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lians. Minifters contract with their parishes for their fupport. No parish is obliged to have a minifter; but if they make a contract with one, they are obliged by law to fulfil it. Liberty is ever given to any individual of a parish to change their denomination; and in that cafe they are liberated from their part of the parish contract.

Damage fuftained in the late war.] The enemy never entered NewHampshire. This is the only ftate that efcaped their ravages. Their loffes of men and fhips, damage by depreciation of money and lofs of bufinefs, were felt in proportion as in other states.

Hiftory] The first discovery made by the English of any part of NewHampfhire, was in 1614, by Capt. John Smith, who ranged the fhore from Penobscot to Cape Cod; and in this route, difcovered the river Pifcataqua. On his return to England, he published a defcription of the country, with a map of the coaft, which he prefented to Prince Charles, who gave it the name of NEW-ENGLAND.

In 1621, Capt. John Mafon obtained from the council of Plymouth, a grant of all the land from the river Naumkeag (new Salem) round Cape Ann, to the river Merrimak, up each of thofe rivers, and from a line connecting the furtheft fources of them inclufively, with all islands within three miles of the coaft. This diftrict was called Mariana. The next year, another grant was made to Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Mafon jointly, of all the lands between the Merrimak and Sagadahok, extending back to the great lakes of Canada. This grant, which includes a part of the other, was called Laconia.

Under the authority of this grant, in 1623, a fettlement was made at Little Harbour, near the mouth of the Pifcataqua.

In 1629, fome planters from Maffachusetts-Bay, wishing to form a settlement in the neighbourhood of Pifcataqua, procured a general meeting of the Indians, at Squamfcot falls, where, with the universal confent of their fubjects, they purchased of the Indian chiefs, for a valuable confideration, a tract of land comprehended between the rivers Pifcataqua and Merrimak, and a line connecting thefe rivers, drawn at the diftance of about thirty miles from the fea-coaft, and obtained a deed of the fame, witnessed by the principal perfons of Pifcataqua and the province of Main.

The fame year, Mafon procured a new patent, under the common feal of the council of Plymouth, of all lands included within lines drawn from the mouths and through the middle of Pifcataqua and Merrimak rivers, until fixty miles were compleated, and a line croffing over land connecting thofe points, together with all lands within five leagues of the coast. This tract of land was called New-Hampshire. It comprehended the whole of the above-mentioned Indian purchase; and what is fingular and unaccountable, the fame land which this patent covered, and much more, had been granted to Gorges and Mafon jointly feven years before.

In 1635, the Plymouth compauy refigned their charter to the king, but this refignation did not materially affect the patentees under them, as the feveral grants to companies and individuals were mostly confirmed, at fome fubfequent period, by charters from the crown.

In 1640, four diftin&t governments had been formed on the feveral branches of Pifcataqua. The people under thefe governments, unprotected by

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England, in confequence of her own internal diftractions, and too much divided in their opinions to form any general plan of government which could afford any profpect of permanent utility, though beft to folicit the protection of Maflachusetts. That government readily granted their requeft, and accordingly, in April, 1641, the principal fettlers of Pifcataqua, by a formal inftrument, refigned the jurifdiction of the whole to Maffachusetts, on condition that the inhabitants fhouid enjoy the fame liberties with their own people, and have a court of juftice erected among them. The property of the whole patent of Portfimouth, and of one-third of that of Dover, and of all the improved lands therein, was referved to the lords and gentlemen proprietors and their heirs for ever. These refervations were acceded to on the part of Massachusetts, and what is extraordinary, and manifefted the fondness of the government for retaining them under their jurifdiction, a law of Maffachusetts, declaring that none but church members fhould fit in the general court, was difpenfed with in their favour. While they were united with Maffachusetts, they weregoverned by the general laws of the colony, and the conditions of the union were strictly obferved. During this period, however, they had to ftruggle many difficulties. One while involved together with Maffachusetts in a bloody war with the Indians; and repeatedly disturbed with the warm difputes occafioned by the ineffectual efforts of Mafon's heirs to recover the property of their ancestor. Thefe difputes continued until 1679, when Mafon's claim, though never established in law, was patro nized by the crown, and New-Hampshire was erected into a feparate government. Maffachusetts was directed to recal all her commiffions for governing in that province, which was accordingly done. The first commiflion for the government of New-Hampshire, was given to Mr. Cutt, as prefident of the province, on the 18th of September, 1679.

