TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
This book was originally published in 1643. The reprinted editionof 1827 retained the errors and misspellings of the original book,and this etext has made only a few minor changes to the English text,which are noted at the end of the book. No changes have been made toaccents or (mis)spelling of the native American words.
Punctuation in the two-column dictionary tables has been made moreconsistent; missing commas or periods have been silently added to theend of table entries. Inconsistent use of question marks has beenleft unchanged.
Footnote anchors are denoted by [number], and the two footnotes havebeen placed at the end of the ‘Sketch of the Life of Roger Williams’.
The Table of Contents can be found at the back of the book, the sameplacement as in the original book.
The cover image was created by the transcriberand is placed in the public domain.
COLLECTIONS
OF THE
RHODE-ISLAND
HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
VOL. I.
PROVIDENCE:
PRINTED BY JOHN MILLER.
1827.
In presenting to the public the first volume of the Collectionsof the Rhode-Island Historical Society, some accountof the rise and progress of the Society may not bedeemed inappropriate. It may vindicate the society from thecharge of remissness in performing the duties it has assumed,and at the same time, remove some of the prejudices whichit has had to encounter.
There have not been wanting, at any time, individualswho have been anxious that the history of this State, andthe deeds and sufferings and opinions of the first settlers,should not be handed down to posterity by tradition alone,or that future generations should learn them from the erroneousand imperfect statements of prejudiced historians.
Much was effected by these individuals in collecting togetherthe scattered fragments and perishing memorials ofour early history. But the field was too large and the labortoo great to be compassed by the exertions of any individuals,however ardent their zeal. And besides this, many personswho held highly valuable documents, received in mostinstances from their ancestors, were unwilling to part withthem until a secure place of deposite was provided, under theauthority of a regularly organized association.
These feelings, aided by various concomitant circumstances,gave rise to the Rhode-Island Historical Society, in the year1822. In the summer of the same year, a charter of incorporationwas obtained, and in July the Society was organized.Since that time, unremitting exertions have been made in[4]effecting its objects, and many valuable documents, bothprinted and manuscript have been collected. The numberof resident members is at present about fifty.
The subject of publishing a Series of Collections was agitatedsoon after the establishment of the Society. Vari