George Bancroft, History of the Colonization of the United States, Vol. 1, 17th edition.

[353] attorney-general; and, in 1677, the chief-justices

Chap. IX.} 1629.

Rainsford and North still described the ‘charter as making the adventurers a corporation upon the place.’ Similar patents were granted by the Long Parliament and Charles II., to be executed in Rhode Island and Connecticut; and Baltimore and Penn had an undisputed right to reside on their domains. The removal of the place of holding the courts from London to the Bay of Massachusetts, changed nothing in the relations of the company to the crown, and it conferred no franchise or authority on emigrants who were not members of the company; it would give them a present government, but the corporate body and their successors, wherever they were to meet, retained the chartered right of making their own selection of the persons whom they would admit to the freedom of the company. The conditions on which the privilege should be granted would control the political character of Massachusetts.

At a very full general court, convened on the twentieth of October for the choice of new officers out of those who were to join the plantation, John Winthrop, of Groton in Suffolk, of whom ‘extraordinary great commendations had been received both for his integrity and sufficiency, as being one altogether well fitted and accomplished for the place of governor,’ was by erection of hands elected to that office for one year from that day; and with him were joined a deputy and assistants, of whom nearly all proposed to go over. The greatness of the business brought a necessity for a supply of money. It was resolved, that the business should be proceeded in with its first intention, which was chiefly the glory of God, and to that purpose its meetings were sancby