which is the first account of their having used them. Saffacus filed to the Mohawks, by whom it is reported he was murdered; but it is more probable that he and his company incorporated with them. Many of the Indian captives were unjustifiably fent to Bermudas and fold for flaves. The Pequot tribe was wholly extinguished. This fuccefsful expedition ftruck the Indians that remained with fuch terror, as reftrained them from open hoftilitics for near forty years after.

The English thus obtained the country eaft of the Dutch fettlements, by right of conqueft. The purfuit of the Indians led to an acquaintance with the lands on the fea-coaft, from Saybrook to Fairfield. It was reported to be a very fine country. This favourable report induced Meffrs. Eaton and Hopkins, two very refpectable London merchants, and Mr. Davenport, a man of diftinguished piety and abilities, with their company, who arrived this year (1637) from London, to think of this part of the country as the place of their fettlement. Their friends in Maffachusetts, forry to part with fo valuable a company, diffuaded them from their purpofe. Influenced, however, by the promifing profpects which the country afforded, and flattering themfelves that they fhould be out of the ju rifdiction of a general governor, with which the country was from time to time threatened, they determined to proceed. Accordingly, in March, 1638, with the confent of their friends on Connecticut river, they fettled at New-Haven, and laid the foundation of a flourishing colony, of which Quinnipiak, now New-Haven, was the chief town. The first public wor fhip, in this new plantation, was attended on Lord's day, April 18th, 1638, under a large fpreading oak. The Rev. Mr. Davenport preached from Matt. iii. 1. on the temptations of the wilderness. Both colonies, by voluntary compact, formed themselves into diftinct commonwealths, and remained fo until their union in 1665.

In 1639, the three towns on Connecticut river, already mentioned, find. ing themfelves without the limits of any jurifdiction, formed themfelves into a body politic, and agreed upon articles of civil government. Thefe articles were the foundation of Connecticut charter, which was granted in 1662. The fubftance of the articles, fo far as they respect the holding of affemblies, the time and manner of electing magiftrates and other civil officers, (except that in the old confederation no perfon was to be chofen governor more than once in two years) and the extent of legislative powers was transferred into, and established in faid charter.

The first church was gathered in New-Haven this year, and confifted of feven members. Thefe were chofen by the fettlers after Mr. Davenport had preached from the words of Solomon, Wifdom hath builded her houfe, the hath hewed out her feven pillars.' Thefe men were indeed the pillars of the church, to whom the reft were added as they became qualified. They were, alfo, the court to try all civil actions.

The first fettlers in New-Haven had all things common; all purchases were made in the name and for the ufe of the whole plantation, and the lands were apportioned out to each family, according to their number and original stock.

At their first election, in October, 1639, Mr. Theophilus Eaton was chofen governor for the first year. Their elections, by agreement, were to be annual; and the Word of God their only rule in conducting the affairs of government in the plantation.

In 1643, the articles of confederation between the four New-England colonies, mentioned p. 158, were unanimoufly adopted by the colonies of New-Haven and Connecticut.

The English fettlement on Delaware, which was under the jurifdiction of New-Haven, was furprized by the Swedes, and the people put in irons, under a falfe pretence that they were entering into a confpiracy with the Indians to extirpate the Swedes.

The general court of New-Haven, this year, established it as a fundamental article not to be difputed, That none be admitted as free burgefles but church members, and that none but fuch should vote at elections. They alfo ordained, That each town choose from among themfelves judges (church members) to be a court, to have cognizance of all civil actions not exceeding twenty pounds; and of criminal caufes, where the punishment was, fitting in the ftocks, whipping, and fining not exceeding five pounds. There was liberty of appeal from this to the court of ma-* giftrates. The court of magiftrates confifted of all the magiftrates throughout the colony, who were to meet twice a year, at New-Haven, for the trial of all capital caufes. Six made a quorum.

The general court was to confist of the governor, deputy-governor, magiftrates, and two reprefentatives from each town. The annual election of officers of government was at this time established, and has ever fince continued.

The unfettled ftate of the colony had hitherto prevented their establishing a code of laws. To fupply this defect, the general court ordered, That the judicial laws of God as they were delivered to Mofes, and as they are a fence to the moral, being neither typical nor ceremonial, nor having any reference to Canaan, fhall be accounted of moral equity, and generally bind all offenders, and be a rule to all the courts in this jurifdiction in their proceedings against offenders, until they be branched out into particulars hereafter.'

