rish churches, or some other convenient place on a Forts built fixed day. Three small forts were now erected at on the fron- Congarees, Savannah, and Apalachicola, to protect the frontiers of Carolina against the incursions of the Yamassees from Florida.'

tiers of that

colony.

Experts

sisippi

Two French ships went to France richly laden, from Mis- from the river Missisippi; and these were the first, which carried over any merchandize from the Louisianian colony since its settlement. *

Newfound

land.

College re

moved

from Say

N. Haven.

From the Newfoundland fishery there were exported to Spain, Portugal, and Italy, one hundred and six thousand nine hundred and fifty two quintals of fish.3

1717.

Inconveniences attending the situation of the college at Saybrook, and the most liberal contributions brook to being made for its location at New Haven; that seminary was now removed to this town. The first commencement at New Haven was holden on the eleventh of September this year. A convenient edifice was soon completed; which, at the ensuing commencement in 1718, in commemoration of the benefactions of governor Yale, was named Yale College.*

Louisiana

M. Crozat, disappointed in his expectations, regranted to linquished his privilege of the commerce of Louisiana to the king of France. The king now erected a

the Missi

sippi company.

1 Hewet, i. 232, 233. The act respecting elections was soon after repeal ed by the Proprietors.

2 Salmon Chronol. Hist. 3 Brit. Emp. i. 159.

4 Pres. Clap's Hist. Yale College, 16—26. About £700 had beeen subscribed for New Haven; about £500, it is supposed, for Saybrook; and a large sum, for Hartford or Wethersfield. In 1714, Jeremiah Dummer, Esq. of Boston, agent at London, sent to the college above 900 volumes of books; 120 of which were at his own cost and charge; and the rest were obtained, by his procurement, from several gentlemen in England. Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Richard Blackmore, Sir Richard Steele, Dr. Burnet, Dr. Woodward, Dr. Halley, Dr. Bently, Dr. Calamy, Dr. Edwards, Rev. Mr. Henry, and Mr. Whiston, gave their own works; and governor Yale, 40 volumes. In 1717, governor Yale sent above 300 volumes; and, in 1718 and 1721, goods, which were sold for £400 sterling, and the avails added to the funds of the iusti. tution. For a list of other benefactors, with their several donations, see Pres Clap's History, 94-96.

commercial company, by the name of the Company 1717. of the West, with the sole trade to Louisiana, and also the trade of beaver to Canada for twenty years.' M. de l'Epinai, appointed governor of Louisiana, came over to his province with three ships, and provisions, ammunition and merchandizes of all kinds, which he principally lodged in the Isle of Dauphin, where he proceeded to raise fortifications. A. hur ricane, about the last of August, choaking up the entrance to the only harbour, and laying the whole island under water, l'Epinai chose, for a new anchoring place, the Isle of Surgere; built a fort, to protect the shipping; and transferred the settlement at the Isle of Dauphin to a place at the northward of Surgere, called Biloxi. In expectation of great advantages from the trade of Louisiana, the French were zealous to support this new settlement; and N. Orleans this year accordingly the foundation of New Orleans was laid,

2

founded.

Samuel Bellamy, a noted pirate, was wrecked with Pirates his fleet on Cape Cod; and more than a hundred wrecked. dead bodies were found on the shore. Six of the pirates, who survived the shipwreck, were tried by a special court of admiralty, pronounced guilty, and executed at Boston."

Governor Shute of Massachusetts held a conference Indian conwith the Eastern Indians at Arrowsick Island.*

ference.

The trade of Massachusetts employed three thou- Trade of sand four hundred and ninety three sailors, and four Massachus

1 Encyclop. Methodique, Geog. Art. LOUISIANE; and Commerce, Art. COMPAGNIE D'OCCIDENT. Du Pratz, i. 47-81, where the Articles (56 in number) establishing the Company of the West are inserted entire. Anderson, iii. 73, 74. The company is commonly called the Missisippi Company.

2 Charlevoix Nouv. France, ii. 434. Univ. Hist. xl. 293, 294. Du Pratz, ii. 260. The capital of Louisiana was thus named in honour of the duke of Orleans, at that time regent of France.

Hutchinson says, the

3 Hutchinson, ii. 233. Coll. Hist. Soc. iii. 120. Whidah, Bellamy's pirate ship, of 23 guns and 130 men, had taken several vessels on the N. England coast, just before this disaster.

4 Hutchinson, ii. 218-221. The treaty of Portsmouth (1713) was now renewed,

1717. hundred and ninety two ships, making twenty five thousand four hundred and six tons.

I

Brookline. A church was gathered at Brookline, in Massachusetts; and, the year following, the reverend James Allen was ordained its first minister."

Great

MOW.

Death of E.

In the month of February the snow fell in such great quantities in New England, that it was denominated The Great Snow.3

Ebenezer Pemberton, minister in Boston, William Pemberton, Brattle, minister of Cambridge, and Nicholas Noyes, N. Noyes. minister in Salem, died. s

W. Brattle,

5

1 Hutchinson, ii. chap. 111. This appears "by a medium taken from the naval officer's accounts for three years from the 24 June 1714, to 24 June 1717, for the ports of Boston and Salem only." Ib.

2 Letter from the reverend Mr PIERCE, of Brookline; by whose obliging communication I am enabled to subjoin the following account of that town. "Previously to its incorporation in 1705, it formed a part of Boston; and was denominated Muddy River from the stream, which is one of its eastern boundaries. It was assigned to the inhabitants of Boston on account of their narrow limits within the peninsula. The distance is but two miles across Charles river. They used to transport their cattle over the water to this place, while the corn was on the ground at Boston, and bring them to town in the winter. Finding it highly inconvenient to attend town business in Boston and increasing in numbers and wealth, they were at length incorporated."

