Plymouth
colony, towards a neighboring plantation, redounded greatly to their
credit, especially as the latter were merely a company of
adventurers, and had been guilty of injustice towards the Indians.
The present year proved to be a year of suffering, in consequence of
the scarcity of food. The following affecting account is given by
Bradford: "But by the time our corn is planted, our victuals are
spent, not knowing at night where to have a bit in the morning; we
have neither bread nor corn for three or four months together, yet
bear our wants with cheerfulness, and rest on Providence. Having but
one boat left, we divide the men into several companies, six or seven
in each, who take their turns to go out with a net, and fish, and
return not till they get some, though they be five or six days out;
knowing there is nothing at home, and to return empty would be a great
discouragement. When they stay long, or get but little, the rest go a
digging shellfish, and thus we live the summer; only sending one or
two to range the woods for deer, they get now and then one, which we
divide among the company; and in the winter are helped with fowl and
ground-nuts."[10] It is recorded that, after a drought of six weeks,
the government set apart a solemn day of humiliation and prayer, which
was almost immediately followed by a copious supply of rain. In the
language of the chronicles of the times, it is thus spoken of: "Though
in the morning, when we assembled together, the heavens were as clear,
and the drought as like to continue as it ever was, yet (our exercise
continuing some eight or nine hours) before our departure, the weather
was overcast, the clouds gathered together on all sides, and, in the
morning, distilled such soft, sweet, and moderate showers of rain,
continuing some fourteen days, and mixed with such seasonable weather,
as it was hard to say, whether our withered corn or drooping
affections were most quickened or revived, such was the bounty and
goodness of our God." Soon after, in grateful acknowledgment of the
blessing, a day of public thanksgiving was observed. This, by a
judicious historian, (Thomas Robbins, D. D.) is believed to be the
origin of the annual thanksgiving of New England.
Towards the close of the summer, two ships arrived at Plymouth,
bringing sixty emigrants, some of them the wives and children of such
as were already in the colony. Those who came in the first three
ships--the Mayflower, the Fortune, and the Ann--are distinctively
called the old comers, or the _forefathers_. In 1624, Plymouth
contained thirty-two dwellings and about one hundred and eighty
inhabitants. Bradford was rëelected governor, and four assistants to
him were also chosen. To each person and his family an acre of land
was given in perpetuity. The first neat cattle in New England were
brought over this year by Edward Winslow. The colonists had at that
time no small trouble with several of the new comers, particularly
with one John Lyford, a minister, and another by the name of Oldham,
who were disposed to act in opposition to the laws and order of the
colony. The persons above mentioned, however, soon perished, Oldham
having first become apparently a penitent.
The congregation of the Puritans at Leyden was broken up on the death
of their pastor, Mr. Robinson, in 1627. They desired to remove to New
England, but only a part of them were enabled to come. The others
settled in Amsterdam. Mr. Robinson had hoped to emigrate, but the
expense of the undertaking could not well be met, and his death now
preventing, only his wife and children came with the portion of the
congregation that crossed the water. His place in the colony was
supplied by Mr. William Brewster, a ruling elder in the church, and a
man every way qualified as a spiritual guide of the people.
The foundation of the colony of MASSACHUSETTS was laid in the year
1628. It was styled the _Colony of Massachusetts bay_, the territory
of which had been purchased by the Plymouth company--by Sir Henry
Roswell, Sir John Young, and several others. The patent included all
that part of New England lying between three miles to the northward
of Merrimack river, and three miles to the southward of Charles river,
extending in length from the Atlantic ocean to the South sea. The
leader of the expedition was Mr. John Endicot, whose character may be
summed up by saying, that he was a fit person to found that noble
commonwealth. He came with one hundred emigrants, and was appointed
governor of the colony. Mr. White, an eminent minister, was one of the
company. Three years previously, a small company of adventurers had
emigrated to a place in the Massachusetts bay, afterwards called Mount
Wollaston, after the name of their leader; but, having no religious
object in view, they fell into shameful irregularities. Upon the
arrival of Endicot, however, a check was put on these proceedings, and
their leader, Morton, was finally sent to England. These pious
non-conformists under Endicot, like the Plymouth colonists, sought a
refuge from oppression in their religious concerns, and desired to
build up a community on the true principles of Christianity. They
located themselves at Numkeag, (Salem,) where the first permanent town
in Massachusetts was constituted. In the following year, they were
joined by about two hundred others from England, making in the whole
three hundred; of which number one hundred removed the same year, and
settled themselves, with the consent of Governor Endicot, at Mishawam,
now Charlestown. At this period, on the petition of the Massachusetts
company, King Charles by charter confirmed the patent of the
Massachusetts colony. By this instrument, they were empowered to elect
a governor, deputy governor, and eighteen assistants, out of the
freemen of said company, by the greater part of the company. The first
governor, under this renewed charter, was Matthew Cradock. The company
being desirous of establishing their plantation in the order of the
Gospel, engaged two eminent divines, Mr. Higginson and Mr. Skelton, to
go out for the spiritual service of the colony. Soon after their
arrival at Salem, they were placed over the church there with all due
solemnity, the one as teacher, the other as pastor. These excellent
men, however, lived but a short period, sharing largely, as they did,
in the sickness and suffering that diminished the strength and
shortened the lives of a large number of their people.
[Illustration: Boston founded.]