A Compendious History of New England

HISTORY has always been a persuasive method of instructing mankind. Many good men have in every age employed it for this invaluable purpose. Though precepts and admonition often have a commanding energy, an irresistible influence; though the pulpit will for ever stand unrivalled among the means of instruction and reformation, still history lends her alluring and powerful assistance. Her salutary light is often of incalculable importance: she brings to view the exact fulfilment of scripture prophecies; she displays goodness in real life with all its felicities, vice with all its miseries. Examples of individuals great and good, of communities distinguished for integrity and success, powerfully persuade to an imitation of their virtues.

If any country has merited the notice of history, New England has her strong claims, Beginning in weakness and sufferings; at one time with less than half a dozen persons able to defend themselves; from the bosom of uncounted tribes of savages, from feebleness, poverty, and contempt, she has risen. in might, and numbers, and resources, till she may bid defiance to invasion from any power by land or sea. Her virtues, her industry, her frugality, her piety, and valor, in the hands of God, have been the means of this unexampled prosperity. Her soil is not the most fertile, her climate is forbidding, yet

Situation of New England.

her wealth is greater, and her population more numerous, than any other portion of the United States. There is much truth in the remark of a European writer; "Were not the cold climate of New England supplied with good laws and discipline, the barrenness of that country would never have brought people to it, nor have advanced it in consideration and formidableness above the other English plantations, exceeding it much in fertility and other inviting qualities."

America was discovered by Columbus in 1492. The news rapidly spread through Europe, and every maritime power, from the Baltic to the Adriatic sea, rushed forth to gaze on the amazing curiosity, a NEW WORLD, or to seize a portion for themselves. Among these the English, ever forward in daring enterprises, took a conspicuous part. In 1496, John Cabot, with two ships, sailed from England, having a cominission from Henry VII. to discover unknown lands, and annex them to the British government. Directing his course for China, he fell in with Labrador, and coasted northwards to latitude 67. The next year he made a second voyage, and discovered Newfoundland and New England, traversing the coast to Florida.

Thus was New England discovered in the summer of 1497: but no attempt for a permanent settlement was made for more than a century after. A long night of obscurity covered this part of the American coast. The people of England were living at ease in the land of their nativity; the church was not prepared to fly for rest into this "wilderness;" or the guilt of the natives had not ripened them for those judgments, which finally swept them away in war and pestilence, to make room for the holy pilgrims, who were the fathers of New England.

New England, now the north-eastern grand division of the United States of America, lies in the form of a quarter of a circle around the great bay, or part of the Atlantic Ocean, which sets up to the north-west between Cape Cod and Cape Sable. It contains the states of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, including Maine, Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, and Connecticut; and is situated between 41° and 48° north latitude, and 1°30′ and 10° 15' east longitude from Philadelphia. Its extreme length from the north-east corner of Maine, to the south-west corner of Connecticut, is about 626 miles; its breadth is very unequal, from fifty to two hundred miles. It contains about 72,000 square miles. New England is bounded north, by Lower Canada; east, by the

British province of New Brunswick and the Atlantic Ocean; south, by the same Ocean and Long Island sound; and west, by the state of New York. Its west line begins at the mouth of Byram river, which empties into Long Island sound, at the south-west corner of Connecticut, north lat. 41o, and runs a little to the east of north till it strikes the 45th degree of lat. it then curves to the north-east along the highlands, till it reaches about the 48th degree of north latitude.

In 1605, Capt. Weymouth, in search of a passage to India discovered the Penobscot or the Kennebec river, and carried thence five of the natives to England. Three of these, Manida, Sketwarroes, and Tasquantum, were placed in the family of Ferdinando Gorges. They were docile and intelligent. Their account of the country gave a new impulse to the spirit of enterprise. Sir John Popham, Lord Chief Justice of King's Bench, with other noblemen and knights, styled the Plymouth Company, obtained a patent of North Virgi nia, of which the country afterwards called New England was a part. This company, in 1606, sent out Henry Chalong and Captain Prynne in two ships, for further discoveries in the country whence the savages had been brought, two of whom were on board with Chalong; but he was taken by the Spaniards, and carried to Spain. Prynne surveyed the coast, its rivers and harbours, and carried home such an account as pro duced a determination to send over a colony.

Accordingly, more than a hundred adventurers sailed from Plymouth in two ships, May 31, 1607, who, after falling in with the island of Monhigan, landed at the mouth of the Kennebec, then called the Sagadahoc, Aug. 11. The spot selected for a residence was on Parker's Island; they raised a fortification, and called it Fort St. George. They had brought two natives with them, who procured them a cordial welcome from different tribes. The emperor Bashaba at Penobscot, to whom the sachems west, as far as Naumkeeg, acknowledged subjection, sent his son to visit the president of the English colony, and to open a trade for furs. In December, the ships sailed for England, leaving forty-five persons; but their hard fare, the severity of a Kennebec winter, the burning of their store, and the death of their president, Popham, so discouraged them, that with the next vessel which arrived, they all returned to England. So rose and fell the first colony on this coast, within the compass of a year. The Norridgewog Indians have this tradition; that this company engaged a number

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