to the order of the patent, two of the former being lately gone over to the plantation.

At the court of election it was agreed that every adventurer who had advanced 50%. should have two hundred acres of land allowed him; and that fifty acres a piece should be allowed them, that went over at their own charge. It seems the adventurers had an higher esteem of land in America at that time than since it ever reached unto, or else were much mistaken as to the nature of the soil; when an whole province might have since been purchased almost for such a sum, viz. at three pence and four pence an acre. But men must be allowed to guess as well as they can, at so great a distance. But at one of their next meetings, viz. May 27, 1629, a Mednesday letter from Mr. Endicot, their agent in New England, was read in court, complaining of the great irregularity in trading of sundry persons with the Indians, contrary to the proclamation set out, Anno Dom. 1622, an evil timely enough foreseen, although it could never be prevented: whereupon it was agreed to petition the king and council for renewing the said proclamation; which was granted, with other beneficial clauses, by the Lord Keeper and Mr. Secretary Cooke.

By these and the like occasions, at one of their next meetings, July 28, 1629, there arose a debate about Tuesday transferring the government to such as should inhabit upon the place, and not to continue it in subordination to the company there in London, for the inducing and encouraging persons of worth and quality to transplant themselves and families thither, and for other weighty reasons. The company then met were desired to set down their reasons in writing, pro and con, with the most considerable consequencesdepending thereon, that they might be maturely debated; which was accordingly

done. Ånd August 28, 1629, the deputy acquainted the Friday

court that several gentlemen, interding for New England, desired to know, whether the chief government with the patent should be settled in Old or New England, which occasioned a serious debate about the matter, so as, the meeting of the court being adjourned to the next day, it

was then, by erection of hands, fully decreed to be the general mind of the company, and their desire, that the government and patent of the plantation should be transferred to New England and settled there. Accordingly, an order to that end was soon drawn up and consented unto; in prosecution of which order, a court was appointed to be kept, Oct. 20, 1629, for the election of a new governour and deputy, that were willing to remove with their families, on the next occasion.

Mr. John Winthrop was at that time chosen governour, and Mr. J. Humphry deputy governour; but Mr. Humphry not being ready to attend the service so soon, Mr. Thomas Dudley was (the next spring) chosen in his room. At that time also assistants were chosen anew, fit for the present design, viz. Sir Richard Saltonstall, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Dudley, Mr. Endicot, Mr. Nowel, Mr. William Vassall, Mr. Pynchon, Mr. Sharp, Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Goffe, Mr. Adams, Mr. Eaton, &c.

March 23 following, Mr. Dudley was chosen deputy governour, and sworn in the room of Mr. Humphry, at which time also were several assistants chosen, in the room of such as were not willing, (at least for the present not resolved,) to transport themselves and families into that new colony, scil. Mr. Coddington, Mr. Sharp, Mr. Simon Bradstreet, Sir Bryan Janson, and others. The said court was kept aboard the Arbella*at South-Hampton; at which time, or soon after, was published a declaration, in the name of the governour and company, giving an account of their whole design; the principal scope whereof was to clear themselves from any suspicion of rigid separation, at that time not in the least thought upon or owned, much less was it purposed, or intended by any of the foresaid gentlemen. How far since that, they have been or are liable to the like aspersion, there may be occasion to speak more afterwards.

• So the MS. uniformly; and Prince adopts the same orthography, quoting Mass. Col. Records, MSS. as his authority. ED.

CHAP. XXIII.

The proceedings of the patentees at South-Hampton, when they took their leave of England. The solemn manner thereof.

THE principles which those gentlemen acted from, who first enterprised that great undertaking of transplanting themselves and their families into the remote deserts of America, hitherto seemed to be so strong, as to enable them to get over the most insuperable difficulties and obstructions that lay in the way. Yet when it came to the pinch and upshot of the trial, it appeared that what resolution soever they had taken up or put on, yet that they had not put off human and natural affection; "Naturam expellas," &c. Religion never makes men stoicks; nor is it to be conceived that natural relations should be rent one from another without the deepest sense of sorrow; such a kind of removal carrying along with it so great a resemblance of departure into another world.

