This Is A New Release Of The Original 1888 Edition.

Excerpt from The Puritan Age and Rule in the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay, 1629-1685 The Preface of a book is usually that part of it which is the last to be written, and the first to be read. The author makes use of it to supply any possible oversight in his pages in the statement of his purpose, or to anticipate any misapprehension of it. The reader turns to it with a view to find in it a brief and comprehensive exposition of the design of the book, and the reason why it has been written and put forth. A few words here may answer both these intents. The author some half century ago began the reading of our local history in the then most recently published volumes which dealt with it. From these he read back through the many books which had preceded them, till, having favorable opportunities for so doing, he found his way to many of the original and primary sources of it in print and manuscript. It may safely be affirmed that proportionally more pages have been written and put into print concerning the early history of Massachusetts - including the Commonwealth, the municipalities which constitute it, the incidents and events, the men and the institutions identified with it - than those concerning any other like portion of the earth's territory. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This book has been considered by academicians and scholars of great significance and value to literature. This forms a part of the knowledge base for future generations. We have represented this book in the same form as it was first published. Hence any marks seen are left intentionally to preserve its true nature.