But after multitudes began to flow, More than well knew themselves where to bestow And quickly soon she grew to be the head, But all trade and commerce fell in her way. All sorts of grain which our own land doth yield, Pears, apples, cherries, plumbs, quinces, and peach, Cattle of every kind do fill the land; Many now are kill'd, and their hides tann'd: By which men are supply'd with meat and shoes, Or what they can, though much by wolves they lose. Here store of cows, which milk and butter yield, And also oxen, for to till the field; Of which great profit many now do make, If they have a fit place and able pains do take. They prosper well, and yet their price is high. Here are swine, good store, and some goats do keep, But now most begin to get store of sheep, JOHN WINTHROP [John Winthrop was a man of better family and wider experience in the world than most of the Puritan laymen in early New England. He was born in Suffolk in 1588, and spent two years at Trinity College, Cambridge. His religious experiences inclined him at one time to become a minister, but he finally devoted himself to the law. By 1630, when he came to America as the leader of the new colony of the Massachusetts Company, he was forty-two years of age, had been three times married, had attained some distinction in his profession, and was looked on as a man of weight and substance. For the greater part of the time until his death in 1649 he was either governor or deputy governor of the colony. Few of Governor Winthrop's writings were printed in his lifetime. "A Short Story of the Rise, reign and ruine of the Antinomians, Familists & Libertines that infected the Churches of New England," a somewhat virulent tract published in London in 1644, has been ascribed to him. His longest and most important work was a journal, which has come to be commonly known by the too inclusive title of "The History of New England." The first part of this was edited by Noah Webster and printed in 1790; and the whole, edited by James Savage, was published in 1825, and again in 1853. Both these versions modernize the spelling, etc.; and no literal reprint of Winthrop's manuscript has been made. The latest edition, by J. K. Hosmer, 1908, follows Savage's text. As in most diaries kept by busy men, the scale of treatment in "The History of New England" is not proportioned to the importance of the events; and there are many blanks which the author evidently intended to fill up in a leisure that never came. The journal is, however, one of the most valuable and readable of the documents from which we gain a picture of early New England life, and not a little of its value comes from the fact that it gives so frank and delightful a revelation of the governor himself. "A Modell of Christian Charity," a homily written on the voyage to America, and other of Winthrop's papers have been published in the collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society. The selections from "The History of New England" are from Savage's second edition. The selection from Winthrop's "Christian Experience," and the letters to his third wife, Margaret, are from the "Life and Letters of John Winthrop," by Robert C. Winthrop.] A HALF YEAR IN MASSACHUSETTS BAY [From "The History of New England" for 1630] Thursday, July 1.] The Mayflower and the Whale arrived. safe in Charlton harbour. Their passengers were all in health, but most of their cattle dead, (whereof a mare and horse of mine). Some stone horses came over in good plight. Friday, 2.] The Talbot arrived there. She had lost fourteen passengers. My son, Henry Winthrop, was drowned at Salem. Saturday, 3.] The Hopewell, and William and Francis arrived. Monday, 5.] The Trial arrived at Charlton, and the Charles at Salem. Tuesday, 6.] The Success arrived. She had lost starved, etc. goats and of them, and many of her passengers were near Wednesday, 7.] The Lion went back to Salem. Thursday, 8.] We kept a day of thanksgiving in all the planta tions. Thursday, August 18.] Capt. Endecott and married by the governour and Mr. Wilson. Gibson were Saturday, 20.] The French ship called the Gift, came into the harbour at Charlton. She had been twelve weeks at sea, and lost one passenger and twelve goats; she delivered six. Monday we kept a court. Friday, 27.] We, of the congregation, kept a fast, and chose Mr. Wilson our teacher, and Mr. Nowell an elder, and Mr. Gager and Mr. Aspinwall, deacons. We used imposition of hands, but with this protestation by all, that it was only as a sign of election and confirmation, not of any intent that Mr. Wilson should renounce his ministry he received in England. September 20.] Mr. Gager died. 30.] About two in the morning, Mr. Isaac Johnson died; his wife, the lady Arbella, of the house of Lincoln, being dead about one month before. He was a holy man, and wise, and died in sweet peace, leaving some part of his substance to the colony. The wolves killed six calves at Salem, and they killed one wolf. Thomas Morton adjudged to be imprisoned, till he were sent into England, and his house burnt down, for his many injuries offered to the Indians, and other misdemeanours. Capt. Brook, master of the Gift, refused to carry him. Finch, of Watertown, had his wigwam burnt and all his goods. Billington executed at Plimouth for murdering one. Mr. Phillips, the minister of Watertown, and others, had their hay burnt. The wolves killed some swine at Saugus. A cow died at Plimouth, and a goat at Boston, with eating Indian corn. October 23.] Mr. Rossiter, one of the assistants, died. 25.] Mr. Colburn (who was chosen deacon by the congregation a week before) was invested by imposition of hands of the minister and elder. The governour, upon consideration of the inconveniences which had grown in England by drinking one to another, restrained it at his own table, and wished others to do the like, so as it grew, by little and little, to disuse. 29.] The Handmaid arrived at Plimouth, having been twelve weeks at sea, and spent all her masts, and of twenty-eight cows she lost ten. She had about sixty passengers, who came all well; John Grant, master. Mr. Goffe wrote to me, that his shipping this year had utterly undone him. She brought out twenty-eight heifers, but brought but seventeen alive. November 11.] The master came to Boston with Capt. Standish and two gentlemen passengers, who came to plant here, but having no testimony, we would not receive them. 10.] —— Firmin, of Watertown, had his wigwam burnt. Divers had their hay-stacks burnt by burning the grass. I 27.] Three of the governour's servants were from this day to the 1 of December abroad in his skiff among the islands, in bitter frost and snow, being kept from home by the N. W. wind, and without victuals. At length they gat to Mount Wollaston, and left their boat there, and came home by land. Laus Deo. December 6.] The governour and most of the assistants, and others, met at Roxbury, and there agreed to build a town fortified upon the neck between that and Boston, and a committee was appointed to consider of all things requisite, etc. 14.] The committee met at Roxbury, and upon further consideration, for reasons, it was concluded, that we could not have a town in the place aforesaid: 1. Because men would be forced |