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In the year 1691, Mafon's heirs fold their title to their lands in NewEngland, to Samuel Allen, of London, for £2750. This produced new controverfies concerning the property of the lands, which embroiled the provinnce for many years.

In 1692, Colonel Samuel Allen was commiffioned governor of NewHampshire. Eight years after he came over to America "to profecute his claim, but died before the affair was concluded.

The inhabitants about this time fuffered extremely from the cruel barbarity of the Indians; Exeter, Dover, and the frontier fettlements, were frequently furprized in the night-the houfes plundered and burnt-the men killed and fcalped and the women and children either inhumanly murdered, or led captives into the wilderness. The first fettlers in other parts of New-England were alfo, about this time, harraffed by the Indians, and it would require volumes to enumerate their particular fufferings.

In 1737, a controverfy, which had long fubfifted between the two governments of Maffachusetts and New-Hampshire, refpecting their divifional line, was heard by commiffioners appointed by the crown for that purpose. These commiffioners determined that the northern boundaries of Maffach ufetts fhould be a line three miles north from the river Merrimak as far as Pantucket falls, then to run weft 100 north, until it meets New-York line. Although Maffachusetts felt themfelves aggrieved by this decision, and attempted several ways to obtain redrefs, the line has

never been altered, but is, at prefent, the divifional line between the two ftates. Douglafs mentions, That the governor of Maffachusetts, for many years, was alfo governor of New-Hampshire, with a distinct com miffion.' This must have been many years after New-Hampshire had been erected into a feparate government in 1679. He adds that NewHampshire entered a complaint to the king in council against the joint governor, relative to fettling the boundaries between the two provinces. This complaint was judged by the king to have been well founded, and therefore a separate governor for Hew-Hampfire was commiffioned anno, 1740.

Although New-Hampshire was under the jurifdiction of the governor of Maffachusetts, yet they had a feparate legiflature. They ever bore a proportionable share of the expences and levies in all enterprizes, expeditions, and military exertions, whether planned by the colony or the crown. In every stage of the oppofition that was made to the encroachments of the British parliament, the people, who ever had a high sense of liberty, cheerfully bore their part. At the commencement of hoftilities, indeed, while their council was appointed by royal mandamus, their patriotic ardour was checked by these crown. officers. But when freed from this reftraint, they flew eagerly to the American standard when the voice of their country declared for war, and their troops had a large share of the hazard and fatigue, as well as of the glory of accomplishing the late revolution.

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Boundaries.] BOUNDED northwardly by New-Hampshire and Ver

mont; weft by New-York; fouthwardly by Connecticut, Rhode Island, and the Atlantic; eaft by the Atlantic and Maffa chusetts Bay.

Rivers] Merrimak river, before defcribed, runs through the northeaftern part of this ftate. Charles river rifes from five or fix fources, on the fouth-east fide of Hopkinton and Hollifton ridge. The main ftream runs north-eaft, then north and north-eaftwardly, found this ridge, until, in Natick township, it mingles with Mother-Brook, which is a confiderable branch of Charles river. The river thus formed, runs weftward, tumbling

in falls across the fouth-weft end of Brooklyn hills, and paffing near Fram ingham pond, runs north-eaft to Cambridge; hence winding round in a finuous courfe falls into Boston harbour. Taunton river rifes in the Blue Mountains, which lie back of Milton and Braintree, and forms the principal drain of the country lying east of these mountains-the river runs nearly a ftraight course fouth-weft, under the foot of the mountains, to Tiverton on Narragansett Bay. Concord river is formed by three branches, one iffuing from Framingham pond, and the other two from the mountains about Marlborough. Thefe treams united run north, and fall into the Merrimack river a little below Pantucket falls.

Mystic and Medford rivers run from north to fouth into Bofton harbour. Ipfwich river, rifing in Wilmington in Middlesex county, runs eaft and then north-east into the Atlantic, at Ipfwich. Weftfield river, from the north-weft, empties into Connecticut river at Springfield. A little above, the Chicabee from the north-east empties into the fame river. Deerfield river rifes in Vermont, and running fouthwardly through Wilmington, Charlemont, and between Shelburne and Conway, enters and paffes through a large tract of the fineft meadow in the world. In thefe meadows it receives Green river, from the mountains, which is about four rods wide; hence they pafs on together, in a broad smooth stream, about three miles into Connecticut river.

