land, exclusive of the settlements of Rhode-Island, in the space of fifty-six years; each town is supplied with a minister of the gospel, regularly settled, and supported; (with but few exceptions,) and all those which are marked н. c. were educated at Harvard College. By this list may be seen the rapid growth of New-England; the rapid growth of Harvard College, and the strict attention they have paid to a regular, and learned ministry.Here was the foundation of all their strength, their hopes, and their wishes for this they fled from the land of their fathers, took up their abode in the wilds of New-England, and became the pilgrims of the west; for this, the sons of those sires, with undaunted bravery, repelled the murderous sav ages, through the successive bloody, cruel, exterminating savage wars, and by the means of this, God, in his provi dence, enabled them to triumph over all their enemies, and plant his little church in his modern Canaan. For this, the sons of those sires, have continued to plant the church in the wilderness, under the guidance of a learned, and godly ministry, and by this, God has enabled them to triumph over all their enemies to this day.

WE pursued the history of the reigns of James I. and Charles I. of England, because they were fruitful in those causes which promoted the settlement of New-England. We have passed over the history of the commonwealth in England, because it opened a field at home, for the enjoyment of the same civil and religious rights, which the pil grims had been compelled to seek in the wilds of NewEngland.sunod: 3 England. un dod podlog

At the restoration of the monarchy in England, under Charles II. 1660, a new field was opened, in which the colonies became again entangled with the mother country. The licentiousness of liberty, had placed a despot at the head of the government, not as a king; but as Lord High Protector, with powers more despotic, than the crown had witnessed since the days of Henry VIII. Under this despotic commonwealth, the commerce, agriculture, and man ufactures of England, flourished; and the solemn league and covenant, continued to triumph over Episcopacy; but the nation could not long be content, with this state of things. Monarchy had been their government, from their first origin, and notwithstanding all they had suffered in their civil wars, as well as their revolutions, and sharp contests between privilege and prerogative, they shewed their readiness to hug their chains again, in the easy restoration of the monarchy, under Charles II. This opened the door for the triumph of Episcopacy, as well as Popery, over the solemn league and covenant, by an act of Parliament, which restored the House of Lords, with all the spiritual powers of the Bishops, and the famous act of uniformity, which required episcopal ordination; assent to

every thing contained in the common prayer book; an oath of canonical, obedience; abjuration of the solemn league and covenant, &c..

. This act rekindled the old fire of persecution; the Presbyterians generally refused to conform, and more than 2000 of the first ministers in the nation, abandoned their livings in one day. The same spirit extended into Scotland, and the same efforts were made to restore Episcopacy; but the spirit of opposition was much greater than in England. The Scots remonstrated against the measures of government, and besought the king to establish the Presbyterian kirk in Scotland; to which Charles replied—“That it was not a religion for a gentleman, and that he could not agree to its further continuance in Scotland.”

This field of persecution, again increased the causes that promoted the settlement of New-England, the licentiousness of the king and court, opened the way for a general corruption of manners and morals: these became the basis of a general toleration in religion, and this the medium of restoring the ancient Hierarchy, with all their power, and persecution; and this persecution was overruled for good, in promoting the settlement of New-England.

The efforts of Mason and Gorges, to divide New-England into lordships, and the patents they obtained for this purpose, under Charles I. have been noticed; together: with the death of Mason and Gorges, which defeated the plan; but the heirs of Mason, continued to urge their claims, through the period of the commonwealth in England, and renewed them again at the accession of Charles II. Charles: knew the character of the colonies, as well as his own interest, and wisely concluded, that the claims, as well as the plansof Mason and Gorges, would be incompatible with both. He therefore caused them to be suppressed, and opened the way for the organization of the colony of New-Hampshire,

1679.

In the month of September, 1679, the king caused the following commission to be issued, under the great seal of the realm, for the govenment of New Hampshire.

After inhibiting and restraining the jurisdiction exercised by Massachusetss over the towns of Portsmouth, Dover, Exeter, and Hampton, and all other lands extending from three miles north of the Merimack, and of any, and every part thereof, to the Province of Maine; "this commission appoints John Cutts, Esq. president, for one year, and until another shall be appointed by the same authority; also Richard Martyn, William Vaugham, and Thomas Daniel' of Portsmouth; John Gilman of Exeter, Christopher Hussey of Hampton, and Richard Waldon of Dover, Esqrs. to be of the council, who were authorised to choose three others, well qualified, out of the province, to be added to them. The president to appoint a deputy to preside in his absence, and the president or his deputy, with five councillors to form a quorum. They were to meet at Portsmouth in twenty days after the arrival of the commission, and publish it. They were constituted a court of record for the administration of justice, according to the laws of England, so far as circumstances would permit ; re- ' serving a right of appeal to the king in council, for actions of fifty pound value. They were to appoint military officers," and take all needful measures of defence against the common enemy. Liberty of conscience was allowed to all Protestants, those of the church of England to be particlarly encouraged. For the support of government, they were to continue the present taxes, till an assembly could be called; to which end they were within three months to issue writs, under the province seal, for calling an assembly, to whom the president should recommend the passing such laws as should establish their allegiance, good order, and defence; and the raising taxes in such manner, and proportion as they should see fit. All laws to be approved

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by the president and council, and then to remain in force -until thek ing's pleasure could be known; for which purpose they should be sent to England by the first ships. In case A of the president's death, his deputy to succeed him, and on the death of a counsellor, the remainder to elect an'other, and send over his name, with the names of two other meet persons, that the king might appoint one of the three. The king engaged for himself, and his successors, to continue the privilege of an assembly, in the same manner and form, unless by inconvenience arising therefrom, The or his heirs should see cause to alter the same.' :: I have given this charter at large, to shew how well the king understood the character of the people, with whom he was treating, both in granting unlimitted freedom, and yet reserving to himself a sovereign controul. On the 16th of March, 1680, the first legislative assembly was convened, according to the commission, or charter. They proceeded to declare the Colony of New Hampshire, free and independent of Massachusetts, and to enact wise and salutary laws, conformable to the laws of England, and upon the same plan of Massachusetts, and the other colBonies of New-England.

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The peace of this government was of short duration; Mason came over, and demanded a seat in the council, which was granted; but he soon returned to England in disgust, and made a partial surrendery of his claims, to the crown, and mortgaged the remainder to Edmond Cranfield, Esq. who was appointed lieutenant-governor and commander in chief of New-Hampshire, and soon repaired to his government, 1682. By the commission issued to Cranfield it appears, "that he was impowered to call, adjourn, pro• rogue, and dissolve general courts, to have a negative voice in all acts of government, to suspend any counsellor at his will, (which barred his future election,) to appoint a dep