•■■ ;
IN THE CUSTODY Or TME
BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY.
5.6-^-6
/*^
\
t^
T H E'^
HISTOJIY
NEW-ENGLAND
Containing an
Impartial Account
OF THE
Civil and Ecclejiaftical Awaits
Of the C O U N T R Y
To the YEAR of our LORD, i700#
To which Is added
The Present State of Nerv-EmUnd.
With a New and Accurate Ma"? of the Country,
AND AN
tj[ ? F E N D I X
Containing their
Prefent Charter, their Ecclefiaftical Difci-
pline, and their Municipal-Laws.
In Two Volumes,
By Daniel Neal.
Vol. I.
L O N D 0 N I
Primed for J. Cl ARK, nt the Bible eT Crown in the Poultry,
R. Ford, at the Angel ia the Poultry, and R, CrvT*-
TENDfcN, at the Bible a?id Three Crowns in Cheapfitk
M CCC XX^
Ai}A!y1^2^.6
5a
To His Excellency
Samuel Shute, Efq;
HisMajefly^s Captain-General^
and Governour in Chief of the Provinces
of the Maflachufet - Bay, and New-
. Hamplhire, and Vice-Adfniral of th6
fame-^
And to the Honourable
William Dummer, Efq;
Lieutenant -Governour of the Province of
the MafTachufet-Bay , with the Council,
and General AlTembly-
May it pleafe Tour Excellency and Tour Honours^
H E following Hiftory of New^
England cannot have fo natu-
i ral and equitable a Claim to
J any Proteftion as to Yours,
to whom this Province, by
the Goodnefs of G O D, under His Ma-
jefty, owes the Peace, Religion, and Li-*
berty it enjoys*
A 2 Whiift
ii BET>ICATION.
Wliilft your Thoughts and Endeavours
are employ'd how to make this Country
iiourifliing and happy, I flatter myfelf
you will not be difpleafed to look back
to its Original, and obferve by what Steps
it has arrived to the Figure it now makes
in America. A Refledion of this Naturd
will give Pleafure to all, who will be at
the Trouble to make it j but I imagine
muft afford a particular Relief to You
from the Care and Toils of Government^
and at the fame Time, prove the nobleft
Encouragement to continue Your Vigi-
lance for the Good of Your Country.
Oppreffion and Perfecution here, the
greatefl: Vices Men can be guilty of, gave
Birth to 'New-England at firfl: , and Li-
berty among you, the moft publick Blefling,
has yielded Nourifliment to it ever fince^
and will always keep it vigorous and
healthy, though Oppreflion and Perfecu-
tion, by an unhappy Return among us,
Ihould make no iVcceffion to your Wealth
and Nuraberso
It
DEDICATION, iii
It is but a little while fince feveralherc
had their Eyes towards You, and when
they had Reafon to apprehend, they fliould
not be able to live much longer in their
own Country, blefs'd GOD they
had a Sanctuary in yours : x\nd though
the Proteftant Succeffion has deliver'd us
from thofe Fears, yet it will be a Noble
Defign, and worthy of Men in Your Sta-
tion, to preferve New'Efigla?id a pleafant
Habitation to its prefent Poireflbrs, and a
Blefled Retreat for Oppreffed Proteftaiits
in all Parts of the V/orld,
If Europe fhould encreafe in Vice and
Luxury, proportioniibly to what it has
done of late -^ and You, who have now
the Character of a Religious People, fliould
advance proportiorrably in Piety and Ver-
tue^ as thefe Parts of the World will
certainly decline in Wealth and Power,
fo You are the mqft likely to acquire
them.
A 2 Y'ou
iv DEDICATION.
You now glory in an Univerfal Loy-
alty to the beft of Kings, in a becoming
Zeal for the Sacred Truths of the Refor-
mation, and in an Univerfal Love, Charity,
and Forbearance of each other in your
differing Sentiments : As long as You
can preferve this Boafting, Nezv-England
will be indeed the Glory of the Churches,
and a Praife in the whole Earths May
You long maintain thefe Principles, which
are not only efTential to the Chriftian Re-
ligion, but the very Foundation of the
Peace and Happinefs of Society !
This Happy State of Things fcems re-
ferv'd to crown the Wife and Gentle Ad-
ininiftration of His Excellency the pre-
sent Governour^ who is of a Family emi-
nent for its Zeal for Civil Liberty ^ v/ho
has himfelf bravely ufed his Sword, as
he does now his Power in Defence of it ^ and
who is diftinguiih'd by a Brother, who has
acquir'd more True Glory by his Suc-
cefsful Endeavours to preferve Tour Li-
berties, and recover Qurs^ when they were
in
DEDICATION. V
in the moft imminent Danger •, than by
the Adoption he has had from Two Gen-
tlemer^on the Account of this Part of
his Charafter.
May Tour Excellency continue to fill
the High Station the Divine Providence
has advanced You to, with encreafing
Glory and Renown, to the Honour of
His Majefty, and the Joy of all Good
People in New-England ! And may the
Country fiourifh in Riches, Trade, Reli-
gion, and ail Social Vertues under your
prudent Adminift ration!
May You^' Geyitlemen Reprefentatives^
long enjoy fo Valuable a Covernour, and
Patron of your Liberties ! May all Par-
ties and Divifions among you ceafe, and
|:he only Emulation be. Who fhall moft
promote the Publick Good ! May you
perfevere in your Duty and Loyalty to
His Majefty K. George, in an unbyafs'd
Love and Affection to your Country, and
in an unwearied Application to publick
Bufinefs ! And may you live long, to
tafte the Pleafures that will arife from
the Acknowledgments of a Thankful Peo-
A 4 ple^
Vi DEDICATION,
pie, and be at laft (but for the Good
of your Country a great while hence)
rewarded with a Crown of Glory, which
Ihall never fade away ! I am.
GENTLEMEN,
T^oitr Excellency s
arid Tour Honours
rnojl Obedient and
moft Humble Servant^
Daniel Neal,
PRE
THE
PREFACE.
HE Begwnhgs of Kjf2g*
doms and Nations have fel-
dam been transmitted dorv»
to Pofierity with any Degree
of Certainty, by reajon of
the flow Progrefs of their Af-
fairs ; a Century of Tears
in thofe early Ages of the World not furnifhing
Materials for a few Pages in Hiflory ; but the
Englifli Plantations in America happening at
A Time when Europe wasflPd with Inhabit ant Sy
have produced fuch extraordinary Events in the
very firfl Age of their Settlement^ as are wortloy
the Notice of Pofierity.
N o Body wonders at the vafl Increafe of
the Spanifli Power in South America, who
has heard of the rich Mines of Potofi, and of
the prodigious ^antities of Silver brought from
thence
ii P R E F A C E^
theme into Spain every Tear 5 hut Nt^w-
England had mfuch Adv ant ages y there were no
Stiver and Gold Mines^ nor any Profp,evf of
Riches or Vleafure ; the Motives which induced,
the Planters to fettle there ^ were therefore of an-
other Nature 5 they were driven from Home for
their religious D iff ent from the Church of Eng-
lan^, and finding themfelves unable to fix their
FrJnciples in any Part of Europe, they refohed
to plant them in America.
The Wifdom of Divine Providence is
very often feen in over-ruling the Defgns of
Men to contrary PurfofeSy when they make ufe of
Violence and Opprefjionfor the propagating their
own Opinions^ or the fuppreffing thofe of others ;
thus the Perfecution of the Church at Jerufa-
lem occafioned the fpreading the Chriflian Reli-
gion throughout the Regiofrs of Judea and Sa-
maria ; and the Severity of fome of the Bijhops
againfl the Puritans in the Reigns of Q^^Wzd,^
beth, Kj James and K^. Charles the Firjf,
inflead of crujhing tbem^ did but fend them into
America, where their Principles are now the
EflabliJJjed Religion of a flour ijhing Common-
n-calth : Had the Puritans been made eafy at
Home by a Toleration^ or an Abatement of fome
of the CJrmonysqf the Churchy New-England
had fill been an'' uninhabited Wildernefs \ biit
/^rchbilbop ^"^i^^t by pr effing Conformity with fa:
' -' "^ ' ^ ' ' much
Preface. iii
much Rigour y and depriving fo many popular
Preachers in all Parts of the Country for mt
complving with the Canons^ jent more Families
into New-England in the Twelve Tears of hh
Adminifi ration^ than would otherwife have gone
over in an Age : Nay^ foflrong was the Tide of
the People^ s Affeclions towards America at that
Time, that it was found necejfary to prohibit
their leaving the KJngdom without Licence fror^
the King and Council^ which heighten d the
People^ s Difiontents aoain(i the Archbijhopy
and hajlned thofe Calamities^ which in a fejp
Tears^ like a fwelling Flood overflowed their
Banksy and dror^n^d both Chtdrch and Common^
wealth.
The Reader novo fees the Reafon of my in^
ferting in the fecond Chapter of this Hifiory^ a,
fljort Account of the Sufferings of the Puritans
here in England, without which he eould form
no juft Idea of the Rife of the New Engliih
Settlements ; / have collected it from the moft
unexceptionable Authorities ^ and writ it voith
t'reedom and Impartiality^ tho leant help de^
daring myfelf fometimes on the Side of Liberty,
and an Enemy to Oppreffion in all its Forms and,
Colours \ Accordingly y I have taken the Liberty
to cenfure fuch a Conduct in all Parties of Chri^
JlianSj rvhere^ever I have found it.
The Hijlory it felf contains a Variety qf
Mate^
iv Preface.
Materials for the Reader s JnftruBion and Eri*
tertainment ; as^ the Conje^ures of learned Men
concerning the fir ft Peopling of America, the
Cujloms and Manners of the Indians, their
Wars with the Englifh, and the Attempts that
have been made by the Eliots and Mayhews
for their Converfwn^ which have fucceeded far
beyond the Efforts offome others of greater Names ^
who have employed more Hands, and given
them greater Encouragement, He^l be no lefs
entertained \vith obferving a little Common-
wealth rifing out of its firjl Principles, Jlruggling
with a Thoufand Difficulties in its Infant-Jlate^
and af lafl triumphing over them all, I have
mention'* d with Freedom the Mijlakes which the
Cover/tment of New-England fell into, with
relation to the Quakers and Anabaptifts, as
jfvell as their late Severities towards thofe who
fujfered for fufpecled Witchcrafts and Sorce-.
ries '-y It being the Office of an Hijlorian to fet
Affairs in a true iight, and to record the Poli^
tical Vertues and Vices of Men of a publick Cha-
racier, the one for our Imitation, and the other
,as: a Mark to avoid the Rock on which they
fplit, I have inferted in their prober Places,
the Deaths and Characters of the mofl Confide-
-^Ahle Per fans in Church and State; and annexed
to the whole, a Chapter relating to the Prefent
j^tate af the Country, in the drawing up of
which
Preface; V
which^ I have had the Jffijlance of fome learned
and ingenious Perfons in both Englands, xvhofe
Names rvould do Honour to this HiHory^ were
I allowed to mention them,
^Tis not necejfary to acquaint the Reader in
this PI ace ^ with the fever al Authors from whom
. I have colleBed the following Narrative^ he^
eaufe he will find moH of them cited in the
Margin as he goes along ; hut it may not h
mproper to inform him of the Credit and Re^
putation of thofe on whofe Authority the Vrinci-
pal Matters of FaB depend.
Mr, Edward Winflow, who went over with
the firfl Colony in the Tear 1610, and was at
the Head of their Affairs for fever al Yearsy pttb^
lijh'd a (Jjort Account of the Country^ and a
journal of the Proceedings of the Infant-Colony
for the frji three or four Tears ; he wa^ a Gen^
tleman of known Probity and Goodnefsj and his
iVork ha^s been copied univerfally by all that
have come after him.
Mr. Nathaniel Morton, Secretary to the
Court for the Jurifdiffion of New Plymouth,
puhli(h'*d in the Tear i66g^ New England''^
Memorial, 4to. He was one of the firji
Planters of New Plimouth, and confines his
Narrative chiefly to that Colony ^ the Reverend
Mr. Higginfon of Salem, and Mr. Thacher
of Bofton have prefix d a Teflimonial to hii
Work
Vi P R E F A C B.
Work^ wherein they declare^ That "^tis compofed
with Modefty of Spirit, and Truth of
Matter, Mr^ Morton had certainly all the
Advantages an Bijlorian could depre^ for hefides
his being at the Head of Affairs himfelf he
tells us^ he had the Benefit of Gov em our Brad-
ford V M. S. Jomn^i, from the Tear i620y ta
the Tear 1646.
Mr. Wood and Mr, Joflelyn have pMifh^d
a fort of natural Hijlory of New-England,
the former in the tear 16J9, the latter about
the Tear 1671. Wood's Dejign was to give
his Reader a Profpe^ of the Country; but Jof-
lelyn, befides a Defcription of the jeveral Toivnfj
as they flood in the Tear 1671, has given us a
Curious Defcription t^fV^f Birds, Beafts, Plants,
and Infefts of the Country^ which he dedicates
to the Royal Society : But this may he ob^
jerved of them bothy that when they /peak of
the Natives, they affeci rather to make their
'headers merry^ than tell thetn the Truth ; Mr,
JofTelyn'i Account of the prefent Inhabitants
is perfe^ly ludicrous, but the other Parts of hi4
Book contain feveral Rare and Valuable Mate-
rials.
Dr. Increafe Mather in the Tear t6jj^
publi/b'd an Exact Relation of the Pequot
War^ and of the feveral Quarrels between^ the
Indians and EngliQi to that Time.
Tk
P R E F A C E. vii
The fame Tear, the Reverend Mr. Hubbard
Mimfter of Ipfwich in New-England, fub-
liflfd a Large Account of the War with Philip
KJng of the Wompanoags, in 4to; to which
is annexed a Supplement, concerning the Pe-
quot War^ and a Poftfcript, relating to the
War with the Eaftern Indians ; the Honourable
Simon Bradftreet, Daniel Denifon, and Jo-
feph Dudley, Efqrr^ being deputed by the Go^
njernour and Council of the MafTachufet-Co-
lony to ferufe^ and Licenfe it^ declared^ Tint
the Author had faithfully and truly per*
form'd his Work, as far as the beft Infor-
mation could be obtained, and that he de-
ferred publick Thanks for the fame.
But the moH famous Hijlorian £?/New-Eng-
land is the Reverend and Learned Dr, Cottoa
Mather, who with great Diligence and Indufiry
has colleBed a Variety of ujeful Materials^ for
the Eccleftajlical and Civil Hiflory of his Coun-
try^ and fublijh'^d them to the World in Folio,
under the Title of Magnalia Chrifti Ameri-
cana, or J The Ecclefiaftical Hiftory of New
England, from the Year 1620, to the Year
1698, with the Atteflation of the Reverend Mr.
Higginfon, one of the Oldesi MiniHers of the
Country^ prefix' d to it. The Dr, is certainly a
Gentleman of great Probity and Vertue^ and
having been at the Head of Affairs in his Coun-
try.
viii Preface^
try for a> great many Tears^ is as capable of
knowing the Truth of the Facts he relates as any
Man living ; Had the Dr. pa his Materials a
little clofer together ^ and dijpofed them in ano^
ther Method, his Work would have been more
acceptable to this Part of the World, but as it
iiy his great Integrity and Diligence deferve
the puhlick Thanks of his Country.
Thefe are the Authors of Greatejl Name^
tvhom I have confulted on this Occafion, be fides
Tphich, I have read over a great number of fmaU
ler Pamphlets, and made the heft Vfe of them
J could. The Chapter Of the Converfion of
the Indians, was drawn up from the Memoirs
And Letters of Mr. Eliot, May hew, and other
Miffionaries to the Society for propagating the
Gofpel in New-England, and where thefe
were deficient, I have had the kind Affijlance
of the Society itfelf.
Where Facts have been differently related, or
thejuflice of the Government arraigned, as in
the Sufferings of the Anabaptifts and Quakers,
and in the late Affair ^/Witchcraft, / have con-
fulted the Writers on both Sides, and by com"
faring them too ether, have fet them in, the heji
Light I could, leaving the Reader to make what
ReJleBions on them he pleafes.
In the Map of the Country prefi^'^d to this
Work, which is perfectly new, and done from
Preface. ix
the htejl Surveys^ I have divided the fever^i
Prvvinces^ or Governments from each other ^ b)
double prick'd Lines^ and the feveral Counties
in eash Province^ by fi'f^gle pricked Lines \ and
becaufe the Scale would not admit the taking in
of Canada River and Quebec, nor a diflincl
Vtew of the Town and Harbour of Bofion ; I
have therefore added a Plan of each ; the one
to fberv the Situation of New France, ivith
Regard to New England ; the other to fhew
the feveral IJlandsy Rocks^ and Sands in the
Maflachufet Bay, with the Soundings^ and
the Ship-Channel to the Town of Bofton.
The Abridgment of the Laws and Ordi-
nances of New England, publijh'^d in the
Appendix (^) is djfpojed into an Alphabeti-
cal Method ; but it mujl be obfervedy thatfome
of the more Ancient Ones^ relating to FalTiions,
Drefs, &c. are obfolete , and others jvhich re-
quire Ecclefajlical Qualif cat ions for Civil Pre-
ferment Sj are repealed by the New Charter,
and yet it was not proper to omit them^ be-
caufe they difcover the Genius of the fir ft Plant-
erf, as well as give Lioht to feveral Parts of
the Hiflory,
Vpon the whole ^ I have ^ot together the befl
Collection of Materials I could^ and endeavoured
* Appendix Numb. IV.
U
X Preface.
to difpofe them in the mojl proper Order ; aj?d
as I have not rvilfullj committed my Mijlakii^
jo rrhen I am convinced of any fuch, I Jhatl
mllingly retraB them^ having no Interefis of my
onm to ferve fepa'-'ate froPt Truth ; / have fome-
times fpoken freely of Mea*s Act ions ^ hut never
reproach"* d any Man for his Principles^ nor en-
tail* d the Judgments of Almighty G O D ^;f
families^ as fome of our late Hijlorians have
done 5 but after all^ whether I have done any
Service to the Fuhlickj or been able to fupport
the Gravity and Impartiality of an Hiftorian ir^
the foUorving Performance^ I now fubmit to the
Judgment of the Reader.
London, Decem-
ber i4> 171 9*
':>^BS<:yjS:))(:^yJx^^c^^
^.(f^^C>At<
Befides a feW literal MiRakes, and falfe Pointings,
which will not miflead the Reader, I defire him to
Correct the following
ERRATA.
Jr) Ace 17. line 28. dele New. p. zj. I 9? read fail. ^ p. 28. 1. iS.
L rTinto- p. 6<^. 1, i. r. deierve. p. 89- 1. 15- !'• ^^^om whonie.
p. 91. I 9. r. ihot. p lu. 1. 2,8. r. musket, p. 141. 1. 7. r^ dif
gult. p. r^o. 1. z6, f. Aniwers. p. 178. I ult. r. overftock'd.
p. 179 i. 29. r. retradation. p- 18^. i. 19- i*- obliges. lb. 1. 27.
^rAlegeiidi. p. 2CO. 1. 22. for Hattfer r, John, p. 5Q9. 1 15. r.
Stevenson, p, 380. 1. i^, r. bad. p. 408. 1. 37- r. 7^- P- ¥^'
i. 15. r. North, p. 555. 1. i. dele He. p 545. L 1 1. r. think of.
p. 548 in margin r. i695- P- 5<^4- ^-,7. r. S Welt and N-Eaft.
lb. 1. 10. r. Weft South Weft, p- -{85. 1. 16. r. Needle, p. 5.9^-
1. 19. r. 70/.
K B, Two or Three Gefttlgmsa mention d m tke Lift
p i^ V 1$ m lately 4ea'i.
T H F
CONTENTS
Of the FIRST VOLUME.
Chap. ^- f)F the fiyfi peopling 0/ America. T/je Difcn^ery
^ of it by Columbus. A Relation oj the fe^ueral
tatfuccefsfiil Attempts to make a Settlement on the Nor-^
them Continent. A Surrey oj NewEngland, vcith a Chu"
. raEler oj the principal Nations roho inhabited it bejo; e the
Englifh dijpojjejjed ti.em, A Defcription ojthe Natives,
their Cuftoms, Manners , LaiHy Religion, Government y
and Language. pag. i.
Chap. II. A Jhort Account of the Sufferings of the Puritans
in the Reigns 0/^. Elizabeth and A^. James /. Ojthe Oji-
ginal of t/je ^vowmds. T' heir Principles. "Their Suffer-
ings. Their removing themjelves into Holland ; vjhere
Mr. Robinfon laid the Foundation of the Independent
Church Difcip line, as it was afterwards praBifed in
New England. p. 47-
Chap. III. 7he Rife ofthefirfl Englifh Colony. Their Voyage
to New England. Tloeir Settlement at Plymouth, and
the Hardships theyfuffe/d. Treaty of Alliance with Maf-
fafoiet, and other Indian Princes. The iU Succefs of Mr*
WeftonV Settlement in the Maffachufet'j Bay ; and of
Capt. Gorge'j. The feditiotis PraBices oj Lyford and
Oldham. The Death and Charafter of the Revd. Mr.
John Robinfon. Oj Capt. Wollaflon's Attempt to begin
a Settlement in the Mafrachufets, and the Alifery to which
his Men were reduced. Oj the cpening a Trade with ths
Dutch on HudTon'j River. A General Account oj ths
Religion of the Planters. p. 7T«
Chap. IV. The State of Religion in England, under the
Adminiflyation of ArchbijkGp Laud. The Rife of the
Colony f the MafTachufet'j Bay, Their Settlement at
. Salem. The manner of their incorp^orating into a Church.
The Hardlhips they f/ffe/d. The Foundation of the
Town of Bofi on. The^Stcry of Sir Chriflopher Gardi-
ner. Capt. Stone and Capt. Norton murckr'd by the
Indians. Of Mr. Roger Williams, and his Opinions.
The Beginuing o/'Connccticnt Settlement. The Council
of 'En^hnd prohibit the Puritans tranfportingthcr.fthes
into America, without Licence from the King. CJ r.e he^
l^inningofK^x'fh^veuSettlemem. p. 117*
The Contents:
Chap. y. - 1 he Pequot JVar, Difturhances occajloned hy
the Antinomiaois. Th^firft Synod of New England, with
an Account of the nature of Synods^ according to the Prin-
ciples of the Independents. 7 he Story of Mrs. Hutchin-
fon. Of Rhode-IJIand^ and its Inhabitants. The Foun-
dation of Harvard-Co^^^^, and of the puhlick Library,
lihe method of Education^ and of taking Degrees, Of the
New Englifh Verfion of the Pfalms. A flop put to thefur^
ther Increafe of the Colonies from England, by the Eclipfe
of the Epif copal Power, A Computation of the Number of
Planters, that fettled in New England before the Tear
1 64 1, with an Efitmate of the Charges of the fever al
Settle?nents. A Lifi of the filemed Minifiers ivho left their
native Country^ and fettled in New England. The Union
of the Four Grand Settlements of New England. The
Death and CharaEler of Mr. Brewiter. The Commotions
at Hingham. p. 155.
Chap. VI. Of the Converjion of the Indians. Several Con-
ferences of the Revd. Mr. Eliot with them. A Body of
Indians agree to enter into Civil Society, and make Laws
h Mr. Eliot'.f DireEiion for their Government. The Con-
fejjion of Faith o/'Ponampam an Indian Convert. Two
'Ey^hortationsy or Sermons of Indian Preachers on a Fafi-
pay. Of the Converfion of the Indians 0/ Martha's Vine-
yard, under the ConduB of Mr, Mayhew. Hiaccoomes'j
Boldnefs and Conflancy in the Chriftian Faith ; the Revd,
Mr, MayhewV Death and Character . Mr. Increafe
Mather'i Letter to Profeffor Leufden at Utrecht, giving
an Account of the Number of the Indian Churfhesy their
?nanner of Worjhipy and form of Church- Difcipline, The
Continuaticn of their Hijiory, Of the Society for propa-
gating the Gojpel in New England. p. 22 c.
Chap. VII. The Death and Characier of the Revd. Mr,
Thomas Hooker. The fecond Synod of New England.
Of their Platform of Church-Difcipline. The Separation
of the Anabaptifls, and their Sufferings. The Death and
CharaEler of the Revd. Mr. John Cotton, and 0/ Tho-
mas Dudley, and Edward Window, Efqrs. A large
Account of the Sufferings of the Quakers, Of the fever at
Laws that were made againft themy and of the Perfons
zvho fuffer'd b) the Execution of thoje Laws. An Apolog;j
for the Government of New England, with relation to
''their Severities again]} the Quakers. p. 26 8
H.
"TTtsr
B
America
THE
HISTORY
O F
NEW-ENGLAND.
CHAP. I.
Of the firfi peopling of America. The Difco*
very of it by Columbus. A Relation of the
feverd unjuccefsful Attempts to make a Set^
tlement on the Northern Continent. A Survey
of New-England, with a CharaBer of the
Principal Nations who inhabited it before the
Engliih dtfpoffeffed them, A Defcription of
the Natives^ their Cuftoms^ Manners^ LarvSf
Religion J Government^ and Language.
HERE have been two diffe-
rent Opinions advanced by
Learned Men concerning the
hrik pGopVmg of America. Some
have thought that the Natives
of that Country were Aborigi--^
nes^ and net defcendcd from the
Sons of Nah, as the red of
Mankind are : The Reafons they ofter for the Sup-
port of their Opinion are ; the great Diftance of
B A/nertca
2 The History of New-Ekgland."
America, which is feparated from Eurofe, AJia, and
Africa by fuch vaft Seas, or inacceiTible 1 racts of
Ice, as 'tis impoflible to fuppofe any of our Innabi-
tants fhould pafs over ; the Difagreerrent tiiat is
between the Americans and the relt of Mankind in
their Perfons, Manners, Cuffcms, and Language ;
and the many Species of Animals found amongft
them which are common to no otner Part of the
World. But ii it appear probable that the Inha-
bitants of Europe have pafs'd from thence inco Ame-
rica, this Opinion ought to be abandoned as con-
trary to the Account the Scriptures give of the Ori-
ginal of Mankind, and advanced only on the Ac-
count of fbme Difficulties in the ether Scheme,
which the Patrons of this, could not tell how to
get over.
They who think America was peopled from
Europe Afia, or Africa, difter among thenifeives as
to the Time, Place, and Manner, iw which it was
done j "tis pretty certain, that tlie Inhabitants of
thofe Parts are not the Pofterity of j^t-iu^, ChriflianSy
or Mahometans, becaufe there were none of the
Footfteps of thofe Religions found among them,
nor had they ever heard of the Names of Alfes,
C/jrifi, or Mahomet, till they were acquainted with
the Europeans. The Learned Hornius, w^ho has
taken a great deal of Pains in this Enquiry, con-
cludes, that America received its Inhabitants at dif-
ferent TimiCs from thefe three Nations ; the Phx-
nicians, the Scphians, and the Chinefe.
'T I s poiiible that the Phoenicians might pafs very
early into America, for when the Canaanitcs were
expeird their Country by the Ifraelites under the
Comm.and of Jojhua, they fled to the moil diftant
Parts of the World. Procovius Hiys there w^ere two
Marble Pillars at Tingri, ox Tangier s^ with this In-
fcription in the Phoenician Language ;^'^ We fly from
" the Face ■ cf the Robber Jofliua the Son 0/ Nun.
And being skilful inSbipping 'tis, not luilikely, that
they
r^^ History of NewtEnqland.^ j
they faiied as far as the Canaries^ agreeably to what
Hcrnius fuggefls, that thcfe Illands derived their
Names, net 4 Omibus^ for there were no Dogs in
the Iflands when they were £rit difcovered ; but 4
Chananais. " Diodorus Skulus f fays, that the Phos^
*' nicians did very anciently fail out beyond Hercu-
" ks's Pillars, along the African Coaft, and meet-
" ing with Storms and Tempefts, were carried to
" the remotefl Parts of the Ocean, and at lensth
" came to a vaft Ifland many Days Sail irom Lybia^
'' lying very far Weil. " And in another Place he
fays, " that the Carthaginians being opprefs^d by
*' the Tyrians and Mauritaniansy took Shipping, and
" pafling by Cades, failed to this new Region in
*^ the Atlantick Ocean where they planted a Co-
'^.lony.
Besides, fome of the Indian Words feem to be
9f a Punick or PhoenicianOngiusCiy as Ben-Ommian^
tjie Son of Qmmia \ Ahen-Arnagos the Son of Mago ^
the one an Eminent Carthaginian Family, the other!
an Arabian one ; and "'tis very remarkable, that the
Natives of New-England call the Septentriones, Mosk
and Pankunaw, which in their Language figniiies a
Bear ; now there being no Refemblance between
the Figure of the Confleilation and that Animal^
they muft have learn^'d that Name from the Phoeni-
cians, who called it fo.
But after all, thefe Arguments are far from
proving that the Phoenicians failed into America ; we
may allow they \\ ent to the Canary^ or Fortunate
Jflands, which was a very bold Adventure too, be-
fore the Ufe of the Needle was found out, for the
ancient Sailers always kept within Sight oi Land^
unlefs they \\-ere driven out to Sea by a Storm ,• but
to imagine from hence,that they correfponded with
a Country almoft a thoufand Leagues Wellward ot
* Lio. V. i i99, £^. Jitin, 160^.
B -i the
'4 The History of New-England.
the Canariesy is altogether groundlefs ; befides the
Reafon which Hcrnius offers to account tor their
Pofterity^'s Ignorance of America, if it be good for
any Thing, may ferve as well for the Canarm-j his
Words are thefe, " But tho' it be thus probable
" that the Phcenkihns were acquainted with Ame^
" rkay yet they kept it as a very great Secret ,• the
" Carthaginians forbid all manner of Navigation
" that Way, under the fevereft Penalties j and by a
" publick Edid excluded even their own People
*' From failing into the Atlantick Ocean, which
" may help us to the Reafon why America, the'
** known to thefe ancient Phoenicians, fhould be loft
*' to the Memory of their Pofterity. "
^Tis with greater Probability, that he derives
the Inhabitants of America from the Scythians, who
inhabited all that Trad of Land, now known by
the Name o^Tartary, which lies to the Weil:, North,
and Eaft of the Cafpian and Euxine Seas, and were
fubdivided into the Hunni, the Kitha, the Sina, and
feveral other lefler Nations. The barbarous Inhabi-
tants of this mighty Extent of Ground, after they
had filled all the Northern AJta, might ramble into
America, either by the Eaft or the Weft, and that
either by Land, the Continents there being fup-
pofed to join ; or elfe over narrow Straits of tne Sea.
They who went Weflvvard might go firft to the
Banks of the River Ohy, from thence to the Shore
of the Frozen Sea towards Nova Zembla ; and from
Nova Zembla and Lapland 'tis but about f:,ur Dayf
Sail to Groenland, which according to Hornius is
Part of the Ccncinent of America ; and to render
this Voyage the more pradicable he obferves, that
there are many Iflands interfperft in the Way which
may be reached in Cancos in the Summer Time,
and may probably be approach 'd in the Winter by
the Ice.
Father Averil in his Travels into Mufcovy has
a remarkable Paflage which feems to confirm this
Conjedure
The History of New-Englakd. 5
Conjedure,- he tells us, that * Mouchim Pouchimy
Waywode of Smolensko allured him, that at the
Mouth of" the River Cawvina lying beyond the Oby^
V hicli after it has increaffd its Waters from the
River Leka falls into the Frozen Sea, there is a po-
pulous and fpacious Ifland, the Inhabitants where-
of were the firft that^'difcovered it ; that there is an
amphibious Animal \n thofe Parts called Behemothy
ts big and nolefs dangerous than a Crocodile; that
it requires a great deal of Labour and Afllduity to
hunt this Animal, and therefore they carry their Fa-
rnilics along with them ; and that it often happens,
when they are advanced a great Way on the Ice,
that they are furprized with a Thaw, and carry'd
away by huge Pieces of Ice, nobody knows whi-
ther. The Waywode was of Opinion, that whole
Families of thefe Behemoth Hunters had been wafted
over, upon thefe floating Pieces of Ice to the moft
Northern Parts of America, which lie very near
that Part of AJia, which jets cut into the Tartarian
Sea ; and one Thing which confirm'd him in his
Opinion was, that the Inhabitants of North Ante^
rica, efpecially thofe by the Sea Side, had the fame
Phyficgnomy with thefe Iflanders.
The Ancients called thefe Northern Iflands by
the Name cfCromony and tho' one would think it
impoffible for Men to live in fo cold a Climate, yet
when the Norwegians firft difcovercd them, they
found them inhabited by a People exactly like the
Defcriptions we have of the ancient Scythians, Tar-
tars, and Laplanders. Martin Frvbrjher found Men,
about the Straits that bear his Name, of an Olive
Complexion, with bread Faces, flat Nofes, large
Noftrils, and others fay they had very thin or no
Beards at all, which is an exa<5t Defcription of the
Nvrthem Americans, They had no hxcd Place of
* Ua,rU\ r#;'. r»/. II. 0. lOo.
B ;< \bode.
6 The History t?/ New -England.
Abode, but changed their Camps, as the Seafon^
oi the Year, Game, Water, or Woods invited them ;
they were mighty Hunters oF Wild Beafts, and 'tis
poflible the Flight cf thefe Beafts over the Ice
might draw them into America ^ for the Animals
in Lapland and North America are very much a-
like, efpeciaily their VVhire Bears that feed upon
Fifh, and travel a great many Leagues on the Ice,
as our Voyagers to thofe Parts of the World af^
Aire us.
. B u T if fome of the Northern Nations got into
America by the Weft, 'tis probable that a far greater
Number of People went thither by the Eaft, where
the Paflage is fhorter, and the Regions fuller of
Inhabitants, but what the Names of thofe Nations
are, is hard to determine ; we find in America the
Names of feveral European Nations both Ancient
and Modern : In the old Geography we read of the
Apalai and Majfageta, from whence are defcended
( as Horniiis conjettures ) the Apalatai of Florida^
and the Majfachefeta or Mujjachufits o^ Mew- England.
In Vincentinus's -Speculum Hiftoriarumy Mention is
made of the Huyrones.^ a Nation adjoining to the
Mogols, from whom are defcended the Hurons^ an
Indian Nation near Canada. The Unga were a fa-
mous Nation in America, whofe Name may be de-
rived from the Unga among the T'artars. The an-
cient Turca called by Herodctus Jyrca might be the
Anceftors of the Iroquois ; and about Rio de la Plata
there is a People called exprefiy Mogoles or Moguls ;
from thefe, and other Examples of the like Nature,
*cis more than probal-le that feveral of the Indiayi
Nations, are the Defcendants of the ancient 6*9'-
thians, Hunns, Turks, "Tartars, and Moguls.
Besides, if we compare- the Manners and
Cufioms of thefe Northern Nations, with thefe of
the Indian Savages, we fliall iind fuck an Agree-
ment between them, as will incline us to fufped:
tliem to be of onp Original. Tacitus gives this
Account
The History of New-Englakd. 7
Account of the ancient Fenni, " that they were a
*' wild People, and miferably poor, whofe Cloathing
" was the Skins of Beafts ; their Arms nothing
" but a Bow and Arrow, which for want of Iron
" they fharpen'd with Bones ; that they lived by
" Hunting, fed upon Human Flefh, but had no
*' Horfes among them. * " Ainmianus Marcdlinns
gives much the fame Account of the ancient
" Hunns, adding that they have no Beards even in
*^ Old Age ; that they are a thick, flrong, fliort
" People, and very deformed. " Both which Dc-
fcriptions agree fo exadly with feveral Nations in
the Norcli, and the Brajiliam in the South of Ame^
rica, that one would think they were deiigned on
Purpofe for tie 11. Among the Scythians there were
Anthropophagi or Man- Earers,as tnere are among the
Indians of America. The Scythians ufed to kill thofe,
whcfc Diftempers were thought incurable, to put
them out of their Pain ; and fo do the wild Inhabi-
tants of Canada. The Tartars ufed to eat their
Captives in the fame manner as the Brafilians do;
who call the Neighbourhood together, and having
(lain their Prifoners, boil or roaft them, and givo
Pieces of their Flefh to all who are prefent, to ex-
cite their Hatred and Revenge againfl their Ene-
mies. The Scythians in Cangigu ufed to paint their
Faces and Bodies, with the Images of Birds, Beafts,
Dragons, e/c. which the Inhabitants of Virginia^
Florida, and Ndw- England did, when America was
firft difcovered. "I'wcre endlefs to mention all the
particular Cuftoms in which the Americans agree
with the ancient Scythians, but thefe v/hich I have
already enumerated are fufficient to render their
Original from thefe Nations very probable.
The Animals which were found in A'merica at
its firft Difcovery feem to have gone ever this Way :
B 4. Tha
S The History of New-England.
The Northern Parts of that Country abounded with
Deer, L)ons, and Tygers, none of which are to
be touna in Greenland or Nova Zembia, but in the
'Tartarian Delaris there are vaft Multitudes of
them ; befides a great Variety of Birds and Ani-
mals of a very flrange Species, not to be met with
in other Parts of the World ; thefe might eafily get
into America^ the Continents joining in thoie Parts,
or being divided but by a very narrow Strait.
H o R N I u s ventures to guefs at theTime when
thefe Northern Nations went into America ; he fup-
pofes it was much later than the Voyages of the
PhxnicianSy becaufe the Northern Parts of America
were much thinner of Inhabitants than the South-
ern j but this Reafon is of little Force, becaufe
it may be fuppofed that Pcrfons who lived by
Hunting, and had no fix'd Habitation, tho' they
cam.e in by the North, yet might travel forward to
the warm Southerly Regions, before they made a
Settlement. Indeed, nothing but Neceflity, or the
Fate of War could be fuppofed to make Men travel
fo high into the North, as to get over the Ice into
Aynerica ; and fuch a Neceflity befel the Northern
>[apons about the Year of Chrift 40©, when their
Affairs were in the utmoft Confufion, and the Coun-
try was fo oyer-flock'd with Inhabitants, that they
rambled all poflible Ways for SubfiHence, and
then ( according to our Author ) great Numbers
of them got into America.
A THIRD Part of the World from whence A-^
wirica might receive its Inhabitants, is Japan and
China. China contains all that Trad of Land which
lies to the South of Cathay^ in the vafl Region of
Mangi ^ the Inhabitants cf thefe Parts,tho' defcend-
cd Originally from the Scythians and Indians^gox. an
early Acquaintance with the Ufe cf Shipping, and
Other Arts an^ Sciences from the Phoenicians and
^^///j»j,who made frequent Expeditions into thefe
JParcs. Gonfalo Mendcza in his Annals, tells us, that
the
The History of New-England. 9
the Chineze being driven out of their Country by
the Tartars about the Year 1268, fled into remote
Iflauds with a thoufand Ships provided by their
Kin^ Facfur ; Hornius and others fuppofe they fail'd
to Amo'tia, and fettled in the Kingdom of MexicOy
for upon ti.e Difcovery of this Country by the Spa-
niardsj AIcntexMma their King told Cortez.j " that
" they themfelves were originally Strangers, and
^^ came from the Eaft in the Fleet of a great Fo^
'^ reign Prince^ fo long ago that the Memory of
*' the Time v, as loft. " And forafmuch as their
Chronicles were of no ancienter a Date than three
or four hundred Years, we may fairly conclude
they camx into the Country about that Time
B u T it muft be allowed that the greateft Part
of the Sourhern Continent of America was inhabi-
ted long before this, from the Number of People,
fiately Tow ns, noble Strudures, great Roads and
C?ufeys, as well as the well fetded Form of Co-
ver; ment, that the Spaniards found among them.
Bertius fays, that there were two famous Roads
from. Qi-ito in Peru, to the City oi Oifcoo'iEvQ hun-
dred Miles in Length, one ot which was carried
thro* Mountains and Rocks, and tht other thro*
tre plain Country i that at certain Diftances on
thefe Roads, tiiere were large and pleafant Inns for
Travellers, fome of which were capable ot enter-
taining Kings and their Retinue ; that the Road
thro' the plain Country was twenty five Foot broad,
and defended with Walls, within which there were
Streams with Trees planted en their Banks ; which
the People could never be at leifure to do within
the firft two hundred Years of their inhabiting the
Country. However, thefe magnificent Structures
prove their Defcent from the Chinex^e ; to which we
may add, their Ceremonies of Burying the Dead ;
of Saluting their Princes; their Eniigns and Stan-
dards ; their Way cf Writing by Pictures or Cha-
raclers of Things ; all which are of an Eaftern
Original.
lO The HiSTQRY of NtW-ENGLAND
Original. Dr. Harris^ tmd almofl: all the Authors
who have writ about America, take Notice, that
about California, the People fpoke almoft the fame
Language, and obferved the fame Laws and Cuf-
toms with the Mexicans ; and the Cufloms of the
Mexicans as we have already obferv'd, are derived
from the Chinese. Upon the whole, as ^tis highly
probable that the Northern Parts of America recei-
ved their Inhabitants from Scythia and T'artary^
fo I think it amounts almoil: to a Demonftration,
that the Southern Parts were Peopled from China
and Japan ; and that either by Sea, the Chinezj
being early acquainted with the Ufe of Shipping,
or by Land, it being yet uncertain whether Japan
be an Ifland, or parr of the Continent of America :
But as to the time when they went thither, and
the Motives that put them upon fo long and dan-
gerous an Expedition, 'tis impoflible to pronounce
with any degree of Certainty concerning them.
But w^hen ever this Country was peopled, it
w^as certainly unknown for many Ages ; for thougli
fome of our Inhabitants got over thither, none of
theirs came back to us, nor did the Europeans dream
of fuch a new World, till Chriftopher Columbus be-
tween two and' three Hundred Years ago happily
difcovered it. Columbus was a Genoez^e by Birth, but
fettled with his Wife and Family in Portugal,
he was a fober, temperate grave Man , of compe-
tent Learning, and very fludiousin the Mathema-
ticks. He was a gocxi Sailor, and took Plea-
fure in making Charts for Sea Service ; but w^hat
the particular Motives were, which induced him
to look out after this new^ VVorld is not certainly
known : Some think his Skill in Geometry and the
Nature of the Globe, made him conclude the Pof-
fibility of finding Inhabitants on the other Side of
it ; others fay, that Vincent Martin, a Pilot belong-
ing to the King of Portugal, told him, that he be-
ing driven by Strefs of Weather 45a- Leagues
Weft of Cape Vincent^ took up a Piece of Wood
wrought
The History of New-England. xi
wrought by a Man^s Hand, which he fancied
tnuft come trom fome Weftern Ifland ,• others told
him taat certain Pines had been caft allioar at
Fayal and Gmciofa, by ftrong W. and N. W,
Winds ; and others, that they had feen two Canoos,
and the like Number of dead Men, driving before
the W ind on the Coaft of Floras, who by their
much larger Faces and different Complexions
feem to have been Inhabitants of fome remote,
and unknown Region.
Being thus perfwaded, that a new World lay
fome where or other ought of Sight, he made
his Application to feveral Kings and Princes of
Europe^ to fend him out upon Difcoveries. He
firft ofierM his Service to the King of Portugal^
and then to the King of England ; but m.eeting
with a Repulfe ac both the{e Courts, he apply'd
jhimfclf at laft to the King of Spain ^ who, by the
Perfwafion of John Pe7'ez,y Father Conreflbr of his
Queen, was prevailed with to fit him out
three fmall Veflels with about 120 Men, " upon
" Condition, that if he made no Difcoveries, he
" fhould have no Reward ; but if he did, that he
*' fhould be Vice- Roy by Land, and Admiral by
" Sea, and have the Tenths of the Profits of all
" the Countries difcovered by him, andthefe Pri-
" vileges to be Hereditary to his Family." Colum-
bus fet out from Palos, Auguu 2. 14^2. with the
Title of Admiral, the nth they arrived at the
CanarieSy and (laid at Gomera till Sept. 6th, when
they put to Sea again, and on the nth of Ocloher
following difcovered the liland of San Sahadory
caird by the Inhabitants Gavehaniy being about
5150 Leagues W. of the Canaries-, Here he landed
with the Royal Standard, and took PoffefTion of it
in the Name of their Catholick Majcftys FWdinand
and Ifsibella ; the Natives filled with Wonder ran
to the Shoar, taking the Ships and Beats for living
Creatures, and fo ignorant ^s•ere they, that tlicy put
their
1 2 The History of New-England.
their Hands to the Edges of the Spaniards Swords,
not knowing they were fharp. On the I'^th of
Ociober the Admiral weighed Anchor, and faifd to
another Ifland about (qvqw Leagues diftant, which
he called *S>. Maria de la Conception y on the i-jth he
failed to Fernandina^ from thence to Ifabella, ^ and
Cuba, and laft of all to HiffanioU, where he built a
Fort with the Wrecks of one of his Ships which
ftranded on the Coaft, and left a Garrifon of 38
Men in it to maintain the Spanijh Pretenfions to
the Country : The Natives treated him with great
Civility and Refped, and exchang'd the moft valu-
able Etfeds of their Country for Glafs Beads, und
and other Trifles ,* but the Admiral having been
now almoft three Months in the Country, failed
back for Spain^ Jan. 4/^, i^9l- and arrived there
in March^^ith. the joyful Tidings of a new World,
richer in Gold and Silver, than all the Kingdoms
of Europe put together.
Thus was the Communication open'd between
Europe and America, in a lucky Jundure for the
Spaniards, whofe Treafury was fo low at this Time,
that the Queen was forced to pawn her very Jewels
to raife Money for Columbus's Expedition, but in
a few Years they brought home fuch vaft Trea-
fures of Gold and Silver from the IVefl Indies, as
made them the Richeft Nation in the World,
and advanced their Power to fuch a Degree, as not
only put them at the Head of Europe ; but gave
them a Profped of Eftablifhing an univerfal
Monarchy upon the Ruin of their Neighbours.
All Europe was flruck with Aftonifhment at the
good Fortune of the Spaniards ; and the Courts of
£«^/^«^and/*6y//^.?/5repented heartily their flighting
Columbus's Offers : They faw with infinite Regret,
the immenfe Trealures which had flipt thro' their
Fingers ; and began now to fit out Ships for Ex-
peditions into thofe Parts, in hopes offliaring fome
of the Treafures of the new difcover'd World,
' which
The HisTOKY of New-England. 15
which tho' it did not fucceed in the South, the
Sfaniards having been before them in thofe Parts,
yet anfwered their Ends in feme Meafure, by o-
pening the Way to their future Settlements on the
Northern Continent of Ammca,
The French, who will never allow any Nation
to be before them, pretend this Country was firft
difcover'd by John Veraz>x.an a Florentine, who
took Pofleflion of it in the Name of Francis I. in
the Year 15 24: That he called it Mocofa, and with
Canada, to which he gave the Name of New
France, added it to the French Dominions ; but
this is a Fidion exploded by all Authors but their
own; Sehaftian Cabot, was the firft that difcover'd
the Northern Continent of America^ and failM a-
long the Coaft, as high as 6j or 68 Degrees N. L.
He was fent out by King Henry VII. in the Year
1497, the very fame Year that Americus Vejpucius
difcover'd the Southern Continent : He landed at
feveral Places on the Coaft, and brought home
three of the Savages, whom he prefented to the
King. But Sir Walter Raleigh, was the firft who
formed the Projed of a Settlement in thcfe Parts ;
to this End he procured fever al Merchants and
private Gentlemen, to advance large Sums of
Money, and ufed his Intereft with his Miftrefs,
Qiieen Eliz^aheth, to obtain a Patent ; the Patent
bears date March 25th 1584. *' and grants to Sir
** Walter Raleigh free Liberty to Poflefs, Plant, and
" Enjoy for himfelf, and fucn Perfons as he fhould
" Nominate, themfelves, and their Succcftbr<;, all
*' fuch Lands, Territories, &c. As they jlould dij-
" cover, not then in the Pojfejjti.n of any Chrifiian
" Nation!' In April, the Gentlemen and Mer-
chants, by Sir Walter Raleigh's Diredion, fitted cut
two fmall Ships under the Command of Capt. Philip
Amidas, and Capt. Arthur BarJow, two ci Sir Wal--
ter's Servants, who knowing no better Courfe,
faii'd away for the Canaries, frorp thence to the
CmMee
X4 Tl&e History of New^England.'
Caribhee I/lands, and crofJing the Galph of Mexico
made the Coaft oi: Florida. Which by Computa-*
tion of able Seamen is above a Thoufand Leagues
out of the Way. They anchor'd at the In-let by
Roenoke, at prefent under the Government oi North
Carolina, and landed on certain Iflands on the
Coaft between Cafe Fear and the great Bay of
Chefapeac : Thev afterwards went afhore on the
Continent, in a Country called H'^ingandacoay over
which there reign d a King whofe Name w^as Wia^
^ina ; and traded with the Indians (or Furs, Safafrm)
Cedar, Tobacco, &c. which they purchasM for Toys',
^nd Things of little Value. They brought home
with them likewife fome Pearl, which was taken for-
an evident Sign of the great Riches or the Coun-
try and gave fuch an advantageous Account or the
Climate and Soil, that Queen Elizabeth was heif
felf pleas'd to honour it with the Name of Virgi-f
nia ', tho* others fay that Sir Walter Raleigh gave
it that Name in honour of his Virgin Miftrefs*
Under this Namewas comprehended all that Trad:
of Land which reaches from N/rembegua to Florida,
and contains the Countries now^ known to the
Englifh by the Names of New- England, New-York,
New-Jerfey, Penjihania, Maryland, Virginia, and
Carolina.
The Succefs of this firft Voyage encouraged
the Adventurers to attempt a fecond. Sir Walter
Raleigh himfelf intended to command this Expedi-
tion, and carry with him a fufficient Number of
Forces to compleat his Delign of making a Set-
tlement ; but being at that Time jealous that his
Abfence might be prejudicial to his Interefts at'
Court, which the Earl oi Leicefler fought all Occafi-
ons to leflen, he committed the Condud of it to
his Lieutenant Sir Richard Greenville; w^ho on the
^xhoiAprili'^^'^, fet Sail from Plimouth with feven.
Sail of Ships fitted out by the Company, of which
himfelf, and feveral other Gentlemen were Mem-
bers,
The History of New-England. 15
bers. Sir. Richard^ for want of better Information,
failed round by the Carihbsc Iflands, and arrived at
IVokokon on tiie 26th of Mayy being the fame
Place where the Englijh had been the Year before ;
in Auguft following he began to plant at Roenoke
Jflandy about 5 Leagues from the Continent, in 36
Degrees of Northern Latitude. He left 108 Men
on the Ifland under the Command of Mr. Ralph Lane
and Captain Philip Amidas^ and returned himfelf
to England ; but after they had maintained them-
felves about a Twelve-month on the Ifland, and en-
dured inexpreffible Hardfiiips for want of frefh
Supplies from England^ the poor Remains were glad
to accept ot a Paffage home in Sir Frances Drake's
Fleet, who was ordered by the Queen to vifit the
Plantation, and fee in what Condition their Af-
fairs were.
A F E w Days after the breaking up of the Set-
tlement, Sir Richard Greenville arriv^'d with a frefh
Supply of Men and Provifions, he was amaz'd to
find the Ifland deferted, not knowing any Thing
of Sir Frances Drake's having been there, however
he left behind him 50 Men, and 2 Years Provifi-
ons promifmg faithfully to bring them fpeedy and
eftedual Supplies, but before he returned, this little
Company was murder'd by the Natives. Seve-
ral other Attempts were made in the Qiieens Time
to^^ ards a Settlement in thefe Parts, but they ail
mifcarried.
I N the Year i(5o2, Captain Bartholomew Gofnold
fitted out a fmall Veflel at Dartmouth, v/ith 32
Sailors, and Paflengers for Virginia : He had been
one of the Adventurers in a former Voyage thi-
ther, was an excellent Mariner, and conceived
that there muft be a fhorter Cut to that Part of
America than had hitherto been :at:empted, where-
fore he fleer 'd a more dired Courfe, and did not
{land fo far to the Southward, as the former Ad-
vexiturers had done, by which Means he fell in
Nvith
i6 The History of New-England.
with the Land, in the Latitude of 42 Degrees and
a few Minutes Northward , among the Illands
that now form the North Side of the Majfachufets
Bay in New-England ; but not liking the Place,
he fteer*d to the Southward, all Night ; and next
Morning, when he thought himlelf clear of the
Coaft, found himfelf enclofed within a mighty
Promontory or Head of Land. Here he llaid
fome Time trading with the Indians on the Coaft
for FuYSy Skinsy Sajfafras^ &c. and fifhing in the
Bay, where he caugnt vaft Quantities of Cod, from
whence he gave it the Name of Cafe Cod, Cafe
Cod is the moft remarkable Point of New-Englijh
Land: It makes a large and commodious Bay,
capable of receiving 1000 Sail of Ships, the En-
trance is about 4 Miles wide, and 'tis encompais*d
all round, even to the very Sea with Oaksy Pines^
Junifery Sajfafrasy and other fweet Woods. Here
was the greateft Plenty of Fowls that ever they
faw, and had they had Tackling for the Whale
Fifhery, they might have made a rich Return
from thence ; for they faw thofe monftrous Fifhes
playing hard by them every Day.
At length the Captain went a Shoar upon a
fmall uninhabited Ifland, which he called Elizaktb
Jflandy about 4 Leagues from the Main in the La-
titude of 41 Degrees 10 Minutes, and built a
little Fort, from whence he trafficked with the
Natives along the Coaft.
The firft Body of Savages he met with, after
figns of Peace made on both Sides, came boldly
aboard him: Their Commander was dreft with
Waftecoat, Breeches, Shoes, Stockins, Hat, and
all the Accoutrements of an Eurofean ; but the
reft of the Company had only Deer-Skins about
their Shoulders, and Seal Skins tied about their
Wafte, their Hair was very long, and tied up with
a Kjiot behind, and they were Painted all over,
tho*
The History of New-England. 17
tho' their natural fwarthy Colour was eafy enough
to be difcerncd.
The next Company that came to him were
finer than tlie former, having all oF them cop-
per Pendants in their Earsj One had a Brcau-Plate
of the fame Mettal a Foot long, and half a Foot
broad ; another had his Head lluck full of Fea-
thers, that rendred him a frightful Figure ,• they
were a fly theevifli Sort of People, but the Cap^
tain knew well enough how to deal with them ;
he made a very fuccefsful Voyage, and upon his
return home, gave fuch an advantageous Account
of the Country, and of the civil Treatment he met
with from the Natives, that the Merchants began
once more to think of a Settlement in thofe Parts,
and the Captain follicited the Matter fo etfedually
with the Court of King J. una that feverai Gentle-
men engaged in it, and the King incorporated 2
Companies in one Patent, bearing Date the loth of
April 1606. The firii: were allowed to fettle them-
felves at any Place on the Coall of Virginia be-
tween the Degrees of 34 and 4T. N. L. The
other between the Degrees of 38 and 45. Each
had Liberty to (Iretch themfelves 100 Miles along
the Coafts, and 100 Miles within Land, but not
to Plant within 100 Miles of erxh other. Li this
lafl Patent was included New Enghnd,- New Turk,
New jerfey. New Penfthania^ as tiicy are now di-
vided into feverai Provinces, but the whole Coun-
try was then called Virgi may and was no other-*
wife diftinguifli'd for fome Time after, than by
the Names of North and Smth Virginia.
The Proprietors of the Patent for South Vir-^
ginia^ began their Settlement, the very fame
Year with the Date of it. 7 hey fitted out two
Ships under the Command of Captain Newport,
With whom went the honourable Mr. /^erg, Bro-
ther to the Earl of Nortlmmbsrlayid^ Capt. GofdoU^
'Capt. Smithy Capt. RafUffe,C'\v>X. Martin^ Mt.lVing'^
C field
i8 The History <?/ New-England.
field a Minifter, and abundance of Handicraft
I'radefmen ; they fell in with the Coafl near Cape
Henry the Southermoft Point of the Bay Chefeafeacy
and rais'd a Fort at the Mouth of the River Poiu-
hatariy now James River ; here they left loo Men
with Provilions, Arms, Ammunition, and other
NecelVaries for a Settlement, who made a Shift
to maintain thein felves on the Place, and the
next Year built James Toicn about 50 Miles up
the River : From thefe fmall Beginnings, the
Plantation of Virginia has rifen to that Figure It
has fince made in the Britijh Commerce.
