in a single assembly, and agreed that deputies should be sent from the towns. Twenty-four freemen assembled this year at Cambridge, making the first general court of Massachusetts. They passed resolves defining their own powers, and establishing trial by Jury.— August 15th, that year, a most tremendous south east storm of wind and rain destroyed houses, trees, corn, &c.; and the tide rose twenty feet perpendicular.

1636. Roger Williams was banished from Massachusetts on account of his religious opinions, and went and settled at Seekonk.

Sir Henry Vain, though very young, and lately from England, was chosen governor, an indiscretion into which the people were led by his title, and high pretensions to religion.

1637, was distinguished by an expedition from all the colonies against the Pequots. A great fight took place in a swamp, July 13, which issued in the destruction and final extinction of the tribe.Mystic post had been previously destroyed by the Connecticut troops, at which near 600 of the enemy were killed. Sassacus, the chief, fled to the Mohawks.

About this time the state was thrown into great confusion by the teachings of Ann Hutchinson, who with several of her adherents, was banished, and others disarmed.

1638. Harvard College was founded, principally by a donation of 779 pounds, by Rev. John Harvard, of Charlestown. June 1, a great earthquake shook all new England. Moveable articles were thrown down, and the people could hardly stand. This year three white men were hanged at Plymouth, for the murder of an Indian near Providence.

1639. The first printing press in America was set up at Cambridge, and the first House of Representatives met in the Plymouth colony.

1641. The winter was so cold that the harbor of Boston was passable on the ice for horses, oxen, sleds, sleighs, &c. for five weeks. 1643. Articles of confederacy, offensive and defensive, between

the New England colonies, were formed, which were found of great use during the civil wars in England, and Philip's war, and rendered . them formidable to the French and Dutch.

1644. Miantonomoh, Sachem of the Narragansetts, was cruelly put to death by Uncas, by advice and direction of the commissioners of the united colonies.

1646. Eliot commenced his labors for civilizing and christianizing the Indians.

1648. Margaret Jones, of Charlestown, was tried and executed as a witch. The Cambridge platform of Ecclesiastical discipline, was adopted by a synod which met in 1646, and has been continued by adjournment to this time.

1649. Charles I, was beheaded at Whitehall, aged 51 years.— This colony took part with the parliament against the king, during the civil war. The prevalence of their opinions in England operated against them, by preventing emigration from thence during the commonwealth, and by making the New England colonies obnoxious to the ruling powers after the restoration.

ca.

This was an important era in the history of England and AmeriAfter the king's death the House of Lords was suppressed, oaths of allegiance and supremacy abolished, and the whole power fell into the hands of the people. Oliver Cromwell was declared commander in chief of the troops, and soon took advantage of the distraction of the times, to seize upon supreme power.

John Winthrop, who had been governor of the colony most of the time from its settlement, died this year, aged 63 years.

1652. The province of Maine was at their own request taken under the protection of Massachusetts, and was made a county by the name of Yorkshire. Money in shillings, sixpenny and three penny pieces, was coined by order of the general court.

1653. The Commissioners of the United Colonies, apprehensive of a war with the Dutch, agreed to raise 500 men. Massachusetts was to furnish 333, Plymouth 60, Connecticut 65, New Haven 42;

but Massachusetts refused to raise her quota, which nearly dissolved the Union.

1656. The Quakers made their first appearance in New England. Their tenets were considered equally hostile to Christianity and civil government, and they were banished from the colony. In 1659, William Robinson, Marmaduke Stephenson, and Mary Dyer, were tried before the general court for Quakerism, the two former were executed, and the latter banished. They were sentenced for "sedition, rebellion, and presumptuous obtruding themselves, when forbidden to return on pain of death.”

1658. A great earthquake extended over New England.

1660. Charles II, restored to the British throne, May 29, and entered London June 8th. Maj. Gen. Edmund Whalley, and Brig. Gen. William Goffe, two of the judges of Charles I, arrived at Boston, and were favorably received by the inhabitants.-See Hadley.

