The history of Connecticut, from its earliest settlement to the present time

Front matter

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Preface

This volume presents, within as small a compass as was consistent with clearness of expression, a narrative of the events which have occurred within the limits of Connecticut, adapted to the wants of all those who cherish a respect for the patriotism of their ancestors, or who desire a knowledge of the leading facts in the history of the State.

The honourable example of the small band of exiles by whom it was first founded, alike sturdy in defence of their religious creed and their political independence, fostered that brave and uncompromising spirit in their successors which was displayed in their opposition to the encroachments of the mother country, and which still

8 PREFACE.

more signally manifested itself during the War of the Kevolution.

In reciting the progress of these events, all the prominent incidents, prior to and connected with so glorious a struggle, as well as those which have occurred in the subsequent history of the State, will be found accurately recorded.

Chapter I

Adriaen Blok discovers and explores Connecticut River — Aspect of the country — Contemporaneous explorations of Captain John Smith — New England so named by Smith — Plymouth council established — Settlement of New England influenced by the persecution of the Puritans — Enactments against Puritanism during the reign of James the First — Puritan exiles settle in Amsterdam — Motives which induced them to remove to New England — Their voyage in the Mayflower — New Plymouth founded — Sufferings of the colonists — Emigrations to New' . England continue — Company of Massachusetts Bay obtains a charter — Rapid growth of the new colony planted under its protection — Early grants of Connecticut to Earl Warwick, and to Lords Say and Brooke — Boundai-ies according to the original patent — Dutch traders on the Connecticut — River Indians invite the English to trafiic — House of Good Hope built by the Dutch, near Hartford — Plj'^mouth people establish a trading-house at Windsor — Governor of Ncav Netherlands sends a force to drive them away — Failure of this new ex- - pedition — English and Dutch claims upon Connecticut — Lord Say and his associate propose to settle there — Reasons for their abandonment of that project — Winthrop and others arrive at Boston as commissioners for Say and Brooke — Fort Saybrook built at the mouth of the Connecticut Page 19

CHAPTER IL

Reverend Thomas Hooker — Silenced for nonconformity — Flies from England to Holland — Afi"ection of his congregation for him — They emigrate to New England — Solicit Hooker to join them — He arrives at Boston in company with Stone and Haynes — Charmed by reports of the fertility of Connecticut, Hooker's people determine to emigrate there — General court of Massachusetts objects — Renew their petition in the spring of 1635 — Permission granted them to emigrate — Pioneer companies plant Windsor, Hartford, and Wethersfield — Early and severe winter — SuflFering of the colonists — Many compelled to return to Massachusetts — Trials of those left behind — Representative court established in the spring of 1636 — First meeting of the court — Hooker and his congregation set out from Cambridge — Difficulties of their journey — They purchase lands at Hartford — Division of lands — Activity of the colonists — Windsor and Wethersfield receive new accessions — Churches formed — Difficulties between the Windsor people and the Plymouth colony — Fort Saybrook completed.. Pagre 35

Chapter III

Renewed trials — Prospect of an Indian war — Indians of Connecticut — River tribes — Mohegans — Pequods — Population — Origin of the Pequod war — Captain Stone killed by the Pequods — Oldham murdered by the Block Island Indians — Massachusetts despatches Endicott against them — He destroys their villages — Proceeds to Thames River^ — Calls upon the Pequods to surrender the murderers of Stone — His demand being refused, he burns two of their villages — Exasperation of the Pequods — They lurk around Fort Saybrook — Colonists massacred — Fortitude and death of John Tilley — Outhouses of the fort destroyed — Party under Lieutenant Gardiner attacked — Alarm of the Connecticut towns — Regulations adopted to prevent surprise — Indians attack Wethersfield — Connecticut towns raise troops — Headed by Mason, they depart against the Pequods — Cruelty of the Mohegan auxiliaries — Narraganset warriors join the expedition — Mason advances into the Pequod country — Attacks and burns Fort Mistic — Terrible slaughter of the Indians — Pursuit of the fugitives— Close of the war

