"
At the time this "bargain" was made very little was known about America,
which was looked upon as a kind of desert or wilderness, nor had the
Council any idea of the extent of territory lying between the two
rivers. This ultimately became of immense value, as it included the site
on which the great town of Boston, U.S.A., now stands--a town that was
founded by pilgrims from Boston in Lincolnshire with whom John White was
in close contact.
John Endicott sailed from Weymouth in the ship _Abigail_, Henry Gauder,
Master, with full powers to act for the Company. The new Dorchester was
founded, and soon afterwards four "prudent and honest men" went out from
it and founded Salem. John White procured a patent and royal charter for
them also, which was sealed on March 4th, 1629. It seemed the irony of
fate that on the same day 147 years afterwards Washington should open
fire upon Boston from the Dorchester heights in the American War of
Independence.
A second Dorchester was founded in America, probably by settlers from
the second Dorchester in England--a large village near which we had
passed as we walked through Oxfordshire, where in the distance could be
seen a remarkable hill known as Dorchester Clump.
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