given to show the difference of style between the two works: "Then finding the Captaine, as is said, that used the salvage that was his guide as his sheld, (three of them being slaine and divers other so gauld,) all the rest would not come neere him. Thinking thus to have returned to his boat, regarding them, as he marched, more then his way, slipped up to the middle in an oasie creeke, and his salvage with him, yet durst they not come to him till being neere dead with cold, he threw away his armes. Then according to their composition they drew him forth and led him to the fire, where his men were slaine. Diligently they chafed his benummed limbs. He demanding for their Captaine, they shewed him Opechankanough, King of Pamaunkee, to whom he gave a round ivory double compass dyall. Much they marvailed at the playing of the fly and needle, which they could see so plainely, and yet not touch it, because of the glasse that covered them. But when he demonstrated by that globe-like jewell the roundnesse of the earth, and skies, the spheare of the sunne, moone, and starres, and how the sunne did chase the night round about the world continually; the greatnesse of the land and see, the diversitie of nations, varietie of complexions, and how we were to them Antipodes, and many other such like matters, they all stood as amazed with admiration. Notwithstanding, within an houre after they tyed him to a tree, and as many as could stand about him prepared to shoot him, but the King holding up the compass in his hand, they all laid downe their bowes and arrows, and in a triumphant manner led him to Orapaks, where he was after their manner kindly feasted and well used.”

At the time of this occurrence, Smith had been in Virginia about eight months. Considering, then, his very slender attainments in the Indian language, we may well doubt whether he succeeded, in an hour, in making his astronomy, geography, and ethnography very intelligible to his savage auditors. 10. Points "A tagged lace, used to tie together certain parts of the

dress."

II. He

=

WEBSTER.

12. "Yet according to his request they went to James Towne." —Generall Historie.

13. This refers to information given by Opechancanough. "The Kinge tooke greate delight in understanding the manner of our ships and sayling the seas, and of our God; what he knew of the dominions he spared not to acquaint me with, as of certaine men cloathed at a place called Ocanahonan, cloathed like me, the course of our river, and that within four or five daies journey of the falles was a great turning of salt water."

The ety

14. Situated on York river, about twelve miles from Jamestown. 15. In the "Generall Historie" spelled Rarowcun = raccoon. mology of raccoon in Webster and Skeat fails to give the Indian origin of the word; it is found, however, in "The Century Dictionary" and "The Standard Dictionary."

II

SELECTION FROM COTTON MATHER

1

MAGNALIA CHRISTI: CHAPTER II

PRIMORDIA; 1 OR, THE VOYAGE TO NEW ENGLAND, WHICH PRODUCED THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF NEW PLYMOUTH; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF MANY REMARKABLE AND MEMORABLE PROVIDENCES RELATING TO THAT VOYAGE

§ 1. A NUMBER of devout and serious Christians in the English nation, finding the Reformation of the Church 2 in that nation, according to the WORD OF GOD,3 and the design of many among the first Reformers, to labour under a sort of hopeless retardation,1 they did, Anno 1602, in the north of England,5 enter into a COVENANT, wherein expressing themselves desirous, not only to attend the worship of our Lord Jesus Christ, with a freedom from humane 6 inventions and additions, but also to enjoy all the Evangelical Institutions of that worship, they did like those Macedonians, that are therefore by the Apostle Paul commended, "give themselves up, first unto God, and then to one another." 8 These pious people finding that their brethren and neighbors in the Church of England, as then established by law, took offense at these their endeavors after a scriptural reformation; and being loth to live in the continual vexations which they felt arising from their non-conformity to things which their consciences accounted superstitious and unwarrantable, they peaceably and willingly embraced a banishment into the Netherlands; where they settled at the city of Leyden,1o about seven or eight years after their first combination. And now in that city this people 11 sojourned, an holy CHURCH of the blessed JESUS, for several years under the pastoral care of Mr. John Robinson,12 who had for his help in the government of the Church, a most wise, grave, good man, Mr. William Brewster,13 the ruling elder. Indeed, Mr. John Robinson had been in his younger time (as very good fruit hath sometimes been, before age hath ripened it) sowred with

9

the principles of the most rigid separation, in the maintaining whereof he composed and published some little Treatises, and in the management of the controversie made no scruple to call the incomparable Dr. Ames 14 himself, Dr. Amiss, for opposing such a degree of separation. But this worthy man suffered himself at length to be so far convinced by his learned antagonist that with a most ingenious retractation, he afterwards writ a little book to prove the lawfulness of one thing, which his mistaken zeal had formerly impugned several years, even till 1625, and about the fiftieth year of his own age, continued he a blessing unto the whole Church of God, and at last, when he died, he left behind him in his immortal writings, a name very much embalmed among the people that are best able to judge of merit; and even among such, as about the matters of Church-discipline, were not of his perswasion. Of such an eminent character was he, while he lived, that when Arminianism 15 so much prevailed, as it then did in the low countries, those famous divines, Polyander and Festus Hommius, employed this our learned Robinson to dispute publickly in the University of Leyden against Episcopius,16 and the other champions of that grand choak-weed of true Christianity: and when he died, not only the University, and Ministers of the city, accompanied him to his grave, with all their accustomed solemnities, but some of the chief among them with sorrowful resentments and expressions affirmed, "That all the Churches of our Lord Jesus Christ had sustained a great loss by the death of this worthy man."

