PREFACE.

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HOUGH Connecticut be the most flourishing, and, proportionally, the most populous province in North - America, it has hitherto found no writer to introduce it, in its own right, to the notice of the world. Slight and curfory mention in the accounts of other provinces, or of America in general, has yet only been made of it. The hiftorians of NewEngland have conftantly endeavoured to aggrandize MaffachufetsBay as the parent of the other colonies, and as comprehending all that is worthy of attention, in that country.

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country. Thus Governor Hutchinson says, in the Preface to his Hiftory of that Province," that “ there was no importation of plan"ters from England to any part "of the continent, northward of Maryland, except to the Massa"chufets, for more than 50 years "after the colony began;" not knowing, or willing to forget or to conceal, that Saybrook, Newhaven, and Long-Ifland, were fettled by emigrants from England within half that period. Another reafon for the obscurity in which the Connecticutenfians have hitherto been involved, is to be found among their own finifter views and

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purposes. Prudence dictated, that their deficiency in point of right to the foil they occupied, their wanton and barbarous perfecutions, illegal practices, daring ufurpations, &c. &c. had better be concealed, than exposed to public view. To diffipate this cloud of prejudice and knavery, and to bring to light truths long concealed, is the motive of my offering the following fheets to the world. I am bold to affert, that Connecticut merits a fuller account than envy or ignorance has yet fuffered to be given of it; and that I have followed the line of truth freely, and unbiaffed by partiality or prejudice. A 3

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The Reader, therefore, will not be furprised, fhould I have placed the New-Englanders in a different light from that in which they have yet appeared: their characterizers have not been sufficiently unprejudiced, unawed by power, or unaffected by the defire of obtaining it, always to fet them in the true Dr. Mather and Mr. Neal were popular writers; but at the time they extolled the prudence and piety of the colonifts, they fuppreffed what are called in New-England unnecessary truths. Governor Hutchinfon, who loved fame, and feared giving offence, published a few only of those truths; which

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