to Connecticut, Nov. 3, came now home, having lost themselves and endured much misery. They informed us that the small pox was gone as far as any Indian plantation was known, to the West; and many people died of it, by reason whereof they could have no trade. At Narragansett, by the Indian's report, there died 700; but beyond Piscataquack, none to the Eastward." [W. J.] ·

CHARTERS &c. OF NEW-ENGLAND.

The English nation having by right of prior discovery, (and in some instances by force,) acquired possession of a large extent of coast in North America, the Government proceeded to parcel it out to its citizens, and those who were adventurous enough to undertake the settlement of an almost entirely unexplored wilderness.

In April, 1606, King James I, divided the country in America, claimed by England, into two portions. The South half he allotted to a London company; the North half to a company established at Plymouth, in the West of England. (Holmes 1. 124.) In 1620, (Baylies says, Nov. 3, and gives the patent at length, Trumbull, March 3,) he by patent incorporated Lords Lenox, Arundel, Hamilton, Warwick, and other lords and gentlemen to the number of 40, by the name of the "Council established at Plymouth, in the county of Devon, for the planting, ruling and governing of New-England in America;" granting them all between 40 and 48 degrees of latitude from sea to sea.

March 19, 1631, date of the old Patent of Connecticut. Robert, Earl of Warwick, granted to lords Say and Seal, Brooks, Rich and others, "all that part of N. E. in America, which lies and extends itself from a river there called Narragansett river, the space of 40 leagues upon a straight line near the sea shore, towards the South West, West, and by South or West, as the coast lieth, &c." This tract had

been granted to the Earl the year before, by the Plymouth Council, and confirmed to him by patent from Charles I.-[Trumbull 1. 13.]

April, 1635. Grant from the Plymouth council, to the Duke of Hamilton, of all the land between Connecticut and Narragansett rivers. Hubbard, (N. E. 309.) says, the conditions of this grant were never fulfilled. [See Dr. Mc Sparran's work quoted post.]

According to the international law of Europe, priority of discovery gave the nation making the discovery, a right to the country, against all the other nations of Europe which acknowledged the obligations of the same law. Of course, it could give them no right over the independent natives, or over the soil, until they had fairly acquired it from its possessors. It could amount to nothing more than an understanding or agreement, that if one nation discovered a new country, no other nation should attempt to trade or make settlements in it, without the consent of the original discoverers, and thus could confer on them no other right than that of preemption.

The territory thus divided by the English, was almost entirely unexplored. They had no knowledge of the country beyond the coast, and a very imperfect knowledge of that. How incorrect their ideas of it were, may be seen from the old maps, which were drawn long after the country had been discovered, and many settlements had been made in it. Being thus ignorant of the geography of the country, of course they could not describe it accurately in the Charters. This has been a copious source of troubles and disputes in New-England, even to this day. Of these troubles, the Narragansett country has had its full share. For a long series of years its jurisdiction was disputed between Connecticut and Rhode Island, and its affairs distracted by the alternate prevalence of these two governments. And it was only in 1728, that this question was finally settled, and Narragansett allowed to remain in peacable union with Rhode-Island.

SETTLEMENT OF ROGER WILLIAMS--TRADE, &c.

About 1635-6, Roger Williams purchased Providence of the Narragansett Sachems, and thus commenced the settlement of the present State of Rhode Island.

He had been educated in England, and on coming to this country, settled in Massachusetts, and was for a time a minister of a church in Salem. Having taken the liberty to think for himself; to differ in opinion from the majority of his "brethren" in Massachusetts, he was obliged to leave that province, retire into the wilderness, and throw himself upon the humanity of savages, for that hospitality and kind treatment for which he might seek in vain among those who pretended to civilization. He found an asylum and protection with the Narragansett Sachems and their tribe, then the most powerful of all the Indian tribes in their neighborhood. Ingratiating himself with these sons of the wilderness, he was able by the influence he acquired over them, to heap coals of fire on the heads of his former persecutors, by rendering them good for evil. He was often the mediator of peace between the hostile neighbors; and several times gave notice to the whites of threatened attacks, and thus put them on their guard against surprise from the Indians.

