_Higham._--Three Miles from hence Easterly on the South shoare of Massachusits Bay is the Towne of Higham a handsome Towne supplying Boston also with wood, timber, leather and board, Some Masts are had there and store of provisions.
_Hull._--Three Miles further tending more to the East, at the very entrance into the Massachusetts Bay is the Towne of Hull, the Inhabitants of which leives well being by Water not above 7 Miles from Boston tho neare 20 by land.
Three miles South from this place is the utmost south bounds of the Massachusits Goverment and Territories, beyond which they have not gone although they have gone soe farr beyond them to the Northward.
Before I enter into Plymouth bounds I must say something of this Goverment which hath ouertopped all the rest.
About the yeare 1626 or 1627 there was a Patent granted by his Maty^{ es}: Royall Father of ever blessed Memory to certaine Gentlemen and Merchants, for the Tract of land befor men[~c]ond, and power given them by the same to incorporate themselfes into a body pollitick the Governor and all other officers to be Annually chosen by the Majo^{ r} part of the inhabitants, ffreholders, As soon as the grant was confirmed, they chose here on M^{ r} Mathew Craddock Governo^{ r} and one Goffe deputy; They forthwith sent over one M^{ r} Endicott, Governor[A] as deputy to rule over us the Inhabitants which had leived there long befor their Patent was granted, and some had Patents preceeding theirs, had he had pouer according to his will he had ruled us to y^{ e} purpose; But within two yeares after they sent ower one M^{ r} John Winthrope Governor and with him a Company of Assistants all Chosen here in England without the Knowledge or Consent of them that then leived there or of those which came with them.
[A] This word "Governor" was interlined over the word "as," and unfortunately no caret mark made to show its intended place.
This Governo^{ r} and his Councill, not long after their Aryvall made a law that no man should be admitted a Freeman, and soe Consequently have any voyce in Election of Officers Civill or Military, but such as were first entered into Church covenant and brought Certificate of it, let there Estates, and accordingly there portion of land be never soe great, and there taxes towards publick Charges. Nor could any competency of Knowledge or inoffensivenesse of liveing or conversation usher a man into there Church ffellowship, unless he would also acknowledge the discipline of the Church of England to be erroneous and to renounce it, which very many never condescended unto, so that on this account the far great Number of his Majesties loyall subjects there never injoyed those priviledges intended by his Royall ffather in his Grant, And upon this very accompt also, if not being Joyned in Church ffelowship many Thowzands have been debarred the Sacrament of the Lords Supper although of Competent knowledg, and of honest life and Godly Conversation, and a very great Number are unbaptized. I know some neer 30 years old, 7 persons of Quality about 12 years since for petitioning for themselves & Neighbo^{ rs} that they might have votes in Elections as ffreeholders or be ffreed from publick Charge, and be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and theire Children to Baptisme as Members of the Church of England, and have liberty to have Ministers among themselves learned pious and Orthodox, no way dissonant from ye best Reformation in England, and desireing alsoe to have a body of Lawes to be Established and published to prevent Arbitrary Tiranny, For thus desireing these three reasonable requests besids imprissonement and other indignitys, they were fined 1000^{ lb}, a Notw^{ t}standing they Appealled to England, they were forced to pay the same, and now also at great Charges to send one home to prosecute their appeall which proved to no Effect, That dismall Change falling out, Just at that time And they sending home hither one Edward Winslow a Smooth toungued Cunning fellow, who soon gott himselfe into Favo^{ r} of those then in Supreame power, against whom it was in vaine to strive, and soe they remained sufferers to this day.