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

[345]

The charter had been granted in March; in April,

Chap. IX.} 1629.

the new embarkation was far advanced. The local government temporarily established for Massachusetts was to consist of a governor and counsellors, of whom eight out of thirteen were appointed by the corporation in England; three were to be named by these eight; and to complete the number, the old planters who intended to remain, were ‘to choose two of the discreetest men among themselves.’

As the propagating the gospel was, by the free profession of the company, their aim in settling the plantation, they were careful to make plentiful provision of godly ministers; all ‘of one judgment, and fully agreed on the manner how to exercise their ministry.’ One of them was Samuel Skelton, of Clare Hall, Cambridge, from whose faithful preachings Endicott formerly received much good; a friend to the utmost equality of privileges in church and state; another was the able, reverend, and grave Francis Higginson, of Jesus College, Cambridge, commended for his worth by Isaac Johnson, the friend of Hampden. Deprived of his parish in Leicester for nonconformity, he received the invitation to conduct the emigrants as a call from Heaven.

Two other ministers were added, that there might be enough, not only to build up those of the English nation, but also to ‘wynne the natives to the Christian faith.’ ‘If any of the salvages’—such were the instructions to Endicott, uniformly followed under the succeeding changes of government—‘pretend right of inheritance to all or any part of the lands granted in our patent, endeavor to purchase their tytle, that we may avoid the least scruple of intrusion.’ ‘Particularly publish that no wrong or injury be offered to ’