Matthews, of Yarmouth, who was well acquainted with Nauhaught.

This Indian, who was a very athletick man, was once attacked, in the spring of the year, by a large number of black snakes. Being at a considerable distance from any people and having no weapon about him, except what the God of nature had given him, he knew not what to do. He found it impossible to escape from them by attempting to run. He experienced, however, very little from any fearful apprehensions on account of his personal safety. He was perfectly self collected and thought he would stand firm on his feet and suffer the snakes to take their own course, for a time, without annoyance. They approached him from every direction with elevated heads and a tremendous hissing. They soon began to wind themselves about his legs. Presently one of them got up to his neck and seemed to act as if he were attempting to get his head into Nauhaught's mouth. Nauhaught opened his jaws, which were furnished with a noble set of teeth. The snake immediately thrust in his head and the deacon bit it off! a fortunate circumstance, as the result proves; for the blood, streaming from the decapitated leader in the attack, so alarmed the rest of the invading enemy, that Nauhaught was immediately left master of the field!

LEYDEN, EUROPE.

602. Note. The rev. JOHN ROBINSON, a native of Great Britain, educated at Cambridge, was a dis

tinguished minister of the gospel. He was a colleague pastor of the rev. mr. Clifton, of a society of dissenters in the north of England. Persecution drove him with his congregation into Holland, in 1608. At first they went to Amsterdam; but, from certain considerations, removed in the following year, to Leyden, where they enjoyed the rights of conscience unmolested, happy in discharging the duties of the christian life, and endearing themselves to their neighbours by their peaceable, pious, and amiable deportment. Having been sojourners among the friendly Dutch people, for nearly twelve years, a part of mr. Robinson's congregation came to America, and formed the first permanent settlement in New-England. Mr. Robinson and the residue of his flock were to have followed soon after; many of whom, in due time, joined their associates in the wilds of this western world, but their most excellent pastor departed this life, at Leyden, in 1625, having entered on his 50 year. His widow came to Plymouth, after his decease, with her son, Isaac, who was a worthy man, and died at a great age, and whose descendants are still in New England.

It is inexpedient to give, in this work, the biography of mr. Robinson. His character has often appeared, and he is well known to have been, not only a learned and pre-eminently pious man, but one of the principal leaders of those sincere, exemplary, and zealous christians, who were once, contemptuously,

1

called Puritans by some, as illiberal in sentiment, as they were tyrannical in lording it over God's heritage and ignorant of that noble freedom, which pertains to the followers of the Lamb. Though the name was given in derision to some, who formed one of the purest churches, which have appeared upon earth, since the primitive times of christianity; yet it is considered as no reproach by those of their descendants, whose desire it is to equal that standard of simplicity, liberality, orthodoxy, piety, and fervour in the Redeemer's cause, for which they were distinguished, and for which they suffered cruelties worse, than a martyrdom at the stake.

The parting of the first adventurers to the old Colony, from their brethren and Dutch friends on the shores of Holland, according to the ancient histories of the scene, was solemn, affecting, and impressive, beyond what can easily be described. No one could have witnessed it without feeling ready to exclaim, behold these christians, how they love one another!

1

PLYMOUTH, MASS.

603. Note. The first settlers of New-England, commonly called the PILGRIMS OF LEYDEN, went into Cape Cod harbour, on the 11 of November, 1620. They devoutly gave thanks to God upon their knees for their safe arrival and, on the same day, entered into a civil compact, binding themselves together in a body politick, in the following terms. In the name of God, amen. We, whose

66

names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our

dread sovereign lord, king James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, king, defender of the faith, etc. having undertaken, for the glory of God and advancement of the christian faith, and honour of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do, by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and of one another, convenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politick, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and covenient for the general good of the colony. In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names, at Cape Cod, the 11 of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, king James of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland, the fifty-fourth, anno Domini 1620.

To this instrument, the following names were subscribed in this order; John Carver, William Bradford, Edward Winslow, William Brewster, Isaac Allerton, Myles Standish, John Alden, Samuel Fuller, Christopher Martin, William Mullins, William White, Richard Warren, John Howland, Stephen Hopkins, Edward Tilly, John Tilly, Francis Cook, Thomas Rogers, Thomas Tinker, John Ridgdale, Edward Fuller, John Turner, Francis Eaton, James Chilton, John Crackston, John Bli

Lington, Moses Fletcher, John Goodman, Degory Priest, Thomas Williams, Gilbert Winslow, Edmund Margeson, Peter Brown, Richard Britterige, George Soule, Richard Clarke, Richard Gardiner, John Allerton, Thomas English, Edward Dotey, Edward Leister, inaking forty-one. Some of these had their families with them, so that the whole number of the first adventurers to Plymouth was one hundred and one, who, for the love of religion pure and undefiled, left the endearments of their native land, and encountered the dangers of the Atlantick, under various disheartening circumstances, in search of some uncultivated region in North Virginia, where they might enjoy, unmolested, the rights of conscience and the blessings of christain liberty, and transmit them, as the richest legacy they could leave, to their posterity.

The six and only governours of the Old Colony were John Carver, William Bradford, Edward Winslow, Thomas Prince, Josiah Winslow, and Thomas Hinkley. The assistants, so far as the writer has ascertained, were Isaac Allerton, William Bradford, Myles Standish, John Howland, John Alden, John Dove, Stephen Hopkins, William Gilson, Edward Winslow, William Collier, Thomas Prince, Timothy Hatherly, John Brown, John Jenny, John Atwood, John Brown, Edmund Freeman, William Thomas, Thomas Willet, Thomas Southworth, James Cudworth, Josiah Winslow, Thomas Hinkley, William Bradford, Constant Southworth, James Brown, John Freeman, Nathan