Sir John Popham Lord Chief Juftice of England,
Sir Ferdinando Gorges Governor of Plymouth Fort,
and feveral other Wcfl-Country Gentlemen and
Merchants, Proprietors of the Patent for Norths
Virginia, fitted out a Ship the fame Year with 30
Men under the Command of Henry Challons^ to
make a Difcovery of that Country, they fet out m
Augufl, but being got as tar as the Spanijh IVefl-
Indian Iflands they fell in with a Fleet ot Spanijh
Ships who took them Prifoners, and after a great
deal of ill Ufage carried them into Spain, where they
were treated after a very cruel and inhumane Man-
ner this Misfortune damped the Courage of the
iirft Adventurers, but the Lord Chief Juftice Po-
pham quickly after fent out another Ship at his own
Charge tmder the Command of Capt. Hanam,
vvho brought back fuch an encouraging Account
of the Country, that the Proprietors who were
fallen off refolved to make -a fecond Adventure;
they fitted out two Ships with 100 Men, Ordi-
nance, Stores, and all Necelfaries for a Plantation,
under the Command of Capt, Popham and Capt.
Gilbert in the Year i5o8, who began a Settlement
upon the Banks cf the River Sagadahock in Norem-
hegtia, but before the Return of the Ships, the Lord
Chief Juftice, who was the Life of the Enterprize,
died ; the Planters however built a Fort which they
cali'd
The History of NEW-ENGLANDii 19
call'd by the Name of St. George, but could not be
perfuaded to (lay in the Country after Capt- Po-
fham was dead, and Capt. Gilbert declared his Re-
folution to return to England to take Polfeflion of
an Eftate, which fell to him by the Death of his
Elder Brother ; fo they all broke up, and came
away for England,
B ¥ T the Trade turn'd to fo good an Account,
by reafon of the Fijh, Furrs, and other Commodi-
ties of the Country, that the Merchants were con-
tinually fitting out Ships to traffick with the Na-
tives. In the Year 1614, * four Gentlemen, Capt.
Roydon, Capt. Langhain, Mr. BuUyy and Mr. Skelton,
fitted out two Ships at their own Charges for the
Wefl-Indies ; Capt. John Smithy who had been Pre-
fident of the Colony of South-Virginia^ was Com-
mander of the one ; and T'bo. Hunt of the other ;
Capt. Smith falling in with the Land about the
Ifland Monahigan traded with the Inhabitants of
thofe Parts ; and while his Men were fifliing upon
the Coafls, he travelled up into the Country, with
only eight Men, and drew a Plan of it, which he
prefented to Prince Charles^ who gave it the Name
of NEW-ENGLAND, and was pleas'd at the
Captain's Requeft to give Englijh Names to the
moft remarkable Places in the Country ; the Maf-
fachufets River, he called Charles River ; the Har-
bour of Cape Cod, Mil ford- Haven ; and the Cape it
felf Cape James ; Acco7ninticus, he called Boflon ;
Aggawom, Southampton ; and fo to the Number of
about 30 Places, a Lift of which the Reader may
fee in Smith's Voyages, Lib. VI. p. 205. The Cap-
tain made his Vo} age out and home in about fix
Ivlonths, and got about 1500 Pounds for his Prin-
cipals, by the Sale of his Otte-/^ Beaver-Skins, Salt-
Fijhy "Train-Oil, and other Commodities.
* C*^t. SmitK'i Voyages, Boofe VI. ^ :o^.
C a BvT
20 The History of New-Englandt.
But when Capt. Srnith was gone; Hunt^ the
Commander of the other Veflel, which was bound
for Spain in her Way home, enticed between 20
and 30 of the Natives aboard him, and contrary to
the Law of Nations, and the Publick Faith, clapt
them under Hatches, and fold them to the Spani-
ards at Malaga on his own Account ; his Owners
ccnfured this Part of his Condud feverely, and
upon his Arrival in England difcharged him their
Service ; but the Indians refented this Piece of
Treachery fo highly, that they refolved to be re-
venged on the next Englijh that came upon the
Goad. Capt. Huhfon was the unhappy Man who
was difpatch'd the next Spring with Men, Arms,
Ammunition, and other Neccffaries for a Settle-
ment ; upon the Shape's Arrival, many of the Indi^
ans came aboard, and were kindly entertained by
the Captain ; at their Departure they promifed to
return next Day with fome Trade ; they came ac-
cordingly with 20 Canoes, but refufed to come
aboard. Epeno^v an Indian that the Captain had
brought with him as an Interpreter beckoned
to them to come near, and immediately leapt into
the Water and fwam to them ; upon which the En-
glijh fired upon him, and the Indians from their
Canoes let fly their Arrows at the Ship ;. and car-
ried off their Countryman, notwithftaiiding all the
Attempts of the Englijh to recover hini ;. feveral of
the Indians were killed in the Skirmifb^ and the
Mafter oi tliQ EngliJJ) Veflel, and fome of his Com-
pany were wounded ; which difcouraged them fo
much, that they returnM to England^ bringing back
nothing with them, but the fad News of a War with
the Indians,
* Iww*«/^iVf«t&fr'i,rrfx&feipf New-England, Boficn 1^77? A
The History of New-England. 21
In the Year 1619^ Mr. Dormer \yd.s{Qnt to pro-
(ecute the Defign ot planting and fettling a Trade
in N^w-England^ and to endeavour to make Peace
with the Indians ; he brought Squanto one of the
Indians that Hunt had carried away irom Patuxet
along with him, but tho' Squanto did what he could
to pacify his Countrymen, telling them that Hunt
was a Villain, and that his Treachery had been
condemn\l by the EnglijJ}^ yet they could not for-
give it, but watched their Opportunity, and gave
Dinner 14 Wounds, fo that he had much ado to
efcape with his Life : hereupon he (ailed away for
Virginia^ but lefc Squanto behind him.
'1' H E Pattentees having met with fo many Difap-
pointments, laid afide all farther Thoughts of
fending Colonies into thefe Parts, and therefore
made Grants of fmall Parcels of Land on the Nor-
thern Parts ot New- Engl and to private Adventurers,
who fettled fmall Fadories in the Summer-Time
to ailifl: their Merchant-Men in trading with the
Indians ^ but a Settlefnent was not fo much as
thought of, till Mr. Jchn Robinjon, and Mr. PVil-
liiim Ert-wjler, the former an Independent Minifter,
tlie latter a Ruhng Elder in the fame Church, both
ot them, with fever:il of their Difciples and Fol-
lowers, driven out of England for their Religion,
in the Reign of King Javies the Firfr, and living
now at Leyden, bravely accomplifh'd it ; as the
Reader will fee in the next Chapter.
I N the mean time, it will be proper to give
fome Account of the Country, and obferve the
Civil and Religious Policy of the Natives, with their
Cuftoms and Manners before the Englijh fettled,
among ''em.
Th£ Natives apprehended New-England to be
.•in liland, and went fo far as to tell the very Name
o'i that Lilet ot the Scsa that parts it from the Main
i.and of Virginia, this Inlet they callM Mohaggony
and conftantly aOlrji-iM that the Englijh and Di^tch
CJ 1 pafi'd
22 The History of New-England.
pafs'd that Way between the two Countries, and
drove a great Trade ; for the ConHrmation of this
Opinion of the Natives, "tis alledged that they had
no Knowledge of the neighbouring Country of
Virginia, ihp it be not above 150 Leagues trom
them j that they never heard o^ Powhatan the great
Prince of thofe Parts, nor of the Englijh Plantation
there, till they were inform'd ot it oy the 'Edglijh
thcmielves, but later Difcoveries have fufficiently
confuted this Opinion.
New-England was inhabited by 20 or 30 dif-
ferent ISIdtioHSy the moil: conliderable of which we
fliall meet with in the following Hiftory, tho' the
Names of many of them are not fo much as men-
tioned by the Modern Hiftorians.
The Maffdchufets were the moft populous of all
the Indian Nations, and the moft civiliz'd, which
was owing chiefly to their dwelling upon the
Coafls, and trading with the feveral Nations of
Europe ; but the Plague and Smail-Pox had thinn'd
"em very much a little before the Eifglifi) took Pof-
felTion of their Country ; they inhabited thofe
Parts which now malie the Counties of S fffolk and
Middkfex, and have the Honour to give Name to
the chief Colony of: New-England.
The Neumkeaks inhabited the adjacent Coun-
try, which now makes the County oH EJfex. Here
the MaJJachufet Colony made their firft Settlement,
and built the Town of Sale in.
The Narrhaganfets were a very formidable Peo-
ple, and maintained themfelves againft the grow-
ing Power of the Englijh longer than any of their
Neighbours; they inhabited the Parts about New-
T^ondon County.
The Pocajfets inhabited the Parts to the South-
ward of the Majfachufets along the Coafl: ; it was
within the Territories of this Nation, that the firft
Colony of Nex^i-Pl^mmth feated themfelves, but
the
The History of New-Englakd. 23
the Country had been fome time before in a manner
depopulated by the Plague. 4
The Pequots were a fierce and cruel People,
they made a noble Strand againfl: the United Force
o( New-England in the Year 1^37, and would cer-
tainly have defended their Country againft the En-
croachments of the Englijhy if the Ndrrhaganfets
their inveterate Enemies had not aflifted the En-
glijh to deftroy them. They were feated on a na-^
vigable River 1 2 Miles Es.ftward of the Mouth of
the great River Conuettkut ; and did whatever lay
in their Power to prevent the Englijh from fettling
on the Banks of it.
The Alajfafoiets or JVompanoags lived about
Mount Hope in New-Briftol County ; Old Mifjafoiet
was a faithful Friend and Ally of the Englijh ; he
bid them welcome into the Country upon their firll
landing, and did them all the kind Offices they
defired; but his Succeflbrs Ale.Kander and Philip
w^ere the moft daring Enemies that ever they met
with, the latter had Policy enough to engage all
the Indian Nations in a War, which exhauHied the
beft Blood and Treafure of the Englijh^ and if Pro^
vidence had not flrangely interposed, would proba-
bly have driven them out of the Country, above 50
Years after they had taken PofleHion of it.
The Af(?r^^/^o;/i were feated' to the Weflward
of the Majfafoiets.
The Patuxets between the Counties of New-
London and Nevj-Briftd.
The Maquas WeHward of C)nne:licut River,
near New-Albany ; the fcafonable Interpofition of
this powerful Nation retriev 'd the Englijh Atfairs,
when they were come to a Criiis m the War with
Philip King of the IV-mpanoags. Dr. M.ith:r gives
a furprifing Relation or their Courage and Valour,
he fays, that they were Man-Eaters, and being fup-
ply'd with Fire- Arms before their Neighbours,
they had deflroy'd above two Mi .lions of Natives
C 4 inhabiting
24 The History of New-England.
inhabiting the Country between them, and the
River Miffifi^pi. Tiiefe Maquas are commonly
known by tije Name ot MJjegim or AlJmwks, for
the River now known by the Name or Hudfons
River, was formerly caird the Alohegin River.
The Manimoys inhabited BarnjiaUe County ;
the Niamicks, Alattachiefisy Namaskets^ poflefs^'d the
Inland Country between Providence and Merrvnack
River ; the Manhtcans, and Sequems were in Hamp-
Jhnesibout 20 Miles from the Coaft • the Nov ajti
and Horakafi lay farther within Land, about
Conneciicut River.
Thus the Country v/as canton'd into a great
many little Kingaoms and Governments ; for every
Sachem or Sagaymre^ who was Lord of a Territory
about 8 or 10 Miles in Length, erected his Lands
into a Kingdom, and gave a Name to his Nation,
The Indians of Ne^o) - England avGot an Olive
Complexion, and flat Nofed, their
Vefcri^tion cf the Hair is black, which they cut fhort
iHdiaiis. before, but fuffer to grow' very long
behind, and fometimes drefs up in a
very antick Fafhion with Feathers ; they have no
Beards,but are generally talljproperjflout Men; they
go naked in the Sumimer, except about their VVafte,
w^hich they cover w ith a Piece of Leather ; but in
Winter, they cloath tbemfelves with Deer-Skins,
which they throw about them like a -Mantle.
Some of them have Breeches, Stockins, and Shoes,
all in one Piece made of the fam.e Materials ; in
Winter \\ hen the Snow will bear, they put on Snow-
Shoes, which are made like a large Tennis Racket,
and lace them to their Feet with Deers Gurs, .
They paint themifelves all over; thesr Faces and
Shoulders ■\\ ith a deep Red, and their Bodies with
a Variety of ugly, mifliapen Figures, and he is
the braveft Fellow that has the mcft frightful Forms
drawn upon him, and looks moft terrible. The
Ornaments of their Women, besides the Paintinc;
pf their Bodies, are a fort of Ear-Rings of Copper
ot
The History of New-England. ij
or Beads ; Bracelets about their Arms, and Chains
about cheir Legs.
The Men are of a flothful Temper, putting
all the Slavery upon their Wives,
\vho not only take Care of their Chil- rbeir mftofitiom
dren, but manage all Domeftick Af- «"^ ^'^y •flivi»z.
fairs i they plant, reap, houfe and
threfti ail tneir Corn ; they build their Houfes,
and attend their Husbands as their Lords ^ the
only Employment of the Men is Hunting and
Fifhing ; when Proviiion is low, they go out into
th9 Wood 50 or 10® in a Company with their
Bows and Arrows, and bring in a frefb Supply,
or fail down the Rivers in their Canoes to catch
Fifh. Li the Spring they catch Lobfters^ Clams,
&c. and afterwards Bafs, C d. Rock, Blue-Fijhy Sal-
moyiy and Lampus. The Lobfiers they take in large
Bags at low Water, with a Staff 2 or 3 Yards
long, made fmall and fliarpen*d at one End,
with Notches to take hold , when they fee the Lob'
fter crawling in 2 Fathom Water, they ftick him
tow ards the Head, and bring him up j Mr. J'^jfelyn
fays, he has known 30 Lobflers taken after this man-
ner by an Indian Lad in an Hour and half. Bafsy
Blue-Fifiy and Sturgeon, they ftrikc with a fort of Dart
made ot Wood, and fharpen'd with a Fifh-Bone,
to the End of which they rye a String, with which
they drag the Fifh to Shoar. At all other Times,
except when they are at War, they indulge thcm-
felves in Idienefs and Sloth. One would wonder,
that in fo many Ages as mud: have run out fince
their firfl: inhabiting the Country, no adive Spirit
fiiould rife up to encourage Arts and Liduflry among
them ; they live in a Country full of Copper and
Iron Mines, and yet were never Owners of fo
much as a 'Knife till the Englijh came an^ong 'em ;
their Name for an Englijhman-is a Knife-Man ;
their Country is flock'd with the beft Timber for
Shipping
25 The History of New-E.^^gland
Shipping in the World, yet they never made any
Improvement of it, beyond their Canoes vv^rought
out of the Trunks of Trees made hollow by Fire,
or made of the Bark of the Birch-Tree, ftiengthen'd
^vith little Circles of Wood like Hoops, and pitchM
with a Mixture of Turpentine and Rofin, which
are fo very light, that they can eaiily carry them
over Land from one River to another. They are
about 8 or p Paces long, and half fo broad m the
Middle, but growing narrower towards the End.
They never faw a Ship or Sail, till fome came thi-
ther from Ewofe, Nay, fuch is the Slothfulnefs
of thefe barbarous Savages, that when they have
burnt up all the Wood, in the Neighbourhood of
the Place where they have pitch'd tlieir Tents, ra-
ther than be at the Pains to fetch it in from a little
farther Diftance, they pluck up their Stakes and
follow the Wood.
The Indian Houfes, or Wlgwamsy are very
forry Buildings i they are made of
their Houfes, young and tender Trees bent down
like an Arbour, cover'd on the
Top with the Bark of Trees, and on the Sides
with thick and well wrought f Mats made of
Rufhes ; the Doors are but a Yard high, or there-
abouts, one opens to the North, the other to the
South, and according as the Wind fets they clofe
up one Door with Bark, and hang a Deer-Skin or
Mat before the other. The Chimneys are wide.
Holes in the Top of the Building, which they
cover with Mats in cold Weather. All is Vv^arm
and clofe in the Winter, for the Houfes are matted
both without and within ,• in the midfl of them
are four little Stakes knockt into the Ground, with
Sticks laid a-crofs, upon which they hang their
?ots ; their Beds are fo many Mats fpfead round
Jc]felyn'&royngest9 New-Englaud, Ei. Lond. i6?74. h 12^-
iibout
The History of New-England.' ij
about the Fire-Place ; for as the Fire keeps them
warm in the Day, fo they keep that warm in the
Kight. They have no Towns or Villages, but
ccnliderable Bodies of ''em clan together in a Place
till they have burnt up all the Wood thereabouts,
and cnen they change their Quarters.
Their ordinary Food is plain and fimplc,
for when Fifhing and Hunting
fails, they live upon nothing but A/b- ^*ir Fwi.
kohick, that is a Spoonful of Parcht
Meal with a Spoonful of Water, in the Strength of
which they "11 travel a whole Day together j they
delight in the Flefh of Deers, BearSy Rackoons^ but
of ail their Animals, the Mofs is the greateft Ra-
rity ; this Bead is as big as an Ox, has a Head
and Neck like a red Deer, but his Hair is long
like an Elk, and he has a fhort Mane that runs
down his Back a confiderable Way ; under the
the Throat hangs down a great Bunch which is of
a dark Colour, the Legs are very long, and fo is
the Tail, which reaches down almoft to the Heels,
and the Feet are as large every Way as an Ox's ;
the Flefh is excellent good Meat, and the Natives
dry it, and keep it all the Year round, for they
were not acquainted with the Ufe of Salt till the
Englijh brought it among them ; the Skin makes a-
very fubftantial Buff, and ferves for a Garment of
extraordinary Warmth and Defence. But their
Feafts are the Bane and Ruin of their Stomachs,
at w^hich they value themfelves upon leaving
nothing ; their Victuals are either boifd or roaft-
ed, and they lap great Qi.iantities of the Broth
both of Flefh and Fifii ,• their Flefii is little
more than half drefs'd, but their Fifii is always
over boil\i.
Their Health is firm, notwithflanding they
ufe no Caution to preferve it ; but on the Contra-
ry ufe viclcnt Exercife in Hunting, and in their
Warlike
at The History of New-England*
Warlike Expeditions ; they are unacquainted with
a great many Difeafes that afflid the E iropeansy
fivch as the Palfy^ Dropfjy Gout, Phthijtck, Afthma,
Grr.vel and Stone, but the Difeafes which prove
i\i oft fatal to them are the Plurjjie which all their
Remedies can't conquer, and the Small Pox, which
fwecps away vaft Multitudes of them, for want of
due Care and Attendance. *
iNDBEb their Skill in Phyfick is very indiffe-
rent, for excepting two or three
UtM #/ Cnring JSfoflrums which they apply in cer-
tain Cafes, tney haye but two
Remedies for the Sick, the Hot-houfe, or the
Pozcavj, or Prieil ; their H©t-houfe is a l.ttle Cave
of about eight Foot over,"' which they heat very
hot, and then go in it, and fweat and fir.oke
for about an Hour, afcer w^hich they come out,
and plunge themfelves in an adjacent River; if
this does not cure them, they fend for the Potu^iu,
or Prieft, who Howls, and Roars;' and Performs
feveral Magical Ceremonies, playing a Thoufand
Antick Tricks over the difeas'd Perfon,' who all
the while the Invocation lafls fhews his Confent to
it, by fome few Words dropt every iiow and then,
and fometimes by breaking, out into a Strain of
Mufick along with the Powaw: It there" W a
Wound in the Cafe, after the Noifss, Spreechings,.
and Jabberings are over, he licks it , and at the
fame time gives the Patient ghofdy Advice; if the
Powaw finds his Cafe hopetui, he tells him that
Hvbhamcko fent his Diflemper upon him, for fome
Offence or other, w^ho if he calls upon him in his
Diftrefs will fend him Relief: But if the Cafe be
defperate, he then fays that Kichtan is angry, an4
ail Difeafes inflicted by him are incurable.
* luit JIfntan in Harris^j Foyages. p. 915.
When
The History cf New-England. 19
When they have any dead People to difpofc
of out or" the Way, they take rnftead
oF Shovels and Pickaxes, great Vjtir tumM
Stakes inade fliarp at one End,
ana dig a Hole in the Ground, in which they
lay a P-'rcel of Sticks a-crofs, then wrapping
up the Corps in Skins and Matts they k'ly it upon
the S.icks, and all the dead Perfon^s Treafure with
him, the) then raife a Mount of Earth over all ;
And while this is doing the Friends of the deceased
exprefs their Concern by hideous Screeksand Howi-
ings. vv^hen the Hrfi: Englijh Colony were looking
out a Place for a Settlement, they found feveral
Indian Graves, one of which they open'd ; the
oucfide Covering was Boards, under which
was a Matt ; next to that were Bowls, Trays,
Difhes, and then another Matt, under which
was a Board about three quarters long finely
Painted and Carv'd; to this fucceeded an(P
ther Matt, under which were two Bundles
that promisM fomething more Curious ; the
greater of thefe Bundles being open'd, difco-
vered a large Qiiantity of a very line and per-
fectly red Powder, of a ftrong, but no ofFenlive
Smell, and in this were the Bones and Skull of a
Man, tne latter of which had fine Yellow Hair
upon it, and fome of the Flefli unconlumcd; to-
gether with thefe Relicks there was in the fame
Bundle a Knife, a Pack- Needle, and two or three
old IronThings,all which was pack'd up in aSailor's
Canvafs Caflbck, and a Pair of Cloth Breeches;
in the lefs Bundle there was the fame fort of Pow-
der, and the Head and Bones of a Child, about
the Legs and other Pares of which, were Strings
and Chains of white Beads, and by it was laid a
Bow ot about three Qiiarters long, with fome o-
ther odd Nicknacks.
T H I I SL
JO The History of New-England7
Their Mournings for the Dead continue
for feveral Days, Night and Morn-
7/iottrni^i for ing, in which all the Friends of the
tit mad,^ Deceafed bear a Part. In the
Southern Parts of the Country, the
Women black over their Faces with a Mixture
of Coal and Oil : When the Body is laid in the
Ground they make a wretched doleful Noife,
fomething like that which is made by Cats
when any Number of tnem get together. If
a (ick Perfbn happens to recover, there is a
mighty Joy ; and becaufe Sicknefs is always
chargeable, when his Friends come to con-
gratulate him upon his Recovery, they bring
Gifts in their Hands to help repair his Lofs.
X H E laudable Cuftom of paying a Reverence
to old Age is ftridly obferv^'d, by
ILeminet to all the Indians in thefe Parts. The
OtdA^e, younger Perfons will even do all
mean Offices to excufe the Elder,
the' they are Strangers, and have no manner
of Acquaintance with them ; but let a Man have
never fo many Years over his Head, yet he
is not counted a Man^ till he has lignalized his
Valour in fome laudable Adion worthy the No-
tice and Refped of all his Acquaintance.
Their Diviiion of Time is by Sleeps, and
Moons, and Winters, and by
Vivjfion of Lodging abroad ; they have made
Tint, fome little Obfervation of the Stars,
and as I obferv^d before always call
Charleses IVain^hy theName of PaiihunnawaWyOr the
Bear, which is the Name by which the Europe^
ans have diflinguifh'd it. They have no Records,
or Memorials of the Exploits of their Anceftors,
nor is it poflible they ftiould, becaufe they were
not acquainted with the Ufe of Letters, tho^'Dr.
Mather fays, there is a Rock or two in the Coun-
try
The History of New-England; ju
try that has unaccountable Charaders engrav'd
upon it : But to fupply this Defed, as well as they
can, they dig deep Holes in the Ground, in the
Place where any niemorable Adion has been per-
form'd, which they tak« care to preferve from be-
ing filled up ; fo that as a Man travels the Couri'-
try, if he can but underftand his Guide, he may
learn the Hiftory of their Affairs.
I have not obfervM any Revolution of Time
which they account Sacred ; all Days are alike with
them, which is a little Strange, fince there are
great Numbers of Priefls, and among fome of the
Nations, Houfes that look like Temples ; but this
Cuftom is generally taken Notice of, that in Times
of very great Want and Scarcity they ofier up ex-
traordinary Devotions to their Gods, and when
they have triumph'd over their Enemies, orgatherd
in the Fruits of the Fields, they appoint a Fefli-
val, wherein Men, Women, and Children, meet
together to fing and dance round about a rouz-
ing Fire in the Fields, for four or five Hours to-
gether. *
The Natives of New-England^
believe not only a Plurality of Gods KeUghnl
-who made and govern the feveral
Nations of the World, but they make Deities
of every Thing they imagine to be great, pow-
erful, beneficial, or hurtful to Mankind. There
is \\irh them, one God in the Sun, and another in
the Mocn, i^c. They beh'eve Fire to be a kind of
God, inafmuch as a Spark of it produces fuch re-
markable EfFecl:s,and becaufe T'himdir and Lfght!7ing
are very terrible, they pay divine Honours to them.
But tho' the Indians acknowledge a great Varie-
ty of Divine Powers, yet they conceive one Al-
mighty Being \s ho d\\ ells in the South IVefl Re-
* Harris's Voy:r^ss^ Vol II. p. 847.
gions
^t The History ^New-England;
gions of the Heavens, to be Superior to all the
Reft , this Almighty Being they call Kichtan, or
Kawtantowit, who at firft according to their 1 ra-
dition made a Man and Woman out of a Stone,
but upon fomc Diflike deftroyM them again ^ and
then made another Couple out of a Tree, from
whom defcended all the Nations of the Earth;
but how they came to be fcatterM and difpers^d
into Countries fo remote from one another, they
Can't tell. They believe their Suprem.e God to be
a Good Being, and pay a fort of Acknowledgment
to him for Plenty, Vidory, and other Benefits.
The Rev. Mr. Mahew, gives this Account of
the Indians of Marthas Vineyard ; *' That they
*' worfhippM many falfe Gods, both in Heaven,
*^ Earth and Sea^ That they had their Men Gods,
*' their Women Gods, their Children Gods,
" Gods for their Animals, and for the Fruits of
** the Earth ; That they had a great Veneration
** for the Devil:, and endeavour^ to pacify him by
** their Sacrifices; to him they addrefs'd for the
" Cure of their Difcafcs, and for Gounfel in all
" difficult Cafes ; having only an obfcure Notion
*' of a God greater than all. Whom they called
" Mannity but they knew not what he was, and
*' therefore knew not how to worfhip iiim.
The Immortality of the Soul, and a future
State is univerfally believ^'d among them ; when
Good Men die, they fay their Souls go to Kichtan^
where they meet their Friends, have fplendid En-
tertainments, and enjoy all Manner of Flea fares ;
when wicked Men die, they go to Kichian Habita-
tion too, and Knock at the Door, but they have
no Anfwer from him but Quachet, that is. Walk
away, and fo they wander about m refllcfs Dif-
content and Horror for ever i when fome of the
t Letter to the Corporation , for p9$»gating the Ctfpel^ OCt. Z3. iC^i.
page I.
Engl'ijh
The History t?/ New-England.^ 35
Ettglijh have talk'd with ''em oF the Refurreciion
of the Body, All the Anfwer they could get from
them was, that it was impofliblc, and that they
jhould never believe it.
They acknowledge their Suprcam Deity
Kichtan to be altogether inviliblcjand
their Priefls do not (o much as pre- Their Veitiss,
tend to have fcen him at any time ;
but there is another Power which they call Hobba-
mocko, in Engljjh the Devil ; who fcruples not, as
the Priefis fay, to appear to them in different Forms,
fometimes in the Shape of a Man, fometimes of a
Deer, and an Eagle, but moil commonly in the
Form of a Snake ,• to him they apply in all diffi-
cult Cafes, for the curing of Difeafes, and remo-
ving Publick Judgments, and the People ftand in
greater Awe of him than of Kichtan himfelf. The
People are vaflly ambitious, of the Honour of a
Sight of this Hobba?nocko, but he never appears but
to the Powaws or Priefis, and the Paniefe, or Coun-
fellors of State, that is, to the Men of Intrigue and
Defign, whofe Bufinefs it is to keep the People in
A. we ; and according to the Accounts our Englijlff
give of the Matter, the very Notion of this Evil
Being was put into the Peoples Heads with no
other Defign. But is it not flrange, that People
by the Power of Prieflcraft, or any other Device
fhould be diverted and drawn away from the Wor-
fliip of a Good Beings who governs the World, and
is the Author of all the Benefits of Life, to the
Worfhip of sn Evil Ode, meerly from a Principle
of Dread and Terror, left in his Anger he fhould
fend worfe Mifchiefs upon them tl^an thofe which
at prefent they lie under ? as Slaves do Homage to
their cruel Mailers, not becaufe they love them,
but left by fuch a Negled, their Servitude fliould
be made more intolerable. But to make this Doc-
trine go down the better with the People, the
Priefis have taken Care to reprefent their Kichtan
C as
54 The History of New-Engi.and.
as an inexorable Being, that is, one whofe Decree:
are irreveriible, fo that if he fends an AfRiccion o
Difeafeupon a Man 'tis incurable; all Medicme
will be ineftedual, and all Applications to him, o
any other Being infigniiicant. But Hobbamocko i
reprefented as one who by Sacrifices and Prayer
may be appeas'd. Thus thefe Impoftors give th
People a far worfe Notion of God Almighty tha
of the Devil. Many of the Indians havedeclarec
that within their'Memories the Good Being Kid
tan was much more invoked than at prefent. Bi
our Englijh Planters now tell us, from the Confe
lions of the Indians themfelves, that the Worfh]
of him is almoft worn out among them. In flior
the Genius of tlxC People leads them to worfhip ai
Thinf^ that is above them in Power, and able i
do them any Hurt. Thefe are their Deities, at
they exprefs a Reverence for them according!)
hence Fire, Water, T'hunder and Lightning ; na
even the Horjes, and great Guns and Mufquets of tl
Englifh were at firO: worfhip'd by fome of then
but the chief Objed of their Worfhip, as I o :
ferv'd before, is Hcbbamocko.
The moft Zealous of all the Indians in th(
Religious Superftitions were the N..
S^rrficcs] rhaganfets : They have large fpacio i
Houfes in the Nature of Tempkl
which are frequented only by the Poiuawsy exec
at their Publick Solemnities, when vaft Crouds
People refort thither, and offer the bell of tlic
Treafures in Sacrifice ; as Skms, Hatchets^ Kettl
and the like, all thefe are throvvii by the Prie i
into the midft of a great Fire, and burnt to Afhe
thofe that offer moil: liberally towards thefe' Saci
fices are efteem'd the wifefl and moft devout Mc .
and fo reputable is it to be open-handed in the Ca ,
that the Indians about Plpnouth'to-uin told the £■:
Uih, they wiih'd for their Sakes that their Gov.
aours would appoint the like Sacrifices among the;
"JL H
The History of New-EnOland* 5 5
Their Powaws or Priefts, are a fubtile Ge-
neration of Men, Ambitious, Cruel,
greedy of Riches, s^rafping at an TheCiMraBirof
abfolute Power and Dominion over j^riejis,
the People, from whom they require
a profound Refped, and Reverence, as Perfons
\vho have a familiar Acquaintance with the Deity,
and who by their Bleffings and Curfings, can
make Men happy or miferable in a future State.
The People certainly believe that they can raife
the Devil, and riiake him do v/hatever they bid
him, except the fuperior Deity Kkhtan interpofes ;
Dr. C. Mather feems to be of the fame Opinion,
by the Examples he gives us of their fupernatural
Influence on humane Afl'airs. He tells us " that
" they often killed Perfons ; caufed Lamencfs and
*' Impotency,*" and fhew'd their Art in perform-
*' ing feveral other things beyond humane, by a
" diabolical Skill i and this either by deliring the
'' Spirit they convers^'d with, to do the Mifchief
*' they intended, or by forming a Piece of Lea-
" ther like an Arrow-Head, tying a Hair there-
*' to ; or ufing fomc Bone, as of Fifh, &c. over
" which they performed certain Ceremonies and
•' then difmilVd ''em to accomplifli their Defires :
" And fuch enchanted things (fays he) have moft
" certainly either enterM the Bodies of thofe
" whom they intended to afflid, or the Devil has
" form^ the like within their Fiefh without any
" outward Breach of the Skin, wliich we have
" good Reafon to believe ; the Powaws acknow^-
" ledging it, and fuch things having been taken
" out of the Flefh of the afflided, or by the
" feizing fomething of the Spirit (as the Devil
'^ made them think) of fuch they intended to
" toyment or kill, while it wandred in their Sleep 3
* B, VI. i. 5i.
D 2 Thi^
^6 The History '(?/ New-England.
*' This they kept being in Form of a Fly clofely
" imprifon'd, and according as they dealt with
" this, fo it far'd with the Body it belonged to."
The Doclor goes on to give fome Examples, of
the Power of thefe Poivaws to do Mifchief to Per-
fons, and cure them w^hen they had done ; " An
" Indian of Martha s Vineyard (fays he) whofe
" Name was George^ having been tormented, and
" now wholly Impotent, his Friends advifed him
" to the Powawsy for a Cure ; they being met and
" dancing round about a great Fire, the Sick
" Perfon lying by, fome of the Neighbours en-
" ter'd the Houfe, being perfuaded that a great
*^ Powaw now called to cure, had bewitchM the
^' Sick ,* they threaten him that unlefs he would
" cure the Sick Man, they would burn him in
*' that Fire ; after many excufes too long here ta
" relate^ they took him up, refolving at Icaft ta
" iinge him a little ,• who no fooner felt the Heat
" of the Fire near him, but the Sick immediately
" recovered.
Another Relation which the Doclor had
from Captain Thomas Dagget Efqj now deceas'd,
and Richard Sarfon Efq; JuiHces of the Peace, he
gives as follows : " The Juftice being on an
*^ Ifland, where a bewitchM Woman lay in great
" Extremity, and wholly Impotent, the Powaws
" there having without Succefs endeavoured her
" Cure ; the Relations fent to Marthas Vineyard'
*' for more famous Powaws, and the Juftices were
^' admitted to be prefent on certain Conditions :
*' I'he Powaws went to dancing, and ufing cer-
^' tain Ceremonies ufual in fuch Cafes : One of
^' the Powaws prayed to his God, with fuch ar-
"^ dent Defires and Fervency, that Captain Dag-
'' get told me, had it been to the true God, it had
*' been a Prayer exceeding m.oft he had ever heard ;
" The liVue was, that they caught the Spirit in a
" Deer-Skin (as they kid) which entered the
^* Woman ;
The History of New-Englakd. jy
*^ Woman ; this, they faid, was the Spirit of an
*' Englifhman drowned in the adjacent Sound :
*^ Yet it was then fupposM the Powaw was by,
" who bewitch'd her : The liTue was, fhe im-
" mediately recover'd : But the Powaw told her,
*' unlefs Ihe removed to Martha's Vineyard, fhe
*^ would again be (ick for being an Englifh Spirit
" he could not long confine it."* Mr. Thomas
Mayhew of Martha's Vineyard, was likewife of
the fame Opinion ; " the Mifchief (fays he) that
*' the Powaws and Devils ufuaily do to the com-
" mon Indians, is both by outward and bodily
" Hurt,and inward Pain, Torture, and Diftradion
*' of Mind ; both which I have fcen my felf To
** accomplifh the firll, the Devil does abufe the
*^ real Body of a Serpent which comes diredly to
" the Man either in the Houfe or Field, looming
*' or having a Shadow about him like a Man, and
" Shoots a Bone (as they fay) into the Indians
" Body which fometimes kills him/^
I SHALL leave the Reader to pafs what Judg-
ment he pleafes upon thefe Relations ; but in my
Opinion they are fo far from proving the Doctrine
|:hey are brought to fupport, that they carry in
them the greateft Air ot Juggle and Impofture in
"the Wcrld.
Many of the devout Indians dedicate their
Children to the Gods, and educate them to the
Priefthood, by debarring them from Sleep, and
makeing them obferve a certain Diet, O'c. but of
thofe who are thus dedicated, there are but few
(according to their own Confeilions) who obtain
this high Dignity of a familiar Converfe with the
World ot Spirits ; nor are all the Powaws alike
fucccfsful in their Addreiies to their Deities ; nor
do their Incantations and Ceremonies always fuc-
'^ Letter to the Corporation for pripMgjttitr the Gof^el, i^^z.p. 4.
D 3 ceed;
3 8 The HiTORY (?/ New-England.
ctt^ ; however the People are kept in awe by them,
and on all Occafions pay them a profound Refpecfl,
and Veneration.
There is one Perquiiite of the Clergy, which
I can't find the Povoavos of New-Eng-
}^afriages, land have any Concern in, and that is
their Marriages. The Indians keep a
great many Concubines which they choofe accord-
ing to Appetite and Fancy, and turn away again
when they pieafe for the fame Reafon, but they
have one Wife, who is the fupream Governefs of
the Family, and is kept during her Life, the Con-
fent of the Sachem is always ask^t in the Aiiairs
of Matrimony, and "'tis he that joins their Hands
together. No Sachem . \^i\\ take a Wife, that is
not of a Birth equal to his. When a Woman
leaves a Tingle Lite, She cuts off her Hair, and
w ears a Sort of a Veil upon her Head, till her
Hair is grown again. The Time of War is a TimiC
of general Releafe to ail Women that are uncom-
fortably yok'd, for if a Woman has either a bad
Husband, or one file can't love, fiie takes that
Opportunity to run away to the Enem.y, where
ihe is fure to be made welcome, for the Indians
never think they have Women enough, and fight
to gain fuch Prizes, ofcner than for Sovereignty.
In the Cafe of Adultery the Husband puts a-
way the guilty Wife, or fometimes refts fatisfy'd
With beating her feverely, but what Remedy thq
Vri^Q has againfl the guilty Husband, I can't in-
form the Reader.
* W H E N Children com.e to Years of Difcreci-
on, whether Males or Females, they change their
Names, as our Women here in England do at
their Marriage ,* and when they perform any re-
markable Exploit, they quit their prefent Name
* JImisi Voy^g, Vol. Ihp. I$tf.
again
7/6^ History (f New-England.^ 39
again, and afTume another new one : It was a
common Pradice amongfl: the Polite Nations
ot Antiquity, to augment their Names, by a New
Title, on the Account of fome extraordinary Per-
formance, but to quit an old Name entirely, and
take up a new One in the Room of it, is a Cuf-
tom peculiar to the Natives of New-England.
The Indian Government is ftridll^' Monarchical,
the Sachem or Prince having an abfo-
iute Power over the Lives ot all his dovermenf,
Subjeds : In all important Atfairs,
he fummones a Council of his Nobles, and Paniefi,
or Counfellors, in which "'tis admirable to fee the
Majcftick Deportment of the Prince, and the fub-
miffive Behaviour of his Servants, who after they
have given their Opinions upon the Queftion, re-
fer the Determination of it to the Prince, and ne-
ver fail to applaud his VVifdom, and execute his Or-
der without the leifi: Hefitation.
The Paniefe or Counfellors to the Sacheni arc
not only the wifeft and moft coura- .
gious Men that can be found, but 9f%au^^ ^^
generally of the largeft Size too ;
the Sachems never make War, or undertake any
weighty Bufinefs v/ithout their Advice ; and when
the Armies march, they arc always the immediate
Guard of the Princess Perfon. To keep up fo
honourable an Order, as the Pamefe are efteem'd
to be amongft all the Indians, * they chufe out the
likelieR and moft promising Boys, and train them
up with abundance of Care, and in the Obferva-
tion of peculiar Rites aid Cuftoms ; 'tis not a
little Hardfnip thefe B.rys go through while they
are under this Difcipline ; they abllain from all
curious Meats^and drink the Juices of bitter Herb^,
in fuch Qi^iantities, as to caufe exceflive Vomitings ;
they are beat over the Legs and. Shins with Sticks,
* Harris's Voyag, !<. 8^.?,
D 4 an 4
40 The History of C^ew-England*
and made to run thro' prickly Bufhes and Brambles,
to render them hardy ^ and, as they fay, more ac-
ceptable to Hobbamocko ; for thefe Paniefe^ or Mi-
nifters of State, are in League with the Priefts ;
and in order to keep the People in awe, are allow'd
to give out, that Hobbamocko makes frequent Vi-
fits to them, tho' our Englijh in all their Converfa-
tions with them, never had the good Fortune of
coming to any of their Houfes, when he was there :
But this is certain, that the Paniefe in all great
and dangerous Attempts difcover a Boldnefs and
Courage beyond that of the other Warriors -, the
common People firmly believe them to be above the
Reach of Swords and Darts, and that no ordinary
Weapons at leaft will kill them.
The Nobles are either fuch as* are defcended
from the Blood Royal, or fuch on
T^hUs. wliom the Prince has beftow'd Part
of his Dominions with the Royalties ;
or fuch whofe Dcfcent has been from Anceftors,
w^ho. had Time out of Mind, been efteem'd'
fuch.
The Yeomen ^^vq fuch as having no Title to No-
bility, are yet efteem'd by the Prince,
Xeomen. as thofe that have a Natural Right
of living within his Dominions, and
a Common Ufe of the Land, and are diftinguifh'd
by two Names or Titles ,• the one fignifying Sub-
jeBion, the other a T'iller of the Land.
Besides thefe there are a fort of Villains or
Slaves amongft them, and thefe are
, VilUin^, fuch Ssho were originally Strangers
. or Forreigners, tho' they have lived
in the Country for many Generations; they are in
fome Meafure fubjed to the Yeomanry, and are
not allowed the Honour of attending the Prince in
•Msthir, Book VI ^.51
Hunting
The History of New-England. 41
Hunting, or fuch like Exercifes, unlefs call'd to it
by particular Favour. But after all, no Subjed
has ary Property in the Land he ufes, the whole
Territory being the Prince's Inheritance, and if
any Man has Occalion for a Quantity of Land, he
goes to the Sucheyn^ and obtains his Leave to make
ufe of it.
The SuccefTion to the Crown is Hereditary,
always defcending * to the eldcfl: Son, and
in cafe of Failure of Male Ilfue to the Succe^onf
Female, but the Blood Royal is in fuch the Crown
Veneration among them, that if a
Prince has Ilfue by divers U^omen tbat fhall fucceed
as Heir, which is royally defcended on both Sides,
tho' younger than the other Children ; the Iffue
which they have by a Venter of lefs Qtiality than a
Princefs, being accounted only Noble, not Royal.
If the Father dies before the Son or Daughter is of
Age to fucceed him ; the Minor is committed to
the Tuition of fome able Counfellor, who manages
the Aftairs of the Country till the other is fit to
take that Burden himfelf There are fome petty
Sachems that are little Tributary Princes, and de-
pend on the greater for Protedion, without whofe
Knowledge and Confent they dare not make War,
•nor enter inro Alliances with any of their Neigh-
bours.
The Revenues of the Crown confift in the
Tributes or Contributions of the Peo-
ple, who bring BasJiets of Corn, and Revenues.
fome of the firft Fruits of every thing
they are Mailers of; as Flelli, Fifh, Roots, Ber-
ries, Beans, and the Skins of Beafts, asMi'Jfe, Bear,
Deer, Beaver, &c. to one of the Paniefe, \\ horn the
Sachem appoints to receive them, and then acquaint-
ing the Sachem with ir, he comes out himfelf, and
Mather J ibid,
expreilcs
42 The History of N^-England.
cxprefles his Gratitude to his People by good
Words, and fome fmall Prefents ; with thefe Things
the Prince's Table is plentifully furnilh'd, fo as to
enable him to keep open Houfe for Strangers and
Travellers ; all fuch when they pafs thro' their
Territories go thither of Courfe, where they are
entertain'd according to" their Quality, but the
Cuflom is always as fbon as they come to tell whe-
ther they are going, and how long they intend to
fiay. Befides this, the Sachem claims an abfolute
Sovereignty over the Seas ,• all that is ftranded on
the Shoar of his Sea-Coaft is his, and all Whales,
or Wrecks of Value floating on the Sea, and taken
lip within any Part of his Dominion. * In Time
©f War both People and Efcate are wholly at the
Difpofal of the Prince, and therefore no Tribute '\%
either demanded or expected at fuch Times.
They have a fort of Money among them, w^hich
they call IVampam f, and is a Parcel
Mtney, of little Bcads made of the Shells
which lie on the Sea-Coaft, with
Holes in them to Tiring upon a Bracelet, w hereof
fome are v> hite, and of thefe fix go for a Penny,
fome black or blue, and of thefe three go for a
Penny ; they have no Coin, nor are they acquaint-
ed with the Ufe of any fort of Mettal, butfliarpen
all their Inflruments with Stone.
I N Matters of unjuff or difhonefl Dealing, they
proportion the Punifhm.ent according
AJimmjlrMim ^^ ^^c Number of Times the Delin-
tfjiijiise. quent has offended. For the firfi
Crim.e he is reproach'd with his Vil-
kny after a very difgraceful Manner ; for the fe-
cond, he is beaten with a Cudgel on the naked Back,
and for the thirdy befides a found beating, he has
his Nofe fiit, that all Men may know and avoid
* Mather y dsokYl^, 5 1, t Mather , ibid
him.
The History of New-England- 4 j
him. Now in all thefe Cafes the Sachem is not
only Examiner and Judge, but Executioner too ;
'tis he that beats and whips the Malefactors, and
when the Matter requires it, flits their Nofes ;
Murder is always punifli'd with Death without the
leaft Favour, and the Sachem does this bloody Work
himfeif : Indeed, if the Criminal be a great Way
off, and can't conveniently be brought to him, the
Sachem fends his own Knife, with which the Execu-
tion mufl be done, where it carr*t be done with his
own Hand. But any Punifliment that is not
Capital, the Indians will not receive, but from the
Hands of their Sachems ; they won't be beat or whipt
by an Officer, buc their Prince may do it to all
Extremities, and they'll never offer to run away :
Nay, for a Man to cry or flinch during the Time
of his Correction, is reckoned a more infamous
Thing than either the Ofience it felf, or the Pu-
nifnment.
The Indian Princes have a Sovereign Contempt
of the limited Authority of the Englijb Gover-
nours ; one of them coming to make Mr. Mayhevs
the Governour of Marthas Vineyard, a Vifit with
his ufual * Attendance, which were eighty Perfons
well arm'd ; being admitted into the Room, fat
down \ and Mr. May hew coming in, according to
their Cuftom took no Notice of the Prince's being
there, (it being with them in Point of Honour
incumbent .on the Inferiour to falute the Supe-
riour) after fome time paft in Silence, the Prince
faid to Mr. Mayhew, Sachem, i. e. Noble or Wor-
fliipful, are you well ? To which after a friendly
Reply, and treating of feveral Things relating to
the Illand j he ask'd a Favour, which Mr. Mayhew
promifed,adding afterwards, if the Inhabitants con-
* Mathr, BookWl _f„ ig.
fented i
44 !r'^^ Hisf ORY of New-England
fented ; to which the Indian xQ^ly^A, Why do you
recall your Promife : What I projnife or /peak is always
true, but you Y.n^\i^\ Governours cant be true, for you
cant make your Words nor Intentions true j but mine
are always true, for I make them true.
T Ho^ the Indians of New- England are made up
of above twenty different * Nations,
Jjfngunge. yet they Teem Originally to have been
of one Language, but for want of
Commerce and Correfpondence among themfelves,
have formed different Pialeds, fo as not to be ca-
pable of underftanding each other, but a Man that
i's, Mafter of any one of the Languages, may in a
very little time, be able to converfe in them all,
for there b, a. great Affinity between many of- their
Words ; as for Example, NuppaWyDuppaw, Ruppaw,
jdgnifies the Sun ; Attik, Ahtooque, a Deer ,• Wennity
Weyyit Good ; Pum^ Pumme, Pirn, Oil or Fat ; in
ieveral Dialetts. There is a Letter or two in our
Alphabet, which the Indians have not \x\ theirs,
they can't pronounce the Letters L and R, except
in the North, where the Indians w ho have a pecii-
liar Dialed: to themfelves pronounce an R, where an
AT is pronouncM by the other Nations : But if their
Alphabet be fhort, I am fure fome of the Words
compos'd out of it are long enough \ one would
think it impofTible to commit them to Memory ;
for Inftance,
Nummatchekodtantaynooongaminnonajb
Signifies in Englijh, Our Lufls.
Noowo7nantam?nooonkanw7orinafi. Our Loves.
Kummogkodonattootttanmooctiteaongannunnonajh .
Our Queftion.
There
The History of KlEw^ENGLANbi: 45
There will certainly be no Occafion for more Ex-
amples to convince any reafonable Perfoii of the
Barbarity of this Language, or of the Herculean
Labour of making one's felf Mafter of it, efpeciai-
ly when we add, that it has little Affinity toy
or Derivation from any of the European Lan^
guages that we are acquainted with.
Upo n the whole, thefe Barbarous Indians are
a lively Image of humane Nature, without the
Improvem.ent of Art and Induflry, for tho"" they
have inhabited the Country for feveral Ages, they
are but where they were at firfl ; a Bow and an
Arrow headed with the Bone of a Fifli, are all
their Weapons ; the Skin of a Beaft is their Cloth-
ing, and the Flelh of it their Food ; they have
no Learning nor Letters ; 'tis only Neceflity that
puts "em upon Hunting, Fifhing, or making
Bows and Arrows ; their Diverfion confifls in ex-
travagant Dancings, Hoopings, and Howlings ;
Nature had given them a tollerable Complexion,
but they have fpoilt it by daubing themfelves with
certain Oils and Juices, which has made them
Tawny. Their Women are flrongand mafculine,
and fupport the Pains of Childbearing without the
leafl Groan ; they are fwift of Foot and capable of
enduring a great deal of Fatigue and Hardfliip :
All their Ambition is to be Valiant, "tis that
chiefly which gives a Man Reputation among
them, for there is hardly any other Mark of Di-
ftindion among the common People, but the Men
of Courage or Poltroons ; our Voyagers own them
to be quick enough of Apprehenficn, but at the
fame time, crafty, timorous, fickle, revengeful
and thievifli ; fo ignorant were tliey of the Nature
of Commerce, when the £;(rc/?^^2?;j hrfl traded with
them^ that they parted with things of the greatcfl
Vakig
46 The History of NfiW-ENGLAN®.
yalue for Bagatelles and Trifles; but now they are
gro^^^l wifer, and will drive as good a Bargain as
their Neighbours.,- many of them have left off
their Savage way of living, and no doubt but
others will follow their Example when they have
conversed a little longer with the trading Nations
of Euro^fL
HAP.
The History of New-England. 47
Chap. II.
A jhort Account of the bufferings of the Puri-
tans, in the Reigns of ^/f^;? Elizabeth, ani
Kjng James I. of the Original of the Brow-
nifts. Their Principles' Their Sujferings.
Their removing themjelves into Holland;
xvhere Mr. Robinfon hid, the foundation of
the Independent Church Difcipline^ as it wM
afterwards fractifed in Nevv-England.-'-— J
HE firft Settlements in Nev:~Eng-
land were a Confequence of the
Difputes which attended the Refor-
mation of Rehgion in England; we
muft therefore look back to the Hi-
ftory of thbfe Times, in order to
trace them down from their Original, and difco-
ver the variousSteps by which they were at laft ac^
complifhed.
The Perfecution which Qiieen Mary raifed a-
gainfl the Proteftams^ forced great Numbers of theni
to leave their Native Country and retire with their
Families into thcfe Parts of Germany and Switzer-
land, where the Reformiation had obtained ; and
the Magiftrates would allow them Places for the
free Exercife of their Religion: Here they had
an Opportunity of obferving the Difcipline of the
firfc Reformers, which fome of them admired, and
others as much undervalued and defpifed, the Con-
gregation at Frankfort, copied after the Church of
Geneva,
"48 The History of NeW-England^
Geneva, and fubmitted to a Difcipline differing
very little from theirs ; but thofe of Bafil anS
Strasburgh, adher'd to the Service Book of King
Edward ; and the Reafons they offered in Vindi-
cation of their Pradice were, becaufe it had once
been the eftablifh'd Religion of their Country:
Many of them had fubfcribed to the Ufe of it,
when they accepted of Living's in the Church :
And befides, their Brethren in England^ were now
fealing the Truth of it with their Blood : The
Congregations of Frankfort and Geneva, argued
for themfelves on the other Hand, That the Ser-
vice Book of King Edward^ was drawn up in
Compliance with the NecelTity of the Times:
iThat it retain^'d too many of the Superllitions of
the Church of Rome : That the Authors of it
themfelves defigned a further Reformation in the
Church of England^ as foon as the Times would
bear it ; for the Truth of which they appealed to
the Book it felf, in which there is a Prayer to
that Purpofe j That they were now in a Foreign
Country, and uncertain w^hether ever they fhould
return home again, and therefore thought them-
felves at Liberty to agree upon fuch a Difcipline
as was moft agreeable to the Word of God, and
the Praftice of the Churches amongft which they
lived : But thefe Reafons were fo far from fatis-
fying the other Party, that after feveral Conferen-
ces for an Accommodation, they parted in Anger,
and carried their Refentments fo high, that they
could hardly ever live in Charity with each other
afterwards.
U p o N Q. Eliz^aheth's Accefllon to the Crown,
the Exiles came home v/ith Refolutions to at-
tempt the Reformation of the Church of England
according to their feveral Models, but the Queen
quickly let them fee what they were to truit to,
for being a Woman that affected a great deal of
Pomp and Ceremony in Religion, and hiivmgbcen
educated
Ch.il. r^^ History 6?/ New-England. 49
educated all along with Prince Edward, She was
prejudic'd in favour of his Service Book, and refol-
ved to reduce the Reformation of the Church of
England, as near as pofTible to that Standard. Some
few Alterations, indeed, were made in the Book,
but chiefly in favour of the Roman Catholkks, and
feveral Pafl'ages which gave them Oifence were
ftruck out, by the Advice of Dr. Parker, Grindal^
and Cox, who were appointed to revife itj after which
it pafled into a Law and became the eftablifh^'d Re-
ligion of the Church oi England. The Puritans
ftruggled hard for the laying afide the Pofifn Veft-
ments, or at leail, for making the ufe of them
in Divine Service indifferent, but they could ob-
tain nothing ; the Queen was inflexible, and would
be obeyed.
The firfl: fet of Proteflant Bifbops after the
Queen^s Acceflion to the Crown, being made up
chiefly of fuch as had been Confeflbrs for Religi-
on, were Men of moderate Principles, and ihew-
ed a great Regard to tender Confciences ;^ * They
complied indeed with the Ceremonies, but were
very far from approving them ; Dr. Horn, Bifhop
of Winchefte-,' in a Letter to Bul/inger,v,'vitQS, ^ That
* the Bifbops had no Hand in making that Ad:
* of Parliament which eftablifhed the Veflments,
* and that they were in doubt, whether they fhould
* defert their Miniflry or obey the La'x. Grindat
* calls God to witnefs, that it did not lie at their
* Door, that the Habits were not quite taken a-
* way ;^ and in feveral of their Letters to the
Foreign Divines, they inveigh not only againfl the
Habits, but againft AInJick in Churches, f the Crofs
in Baptifm, and the Abufes of the Eccleftaflicat
Court}, which they promife to declaim againd, till
they were fent beck to Hell, from whence they
came ; feveral Attempts were made in Convocation
* Strypes Life of A. B. Ttirker. p. 154. f ^^. Burnet H"i/?. Kefirm
E for
50 The History of New-England. Ch.iL
for the Redrefs of thefe GrieVcances, but the Con-
vocation and Parliament too, had given away the
Power out of their Hands, by a Claufe in a late
Adj whereby the Queen was authorized to Ordain
and Publijh fiich farther Rites and Cerejnonies, asJhouJd
be moft for the Reverence of Chrifi's holy Myfteries
and Sacraments. And when Application was
made to her, fhe declared roundly againfl: all
Innovations.
But tho' the Preferments of the Church were
thus fhut againft All that would not comply with
the Queens Injunfticns in every thing, yet fome of
thofe that refusM to wear the Habits were conniv'd
at for the prefent, and fuffered to preach in the
Churches, as Carver dak, SampfnyFox^Levery Humphry Sy
and Others. No Subfcriptions were required of the
Clergy, except to the Articles of Religion agreed
upon in the Convocation of the Year 1562 ; nor
was any great Strefs laid upon an exad Uniformi-
ty in the Rites and Ceremonies of Divine Service
till fome time after. But in the Month of y^««^-
ry 1^6^-^. the Qiieen writ a Letter to A.B. Parker,
requiring him to take effedual Meafures to bring
the Clergy throughout the whole Kingdom to an
exad Uniformity in Matters of Religion, laying
the blame of the Diforders in the Church on his,
and his jBrethren's Remiifsnefs in not doing their
Duty. Upon this, the Bifliops met together, and
agreed on certain Orders relating to the Clergy,
waiich were publiflVd the 24th ot March following.
One of them was this ,• ' Tnat ail beneficed Per-
* Ions fhould fubfcribe to the ufe of the Surplice
* and Common Prayer-Book in all Divine Admi-
* nillracioDs/ Upon refulal of which they were im-
ired lately to be fequeftred, and if they did not
comply within 3 Months, to bcipfofaHot deprived.