Chapter IV

Effect of the war on the Indians — Subsequent distress of the colonists — First public tax levied — Settlement of New Haven as an independent colony — Plantation covenant — Lands purchased from the natives — City of New Haven laid out — Planters of Connecticut frame a constitution — Its liberal character — First assembly meets — John Haynes governor — Primary code of laws enacted — Town of Saybrook founded — Proceedings of the constitutional convention of New Haven — Scriptural character of the constitution framed by it — Eaton governor of New Haven — Davenport's charge to the governor — New towns planted — Connecticut colony's difficulty with Sequeen, sachem of the River Indians — Singular decision of the Massachusetts elders — Expedition against the Pequods — Hopkins governor — New towns planted — Governor of New Netherlands complains of JEnglish encroachments — New Haven sends out colonists to the Delaware — They commence settlements there — Dutch governor protests — Sends troops to destroy the new plantations — Complete success of the expedition — New Haven remonstrates — Second code of laws in Connecticut..Pa^e 63

Chapter V

Confederation of the New England colonies — Quarrel of Uncas and Miantonimo — Colonies side with Uncas — Miantonimo attacks him — Is defeated and taken captive — Claims the protection of the English — Colonial commissioners condemn him to death — He is executed by Uncas — Miantonimo's tribe persist in making war upon Uncas — Threatened by the colonies, they agree to a treaty of peace — DifiBculties with the governor of New Netherlands — Cheerless opening of the year 1644 — Monthly fast proclaimed — Road ordered to be laid out from Boston to the Connecticut — Saybrook purchased by Connecticut — New Haven people appoint an agent to apply for a charter — Their losses in planting — They fit out a vessel to trade with England — Vessel sails with the charter agent on board — Is never heard of again — Gloom of the colonists — Death and character of Hooker — New London settled by Winthrop — Disputes between Connecticut and Massachusetts — Pequods placed under English protection — Renewed diflBculties with the government of New Netherlands — Temporarily arranged by a treaty with Stuyvesant 77

Chapter VI

First complete code of Connecticut laws — Penalties inflicted upon the irreligious — Regulations for the support of religion — Recommendations for christianizing the Indians — Efforts of Elliott — Free-school system fostered — Penalties of lying — Use of tobacco restricted — Debtors saleable — Negro slavery — Regulation in regard to courtship and marriage — Renewed attempt of New Haven to plant on the Delaware — Emigrants seized by Stuyvesant — England and Holland at war — Massachusetts refuses to join the other colonies against New Netherlands — Indignation of Connecticut and New Haven — They solicit the aid of Cromwell — Death of Haynes — Peace between England and

Holland — House of Good Hope seized by Connecticut-— Harmony restored to the New England confederacy — John Winthrop governor — Death of Eaton — Newman governor of New Haven — Death of Hopkins — His liberality — Church dissensions — Law against Quakers — Lenient treatment of the Quakers in Connecticut and New Haven — Severity of Massachusetts — Wells governor — Re-election of Winthrop — Change in the rule with regard to the election of governors .^ Pa;j& 91

CHAPTER VIL

Charles II. King of England — GofFe and Whalley arrive at Boston — Their arrest ordered — They fly to New Haven — Are pursued — New Haven authorities refuse a warrant for their arrest — They are secretly favoured by the colonists — Finally escape to Hadley — Course of Governor Leet censured by Massachusetts — Dislike of the New Haven people for Charles II. — Their reluctance to acknowledge him king — Connecticut applies for a charter — Winthrop is ajDpointed agent in procuring it — His character — His success — Democratic character of the charter — New Haven included in it — People of that colony cling to their independence — Complain against the Connecticut authorities — Winthrop's letter on the subject — His return — His moderation and prudence — War between England and Holland — New Netherlands conquered by the English — Royal commissioners arrive at Boston — Consequent alarm of the colonists — New Haven yields jurisdiction to Connecticut — Day of thanksgiving appointed — Political advantages of the colony — Its toleration — Rapid increase of population — Domestic characteristics of the people — Economy in government — Town meetings — Their character — Their records 99

