 Chapter 3 of the Life of Washington, Volume 1 by John Marshall. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 3, first ineffectual attempts of the Plymouth Company to settle the country. Settlement at New Plymouth, Sir Henry Rosewell and company. New charter settlements prosecuted vigorously. Government transferred to the columnists. Boston founded religious intolerance. General court established royal commission for the government of the plantations. Contest with the French colony of Accadie, Hugh Peters, Henry Vain, Mrs. Hutchinson. Main, granted to gorgeous. Quote warranted against the patent of the colony. Religious dissensions, Providence settled, Rhode Island settled. Connecticut settled, war with the Pequods. New Haven settled. 1606. The steps by which the first or southern colony advanced to a firm and permanent establishment were slow and painful. The company for founding the second or northern colony was composed of gentlemen residing in Plymouth. And other parts of the west of England was less wealthy and possessed fewer resources than the first company which resided in the capital. Their efforts were consequently more feeble and less successful than those which were made in the south. The first vessel fitted out by this company was captured and confiscated by the Spaniards who at that time asserted a right to exclude the ships of all other nations from navigating the American seas. 1607, not discouraged by this misfortune the company in the following year dispatched to other vessels having on board about 200 persons designed to form the proposed settlement. The columnists arrived safely on the American coast in autumn and took possession of a piece of ground near the river Saga Haddock where they built Fort St. George. Their sufferings during the ensuing winter were extreme. Many of the company among whom were Gilbert their Admiral and George Popham their President sank under the diseases by which they were attacked and the vessels which brought them supplies in the following spring brought also the information that their principal patron Sir John Popham Chief Justice of England was dead. 1608. Discouraged by their losses and sufferings and by the death of a person on whom they relied chiefly for assistance the surviving columnists determined to abandon the country and embark on board the vessels then returning to England. The frightful pictures they drew of the country and of the climate deterred the company for some time from further attempts to make a settlement and their enterprises were limited to voyages for the purposes of taking fish and of trading with the natives for furs. 14. One of these was made by Captain Smith so distinguished in the history of Virginia. Having explored with great accuracy that part of the coast which stretches from Penobscot to Cape Cod he delineated it on a map which he presented to the young Prince of Wales with descriptions dictated by a sanguine mind in which enthusiasm was combined with genius. The imagination of the Prince was so wrought upon by the glowing colors in which Smith painted the country that he declared it should be called New England which name it has ever since retained. The languishing company of Plymouth however could not be stimulated to engage in farther schemes of colonization the advantages of which were distant and uncertain while the expense was immediate and inevitable to a stronger motive than even interest is New England indebted for its first settlement. An obscure sect which had acquired the Appalachian of Brownists from the name of its founder and which had rendered itself peculiarly obnoxious by the democracy of its tenants respecting church government had been driven by persecution to take refuge at Leiden in Holland where its members formed a distinct society under the care of their pastor Mr. John Robinson. There they resided several years in safe obscurity this situation at length became irksome to them their families intermingled with the Dutch and they saw before them with extreme apprehension the danger of losing their separate identity under the influence of these and other causes they came to the determination of removing in a body to America 1618 they applied to the London company for a grant of lands and to promote the success of their application by the certainty of their emigrating they said that they were well weaned from the delicate milk of their mother country and anew it to the difficulties of a strange land that they were knit together in a strict and sacred bond by virtue of which they held themselves bound to take care of the good of each other and of the whole that it was not with them as with other men whom small things could discourage or small discontents caused to wish themselves at home again the only privilege on which they insisted was a license under the great seal to practice and profess religion in that mode which under the impulse of conscience they had adopted this reasonable and moderate request was refused James had already established the church of England in Virginia and although he promised to connive at their nonconformity and not to molest them while they demean themselves peaceably he positively refused to give that explicit and solemn pledge of security which they required this for a short time suspended their removal but the causes of their discontent in Holland continuing they had linked determined to trust to the verbal declarations of the king and negotiated with the Virginia company for attractive land within the limits of their patent 1620 in September they sailed from England with only 120 men in a single ship their destination was Hudson's River but the first land they made was Cape Cod they soon perceived that they were not only beyond their own limits but beyond those of the company from which they derived their title but it was now the month of November and consequently too late in the season again to put to sea in search of a new habitation settlement at New Plymouth after exploring the coast they chose a position for their station to which they gave the name of new at New Plymouth on the 11th of November before landing a solemn covenant was signed by the heads of families and Freeman in which after reciting that they had undertaken to plant a colony for the glory of God and for the honor of their king and country and professing their loyalty to their sovereign Lord King James they combined themselves into a body politic for the purpose of making equal loss for the general good having thus formed a compact the obligation of which all admitted they proceeded to the choice of a governor for one year and to enable him the better to discharge the trust confided to him they gave him one assistant in 1624 three others were added and the number was afterwards increased to seven the supreme power resided in and during the infancy of the colony was exercised by the whole body of the male inhabitants they assembled together occasionally to determine on all subjects of public concern there was a house of representatives established until the year 1639 they adopted the laws of England as a common rule of action adding occasionally municipal regulations some of the changes in their penal code strongly mark their character and circumstances while only a moderate fine was imposed on forgery fornication was punished with whipping an adultery with death misguided by their religious theories they fell into the same error which had been committed in Virginia and in imitation of the primitive Christians threw all their property into a common stock labor jointly for the common benefit and were fed from the common stores this regulation produced even in this small and enthusiastic society its constant effect they were often in danger of starving and severe whipping administered to promote labor only increased discontent the colonists landed out at season of the year which was unfavorable to the establishment of a new settlement the winter which was intensely cold had already commenced and they were not in a condition to soften its rigors before the return of spring 50 of them perished with maladies increased by the hardships to which they were exposed by the scarcity of food by the almost total privation of those conflicts to which they have been accustomed the survivors as the season moderated encountered new difficulties their attention to the means of providing for their future wants was interrupted by the necessity of taking up arms to defend themselves against the neighboring savages fortunately for the colonists the natives had been so wasted by pestilence the preceding year that they were easily subdued and compelled to accept a piece on equitable terms the colonists were supported under these multiplied distresses by the hope of better times and by that high gratification which men exasperated by persecution and oppression derived from the enjoyment of the rights of conscience and the full exercise of the powers of self-government from their friends in England they received occasional but scanty supplies and continued to struggle against surrounding difficulties with patience and perseverance they remained in peace alike exempt from the notice and depression of government yet in consequence of the unproductiveness of their soil and their adherence to the pernicious