Many of the Puritanical Minilters were firft Sc-
queflred by this Injunction, and at laft deprived,
as Dr. Turner Dean of IVellSy Dr Sampfon Dean of
Chrift Ciiurch, and about thirty feven of the
London
Ch.if. r/?^ History ^^/New England. 5t
London Clergy, amongfl: whom ^vere fome of the
mofl popular Preachers, whcfe Churches v. ere {hut
up, for want of Conform ids to fuppiy them. But
feveral others, either thro' the Connivance of (om^
of the Bifliops, of the Prote(5tiod of fome Great
Perfons at Court, made a fliift ftill to keep their
Livings in the Church.
The Severity of the Qiieen and the Blfhop^,
in prelTmg thefe Injunctions at this time,
gave rife to that Separation * which ftill i^66,
divides the Church of England ; for when
the People could lio longer hear their MinifterS in
the Churches without the Habits^ fome of them
refolved to gather a Congregation of their owii
in private ; and for this End, hired the Plumbers^
}Ially under pretence of a Wedding, but in reality
for the Exetcife of religious Worfliip. About one
hundred of them met there, and ufed the Geneva
Service, but they were difturbed by the Sheriff?^
and fourteen or fifteen of them taken, and fent i6
the Compter, (tvtn or eight of thefe were brought
the next Day before the Lord-Mayor^ Bifhop Grin-
daly Dean Good?nan, Mr. Wattes^ and other Com-
milTioners f . The Bifliop chirged them \vith Lying,
becaufe they hired the Hall under pretence 'of ^
Wedding ; and with condemning the whole State
of the Church as it was reformed in King Edioard's
time, for which many Good Men had laid down
their Lives. The Prifoners anfwered for them-
felves with a little too much Freedom and Bold-
nefs ; and were therefore all but one remailded t6
Prifon, and kept there above a Year.
T H E Parliament having at the latter Endof the
laft Yeir taken into ConTideration the
State of Religion, ordered a Bill to be 1573.
brought in for the Alteration of fome
of the 3p Articles in favour of the Puritans; but
* Piers* J Vind, ofViJfsnteh, p. ^3. ^ f StrypQs I/^o/Grlndal, p. ill
J
L 2 Yii^A
iji r&^HisTORY^?/ New-England. Ch.ii,
when fome of the Members of both Houfes con-
fer'd with the ABp. about it, he fignifyM his
Diflike, and immediately laid the Matter bejfore
the Qjeen-i who according to her arbitrary Man-
ner, lent and forbad their medling with thofe Mat-
ters. Immediately upon this the Bps. revived
their Severities againfl the Puritans ; feveral emi-
nent Minifters were fent for before the Council,
and the Ecclefiaftical Commiffioners, and examin-
ed upon thefe Articles : " Whether the Book of
*' Service was good and godly, every T'ittle ground-
*' ed upon holy Scripture ? Whether the 39th Ar-
*' tides were agreable to the Word of God or
*' not ? Whether we muft of neceflity follow the
" primitive Church in fuch things as are ufed and
" eftablifti'd or not ? And whether all Minifters
*^ fhould be equal ? " And for not giving fatif-
faftory Anfwers, many were call: into Prifon, and
threatned with Banifhment ; the Queen and Coun-
cil likewife publifhM two fevere Proclamations a-
gdnft all that were of the fame Principles ; but
thefe Methods were fo far from healing the Wounds
of the Church, that they widen^'d them, for the
People would not defert their filenced Minifters,
but foUow^ed them into the Fields, and Woods,
and private Houfes, where they could meet,
without the Notice and Obfervance of their
Superiours.
After the Death of AB. Parker, the Puritans
enjoyed a little Reft, for Dr. Grindall who fucceed
ed him in the Archiepifcopal See, w^as a Man of
moderate Principles and would not go the Qiieen^s
length in every thing ; but he foon fell under her
Difpleafure, and her Refentments ran fo high a-
gainft him, that he w^as confined to his Houfe,
and fequeftred for Six Months, and tho"* he made
his fubmiffion, yet the Queen never refpeded him
afterwards, nor had he any great Share in the Go-
vernment of the Church as long as he liv'd.
Upon
Ch.iL Tlr^ History ^/ New-England. 55
Upon GrindaU's Death, Dr. IVhitgift Bp. of
Wacejier was tranflated to the See of Canterbury'^
he was a Man of a fevere Temper, a ftifF Main-
tainer of the Ecclefiaftical Policy of the Church,
an implacable Adverfary of the Puritans, and one
who had not only drawn his Pen againft them, but
given fuiEcient Proofs of his Inclination to deftroy
them with the fpiri tual Sword, when it fhould be
put into his Hand. The Qv.een upon his Advance-
ment, ordered him to reflore the Difcipline of the
Church, and Uniformity m the Service of God, '
which through the Connivance of the Prelatesy
the Obdinacy of the Puritans^ and the Power of
fome of the NohleSy had been very much negleded ;
The ABp. immediately in the very iirft Year of
his Confecration, with the Advice of his Brethren
in Convocation, publ ifti'd three new Articles
which all the Clergy were obliged to fubfcribe. *
Firft^ " That her Majefty under God hath
" and ought to have the Soveraignty and Rule
" over all Perfons, born within her Realms, Do-
*' minions, and Countries, of what Eflate, either
*' Ecclefiaftical or Temporal, foever they be ; and
*' that no other foreign Power, State, or Poten-
** tate hath, or ought to have, any Jurifdiction,
*' Power, Superiority, or Preeminence, or Au-
" thority, Eccleliaftical or Spiritual, within her
" Majefty 's faid Realms, Dominions, or Coun-
tries/'
Secondly^ " That the Book of Common-Pra-
** yer, and of ordering Bilhops, Priefts, and Dea-
*' cons, containeth nothing in it contrary to the
*^ Word of God, and that the fame may be law-
" fiilly ufed, and that he himfelf will ufe the
" Form in the faid Book prefcribed in publick
* St^y^ii Life of IVhitgift,^, 115.
E3 !f Prayer,
54 T^f History qf New-England. Ch.iu
<' Prayer, and Adminiftration of the Sacraments>
*' and no other.
T'hirdljy " That he allow-eth the Book of the
f' Articles of Religion, agreed upon by the ABps.
'^ and Bps. of both Provinces, and the Clergy in
^ Convocation holden at Lradon, in the Year of
*' our Lord God 1562, and let forth by her Ma-
^ jelly's Authority. And that he believeth ail the
** Articles therein contained to be agreable to the
^' vVordofGod."
The firft of thefe Articles, the Puritans of thof^
Ti^^ies were willing to fjbfcribe, but they abio-
lutely rcfufed fubfcriptipn to the fecond and third,
unleis they might have Liberty to explain upon
them,* but the Bp. would admit of no Qaalihca-
tions, and fo great Numbers of them were fuf-
pended and deprived ; Sixty Four in Nurfuik, Sixty
in Suffolk-, Twenty One in Lincdnjhire ^ Thirty
Eight in Effey:^ feveral in Kent and pther County s,*
tho' Mr. Stripe] in the Life of AB. Wmtgift, af-
ferts the whole Number of Recufants within the
province of Canterbury to be but Forty Nine.
Great Endeavours were ufed to move the Qiieen,
and the Bps. in favour of thefe Men. Many Petiti-
ons came up from feveral Counties ; the Lord
Treafurer Bjirhighy and Secretary Walfingham^ in-
terceeded for them, and at lad: the Privy Council
themfelves entreated the Bps. to consider the Poor
fu{pended Minifters, if not out of Compaflion to
them and their Families, yet for the fake of the
People of the Realm, who were deprived of their
PaftorSy being learned, tbo' in feme Points ceremonialy
they fesmed doubtfyl only in Confdencey not in Wilful-.
* D**. Calamy-'S Defence of 'Moderate Nonconformity, pt. id. f. nj:
taken from a M'anufcri_^t in the Drs, FoJfeJJion. "the Author of the Hij}o;'y
•f Cojsformity, printed ig'S? msntio-as the fume Mant^jCri^t, and giva tht
f*me NuKibers. ^
'''t^. III. 1.15^.
ttefj.
Cli.ii. The History of New-England* 55
nefs. But the ABp, inftead of being foftiied by
theie InterceHions, refoh^d to go thro' with the
Work he had begun^ and rid the Church of all
that would not comply with his Terms, and to ac-
complifli tnis, he went to the Queen, and prevail-
ed with her to ilVue out a Commiffion for Ecclefi-
aftical Affairs to himfelf, the Bp. of London, and
fome others of the fame fevere Principles with
himfelf, whereby they fhould have Power to frame
Articles, and Interrogatories, and examine ex mero
officio all fufpedcd Perlons. Accordingly they
drew^ up 24 Articles, which, as the Lord Treafurer
writes in a Letter to the ABp. dated July ift 1(584,
•' were fo curioully penn'd, fo full cf Branches
" and Circumftances, as he thought the Inquiiiti-
*' on of Spain * ufed not fo many Queftions to
" comprehend and to trap their Preys ; that
*^ this Juridical and Canonical iifring of poor
*' Miniiters, was not to edify and reform ; And
" that in Charity he thought they ought not to
** anfvver to all thefe nice Points, except they were
*' very notorious Offenders in Papijhy or Herefy^ "
and he adds, " that he had willed thefe Minifters
" not to anfw er thofe Articles except their Con-
" fciences might fuffer them. '* The ABp^ endea-
voured to juflify his Proceedings to the "Treafurer^
but he was fo far from b^ing able to give him Sa-
tisfa(5tion, that iq a Hiort Letter which the Trea-
furey writ back to him, he tells him that he would
not call his Proceedings rigorous and captious,
but they were fcarcely Charitable, and that hQ
had caufe to pity the poor Men tkit fell into his
Hands. The Lords of the Privy Council found
no better Qiiarter with the ABp. for when they
writ to (lim m favour of the deprived Miniftcrsof
EJfex, he anfwered, that what j " he had done was
Sciypc'i Liff ef mitgiff, p.l^y. 4 IbH P, 1^7*
E 4 <« lot
'^6 Tfe History ^/Nsw-Englakd. Ch.iu
*« for the Peace of the Church, that the Accufati-
*' on of feverity was the ieaft thing he feared,
*' and that if he could but anfwer to himfelf the
^- contrary Fault he fliould think himfelf well paid.
*' The fame feverity (f^ys he) wherewith I kept
*' 'Trinity Colledge, and my late Diocefs of Wigorn
" in good Order, for thefe Diviiioiis do I now
''^ alfo ufe.
When neither the Treafurer nor the Lords of the
Privy Council could obtain any thing of the Bijhof ;
the Puritans laid their Grievances before the
Houfe of Commons, who pafTed a Bill, touching
the Matter of admitting Men into the Miniftry ^
and for the Reformation of fevcral Abufes in the
Ecclefiaftical Courts, but the A. B. fell upon his
Knees before the Queen, and begged her to fup-
port the finking Church, * and fuifer no Alterati-
ons to be made in her Conftitution , left it fhould
be faid that She had maintained an Error ; whereup-
on the Queen reprimanded the Houfe for encroach-
ing upon her Supremacy, and ordered them to
meddle no further in thofe Matters. There were
fome few Struggles in favour of the Puritans the
next Parliament, which came to nothing, and
fo they V ere given up to the Mercy of the BiJhopSy
who never faird to profecute with the utmoft Ri-
gour all fuch as fell into their Hands. The feve-
ral Examinations of Puritanical Minifters that I
have m.et with, are full of coarfe and abufive.
Language, not fit for :he Mouths of Bijhofs ; as
if it had not been enough to fufpend and deprive
them, without infulting and trampling upon them
at the fame Time : How could thefe Gentlemen
complain of the Cruelties of the Papifis in Queen
Mary's Reign, when they were now ading the
* Fuller's C&. mjtoryi B, 5. page 174-
fame
Gh.ii. Ti&^ History e?/ New-England. 57
fame Tragedy over again, upon Perfons of the
fame Faith with themfelves ?
But after all, the Zeal of the A. B. and his
Brethreny had not all the Succefs they expeded'
from it, for their fevere Proceedings againft the
Puritans^ infleadof reconciling them to the Church,
drove them further and further from it ; The Or-
der ot Bijhop began to be hated ; and the People's
Companion to the fuffering Minifters, was very
much raifed ; as thinking it hard, that Men o£
Learning and Probity, and of the fame Faith with
themfelves fliould be turned out of their Livings
to beg their Bread, for the fake of a few Cere-
monies, which their Adverfaries themfelves ac-
knowledged to be indifferent. It had been eafy for
the Bijhops at this Time to have put an End to the
Divifions of the Church, by yielding a little to
their weak Brethren, or following the Example of
the firil Council of Jerufalem, which w^as to lay
on the People no greater Burthen than the Gbfer-
vation of necelTary Things ; but thefe good Men
were wifer than their Predeceflbrs, for it feemed
good to them to trouble the People for things that
were not neceffary, nay fo far did they proceed,
that in the 35 th of Qyeen Eliz>aheth they obtained
an A6t of Parliament whereby the Penalties of
Non-conformity to the Church, were not the
wholefome Severities of Fines and Imprlfonments,
but abjuring the Land, and in cafe of Refufal,
Death. * And yet notwithflanding all this, the
Number of Puritans encreafed prodigioufly under
the A. B. Hands, they had their private Af-
femblies in all Parts of the Country, they fet up
their Clajfes and Provincial Affemblies; and had
a very great Intereft both at Court and in Parlia-
ment, but the A. B. might thank himfelf for
* Strype'i Lifs a/ Arch Billiop Whitgift, page 41^7.
it,
^8 T/^^ History ^/New-England. Ch.u.
it, for if he had not by wracking and torturing
Men's Confciences without Form of Law, been
continually forcing honefl: and peaceable Men
out of the Church, the Body of Dijfenters would
never have been fo formidable as it was.
^T 1 s certain the Puritans of thofe times were
very unwilling to feparatc from the Church of
Englandy and leave their Preferments in it, for
they allowed her to be a true Church, and only
petitioned for indulgence in a few Ceremonies
which did not affedt her Conftitution : Bat when
they faw the BiJIjops pufli things to an Extremity,
and profecute them with their Indignation, both
in the Church and out of it, it begot a great, deal
of ill Blood, and alienated the Aftedions of fome
of them to fuch a Degree, as to deny the Chuich
of £«^/^wias then conftituted to be a true Church,
and the Lawfulness of jo) ning in any Part of her
Worftiip.
T HESE w^ere the People w^ho were afterward?
known by the Name of -B r o w n i s t s, *• from one
Robert Brown^ a fiery hot headed young Clergy-
man, who put himfelf at their Head, and writ in
Defence of the Separation. He was deicended of
an Ancient and Honourable Family in RutlanJ.jhirey
his Grandfather Francis^ had a Charter granted
him by King Henry the 8th, and confirm/d by Act
of Parliament, giving him leave to put on his Cap in
the Prefence of the King or his HeirSy or any Lord Spi-
ritual or "Temporal in the Land, and not to put it cff
hut for his own Eafe or Pleafure. His Father was
a Gentleman of a confiderable Eftate at Tohthorp
in Rutland/hire and nearly related to the Lord Trea-
furer Cecil ; his Son Rokrt being defign'd for fome
Preferment in the Church, was Educated in Corpus
Chrifli CoUedge in Cambridge^ and ufed to preach
! FuUerV ChnrelfHiJ}. B- IX. p. i<?7»
fome
Ch.ii. Ti&^ History t?/ New-England. 59
fometimes at Bemet Church, where the Vehemence
of his Delivery got hirri Efteem among the Com-
mon Peopie. * Bayly fays, that he was firft a
School-Mailer in Southwarky and afterwards a
Preacher at Iflington-i which is not very likely con-
fidering the Reputation of his Family. But the
firft Place where he publifh'd his Notions and in-
veighed openly againft the Difcipline and Ceremo-
nies of the Church was in the City oi Norwich, for
which he was committed to the Cuftody of the
Sherirf of the County by Biftiop Phreke, in the
Year 1580, but at the requeft of the Lord Trea-
furer, he was brought to London^ and haVing ac-
Icnowledged his Fault before the A. B. of Can-
tei'hury v. as difcharged. In the Year 1582. He
publilliM a Book called, the Life and Manners of
ti-ue Chrijiiansy for v> hich A. B. JVhitgift fent for
hiiii into Cuftody to make anfwer to fuch Things
as iie fhould lay to his Charge contain'd in the
Book 'y Brown confeft himfelf to be the Author, but
denymg tnac he was acquainted with the publica-
tion of it, and making a fort of Submillion ; at the
!^.iotion of his conftant Friend,the Treafurer,he was
d.i- lilt again and fent home to his Father. He con-
tinued with his Father till the beginning of the
Year 1580, when the Old Gentleman grew wea-
ry of him, and V ith the leave of the "Treafurer
turn^u him out oi his Houfe ; all Methods for the
changing his Principles, or making him conform-
able naving been ineft'edual ; after this he travel'd
up and (XowTx the Country in company with his
AiTiftant Richard Harrifcn, inveighing againft
BijocpSy Ecclejiaftical Courts, Ceremonies, ordaining of
Minijhrs, ^c. for which as he afterwards boaited,
he had been committed to 32 Prifons, in fome of
which he could not fee his Hand at noon Day.
* Viffaafive from the Errors of tba Times, page i ?.
The
6^ 2%^ History^/ New-England. Ghai.
The Queen and the A- B. were refoly'd to fup-
prefs trie growing Fadion, and fince gentle Me-
ihods would not win them, to try the Rigour of
the Law ; Bro''j^n and his Congregation were
watched fo narrowly, that many ot them were im-
prifon'd, and fome put to Death. At laft they re-
folved to leave the Kingdom, and remove with
their Families to Middleburgh in the Province of
Zealand^ where (according to Fuller,) Brown had
iravell'd fome Years before' ; they obtained leave
of the States to worfhip God in their own
Way, and Mr. Brown formed a Church out of his
little Com.pany according to his own Model. But
fuch is the mifery of all human Affairs ! When this
handful of People were delivered from the Oppref-
iions of the Bifliops, they crumbled into fo many
Parties among themfelves, that Mr. Brown their
Paflor Toon grew weary ot his Office, and being
void of all true Courage and Conftancy, he returned
to England in the Year 1 5 8p, renounced his Prin-
ciples of Separation, and was preferred to the Rec-
tory of AChurch in Northamptonfiire ; Fuller is of
Opinion, that he never formally recanted his Er-
rors either by Word or Writing, but only promised
in general to comply with the Orders of the Church
of England ; however by the Connivance of the
Arch Bijhop and the Favour of his great Friend at
Court, he enjoy'd his Parfonage as long as he liv^'d,
vhich was till the Year 1^30, tho^ he hardly ever
preach'd a Sermon in his Pulpit all the while. *
Fuller., adds, that to his own perlbnal Knowledge^
he was a Man of a proud and imperious Nature; of-
fended if what he faid in common Difcourfe was
not prefently received as an Oracle, that he lived a
diffolute Life, far from the Sabbatarian ftridnefs
which his followers pretended to, that he had a
Wife with whom he had not liv'd for many Years ;
and a Church in which he never preach'd ; that tho'
^ 5oefc 3. page 1^8.
»he
.Gh.ii. T/&<?HrSTORY^NEW*ENGLAKD. 6i
he was againft the lawfuhiefs of paying Tithes, yet
he had the Confcience to take them ; upon the whole
'MY.Bnwn appears to have been a Man of good Parts,
but proud, conceited, extreamly palTionate, and
uncharitable, which brought him at laft into aGoal;
for quarrelling with the Conilable of his Parifli a-
bout the Payment of a Rate, he flruck the Offi-
cer in his PafTion, for which he was fummon'd be-
fore Sir Rowland St. John, a Neighbouring Juflics
of Peace, and committed to Nirthampton Prifon^
the decrepit Old Man not being able to walk, was
carried thither upon a Feather Bed in a Cart^
where he fell Sick and died about the 8ift Year
of his Age.
The Revolt of Mr -BroTu;^ w^as attended with
the Difiolution of his Church at Middleburgh, but
the Seeds that he had fown in England w^ere fo
far from being deftroyM, that his Notions fpread
not only among the common People, but fe.veral
confiderable Perfonsboth for Learning and Probity
openly efpoufed them ; Sir Walter Raleigh^ in a
Speech which he made in the Houfe of Commons
in the Year 15^2, when a Bill was brought into
the Houfe * for banifhing fuch as fhould be pre-
fent at a Conventicle, tells us that in his Opinion
there w^ere near twenty Thoufand of them then in
England.
These Brozji^nifis did not differ from the Church
of England in any Articles of her Faith, but their
great Crime was the Separation, which they car-
ried to fuch a length, as to deny the Cfmrch of
England to be a true Church, and her Minifters
to be regularly Ordain'd ; the Difcipline of the
Church they look'd upon asPcpTjh ^mdAnti-Chrijlianj
and all her Ordinances and Sacraments invalid ;
hence they forbid their People to join with the
* Stiy^e'sT'ifeof Arch-Bijho} W^itgifr, pag^ 417.*
A Ch'Arch
62 T/^^ History e?/Nfiw^ENGLAND. Ch.il.
Church of England in Prayer, Hearing, or any Part
of publick Worfllip ,• nay, they not only renounced
Communion with the Church of England^ but with
all other Proteftant Churches, except fuch as fhould
be of the fame Model with their own. The Form
of Government which they fet up amongft them-
lelves was Democratical ; when a Church was to
be gathered, fuch as defired to be Members of it
made a ConfefHon of their Faith before one ano-
ther, and fign^d a Covenant by which they oblig'd
themfelves to walk together in the Order of the
Gofpel. The whole Power of admitting and ex-
cluding Members, with the deciding of all Contro-
veriies, was in the Brotherhood. Their Church Of^
ficers were chofen out from among themfelves for
preaching the Word, and taking care of the Poor ;
and feparated to their feveral Offices, by failing
and Prayer, and the Impofition of the Hands of
fome of the Brethren ; but they did not allow the
Prieflhood to be a diflind Order, or to give a Man
an indelible Character ,• but as the Vote of the
Brotherhood made him a Minifler) and gave him
Authority to preach the Word, and adminifter
the Sacraments among them, fo the fame Power
could difcharge him from his Office, and reduce
him to the State of a private Man again. And as
they maintained the Bounds of a Church to be
no greater, than what could meet together in one
Place, and join in one Communion, fo the Power
of their Officers was prefcrib'd within the fame
Limits ; the Minifter or Pa/lor of one Church
could not adminifter the Lord^s Supper to anotherj
nor baptize the Children oi any, but thofe of his
own Society. Any Lay-Brother was allowM the
Liberty of Prophecying, or of giving a Word of
Exhortation to the People, and ^twas ufual, after
Sermon, for fome cF them to ask Qiieftions, and
reafon upon the Dodrines that had been preach'd.
Ic.a Word, every Church tKrcording to the Mode!^
€^f
Ch.il. T-&^ History ^/N£w-Englaki>. 6f
of the Bro'wnifis, rs a Body corporate, having full
Pow er within it felf to admit and exclude Members^
to choofe and ordain Officers, and vt hen the Good
of the Society requires it to depofe them again,
without being accountable to a Claffis^ Syncdy Con-
'vocation, or any Jurifdidion befides tnemfclves.
Upon thefe People the Laws w ere executed
with the utmoft Rigour, * their Books were pro-
hibited by the Qiieen's Authority, and t\NO Per-
fons were hangM at St. Rd?nnnds Bury for venturing
to difperfe them, EJias I'hacker, June the 4th,
and "John dfpng June the 6th, 1583. But not-
withltanding all tne Difcouragements they met
with, they kept up their private Aflemblies, tho'
many Families were ruin'd by it ,• Nay, fo zea-
lous w ere they that in Conjundion with fome o-
ther Puritans, they purchafed a Priming Prefs^ and
by that means difperft among the People, feveral
Satyrical Pamphlets againfl the Bifhvfs ; This I
confefs would have been rude and unmannerly, if
the fevere Treatment they met with from the
Qvieen and Bijhcps had not in fome meafure made
it neceffary ; for w hen Men are born down with
the Weight of Authority, and not allowed to de-
bate tiieir Caufe before the World, 'tis hard if
thev may not fo much as complain ; Oppreflioa
will make a wife man mad. But however, fome
of the Authors of thefe Painphlets paid very dear
for their Oiience, as we flinli fee prefently.
I N the Year i55?2, f Fifty lix of th^' Bnivnifis
were taken on a Lord's Day, as they were vor-
fhipping God in the very Place where the Pro-
teliant Congregation ufed to meet in Qiieen Mar/s
time ; they w ere carried before a Magiflrate and
fent two by two into the feveral Prifons ui and a-
bout London. Some of them by long Lnprifon-
* Fuller B. IX ^. 1^9. t Bii'row'* ^"il t* th« larHamtnt.
ment
6^ Jl&^ History ^/New-England, Ch.iu
rhent were almoft ftarved, others after two Years
Imprironmenc were banifhed, and three or four
hanged. Barrow who was himfelf a Brownifl and
fuftered Death for it, fays in his Supplication to
the Parliament, " the Fifty fix taken in London
*' were committed unbailabiy, by the Bifhop
*' of London clofe Prifoners in Bridewell^ the
*^ Limhoy or Dungeon in Newgate ^ the Fleets the
^^ Compters J the Clinky the Gatehoufey the IVhite Ly-
*^ on. Thefe bloody Men, fays he, will allow
•' them neither Meat, Drink, Fire, Lodging, nor
*' fuffer any whofe Hearts the Lord would f tir up
*' for their Relief to have any Accefs to them,
" purpoling belike to imprifon them to Death as
** they have done 17 or 18 others in the fame noi-
" fome Goals within thefe 6 Years. Some of
*' this Company, fays he, had not one Penny a-
" bout them when they were fent into clofe Pri-'
*' fon, nor any thing, being abroad, (which is the
** cafe of moft of them, if not of all) to procure
*^ themfelves, and their poor Families any main-
*' tenance, fave only by their handy Labours
** and Trades. Whereby it is come to pafs that
** thefe Enemies of God do not only ftarve and
*' undo a Number of Men in the Prifons, but e-
•' ven a lamentable Company of poor Orphans and
*' Servants abroad ; their unbridled Slaunders, their
*' Lawlefs privy Searches, their violent breaking
*^ open, and rifling our Houfes, their lamentable
*^ and barbarous ufage of Wom.en, and Young
" Children, in thefe hoftile Aflaults, their uncon-
" troul'd Thievery, robbing , and taking away
" of whatfoever they think meet from us in this
*' Cafcj their unappeafed and mercilefs Purfuitof
*' us, from our Houfes, Trades, Wives, Children,
" efpecially from the holy Society of the Saints^
" and the Church of God, we are enforced to
*^ omit left we ftiould be over tedious We
" crave for all of us but the Liberty either to
** dye openly, cr to live openly in the Land of our
" Nativity
Ch.ii. TI&^ History ^/New-England. 6$
** if wc defire Death, it befcemeth the Majefty of
*' Juftice not to fee us clofely murder'd, yea
** ftarved to Death with Hunger and Cold, and
*' ftifled in loathfome Dungeons ,• it we be guilt-
*' lefs, we crave but the Benefit of our Innocence,
" (viz,.) that we may have Peace to ferve our
" God, and our Prince in the Place of the Sepul-
*' chres of our Fathers. " But the Parliament
took no Notice of the Complaints of thefe Suffe-
rers, but left them to the Mercy of the BijhopSy by
whofe Influence, as I obferv'd before, three or four
ot them wxre put to Death.
i ^ M R. Uciall a Minifter was try'd and condemned
m the Beginning of the Year I'^^i, for writing
and difperfing a Libel * againft the Queen and the
Church -which he called a Demonflration of the Difci-
pline -which Chrifl hath prefcribed in his Word, fir the
Government of the Church in all times and Places un-
til the World's End, He abfolutely denied himfelf
to be the Author of it, but was caft by his Jury,
and tho' at the Inflances of fome great Men, and
m hopes of a fpcedy Pardon, he llgned a Recan-
tation ; yet he lay in Prifon for above a Year, and
there died about the End of the Year 1592. He
was a learned Man, (fays FuUer) blamekfs for his
Life, powerful m his Praying, and no lefs profita-
ble than painful in his Preaching.
Mr. ^Jvhn Penry Minifter was fefzed in the
Month of May i^91>,\in the Parifh of Scepney, the
Vicar of the faid Parifh being the Informer,- hig
Papers were feized and examined for Materials "to
convict him, among which rhey found a ^^iixion
which, as was faid, he defign'd to prefent to the
Q:\een, wherein were contained fedi tious. Words a-
gainif her Majeffy, and fevere Refledions on the
* Fuller, jBoofe 9. ft 2,1 r.
t Strype'ii*/e ^f Anbbijhq Whitgirt, f. 419,
i:'' Tyranny
66 T/^^HlSTORy(?/NEW-ENGLAN©. Ch.iU
Tyranny of tho Bijhops: He was convidled upon
the Siatuteof 23 Eiiz,. Cap. II. and hurried away
to Execution- the fame Month, being brought out
of the Kings-Bench in Southwark in an Afternoon to
St. T'hcmas' Water 'i>igSy where he was hanged. This
Mr. Penry^ by the Confeffion of his very Adverfa-
ries, was a Learned and Religious young Man, and
the firft fince the Reformation of Religion under
Qtieen Eliz.abetb, that preached the Gofpel to
the UikJmieny and would in all Probability have
been an Apoftle among them , ii he had not been
put to Death for his Difafredion to the Church,
when he was no more than thirty Years old ; he
left behind him a Widow and four Children. Hard
was the Fate of this young Man ! for if we may
believe his laft Proteilation, which he left behind
him in Writing, he fays, * *' That he never took
" himfeif for a Rebuker, much lefs a Reformer ;
" but that in the Difcharge of his Confcience, all
" the World Vv'as to bear with him., if he prefer^
*' the Teftimony which he was bound to yield to
" the Truth of Jefus Chrifl, before the Favour of :
** any Creature, ^n^my to any good Order or
" Policy either in CliuiGh or Commonwealth, he
" faid, he never was. That wkatfoever he wrote
*' in Religion, he did it /imply for no other End,
*' than for the bringing of God's Truth to Light,
*' and he appealed to God that he never did any
" thing in this Caufe for Contention, Vain-Glory,
*' or to draw Difciples after him., or to be account-
" ed fingular. " But belides, the Facts for which
he \^ as condemned would not have been accounted
Criminal in another Mar,- for he declares farther iii
his Proteflation at his Death, tiiat the Petition to the
Q_een, for which he was to die, was writ when he^
was in Sailandy and partly as a Student in J^iyi-^
mtVf
Ch.ii. 3^^^ History ^/Nf'w-EiNiGL AND. ^7
nity, that it was confufed, unfiniflied, unpublifhed*
and kept fecret tohimfclf,- he pleaded, rhat what
he had writ was the Sum of certain Objections
made by others againfl: Jier Majefly and iier Go-
vernment, which he had gathered up in the Place
where he was, only with an Intention more nar-
rowly to fcan and examine the Truth of them :
And in his iaft Letter which he wrote to the Lord
Treafurer Biirghly dated May the iidy but a tew
Days before his Death, he has thefe atfeding
Words. * " The Caufe is moft lamentable, /^ji
*' he, that the private Obfervations of any Student
*' in a Foreign Land, and wifhing well to his Prince
*^ and Country fhould bring his Life with Blood to
'^ a violent End, efpecially feeing they are moft
*' private, and fo unperfed, as they have no Cohe-
*' rence at all in them, and in the mofl Places carry
. " no true Englijh. ' But his Enemies were re-
folved to have his Blood, and I heartily wiili it be)
not laid to their Charge.
About a Month before the Death of Pemji
Henry Barrow a Gentleman, and Jo/rd Greenwood a
Minifter were executed at I'yburn on the like Ac-
count, they had lain in Prifpn ever iince the Year
1590,^ when Mr. Cartwright^ and divers other
Puritans were taken into Cuftody, and brought
before the Ecdeiiaftical Court and Star-chamber ^
but the Bps politickly got. thefe Men to be proie-
cuted in the 'Femporal Courts, and by Statures of
Parliament that they might take oii' the Odium
of their Death from them.felves, but Barrow who
faw through the Defi^n, makes no fcruple to lay
his own afid Greenwood's Death at the ^Bp's Duor.
The Ptifoners had drawn up a Supplication to the
Qiieen reprefenting the cruel Hardfhips they en-
dured in Prifon, and praying her Highnefs to ex-
^ SSry pe*i Lif^ */ AffbjiJJjo^ Whitgift^ 1.413^ t lifid, f^i^.
F 2 tw4
68 W^ History (?/ New-England. Cfi.ii.
tend her Royal Gompaffion to them, and to their
Wives and Children, who were ready to periin ;
but the Archbijhop would not fuffer the Supplication
to be prefented, but did every thing that lay in
his Power to hinder the Knowledge of their Suf-
ferings from coming to the Queen^s Ear ; where-
upon, in a Letter * which Barrow writ to one
Mr. Fijher^ he complains bitterly of him in thefe
Words : " I'he Archbijhof^ fays he, having fent fo
*^ many Men to divers Prifons, to ftop the Cla^
*' mours of the People againft him, has pofted
" thefe Things to the Civil Magiftrate : He has
*' deftinM me and my Brother Greenwood to Death
" againft the Holy Feaft, the reft to clofe Prifon,
** their poor Wives and Children to be caft out
** of the City, and .their few Goods to be confi-
*' fcated. Is not this a Chriftian Bifhop ? Are
'' thefe the Virtues of him that taketh upon him
*' the Care and Government of all the Churches
*' of the Land, thus to tear and devour God*s
** poor Sheep, to rend off the Flefli, and to break
*' their Bones, and chop them in pieces as Flefh
" to the Cauldron ? " Mr. Strype^ the Writer of
Archbifhop Whitgift's Life, calls thefe paffionate
and angry Exfreffions : But if the Cafe of thefe
Men was as I have reprefented it, and as he him-
felf does not deny, I think the Language is as foft
as the Cauf© will bear. They were put to death
in April i$93. and made a very godly and pious
End, praying earneftly for the Queen and the State ;
which when the Queen underftood by Dr. Reynolds^
as great an Enemy as flie was to their Principles,
fhe repented that fhe had given way to their
Death.
Besides thefe, there was one William Dennis
executed at Thetford in Norfolk on the fame Ac-
? Strype'* Hff »/ Anhhijho^ Whitgift; f, 4ii.
count.
Ch. ii. 75^f History o/New-Engl AND. 6^
count, and a great many poor Families utterly
ruined by fevere Fines and Imprifonments.
I T muft be confefs'd, that the Broimifls were more
expofed to Suftcrings than the reft of the Puritan^^
becaufe they held it unlawful to go to Church, or
joyn in ^ny part of the publick Worfhip : They
apprehended the Hierarchy, in all the Branches of
it to be Anti-Chriftian ; and therefore when a
Pardon was offer'd Barrow and Greenwoody upon
Condition of their being conformable and going
to Church, they chofe to dye rather than accept it
upon thofe Terms. But the continual Profecu-
tions the Broumifii underwent in the Ecdcfiaftkal
Commiffion-Court and the Star-Chamber, made them
relblve at laft to quit their Native Country, and
retire to fome Place, where they might enjoy the
free Exercife of their Religion, without the Hazard
of their Lives. Purfuant to this Refolution feve-
ral Families fetled at Amfterdam^ about the End
of the Century, formed themfelves into a Church,
and chofe Mr. Johnfon for their Paftor, and after
him Mr. Ainfworth, Author of that excellent
Commentary on the Pentateuch, which Ihews him
to have been one of the moft learned Men of his
Age. This Church, tho' at firft it had like to
have been torn in pieces by inteftine Divilions, yet
afterwards flourifh'd under a Succeffion of Paftors
md Teachers for above an Hundred Years.
The Puritans in the mean time were very ftill and
quiet at Home, waiting for the Succeffion of King
James to the Crown, from whom they had great
Expedations of a Reformation in the Church, he
having been bred a Presbyterian, and publickly de-
clared the Kirk of Scotland to be the pureft Church
in the World. Accordingly on his Acceffion they
prefented him with a Petition for redrefs of their
Grievances, (igned by almoft a Thcufand Hands,
and the King condefcended fo far to them as to
appoint a Conference at Hampt on- Court : But alas!
F 5 they
^o r/?^ History ^/New-Ekgl AND. Gh. ii,
they foot! found that he had changed his Religion,
ii ever he had any, with his Country j that the
Bijhops had got him entirely into their Interefts ;
and confequently that no Alterations of any Mo-
ment were to be expected from him. But thefe
Convulfions in the Church, from a Party. that the
* Archbifhop thought he had cruil:'d, ftruck him'
with fuch Surprize aud Aftonifliment, that he laid
it to Heart, and dy'd with meet Grief and Con-
cern of Mind about eleven Months after the
Qiieen, and in the 70th Year of his Age ; defiring
to give an Account, of his BifliOprick to God ra-
ther than to Man. He was a Good Man, but
of m.oft arbitrary and tyrannical Principles in the
Church, far from, being fuch an Heroe as the late
"Writer of his Life has made him, unlefs a good
Intention will fan6tify. the moft cruel and unjuft
Iroceedings : He had a moderate Share of
Learning, according to the Times he liv'd in,
and by falling en his Knees before the Qiieen for
her AlTiftance upon every Occalion, he kept his
Ground againfr all his Adverfaries.
The Reign o^K.Jamesl. was one continued Scene
of Luxury and Eafe : He committed the Aftairs
of the State to tiie Management of' his Miniflersy
and thofe of the Church to, the Bijhops, whilft he
indulged himfelf in all the Diverfions and Pleafures .
that a luxuriant Fancy could invent : He never was
a Man of Bufinefs ; but at lall he fell into fuch a
Ilupid Lidolence, that he feemed before his Death
to have loft the very Remains of Honour and
Virtue. The Perfecution of the Purita7is went on
furioufly in this Reign : The King's -Fancy ^vas .
wonderfully pie a fed witli the Applaufes and Flat-
teries of the EijhopSy and m return he gave them
free Liberty to vex and" opprefs their Brethren.
Strype** i?/« p/ Whitgift, $. 578,
In
Ch.ii. T&fHisTORY(?/ New-England. 71
In the Convocation in the Year 16I03, ifeveral
fevere Canons were made againft the Puritans,
*' In the Year 1604. fays Mr. OiUerwocd, tnree
** hundred Miniilers were either filenc'd, or de-
*' priv'd of their Benefices, or extommunicated,
*' or caft into Prifon, or forced to leave ^thcir own
Country * ; which yet they could not do witnout
the Hazard of all that was dear to them in the
World, as appears by the following Relation.
Some of the Separatifis in lorkjhirebc'm^ very much
opprefs'd by the Biftiops about the Year i<5o7,
hired a Dutch Man then lying at H.dl to carry
them over to Hdland^ who promised to tal^e them
in between Gri?nfly and Hull ; but chey coming to
the Place a little too foon^, the Officers of the
adjoyning Town, with a Body of Soldiers, came
out to feize them : The Men made afliift to get
aboard in a Boat, but the Women were in a Bark
that lay aground m a Creek at low Water. The
Dutch Man perceiving the Difturbance that w.as
afliore weighM Anchor immediately for Zealand^
without flaying for the Bark j the Women thus
bereaved of their Husbands, were dragg'd from
one Jufdce to another ; and at iail, for want of
Evidence of any Crime againft them, difmifs'd.
The I^.len were ilirpriz'd with a terrible Storm at
Sea, which lafled 14 Days, in 7 of which they
faw neither Sun, Moon, or Stars : But' at laO:
they got fafe to their Friends at Amfterdam\ and
their Relations, fome Time afier, followed them.
Archbishop jB,7;;a'(:^'^V^^"'^"'0 fuccceded/?'^A/??z//-,trod
in the S^teps of his Predecefior, urging Sublcrip-
tion with the' utmofl Rigour; ""till finding fo
many defert their Statioi]s in the Church, le was
forced to wink at them, and fui^br them to keep
their Places without fubfcrii^in.-r over a^ain.
* Altare DaraaCc. i» Trsf.
F 4 One
n% 7%f History^/ New -Engl AND, Ch.if.
One may Judge of the vSpirit of the Govcrnoiirs
of the Church in thofe Times, by the Pro-
fecution of Mr. 'Thomas Lad * Merchant in
Yarmouth, " who was brought before the Chan-
" ceilour of Norwich for a fuppofed Conven-
" tide, becaufe 'that he on the Sabbath-Day
*' after the Sermons ended, fojourning in the
** Houfe of Mr. Jackler in Yarmouth, who was
" late Preacher of Yarmouth, joyn'd with him in
*' repeating the Subftance and Heads of the Ser-
" mons that Day made in the Church, at which
*^ 777ow?a:5 Z^i wasufuai]y prefent; and was forc^'d
*' upon his Oath to anfwer certain Articles touch-
" ing that Meeting, which he could not fee un-
*' til he was fworn. And having anfwer'd upon
*^ his Oath twice before the Chancellour there,
*' he was brought to Lambeth before the Ecclefi-
*' aftical Commillioners, to make a farther An-
*' fwer upon a new Oath touching the fuppos'd
" Conventicle; which he refus'd to do without
*^ Sight of his former Anfwers, (becaufe he was
" charged with Perjury,) and was therefore im-
" prifonM by the Commiflioners a long time, and
" could not be bailed. " So that it was a mor-
tal Sin m the Opinion of thefe Men, for a
Man that had been at Church twice on the
LordVDay , to repeat the Heads of the
Sermons to his Family in the Evening ;
^ Crime that deferved Fines, Imprifonmcnt,
and the Forfeiture of all that was dear to a Man
in the World.
There had been a Congregation of BrowniJIs
in thefe Parts ever fince f the Year i(5o2, which
had chofen Mr. John Robinfon for their Paftor ; they
met together in private Houfes for fcven or eight
* Picrce'i Vindication of the Vif enters. Tart I. p. 174.
t Mather'i EcclefiafiiealHiJipyyof New-England, Book L p. ^,
year?
Ch.ii. T/&^HisTORY ^/New-England, yj
Years, but were frequently difturb'dby theBifhop's
Officers, and feveral of their Members ruined in
the Ecclefiaftical Courts ,- whereupon they refolved
to leave the Kingdom, which Mr. Robirifun, and fe-
veral other Families did this very Year, and fetled
az Ley den, where, with the Leave of the Magiilrates,
they hired a Meeting-Houfe, and worfhipped God
publickly in their own Way. . , .
This Mr. John Robinfon was the Father of the In^
dependents, being the firft that beat out a middle Way
betw een Brownifin and Presbytery -, when he came firfl
to Holland, he was a rigid Brownifl, but after he had
feen more of the World, and conversM with Learned
Men, he began to have a more charitable Opinion
of thofe that difter'd from him j and tho' he al-
ways maintained the Lawfulnefs and NecefTity of
feparating from thofe Reformed Churches amongft
which he t lived, yet he was far from denying them
to be true Churches ; nay he allowed the Lawful-
nefs of Communicating with them in the Word
and Prayer, tho^ not in the Sacraments and Difci-
pline ; and would give Liberty to any Members of
the Dutch Church to receive the Sacrament w^ith
him occafionally -, he maintained to the laft, that
every particular Church or Society of Chriftians
had a compleat Power w^ithin itfelf, to choofe its
own officers, to adminifter all Gofpel- Ordinance^
and to exercife all Ads of Authority and Difci-
pline over its Members ; and that confequently it
was Independent upon all Clafles, Synods, Convoca-
tions, and Councils ; he allowed the Expediency of
Synods 2iv\6. Councils ^or the reconciling of Differences
among Churches, and giving them friendly Ad-
vice, but not for the cxercifing any Ad: of Autho-
rity or Jurifdidion, or the impofing any Articles or
Canons upon them without the free Confcnt of the
t Robinfon'^ A^^hgy for the BrowniUs, i-. 7, 11,35.
Churches
74 TheHisTO^Yof New-England. Cb.u-
Churches themfelves ; and thefe are fome of the
Principles by which the Independents are diftinguifh-
ed at this Day.
But when Mr. Rohinfon and his Church had been
fome Years at Leyden they began to be weary of
their new Settlement, not from any Disturbance
from the Civil Magiftrate, nor from any Qiiarrels
or Diviiions among themfelves, but from an Appre-
heniion that their Church muft in Time be dif-
folved, and their Religion loft in a 'ft range Land,
for many of their fubftantial Members began to dio^
Off, and few or none came oyer from England to fi}l
up, their Places j they had no Hopes of propagating
their Principles among a People whofe Language
they did not underftand, but on the contrary were
like to be fwallowed up by them, their Children
beginning to marry and incorporate with
the Dutch. Thet^ ivas not the leaft Profped of a
Reformation of Religion at home, or a Tolera-
tion for fuch as diffented fi'om th^ Eftabliflimeht.
Thefe Confiderations made th^iii unai^imOufly re-
folve (after many Days of Prayer for Council and
Direction from Heaven) to tianfpprt themfelves
and their Families into fonie Paj^t of 'Amerkay \m-
der the Prote(5tionx)f the King of England^ provided
they could obtain a Patent for the Lands they fhoiiid
■poflefs, and fufficient; Security from^ the Crown for
the free and undifturbed Exetdfe.' of. their %q-
Chap.
Gh. iii. Ti&eHisTORY o/ISTeW'-England. 75
HAP.
IIL
The Rife of the flrft Englifh Colony. Their
Voyage to New - England. Their Settle^
ment At Plimouth, ard the Hurdfljips they
fujfer^d. Treaty of Alliance with MafTa-
■ foiet, and other Indian Princes, The ill
Succefs of Mr. V/etion's Settlement i^ the
Maffachafet^i- Bay ; and of Gapt.Govgt^s.
The Jeditious Practices of Lyford a/^d Old- '
ham. The Death and Character of the Rev^
/ Mr. John Robinfon. OfCapt.WoW^^QvCs
Attempt to begin a Settlement in the Mafla-
chufets, and the Mi f cry to rvhich hrs Men were
reduced. Of ^ the Opening a Trade with the
Dutch onHudfori's River, A general Ac-
count of -$J^e -Religion of tkf Planters.
H EMerc\\?.rAscf London and Bri- Anm
fiol had carried on an advanta- ^^.
geous Trade with the Indians on
the Northern Coaft oF Amertcay
' tor a ccniidc'rabte; Time, berore
they had any Pro fped of perfect-
ing a Settlement in thofe Parts \-/ but having
at laft received an encouraging Account of the
Climate and Soil, from one of 'their Captains
who had ventured pretty high up into the Coun^
try, they follicited King James for, a Charter.
The King yielded to their Requeft, and in one
Patent;
j6 TI&^ History o/New-England.^ Ch.iii.
Anno Patent bearing Date Jpril the loth, 1606, in-
1^ corporated two Companies, for the fending out
two Colonies.
^ The foil went by the Name of the London--
Adventurers, who had Liberty to feat themfelves,
and fuch as fhculd join with them, at any Place
on the Coaf| of Virginia^ between the Degrees
of 34 and 41, N. L. And they began their Set-
tlement the very fame Year at the Mouth of.
the River Powhatan.
The fecond Company went by the Name
of the Plimouth - Adventurers, becaufe the Per-
fons to whom the Grant was made were IVefl
Country Merchants, and Members ot that Cor-
poration. They had Liberty to fettle in any
Part of the Country, between the Degrees of
38 and ^$, N. L. and to extend their Jurif-
didion a hundred Miles along the Coafl, and
a hundred Miles up into the Country,- but
tW the Company made feveral Attempts, they
.were not able to per fed: a Settlement, till the
Tear 1620, when i^lr. Robinf on j and his Congre-
gation at Ley den, who had fled their native Coun-
try on the Account of their Religion, happily I
atccomplifh'd it.
Mr. Robinfon and his Friends went to Hol-
land in the Year i<5io, and with the Leave of
the * Magiflrates fetled in Leyden^ where they
hired a Meeting-Houfe, formed themfelves into
a Church after the Model of the Brownifts, and
worfiiipp'd God publickly in their own V/ay ;
but after ten Years Experience finding their Af-
fairs go backward ; and that their Pofterity
were like to be loft among the Dutch, they refol-
ved to remove into fome Part of America under
his Majefty's Protection, where they might livei
* Morton i Mm«>\ 0/ New Eng. M Camb. K. E. $. 13.
by
Ch.iii. TheiiisroKY of New-EnglanS. 77
by themfelvesj and have a Profpeft of encoura- I»^»
ging their Friends and Countrymen to fettle ^^^"^
with them. It was agreed, that Part of the
Church fliould go before their Brethren, to pre-
pare for the Rtft, and i( the Majority chofe to
go with' the firfl Company, the Paftor to go with
them j but if not, he was to ftay behind. Agents
.\vere fent over into England, who after they had
obtained a Patent from the King for the free
Exercife of their Reh'gion in any Part of Anie^
rica where they fhould fettle, treated firft with
the Virginia Company for a large Trad of Land,
.in the North Part of that Country ; but upon
better Confideration they abandoned their Pur-
chafe, and entred into Articles with fuch Mer^
chant' kdvtmmtxs^ as were willing to-encourage
their fetling in the South Weft Parts of New"-
England, on the Banks of Hudfons River ; the
Articles bore pretty hard on the Planters, bu^
they were the beft their prefenc Circumftances
could procure.
Several of Mr. Rohinfons Congrega-
tion fold their Eftates, and made a com-
mon Bank, with which, and the Money they
received of the Adventurers, they purchafed the
Speedwel a fmall Ship of 60 Tuns, and hired the
Mayfloiver of 1 80 Tuns. The Agents fail'd back
to HcMand 'n the Speedxvel to take in as many
of their Congregation as were willing to em-
bark with them ; -while the Mnyflovoer was fit-
ting out in the River of T'hames^ and freighting
with all Neceflaries for the Plantation. The
Speedvjel was defigned to continue in the Coun-
try, and ferve the Planters for Fifhing and other
neceflary Ufes ; but the AIa]flower, when file
had performed her Voyage, was to return. All
Things being got ready, Mr. Robinfon kept a
folemn Day of Failing and Prayer with his
Congregation, to implore a Bleffing upon their
hazardous
7? K^ History o/New-Englakd. .Ch. lii.
'/»«o hazardous Undertaking, and preached an excel -
J^'lent Sermon from Ezra viii. 21. / proclaimed a
Fafl there, at the River Ahava, that lue might
affliSi our Souls befcre God, to feek of him a right
Way for usy and for our little Ones, and fr all our
Subfiance. He concluded his Difcourfe with
the following Exhortation ; which, becaufe it
breaths fuch a noble Spirit of Chriftian Liberty,
as was hardly then known in the World, and
may ferve to give the Reader a juft Idea of
this great and good Man, I fliall tranfcribe for
his Perufal.
*' Brethren, (fays he) we are now quick-
" ly to part from one another, and whether I
" may ever live to fee your Face on Earth any
*' more, .the God of Heaven only knows ; but
*' whether the Lord has appointed that or no,
*' I charge you before God and his blefled An-
" gels, that you follow me no farther than you
" have feen me follow the Lord Jefus Chrift.
''If God reveal any thing to you by any
" other Inftrument of his, be as ready to receive
" it as ever you w^ere to receive any Truth by
*' my Miniflry; for I am verily perfuaded, I am
*' very confident, the Lord has more Truth yet
" to break forth out of his holy Word. For my
*' part, I cannot fufficiently bewail the Condi-
" tion of the Reformed Churches, who are come
" to a Period in Religion, and will go at prefent
" no further than the Inftruments of their Re-
" formation. The Lutherans can't be drawn to
" go beyond what Luther faw, whatever Part of
" his Will our. good God hasreveal'd to Calvin^
*^ they will rather dye than embrace it. And
*' the Cahinifls you fee flick faff where they were
*' left by that great Man of God, who yet faw
** not all things.
" Th IS is a Mifery much to be lamented ;
'^ for tho' they were burning and fliining Lights
'' iiy
Ch. ii. *Ihe History of New-England^ 79
*' in their Xi^^^s, yet they penetrated not into -<»••
" the whole Couniel oF God ; but were they f ^*®
" now living would be as walling to embrace
" further Light, as that which they firll: receiv'd.
*M befeecn you remember it, "'tis an Article of
*' your Church Covenant, T'hat you be ready to
*' receive whatever Ti'uth Jhall be made kmwn to you
" fmn the "c^rhten IVvrd of God, Remember
" thaty and every other Article of your facred
*' Covenant : But I muft here withal exhort you
" to take heed what you receive as Truth.
*' Examine it, conlider it, and compare it with
" other Scriptures of Truth before you receive
" iti for ^tis not poiTible the Chriftian World
*' fhouJd come fo lately out ot fuch thick Anti-
" chriftian Darknefs, and that Perfedion of
" Knowledge fhould break forth at once.
" I MUST alfo advife you to abandon, avoids
*' and fliake of the Name of JBROWNIST:
" ''Tis a meer Nickname -, and a Brand for the
"making Religion, and the Profeflbrs of it, odi-
-^^-ous to the Chriftian World. '"
Having faid this, with fome other things
relating to their private Condud, he committed
them to the Grace of God.
Mr John Brewfler, AfTiftant to Mr. Robinfon,
and a ruling Eider in his Church, a wife and
prudent Man of about 60 Years of Age, put
himfelf at the Head of the Colony, On the ift
of July they went from Leyden to Delfihaveiu
whichcr Mr. Rdni^fon and the Antients of his
Congregation accompanied them. They con-
tinued together ail Night, and next Morning,
after mutual Embraces, Mr. Robinfon kneeled
dovv'n with them on the Sea-lhore, and with a
fervent Prayer committed thein to the BleiUnnj
and Prctcction of Heaven. They quickly joyn'd
their other Sliip at Southampton^ and prepared
If^ith all Expedition for their intended Vovage.
So 3%^HisTORY <?/N£W-England; Ch.iii.
'A.mt O N the jth of Augufi both Ships fail'd in
Jf^ Company for Nevj-England ; but before they got
to the Lands-End, Mr. Reynolds^ Mafter of the
Sfeedwely complained his Ship was fo leaky that
he durft not venture out to Sea in her : Upon
which they put into Dartmouth to have her
caulked. They then put to Sea a fecond time ;
but when they had faird about loo Leagues
Mr. Reynolds alarm'd his Paffengers again, telling
them he fhould certainly founder at Sea if he
held on the Voyage : So both Ships put back
again into Plymouthy and the Sfeedwel was diC-
mifsM as unlit for the Voyage ; tho^ in Truth
this was owing chiefly to the Cowardice and
Treachery of the Mafter, who did not care to
perform the Voyage, being afraid their Provifions
would fall fhort before his Year was expired, for
the Ship was found enough, and made feveral [
fuccefsfui Voyages afterwards.
The whole Company, being about 120, were
now ftow^'d in one Ship, which fail'd out of Ply-
mouth on the 6th of September : A fad Time of
Year to enter on fuch an Expedition ! And after
a long and dangerous Voyage they fell in with
the Land at Cape Cod on the 9th of November
following. Here they refrefh^d themfelves about
half a Day, and then tack^'d about to the South-
ward for Hudfons Bay ; but Mr. Jones the Mafter
had, it feems, been brib'd by the Hollanders to
carry them more to the North, the Dutch in-
tending themfelves to take Poffeflion of thofe
Parts, as they did fome time after : Inftead
therefore of putting out to Sea, he intangled
them among dangerous Shoals and Breakers,
w here meeting with a Storm, the Ship was dri-
ven back again to the Cape j upon which they
put into the Harbour, and refolv'd, confidering
the Seafon of the Year, to attempt a Settlement
there, and not proceed forward to the Bay,
There
Ch.iii. 71&^ History (9/New-England.^ 8i
There was one unexpeded Advantage of tiieir Ann»
fettling here, which was. That the Country had i22
been in a manner depopulated by a Plague the
lafl Year, which had carried off Nine Parts in
Ten of the Inhabitants, whereas the Natives
were fo numerous about the Bay, that in all
Probability they would have malTacred the Plan-
ters as foon as they came afliore : But then
:here was an Inconvenience attending it, which
was, That Cape Cod not being within the Limits
pf their Patent, the Powers they had received
Tom*the Crown of England would become void.
But NecefTity has no Law, and therefore before
:hey went afhcre they entred into a folemn
Combination to fubmit to fuch Laws as fhould
)y the Majority be approved of; in witnefs
vhcreof they fign'd the following Inflrument.
IN the Name of God, Amen, We whofe
" Names are underwritten, the Loyal
' Subjeds of our dread Sovereign Lord KIncp
^ James, by the Grace of God, of Great
^ Britain^ France^ and Ireland, King, De-
' tender of the Faith, &c. having undertaken
' lor the Glory of God, and Advancement of
I the Chriilian Faith, and the Honour of our
' King and Country, a Voyage to plant the
• firlt Colony in the Northern Parts of Virginia^
\ do by thefe Prefents, folemuly and mutually,
in the Prefence of God and one another, co-
; venant and combine ourfelves together into a
civil Body politick, for our better ordering and
Prefervation, and Furtherance of the Ends afore-
laid; and by Virtue hereof do enad, conftitute,
and frame fuch juil and equal Laws, Ordi-
nances, Acts, Conllitutions, and Officers,
from time to time, as fhall be thought moft
meet and convenient for the general Good of
G «^ the
S2 Tl?^ History (5/ New -Engl AKD. Ch.m.
il»^. '' the Colony, unto which we promife all due
P^ '' SubmilTion and Obedience.
