48

INTRIGUES OF CLAYBORNE.

his men had been defeated and taken prisoners. Clayborne himself fled to Virginia; and when reclaimed by the governor of Maryland, was sent by Harvey to England.

He was declared a traitor, and his estates were pronounced forfeited by an act of the Maryland assembly. His attempts to obtain redress in England were unavailing; and the right of Lord Baltimore to the jurisdiction of Maryland was fully confirmed by the British govern

ment.

Meantime, the assembly of Maryland was labouring in the cause of civil liberty; at the same time that it recognised the sovereignty of the King of England, and the rights of the proprietary, it confirmed the rights of Englishmen to the inhabitants of Maryland; established a representative government; and asserted for itself similar powers to those of the British House of Commons.

In 1642, the gratitude of the colonists towards Lord Baltimore was manifested by the grant of such a subsidy as they could afford.

About the same time, the Indians, instigated by Clayborne, commenced hostilities, but were reduced to submission without much difficulty, and measures were taken by the assembly to insure the future tranquillity of the colony.

In 1643, Clayborne succeeded in raising a rebellion, which kept the province in a state of disturbance for three years; and at one time the governor was compelled to fly, and the public records were lost or embezzled.

The government, however, was eventually triumphant, and confirmed its victory by the wise and humane expedient of a general amnesty.

The civil wars of England extended their influence to Maryland as well as the other colonies. When the authority of Cromwell was defied by the Virginians, and commissioners were sent to reduce them to obedience, Clayborne, the ever active enemy of the Marylanders, seized the occasion for extending his authority over them; and a long series of fresh troubles and disturbances were brought on by his measures. Stone, the deputy of 1652 Lord Baltimore, was repeatedly deprived of his com

to

mission; the Catholic inhabitants were persecuted 1658 for their religious opinions, and the province was What is related of Clayborne ?---Of Lord Baltimore ?-Of the assembly-Of the colonists?-Of the Indians ?-Of Clayborne ?-Of the governor-Of the government?-What transpired during the civil wars of England?

FIRST SETTLEMENT OF NEW ENGLAND.

49

kept for years in a state of alarm and confusion. The authority of the proprietary was, however, finally restored.

In 1660, the representatives of Maryland declared their right of independent legislation, and passed an act making it felony to disturb the order thus established. From that time forward the province enjoyed comparative repose. Their population had already reached the number of twelve thousand.

CHAPTER X.

FIRST SETTLEMENT OF NEW ENGLAND.

SEVERAL abortive attempts were made to colonise the country now called New England, before the famous expedition of the Pilgrim Fathers, which planted the earliest permanent colony.

Two expeditions were sent out from the west of England as early as 1606, neither of which left settlers; but in 1607, two ships, commanded by Raleigh Gilbert, sailed with a colony of emigrants under the presidency of George Popham. These adventurers landed and formed a settlement near the mouth of Kennebec river, which they called St. George. Forty-five persons were left here by the ships on their return to England, in December.

During the winter the little colony suffered many hardships and misfortunes. Their president died; and on the return of the ships with supplies, Gilbert, who had succeeded to the presidency, learning that chief justice Popham, the principal patron of the colony, was dead; and that he himself had, by the decease of his brother, become heir to a considerable estate, abandoned the plantation; and the whole company returned to the mother country.

In 1614, Captain John Smith, the hero whose name is so celebrated in Virginia history, set sail with two ships for the coast north of Virginia, and performed a prosperous voyage, during which he explored the coast, and prepared a map of it, from the Penobscot river to Cape Cod. He gave to the country the name of New England.

What was done in 1660?-What followed ?-Where was a colony planted in 1607 1-What occasioned its abandonment 7-What was done by Captain Smith in 16147

His success in this enterprise encouraged him to undertake the settlement of a colony for Sir Ferdinand Gorges and others, of the Plymouth company. But after two attempts he was intercepted on his voyage by French pirates, lost his vessel, and finally escaped from the harbour of Rochelle, alone, in an open boat. Smith was a perfect hero of romance. Wherever we hear of his being, we are sure to find him performing some extraordinary act, some feat of chivalry or herculean labour, such as no ordinary man would ever have thought of attempting. His fortune was as extraordinary as his genius.

