accept a new patent, and to carry on all proceedings in its name, the colony professed the most entire submission to parliament,-and paid no farther regard to its demands. In the war, too, between England and Holland, the colonists did not think themselves bound to fall upon the Dutch at Manhadoes; and, had not the latter been detected in a conspiracy with the Indians, for the extirpation of their neighbours, there would probably have been no rupture of the peace, which already subsisted between them. When the existence of this conspiracy was proved to the satisfaction of the elders, a majority of the commissioners declared for immediate war; but the general court of Massachusetts refused to be bound by the vote; and the two colonies, which were the most in danger, Connecticut and New Haven, were obliged to send over an application to the Protector Cromwell. He promptly despatched a small naval and military force; and, at the same time, sent a recommendation to Massachusetts, that she should lend her assistance. This advice was not to be slighted. The general court authorized the officers of Cromwell to raise five hundred volunteers within their dominions: Connecticut and New Haven were busy with preparation; and, perhaps, nothing but the peace of 1654 could have saved the Dutch colony from total annihilation. The troops already raised were now turned against the

French possessions; which very promptly surrendered; and, though redemanded at the treaty of Westminster, were left to the result of future discussion; and were soon after granted, for ever, to St. Etienne, Crown, and Temple.

It was during the protectorate, that the colony of Massachusetts saw its most prosperous days. Its exemption from all commercial duties could not but cause it to grow rich: riches naturally introduced the refinements of more polished society; and, among the other beneficial results, four hundred pounds were bestowed by the general court, upon a public school at Newtown, (now Cambridge,) so early as 1636. The endowment was soon after greatly increased by Mr. John Harvard; in 1642, the school was exalted to a college; and, in 1650, obtained a charter of incorporation. For these, and for a variety of other acts, the colony is entitled to our warmest praise; though, at the same time, there was such a spirit of canting and intolerant bigotry in all they did, that our praise must be taken with many grains of qualification. Their conduct towards other sects appears the more unpardonable, because it was an apostacy from their former professions, and added impolicy to intolerance. They punished others for exercising those religious rights, which they so strenuously asserted in the mother country; and were so weak as to suppose, that

new denominations of Christians might be kept down, by the scourge and the gallows. The event proved how little they knew of human nature, and how little they had learnt from experience. The quakers grew under their auspices, and were established by their persecutions.

Indeed, it is chiefly to religious intolerance that we must attribute the comparative rapidity, with which New England was colonized. Its first planters were bigots and enthusiasts. Every individual was more or less occupied with religious topics; and, as it was impossible, that all should think alike, different persons frequently hit upon principles, or found authorities in Scripture, which militated against the general doctrines of the sect. An attempt to suppress such principles, or to controvert these authorities, was considered as an infringement of that religious liberty, which they had all quitted their native country to enjoy. The disputant grew stubborn by opposition; was denounced as a heretic; and, gaining followers as a persecuted man, became the leader of a new sect, and, like the parent colony, departed, to exercise freedom of conscience in another land. New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut were thus settled; and, no sooner had they become somewhat numerous, than intolerance produced new sects, and new sects founded new settlements. Many

of the towns in Connecticut were settled in this manner; and some could not have been settled in any other.

Nothing but motives of religious enthusiasm could have induced these successive swarms to bear the hardships, which they were compelled to undergo. Placed in the midst of the hostile aborigines, they durst not sow their fields, for they knew not, that they should reap the harvest; and, such were the famines, which sometimes occurred, that they were reduced almost to a state of nature, and obliged to subsist upon acorns. The Indians were paid for their lands; but, as soon as the purchase-money was gone, they violated their treaties; and, knowing themselves to be the strongest party, continued to exact contributions, make and break treaties, until the settlers grew powerful enough to defend themselves, and, at last, to extirpate their enemies. Sectarian fanaticism was able to keep up those settlements, which the mere hopes of gain would never have continued; and it is worthy of remark, that, though Virginia was founded more than a dozen years before New England, the population of the latter, in 1673, was three times as great as that of the former.

CHAPTER III.

Different Effects of the Restoration upon New England and Virginia-Disputes between Massachusetts and New Haven-Disloyal Proceedings in Massachusetts-Effects of the Navigation-Act-Grant of the Duke of York-Appointment of Commissioners to govern the Colonies-Expedition against Manhadoes-Disputes between the Commissioners and Massachusetts-Carolina settled-Locke's Constitution-Internal Dissensions in Carolina-Poverty of that Colony-Bacon's Insurrection in Virginia-Change in her Judiciary-Population and Military Force-Population and Military Force of New England-War with Philip-Boundary settled between Massachusetts and New HampshireThe latter erected into a Royal Government-A Quo Warranto issued against the Charter of Massachusetts-Project of Consolidating the Colony-Dissensions in New YorkDisputes between that Colony and New Jersey-Overthrow of the Royal Government in New York-Settlement of Pennsylvania-New Charter for Massachusetts-Restoration of the Royal Government in New York-War with the French and Indians-Fort Pamaquid built-Comparative Force of the Colonies in 1695-War with Canada-With the Spanish Colonies-Between Carolina and the IndiansDissensions in New York-Boundary settled between Massachusetts and Connecticut-Yale College.

AS it cannot have been forgotten, that Virginia took part with the royalists, during the civil war in England, and as we have just seen how zealously New England espoused the other side of the quarrel,—it scarcely needs to be added, that the restoration of Charles II. was attended with very different consequences to these respective portions of his empire.