1662. King Philip, Sachem of Pokanoket, came to Plymouth, and solicited to remain in amity with that government, as his father and brother had done before.

1663. A terrible earthquake was felt in the northern parts of America. At Quebec, the shock lasted nearly half an hour.

Parts of mountains were thrown down, houses destroyed, fountains dried up, and much other damage done.

1664. Elliot's Indian Bible was printed at Cambridge. Richard Nicholls, Sir Robert Carr, George Cartwright, and Samuel Maverick, were commissioned to hear and determine all cases, civil, military, and criminal, in New England. Having received the submission of New York, they came to Boston in 1665; but meeting with opposition from the government and people, they left the country, threatening vengeance upon the colonies. Wheat near the sea coast was blasted this and the following years, and the culture of wheat was in a great degree abandoned for a long time.

1665. The Massachusetts Militia consisted of 4,000 foot and 400 horse. The shipping of the state, at this time, consisted of 132

vessels, of from 20 to 200 tons. John Endecott, governor, died aged 77.

1674. Indians in the state, according to Gookin, were, Pequods, 300; Narragansets, 1000; Massachusetts, 300; Pawtuckets, 240; Pawkunnawkuts, extinct.

1675. Commencement of Philip's war, which spread over all the colonies, filled Massachusetts with the utmost terror, and ended in the destruction of Philip and his whole tribe. The decisive battle was fought Dec. 18, in a great swamp, when the English had 80 killed and 150 wounded; the Indians are supposed to have lost 1,000; the women and children were captured. Hostilities were continued through the next year. Philip was killed Aug. 12, 1676, which was the signal of complete victory. In this short war, near 600 of the people of New England were slain; twelve or thirteen towns were broken up; six hundred buildings, mostly dwelling houses, were burnt.' History records a savage and unmanly triumph over the mangled remains of Philip, and the feelings of the people towards him as the author of a war, so distressing to them, was that of implacable resentment. But it appears that he carried on the war according to the custom of his age and nation, and his plans were doubtless founded on sound maxims of human wisdom and patriotism. His death in retrospect makes a different impression from that felt by our ancestors at the time. "It was then exulted in as the extinction of a virulent and implacable enemy; it is now viewed as the fall of a great warrior, a profound statesman and a mighty prince."

1679. New Hampshire became a separate government. The commission to that effect was brought over by Edward Randolph. 1680. A great comet surprised and terrified the people of New England, as well as Europe, being the largest that had ever been seen.

1684. The high court of Chancery, in England, gave judgment for the king against the governor and company of Massachusetts; their charter was declared forfeited, and their liberties passed into

the king's hands. Col. Kirk was appointed governor of the New England colonies, but the death of the king annulled his appointment.

1685. James II, proclaimed at Boston, Apr. 20; Oct. 8, a commission was issued to Joseph Dudley, to be President of New England. 1686. His government went into operation, May 15th, but was of short duration. He was superseded by Sir Edmund Andros, who arrived in Boston, Dec. 20th, the same year, with a commission of arbitrary government, over New England and New York. He brought with him about 60 soldiers to enforce intended innovations, and set up Episcopal service at the old south church, Boston. The inhabitants of the county of Essex refused to assess the taxes granted by Andros and his council. The selectmen of Ipswich were fined from 20 to 60 pounds each; and Mr. Appleton, a former assistant, and Mr. Wise, the minister, were imprisoned.

1689. On a rumor of a revolution in England, the town of Boston was in arms, on the morning of April 8th; the people poured in from the country; the governor, the most active members of his council, and other obnoxious persons, fifty in number, were seized and imprisoned, and the former magistrates restored.

May 29th, William and Mary were officially proclaimed in Boston, and the old charter confirmed till a new government could be settled, which was done in 1692. Here ends the existence of Plymouth, as a distinct colony. It was united with Massachusetts by royal charter, though a distinct government had been petitioned for. Their governors, during their separate existence were as follows: