the plot of ground where the town is intended to be built," he was to
have half an acre for every fifty pounds subscribed by him to the
common stock. A general discretion was given to Endicott and his
council to make grants to particular persons, "according to their
charge and quality;" having reference always to the ability of the
grantee to improve his allotment. Energetic and intelligent men,
having able-bodied sons or servants, even if not adventurers, were to
be favorably regarded. Endicott carried out these instructions
faithfully and judiciously during his brief administration. In the
mean time, it had been determined to transfer the charter, and the
company bodily, to New England. Upon this being settled, John
Winthrop, with others, joined the company, and he was elected its
governor on the 29th of October, 1629. On the 12th of June, 1630, he
arrived in Salem, and held his first court at Charlestown on the 28th
of August.

There was some irregularity in these proceedings. The charter fixed a
certain time, "yearly, once in the year, for ever hereafter," for the
election of governor, deputy-governor, and assistants. Matthew Cradock
had been elected accordingly, on the 13th of May, 1629, governor of
the company "for the year following." He presided at the General Court
of the company when Winthrop was elected governor. There does not
appear to have been any formal resignation of his office by Cradock.
In point of fact, the charter made no provision for a resignation of
office, but only for cases where a vacancy might be occasioned by
death, or removal by an act of the company. It would have been more
regular for the company to have removed Cradock by a formal vote; but
the great and weighty matter in which they were engaged prevented
their thinking of a mere formality. Cradock had himself conceived the
project they had met to carry into effect, and labored to bring it