WILLIAM STRACHEY, born 1585; secretary of the Virginia Colony 1610-1612. Wrote "Wracke and Redemption of Sir Thomas Gates," and "Historie of Travaile into Virginia."

GEORGE SANDYS (1577-1644). Removed to America in 1621, and became treasurer of the Virginia Colony. Translated in Virginia ten books of Ovid's "Metamorphoses." (See text.)

ALEXANDER WHITAKER (1588-after 1613). An Episcopal clergyman who came to Virginia in 1611. He baptized Pocahontas, and officiated at her marriage. He wrote “Good Newes from Virginia," one of the first books written in the colony.

NEW ENGLAND

WILLIAM BRADFORD (1588-1657). One of the Mayflower colonists, governor of Plymouth for many years. "History of Plymouth Plantation" from 1620 to 1647. "The father of American history."

JOHN WINTHROP (1588-1649). Came to Massachusetts in 1630, and was governor for many years. "History of New England" from 1630 to 1649. A journal of every-day happenings.

JOHN COTTON (1585-1652). Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. Migrated to Boston in 1633, and became pastor of the First Church. A distinguished preacher. "Singing of Psalms a Gospel Ordinance.”

EDWARD JOHNSON (1599-1672). Came to New England in 1630. Was a representative in the General Court or legislature of Massachusetts for several terms. Author of "Wonder-working Providence of Zion's Saviour in New England."

JOHN ELIOT (1604-1690). Graduated at Cambridge in 1623, and came to Boston in 1631. "The Apostle to the Indians," into whose language he translated the Bible. In 1660 he published, in England, "The Christian Commonwealth; or, The Civil Policy of the Rising Kingdom of Jesus Christ."

ANNE BRADSTREET (1612–1672). Wife of Governor Bradstreet. The earliest writer of verse in America. Her first volume was published in England under the title, “The Tenth Muse lately Sprung up in America." (See text.)

INCREASE MATHER (1638-1723). Graduated at Harvard in 1656; took his M.A. degree at Trinity College, Dublin. Pastor of Second Church in Boston; for sixteen years (1685-1701) president of Harvard College. His publications number one hundred and sixty.

CONTEMPORARY WRITERS IN ENGLAND

SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616); BACON (1561-1626); MILTON (1608-1674); DRYDEN (1631-1700); RALEIGH (1552-1618); BEN JONSON (1573–1637); JEREMY TAYLOR (1613-1667); EDMUND WALLER (1605-1687); ABRAHAM COWLEY (1618-1667); FRANCIS QUARLES (1592-1644); JOHN BUNYAN (1628-1688); Samuel Butler (1612–1680).

I

FIRST COLONIAL PERIOD

(1607-1689)

The English were

17. Colonization of the New World. slow in establishing colonies in the New World. While Spain was subduing Mexico and a large part of South America, they remained comparatively inactive. The French were ahead of them in Canada. But when at last the English undertook the work of colonization, the Anglo-Saxon vigor asserted its superiority, and took possession of the fairest part of the American continent. From insignificant and unpromising beginnings, the English colonies rapidly developed into a great nation, rivalling the mother country not only in commercial interests, but also in science and literature.

18. First English Settlements. The English occupation of this country began early in the seventeenth century with the establishment of two colonies, which were as different in character as they were widely removed from each other in space. The first of these colonies was founded in 1607 at Jamestown in Virginia; the other in 1620 at Plymouth in New England.

Both settlements, in their subsequent development, were destined to play an important part in the political and literary history of our country. In a measure they represented two different tendencies in politics and religion: the Virginia

colonists upholding the Church of England and standing by the king; the New England colonists favoring a change in the English Church, and adhering to the Parliament. The one was thus conservative; the other, progressive, characteristics that are perceptible at the present day.

1. Virginia

19. Early Hardships. -It is beyond the scope of the present work to follow in detail the various trials and vicissitudes of the young settlement at Jamestown. The story is well known.