Chapter 3, A Shelter and a Hiding Place Summary and Analysis

By Winthrop's time, Englishmen have been settling in Virginia and New England for decades. Many Puritans are interested in colonization before Charles I's dissolution of Parliament and many noblemen continue to be interested in funding colonization, despite its unprofitable nature. Further, a group, the Council for New England, has received a royal grant to settle the whole of New England and has yet to make a colonization effort.

The group grants a charter to a group of Puritan merchants known as the New England Company in 1628. Winthrop is not a member, nor is he optimistic about colonial life. The Company sends sent Captain John Endecott to New England to take charge there and Winthrop's son John, Jr. goes with him with his father's blessing, despite his misgivings. A journey...