by Massasoit and his son, and also by the governor of Plymouth colony, on their part.

1640.-William Bradford was chosen governor, and John Jenney, John Howland, John Atwood, and William Paddy were the representatives to the legislature. J. B. was presented for buying rye at four shillings per bushel, and selling it ⚫ at five shillings; also for selling thread at five shillings per pound.

Colebrook South meadows, and Lakenham West meadows, were granted to divers persons. At this early period some scattered cottages began to extend on the western precincts of the township of Plymouth, on the path to Namasket (Middleborough.)

1641. Mr. John Jenney was allowed certain privileges at Clark's Island to make salt, which he was to sell to the inhabitants at two shillings the bushel. Herring wear let for three years to three persons, who are to deliver the shares of herrings, and to receive 1s. 6d. the thousand for their trouble. A barque, of forty or fifty tons, was built at Plymouth, January 24, 1641. The estimated expense was £200, and the whole was divided into shares of one eighth or one sixteenth, and were contributed by thirteen persons. This was doubtless the first vessel of size ever built at Plymouth.

It was ordered, that every house-holder within the town shall pay a half penny for each person in his family, except poor people who have no cattle, for every wolf that shall be killed within the liberties of the town, and the killer shall bring the skin to Mr. Jenney, and there receive corn for his pay, Mr. Jenney to have the skin for his pains. The winter, this year, was extremely severe; the harbor and bays frozen over, so as to be passable, five weeks, for men, horses, oxen and carts.

Any person living and quietly settled in any township, without any objection being made within three months after his coming, was to be reputed an inhabitant of that town.

Provision for the support of the Poor. This year each township, by an order and general agreement in a public townmeeting, was required to make competent provision for the support of its poor, as shall be found most convenient and suitable. Children or elderly persons sent out of town to be nursed, educated, or doctored, and falling into want, were to receive relief from the towns from which they were sent. Children of those, who received relief from the town, were to be put to work in fitting employments.

1642.-William Bradford was elected governor, and John Doan and John Cooke deputies. The use of thirty acres of

land at Clark's Island, was granted, for twenty-one years, to the five partners that make salt.

At a town meeting it was ordered, that a fortification be made about the ordnance, and another piece mounted on Fort Hill, and the governor, Mr. Prince, Mr. Paddy, Mr. Atwood, and Mr. Jenney were desired to agree with the workmen to have it done speedily.

1643.-Edward Winslow was this year elected governor, and Mr. Prince, Mr. Jenney, Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Paddy, and Mr. N. Souther were the deputies.

This is the memorable epoch of the First Union of the New England Colonies. A confederacy had been in agitation several years. As early as 1637, the subject was discussed; and the following year, articles of union, for amity, offence and defence, mutual advice and assistance upon all necessary occasions, were drawn, and referred to the next year for further consideration. Difficulties, however, occurred, which retarded the execution of the design, until the present year. The colonies of Connecticut, New Haven and Plymouth, despatched Commissioners to Boston in May, at the time of the session of the Massachusetts general court. This court appointed commissioners to meet those of the other colonies. A spirit of harmony and mutual condescension was auspicious to the great object, and on the 19th of May the articles were completed and signed at Boston. The reasons assigned for this union were, the dispersed state of the colonies; the vicinity of the Dutch, Swiss and French, who were inclined to encroachments; the hostile disposition of the neighboring Indians; the appearance of a general combination of these savage tribes, to extirpate the English colonies; the commencement of civil contests in the parent country; the impossibility of obtaining aid from England in any emergency; and in fine the alliance already formed between the colonies by the sacred ties of religion. The commissioners declared, that, as in nation and religion, so in other respects, they be and continue one; and henceforth be called by the name of the United Colonies of New England. Here we may discern the germ of our present national system.

The members of this league were deemed by all their neighbors as one body, with regard to their public transactions, though the peculiar affairs of each continued to be managed by its own courts and magistrates.

On the completion of the colonial confederacy, several Indian sachems came in and submitted to the English government, among whom were Miantonomoh, the Narraganset, and Uncus,

the Mohegan chief. The union rendered the colonies formidable to the Dutch as well as Indians, and respectable in the view of the French; maintained general harmony among themselves, and secured the peace and rights of the country; preserved the colonies during the civil wars and unsettled state of England; was the grand instrument of their defence in Philip's war, and was essentially serviceable in civilizing and christianizing the Indians. The proportion of men assigned to the colonies by this alliance, was 100 to Massachusetts, and 45 to each of the other three colonies, Plymouth, Connecticut and New Haven. This union subsisted with some alterations until the year 1686, when all the charters were in effect vacated by a commission from King James II. This confederacy was acknowledged and countenanced by the authority in England, from its beginning until the restoration; and in letters from King Charles II. notice is taken of it, without any exception to the establishment. -Holmes's Annals, where he notices numerous other authorities.

A watch-house was this year built of brick, on Fort Hill.The bricks were furnished by Mr. Grimes at 11s. a thousand. This is the earliest notice of brick. In digging a grave on the summit of Fort Hill, a few years since, a large body of brick was discovered a few feet beneath the surface of the earth.

Householders were ordered to provide themselves with fire arms and ammunition, and drum-heads to be procured by subscription. In September, the whole township was classed into watches, which were to be kept from sunset to avoid the danger of unexpected attacks from the Indians.