policy of a community of goods and of labor they increased more slowly than the other colonies and in the year 1630 amounted to only 300 souls until the year 1630 they possessed no other title to their lands than is derived from occupancy in that year they obtained a grant from the new Plymouth company but were never incorporated as a body politic by royal charter having received no powers from the parliament or king and being totally disregarded by the Plymouth company they remained a mere voluntary association yielding obedience to laws and to magistrates formed and chosen by themselves in this situation they continued undisturbed and almost unknown more tolerant and more moderate than their neighbors until their union with a younger and more powerful sister who advanced with growth unusually rapid to a state of maturity the original company of Plymouth having done nothing effectual towards setting the territory which had been granted to them and being unable to preserve the monopoly of their trade and fisheries applied to james for a new and more enlarged patent on the 3rd of november he granted that territory which lies between the 40th and 48th degrees of north latitude to the Duke of Lenox the Marquis of Buckingham and several others in absolute property and incorporated them under the name of the council established at Plymouth for planting and governing that country called New England with jurisdiction and power similar to those which had before been conferred on the companies of south and north virginia and especially that of excluding all other persons whatever from trading within their boundaries and fishing and the neighboring seas this improvident grant which excited the indignation of the people of england then deeply interested in the fur trade and fisheries soon engaged the attention and received the censure of parliament the patentees were compelled to relinquish their odious monopoly and being thus deprived of the funds on which they had relied to furnish the expense of supporting new settlements they abandoned the design of attempting them new england might have remained long and occupied by europeans and not the same causes which occasion the emigration of the brownists still continued to operate the persecution to which the puritans were exposed increased their zeal and their numbers in despair of obtaining at home a relaxation of those rigorous penal statutes under which they had long smarted they looked elsewhere for that toleration which was denied them in their native land understanding that their brethren in new plymouth were permitted to worship their creator according to the dictates of conscience their attention was directed towards the same coast and several small emigrations were made at different times to massachusetts bay so termed from the name of the sachin who was sovereign of the country 1627 mr. white a non-conforming minister at doorchester formed an association of several gentlemen who had imbibed puritanical opinions for the purpose of conducting a colony to the bay of massachusetts and rendering it an asylum for the persecuted of his own persuasion in prosecution of these views a treaty was concluded with the council of plymouth for the purchase of part of new england sir henry rosewell and others and that corporation in march 1627 sold to sir henry rosewell and others all that part of new england lying three miles to the south of charles river and three miles north of mary mac river and extending from the atlantic to the south sea a small number of planters and servants were soon afterwards dispatched under endicott who in september laid the foundation of salem the first prominent town in massachusetts the purchasers perceived their inability to accomplish the settlement of the extensive regions that had acquired without the aid of more opulent partners these were soon found in the capital but they required that a new charter should be obtained from the crown comprehending their names which should confirm the grant to the council of plymouth and confer on the grantees the powers of government so seldom is man instructed by the experience of others that disregarding the lessons furnished by virginia they likewise required that the supreme authority should be vested in persons residing in london 1628 the proprietors having acceded to these requisitions application was made to charles for a patent conforming to them which issued on the fourth day of march 1628 this charter incorporated the grand tease by the name of the governor and company of massachusetts bay in new england the whole executive power was vested in a governor a deputy governor and 18 assistants to be named in the first instance by the crown and afterwards elected by the company the governor and seven or more of the assistants were authorized to meet in monthly courts for the dispatch of such business as concern the company or a settlement the legislator power was vested in the body of the proprietors who were to assemble four times a year in person under the denomination of the general court besides electing freemen and the necessary officers of the company were empowered to make ordinances for the good of the community and the government of the plantation and its inhabitants provided they should not be repugnant to the laws of england their lands were to be holding in free and common stockage and the same temporary exemption from taxes from duties on exports and imports which have been granted to the colony of virginia was accorded to them as in the charter of virginia so in this the colonists and their descendants were declared to be entitled to all the rights and privileges of natural born subjects the patent being obtained the governor and council engaged with arder in the duties assigned to them to support the expenses of a fresh embarkation it was resolved that every person subscribing 50 pounds should be entitled to 200 acres of land as the first dividend five vessels sailed and made carrying about 200 persons who reached Salem in June at that place they found endicott to whom they brought a confirmation of his commission as governor the colony consisted of 300 persons 100 of whom removed to charles town religion which had stimulated them to remove from their native land became the first object of their care in the country they had adopted being zealous puritans they concurred in the institution of a church establishing that form of policy which has since been denominated independent a confession of faith was drawn up to which the majority ascended and an association was formed in which they covenanted with the lord and with each other to walk together in all his ways as he should be pleased to reveal himself to them pastors and other ecclesiastical officers were chosen who were installed into their sacred offices by the imposition of the hands of the brethren a church being thus formed several were received as members who gave an account of their faith and hope as Christians and those only were admitted into the communion whose morals and religious tenants were approved by the elders pleased with the work of their hands and believing it to be perfect they could tolerate no difference of opinion just escape from persecution they became persecutors themselves some few of their number attached to the ritual of the church of england were dissatisfied with its total abolition and withdrawing from communion with the church met apart to worship god in the manner they deemed most proper at the head of this small number were two of the first patentees who were also of the council 1629 they were called before the governor who being of opinion that their nonconformity and conversation tended to sedition sent them to england the opposition seized when deprived of its leaders the following winter brought with it the calamities which must be uniformly sustained by the first emigrants into a wilderness where the cold is severe and the privations almost universal in the course of it nearly half their number perished lamenting that they did not live to see the rising glories of the faithful the fortitude however of the survivors was not shaken nor were their brethren in england deterred from joining them religion supported the columnists under all their difficulties and the intolerant spirit of the english hierarchy diminished in the view of the puritans in england the dangers and the sufferings to be encountered in america and dispose them to forego every other human enjoyment for the consoling privilege of worshiping the supreme being according to their own opinions many persons of fortune determined to seek in the new world that liberty of conscience which was denied them in the old but foreseeing the misrule and separable from the residents of the legislative power in england they demanded as preliminary to their immigration that the powers of government should be transferred to new england and be exercised in the colony the company had already incurred expenses for which they saw no prospect of a speedy reimbursement and although they doubted the legality of the measure were well disposed by adopting it to obtain such important aid government transferred to massachusetts bay the general court was therefore convened by whom it was unanimously resolved that the patent should be transferred in the