Mr. Vane, howsoever he had forced himself to put on so much self-denial, as to sit among the deputies, who the year before had been the Governor, (not being unwilling, as he professed, to serve the church of God in the meanest capacity,) showed much discontent that the people had left him out of all public office; of which he made evident proof by seating himself, the next Lord's Day, among the deacons, as did Mr. Coddington also, though he had used, ever since he came first into the country, to sit among the magistrates, and was at this time sent to, by the Governor, to sit with him. And upon the general fast soon after, he and some others, viz. Mr. Coddington, &c., went from Boston to keep the day at the Mount, where Mr. Wheelwright exercised.

A further occasion of the discontent of that party was an order, made at that session of the Court, imposing a penalty upon any such as should entertain such as were not allowed by some of the magistrates; it being probable that they expected many of their opinion to come out of England to them.

Upon the account of this order, and some other differences between the Governor and those of Boston, at his return from the Court none of them met him, nor would any of the four serjeants, that used to attend the former Governor to all public meetings, do any such office to him, alleging that they had done it to the former Governor voluntarily, in respect of his person, and not of his place. But herein they shewed more of stomach than wisdom; for a compliment of honor, once conferred on any office, (though voluntarily,) cannot after be taken away without contempt and injury; it is the place that drowns the person, be he honorable or base. But the Governor, being a wise man, could easily overlook these things; and in a little time, those that were so disgusted against him, put more honor upon him than ever before. They that honor God shall be honored of him. For, in the end of the year 1639, there appeared a great change in the church ||of|| Boston; for whereas they were, the year or two before, so l'affected|| to || ' attached ||

|at|

Mr. Wheelwright and ||Mrs.|| Hutchinson, and those new opinions, as they extremely slighted both him and Mr. Wilson, their pastor, looking at them as men under a covenant of works, and as their greatest enemies; but they bearing all patiently, and not withdrawing themselves, (as they were strongly solicited to have done,) but carrying themselves lovingly and helpfully upon all occasions, the Lord brought about the hearts of all the people to love and esteem them more than ever before, so as all breaches were then made up, and the church saved from ruin, beyond all expectation; which could in reason hardly have been, if those two had not been guided by the Lord to that moderation, &c. And the church at this time, to manifest their hearty affection to the Governor, (upon the occasion of some straits he was brought into, through the unfaithfulness of his bailiff,1) sent him £200, as an undoubted testimony thereof.2

3

And during the present ||'disaffection|| of them about Boston, the other towns no whit abated, but rather abounded, in their respect to the said Governor, guarding of him from town to town, as he travelled that summer, 1637, to Ipswich; the inhabitants coming to meet him in every place as he passed along, though it were neither desired nor expected by himself.

There was news this year of a Commission granted in England to divers gentlemen on the place for the governing New England; but instead thereof they received a commission from Sir Ferdinando Gorges, to govern his Province of New Somersetshire, or the Province of Maine, which is from Pascataqua River to Sagadehock; and withal to oversee his servants and private affairs, which was not a little wondered at by some, that knew how he had carried it towards the Massachusetts before. But it passed in silence, they excusing themselves from intermeddling in his business, because, of five or six named in the said commission, there was one mistaken, and another removed to Connecticut; nor did it appear to them what authority he had to grant such a

| Mr. I

dissatisfaction ||

1 Reuben? Luxford. Sav. Win. ii. 361; Farmer.-H. 'See Sav. Win. i. 323, ii. 3-4.-H. In June. Sav. Win. i. 227.-H

commission. But as for the Commission from the King, they received only a copy of it; the Commission itself staid at the seal, for want of paying the fees by them that procured it.

In the latter end of the summer,1 1637, Mr. Vane returned for England, and the Lord Ley, (son of the Earl of Marlborough, who came the same year to see the country,) in his company. He had great respect shown him at his departure, by several volleys of shot from the footsoldiers, that accompanied him to the boat, which he deserved as a gentleman of good deportment; the Governor also, then being at the Court at New-Town, yet left order with the captains for his honorable dismission.

CHAP. XXXVI.

Troublesome occurrences in New England, in the years 1637, 1638. Their Patent undermined by some in England; demanded by the Lords of the Committee for Foreign Plantations; the answer of the Massa

chusetts.

3

On the 26th of June, 1637, arrived two great ships from London, with whom came Mr. Eaton and Mr. Hopkins, merchants of London, men of fair estates and of great esteem for religion, and wisdom in other◄ affairs, - with the reverend and famous Mr. Davenport,5 and other ministers and people of good note: who the next year removed out of this jurisdiction, to plant beyond Connecticut, being much taken with an opinion of the fruitfulness of the place, and with the remoteness from the Massachusetts; hoping thereby to be out of the reach of a General Governor, which at that time was much spoken of. It was at first feared to prove a great weakening to the Massachusetts Colony; but since, they have taken notice of a special providence of God therein. All possible means had been used to accommodate them there; Newberry offered them their whole town, and the Court any place that was free; but they desired a greater breadth than there could be afforded. But

In August.- -H. 229, 232, 234 —н.