Chapter VIII

Prosperity of Connecticut — Apprehension of trouble — The Duke of York claims jurisdiction to the Connecticut — Edmund Andross governor of the duke's province — Embarks to seize Port Saybrook — Connecticut militia sent to oppose him — He attempts to assume authority — Is overawed by the determined conduct of Cajitain Bull — Retiirns to New York — King Philip's war — Its origin — Massacre at Swanzey — Philip a fugitive — Frontier towns of Massachusetts destroyed — Fearful character of the war — Exemption of Connecticut from its immediate horrors — Preparations for defence — Expedition against the Narragansets — Their fort attacked — Their obstinate resistance — Colonists finally victorious — Narraganset fort burned — Connecticut captains killed in the fight — Sufferings of the fugitive Indians — Their despair and fury — Connecticut volunteer companies — Canouchet captured by Captain Denison's men — His execution — Pursuit of Philip — He is shot by one of his own tribe — Death of Winthrop — William Leet governor — State of the colony in 1680 — Rogerenes Pa^e 112

Chapter IX

Robert Treat governor — Territorial dispute with Rhode Island — Conduct of that colony — Dispute finally terminates unfavourably to Connecticut — James 11. King of England — His scheme to consolidate the New England colonies — Quo warrantos served upon Connecticut — Prudent course of the assembly — Andross appointed governor of New England — Meets the Connecticut assembly — Demands the charter — It is secretly borne away — Andross assumes authority — Ends the records of the assembly — Revolution in England — Andross's authority overthrown — Connecticut charter reproduced — Assembly addresses King William — English lawyers declare the charter of Connecticut unimpaired — War between France and England — French and Indian war parties attack the frontiers of New York and Massachusetts — Expeditions against Canada — Their ill success — Designs of the English crown upon the liberties of Connecticut — Fletcher commissioned to command its militia — Opposition of the assembly — Winthrop bears a petition to the king — Rage of Fletcher — He attempts to assume com- - mand of the troops — Is thwarted by the courage of Captain Wadsworth — Course of Connecticut sustained by the crown lawyers — Rejoicing in consequence — Winthrop returns — His reception — Peace 125

Chapter X

Fitz-John Winthrop governor — Yale College founded — 1» removed to New Haven — Hartford and New Haven established as the colonial capitals — Charges against the colonies — Bill to abrogate their charters — Defence of Connecticut — Withdrawal of the obnoxious bill — War between England, France and Spain — Attempt of Cornbury and Dudley to abridge the liberties of Connecticut — Charges brought against the colony — Its vindication and triumph — Dudley renews his attacks upon the colon^y — Promotes the claims of the heirs of Major Mason — Long-continuance of the

CONTENTS.

Mason controversy— Is finally decided in favour of the colony— Death of Wintlirop— Saltonstall governor— Progress of the -war— Invasion of Canada projected— Design abandoned — Successful expedition against Acadia— Renewed attempt to conquer Canada— Its failure— Disappointment of the colonies— Peace— Condition of Connecti- , cut— Boundary dispute with Massachusetts settled.... Pr^ye 137

CHAPTER XL

Decline in morals— Consequent action of the assembly— Renewed attempts to abridge the charters of New England- Liberality of Governor Saltonstall— Proposed union of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, into one royal province— Spirited refusal of the colonists— Talcott and Law governors— Political quiet— Religious controversies—War between England and France— New England colonies resolve upon the conquest of Louisburg— Expedition prepared— Departs— Arrives before Louisburg— Troops effect a landing— Royal battery taken— Labours of the siege— French reinforcements captured— Colonists repulsed m an assault on the island battery— Preparations to storm the city— Louisburg capitulates— Rejoicings of the colonists—French iJian an invasion of New England — Colonies prepare to conquer Canada— Project abandoned— Alarm caused by a French squadron — Peace 150

