and slain. Treachery of the Springfield Indians. Hadley attacked by
the enemy. The assembly make provision for the defence of Connect-
icut. Expedition against the Narraganset Indians. The reasons of it.
The great swamp fight. Loss of men. Courage exhibited and hard-
ships endured. Captain Pierce and his party cut off. Nanunttenoo
taken. Success of captains Denison and Avery. Captain Wadsworth
and his party slain. Death and character of governor Winthrop. Suc-
cess of Major Talcott. Attack upon Hadley. The enemy beaten and
begin to scatter. They are pursued to Housatonick. Sachem of Qua-
baug and Philip killed. Number of the enemy before the war. Their
destruction. Loss of the colonies. Connecticut preserves its own
towns and assists its neighbours.
MEASURES adopted to discharge the public debt, and settle the country
in peace. The reasons of the colony's claim to Narraganset The for-
mer settlers and owners of land there apply to Connecticut for protec-
tion. Major Treat goes to the upper towns upon Connecticut river, to
treat with the Indians. Fasts appointed through New-England. Act
concerning the conquered lands in Narraganset. Navigation act griev-
ous to the colonies. Governor Leet takes the oath respecting trade
and navigation. Answers to queries from the lords of trade and plan-
tations. Protest against Sir Edmund Andross's claim to Fisher's Isl-
and. Character of governor Leet. Commissioners appointed by his
majesty, to examine and make report concerning all claims to the Nar-
raganset country, or king's province. They report in favour of Con-
necticut. Answers to the renewed claim of the duke of Hamilton, and
opinions on the case. Connecticut congratulate the arrival of colonel
Dungan, governor of New-York, and agree with him respecting the
boundary line between that colony and Connecticut. Petition to king
James II. Settlement of Waterbury. Quo-warrantos against the co-
lony. The assembly petition his majesty to continue their charter pri-
vileges. Sir Edmund Andross made governor of New-England. Ar-
rives at Hartford: takes the government by order of his majesty. The
oppression and cruelty of his administration. Distressed and sorrow-
ful state of the people.
REVOLUTION in New-England. Connecticut resume their government.
Address to king William. Troops raised for the defence of the eastern
settlements in New-Hampshire and the province of Maine. French
and Indian war. Schenectady destroyed. Connecticut dispatch a re-
inforcement to Albany. Expedition against Canada. The land army
retreats, and the enterprise proves unsuccessful. Leisler's abuse of
major-general Winthrop. The assembly of Connecticut approve the
general's conduct. Thanks are returned to Mr. Mather, agent Whit-
ing, and Mr. Porter. Opinions respecting the charter, and the legality
of Connecticut's assuming their government. Windham settled. The
Mohawk castles are surprised, and the country alarmed. Connecticut
send troops to Albany. Colonel Fletcher, governor of New-York, de-
mands the command of the militia of Connecticut. The colony peti-
tion king William on the subject. Colonel Fletcher comes to Hart-
ford, and, in person, demands that the legislature submit the militia to
bis command; but they refuse. Captain Wadsworth prevents the
reading of his commission; and the colonel judges it expedient to leave
the colony. The case of Connecticut relative to the militia stated. His
majesty determines in favour of the colony. Committees are appoint-
ed to settle the boundary line between Connecticut and Massachusetts.
General Winthrop returns, and receives public thanks. Congratulation
of the Earl of Bellemont, appointed governor of New-York and Mas-
sachusetts. Dispute with Rhode-Island continues. Committee to
settle the boundaries. Expenses of the war. Vexatious conduct of
governor Fletcher. Peace, joy, and thanksgiving.
GENERAL Winthrop is elected governor. The assembly divide and form
into two houses. Purchase and settlement of several towns. The
boundary line between Connecticut and New-York surveyed and fixed.
Attempts for running and establishing the line between Massachusetts
and Connecticut. Owaneco and the Moheagans claim Colchester and
other tracts in the colony. Attempts to compose all differences with
them. Grant to the volunteers. The assembly enacts, that the ses-
sion in October, shall, for the future, be in New-Haven. An Act en-
larging the boundaries of New-London; and acts relative to towns and
patents. Measures adopted for the defence of the colony. Appoint-
ment of king's attorneys. Attempt to despoil Connecticut of its char-
ter. Bill for re-uniting the charter governments to the crown.
Henry Ashurst petitions against, and prevents the passing of the bill.
Governor Dudley, Lord Cornbury, and other enemies conspire against
the colony. They exhibit grievous complaints against it. Sir Henry
Ashurst defends the colony, and defeats their attempts. Quakers pe-
tition. Moheagan case. Survey and bounds of the pretended Mo-
heagan country. Dudley's court at Stonington. The colony protest
against it. Dudley's treatment of the colony. Judgment against it.
Petition to her majesty on the subject. New commissions are grant-
ed. Act in favor of the clergy. State of the colony.
THE Country is alarmed. Means of defence. The assembly decline the
affording of any assistance in the expedition against Port Royal. Grant
assistance to the frontier towns. New townships granted and settled.
The Rev. Gurdon Saltonstall chosen governor. Act empowering the
freemen to choose the governor from among themselves at large. Acts
relative to the settlement of the boundary line with Massachusetts.
Garrisons erected in the towns on the frontiers. Expedition against
Canada. First emission of paper money. Address to her majesty.
Loss of the colony at Wood Creek. Expedition against Port Royal.
Expedition against Canada, under the command of Admiral Walker
and general Nicholson. Fleet cast away, and the enterprise defeated.