About this time a war broke out between the Mohegan and Narraganfett Indians. A perfonal quarrel between Myantonomo, fachem of the Narragansetts, and Uncas, fachem of the Mohegans, was the foundation of the war. Myantonomo raised an army of 900 warriors, and marched towards the Mohegan country. Uncas by his fpies received timely notice of their approach. His feat of refidence was in fome part of Norwich. He quickly collected 600 of his bravest warriors, and told them, The Narragansetts must not come into our town, we must meet them.' They accordingly marched about three miles to a large plain, where the two armies met, and halted within bow fhot of each other. A parley was propofed by Uncas, and agreed to by Myantonomo. The fachems met, and Uncas addreffed his enemy as follows. You have a great many brave men-fo have I-You and I have quarrelled, but thefe warriors, what have they done? Shall they die to avenge a private quarrel between us? ́ No. Come like a brave man, as you pretend to be, and let us fight. If you kill me, my men fhall be yours; if I kill you, your men fhall be mine." Myantonomo replied, My men came to fight, and they fhall fight.* Uncas, like an experienced warrior, aware of the refult of the conference from the fuperior force of his enemy, had previously fignified to his men, that if Myantonomo refufed to fight him in fingle combat, he would immediately

immediately fall, which was to be the fignal for them to begin the attack. As foon therefore as Myantonomo had finished his laconic fpeech, Uncas dropped his men inftantly obeyed the fignal, and poured in a fhower of arrows upon the unfufpecting Narraganfetts, and rufhing on with their horrid yells and favage fiercenefs, put them to flight. Many were killed on the fpot-the reft were clofely purfued, and fome were precipitately driven down craggy precipices, and dafhed in pieces. At a place called, from this event, Sachem's Plain, Uncas overtook and feized Myantonomo by the fhoulder. They fat down together; and Uncas with a hoop cailed in his men, and the battle ceased. Doubtful what to do with the royal prifoner, Uncas and his warriors, in council, determined to carry him to the governor and council at Hartford, and be advised by them. Thither he was accordingly conducted. The governor having advised with his council, told Uncas, That the English were not then at war with the Narragansetts, and of course that it was not proper for them to intermeddle in the matter. Uncas was left to do with him as he pleased. Myantonomo was conducted back to the plain where he was taken, and put to death by Uncas himself. The tragic fcene did not end with his death. Uncas, after the manner of the Indians, with his tomahawk, cut off a large piece of flesh from the fhoulder of his flaughtered enemy, broiled and ate it, faying, with an air of favage triumph, It is the fweeteft meat I ever ate-It makes me have a itout heart.' His body was afterwards buried, and a pillar erected over it, the remains of which are visible to this day.

Some hiftorians have infinuated, that the governor and council fecretly advised Uncas to put Myantonomo to death-and others, more bold, have declared that they ordered him (Myantonomo) to be carried out of their jurifdiction, and to be flain;' but that they kindly added that he should not be tortured; and fent fome perfons to fee execution done, who had the fatisfaction to fee the captive king murdered in cool blood*. I know of no foundation for this unfavourable reprefentation of the affair.

Myantonomo was one of the most potent Indian princes in New-England. Seven years before this he had affifted the English in their wars with the Pequots.

The Narraganfetts were greatly enraged at the death of their prince, and refolved to take vengeance on the Mohegans. The united colonies interpofed to prevent a war between them, but in vain. The Narraganfetts refolutely declared, they would continue the war until they had Uncas' head. But as Uncas had ever been a friend to the English, they joined him against his enemies, and were victorious. Such, however, was the enmity of the Narraganfetts to the English, that they afterwards fent fome of their men to Uncas, with large prefents, to induce him to join with them in a war with the colonies. Uncas replied, Go tell your king that I will go to Norwich, and advife with Major John Mason and Mr. Fitch; if they tell me to join him and fight against the English, I will join him.' In the war that happened foon after, Uncas aflifted the English, and the Narraganfetts were fubdued, and never after were formidable.

Hift. of Providence, &c. published in the Providence Gazette, 1765, No. 128.

In

In confideration of the fuccefs and increase of the New England colonies, and that they had been of no charge to the nation, and in profpect of their being in future very serviceable to it, the English parliament, March 10th, 1643, granted them an exemption from all cuftoms, fubfidies and other duties, until further order.

To write a connected, progreffive hiftory of any of the ftates, is not within the limits of my defign. This, as I have before obferved, is left to the profeffed historian *. Some of the most remarkable and interesting events, related in a detached and fummary manner, is all that must be expected.

In 1644, the Connecticut adventurers purchafed of Mr. Fenwick, agent for Lord Say and Seal, and Lord Brook, their right to the colony of Connecticut, for £.1600.

The hiftory of Connecticut is marked with traces of the fame fpirit, which has been mentioned as characteristic of the Maffachusetts, in different stages of their hiftory. Indeed, as Maffachusetts was the ftock whence Connecticut proceeded, this is to be expected.