CHAPTER XIL

Prosperity of Connecticut— Towns of Enfield, "Woodstock, Somers, and Dufiield received under the jurisdiction of Connecticut— Governors Wolcott and Fitch— Difficulties between England and France— Hostilities commenced— Plan of colonial union proposed— Rejected by the colonies and the Lords of Trade— Campaign of 1775— Israel Putnam —Sketch of his life— His character— His adventure with the wolf— Victory of Lake George— Honour of it claimed for Lyman of Connecticut— Defeat of Braddock— Failure of Shirley— Campaign of 1756— Loudoun appointed commander-in-chief—Oswego captured by the French— Shame- ^ful close of the campaign— Campaign of 1756— Expedition set on foot against Louisburg— Loudoun's inactivity at Halifax— Returns to New York— Montcalm descends upon Fort William Henry— Putnam informs Webb, at Fort Edward, of Montcalm's approach— Vacillating conduct of Webb— Surrender of .AIu nro— Massacre of the English prisoners attempted— Heroism of Montcalm— Alarm of the colonies— Promptness of Connecticut— Fort Edward saved by the daring energy of Putnam 161

CHAPTER XIIL

Campaign of 1758 — Energetic course of Pitt — Popularity of his measures — Louisburg captured — Abercrombie advances against Ticonderoga — Lord Howe killed — Abercrombie defeated — Frontenac surprised by Bi-adstreet — Fort Duquesne abandoned by the French — Perilous adventure of Putnam — He is captured by the Indians — Is saved from torture and death by Molang — Molang sends him a prisoner to Montcalm — Colonel Schuyler procures his exchange — Campaign of 1759 — Niagara surrendered to the English — Ticonderoga and Crown Point abandoned by the French — Amherst takes possession of the deserted posts — Quebec taken by Wolfe — Campaign of 1760 — Three English armies advance upon Montreal — Putnam at the capture of Fort Oswegatchie — His important services in that affair — Montreal surrenders — Final conquest of Canada — Benedict Arnold — His character — Anecdotes of him — Enlists in the army, and is stationed at Ticonderoga — His desertion. .Pa(/e 173

CHAPTER XIV.

Spain joins France against England — Expedition against Havana — Putnam joins it — Transport bearing the Connecticut regiment driven on a reef — Escape of all on board — Havana taken — Great mortality among the provincial troops — Peace of Fontainebleau — Wyoming settled by Connecticut emigrants — Jurisdiction claim of Connecticut — Wyoming settlers driven away by the Indians — Stamp Act proposed — Alarm of the colonies — Colonel Barre's reply to Townshend — Stamp Act passed — Course of Governor Fitch — Of Trumbull and Putnam — National Congress assembles — Its action — Proceedings approved by Connecticut — "Sons of Liberty" — Ingersoll's address to the Connecticut people — Stamp Act a nullity — It is repealed — Rejoicings in Connecticut — Sad accident at Hartford — Townshend's revenue bill passed — Action of the colonies — Pitkin governor of Connecticut — Townshend's bill repealed — Wyoming reoccupied by emigrants from Connecticut — Collisions with the Pennsylvanians — Connecticut people triumphant — Assumption of jurisdiction by Connecticut 186

CHAPTER XV.

Tax on tea rendered nugatory by non-importation agreements ■^Parliament attempts to force tea into America — Opposition of the colonies — Tea destroyed at Boston — Rage of

16 CONTEXTS.

the ministers — Port of Boston doped — >7;itionfiI Congress of 1774 — Action of the Connecticut assembly — Battle of Lexington — Boston invested — Patriotism of Putnam — Arnold before Boston — Zeal of Governor Trumbull — Of the Connecticut assembly — Connecticut during the war — Alien and Arnold at the capture of Ticonderoga — Enterprise of Arnold — Complaints of his enemies — Throws up his commission — Putnam at the battle of Bunker Hill — Washington commander-in-chief — Arnold's march through the wilderness to Quebec — Joins Montgomery — Assault on Quebec, and death of Montgomery — Arnold maintains the blockade of Quebec — Canada evacuated — Ai-nold the last to quit the enemy's shores Paye 19S

CHAPTER XYI.

