1637

Pequod war.

New Haven colony.

Incredible as it may seem to those who regard the Christian religion as emphatically a religion of peace, mercy and love to enemies, we are told that the English spent the night before their march on this merciless errand, in "importunate prayer!"

The resistance the colonists met with after this was inconsiderable. The Indians were not formidable in open battle. It has belonged to civilization to invent instruments potent for the destruction of human life. It was the ambush, the secret surprise of the Indian, that was mainly to be dreaded.

"In a few days," says Bancroft, "the troops from Massachusetts arrived, attended by Wilson; for the ministers always shared every hardship, and every danger. The remnants of the Pequods were pursued into their hiding places; every wigwam was burned, every settlement was broken up, every cornfield laid waste. Sassachus, their sachem, was murdered by the Mohawks, to whom he had fled for protection. The few that survived, about two hundred, surrendering in despair, were enslaved by the English," or, dispersing themselves among the neighboring tribes, lost their existence as a separate people. The depopulated territory was claimed by right of conquest. The destruction of the Pequods struck terror into the remaining tribes, and a long season of peace succeeded, during which the colonies increased and flourished.

The arrival of fresh emigrants was of frequent occurrence, and many new settlements were formed. In 1638, a Puritan colony was planted at New Haven, and annually elected a governor, independently of any other settlements. They obtained a title to the land by a treaty with the natives. This formed the third distinct political organization within the limits of the present State of Connecticut; the two others

Connecticut colony.

Saybrook.

being Saybrook, founded by the proprietaries, and Connecticut colony, under a commission from Massachusetts.*

*The following are some of the most striking of the laws which were passed by the New Haven dominion at an early period of its history, and being originally printed on blue paper, they were called "Blue Laws." They may serve to give the reader some idea of the character and manners of the people of those early times.

“No one shall be a freeman, or give a vote, unless he be converted, and a member in full communion of one of the churches allowed in this dominion. Each freeman shall swear by the blessed God to bear true allegiance to this dominion, and that Jesus is the only king. No Quaker, or dissenter from the established worship of this dominion, shall be allowed to give a vote for the election of magistrates or any officer. No food or lodging shall be offered to any Quaker, Adamite or other heretic. If any person turns Quaker, he shall be banished, and not suffered to return but on pain of death. No one shall run on the Sabbath day, or walk in his garden, or elsewhere, except reverently to and from meeting. No one shall travel, cook victuals, make beds, sweep houses, cut hair, or shave, on the Sabbath day. No woman shall kiss her children on the Sabbath or fasting day. The Sabbath shall begin at sunset on Saturday. A person accused of trespass in the night, shall be judged guilty, unless he clears himself by his oath. When it appears that the accused has confederates, and he refuses to discover them, he may be racked. Whosoever publishes a lie, to the prejudice of his neighbor, shall be set in the stocks, or be whipped ten stripes. No minister shall keep a school. Men-stealers shall suffer death. Whosoever wears clothes trimmed with gold, silver, or bone lace, above 2s. per yard, shall be presented by the grand jurors; and the selectmen shall tax the offender at £300 estate. No one shall read common-prayer books, keep Christmas or set days, make minced-pies, dance, play cards, or play on any instrument of music, except the drum, trumpet, and Jews-harp. When parents refuse their children convenient marriages, the magistrates shall determine the point. The selectmen, on finding children ignorant, may take them away from their parents, and put them into better hands, at the expense of their parents. A man that strikes his wife, shall pay a fine of ten pounds. A woman that strikes her husband, shall be punished as the court directs. No man shall court a maid in person, or by letter, without first obtaining the consent of her parents; £5 penalty for the first offence, £10 for the second, and for the third,

Blue laws of Connecticut.

imprisonment during the pleasure of the court. Married persons must live together or be imprisoned. Every male shall have his hair cut round according to a cap."-Hutchinson's Hist. Mass.

CHAPTER IX.

THE UNITED COLONIES OF NEW ENGLAND.

Bold measures of Massachusetts.

THE increase of the American colonies had attracted considerable attention in England. While the emigrants were wasting away by the hardships they endured, there was no inducement to interfere with them. But now the success of the Puritans in the new world, excited opposition from the high church party, and rendered them not unwilling to listen to unfavorable reports brought by those who had returned, after having fallen under the censure of the government in Massachusetts.

It was said that the colonists aimed at sovereignty, and that it was accounted treason to speak of appeals to the king. A requisition was therefore made for producing the letters patent of the company, in England. To this the colonists returned no reply. The archbishop of Canterbury, and others associated with him, then received full power to regulate the civil and ecclesiastical affairs of the colonies, and to revoke any charter which had been unfairly obtained, or which had conceded liberties prejudicial to the royal prerogative.

The news of this commission soon reached Boston, and it was rumored that a governor-general was on his way. The intelligence led to the boldest measures. Money was raised for erecting fortifications; the colonists resolved on resistance, and unanimously declared against the reception of a governorgeneral.

.

2395327

Emigration forbidden in England.

Meantime restraints were placed on emigration, and ships laden with passengers for New England, were stopped in the Thames by order of the council. No one above the rank of a serving-man, was allowed to emigrate, and all such were required to take the oaths of supremacy and allegiance.

The council of Plymouth, having made grants to its 1635 members individually, of all the land under its jurisdiction, including that occupied by the Massachusetts colony, now resigned its charter, which had thus been rendered valueless. It was more difficult for the different parties to obtain possession of the lands thus granted them. They argued, however, that the lands belonged to Gorges, one of the proprietaries of New Hampshire, by a deed previously granted, and therefore that to the Massachusetts company was invalid. The effort was consequently made by the members of the Plymouth Company to obtain from the king a confirmation of their respective grants. They succeeded in obtaining a quo warranto* against the company of Massachusetts Bay; but further movements in opposition to the colony, were suspended, in consequence of the civil difficulties in England, as well as by the death of Mason, one of the proprietaries of New Hampshire, who had been the chief instigator of these aggressive movements.

The persecution of the Puritans still continued in England, and while scourging, imprisonment, mutilation and the pillory, were inflicted on them there, the king, Charles I, prohibited their flying to the home which had now become so inviting in America, and frequently detained ships in which they had proposed to embark.

During the civil wars in which Charles I, then king of

* A demand for the proof of their title; literally meaning by what

warrant.