government of the colony removed from london to massachusetts bay it was also agreed that the members of the corporation remaining in england should retain a share in the trading stock and profits for the term of seven years 1630 such was the effect of this revolution in the system of government that early in the following year 1500 persons among whom were several of family and fortune embarked at an expensive upwards of 20 000 pounds and arrived at salem in july boston founded dissatisfied with this situation they explored the country in quest of better stations and settling in many places around the bay they laid the foundation of several towns and among others of boston the difficulty of obtaining subsistence the difference of their food from that to which they had been accustomed the intense cold of the winter against which sufficient provision was not yet made were still severely felt by the colonists and still carried many of them to the grave but that enthusiasm which had impelled them to emigrate preserved all its force and they met with a firm unshaken spirit the calamities which assailed them 1631 our admiration of their fortitude and of their principles sustains however some diminution from observing the sternness with which they denied to others that civil and religious liberty which through so many dangers and hardships they sought for themselves their general court decreed that none should be admitted as freemen or permitted to vote at elections or be capable of being chosen as magistrates or serving as German but such as have been received into the church as members thus did men who had braved every hardship for freedom of conscience deny the choices rights of humanity to all those who dissented from the opinion of the majority on any article of faith or point of church discipline the numerous complaints of the severities exercised by the government of massachusetts added to the immense emigration of persons noted for their enthusiasm seem it linked to have made some impression on charles 1633 and in order was made by the king and council to stop the ships at that time ready to sail freighted with passengers for new england disorder however seems never to have been strictly executed as the emigrations continued without any sensible diminution either to the legislature had been composed of the whole body of the freemen under this system so favorable to the views of the few who possess popular influence the real power of the state have been chiefly engrossed by the governor and assistance hated by the clergy the emigration however having already been considerable and the settlements having become extensive it was found inconvenient if not impracticable longer to preserve a principle which their charter enjoined 1634 in the year 1634 by common consent the people elected delegates who met the governor and council and constituted the general court this important improvement in their system rendered familiar and probably suggested by the practice in the mother country although not authorized by the charter remained unaltered so long as that charter was permitted to exist commission for the government of the plantations the colony of massachusetts having been conducted from its commencement very much on the plan of an independent society at length attracted the partial notice of the jealous administration in england 1635 and a commission for the regulation and government of the plantations was issued to the great officers of state and to some of the nobility in which absolute power was granted to the archbishop of canterbury and to others to make laws and constitutions concerning either their state public or the utility of individuals the commissioners were authorized to support the clergy by assigning them tithes oblations and other profits according to their discretion to inflict punishment on those who should violate their ordinances to remove governors of plantations and to appoint others and to constitute tribunals and courts of justice ecclesiastical and civil with such authority and form as they should think properly but their laws were not to take effect until they had received the royal assent and had been proclaimed in the colonies the commissioners were also constituted a committee to hear complaints against the colony its governor or other officers with power to remove the offender to england for punishment they were further directed to cause the revocation of such letters patent granted for the establishment of colonies as should upon inquiry be found to have been unduly obtained or to contain a grant of liberties hurtful to the royal prerogative from the first settlement at saddam the colony of massachusetts had cultivated the friendship of their neighbors of new planet the bonds of mutual amity were now rendered more strict not only by some appearances of a hostile disposition among the natives but by another circumstance which excited alarm in both colonies the voyages for discovering settlement made by the english and french to the coast of north america having been nearly co-temporaneous their conflicting claims soon brought them into collision with each other the same lands were granted by the sovereigns of both nations and under these different grants actual settlements had been made by the french as far south and west as st croix and by the english as far north and east as banab scott during the war with france which broke out early in the reign of charles the first that monarch granted a commission to captain curt for the conquest of the countries in america occupied by the french under which in 1629 canada and aka d a were subdued but by the treaty of saint germin those places were restored to france without any description of their limits and fort royal we're back in kate pertin were severally surrendered by name in 1632 a party of france from aka d a committed a robbery on a trading house established at banab scott by the people of new plummet with the intelligence of this fact information was also brought that cardinal richelieu had ordered some companies to aka d a and that more were expected the next year with priest jesuas another formidable accompaniments for a permanent settlement the governor aka d a established a military post at banab scott yet the same time wrote to the governor of new plummet stating that he had orders to displace the english as far as pemicrit not being disposed to submit quietly to this invasion of territory the government of new plinth undertook an expedition for the recovery of the fort at banab scott consisting of an english ship of war under the command of captain girling and a bark with 20 men belonging to the colony the garrison received notice of this armament and prepared for its reception by fortifying and strengthening the fort in consequence of which girling after expending his ammunition and finding himself too weak to attempt the works by assault applied to massachusetts for aid that colony agreed to furnish 100 men and to bear the expense of the expedition by private subscription but a sufficient supply of provisions even for this small corps could not be immediately obtained and the expedition was abandoned girling returned and the french retained possession of banab scott till 1654 the apprehensions entertained of these formidable neighbors contributed in no small degree to cement the union between massachusetts and plinth two persons afterwards distinguished in english annals arrived this year in boston one was Hugh peters the co-agitor and chaplain of oliver cromwell the other was mr henry vane the son of sir henry vane who was at that time a privy counselor of great credit with the king 1636 the mind of this young gentleman was so deeply imbued with the political and religious opinions of the puritans that he appeared ready to sacrifice for the enjoyment of them all his bright prospects in his native land his mortified exterior his grave and solemn deportment his reputation for piety and wisdom his strong professions of attachment to liberty and to the public good added to his attention to some of the leading members in the church won rapidly the affections of the people and he was chosen their governor his administration commenced with more external pomp than had been usual or would seem to be congenial either with his own professions or with the plain and simple manners of the people whom he governed when going to quarter church he was always preceded by two sergeants who walked with their halberds yet his popularity sustained no diminution until the party took in the religious controversies of the country detached from him many of its most judicious inhabitants independent of the meetings for public worship on every sunday of the stated lecture in boston on every thursday and of occasional lectures in other towns there were frequent meetings of the brethren of the churches for religious exercises mrs hutchinson who had been much flattered by the attentions of the governor and of mr cotton one of the most popular of the clergy who added eloquence to her enthusiasm and whose husband was among the most respected men of the country dissatisfied with the exclusion of her sex from the private meetings of the brethren instituted a meeting of the sisters also in which she repeated the sermons of the preceding sunday