Hitherunto divine providence did, with arms of abun dant goodness, as a nursing father, uphold this infant province of New England, as was said of Ephraim, when God learned him to go, taking him by the hand. But for the future they were left more to stand upon their own legs, and shift for themselves; for now there was a great change in the state of the country, the inhabitants being put to great straits by reason of the fall of the price of cattle, the breeding and increase of which had been the principal means of upholding the country next under divine favour, shining out upon them, by many uhexpected advantages; for whereas before, all sorts of great cattle were usually sold for 251. the head, by reason of the continual coming over of new families every year to plant the wilderness. Now that fountain began to be dried, and the stream turned another way, and many that intended to have followed their neighbours and friends into a land not sown, hoping by the turn of the times, and the great changes that were then afoot, to enjoy that at their own doors and homes, which the oth er had travelled so far to seek abroad; there happened a total cessation of any passengers coming over; yea, rather, as at the turn of a tide, many came back with the help of the same stream, or sea, that carried them thither; insomuch, that now the country of New England was to seek of a way to provide themselves of clothing, which they could not attain by selling of their cattle as before; which now were fallen from that huge price forementioned, first to 141. and 101. an head, and pres ently after (at least within a year), to 51. apiece; nor was there at that rate ready vent for them neither. Thus the flood that brought in much wealth to many persons, the contrary ebb carried all away, out of their reach. To help in this their exigent, besides the industry that the present necessity put particular persons upon, for the necessary supply of their families, the general court made several orders for the manufacture of woollen and linen cloth; which with God's blessing upon man's endeavour, in a little time stopped this gap in part, and

soon after another door was opened by special providence. For when one hand was shut by way of supply from England, another was opened by way of traffick, first to the West Indies and Wine Islands, whereby, among other goods much cotton wool was brought into the country from the Indies; which the inhabitants learning to spin, and breeding of sheep, and by sowing of hemp and flax, they soon found out a way to supply themselves with many necessaries, of linen and woollen cloth.

Thanks be to the Almighty, the country was not driven to those straits to lay hold of the skirts of the next comer, for want of meat and clothing; for being so well furnished with the one, they soon found out a way by the abundance thereof, to supply themselves with the other, which hath been the general way of the subsistence of the country ever since; and is like, by the blessing of heaven, to continue, so long as the original grant of divine bounty continues, (which is the grand tenour whereby mankind do hold in capite of the supreme Head ' and Governour of the world) of multiplying the fish of the sea, and beasts on the earth, or fowl in the air, and the growing of the grass and fruits of the earth, for the food of man and beast, that their granaries may be full, their oxen strong to labour, and other creatures bring forth thousands in their streets.

CHAP. XXXIII.

Various occurrences in the Massachusetts, from the year 1636 to 1641.

NEWS of the scarceness of provision in New England being carried over the sea, in the end of the year 1634, many ships laden therewith, were, by the special favour of God, early there the next year; most of them that came in the spring making their way over in five weeks time; though some that could not be ready to set out till the middle of the summer, made it five and twenty before they reached their port; with whom were em

barked Mr. Nathaniel Rogers, afterwards called to be pastor of the church at Ipswich, and Mr. Partridge, afterwards called to Duxbury, in Plymouth colony. They were driven to half a pint of water a man, and much scanted in all other provision; yet through the goodness of God came all ashore in good health, in or about the month of November, 1636.

One of the first ships that arrived here that year was the Charity, of Dartmouth, laden with provision, at that time very scarce. She brought comfort in her very name, and was by special providence preserved in the mouth of the Bay, between Alerton's point and Nantasket, having struck ground twice upon the ebb, in a strong northwest wind, but was got off very strangely, and her provision very charitably distributed to poor people that then were in great distress, at a moderate price.