'He arrived at Boston, June 26th. Sav. Win. i. Theophilus Eaton and Edward Hopkins.-H.

3

4 First written outward.-H.

Rev. John Davenport.-H.

their removal to the southward was looked upon, afterward, as advantageous, both for possessing those parts which lay open for an enemy, and for strengthening their friends at Connecticut, and for making room for others who were daily expected out of England. It was ac-. counted that twenty ships arrived there in the year 1638, who brought about three thousand passengers with them,1 who might the more easily, some of them, be accommodated about the Bay, when others were so far removed before. The coming in of these ships was the more joyfully received, because many this year were afraid of a stop, in England, to the coming of any ships at all, by reason of the complaints made against them in the year 1632,* forementioned, and about this time renewed, especially by Mr. Burdet, of Pascataqua; a copy of whose letter to the Archbishop was found in his study, to this effect; that he delayed to go || into || England, that he might fully inform himself of the state of the place as to allegiance, for it was not new discipline that was aimed at, but sovereignty; and that it was accounted perjury and treason in their General Court to speak of appeals to the King. By the first ships that came this year, a letter came from the Archbishop to the said Burdet, rendering him thanks for the care of his Majesty's service, and that they would take a time for the redress of such disorders, as he informed them of; but, by reason of much business that now lay upon them, they could not, at this time, accomplish his desire. This letter to Burdet was, by some strange Providence, shown to the Governor of the Massachusetts, as was a copy of his letter to the Archbishop, whereby his designs were discovered..

For, it seems, complaints were still carried on against New England, so as in the year 1635,3 a Commission was granted to several Lords to regulate the Plantation of New England: a copy of which here follows, together with the copy of the Order of the Lords Commissioners for sending over the Patent, with Mr. Winthrop's answer thereunto.

||to||

* 1632 or 1633. See page 151–154.—Ed.

This shows Mr. Savage to have mistaken in supposing Hubbard "to have been afraid to number either the ships or the passengers " which. came over this year. See Sav. Win. i. 268.-H.

--

'Rev. George Burdet.-H.

A mistake; it should be 1634.-H.

A copy of the Commission for regulating Plantations.

CHARLES, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, FRANCE, AND IRELAND, KING, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, &C.

To the right reverend Father in God, our right trusty and well beloved Counsellor, William, by divine Providence, Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate and Metropolitan of all England; to our right trusty and well beloved Counsellor, Thomas Lord Coventry, Lord Keeper of our || Great Seal of England; to our right reverend Father in God, our right trusty and well beloved Counsellor, Richard, by divine Providence, Archbishop of York, Primate and Metropolitan of England; [to the reverend Father in God, our right trusty and well beloved Counsellor, William, Bishop of London;] to our right trusty and well beloved Cousins and Counsellors, Richard, Earl of Portland, and High Treasurer of England; Henry, Earl of Manchester, Keeper of our || Privy Seal; Thomas, Earl of Arundel and Surry, Earl Marshal of England; Edward, Earl of Dorset, Chamberlain to our most dear consort, the Queen; and to our trusty and well beloved Counsellors, Francis Lord Cottington, Chancellor1 and Under-Treasurer of our Exchequer, [and Master of our Court of Wards and Liveries;] Thomas Edmonds, Knight, Treasurer of our Household; [Henry Vane, Knight, Comptroller of our Household ;] John Cooke, Knight, one of our principal Secretaries of State, and Francis Windebank, [Knight,] another of our principal Secretaries of State Greeting.

Whereas divers of the subjects of us, and our late dear Father, King James, of famous memory, late of England King, by virtue of our royal authority, granted not only to enlarge the territories of our empire, but more especially to propagate the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, having, with exceeding industry and charge, deduced great numbers of the people of England into sundry Colonies, in several places of the world, either altogether desert and unpeopled, or enjoyed by savage and barbarous nations, void of all manner of knowledge of Almighty God: We, being graciously pleased to provide for the ease and tranquillity of the said subjects, and reposing assured confidence in your fidelity, wisdom, justice, and providence, do constitute you, our said Archbishop of Canterbury, &c., or any five or more of you, our Commissioners; and to you, or to any five or more of you, do commit and give power of protection and government, as well over the said English Colonies already planted, as over all such other Colonies, which by any of our people of England hereafter shall be de|| the || || 'the

Chamberlain in the MS.-
.-H.

* Counsellors in the MS.-
-H.