The power of archbishop Laud growing grievous to the Puritans, many of them thought of seeking refuge in the American plantations; such number of families be. gan to transport themselves, that government took umbrage, and a proclamation was issued, to prevent migrations to America, without the king's license. Oliver Cromwell and John Hambden, two persons who a few years after became so famous, were among a number of men of note, who had made preparations for their departure, and in consequence of the proclamation, the lord treasurer was directed by an order of the king and council, to take speedy and effectual measures for the stay of eight ships, in the river Thames, bound to New- England; accordingly, Oliver Cromwell and John Hambden, and the rest of the passengers, were compelled to abandon their intended voyage.

In the following year, Sir Ferdinando Gorges obtained from the crown a distinct charter of all the land, from Pasquataqua to Sagadehoc, styled the Province of Maine; he was created lord palatine of the country, with the same powers and privileges as the bishop of Durham, in the county palatine of Durham; he constituted a government in the province, and laid the foundation of a city, which he called Gorgeana.

This year is noted for the establishment of the first printing press in North America, it was set up at Cambridge; and the establishment of a nunnery in Quebec, in Canada.

The colony of Virginia was called upon by the king's letter, to grant assistance to Henry lord Maltravers, in settling Carolana, and on motion of William Hawley, who was his lordship's deputy, an order of council was made to that effect.

An attempt was made in parliament, to establish over Virginia the government of the ancient company, and to annul the charter of Maryland; but it was vigorously opposed by the Virginia assembly, and the measure was abandoned: "the ancient dominion had now learned from experience, that more liberty is enjoyed under any form, than beneath the rule of a commercial company."

The French began, in 1641, to establish a colony at a place on the continent of South America, called Suri- . nam, but finding the climate unhealthy, and the land low and marshy, they abandoned it to the English, who the same year, under the auspices of lord Willoughby, first settled there.

The intrigues of Clayborne in Maryland infused jealousy into the natives; the rapid increase of the English, threatening their own annihilation as a people, gave them much uneasiness; individuals procured their lands, without the authority of government, for considerations totally inadequate, with which, therefore, on review, they were greatly dissatisfied. These combined causes, in the beginning of 1643, brought on an Indian war, which, with its accustomed evils, continued several years.

On the nineteenth of May, 1643, was signed at Boston, a treaty made between the colonies of New-England; this measure had been in agitation for several years, and five years before those of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Plymouth, and New-Haven, had formed a treaty of amity, offence and defence, mutual advice and assistance, on all necessary occasions; circumstances delayed the execution of this treaty, which was now subscribed by commissioners from those colonies, who

met at Boston. The vicinity of the French, Dutch, and Swedes, the hostile attitude taken by the Indian tribes near them; the civil dissentions in England, which obstructing commerce, rendered a communication with the mother country difficult, and consequently prevented the means of obtaining supply or relief on urgent occasions.

The parties to this instrument declare, that as in nation and religion, so in other respects, they be and continue one, and henceforth be called the United Colonies of New-England. The united colonies were to form a body, with regard to their common concern, but the private concerns of each were to be managed by its own court and magistrates; in case of need, the force to be raised by the union, was to be, in the proportion of one hundred men in the colony of Massachusetts, and fortyfive in each of the others. This union subsisted until the abrogation of the charter of the New-England colonies, by James II. in 1684.

The earl of Warwick was this year appointed, in pursuance of an ordinance of parliament, governor in chief and admiral of the American colonies; a council was given him, composed of five peers and twelve commoners; with it he was empowered to examine the state of the colonies, to send for persons and papers, to remove governors and officers and appoint others in their places, and to assign to those such part of the powers that were there granted, as he should think proper.

One of the first acts of the new governor in chief was a charter of incorporation of the towns of Providence, Newport and Portsmouth, with the power of governing themselves, but agreeably to the laws of England.

Duparquet of Martinico this year took possession of the island of St. Lucia, in the name of Louis XIV. who had ascended the French throne two years before.

The legislature of Virginia prohibited trade by barter, and established the piece of eight or six shillings, as the standard of currency for the colony.

A rebellion now broke out in Maryland, at the head of which were William Clayborne and Richard Ingle, who not only forced governor Calvert to fly for aid and protection into Virginia, but took possession of the public records, and for a long time prevented the exercise of the powers of government.

By an ordinance of the lords and commons of England, all merchandize, goods and necessaries, for the American plantations, were exempted from duty for three years, on condition that no ship or vessel in any of the colonial ports, be suffered to load any goods of the growth of the plantations, and carry them to foreign parts, except in English bottoms. This was the foundation of the navigation acts.

The French, in Canada, finding it difficult to contend with the Iroquois, a very powerful nation of Indians, solicited aid from the province of Massachusetts, and offered liberal compensation: but no succor was given, it being thought, those Indians would be a powerful bulwark between the English and French, in case of a war breaking out between them.

The commissioners of the united colonies sent an agent to the governor and council of Canada, to project an agreement, by which, in case of war between the two nations, the French and English colonies should remain in peace. Monsieur d'Ailleboust, the governor,

as well as his council, received the proposition with great eagerness, and appointed father Dreuillettes to go to Boston to make the necessary arrangements, on condition that the English would aid the French against the Iroquois but the same reasons, that had induced the rejection of this measure last year, prevailed, and nothing was done.

The year 1648 is remarkable for the peace of Westphalia.

The French, under the auspices of Monsieur de Poincy, governor of St. Christopher, began their settlements in the island of St. Bartholomew.

During the extreme distress of the royal party in England, this year, the territory between the Rappahannock and the Potomac, was granted to lords Hopton, Beverly, Culpepper, and other cavaliers, who probably wished to make Virginia an asylum.

On the 30th of January, Charles I. was beheaded at Whitehall, in the fifty-first year of his age, and the twenty-sixth of his reign.

At the demise of this monarch, the whole centre coast of the northern continent of North America, was either settled or had been granted away, from the province of Maine to the river St. Matheo. The settlements of the French, in Canada, were in a considerable progress.

The foundation of the whole of the New-England colonies was laid; the Dutch possessed the present states of New-York and New-Jersey, and part of that of Connecticut, and had plantations much higher than Albany; the Swedes occupied the hores of the present states of Pennsylvania and Delaware; the colony of Maryland, owing to its late commotion, was still in its infancy; that of Virginia was in a prosperous state; the country