The colony petition her majesty, and send the only pilot from Con-
necticut, to England, to represent to her majesty the loss of the fleet
truly as it was. Acts respecting the superior court. Settlement of the
boundary line between Massachusetts and Connecticut. Reasons why
the colony consented to such a settlement. Return of peace. The
colony happy in the preservation of their frontiers. Towns settled un-
der Massachusetts. State of the colony. Observations.
Á VIEW of the churches of Connecticut, from 1665 to 1714, continu-
ed from chapter XIII. The general assembly appoint a synod to de-
termine points of religious controversy. The ministers decline
meeting under the name of a synod. The assembly alter the name,
and require them to meet as a general assembly of the ministers and
churches of Connecticut. Seventeen questions were proposed to the
assembly, to be discussed and answered. The assembly of minis-
ters meet and discuss the questions. The legislature declare, that they
had not been decided, and give intimations that they did not desire,
that the ministers and churches of Connecticut should report their
opinion upon them. They express their desires of a larger council
from Massachusetts, and New-Plymouth. The Rev. Mr. Davenport
removes to Boston. Dissension at Windsor. Mr. Bulkley and Mr.
Fitch are appointed by the assembly to devise some way in which the
churches might walk together, notwithstanding their different opin-
ions relative to the subjects of baptism, church communion, and the
mode of church discipline. The church at Hartford divides, and Mr.
Whiting and his adherents are allowed to practice upon congregation-
al principles. The church at Stratford allowed to divide and hold dis-
tinct meetings. Mr. Walker and his hearers, upon advice, remove and
settle the town of Woodbury. Deaths and characters of the Rev.
Messrs. John Davenport and John Warham. General attempts for a
reformation of manners. Religious state of the colony in 1680. At-
tempts for the instruction and christianising of the Indians in Connecti-
cut. Act of the legislature respecting Windsor. The people there re-
quired peaceably to settle and support Mr. Mather. Owning or sub-
scribing the covenant introduced at Hartford. College founded, and
trustees incorporated. Worship according to the mode of the church
of England, performed in this colony, first at Stratford. Episcopal
church gathered there. Act of assembly requiring the ministers and
churches of Connecticut to meet and form a religious constitution.
They meet and compile the Saybrook Platform. Articles of disci-
pline. Act of the legislature adopting the Platform. Associations.
Consociations. General Association. Its recommendations relative to
the examination of candidates for the ministry, and of pastors elect
previous to their ordination. Ministers, churches, and ecclesiastical so-
cieties in Connecticut, in 1713. Degree of instruction. The whole
number of ministers in the colony from its first settlement, to that pe-
riod.
CONTAINING various documents referred to in this volume, with the great
original PATENT OF NEW-ENGLAND, never before published.
Introduction. The discovery of North-America and NewEngland. Captain Smith's discovery. The country is named New-England. New-Plymouth settled. The great patent of New-England, and patent of Massachusetts. The settlement of Salem, Charlestown, Boston, and other towns in Massachusetts. Mr. Warham, Mr. Phillips and Mr. Hooker, with others of the first planters of Connecticut, arrive and make settlements at Dorchester, Watertown and Newtown. Their churches are formed and they are ordained.
HE settlement of New-England, purely for the pur- Book I. poses of Religion, and the propagation of civil and religious liberty, is an event which has no parallel in the history of modern ages. The piety, self-denial, sufferings, patience, perseverance and magnanimity of the first settlers of the country are without a rival. The happy and extensive consequences of the settlements which they made, and of the sentiments which they were careful to propagate, to their posterity, to the church and to the world, admit of no description. They are still increasing, spreading wider and wider, and appear more and more important.
The planters of Connecticut were among the illustrious characters, who first settled New-England, and twice made settlements, first in Massachusetts, and then in Connecticut on bare creation. In an age w'.en the light of freedom was but just dawning, they, by voluntary compact, formed one of the most free and happy constitutions of govern
Book I. ment which mankind have ever adopted. Connecticut has ever been distinguished by the free spirit of its government, the mildness of its laws, and the general diffusion of knowledge, among all classes of its inhabitants. They have been no less distinguished by their industry, economy, purity of manners, population and spirit of enterprise. For more than a century and half, they have had no rival, as to the steadiness of their government, their internal peace and harmony, their love and high enjoyment of domestic, civil and religious order and happiness. They have ever stood among the most illuminated, first and boldest defenders of the civil and religious rights of mankind.
The history of such a people must be curious, entertaining and important. It will exhibit the fairest models of civil government, of religious order, purity and human happiness. It is the design of the present work to lay this history before the public.
As the planters of Connecticut were among the first settlers of New-England, and interested in the first patents and settlements, sketches of the discovery of the country, of the patents by which it was conveyed and divided to the different colonies, and of the first settlements, will be necessary to illustrate the history of Connecticut and be a natural preliminary to this work.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, a Genoese, discovered the western isles, and first communicated to Europe the intelligence of a new world: but the Cabots had the honor of discovering the great continent of North-America.
JOHN CABOT, a Venetian, born in England, in 1494 discovered Newfoundland and the island of St. Johns. In consequence of this discovery, king Henry the seventh of England, in whose service he was employed, conferred on him the honor of knighthood; and gave him and his sons a commission to make further discoveries in the new world. John Cabot died soon after he received this commission. His son Sebastian, in 1497, sailed with the fleet, which had been preparing for his father, and directing his course by his journals, proceeded to the 67th degree of north latitude, and, returning to the southward, fell in with the continent in the 56th degree of north latitude; and thence explored the coast as far south as the Floridas. From these discoveries originated the claims of England to these parts of the northern continent.
In 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold discovered some part of New-England. He first touched on its eastern coast, in about 43 degrees of north latitude; and, sailing to the southward, landed on the Elizabeth Islands. He made some
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