accompanied with remarks and expositions these meetings were attended by a large number of the most respectable of her sex and her lectures were for a time generally approved at length she drew a distinction between the ministers through the country she designated a small number as being under a covenant of grace the others as being under the covenant of works contending for the necessity of the former she maintained that sanctity of life is no evidence of justification or a favor with god and that the holy ghost dwells personally in such as are justified the whole colony was divided into two parties equally positive on these abstruse points whose resentments against each other threatened the most serious calamities mr vane espouse was zeal the wildest doctrines of mrs hutchinson and mr cotton decidedly favored them the lieutenant governor mr winthrop and the majority of the churches were of the opposite party many conferences were held days of fasting and humiliation were appointed a general synod was called and after violent dissensions mrs hutchinson's opinions were condemned as erroneous and she was banished many of her disciples followed her vain in disgust quitted america unlimited even by those who had lately admired him he was thought to visionary and has said to have been too enthusiastic even for the enthusiasts of massachusetts the patentees having no common object to prosecute resolved to divide their lands and in the expectation of receiving a deed of confirmation for the particular portion which fortune should a lot to each cast lots in the presence of james for the shares each should hold in several teeth they continued however to act some years longer as a body politic during which time they granted various portions of the country to different persons and executed under the seal of the corporation deeds of thief meant for the lots drawn by each member of the company patents of confirmation for which were solicited but appeared to have been granted only to gorgeous for main the charter was surrendered by the company and accepted by the crown 1637 charles in pursuance of his determination to take the government of new england into his own hands issued a proclamation directing that none should be transported thither who had not the special license of the crown which should be granted to those only who had taken the oaths of supremacy and allegiance and had conformed to the discipline of the church of england this order however could not be completely executed and the emigrations which were entirely non conformist still continue those who were disgusted with the ceremonials rigidly exacted in england estimated so highly the simple frame of church policy established in massachusetts that numbers surmounted every difficulty to seek an asylum in this new jerusalem among them were men of the first political influence and mental attainments pym hampton haslery and cromwell with many others who afterwards performed a conspicuous part in that revolution which brought the head of charles to the block are said to have been actually on board a vessel prepared to sail for new england and to have been stopped by the special orders of the privy council 1638 the commissioners for the regulation and government of the plantations having reported that massachusetts had violated its charter a rid of quote warrento was issued on which judgment was given in favor of the crown the process was never served on any member of the corporation and it is therefore probable that the judgment was not final the privy council however ordered the governor and company to send their patent to england to be surrendered the general court answered this order by a petition to the commissioners in which they said we dare not question your lordship's proceedings in requiring our patent to be sent unto you we only desire to open our griefs and if in anything we have offended his majesty or your lordships we humbly prostrate ourselves at the foot stool of supreme authority we are sincerely ready to yield all due obedience to both we are not conscious that we have offended in anything as our government is according to law we pray that we may be heard before a condemnation and that we may be suffered to live in the wilderness fortunately for the colonist charles and his commissioners found too much employment at home to have leisure for carrying into complete execution a system aimed at the subversions of what was most dear to the hearts of americans to the religious dissensions which distracted massachusetts and to the rigor with which conformity was exacted as to be attributed the first settlement of the other colonies of new england as early as the year 1634 roger williams a popular preacher at salem who had refused to hold communion with the church at boston because its members refused to make a public declaration of their repentance for having held communion with the church of england during their residence in that country was charged with many exceptional tenants among several which mark his wild enthusiasm one is found in total opposition to the spirit of the times and to the severity of his other doctrines he maintained that to punish a man for any matter of conscience is persecution and that even papas and armenians are entitled to freedom of conscience in worship provided the peace of civil society be secured the divines of massachusetts in opposition to this doctrine contended that they did not persecute men for conscience but corrected them for sinning against conscience and so they did not persecute but punish heretics this unintelligible sophism not convincing williams he was for this and for his other heresies banished by the magistrates as a disturber of the peace of the church and of the commonwealth blemeth massachusetts in 1622 from the painting by wl williams here under governor bradford who directed their destiny for apricaria's quarter of a century the pilgrim fathers drove desperately to maintain a foothold in america and several times were on the point of abandoning the enterprise to such traits where they reduced in 1622 a year after the death of governor carter that half rations were doled out and went in may of that year ship arrived from england bearing encouraging letters to the pilgrims but no substantial supplies governor bradford remarked bitterly all this is but cold comfort to fill hungry bellies many of his disciples followed him into exile and traveling south until they passed the line of massachusetts purchased attractive land of the narragansetts then a powerful tribe of indians where in 1635 providence settled they made a settlement to which they gave the name of providence after fixing the place of their future residents they entered into a voluntary association and framed a government composed of the whole body of freeman after the manner of massachusetts they created a church by collecting a religious society but as one of the causes of their migration had been the tenet that all were entitled to freedom of conscience and worship entire toleration was established the new settlers cultivated with assiduity the good will of the natives with whom a long peace was preserved the banishment of williams was soon followed by that of mrs hutchinson road island settled she was accompanied by many of her disciples who pursuing the steps of williams and arriving in his neighborhood purchased attractive land from the same tribe and founded road island imitating the conduct of their neighbors they formed a similar association for the establishment of civil government and adopted the same principles of toleration in consequence of this conduct the island soon became so popular as to furnish settlers for the adjacent shores 1634 connecticut two is a colony of massachusetts as early as the year 1634 several persons among whom was mr hooker a favorite minister of the church applied to the general court of massachusetts for permission to pursue their fortunes in some new and better land this permission was not granted at that time and it being then the received opinion that the oath of a free man as well as the original compact bound every member of the society so as not to leave him the right to separate himself from it without the consent of the whole this emigration was suspended the general court however did not long withhold its assent connecticut settled the country having been explored in a place selected on the west side of the river connecticut a commission was granted to the petitioners to remove on the condition of their still continuing under the jurisdiction of massachusetts some few huts have been erected the preceding year in which a small number of emigrants had wintered and the fall succeeding about 60 persons traversed the wilderness in families 1636 in 1636 about 100 persons led by pension hooker and hains followed the first emigrants and founded the towns of hartford springfield and weathersfield there are some peculiarities attending this commission and this settlement which deserve to be noticed the country to be settled was confessedly without the limits of massachusetts yet roger ledler was authorized to promulgate the orders which might be necessary for the plantations to inflict corporal punishment imprisonment and fines to determine all differences in a judicial way and to convene