Chapter 7

1638.

This year Mr. Thomas Prince was chosen governor of the jurisdiction of New Plimouth. Mr. William Bradford, Mr. Edward Winslow, Capt. Miles Standish, Mr. John Alden, Mr. John Jenny, Mr. John Atwood, and Mr. John Brown, were chosen to be his assistants in government.

This year three men were executed for robbing and murdering an Indian near Providence, which, besides the evidence that came against them, they did in substance confess against themselves, and were condemned by legal trial. Some have thought it great severity to hang three English for one Indian; but the more considerate will easily satisfy themselves for the legality of it; and, indeed, should we suffer their murderers to go unpunished, we might justly fear that God would suffer them to take a more sharp revenge. By such arguments was the government of Plimouth moved by the government of the Massachusetts to do justice in the case. And here may be noted, that the Massachusetts refused this trial, as being committed in the jurisdiction of Plimouth; and they of Rhode Island, having apprehended them, delivered them to the aforesaid jurisdiction of Plimouth, on the same grounds.

This year, about the second of June, there was a great and fearful earthquake. It was heard before it came with a rumbling noise, or low murmur, like unto remote thunder. It came from the northward, and passed southwards. As the noise approached near, the earth began to quake; and it came at length with that violence as caused platters, dishes, and such like things which stood upon shelves, to clatter and fall down; yea, people were afraid of their houses; and it was so, as that some, being without doors, could not stand, but were fain to catch hold of posts and pales to prevent them from falling. About half an hour after, or less, came another noise and shaking, but not so loud nor so strong as the former. It was not only on the land, but at sea also; for some ships that were on the sea-coast were shaken by it. So powerful is the mighty hand of the Lord, as to cause both the earth and sea to shake, and the mountains to tremble before him. His way is in the whirlwind, and the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet, the rocks are thrown down before him. Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? Nahum i. 3–6.¹

1639.

This year Mr. William Bradford was chosen governor of Plimouth. Mr. Thomas Prince, Capt. Miles Standish, Mr. John Alden, Mr. John Brown, Mr. William Collier, Mr. Timothy Hatherly, and Mr. John Jenny, were chosen assistants.

This year Harvard College was erected at Cambridge, in New England, which was so called in remembrance of a worthy gentleman, who liberally contributed towards the charge of the erecting of it.²

“A printing-house was begun at Cambridge, March, 1639, by one Daye. The first thing which was printed was the Freeman’s oath. The next year was an Almanack, made for New England, by Mr. Pierce, mariner; the next was the Psalms, newly turned into metre.”—Winth. Jour.

This year the great sachem Woosamequen, sometimes called Massasoiet, and Mooanam his son, came into the court held at Plimouth, in New England, on the five and twentieth day of September, in their own proper persons, and desired that the ancient league and confederacy formerly made with the government of Plimouth aforesaid, wherein he acknowledged himself subject to the king of England, and his successors, may stand and remain inviolable. And the said Woosamequen, and Mooanam his son,³