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NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

No. XCVII.-JUNE, 1858.-VOL. XVII.

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THE CITY OF ELMS.

I.

"THE GREEN," NEW HAVEN.

WINTER day of 1636, and London is foggy and chilly. Within a low countingroom in "the city," before a glowing fire, sit three middle-aged gentlemen, solemnly still, toasting their toes, and semi-occasionally sipping good ale from huge silver flagons. So dark is the day that the bright fire-light has no great task to drive the gray daylight out through the small, smudgy window; then it has all to itself the little low room, and it flickers and flashes on wainscot and carving, makes three uncertain, huge shadows along and over the dark back wall, gilds the bright silver of the jolly old ale-flagons, reddens the faces of the three solemn sitters, and seems-so still are they-the only life in the room.

"I will go!" breaks the silence, coming from Hopkins, the youngest; and he seizes his flagon and drains the last pint, as if in relief at the birth of the long gestated purpose.

"Thank God!" exclaims Davenport, piously, and thirstily seeks relief also.

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Eaton, the eldest, seizes his flagon and drinks long and deep, saying a gusty and hearty Amen," when he finishes. The word echoes hollowly within the cavity of the empty utensil, and the lid falls clack! and signals the end of the ale and the meeting. They have been waiting only for Hopkins's tardy consent to the plan; that gained, the solemn triumvirate breaks up its dim session, content for the present with this first step from tyranny at home toward freedom in the wilderness.

The weakest of the brethren may not impute

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by Harper and Brothers, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York.

VOL. XVII.-No. 97-A

it for a sin against the Puritans that they drank beer; it was a custom of the times, and they, at least, did not observe it with excess. Blame not the lips through which they drank "gude ayle," nor the noses through which they sang unharmonious psalms. They thought they did God service; and so they did, in their queer but conscientious ways of living and doing. Laugh, if you please, at the peculiarities of the Puritans; but acknowledge that they were bold, true men, God-fearing, self-denying, Christian heroes, for all that.

John Davenport, son of the Mayor of Coventry, was Master of Arts and Bachelor of Divinity by Oxford authority, and had preached in St. Stephen's, at London, for some years, before he began to favor the doctrines of the Puritans. When his convictions resulted in ac tions, Laud, that zealous hater of Puritanism, made England an unpleasant place of abode for him; so he went over to Holland, lived there three years, corresponding and planning, and then came back to London to meet his friend Eaton, and perfect their great project of removing to America. He was not a ranter; he was a gentleman, a scholar, and a Christian, grown hopeless at length of reform in the State Church, and hopeful of Christian liberty for himself and his friends only in the free wilderness of the New World.

Theophilus Eaton, whose counting-room the three have just left, was older than Davenport by a few years, having been born in Oxfordshire in 1590, where his father, says Mather, was "a faithful and famous minister." Disappointing his parents, who were desirous that he should follow the profession of his father, he followed

his own inclinations, which led him to London and commercial prosperity. Getting rich in the "east-country trade"-along the shores of the Baltic-he was chosen deputy-governor of the mercantile company to which he belonged, visited the northern countries of Europe, and was the agent of the King of England at the court of Denmark. When a boy at school in Coventry, he became an intimate friend of John Davenport, son of the Mayor; and when John came to preach at St. Stephen's, Theophilus became one of his parishioners.

Although married to a daughter of the Bishop of Chester, and, according to Mather, "arrived unto a fair estate, and a merchant of great credit and fashion," he easily became, under the influence of his old friend John, a zealous and active Puritan. He, as well as Davenport, was one of the patentees of Massachusetts, and early in the history of the emigration, formed plans to join the adventurous Pilgrims.

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Edward Hopkins, the youngest of the three, was a native of Shrewsbury, and born about the year 1600. He was step-son to Eaton, like him was "a merchant of credit and fashion," and may be pardoned if, on account of his youth and his position, he was the last to say "I will go." Yet he also was deeply imbued with the feelings and principles of the Puritans, and the sacrifice he made of fortune and station was not less hearty and sincere than that of his relative Eaton.

These three, whom we have seen to have been gentlemen of rank and wealth, were the founders of a colony which sailed from England early in the spring of 1637 for Massachusetts Bay. They embarked in two ships, taking with them a large amount of property, and a number of persons in the capacity of servants. Their voyage was favorable, and they arrived at Boston on the 3d of June, 1637.

Another picture.

II.

It is mid-April, in 1638. The south windhazy and perfumed, blowing warm from San

Salvador, along that mystic thermal oceancurrent which flows northward from the dreamy, glowing islands of the Western Indies has kissed new life into the outermost buds of the grand forest trees; the maples are flushed with faint green, the elm-boughs thicken hourly, the oakbuds are swollen almost to the birth of life; along the southward-facing banks the flowers and grasses dance to the music of the breeze and sunlight; the meadows, which level away toward the bay, have already grown brightly green; the wavelets beyond are playing with each other, half merrily, half lazily; farther away in the distance a bright blue reach of waters meets the horizon, with a fringe of dim, low-lying shore.

Under this great oak are assembled the

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members of the London colony. Here at last they have raised their altar, and, in "a temple not made with hands," whose arches of meeting boughs let through the smiles of heaven on this their first Sabbath in the wilderness, they gather around John Davenport, their loved pastor and guide, and join in singing praises to the God of Israel-to Him who has led them, as of old He led the Hebrews, across the sea, to the Canaan of their hopes.

