A better sort of emigrants never crossed the _Atlantic_. “They were a plain, frugal, industrious, conscientious, and loving people; and, for the day in which they lived, and considering their education, possessed a good share of politeness. The important light in which they viewed morality, led them, in many instances to such critical exactness as would be deemed by the moderns ridiculous; from thence, however, the community derived substantial benefits. They have been stigmatized as enthusiasts; but nothing like enthusiasm is to be met with in the records of any of their transactions, either civil or ecclesiastic. Their piety indeed was eminent and fervent, but it was also rational; and their religion was that of the Bible, and had a proper influence upon their conduct.” The _Plymouthians_ having cleared the way for other sufferers to settle in _America_, with less difficulty and danger than what they had experienced; the fame of their plantation spreading through the western parts of _England_; and the government in church and state growing more and more oppressive; the territory of the _Massachusetts-Bay_ was purchased of the _Plymouth Council_ [1628] and a company soon formed, who consulted on settling a plantation, to which non-conforming _puritans_ might emigrate in order to enjoy their own principles in full security. Their sufferings had been moderated for a few years before _Elizabeth_’s death. The queen was far advanced in life; the next heir to the crown was a _presbyterian_, who had subscribed to the _Scotch_ national covenant, and, with hands uplifted to Heaven, had pronounced, “The _Scotch_ kirk is the purest in the world, and the service of the kirk of _England_ an evil said mass in _English_, that wants nothing of the mass but the liftings;” he had interceded for some of the persecuted ministers; and the bishops were cautious of acting against a party for whom king _James_ had declared; but upon his ascending the throne, the fears of the high-churchmen and the hopes of the non-conformists were soon ended. It was not long before the king became in the church a furious persecutor of the non-conformists, and in the state as errant a despot as his cowardice would allow. In stigmatizing for _puritans_, all who stood by the laws of the land, and opposed his arbitrary government, though strenuous churchmen, he strengthened the cause of the _church puritans_; the former, called by way of distinction _state-puritans_, joining the latter, both together became at length the majority of the nation. Still the times were not mended; and the death of _James_ made way for their becoming much worse. King _Charles_ unfortunately took for his bosom-counsellor in religious affairs, bishop _Laud_, the most unqualified person for the purpose, of any to be found in his three kingdoms; he also resigned himself up to arbitrary councils.