Boston evacuated — Declaration of Independence — Battle of Brooklyn Heights — Nathan Hale — His patriotism — He is captured by the British — Is sentenced to death as a spy — Cruelty of his captors — His last words — New York captured — Death of Colonel Knowlton — Arnold on Lake Champlain — Charge of dishonesty preferred against him — Washington retreats across the Jerseys — Battles of Trenton and Princeton — Neglect of Arnold by Congress — Tryon's attack on Danbury — British assailed by the militia — Death of Wooster — Bravery of Arnold — Exploit of Colonel Meigs — Arnold appointed a major-general — Singular inconsistency of Congress — Arnold demands an investigation into his ccmduct — Favourable report of the Board of War — Action of Congress — Arnold tenders his resignation — At the recommendation of AVashington is sent to the northern army — Battles of Behmus' Heights — Surrender of Burgoyne 208

CHAPTER XVIL

Effect of Burgoyne's surrender — Arnold raised to his full rank — Lord North's conciliatory bills — Alliance with France — Battle of Monmouth — Massacre of Wyoming — Close of the campaign — Mutiny at Danbury — Putnam's address to the troops — Its good eflect — Tryon at Ilorseneck — Perilous feat of -Putnam — British operations in the south — Movements of Clinton — Tryon's attack on New Haven — Murder of inhabitants — Patriotism of Rev. Mr. Dagget — Burning of Fairtield and Norwalk — Stony Point retaken by Wayne — Sullivan's expedition against the Indians 220

CHAPTER XYIIl.

Campaign of 1780 — South Carolina invaded — Fall of Charleston — Defeat of Gates — Gloomy aspect of affairs — Arnold at Philadelphia — His quarrel with the Pennsylvania authorities — Tried by court-martial — Sentenced to a reprimand from the commander-in-chief — Washington's reprimand — Mortification of Arnold — His extravagance — Its result — Treason of Arnold — Execution of Andre — Arnold in Virginia — Campaign of 1781 — Greene in South Carolina — Cornwallis concentrates his troops at Yorktown — Arnold's attack on New London — Massacre of the garrison of Fort Griswold — New London bui-ned — Surrender of Cornwallis- — Subsequent life of Arnold — His death at London Page 232

CHAPTER XIX.

Negotiations for peace — Settlement of the jurisdiction dispute between Connecticut and Pennsylvania — Dissatisfaction of the "Wyoming colonists — Peace — Condition of the country — Slavery abolished in Connecticut — Griswold and Hu^itiiigdon governors — Cession of public lands — Connecticut reserve sold — Permanent common-school fund established — Proposed federal impost — New York refuses to sanction it^ — National convention recommended — Meeting of the convention — Character of the delegates — Roger Sherman — Proceedings of the convention — Struggle between the larger » and smaller states — Sherman procures a committee of conference — Franklin's proposition — Northern and southern parties — Connecticut delegates act as compromisers — New diflBculties between the north and south — Third great compromise of the constitution — Constitution signed — Gloomy presentiments 243

CHAPTER XX.

Ratification of the constitution by Connecticut — Federal and Republican parties — Political complexion of Connecticut — Amendments of the constitution adopted — "Washington elected president — New partisan difi'erences — Contest between the administration and Genet — Public sentiment in Connecticut — Governors "Wolcott and Trumbull — Difiiculties with France — Alien and sedition acts — Fall of the Federalists — Foreign relations of the United States — British orders in council — Berlin and Milan decrees — Effect of

2* tbese measures — Assumptions of Great Britain — Adoption of the embargo — Denounced by the New England states — Address of Governor Trumbull — Action of the legislature — Repeal of the embargo — Continued aggressions of England — Declaration of war Pcuje 255

CHAPTER XXI.

