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

[2] faith led them to pass over the vast seas to the good

Chap. IX.} 1630.

land of which they had purchased the exclusive possession, with a charter of which they had acquired the entire control, for the sake of reducing to practice the system of religion and the forms of civil liberty, which they cherished more than life itself. They constituted a corporation to which they themselves might establish the terms of admission. They kept firmly in their own hands the key to their asylum, and were resolved on closing its doors against the enemies of its unity, its safety, and its peace.

‘The worke wee have in hand’—these are Winthrop's words on board the Arbella during the Passage—‘is by a mutuall consent, through a speciall overruling Providence, and a more than ordinary approbation of the churches of Christ, to seeke out a place of cohabitation and consorteshipp under a due forme of government, both civill and ecclesiastical. For this wee are entered into covenant with God; for this wee must be knitt together as one man, allways having before our eyes our commission as members of the same body. Soe shall wee keepe the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace. The Lord will be our God, and delight to dwell among us, as his owne people; wee shall see much more of his wisdome, power, goodness, and truthe, than formerly wee have been acquainted with; Hee shall make us a prayse and glory, that men shall say of succeeding plantations, “the Lord make it likely that of New England.” ’

After sixty one days at sea the Arbella came in sight of Mount Desert; on the tenth of June the White Hills were descried afar off; near the Isle of Shoals and Cape Ann, the sea was enlivened by the shallops of fishermen; and on the twelfth, as the ship came to anchor outside of Salem harbor, it was visited