the inhabitants in a general court if it should be necessary this signal exercise of authority grew out of the principle solemnly asserted by the general court of massachusetts that the oath of fidelity to the commonwealth was binding although the person should no longer reside within its limits there were other difficulties attending the title of the settlers the dutch at manhados or new york claimed a right to the river as its first discoverers in addition to this hostile title lord say and seal and lord brook with some others contemplating a retreat in the new world from the despotism with which england was threatened had made choice of connecticut river for that purpose and had built a fort at its mouth called say brook the emigrants from massachusetts however kept possession and proceeded to clear and cultivate the country they purchased the rights of lord say and seal and lord brook and their partners and the dutch being too feeble to maintain their title by the sword gradually receded from the river the emigrants disclaiming the authority of massachusetts entered into a voluntary association for the establishment of a government which in its form was like those established in the other colonies of new england the principal difference between their constitution and that of massachusetts was that they imparted the right of freeman to those who were not members of the church these new establishments gave great unjust alarm to the p quads a powerful tribe of indians on the south of massachusetts they foresaw their own ruin in this extension of the english settlements and the disposition excited by this apprehension soon displayed itself in private murders and other acts of hostility with a policy suggested by a strong sense of danger they sought a reconciliation with the narragansits their ancient enemies and rivals and requested them to forget their long cherished animosities and to go operate cordially against a common enemy whose continuing encroachments threatened to overwhelm both in one common destruction noticing the rapid progress of the english settlements they urged with reason that although a present friendship subsisted between the narragansits and the newcomers yet all in turn must be dispossessed of their country and this dangerous friendship could promise no other good than the wretched privilege of being last devoured these representations could not be faced from the bosoms of the narragansits that deep rooted enmity which neighbors not bound together by ligaments of sufficient strength to prevent reciprocal acts of hostility too often feel for each other dreading still less the power of a foreign nation than that of men with whom they had been in the habit of contending they not only refused to join the piquads but communicated their proposition to the government of massachusetts with whom they formed an alliance against that tribe war with the piquads open war being resolved bound by both parties captain under hill was sent to the relief of fort sebrook which had been besieged by the indians and the three colonies massachusetts limit and connecticut agreed to march their united forces into the country the piquads to affect their entire destruction the troops of connecticut were first in motion those of massachusetts were detained by the controversy concerning the covenant of works and of grace which had insinuated itself into all the transactions of that colony their little army when collected found itself divided by this metaphysical point and the stronger party believing that the blessing of god could not be expected to crown with success the arms of such unhallowed men as their opponents in faith on this question refused to march until their small band was purified by expelling the unclean and introducing others whose tenets were unexceptionable while this operation was performing the troops of connecticut reinforced by a body of friendly indians and by a small detachment from sebrook determined to march against the enemy the piquads had taken two positions which they had surrounded with palisades and had resolved to defend the nearest was on a small eminence surrounded by a swamp near the head of mystic river against this fort the first attack was made the indians deceived by a movement of the vessels from sebrook to nereganza believed the expedition to have been abandoned and celebrated in perfect security the supposed evacuation of their country about daybreak while they were asleep the english approach and the surprise would have been complete had they not been alarmed by the barking of a dog they immediately gave the war whoop and dismayed to arms the english rush to the attack forced their way through the works and set fire to the indian wigwams the confusion soon became general and almost every man was killed or taken soon after this action the troops of massachusetts arrived and it was resolved to pursue the victory several skirmishes terminated unfavorably to the piquads and in a short time they received another total defeat which put an end to the war a few only of this once powerful nations survived who abandoning their country dispersed themselves among the neighboring tribes and were incorporated with them the vigorous essay in arms of the new england colonists impressed on the indians a high opinion of their courage and military superiority but their victory was solid with cruelties which cannot be recollected without mingled regret and censure 1638 immediately after the termination of this war new haven was settled a small emigration from england conducted by eaton and davenport arrived at boston and june unwilling to remain where power and influence were already in the hands of others they refused to continue within the jurisdiction of massachusetts new haven settled and disregarding the threats at men hodows settled themselves west of connecticut river on a place which they named new haven their institution civil and ecclesiastical were in the same spirit with those of their elder sister massachusetts the colony was now in a very flourishing condition 21 200 emigrants had arrived from england and although they devoted great part of their attention to the abstruse points of theology which employed the casuists of that day they were not unmindful of those solid acquisitions which permanently improved the condition of man sober industries and economical they labored indefatigably in opening and improving the country and were unremitting in their efforts to furnish themselves with those supplies which are to be drawn from the bosom of the earth of these they soon raised a surplus for which fresh emigrants offered profitable market and therefore in trade and lumber added to their fish and furs furnish them with the means of making remittances to england for those manufacturers which they found it advantageous to import their fisheries had become so important as to attract the attention of government for their encouragement a law was passed exempting property employed in catching curing or transporting fish from all duties and taxes and the fishermen and shipbuilders from militia duty by the same law all persons were restrained from using cod or bass fish for manure end of chapter three chapter four of the life of washington volume one by john marshal this libra vox recording is in the public domain chapter four massachusetts claims new hamshire and part of main dissensions among the inhabitants confederation of the new england colonies road island excluded from it separate chambers provided for the two branches of the legislature new england takes part with parliament treaty with aca da petition of the non-conformists disputes between massachusetts and connecticut war between england and holland machinations of the dutch at man hollows among the indians massachusetts refuses to join the united colonies in the war application of new haven to cromwell for assistance peace with the dutch expedition of sedgwick against aca da religious intolerance 1639 the government of massachusetts induced by the rapidity with which the colony had attained its present strength to form sanguine hopes of future importance instituted an inquiry into the extent of their patent with a view to the enlargement of territory to facilitate this object commissioners were appointed to explore the maramaque and to ascertain its northern most point the charter conveyed to the grantees all the lands within lines to be drawn three miles south of charles river and the same distance north of the maramaque massachusetts claims new hampshire and part of main the government construed this description as authorizing a line to be drawn due east from point three miles north of the head of maramaque which soon leaves that river and includes all new hampshire and a considerable part of main in pursuance of this exposition of the charter the general court asserted its jurisdiction over at new hampshire in which there were a few scattered habitations and proceeded to authorize settlements in that country the attempts which have been made to colonize the northern and eastern parts of new england had proved almost entirely unsuccessful sir ferdinando gorgeous and john mason had built a small house at the mouth of pisca taqua about the year 1623 and nearly at the same time others erected a few huts along the