§ 2. The English Church had not been very long at Leyden, before they found themselves encountered with many inconveniences. They felt that they were neither for health, nor purse, nor language well accommodated; but the concern which they most of all had, was for their posterity. They saw, that whatever banks the Dutch had, against the inroads of the sea, they had not sufficient ones against a flood of manifold profaneness. They could not with ten years' endeavor bring their neighbors particularly to any suitable observation of the LORD's Day; 17 without which they knew that all practical Religion must wither miserably. They beheld some of their children, by the temptations of the place, which were especially given in the licentious ways of many young people, drawn into dangerous extravagancies. Moreover, they were very loth to lose their interest in the English nation; but were desirous rather to enlarge their King's dominions. They found themselves also under a very strong disposition of zeal, to attempt the establishment of

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES 18 in the remote parts of the world; where they hoped they should be reached by the royal influence of their Prince, in whose allegiance they chose to live and die; at the same time likewise hoping that the Ecclesiasticks, who had thus driven them out of the kingdom into a New World, for nothing in the world but their non-conformity to certain rites, by the imposers confessed indifferent,19 would be ashamed ever to persecute them with any further molestations, at the distance of a thousand leagues. These reasons were deeply considered by the Church; and after many deliberations, accompanied with the most solemn humiliations and supplications before the God of Heaven, they took up a resolution, under the conduct of Heaven, to REMOVE into AMERICA; the opened regions whereof had now filled all Europe with reports. It was resolved, that part of the Church should go before their brethren, to prepare a place for the rest; and whereas the minor part of younger and stronger men were to go first, the Pastor was to stay with the major, till they should see cause to follow. Nor was there any occasion for this resolve, in any weariness which the States of Holland had of their company, as was basely whispered by their adversaries; therein like those who of old assigned the same cause for the departure of the Israelites out Egypt: for the magistrates of Leyden in their Court, reproving the Walloons,20 gave this testimony for our English: "These have lived now ten years among us, and yet we never had any accusation against any one of them; whereas your quarrels are continual."

22

The

3. These good people were now satisfyed, they had as plain a command of Heaven to attempt a removal, as ever their father Abraham had for his leaving the Caldean territories; 21 and it was nothing but such a satisfaction that could have carried them through such, otherwise insuperable difficulties, as they met withal. But in this removal the terminus ad quem was not yet resolved upon. country of Guiana flattered them with the promises of a perpetual Spring, and a thousand other comfortable entertainments. But the probable disagreement of so torrid a climate unto English bodies, and the more dangerous vicinity of the Spaniards to that climate, were considerations which made them fear that country would be too hot for them. They rather propounded some country bordering upon Virginia; and unto this purpose, they sent over agents into England, who so far treated not only with the Virginia company, but with several great persons about the Court; unto whom they made evident

their agreement with the French Reformed Churches in all things whatsoever, except in a few small accidental points; that at last, after many tedious delays, and after the loss of many friends and hopes in those delays, they obtained a Patent for a quiet settlement in those territories; and the Archbishop of Canterbury himself gave them some expectations that they should never be disturbed in that exercise of Religion, at which they aimed in their settlement; yea, when Sir Robert Nanton, then principal Secretary of State unto King James, moved his Majesty to give away "that such a people might enjoy their liberty of conscience under his gracious protection in America, where they would endeavor the advancement of his Majesty's dominions, and the enlargement of the interests of the Gospel;" the King said, "It was a good and honest motion." All this notwithstanding, they never made use of that Patent: but being informed of New England, thither they diverted their design, thereto induced by sundry reasons; but particularly by this, that the coast being extremely well circumstanced for fishing, they might therein have some immediate assistance against the hardships of their first encounters. Their agents then again sent over to England concluded articles between them and such adventurers as would be concerned with them in their present undertakings articles that were indeed sufficiently hard 23 for those poor men that were now to transplant themselves into an horrid wilderness. The diversion of their enterprise from the first state and way of it, caused an unhappy division among those that should have encouraged it; and many of them hereupon fell off. But the Removers having already sold their estates, to put the money into a common stock,24 for the welfare of the whole; and their stock as well as their time spending so fast as to threaten them with an army of straits, if they delayed any longer: they nimbly dispatched the best agreements they could, and came away furnished with a Resolution for a large Tract of Land in the southwest part of New England.

§ 4. All things being now in some readiness, and a couple of ships, one called The Speedwell, the other The May-Flower, being hired for their transportation, they solemnly set apart a day for fasting and prayer; wherein their Pastor preached unto them upon Ezra viii. 21: "I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance."