their purpose. He had raised a great dust in the place, by the eager defending of a question (at that time needlessly started) about the truth of the present church of Rome: the said Browne stifly maintained the truth of the said church. Sure it was not out of his charity to the Romish Christians, to provide them a place of safety to retreat unto, in case other churches should declare against them as a synagogue of Satan, rather than the spouse of Christ, (although the reformed churches did not use to rebaptize those that renounce the religion of Rome and embrace that of the reformation,) and so unehurch them: but the violence of some men's tempers makes them raise debates, when they do not justly offer themselves, and like millstones grind one another when they want other grist.

The governour wrote a letter to the congregation, directed to the pastor and brethren; to advise them to take it into consideration, whether the said Browne was fit to be continued their elder or not. The congregation was much divided about him, upon that and some other errours, and both parties repaired to the governour for assistance, who promised to give them a meeting at Watertown, December 8, 1631, which accordingly he did, being accompanied with the deputy governour and others of the assistants, with the elder of the congregation of Boston. When they were assembled, the governour told them they might proceed either as magistrates, their assistance being formerly desired by them, or as members of a neighbour congregation; in which respect they yielded to let the matters in controversy be declared ; when after much agitation they came to this conclusion, that their ruling elder was guilty of errours in judgment and conversation, on which account they could not communicate with him till they were reformed. Whereupon they agreed to seek God in a day of humiliation, and so by solemn writing, each party promised to reform what was amiss; yet this agreement was not so well observed, but that afterward new stirs were raised in that town, but upon a civil and not ecclesiastical account. For in February following, those of Watertown made some op

position against a levy that was to be raised upon them towards publick charges, of which their share was but 81. which yet they stood so much upon their liberty, as to refuse the payment, because they took the government to be only like that of a mayor and aldermen, who have no power to make laws, or raise taxes, without the people. But being called before the governour and assistants, they were told that the government was rather in the nature of a parliament, in that the assistants were chosen by the people at a general court every year, when the people had free liberty to choose assistants and remove them, if need were, to consider and propound matters of that nature, or any matter of grievance, without being subject to question; 'with which they were not only fully satisfied, but convinced of their former errour, which they publickly acknowledged.

Yet for all this did some further leaven of the former schism still continue at Watertown; so as they saw it necessary, in July following, to set the separatists a day, wherein to come in, or else to be liable to church censure. All persons submitted within the time, save one, who had so much stomach as not to yield till he was censured; soon after which he submitted himself.

During the infancy of the government, in these their weak beginnings, when they were both feeble and few in number, it pleased God, who hath the hearts of all men in his hand, to lay such a restraint on the heathen, (or else the false alarums, in September, 1632, that made such distraction, might have been to their destruction, if it had been a true one,) so that their chief sagamores both near by and more remote, made divers overtures of friendship with them, proffering some of them many kindnesses, which they know not well how to refuse, nor accept; not much unlike them that hold a wolf by the ears.

Amongst the rest, August 5, 1632, one of the great sachems of the Narragansets, (that most populous company of all the Indians in those parts,) called Mecumel, but afterwards Miantonimo, of whom there will be more occasion to speak in the year 645, came down to Boston to make peace or a league with the English, either out

of fear or love. And while himself and his followers were at the sermon, three of them withdrew from the assembly; and being pinched with hunger, (for "venter non habet aures,") broke into an English house in sermon time to get victuals. The sagamore, (an honest spirited fellow, as his after actions declared,) was hardly persuaded to order them any bodily punishment; but to prevent the shame of such attendants, forthwith sent them out of town, and followed himself not long after.

About the same time, came a company of eastern Indians, called Tarratines, and in the night assaulted the wigwam of the sagamore of Agawain. They were near an hundred in number, and they came with thirty canoes, (a small boat, made with the bark of birchen trees.) They slew seven men; and wounded John and James, two sagamores that lived about Boston; and carried others away captive, amongst whom one was the wife of the said James, which they sent again by the mediation of Mr. Shurd of Pemaquid, that used to trade with them, and sent word by him that they expected something in way of ransom. This sagamore of Agawam (as was usually said) had treacherously killed some of those Tarratine families, and therefore was the less pitied of the English that were informed thereof.

