he had, and shall I, (said he,) throw away these thirty seven for one? Hiacoomes replied, what do you think of yourself? I have thrown away all these, and a great many more, some years ago, yet am preserved you see this day. You speak true, said Myoxeo, therefore I will throw away all my gods too, and serve that one God with you. Hiacoomes told them all, he did fear this great God only, and also in a special manner, that the Son of God did suffer death to satisfy the wrath of God his father, for all those that did trust in him, and forsake their sins, and that the Spirit did work these things in the hearts of men, and that himself did fear this great God only, was sorry for his sins, desiring to be redeemed by Jesus Christ, and to walk in God's commandments. This, with many truths more he shewed unto them, as Adam's transgression, and the misery of the world by it, and did conclude, that if they had such hearts as he, they should have the same mercies. He reckoned up to them many of their sins, as having many gods, going to their powaws; and Hiacoomes told me himself, that this was the first time he ever saw the Indians sensible of their sins; formerly they did but hear of it as a new thing, but not so nearly concerning them, for they were exceeding thankful, saying also, now we have seen our sins. Thus it pleased the Lord to give both light and courage to this poor Indian, for although formerly he had been an harmless man amongst them, yet as themselves say, not at all accounted of, and therefore they often wondered that he, which had nothing to say in all their meetings formerly, is now become the teacher of them all. I must needs give him this testimony, after some years experience of him, that he is a man of a sober spirit and good conversation, and as I hope he hath received the Lord Jesus Christ in truth, so also I look upon him to be faithful, diligent and constant in the work of the Lord, for the good of his own soul, and his neighbours with him.

Now after these things it pleased God to move the heart of Towanquatick, encouraged by some others amongst them, to desire me to preach unto them. At my

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coming, this man spake thus unto me; that a long time ago they had wise men, which in a grave manner taught the people knowledge, but they are dead and their wisdom is buried with them, and now men live a giddy life in ignorance till they are white headed, and though ripe in years, yet then they go without wisdom to their graves. He told me he wondered the English should be almost thirty years in the country, and the Indians fools still; but he hoped the time of knowledge was now come, wherefore himself with others desired me to give them an Indian meeting, to make known the word of God to them in their own tongue. And when he came to me to accomplish his desire thereabout, he told me I should be to them as one that stands by a running river filling many vessels, even so should I fill them with everlasting knowledge; so I undertook to give them a meeting once a month; but as soon as the first exercise was ended, they desired it oftener, if I could well attend it, but once in a fortnight is our settled course: he hath also, since told me the reason why he desired me to preach to them, as that he was greatly desirous to have the Indians grow more in goodness, to have their posterity inherit blessings when he was dead; and himself was desirous to put the word of God to his heart, to repent and throw away his sins and to be better, and after he was dead to inherit a life in heaven.

By such ways and means hath it pleased God to convince sundry Indians of that island, so as that in the year 1650 there was about forty families that had given up themselves to the profession of the christian religion, and did attend upon the publick means appointed by the care of Mr. Mayhew, to instruct them further therein; insomuch that now all the island, in a manner hath embraced our religion and follow our customs and manners in their husbandry and such like occasions, &c.

As God had stirred up Mr. Eliot in the Massachusetts, and Mr. Mayhew at Martin's Vineyard, to take some pains with the Indians about them to instruct them in the christian religion; in like manner was one Mr. Richard Bourne, of Sandwich, in the colony of New Plymouth,

inclined to the like endeavour with the Indians near that place of his abode, so as about the middle of July, 1666, the governour of that jurisdiction, with some other gentlemen of that and the other colony, gave a meeting to Mr. Bourne, to take notice of what proficiency the Indians had made in the knowledge of the true religion by an open confession thereof, in order to their joining together in church fellowship; who it seems gave such sat isfaction to those honoured and judicious persons, ther assembled on that account, that they encouraged them to proceed on therein, insomuch that copies of what the Indians had expressed that way, being exhibited to the neighbouring churches upon their further approbation, they judged that they might be owned as a christian society; and these were looked upon as the first fruits of the jurisdiction of New Plymouth.