That honourable and worthy gentleman, Mr. John Winthrop, the governour of the company, at a solemn feast amongst many friends a little before their last farewell, finding his bowels yearn within him, instead of drinking to them, by breaking into a flood of tears himself, set them all a weeping, with Paul's friends, while they thought of seeing the faces of each other no more, in the land of the living. Yet did not this put such a damp upon any of their spirits, as to think of breaking off their purpose so far carried on.

After they came to South-Hampton, the place appointed for taking ship, they judged it meet to declare to the world the ground of their removal, which here followeth. Whatever any of their successours may judge thereof, it is sufficient to discover what was then in the minds of those that removed from their dear native land. If there be found any sort of persons that since that time have imbibed other principles or opinions, it is more than the writer hereof was ever acquainted with the reason of. However, in those very words they did both beg

the prayers, and bespeak the charitable construction concerning their proceedings, of their Christian friends, whom they left behind. It is commonly said, that the declaration was drawn up by Mr. White, that famous minister of Dorchester, of whom there is oft mention made in this history; if so, it had a reverend, learned, and holy man for its author, on which account a favourable acceptance thereof may be expected from any that shall vouchsafe to peruse the same.

The humble request of his Majesty's loyal subjects, the governour and company late gone for New England, to the rest of their brethren, in and of the CHURCH OF ENGLAND; for the obtaining of their prayers, and the removal of suspicions and misconstructions of their intentions. London, printed for John Bellamie, 1630. [4to.]

REVEREND FATHERS AND BRETHREN;

The general rumour of this solemn enterprise, wherein ourselves with others, through the Providence of the Almighty are engaged, as it may spare us the labour of imparting our occasion unto you, so it gives us the more encouragement to strengthen ourselves by the procurement of the prayers and blessings of the Lord's faithful servants. For which end we are bold to have recourse unto you, as those whom God hath placed nearest his throne of mercy; which, as it affords you the more opportunity, so it imposeth the greater bond upon you to intercede for his people in all their straits. We beseech you, therefore, by the mercies of the Lord Jesus, to consider us as your brethren, standing in very great need of your help, and earnestly impioring it. And howsoever your charity may have met with some occasion of discouragement through the misreport of our intentions, or through the disaffection or indiscretion of some of us, or rather, amongst us, for we are not of those that dream of perfection in this world; yet we desire you would be pleased to take notice of the principals and body of our company, as those who esteem it our honour to call the church of England, from whence we rise, our dear mother: and cannot part from our native conn try, where she specially resideth, without much sadness of heart, and many tears in our eyes, ever acknowledg.

ing that such hope and part as we have obtained in the common salvation, we have received in her bosom, and sucked it from her breasts. We leave it not, therefore, as loathing that milk wherewith we were nourished there; but, blessing God for the parentage and education, as members of the same body shall always rejoice in her good, and unfeignedly grieve for any sorrow shall ever betide her, and while we have breath sincerely desire and endeavour the continuance and abundance of her welfare, with the enlargement of her bounds in the kingdom of Christ Jesus,

Be pleased, therefore, reverend fathers and brethren, to help forward this work now in hand; which, if it prosper, you shall be the more glorious; howsoever, your judgment is with the Lord, and your reward with your God. It is an usual and laudable exercise of your charity to commend to the prayers of your congregations the necessities and straits of your private neighbours. Do the like for a church springing out of your own bowels. We conceive much hope that this remembrance of us, if it be frequent and fervent, will be a most prosperous gale in our sails, and provide such a passage and welcome for us, from the God of the whole earth, as both we which shall find it, and yourselves with the rest of our friends who shall hear of it, shall be much enlarged to bring in such daily returns of thanksgivings, as the specialties of his providence and goodness may justly challenge at all our hands. You are not ignorant, that the Spirit of God stirred up the apostle Paul to make continual mention of the church of Philippi, (which was a colony from Rome;) let the same spirit, we beseech you, put you n mind, that are the Lord's remembrancers, to prav for us without ceasing, (who are a weak colony from yourselves,) making continual request for us to Godi n all your prayers.

What we intreat of you that are the ministers of God, that we also crave at the hands of all the rest of our brethren, that they would at no time forget us in their private solicitations at the throne of grace.

If any there be, who through want of clear intelligence