** I N Witnefs whereof we have hereunto
*• fubfcribed our Names at Cape Cod, No-
" 'vember the nth, in the Reign of our
*' Soveraign Lord King James, of England^^
" France^ and Ireland, the i8th, and of
^ Scotland the J4th, Annoq, Dom. 1620.
John Carver, Bigery Priefl,
William Bradford, T'homas Williams^
Edward Win/low, Gilhert Win(low,
William Brewjier^
Jfaac Allerton,
Miles Standijh^
John Alden,
John ^turner,
Francis Raton,
James Chilton,
John Craxton,
John Billington,
Jcfes Fletcher,
John Goodman^
Samuel Fuller,
Chriftofloer Martin,
William Mullins,
William White,
Richard Warreny
John Hoioland,
Stephen Hopkins,
Edmond Margefon^
Peter Browne,
Richard Bitteridge^
George Soule,
Edward "Tilly ^^
John Tilly,
Francis Cook,
Thomas Rogers,
Thomas Tinker,
John Ridgdahy
Edward Fuller,
Richard Clarke,
Richard Gardiner^^
John Allerton,
Thomas Englijh,
Edward Doten,
EJward Liefler.
Sad was the Condition of thefe poor Men^
who had the Winter before them, and no Ac-
commodations for their Entertainm.ent ! moft oi
them were reduced to a weak and ficldy Condition,
by their Voyage, and now they were come to Port
had no Friends to welcome them, no Houfes to
receive them, nor Phyficians to take care of them
The Country was full of Woods and Thickets,
and began to look with a Winter Complexion
Ch.iii. 71&fHisTORY(9f New-England. 8j
befides they were under Apprehendons from the ^"«»
Indiansy who were on no good Terms with the i^
Europeans at this Time ; but there w as no look-
ing back y the Mailer of the Ship prefs'd them
to look out for a Settlement, and threatned to
fet them and their Goods afhore, and return
home, if they did not ufe Expedition in it. He
told them plainly, that he was refolved to fecure
Provilions for himfelf and his Men home, let
them fhift as they would.
S o they immediately chofe Mr. yohn Carver^
their Governour for one Year, and fet Sixteen
Men afhore with Fire Arms to view the Coun-
try, and look out a convenient Place for a Set-
tlement. Having marched about a Mile upon
the Coaft they difcover'd Five Indians^ whom
they followed for feveral Miles, but could not
come to the Speech of them ; next Morning
they ventured higher up into the Country, and
came to a large Spot of clear Ground, where
Corn had been planted : They difcovered feveral
Graves^ the Remains of a Houfe, a great
Kettle, and fome Heaps of Sand in which
they found feveral Baskets of Corn in the Ear,
fome of which they brought away with them ;
but not finding any Place fit to make a Set-
tlement, they return^ next day to" their Ship.
In their way home they faw a young Tree
bent down almoft to the Ground with fome
Acorns under it. One of the Company going
a little too near, it gave a fudden Jerk, and
caught him up by the Leg, where he muft
have hung, if his Friends had not come to his.
Relief : This was an Indian Deer-Trap.
After this the Mafter of the Ship with
Thirty Men went out in the Boat ,• aixl coaft-
ed along the Shore for two or three Leagues,
but could find no Harbour fit to receive any
diing bigger than a Boat : Having difcover'd two
G 2 Houfes
S4 T^^ History of New-England. Ch. iii.
Amo Houfes cover'd with Matts, they went afhore,
i^ and inade up to them, but the People ran away :
They found about ten Bufhels of Corn, fome
Beans, and a Bottle of Oii, which they brought
away in their Boat, and made ufe of for Seed
the next Spring. Some ot the Company were
for fettling at this Creek, becaufe it was a good
Harbour for Boats, tho' not for Ships ; There
was Ground ready cleared to their Hands, and
the Place was healthy and defenfible : It was
near Cafe Cody an excellent Place for Fifhery :
And laflly, becaufe the Winter was fo far ad-
vanced, that they could not go a Coafting with- .
out the utmofl Hazard, both of Men and Boat^
Others again were for making farther Trial,
till they could find a Harbour for Ships, and
urged that they might fail 20 Leagues to the
Northward, where they had heard of an excel-
lent Harbour for Ships, and good Fifliing ; but
the Company could not be prevaird with to try
this lafl Experiment.
However they refolved to fend out the Boat'
once more to go round the whole Bay of Cape
Cod, and fee if there was a Harbour for Ships.
The chief of the Planters went on this Difcove-
ry, as Mr. John Carver^ Governour, Mr. WiUiam
Bradford^ Mr. Edward Winflowy Capt. Miles Stan--
dijh^ Mr. John How land, Mr. Richard Warren,
Mr. Stephen Hopkins, Mr. Edward TiHy, Mr. John
Tilly, Mr. Clarke, Mr. Coppin, John Jllerton, Tho-
mas Englijh, Edward Doten, with the Mailer-
Gunner of the Ship and three of the Sailors :
They fet fail on the 6th of December, the Wea-
ther being fo cold that the Spra of the Sea froze
upon their Cloaths. They got down that Night
into the Bottom of the Bay, where they difco-
vered ten Indians about a dead Grampm, They
landed about a League off them, and lay a-
Ihore all Night without any Difturbance. Next
Morning
ICh.iii. T/&^ History ^/New-England^ 85
Morning they divided their Company, coafting ^w«*
along, fome on Shore, and fome in the Boat; but '^**
faw no People, nor any Place fit for a Settlement
that Day. The whole Company lay afhore
next Night by the iide of a Creek^ where they
made a Barricado of Boughs and Logs for their
Lodging. Next Morning about Break of Day
they were briskly attacked by a Company of
Indians, who let fly a Shower of Arrows among
them, attended with, a terrible Shout, after this
Manner ; JVoach ivoa^h ka, ha hoch woach. Up-
on this they immediately ran to their Arms,
which were no more than four Muskets, a few
Swords and Battle- Axes, the other Muskets be-
ing in the Boat. The Musketeers were placed
in two Lines, the former of which was order'd
to fire, w^hile thofe in the Rear were making
ready. The Indians flood feveral Fires ; one in
particular, having fhelter'd himfelf behind a Tree
within half a Musket-fhot of the Barricado, let
fly three Arrows, and flood three Difcharges of
a Musket before he ran away : The refl of the
Indians w^heel'd about upon them that ran out
of the Barricado towards the Boat, but not being
able to do any Execution upon them, they
retirM. 7^he EngUJJj gathered up eighteen of their
Arrows, w hereot fome were headed with Brafs,
others with Harts-Horn, and others with Eagles-
Claws.
After this they all went into the Boat, re-
folving to be govern^ by their Pilot, who aflur'd
them that he knew of a good Harbour for Ships,
which they might reach before Night :' But in
the Afternoon the Weather grew tempefluous,
and the Sea ran fo high, that they were in
danger of being cafl away, for they had lofl
iheir Mali and Rudder, and had nothing tQ
trufl to but their Oars ; but having the BeneHt
of the Flood they flruck into Shore, where the
G 5 Piict
86 T/?f History c/ New-England^ Ch.iii.
Ann* pjiQt and Mate were for running in the Boat
among a Cove of Breakers right before the Wind,
but a flout Sailor that \vas at the Helm bid
them, Jf they were Metiy about with her^ elfe they
were all cafi away ; which they did, tho" it rained
hard, and was very dark. In a little time they
got under a Lee-fhore, where they lay in fatety
all Night, and next Morning found themfelves
on a fmall Ifland, which they call'd Clark's I/land^
becaufe Mr. Clark the Mate was the firft Man
that ftept afhore. Here they refted that Day,
and the next being Lord's -Day, rendring
Thanks to Almighty God for their late Prefer-
vation. On Monday they founded the Harbour,
which was call^'d by the Indians Patuxet, and found
it fit for Shipping : Next Day they march^'d up in-
to the Country, and difcover'd divers Corn Fields,
and little running Brooks, fo they refolvM to pitch
here, and returning to the Ship, they reported their
Refolution to the refl of the Company.
O N the 15th of December y the whole Com-
pany W'Cigh^'d Anchor, and arrived next Day at
the Harbour, ^^'hich was a large Bay with
two fmall Iflands in it ,• but the Coaft was fo
fhallow that the Ship was obliged to ride at
^nchor above a Mile from the Shore ; and
though their Boat vt'as very ferviceable to them
on this Occaiion, yet they were forc'd to wgde
a great Way in the Water to land their Goods.
On the ipth they quitted the Ship, and on
the 25th they began to erect a Store-houfe
for their Goods, and fome fmall Cottages to
preferve them from the Weather ; on the 28 th
they meafurM out the Ground, and divided their
whole Company into Nineteen Fam.ilies, allot-
ting to every Perfon half a Pole in Breadth,
and three in Length, for Lodging and Gardens ;
and to prevent all Difputes about the Situa-
tion of each Family, they dedded it by Lot :
^ ' They
Ch. iii. The History of New-Engl and^ 87
They agreed likevvife upon fome Laws, both -^^"^
for their Civil and Military Government, and
caiJed the Place of their Settlement by the Name
of NEW p LI Mourn.
B u T no fooner were the Planters got afhore
but a fad Mortality began to rage among them,
occafion'd partly by the Fatigues of their late Voy-
age, and partly by the Severity of the Weather,
and Want of Neceflaries, which in two or three
Months time carried off above half the Compa-
ny ; fo that out of above a hundred Planters,
there remained not above Fifty, and of them
not above Six or feven at a time, who were ca-
pable of helping the Reft. Inexpreflible were
the Hardfliips they underwent the fir ft Winter 1
* If the Indians had been apprized of their Cir-
cumftances, they might have cut them off with-
out any Trouble ,• but they appear'd only at a
Diftance, till the 16th. of Marchy when one Sx-
mofetj who had iearn'd a little broken Englijh
from the Fifhermen who traded to the Eafteni
parts of the Country, came boldy to them. Sol-
dier-like, with his Bow and Arrows in his
Hand, and bid them Welcome : He was one of
the Sagamores belonging to the Northern Parts
about Monhegin, a Country about 5 or (5 Days
Journey by Land from their Town, and was a
Perfon of a free, eafy Carriage, but quite naked
except his Wafte, which was coverM with a
Piece of Leather, being a tall ftraight Man,
with long black Hair, but no Beard. The
Planters entertained him in the beft Manner
they could, and having conferred with him con-
cerning the State of the Country, the Number
and the Strength of the Inhabitants, their Si-
tuation and Diftance from the Place \\ here they
* Licr. Mather'i Tnaiij* of New-Eiislandj f. 7.
G 4 were.
88 W^HisTORy^jf New-England. Ch.IiL
X»»o were, they difmifs'cl him in the moft friendly
j^ ana obliging Manner. Some time after he came
again with feveral other Natives, fome of which
Avere cloathed with Deer-Skins, and others had
a fort of large Hofe that reach'd up to their
Groins, and Pieces of Leather about their Waftes,
but the Chiei: ot them was diftinguifti'd by a
wild CatVskin on his Arm. They were tall,
proper Men, of a brown Completion, like the
Englijh Gypfies ; their Hair was cut fhort be-
fore, but hung down very long behind, and was
{luck with Feathers after feveral antick Fafhions.
They eat and drank very freely with the Englijh^
and in return entertain^ them with fome Indian
Dances. They acquainted the Planters with the
Defign of their great Sachem Majfafoiet to make
them a Vifit, and went home very well fatisfy'd.
On the 2 2d of March A/^^^/o/V^ him felt, with his
Brother Q_^iadequinay and about 60 of his Friends
and Attendants, came to Plimouth without any
Arms; Capr. Standijh met him at the Head of
a File of Musketeers, and conducted him into a
Houfe w^here a Seat of State was prepared for
him, which was three or four Cufhions piled
upon a green Rug. Majfafoiet was a large,
tall Man, middle-aged, of a grave Countenance,
and fparing of Speech : His Drefs was little dif-
ferent from that of his Men, (the fame with
that before-menrion'd) only he had a Chain of
Fifh-Bones about his Neck, in which Orna-
ment all the Majefty of his Garb confifted :
His Face was painted with a murry Red, and
both that and his Head were lick'd over with
Oil, fo that it may ealily be imagined he made
a very fiiining Figure: He had a long Knife
hanging by a String at his Bofom, and behind
on his Back a little Pouch of Tobacco : This
» was Furniture he never went without ; but the
- Chain was only for high Days and feled Com-
' ■- pany :
Ch. lil. The History of New-England.' 89
pany : His Men had alfo their Bags of Tobacco Antf
at their Backs, and their Faces painted with a ]^
Variety of Colours. The Goveynour came into
the Room attended with a Guard ; a Drum and
Trumpet marching before him; Majfafuiethsiving
kifs'd the GouernouYy they fat down together, and
prcfently an Entertainment was brought m, con-
lifting ciiiefly of Strong- Waters, a thing the Sa^
'vages love very well ; and the Sachem took fuch a
large Draught of it at once, as made him fweat
all the Time he ftaid.
Among the Attendants of Majfafoiet was
Squanto, or Tifquantunty who had been kidnapped
aw ay by Hunt * the Interloper, and fold to the
Spaniards, from whence he made his Efcape into
England, and was Servant to one Mr. Slaney^
who us'd him fo well, that he lov'd the Englijh
ever after, and had no other Reafon but the
the Love of Liberty to return into his own
Country. This Squanto was a hearty Friend of
the Colony, and brought his Countrymen to
have a good Opinion of them, by affuring them
that Himty who had carried off him and fo many
of his Countrymen, was a declared Villain. He
ferv'd now as an Interpreter between the Great
Sachem Majfafoiet, and the Go'vernour of the
Colony, who, after mutual Civilities, and fome
Prefents made, entred into an Alliance: The
Conditions of which were as follows,-
Firfl, That neither Majfafoiet, nor any of his,
fhould injure or do hurt to any of the Co-
lony.
Secondly, That if any of his did any hurt to
any of theirs, he fhould fend the Offender
that they might puniih him.
* New-England MemorUI, p. Z4!
Thirdly^
9© fhe History of New-England. Ch. iii,
Anm 'Thirdly, That i^ any thing was taken awaj/
]^ from any of theirs^ he Ihould caufe it to
•vv
be reftored, and they fhould do the like to
his.
Fourthly, That if any did unjuftly war againfl:
him^ they would aid him ; and if any did
war againft them, he fhould aid them.
Fifthly, That he fhould fend to his neighbour
Confederates to certify them of this, that
they might not wrong them, but might
be likewife comprized in thefe Conditions
of Peace.
Sixthly, That when his Men came to them
on any Occafion, they fhould leave their
Arms (yiz,. Bows and Arrows) behind
them.
Seventhly, That, fo doing, their Sovereign
Lord King James would efteem him as his
Friend and Ally.
The Sachem was not only content with thefc
Conditions, but was willing to become a Subjed
of the King, his Heirs and Succeflbrs, and gave
away all the Lands adjacent to the Planters and
their Heirs for ever. After this he returned
home, but Squanto continued with the Colony as
their Interpreter, and was very ferviceable to
them in direding them in the Manner of plant-
ing their Corn, and of catching Fifh ; as alfo in
piloting them up and down the Coaft, and he
never left them till he dyM.
T H E May-Flower rid at Anchor in the Bay
all the Winter, tho' the Captain would have been
gone much fooner if his Men had not been fo
lick • but the Spring coming on they recover'd,
and he weighed Anchor about the latter End of
March,
I N the Month of April the Governour Mr.
Johti Carver fell fick and dy^^ i He was^ Gen-
- ' tleman
Ch. iii- The History of New-England. 91
tleman of a confiderable Eikte, whkh he fpent Amo
in this Projed, and of fuch a charitable Difpo- l^
fition that he did not fliun the meaneft Offices
ot Love and Service to the Sick ; but not being
usM to fuch Fatigues and Hardfhips, he fell into
a Diftemper, which carried him off in a few
Days. I'he Colony buried him with as much
Solemnity as they were capable, difcharging fe-
veral Volleys of Shots over his Grave.
Mr. William Bradford was chofen his Succef-'
for, who in the Beginning oi" July fent Mr. Win-
flow and Mr. Hopkins on an Embaffy to Majfafoiet
with Squanto for their Guide and Interpreter :
Their Commiflion was to view the Country, to
obferve his military Strength, and to confirm the
Peace of Plimotith. The Indians all along by the
Way treated ''em with a great deal of Courtefy, and
plain honeft Freedom ; they fupplied them with
Proviiions, carried their Baggage, and waded
thro' the Rivers with them on their Backs. But
the Counrry was very much depopulated ; there
were fine Corn Fields and Paflure Grounds,
without either Cattle or Inhabitants, the Plague
having lately fwept them away. About a
River, where formerly Abundance of People
had dwelt, there wxre but two Savages remaining,
and thofe both old Men, unfit for the Hazards
of War, or the Defence of their Country ; yet
as foon as they faw the Englijh coming, they
ran- to the oppofite Bank of the River, and flood
upon their Guard with Bow and Arrows in their
Hands, and with a refolute Boldnefs demanded
Who and what they were, intending if they
were Enemies, to have dyed rather than fufi'er
them to pafs the River ; but hearing they were
Friends, they entertained them with the beft
Food they had. Upon their Arrival at Pokano-
ket the ordinary Residence of the Great Sacheniy
they made him a Prefent of a red Cotton Coat
• trim'd
92 TheHisTOKY <?/New~England. Ch.iii.
Anno trim'd with Lace, which was very acceptable t
l^ The Sachem in Return treated them with the
utmoft Civilities. Mr. Winflo-w was lodged
on the royal Bed, which was nothing but a few
Planks raised about a Foot high from the Ground.
Majfafoiet and his Queen lay at one End of it,
under a thin Mat, and the EmbafTadors with
two or three of the Grandees at the other ; but
the Court was fo ill furnifhed with Provifions that
the EmbafTadors were almofl: ftarv'd : How-
ever having confirmed the Peace, they returnM
home, and reported that Maffafoiet's Country
w^as very much wafted and depopulated with
the Plague ; but that the NorrhaganfetSj who li-
ved on the other Side of the Bay, were numerous
and very formidable.
Another Indian came to live among the
Englijh about this time, whofe Name was Hob-
hamock, a lufty Youth, and of good Repute among
his Countrymen : Squanto and he being fent a-
mcng the Indians about an Aiiair of Confequence,
were fciz'd at Narnasket by Ccubatant the petty
Sachem of the Place, only becaufe they were
Friends of the Englijh. Coubatant was going
to ftab Hobbamock) but being a ftrong Man he
clearM himfelf of him, and run away to Plimouth;
but Squanto was fecured. The Governor here-
upon difpatch'd away Capt. Miles Standijh with
14 Men to releafe Squanto^ and i^ they had kiird
him, to make Reprifals. Coubatant hearing of
the Force that was coming againft him abfconded,
and (qx. Squanto at Liberty; with whom the Cap-
tain return^, having only wounded three Men
as they were prefUng out or Coubatant's Houfe^^
which he had invefted before he knew that Cou-
batant had abfconded.
This little Expedition ftruck fuch Terror
into the neiglibouring Indians^ that their Sa-
chems came in, and fubfcribed the following In-
ffrument. ' Sep-
Ch. iii. The History cf New-England^ 95
Ann9
Sepemher the i^th, 1621. ^^
« ]^NOW" all Men by thefe Prefents, That
J^ '' we whofc Names are underwritten
" do acknowledge ourfelves to be the Loyal
." Subjeds of King Jamesy King of Great Britain^
*' France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, (yc.
" In witnefs whereof, and as a Teftimonial of
" the fame, we have fubfcribed our Names or
" Marks as followeth :
Ohquamehud, Nattavjahunt^ Quadaquinay
Caivnacomej Caunbatant, Huttamoiderif
Ohbatinua, Chikkatahaky Apadnoiu,
CouBATAKT made ufe of the Mediation
of Majjafoiet to make his Peace with the Englifiy
but would not truft himfelf among them lor a
long time after. All the neighbouring Princes
courted their Friendfhip, except Canonicus Prince
of the NarrhaganfetSy w4io fent a MeiTenger to the
Plantation with a Bundle of Arrows tied toge-
ther with a SnakeVSkin ; w^hich Squanto told
them was a Declaration of War. I'he Gover-
nor having receivM the Arrows, fent the Mef-
fenger back w^ith this refolute Anfwer, T'hat if
they hv'd WaVy they might begin as foon as they
'would 'y he did net fear theiriy nor JJjould they find
him unpro'vided. He likewife lent a Meflenger
of his own to Canonicus with fome Powder and
Ball tied up in the fame Snake's- Skin, which
checked the Infolence of the Barbarians for the
prefent ; for they were fo terrified with the Pow-
der, that they would not receive it into their
Houfes. However this put the Englifi on pali-
{iiding their little Town, and making Gates in
convenient Places, w^hich were locked every
Night ; and upon keeping a confiant Watch, to
prevent
o4 The History of New-England: Ch. iii,
Anm prevent a Surprife, the Soldiers were divided into
i2i iour Companies, and every one knew liisPoft.
in cafe oF an Alarm-
Gn the 1 8 th oi September ^ the Planters fent out
Capt. Standijh and lo Men in their Boat to the
MaJfachufet'Bzyy with Squanto for their Interpre-
ter. But they had no fooner turn'd the Point of
the Harbour, but they were called back by the
Difcharge of a Cannon from the Colony^ who had
been alarm^'d by an Indian coming to them
with his face cover'd over with Blood, and tel-
ling them, that Majfafoiet had join^'d with the
Nanhaganfets to aiiault them in the Captain^s
Abfence, and that he had receiv'd all thofe
Wounds for diffuading them from it. The Colony
w^ere in the utmoft Conflernation at this Report,
but Hohbamock perfwaded them to be eafy ; and
difpatch'd away his Wife to the Court o^ Majfa-
foiet for Intelligence, v ho brought back word,
that all was well, and that Maffafoiet was con-
cerned that the Englifi fhould miftruft him. It
appeared afterwards, that this was one of Squan-
tos Sham-Plots, which had like to have coft him
his Life ; for the Sachem fent a couple of 'Taw-
nies with his own Knife, to bring him dead or
alive, w ho had certainly executed their Comraif-
fion, if the Englifi had not proteded him, and
interceded with the angry Prince for his Par-
don. This Fright being over, the Captain and
his Men purfued their Voyage to the Majfacbu-
fet-Bay. They viewed the Bay, and were civilly
entertainM by the Natives, with whom they
trafficked ,* they were fo charmed with the Situ-
ation of that Part of the Country, that they
wifh'd heartily they had fettled there ; but it
was too late ,• for they had now fitted up their
Cottages againfl Winter, and were bufy in get-
ting in their Harveft, which muft have been
loft, if they had attempted to remove. In the
famg
I6z^
Ch. iii. T/?^ History (/New-EnglandI 95
fame Month arrived the Fortuney a fmall Vell'el Anv%
from England^ with thirty five PafTengerS for
the Plantation, but no Proviiions, which occa-
fioned a Famine among them foon after ; for the
Harveft proved very indifl-erent this Year, the
Seed which the Planters brought from England
being either damaged, or rM ripening, becaufe
it was fovvn in the Spring ; nor did the Indian
Corn yield any confiderable Produce, for want
of Skill in the planting it.
About the latter End of May came in a
fmall Ship, belonging to Mr. 'Thomas IVeflony
Merchant, with feven Paflengers, hut no Provi-
(ions, and after that, two more, with fixty Paf-
fengers, who were entertained at Pliiyiouth all the
Summer, and then removed to the Majfachufet-
Bay : They were a diforderly Company of
Men, and foon forced to break up, as we fhall
obferve in , its proper Place. By the Return of
one of thefe Veffels, which went forward to Vir-
giniaj the Governour received the melancholy
News of a dreadful Maflacre of the Englijh in
thofe Parts, which was executed on March 2 2d,
1 52 2, wherein three hundred and thirty four
Perfons were cut in Pieces ; Capt, Hudflony in
his Letter to his Friends at PlimQuthy fays, that
four hundred Perfons would not make good their
Lofs ; and then adds thefe Words, / entreat you
remember the old Rule, Happy is he whim other
Mens Harms do make to beware. Upon this, they
built a Timber- Fort, with a flat Roof and Bat-
tlements; mounted feveral Pieces of Cannon
upon it, and kept Guard in it Night and Day :
It was a confiderable Work for the few Hands
that were employ 'd about it, but the Terror of
the Virginia Maflacre, with the Fear of an In-
furrcdion of the Narrhaganfets, made them work
Night and Day 'till it was finiihed. .
Ths
^6 W^ History of N£W-England.~ Ch. lix.
A»M T H F Weather prov'd very unfeafonable the
l^ former Part of this Summer ; for from the mid-
dle of May to the middle of Juljy they had
no Rain but a conftant Sun, which occafioned
a very great Drought, and threatned the Lofs of
the whole Harveft ; but the refrefhing Showers
which fell towards the latter End of July and
Augufl recovered the Corn, fo as to aftbrd them
a pretty tolerable Crop : But tho* the Crop
exceeded their Expectation, they all forefaw
it could not laft the Year round, tho' they fhould
husband it never fo well ,• nor could they get a
Supply of Corn from the Neighbouring Indians^
becaufe they had nothing to give in Exchange
for it. But towards the End of the Year there
came in by Accident a fmall trading Veflel with
a good Quantity of Englijh Beads, Knives, Scif-
fars &c. on board : The Colony bought them
all up with their Coat Beaver, at any Rate,
and by this Means were enabled again to trade
with the Indians for Corn, and other Neceifa-
ries.
Capt. StandiJJ) was fent away immediately
with the Shallop to traffick with the Indians
for Corn, and returnM in a few Days richly
laden to the Joy of the whole Colony. In this
Expedition there happen^ an odd Adventure,
which may give the Reader an Idea of the bru-
tifh Nature of thefe poor Savages : While the
Captain went aflioar at Nojfet to barter with
the Natives of thofe Parts, one of them flole
fome of his 'Toys out of the Shallop ; the Cap-
tain hereupon went to the Sachenty and demanded
the ftolen Goods on Pain of military Execution, *
which terrified him to fuch a Degree, that he
came with his Attendants next Morning, and
faluted the Captain in the moll: humble Manner,
by putting out his Tongue that one might fee
the Root of it, and licking the Captain's Hands,
all
Cli. iii. The History of New-England. 97
all his Men doing the like. He then made him ^«»o
a Leg after an awkward Fafliion, as S'juanto J^
had inftruded him, and reftored the Toys, telling
the Captain that he had nti^ch beaten the Rogue
that had ftoleii them.
About the End of this Year Squanto died
at ALinnamoik near Oipe Cody being on a trading
Voyage with the EngUjhy who were buying
Corn in thofe Parts. He was an arch Knave,
who by going between the Englijh and Indians
got a great many rich Prefents, and by his dexte-
rous Management became a Pcrfon of great Signi-
ficancy to both Parties, "till the Difccvery of his
fham Plot againft Majfafoiet, after which he durft
never truft himfelf among his own Countrymen.
He perfuaded the Savages that the Engl/fi had
the Plague buried in their Store-Houfe, which
they could let out, and fend among their Ene-
mies when they pleafed ; and that it was cvv'ing
to his Interefl that all the Indians were not de-
flroy'd. The Planters had certainly a very great
Lofs of him, for he lov'd them, and was very
ferviceable to them as their Interpreter. He
left feveral Legacies among his Englijh Acquain-
tance, and delircd the Governour to pray. That
he might go tj the Englifh Alans God in Heaven.
Mr. IVefion's Men who fettled in tlie Majfa-
chufet Bay laft Summer, at a Place called by the
Indians tVe'agufquaJtt, now kno\\ n by the Name
of Weymouth, having liv'd in a riotous and difor-
derly Manner, began now to be in want of
Provifions. The Governour of Plimouth gave
them all the Affiilance he could, but they liv'd
too faft for Men that were to oegin the World
with a little ; When they had bartered away all
their Goods for Indian Corn, they fold their
Cloaths and Bedding ; Some of them became
Servants to the Lidiansy and would cut their
Wood, and draw their Water for a Cap full of
H Corn ;
98 The History of NEW-feKGLAND. Ch. iii.
Amw Corn ; the major Part turn'd Robbers ; but all
i^ was too little to fupply their Wants : Some died
with Hunger ; One as he was gathering Shell-
Fifn ftuck fail in the Mud, and being fo w^eak
as not to be able to get out, perifh^d in the
Phce; The reft left their Dwellings, and iiv'd
up and down in the Woods upon Ground Nuts
and Clams, whereby they became the Scorn of
the Indians^ who infulted them in a moft bar-
barous Manner; for when they were dreiTmg
their Victuals, the Indians would come, and- as
foon as it w as ready eat it up. If any of them
had a forry Blanket to wrap himfelf in, the In-
dians would take it, and make him lye all Night
in the Cold. Miferable was the Condition that
they were reduced to i For as their Neceflities
forced ^em to fteal from the Indians^ the Indians
made no Confcience of plundring them, and had
entred into Confpiracy to cut "em all to pieces,
which had certainly been executed in a few Days,
if it had not been flrangely difcover'd by the
following Accident.
The Governour of Plimotith having received
Advice that Majfafoiet their Friend and Ally was
fick, fent Mr. Win/low and Mr. Hopkins to vifit
him, with Hohamock for their Guide and Inter-
preter. As they were upon their Journey they
had News that Majfafoiet was dead, upon which
Hihamock burft out into Tears, crying out, Neen
'womafuy neen womafu, Sagamus ; My Sachem^ my
Sachem^ many have I knouun, but never any like thee.
He w^ould then turn to Mr. Win/low, and run
out into a long Harangue in Praife of his Ma-
fter; and bid him depend upon it, that he fhould
never find any other Indian Prince fo juft, honeft,
and good as he : But when they came to Po-
kanoket they were agreeably furpriz'd with the
Nevvs of Majfafoiet^ s being yet alive, tho" in a
Condition in which his Life w^as not long to be
expected
Ch. iii. 77'5'HrsTORY^ New-England. 99
expeded : His Sight was gone, but his other Ann*
Seijfes were pretty entire. VVhcn Mr. IVinflovj ]^
came to his Bcdlide, and H bamock told him there
was his good Friend Winjlovj, he put out his
Hand, and t'aintiy repeated tiiefe Words, Keen
IVinfnoTO ? that is. Art thou Winflrjj? for they
can't pronounce the Letter L, but ufe N in the
room ot it. 'i'o which Mr. IVirjflow replying
Abbey Tes ; he return^'d, Mattaneen Wankanet na-
men^ lVinfn(m); that is, O fVinJloiv, I jhall never
fee thee again I And . in Truth, the Noife and
Buftle that was about him was enough to have
kill'd a Man without any other Diftemper ; for
being mightily belov'd among the Indians on the
Account of his Virtues, there was a vaft Con-
ccurfe of People about his Houfe and Chamber,
making ufe of their Charms and Incantations for
his Recovery. Six or eight Women were con-
ftantly empioyM in chafing his Arms and Legs
to keep tne natural Heat in them, and thefe
made as great a Noife as the Inchanters. Maf*
fafoiet fubmitted to ail thefe Ceremonies and
Cuftoms of his Country, concluding himfelf a
dead Man. But Mr. JVidflow comforted him in
the beft manner ne could : He looked into his
Moulh, and fcrap'd his Tongue, which was very
much furred, and gave him fome Cordials; which
had fuch an Effect, that in a few Days he -was
out of Danger.
''T I s not to be exprefs'd how kindly the Prince
took this Vilit ; and to make them the beft Re-
turn he could, he difcover^'d the whole Plot of
the Maffachiifet Indians j how many S.ichems they
had drawn in, and what Applications they had
made to him : He advis'd them at the fame time
not to lofe any time, but feize the Heads of the
Confpirators immediately, or elfe M^eftons Men
v.ould all be cue oif ; and (Oy with infinite
Thanks, and frcfl:! Aifurances of Love and Friend-
H I M^
loo r/;^HisTORY of New-England. Ch.iU,
jiw«« H^ip to the Englijl), he fent them home. Upon
i^^5 their Arrival at Plimouth they related Majfafoiet's
^""^ News to the Governour, who immediately di-
1 patched away Capt. Standilh with eight Men ior
the Security of the EngUjh in thofe Parts, of
which Huhamvik was one. I'he Captain found
the Remains of Wefions Men reduced to the
laft Extremities, the Indians being Mailers of
their little Fort, and treating them as fo many
Slaves and Vadals; the Reafon why they had
not m.afiacred them being only this, becaufethey
were not in a Capacity to prevent the Revenge
that was to be expected from^ Plimouth. Capt.
Standijh endeavour'd to conceal the Defign of
his combing into thofe Parts : But the guilty
Wretches fufpefted their Plot was difcover'd ;
however they refolv'd to put the bell Face on
their Affairs, and try if they could fright the
Captain away. TVituwamet and Peckfmt were
two Champions in whom they placed a great
deal of Confidence ; Peckfmt talking one Day
with Hohamock faid. We know that Capt. Stand ifh
is come to kill us all: 'Tell him that we kmw it, but
fear him not, neither will we run away from him :
Let him begin as foon as he zvill, he jhall not come
upon us unawares. Another time he rally'd the
Captain upon the Smallnefs of his Stature ; Tou
(fays he) tho' a great Captain, are but a little Man ;
and tho I am no Sachem, yet am a Man of great
Strength and Courage. Wituwamet likewife \\ ould
come among the Englifl) , and play his rude
Pranks ; Once he was bragging of the Goodnefs
of the Knife he had in his Hand, on the Handle
of which was carv'd a Woman^s Face : But (fays
he) / han/e a better than this at home, with a
Man's Face carvd on the Handle, and thefe two
Knives I intend Jhall be manyd together. That
Knife at home (continued he) has done many an
. Execution en the Englijfh and French, and m fir
this
CIi. iil. r/'^ History^/ New -England, ioi
this, Hinnaim namen, hinnaim michen matu ^""»
cuts, by and by it Jhall fee, and by and by it jh all eat -v^
Hud devour^ though without fpeakiag a Word. But
the Captain kept himfelf on his Guard, rcfolving
not to break with them till he found a tavourablo
Opportunity, tho' they often provoked him by
whetting their Knives before his Face, and uling
feveral tiireatning Geftures and Actions. At
length the Captain obferving thefe two Hecilh-s
with two more of their Companions in a Room
by themJelves, went iw to them with juft'the
fame Number of his own Men, and ordering the
Door to be fliut, fell hiir/elf upon Pedldoty and
atrer a long Struggle got him down and cut his
Throat with his own long Knife. Tiie Engliih"
man that fought with IVituwamet killed hi:li too,
and fo did the third ; but the fourth Man, who
was M^ituwamet's Brother, was taken alive, and
afterwards hanged. ^Tis incredible how many
Wounds thefe tvv^o valiant Savages receiv'd before
they dyed ; ho.w they ftrugled, and catch^'d at
the Weapons to tlie lafl Breath, and dyed with-
out any unmanly Noifes or Signs of Fear.
N o fooner was the Fall of thefe two Cham-
pions kno\\ n ; but a Body of Lidiaiis let fly a
Shower of Arrows among the Eyiglijh ,* the Cap-
tain at tlie Head of his Men challenged their
Sachem to iinglc Combat, but receiv'd no An-
Iwer; fo he order'd his Men to lire upon them,
which frighteri\l them away into tne Woods.
Some Time after, the Sachem pleading Ignorance
of what his Men had done, bcgg'd Pardon, and
fued for Peace, which was granted him -, but i\
Year or two after the Plague dedroy^l him, a^ul
altrofi all his People, which opened the Way for
the iVtajTah'iftt Settlement in the Yeir 1629.
Capt. Su)iiiijn ofter'd to condud: Mr. lVejhn\
Men to Flimomh, .where thcv n.ight remain ^tiU
they could aaree 1 10 w to dtlpuie of t.-iemfelves;
H .^ ihuy ■
I02 The History of New-England. Ch.iii.
^rtm they thank'd him for his Kindnefs, but begg'd
i^ him to flipply them with a little Corn, and they
would iail aw^ay with their VelTel to the Eaft-
ward to meet Mr. Wefton, and if they mifs'd
him to m.ake the bed of their Way to England;
the Captain freely gave them all the Corn he
could Ipare ; fo they fhip'd oft' their Efteds, and
went aboard ; and w hen the Captain had feen
thfm out of the Bay under Sail, he returned
home with the Head of M^ituwamet, which was
fet upon the Fort.
Thus ended Weftons Settlement, which was
fet up in Oppofition to Plimouth : Mr. Weflon
was originally one of the Plimouth- Kd.vtnx.uxQ\:Sy
but had now broken off from them, and fet up
for hhnfelf He obtained a Patent for Part of
the Majfachufet Bay under Pretence of propaga-
ting the Difcipline of the Church of England
in America ; but his Men w ere fo fcandaloufly
vile and wicked, that they became a Nuifance
to the very Savages, who would infallibly have
cut ''em all to pieces, if the -Colony of Plimouth
had not fhewM them more Charity, than in all
Probability they w ould have ftown the Colony,
if it had been in the like Circumjflances.
Soon after the breaking up of this Settlem.ent,
Mr. Weflon himfelf with Ibme Fifl:iermen arrived
in the Bay, w^here he heard of the deplorable
Fate of his Plantation ; and the poor Man him-
felf met with one not much better : For ha-
ving loft his Boat in a Storm between Merrimack
and Pafcataqua, he fell into the Hands of the
Savages who pillaged him of all that he had
faved from the Sea, and ftrip'd him to his very
Shirt. At Pajcataqiia he borrowed fomething to
cover his Nakednefs, and in this Condition came
to Plimouth, and was faved from ftarving by that
very Colony, which he had a tlioufand Ways en-
deayour'd to dej[lro\'.
But
Ch. iii. The History of New-England. loj
But to return to Plbminh^ All Provifions ^""^
had hitherto been in common among the Planter s, [^
but Things being now a little more fettled, the
Governour divided to every Family a Portion of
Land and Corn, tor their proper Ufe,- which afcer
fomc time had a very good Eifed : For when the
People knew that the Produce of their Labour
would be their own, it kindled an Emulation
among them ; fo that the Fields w-ere cleared,
and a much greater Qiiantity of Corn planted
next Year than would ocnerwife have been. But
alas ! w^hile the Seed was in the Ground, the Peo-
ple were forc'd to live in a manner without:
Bread ; nor -had they a Store of any o:her Sort of
Provifion, but depended entirely on their Labour
and Liduilry : Their Boat and Net were con-
ftantly employed in catching of Bajfe-, v.- hen that
failM, all Hands were employed in digging
Ground Nuts and Shell-filh out of the Sands.
Sometimes they fhot a few Fowl, but they had
no Cattel, nor any kind of Roots to fupply the
Want of Bread : .Bslides they were in a very
ragged Condition for Want of Cloaths, thofe
they brought over with them from England being
quite worn out ; fo that iz Hunger and Nalied-
nefs in a favage Country are Cliaraftcrs of Mi-
sery, it muft be allowed that the New-England
Planters were remarkably diftinguifhed by 'em.
B u T at length about Midsummer two Slips
arrived from the Adventurers in England^ w'ith
Supplies for the Plantation, the Anne, TViTiam
Pierce Mailer, and the James, Mr. Bridges Ma-
fter ; this latl was a fmall Veflel of 44 Tuns,
built for the Service of the Planters in the Coaft-
ing Trade ; and brought over fev^^il PalT^ngers,
who fpent their Lives and Edates In promoting
the Intereils of the Colony.
About the middle of Ssj^te^-'kr another At-
tempt was made to begin a SwCCleirient in tlie
H 4 M'Jf^
104- The History ^/New-England. Gh. iii.
Anno Miijjachufet-^iy^ at the Place where IVeflons
l^ Mtn had broke up, by Capt. Gorges^ and fevcral
Families that came over with him ; the Captain
had a Commiflion from the Council of New-
England to be General Governour ot the Coun-
try : Capt. Francis IVefl, Chriflvpher Levett, Efq,*
the Governour of Plymouth for the Time being,
and fuch others as he fhould approve, being ap-
pointed his Council ; with full Power to himfelf
and any 'Three of them, 'wheref himfelf always to
be One, to do and execute ivhat to them Jhould feem
good in all Caufes, Capital, Criminal and Civil. With
Jiim came over Mr. Morrel, a Minifter, with an
Ecclehaftical Commiflion of, Superintendent of
the Churches, but he made no Ufe of it ; nor
was the Captain's Commiffion very long-liv'd :
All the Weight of it fell on the Head of poor
IVefton, for the Captain meeting him at Pli mouth,
fummon'd him to appear before the Council, to
anfwer fuch Things as he fhould lay to his
Charge ; which were the riotous Behaviour of his
Men at the Maffachufet-Bay, by which the Peace
of the Country was difturbM, and the Plantation
ruin'd ; and his abufing his Father Sir Ferdi-
nando Gorges, who had procured him a Licenfe
from the King, to tranfpcrt fome Pieces of great
Cannon for a Fort in New-England^ which he
had fold in foreij^n Countries for Vi^ private Ufe,
for which Sir Ferdinayido, and the Council of
Nevj'England had been feverely reprimanded.
JVefton anfwered to the firft, that he thought he
had fufficiently fmarted for that already; the
fecond he excufed upon his Knees as well as
he could ; and the Captain, at the Interceflion
of the Governour cf Plimonth^ took his Bond for
his Appearance, when called for j but the poor
Man going for England^ feme Time after died
at Briflcl, which piit an End to all his Trouble •
The Captain alfo ixr.^i'j^miv.^ himfelf. a grea-
M:il>
Ch.iii. 716^ History t?/ New-England. 105
Man than he really was, and not finding Things -<«"•
anfvver his Expedadons in this new World, lett t^
his Colony after a few Months, and returned to
England, and his Bifliop followed him foon
after j upon which the Pb.ntation broke up, and
went fome to England^ and the reft to Virginia.
The Colony iiad been all this while without
a Patent for their Lands ; they had empiovM one
Mr. WiUiam Peine to follicit this Atfair with
the Grand Council of Plimotith, and the Court
of England ; but he, like a Knave, procured the
Patent to be taken out in his own Name, re-
ferving to himfelf and his Heirs a vaft Trad of
Land, intending the Planters fliould hold it as
Tenants under him,- He defign^d to go over him-
felf with his Patent, and took on Board above
an hundred Pallengers ; but after he had put to
Sea twice, he returned into Port with his Ship
almoft torn to Pieces in a Storm, which fo dif-
courag'd him, that he afTign^d back his Patent to
the Company, and refoWd to concern himfelf
no further in the Affair.
The Planters being advis'd of Peirce's Trea-
chery , fent ' over Mr. Edward Win/low laft
Year to obtain a Patent, which at laft he
ene&&cr-vAud ^brought over the Beginning of
March; it wrt^- -£--?Jien out in the Name of the
Governdur William Bradford, his Heirs^ Aftbci-
ates and Afligns, by which Mr. Bradford was
made Lord of the Country ; but when the
Number of Freemen encreas^'d , the General
Court defir'd him to furrender it into their
Hands, v/hich he generoufly did. Thus the Co-
iony became a Kind of Republick by Patent from
' K. 'James L whereby they were enabled to chufe
a Governour, Council, and General Court, who
fhould have full Power of making and executing
all Laws which fliould be judg\l neceflary for
tlip publick Good, the Sovereignty beifig ftill
re-
jo6 T/'^HisTORY^/ New-England. Ch.iii.
Anm referved to the Crown of England, as the Rca-
1(^14 (^gj. ^iii obferve in the Charter^ which I have
given a Place in the Appendix. * By this Time
the Number of Inhabitants was fo much en-
creasM, that inilead of one Affiftant which the
Governour had before, it was found neceflary to
enlarge the Number to live, referving only to
the Govermur a calling Vote : In the Year 1633,
the Council was encreafed to feveuy and fo conti-
nued ''till their Charter was taken from them.
Mr. Winflovj brought over a confiderable Sup-
ply for the Plantation, and among the reft, three
Heifers and a Bull, which were the firft Neat
Cattle that came into New-England ; in the fame
Ship came over a certain Preacher, whofe Name
was Lyfordy a crafty Knave, who, under the
Cloak of Religion, and a profound Humility,
infinuated himfelf fo far into the Governour's
Affedion, that he made him his Confident, and
confulted him upon the moft important Affairs
of State; 'till at length obferving him to fow
Difcontents among the People, he treated him
with a little more Coldnefs. Lyford's Defign was
to ruin the Reputation of the Colony with the
Merchants- Adventurers in England^ that £0 they
might be afraid to trade with them any longer.
The Governour did not fo much as fufped his
Defign, ''ciil the Return of the Ship ^or England,
which brought him over, when he and one Mr.
Oldham were obferved to fend away a large Pac-
quet of Letters, and drop fome words which
gave Sufpicion of their carrying on a private
Correfpondence to the Prejudice of the Planta-
tion ; the Governour hereupon, under Pretence
of going a League or two out t3 Sea in Com-
pany with the Ship, w^ent aboard, and opening
his
Ch. iii. The History of New-England. 107
his and Oldham's Pacquer, took Copies of the A«n»
irroft remarkable Letters, and lent them forward ^^
to England^ bringing back the Originals in his
Pocket. Lyford and Oldham were all this while
w^orking up the People's Difcontent, both as
to the Government of the Church and Com-
anon-wealth ; and w hen they thought their Party
firong enough, they fet up a feparate Meeting
on the Lord's Day ; the Governour hereupon
calling a general Court, charged them with fe-
ditious Pradices tending to the Ruin of the Co-
lony, which they ftiffly denied ; but their own
Letters being produced againft them in Court
Lyfcrd was flruck dumb, and Oldha?ny like a mad
Man, called out to the People in a Rage • My
Mafters^ ivhere are your Hearts ? Now Jhew your
Courage ; you have often ainplai-aed to 7?ie^ now is the
'Time, if yen will do any 'Thing I will fland by you.
But no Body anfwered him : The Court ob-
ferving his infolent Behaviour, fentenc'd him to
depart the Plantation immediately, and Lyford
within Cix Months, and neither of them to return
without Leave from the Governour : Oldham
however, had the Impudence to return again the
next Year, and mtereft himfelf in the Eledion of
a Governour, but he was arrefted, and mad© to
run the Gauntlet between two Ranks of Mus-
keteers, who gave him every one a Blow on his
Breech with the Butt-end of their Muskets as
he pafs'd thro' them, and was then fent away.
Lyfird at fix Months End giving no Hopes of
Amendment, left the Colony, and went to Vir-
giniay where in a little Time he died.
But while the little Commonwealth was
flruggling with thefe Incendiaries within her
o\sn Bowels, the whole SettlemxCnt had like to
ha\e been deftroy'd by a dreadful Fire , which
broke out on the fifth of November ^ juft againft
the Store-Hviifcy where all their Proviiions were
lodgU
loS TJje History of New-England. Ch. HI
Amn lodg'd. The Occaiion was tliis ,• feveral .Sailors
i^ belonging to a Ship in the Harbour, making
merry in a little Houfe, laid fo much Wood on
the Fire as took Hold of the Thatching, and
fet all into a Flame : The whole Ohny were
immediately alarm'd, and ran to the Store-Hcufey
which one Part of the Company was ordered to
"defend, while the other was employed in putting
out the Fire. Such was the Confufion and Cry
vipon this Occaiion, that they knew not what
they did -, the common People fufpeded a Con-
fpiracy, nor was it altogether without Reafon ;
for when the Fire was got under at the Place
where it began, a Smoke was {tQn to rife out
of a Shed that joined to the Sure-Hmfe, which
was made up of the Boughs of Trees; and up-
on Examination, a lighted Fire-brand of about
an Ell long was found in it, which ail that faw,
concluded, muft be laid there with a Delign ;
but however, no more Damage was done than
the Lofs of three Houfes, with all the Goods that
were in them, which was indeed the Ruin of thofe
Families, and occalion'd their Return to England.
The Colony at this Time (fays Mr. Smith) con-
filled of 1 80 Perfons, who followed their feveral
Trades both by Sea and Land, but lived together,
as yet, like one Family upon the common Stock ;
for tho' every Man had his Divifion of Land, yet
the Produce of it w^as put into the publick Store-
Houfe, and divided out to each Family accord-
ing to their Number. The Town coniiiced of 32
Dwelling-Houfes, and was paled in about half a
Mile in Compafs ; in the midft of the Liciofurc
upon a rifing Ground was the Fort, upon the
Top of which was a Watch-Tower, from whence
the Centinel might fee a great many Leagues
out to Sea. They had made a Sale- Work, and
this Year freighted a Ship of 180 Tuns with
Fifli cured wicii their ov,n Salt ; But notwith>-
ftand-
Ch. iii. The History of New-England^ I09
ftanding all this, the Adventurers who were Anno
about feventy in Number, and had expended ^f^
about feven Thoufand Pounds upon the Settle-
ment, began to be difpirited ; Lyford's Letters
had made lil ImprefTions upon them, which, to-
gether with the {mall Returns the Planters were
capable ot making, broke the Society in Pieces,
and made the major Part of them refblve to
have nothing more to do with the Settlement,
as not being willing to throw away good Mo-
ney after bad. This muft infallibly have ruined
the Plantation, if God by his Providence had
not given them fuch a plentiful Harveft this
Summer, as was not only fufficient for them-
fclves, but enabled them to begin a Trade with
the Indians.
The Colony were Matters but of two fmall
Shallops, one of which they covered with a
Deck to keep the Corn dry, and ient her a tra-
ding Voyage, as far a§ Kembecky 50 Leagues to
the Eaftward ; they had neither Pilot, nor Sailors
that underftood the working of a Ship, but yet
they made a profperous Voyage, and a very good
Return -, Capt. Standijh in the mean Time v/as
fent to England^ with 800 Weight of Beavevy
and a great Qi^iantity of Fijh and Furs for the
Adventurers, in tv,o Ships, \\hich came on a
Trading Voyage to the Plantations on their
own Account ,* but when they were got almoil
within Sight of Plimoiith, one of the Ships was
taken by a 'Turkijh Man of Wc-.r, ard carried to
Sally^ which put an End to all their Hopes of
encouraging the Adventurers to trade with
them, tho'' the Captain did every Thing that lay
in his Power to perfwade them to it ; but they
were out of Humour, having received ill Im-
prefTions from the Enem.ies of the Plantation,
w ho had reprefented them, as MonRers in Re- *
ligicn, and covetous, defigning Men m the Way
o£
no T//^History^/New-Engiand. Ch.iii,
'Inno of Trade, which made ''em put off the Captain
itJio with fair Promifes, which they never intended
^^ to perform. The Planters were certainly under
their Lafh^, on Account of the Articles they
figned with them at their firft fetting out,
which made the Captain endeavour to bring
them to a Compofition, but the Vlague being
then in London^ he could do but little towards
it : Mr. AUerton went over about a Twelvemonth
after on the fame Errand, and brought the Mat-
ter to a tolerable Ifilie, which was this. That,
whereas by a former Agreement, the Adventu-
rers had fold all their Right to the Planters for
J 800 Pounds, which they were to pay by 2®c
Pounds a Year, they now agreed to abate part oJ
the Money, upon Condition that the Plantcrj
difcharg'd the Remainder at once, which was ac-
cordingly done.
The CAony had all this while lived in Hope?
of being JoinM by their Paftor, and the reft o\
their Brethren from Ley den, but the unwelcome
News which Captain Standifi brought over o
the Death of Mr. RGbinfon put an End to aL
further Expedations from thence. Mr. Johy.
Rohinfon was a Man of a great deal of Learning
and good Senfe, in his younger Days, he had ef-
poufed moft of the rigid Principles of the Brown-
ijisy and writ in their Defence, but when he came
abroad into the World, and had Opportunities
of converling with learned Men of different Sen-
timents from himfelf, he laid afide his Uncharita-
blenefs, and allowed the Members of the Dutd
Churches the Liberty of Occaiional Communion
with his ; he writ feveral learned Treatifes, to
juftifie his feparating from the Church of Eng-'
land, which were univerfally efteemM, and re-
printed after his Death ; his Adverfaries call'd
him a Semi-Separatift^ becaufe he allow^'d of Com-
munion with other Reformed Churches^ in the
Wordi
Ch. iii. r^^ History o/New-Engl AND. m
Word and Pra} er, but not in the Sacraments Anm
and Dircipline. "^Tis certain he abandon^'d the ^^*^
inoft indefenfible Parts of Browmfnty and endea-
voured to beat out a middle Way between that
and Presbytery, on which Account he may juftly
be ftiled the Father of the Independents. He was
a Man of great Probity, and good Nature, an
admirable difputant as appear^ by his publick
Difputations in the Univerfities of Leyden when
the Arminian Controverfie had like to have torn
the Church and State of Holland in Pieces ; he
was univerfally beloved and efteemM by all the
Dutch Minifters and ProfefTors with whom he
liv'd in a perfed Harmony; they lamented his
Death which happened this Year, when he was
but 50 Years of Age, as a publick Lofs ; and
tho" he never had been of their Communion, they
did him the Honour to attend his Body to the
Grave. The Death of Mr. Re bin/on broke up
the Remains of the Church of Leyden ; moft of
them retiring to Amflerdam^ few or none having
the Courage to follow their Brethren into New-
England.
There was another Attempt fnade this Year
to begin a Settlement in the MaJfachufetSy * by
Capt. TVoUaflony and three or four more Gentle-
men of Subftance, who brought with them a
great many Servants, Provifions, and other Ne-
ceflaries for a Plantation. They pitched at a Place
which they called Mount TVoUajiony now known
by the Name of Braintry ; the Captain continu-
ed fom.e time with his Colony, but finding the
Difficulties of raifing a Plantation greater than
he imagined, he fail'd with Part cf his Servants
to Virginia^ and writ back to Mr. Rafdak, his
Deputy to bring another Part along with him.
telling
JJ2 T^^ History f?f New-England. Ch.iiL
'ji„„B telling him that the Men would turn to a better
i^i^ Account there, than in New- England; Rafdale
appointed Filcher his Lieutenant j but when
Rafdale was gone, Mr. Morton, who had a fmall
lliare in the Plantation, took the Adv^antage of
the Lieutenant^s being out of the Way, to make
the Company merry with Drink, and then addreft
himlelf to them in the following Manner, " Gen-
tlemen, you fee many of your Companions car-
" ried away to Virginia, and if you flay till
" Rafdale s returii, you will alfo be carried away,
^* and fold for Slaves with the reft> therefore I
" would advife you to thruft out this Lieutenant
*' Filcher, and I having a Part in the Plantation
*' will receive you as my Partners, andConfociates,
*' fo you may be ^yqq from Servitude, and we will
*' converfe, plant, trade, and live together as
*' Equals'". Upon this they turnM Lieutenant
Filcher out into the wide World, to feek his
Bread where he could find it ; and Morton became
their fovereign Lord, leading them into all forts of
Debauchery and Wickednefs ; They fet up a
May-Pole and danced about it, and drunk ftrong
Liquors to fuch an Excefs that they confum'd
lo/. worth in a Morning; to fupport this Pro-
digality, they ingratiated themfelves with the
Indians, and taught them the ufe of Fire Ar?7js,
how to charge and discharge a Musk, what
Proportion of Powder to put in, and what Shot ;
Morton then exercis'd ''em, and fent ''em out a
Birding for him, fo that in a little Time, they
became better Marks-Men than the Englijh, and
being fwift of Foot were capable of doing maich
more Execution: The Indians were fo charm'd
with this new Invention, that they threw away
their Bows and Arrows, and gave any Price for
Fire Arms, that Morton and his Companions de-
manded. When Plimouth Colony heard of this, they
fent Meflengers to expoilulate with him about
it,
ICh. iii. The History ^/New-England. iij
it, putting him in mind of the Kings's Piocla- jir7>o
mation, whicn forbids their trading with the In- l^
dia/is in any fort of Warlike Stores, and of the
[nconveniencies that might attend inflruding
them in the Art of War; but he infolcntly re-
3ly'd, that the Kiag ivas dead and his Difpleafure
xith him, and threanxd, that if they came to mtle/i
him again, they Jhould lock to themjehes. Upon this
:hey reiolv'd to reduce him by Force, and fent
Captain Standifi with a Party of Men to bring
.lim dead or alive ; Morton flood upon his Defence,
[jarricadoed his Houie, armM lus Companions,
ind having heated them with Liquor, defied the
Captain, and bid him fall on at his Peril. The
Captain however venturM up to the Door, and
Morton coming out to make a Shot at him, he
put by his Piece, and took him Prifoner, upon
ivhich the reft furrender'd at Difcretion. Mr.
