choice of governor, assistants, commissioners, and treasurer. Voting for the choice of officers, was, in the days of our fathers, considered as a civil duty incumbent upon all, and it was enjoined under a penalty, unless the party could prove that he was prevented by some unavoidable impediment.

Died this year at Marshfield, William Thomas, and his remains were honorably buried there. He was one of the merchant adventurers in England connected with the Plymouth planters, and came over about the year 1630. Secretary Morton says of him, that "he was a well approved and well grounded Christian, and one that had a sincere desire to promote the common good, both of church and state." He was chosen an assistant in 1642, and was re-elected to that office, annually, until his death. His son, Nathaniel, served in Philip's War, in 1675. A grandson, as is supposed, named Nathaniel, was for many years Judge of Probate for the county of Plymouth, and Judge of the Supreme Court from 1712 to 1718. Dr. William Thomas, late of this town, and General John Thomas, late of Kingston, were descendants of William Thomas. Nathaniel Ray Thomas, Esq., who was a lineal descendant, espoused the royal cause at the commencement of the Revolution, and was a mandamus counsellor. He abandoned his native country, and joined the British. His son, John Thomas, Esq., occupies the ancient mansion at Marshfield.

Nathaniel Basset and Joseph Prior were fined 20s. each, for disturbing the church in Duxbury; and at the next town-meeting or training-day, both were to be bound to a post for two hours in some public place, with a paper on their heads, on which their crime was to be written in capital letters. Miss J. Boulton, for slandering, was sentenced to sit in the stocks during the court's pleasure, and a paper written with capital letters to be made fast unto her all the time of her sitting there; all of which was accordingly performed.

1655.-Jonathan Coventry, of Marshfield, was presented for making a motion of marriage to Catharine Bradbury, without her master's consent. L. Ramsgate was presented for lying, slandering, and defaming her brother-in-law. Joanna, the wife of O. Mosely, was presented for beating her husband, and getting her children to help her, and bidding them knock him in the head, and wishing his victuals might choke him. Punished at home.

Edward Winslow. This gentleman was born in the year 1594, and was the son of Edward Winslow, of Droitwich, in Worcestershire, England, whose family was ancient and honorable. He was one of the most efficient and illustrious set

tlers of the colony of Plymouth. In early life, while travelling on the continent of Europe, he became acquainted with John Robinson, and soon united himself with the church under his pastoral charge at Leyden, where he settled and married. A stern advocate for the puritan cause, he embarked with the first company of the Leyden church in the Mayflower, and on his arrival at Cape Cod, December 11, 1620, subscribed the memorable covenant of incorporation, and his name stands the third on the list. He was one of the company which, in the shallop, first explored the shores of Cape Cod, and which proceeded thence to Plymouth harbor, and reached Clark's Island in great distress, and which landed there on the third day after. Mr. Winslow was one of those who first came on shore, and selected the place as the foundation of Plymouth settlement. Possessing a sound intellect, a pious heart, and happy address, his eminent services in mitigating the sufferings, and promoting the settlement and welfare of the lonely pilgrims, entitle him to the gratitude of posterity. Accordingly we find his name mentioned, with honor, in all the records of transactions pertaining to our earliest history. His family consisted of his wife, Elizabeth, and three other persons. But on the 24th of March, 1621, his wife died, and, on the 12th of May following, he married Susannah, the widow of William White. This was the first marriage ever solemnized in New England, and the lady was the mother of Peregrinė White, the first English child born in the new colony. When the great sagamore, Massasoit, made his first appearance on Strawberry Hill, inviting an interview with the settlers, Mr. Winslow was deputed to meet him, and he voluntarily placed himself a hostage in the hands of the Indians, while their chief, Massasoit, held his interview with governor Carver (page 35). In July, 1621, Mr. Winslow and Mr. Stephen Hopkins were appointed to visit Massasoit, at his cabin at Pokanoket, for the purpose of exploring the country, and ascertaining the situation, character and strength of the tribe, and to cultivate their friendship. He had the address to accomplish the object of his mission, and to confirm the treaty of amity with the great sachem. In the month of March, 1623, Mr. Winslow, with John Hampden, was again despatched to visit Massasoit when dangerously sick, and was the happy means of restoring him to health when apparently about expiring. The details of this visit have already been given (page 52 to 55). In the year 1623, Mr. Winslow was despatched to England in the Ann, as an agent, to transact some concerns for the colony, and, in the short space of six months, he returned in the ship Charity, bringing provisions,