The town agreed with John Smith to be the town's cow keeper the present year for 40 bushels of corn and a pair of steers. The corn is to be levied as follows. The governor 1 peck and a pottle, Mr. Prince 1 peck and a pottle, Mr. Paddy 1 peck and a pottle, Nathaniel Souther 1 peck, Mr. Hanbury 1 peck, Robert Paddock 1 peck, Mr. Jenney 1 peck, and a half in biscuit, Mr. Doane half a peck, Mr. Rayner half a a peck, Thomas Southworth half a peck, Richard Sparrow half a peck, John Wood half a peck, Mr. Willet half a peck, Samuel Hicks half a peck, Josiah Cook 1 pottle, Rowland Knowles 1 pottle, John Finney 1 pottle, Mr. Hopkins 1 pottle.

Wolf traps were, by the colony court, ordered to be made; and the whole town was classed to make them at various places. The wolves made distressing depredations on their herds and folds many years. Governor's assistants were classed on this

occasion.

1644.-John Atwood, who had been one of the assistants, and also a deputy to the general court, died this year. He was a

man of much usefulness in the place, and, in life and death, exemplified the christian character. In the course of this year the inhabitants of the town, but chiefly the church members, had in contemplation a singular project, which well nigh ef fected a total abandonment of their first labors and footpaths on our shore. It appears by the church records, that a considerable part of their body viewed their present establishment as barren and unproductive. They became so dissatisfied with their unpromising location, that they were willing to relinquish all their interest in it for a more advantageous situation. Individuals were frequently removing, and the church began seriously to think, whether it were not better to remove jointly and bodily, than to be thus weakened and insensibly dissolved. Many meetings and much consultation resulted in indecision and contrariety of opinion. Some, who opposed the removal, would yet assent to it, rather than see a dissolution of the church, provided a more eligible situation could be agreed on, and a majority at length acquiesced. The place selected was no other than Nauset, now Eastham, on Cape Cod, and the purchase was made, merely from a superficial view. But on a further examination, the new territory disappointed their expectations, and they changed their resolution. It was found to be 50 miles from the centre of the settlements, remote from all society, and surrounded by a wilderness of savages. Its extent so limited as to be insufficient to accommodate the whole society, much less capable of receiving the increasing numbers. The harbor was incomparably less commodious, and more exposed to enemies than that of Plymouth. From these and other con

siderations, the church, as a body, changed their determination, but a considerable number of respectable individuals resolved on a removal, and the church relinquished their rights, which were purchased by individuals, who removed and took possession.* Orders agreed upon by the Council of War. 1. That the lead be made up into bullets, and men hired to do it. 2. That when an alarm is made and continued in Plymouth, Duxbury, or Marshfield, there shall be 20 men sent from Plymouth, and as many from Duxbury, and 10 from Marshfield, to relieve the place where the alarm is continued. 3. And when any other places stand in need of help, upon the continuing of the alarm,

* Among the principal people who removed from Plymouth to Eastham, were Thomas Prince, who had been twice governor of the colony, John Doane, one of the deacons of the church, Nicholas Snow, Josiah Cook, Richard Higgins, John Smalley, and Edward Bangs. Duxbury and Marshfield had before been settled entirely from Plymouth.

then a beacon to be fired, or else a great fire to be made, for Plymouth, upon the gallows hill, on the captain's hill for Duxbury, and on the hill by Mr. Thomas's house for Marshfield.

It is worthy of serious remark,' says the writer in Historical Collections, vol. iii. second series, that nearly the same regulations have been resorted to by their posterity, in the war of the revolution, and now, (1815) not with the savages, but with a people of kindred origin.'

On the 16th of April of this year, the church and society were most grievously afflicted by the death of William Brewster, their ruling elder and kind benefactor. The life of this excellent man was protracted to the 84th year of his age.—See his character in the Ecclesiastical History.

1646.-Great agitation was occasioned in Plymouth this year, by the arrival of Čapt. Thomas Cromwell, with three ships of war, bringing with them several rich prizes, taken from the Spaniards. His seamen were exceedingly intemperate and riotous; one of them attempted the life of his commander, who, wresting his rapier from him, gave him a mortal wound on his head. The captain was tried by a court-martial, and acquitted.

The town was at this time almost deserted, in consequence of the removals to Eastham, and other towns, at different times. Governor Winthrop represents it as a special interposition of divine providence, that Capt. Cromwell's squadron should have been compelled by stress of weather to put into the harbor, as, during their continuance of fourteen days, they spent liberally, and gave freely to the poorer sort. The freemen and townsmen, in town at this time, were, in number, only seventy

nine.

Mr. Edward Winslow was this year a third time despatched as agent to England, for the adjustment of some difficulties respecting the colonies of both Massachusetts and Plymouth. He executed his commission with great ability, and such was his high standing in that country, that he accepted some employment there, under O. Cromwell, and never returned to Plymouth, which was much lamented by his brethren in the colony. See life of E. W., page 90.

In town meeting ordered, that, whereas there is too much neglect of appearance at town meetings, if any one neglect to come to town meetings when regularly summoned thereto, he shall be liable to pay a fine of twelve pence for every such default, unless he have a sufficient and lawful excuse.

It was this year required by the general court that a town clerk should be appointed and ordained, to keep in each town a register of the day and year of the marriage, birth and burial