On his return home from France, he published his map and description of New England; and by his earnest solicitations engaged the western company for colonising America, to solicit and obtain a charter for settling the country. The company was called 'The council established at Plymouth, in the county of Devon, for the planting, ruling, ordering, and governing New England, in America. The charter gave this company the absolute property and unlimited controul of the territory included between the fortieth and forty-eighth degrees of north latitude and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. A glance at the map will show that this included the Canadas, all the Eastern and nearly all the Middle States, and a country of immense extent to the west. All this territory, with its commercial and internal resources, were placed under the absolute controul of some forty merchants and gentlemen, who composed the company, and resided in England.

The extent of these powers, vested in the company, delayed emigration; and in the mean time, the first permanent colony in New England was established without regard to this charter, or even the knowledge of the company who had obtained it.

A sect of Puritans, distinguished by the democracy of its tenets respecting church government, and denominated Brownists, from the name of its founder, had sprung up in England, and after suffering much persecution from the government, had taken refuge at Leyden, in Holland. Here its members having formed a distinct society under

What befell him afterwards?-What is observed of Smith ?-What was done by him on his return to England ?-What company was formed under his auspices?-What was granted in their charter?What delayed emigration ?-What took place in the mean time ?-Who were the Brownists ?-Where did they take refuge?

VOYAGE OF THE PILGRIMS.

51

the charge of their pastor, Mr. John Robinson, resided for some years in obscurity and safety; but not finding their situation congenial to their feelings as Englishmen, and fearful of losing their national identity, they had come to the determination of removing in a body to America.

They accordingly sent two of their number, Robert Cushman and John Carver, to England, for the purpose of obtaining the consent of the London company to their emigration to Virginia. Permission was promised, and a formal application, signed by the greatest part of the congregation, was transmitted to the company.

They were desirous that their enterprise should receive the formal approbation of the king. But James I was hostile to all the Puritans; and the utmost that he would promise was neglect. A patent under the company's seal was, however, obtained through the influence of Sir Edwin Sandys, and a tract of land assigned them within the limits of the Virginia charter. The funds necessary for defraying the expenses of the expedition were obtained in London, on terms by no means favourable to the borrowers; but this circumstance could not deter men who were actuated by the spirit of the Pilgrims.

Two vessels, the Speedwell, of sixty tons, and the Mayflower, of one hundred and eighty tons burden, were hired in England. Only a part of the congregation could be accommodated in these; and Robinson was obliged to remain at Leyden, while Brewster, an elder, conducted

the company.

It was on the morning of the 22d of July, 1620, when Robinson, kneeling in prayer on the sea shore at Delfthaven, consecrated the embarkation of the Pilgrims. The beginning of their voyage was prosperous. They touched at Southampton, in England, and sailed thence on the 5th of August. Their prospect soon darkened; they were obliged to put back twice in order to repair the smaller of their vessels, and finally to abandon her with such of their company as were too cowardly to continue the voyage; so that it was not until the 6th of September, 1620, that they took their final departure from England in the Mayflower.

Who was their pastor?-Why did they determine to leave Holland To whom did they apply for permission to settle in America ?-What was done by James I?-How did they obtain their patent?-Where did they raise money ?-What ships did they hire?-Who was their leader? When did they leave Holland ?-What occasioned the aban donment of one of their ships?

52

CONSTITUTION OF THE PILGRIMS.

The destination of the Pilgrims was the mouth of the Hudson; but by the treachery of their captain, who is supposed to have been bribed by the Dutch interested in the colony of New Amsterdam, they were conducted to the inhospitable coast of Massachusetts. They did not make the land till the ninth of November. On the next day they cast anchor in the harbour of Cape Cod.

Before landing, they adopted a solemn compact or constitution of government in the following words:

In the name of God, amen; we, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign King James, having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honour of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do, by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and of one another, covenant and combine ourselves together, into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof, do enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most convenient for the general good of the colony. Unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.'

This instrument was signed by the men, forty-one in number; and they, with their families, amounted to one hundred and one persons. As soon as their covenant or contract was signed, Mr. John Carver was unanimously chosen their governor for one year.

The inclemency of the season was very unfavourable to their undertaking. Several days were spent in searching for a suitable place to land; and much hardship was endured by those who went in the boats for this purpose. Some traces of the Indians were discovered; a heap of maize, a burial place, and four or five deserted wigwams. On the 8th of December, Carver, Bradford, Winslow, Standish, and eight or ten seamen, being on shore near Namskeket, on Great Meadow Creek, were assailed by a party of Indians, who welcomed them with the war whoop, and a flight of arrows. On the same day, they were near being wrecked in their shallop, as they were

What was the destination of the Pilgrims?-Why did they not land there?-Whither were they conducted ?-What was their constitution? -Who was chosen governor -What befell a party of them on the 8th of December?