clothing, and the first stock of neat cattle ever in New England. While in England he published a narrative of the settlement and transactions of the colony of Plymouth, entitled "Good News from New England, or, A Relation of things remarkable in that Plantation-by Edward Winslow." This narrative is abridged in Purchase's Pilgrims, and has been of great utility to all succeeding historians. The author having been personally concerned in all the transactions which he related, and his veracity unquestionable,.his writings are considered as entitled to unlimited confidence. His narrative contains an interesting account of the manners and customs of the aboriginal tribes, with which he had made himself acquainted, and his writings will be read with profit by all who feel an interest in the subject, and have a relish for simplicity and truth. During the same year he was again sent to England as agent for the colony. In the year 1625 he was elected one of the five assistants in the colonial government, in which office he was continued till 1633, when he was elected governor of the colony for one year. From his activity, fortitude and perseverance, Mr. Winslow was well qualified to conduct enterprises and trading voyages, which he willingly performed for the benefit of the company. He undertook excursions of traffic to Penobscot, Kennebec, and Connecticut rivers. In 1635, he accepted another mission to England, jointly for the colonies of Plymouth and Massachusetts. The subjects requiring this agency were the infringments made on the New England territories, by the French on the east, and the Dutch on the west; and, also, to answer complaints which had been made to the Government against the Massachusetts colony, by Thomas Morton, that miscreant, who, for his turbulent conduct at Mount Wollaston, had been twice expelled the country. It was in the execution of this mission that Mr. Winslow was subjected to the ignoble abuse and tyranny of Archbishop Laud, as recorded in the ecclesiastical history in this volume. When he returned to Plymouth, 1636, he was cordially received, and elected to the office of governor, but the year following took his place among the magistrates. In 1643, the New England colonies united into a confederacy for mutual defence, when Mr. W. was chosen one of the commissioners in behalf of Plymouth, and was continued in that office three years, when in 1646 he was persuaded to undertake another embassy to England, to answer to the complaints of Samuel Gorton and others, who had charged the colonists with religious intolerance and persecution. At this period, the puritan interest in England was predominant, and governor Winslow being

in high estimation for his intrinsic merit, by those in power, he was enabled to accomplish the object in view, to universal satisfaction. He was now in great favor with Oliver Cromwell and his officers, and was invited to accept of employment in his service. Accordingly, in 1654, he received the appointment of first commissioner, on the part of the commonwealth, to arbitrate and determine the value of the English ships seized and detained by the King of Denmark, in 1652. Governor Winslow had then, for 34 years, resided in an American colony, a compeer with those puritan exiles and outcasts who were demed unworthy of consideration. The appointment therefore, to the office of first commissioner in a concern of such magnitude, implies a high degree of confidence in the merit and character of governor Winslow by the Protector, and is a lasting monument to the honor of him on whom it was conferred. The last public service performed by governor Winslow was in 1655, when he received from Cromwell the appointment of commissioner, with two others, to superitend the operations of the Fleet and Army sent to the Spanish West Indies, under admiral Penn and General Venables. Having, on this service, been subjected to extraordinary fatigue and anxiety of mind, he was seized with a fever of the climate, to which he fell a sacrifice, on the 8th of May, 1655, aged 61. * His remains were committed to the deep with the honors of war, 42 guns being fired on the solemn occasion.

The New England Memorial, and whole early history of our country, bear ample testimony to the energy, activity, and well directed exertions of governor Winslow. His efforts in behalf of the native Indians illustrate his benevolence and charity. When in England, he was indefatigable in the cause, employing his interest and influence with members of Parliament, and other gentlemen of quality and fortune, for the promotion of the object of his pious sympathy. The result was, an act of Parliament, in 1649, incorporating a society in England for propagating the gospel among the Indians in New England. The commissioners of the United Colonies were constituted a board of correspondents, and distributors of the money which was supplied in England, by charitable donations from all the

"The eighth of May, west from 'Spaniola's shore,
God took from us our grand commissioner,
Winslow by name, a man in chiefest trust,
Whose life was sweet and conversation just,
Whose parts and wisdom most men's did excel,
An honor to his place, as all can tell."

cities, towns, and parishes in the kingdom. This society is still in existence, though the board of correspondents has been discontinued since our separation from Great Britain. His "Good News from New-England" is a very rare work; the abridged copy in Purchase's Pilgrims being all that the Massachusetts Historical Society could obtain for re-publication in their collections. His interesting account of the manners and customs of the aboriginal tribes, found in the appendix to Belknap's Biography, Vol. 2, cannot fail of being gratifying to the antiquarian. When the celebrated Roger Williams had become alienated from the favorable regards of his countrymen, and was reduced to extreme indigence, governor Winslow extended to him the hand of charity, and afforded him relief by his advice and pecuniary contribution. "It pleased the father of mercies," said Mr. Williams, "to touch many hearts with relentings, among whom that great and pious soul, Mr. Winslow, melted, and he kindly visited me at Providence and put a piece of gold into the hands of my wife for our supply.' New England," says Dr. Holmes's American Annals," his name will never be forgotten. His portrait is an excellent painting; the eye is black and expressive, and the whole countenance very interesting. The portrait is taken with whiskers. Josiah, son of Edward, is drawn without them. Beards were left off early in New England, and about the same time they were in the Old.

In

In the year 1637, a valuable tract of land at a place called Green's harbor, at Marshfield, was granted to Mr. Winslow and others, who established themselves there as permanent settlers. Mr. Winslow erected a handsome dwelling-house, and called his seat Careswell, from a castle and seat in Staffordshire, England, as conjectured by Dr. Belknap. This seat received improvements from time to time, and continued in the Winslow family till within the last few years; and at that place will be found the sepulchre which contains the ashes of the honorable family. Governor Winslow had one child only, a son, Josiah, who sustained the office of governor of the colony from 1673 to 1680. His life and character will be given below. Edward Winslow had four brothers, John, Kenelm, Gilbert, and Josiah, all of whom emigrated to the new colony; Gilbert in the Mayflower, John, the next year, in the Fortune. The

*

*The following notice of the Winslow family was furnished by a lineal descendant of John Winslow:

John Winslow was the second son of Edward Winslow, of Droitwich, England, whose family consisted of five sons and three