From their ships-which you may see through the lower branches, swinging with the tide in the bay-they have toilsomely brought the huge iron-bound chests and the heavy oaken furniture which lie scattered under the trees. Clumsy farming-tools of the times, silver-chased muskets and pistols, kitchen utensils, rich outergarments of silk, cut and embroidered in the showy fashion of two centuries ago; these lie in chance places, heaped or singly, among the rocks and trees.

With some show of order the Pilgrims have arranged themselves to listen to this first sermon; and yet, knowing that it will be a long one-two hours long at the shortest-they have chosen convenient positions. Some recline on the fresh grass; some lean against rocks, or the more accommodating gnarlings of the old trees; husbands support their wives, and mothers gath

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good people of "the Bay." Not only the leading men of the several towns, but also "the General Court," made advantageous offers to them to settle in their midst. Charlestown made liberal proposals; Newbury (port) offered to give up the whole town to them; and the Court invited them to settle at any place they should choose.

But they had determined to form a distinct colony, as far as possible beyond the reach of the long arm of Laud, who was even then stretching his powers to interfere with the disagreeable independence of the exiles. Our friends had planned, even from the beginning, the founding of a commonwealth in the regulation of which they might be compelled to recognize no human authority foreign to themselves.

By the pursuit of the Pequots, the Bay settlers had become acquainted with the pleasant shores of what is now called "the Sound." The land was represented as fruitful, and the harbors were known to be large and accessible; "wherefore the land seemed favorable for commerce," to which the founders of the colony had originally determined, if possible, to devote themselves.

harbor was commercially inviting, the meadows and forests agriculturally attractive, the Indians friendly; deer abounded in the woods, fish in the waters; the climate was milder than that endured by his brethren at the North. In short, he was content, and thankful that Providence had provided so goodly an heritage for his company. So he left a few men to guard the claim through the winter and returned to Boston.

As soon as spring came, the colony re-embarked, and, sailing around the Cape, coasted along the shore until they came in sight of "Red Rock"-as the Dutch, sailing eastward, had already named the bold headland which stands sentinel over the harbor-and landed at the new haven about the middle of April; the precise date is unknown.

The planters of Quinnipiac, determined to maintain peace and friendship with the Indians, began from the first to treat them kindly, and by gifts, fair purchases, and amicable treaties, conciliated the good-will of the small and feeble tribe which held the territory. By the Pequots on the east and the Mohawks on the west, the Quinnipiacs were often "unseasonably assaulted and terrified," and it seems they were

In the fall of 1637, therefore, Mr. Eaton-not at all unwilling to receive the powerful Enwho from the first and till his death was the leader of the colony, both on account of his wealth and character-started on an expedition of exploration along the coast. On arriving at Quinnipiac, he was satisfied. The place was remote from "the Bay" on the one hand, and not too near "the Manhadoes" on the other. The

glish as neighbors and friends. In the November after their arrival we find from the records that Momauguin, sole sachem of the Quinnipiacs, on the one hand, and Theophilus Eaton and John Davenport on the other, entered into a covenant, in which it was stipulated that, in consideration of promises of protection and "twelve

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coats of English cloth, twelve alchymy spoons During the first year there appears to have (pewter, probably), twelve hatchets, twelve hoes, been no act of civil, ecclesiastical, or military two dozen of knives, twelve porringers, and four authority. The settlers were busy in providing cases of French knives and scissors," he, Mo- homes and food for their families, under the mauguin, sole sachem, etc., yielded up all his acknowledged authority of Eaton and Davenright, title, and interest to all lands, rivers, port. The colony was wealthy-by far the richponds, and trees, with all the liberties and ap- est in men and means of the companies which purtenances belonging to the same, to said The-came to New England-and there is no appearophilus and said John, their heirs and assigns, ance from the record or letters that they were forever. It was covenanted, also, that the In-ever straitened for bread, as the other colonies dians should always have land for planting corn on the east side of the harbor and river toward Saybrook.

The treaty was a fair one on both sides. The Indians regarded it as such; and by this act, and by subsequent fair dealings and kindnesses, the colonists made firm friends of their neighbors, by whom they never were seriously molested.

Another purchase was made in the December following from Montowise, sachem of another tribe, claiming lands to the north of Quinnipiac. This tract was ten miles long and thirteen broad, and seemed then large enough for all the wants of the colony.

In the ancient records of New Haven the original agreements are still preserved, signed by the contracting parties, the rude delineations of bows, arrows, and hatchets still telling of the unaccustomed grasp of pen of "Momauguin, Sugcogisin, Quosaquash, Carroughood, Woosauruck, and Shaumpishuh," and of "Montowise and Sawsounck," of whom the second purchase was made.

were.

Their first settlement was made in George Street (now called) and on the opposite hill; but within a short time, in keeping with the design of the founders to plant a capital colony, they laid out their town in squares. In the centre was a large and beautiful square, left unoccupied, and this was "compassed" with others, making nine in all. These remain to this day unaltered in boundaries. The town has spread in all directions, but the original plan has been adhered to, and most of the broad and shaded streets of the modern city cross each other reetangularly.

For the first fourteen months the new settlers acted under what they called a "plantation covenant," in which they solemnly pledged themselves to each other and to God that they would be governed in all things "by those rules which the Scripture holds forth." An attempt is made at the present day to maintain the same principles, but with a success by no means commensurate with that of our ancestors.

During the hurry and bustle of this first year

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