Chap. IV. 7e H I S TO RY of the PURITANS. 545 pointed by the church to that fervice. The firft winter proved a fatal one K. Charles L to the infant colony, carrying off above one hundred of their company, 1629. and among the reft Mr. Houghton their elder, and Mr. Higginfon their Mather's hi- teacher, the latter of whom not being capable of undergoing the fatigues offiery, N. E. a new fettlement, fell into a hettick, and died in the forty -third year of 136III. p. 94, his age. Mr. Higginfon had been educated in Emanuel College Cambridge, 7 proceeding M. A. being afterwards parfon of one of the five churches in Leice/ter, where he continued for .force years, till he was deprived for non-conformity ; but fuch were his talents for the pulpit, that after his fufpenfion, the town obtained liberty from bifhop Williams to chufe him for their lecturer, and maintained him by their voluntary contributions, till Laud being at the heàd of church affairs, he was articled againft in the high commifíion, and expected every hour a fentence of perpetual impri- forment: This induced him to accept of an invitation to remove toNew England, which 'colt him his life. Mr. Skelton the other minifter was a Lincolnfire divine, who being filenced for non- conformity, accepted of a like invitation, and died of the hardfhips of the countryAuguft 2. 1634. From this fmall beginning is the Mafachufetprovince grown to the figure it now makes in, the American world. Next fummer the governor went over with a frefh recruit of ?heirfare- two hundred minifters, gentlemen, and others, who were forced out wet requeJi of their native country by the heat of the Laudean perfecution. f Ene aadh Upon their embarkation they left behind them a paper, which was loon after publifhed, entitled the humble requ ji of his majéfty's loyal fabje&ts, the governor and company lately gonefor New England, to the reft of their brethren in andofthe church ofEngland, for the obtaining oftheir prayers, and removal offufßicions and mfconftrublions of their intentions. Wherein they entreat the reverend fathers and brethren of the church of England, to recommend them to the mercies of God in their conftant prayers, as a new church now fpringing out of their bowels ; " For you are not ignorant, fay they, that the fpirit of God ftirred up the apoftle " Paul to make a continual mention of the church of Philippi, which " was a colony from Rome. Let the fame fpirit, we befeech you, put " you in mind that are the Lord's remembrancers, to pray for us. without : r ceafing ; and what goodnefs you íhall extend to us in this, or any other " chriftian kindnefs, we your brethren in Chrift íhall labour to repay, in "what duty we are or (hall be able to perform, promifing fo far as God " ° fhall enable us, to give him no reft on your behalf, wifhing our heads and hearts may be fountains of tears for your everlafting welfare, " when we (hall be in our poor cottages in the wildernefs, overíhadowed " ° with the fpirit of fupplication, through the manifold necefiities and VoL. I. 4 A " tribulations
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