coast from maramaque eastward to saga dahawk for the purpose of fishing in 1631 gorgeous and mason sent over a small party of planters and fishermen under the conduct of a mr williams who laid the foundation of port smith when the plymouth company divided new england among its members that territory lying along the coast from maramaque river and for 60 miles into the country to the river pisca taqua was granted to mason and was called new hampshire that territory northeastward of new hampshire to the river kenna buck and 60 miles into the country was granted to serve ferdinando gorgeous in 1639 gorgeous obtained a patent for this district under the name of main comprehending the lands for 100 instead of 60 miles into the country together with the powers of sovereignty he framed a system of government which being purely executed could not even preserve itself after struggling with a long course of confusion and drawing out for several years a miserable political existence main submitted itself to the jurisdiction of massachusetts and consented to become a part of that colony in the course of the year 1651 and 1652 this junction was affected and main was erected into a county the towns of which sent deputies to the general court at boston to this county was conceded the peculiar privilege that its inhabitants although not members of the church should be entitled to the rights of freemen on taking the oath the settlements in new hampshire too were maintaining only a doubtful and feeble existence when they drew a recruit of inhabitants from the same causes which had people rode island and connecticut 1637 in 1637 when mrs hutchinson and other antinomians were exiled mr wheelwright her brother-in-law a popular preacher was likewise banished he carried with him a considerable number of his followers and just passing the northeastern boundary of massachusetts planted the town of exeter these emigrants immediately formed themselves according to the manner of new england into a body politic for their own government 1640 a few persons arrived soon afterwards from england and laid the foundation of the town of dover they also established a distinct government their first act proved to be the source of future discord the majority chose one under bill as governor but a respectable minority was opposed to his election to this cause of discontent was added another of irresistible influence they were divided on the subject of the covenant of works and of grace these dissensions soon grew into a civil war which was happily terminated by williams who was according to the practice of small societies torn by civil royals invited by the weaker party to its aid he marched from portsmouth at the head of a small military force and banishing the governor and the leaders of the antinomian faction restored peace to this distracted village massachusetts had asserted a right over this territory her claim derived aid not only from the factions which agitated these feeble settlements but also from the uncertainty of the tenure by which the inhabitants held their lands only the settlers at portsmouth had acquired a title from mason and the others were consequently unfriendly to his pretensions these causes produced a voluntary offer of submission to the government of massachusetts which was accepted and the general court passed an order declaring the inhabitants of pisca to be within their jurisdiction with the privileges of participating in all their rights and are being exempted from all public charges other than those which shall arise for or among themselves or from any action or course that may be taken for their own good or benefit under the protecting wing of this more powerful neighbor new hampshire attained the growth which afterwards enabled her to stand alone and long remembered with affection the benefits she had received charles environed with difficulties arising from his own misrule was at length compelled to meet his parliament and in november the great council of the nation was again assembled the circumstances which had caused such considerable emigrations to new england existed no longer the puritans were not only exempt from persecution but became the strongest party in the nation and from this time new england is supposed to have derived no increase of population from the parent state confederation of the new england colonies about the same period many evidences were given of a general combination of the neighboring indians against the settlements of new england and apprehensions were also entertained of hostility from the dutch at manhados a sense of impending danger suggested the policy forming a confederacy of the sister colonies for their mutual defense and so confirmed had the habit of self-government become since the attention of england was absorbed in her domestic dissensions that it was not thought necessary to consult the parent state on this important measure 1643 after matured deliberation articles of confederation were digested and in may 1643 they were conclusively adopted by them the united colonies of new england these massachusetts plinth connecticut and new hayden entered into a firm and perpetual league offensive and defensive each colony retained a distinct and separate jurisdiction no two colonies could join in one jurisdiction without the consent of the whole and no other colony could be received into the confederacy without the like consent the charge of all wars was to be borne by the colonies respectively in proportion to the male inhabitants of each between 16 and 60 years of age on notice of an invasion given by three magistrates of any colony the confederates were immediately to furnish their respective quotas these were fixed at 100 from massachusetts and 45 from each of the other parties to the agreement if a larger armament should be found necessary commissioners were to meet and ascertain the number of men to be required two commissioners from each government being church members were to meet annually on the first monday in september six possessed the power of binding the whole any measure approved by a majority of less than six was to be referred to the general court of each colony and the consent of all was necessary to its adoption they were to choose annually a president from their own body and had power to frame laws or rules of civil nature and of general concern of this description were rules which respected their conduct towards the indians and measures to be taken with fugitives from one colony to another no colony was permitted without the general consent to engage in war but in sudden and inevitable cases if on any extraordinary meeting of the commissioners their whole number should not assemble any four who should meet were empowered to determine on a war and to call for the respective quotas of the several colonies but not less than six could determine on the justice of the war or settle the expenses or levy the money for its support if any colonies should be charged with breaking an article of the agreement or we're doing an injury to another colony the complaint was to be submitted to the consideration and determination of the commissioners of such colonies as should be disinterested this union the result of good sense and of a judicious consideration of the real interests of the colonies remained in force until their charters were dissolved Rhode Island excluded from it Rhode Island at the instance of Massachusetts was excluded and her commissioners were not admitted into the congress of deputies which formed the confederation on her petitioning at a subsequent period to be received as a member her request was refused unless she would consent to be incorporated with Plymouth this condition being deemed inadmissible she never was taken into the confederacy from the formation of this league its members were considered by their neighbors as one body with regard to external affairs and such as were of general concern though the internal and particular objects of each continue to be managed by its own magistrates and legislature the vigorous and prudent measures pursued by the united colonies disconcerted the plans of the Indians and preserved peace Rhode Island and Providence plantations excluded from the general confederacy were under the necessity of courting the friendship of the neighboring Indians so successful were their endeavors that in the year 1644 they obtained from the chiefs of the Narragansetts a formal surrender of their country the first general assembly consisting of the collective freemen of the plantations was convened in May 1647 in this body the supreme authority of the nation resided the executive duties were performed by a governor and for assistance chosen from among the freemen by their several towns and the same persons constituted also the supreme court for the administration of justice every township forming within itself a corporation elected a council of six for the management of its peculiar affairs and for the settlement of its disputes 1644 hitherto the governor assistance and representatives of massachusetts had assembled in the same chamber and deliberated together at first their relative powers do not seem to have been accurately understood nor the mode of deciding controverted questions to have been well defined the representatives