3 Boston News Letter, A.D.1717. This gazette, Feb. 25, observes: "The snow lies in some parts of the streets about six foot high. The extremity of the weather has hindered all the three posts from coming in." Judge Sewall writes in his Diary: " Feb. 22. It was terribly surprising to me to see the extraordinary banks of snow on the side of the way over against us." Yet several snows fell after that date. The News Letter of March 4 observes: February ended with snow and March begins with it."

86

4 Dr. Colman's Sermon, on occasion of their death. Mr. Pemberton was an eminent preacher. He wrote in a style strong and nervous, eloquent and argumentative. His sermons were practical and pathetic, illuminating and convincing. His Election Sermon, preached in 1710, is justly celebrated. It is reprinted in a volume of his sermons, which was published in 1727.Mr Brattle was born in Boston, and educated at Harvard College; of which seminary he was many years a tutor and a fellow. He was a solid and useful preacher, an able divine, a distinguished scholar, and a generous patron of literature. He published a system of Logic, entitled "Compendium Logicæ secundum Principia D. Renati Cartesii plerumque efformatum, et catechisticè propositum;" which was long recited at Harvard College. I have seen a copy of it, printed so late as the year 1758. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. His character was eminent for wisdom and goodness. Ib. Coll. Hist. Soc. vii. 55—59.

5 Coll. Hist. Soc. vi. 286. Mr. Noyes was Ætat. Ixx, and is represented as distinguished for his learning and ministerial accomplishments.

1718.

suppressed

Merchants and masters of ships had, in their trade Pirates in to America and the West Indies, suffered much from W. Indies the barbarity and depredations of pirates. On their complaint to the king in council, the king issued a proclamation, promising a pardon to all pirates, who should surrender themselves in the space of twelve months; and, at the same time, ordered to sea a force, to suppress them. The island of New Providence being their common place of residence,captain Woods Rogers sailed with a few ships of war, against that island, and took possession of it for the crown of England. All the pirates, excepting Vane with about ninety others (who made their escape in a sloop), took the benefit of the king's proclamation, and surrendered. Rogers, who was constituted governor of the island, formed a council; appointed civil and military officers; built forts; and, from this time, the trade of the West Indies was well protected against those lawless plunderers.'

nated from

They were not yet however extirpated from the south- Extermi ern shores. About thirty of them took possession Carolina of the mouth of Cape Fear river, and infested the coast of Carolina. Governor Johnson, resolving to check their insolence, sent out to sea a ship of force, under command of William Rhett, who took a piratical sloop, and brought Steed Bonnet, the commander, and about thirty men with him, to Charlestown. The governor soon after embarked in person, and sailed in pursuit of another armed sloop, which, af ter a desperate engagement, was also taken. Two pirates, who alone survived the action, were instantly tried, condemned, and executed. Bonnet and his crew were also tried; and all, excepting one man, were hanged.'

1 The colony at New Providence throve so well after the arrival of governor Rogers, that the number of its white inhabitants soon amounted to about 1500. The town of Nassau soon contained 300 houses. Univ. Hist. xli. 336.

2 Hewet, i. 234-236. Brit. Dom. [ii. 144.] says, 42 were executed.

1718.

I

An impost bill was passed by the legislature of Impost bill. Massachusetts, which laid a duty not only on West India goods and wines, but also on English manufac tures, and a duty of tonnage on English ships.i The Missisippi company, building great hopes on lony arrives the commerce of Louisiana, sent out a colony of eight hundred persons; some of whom settled at New Orleans, and others, at the Natchez.*

French co

at Louisia

na.

George

town,

Georgetown and Falmouth, in the District of

Falmouth. Maine, were incorporated. 3

Surinam.

Contribution for Indians.

(Brookfield. Salem.

Death of

The Dutch at Surinam are said first to have begun to plant coffee in that colony."

The churches in Boston contributed four hundred and eighty three pounds toward the pious charity for promoting the conversion of the Indians. s

Brookfield, in Massachusetts, was incorporated." The second church in Salem was formed; and an edifice was built for its use in Essex street."

William Penn, the founder and first proprietary of W. Penn. the province of Pennsylvania, died at Rushcomb, in England, aged seventy four years.

8

I Hutchinson, ii. 226. The duty on English goods was one per cent. Before the session in May, the next year, the governor received instruction from the king, to give all encouragement to the manufactures of Great Britain; and afterward received a reprimand from the lords justices, the king being absent, for consenting to the duty laid on English goods &c. The court, on receiving official notice of this reprimand," readily acknowledged the exceptions taken to that clause in the bill were just and reasonable." Ib. 230. 2 Du Pratz, i. 24, 25. This was the first colony, sent out by that com pany. M. Le Page Du Pratz, the author of the History of Louisiana, ac companied that colony from France, which embarked in three vessels from Rochelle. lb.

3 Sullivan, 169, 192.

4 Anderson, iii. 80.

5 Coll. Hist. Soc. i. 213. These churches made annual collections; and, beside the collection for this year, they had at that time a fund of 800 or £1000, the income of which was appropriated to that object.

6 Coll. Hist. Soc. i. 262-265. The town had, at this time, nearly 50 families. Indian wars had retarded the settlement of this frontier town, after it was burnt in 1675; and it was not until 1716 that a church was built there, after that conflagration. The general court, by a committee, regulated all the affairs of the town until it was incorporated. Ib.

7 Coll. Hist. Soc. vi. 226, 274, 276. The inhabitants of Salem until this time constituted but one religious society. Ib.

8 Proud, ii. 105, 106. "He had great natural abilities, and much acquired knowledge, which he ever rendered subservient to the interests of res