BOOK I.

1637.

CHAPTER VI.

Effects of the war. Great scarcity in Connecticut, and means taken to relieve the necessities of the people. Settlement of New-Haven. Plantation covenant. Means for the defence of the colony. Captain Mason made major-general. Civil constitution of Connecticut, formed by voluntary compact. First general election at Connecticut. Governors and magistrates. General rights of the people, and principal laws of the colony. Constitution and laws of New-Haven. Purchase and settlement of several towns in Connecticut and New-Haven.

TH

HOUGH the war with the Pequots was now happily terminated, yet the effects of it were severely felt by the inhabitants. The consequences were, scarcity and a debt, which, in the low state of the colony, it was exceedingly difficult to pay. Almost every article of food or clothing was purchased at the dearest rate: and the planters had not yet reaped any considerable advantage from their farms. Such a proportion of their labourers had been employed in the war, and the country was so uncultivated, that all the provision which had been raised, or imported, was in no measure proportionate to the wants of the people. The winter was uncommonly severe, which increased the distress of the colony.* The court at. Connecticut foreseeing that the people would be in great want of bread, contracted with Mr. Pyncheon for five hundred bushels of Indian corn, which he was to purchase of the Indians, and a greater quantity, if it could be obtained. The inhabitants were prohibited to bargain for it privately, and limited to certain prices, lest it should raise the price, while he was making the purchase. A committee was also appointed by the court, to send a vessel to Narraganset, to buy of the natives in that quarter. But notwithstanding every preScarcity in caution which was taken, the scarcity became such, that corn rose to the extraordinary price of twelve shillings by the bushel. In this distressful situation a committee was sent to an Indian settlement called Pocomtock, since Deer

Connecti

cut.

*The snow lay from the 4th of November until the 23d of March. It was, at some times, three and four feet deep. Once in the winter it snowed for two hours together, flakes as big as English shillings. Winthrop's Journal, p. 154.

+ Records of Connecticut.

Mason's history. Twelve shillings sterling at that time, was doubtless equal to eighteen or twenty shillings lawful money.

field, where they purchased such quantities, that the In- Book I. dians came down to Windsor and Hartford, with fifty canoes at one time, laden with Indian corn.§ The good 1638. people considered this as a great deliverance. Those, Relieved. who, in England, had fed on the finest of the wheat, in the beginning of afflairs in Connecticut, were thankful for such coarse fare as Indian bread, for themselves and children.

In this low state of the colony, the court found it necessary to order the towns immediately to furnish themselves. with magazines of powder, lead and shot, and every man to be completely armed, and furnished with ammunition. The court were also obliged to impose a tax of 550 pounds, to be collected immediately, to defray the expenses of the war. This appears to have been the first public tax in Connecticut. Agawam, since named Springfield, though it sent no men to the war, yet bore its proportion of the expense. The first secretary and treasurer appears to have been Mr. Clement Chaplin. He was authorised to February

*

issue his warrants for gathering the tax which had been im- 9th. posed.

This he

8th.

Captain John Mason was appointed major-general of the militia of Connecticut. The reverend Mr. Hooker March was desired to deliver him the military staff. doubtless performed with that propriety and dignity which was peculiar to himself, and best adapted to the occasion. The general was directed to call out the militia of each town, ten times in a year, to instruct them in military discipline. He received out of the public treasury 40 pounds annually, for his services.

As it was of the highest importance to the colony to cultivate peace, and a good understanding with the Indians, laws were enacted to prevent all persons from offering them the least private insult or abuse.

rives at

While the planters of Connecticut were thus exerting themselves in prosecuting and regulating the affairs of that colony, another was projected and settled at Quinnipiack,t afterwards called New-Haven. On the 26th of July, 1637, Mr. DavMr. John Davenport, Mr. Samuel Eaton, Theophilus Eat- enport aron and Edward Hopkins, Esquires, Mr. Thomas Gregson, Boston. and many others of good characters and fortunes, arrived at Boston. Mr. Davenport had been a famous minister in the city of London, and was a distinguished character for piety, learning, and good conduct. Many of his congre

♦ Mason's History.

The tax was laid on the towns in the proportions following: Agawam, 26 pounds: 16:0. Windsor, 158 pounds: 2:0. Hartford, 251 pounds 2:0. And Weathersfield, 124 pounds: 0: 0.

+ This is sometimes spelt Quillipiack, and Qinnepioke.

Offers to

Book I. gation, on account of the esteem which they had for his person and ministry, followed him into New-England. Mr. 1638. Eaton and Mr. Hopkins had been merchants in London, possessed great estates, and were men of eminence for their abilities and integrity. The fame of Mr. Davenport, the reputation and good estates of the principal gentlemen of this company, made the people of the Massachusetts exceedingly desirous of their settlement in that commonwealth. Great pains were taken, not only by particular persons and towns, but by the general court, to fix them in Massa in the colony. Charlestown made them large offers; and Newbury proposed to give up the whole town to them. The general court offered them any place which they should choose. But they were determined to plant a distinct colony. By the pursuit of the Pequots to the westward, the English became acquainted with that fine tract along the shore, from Saybrook to Fairfield, and with its several harbours. It was represented as fruitful, and happily situated for navigation and commerce. The company therefore projected a settlement in that part of the country.

retain him

chusetts.

April 18th,

In the fall of 1637, Mr. Eaton, and others, who were of the company, made a journey to Connecticut, to explore the lands and harbours on the sea coast. They pitched upon Quinnipiack for the place of their settlement. They erected a poor hut, in which a few men subsisted through

the winter.

