islature in Hartford and New Haven,
marked for more than two hundred years the twofold origin of the colony
and the state.

In the meantime Rhode Island had become a legally incorporated colony.
Even before Winthrop sailed for England, Dr. John Clarke had received a
favorable reply to his petition for a charter. But a year passed and
nothing was done about the matter, probably owing to the arrival of
Winthrop and the feeling of uncertainty aroused by the conflicting
boundary claims, which involved a stretch of some twenty-five miles of
territory between Narragansett Bay and the Pawcatuck River. A third
claimant also appeared, the Atherton Company, with its headquarters in
Boston, which had purchased lands of the Indians at various points in
the area and held them under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts. When
Clarke heard that Winthrop, in drawing the boundaries for the
Connecticut charter of 1662, had included this Narragansett territory,
he protested vehemently to the King, saying that Connecticut had
"injuriously swallowed up the one-half of our colonie," and demanding a
reconsideration. Finally, after the question had been debated in the
presence of Clarendon and others, the decision was reached to give Rhode
Island the boundaries and charter she desired, but to leave the question
of conflicting claims for later settlement. Evidently Winthrop, though
not agreeing with Clarke in matters of fact regarding the boundaries,
supported Rhode Island's appeal for a charter, for Clarendon said
afterwards that the draft which Clarke presented had in it expressions
that were disliked, but that the charter was granted out of regard for
Winthrop.

The Rhode Island charter passed the seals July 8, 1663, and was received
in the colony four months later with great joy and thanksgiving. It
created a common government for all the towns, guaranteeing full liberty
"in religious concernments" and freedom from all obligations to conform
to the "litturgy, formes, and ceremonyes of the Church of England, or
take or subscribe the oathes and articles made and established in that
behalfe." This may have been the phrase that Clarendon, who was a High
Churchman, objected to when the draft was presented. The form of
government was similar in all essential particulars to that of
Connecticut.

Rhode Island's enthusiasm in obtaining a charter is not difficult to
understand. That amphibious colony, consisting of mainland, islands, and
a large body