New England peace party — Contest between the executives of Connecticut and the United States — Governor Griswold refuses to yield the command of the militia to officers of the regular service — General assembly approves his course — Law for a provisional army in Connecticut — Federal triumphs — John Cotton Smith, governor — Progress of the war — Captain Isaac Hull — Militia called out to defend the United States ships of war — Report of a joint committee of the assembly against withdrawing the regular troops from the seaboard — Peace party losing strength — Origin of tho term "blue-light federalist" — Shipping destroyed at Saybrook — British repulsed in an attack on Stonington — Conscription and minor enlistment bills — Denounced by the Connecticut assembly — Hartford convention called — Meeting of the convention — Outline of its report — State law relative to the enlistment of minors — Peace 264.

CHAPTER XXII.

Reviving effects of peace — Decline of the Federal party in Connecticut — " Toleration party" — Triumph of the " Tolerationists" — Oliver Wolcott governor — Constitutional convention called — Constitution sanctioned by the people — Changes made by it — Disorganization of parties — Wolcott the first governor under the constitution — Is succeeded by Gideon Tomlinson — Charles H. Pond, the present executive — Statistics of education — Of benevolent and other institutions — Of religion — Agriculture — Manufactures — Commerce — Mineral resources of the state — Internal improvements — Banking capital — State debt — Population 277

HISTORY OF COMECTICUT.

Chapter I

Adriaen Blok discovers and explores Connecticut River — Aspect of the country — Contemporaneous explorations of Captain Jolin Smith — New^ England so named by Smith — Plymouth council established — Settlement of New England influenced by the persecution of the Puritans — Enactments against Puritanism during the reign of James the First — Puritan exiles settle in Amsterdam — Motives which induced them to remove to New^ England — Their voyage in the Mayflower — New Plymouth founded — Sufferings of the colonists — Emigrations to New England continue — Company of Massachusetts Bay obtains a charter — Rapid growth of the new colony planted under its protection — Early grants of Connecticut to Earl Warwick, and to Lords Say and Brooke ■ — Boundaries according to the original patent — Dutch traders on the Connecticut — River Indians invite the English to traffic — House of Good Hope built by the Dutch, near Hartford — Plymouth people establish a trading-house at Windsor — Governor of New Netherlands sends a force to drive them away — Failure of this new expedition — English and Dutch claims upon Connecticut — Lord Say and his associate propose to settle there — Reasons for their abandonment of that project — Winthrop and others arrive at Boston as commissioners for Say and Brooke — Fort Saybrook built at the mouth of the Connecticut.

Early in the year 1614, the States-General of the Netherlands promised, to such of their citizens as should discover new lands, an exclusive privilege of trade to them for four successive voyages. On the strength of this promise, a company of merchants residing at Amsterdam fitted out five ships to explore the coasts of North America. Commanding one of the vessels composing this fleet, which presently crossed the Atlantic in safety, was Captain Adriaen Blok, a navigator of no little skill and enterprise.

Soon after the arrival of Blok at Manhattan Island, on the southern extremity of which the Dutch had erected a rude fort during the previous year, his vessel, by some accident, caught fire and was destroyed. Repairing this loss, by building on the co,rst a small yacht, which he called the «' Restless," Blok, some time during the summer, sailed on a voyage of discovery throuo'h the East River into Long; Island Sound.

Coasting along the northern shore of New Endand, he discovered the outlets of two considerable streams. Entering the largest of these, he named it Fresh River, in contrast to the Hudson, whose waters were salt. Its Indian name was Quonehtacut, or Connecticut — that is, Long River.