Even at this early period, the English had considerable trade with the Narragansetts, as appears from several notices in the early authors. "Nov. 5, 1634. The Rebecca came from Narragansett with 500 bushels of corn, given to John Oldham. The Indians had promised him 1000 bushels, but their store fell out less than they expected.They gave him also, an Island in the Narragansett Bay, called Chippacursett; containing about 1000 acres. It is six miles long, and two broad. This was a very fair bay, being about twelve leagues square, with divers great islands in it. A deep channel close to the shore, being rocky.—

Mr. Pierce took the height there, and found it 41° 41' being not above half a league to the southward of us. The country on the west of the bay of Narragansett is all champain for many miles, but very stony and full of Indians.He saw there above 1000 men, women and children; yet the men were many abroad on hunting." [W. J.]

"The Pinnace being sent about the cape to trade with the Narragansetts, gets some good corn and beaver, yet makes but a poor voyage; the Dutch having used to furnish them with cloth and better commodities, whereas she had only beads and knives, which are not there much esteemed." [P. C. 222.]

The Narragansetts were almost continually at variance with the Pequots, who lived to the westward of them.— Winthrop mentions that there was a quarrel between them this year, (1634,) and that the Pequots endeavored to obtain the assistance of the English, "because they were at war with the Narragansetts, whom, till now, they had kept under; and also with the Dutch, who had killed their old Sachem." An alarm was raised in Boston, Nov. 6, that the Narragansetts were marching there in great numbers to kill the Pequcts, who were there, treating about peace and alliance. On mustering their soldiers and meeting the supposed enemy, they, were found to be only two Narragansett Sachems, and about 20 men, who had been a hunting, and "came to lodge with the Indians of Cohann, (Neponsit) as their manner is. So we treated with them about the Pequots, and a tour request, they promised they should go and come from us in peace, and they were also content to enter into further treaty of peace with them, and in all things showed themselves very ready to gratify us. So the Pequots returned home, and the Narragansetts departed well satisfied, only they were told in private, that if they did make peace with the Pequots, we would give them part of that Wampumpeague, which they should give us." [W. J.]

B

1636. John Oldham, of Massachusetts, the person mentioned above, was killed at Manisses, or Block Island, while on a trading expedition. Roger Williams wrote the news of it from Providence, to Governor Vane by letter, in July, 1636. (W. J.) That Oldham was a person of very turbulent disposition, we have the testimony of M. M. (1624.) A trading vessel returning from Connecticut, discovered Mr. Oldham's vessel with a number of Indians on board, and being hailed, they made off. Several of them jumped overboard on being fired upon, and were drowned; one was thrown overboard by the English, after his capture. Mr. Oldham was found covered with a sail, with his skull split open. The English suspected that all the Narragansett Sachems, (except Canonicus and Meantonomy,) werep rivy to his death, and that the cause was their jealousy, as he was a-going to trade with the Pequots. Lt. Gibbon and Mr. Higginson, were sent to Canonicus to treat about the murder, accompanied by Cuchamakin, the Sachem of Massachusetts. "They were entertained royally in respect of the Irdian manner. Boiled chestnuts is their white bread, and because they would be extraordinary in their feasting, they strove for variety after the English manner, boiling pudding made of beaten corn, putting therein great store of blackberries, something like currants. They having thus nobly feasted them, gave them audience in a State House, round, about 50 feet wide, made of long poles stuck in the ground, like their summer houses in England, and covered round about and on top with mats. [Wonder Working Providence, 109.]

They observed in the Sachem, much state, great command over his men, and marvellous wisdom in his answers; and in the carriage of the whole treaty, clearing himself and his neighbors of the murder, and offering assistance in revenge of it, yet on very safe and wary terms. (W. J. 104-M. M. 185.) It is not said to which of the two chief

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