commissioners from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Haven; but, inasmuch as the Plymouth delegates were not authorized to sign, the latter reported them to their General Court, which submitted them for ratification to the several towns. In this manner they were ratified by the people. On the 7th of September the measures had been confirmed; and thus was formed the cenfederation of "The United Colonies of New England," the prototype of the North American Confederacy of 1774. The four jurisdictions comprised a population of about twenty-four thousand, living in thirty-nine towns.1

The preamble to the articles of confederation reads as follows: "We all came into these parts of America with one and the same end and aim, viz.: to advance the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to enjoy the liberties of the gospel in purity with peace; and whereas by our settling, by the wise providence of God, we are further dispersed upon the sea-coast and rivers than was at first intended, so that we cannot, according to our desire, with convenience. communicate in one government and jurisdiction; and whereas we live encompassed with people of several nations and strange languages, which hereafter may prove injurious to us or our posterity; and forasmuch as the natives have formerly committed sundry insolences and outrages upon several plantations of the English, and have of late combined themselves against us, and seeing by reason of the sad distractions in England (which they have heard of) and by which they know we are hindered both from that humble way of seeking advice and reaping those comfortable fruits of protection which at other times we might well expect; we therefore do conceive it our bounden duty, without delay, to enter

1 Winthrop, ii. 119-127; Hubbard, 467, seq.

into a present consociation among ourselves, for mutual help and strength in all future concernment, that as in nation and religion, so in other respects, we be and continue one, according to the true tenor and meaning of the ensuing articles."

This explicit preamble is followed by twelve articles. The first fixes the name, "The United Colonies of New England." The second is a declaration of a perpetual league, with its purposes. The third asserts the right of jurisdiction of each colony within its own boundaries, and confines the confederacy to the four colonies forming it, until otherwise agreed. The fourth establishes the rule to be followed in the apportionment of colonial expenses in time of war. The fifth states the course to be pursued in case of any foreign invasion. The sixth gives to each colony the power to choose two commissioners, fully authorized to act in its behalf. The seventh provides for the election of a president of the board. The eighth provides for the establishing of "agreements and orders in general cases of a civil nature," and for the preservation of justice in general. The ninth forbids each colony engaging in war, without the consent of the rest. The tenth provides for calling extraordinary meetings. The eleventh provides for cases arising from a breach of the articles; and the twelfth ratifies and confirms the whole.1

This league generally met with the expectations of its founders. Remarkable for unmixed simplicity, it was yet strong in its purpose, and was virtually an assumption of the sovereignty of the people. Its existence was as unpremeditated from early years as it was inevitable at the last. Majesty itself could not have prohibited it; nor was it

1 Winthrop, ii. 119–127.

probably foreseen by the charter of Massachusetts. When the bond of union had been agreed upon, Thomas Hooker wrote to Governor Winthrop, in terms which disclose to us the elevated thought and exalted aims of the fathers of New England.

"Much honored in our blessed Savior! At the return of our magistrates, when I understood the gracious and desired success of their endeavor, and by the joint relation of them all, not only your Christian readiness, but enlarged faithfulness in an especial manner to promote so good a work, my heart would not suffer me but as unfeignedly to acknowledge the Lord's goodness, so affectionately to remember your candid and cordial carriage in a matter of so great consequence; laboring by your special prudence to settle a foundation of safety and prosperity in succeeding ages; a work which will be found not only for your comfort, but for your crown at the great day of your account. It's the greatest good that can befall a man in this world to be an instrument under God to do a great deal of good. To be the repairer of the breach was of old counted matter of the highest praise and acceptance with God and man; much more to be a means, not only to maintain peace and truth in your days, but to leave both as a legacy to those that come after until the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds." 1

14 M. H. Coll., vi. 390.

CHAPTER IV.

MASSACHUSETTS AND CHARLES II.

THE revolution in England, which dethroned and sent Charles I. to the scaffold, broke up the Court of High Commission, abolished the Star Chamber, and crushed the power of associate tyrants, exerted no small degree of influence on the fortunes of New England. When the news first reached these shores that a new Parliament had been formed, and there was some hope of a reform, some of the Puritans "began to think of returning back to England, and others, despairing of further help from thence, turned their minds wholly to a removal to the south." The Long Parliament, which met in London in 1641, contained among its members many favorers of the Puritan plantations, some of whom, says Winthrop, "wrote to us advice to solicit for us in the Parliament, giving us hope that we might obtain much. But consulting about it, we declined the motion for this consideration, that if we

should put ourselves under the protection of the Parliament, we must then be subject to all such laws as they should make, or, at least, such as they might impose upon us."1 The same sagacity was displayed by the settlers when they received letters, in the following year, inviting them to send deputies to the Westminster Assembly of divines.

Winthrop, ii. 30.

However, the colonists resolved to send Hugh Peters and two others to England, to "mediate ease in customs and excise;" and their mission proved successful. So pleasant continued the relations between Parliament and the colonies, that in 1643 the former freed their imports and exports from all taxation, "until the House of Commons should take order to the contrary." The General Court of Massachusetts, feeling grateful for the ordinance, "entered it word for word on their records, as a memorial to posterity." Meanwhile the events of the time gave rise to many political discussions. Abstract questions of government were freely debated; public meetings were frequent; and at every annual court one of the ministers was appointed to preach an "Election Sermon." In these discussions, wide differences of opinion were expressed, and there was manifested a growing jealousy, on the part of the people, of their highly aristocratical charter government. Although the appointment, by Parliament, of a governor general of America was not quite pleasing to Massachusetts, the people still acknowledged their allegiance to England; it was also ordered by the court, that "whosoever should endeavor to disturb the public peace, directly or indirectly, by drawing a party, under the pretence that he was for the King of England and such as joined with him against the Parliament, should be accounted an offender of a high nature against the commonwealth, to be proceeded with, either capitally or otherwise, according to the quality or degree of his offence."

In 1645 several difficulties arose within the colonies which called for the exercise of skilful diplomacy. Certain parties, hostile to the government of Massachusetts,