Capes] The only Capes of note on the coaft of Maffachusetts, are Cape Ann on the north fide of Bofton Bay, and Cape Cod on the fouth, The latter is the terminating hook of a promontory, which extends far into the fea, and is remarkable for having been the first land which was made by the first fettlers of Plymouth on the American coaft in 1620, In the barb of the hook, which is made by the Cape, is Cape Cod harbour. This promontory circumfcribes Barnstable Bay, and forms Barnstable county. This county is almost an island. The Ifthmus which connects it to the continent, is between Sandwich Bay on the north, and Buzzards Bay on the fouth. The distance between them is but fix or feven miles. Herring brook almoft croffes this neck or ifthmus, fo that a canal of about one mile only would infulate the county, and fave feveral hundred miles dangerous navigation in paffing from Newport to Bofton, and be otherwife of immenfe advantage to trade. Such a canal has been talked of for more than an hundred years paft. The eastern coast of this promontory is fubject to continual changes. Large tracts of fand bank, in the courfe of forty or fifty years, by the conftant accumulation of fand and mud, occafioned by the coil and recoil of the tides, have been transformed into folid marsh land. The fand banks extend two hundred miles into the fea, forming dangerous fhoals.

Ilands.] Among other iflands which border upon this coaft, are Kappawak, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Kappawak, now Dukes county, and the neighbouring ifles, were difcovered as early as 1602, by Bartholomew Gofnold. In honour of Queen Elizabeth, he called a clufter of fmall islands near the cape, Elizabeth ifles. To another neighbouring ifland he gave the name of Martha's Vineyard. Dukes, county is twenty miles in length, and about four in breadth. It contains feven

parishes.

parishes. Edgarton, which includes the island Chabaquidick, is the fhire town. This little inland is about half a mile from the harbour, and renders it very fecure. This county is full of inhabitants, who, like their neighbours at Nantucket, fubfift principally by fishing. They fend three reprefentatives to the general affembly, and one fenator.

Nantucket lies fouth of Cape Cod, and is confiderably less than Dukes county. It contains, according to Douglafs, 23,000 acres, including the beech. No mention is made of the difcovery and fettlement of this island, under its prefent name, by any of our hiftorians. It is more than probable, that this is the island which is ufually called Nautican by ancient voyagers. It formerly had the molt confiderable whale fifhery on the coaft; but the war almoft ruined them. They are now beginning to revive their former bufinefs. Most of the inhabitants are whalers and fisher-men, As the ifland is low, fandy and barren, it is calculated only for thofe people who are willing to depend alinoft entirely on the watery element for fubfiftence. The ifland of itfelf conftitutes one county, by the name of Nantucket. It has but, one town, called Sherburne, and fends one reprefentative to the general affembly.

Light-Houfes Within the State of Maffachusetts are the following Light-Houfes on Plumb ifland, near Newbury, are two, which mutt be brought to bear in a line with each other, in order to pafs the bar in fafety: On Thatchers ifland, off Cape Ann, two lights of equal height. Another ftands on a rock on the north fide of the entrance of Bofton harbour, with one fingle light. On the north point of Plymouth harbour are two lights, one over the other. On a point at the entrance of the harbour on the island of Nantucket, is one with a fingie light. This light may be seen as far as Nantucket fhoals extend. The island being low, the light appears over it.

Religion.] The religion of this commonwealth is eftablished, by their excellent conftitution, on a moft liberal and tolerant plan. All perfons, of whatever religious profeffion or fentiments, may worthip God agreeably to the dictates of their own confciences, unmolefted, provided they do not difturb the public peace. The legislature are empowered to require of the feveral towns, parishes, &c. to provide, at their own expence, for the public worship of God, and to require the attendance of the fubject on the fame. The people have liberty to choose their own teachers, and to contract with them for their support.

The body of the churches in this ftate are established upon the congregational plan. Their rules of church difcipline and government are, in general, founded upon the Cambridge platform, as drawn up by the fynod of 1648. The churches claim no jurifdiction over each other, and the power of ecclefiaftical councils is only advisory.'

The following statement, fhews what are the feveral religious denominations in this state, and their proportional numbers.

Denominations.

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