Up this broad and gently-flowing stream, Blok slowly sailed to a point some fifty miles from the sea, and a little above where the city of Hartford now stands. The aspect of the country through which he passed was in the highest

1614.] VOYAGE OF BLOK. 21

degree pleasant and attractive. On either side of the river Avere beautiful meadows with a soil of surpassing richness, and covered with tall and luxuriant grasses down to the very edge of the water. Here and there over these natural meadows, and along the margin of the stream, were delightful clusters of vine-clad trees ; under the shade of wdiich were built the cabins or wigwams of the harmless and unwarlike Indian tribes, by whom this portion of the Connecticut valley was peopled. Back from the river, and beyond the almost level meadow lands, the ground began to ascend by gentle undulations. Here the trees grew taller and closer togedier; and, at length, climbing the distant hills that formed the line of the horizon, they presented the appearance of a dense and unbroken forest. Corn, hemp, »and an infinite variety of fruits and medicinal herbs, were found abundantly in the fields and the woods. Game of all kinds swarmed in the forest, and the river w^as alive with fish. Such, in part, were the natural beauties and advantages of the valley of the Connecticut, which Blok was the first of white men to see and admire.

Having lingered on the Connecticut long enough to complete a map of its explored course, Blok again dropped down to the ocean, and continued his voyage eastward to Cape Cod, in the mean time discovering and exploring Narraganset Bay. Block Island still perpetuates his name and the memory of these explorations. From Cape Cod he probably retmmed to Manhattan, whence a map, exhibiting the discoveries he had made, was forwarded to the States- General.

Upon this voyage of Blok, and upon a previous one made by Hendrik Hudson, the Dutch based their pretensions to that part of the American coast included between the fortieth and fortyfifth parallels of north latitude. It will presently be seen with what success these pretensions Avere urged.

At the very time when Blok was prosecuting his discoveries, Captain John Smith, the founder of Virginia, and the adventurous representative of a sturdy and energetic race, was exploring that portion of our eastern seaboard lying between the Penobscot and Cape Cod. Returning home, Smith published an account of his voyage, toccether with a chart of the coasts he had visited. To the region thus described he gave the name New England — a name bestowed upon it contemporaneously w^ith that of New Netherlands by the Dutch, and one, too, which it has ever since retained.

Previous to this visit of Smith to New England, several unsuccessful attempts had been made to establish settlements there. Beanimated by the glowing pictures he presented of the

1620.] PLYMOUTH COMPANY. 23

country, the Plymouth Company, to whom eight years before it had been patented by James I. of England, once more exerted themselves to throw into it a body of colonists. Nearly six years elapsed, however, and no visible success had attended their efforts. But, although unfortunate in one attempt to plant a colony. Smith was as sanguine as ever.

His enthusiasm was contagious. Forming schemes of colonization upon a gigantic scale, the Plymouth Company applied for, and finally obtained, on the 3d of November, 1620, a new, distinct, and extraordinary patent. By the authority of King James, forty of the richest and most powerful of the English nobility were incorporated as "The Council established at Plymouth, in the county of Devon, for the planting, ruling, and ordering of New England in America." By this grant, upon which were based all the other grants made to the New England colonies, a territory was conferred upon the patentees, with uncontrolled sovereignty and unlimited jurisdiction, extending in breadth from the latitude of Philadelphia to that of Passamaquoddy Bay, and in length from the Atlantic to the Pacific ; excepting, however, such places "as were actually possessed by any other Christian prince or people."

In the mean time, however, a people, whom persecution had driven from their native land, were preparing to accomplish what this powerful and opulent company might have failed in. A permanent settlement was already being planted in New England.

Springing up with the Reformation, Puritanism had continued to flourish in the midst of many unfavourable circumstances. Driven out of England by severe penal laws, enacted during the latter half of the sixteenth century, a numerous company of its professors had collected, about the year 1600, at Amsterdam, hoping to be recalled to their native land by the successor of Queen Elizabeth.