MortiM was conveyM to Plimoiith, and after fome
:ime lent to England with Letters to the Council
Df New Englandy giving an Account of his Con-
iu6t ; but little or np notice was taken of it. He
returned feveral Times after this into the Coun-
:ry, and at laft ended his miferable Life at Paf-
\:ataqua. Thus the Remains of TVvUaflons Colony
iproke up, after they had maintained themfelves
n the Bay of Majfachufets about 2 Years.
We have already obfervM in the Year 162"^.
:hat the Colony of Plimouth had made fome fmall
)iftribution of Land among the Planters, which
^as no more than an Acre a Man befides their
Home-fteads or Garden Plots, the reafon of which
vas,that they might keep together for their greater
"afety and Defence againft the common Enemy ;
>Ut now their Numbers being encreas'd, they
^entur'd to fpread themfelves further into the
Country, and the Government allotted to every
one in each Family 20 Acres of Land, to belaid
! I out
114 r/;eHisTORY(?/ New-England. Ch. iv,
d.»v9 out five ill length by the Water fide, and four in
i^ Breadth.
The Dutch had now perfeded a Settlement
on Hudfms Rivera and Tent Letters about this
Time to the Colony cf Plymouth^ to begin a Cor-
refpondence, and invite them to a Trade; fome
time after, they fent their Secretary Mr. Ifaac di
Rojler^ with Letters and Goods; The Governour re-
ceived him with all imaginable Civilities, and
both Parties were pleased with the Exchange o{
their Merchandize ; for the Secretary brought
with him Beaver, and fuch like Commodiue*
which they had bough t of the Natives, and ex-
chang'd "em for Corn and Fifh, whicn the Co-
lony were at this Time very well provided with
^ThisfVampampeagas the Indians call it, was of vafl
Advantage to the Natives, for the Eurcpeans wert
fo fond of it, that they purchased it at any Rate
the fale of this made them grow Rich and Pow-
erful, and furninVd them with all warlike Mate-
rials, as Guns, Powder, and Shot, whereby the)
became capable of making fome kind of a (lane
againft the Encroachments of the Englijh upor
their Religion and Country.
"T I s time now that we take fome notice ol
the Religion of the Planters, for it may feen
flrange that Men that left their Native Country
and afterwards ventured out into an uninhabitec
World, for the fake of a Church Diicipline, whicl
they apprehended more agreeable to the Word
of Gcd^ than that which was pradifed in theii
own Country, fhould live fo many Years without
fetting it up among themfelves, Mr. Brewfter in-
deed, who had been ruling Elder of the Church
at Leyden^ preacliM, and perform^ all other Offi-
ces of a Minifler among them, except admini-
flring the Sacraments ; befides this, they had
Meetings on the Week Days, wherein fome oi
the Elder Brethren prayM, and expounded fome
Portion
c;
"h. iv. TI&^HisTORY(j/ New-England. 115
Portion of Scripture to the Reft, but they did ^"^
lot enter into a Church Relation, becaufe they t^
iv'd in hope of their Reverend Paftor Mr.
lobinfofty and the reft of their Friends at Leyden^
loming over to them , but when they heard of
lis Death, and the Dilfolution of his Churcli,
hey began to look out for a Paftor ,• and one
4r. Ralph Smith coming over to Nevj England
bout this time, was cIio fen and Separated to
hat Office by fading and Prayer, and the Impo-
Ltion ot tne Hands of the Elders of the Church
a the beginning of the Year 1629. I have al--
cadv i^iven the Reader an Account of Mr. Robin--
?«'s. Sentiments in Religion, to w^hich thefe
Hanters entirely agreed, I'll now add the Rela-
ion that the Worfhipful Edward Winflvw, Efq;
3me time Governour of the Colony has ^i\tn
if them * " He fays, that they are of the fame
^ Faith with the Reformed Churches in Europey
■ except in the Article of Church Government,
" wherein they have endeavour'd a farther Re-
formation ; He gives Inftances of their admit-
^ ing to Communion among them, the Com-
' municants of the French, Dutch, and Scotch
' Churches, meerly by virtue of their being fa,
' and fays. We ever placed a large Difference be-
tween thofe that grounded their Practice on
the Word of God, tho' differing from us in the
Expolition and Underftanding of it, and thofe
that hated fuch Reform.ers and Reformation,
■ and went on in Anti-chriftian Oppofition to
it, and Perfecution of it. 'Tis true we
profefs, and deiire to pradife a Separation from
■ th^Vorld and the Works of it, and are willing
' to difcern an Appearance of the Grace of God
' in all we admit to Church Feilowfhip, but
* Mather Book I. p. 13.
I 2 '' do
il6 The History o/New-Englakd. Ch.iv,
Anno « Jo not renounce all other Churches ; nay,
t^ <^ if any joining to us formerly at Leyderiy or
" here in New England^ have with the Con-
" felTion of their Faith, held forth an entire
" Separation from the Church of England^ I have
*' divers times heard either Mr. Robinfon our
^' Pallor, or Mr. Brewfler our Elder, flop them
" forthwith ,• fhewing them that we required nc
" fuch thing at their Hands, but only to hold
*• forth Faith in Chrift Jefus, Hoiinefs in the
" Fear of God,andSubmiirion to every Ordinance
*' and Appointment of God.
^T I s certain how ever, they were too mud
attached to fome of the Brozvmfiical Principles
which Mr. RohinfoHy if he had livM, would hav<
wean'd them from, and particularly to the Preach-
ings of the Gifted Brethren; which they carried t(
fuch a Length, as not only to difcourage, but t(
drive away a Regular and Learned Miniftry
which after fome Years they were blefs^d with
for want of due Countenance, and Support ,♦ bu
thefe and feveral other little Fancies, they ar
now entirely free from, and are of one Hear
and Soul with the reft of the Churches of New
England.
Chap
Ch.iv. yZ'f History 0/ New-England. 117
HAP.
IV.
The State of Reli^hn in England unJier the
Adminijiration of Arch-bifljop Laud. The
Rife of the Colony of the Maffachufet Bay.
Their Settlement at Salem. The Manner of
their incorporating into a Church. The
Hard/hips they fuffer^d. The Foundation of
the Town of Bofton. Theflory of Str Chrif-
topher Gardiner. Capt. Stone and Capt.
Norton murder'^d by the Indians. Of
Mr. Roger Williams and his Opinions^
The Beginning ^/ Connefticut Settlement.
The Council of England prohibit the Puri-
tans tranfporting themfelves into America
without Licenfe from the Kjng, The Begin-
ning of Newhaven Settlement.
I K G Charles the firlt being advanced to ^„^,
■w K i?S the Throne upon the Demife of his i^^?
Father, committed the Government of
the Church to Men of arbitrary Princi-
ples, who were more inclinable to an Union with
:he Church of Ronie^ than to promote an Agree-
-nent amongft Proteftants. They were paSion-
itely fond of the Rites and Ceremonies of the
hurch, andprefsM the Obfervance of chem with
greater Rigour, than the Pradice of Morality,
)r a good Life. Old A. B. Abbot was a Man of
Femper and Moderation, but he fell into Dif-
$race with the Court, and at laft by Letters Pa-
tents,
l6zH
ii8 T^^ History ^/New-Englakd. Ch. iv,
Anit9 tents, bearing Date Ocicl?. ^th, iSij. was fuf-
j: ended alf Officio^ and a CominifTion was figned
to the Bilhops of London, Durham^ Roche/ier, Ox-
ford, Bath and J^eilsy " to do, execute and per-
*' form all Acts, Matters and I'hings any way
^' touching or concerning the Power, Jurifdidi-
^' on, or Authority of tiie Jrch Bijhop of Canter-
*' bury in Caufes or Matters Ecciefiaftical." The
Bifhop of London was Dr. William Laud, a great,
Patron of Learning, but one of the worft Poli-
ticians that ever fat in Council; he pufti'd the
K-ing upon thofe violent Meafures that rendred
his Government unpopular, and by his intempe-
rate Zeal in the Ciiurch ruined many good Peo-
ple, and drove Thcufands of the Kings beft
Subjects cut of the Kingdom ; his Defign was to
make the Religion of the Church of England as
gay and fplendid as that of Rome, and the Power
of the Bifhops, as abfolute as that of the Pope
and his Cardinals ; the EcclefiaRical Commiflion
Court, was a Protellant Court of Inquifition,
wherein Men were £ned, imprifoned, and ban-
iflied contrary to the Laws of the Land, according
to the fovereign Will and Pleafureofthe Bifhops*
Several Innovations were brought into
the Church about this Time ; the Communi-
on Table which before flood in the Body of the
Church, was crder'd to be ms?de in Form of an
Altar, to be placed at the Eaft End, and un-
lighted Candles to be fet upon it; the People
•were commanded to bower do Reverence at firil:
coming into the Church, or upon a nearer Ap-
proach to the Holy Table ; all Lectures on the
Week Days, and Afternoon Sermons en the
Lord's Day, were fuppreifed, and in their Room,
? ^om^Uat mj}. of Eng. Vol. III. jf. 85.
Games
I'ch.Iv. Ti&fHisTORY(3f New-England. 119
Games and Sports were c^llcwed, by the Royal ^«"«
.Proclamation, with this very odd Exception, w>r^'
" that all knoixin Recufants either Men or JVomen^ that
" abftain from arguing to Church or Divine Str^vice^
*^ Jhaii be dab.ird the Benefit^ and Liberty here grant^
** ed. This Proclamation was ordered to be read
,in every P^rifli Church tiiroughout England by
;the Minilierot tne Place, on Pain of Sufpenfion
or Deprivation. The laudable Delign of buying
up Lnprcpriaticns, and employing the Profits
ot them tor the Maintenance of Ledurers and
Preachers both in Town and Country was de-
clared illegal j the Corporation engaged in this
Dehgn VNas diflolved, and the Fund and Stock
aojudg'd to the King ; this Corporation confifted
of tour Divines, namely, Dr. Gouge, Dr. Sibs^
Mr. offspring, and Mr. Davenport ; four Lawyers,
one Oi- which was the Knigs Serjeant at Liv/,
and {^ur Citizens, whereof one w^as the Lord
Major of London himfelf j but the Bifhop fearing
it would promote the Growth of Puritanifm, not
only bleiv up the Defign it.felt^ but would have
profecuted the Managers of it in the Star Cham-
ber if the Clam.ours of the People had not de-
terred him.*
The Prefs w&s reftrain'd, 10 that No-
body durft venture to debate the Authority of
the Bifhops, or difpute their Proceedings with-
out running the Hazard of all that was dear to
him in the World. Alexander Leighton, D. D. a
bold Scotch Man ventur'd to publifh a Book cal-
led Zions Plea, wherein according to the Cuf-
tomof that Nation, he fpoke too freely of the
Qiieeii and the Bifhops, calling the Queen a
Daughvr of Heth, and the Bifiiops Perfectttors of
God's People.\ For which he was fentenced in the
* Fuller, 5. xi.;. 15^. tLuaiow'fi:.e««rfo Dr.Hollingworth P.ii.
I 4 ^tar-
120 W<? History ^/New^Enqland. Ch.iv.
jUtno Star- Chamber, after Degradation, to have hisNofe
Jf^ ilit, and his Ears cut ofti to be branded in the
Face, whipM at a Poft, to ftand in the Pillory>
to pay ten thoufand Pounds Fine, and fufFer per-'
petual Imprifonment ; all which was executed in
the moft rigorous Manner : the Dr. lay in clofe Pri-
son ten or eleven Years, till he was releafed by the
parliament in the Year 1540, and was then found
to be in fuch deplorable Circumftances that
he could neither walk, fee, nor hear. Three
parts in four of the Clergy of the Church of
England in thofe times were Cahinifts, but the
favourite Bifhops were Arminians^ and prevailed
with the King to publifli a Proclamation, for-
bidding the Clergy to preach upon the five con-
troverted Points of Divinity; fo that if a Calvini(l
with never fo much Modefly declared his Senti-
ments upon the Dcdrines of Election, Predefli-
nation, &c, it was called a Contempt of his
Majefty^'s Authority, whereas the Arminians w^ere
allowed to ufe the fharpefl Invedtives againft their
Adverfaries, without the leaf): Controul... It were
endlefs to mention all the Encroachments that
were made upon the Rights and Liberties of the
People by the Court and the Bifhops, in the
twelve Years that run out between Dr. Laud's
Advancement to the See of London, and his
Confinement to the Tower.
But by this Specimen the Reader may fee,
how hard it mufl be for the Puritans of thofe
times, who were all Calvimfis, ftriii: obfervers of
the LordVDay, and Enemies to Popery, and all
kinds of Licentioufnefs, to get their Bread in the
Church with a good Confcience ; neither Learn-
ing, nor Piety, nor Diligence and Succefs in the
Work of the Miniftry, nor any other Qualifica-
tion could fave a Man from Ruin, that fcrupled
Conformity to the Bifhops Injund:ions. The Arri-
ves exhibited againft Dx. Wren, Bifhop of Ejjy
in
Ch. iv. Ti&^ History ^j/NeW'England. 121
in the Year 1641, tell us, " That during the Antf
*• time of his being Bifhop of Norwich, which i^
" was about two Years and a halt-, there were
*' for not reading the fecond Service at the Com-
** niunion Table fet Altarwife, for not reading
" the Book of Sports ; for ufing conceived Prayer
" before and after Sermon, and for not obferving
'' fome other illegal Innovations introduced by
" him and his Officers, above fifty godly,
" painful , preaching Miniflers excommunica-
*' ted, fufpended, deprived, or Qtherwife cen-
" fured, in his Diocefs to the undoing of
^' many ot them, their Wives and Children."
And not only the Clergy, but the Laity, it feems,
felt the weight of the Bilhops Difpleafure, " For
*' (fay the fame Articles) by the fame rigorous
'' Proceedings, three Thoufand of his Majvfty's
** Subjeds, many of which ufed Trades, Spin-
*' ning. Weaving, Knitting and making of Cloth,
" fome of them fetting hundreds of Poor on
*' Work, have been forced to remove themfelves,
*• and 'their Families beyond Sea, to the great
*' Detriment of the Trade of the Kingdom/' All
the Biiliops of the Court Party were equally
fevere againft the Puritans,* and it was the
King's Unhappinefs to be governed by them:
He put the Reins into their Hands, and they
drove fo furioufly that the whole Nation groan'd
under their Tyranny. The Puritan Clergy were
neither futfer'd to live in the Kingdom, nor to go
out of it, and many true Members of the Church
that could not come up to the new Meafures were
feverely punifhed in the fpiritual Courts j till at
lafl the very Name of a Bifhop grew odious to
the Peoplie, and when they could get rid of their
I'yranny no other way, they were forced to
draw their Swords in Defence of their Liberties,
whereby the Kingdom was involved in all the
^iferies of a Civil War.
This
121 77;^ History <?^ New-England. Ch iv.
'Anvn This being the melancholy State of Affairs,
J^ the Reverend Mr. White, Minifter of Dorchefter,
encourag'd by the Succefs of thtPlimouth Colony,
projeded a new Settlement in the Majjacufet Bay
as an Afylum for the fiienced Minifters ; he had
prevailed with Mr. Roger Conant and fome others
to go over and make a Beginning as early as the
Year i6i$y but they could hardly maintain them-
felves, and were about to return, when they
received Letters from Mr. White that if they
would but wait a little longer, he would procure
them a Patent, and fend them over Friends,
Goods, Provifions, and all things neceffary for a
Settlement. Accordingly the Council eftablifh'd
at Plimouth in the County of Devon, for the plant-
ing, ruling, ordering, and governing of New-
England in A?nerica did by their Deed indented
under their Common Seal, bearing date the ipth
*' of March i6ijy give, grant, bargain, fell, in-
" feoff, alien and confirm to Sir Henry Rofwelly
*' Sir jfohn Young, Knights "Thomas Southcot, John
*^ Humphries, John Endicoty and Simon Wioetcombey
*^ their Heirs and Afligns, and their Alfcciates
*' for ever, all that Part of New-England aforefaid,
^^ which ViQS and extends between a great River
" there, commonly called Monomack, alias Mert-
** macky and a certain other River called Charles
" River, being in a Bottom of a certain Bay
" there comimonly called Majfachufets, alias Mat-
*' tachufets, alias Majfatufettsh'xyy and alfo all and
" fingular thofe Lands and Hereditaments what-
" foever, lying within the Space of three Englifh
*^ Miles on the South Part of the faid Charles
*' River, or of any and every Part thereof, and
" alfo all and fingular the Lands, and Heredi-
" taments whatfoever, ly'm^y and being within
" the Space of three Englifli Miles to the South-
*' ward cf the Southermofl Part of the faid Bay
^ called Mdjfachufets, and alfo all thofe Lands and
Heredi-
Ch.iv. T^tf History of New-England, iij
" Hereditaments whatfoever, which lye within Anv
" the Space ot three Englifh Miles to the North- ^
" ward of the {aid River called Monomack alias
*' Mer/mack, or to the Northward of* any and e-
" very Part thereof, and all Lands and Hcredita-
" ments whatfoever lying within the Limits a-
" torefiiid, Nurth and Southy in Latitude and in
" Breadth, and in Length, and Longitude, of
" and within all the Breadth aforefaid, through-
*' out the main Lands there, from the Atlantick
" and Weftern Sea and Ocean on the Eaft Part,
** to the South Sea on the Wefc Part, and all the
" Lands and Grounds, Place and Places, Soil,
*' Woods, and Wood-Grounds, Havens, Ports,
" Rivers, Waters, Fifhings and Hereditaments
" whatfoever lying within the faid Bounds and
*' Limits, and every Part and Parcel thereof, and
" alfoall Ifiands lying in A?nerica aforefaid in the
'^ faid Seas, or either of them on the Weilern or
" Eaflern Coafls or Parts of the faid Trads of
" Land ; and alfo all Mines and Minerals, as
*' well Royal Mines of Gold and Silver, as other
*' Mines and Minerals whatfoever in the laid
" Lands and Premifes, or any part thereof, and
*' all Jurifdictions, Rights, Royalties, Liberties,
" Freedoms, Immunities, Privileges, Franchifes,
" Preheminencies and Commodities whatfoever,
*' which they the faid Council eftablifh'd at Pli-
** mouth, had or might ufe, exercife or enjoy, in
*' or within the faid Lands or Premifes, &c. to
" be holden of his Majefly King Charles the
" Firft, his Heirs and Succe'lfors, as of his Man-
" nor of Eafi Greenwich in the County of Kent,
" in free and common Soccage, and not in Ca-
*' pite, nor by Knight's Service, yielding and
*^ paying therefore to his faid Majelly, his Heirs
" and Succeflcrs, the fifth Part of the Oar of
" Gold and Silver, which fhould from time to
^ time, and at ail times hereafter happen to be
^' found.
124 T''^^ History ^/New-England^ Ch^iv.
Jnm» ^^ found, gotten, had, and obtained in any of
l^ '^ the faid Lands, within the faid Limits, or in,
'' cr within any Part thereof, for and in Satis-
*' fadion of all Manner cf Duties, Demands,
*' and Services whatfoever to be done, made,
*' or paid to his Majefty, his Heirs and Suc-
" cefTors/^
But the Gentlemen mention'd in the Charter
not being willing to embark alone in fo great an
Affair, engag'd feveral other Perfons of Quality
and Subftance about the City of London to joih
with them ; as Sir Richard Saltonflall^ Ifaac John-
fon, Samuel Adderly, John Ven, Matthew Cradock,
George Harwood, Increafe Nowel, Richard Perry,
Richard Bellingh am y Nathaniel M'^right, Samuel Vaf-
fal, Theo^hilus Eaton, Tho. Guff, Tho. Adams, John
Brown, Sainuel Bnwn, T'ho. Hatchings^ William
Vaffal, JViUiam Pinchon, and George Foxcraft ; and
petitioned the King that their Names might be
inferted in the Patent, as Original Proprietors,
which was accordingly done in a new Draught of
the former Patent, bearing Date the 4th of March
162S. By this Charter, the above-mention'd
Gentlemen, and all that fliould hereafter join with
them, were made a Body-Corporate and Poli-
tique, by the Name of the Gcvernour and Com-
pany of the Majfachufets-Bay in New- England;
they were empowered Yearly to elect their own
Governour, Deputy-Governour, and Magiftrates,
as alfo to make fuch Laws as they ftiould think
for the Good of the Plantation, not repugnant to
the Laws of England; free Lii3erty of Confcience
was likewife granted to all that fhould fettle in
thofe Parts, to worfliip God in their own way.
A s foon as the Company had received their
Charter, they chofe Mr. Cradock their Gover-
nour, and Mr. Endicott his Deputy ; Mr. Endicott
was fent over immediately with fome Recruits
to Mr. Conant and his Companions i to inform
them
Ch. iv. r^^ History (?/ New-England. 125
them of the State of Atiairs, and of the Prepara- ^^^^
lions that were making Tor fending over a larger
Colony the next Year. Mr. Endicott found
them reduced to very low CircumllanceSj and
tho* the Supply he brought put fome new Life
into the Planters, yet was it of very little Service
to them in their Settlement, becaufe all the Paf-
fengers that came over with him fell fick of the
Scurvy and other infedious Difiempers, and many
of them died ; infomuch that he was obliged to
fend for Mr. Fulle-r^ Ph}iician to the Colony of P/z-
mouthy who by the Bleffing of God faved the Lives
of many of them. Mr. Fuller ftaid with the little
Colony all Winter, and when he return^ to P/i-
mouth in the Spring, Mr. Endicott fent a m.oft
obliging Letter to Governour Bradfwd, dated
(rom Neumkeak, May II. idzpy wherein after Ac-
knowledgments of his great Civility in fending
Mr. Fuller to them in their Diftrefs, he declares
his Satisfadion in their FOrm of Church-Difci-
pline, as explain^ by Mr. Fuller, and gives it as
his Opinion, that it is grounded upon the Scrip-
tures.
The Adventurers at London in the mean tim^e
made their Application to the Rev. Mr. Higginfon
a filenced Non-conformift Minifler of Lekeftei'-
/hire, and the Rev. Mr. Skehon cf Lincolnjhire to
be Chaplains to the grand Colony that was going
over, and defired them to engage as many of their
Friends as were fit for fuch an Undertaking to
join with them ; the Fleet confifted of fix Sail ot
Ships, nanrdy the George Bonaventure of 20 Guns ;
the Talbot of 19 ; the L]ons JVhelp of 8 ; the May-
floioer of 14 ; the Four Siflers of 14; and the Pil-
grim of 4 Guns. About 350 Pafiengcrs, Men,
Women, and Children embarked aboard thefe
Tranfports for the Plantation, with 115 Head ot:
neat Cattle, fuch as Horfes, Mares, Cows, O'c-
41 Goats, fome Conies, and aU other NeQeffaries
for
126 The History of New-England. Ch. Iv.
i<»wo for a Settlement ; befides 6 Pieces of Cannon for a
i^ Fort, with Muskets, Pikes, Drums, Colours,
and a large Quantity of Ammunition and Provi-
fion : 1 iie whole Fleet failed from the Ifle of
Wight. May I. i<525>, and arrived at the Place
which Mr. Conant and the Dcrchefler Agents had
marked out for them, on the 24th of June follow-
ing-; it was called by the Yl^tivts Nemnkeak, but
the ntw Planters called it Salem, which in the
Hchrevj Language fignifies Peace ; from this fmall
Beginning is the Majfachufet Province grown to
the Figure it now makes in the American World.
Religion being the chief Motive of their
coming over into thefe Parts, they refolved to
fettle that in the firfl: Place ; accordingly with the
Approbation of the Wcrfhipful JohnEndtcott^ Efq;
their Deputy-Governour, they confulted with
their Brethren at Plimouth; who inform^ed them
of the Church-Order and Difc*p)ine which they
had fet up, and of the Warran-: they had for it,
in the Word of God , the new Planters after fome
few Conferences, agreed with chem, and appoint-
ed the 6th Day of Auguft for the Ereding fuch a
Church among themfeives ,• the Church at Pli-
mouth fent Meflengers to be WitnefTes of their
Proceedings, which were after this Manner. The
Day was fpent in Failing and Prayer ,• and 30
Perfons who had defired to be of the Communion,
«did then folemnly and feverally, before the whole
Affembly, prcfefs their Confent unto a Con'.eiTion
of Faiih, which Mr. Higginfon had drawn up, and
given them Copies of fome Days before for their
Perufal ; after which they figned the following
Covenant, drawn up by tiie fame Hand.
"We covenant with our Lord, and one with
*' another i we do bind* curfelves in the Pre fence
JMathcr, :BeoftI.Mg. ^^ ^
Ch. IV. The HtsTORY of New-Englakd. irj
" of God, to walk together in all his Ways, ac- -^''*?
*' cording as he is pleafed to reveal him felt" to wv^
^' us in his BlelTcd Word ot* Truth, and do expli-
" citly in the Name and Fear of God, profefsand
" proteft to walk as follow eth through the Power
" and Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift.
" We avouch the Lord to be our God, and
" ourfelves to be his People, in the Truth and
*' Simplicity of our Spirits.
" We give ourfelves to the Lord Jefus Chrill:,
*^ and the Word of his Grace for the teaching,
" ruling, and fandifying of us in Matters of Wor-
*' fliip, and Converfation, refolving to cleave
^' unto him alone for Life and Glory, and to
" rejed all contrary Ways, Canons, and Confli-
" tutions of Men in Worfhip.
" We promife to walk with our Brethrerr;
" with all Watchfulnefs and Tendernefs, avoid-
" ing Jealoufies, and Sufpicions, Backbitings,
" Cenfurings, Provokings, fecret Rifings of Spi-
** rit againit them ; but in all OlTences to follow
" the Rule of our Lord Jefus Chrifl:, and to bear
*' and forbear, give and forgive, as he has
" taugh: us.
" In publick or private, we will willingly-do
" nothing to the Offence of the Church, but
" will be willing to take Advice for ourfelves,
" and ours, as Occafion fliaii be prefented.
" We will not in the Congregation be forward,
" either to fhew our own Gifts and Parts in
" fpeaking, or fcrupling,- or there difcover the
*' Weakneffes, or Failings of our Brethren, but
" attend an orderly Call thereunto, knowing
*' how much the Lord may be diflionoured; and
*' his Gofpel and the Profeffion of it flighted by
*' our Diftempers and Weaknefics in publick.
^ ' We bind ourfelves to fludy the Advance-
** ment of the Gofpel in all Truth and Peace,
** both in Regard of rhofe that are within or
" without,
t38 rfe History <?/ New- Engl AND. Ch.iv.
^Ann9 '• without, no Way flighting our Sifter Churches
i^ ''but ufing their Counfel as Need fhail be, not
'' laying a Stumbling-BIock before any, no not
'' the Indians^ whofe Good we delire to promote,
*' and fo to converfe, as we may avoid the very
" Appearance of Evil.
" We do hereby promife to carry ourfelves
" in all lawful Obedience to thofe that are
" over us in Church or Commonwealth, know-
*^ ing how well-pleafing it will be to the Lord,
" that they ihould have Encouragement in their
*^ Places by our not grieving their Spirits, thro'
" our Irregularities.
"We refolve to approve ourfelves to the Lord
" in our particular Callings, fhunning Idlenefs,
" as the Bane of any State, nor will we deal
" hardly or oppreffingly with any, wh&rein we
" are the Lords Stewards.
" Promising alfo to our beft Ability, to teach
*' our Children, and Servants, the Knowldge of
" God, and of his Will, that they may ferve
** him alfo j And all this not by any Strength
" of our own, but by the Lord Chrift, whofe
*' Blood we defire may fpr inkle this our Cove-
" nant made in his Name '\
Aftir this they chofe out from among them-
felves the Reverend Mr. Skehon for their Paftor,
Mr. Higginfon their Teacher, and Mr. Houghton
their ruling Elder, who were feparated to their
feveral Offices, by the Impoiition of the Hands
of fome of the Brethren appointed by the Church
to that Work. The Church being thus formed,
feveral others were admitted into it ; fome
by exprefling their Confent to Mr. Higginfon s
ConteiTion of Faith and Covenant ; others by
V riting an Account of their Faith and Hope,
and others by making a verbal Declaration of it
before the Church, but none were admitted
without fufficient Teftimonies of their fober
Lives
:h. IV. Tfe History ^/ New-England^ 129
Aves and Converfations. The only Term of -^w*
162,9
heir Communion was ; giving Satisfaclion to ^ *^
he Church concerning their Faith and Manners. But
ow this was to be done was left entirely to the
^iredion of the Eldtrs. They agreed with the
Church at Plirnouth^ T'hat the Children ofthefaith-
d are Church- Members with their Parents, and that
beir Baptifm is a Seal of their being fo : Only
efore their Admillion to the Lord's Supper, they
^ere to be examined by the Officers of the
'hurch, and if they were tolerably acquainted
^ith the Principles of Religion, were free from
candal, and willing publickly to own the Cove-
ant ; they were received. Accordingly Mr.
ligginfuns eldeft Son of about 15 or 16 Years
f Age, having been privately examined by the
'aftor Mr. Skelton, was prefented to the Church,
nd admitted into it.
S o M E of the PafTengers who came over with
lefe firfl: Planters obferving, that the Miniders
id not ufe the Book of Common Prayer, that they
' Idminiftred Baptifm and the Lord^s Supper with-
ut the Ceremonies ; that they refufed to admit
iforderly Perfons ; and refolved to ufe Difcipline
gainft all fcandalous Members of the Church,
t up a feparate Alfembly according to the
Jfage of the Church oi England ; of thefe Mr.
'amuel Browne^ and his Brother were the chief,
le one a Lawyer, and the other a Merchant, both
f them Men of Eftates and Figure, and of the
dumber of the firil: Patentees. The Governour
erceiving the Difturbance that was like to ariie
n this Occafion, fent for the two Brothers, who
ccufed the Miniflers, as departing from the Order
^ the Church of England, adding, that they -were
'eparatijisy and would jljortly be Anabaptifts, but
)r themfehes, they would hold to the Ordei's of the
'Azot/; 0/ England. The Minifters replied, T'hat
hey were neither Separatifls, nor Anabaptifts, that
K ^ the;^.
ijo r/^^HisTORY c/'New-Ekgiakd. Ch. iii.
Anm they did not feparate from the Church of England,
^^ ncr from the Ordinances of God there, but only from
the Ccrruftions and Difcrders of that Church ; that
they came away from the Common Prater and Cere-
monies, and had fuffered ?nuch for their Nonconfor-
mity in their natinje Land, and therefore being in a
place ivhtre they might have their Liberty^ they neither
could, ncr ivould ufe them ; becaufe they judged tk
Impcjition of thefe T'hings to be finful Corruptions oj
the M'^ord of God. The Governour, the Council
and the People generally approved oF the Mini-
fler's Anfwer j but the two Brothers not beim
fatisfied, and endeavouring to raife a Mutinj
among the People, were fent back to England
by the Return of the fame Ships that brough'
them over.
The firfl Winter after the Arrival of thi
Colony proved a very fatal one, for it carried oi
aitnoft ICO of their Company, among whom wa
Mr. Houghton the ruling Elder of the Church
and Mr. Higginfon himfelf, who, not being C8
pable of undergoing the Fatigues of a new Setth
ment, fell into a Hedic Feaver, of which fc
lingred 'till Midfummer, and then died.
Mr. Francis Higginfon, M. A. was born in tl-
Year 1587, and educated in Emanuel-Colkge i
Cambridge, * where he proceeded Mafter of Art
and was afterwards chofen Minifter of one of th
five Parifhes in Leicefler : For fome Years' he wj
an exad Conformift to all the Rites and Cen
n-ionies of the Church of England, but upon A(
quaintance with Mr. Hilderjham and Mr. Hooh
he alterM his Sentiments, and was deprived (
his Living for Nonconformity, but by the conn
vance of Dr. Williams Bifliop of the Diocefe, 1:
continued to preach a Ledure in the Town, 'ti
* Maibif B. 3. p. 70.
Bifhc
Ch.iii. Tk History of New-EnglAnd. i ji
Billiop Laud and his Party carried all before ^"»o
them. He was then informed againfl: in the i^
Higb-Commijjion-Court, and expected every Hour
to be fent for up to appear before them, when
he received an Invitation from the Alajfackifet'
Company ro withdraw from the Storm, and
fettle in Ndiv- Engl and ; he lived there about 14
Months, and died of a Hedic Fever in the
Month oLiugufl, 16S0, in the 43 d. Year of his Age.
He was a good Scholar, of alweetand affable
Behaviour, and having a charming Voice, was
one of the mod acceptable, and popular Preach-
ers in the Country. He left behind him two
Sons, Francis and John, the lafl: of which fuc-
cecded his Father in the Church of Saiem in the
Year 16') p, and was alive there in the Year
i(55?7, ^ ^^^ valuable and ufeful Minifter of
Chrift, between 80 and go Years of Age. He
has prefixed an Atteftation to Dr. Cotton Mather's
Church-Hiftory of New-England^ wherein there
re thefe remarkable Words. " As foi^ myfelf,
^ having been by the Mercy of God now above
'68 Years in New-England^ and ferved the Lord
•' and his People 60 Years in the Miniflry of
'^' the Gofpcl, I may now fay in my Old Age, I
: '' have feen all that the Lord has done for his
i ** People in New-England, and have known the
'' beginning and progrefs of thefe Churclies to
this Day ; and having read over much of this
' Hiftory, I cannot but in\he Love and Fear
'* of God bear V/itnefs to the Truth of it, viz..
■' that this prefent Church- Hiftory of New-
'' England compiled by Mr. Cotton Mather^ ht
•' the Subflance, End and Scope of it is, as far as
I have been acquainted therewithal, according
r to Truth." =^
ic
f Attejlatiofi to C Mather** EcchftaJua'lJIiftQry^ p. 3,
K 2 But
1J2 T/7^ History ^ New-England. Ch.iv.
Avno But the Governour and Company of the
i^ Mdffachufet Bay in London thinking it for the
Advantage of the New Colony, that the Gover-
nour himfelf fhould reiide among them, and
Mr. Cradcck not being willing to undertake the
Voyage, they chofe Jo/rn IVinthropy Efq; Gover-
nour in his room, and Mr. T'homas Dudley his-
Deputy, with feveral other worthy Perfons for
their Council, who embarkM themfelves and their
Families for New-England with a Fleet of lo
Sail of Ships, whereof the Admiral was call'd
the Arabella, in Honour of the Lady Arabella
Johnfun, who with her Husband Ifaac Johnfony
Efq; was on board of her : With thefe embark'd
Sir Richard Saltonflally "Theophilus Eaton, John
Venn, Efqs; with feveral other Gentlemen and
Minifters, and above 200 PafTengers, whom the
Heat of Perfecution forced out of their Native
Country. A few^ Days after their Embarkation
a Paper w^as publifli^d caird, T'he humble Reqiiejl
of his Majeflys Loyal S'lbjetls, the Governour and
Company lately gone for New-England, to the rejl
of their Brethren in and of the Church of England,
fir the obtaining of their Prayers, and the removaLof
Sufficicns and MifconftruBions of their Intentions,
Wherein they entreat their Reverend Fathers and
Brethren of the Church of England to recom- j
mend them to the Mercies of God in their conftant
Prayers, as a Church now fpringing out cf their
own Bowels ; " For you are not ignorant (fay
" they) that the Spirit of God ilirred up the
^' Apoflle Paul to make a continual Mention of
*^' the Church cf Philippi, which was a Colony
" from Rome : Let the fame Spirit, we befeech
" you, put you in mind, that are the Lord's
" Remembrancers, to pray for us without ceafing.
" And what Goodnefs you fhall extend to us in
" this, or any other chriftian Kindnefs, we your li
« Brethren
Ch. iv. TX'e' History ^/New-England. 155
" Brethren in Chrift fhall labour to repay in An»o
" what Duty we are, or fliall be able to perform, i^
*' promiiing, fo far as God fliall enable us, to
" give him no Reft on your Behalfs; wifiiing
" our Heads and Hearts may be Fountains of
" Tears for your everlafting VVeitare, when we
" fhall be in our poor Cotcages in the Wilder-
" nefs, overfhadow'd with the Spirit of Suppli-
" cation, thro"* the manifold NccefTities and IVi-
" bulations, which may not altogether unexpec-
" tedly, nor, we hope, unproHtably befal us. "
The Fleet arrived at Salem in the Month of
July^ in a very fickly Condition ; the Lady Ara-
bella Joh'/ifon died foon after flie came afhore,and
her Husband followM her within a Month. The
Planters divided themfelves 'into two Bodies; one
fettled at a Place which they called Charles-Towny
on the North Side of the River which goes by
that Name, and incorporated themfelves into
a Church after the Manner of that of S.ilem,
choofing the Reverend 2^1 r. Wtlfon for their Pa-
ftor, who tho"* an ordained Minifter of the Church
of Englandy fubmitted to a Reordination by the
Impolitic n of fuch Hands, as the Church invited
to pray for a BleiTing on his Labours ; the other
Body fettled at a Place w hich they called Dor-
chefie-r, about the bottom o't the Malfachuftt Bay,
and chofe the Reverei^.d Mr, John JVareham their
Minifter ,• but afterwards upon a better Acquaint-
ance with the Country, both thefe Minifters, and
their Friends, changed their Situation for others,
that were more commodious for Trade and Com-
nierce.
Great were the HardAiips that thefe new-
Planters were expofed to, on their iirft Arrival in
the Country ! the Fatigues of tiie Voyage
In'ought the Scurvy and otiier Diflempcrs upon
^.emjand whenthev can^.e aHiorCj being forced to
K s ' iic^
1^4 T/>^ History ^/New-England. Ch. iv.
Anm lie up and down in Booths and Tents exposM to
iS? Wind and Weather, they died in great Numbers.
In the firft three Months, they buried above
an hundred ot their Company. Beiides, in the
Depth of Winter their Proviiions fail'd, and tho*
the Colony of Plimouth gave them all the AfTift-
ance they could, and the Governour divided out
the pubiick Stores with the utmoR: Frugality,
yet ihey were reduced to the laft Extremity ;
when upon the 5 th of February a Ship arrived
from England with a Supply ot frefh' Pro-
viiions. Another thing that gave them no little
Concern, was the Fear oi the Indians, who threat-
ned to drive them out of the Country ; but the
Small-Pox made fuch miferable Havock among
' them, that tho^ the Eiiglijh gave them the beft
Allifrance they could, yet nine Parts in ten died
of it, and the Reft flying from the Infe(^tion, lett
the Country in a manner deflate. One In-
fiance of the Civility and Juftice of the Planters
to them was this, that notwithftanding the Pa-
tent which they had for the Country from the
Crown of Englayid^ they fairly purchafed of the
Natives, * tne feveral Tradts of Land which they
afterwards poflefled.
Towards the latter End oi the Year a
Part of the Cckny of Charles Town removed to
a Peninfula, v^hich lies in the very Bottom of
the Majfachufet Bay, and is the moft commodi-
oufiy iicuated for Trade and Commerce of any
Place in tae Country. Here they built the
Tov/n of BOSTONy now the Metropolis of
tKe vhoie Prov^ince, after they had given Satis-?,
faction to the Reve/erd Ivlr. Blackfton, an Epif^
copal Miniil:cr, who happening to fleep firft in
an Hovel on this Point of Land, claimed a Pro-
f C Mather, B. I. $. zi>
Ch. iv. The History of New-England. 13 5
priety in the whole Peninfula j this Man, fays Mno
Dr. Mather, was oF a particular Humour, and J^
would never join himfeif to any of the New-
England Churches, giving this Reafon for it, that
as he came from England, becaufe he did not like
the Lord Bifliops, Jo he could not join with them,
hecatife he ijould not be under the Lord Brethren.
Here they ereded a Church under the Pafloral
Care of the Reverend Mr. Wilfon who fupport-
ed his Character among them with univerfal
Efteem and Approbation for almoft forty Years.
The next Summer feveral Ships and Paflen- 1611
gers came over from England, amongH: whom
was the famous Mr. John Eliot^ who fpent his
firft Year at Bo/lon, and then fettled with his
Friends at Roxbury. He was the Apoftle of the
Indians^ being one of the firfl: that preached the
Gofpel among them, and lived to fee the Sue-
cefs of his Labours in the Converfion of
many Thoufandsof them to Chriftianity.
T HE following Spring the Governour and his j^^^
Paftor, Mr. IVilfon, travelled on Foot forty
Miles thro' tlie Woods as far as Plimouth, to fet-
tle a Correfpondence between the two Colonies,
for in thofe early Days, they had not their Agents
and Attendants, as at prefent, the Governour of
Pliinouth received them with great Honour and
Refped, and a lafting friendfliip was eftablifh'd
between them. About the fame time came 0-
ver one Sir Chriflofher Gardiner, a Knight of Je^
rufalem, and of the Family of the famous Bilhop
of that Name in Q^ Marfs Reign. * He was
a Citizen of the World, pretending he had tra-
velled over the greatefl Part of it, and came now
to New- England tofpend the reftof his Days in
retirement, he brought over with him a Servant
Newji)nslaad Me«o.-. p. P<.
K .5 or
1^6 r/'^ History <?/New-Englakd. Ch.u
jf.nna or two, and a pretty young Woman, whom h
1^ called his Coulin ; he went for a Puritan^ bu
was in reality a Roman Catholkk, and having bee
guilty of fome Mifdemeanours foon after hi
Arrival, he fled from Juftice and took Sanduar
among the Indians of Plimouth Colony : The Gc
vernour of the Majfachufets, publijfhM a Procla
ination, promifing a Reward to thofe that fhoul
Apprehend him ; the Indians hereupon came t
the Governcur of Prnnouthy and askM if the
might kill him ; he told them no, but if the
could take him alive, they fhould have the Rt
ward : Some time after they found him by th
River lide, and would have laid hold on hin
but he got into a Canoe, and puttin g off from th
Shore prefented his Piece at them ; but th
Stream driving the Canoe againfl a Rock plung'
him over Head and Ears in the Watery th
, Knight however made a lliift to get afhore an
defend himfelf with his Sword, till the Indiai
had fo bruifed and beat him with their Ion
Poles, that he could hold it in his Hand n
longer ; he then yielded, and was brought to Ph
mouth, and put into a Surgeons Hands for th
Cure of his Wounds. The Servant who mad
his Bed found a little Pocket Book under hi
Pillov/,. in which was a Memorandumy what Da
he was reconciled to the Church of Rome, and i:
what Univerfity, he took his Scapula and hi
Degrees. From Plimouth he was fent to the Go
vernour of the Majfachufets, who inflided no o
|:her Punifliment upon him than the fending hin
back to England ; but when he came thither, h(
railed bitterly againft the Plantation, complain-
ing of the Arbitrary and Tyrannical Proceeding;
of the Governour againft himfelf, and others o
, his Mcijefty^s faithful Subjeds ; and joiti'd wid
Sir Ferdinando Gorges^ Capt. Majon^ &c. in a Pe
tition to the King againfl them : The Caufe wa:
hean
Ch. IV. T/?^ History ^/New-Enql AND. 137
heard before the Privy Council ,• but the Peti- ^''»'»
tioners not being able to make good their Alle- i^
gacionSj and many oF the principal Adventurers
appearing in favour of the Plantation, the Coun-
cil reprimanded the PetitionerF, and publiflied the
follow ing Order, for the Encouragement of the
Adventurers.
^t the Court at IVhitehall, January ip. 16'^ 2.
Sigillum Crefcenty
Lord Privy Seaiy Mr. Trevers,
Earl of Dorfet, Mr. Vice Chamber-lain^
Lord Vifiount Falkland^ Mr. Secretary Cwk,
Lord Bijbop of London. Mr. Secretary Windebanh
Lord Cottington.
" Whereas his Majefly hath lately been
" informed of great Diflra6tion and much Dif-
*' order, in the Plantations in the Parts of A-
*' merica called Nevj-England, which [£ they be
" true, and fuffer'd to run on, would tend to the
*' Diflionour of the Kingdom and utter Ruin of
" that Plantation, for Prevention whereof, and
** tor the orderly fettling Government, ac-
'• cording to the Intention of thofe Patents,
^' which have been granted by his Majefly, and
" from his late Royal Father King James : It
*' hath pleafed his Majefly that the Lords and
" Others of his mofl honoured Privy Council
" fhould take the fame into Confidcraticn : Their
" Lordfhips in the firfl Place tiiought fit to make
" a Committee of this Board to take Examina-
" tion of the Matters informed ; which Com-
" mittee having called divers of the principal
** Adventurers in that Plantation, and heard th.^-fe
*' that are Ccmplainants againft them, moft of the
" Things informed being denied, and refling to
" be proved by Parties, that mull be called from
" that
ijS 77?^ History (?/ New-England. Ch. iv.
Anno « that Place^ which required a long Expence of
l^ " Time ; and their Lordfhip's finding, They
" were upon difpatch of Men, Viduals, and
*' Merchandife for that Place, all which would
*' be at a ftand, ii^ the Adventurers, fhould have
" Difcouragement, or take Sufpicion that the
^'^ State here had no good Opinion of that Pian-
" tation ; their Lordfhips not laying the Faults
" or Fancies (if any be) of fome particular
*' Men upon the General Government, or prin-
" cipal Adventures, which in due time is further
*' to be enquired into, have thought fit in the
" mean time to declare, that the Appearances
*' wxre (o fair, and Hopes fo great, that the
" Country would prove both beneficial to this
" Kingdom, and profitable to the Particulars,
" as that the Adventurers had caufe to go on
" cheerfully with their Undertakings, and reft
*^ affured, if things were carried, as w^as pre-
'' tended, when the Patents \wq\:q granted, and
*^ accordingly as by the Patents it is appointed,
" his Majefty would not only maintain the Li-
" berties and V\'ivi\^^ts heretofore granted, but
" fupply any thing farther that m.ight tend to the
" good Government, Profperity, and Comfort of
" his People there, of that Place, &c.
William 'Tromball.
I N the Fleet mentioned in this Order, there
came over three famous Nonconformift Mini-
fters, the Reverend Mr. jofm Cotton, Mr- T/jomax
Hooker, and Mr. Samuel Stone, Mr. Cotton s Wife
was brought to Bed of a Son, while they were
out at Sea, whom he called Sea-born, in Me-
mory of the Place of his Nativity ; He was af-
terwards a famous Minifter in New-England,
Mr. Cmm upon his Arrival was immediately cho-
hn Ailiftant to Mr. IVilJon at Bofion, and con-
tinued with him till his Death. Mr. Hocker was
chofcn
<i;h.iv. TheHisTOKY (?f New-Englakd^ 139
*chofen Paftor of a Church at New Town about ^«p»
three Miles from Bo/Ion^ iince known by the ^^
Kame of Cambridge, where fome of his Friends
had begun a Settlement the lad: Year; and Mr.
Stone was his AiTiflant ; the Fame of thefe Men's
Settling in New-England invited over vafl Num-
bers of Puritans, who could not be eafy under
Archbiljiop Laud's feverc Adminiflration ; info-
much, that for feveral Years, hardly a VefTel
came into thefe Parts but was crowded with Paf-
fengers for New- England.
The Summer proving very hot produced a-
fort of malignant Fever in the Colony of Plimouthy
of which many fell iick, and above twenty died,
among whom was the Excellent Mr. Samuel
Fuller, the only Phylician^ and Surgeon of the
Place ; he was a good Man, and very fuccefsful
in his ProfefTion, which made his Lofs fo much
the greater. The Indians fufFered extremely by
the Fever^ for want of Medicines, and other
Conveniences.
But the next Summer the fmall Pox prov'd
more fatal to them, a Difeafe which the Indians
dread more than the Plague itfelf, and not with-
out Reafon,- for they areufually very full o^thenty
and for want of Beds, Linnen, and other Ne-
cefTaries, they fall into a moft lamentable and
loathfome Condition ,• for having nothing but
hard Matts to lye upon, when the Puftles break
th'ey flick to the Matt, and every time they turn
themfelves, fome of their Skin fleas of, till at
length they are all of a gore Blood, and then
being fore, they catch cold, and dye like rotten
Sheep.
• The Indians on the Borders murdered feveral
of the Englijh this Summer; * Captain Stone
* New-England Mcmor. p. 51.
and
1^0 Tl&^HisTORYo/ New-England. Ch.iv.
Afwp and Captain Norton^ failing in a fmall Barque
'^34 from New- England to Virginia, went in at Con-
^"^ nehlicut River where the Indians furpriz'd, and
murdered them in the Nighc.vS>owe was killed as he
lay afleep in the Cabbin, but Norton made a long
and noble Defence in the Cook Room, till the
Powder which he had fet before him in an open
Veffel, blew up and put out his Eyes, he was
then killed with the reft of the Crew which were
{ix Men, and the Goods were fold to the Pequots.
The Pequots had the Aifurance to vindicate this
piece of Barbarity,aileging that the Indians did it in
their own Defence, the Capain having feized two
of their Men, and obliged them to pilot him up
the River againft their Wills ; That, in order to
refcue their Men, they ordered nine of their
Company to watch the Barque, who obferving,
the Captain to go afhore with two of his Men,
furprized them in the Night, and killed them
in their ileep ; then going to the Barque, by an
unknown Accident it blew up, and was Burnt.
But there is little Credit to be given to this
Relation, for "'tis not likely that the Captains, and
their Crew would lye afhore all Night in an
Enemies Country, nor that the Barque fhould
blow up, without being attacked ; the Pequots
however kept the Goods, but paid dear for them
at laft.
O N the fecond of Auguft, the Reverend Mr.
Samuel Skelton, firft Pallor of the Church at Sa-
lejn died ,* He had been perfecuted out of Lincoln-
fiire for Nonconformity, to the Church of Eng-
. land ; which enclined him to engage with the
MaJJachufet Planters; he came over accordingly
with Mr. Higginfon, in the Year 1630, and fer~
ved the Church of Salem with Faithfulnefs, and
Integrity till he died. Mr. R'^ger Williams was
chofen to fucceed him, a rigid Fyro-^nift, precife>
unghari-
Ch.Iv. Ti&^ History ^/New-Englanb.^ 141
uncharitable,* and of fuch turbulent, and boifle- Amm
rous Paffions, as had like to have put the whole i^
Country into a Flame ; he came over to New-
England in the Year 16^0, and had been joined
immediately with Mr. Skelton, if the Civil Ma-
giftrate had not interpoled, whereupon he retired
in diguft to Plimouth, and aflifted Mr. SmitJj^
Paftor of that Church for two Years, but not
l>eing cafy m that Place, he defired his Difmif-
non, and returned to Salem ; he preached to the
People all the time of Mr. Skelton s Sicknefs, and
infinuated himfelf*fo far into their Aftedions, by
his vehement Manner of Delivery, that they chofe
him Paftor after the others Death: Being fettled
in the Church he began to vent his fingular No-
tions, as, that it was not lawful for anunregenerate
Man to fray, nor for good Men to join in family
Prayer with thofe, they judged unregenerate. That
it was not lawful to take an Oath to the civil Magi-
ftratey and therefore when the Oath of Allegiance
was tendred him, he refufed it, and advifed his
^Church to do fo too. That, the Patesat which
they had for their Lands from King Charles was
invalid^ and an Inftrument of Injuflice, which they
ought to renounce, being injurious to the Natives ; tlje
King of England having no Power to difpofe of their
Lands to his own Subjetls. That the Magifirates
had nothing to do with Matters of the firji Table, but
only the fecond, that therefore there jhotild be a gene-
ral, and unlimited Toleration for all Religions, and
topunijh Men fir Matters of Confidence was Peifiecu-
tiou. But tho'' Mr. Williams was fo large and
generous in the Principles of I'oleration, yet he
w^as fo precife in his own Conduft, as to deny
all Communion with thofe that were not exadly
of his own Standard -, he forbid the Members cSf
* Mather J^Mfc- 7. page 7.
his
142 The History of New-England. , Ch. iv.
T| his Church at Salem, to communicate occafional-
1^34 ly with the Church at Bofion, and ,becaure they
"^^ would not agree to it, he withdrew from them,
and fet up a feparate Meeting in his own Houfe,
to which many of his zealous Admirers reforted.
The Minifters of the other Churches took a great
deal of Pains, to convince him of his Errors, but
to no Purpofe ,• whereupon the Alagiflrates inter-
pose, and banifhed him the Majjachufet polony,
as a Difturber of the Peace of the Church and
Commonwealth. TU give the Reader but one
Example of the feditious Tendency of Mr. IVil-
liams's Principles, and the Influence they had on
the publick Peace : * One of his Admirers in the
Heat of his Zeal againft Superftition, by his own
Authority cut the Red Cro fs out of the King's
Colours, for which he was reprimanded by the
Government, turn^'d out of his Place, and di fa-
bled from bearing any Office in the State for one
Year ; but tho"* the Adion of tearing the Colours
in that publick Manner was univerfally difap-
prov'd, as riotous and feditious, yet the People
began to be divided in their Opinions concerning
the Lawfulnefs of the Crofs in the Banner^ nay, the
Controverfy got into the Prefs, feveral learned
Treaties being writ on both lides,- but the worft
of all was, that the Trained Bands were divided,
fome refufing to follow the Colours which had a
Qrofs^ left they fhould do Honour to an Idol ; o-
thers complying with it, left they fhould feem to
caft off their Allegiance to the Crown of Eng-
land. But to make all fides eafy it was agreed
at laft that the Crofs fhould be kept in the
Banners of Caftles and Ships, where it was ne-
ceffary ; but in the Banners of the trained Bands
it was generally omitted, till it was very lately
* Mather, Bopfe 7. page 11;
in tro-
Ch. iv. The History of New-England. 145
introduced. Sentence of Banifiiment being read Anm
againft Mr. Williamsy the whole Town of ^ Salem ]^
was in an uproar j for fuch was the Popularity of
the Man, and fuch the Compaffion of the Peo-
ple, occalion'd by his Followers raifing a Cry of
Perfecution againft him, that he would have car-
ried oft the *grcatcft part of the Inhabitants of
the Town, if the Mmifters of Bvflon had not in-
terpcicd, by fending an Admonition to the Church
of Sdlem^ with a Confutation in writing of Mr.
Williams's Errors, fl^ewing their Tendency to dif-
turb the publick Peace both in Church and States
by this ,means the grcated: Part of the People
were flitisHed, or content at Icafl to abandon
their dear Mr. Williams, to whofe Opinions and
Doctrines they were but too mucli devoted.
But after all a confiderable Number of his
Friends refolved to hazard their Lives and For-
tunes with him ; with thefe he travelled towards
the South, and fettled at a Place without the Ju-
rifdiclion of the Majfachufets^ which they called
Providence; here they incoporated into a Church,
but proceeding from one Whimzy to another, they
foon crumbled to pieces, everr^one fcliov>ing his
own fancy till at lail: Religion it felf grew into
Contempt, and the publick Vv^orfhip of God
was generally negle61:ed.
M R. Williams lived in thefe Parts above for-
ty Years afterwards, and acquitted hjmfelf fo
well in many Things, that he regained the good
Opinion c^' his Countrymen, and held a Corref-
pondencc with many \\ orthy Perfons in the Co-
lony from whence he had beeji baniflied ; ha
was recomm.er.ded to the Fa\'our of the Majja-
chiifet Government b\' fome of the Engliyj NMit)\
but they could not be prevailed with to take off
the Sentence againir him ; he writ very handfome-
ly againft the Principles and Practices of the
Quaker's, und ^vas very dUigent in Converdng
the
144 ^'^^ History of New-England. Ch. iv.
Anna the Indians in his Neighbourhood, of v/hofe
*<^34 Manners, Cuftoms and Languages, he publifhed
^^ an Account ; he was very ferviceable, in obtain-
ing a Charter for the Government of Rhode-Ijland,
which was in the Neighbourhood of his Town
of Providence, and was fometimes chofen their
^ Governour : In a Word, if he had never dabled
in Divinity, he would have been efteemed a great
and ufefulMan.
A Fleet of no lefs than 20 Sail of Merchant-
Men arrived at New-England this Summer with
Goods and Paifengers for the Plantation, amongil:
whom was Mr. Henry Vane, afterwards Sir Henry
Vane, Jun. a warm, hot-headed young Gentle-
man, whofe Zeal for pure Religion made him
defirous to come into thefe parts, his Father
was againft his making the Voyage ; but the
King being informed of his Son^s Inclinations,
obliged him to confent to it for three Years :
His Defign was to have begun a Settlement
upon the Bank? of the River Conneciicut, but
the people upon his Arrival complimenting him,
with the Government of the Majfachufets for the
next Year, he refolved to flay among them ; he
was no fooner advanced to the Government, but
he appeared to be a perfon of no condu(5l, and
no Ways equal to the poll: he was preferred to ;
being a ftrong Enthuiiaft, he openly efpoufed
tiie Antinomian Doftrines, and gave fuch Encou-
ragement to the Preachers and Spreaders of
them ; as raised their Vanity, and gave them
fuch an Intereft among the People, as the very
next Year had like to have proved fatal both to
the Church and Commonwealth -, but the fober
Party obferving his condud, concerted fuch
Meafures among- themfelves, as put an End to
his Government the next Eledion.