On the 30th of March, 1638, Mr. Davenport, Mr. Prudden, Mr. Samuel Eaton, and Theophilus Eaton, Esquire, with the people of their company, sailed from Boston for Quinnipiack. In about a fortnight they arrived at their desired port. On the 18th of April, they kept their first the first sabbath in the place. The people assembled under a large sabbath spreading oak, and Mr. Davenport preached to them from kept at New-Ha- Matthew vi. 1. He insisted on the temptations of the wilderness, made such observations, and gave such directions and exhortations as were pertinent to the then present state of his hearers. He left this remark, That he enjoyed a good day.

ven.

One of the principal reasons which these colonists asReasons signed for their removing from Massachusetts, was, that for remov- they should be more out of the way and trouble of a general ing. governor of New-England, who, at this time, was an object of great fear in all the plantations. What foundation there was for the hope of exemption from the controul of a general governor, by this removal, had one been sent, does not appear. It is probable, that the motive which had the Winthrop's Journal, p. 151.

greatest influence with the principal men, was the desire Book I. of being at the head of a new government, modelled, both in civil and religious matters, agreeably to their own ap- 1638. prehensions. It had been an observation of Mr. Davenport's, That whenever a reformation had been effected in the church, in any part of the world, it had rested where it had been left by the reformers. It could not be advanced another step. He was now embarked in a design of forming a civil and religious constitution, as near as possible to scripture precept and example. The principal gentlemen, who had followed him into America, had the same views. In laying the foundations of a new colony, there was a fair probability, that they might accommodate all matters of church and commonwealth to their own feelings and sentiments. But in the Massachusetts, the principal men were fixed in the chief seats of government, which they were likely to keep, and their civil and religious polity was already formed. Besides, the antinomian controver sy and sentiments, which had taken such root at Boston, were exceedingly disagreeable to Mr. Davenport, and the principal gentlemen of his company. He had taken a decided, though prudent part, against them. He, with his leading men, might judge, that the people who came with them would be much more out of danger of the corruption, and that they should be more entirely free from the trouble of those sentiments, in a new plantation, than in the Massachusetts. These might all unite their influence with Mr. Davenport and others, to determine them to remove and begin a new colony.

piack.

Soon after they arrived at Quinnipiack, in the close of a day of fasting and prayer, they entered into what they termed a plantation covenant. In this they solemnly bound Plantation themselves, "That, as in matters that concern the gather- covenant ing and ordering of a church, so also in all public offices, at Quinni which concern civil order, as choice of magistrates and officers, making and repealing laws, dividing allotments of inheritance, and all things of like nature, they would, all of them, be ordered by the rules which the scripture held forth to them." This was adopted as a general agreement, until there should be time for the people to become more intimately acquainted with each other's religious views, sentiments, and moral conduct; which was supposed to be necessary to prepare the way for their covenanting together, as christians, in church state.

The aspects of Providence on the country, about this time, were very gloomy, and especially unfavourable to new plantations. The spring, after a long and severe win< N

L

for several weeks.

BOOK I. ter, was unusually backward. Scarcely any thing grew, The planting season was so cold that 1638. the corn rotted in the ground, and the people were obliged to replant two or three times.* This distressed man and beast, and retarded all the affairs of the plantations. It rendered the gloom and horrors of the wilderness sti more horrible. The colonists had terrible apprehensions of scarcity and famine. But at length the warm season came on, and vegetation exceeded all their expectations.

Great

earthquake, June 1st.

The first

at New

On the 1st of June, between the hours of three and four in the afternoon, there was a great and memorable earthquake throughout New-England. It came with a report like continued thunder, or the rattling of numerous coaches upon a paved street. The shock was so great that, in many places, the tops of the chimnies were thrown down, and the pewter fell from the shelves. It shook the waters and ships in the harbours, and all the adjacent islands. The duration of the sound and tremor was about four minutes. The earth, at turns, was unquiet for nearly twenty days. The weather was clear, the wind westerly, and the course of the earthquake from west to east.

The planters at Quinnipiack determined to make an extensive settlement; and, if possible, to maintain perpetual peace and friendship with the Indians. They, therefore, paid an early attention to the making of such purchases and amicable treaties, as might most effectually answer their designs.

On the 24th of November, 1638, Theophilus Eaton, purchase Esq. Mr. Davenport, and other English planters, entered into an agreement with Momauguin, sachem of that part of Nov. 24th, the country, and his counsellors, respecting the lands. The articles of agreement are to this effect:

Haven,

1638.

That Momauguin is the sole sachem of Quinnipiack, and had an absolute power to aliene and dispose of the same That, in consequence of the protection which he had tasted, by the English, from the Pequots and Mohawks, he yielded up all his right, title, and interest to all the land, rivers, ponds, and trees, with all the liberties and appurtenances belonging to the same, unto Theophilus Eaton, John Davenport, and others, their heirs and assigns, for ever. He covenanted, that neither he, nor his Indians, would terrify, nor disturb the English, nor injure

Winthrop's Journal, p. 155. Ibid. See also Morton and Autchinson. + The Indians of Quinnipiack, in this treaty, declared, that they still remembered the heavy taxes of the Pequots and Mohawks; and that, by reason of their fear of them, they could not stay in their own country, but had been obliged to flee. By these powerful enemies, they had been reduced to about forty men: