ir Majesties have graciously given us distinguishing marks
of their Royal favour and goodness.'" (Hutchinson's History of
Massachusetts Bay, Vol. I., p. 416.)

Judge Story remarks: "With a view to advance the growth of the province
by encouraging new settlements, it was expressly provided 'that there
should be liberty of conscience allowed in the worship of God to all
Christians, except Papists;' and that all subjects inhabiting in the
province, and their children born there, or on the seas going and
returning, should have all the liberties and immunities of free and
natural subjects, as if they were born within the realm of England. And
in all cases an appeal was allowed from the judgments of any Courts of
the province to the King in the Privy Council in England, where the
matter of difference exceeded three hundred pounds sterling. And finally
there was a reservation of the whole Admiralty jurisdiction to the
Crown, and of the right to all subjects to fish on the coasts.
Considering the spirit of the times, it must be acknowledged that, on
the whole, the Charter contains a liberal grant of authority to the
province and a reasonable reservation of royal prerogative. It was
hailed with sincere satisfaction by the colony after the dangers which
had so long a time menaced its liberties and peace." (Story's
Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, Vol. I., Book i.,
Chap. iv., p. 41.)]

[Footnote 217: _Ib._, Vol. I., Book i., Chap. iv., p. 45.]

[Footnote 218: History of New England, Vol. II., p. 616.]

[Footnote 219: Fellowship of the Churches: Annexed to the Sermon
preached on the Ordination of Mr. Prince, p. 76; Boston, 1718; quoted in
Neal's History of New England, Vol. II., pp. 610, 611.

But the spirit of the old leaven of bigotry and persecution remained
with not a few of the old Congregational clergy, who were jealous for
the honour of those days when they ruled both Church and State, silenced
and proscribed all dissenters from their own opinions and forms of
worship. They could not endure any statements which reflected upon the
justice and policy of those palmy days of ecclesiastical oligarchy, and
were very much stung by some passages in Neal's History of New England.
The celebrated Dr. Isaac Watts seems to have been written to on the
subject. His letter, apparently in reply, addressed to the Rev. Dr.
Cotton Mather, dated February 19, 1720, is very suggestive. The sweet
poet and learned divine s