XXVIII. JOHN WINTHROP, FIRST GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS.

THIS worthy gentleman was descend

ed from a family remarkable for its attachment to the reformed religion from the earlieft period of the reformation. His grandfather, Adam Winthrop, was an eminent lawyer and lover of the gofpel, in the reign of Henry VIII. and brother to a memorable friend of the reformation, in the reign of Mary I. in whofe hands the Martyr Philpot left his papers, which make a confiderable part of the History of the Martyrs. His father, Adam Winthrop, was a gentleman of the fame profeffion and character. Governor Winthrop was born at the family feat at Groton, in Suffolk, June 12, 1587, and was bred to the law, though he had a very ftrong inclination to theological ftudies. the age of eighteen he was made a Juftice of the Peace, and his virtues became confpicuous. He was exemplary in his profeffion as an upright and impartial magiftrate, and in his private character as a chriftian. He had wisdom to difcern, and fortitude to do right in the execution of his office; and as a gentleman,

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gentleman, was remarkable for liberality and hofpitality. These qualities rendered him dear to men of fobriety and religion, and fitted him to engage in the great and difficult work of founding a Colony.

When the defign of fettling a Colony in New-England was by fome eminent persons undertaken, this gentleman was, by the corfent of all, chofen for their leader. Having converted a fine eftate of fix or feven hundred pounds fterling per annum into money, he embarked for New-England in the fortythird year of his age, and arrived at Salem with the Maffachusetts charter, June 12, 1630. Within five days, he, with some of the principal perfons of the Colony, travelled through the woods twenty miles, to look out a convenient fituation for a town in fome part of the Bay of Maffachusetts. Some of them built their huts on the north fide of Charles river, [Charlestown] but the Governor and most of the Affiftants pitched upon the peninfula of Shawmut, and lived there the first winter, intending in the spring to build a fortified town, but undetermined as to its fituation. On the fixth of December, they refolved to fortify the ifthmus of that peninsula ;

peninfula; but changing their minds before the month expired, they agreed upon a place about three miles above Charlestown, which they called firft Newtown, and afterwards Cambridge, where they engaged to build hou ses the ensuing spring. The reft of the winter they fuffered much by the feverity of the season, and were obliged to live upon acorns, ground-nuts and shell-fish. One of the poorer fort coming to the Governor to complain, was told that the laft batch was in the oven, but of this he had his fhare. They had appointed the 22d of February for a fast; but, before it came, a ship arrived with provifions, and they turned it into a day of thanksgiving,

In the spring of 1631, in purfuance of the intended plan, the Governor fet up the frame of an house at Newtown; the Deputy-Governor also built one, and removed his family. About this time Chicketawbu, the Chief of the Indians in that neighbourhood, made a visit to the Governor, with high profeffions of friendship. The apprehenfion of danger from the Indians abated, and the scheme of a fortified town was gradually laid afide; though, if it had been retained, the peninfu

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la would have been a fituation far préférable to Newtown. The Governor took down his frame and removed it to Shawmut, which was finally determined upon for the metrop olis, and named Boston.

The three following years he was continued, by annual election, at the head of the government, for which office he was eminently qualified, and in which he thone with a luftre, which would have done him honour in a larger fphere and a more elevated fituation. He was the father, as well as governor, of an infant plantation. His time, his ftudy, his exertions, his influence, and his intereft were all employed in the public fervice. His wisdom, patience and magnanimity were confpicuous in the moft feverẻ trials, and his exemplary behaviour as a christian added a fplendor to all his rare qualifications. He maintained the dignity of a Governor with the obliging condefcenfion of a gentleman, and was fo defervedly refpected and Beloved, that when Archbishop Laud, hearkening to fome calumnies raised against the country on account of their puritan principles, fummoned one Mr. Cleaves before King Charles I. in Hopes of getting fome accusa

tion against the Governor, he gave fuch an account of his laudable deportment in his ftation, and withal of the devotion with which prayers were made, both in private and public, for the King, that Charles expreffed his concern, that fo worthy a perfon as Mr. Winthrop fhould be no better accommodated than in an American wilder

nefs.

He was an example to the people of that frugality, decency and temperance which were neceflary in their circumstances, and even denied himfelf many of the elegancies and fuperfluities of life, which his rank, and fortune gave him a juft title to enjoy, both that he might fet them a proper example," and be the better enabled to exercife that. liberality in which he delighted, even, in the end, to the actual impoverishment of himfelf and his family. He would often fend his fervants on fome errand, at mealtimes, to the houses of his neighbours, to fee how they were provided with food; and if there was a deficiency, would fupply them from his own table. The following fingular inftance of his charity, mixed with humour, will give us an idea of the man.

In a very