" Mr. Vanes Ele6:ion (fays a new Engiijh
•* Manufcript) will remain a Blemifli to their
Ch. iv. TT'^ History of Nhw-Enqland. 145
'' Judgments * who did elcd him, while New- ^»"»
*' England remains a Nation \ for coming from ]^
** England a young unexperienced Gentleman, by
'' the Induflry of fome who thought to make a
*' Tool of him, he was elcded Go vernour, and
" before he w^as fcarce warm in his Seat fell in
'^ w^ith the Sectaries, and facrificed the Peacs of
" the State to tliem, thereby leaving us a Caveat,
" that all good Men are not fit for Government."
Some Time after he return'd privately to Eng-
land, and was chofen a Member of the Long
Parliament, and being an active Scatefman in
thcfe Times, and an Enemy to all Sorts of Mo-
narchy, he was excepted out of the King's Par-
don, and executed as a Traitor, Jirne 14, 1662^
about the 50th Year of his Age. Dr. Rennet
Biftiop of Peterborough fays, He Juhnitted to the
Block in a 'very difampofed Manner f, but if this
were true, the Treatment he met \\ich on the
Scaffold was enough to have difcompofed a Man
of better Principles than his, for as foon as he
began to fpeak, the Drums and Trumpets were
order'd to drown his Voice with their Noife,
and the Sheriff ofier'd to fnatch his Papers out
of his Hands, but he tore them in Pieces, and
according to the Report of fome that were pre-
fent at his Execution, and thofe none oi his
Friends neither, he dyed like a Roman, with the
utmoft Bravery and Refolution.
I N the fame Fleet with Mr. Vane came over
the Reverend Mr. Avery, who upon his Arrival
w^as invited w Alarble-Head ; but there being no
Church form'd in the phce, he declined the In-
vitation, and went to Neul/'iry, but the Magi-
ftrates urging the common Good, he at lall con-
fented ; and embarked with Mr. Thacher, and
* Mather Book 5. p 77.
^ Com^Uat Ilijiory of England, Vol, 3. p. I'jg.
L about
146 The KisTOKY ^/ New- Engl AND. Ch.iv.
Anno about 23 more in a Pinnace for Marble-Head ;
Jf35 upon the 14th of Aiigufl as he was on his Voy-
age, there arofe as great a Storm as ever was
known in thofe parts of the World, which drove
the Pinnace upon a Rock, and tore it in fuch a
manner that it was* in an Infiant half full of
Water, and in a very few minutes fliatter'd all
to pieces ; all the company got upon the Rock,
but were fucceffively walh'd off and drowned,
except Mr. Thacher and his Wife ; Mr. Avery
and Mr. T'hacher held one another by the Hand,
refolving to dye together ; Mr. Avery was wafli'd
oft by the next Wave and drowned, Mr. Thacher
foon after followed him, but by another Wave
was thrown afhore very much bruifed ; and
found his Wife a Sharer in the like Deliverance ;
the Ifland was from hence called Thacher's Woe^
and the Rock, Avery\ Fall.
At the fame Time came over the Reverend
Mr. Richard Mather^ Grand-father of Dr. Cotton
Mather, at prefent the worthy Paftor of the
North Church in Bo/lon ; he fucceeded Mr. War-
ham at Dorchefler in the Year 163 (5, and con-
tinued there a Blefling to all the New-England
Churches, for above 34 Years.
The Indians on the Borders ftill continued
their Excurfions againfl the EngJiJhy they
furprifed a Bark about this Time failing from
the Majjachufet-Bay, to the Southward, which
by Strefs of Weather was drove afhore at Long
IJland^ and plundered it, killed feveral of the
Sailors, and then retired into the Woods.
161^ A Projecl having been formed the lafl Year
for making a Settlement on the Banks of the
River Connecticut, as well to give a check to the
Infolence of the Pequot Indians, as to enlarge
the Englijh Frontiers,* Agents were fent to view
the Country, who made fuch an advantagicus
Report of the Fruitfulnefs of the Soil, and
Large-
Ch. i\r. jT/^i? HiSTORV (?/ New-England. 147
Largenefs of the River, as made many of die ^«»»
Planters belonging to the Towns of New Town^ Jf^
Donhejier, IVater 'Iuw'/7, and Roxl?ury, who began
to be llraightned for Room, entertain Tiioughts
of tranfplanting themfelves thither. Mr. Tho-
mas Hookey, Minifcer of New Town, put himfelf
at the Head of thcfe new Adventurers, who
were about 100 in Number ; they fet out in the
Month of ywfiey and travelling on Foot, with
their Children and Baggage about 9 or 10 Miles
a D?y, they arrived at the Banks of the River
Connetlkut in fomewhat lefs than a Fortnight ;
they pitchM on the further lide of the River, and
began a Town %vhich they called Hertford ; after
thefe,. another Detachment went from Dorchefler^
and built a little Town which they called TVin-
dfor ; a third Party went from IVater-Toivriy and
built Weathers field', and a fourth from Roxbury^ and
built Springfield. They had agreed to be fupplied
with Provilions for the iirfl: Year from the Bay^
but the V/eather coming in very hard on a fud-
den, the Veilel which was freighted with their
Provilions was frozen up at the Mouth o^ the
River 60 Miles below the Plantation, by which
means they were expofed to inconceivable Hard-
fliips. Many of them traveird back to the
Bay in the Depth of Winter, and others who
attempted it, were frozen to Death by the Way ;
but the greateft part of them had Courage
enough to maintain their Ground in Defiance of
thofe two great Enemies oi Mankind, Hunger
and Cold, The next Spring they carried on
their Plantations with fuch S:iccefs, that they
were not only in a capacity of fublifting them-
felves, but of making Head againft their Ene-«
mies. They had a Sort of Cornmillion from the
Government of the Mijfachufet-Bay, for the Ad-
miniftration of Jufcice 'till they could come to a
mere orderly Settlement ; but finding themfelves
L a with-
148 T/?^ History ^/New -England. Ch. iv.
jlnnt without the Limits of their Jurifdidion, they
i^3« enter'd into a Voluntary Aflociation, chufing
"""^ Magiflrates, and making Laws for themfelves,
after the Example of the Colony from whence
they iflued. Thus they continued until the Re-
ftoration of K. Charles II. when by the Induflry
and Application of Mr. John li/'imhrop, jun. they
obtained as ample a Charter, as was ever en-
joyed by any People.
Some few Years after the Beginning of this
Settlement George Feawick, Efq; was fent to New-
England, on Account of feveral Perfons of Qua-
lity, who had bought of the Lord Say and Brook
feme Lands on the Banks of the River which
ran thro'' ComieEikut-Colony. The Lord Say and
Brook's Title to that Territory came by a Grant
from Robert Earl of Warwick, to whom K. Charles
about the Year 1630, made a Grant of all that
Part of New-England, which lyes and extends
itfelf from a River called Narrhaganfet, for the
Space of 40 Leagues upon a ftrait Line near the
Sea-Shore towards the South- V/eft, and by South
or Weft, as the Coaft lyes towards Virginia, ac-
counting 3 Englijh Miles to the League ; and
alfo ail and fingular the Lands, and Heredita-
ments lying and being within the Lands afore-
faid, North and South, in Latitude and Breadth ;
and in Length and Longitude of, and within all
the Breadth afore faid , throughout the main
Lands there, from the Weftern Ocean to the
South Sea, and all Lands, &c. which Grant the
Earl of Warwick made over to William Vifcount
Say and Seal, Robert Lord Brocks, Robert Lord
Rich, Charles Fiennes, Efq; Sir Nathaniel Rich,
Sir Richard Saltonflall, Richard Knightly, Efq;
John Pym, Efq^ John Hampden, Efq; John Hum"
fhry, Efq; and Herbert Pelioam, Efq; as appears
by a Copy of tiie Patent bearing Date, Anno
1 53 1. Which I mention the rather, becaufe it
con-
Ch. iv. Tl&^HisTORY o/>Jew-England. 149^
confirms what has been reported by feveral Hi- ^'*''*
ftorians, that Mr. Pym, Mr. Hampden, Mr. Pel- [^
hanty and other great Men in the Long Parlia-
ment, were about to remove to New-England»
before the Alterations which happened at home
kept them here. *
Mr. J>«iu/d feated him.felf at the Mouth of the
River, and built the Town called Say-Brook.
John Winthropy Efq; aiTilled him in his Under-
takingj and had thoughts of fettling there him-
felf j to which End he obtained a Grant of
fome of the Land, but neither he, nor Mr. Fen-
wick finding the Encouragement they expeded,
by confent of their Principals, they fold all their
Right and Title to their Land to the Colony of
Connecticut, who were the more willing to pur-
chafe it, becaufe they had no manner of legal
Title, as yet, to any of the Lands they pofTeis^d
without the Line of the Majfachufet Charter.
The Pequot Indians gave the new Planters all
the Difturbance they could, which obliged them
to keep together in a Body for their Defence ;
the Indians however picked up feveral Scraglers,
as they were going about their Buhnefs, and
put them to the moft cruel and barbarous Death,
bidding them in their Torments call upon their
God to deliver them. Mr. John Oldham, an In-
habitant of the Majfachufet s; going into thofe
parts with a fmall trading Veflel Qenderly man-
ned, they pickM a Quarrel with him on fomc
(lender Pretence, feized his Veilbl, and cut off
his Head with a Hatchet, at a Place which the
Indians call Maniffes, but the Englijh, Block- Ifland;
Oldham was a -brave Man, and would have de-
fended himfelf, if his Men would have flood by '
him, but being overpowered with Numbers, he
was forced to fubmit to the Death they in-
* OlJmixon'* Brit. E>»i. r«'. i. in ?rgf, p. u.
L $ Aided
150 W^ History ^/New^England. Ch.iv.
Atim Bidicd upon him ; but it was not long before
Jf57 the Majfachufets revenged his Murder upon the
whole PequGt Nation, as the Reader w^'il fee in
the next Chapter.
The State of Religion in England was ftill
growing worfe and worfe ; for the Arch-Bifliop
profecuted the Puritans with the utmoft Rigour,
bpprefling them in all Qiiarters of the Land,
and encouraging the Scum of the People to turn
Informers againft them ; if a fober confcientious
Minifter ventured to reprove one of his Pari-
lliioners for DrunkenneO^ ; or refufed him the
Sacrament, he was certainly fent for up into the
Ecclefiaflical Court, and aeprived of his Living,
himfelf imprifoned, and his Family ruined. Men
were not fuffered to complain, nor publifti their
Hardfhips to the World ; to exprefs ones Fears
of the Growth of Popery, to cenfure the Pro-
ceedings of the Star-Chamber^ nay, to pity the
Sutierers \\ as an unpardonable Crime. The Suf-
ferings of Dr. Ba/l'a:icky Burton and Prynne this
very Year are a proof of this ; they were tried
in the Star-Cha7?iber, for publifhing Libellous
Books againft the Hierarchy of the Church, and
beeaufe the Defendant's Council would not fign
the Anfwer which they had drawn up^ the Court
w^ould not receive them, but ordered each Perfon
to be proceeded againli fro Confejjo : The Sen-
tence of the Court was 500 /. upon each De-
linquent to the King, {landing in the Pillory
with the Lcfs of Ears, and the very Remainder
of Ears, after which they %^ ere committed clofe
Prifoners to feveral remore lOands, no Accefs of
Friends being allowed them.
The Ecclefiaflical Authority being fcrewed
up to fuch a Height, and the Point of it Cil-
reded chiefly againfl the Puritans^ ^tis no Won-
der that vafl Numbers, both Miniilers and
People, tranfported themfelvcs to Nt'^-England^
' Gh. iv. r/^^ History (?/ New-England, iji
'till the Government at length took Umbrage Ann,
Sit it, and publillied a Proclamation bearing Date '<^37
April the 30th, * " To retrain the diforderly ^*^
*' Tranfporting of his Majefty's Subjeds to the
" Plantations in America without a Licence
" from his Majefty's Commiflioners, becaufe of the
^' many idle and refraclory Hum,ourSy whofe only or
*^ principal End was to live mthout the Reach of
" Authority ". And the next Day an Order was
made m Council, " That the Lord Treafurer
" of England fliould take fpeedy and effectual
*' Courfe for the Stay of 8 Ships now in the
*^ River of 'Thames prepared to go for New-
*' Englandy and fhould iikewife give Order for
*' the putting on Land all the Pallengers and
*' Provilions therein intended for the Voyage/'
In thefe Ships were f Sir Matthevo Boyntcn, Sir
JVilliam Conflahle, Sir Arthiir Haz,lerig, Mr. ^ohn
Hampden, and Oliver CrG?nwelly who with feveral
other Gentlemen were removing to New-En-
gland j and becaufe feveral of the Clergy under
Ecclefiaflical Cen fares were willing to accept
of the fame Protection and Refuge, therefore an-
other Order of Council was dircded to the
Lord Admiral, " To flop all Miniflers uncon-
" formable to the Difcipline and Ceremonies of
*' the Church, who frequently tranfport them-
*' felves to the Summer IJIands, and other his
'* Majefly's Plantations abroad ; and that no
** Clergyman Ihould be fuffered to go over with-
** out Approbation, of the Lords Arch-Bifliop
" of Canterbury and Biftiop of London'' So that
here was a double perfecution of the Puritans ;
they were not fuffer'd to live at home, nor yet
to fe'ek Peace and Refuge abroad ; when Lewis
* CompUat HiJ},ef Eng. Vol. III. h 83.
t Mather BsqK L p. 23.
L 4 the
152 T^fHlSTORY(9/NEW-ENGLAND. Ch. iv.
i»«. the Fourteenth King of France repeard the Edict
^57 of Nants^ he allowed his Proteftant Subjeds a
Time to go into Banifliment, and fhelter them-
felves among thofe that would receive them;
but the Archbifhop's Zeal carried him farther, for
he would neither let thofe poor People, that were
fo unhappy as to differ from him in a few Rites
and Ceremonies of human Inflitution, live in
the Kingdom, nor out of it.
But notwithflanding the w^atchful Eye of the
Government, fo many Paflengers tranfported
themfelves and Families to New-England this
Summer, as over-ftock'd the Bay, and produced
a fourth Grand Settlement on the South Weft
Parts of ConneElicut River. The Leaders of this
Colony w ere T'heofhilm Eaton, Efq; and the Re-
verend Mr. John Davenportj^ who came over
with' a very great Retinue of Acquaintance and
Followers, The Majfachufets would fain have
perfuaded them to fettle in the Bay ; but they
being informed of a large Bay to the South Weft
of ConneEliciit River, commodious for Trade, and
capable to entertain thofe that werp to follow
them, purchafed of the Natives all the Land that
lies between that River and Hudfons River,
which divides the Southern Parts of New-England
from New-Tork, and removed thither towards the
latter End of the Summer. They feated them-
felves in the Bay, and fpread along the Coaft,
where they built firft the Town of N&whaveny
w^hich gives Name to the Colony; and then the
Towns of Guilford, Mi If or d, Stamford and Brain-
ford, After fome time they crofsM the Bay,
and made feveral Settlements in Long-Ifland,
ereding Churches in all Places w here they came,
after the Independent Form, of which Mr. Daven-
fort was a very Great Patron : But the Newhaven
Colony lay under the fame Diiavantage with
Conneclicut as to a Charter j they were without
the
Ch. IV. The History of New-England, i 5 j
the Majfachufet Jurirdi6:ion, and were therefore -'""•
under no Government, nor had any other Title i^
to their Lands, but what they had from the
Natives. They entred therefore into a Volun-
tary Combination, and termed themfelves into a
Body politick, after the manner of thofe of Co;2-
neBicut. Thus they continued 'till the Year i66^y
w^hen ¥>.. Charles II. united the Two Colonies ;
and by a Charter fettled their Liberties on a
(olid Foundation.
While the South Weft parts of New-England
were thus filling with Inhabitants, the North Eaft
Parts ot the Country were not negleded. There
were ample Regions on this fide, beyond the Line
of the Majfachufet-F atent, where new Settlements
were attempted by fome that were made uneafy
under the Majjachufet Government, in the Time
of their Antinomian Qiiarrels, and by others that
had no other View but enriching themfelves by
the Fifhing Trade at Sea, and the Beaver Trade
afhore ; thus were the Provinces of Eaft Hamp-
Jhire and Main peopled, and continued a fepa-
rate Government, ''till being wearied out with
Quarrels and Divifipns among themfelves, they
petition'd the General Court of the Majfachufet-
Bay to be talien under their Protection, and
were accordingly received.
Thus we have given the Reader an Account
of the Rife of the four Settlements that were
made in Nev:-England within the compafs of 17
Years i there was another fmiall one made fome
Time after in Rhode- IJland upon the Borders of
the Jurifdidion of Plimouthy by the Antimmians
that were brnfhed from the Majjachufet- B ay y
who obtained a Charter for themfelves upon the
Reftoration of K. Charles II. and are flill a di-
flind Government from the Majfachujets, but as
the Limits of their Country are very narrow,
they have no Influence upon the publick Affairs
of the Province. Some
1^4 T'S'^ History ^/New-England. Gh.iv.
^r>»9 Some of the good People of Neiv-England
»^37 have condemned tnefe Settlements, as contrary
*^' to the Law of Nature ; no foreign Prince hav-
ing a Right to difpofe of a Country already in-
habited to his own Subjeds, nor to give a Com-
mifTion to drive the Natives out of their Pof-
ifeffions, without a previous Forfeiture : * But in
Anfwer to this, the New- England Gentlemen
have declared, that their Entrance upon the
Land was not with Violence and Intrufion, but
free and fair, with the confent and allowance of
the People ; the chief Sagamores of all that part
of the Country entertaining them heartily, and
profefTmg, they were all very welcome ; that
none of the Englifo were fuiier'd to take an Acre
of Land from the Natives, without giving them
Satisfaa:ion for it. Dr. Mather adds. That the
Englijh did not claim one Foot of Ground in the
Country 'till they had fairly purchafed it of the
Natives ; nay, fo cautious were they, or doing
them any Injuftice, that after fomc Time, they
made a Law, that none fliould purchafe or re-
ceive any Lands of the IndianSy without Allow-
ance of the Court ; and fome Lands which lay
convenient for the Indiansy they made a Law,
(hould never be purchafed out of their Hands.
It was further Enaded, That if any Indian fliould
be civilized, and delire to live among the En-
glijhy he fhould have an Alotment of Land, as
they themfelves had ; and if a competent Num-
ber of them Ihould agree to live together, they
fliould be incorporated, and the General Court
fliould grant them Lands for a Plantation, as
they do the Englijh^ tho' they had already bought
their Claims of them. It was further Enacted,
That if any of thQ Englifi Cattle fliould. do any
Damage,
Ch. iv. The History of New-England. 155
Oamage to the Corn o£i\-\c Indians y the Owners of A.nm
i;hem fliould be obliged to make good the Da- ]^
j-nage, and that they (liould ^wc the Indians all
ricndly AfTiftance in Towing their Fields ; after
all this, the Doctor thinks it very ftrange for Se-
:retary Kaudolpb to affirm, " That the barba-
^ rous Savages were never civilly treated, but
' that the Government of Nei\3- Engl and w ere
' continually encroaching on their Lands, ''till
•'at lafl: they would turn them out of all." And
f the Dodor's Allegations are true. That the
Lands "ccere fur chafed liith a Valuable Conjideration
run th:fe Natives, ivho had a Right to difpofe of
\bem, according to the Cujloms of the Country, Such
in Objedion mufl: be very unreafonable ; but if
lot, the Nev:-England Free-holders muft fatisfy
rhemfelves with this, that they have as fair a
Title to their Eftates, as any of the Europeans^
hat have made Settlements upon the Continent
Df America^ lince the firfl Difcovery of it by the
Spaniard,
Ch
AP,
I ^6 The History of New-England. Cb. v.
Chap. V.
The Pequot War. Dijlurbances occafwned by
the Antinomians. The jirjl Synod of
New -England, with an Account of the
Nature and Vfe of Synods, according to
the Principles of the Independents. ^The
Story of Mrs. Hutcliinfon. Of Rhode-
Ifland, and its Inhabitants. The Foun-
dation of Harvard- College, and of the
Publick Library. The Method of Educa
tionj and of taking^ Degrees. Of the New
Englifh Verfon of the Pfalms. A Sto}
put to the further Increafe of the Colo
nies from England, by the Eclipfe of the
Epifcopal Poiver. A Comfutation of tht
Number of Planters, that fettled in New-
England before the Tear 1641 ^ xvith ah
Efiimate of the Charges of the fiverai
Settlements. A Liji of the Silenced Mi-
nijiers who left their Native Country^ antk
fettled in New- England. The Vnion 0)
the Four Grand Settlements of New-En-
gland- The Death and Charaffer of Mr,
Brewfter. The Commotions at Hingham.
f;;;^L^^HE EngU^l had aaed hitherto only on
""^ ^ T ^ the defeniive againfl: the Indians^ whc
^^5;^ watched all Opportunities to diflrefs
them In their Settlements ; the Pequcts, a politick
and ricrce Nation^ en the Banks of a fair River^
about
tai. V. T/;^HisTORY of New-England, 1 57
jpouc 12 Miles Eaft of Conne^icut-Kiv^T had Ann*
sen accellbry to tht Murder of Capt. Stone and ^f^
is Ship's Crew, as we have obferved before, in
le Year 1634, ^^^ being at War with the
^utch and Narrhaganfets at that Time, they were
nwilling to come to an open Rupture with the
Inglijh, butfcnt Meflengcrs with Prefents to the
jovernour of the Majfachufeti to delire his
riendftiip : Mr. JVinthrop however, difmifs'd
lem without any politive Anfwer, but the
^equots prclfing the Governour by a fecond Em-
aily, he at laft concluded a Peace Vv'ith them
pon thefe Conditions. " That they ftiould de-
liver up thofe Men who had been guilty of
Stcnes Death ; that if the Englijh fhould have
a Mind to plant at Conneciicuty they fhould
yield up their Right to them, and that there
fhould be a free Trade between the two
Nations. " To this they agreed ; and defired
le Efiglilb to mediate a Peace between them and
he Narrhaganfets^ and for the facilitating of it,
o ^iVQ them Part of the Prefent of IVampam
md Beaver, that they had brought with them,
or they flood fo much upon their Honour, that
[hey would not have it known, that they bribed
:heir Enemies to make Peace : But tho' the
Pe^ucts yielded to the Demands of the Englifi.
i^'ith Relation to Capt. Stone^ yet they ftiil juifi-
:yM the Act 'on, faying, That he was killed in a
mft Quarrel, becaufe he furfrifed two of the Indiansi
and forced them to pikt his Vejfd up the Ri'ver
igainft their Wills. I'hey added, That all that had
any Share in the A:hon were Jince dead, except two,
whom they would deliver up. But when a Bark
kvas fent to receive the Criminals, and open a
Trade, they amufed them with fair Words, but
never performed a Tittle of their Concrad,.
which broke oft' all further Correfpondence,
Sooi?
158 TI^^ History e?/ New-England. Ch.^
'A%n9 Soon after this they murder'd M.'c. Oldhan
]^ and before the Englijh had perfected their Settle
merits on Conneciicut-Kiver, they fell openly upo
them, killed p Men at IVeathersfield, and took
young Women Prifoners, who had been torture
to Death, if the Sacherns Wife had not taken
Fancy to them, and begged them of her Hu
band : Upon this, the Captains Endicott, Unde
hill, and Turner were fent by the Governoi
and Council o'l Bofion \N\t\\ 120 Men to demar
the Murderers, but they refufed to fucrend*
them ; the Englijh therefore purfued them ini
the Woods, kiird one of their Men, and havin
deflroyed their Corn and Hurts returned hom
In the Spring of this Year the Pequots affaultc
Say-Brook-FoTt at the Mouth of the River Coi
neBicut, but without Succefs, it being well fo:
tify^'d, and garrifon'd with 20 Men ; howeve
they killed feveral of the People, as they wei
at Work in the Fields ; this made the Plante:
ftand upon their Guard in all Places, and fer
to their Friends and Confederates in the Majfc
chufet-Bay for AfTiftance ; Mr. Vane the Govei
nour of that Jurifdidion writ to the Governov
and Council of New-PUmctitb to join with then
which they promifed, but were fo dilatory i
their Proceedings, that the War was in a Mar
ner over before their Forces began to march.
The Pequots, feeing the Storm that was com
ing upon them, * were not wanting in thei
Preparations to make the beft Defence they could
They urged the Nanhaganfets to make Peact
and join with them againft the Common Enemy
" telling tjiem that the Englijh were overfpread
*' ing their Country, and if they were fufferec
" to grow and encreafe, w^ould deprive them o:
t New-England M««ori«/, p. xoo»
"11
Ch. V. The History of New-England., i 59
*' it in a little Time; That it' the Narrhaganjets i«»#
" affiled the Englijh in deflroying the Pequots, l^
" they did but make way for their own Ruin,
" for when one Nation w as deftroyed, the Eag-
" iijh would foon take Occaiion to enflave the
" other. But if the Narrhaganfets would take
" their Advice and join with them, they need
" not fear the flrcngth of the Englijby for they
" would not come to a pitchM Battle with them,
*' but Fire their Houfes, kill their Cattle, and
*' lye in Ambufti for them as they went abroad
" upon their Occafions, in whicli Cafe it was
" eafy lo forefee that the Englijb could not long
*' fubfift, but muft either be flarved with Hunger,
" or forced to quit the Country/' But the de-
fire of Revenge upon an old Enemy, who had
offer'd them a thoufand Injuries, made the Narr-
haganfets renounce all Propcfals of Accommoda-
tion with the PeqiiGts^ and aiiirt the Er.ghjh in
their Profecution of the War.
I N the beginning of May the Colony of Cm-
neBicut fent out 90 Men under the Command of
Capt. John Alaforiy afterwards Deputy Govern-
cur of the Colony, attended by Uncas an Indian
Sachem lately revolted from the Pe.jucts ; the Gar-
rifon of Suybrook joined them with nineteen Men
under Capt. Underhill^ and the Majfachufet Colony
raifed 160 Men under the Con^.mand of Ifra^l
StQUghton Efq; 40 of which they di fpatched a-
way immediately under Captain Patrick ; but
before their Arrival the Colony of Ccnneiiicut had
fliip'd of tlieir Forces, and landed them at the
Narrhaganfet Port ,• Captain Alafi-a marched his
Men immediately to the c\\k£ Sachems Refid^nce,
and acquainted him with the Reafons of their
coming into his, Country with an armcvi Force,
deiiring only a free PafTage thro' his Country ; the
Sachem yielded to their Rcqueft, but told theni
their Army was too weak for the Enemy. Ne?ot
Morninii
j6o The History of New-England. Ch. v.
«537 Morning they marched to Niamick 20 Miles up
the Country and were joined by 500 of the Na-
tives, who drawing into a Ring, made foiemn
Proteftations one by one, how gallan ly they
would behave themfelves, and how many of the
Enemy they would kill ; but no fooner were they
come to the Frontiers of the Pequot Country, but
the greatelt Part of them Ifruck with a Pannick
Fear, return^ home -, only Uncas and his Fol-
lowers declared, they would live and die with
the Englifi however, ^tis obfervable ,• that even
Uncas and his Men, who had always hitherto
marched in the Van, now fell into the Reer ; fuch
a Dread of the Pequots had they upon their Spirits.
The Pequots were retired into two ftrong
Forts, one of which was iituate on the Banks of
the River Miftkk ; the other about 8 Miles fur-
ther, was the Head-Qiiarters of Sajfacus their
Sachem, at whofe Name the Narrhaganfets trem-
bled, faying. He was all one a God, no Body
could kill him. The Council of War determined
to attack the firfl Fort they fhould come at,
which the Indians took Care fhould not be that
where Sajfams was. They made their Ap-
proaches to it in the Night, and fent an Ltdian
to obferve the Pofture of the Enemy, who found
them all in a profound Sleep ; the Army came
up to the Fort about Break of Day, Capt. Ma-
fon with his Company polled himfelf on the
Eaft, and Underhill on the Weft ; but the Nar-
raganfetSy like Cowards, retired to fuch a Diftance,
as to be only Spedators of the Adion ; when
the Army came within a Rod of the Fort, a
Dog barked, and awakenM the Centinel, who
immediately ran away, and cried out, TVannux^
Wannwxy i. e. Englifiy Englijh ; the Soldiers en-
tred the Fort at a Paflfage, which was only
blocked up with Buflies about Breaft-high;
Capt. Mafon was the firft Man that leap'd into
Ch. V. The History of New-England, i6i
it, and made good his Ground 'till his Men ^„^^
could pull the Bullies away • upon this followed i^i?
a fharp Engagement, in which fcveral of the. ^"^
Englijh w^ere wounded, and many of the Indians
killed ,* but the Houfes in the Fort being made
of nothing but combultible Matts, joined clofe
to one another, the Englijh fet them on Fire>
and retired, polling ti.emfelves at all the Ave-
nues, to hinder the Enemies making their Efcape^
The Fire by the Advantage of the Wind carried
all before it ; many \.ere burnt to Death, which
the Narrhaganfcts^ from a diflant riiing Ground
where they had pofted themfelves, beheld with
intini:e Pleafure and Satisfadion, dancing and
hooping ail the while^ and infulting over the
dying Enemy : Some of the Pequots were fliot
as they were climbing over the Paliifadoes, and
they who had the Courage to fally out at the
Gates in order to break thro"* the Enemy, w ere
either cut otf by the Englifi^ or the Narrhagan-^
fets ; fo that of 4 or 500 Indiiins that were in
the Fort, not above 7 or 8 made their Efcape.
This memorable Action happened on the 20th of
May^ and cofl the Englijh but 2 Men killed, and
I about 20 wounded. JVeoiuafh^ the Guide that
the ErigUjh made Ufe oF, was flruck with fuch
Admiration at this Vidory, that he embraced
the Chriftian Religion, and after Tome Time be-
came a Preacher of it to his Countrymen, but
they iniuited him, and at lafl poifoned him for
it : The Reverend Mr. Shepherd of Cambridge
>cs this Account of him ,• * " PFequaJh, (fays
he ) the famous Indian at the Rive/s Mouth is
dead, who loved Chrijl, and preached him up and
down, and then fiiffe/d Martyr doin for him.
When he died he gave his Soul to Chrijly and
* New-En§hnd^ JirJi'Trmu, 1^43. p. %
M '' his
i62 The History of New-England. Ch. V.
Aittio " his cnly Child to the Englilli, in this Hope, that
If^ " the Child Jhould know more of Chrifl than its poor
" Father did. "
But tho' the Engliff) had been fo fuccefsful in
deftroying one of the Forts, they were far from
thinking themfelves out of Danger, for they
were a great Way from home ; in want of all
Keceflaries, and afraid of the mighty Sajfacus's
falling upon their tired Forces, from the other
Fort ; nor v^ ere their Fears groundlefs, for as
they were marching to the Pequot River, where
they had ordered their Pinnaces to meet them ;
Saffacus fell upon their Rear with 300 Men,
which obliged them to march in clofe Order,
and retreat fighting for almoft 6 Miles together;
but the Indians took Care to keep pretty much
out of the Reach of their Bullets, and when
they faw them paft a narrow PalTage, where
they hoped to have gained an Advantage over
them, they retired, and the Army returned home
in Safety.
About 14 Days after, the Maffachufet Forces
to the Number of 1 20 Men, arrived in the Pequot-
River, * under the Command of Capt. Stoughton^
which put new Life into the ConneBicut Colony,
and made them refolve to purfue their Vidory,
tho"* the Narrhaganfets were gone home, as being
glad to fee the Pequcts humbled, but not willing
to have them deftroyed,* they therefore feiu|j.
Capt. Mafon with 40 Men, and fome Volunteer- 1 1^^
Gentlemen to join the Majfachufet-F ovcqs in the
Si:
Pequot Harbour. Upon their Arrival it was con-
cluded, to fcoar the Woods, and drive the E
nemy out of the Country ; for Sajfaciis's Men
had already mutinied, and had it not been foi
the Entreaties of his Counfellors had certainly
* New-England ^»>. p, loz^ Incr, Math. ib» pi 3^*
kille<
Ch. V. The History ^/New-England. i6?
killed him ; however/thcy abandoned their Fort, ^«'''
difpersM themfelves into fmall Parties, and re- u^'
folved every one to fliift for himfelF: Many
of them fled toward the Dutch Plantation, upon
which the Army was ordered to march that Way;
they coafted alor.g the River, and fcouring the
Woods killed feveral of the Peqiiots^ and took
fome Prifcners ; they beheaded two Sachems, and
gave a third his Life, upon Condition that he
\vould iind out Sajfacus^ and give them Advice
where he was lodged; but Saffacus fufpeding him
to be a Spy, after he was gone fled to the M)-
h.iucb, and his Followers difperfed themfelves
in feveral fmali parties up and down the Country,
which the Englifi purfued WW they broke to
pieces.
O N the 1 3 th of July they met with a Body
of 80 Men , and 200 Women and Chil-
dren, in a fmall Indian Town clofe by a hideous
Swamf, which they all flipt into before the
Englijh could come at them ; the Army was
then fcparated into feveral fmall parties, the bet-
ter to look out the Enemy, but upon the dif-
charging of a Musket they prefently joined, and
furrounded the Swai^ip, which was about a Mile
in compafs ; but Lieut. Davenport with 12 Mea
coming in, after the Orders were given, inilead
of joining the Army, marched directly into the
Swamp among the Indians, where he and all his
Men had like to have been lofr, for the Swamp
being boggy, and fiill of Shrubs, they fluck
faft in the Mud, and were forc^'d to receive the
Shot of the Enemy, without being capable of
doing any Thing in their own Defence ; Lieut.
Davenport was dangeroully wounded about his
Arm-pit, another of his Men w^as fhot in the
Head ; and they muft all have perifli'd, if Ser-
geant Riggs and Sergeant yeferieswith fome Men
M 2 had
164 716^ History ^/New-England. Ch.v.
Anno had not come into theirRelief,and drawn them out.
l^ The Indians after this defired a Parley,
which being granted, the Sachem of the Place,
with fome old Men and their Wives and Chil-
dren, came cut, and having conferr'd with the
Englijh about 2 Hours, retum'd to their Com-
pany with the laft Refolutions of the EngUJhy
which were a Promife of their Lives, provided
they laid down their Arms, and delivered up all
fuch among them, as had kill'd any of the En*
glijh. Mr. Stanton the Interpreter was fent the
fame Night to receive their Anfwer, which was
this, 'That they "would ftand by one another^ and
Jell their Lives as dear as they could ; and that
Mr. Stanton might fee they w ere in Earneft, they
fent fuch a Flight of Arrows after him, that if
he had not run as faft as he could to get out of
their Reach he had certainly been killed : The
Englijh then cut oft a Part of the Swa?np with
their Swords, and having cooped up the Indians
within fuch a narrow Compafs, that they could
difcern them thro" thel'hickets, they flood to their
Arms all Night, furrounding the Swamp at a-
bout 12 Foot Diflance from one another; the
Indians on the other Hand, let fly their Arrows
fo thick among the Englijh, that they pierced the
Cloths of feveral, but none received any confi-
derable Hurt. Towards Morning it grew very
dark, which gave moft of the Men an Opportu-
nity to make their Efcape, but the Women and
Children about Break of Day furrender'd at Dif-
cretion. In fearching the Swamp 9 Men were
found dead upon the Ground, and feveral others
buried in the Bog ; of thofe that flipped by the
Englijh fome were killed in the Purfuit, and o-
thers were afterwards found in the Woods dead
of their Wounds, fo that \is computed that not
above 20 or 30 got away. The Prifoners which
were about 180, were divided, fome to thofe of
Ch. V. The History of New-England. 1^5
ConneBimt, and the reft to the Atiffachufets ; the Anno
male Children were fent away to Bermudas, and Jl^
the Women and Girls difperfcd up and down in
feveral Towns. Among the Prifoners that fell
to the Share of the Majfachufets^ were the Wife
and Children of Mononetto an Indian Prince; ftic
was a Woman of a very modeft Countenance and
Behaviour; it was by her Interceffion, that the
Englijh Maid^ taken at Weathersfield, had their
Lives given them ,• and one of her firft Requefts to
the Englijh was, T'hat they would not abufe her
Body, nor take her Children from her : The Go-
vernour therefore took Charge of her, and made
her Captivity as eafy as he could.
This Expedition againft the Pequots flruck
fuch Terror into the reft of the Indians, that
they came from all Parts, and begg'd the Pro-
tection of the Englijh : Two of the Sachems of
Long-IJland came to Mr. Stoughton, and defined
to be under his Proted:ion, and two of the A''^-
pannet Sachems fubmitted to Mr. Winthrcp ; 700
Pequots perifhed, and were taken Prifoners this
Summer, among whom were 13 Sachems; the
reft fled into diftant Parts, or fubmitted them-
felves to the Mercy of the Conquerors, who di-
vided them between the Narrhaganfets and the
Moheginsy whofe Sachem Uncas had proved a very
faithful Ally. Safjacus the mighty Sj.chem of the
Pequots fled to the Maquas, who at the Requeft
of the Narrhaganfets cut oif his Head ; his Coun-
try became a Province of the Englijh, and was
governed l^y fuch a Perfon, as the Englijh from
Time to Time appointed to that Oflice.
While the Army was thus employed in the
Field, the Commonvveakh * was alinoft torn in
pieces by inteftine Divilions occafionM by the
Mather, "Mi 7^ page 14.
NJ 3 fpread-
\66 Ti&e History (^/ISIew-Engl AND. Ch. v.
Anno fpreading oiFamiliflical and Antimmian Errors a-
7^^7 rnong the People; that the Reader may have a
full View ot the Controverfy, Til trace it down-
from its Original : The Members of the Church
of Bcjhn ufed to meet once a V/eek to repeat
the SermiCns which they had heard on the Lord's
Day ; and to debate upon the Dodrines contained
in themj, whereby they were fometimes entangled
m Points of Divinity too high for them ; thefe
Meetings beingpeculiar to the Men, at leaftnone
eife being allowed to debate in them ; fome of
the zealous Women thought it might be ufeful for
them to have fuch Meetings among themfelves :
Accordingly Mrs. Hutchirifon, ^LincohijJme Gentle-
woman, of a bold and mafculine Spirit, and a
great Admirer of Mr. Otton, fet up one at her
Houfe, grounding her Practice on thefe Words
of the Apoftle, that the elder Women are to teach
the younger : The Novelty of the Thing, and the
Fam-e of the Woman quickly gained her a nume-
rous Audience ; flie had no lefs than 60 cr 80
Women at her Houfe every Week to hear her
pray, and repeat Mr. Cottons Sermons, which file
explain'd, and afterwards made fome Refledtions
of her own upon them. From thefe Meetings a-
rofe all the Errors that foon after overfpread the
Country ; Mrs. Hutchinfvn taught her Difciples,
*' T^hat'Belie'vers in Chriji are ferfunaily united ''joith
*' the Spirit of God ; that Commands to work out our
*' Sahaticn with Fear and T^remhliug belong to none
" hut fuch as are under the Covenant of Works ;
*' that SanHification is not a fufficient 'Evidence of
*' a good State i Jhe likewife fet iif immediate Reve-
*' lations about future Events^ to be believed as ^-
'^ qualiy infallible with the Scriptures ; " and a great
many other Chimera^'s and Fancies, which un-
der a Pretence of exalting the free Grace of
God, deftroyed the pradical Part of Religion,
and open'd a Door to all Sorts of Licentioufncfs.
^Tis
Ch. V. The History of New-England. i6j
'Tis incredible to think, how eafily thefe Noti- ^«"_*
ens obtained among the People, the good Wc- ^yn^
men infmuated them into their Husbands,
skreening them under the venerable Name of
Mr. Cotton, by which Artifice many unthinking
Peoole were deceived ; Mrs. Hutclmfon^ and hec
Admirers were indefatigable in fprcading thcni,
they iniinuated themfelves into all Families,
and under a Shew of Humility and Self-denial
craftily undermined the Reputation of the bed
Miniflers in the Country, calling them Legaljfls,
Men that -were not acquainted with the Spirit of the
Gofpely nay, that were unacquainted with Chrifl him-
felf. The whole Country was diftinguiHied by
this Criterion, fuch as were fir a Crjenant of IV^rkSy
andfuch as were for a Covenant of Grace; thefe Di-
vifions crept not only into Families, but into
Churches, and into the Legiilature itfeltj the
Colony of Plimouth was infettcd to fuch a De-
gree, that they ftarved away ail their Old Mi-
nifters, and fet up Mechanics in their Room.
There was fuch an Luereft made again il: the next
Election of Magiftrates for the Majfachufet Co-
lony, to get in Gofpel-Magiflratesy as th^y called
them, that they were forced to adjourn the Co.irt
to New-Town, for Fear of a R^iot. The Fadioii
tried all Methods to keep in their old Governour
Vane, they prefented a Petition to the Court on
the very Day of Eledion, with a Defign to hin-
der their proceeding to a new Cnoice, whereby
the Time of Eledion being paO:, they would o'c
Courfe have kept in their Governour Vane ano-
ther Year; but when they coald not obtain this,
and the fober Party made a Shift to carry the
Eleaion for Mr. IVinthrop, ^ yet fuch was tlic In-
lluence of the Fadion among the interior Oiii-
cers, that the Sergeants, whole Place it was to
'
* Mather, B. r. J. n. ^^ ^ ' ^^^^,^^
i68 The History of New-England. Ch. v.
4nno attend the new Governour, laid down their Hal-
Jf^ berts and would not ad : The Govermur however,
like a wife Man, took no further Notice of their
Behaviour at prefent, than to order his own Ser-?
vants to take up the Haiberts, and march before
him, but when he was fettled in his Govern-
loiient, he made them feel the Weight of his Dif-
pleafure ; nay, the marching of tiie Army againft
the Pequots was retarded by thefe Men upon this
very Account, becaufe the Officers and Soldiers
were too much under a Covenant of Works : In a
Word, both Church and State were in the ut-
pioft Confufion, the Affedions of the People were
ftrangely alienated from one another ; they were
always quarrelling, and upon every Occafion
ready to, come to Blows.
The Reverend Mr. Often was at this Time
in high Reputation and Efteem for his Learning
and Orthodoxy ail over the Country, which
made both Parties claim him for their own ; the
Antinomians affirmM, that the Dodrines they
taught v/ere regularly deduced from his Sermons,
the Orthodox replied, that Mr. Cctton denied
and difavowed their Principles: Things came
to fuch an Extremity at laft, that Mr. Cotton was
defired to declare himfelf freely upon thefe Heads
in the Pulpit, which he accordingly did, and
condemned moft of the new Pofitions as falfc and
erroneous. But the Adverfaries were advanced too
far, to retreat with Honour, and therefor-e in-
fiead of being fatisfied, they perfecuted Mr.
Cotton with the bittereil Reproaches, calling him
a timcrous Man^ that duril: not abide by his own
Principles ; a Deceiver^ that taught one Thing in
publick, and another in private ; and one, that had
loft all his Infight into tlie Gofpel. One of the
Party more witty than the reft, fent him a Pre-
fent of a 'Pound of Candles^ bidding his Servant
tell hiro, that It was becaufe he wanted Light. And
it
Ch. V. The History of New-England.' x6<)
it muft be confefled, that Mr. Cotton had too Ann^
good an Opinion of Mrs. Hutchinfon for a long J^
'I'ime, never imagining that fhe would have
gone fuch Lengths ^ for in his Company fhe was
always modeit in her Difcourfe, propoiing her
Doubts to him, and feeming highly fatisfied
with his Anfwers ,• but now his Eyes began to
be open'd, and he confefled with Tears, that the
Enemy had been /owing T'ares whilfi he had been a-
pep. The ill Treatment that he met with from
the Party, made him refolve to leave Bofion, and
retire to New-Haven, which he had certainly
done, if the Civil Magiflrate had not interpofed,
and took fome effedual Meafures for the reftoring
of Peace.
A Fail had been appointed for this Purpofe
as long ago as December laft, when Mr. Cotton
preached a very healing Sermon from If a. 58. 4.
but Mr. Wheelwright the other Preacher, inftead
of following Mr. Cottons Example, filled his Ser-
mon with bitter Invedives againfl: the Magi-
flrates and Miniflers of the Country, telling the
People, * " 'That they walked in fuch a Way of
*' Salvaticn, as was no better than a Covenant of
" Works : He compared them to Jews, Herods,
^' PhiliflineSy and exhorted fuch as were under a
" Covenant of Grace to combat them as their
*^ greateft Enemies.'"' The Magiftrates hereupon
fent for the Preacher f next Court-day, and ha-
ving heard what he could fay in Defence of his
Sermon, they condemned it as feditious,- and
tending to diflurb the fiiblick Peace ; they en-
deavoured to convince Mr. Wheelwright of his Of-
fence, but could make no Imprellions upon him;
* T. Welde'^ Account of theRife, ^«(?», «wi Rnin of tU AntiflO-
miansiw New-England, 4^0, i^^j, f in Pref.
how-
iyb The History of New-England; CIi. v.
■Anno however^ they gave him Time 'till the next Sef-
^^^7 fions, to confider whether he would make his
Submiffion, or abide the Sentence of the Court.
The Antinomian Party were fo alarm'd at this
Attack upon their Preacher, that they met toge-
ther the very fame Night, and drew up a Petition,
or Remonftrance againPc the Proceedings of the
Court, wherein they declare it as their Opinion, *
*' That Mv.^Vheelwright had hot been guilty of any
*' feditious Fact ; that his DoEtrine was not fedi-
" tious, being no other than th& Expreifions of
** Scripture ; that it had produced no feditious
'' Efteds, for his Followers had not drawn their
" Swords, nor endeavoured to refcue their inno-
" centBrother ,• they delired theCourt thetefore to
**^ confider the Danger of meddling with the Pro-
" phets of God, and to remember, that even
*^ the Apoille Paul himfelf had been called a
*' peflilent Fellow, a Mover of Sedition, and a
" Ring-leader of a Sed. " This Petition was
delivered into Court within a Day or two after
the Cenfure of Mr. PVIjeelwright^ Sermon^ lign^d
with above 60 Hands, whereof fome were Mem-
bers of the Court ; but it w^as rejeded by the
Majority, and the chief of the Petitioners were
feverely puniflied for it the next Seilions.
1' H I N G s growing flill worfe and worfe, it
was thought advifeable to call a Synod of all
the Chjrches in the Country, to give their
JudgmSits upon the controverted Points: This
toeing the firft Synod of JVeiv- England, the Rea-
der will not be difpleafed to underftand the
Nature and Ufe or Synods^ according to the
Principles of the Independents. A Synod, accord-
ing to them, is not necefiary to the Being of
a Church, but is only to be called on fpecial
Occa-
iiCh. V. The History of Nhw-England. 171
Occafions, for giving Advice and Counfel in Ann^
i Cafes of Difficulty. It conlifts of the Minifters l^
and Lay-Melfengers of the feveral Churches
chofen from among themfelves, whofe Bufi-
nefs is to debate and determine the feveral Mat-
ters that are brought before them, and then to
prefent them to their feveral Churches for their
Approbation, without which they are of no
Force; no Synod is allowed a Power to pafs
Church-Cenfures upon Perfons, or put forth any
Ad of Authority, Jurifdidtion , or Difcipline ;
but only to declare their Sentiments, and give
their Advice. In a Word, an Independent Synod
is nothing elfe but a Council to the feveral
Churches, called together upon proper Occafi-
ons, not to make Laws and Decrees which fhall
bind Men upon Pain of Excommunication or
Deprivation, but to advife them how to a6ir
under their prefent Difficulties j and if a Church
or private Perfon refufes to hearken to their
Advice, the laft Remedy is, to declare they
will ;io longer hold Communion with them :
Magiftrates have Power to call a Synod when
the publick V/elfare of the Country requires it;
and may fend to the Churches, to commiffion
their Elders and MelTengers to meet together,
and affifi: them with their Advice ; but if the
Magiftrate negleds, or is of a different Reli-
gion, any particular Church may fend to the
reft, and defire their Advice in the fame Way.
* Such a Synod as this was now appointed
to meet at Nentown, Auguft the 30th, in which
were prefent not only the Miniflers and Meffen-
gers of the feveral Churches, but the Magi-
flrates for keeping the Peace, who were allowed
not only to hear but to fpeak, if they had a
Wti, in Tref,
Min4
lyfi r^f History^New-Englakd. Ch*v.
Xj»o Mind ; a Tlace was likewife appointed for the
1^37 Favourers of the new Opinions ^ and the Doors
were fet open for as many of the People as
pieafed to come in and hear the Debates : The
firil Day was fpent in chooiing the Reverend
Mr. Thomas Hooker^ and Mr. Peter Bulkley Mode-
rarors, and reading over a Lift of 82 erroneous
Opinions which had been maintained in feveral
Parts of the Country, fome of which were the
the moft monflrous and abfurd that ever w^ere
heard ; the following Days were taken up in
debating upon the feverai Ppints, in which they
obferved this Method ; in the Morning a Com-
mittee \\'as employ'^d in forming Arguments a-
gain ft the Errors to be confuted that Day, which
in the Afternoon were produced in the Synod .;
next Day the Defendants gave in their Reply,
and produced their Arguments for the Support of
their fide of the Queftion ; the third Day, the
Opponents made the laft Reply. But the Anti-
nomian Party were infufierably rude ; they broke
in frequently upon the Order of Difputation,
and \\ ere fo clamorous that the Magiftrates
were obliged fometimes to filence them.
A T length all the new Opinions in general
were condemned as contrary to the Word of God,
t by the univerfal Suffrage of the Symd^ and the
Condemnation was figned by all the Members
but Mr. Cottony who, tho' he exprefs'd his diilike
of the major Part of them, refufed to condemn
them in the Lump ; he differed from the Synod
in the Article of juflification^ beins; of Opini-
on, that Union to Chrifl 'was before Faith in hiniy
and in three or four other Articles relating to the
fam.e Head. The Synod endeavoured to convince
him of his miftakes, but in vain j as for the refl
* 0,Mathr B. 7, p. i7.
of
Ch.v. r^? History (?/ New-England. 175
of the" new Opinions, " He declared that he ^^
" dirtiked them, as being jome of them Heretical, „^
« Jome of them Blafphemous, fomeofthem Erroneous,
" and All of them incongruous," and promis'd to
join heartily with his Brethren in bearing his Tef-
dmony againft them; then the Reverend Mr
Davenport put an End to the Synod after it had -
continued three Weeks, by preaching a Sermon
on Phil iii. 16. Neverthelefs ■whereto u'e have al-
ready attained, let us walk by the fame Rule let us
m,/d the fame Things. After Sermon, he read
openly the Determinations ot the Synod with
relation to the new Opinions, which were dra%vii
up not in the Form of Anathe-ma s, but the Opi-
nion was recited and this fliort Refiedion fub-
ioined, this ive apprehend contrary to Jucb and juch
a Text of Scripture. He then exhorted the Mini-
ftevs and Mefl'engers to perfwade their feveral
Churches to conform themfelves to the Senti-
ments of the Synod, and fo difmifs'd them.
Onb would have thought, this unanimous
Voice of the Synod, which was publifhed tor
general Satisfadion , fliould have quieted the
Minds of the People, but the Heads of the tac-
tion were not to be vanquifhed with Scnpture
andReafon; for Mr. fFte&"^/^* continued (till
his Preaching, x.,d Mrs. Hutchinfon, her Aliem-
blv ■ and their Followers were fo influenced by
their Doftrines, that when Mr. ^^/7>« went up
into the Pulpit, half the Congregation wouid go
out ; the Court therefore at their next Seffions
which was on the fecond of 0:hber, refolved to
have recourfe to the laft Remedy, which was the
Sword of the Magiftrate. They met at A'*-^-
rown ; for the Town of Bofioii, was fo infected
with the new Opinions that they were ah-aid ot
a Riot ; one of the Bofivn Deputies having fign-
ed the lateRemonftrance in favour ot Mr^'^^^/-
• uright, and two of the others having fpote m
174 TX^^ History ^/New-'England. Ch. v,
dnf» Vindication .of it, were expell'd the Court, and
J^ an Order fent to Bofion to choofe new Reprefen-
tatives, which the angry People could hardly be
perfwaded to comply with.
But the Court refolving to go through with
their Work, * fummoned Mr. Wheelwright to
give in his peremptory Anfwer, whether he would
acknowledge his Offence in preaching his late
feditious Sermon, or abide the Sentence of the
Court ; his Anfwer was, " That he had been
** guilty of no Sedition, nor Contempt ,• that he
*' had delivered nothing but the Truth of Chrift,
*' and for the Application of his Dodrine, that
" it was made by others, and not by himfelf "
The Court then defired him, out of a Regard
to the publick Peace, to leave the Colony of his
own Accord ,• which he refiifing, they fentenced
him to be disfranchifed, to be banifhed the Ju-
rifdidion, and to be taken into Cuftody imme-
diately, unlefs he would give Security to depart
before the End of March. Mr. Wheelwright ap-
pealed from the Sentence of the Court to the
King of England, but was told, an Appeal did
not lie in his Cafe : He refufed however, to give
in Bail, and was therefore taken into Cufliody of
the Marfhal ; but the next Day he was more
fubmiffive, and relinquiflied his Appeal, declaring
himfelf willing to fubmit to a fimple Banifliment ;
fo the Court gave him Leave to go home, upon
Fromife, that if he departed not the Jurifdidion
within 14 Days, he fhould furrender himfelf
Prifoner at the Houfe of Mr. Stanton, one of the
Magiftrates, and abide there ''till the Court fliould
difpofe of him. Mr. Wheelwright contmued io Ba-
nifhment about 7 Years, but then being grown
wifer, he renounced his Errors, begged Pardon
J W^Wf ^ft ffnd Khh of f Jf Anti^onaus, f . a^j »?.
of
Ch. V. Wf History of New-Englanp. 175
of God and his Country, was reftored to his Ann%
People, and lived 30 01-40 Years afterwards an ^^
ufeful Minifter of Chrift in the Town of Hamf^
ton.
The Court proceeded next to the Examina-
tion of the feveral Petitioners in Favour of Mr.
Wheel-ujright, and the iirft who was fent for was
Mr. John CoggejhaJy "^ a Deacon of the Church of
Bofton, and one of their late Deputies in Court ;
the Court charged him with Contempt, for faying,
" If they expelled Mr. A/pin for ligning the Re-
*' mondrance, they had better make but one
" Work of all ; for tho' his own Hand was not
" to the Remonftrance, yet his Heart was in
*' it. "" Mr. Coggejhal pleaded his Privilege, as
a Member of the Court i but was anfwcred.
That the Court knew no Liberty any of its
Members had to reproach and affront their
Proceedings in fo publick a Manner ; howxver,
tho' he would not acknowledge his Offence, he
behaved himfelf with more Modefty and Refped
than formerly, and was therefore only disfran-
chifed.
Mr. Afpin, another of the late Boflcn Depu-
ties w^as called next, w ho had not only figncd the
Remonflrance, but was himfelf the Author of it,
and had carried it about Town to get hands to
it. He juftified the Aftion, and by his haughty
Carriage provok'd the Court not only to disfran-
chife him, but to banifli him the Colony. They
^ave him till the lafl of March, upon his giving
Security for his quiet Departure by that time,
which he immediatciy gave, and (0 was difmified.
After thefe, William Baiilfton and Edivard
Hutchinfon, two of the Serjeants of Boflon appear-
ed. Both their Hands were to the Remcn-
{Irance,
176 T/S^ History <y" New-England. Ch. v.
'^nm foance, and the Court took a great deal of Pains
1^37 to make them acknowledge their Offence ; but
"^^ they continued obftinate , and uttered a great
many affronting Speeches againft thofe Magi^
flrates who were not of their Opinion \ fo they-
were both turned out of their Places, disfranchi-
fed, and fined, William Baulflon 20 Pound, and
Edward Hutchinfon 40 ; but Hutchinfon acknow-
ledging his Fault next Day, was releafed of his
Fine, and only disfranchifed.
Another Day four or hvQ more of the leading
petitioners were fent for, and not acknowledging
their Fault were disfranchifed, Capt. John Under--
hilly had his Commiflion taken from him, and
^Marjhal the Ferry-man, loft his Place. Many
others whofe Names were to the Remonflrance
were fent for, but it appearing that moft of them
wxre drawn in by the fubtilty of a few leading
Men, and all of them acknowledging their Of-
fence, and defiring their Names might be blot-
ted out, the Court pardoned them, uponpromife
of their good Behaviour for the time to come.