being the most numerous body contended that every question should be decided by a majority of the whole while the assistance asserted their right to a negative more than once this contest suspended the proceedings of the general court but the assistance having with the aid of the clergy succeeded on each occasion the representatives yielded the point and move that separate chamber should be provided for the two branches of the legislature this motion being carried in the affirmative their deliberations were afterwards conducted apart from each other this regulation was subsequently modified with respect to judicial proceedings for the legislature was the court of the last resort if in these the two houses differed the vote was to be taken conjointly new england takes part with parliament in england the contest between the king and parliament at length ripened into open war the colonies of new england took an early and sincere part on the side of parliament their interests were committed to such agents as might best conciliate the favor of the house of commons who in return manifested the impression received from them and from the general conduct of their northern colonies by passing a resolution exempting from the payment of duties or other customs until the house should order otherwise all merchandisers exported to or from new england and in 1644 the general court passed an ordinance declaring that what person so ever shall by word writing or action endeavor to disturb our peace directly or indirectly by drawing a party under pretense that he is for the king of england and such as join with him against the parliament shall be accounted as an offender of a high nature against this commonwealth and to be proceeded with either capital or otherwise according to the quality and degree of his offense provided always that this shall not be extended against any merchants strangers and shipment that come hither merely for trade or merchandise albeit they should come from any of those parts that are in the hands of the king and such as adhere to him against the parliament carrying themselves here quietly and free from railing or nourishing any faction mutiny or sedition among us as a force said these manifestations of mutual kindness were not interrupted by an ordinance of parliament passed in 1643 appointing the earl of warwick governor and chief and lord high admiral of the colonies for the council of five peers and 12 commoners to assist him and empowering him in conjunction with his associates to examine the state of their affairs to send for papers and persons to remove governors and officers appointing others in their places and to assign over to them such part of the powers then granted as he should think proper jealous as were the people of new england of measures endangering their liberty they do not appear to have been alarmed at this extraordinary exercise of power so true is it that men close their eyes on encroachments committed by that party to which they are attached in the delusive hope that power in such hands will always be wielded against their adversaries never against themselves this prosperous state of things was still further improved by a transaction which is the more worthy of notice as being an additional evidence of the extent to which the colonies know england then exercise the powers of self-government treaty with akadye a treaty of peace and commerce was entered into between the governor of massachusetts starting himself governor of new england and this year donnie lieutenant general of the king of france and akadye this treaty was laid before the commissioners for the colonies and received their sanction 1646 the rigid adherence of massachusetts to the principle of withholding the privilege of a free man from all who descended from the majority in any religious opinion could not fail to generate perpetual discontents petition of the non conformists a petition was presented to the general court signed by several persons highly respectable for their situation and character but not being church members excluded from the common rights of society complaining that the fundamental laws of england were not acknowledged by the colony and that they were denied those civil and religious privileges to which they were entitled as freeborn englishmen of good moral conduct their prayer to be admitted to the rights or to be relieved from the burdens of society was accompanied with observations conveying a very intelligible censure on the proceedings of the colony and a threat of applying to parliament should the prayer of their petition be rejected the most popular governments not being always the most inclined to tolerate opinions differing from those of the majority this petition gave great offense and its signers were required to attend the court their plea that the right to petition government was sacred was answered by saying that they were not accused for petitioning but for using contemptuous and seditious expressions they were required to find sureties for their good behavior and on refusing to acknowledge their offense were fined at the discretion of the court an appeal from this decision having been refused they sent deputies to lay their case before parliament but the clergy exerted themselves on the occasion and the celebrated cotton in one of his sermons asserted that if any should carry writings or complaints against the people of god in that country to england it would be as Jonas in the ship a storm having risen during the passage the mariners impressed with the prophecy of cotton insisted that the obnoxious papers should be thrown overboard and the deputies were constrained to consign their credentials to the waves on their arrival in england they found prominent but little disposed to listen to their complaints the agents of massachusetts had received instructions to counteract their efforts and the governments of new england were too high in favor to admit of a rigid scrutiny into their conduct in some of the internal dissensions which agitated massachusetts went through the man of great influence always among their first magistrates and often their governor was charged while deputy governor with some arbitrary conduct he defended himself at the bar in the presence of a vast concourse of people and having been honorably acquitted addressed them from the bench in a speech which was highly approved as this speech tends to illustrate the political opinions of the day and extract from it may not be unworthy of regard the questions he said which have troubled the country of late and from which these disturbances in the state have arisen have been about the authority of the magistrate and the liberty of the people magistracy is certainly an appointment from god we take an oath to govern you according to god's law and our own and if we commit errors not willingly but for want of skill you ought to bear with us because being chosen from among yourselves we are about men and subject to the like passions as yourselves no would i have you mistake your own liberty there is a freedom of doing what we list without regard to law or justice this liberty is indeed inconsistent with authority but civil moral and federal liberty consists in every man's enjoying his property and having the benefit of the laws of his country which is very consistent with a due subjection to the civil magistrate and for this you ought to contend with the hazard of your lives during the remnant of his life he was annually chosen governor 1649 about this time a controversy which had long subsisted between massachusetts and connecticut was terminated the latter for the purpose of maintaining say brook had laid a duty on all goods exported from connecticut river the inhabitants of springfield a town of massachusetts lying on the river having refused to pay this duty the cause was laid before the commissioners of the united colonies and after hearing the parties those of plymouth and new haven adjourned the final decision of the case until the next meeting in order to hear further objections from massachusetts but directed that in the meantime the duty should be paid at the meeting in 1648 massachusetts insisted on the production of the patent of connecticut it was perfectly well known that the original patent could not be procured and the agents for connecticut after stating this fact offered an authentic copy the commissioners recommended that the boundary line should be run to ascertain whether springfield was really in massachusetts but still directed that the duty should continue to be paid on this order being made the commissioners of massachusetts produced a law of their general court reciting the controversy with the orders which had been made in it and imposing a duty on all goods belonging to the inhabitants of plymouth connecticut or new haven which should be imported within the castle or exported from any part of the bay and subjecting them to forfeiture for non-payment the commissioners remand straighted strongly against this measure and recommended it to the general court of massachusetts seriously to consider whether such proceedings were reconcilable with the law of love and the tenor of the articles of confederation in the meantime they begged to be excused from all farther agitations concerning