Mr. Henry Vane being chosen governour that year, (the son and heir of Sir Henry Vane, one of the privy council,) all the ships in the harbour congratulated his election with a volley of shot. The next week he invited all the commanders to a treat, fifteen in all; after that was ended, he propounded three things, which they all gladly accepted. 1. That after this year, all ships bound in hither, should come to an anchor below the Castle, (which is built on a small island a league below the town) unless they should signify before hand, by sending their boat ashore, that they were friends. 2. That before they offered any goods to sale, they should deliver an invoice, and give the governour liberty for 24 hours for refusal. 3. That their men might not stay ashore (except upon necessary business) after sun set. It had been well, that as the captains of fifteen great ships had condescended to these propositions, all others had been bound to observe them; but it is easier to propound good orders, than to see them, or cause them to be performed.

A just occasion of making such proposals, was the arrival (a little before that time) of the St. Patrick, belonging to Sir Thomas Wentworth, then deputy of Ireland, whereof one Palmer was master. The Lieut. of the

Castle made the master strike his flag, although the colours were not then aboard, which he complained of to the magistrates as an injury. Upon hearing the case, they condemned the Lieut. for doing that which he had no commission to do; and therefore tendered the master such satisfaction as he desired, which was only this; that the Lieut. should, aboard his ship, make acknowledgment of his errour, that so all the ship's company might receive satisfaction; lest the lord deputy should also have been informed that they offered that discourtesy to his ship, which they never offered to any before.

One Miller, master's mate of the Hector, (a stately ship which lay then in the harbour,) had told some of the people aboard their ship, that they were all traitors and rebels in New England, because they had not the king's colours at the Castle. The governour acquainted Mr. Farne, the master, with it, who promised to deliver him to them. Whereupon they sent the marshal for him, with four serjeants; but the master not being aboard at that time, they would not deliver him; whereupon the master himself went and brought him to the court, and the words being proved against him by two witnesses, he was committed. The next day the master, to pacify his men, (who were in a great tumult,) requested he might be delivered to him, and did undertake to bring him before them again the next day, which was granted him, and he brought him accordingly at the time appointed. Then in the presence of all the rest of the masters, he acknowledged his offence, and set his hand to a submission, and was discharged. Then the governour desired the masters that they would deal freely, and tell them if they took any offence, and what they required of them. They answered, that in regard they should be examined upon their return what colours they saw there, they did desire that the king's colours might be spread at their fort. It was answered that they had not the king's colours; thereupon two of them did freely offer to give them one. The governour replied, that whatsoever they thought or persuaded of the cross in the ensign,

as idolatrous in the rise or occasion of it, (and therefore might not set it in their own ensign,) yet because the fort was the king's, and maintained in his name, they thought it might be spread there. So the governour accepted the colours of Capt. Palmer, and promised they should be set up at the Castle, which accordingly was done.

In the year 1638 the plantations were begun at Salisbury, and at Winniconet, afterwards Hampton. This latter gave some occasion of difference between the Massachusetts and some of Pascataqua, which was this.

Mr. Wheelwright, after he was sent out of the Massachusetts, gathered a company and sat down at the falls of Pascataqua, and called their town Exeter; and for their enlargement they dealt with an Indian there, and bought of him Winniconet, and then signified to the Massachusetts what they had done, and that they intended to lay out all those lands in farms, except they could show a better title. They wrote also to those who had begun to plant there, to desist, &c. Those letters coming to the general court, that they looked at this dealing against good neighbourhood, religion, and common honesty : that knowing they claimed Winniconet within their patent, or as vacuum domicilium, and had taken possession thereof by building an house there, about two years since, they should now go about by purchase to procure an unknown title, and then come and inquire of their right that had been possessed thereof before. It was in the same letter also manifestly demonstrated, that the Indians having only a natural right to so much land as they had or could improve, the rest of the country lay open to them that should occupy the same, as by the said letter did more at large appear.

Those of Exeter replied to the answer of the Massachusetts, being resolved still to maintain the Indian right, and their interest thereby. But in the mean time the Massachusetts had sent men to discover Merrimack, and found some part of it about Pennacooke to lie more northerly than forty three and a half degrees; and so returned answer to them, that though they would not