allow no printing, the press being regarded as rather a dangerous element among a people situated as the colonists mostly were. Dongan also gave a character to the city of Albany, and bestowed upon Robert Livingston a sort of feudal principality on the Hudson River, known as Livingston Manor.
| CHAPTER XI. |
1640—1660.
NEW ENGLAND DURING THE COMMONWEALTH.
Condition of the New England colonies in 1640—Fundamentals, or Body of Liberties—Its provisions—Annexation of New Hampshire—Articles of Confederation of United Colonies of New England—Religious troubles in Massachusetts—Anabaptist sect—Gorton's heresy—Death of Miantonimoh—Sympathy with the Parliament party—Resistance to interference—Roger Williams's voyage to England—Obtains a charter—Providence Plantations—Intolerant spirit of the theocratic party—First execution for witchcraft—Death of Winthrop—Rise of Quakers—Persecution—Execution of Quakers—The magistrates' defence—End of the troubles—Eliot and his labors—Prosperity of the colonies—Progress in morals, social life, education, etc.
The political changes in England, consequent upon the success of the Parliament in its contest with Charles I., put a sudden stop to emigration, and for a time had a serious effect upon the fortunes of the New England colonies.[1] There was a great fall in the prices of the main articles on which the colonists depended, especially in the articles of cattle and corn; and the difficulty of settling accounts and defraying debts was correspondingly great. Several provisions were made by the authorities to meet the emergency, and beavers' skins, wampum,[2] etc., were used as currency in place of coin. New kinds of industry were also attempted under the pressure of this state of affairs, such as fisheries, ship-building, cultivation of hemp and flax, manufactures of linen, cotton and woolen cloths, etc.
A call on the part of the freemen, jealous of the arbitrary, undefined powers and prerogatives of the magi-
- ↑ "Now that fountain began to be dried, and the stream turned another way, and many that intended to have followed their neighbors and friends into a land not sown, hoping by the turn of the times, and the great changes that were then afoot, to enjoy that at their own doors and homes, which the other had travelled so far to seek abroad, there happened a total cessation of any passengers coming over; yea, rather, as at the turn of a tide, many came back with the help of the same stream, or sea, that carried them neither; insomuch, that now the country of New England was to seek of a way to provide themselves of clothing, which they could not attain by selling of their cattle as before; which now were fallen from that huge price forementioned, £.25, first to £14, and £10, an head, and presently after (at least within a year) to £5 a piece; nor was there at that rate ready vent for them neither."—Hubbard, p. 238.
- ↑ Wampum: the wampum, or peage, consisted of cylindrical beads half an inch long, of two colors, white and bluish black, made by the Indians from parts of certain sea shells.