springfield in this state of the controversy fort sabre was consumed by fire and connecticut forebored to rebuild it or to demand the duty in the following year massachusetts repealed the ordinance which had so successfully decided the contest thus does a member of confederacy feeling its own strength and the weakness of those with whom it is associated to ride the legitimate decisions of the federal body when opposed to its own interests or passions and obey the general will only when that will is dictated by itself although while civil war raged in the mother country new england had been permitted to govern itself as an independent nation parliament seems to have entertained very decisive opinions respecting the subordination of the provinces and its own controlling power the measures taken for giving effect to these opinions involved all the colonies equally the council of state was authorized to displace governors and magistrates and to appoint others massachusetts was required to take a new patent and to hold its courts not in the name of the colony but in the name of the parliament 1651 the general court unwilling to comply with these requisitions transmitted a petition to parliament styling that body the supreme authority and expressing for it the highest respect they stated their uniform attachment to parliament during the civil war the aid they had given and the losses they have sustained after speaking of the favors they had received they expressed the hope that it will not go worse with them than it did under the late king and that the frame of this government will not be changed and governors and magistrates imposed on them against their will they declared however their entire submission to the will of parliament and abowing for that body the most zealous attachment prayed a favorable answer to their humble petition but the united colonies had lately given great umbrage by supplying virginia and barbados than enemies of the commonwealth with warlike stores and other commodities it was also matter of real complaint that their exemption from the payment of duties enabled them to enrich themselves of the expense of others and a revocation of their privileges in this respect was seriously contemplated yet the requisitions concerning their charter were never complied with and do not appear to have been repeated in this year war was declared by england against holland the united colonies accustomed to conduct their affairs in their own way did not think themselves involved in this contest unless engaged in it by some act of their own the duchess manhados too weak to encounter their english neighbors solicited the continuance of peace and as the trade carried on between them was mutually advantageous this request was readily granted 1653 machinations of the dutch with the indians intelligence however was soon brought by the indians that the dutch were privately inciting them to a general confederacy for the purpose of extirpating the english this intelligence gave the more alarmed because the massacre of am boina was then fresh in the recollection of the colonists an extraordinary meeting of the commissioners was called at boston who were divided in opinion with regard to the propriety of declaring war in consequence of this division a conference was held before the general court and several elders of massachusetts the elders being requested to give their opinion in writing stated that the proofs and presumptions of the exequible plot tending to the destruction of so many of the dear saints of god imputed to the dutch governor and the fiscal were of such weights as to induce them to believe the reality of it yet they were not so fully conclusive as to clear up a president proceeding to war before the world and to bear up their hearts with that fullness of persuasion which was me in commending the case to god in prayer and to the people in exhortations and that it would be safest for the colonies to forbear the use of the sword but advised to be in a posture of defense until the mind of god should be more fully known either for a settled peace or more manifest grounds of war with this opinion of the elders the vote of the general court concurred the intelligence of the practices of the dutch governor with the indians becoming more certain all the commissioners except mr brad street of massachusetts declared in favor of war their proceedings were immediately interrupted by a declaration of the general court of massachusetts that no determination of the commissioners although they should be unanimous should bind the general court to join in an offensive war which should appear to be unjust a serious altercation ensued in the course of which the other colonies pressed the war as a measure essential to their safety the massachusetts adhered inflexibly to its first resolution this additional evidence of the incompetency of their union to bind one member stronger than all the rest threatened a dissolution of the confederacy and that event seems to have been prevented only by the inability of the others to stand alone alarmed at their situation and irritated by the conduct of their elder sister connecticut and new haven represented cromwell then lord protector of england the danger to which the colonies were exposed from the dutch and the indians and the hazard the smaller provinces must continue to incur unless the league between them could be maintained and executed according to its true intent and the interpretation which its articles had uniformly received with his usual promptness and decision cromwell detached a small armament for the reduction of the dutch colony and recommended to massachusetts to furnish aid to the expedition although the legitimate requisitions of the government of the union had been ineffectual the recommendation of the lord protector was not to be disregarded and the general court passed a resolution conforming to it 1654 a treaty of peace which was signed in april saved the dutch colony the progress of the french and in their neighborhood had been viewed with regret and apprehension by all new england expedition against aca d a sedgwick the commander of the forces which had been destined against manhados animated with the vigor of his master was easily prevailed on to turn his arms against the people whose religious tenets he detested and whose country he hated he soon dislodged the french from penobscot and subdued all aca d a 1655 the ministers of his most christian majesty pending the negotiations for the treaty of west minster demanded restitution of the forts pent to go away saint johnson port royale but each nation having claims on the country their pretensions were referred to the arbitrators appointed to adjust the damages committed on either side since the year 1640 and the restitution of aca d a was postponed for future discussion 1656 cromwell seems not to have intended to restore the countries he had conquered he granted to santa tn crown and temple forever the territory denominated aca d a and part of the country commonly called novus scotia extending along the coast to pent to go away to the river saint george until the restoration the colonies of new england continued in a state of unexampled prosperity those regulations respecting navigation which were rigorously enforced against others less in favor were dispensed with for their benefit they maintained external peace by the vigour and sagacity with which their government was administered and improve their advantages which the times afforded them by industry and attention to their interests in this period of prosperity they acquired a degree of strength and consistency which enabled them to struggle through the difficulties that afterwards assailed them these sober industrious people were peculiarly attentive to the instruction of youth education was among the first objects of their care in addition to private institutions they have brought the college at cambridge to a state of forwardness which reflects much credit on their character as early as the year 1636 the general court had bestowed 400 pounds on a public school at new town the name by which cambridge was then known two years afterwards an additional donation was made by the reverend mr john harvard in consequence of which the institution received the name of harvard college in 1642 this college was placed under the government of the governor and deputy governor and of the magistrates and ministers of the six next adjacent towns who with the president were incorporated for that purpose and in 1650 its first chart it was granted it is to be lamented that the same people possessed a degree of bigotry in religion and a spirit of intolerance which their enlightened posterity will view with regret during this period of prosperity the government maintained the severity of its institutions against all those who descended from the church and exerted itself assiduously in what was thought the holy work of punishing heretics and introducing conformity and matters of faith in this time the sect the nominated quakers appeared they were fined imprisoned whipped and at length put to death but could not be totally suppressed as enthusiastic as their persecutors they gloried in their sufferings and deemed themselves the martyrs of true end of chapter four