old they were set that were able, both as prophets to teach, and judges to rule and govern.

May the 10th, 1643, Mr. Winthrop was again chosen governour, and Mr. Endicot deputy governour. This year the practice of Dover, and the other inhabitants, encouraged those of Exeter to follow their example, who were in like manner, upon their petition, received under the government of the Massachusetts, and accordingly declared to belong thereto.

May 29, 1644, Mr. Endicot was a second time chosen governour, and Mr. Winthrop deputy governour, and Mr. Dudley, the first major general, was chosen at this election. This year the Anabaptists began to grow re troublesome in the Massachusetts, which irritated the zeal of some principal persons in the country to sharpen the edge of authority against them, the court being by this occasion put on to make laws against them, as is intimated before, but with what success is hard to say ; all men being naturally inclined to pity them that suffer, how much soever they are incensed against offenders in general. But natural conscience, and the reverence of a Deity, that is deeply engraven on the hearts of all, makes c men more apt to favour them that suffer for religion, (true or false,) on which consideration some are ready to think that corrosives and sharp medicines do but draw evil and malignant humours to the ill affected part, and therefore they say of all arguments against corrupt opinions those are the least proper, and most ineffectual, that conclude in ferio; the worst mode and figure for a religious topick. Though men had need take heed on what account they take sanctuary in the holy place of conscience, which is God's throne; for, as one saith, God, who is a God of truth, hath appointed no city of refuge for presumptuous sinners, such as are the father of lies, and murtherer of souls, or any of his instruments. Joab must be taken from the horns of the altar. However, it were well if all those, who cannot comply with the religion of the state and place where they live, yet had so much manners as not to justle against it, nor openly

practise that that is inconsistent therewith, as if they would bid a kind of defiance thereunto. Moses would not do that in Egypt, upon the account of religious worship, that might seem a matter of abomination, to them that were lords of the place; especially where the differ ence is not in the circumstantial but in the essential parts of religion, as that of the Quakers and Anabaptists. Therefore the repressing of those kind of persons put the government upon inquiry into the nature and intent of the patent, and the power invested in the general court thereby, whether legislative and jurisdictive, or directive and consultative; and upon consultation had, with the wisest, most learned and judicious in the place, it was, by an unanimous consent, determined in the affirmative, in respect of all those several kinds of power, wherein the general court rested satisfied.

The next year Mr. Dudley took his turn again at the helm of the government, being chosen thereunto, May 14, 1645, to whom was joined Mr. Winthrop as deputy; who, while he lived, was almost always either governour or next him that supplied that place. But this year he met with much opposition from his neighbours of Hingham, who were borne out therein, as was usually done, by one of the magistrates, that in some things seemed much prejudiced against him; the particulars may be declared afterwards, or in another way.

As the country had hitherto begun to flourish in most English manufactures, so liberty was this year granted to make iron; for which purpose a work was set up at Lynn, upon a very commodious stream, which was very much promoted, and strenuously carried on, for some considerable time; but at length, whether faber aut forceps, aut ars, ignara fefellit, instead of drawing out bars of iron, for the country's use, there was hammered out nothing but contention and lawsuits, which was but a bad return for the undertakers; however it gave the occasion to others to acquaint themselves with that skill, to the great advantage of the colonies, who have since that time found out many convenient places where very good

iron, not much inferiour to that of Bilboa, may be produced; as at this day is seen in a village near Topsfield, seven or eight miles west from Ipswich.

In the following years troublesome occurrents have fallen out, occasioned by the civil wars in England; whence it came to pass that sundry shipmasters, upon pretence of a commission from the parliament, seized some ships in the harbour of Boston, without the license or privity of the court there, taking them to belong to some of the king's party, which, in the language of those times, was interpreted enemies to the parliament. These things done on the sudden, by a prevailing party, could not be helped; for ofttimes might overcomes right, according to the proverb, else there were some upon the place that could have adventured much to have secured the harbour.