But Mrs. Hutchinfon having been at the Head
of all thefe Difturbances, * tho' fhe had no hand
in the Remonflrance, the Court could not pafs
her by, efpecially confidering that fhe ftiil con-
tinued her Weekly Meetings. Upon her Appear-,
ance, file was charged with being the Author of
the late Difturbances ; with countenancing and
encouraging Seditious Perfons ; with reproaching
all the Minifters in the Country, and with main-
taining weekly and publick Meetings in her
Houfe, wherein fhe had taught thofe erroneous
•Doftrines, which had given occafion to the late
Tumults and Diforders both in Church andCom-
monwxalth. Mrs. Hutchinfon juftified her whole
* Tbii. p. 25,
Con-
Ch. V. The History of New-England. 177
Condud, and inflead of asking Pardon for her Amo
OffenceS;, and promiling to live peaceably for the J£37
future, made a long Harangue, full of bitter
Reflexions on the Court comparing her Cafe to the
Prophet Daniers, luhen the Pre/idents and Princes
could find nuhing againfl him, becaufe he ivas faith-
fill, they fought matter againfl him concerning the Law
if his God to cafl him into the Lion s Den. She then
denounced Deftrudion upon them and their Po-
flerity, if they medled with her ; Take heed (fays
(he) how you proceed againfl me, for I know that fir
this you go about to do tome, Gcdwill ruin you, and
your Poflcrity, and this whole State She was going
on with herPredidions, when theCourt command-
ed her to be filent, and feeing no hopes of her ,
Deing reclaimed, ordered her to depart the Jurif-
didion within fix Months.
N o fooner was Mrs. Hutchinfon condemned
3y the Court, but the Church of Bofton, of which
fhe was a Member, charged her with Herefy,
in maintaining twenty fix of the Errors condemn-
ed by the Synod ; ftie feem^d at iirfl: to deny the
Charge, but a Cloud of Witnelles being produced
to fupport it, file fubfcribed a Recantation, with
this Protefl, that jhe never had been really of any
Opinion contrary to the Declaration Jhe had novJ made;
3ut the Witnefles proving the contrary to her
Face, her Recantation was rejeded, and fhe was
excommunicated as a Notorious Lyar, with the
tuU confent of the whole Church.* There were
about 8 or 9 more excommunicated out of the
Churches of Roxbury and B-flon after the fame
manner, not fo much for their Erroneous Opi-
nions (fays my Author) as for their Mifcarriages.
Mrs. Hutchinfun, being thus turned out into
the wicjq World, went lirfi with her Difciples to
* IhU. ip h-ef.
lyS T/^^Histqryo/New -England* Ch. v.
j[„„» Rhode Iflandy but not liking to flay there, fhe
i<^37 removed with her Family into one of the Dutch
^"^ Plantations called Hebgate, where, within a littl&
while, the Indians murdered her and her whole
Family, to the aumber of fixteen Perfons. Seve-
ral ftrange Things are reported concerning this
Mrs. Hut^hinfon, and her Companion Mrs. Dyery-
as that the former was delivered of a great many
monftrous Births at once ; and the Latter was
brought to Bed of fuch an ill Hiapen thing as
frighted and aftoniHied all the Spedators ; which
I forbear to relate, as being uncertain in them-
felves, and of no weight, as to the Merits of the
Caufe.
We may eafily imagine that the Magiftrates
of the Majfachufet Colony would not have parted
with fo many ufeful Hands in the infancy of their
State, if the publick Safety had not required it ;
but thefe Men were for turning the Government
up fide-down, and excluding the prefent fet ol
Magiftrates, not becaufe they were unqualifiec
for their Offices, or unfaithful in the Difcharg^
of them, but becaufe they were Men of a legal Spi-
rit, and too much enclined to a Covenant oj
JVorks.
The Heads of the Party being obliged tc
remove, confulted with themfelves where to fet-
tle ,• and having heard of an Ifland beyond Capi
Ccdy near the Narrhaganfet Bay, they purchafec
it of the Natives, and fettled themfelves anc
their Families in it, with as many others a:
were willing to attend them, in the Year 167,^
The Illand was called by the Natives Aquetnet.
but by the Englijh, Rhode Ifland. It lies in the
Narrhaganfet Bay, being 14 or 15 Miles long anc
about 4 or 5 broad. ''Tis a fruitful Soil, and the
Garden o^New England for Pleafureand Delight
the agreeableneffi of the Place invited over k
many Planters, as overfet the Illand in a fev\
Yean
Ch.v. TT&^HisTORY^ New-England. 17^
yc rs and obliged fome of them to fwarm over Ann^
o Lhe Main Land, where they purchafed a Tract ^^>t
5t Larjd, now covered with the Tov/ns of Provi-' "^^^
ience and Warvjick, for all which they obtained a
Charter of King Charles the Second with ample
Privileges. '^' Dr. Mither reprefents them as a
Generation of Libertinesy Familifls^ Antim?72iaus,
md Qjiakers, whofe Pofleriiy for want of Schools
)f Learning and a publick Miniftry, are become
b barbarous, as not to be capable of fpeaking
nther good Englijh or good Senfe ; They have
m extream Averlion to a regular Miniflry, and
.vould never till of late allow any fuch to preach
Lniong them, tho^ the Majfachufet Miniders of-,
erM to do it without putting them to any Ex-
)ence, but at prefent there is a Meeting houfe
)r two in the Illand, which give's hopes of a
urther Reformation.
M R. Lenthal, Minifter of PVeymouth, had like
0 have undergone the fame fate with his Antl-
lornian Brethren, for he had not only declared
)penly for their DoBrines^ but began to oppofe
he New-England Difcipline ; affirming that all
hat were baptiz^'d had a Right to the Commu-
|hion, without any further Trial ; many of the
Jpeople fell m with him, and- would have ereded
1 feparate Church upon that foot , but he was
Immediately fent for up to Boflouy where he con-'
"elled his Errors, fign'd a Retradion in open
Court, and read it openly (by Order of the Go-
/ernment) in his Church at TVepmuth -^ which
kVas all the Puniftiment inflided on him.
B u T of all the Enthufiafts that infefted New-
England at this Time, none was more impudent
:han Mr. Samuel Gorton^ who was carrying on the
ame Defign in the Colony of Plimouthy as Wheeh
Mather £oofe 7. page ii.
N « uright
iSo TTE^f History <9/N£w» England. Ch.v.
Anno vcrighty and Hutchinfon had been doing in the
1^38 Majfachufets ', the Court at laft order'd him to be
apprehended upon the Complaint of one Mr.^
Ralph Smith whom he had cheated; Gorton being ai\
obnoxious Man was not only fined for his Oirence,
but ordered to depart the Colony within 14 Days,
and to find Sureties, for his good Behaviour in
the mean Time ; from Plimouth he went to his
Aflbciates in Rhode-Ijland where he behaved him-
felf with fuch Infolence towards the infant Go-
vernment, that they fen tenced him to be whip'd
and banifhed the Ifland ; the Knight Errant then
v^ent to Mr: Williams atProvidence,and entred upon
the Lands of fome Indians in his Neighbourhood
whereby he had liked to have drawn upon the
Englijl a new War, but Mr. Williams fending to
the Majjachufets for Help, they brought hirn and
his Companions to Bofion^ under a Guard of two
or three Files of Mufqueteers^ and after a fair
hearing, they condemned him, and about fix of
his Difciples to the Work-houfe for iix Months,
and after that to depart the Country.
The Government of Plimoutlo did a. very ex-
emplary Piece of Juftice about the fame time up-
on three of their Subjeds, who had"murdered a
Marrhaganfet Indian, in the Woods near Pro^ui-
dence, the Fad was this; Arthur Peach, who had
been a Soldier in the Peqiiot War, being returned
home and not willing to fettle himfelf to Work,
refolved to run away from his Mafter to the Dutch
Plantation; he enticed three of his Acquaintance
to go with him, who as they were Travelling
thro^ the Woods, met a Narrhaganfet Indian-^ and
having taken a Pipe of Tobacco with him. Peach
with the Confentof his Companions, without
any Provocation from the Indian run him thro*
and left him for dead, but he made a Ihift to
crawl home and tell his Story before he expir'^d ;
the Indians purfu'd and overtook three of the
Murderers
Ch.v. jT/'^ History ^/New-England. i8i
Murderers, and brought them to tli^ Englijb at Ann*
Aquetnet IJland, who dcHver'd them up to the ^^
Governour of Pli7muth as belonging to his Jurif-
diction : When they were brought upon their
rrial, the Evidence that came in againft them
was very full, and they themfelves did in Sub-
ftance confefs the Fad; lo they were all three
X)ndemnM and executed : Some ot the People
thought it very hard that three Englijh Menfhould
dye for one Indian^ but beiides the Juilice of the
Thing it felf, the NeceiTicy of their Arfairs re-
quired it at this time, for the Nurrbaganfets threat-
iied them with a general Infurre(:tion, which by
this Means was prevented.
Upon the Second of J'cne there was a very
great Earthquake, which came on gradually ; at
tirft there was no more than a rumbling Noife,
like remote Thunder, but as the Noife
came nearer, which was from North to South,
the Earth fhook with fuch Violence that the
People could not fland m the Screets, moftof the
Moveables in their Houfes were thrown down,
and 'tis thought that if it had continued a little
longer, the Houfes themfelves mu ft have been
demolifhed. About half an hour after there was
another Noife and Shaking, w hich revived the
Peoples Fears, but it was neither fo loud nor vic-
ent as the former.
This Year a College for the Education of ^*^35
Youth in all the liberal Arts and Sciences was
ereded at Neiv-Tuwn^ about 5 or S Miles from
Bufloriy * which upon this Occalion changed its
Name for that of Cambridge; the General Court
held ^t B oft on ^ September "SiZi^ id 30, had advanced
about 400 Pounds towards fucii a Defij^n, but
that not being fufHcient, and the low Circum-
* C. Mather Uoefe 4. ^. iiC,
N 5 fiances
iS'i T/;£"HisTORY<?f New-England.^ Ch. v
Anfio ftances of their Affairs at that time not allowing
i^ them to advance a greater Sum, the Projeo j^'
ilept, till the Death of the Rev. Mr. John Har \\
"jard lately come from England, who, by hi:
laft Will and Tellament bequeathed the Sum q
feve?i Hundred feventy nine Pounds feventeen Shilling
and two Pence towards the carrying on the Work
Upon his Deceafe, a Committee was chofen t;(
manage the Undertaking which now met witl
Encouragement from the other Colonies ; and ft
veral private Gentlemen finding that there wa
a Probability of carrying it through, contribute
large Sums of Money towards it. The College
being built, was in Honour of their great Bene
fador, called by the Name of H a r v a r d C o l-
L L D G E. It was no better than a Schda Illuflri
for the firft ten Years, but was then incorporatec
by a Charter bearing Date May 31, 1650. fron
the Government of the Majjachufets Colony; th(
Honourable Thcmas Dudley Efq; being then Go
vcrnour.
I T confifls at prefent of a Prefident, five Pel
lows, and a Treaiurer ,* the Gove-rnGur of the Pro-
evince , the Deputy Gcvermmr^ and ail the Magi
firates of the Colony, with the Minifters of th(
iix neighbouring 1 owns, for the Time being
being appointed as Overfeers; the Preiident's Sal-
lary was at firil: paid out of thepublick Treafiiry
but the Profits ci Charles Toixn Ferry being fettled
upon the College, and (everal GentlemiCn both
in Old and New- England contributing very
largely towards the P^^evenues of it, it was quick-
ly able to fubfift of it feif
§OMEtime after, another CoL'ege was built neai?
the icrmer for the Education of the Indians^
aX the Charge of the Honourable Corporation for
propagating the Gofpel in New- England^ and
was called the Indian Colege; but "'tis now con-
verted into a Printing-Houfe, by the Pireftion
of
Ch. V. T7;^ History of New-EiMgland. i §?
bf the (aid Corf oration ; it being found imprac- ^«"»
•icable to perfuade die If7dian Youth to a Love w^
Df Learning. There as dill due Proviiion made
■or the Accommodation of fuch Indians, as lliall
be admitted into the College, but there never
were above four or five of them educated there;
and butone,namely, Caleb CJjeefchaumuck.who took
his Degrees in the Year 166$. For Eleazar the
Indian Youth mentioned in Dr. Mather's Church
Hiflory B. S-p. i53> ^vho ftiould have taken his
Degrees in the Year 16-] 9, died that Year be-
fore the Commencement came i and he was the
lalt that was Educated in the College. * ^
Harvard College being built, a Foundation
was laid for a Publick Library, which was a Work
of abfolute Neceffity ; Books being fo fcarce 111
the Country that it was impoffible tor the Stu-
dents to purchafe them; the firfl: Furniture ot
this Library was the Books of Dr. Wiiiia?n 4^es^
the famous Proteflbr of Divinity at Franequer,
whofe Widow and Children, atter the Dr s.
Death tranfported themfclvts, and their Etfeds,
into thefe Parts; feveral Gentlemen likewile m
England, made very valuable Prefents to it fome
of BooLs, and others of Mathematical Inilru-
ments ; as Sir Kenelm Digby, Sir John Maynard,
the mod Reverend Archbilliop Ujher, . the Rev.
Mr. Richard Baxter, Mr. Joje^h Hill, and others;
but the moft confiderable AcctiTion to this Libra-
ry came by the Death of the Rev. Mr. theofhilus
Gale, an Independent Minifter in London, a learn-
ed Man, as appears by his Books of the Court cf
the Gentiles, who by his iuR Will and Teftament, •
bequeathed his large and valuable Collcdion ot
Books to tlie Library oF Harvard College in Nevj-
England; fmce which time it has only received
'^ :A.S. leturfrom .vr,'. Thomas Bractle.
N 4 ^^'^^-^
184 77?f History ^/New-England. Ch.v.
Anm fome fmall Additions, from private Hands,
]^ and yet before the End of the Century, it was
erxreafed to between three and four Thoufand
Volumes. So that tho' the Cambridge Library in
NeW'Enghnd.f muft not pretend to rival the
Vatican or Bodleian^ or the Libraries of moft of
the Univerlities of Europe, yet it contains a Col-
leftion of the moil valuable Authors, that have
writ in the learned Languages, and is undoubt-
edly the befl furnifiied of any in thofe Parts of
the World.
The firft Prefident of Harvard Colledge was
Ish:. Nathaniel Eaton, a learned Man ; but cruel
in his Nature, and l^v, d in his Morals ; he hired
two Men to hold one of his Pupils, 'till he had
beat him alm,ofl to I)eath with a Cudgel, for
which the General Court fined him 100 Marksy
and expelrd him the Univerfity ; he \\as after-
w^ards excommunicated for Immorality, upon
which he left the Plantation, went firft to Virginia^
and from thence to England, where he lived pri-
vately till the Refloration of King Charles IL and
then conforming to the Church of England ; he
was preferred to the Parfonage of Biddijord in
Devonshire, and became a violent Perfecutor of
the Diffenters, 'till at lafl by his wicked and
extravagant Courfes, he brought himfelf to Mife-
ry, and died in Goal for Debt.
H I s -Succeflbrs to the end of the Century
were, - .
' Mr. Henry Dtmflar, elected 16^0
Mr. Charles Chaiincey 1^54
Dr. Leonard Hoar^. 1671
Mr. Urian Oakes i6jf '
Mr. yoha; Rogers, 1682
Dr. Increafe Mather y 1684
The Prefident's Province, belides the general
Government of the whole Colledj'e is to exa-
miije
Ch.v. r/^ History 0/ New-England. 185
mine into the Qualifications of all who defire to ^»w
be admitted into the CoUedge to infped: their ]^
Manners ; to pray, and expound a Chapter
Morning and Evening, which one of thfe Stu-
dents reads out of Hebrew into Greek in the Mor-
ning, and out of Englijh into Greek from the
New-Teftament in the Evening; .to confer all
Degrees, and to preach fometimes on the Lord's
iDays.
The Fellows that refidc in the College are
Tutors to the feveral Clafies of Students, and
lead them through the liberal Arts and Sciences in
4 Years, in which Time they have their weekly
Declamations, and publick Difputations, the Pre-
Jidenty or one of the Fellows being always Mode-
rator ; the Students are divided into 4 Clafles, the
Junior Clafs are called frejh Men the lirft Year,
and are a kind of Servitors to the whole College
out of ftudying Hours, to go of Errands, &c,
from which none are exempted, unlefs they are
admitted Fellow-Commoners^ of which Number
(as I am informed ) was Sir Harconrt Maflers, .
one of the prbfent Aldermen of the City of Lon-
don : The fecond Year they wear the Title of
Sophimrres : The third of Junior Sopbiflers, and
the fourth of Senior Sophifters^ when they are ad-
mitted to the Degree oi Batchelor of Arts. Thofe
who refide in the College after they commence
Batchelors, are diftinguifhed for the next 3 Years
by the Title of Sir added to their Sirnames ^till
they gQ out Mafters of^rt, as, Sir Chauncey^ Sir
Rogers, Sir Oakes.
When a Student is admitted into the College,
he is required to fubfcribe the College-Laws,
and to keep a Copy of them in his Chamber ;
when lie ftands for his Degree, he is to attend in
the Hall on certain Hours every M:nday and
Tuefday during the 3 Weeks of Vijitati^ n, that all
that have a Mind may examine into his Skill in
I- ■ thofe
1 86 The History of Njew-Engl akd, Ch. v.
An9o thofe Languages and Sciences, that he pretends
J^ to be Mailer of, this is called the fitting of Sol^
fiicesy and is in the Month of June ; upon the
Day of Commencement, which was formerly the
2d of Augufly but now the firfl: IVedneJday in Julyy
a publick Adi is held in the College- Hall^ to which
moft of the neighbouring Magiftrates, Minifters,
and Gentlemen are invited ^ the Prejtdem opons it
with a fhort Oration ; then one of the Candi-
dates pronounces an Oration, either in Latiuj
Greeky or HebreWy wherein all Perfons of Rank
or Qimlity prefent, are addrefled with proper
Compliments, and Reflections are made on the
moll: remarkable Occurrences of the laft Year ;
but the chief Exercifes are Difputations on
l^hefes, or Queftions in Logic, EthicSy natural
Philoft'phyy and mofi: of the liberal Arts, \yhich
the Defendayit publiflies before-hand in a Sheet
of Paper, and obliged himfelf to anfwer all Ob-
)edicns brought againft them ; when this is over,
the Prefident gives him his Degree^ v/ith the Ce-
remony of putting a Book into his Hands, and
pronouncing thcfe Words over him ; for a Bat--
chelor; ' Admitto te ad prifnum gradum in Artibus,
fcilicet ad refiondendinn Quafiioni pro more Acade-
miaru?n in Angliay tibiq; trado hum I'lbrum una
cum pcteftdte puhlice praligendi in alijiui Artium
quam pro filer is quQtiefcunq; ad hoc munus evccatus
jue-iis. ■ For a Mafler of ArtSy which is not ufu-
aliy conferred upon any, but thofe \\ ho are of 7
Years ftaniling in the College ; Admim te ad fe-
cundum gradum in ArtibuSy pro more Academianmi
in An^liay Tradcq; tibi hum librmn una aim poteflate
profitendi ; uuicunq; ad hoc munus publice evocatur
fueris. Afcer which, the Aflembly is difmilfed
with a Valedictory Oration prpnounced by one of
the Graduates.
7'kf. Univerfity o^ Nevj-Enghind never con-
fcrr'd any Degree above M<fler of Arts upon any
of
Ch. V. The HtsTORY of New-England. 187
oF its Members as long as the Old Charter was ^w«»
in Force, but by the New one granted them by i^
K. JViliiarn and Q. Mary^ they have obtained a
Pow er of creating Dochrs in Divinity ; tho' they
have not thought fit to make Ufe of it, except
in the Cafe of tjieir late Prefident, Mr. Increase
Mather.
Several ufeful Perfons both in the
Church and in the State have been educated m
this College ; Sir George Doiviiing, employ ''d firft
by the Parliament, and atterwards by K. Charles
the Second, as his Envoy Extraordinary in Hol-
land, was the fecond Perfon that was enterM a
Student in the College ; Sir Henry Mildinay fent
his Son Williant Mildmay, Efqj the Elder Bro-
ther oi Heyiry Mildmay, Efq; of Shawfordin Hamf-
fiire, to fiudy here. William Stoughton, Efq; j^o-
feph Dudley, Efqj and many other Gentlemen of
principal Note in this Hiftory, owe their Educa-
tion to this Seminary.
O F the Clergy, there were feveral that made
a confiderable Figure in England, under the Par^
liament, and among the Dijjenters in the Reigns
of K. Charles II. and K. James II. as Mr. Benja-
min Woodhridge of Nev^hury^ Mr. Samuel and Na-
thaniel Mather^ Mr. Ifaac Chauncey , befides
the whole Body of the prefcnt Clergy of New-
England, among whom there are fome of as good
Learning and Senfe as in any Parrs of Europe.
B u T to miake the College as compleat as pof-
fible, when the Building was finifhed, and Apart-
ments for the Students fitted up, they fet up a
Printing- Prefs, which was abfolutely neceflary for
the difperfing fmall pradical Treatifes up and
down the Country ; for it can^'t be imaging,
that they could carry off an Edition of any very
confiderable Work while the Colony was fo fmall,
and there were fo few Men of Letters in it. One
of the firfl: Books printed was, A nevj Verfion of
Da-
i88 77^^ History (?/ New-England. Ch»v.
Anno David's Pfalms ; the Miniilers, it feems, were
^22 "0^ fatisfied with Sternhold and Hopkins, not jfo
much on the Account of their Poetry, as becaufe
they had perverted the Text in a great many
Places ; they refolved therefore on a New VeyJidUy
and committed the Care of it to fome of the eiiief
Divines in the Country, among whom were the
Reverend Mr. Eliot of Roxbury, Mr. Mather of
Dorchejier, and Mr. Welds; who having com-
pared their feveral Performances together, printed
the whole at Cambridge in the- Year 1540 : When
the Book was publifhed, it did not fatisfy the
Expedations of judicious Men, for being com-
posed by Perfons of a different Genius and Capa-
city^ it was far from being of a Piece ; and was
therefore after fome Time committed to One
Handy to be correded, and made a little more
uniform; Mr. Henry Dunflar Prefident of the
College, was the Man chofen to this Work, who
with the Afliftance of Mr. Richard Lyon^ Tutor
to Sir Henry Mildmay's Son, then boarding in his
Houfe, reduced it to the Form in which it ap-
pears at prefent; but after all, if we compare
the New-England Verjion ef the Pfalms with thofe
that havefince been publifhed to the World, it
muft be acknowledged to be but a mean Per-
formance ; it keeps pretty clofe indeed to the
Englijh Profe, but has very little Beauty or Ele--
gance in it, the Lines being frequently eke't out,
with a great many iniignificant Particles for the
Sake of the Rhime ; and 'tis but a weak Apolo^
gy, that the Tranflators offer for themfelves, when
they fay, "That we mufl conjider, that God's Altar
needs notour Polijhings : As if it were more eli-
gible to fing the Praifes of God in barbarous
Verfe, than in more exad and elegant Compo-
fures, fo that how commendable foever this Per.^
formance might be in tliQ Time when it firfl ap-
peared»
Ch. V. r-&^ History o/New-England; 189
peared, I think, with the Leave of the learned Aimt,
Men ot' that Country, it wants now to be revifed J^
and corrected by the more beautiful Verjions of
Dr. Patrick, Tate and Brady : And I heartily wifli,
that fome judicious Perfon among them would '
attempt it.
About this Time the Inhabitants of Lyn *
being ftraitned for Room, went over into Lojig--
Ifland, and having agreed with the Lord Star-
lings Agent, and with the Indian Proprietors,
they began a Settlement at the IVefl End of it,
but the Dutch giving them a great deal of Diftur-
bance, they defer ted their Plantation in thofe
Parts, and fettled to the Number of an Hun-
dred Families, at the Eaft End of the Ifland,^
where they built the Town of Southampton, and
by the Advice of the Government of the Majfa-
chuftt-Bay erected themfelves into a Civil Go-»
vernment.
LONG' ISLAND is a noble Spot of
Ground, of about an hundred and fixty Miles
in Length, and twelve in Breadth j off the
Eafl Coaft lye feveral Defart-Iflands, and at the,
Weft End lies Staten-Ifland lo Miles long, and.
5 or 5 broad ; w^hen the Dutch were \n PolfclTion,
of Long-Ifland, they made Earthen Ware there as
good or better than that at Delft, but \\ hen it
fell into the Hands of the Englifi, with the refc
of Neiv-Tork, that Trade was loft ; and the En-
glijh Inhabitants deal chiefly in Furrs, Skins, To-
bacco, and all forts of Grain. There is a Plain
towards the middle of the Illaiid 16 Miles long
and 4 broad, which yields very fine Grafs ; the
Government of this Ifland is annexed to
New-Tork ; 'tis divided into 3 Counties, Queen s^
Suffolk, and Richmcnd Counties j there are two
Churches in Queens County, one at Jamaica^
a Town of about 40 Houfes, whofe Minijlcr
has 30/. a Year and 15/. for Books;; and another at
I go 7"^^ HrsTORY of New-England. Ch. v.
inm Hempfleady whofe Minifler has the fame Income
^^ from England raifed by the Society for propa-
gating the Gofpel, and each of them have 60 /.
a Year from New-Tork; In Suffolk County there
is no Church of England, the Inhabitants being
chiefly Independents and Quakers, but Richmond
Town and County has an Allowance of 40 /. a
Year for a Minifter. *
The Indians were now very quiet, and the
great t Sachemf.lVoofamequeny alias Mnjfafoiet, and
Mooanam his Son, came to New Plimouthy Sep-
tember 25, in their own proper Perfons, and de-
lired, that the ancient League and Confederacy
made with the Government of New Plimouth
might be confirm\l, and the faid Woofamequen
and Mooanam his Son did for themfelves and
their SuccefTors promife to obferve the following
Articles, namely, " That they would not need-
*^ lefly raife any Quarrels, or do any Wrong to
*^ other Nations, fo as to provoke them to War ;
" and that they would not givQ, fell, or convey
•* any of their Lands, Territories, or Pofleffions
" whatfoever to any Perfon, or Perfons, with-
^ out the Privity and Confent of the Governour
*^ of Plimouthy other than to fuch as the faid
" Governour fhall fend or appoint/' Thefe
Conditions, together with an Acknowledgment
of their Subjeftion to the King of England, the
faid IVoofamequen and Mooanam his Son for
themfelves, and their Succeflbrs, did then faith-
fully promife to obferve, and keep. And the
whole Court, in the Name of the Government,
and for each Town -rcfpediveiy^ did then like-
wife ratifie and confirm the aforefaid ancient
League and Confederacy, prbmiling to the faid
• Atlas Geograph. V-S- i- 73">.
t New-England Memorial, p. iqo.
ICh.V. T-&^HlSTORY c/N£W-E>7GLAND. I91
i pflofamequen and his Son, and their Succeflbrs, Amf
'That they pj all, and rcill from Time to Tinie^ defend ^^
the faid VV^'oofamequen and Mooanani his Son,
and their Succeffcrs^ tohen Need and Occafion jhall re-
quire, againft all fuch as jhaUunjuflly rife tip againfl
them, to wrong or opprefs them unjuftly.
The Civil War which broke out in England
this Year between the King and Parliament put
a full ftop to the further increafe of the Colonies
of Ne-^-England, for the Star Chamber and the
Ecclefiaflical Commijjion Court being put down, and
the Ep if cop at Power eclipsM, the Pur it am were
made eafy at home, and thought no more of trans-
porting themfelves into foreign Parts. But cer-
tainly never was Country more obliged to a
Man, than Ntw-England was to Archbifhop
Laudj who by his Cruel and Arbitrary Proceed-
ings drove Thoufands of Families out of the
Kingdom, and thereby Hock'd the Plantations
with Inhabitants, in the Compafs of a very few
Years, which otherwife could not have been done
in an Age. This was the Ssnfe of fome of the
greatcft Men in Parliament ; Sir Benjamin Rud-
yard in one of his Speeches in the Year 11541 has
this Paflage. " A great Multitude (f the Kings
" SubjeEis driving to hold Communion ivith us, but
^^ feeing how far we were gone, and fearing hoiu
** much further we would go, were forced to fly the
*' Land, very many into favage tVilderneffes, becaufe
*' the Land would not bear them : Do not they that
" caufe thefe Things cafl a Reproach upon the Govern-
** mentV Mr. Fiennes, in a Speech made in the
lower Houfe, upon the fame Occalion, fays, that
*' A certain number of Ceremonies in the Judgment
*' cf fome Men unlawful, and to be rejeHed of aS
*' Churches ; In the Judgment of all other Churches^
*' and in the Judgment of our own Chrtrch but indif-
*' ferent, yet ivhat Difference, yea what Di/ira:^iuJt
*' have the^e indifferent Ceremonies raifed among us \
'' irh4t
192 r/&^ History (?/ New-England. Ch.v.
Anno " What has deprived us of fo many thoufands of
16^1 « ChrJftianSy who dejiredy and in all other RefpeEis
*^ deferved to hold Communion with us I fay, what
*' has deprived us of them, and fcattered them into
*' / know not what places and corners of the Worldy
*' hut thefe indifferent CerernoyiiesV My Ld. Digby^
a Gentleman who afterwards fuffered deeply in
the Royal Caufe, complains in one of his
Speeches in Parliament, " T'hat Men of the beft
*' Confcience were then ready to fly into the Wildernefs
*' for Religion. '^ Mr. Pym in his Speech at the
Bar of the Houfe of Lords, when he carried up
the Commons Impeachment of the Archhijhopy
• has thefe Expreflions, " Ton have the Kings loyal
*' SubjeEis banijhed out of the Kingdom, not as Eli-
** melech, to feek for Bread in foreign Countries, by
*' reafon of the great Scarcity that was /;z. Ifrael, but
** travelling abroad for the Bread of Life, becaufs
" they could not have it at home, by reafon of the fpi-
*' ritual Famine of God's Word, caufed by this Man
*' and his Partakers : And by this means you have
*^ the Induftry of many thoufands of his Majejifs
*' SubjeBs carried out cf the Land. " And at lafl,
the whole Houfe of Commons agreed to inferu
this Article in their Remonftrance to the King,
*' ithe Bijhops and their Courts did impoverijh many
" thoufands.^ and fo afflici and trouble others, that
*' great Numbers, to avoid their Alift^ies, departed
** out of the Kingdom, fome into New-England,
*' and other parts 0/ America. "" This was really
the Cafe, and tho"* it muft be allowed, that when
the Puritans were in Power they carried their
Refentments too far, yet Archbifhop Laud and
the reft of the Court-Bifliops can never be cleared
from being the principal Authors of the Civil
"War, which involved both Church and State in
Confufion, and drew fuch a Train of Calamities
after it, as wafted the beft Blood and Treafure
in the Kingdom, and at laft^ brought the un-
happy
[jCh. V. The History t?fNHW-ENGLAND. ic):^
^ihappy King him^Qi'^ to the Block. But the Scene Anna
■of Artairs being now changed, in Favour of the ^
Puritansy and the Plantations left to ihiix. for
themfelves, I \v iii let before the Reader in one
View, a general Computation of the Numbers
of People, both Miniiters and others, who were
driven out of tneir native Country, chiefly on
rtie Account of Religion during the Adminiflra-
tion of Archbifliop Land ; with an Etlimate of
the Charges of the feveral Settlements.
T H E Number of Planters that arrived at
New-England before the Year 16^0. * are com-
puted at about 4000, who difpersM themfelves
up and down the Country, and laid the Founda-
tions of the feveral Towns and Villages in it. f
Their Paflage with their Moveables colt at lead
95000/.
The Tranfportation of their Cattle great and
fmall, 12000/, befides the Price of the Cattle
themfelves.
The Provifions which they carried over for
Subiiflence "till they could have a Harveft in the
Country, 45000 /.
The Materials for their firft Cottages, &Ct
18000/.
T H E Arms, Ammunition, and great Artillery
which they brought over with them, 22000 /.
I N all, ip2000 /.
Besides the large Sums of Money which the
Adventurers laid out in Wares to merchandife
with the Indians, and the Value of Efteds thaC
^particular Perfons and Families carried over with
* C. Mather, Boofe i. page 17,. 13. v
f Mr. Joflelyn'i Computation is •very extravagant, who fays, ih$
KHmber of Men, Women, ani Children tranf^orted- to New-England,
toere aziordhig to the rearejl Commutation iiiOO j and yet the Kuni^
hirof Tranfpcrti but 2,58. Vcya^e to Mew-EngUiidi p, 158*
O ^ them
194 T/'^ History of New -England. Ch. v.
X/»«e them, which was very oondderable ; about 2©o
1^41 Tranfports were employ 'd, at feveral Times, in
^"^ this Undertaking, of which one only was loft.
Upon the whole, we may venture to fay, that
the 4 grand Settlements of New-England^ befides
the Lois of fo many Inhabitants, coft the King-
dom of England no lefs than 4 or 500,000 / a
vaft Sum of Money at that Time of Day ; but if
the Perfecution of the Puritans had continued 10
or 1 2 Years longer, I am apt to think, that a
fourth Part of the Riches of the Kingdom would
have been carried cut of it.
S o M E of the firft Planters were Gentlemen of
confiderable Fortunes, who fpent their Eftates in
the Country ; and were at the Charge of bring-
ing over feveral poor Families, who were not
able of themfelves to bear the Expence : Such
were William Bradford^ Efq; Edward Pflnjlow,
Efq; John JVinthrofy Efq; Ihomas Dudley , Efq;
Simon Brad/ireet, Efq; and a great many others^
who at feveral Times were Governours of the
refpedive Provinces to which they belong'd.
But the chief Leaders of the People intc
New-England were the Puritan Minifiers, whc
being filenced at home, went thither for the Li-
berty of their Confciences, and drew vaft Num-
bers of their Friends and Favourers after them.
I'll fet before the Reader, a Lift of their Namei
in the following Ta b l e.
A LIST
Ch. V. 31&f History of New^Engl ani>. 195
A L I S T of the Na M E s of fuch Puri-
tan MinijierSj who were in Orders in
the Church of England^ but being di-
fturbed by the Ecclefiaftical Courts, for
the Caufe of Nonconformity^ tranfported
themfelves to New-EngUnd^ for the free
Exercife of their Miniftry, before the
Year 1641 ; together with the Names
of the Places where they fettled.
'^HTHO. Allen, at Charles-Town^
J- John Allen, at Dedham,
Avery, at Marhlehead^
Adam Blackman, at Stratford,
Richard Blinman, at Glocefler^
Brucy, at Brainford,
Edmund Broivn^ at Sudbury ^
Peter Bulkeley, at Concord,
Jonathan Burr^ at Dorchefter,
' Charles Chauncey, at Scituate,
Thomas Cohbett, at Lynne,
John Cotton, at Boflon,
Tim, Dalton, at Hampton,
I'he Rev. Mr.<( John Davenport, at Newhaven^ .
Richard Dentoit, at Stamford,
Henry Dunftar, at Cambridge,
Samuel Eaton, at Newhaven,
John Eliot, at Roxbury,
Ji'hn Fisk, at Chelmsford,
Henry Flint, at Braintree,
— Fordham, at Southampton,
-^ Green, at Readings
John Harvard, at Charles-Town,
Francis Higginfon, at Salem,
William Hook, at Nt-xhaven,
Thomas Hooker, at Hartford,
Anntf
Auf39
1641
1 96 The History of New-England. Gh. v.
~ Peter Hvbarty at Hingham^
Efhr. Huet, at IVindfoVy
HuU, at IJle of Sholes^
.. Jamesy at Charles-Towity
■ ■■ yo/fgx, at Fairfieldy
I Knighty at Topsfieldy
' • Knowles-i at IVater-Toivriy
■ ■— Lever kky at Sandwichy
John L'thropy at Barnflabhy
Richard Mathery at Dorcheftery
«-" Maud, at Dovevy
' Mavericky at Dorchejier,
jfohn Mayo^ at Brfiouy .<
John Miliary at Tarmouthy
— MoxeUy at Sfringfieldy
Samuel Newmariy at Rehcbotb,
-" Norriiy at Saleniy
John NortoUy at Bofioriy
James Noyfcy at Newbury ,
The Rev^ Mr.^ 'Thomas Parker y at Newburyy
Ralph PartridgSy at Duxburyy
— jP^'c^, at HinghaiTiy
Hugh PeterSy at Salemy
Thomas Peters^ at Saj-Brooky
George PhilipSy at Water-Town^
"» Philips^ at Dedham^f
Abraham Pie}'fony at SouthamptoUy
Peter PruddeUy at Milfordy
■' Reynery at Plimouthy
Ezek. Rogers, at Rowly,
Nathaniel Rogers, at Ipfwichy
— - Saxtony at ScituatSy
Thomas Shepherd, at Cambridge^
Zach. Symmesy at Charles-Toivn^
— • Skehcnj at Salemy
Rulph Smithy at Plimouth,
■ Smithy at Weathersfield^^.
Samuel Stoney at Hartfcrdf
• Nicholas Street J at Newhaven,
L William
The Rev. Mr
Ch. V. T/^'^HfSTORY (TfNsWrENGLAND, I97
CfVilliam Thompforzy at Braintree, ^«»»
' . Wahham, ac Miiyblehead^ i^
Nathaniel W^ivd^ at Ipfwkhy
John IVarham, at Windfor^
-r— ^i^^A/, at Roxburyy
^ — Wheelwright^ at Salisbury^
*^ //"^wry Whitfield, at Guilford^
Samuel Whitings at I^yw,
5^o/?/2 PVilfvn, at 5cy?07/,
- — .- IVitherel, at Scituate,
I tWilliam Worcejier, at Salisbury^
^ V.ipi< I II II iju To^;^^, at Southdd,
' * ^ In all 77.
Besides thefe, there were about 20 that had no
Settlements in the Country, or were turn'd out
of 'em again, fome for their Immoralities, and
others, becaufe they would not comply with the
received Opinions of the Country, among the(e
were feveral Epifcopaliam, and Anabaptifl^, as
Mr. Miles of Swanfey, and good old H.uferd
Knowles of Dover^ \sho returning to England^
futfer'd deeply in the Caufe of Nonce nfrmity
under K. C/^^r/e-f II. being univerfally efteem'd,
and belQv'd by all his Brethren.
I will not fay, that all the Minifters menti--
on'd in the T*abk were Men of the firil: Rate for
Learning, but I can affure the Reader, they had
a better Share of it than mofl of their neigh-
bouring Clergy at that Time ; they were Men"
of great Sobriety and Virtue, plain, ferious, afr
feclionate Preachers, exadiy conformable to the
Doctrines pf the Church ot England, and took a
great deal of Pains to promote a Refr,':n:itt''n
of Manners in their feveral Parilhes ; 1 know the
World has called them weak Brethren, as we all
do thofe who differ from usi But» who were
guilty of the greatefl \Veakne1ie5, let all unpre-
judiced Pcrfons judge ? Their Adverfaries, who
^ ' O 5 fufpendedp
I9S TfoHlSTORY^/NEW-ENQLAND. Ch. V.
A^^^ fufpended, deprived, and in Effed JbrcM them
i^ out of the Kingdom, for a kw Rites and Cere-
ir ionies, which, by thcir^ own Confeffion were
indifferent, and not eflential to Chriftianity;
or they, who after their beft Enquiries, thought
in their Confciences, that a Compliance with
them would be linfuL
With thefe came over feveral young Stu-
dents in Divinity, whofe Education for the Mi-
niftry not being finiflied in England^ was per-
fected in this Country ; fome of whom after-
wards made a considerable Figure in both E^-?
glands j as,
Mr. Samuel Arnold^ of Mayjhfieldy
Mr. ^ohn Bijhof^ of Stamfordy
Mr. Edward Bulklyy of C^ncordy
Mr.-— Carter y ot fVtburne^
Mr. Francis Dean, or' Andonjer,
Mr, James Fitch, of Norwich,
Mr. — ^— Hunfcrdy of Norivaik^
Mr. Jo/m Higginfon, of Salem,
Mr. — Hough, of Readings
Mr. — — James^ of Eafthamfton,
Mr. Rvger Neivton, of Milford,
Mr. yoi}n Sherman, of U'^ater-Town,
Mr. Thomas "Thacher, of Bcfion,
Mr. -^— IVoodbridge^ of ]Slev:hurj,
Some of the Gentlemen abovementionM re-
turned to England in the Time of the Civil War,
and iervM the Parliament, as, Edwayd fVtnflow,
Efqj who was one of the CommiiTioners of the
is'avy ; Edward H pkins^ Efq; who was one of
the Ccmmiflioners of the Admiralty; George
Downing, afterwards Sir George Downing^ and fome
few others. About 10 or 12 of the Miniftcrs
alfo returned, amcng whom was Mr. William^
Hooky of Jslewhaven^ who was mads Mafter of
' ' the
Ch. V. TheUisTOKY of New-England. 199
the^^^o^; Mr. Robert Peck, Mr. Sa7nuel Mather, ^
Mr Blinmariy Mr. John Kmv)ksy Mr. Siim, Eaton, ^
Mr. Snxtony Mr. Giles Firmin, Mr. thomas Allen,
Mr. Henry Whitfield, Mr. JVoidbridg^e, and the
famous Mr. Hugh Peters, who made a great Fi-
<Ture under the Protedorfhip of Oliver^ Cromwell,
but medling too much in State-Aftairs, was
excepted out of the General Pardon, and exe-
cuted with the King's Judges in the Year 1660,^
So that the JSIew-England Colonies, inftead ot
having any Acceflion from England, manifeftly
decreafed for the next 20 Years, 'till the Perfe-
cution of the Diflenters in the Reign of King
Charles II. turn'd the Tide again.
The Diligence and Induftry of the firit Plan-
ters in bringing their Affairs to fuch a Confift-
ency in fo ibort a Time is very remarkable, for
they had already planted fifty l^owns and Vil-
lages, built thirty or fortv Churches, and more
Minifters Houfes ,• a Caille, a College, Prifons,
Forts, Cart-ways, Caufways, and all this at
their own Charge, without any publick AiTilt-
ance ; the Planters had built themfelves comfor-
table Houfes, they had Gardens, Orchards,
Grounds fenced in, Corn-Fields, &c. and Laws
for the Government of the whole Plantation.
r H E Continent of New-England being now
pretty well ftock'd with Inhabitants, it was Time
to think of taking Pofleffion of the Klands upon
the Coaft, The VVorfhipful Mr. Thomas May-
hew therefore having obtained a Grant oi Martha s
Vineyard, Nantucket, and Eliz^aheth Ifles, fettled
his Son in the former of thefe with a fmall Num-
ber of Planters this Summer ; who being a young
Man of good Learning and Piety, alter fomc
Time became their Minifter, and was very fer-
viceable in the Converfion of the Indians, as the
Reader will fee in its proper Piace. After Mr.
M.:iyhei:'s untimely Death, his Father vifited the
lilvnd,
20O !r/6^HlSTORY(?/N£W-ENGLAND. Ch. V.
Anm Ifland^and tho' he was noMinifler, he perfuaded the
^ Indians of the Gay head to fu&r themfelves to be
jnftruded in the Chriftian Religion. Upon the
Father's Death^ his Grandfon who was bred a
Minifter, fucceeded him in this good Work,
w^hofe Labours have been fo wonderfully blefs'd,
that Dr. Mather fays the Number of Adult la-
dians who have embraced the Chriftian Religi-
on upon t;he Iflands of Marthas Vineyard^ and
JSfantukety are no lefs than three Thoufand.
About the latter End of the laft Year, one
Mr. Bennet a Gentlemen from Virginia arrived
at B-Ji<^^y with Letters from fome of the People
to the Minifters of New- England , bewailing
their want of a Gofpei Miniitry, and entreating
afupply of Miniflers from hence. After dueConful-
tation, it was agreed that the Cnurches of I^^a-
ter-Toivn, Sraintree^ and P^owly having eacn two
Miniflers, Ihould fend one upon the intended
Service, but Mr. Miller of Rovcly being an inhrm
Man, was excufed, and ^v.j antes o'l Nevjhaven
went in his room, with Mr. Harifer Knowles of
IVater Town, and Mr. T^hoinpfon of Braintree :
They began their Voyage, 0:hber 7, 1542. with
Letters recommendatory frorn the Governour of
the AlaJJachufets to the Governour and Council
of Virginia, but thro' Strefs of Weather, and
contrary Winds they were eleven Weeks in their
Pailage ; upon their Arrival they began to preach
in feveral Parts of the Country, and the People
flock'd to hear them, but the Governour was fo
far from giving them Encouragement, that he
pafs'u an Order, T'hat allfiich as would nit conform to
the Ceremonies of the Church of England, Jhould de-
part the Cviintry by fuch a Day. Whereby the
Miniflers were obliged to return home ; but bq^^
* Mathers B, 6. ^. 54.
fore
Ch. V. T*/?^ History of New -England. 201
fore the Time fix'd for their Departure, the In- Anm
dians having entrccl into a Coniederacy againft }^
the Englijh role up in Arms, and mallacred a-
bove three Hundred of the poor Inhabitants,
but Mr. Knoivks and his Brethren got fafe to
New-Eitgland.
Tke lame bloody Defign was carrying on by the
Indians oi New- England siZ this time, but their own
private Quarrels and Divifions hinder^ their put-
ting it in Execution, for the Narrhaganfets ha-
ving had Time to refied upon their late Condu6t
tp wards the Pequots, * whofe Nation was de-
ftroyed, and their whole Territories feized by
the Englijh, and not being fatisfy'd with the Di-
vifion of Plunder that fell to their fhare, they
began to exprefs their diflike of the Englijh^ and
to concert proper Meafures with their Neigh-
bours to fhake off the Yoke, and put it out of
their Power to prefcribe to them for the future ;
but fuch w as the Unhappinefs of this miferable
People, that they always fuffer'd their private
Revenge to take Place of the publick Good.
Mi^fitcnimo King of the Narrhaganfets upon a
private Difgufl againft Uncas King of the Mj-
iawksy hired a Villian privately to murder him,
but the AJfaffin failing in his Attempt, Mian-
tonimo cut otf his Head and declared open War
againft Uncas^ by invading his Territories with
a powerful Army. Uncas, took the Field with all
the Forces he could mufter, which were not half
fo many as Miantcnimo'Sy and had the good For-
tune to take him Prifoner in Battle, and cut off
his Head. The Narrhaganfets enraged at the
Peath of their Prince, refolved to pufli on the
War "till they had deilroyM Uncas and his Nati-
on. Uncas hereupon fled to the Englifh, who pro-
• Dr. Iiicreafe Mather, KswEf^Und tmbksj p, 5^,
misy
202 The History of NevJ'Ehgla}^d. Ch»v.
i*u»o mis'd to fupport him eftedually againft his Ene-
l^ mies ; t when the Narrhaganfets heard this, they
were ftruck with fuch a Pannick Fear of under-
going the {ame Fate with the FequotSy that they
immediately laid down their Arms, fent Mef-
fengers, to Boflon^ and beg'd a Peace ^ which
was granted them upon Condition of their de-
fraying the Charges of the War, and delivering
up'the Son's of their new Sachem^ as Hoftages
for the Performance of it : They promised all,
but when they returnM home, took no further
Care of the Matter, 'till Capt. Athenouy with a
fmall Party of Englijh made an inroad into their
Country, and entring the Wigwam or Palace of
the old Nyantick Sachem Ninigrety took him by
the Hair of the Head, and clapping a Piftol to
his Breaft, told him he was a dead Man, if he
did not immediately deliver up the Hoftages, ancf
give Orders for the Payment of the Money.
Ninigret had his Servants, and Guard about him,
but the boldnefs of the Action, furpriz^'d them
to fuch a Degree, that not one of them durft lift
up a Hand in their Mafter's Defence, which
obliged the Sachem to comply with the Captain^s
Pemands.
But tho' the Meafures of the Indians were
thus broken by their Divifions at prefent, it was
to be feared that they would grow wifer in Time,
and fometime or other fall upon fome of the Co-
lonies with their united Strength ; the Majfachu-
jets therefore to provide againft fuch an Accident,
fent Melfengers to the three Colonies of Plimouih,
Connecticut-, and Neivhaven, to inform them of
the Plottings, and Menaces oi: the NarrhaganfetSy
and to argue from thence the Neccility of their
entring into a Confederate Union with one ano-
thep
: Ch. V. TheUisrov.Y of New-England~. 205
I ther after the Manner of the Provinces o£ Holland, Ann9
for their mutual Security; the Motion was no ^^"^^
fooner made, but each Province immediately ^^
embraced it, and an Inflrument was drawn up
in the following Words.
ARTICLES^ Confederation betwixt
the PtmtAtions under the Government of
the Maffachufets ; the Plantations under
the Go'vernment of Plimouth, the Plantar
tions under the Government ^/Connefticut,
and the Government of Newhaven, with the
Plantations in Combination therewith^
Art, I. " T T is fully agreed and concluded bv
" X ^^<^ betv\ een the Parties or Jurif-
** diiSions above named, and they do jointly and
*^ feverally by thefe Prefents agree and conclude
*' that they all be, and henceforth be called by
^' the name of the United Colonies of New-Eng-
^' land.
Art, IL '^ T H E faid United Colonies for
*^ themfelves and their Pofterity, do jointly and
*' feverally, hereby enter into a firm and perpe-
" tual League of Friendfhip and Amity for Of-
*' fence and Defence, mutual Advice and Suc-
^' cour, upon all juft Occafions, both for prefer-
*' ving and propagating the Truth and Liberties
" of the Gofpel, and fo^ their own mutual
^' Safety and Welfare.
Art. III. ^' I T is further agreed that the Plan-
*' rations which at pre fen t are, or hereafter fhall
^' be fettled within the Limits of the Maffachu-
" fets^ fhall be for ever under the Government
* Newhaven'*/«fi//;»^ in New-Enshnd. T-rnhn 1^5^, p. z.
'' of
ao4 The History of New-England; Ch. v.
Anno " of the Majfacbufets ; and fhall have peculiar
i^ " Jurifdiction among themfelves as an entire
" Body. And that Plimouth, ConneBicut, and
" Newhaven, fhail each of tnem m all Refpeds
*' have the like peculiar Jurifdidion and Gor
'* vernment within their Limits, and in Refe-
" rence to the Plantations, which already are
" fettled, or fhall hereafter be ereded, and fhall
" fettle within any of their Limits refpedively,
f' provided that no other Jurifdidion fhall here-
*' after be taken in, as a aiftind Head or Mem-
*' ber of this Confederation; nor fhall any other
*' either Plantation or Jurifdidion, in prefent be-
*• ing, and not already in Combination, or under
*' the Jurifdidion of any of thefe Confederates be
*^ received by any of them ; nor fhail any two of
" thefe Confederates join in one Jurifdidioa
" without Confentof the Reft, which Confent
*' to be interpreted as m the fixth enfuing Ar-
** ricie is expre iVd.
IV. - It is alfo by thefe Confederates agreed,
*^ that the Charge of all juft" Wars, whether of-
" feniive or defenfive, on what Part or Member
" of this Confederation foever they fall, fliall both
" in Men, Provifions, and all other Dlsbutfe-
** ments be born by all the Parts of this Confe-
*' deration, in different Proportions according to
*' their different Abilities in manner following,
*' namely, that the Commiffioners for each Jurif-
** didion from time to time, as there fhall be Oc-
^' eaiion, bring a true Account and Number of all
*^ the Males in each Plantation, or any ways
^* belonging to, or under their feveral Jurifdic-
** tions of what Qiiality or Condition foever they
" be, from lixteen Years old to lixty being Inha-
" bitants there. And that according to tht dif-
*' fcrent Number, which from time to time fhall
" be found in each Jurifdidion upon a true and
" juft Account,- the fcrvice gf Men and all
" Charges
Ch. V; The History of New-England.' 205
'' Charges of th-e War be born by the Poll : Ann*
" Each Jurifdidion or Plantation, being left: to ^f45'
*' their own jull: Courfe and Cuftcm ot rating
*' them lei ves and People, according to their dif-
*' lerent Eftates, with due Refpeds to their
" Qiialities and Exemptions amongft themfelves,
" tiio' the Confederation take no Notice of any
" fuch Privilege. And that according to the
" diti'erenc Charge of each Jurifdidion, and Plan-
" tation, the whole Advantage of the War, (if it
** pleafe God fo to blcfs their Endeavours)
*' \\hether it be in Lands, Goods, or Perfons,
" fhall be proportionably divided among the
" faid Confederates.
V. "It is further agreed, that if any of
*^ thefe JtirifdiEtionSy or any Plantaticm under, or
*' in Combination with them, be invaded by
*' any Enemy whom foe ver, upon Notice and Re-.
" queft of any three Magillrates of that Jurif-
** didion fo invaded ; the reft of the Confede-
*' rates without any further Meeting or expoflu-
^' lation, fliall forthwith fend Aid to the Confe-
** derate in Danger, but in different Proportion,
•* namely, the Majfachufets one hundred Mea
*' fufEciently Armed, and provided for fuch a
*' Service and Journey ; and each of the refty for-
*' ty five Men fo armed and provided, or any
*' lefs Number, if lefs be required, according to
" this Proportion. But if fuch a Confederate
" may be fupplied by their next Confederate, not
" exceeding the Number hereby agreed, they
^* m-ay crave Help there, and feek no further
" for the Prefent ; The Charge to be born as in
*'* this Article is exprefs'd j and at their Return
*' to be vidualled and provided with Powder and
" Shot (if there be need) for their Journey by
" that Jurifdidion, which employed or fent for
*^ thein. Bur none of the Jurifdidions to ex-
" ceed thefe Numbers, "till by a Meeting of the
« Com-
2c5 T/'^ History of New -Engl and. Ch. v.
Anno " Commiflioners for this Codfederation, a greater
J^ " Aid appears neceflary. And this Proportion
" to continue, 'till upon Knowledge of the Num-
" bers in each Jurifdiftion, which fhall be brought
" to the next Meeting, fome otner Proportion be
" ordered. Bur in any fuch Cafe of fending
*^ Men for prefent Aid, whether before or after
" fuch Order or Alteration, it is agreed that at
*' the meeting of the Couimifnoners for this Con-
*' federation, the Caufe ot fuch War or Invafion
*' be duly ccnlidered, and if it appear that the
*' fault lay in the Party fo invaded, that then
*' that Jurifdi(5tion or Plantation make jufl Satis-
" fadion both to the Invaders whom they have
*' injured, and bear all the Charges of the War
*' themfelves without requiring any Allowance
*' from the refl of the Confederates towards the
f* fame.
"And further, if any Jurifdidion fee any
•* Danger of an Invafion approaching, and there.
*^ berime for a Meetings that in fuch Cafe three
*' Magiflrates of that Jurifdidion may fummons
*' a Meeting, at fuch convenient Place as them-
*' felves fhall think meet, to confider and pro-
" vide againfl the threatned Danger. Provided
*' when they are met, they may remove to what
" Place they pleafe ; only while any of thefe four
*' Confederates have but three Magiflrates in
*' their Jurifdidion, a requeft or Summons from
" any two of them fhall be accounted of equal
*' Force with the three mentioned in both the
" Claufes of this Article, till there be an Increafe
*' of MagiRrates there.
VI. *' I T is alfo agreed that for the manage-
*' ing and concluding of all Affairs proper to, and
*' concerning the wliole Confederation^ two Com-
*' miffioners {hall be chofen by and out of the
*' four Jurifdiclions, namely, two for the Majfa-
" chufetSy two for PUrKoutK two for ConneBicity
" "and
i: Ch. V. The History of New-England. 207
I " and two for Newha^jeriy being all in Church- Ann*
** fellowfhip with us, which fhall bring full i^45
«' Power from their feveral general Courts re- '"^
** fpe(5tively, to hear, examine, weigh and de-
^* termine all Affiirs of War or Peace, Lea-
" gues, Aids, Cliarges, and Numbers of Men
" for War, Divilion of Spoils, or whatfoever is
" gotten by Conqueft, receiving of more •Con-
" federates or Piantatations into Combination
*' with any of thele Confederates, and all things
^' of like nature which are the proper Concomi-
^* tants, or Confequences of fuch a Confederati-
** on, for Amity, Offence and Defence, not in-
" termedling with the Government of any of the
^' Jurifdidions, which by the third Article is
*' preferved entirely to themfelves. But if thefe
*• eight Commillioners when they meet, fhall not
'' all agree, yet it is concluded that any fix of
" the eight agreeing, fhall have Power to fettle
** and determine the Bufinefs in Qiiellion ; but
^* if fix do not agree, that then, iuch Propofi-
" tions \\ ith their Reafons, fo far as they have
*^ been debated, be fent and referr'd to the four
'^ General Courts (viz..) the Majfachiifets, Pit-
'^ mouthy ConneBicut and Newhaven -, and if at
'^ all the faid general Courts, the Bufincfs fo
*' referr'd be concluded, then to be profecuted
" by the Confederates, and all their Members.