Upon the publishing of these discoveries of the hope. ful progress of the Indians in the knowledge of the gos pel, the parliament of England were pleased so far to take notice thereof in the year 1649, that they passed an act for the promoting and propagating the gospel of Jesus Christ amongst the Indians of New England, and in re ference to the furtherance and advancement of so good á work, a corporation was appointed, &c. to receive such sums of money as from time to time was or should be collected, and raised by the liberal contribution of such whose hearts God had touched, and stirred up to so glorious a work. It was likewise enacted, that the commis. sioners of the United Colonies of New England, for the time being, by themselves, or such as they shall ap point, shall have power and authority to receive and dispose of the said money, &c. This act, with several particular orders and instructions relating thereunto, was published July 27, 1649.

Since which time it hath pleased his majesty, since his restitution to the crown, and regal dignity, so far to countenance this work by a legal settlement, which be fore was wanting. One principal benefit obtained thereby, is the translating and printing the holy bible in the Indian language, whereby the glad tidings of the gospel,

with the history of the scriptures, both of the old and new testament, may with the greater facility be communicated unto them; so as, in a sense, that of the prophet Isaiah may be said to be fulfilled as to the Indians of America; "the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light, they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." For before the breaking out of the late troubles amongst them in sundry places, there were schools, in which some were employ. ed to teach the Indian children to read in the said bibles; which practice, although it hath been much interrupted by the late wars, yet it is not wholly laid aside, so as the hopes of further and greater success in that behalf are again revived.

This is the substance of what at the present can be said of the progress of the gospel amongst the Indians in New England; and although the devil hath here, as he always hath done in former times, raised up persecution against them that preach and profess the gospel, yet are not the christian Indians discouraged thereby, as to lay aside their profession; but have with the peril of their lives many of them endeavoured to maintain and defend it, against the enemies thereof.

CHAP. LXXVII.

A continuation of the History of New Plymouth, from the year 1633, until the year 1678.

THE inhabitants of New Plymouth found so great advantage for divers years in the wisdom and gravity of Mr. Bradford, that they never durst attempt to make any change in their governour, notwithstanding the like testimony of respect was deservedly due to some other of the company, (like mariners in a storm or dangerous channel, that having experience of a skilful and able pilot are loath to change the helm till that storm be over, or the haven obtained,) till this year, 1633, when encourag ed by the approach of another colony in the next neighbourhood, they called Mr. Edward Winslow to take that place upon him. He had done many good offices for

that colony, and adventured his life far for them, both by sea and land; therefore was this testimony of respect accounted but his just desert.

This year, Plymouth was visited with an infectious fever, which put an end to the lives of many of their chiefest friends, amongst whom was Mr. Samuel Fuller, that had been their great comfort and help in matters of physick and chirurgery heretofore. It proved a pestilential fever amongst the Indians next adjoining, and swept away many of them.

In the spring of the same year, was observed great swarms of black flies, like wasps, that were as the harbingers, sounding the alarum of some solemn judgment approaching that place. The next year, they adventured to call Mr. Thomas Prince to the place of governour, a serious and prudent man.

In the year 1635, Mr. Winslow took another voyage into England, where he had another opportunity to stand up in behalf of the colonies of New England, and to answer the accusations which Morton and Gardner made at the council table against them. He put up a petition to the lords of the said council, which put a check to the design which some had against the country, although he could not put an issue to some trouble, that was occasioned thereby.

In the year 1636, Mr. Winslow took his turn again in the governour's place of New Plymouth, and managed the affairs thereof during that year, to great satisfaction.

This year the town of Plymouth, being straightened for room, sallied out into a new plantation near by, which they called Duxbury, and whither the people invited Mr. Partridge, a learned and judicious divine, that came over into those parts the same year, to exercise the ministry of the gospel amongst them; who proved a notable champion for the truth against Samuel Gorton, who the next year came thither, and began to leaven that jurisdiction with his familistical, or rather atheistical, opinions: but by his seditious and tumultuous carriage, before the court, (at which he was complained of for inju ry done to Mr. Smith, the minister at Plymouth town,)