These are the principal occurrents that happened at the first settling of the plantation of the Massachusetts, wherein are briefly hinted the troubles they met withal upon the place. But Sir Christopher Gardiner, Thomas Morton, and Philip Ratcliffe, being sent back to England for several misdemeanours, endeavoured what they could to undermine the plantation of the Massachusetts, by preferring complaints against them to the king and council; being set on by Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Capt. Mason, which had begun plantations about Pascataqua, and aimed at the general government of New England, for their agent, Capt. Neale, as was said. Their petition was affirmed to contain many sheets of paper, wherein among some truth represented, were many false accusations laid to their charge; as if they intended rebellion, having cast off their allegiance, and that their ministers and people did

continually rail against the State, Church, and Bishops of England. But Sir Richard Saltonstall, Mr. Humphry, and Mr. Cradock, the first governour of the company, being then in England, gave a full answer to all those bold allegations and accusations, the effect of which shall more particularly be declared in the following chapters.

Capt. Levet, about this time returning for England, died at sea; by which occasion some letters, sent from indiscreet persons, fell into the hands of them that had no good will for the plantation; and by that means clamours were raised against them, which furnished their enemies with matters of complaint against them, which their petitions were stuffed withal. Information hereof was brought by Mr. Trevore, that arrived February 22, 1633, who brought goods and passengers for the Massachusetts. Yet, notwithstanding all their endeavours, multitudes of passengers came over every year, in all the succeeding years of the two first lustres, scil. till 1640; when by the turn of times in England, great hopes of reformation possessed men's minds, that they need not travel so far for liberty of conscience, which they expected should be granted them where they were: which put a stop to the coming over of any more passengers to New England, and occasioned a great change of their affairs thereby.

CHAP. XXVI.

The first courts kept in the Massachusetts, after the coming over of the governour. The carrying on of their civil affairs, from the year 1630 to 1656, with the accusations against them before the King and council.

THE first court of assistants, after the arrival of the governour and patentees in the Massachusetts, was held at Charlestown, August 23, the same year, 1630; at which time orders were made concerning the planting of the colony, in the several plantations that soon began to be erected; as likewise for the regulating the wages of artificers, employed in buildings, &c. it being commonly found that men, gotten from under the reins of govern

ment, are but like cattle without a fence, which are thereby apt to run wild, and grow unruly, without good laws.

September 7, 1630. At another session of the court, the governour and assistants considering the danger they might be exposed unto, in the midst of several nations of Indians, (in most of which they had little reason to put much confidence:) to prevent any possibility of arming such, as in future time might prove as goads in their eyes, and thorns in their sides, it was enacted to be 10% fine for any that should permit an Indian the use of a gun, the first offence; the second offence they were to be imprisoned and fined at discretion; which it had been well if it had been observed. But all the foresight in the world will not prevent a mischief that is designed upon a place or people, as the fruit of their own folly, as in after time came to pass. And in some regard, it had been well such laws had never been made, unless they had been better observed.

At the next meeting of the court, some care was had about the more orderly settling of the civil gov ernment, for the preserving the liberty of the people, and preventing any entrenching thereon by the power of the rulers; (it being feared, at least it was then supposed by some, that the waves of the sea are not more ready to overflow their banks, when driven by the wind and tide, than the minds of men, naturally carried with that of ambition, are to invade the rights and liberties of their brethren.) Therefore, to prevent all inconveniences of like nature possible to arise, October 19, 1630, at a general court of the whole company, it was with joint consent agreed, and by erection of hands declared, that the freemen of the company should choose the assistants, from among themselves; and that the assistants should choose the governour and deputy, from among themselves; and those so chosen should have power to make all laws, and choose officers to execute them? which order was not very long lived, for it remained in force only till the court of election, Anno 1632, when the election of the governour was ordered otherwise. The next thing most material, happening at this session,