stricting exportations from America to English, Irish, and
Colonial vessels, substantially excluded foreign ships from all
Anglo-American harbours. To this, which might be regarded as a benefit
to New England ship-owners, a provision was added still further to
isolate the colonies (from foreign countries), the more valuable
colonial staples, mentioned by the name, and hence known as 'enumerated
articles,' being required to be shipped exclusively to England or some
English colony. The exportation to the colonies was also prohibited of
any product of Europe, unless in English vessels and from England,
except horses, servants and provisions from Ireland and Scotland. But of
the 'enumerated articles' none were produced in New England; while salt
for fisheries, and wine from Madeira and the Azores, branches of foreign
trade in which New England was deeply interested, were specially
exempted from the operation of an Act which had chiefly in view the more
southern colonies." (Hildreth's History of the United States, Vol I.,
Chap xiv.' p. 473.)]

[Footnote 178: History of the United States, Vol. II., Chap. xviii., pp.
461, 462.]

[Footnote 179: The following is a specimen of the manner in which they
interpreted their Charter to extend their territory. Having interpreted
their Charter to exempt themselves from all responsibility to the Crown
for their legislation or acts, they devised a new interpretation of
their Charter in order to extend their territory to the north and
north-east. The Charter limited their territories to three miles of the
north bank of the Merrimac. At the end of twenty years they decided that
the Charter meant three miles north of the most northern land or elbow
of the Merrimac, and then not follow within three miles of the north
bank of the river to its mouth, but a straight line east and west, which
would give to their Plantation, Maine and a large part of New Hampshire,
to the exclusion of the original patentees. When the Royal
Commissioners, as directed by the King, came to investigate the
complaints on this disputed boundary of territory, they decided against
the pretensions of the Massachusetts Bay rulers, and appointed
magistrates, etc., to give effect to their decision; but the authorities
of Massachusetts Bay, acknowledging no superior under heaven, resumed
control of the territory in dispute as soon as the Commissioners had
left the country. Mr. Hildreth says:

"Shortly after the departure of