The colony of Connecticut expreffed their difapprobation of the ufe of tobacco, in an act of their general affembly at Hartford, in 1647, wherein it was ordered, That no perfon under the age of twenty years, nor any other that hath already accustomed himself to the ufe thereof, fhall take any tobacco, until he fhall have brought a certificate, from under the hand of fome who are approved for knowledge and skill in phyfic, that it is useful for him; and also that he hath received a licence from the court for the fame. All others who had addicted themselves to the ufe of tobacco were, by the fame court, prohibited taking it in any company, or at their labours, or on their travels, unless they were ten miles at least from any houfe ț, (I fuppofe) or more than once a day, though not in company, on pain of a fine of fix-pence for each time; to be proved by one fubftantial evidence. The conftable in each town to make presentment of fuch tranfgreffions to the particular court, and, upon conviction, the fine to be paid without gainfaying.'

Nor were the Connecticut fettlers behind their brethren in Maffachufetts in regard to their feverity against the Quakers; and they have the fame apology. The general court of New-Haven, 165, paffed a fevere law against the Quakers. They introduced their law with this preamble.

Whereas there is a curfed fect of hereticks lately fprung up in the world, commonly called Quakers, who take upon them that they are immediately fent from God, and infallibly aflifted by the Spirit, who yet speak and write blafphemous opinions, defpife government, and the order of God in church and commonwealth, fpeaking evil of dignities, &c.

The Rev. Mr. Benjamin Trumbull, of North Haven, has for feveral years, with indefatigable induftry, been making collectims for a history of Connecticut. His abilities as a writer, and his accuracy as a hiftorian, the public already know. It is hoped the public will shortly be favoured with his hiftory. Through his indulgence in permitting me to select from his manufcripts, I am enabled to publish most of the above facts.

There is a defect in the copy.

See Hift. of Maffachusetts, p. 188.

• Ordered

Ordered-That whofoever shall bring, or caufe to be brought, any known Quaker or Quakers, or other blafphemous hereticks, fhall forfeit the fum of .50.' Alfo,

If a Quaker come into this jurifdiction on civil bufinefs, the time of his ftay fhall be limited by the civil authority, and he fhall not use any means to corrupt or feduce others. On his firft arrival, he fhall appear before the magistrate, and from him have license to pass on his business. And (for the better prevention of hurt to the people) have one or more to attend upon them at their charge, &c. The penalties in cafe of dif obedience were whipping, imprifonment, labour, and deprivation of all converse with any perfon.

6

For the fecond offence, the perfon was to be branded in the hand with the letter H-to fuffer imprifonment-and be put to labour. For the third, to be branded in the other hand, imprisoned, &c. as before. For the fourth, the offender was to have his tongue bored through with a red hot iron-imprifoned-and kept to labour, until fent away at their own charge.

Any person who fhould attempt to defend the fentiments of the Quakers, was, for the third offence, to be fentenced to banishment.'

Had the pious framers of thefe laws paid a due attention to the excellent advice of that fagacious doctor of the law, Gamaliel, they would, perhaps, have been prevented from the adoption of fuch fevere and unjuftifiable measures. This wife man, when his countrymen were about to be outrageous in perfecuting the apoftles, addreffed them in the following words, which merit to be engraved in letters of gold: REFRAIN

FROM THESE MEN, AND LET THEM ALONE: FOR IF THIS COUNSEL OR THIS WORK BE OF MEN, IT WILL COME TO NOUGHT: BUT IF IT BE OF GOD, YE CANNOT OVERTHROW IT; LEST HAPLY YE BE FOUND EVEN TO FIGHT AGAINST GOD *. This divine maxim was but little attended to in times of perfecution. Our ancestors feem to have left it to pofterity to make the important difcovery, that perfecution is the direct method to multiply its objects.

But these people, who have been fo much cenfured and ridiculed, had, perhaps, as many virtues as their pofterity; and had they an advocate to defend their caufe, he no doubt might find as broad a field for ridicule, and as just a foundation for cenfure, in the furvey of modern manners, as has been afforded in any period fince the fettlement of America. It would be wife then in the moderns, who ftand elevated upon the shoulders of their ancestors, with the book of their experience fpread before them, to improve their virtues, and veil their faults.

The colonies of Connecticut and New-Haven, from their first settlement, increafed rapidly; tracts of land were purchased of the Indians, and new towns fettled from Stamford to Stonington, and far back into the country, when, in 1661, Major John Mafon, as agent for the colony, bought of the natives all lands which had not before been purchafed by particular towns, and made a public furrender of them to the colony, in the prefence of the general affembly. Having done these things, the colonists petitioned king Charles II. for a charter, and their petition was granted. His ma

Acts, Chap. v.

jesty