CHAP. XLVI.

Various occurrents in New England, from 1641 to 1646.

At this time the people of New England were assaulted with difficulties about their subsistence, with other various accidents, concerning the limits of the civil power, conspiracy of the Indians, uniting of the colonies, with several more troubles, both intestine and foreign. For the great turn of affairs, that happened at this time, putting a stop to the wonted way of their subsistence in New England, occasioned many, through want of faith and patience to wait upon God and observe his providence, to run themselves into divers straits and difficulties; as not being able to see a way of livelihood any longer in the wilderness, not considering the words of the Psalmist, "Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." For many began now to inquire after the southern parts, being much taken with the supposed advantages, and easy way of living, in Virginia, and the Caribbee islands, especially the isle of Providence, which at this time was in great request; as if there were any place of the earth

where that part of the curse should not take place, "In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread." But the ease and plenty of those countries was so taking with many, as they sold their estates there in New England, to transplant themselves and families to that Spanish island; the chief of whom was a gentleman of good esteem in the country, one of the patentees, a man of great activity, and one of the first beginners in the promoting the plantation of the Massachusetts. He was labouring much in this new design; for his estate being somewhat low for want of prudent managing, he offered his service to the lords that had the interest in the said isle, (to whom he was well known,) and was by them accepted for their next governour, and thereupon laboured much to draw on others to join with him in this (as it was judged) unwarrantable course. For though it was thought very needful to further the plantation of Protestant churches in the West Indies, and all were willing to endeavour it, yet it was looked upon as very unsuitable for those that had but new begun to people another part of America, (more agreeable to the temper and condition of Englishmen,) and with the disparagement of that place, wherein they could not but take notice of many signal providences of God, tending to the establishment thereof. But men that were engaged in the design would not be taken off by such considerations as were laid before them by the wisest of the place where they were, viz. not only to discourage the hearts of their brethren, whom they had at the first occasioned to remove into the wilderness, but to expose themselves to the danger of a potent enemy, (the Spaniard,) and a new climate, they had no experience of, and to be under the command of those which should be set over them by others. These motives prevailed with some to alter their resolution, yet others persisted strongly therein, not taking notice of sundry remarkable providences that crossed their first attempts.

The gentlemen of the Massachusetts were credibly informed how the lord Say had laboured, by discouraging their plantation, to divert men from coming to them, and

so to draw them to the West Indies, and how, finding that wise men were unwilling to come under such governours as were not chosen by themselves, &c. they had condescended to divers articles suited to that form, although they had formerly declared for an aristocracy, and an hereditary magistracy, to be settled upon some great persons, &c. Mr. Winthrop, the usual governour of the Massachusetts, had written to the lord Say about the reports aforesaid, and shewed his lordship how evident it was that God had chosen that country to plant his people in, and that it would be displeasing unto him to hinder that work, and persuade such as were still inclined (if not by their presence, yet by their assistance) to promote it, to desist, by insinuating into their minds that there was no possibility of subsistence there; and told him that God would never have sent so many of his people thither, if he had not seen the place sufficient to maintain them, or that he intended to make it such. His lordship returned answer that he could not deny much of what was written, nor the evidence of God's owning his people in the country of New England, but alleged it was a place appointed only for a present refuge, and that a better place being now found out, they ought all to remove thither. But it is not good judging of things at so great a distance, and to depend upon uncertain reports. in things of so great moment. Their lordships that were so highly persuaded of the West Indies, and their plantation at Providence there, were soon after convinced, by the loss of the island to the Spaniards, and 60,000 pounds charge they had been at, that they had raised their hopes but on a sandy foundation. And the gentleman forementioned, Mr. J. H. who with the disparagement of New England had maintained his hopes of a full supply from the Spanish Providence, was that year awakened, by a solemn providence of Heaven, to consider better of his ways; for his barn, with all his corn and hay, was in the year 1640 consumed by fire, through the carelessness of his servants; and himself and family being, in