** It is further agreed, that thefe eight Commif-
*' fioners fliall meet once every Year, befides
•^ extraordinary Meetings according to the fifth
*^ Article, to confider, treat, and conclude of
^^ all Affairs belonging to this Confederation*
" which Meeting fliall ever be the firft Thurf-
'* day in S2^tembir. And that the next Meeting
*' after the Date of thefe Prefents, which fliall
" be accounted the fccond Meeting, fliall be at
" Bofion in the Majfachufets ; the "third at Hart-
^J ftrd i the fourth at Neiv/javenr the fiFth at
*' Plimouthf
ao8 The History <?/ New-England. Ch. v.
Ijino *^ Plimouthy the (ixth and feventh at BofloUy and
1^3 c< then Hartfordy Newhaven sind Plimouth, and fo
''^ *' in Courfe fuccefllvely. If in the mean Time
** fome middle Place be not found our, and a-
*^ greed on, which may be commodious for all
^^ the Jurifdidions.
" VII. It is further agreed, That at each
*' Mgeting of thefe 8 Commiilioners, whether
'^ ordinary or extraordinary, they all, or any fix
•* of them, agreeing as before, may chufe their
«^ Prelident out of themfelves, whofe Office and
*' Work fhall be to take Care, and dired for
" Order, and a comely carrying on of all Pro-
" ceedings in the prefent Meeting ; but he fliall
** be in veiled with no fuch Power or Refped,
'* as by which he fhall hinder the Propounding,
•' or Progrefs of any Bufinefs, or any Way caft
•* the Scales, otherwife tnan in the precedent
^^ Article is agreed.
" VIII. It is alfo agreed. That the Commif-
^ *' fioners for this Confederation, hereafter at
*' their Meetings, whether ordinary or extraor-
*' dinary, as they may have Commiflion or Op-
*' portunity, do endeavour to frame and eftablifh
** Agreements, and Orders, in general Cafes of
*' a Civil Nature, wherein all the Plantations
*' intereiled for preferving Peace among them-
*' felves, and preventing ( as much as may be )
" all Occafions of War, or Differences with
** others, as about the free and fpeedy Paffage
*' of Juflice in each Jurifdi(5i:ion to all the Con-
•' federates equally, as to their own receiving
* thofe that remove from one Plantation to
*' another without due Certificates; how all the
*' Jurifdidions may carry it towards the Iridi^
^^ <insy that they neither grow infolent, nor be
'* injured without due Satisfaction, left War
*^ break in upon the Confederates through fuch
** Mifcarriages. It is alfo agreed. That \i any
« Ser-
Ch.v. Ti&^HisTORY^ New-England. 209
** Servant run away from his Mafter into any Anna
" of thefc confederated JuriTdidions ; that in ^^"J^
" fuch Cafe upon the Cjrciticate of one Magi-
*' flrate in the Jurifdidticn, out of which the
" fliid Servants fled, or upon other due Proof,
" the faid Servant fhall be delivered either to
" his Mafter, or any other that purfues and
" brings fuch Certificate or Proof. And than
" upon the Efcape of any Prifoner whatfoever,
'^ or Fugitive for any criminal Caufe, whether
" breaking Prifon, or getting from the Officer,
" or otherwife efcaping, upon the Certificate of
" two Magiflrates ou: of which the Efcape is
" made, that he was a Prifoner, or fuch an Of-
" fender at the Efcape, the Magiftrates, or fome
" of them of that Jurifdi6cion, where for the
" prefent the faid Prifoner or Fugitive abideth,
" fhall forthwith grant fuch a Warrant as the
" Cafe will bear, for the apprehending of any
" fuch Perfon, and the Delivery of him into the
" Hands of the Officer who purfueth him. And
^' if Help be required for the fafe returning of
" any fuch O fender, it fhall be granted to him
" that cravcth the fame, he paying the Charges
" thereof.
*' IX. And for that the jufl: Wars may be of
" dangerous Confequence, efpecially to the fmall-
*' er Plantations in thefe united Colonies ; it is
" agreed. That neither the MnJJachiifeUy Pit-
." mouthy CmneEikut, nor Newhaven^ nor any of
*^ the Members of any of them fhall at any
" Time hereafter begin, undertake, or engage
" themfelves, or this Confederation, or any Part
*^ thereof in any War whatfoever (fuddenExi-
'' gencies with the neceffary Confequences there-
*^ of excepted, which are alfo to be moderated
*^ as much as the Cafe will permit ) without
^' the Confent and Agreement of the fore-
" named eight Commiilioners, or at leaft fix of
P " themi
2io K^ History (/New-England. Ch. v.
A^tno " them, as in the fixth Article is provided. And
J^ *' that no Charge be required of any of the
" Confederates, in Cafe of a defenfivc War, 'till
'^ the faid GommifTioners have met, and ap-
" proved the JuiHce of the War, and have a-
*' greed on the Sum of Money to be levied,
^ which Sum is then to be paid by the feveral
" Confederates in Proportion, according to the
^' fourth Article.
'' X. T H A T on extraordinary Occafions,
" when Meetings are fummor/d by three Ma-
^' giftrates of any Jurifdiclion, or two as in the
" fifth Article, if any of the Commillioners come
" not, due Warning being given, or fent, it is
" agreed. That four of the CommiiTioners fhall
" have Powder to direcl War, which cannot be
*' delayed, and to fend for due Proportions of
*' Men out of each Jurifdiction, as well as fix
'^ might do, if ail met, but not lefs than fix fhall
*^ determine the Jullice of the War, or allow the
" Demands or Bills of Charges, or caufe any
*^ Levies to be made for the fame.
" XI. It is further agreed, That if any of
*^ the Confederates fiiall hereafter break any of
" thefe prefent Articles, or be any other Ways
*' injurious to any one of the other Jurifdidions,
" the Breach of Agreement or Injury fhall be
*' duly confidered, and ordered by the Commif-
" ficners for the other Jurifdidions, that both
" Peacfe and this prefent Confederation may
" be entirely prefcrved without Violation.
Lastly, This perpetual Confederation,
and the feveral Articles and Agreements
thereof being read, and ferioudy confidered,
both by the general Court of the Majfa-
chufets, and the Commiffioners for Plimoutb,
Connecliaity and Nez:have?i ; were prefently and
fully allowed and confirmed by three of the
forenamed Confederates, nameJ\', the M^lf^:-
ii
Ch. V. 77;^ History (?/ New-England* 211
" chufas, . Conneciicuty and Nevohaven. In Tefti- Ann$
'' mony whereof the General Court of the MaJ- ^43
'^ fachufets by their Secretary, and the Commif-
" lioners for ComieJItcut and Neivhavea, fubfcribed
" them the icpth Day of: the third Month, "com-
" monly called May^ Anno Domini, 16^3.
" Only the CommifTioncrs from Plimouth
'^ having brought no GommiiTion to conclude,
" delired Rcfpite to advife with their General
*' Court, which was granted, and at the fecond
" Meeting of the Commiflloners for the Confe-
" deration held at Bofton in September following,
" the CommilTioners for the Jurifdidion of Pli^
*' 7nouth delivered m an Order of their General
'^ Court, dated Augufl 29, 1643. by which it ap-*
" peared, that thefe Articles of Confederation
" were read, approved, and confirmed by the
*' faid Court, and all their Townfliips, and their
" CommifTioncrs authorized to ratifie them by
" their Subfcriptions, which they accordingly
" did the -jxh T) :iy oi Sept eynber^ i6-\^/^
From this Time we are to look upon the 4
Colonies of New-England, as one Body, with Re-
gard to ail the publick Tranfadions with their
Neighbours, tho' the private Affairs of each
Province were ftill managed by Magiftrates and
Courts of their own.
While this great Affair of the Union of the
4 grand Settlements of New-England w^as tranf-
acting, dyed Mr. William Brewfler^ Teacher of
the Church of New-Pli'mouth. a wife and prudent
Man, and defervedly called ibe Father of New-
England ; he had a learned Education in one of
the Englijh Univeriities> aixl from thence entred
himfelf into the Service of Mr. Davifon^ Secre-
tary of Stare to Qiieen Eliz.abcth, with whom he
went over into Holland, and \s as entrufted with
Afiairs of great Importance, as particularly with
the keeping tlie Keys o^' the Cautionary Jo-jjns ;
P 2 h^
2ia T^^ History c/ New -Ekglanp. Ch. v,
Anm he afterwards lived in good Efteem m his own
^^^5 Country^ 'till the Severity of the Times forced
him to return to Holland^ where he became firft"
a Member, and afterwards a Ruling Elder of
Mr. Rcbinfons Congregation at Leyden; here he
continued 'till the Year 1620, and then at the
Age of 60y had the Courage and Refolution to'
put himfelf at the Head of that Part of the
Church \vhich began the firft Settlement in
New-England ; he lived there almofl 23 Years,
and bore his Part of the Fatigues and Hardlhips
of the Infant-Colony with the utmoft Bravery ;
he was iiot an Ordained Minifler, but being a
Man of Learning and Piety, he preached to the
Colony for above 7 Years, 'till they could provide
themfelves with aPaftor; the Magiflrates and
People paid him the greateft Refped ; and after
a long Life filled with Sufferings on the Account
of Religion, he dyed in the midfl of his Friend's
in Peace, ApilxhQ i8th, 11543, in the 84th Year
of his Age, and was buried with as great Ho-
nour and Solemnity, as the prefent Circumftances
of the Colony would admit.
16AA The Town of Pli?nouth growing too ftreight
for the Inhabitants, and the Land thereabouts
proving barren, and hardly worth manuring,
fome of the principal Gentlemen agreed to look '
out another Settlement, and having viewed a
Trad of Land near the Promontory of Cape Cod,
called by the Indiansy Namfet, where the Soil was
rich, and the Situation pleafant, they purchafed
it of the Natives, and fome of the beft Fami-
.lies in Town removed thither with their Effeds,
* and built the Town of Eafl-Ha77t.
The Peace of the Country had like to have
been broken at the fame Time by the following
Accident ; an* Indian murdered an EngliJI) Man
in the Woods near ConneBicut ; the Englijh de-
manded the Murderer, but the Segamore refufed
to
Ch.v. T/^^HisTORYc/ New-England. 2t}
to deliver him up, whereupon both Sides pre- Avno
pared for War ; the furious Indians in the Heat i^
of their Rage committed feme A<5i:s of Hofulity
againft the Englijh^ but when they faw the Storm
that was coming upon them, they furrender'd the
Murderer, and fo the Peace was continued.
But tho' the pubh'ck Peace with the Indians i^45
%v'as preferved, the Commonwealth was in Dif-
.order from inteftine Commotions within itfeif ^
for the Inhabitants of"^ Hingham \x\ the County of
Suffolk^ quarrelling about the Eledion of their
chief Military Officer, Mr. M^inthrop Deputy-
Governour of the Province, proceeded againft
the Rioters in an arbitrary Manner, obliging
them to give Bond to appear at the Quarter-
Court, and upon theirRetufa],he committed them
to Prifon i the Accufation laid againft them was
certain Words fpoken, concerning the Liberty
and Power of the General Court and their own
Liberties granted them by the faid Court : The
Majority of the Town were inflamed at the Im-
prifonment of their Friends, and figned a Peti-
tion to the General Court for a free Hearing,
and Liberty of Speech to plead their common
Liberties ; in this Petition they complain of the
following Grievances.
First; That they had not a fettled Form of
Government according to the Laws of England.
" ' That they had hot a fure and comfort-
able Enjoyment of their Lives, Liberties and E-
-ftates, according to their natural Rights, as
free-born Subjefts of the Englijh Nation.————
From whence proceeded Fears of illegal Commit-
ments, unjuft Imprifonments, 1 axes. Rates, Cu-
ftoms. Levies, of ungrounded and undoing Af-
* Child'i New-England Jonas cafi ;^ .it London, KT^y, p. i.
P 3 fcilmenis.
214 r/?^ History f?f New-England. Ch. v.
A»fo feflments, unjuftifiable Prcfies, undue Fines, &c.
l^ In a Word, of an Uncertainty of all Things they
enjoy'd. "■ n They therefore pray, that there
may be a more fettled Rule of Juftice in Cafes
of Judicature, from which if Men fwerve, there
may be fome Power fettled to call them to Ac-
count.
Secondly, That whereas there are many
Thoufands in thefe Plantations of the EngUjh
Nation free-born, quiet, peaceable Men, righ-
teous in their Dealings, and forward to advance
the publick Good, ^c. who are debarr'd from all
Civil Employments, not being permitted to bear
the leaft Office, nor to have a Vote in chuiing
Magiftrates, Captains, or other Civil or Mihtary
Officers.* They therefore delire that Civil
Liberty and Freedom be granted to all truly
Ei'iglifiy without impofing any Oaths or Cove-
nants on them , which feera not to concur with
the Oath of Allegiance formerly enforced on all ;
or at leafl, to detract from the Laws of their
native Country ; they being willing to take fuch
Oaths and Covenants, as exprefs their Defire to
promote the Glory of God, and the Good of the
Plantation ; their Duty to the State of Eyigland,
and Love cf their Nation. But they entreat,
that their Bodies may not be imprefsM, nor
their Goods forcibly taken away, left' they not
knowing the Juftice of the War, maay be igno-
rantly and unwillingly forced upon their own De-
frrudion.
Thirdly, Whereas there are divers good
People eminent for Kno\^Iedge, and no Way
fcandalous in their Lives and Converfations,
Members of the Churches of England^ not dif-
lenting from the late and heft Reformation of
England and SiUland^ who yet are prohibited the
Lord's Supper, becaufe they will net fubfcribe
the
Ch.v. The HiSTOKy £?/New-Englakd. 215
the Church's Covenant, for which they fee no Amm
Light in the Word of God j but notwithflanding ^^45
are compeird under a fevere Fine every Lord's
Day to appear at the Congregation, and Notice
is taken of fuch who ft.iy not ^till Baptifm be
adminiftrcd to other Men's Children, tho' denied
to their own, and in fome Places forced to con-
tribute to the Maintenance of thofe Mitiifters
who will not receive them into their Flock, tho'
they defire it. They therefore pray for Li-
berty to the Members of the Churches of Eag-
iandy not fcandalous in their Lives and Conver-
fations, to be received into the Churches ; or elfe
to grant Liberty to fettle themfclvcs in a Church-
way, according to the Reformation of England
and Scotland. Or elfc, they fnall be necclTi-
tated to lay their Cafe before the Parliament of
England.
Slgnd by Rohrt ChihU Tbo. Fuvcle,
Samuel Maverick, 'Tbvnas Bunon^
David laid, John Smth, John
Daud,
Six of thefefeven Petitioners were cited be-
fore the Court, and charged with great Offences
contained in this Petition ; they appealed to the
parliament uf England, and tendred fufficient
Security to abide by their Sentence; but the
Court thought themfelves empowered to deter-
mine the Affair themfelves, ^liich they accor-
dingly did, by fentencing the Oifenders to be
imprifoned and fined. ^
Dr. Mather fays, * the Court Ind fo much
Regard to the Petitioners, as to ord:r WvJVin-
C, Mjithr B. z. p I z.
P 4 • thrcp,
2i6 T/&^ History of New-England. Ch.v.
jLnno throf,tht'Dc^^uty-Go\txncm, to make his Defence
J^ in open Court before a vaft Affembly of People,
who firft pleaded his Commifrion,and Ihewedthem-
how um-eafonable it was to call a Governour to
Account during the time of his Adminiftration;
but this net giving Satisfaction , he came down
from the Bench, and like a Criminal at the Bar,
pleaded nis Caufe, and gave fuch Reafons for
the juftifying his Condud, as rais'd the Indigna-
tion of the Deputies againft the Petitioners, and
made them not only acquit him, but lay a fevere
Fine on the Heads of his Profecutors.
H E adds, further, that after the Trial was
over Mr. Winthrof refumed his Place of Deputy
Givernotir upon the Bench, and fpoke to the fol-
lowing Efted.
Gentlemen,
^' T" Will not look back to the pad Proceedings
" JL ^^ ^^^^ Court, nor ro the Perfons there-
" in ccncerr/d ; I am fatisfyM that I was pub-
" lickly accufed, and that I am now publickly
" acquitted ; but give me leave to fay fomething
** on this Occafion that may redify the Opini-
" ons of the People, from whom thefe Diftempers
^' in the Stace have arifen. " ,The Queftions that
" have troubled the Country of late have been
" about the Authority of the Magiflrate and
" the Liberty of the People : Magiftracy is cer-
" tainly an Appointment of God, and I entreat
" you to confider that you choofe them from a-
" mong yourfelves : And that they are Men fub-
" je6t to like PafTions with yourfelves : We take
" an Oath to Govern you according to God's
" Laws, and our own to the bed: of our skill ; if
" we commit Errors not willingly, but for want of
'^ skill, you ought to bear with usj nor would
<' I have
Ch. V. T/S^-HisTORY of New-England. 2,17
^^ I have you miftake your own Liberty ; there is a Ann*
" Liberty of doing what we Hft, without regard to ^^"^^
" Law or Jufliceythis Liberty is indeed inconfiflent
*' with Authority ; but civil moral, federal Li-
*' berty which confids in every one^ enjoying his
" Property, and having the Benefit of the Laws
*' of his Country, this is what you ought to
" contend for, with the hazard of your Lives;
*' but this is very conliftcnt with a due Subjec-
" tion to the civil Magiflrate, and the paying
" him that Refpeft that his Charader in the
" Common-wealth requires/^
The Court and People were entirely fatis-
fied with this Part of Mr. Wimhrop's Condud,
and fo overcome with his Condefcention, that to
make him amends they chofe him Gov^ernour of
the Province every Year after as long as he lived.
* But the Petitioners reiblved to lay the Cafe
before the Parliament of England^ and according-
ly Dr. Child and Mr. Fowle took Paflage in the
firfl Shipping that went for England after their
Rcleafe, and carried Authentick Copies of the
whole Affair with them ; the Government was
alarmed at this Refolution of the Petitioners
and jealous of the Confequence, infomuch that Mr.
Cotton in one of his Sermons took Occafion to fay,
*That if any Jhall carry any Writing!^, or Complaints
againfl the People of God in that Country toEnglandy it
would be as Jonas in the Ship. Thefe Words made
fuch an ImprefTion upon feme of the Paffengers,
that when they were in a Stcrm at Sea ; a VVo-
man came up from between Decks about mid-
night, and begg'd Mr. Vaffd that if there was
any Jonas in the Ship, as Mr. Cotton had dire(5ted.
* NeW'England'i Jonas, p. i8.
it
xiS r/i'^ History (?/ New-England. CIx,v.
Amio it might be thrown over Board ; he ask'd her
1^45 ^ hy fhe came to him ; llie reply "d, becaufe he
*^^ had Tome Writings againft the good People of
New-England ; but not being able to make any
Impreffion upon him, Ihe went to Mr.Fvxvle in the
like diflraded manner, who told her^ They had
nothing but a Petition to the Parliament that
they might enjoy the Liberties of EngHfimen,
and a Copy of the Petition they had prefented
to the Court at BofloUy and if flie and others
thought them to be the Occafion of the Storm,
they might do what they would with them. So
the Woman carried the Petitions to her Friends
between Decks, who threw them over Board ;
but Mr. FoTvIe took care to preferve the Origi-
nals, which he publiihed afterwards to the
World, under the Title of New- England' s Jonas
caji up at London ; but the Parliament of Eng-
land were too bufie at this time to take Cog-
nizance of the Affair.
Old England was indeed in a dreadful Storm ;
for the King and Parliament, having battled it
with Petitions and Remonftrances againil: one
another for fome time, at laft drew their Swords ;
whereupon the Parliament deprived the Bifhops
of their Votes, and at length abolifli'd the Epif-
copal Government it felf ; each Party raifed an
Army, and GarrifonM the chief Towns in their
Pofleflion; the whole Kingdom took Part on
one llde or the other, 'till every Corner of the
Land was filled with Blood and Confu/ion. The
foreign Froteftants wiHied well to the Parlia-
ment, for they were fo incenfed at the fevere
Proceedings of Archbifhop Laud and fome other
Prelates, that they could not but be pleafed at
their Downfall. The Archbiihop had laid the
Dtttch and French Churches in London under (evere
Reftraints
Ch. V. T^^ History qfNEW-ENGt AND* 219
Reftraints as to the Excrcifcof their Difcipline,''^ Am^
and Dr. JVreUy Bifliop oF Norwich, liad proceed- J^
ed againft thofe of CanteYbiiry, JVirtukhy and 0-
thcr Parts of his Diocefs with Rich warmth, that
many of them left the Kingdom, and carried
their My fiery into foreign Parts to the lellening
of the Manufactures of the Kingdom. And
whereas the Erjglijh Am baf fadors in Proteflant
Countries ufed to frequent their Churches ; t
Inflructions had been given to the Lord Scuda-
more at Paris, not to go to Charemon, whereupon
he fitted up the Chappel in his own Houfe, and
furnifh'd it with Candles upon the Communion
Table, to the great Oiience of the Proteflants
of that Country , who had never feen any
(iich Thing before; and declared publickiy,
that the Church of England^ did not look upon
the Hugomts as a Part of her Communion. Thefe
Proceedings of the Bifhops begot ill Blood a-
mongfi; Proteflants; and made the foreign
Churches unconcerned at their Downfall,- and tho'
our Hillorians have varnifti'd thefe Things over,
and given them the beft turn they would bear,
yet certainly they carried the Face of a Reconci-
liation vvith tlie Church of Rome, whatever the
Authors of thefe Couniels might intend by them.
All the foreign Plantations fided with the Parlia-
ment^ except Virginia; the feveral Colonies of
New-Ei7gland we may be fure did fo; for the
Bifliops had been their implacable Enemies, and
driven them out of the Land ,• and one part of
the Quarrel between the King and Parliament
was the very fame for v^hich they left the Coun-
try : For themi therefore to wifli well to the Par-
' Com^Ujit mjl. of Eng. Vol. III. ^ 72.."
t Ibid. p. 120.
1 lament.
220 The History of New-England. Ch. v^
4np» liament, was no more, than to vvifh well to
i^ themfelves ; but tho* the New-England Colonies
were on the Parliament fide, they were not ca-
pable of giving them the leaft Afliftance, but
like Spedators at a diflance enjoying all' the Blef-
(ings of Peace and Plenty, they only look'd on
and beheld the Calamities in which their Na-
tive Country was involved.
Chap.
Ch. vu The History of New-E^[gland; 221.
Chap. VL
Of the Converjton of the Indians. Several
Conferences of the Reverend Mr. Eliot
rvith them. A Body of Indians agree to
enter into civil Society^ and make . haws
hy Mr. Eliot'^ Direction for their Govern-
ment. The ConfeJJion of Faith of Ponam-
pam an Indian Convert. Two Exhorta-
tions or Sermons of Indian Preachers on
A FaJl'Day. Of the Converfion of the In-
dians of Martha'^ Vineyard, under the
Condu^ of Mr- Mayhew. Hiaccoomes'i
boldnefs and Conflancy in the Chriflian
Faith ; the Reverend Mr. Mayhew'^ Death
and CharaBer. Mr. Inereafe Mather's
Letter to Profejfor Leufden at Utrecht
giving an Account of the Number of the
Indian Churches their Manner of WorjJjipy
and Form of Church Difcipline. The Con-
tinuation of their Hi/lory. Of the Society
for propagating the Gofpel in New-Eng.-
land.
^^W^' HEN the EngU(ly firft took Poacf- f^^^l
*^\iV^^ iion of Ncw-Englandy the Natives -^^
^M,}^ j^ were a wild and favage People,
^^f^ without any form of civil Govern-
ment, and very little Appearance of
Religion ; their Princes were abfolute-- Mafters
of the Lives and Fortunes of their Subjeds ;
and their Priefts were a fort of Conjurers, \s ho
pretendcii
222 The History d?/NEw-ENGLAND. Ch. vL
ji„„o pretended to converfe with familiar Spirits, but
i<?4^ did not encourage the People's Devotion, nor
^"^ inftrud them in any of thefocial Virtues ; they
had neither Temples, nor Altars, nor any ftated
times of religious Worfhip. When a Perfon was
fick, the Pviefl was fent for to make ufe of his
Enchantments for his Recovery ; and when any
publick Calamity befell the Country, the Priefts
and People offered fome fort of Sacrifices to ap-
peafe the Deity ; but at other times, they never
troubled their Heads about the Matter. One
thing further deferves to be taken Notice oti
which is, that the chief Objed of their Devo-
tions was the Devil; they feldom worfhip'd the
Supreme Being Kichtany becaufe they apprehend-
ed him to be a good Beings who would not hurt
any of his Creatures j but they ftood in great
Awe of Hobamockoy the Author of all Evil, and
upon every Mifchiet that befell them, loaded
his Altars with their Burnt-Offerings.
I T moved the Compaflion of the firft Planters
cf Neix^-EngluTidj who left their native Country
on the Account of Religion, to fee fo many poor
Souls wandrmg in the Paths of Ignorance and
Error, who were Men as well as themfelves, and
Wanted only Inftrudion to bring them to the
Knowledge of God in Chrifl ; befides the King
cf England, in the Charter which he granted to
the Colony had declared that '' to win and incite
*' the Natives of that Country to the Knowledge
*' and Obedience of the only true God, and Sa-
" viour cf Mankind, was in his Royal Intention,
" and the Adventurers free Poileflion, the princi-
" pal End of the Plantation".
The Rev. Mr. £//of, therefore, Minifler of Rox-
^;/;7,refolv'd to attempt this great Work, and for this
purpofe hired an Indian who could fpeak Englijh to
teach him the Language : The Indian Language,
as the Reader hath already cbfer\'*d in the hrfl
Chapter,
Ch. vi. The History ^/New-England. 22}
C'lapter, mufl be very difficult to learn, by rea- Ann9
foil of the exceifive length of the Words, which I^
have not the the leaft Affinity with any of the
European Languages ,• the Prounciation is harfli,
and the way of converling in it, very unplea-
fant by realon of the flow Communication of
Ideas ; but Mr. Eliot's Zea| furmounted all thefe
Difficulties, fo that by couverfing with his Indian
Servant a few Months, he was able to fpeak the
Language intelligibly, and after fome time by
his own indefatigable Pains and Induftry, he
became fo compleat a Mafler of it, as to be capa-
ble oif reducing it to a Method, which he has.
fince publifhed to the World under the Title of
the Indian Grammar.
Having thus fitted himfelf for his Work, he
refolved to break the Ice ; and accordingly on the
28th of Oclcher 16^6.- He went with three more
in Company, * to the Neighbouring Indians ha-
ving ^w^n them Notice before-hand of his de-
fire to inftrudt them m the Chriflian Faith;
IVaaubon^ a wife and grave Man, tho"* no Sachetn^
with five or fix Indians met them at fome dif-
tance from their Wigwams, and bidding them
welcome conducted them into a large Apart-
ment, where a great Number of the Natives
were gathered together , to hear this new Doc-
trine which the Englifn were to teach them;
after a fhort Prayer Mr. Eliot rehearfed and ex-
plained the ten Commandments ; informing them
at the fame time of the -dreadful Curfe of God
that would fall upon all thofe that brake them :
He then told them, who Jefus Chrifl was, where-
he was now gone, and how he would one Day
come again to judge the World in flaming Fire ;
he informed them likewife of the Elelfed State
D.ty-hrenUtig of the Cofpil in New-Englaild, Lordoti, 16^-7. p. i.
224 T^^^HisTORY (^^ New-England. Ch. vi\
/.ttn9 of ail thofe A^iiO by Faith believe in Chrift, and
*^ kr: ow him favingly ; he fpake alio of the Creation
and fall of Man ; of the infinite greatnefs of God,
the Maker of ail Things ; of the Joys of Heaven
and the Torments of liell ; perfuading them to
Repentance, and a good Life. Having Ipent a-
bout an Hour in dif^Durfing upon thefe Argu-
ments ; he deiired to know whether they would
ask him any Quelaons about his Sermon ; upon
which one flood up and asked. How he might come
to know Jefus Chrifl ? Another enquired, Whether
Engiiilimen were ez^er fo Ignorant of Jefiis Chrift as
themfehes ? A Third, Whether Jefus Chrift could
underftand Prayers in the Indian Language ? Ano-
ther propos'd chis Quefficn ; How there could be
an Image of God, fince it was frbidden in the fecond
Commandment^ Another, Whether if the Father
he naughty and the Child goody God will bs offended
with that Child, becaufe in the fecond Commandment
it is faidy he vijtts the Iniquities of the Fathers upon
the Children ? The iaft Qiieftion that was asked
at this Meeting was. How all the World became
full of people y if they were all once drowned in the
Flood? Mr. Elict and his Friends gave plain
and familiar Anfwers to all thefe Queflions, and
after a Conference of about three Hours return-
ed Home.
Upon the nth of November,^ they gave
the Indians another Meeting by Appointment ;
and found a larger Company met together than
before ; Mr. Eliot began hrll with the Children,
and taught them thefe three Queflions and Anf-
wers. Q. I. Who made you and all the World'?
A. God. Q^ 2. Who do you expeci jhoulci fave
you from Sin and Hell? A, Jefus Chrift. Q. 3.
How many Comfnandments hath G:fd given you to keep?
* Hid. p. 7.
.^.Ten.
Ch.vi. TI&^ History o/NeWtEngl AND.' 225
A. Ten. He afterwards preached about an Anr.o
Hour, to the whole Company concerning the i^
iSlature of- God, and the Neceificy of Faith in
Jcilis Chrift for the procuring his Favour ; he in-
Formed them iikewife what Jcfus Chrift had done
and fuftered for the Salvation of Sinners, and A<'hkt
dreadful Judgments tiicy muft expect:, if they
neglected the Salvation that v, as nowoffer'd them.
The whole Company appeared very ferious ; and
after Sermon, Liberty being given them to ask
any Qiieftions for their iurther Information , da
old Man prefently ftood up and wath Tears in his
Eyes, asked. Whether it zuas mt too late for fiah
an old Man as he^ vcho was near Death to rspent and
feek after 'God ? Another asked. How the Englifh
came to differ fo much from the Indians in their
Knowledge of God and Jefus Chrifly Jtnce they had
all, at firfl but one Father ? Another enquired,.
How it came to fafs that Sea-Water was Salt and
River Water frejh ? Another, That if the IVater
was higher than the Earth, hozo it comes to pafs that
it does not overflow all the Earth .<* Mr. Eliot and
his friends fpent feveral Hours in anfwering thefe .
and fome other Qiieftions, and in the Evening
return' J home ; tlie Indians telling them that they
did much thank God for their coming; and for what
they had heard ^ they we^re wonderful Things to
them.
Upon the 2^th of the fame Month, they
met the Indians a third time^* but the Company
was not fo numerous as before, becaufe the
'Powaws or Priefis had difwade'd fome from co-
ming to hear the Englijh Minifters, and threatned
others with Death ; but thofe that were prefent
appeared very ferious, and feemed to be touched
with Mr. Eliot's Sermon. Two or three Days after
* Ihid. p. is. •
O this
zi6 T/;^ History ^/ New-England. Cb.vl
vi"«» this Meeting, Wamfas^ a wife and fage Indian^
^^"^^ with two of his Companions, came to the Eng-^
lijhy and deiired to be admitted into foi?ie of their
Families ; he brought his Son and two or three
other Indian Children with him, begging they
might be educated in the Chriftian Faithy which
the Englijh granted ; and at the next Meeting all
that were prefent offered their Children t6.be
catechized, and intruded by the Englijh^ who
upon this Motion refolved to fet up a Schov>l a-
mong them.
But before this could be accomplifhed, it was
neceffary to take them off from their wild way
of living, and bring them into a fort of civil
Society ; the general Court therefore gave the
Indians in that Neighbourhood fome Land to
build a Town upon, which they thankfully ac-
cepted, and called it by the Name of Noonatomen^
that is Rejoycing. And as many as were willing
/ to be civilized, met together and agreed on the
following Laws.
Firfl, * That if any Man be idle a Week, oi
at moft a fortnight he fhall pay five Shillings.
Secondly, I f any unmarried Man fhall lie with
a Young Woman unmarried, he Ihall pay twenty
Shillings.
T'hirdly, If any Man fhall beat his Wife,
his Hands fhall be tied behind him , and he
fhall be carried to the Place of Juftice to be fe-
verely punifhed.
Fourthly, Every young Man, if not another**
Servant, and if unmarried fliall be compeird tc
fet up a IVig'wa?n, *and plant for himfelf, and not
ihift up and down in other TVigvjams.
Fifthly, If any Womaa fhall not have hcj
Xbii, p. Zi.
,Hair
Ch. vi. The History of New-England. 227
Hair tied up, but hang loofe, or be cut as Men's ^»»9
Hair, fhe fhall pay five Shillings. i^
Sixthly, I F any Woman fhall go with naked
Breafts, fhe ffiall pay two Shillings.
Seventhly, All Men that wear long Locks
ihall pay five Shillings.
Eighthly, I F any ftiall kill their Lice between
their Teeth, they fhall pay five Shillings.
But the general Court being willing to en-
courage the Indians further, made the following
Order concerning them, dated May 26, i6^j.
'' *Up o>' Iniormation that the Indians dwel-
** ling among us, are by the Miniftry of the
•* Word brought to fomeCivility, and are defirous
*' to have a Court of ordinary Judicature fee
" up among them : It is therefore ordered by
** Authority of this Court, that one or more of
*' the Magiftrates, fhall once every Quarter keep
** a Court at fuch Place where the Indians ordi-
" narily alfemble to hear the Word of God, to
" hear and determine all Caufes both civil and
" criminal not being capital, concerning the In-
*^ dians only ; and that the Indian Sachems fhall
" have Liberty to take Orders in the Nature of
** Summons, or Attachments to bring any of
" their People to the faid Courts, and to keep a
** Court of themfelves every Month, if they fed
^^ Occalion, to determine fmall Caufes of a
*' civil Nature, and iuch fmaller criminal Caufes,
" as the faid Magiftrates fhall refer to them; and
*' the faid Sachems fhall appoint Officers to ferve
" Warrants and to execute the Orders and Judg*
*' ments of either of the faidCourrs,whichOfficers
" fliall from time to time be allowed by the fliid
" MagiRrates in the quarter Courts, or by the
" Governour : And that all Fines to be impofed
* Shepliai'd'i char Sy.n-Jhine of the Gof^el uton the Indians, Londoft
1^8. p. IV ■ * •
2i8 Ti&^ History (j/New-England. Ch.vi,
i(w»/' upon any Indian in any of the faid Courts,
Jf^ ** fnall go and be bellowed towards the building
*' of fome Meeting-houfes for Education of their
<' poorer Children in Learning, or other publick
*^ Ufe, by the Advice of the faid Magiil;rates,
" and of Mr. Elioty or of fuch other Elder as
<^ fhall ordinarily inilrud them in the true Reli-
" gion. And it is tjie Delire of this Court that
*^ thefe Magiftrates and Mr. Elict, or fuch other
•* Elders as fhall attend the keeping of the faid
** Courts, will carefully endeavour to make the
" Indians underfland, our mofl ufeful Laws, and
*' the Principles of Reafon, Juftice, and Equity,
*^ whereon they are grounded, and it is defired
" that fome Care may be taken of the Indians
" on the Lord's Day."
The Ground on which their Town was to
be built, being mark'd out, Mr. Elioi advifed
them to fence it in with Ditches, * and a Stone
Wall, promifing to give them. Shovels, Spades^
Mattocks, and Crovos of Iron for this Purpofe ; he
likewife gave Money to thofe that work'd hardefl,
by wliich means their Town was foon enclofed
and the JVigiJoams or Houfes of the meanefl: were
equal to thofe of the Sachems in other Places, be-
ing built not with Matts, but with the Barks of
Trees j and divided into feveral Apartments ;
whereas before they ufed to eat and fleep, and do
all the Offices of Nature together.
The Women began to learn to fpin, and find
fcmething to fell at Market all the Year round ;
in the Winter they fold Brooms, Starves, BasketSy
Turkies ; in the Spring Cranberries, Fijh, Straw-
berries; in th^Summcv Hurtlekrries, Graf es, Fijhy
befides feveral of them worked with the Englijb
in Hay time and Harveft ; but they w ere nei-
ther
Ch. VI. The History of New-England. 229
ther fo induftrious nor capable of hard Labour, Antf
as thofe who have been bred to it. ' i^^
While thefe Things were doing at Noonato- ^"^
men, the Indians about Concord exprefs'd their De-
fires of being civilized, and of receiving the Chri-
ftian Faitn, they begg'd Mr. Eliot to come and
preach to them, and addrefs'd the Government
tor a fpot of Ground either by the Side of the
Bear Swamp, or on the Eafl fide of Mr. Flint's
Pond to build them a Town ,• about the latter
End of February {cvtYoX of their Sachems and Prin-
cipal Men met at Cunccrd, and agreed upon the
folio w^ing Laws for their civil and religious Go-
vernment.
That* there fhall be no more Porcawing a-
mong them, upon Penalty of tw^enty Shillings for
every Offence.
That whofoever fhali be Drunk fhall forfeit
tw"enty Shillings.
T H A T if any be convided of Stealing, he
fhall reflore fourfold.
That whofoever fhall prophane the Sabbath
fhall pay twenty Shillings.
That whofoever ihall commit Fornication,
fhall pay twenty Shillings ii a Man , and ten
Shillings if a Woman. »
Wilful Murder, Adultery, and Lying with a
Beafl to be puniHied with Death.
None to beat their Wives, on penalty of
twenty Shillings.
They refolved to lay afide their old Cere-
monies of howling, greafing their Bodies, adorn-
ing their Hair ; and to follow^ the EngUJh Fafhi-
ons.
1' h E Y agreed to pray in their IVigwams, and
to fay Grace before and after Meat.
f Clear StiK-Jhlve, p, d^,
(^3 These
ajo T//^ History o/New«Englakd. Ch. vi.
Anp? These and fome other Orders of the fame Na-
i^ ture, were pubh'flicd and approved by the whole
Company, and Capt. Willard of Concord was de-
fired to be their Recorder, and fee them put in
Execution.
Bu T to return to the Indians at Noonatomen ;
the Rev. 'Mv. Wilfon, Alien, Dunfiar, Shepard, with.
{everal other Englijh went thither on the third of
March, and after Sermon defired that if any of
the Indian Women had any Difficulties with Re-
gard to the Chriftian Religion, they would pro-
pofe them, either by acquainting their Husbands,
or the Interpreter, privately with them ; accord-
ingly one askMj Whether Jhe frayed, ivhen fie only
joind ijcith her Husband in his Prayer to God Al~
mtghty ; another ask'd , Whether her Husband^s,
prayer fignifyd any thing, if he continued to be angry
ivith his Wife, and beat her : At this, and fome o-
ther Meetings, . the Englifb gave away Cloaths
to the Indian Men, Women, and Children ; fo
^hat on a Le^ITture Day the greateft part of them
appeared handfomely drefs^'d after U^e Englijb
Manner,
B V T Mr. Eliot's Labours were not confined
to one cr two Places, he travelled into ail Parts
of the Maffachufet and Plimouth Colonies even as
far as Cafe Cod, offering to preach the Gofpel
XO as many of the Sachems and their Subjeds as
would hear him ; he was in Journeyings often, and
(as the Apoflle Paul fays or himfelf) in Perils of
Water, in Perils by the fleathen, in Perils in the Ci-
ty, and in Perils in the Wildernefs. In a Letter
that he writ to the Honourable Mr. Winjlow, *
He tells him^ that he had not been dry Day nor
Night from Tu^fday to Saturday, but travelled
from Place to Place in that Concfition, " only at
f^
t' Night
Ch. vi. The History of New-England^ 23 1
* Night (fays he) I pull off my Boots, and wring j^„„^
*' my Stockings, and fo put them on again, I i<J4^
'* have coniidered the Exhortation of the Apoftle
" Paul to his Son Timothy^ That we mufl endure
« fiardjhip, as good Soldiers of Jefus Chrifl." He
went ufually once a fortnight on his MiiTionary
Work, tho"* herein he frequently carried his
Life in his Hand ; for fuch was the Malice
of feveral of the Indian Princes and Priefts a-
gainft him, that they often plotted his Deftruc-
tion, and would certainly have put him to the
moft tormenting Death, if they had not been
awed by the Power and Strength of the Englijh
Colonies ; Nor is this to be wondred at, for if
it be very difficult to civilize barbarous Nations,
'tis much more fo to make them Chriftians; All
Men have naturally a Veneration for the Reli-
gion of their Anceftors, and the Prejudices of
Education are infuperable without the extraordi-
nary Grace of God. Befides the Indian Princes
and Priefts look'd upon Mr. Eliot as a Man that
defign'd to overturn their civil as well us religious
Policy j the Prince was jealous of his Prerogative,
and the Prieft of his Gain, and (o both joinM to-
gether to hinder the Progrefs of the new Doc^
trines. The Monhegin Indians were fo jealous of
the General Court's obliging them to pray to
God, that Uncas their Sachem went to the Court
at Hartford to proteft agiinft it. * Oitfiamoquiny
another Sache?n came to the Indian Lecture, and
openly protefted againft their building a Town,
telling the Englijh, that all the Sachems in the
Country were againft it ,• he was fo honeft as to
tell Mr. Eliot the Reafon of it ; for (fays he) the
Indians that pray to God do not pay me Tribute
as formerly they did,* which was in part true
*, Whitfield'i Vifcoiery of the ^refetit State of the Jinlians in NeW-
QL4 iox
2J2 T/i^HlSTaRy^/'NEWrENGLAND. CIl. VI.
jinno for whereas before the 'IS'^zc/;^'/;/ was abfolute Ma-
^f4^ der of his Subjects ; tneir Lives and Fortunes
being at his Difpofal; they* gave .him now no
more than they- thought reafonable ; but to wipe
of the Reproa^ch that Cuijhamoquin ha4 laid upon
them, thofe few praying Indians -who were pre-
fent, told Mr. Eliot, what they had done for their
Sachem the two laft Years, leaving him to judge
whether their Prince had any reafon to com-
plain; at one time they gave him 26 Bufhels of
Corn ; at another tirne 6 Bufhels more ; on two
hunting Days they killed him 15 Deers ; they
broke up for him two Acres of Land ; they made
- him a. great Houfe or Wigwam ; they made
^•o Rod of Fence for him, with a Ditch and
2 Rails about it ; they paid a Debt for him of
three Pound ten ShilHngs ; one of them gave him
. a Skin of a Beaver of two Pounds, befides many
Days Work in Planting Corn all together ; yea
they laid they would willingly do more if he
would govern them juflly by the Word of God.
But the Sachem fwelling with Lidignation, at this
unmannerly -Difcaurfe of his Vaiials, turnM his
Back upon the Company and went away in the
greateft Rage imaginable,- tho^ upon better
Gonfideration himfelf turned Chriftian not long
after.
Innumerable were the Affronts that Mr.
Eliot met with in his Miffionary Work, fome-
times the Sachems w^ould thruft him out from a-
mong'them, telling him he w^s impertinent to
trouble himfelf with them or their Religion, and
that if he came again, it fhould be at 'his Peril';
but his ufijal Reply was, " that he was about
" the Work of the great God, and therefore did
*' not fear them, nor all the Sachems in the Coun-
" try ; that he wns refolved to go on with his
" Work, and bid them touch him at their Peril."
When he offered to preach the Gofpel to Philip
■ ■ King
Ch. vi. The History of New-England^ 2 jj
King o(thQ IVompancags, Philip^ Icok'd upon him Amo
with Scorn, and taking hoid ot one of his But- -^^
tons, told him. He cared no more for his Gofpel than
for that Button.
But 'tis no wonder that they treated Mr.
Eliot after this rude Manner, when they banifh-
' ed from their Society all thofe of their own Peo-
ple that favoured Chriftianity, and when they
could do it with Safety, put them to Death; no-
thing but the formidable . Power of the Englijb
hindred them from Maliacring all the new Con-
verts, which obliged fome well difpofed Perfons
to conceal their Sentiments in Religion, and o-
thers to fly to the Englijb for Protection.
1' H E Powaws likewife made Ufe of all their
Inchantments to keep the People in Awe ; they
asked them, what they would do when they were
fick; for when the Indians are fick the Powawy
are their Phyiiciuns for Soul and Body, they ad-
minifter Phyfick, and at the fame Time addrefs
their Deities for a Blefling ; they howl and dance^
and ufe a great many Charms for the fick Man's
Recoveiy ; and the People believe that by their
familiar Converfe with the World of Spirits they
can kill or cure, except in fome particular Cafes,
w^ierein the Deity is inexorable; they believe
they can bewitch their Enemies, and, if they
pleafe, by an invifible Power put them to Death:
Even the new Converts were of this Mind, only
they affirmed the Chrifiians God to be a Being of
fuperior Power to the God of the Powaws : When
fome of the Powaws threatncd Jaccomes a Chri-
ftian Com'ert with his Life, tehing him, that he
knew they could deftroy him with Witclx:raft,
and that they w^ould do it, unlefs he return'd to
his old Religion ; he replyed, in the Face of a
great Afiembly of Indians, " That tho' the God
'* they worfhipped had great Power, yet he was
* {ubiervient to him whom he had now chofen
" to
2,34 T^^ History <?/ New-England; Ch.yi.
A»no « to ferve/' Another Time when the Powav^s
iijS were bragging in the midft of a great AfTembly
of Indians^ that they could kill all the praying
Indians, if they pleafed ; Jaccomes told them,
*' That if they brought all the Powa-u^s in the
•' Country together, he would venture himfelf
*' in the midft of all their Charms and Witch-
« crafts, and by the Help of his God tread upon
** them all/' But tho' fome of the Converts had
Courage enough to defy the Power of the Indian
Priefts, yet others were afraid to appear openly
againft them, and Mr. Eliot fays, that he ob-
ferved a remarkable Difference in their Counte-
nances, when the Powaws were prefent, and
when they were out of the Way.
But notwithftanding, all thefe Difcourage-
ments, the Chriftian Religion * began to obtain
in feveral Parts of the Country, both in the
Majfuchufet and Plimouth Patent ; the new Con-
verts were diftinguifh'd by the ]>Jame of the
Praying Indians^ who as foon as they had re-
nounc'd their Old Religion, abandoned their
w^ild and barbarous Way of Living. A confi-
derable Body of them combined together in the
Year 165 1, and built a Town by the Side of
Charles-River, which they call'd Natick : It con-
fifts of three long Streets, two on this Side the
River, and one on that, with Houfe-Lots to
every Family ; there is one large Houfe built
after the Englijh Manner, the lower Room is a
large Hall, which ferves for a Meeting-Houfe
on the Lord's Day, and a School- Houfe on the
Week-Days ; there is a large Catiopy of Matts
raised upon Poles for Mr. Eliot and his Com-
pany ; and othei: Sort of Canopies for themfelves
iind other Hearers to fit under, the Men and
* Manifefiation of ths further Ifogrefs of. tt?S Cof^sl in New-
Englaud, 16U. p. i7«
Women
L
Ch.vi. Ti&^HisTORY^/ New-England. 255
Women being placed apart; the upper Room Annm
is a Kind ot Wardrobe, where the Indians hang }^
up their Skins^ and other Things of Value ; in a
Corner of this Room Mr. Eliot has an Apart-
ment partition'd oft-i with a Bed and Bedftead in
it : There is likewife a handfome large Fort, of
a round Figure, palifado'd with Trees, and a
Foot-Bridge over the River, in Form of an
Arch, the Foundation of which is fecured with
Stone, with fevpral little Houfes after the £«-
glijb Fafhion.
As foon as they had fix'd their Settlement,
* they applied to Mr. Eliot for a Form of Civil
Government, who advifed them to that which
jether propofed to Mofes for the Ifraelites in the
Wildernefs, E%od. xviii. 21. Accordingly, on the
fixth o't Augiifty about igo of them met together,
and chofe one Ruler of 100, two Rulers of 50,
and ten Rulers of i3 ; every private Man chofe
who fhould be his Ruler of 10, the Rulers
{landing in Order, and every Man going to the
Man he chofe ; after this they entred into the
following Covenant. " We are the Sons of
'^ AdatHy we and our Fathers have a long Time
^* been lofl in oiir Sins, but now the Mercy
^* of the Lord begins to find us out again;
^* therefore, the Grace of Chrift helping us, we
*^ do give ourfelves and our Children to God
" to be his People ; he fhall rule us in all our
*' Affairs, not only in our Religion, and Affairs
" of the Church, but alfo in all our Works and
•' Affairs in this World ; God fhall rule over us,
•' the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Law-
" giver, the Lord is our King, he will fave us ;
*' the Wifdom which God has taught us in his
^ Book, that fhall guide us, and dired us in
* JbU page 9j 19.
''^ the
2^6 r/'^ History <?/New.Englakd. Ch.vi.
j^no '' the Way. O Jehovah, teach us Wirdoin to
i<$4^ •' £n4 out thy Wirdcm in thy Scripcures ; let
*' the Grace of Chrifl help us, bccaufe Cnrilt is
'' the Wifdom of God , (end chy Spirit inco our
*' Hearts and let; it teach us ; Lord take us to
<^ be thy People, and let us take thee to be our
•* God."
The New-Converts continued feveral Years
under the Character of CatecumenSy all which
Time they were vifited by Mr. EUoty or fome
other Divine of the Country every Week, who
catechiz^'d their Children, preach'd upon fome
Article oi the Chriftian Faith, and anfwered fuch
Qiieftions as the /;2^z^;2j propofed to them; at
length, upon their repeated Dcfires to be formed
into a Church, a Day w^as appointed, which they
called Natootomakteackefuk^ or the Day of asking
Qiieflions , when the Miniilers, and feveral of
the Members of the adjacent Churches affifted
-with the beil Interpreters that could be had^ met
at Naticky to judge of their Fitnefs for Chriftian
Communion : This great Aifembly was on the
13 th of OBoheYy 16$ 2y when about 14 or 15 Z?z-
dians made diflincl and open Confeflions of their
Faith in Chrift, and of the Efficacy of the Word
towards their Converfions ; Mr. Eliot writ them
dov/n as they fpoke them, and afcerwards pub-
lifhed them to the World under the Title of
Tears of Repentance, or, a Narratix^e of the far-
ther Progrefs of the Gofpel among the Indians in
New-England, He tells the World in his Book,
(p. 26.) " That he had not knov/ingly, or wil-
•' lingly, made their Confellions better than they
" made themfelves, but he is verily per-
*' fwaded on good Grounds, that he has rather
*' rendred them weaker than they delivered them,
*' partly by milling fome Words of Weight in
*' feme Sentences, partly by abbreviating fome
^^ Paliages, and partly, '^ by Rcafon of the di^ic^
" rent
Ch. vl. T-6^ History (?/Nfav-England* 2^7
*' rent Idioms of their Language and ours/' Arti»
Ho^vevcr, I will prefent the Reader with a i^4«
Copy oi one of their Omjeffiom, by which he may
form a Judgment of the reft.
TheCONFESSlON of-Po^Ku^Ku,
on the FaJl'Dajj before the Great AJfembij,
. "T3Efore*I prayed to God, I committed
XJ '' ^11 Manner of Sins, and when I heard
^' the Catechifm that God made me, I did noc
*• believe it, becaufe I knew I fprang from my
" Father and Mother^ and therefore I defpifed
** the Word, and therefore again I did ait ail
** Sins, and I did love them. Then God was
*' merciful to me to let me hear that Word,
*' that aH fiall fray from the rifing to the fetting
*' Sun ; and then I confidered whether I fliould
*' pray, but I found not in my Heart that all
*' fhould pray ; but then I conlider'd of pray-
*' ing, and what would become of me if I
*' diA not pray, and what would become of mc:
" if I did pray ; but I thought ii I did pray, the
*' Sachems would be angry j becaufe they did not:
*' fay, pray to God; and therefore I did not yet
" pray, but confidering of that Word, that all
*^ fhali pray, I was troubled, and I found in my
" Heart, that I \NOuld pray to God, and yet 1
** feared that others would laugh at me,
'' and therefore I did not yet pray. After-
*^ wards God was yet merciful to me, and I
** heard that God made the World and the firit
" Man, and I thought it was true, and therefore
*' I would pray to God, becaufe he hath made •
*' all ; and yet when I did pray I thought I
*' did not pray aright, becaufe J. pra . ed for the
*^ Sake of Man, and I thought this was a ^eac
* Tear s of B^pcntx),cef London, i^^S* P* ^i»
^^ Sin^.
n
a^ T/^eHisTORYc/ New-England. Ch.v^
Anno a Sin ; but then I wondred at God's free Mer-
I^ '* cy to me, for I faw God made me, and gives
" me all Mercies, and then I was troubled, and
" faw that many were my Sins, and that I do
" not yet believe ; then I prayed ; yet my Heart
*' finned, for I prayed only with my Mouth ; and
" then I repented of my Sins, and then a little
*' I confidered, and remembred God's Love to
*' us ; but I was a Sinner, and many were my
*^ Sins, and a little I repented of them, and yet
" again I finned, and quickly was my Heart full
" of Sin j and then again was my Heart angry
*' with myfelf, and often I loft all this again, and
« fell into Sin. Then I heard that Word that
" God fent Mofes into Egypt, and promifed, 1
*' ivill be thee : That Promife I confider'd ; but I
•' thought that in vain I did feek, and I was
" afham'd that I did fo : And I pray'd, O God
*' teach me truly to pray, not only before Man^
** but before God ; and pardon all my Sins.
** Again, I heard that Word that Chrift taught
*^ thro' every Town and Village, Refent, and be-
*' lieve, and be faved ; and a little I believ'd this
*' Word, and I lov'd it, and then I faw all my
*' Sins, and pray'd for Pardon. Again, I heard that
. *' Word, He that cafleth off God, him will God caft
" off; and I found in my Heart that I had done
*' this, and I fear'd becaufe of this my Sin, left
« God fliould caft me off, and that I fhould for
*' ever perifh in Hell, becauf© God hath caft me
" offi I having caft off God. Then I was trou-
" bled about Hell, and what Ihall I do if I be
« be damn'd. Then I heard that Word, If ye
« refent and believe, God far dons all Sins : Then Ii
" thought. Oh that I had this ! I defir'd to repent
" and believe ; and I begg'd of God, Oh give
" me Repentance and Faith ! freely do it for
*^ me ! and I faw God was merciful to do it.
l[ But I did not attend the Lord only fometimes,
" and
I Ch.vi. T-&^ History c?/N£w-England. sjq
I *' and I now confefs that I am afhamy of my ^„,«
" Sins, my Hearc is broken and melteth in me, 1^4^
*' I am angry at my felt ; I deiire Pardon in ^^
" Chrifli 1 betruft my Soul with Chrifl, that he
*' may do it for me. "
I T muft be remembered that thefe Indians
could neither write nor read, that they pro-
nounced thefe Confcflions before a large Aflem-
bly ot Englijh, and were often interrupted by
the Writers ; \v hich is a fufficient Apology for
their w'ant of Method and ExpreiTion. The
Minifters communicated thefe Confeflions to their
feveral Churches, who approved of them ; but
, yet were not very forward to encourage their
Approach to the Table of the Lord, till further
Trial. However at laft they were incorporated
into a Church after the Manner of New-Eng-
land, giving themfelves iirft to the Lord, and
then to one another in an holy Covenant, pro-
mifing to walk together in all the Ordinances
and Inftitutions of the Gofpel ; and Mr. Eliot,
being commiflioned by his Church at Ror^bury^
firft baptized, and then adminiflred the Lord's
Supper to them. Thus was the jfirft Indian
Church formed about the Year of our Lord,
1660.
But Mr. Eliot's Care of the new Converts
was not conhn^'d to his own Perfonal Inftrudion ;
he therefore took Monecjiiejfim^ an ingenious In-
dian, into his Houfe, and having taught him to
read and write, made him SchoolmalTer at A''^-
tick : He likewife tranllated into the Indian
Language Primers^ Catechifms, the PraElice of Pie-
ty, Baxter^i Call to the Unconverted, feveral of XIr.
Shepard's Compcfures, and at length the Bible itfelf,
which was printed the firlT: 1 ime at Cambridge,
in the Year 166^, and a little atter Mr. Eliot's
Death a fecond tiiTie with the Ccrrcdions of
Mr. Cotton, Minifier of Plimitith. Some of the
Indians,
z^o T/&^ History (?/ New-England. ChuvL
Anno Indiansy who had a Genius for Learning, were
i^4^ admitted into the Coiiege, and had a liberal
Education bellowed upon them, whereby their
Congregations were quickly furnifh'd with Mi-
nillers of their own. In the mean time, Mr.
Eliot vifited them as often as he could on the
Week Days, and encouraged the mod judicious
among them to give a Word of Exhortation to
their Brethren on the Lord's Day. I have feen
an Abftraft of fix of their Exhortations on a
' Day of Failing and Prayer, for* exceffive Rains^
November the 15th, 1558. FU gratify the Read-
er's Curiofity with one or two of them.* .
The EXHORTATION of Waban,
a^ Indian, from Matth. ix. 12, i J.
When jfefm heard that, he faid, They that he •whole
need not a Phyficiany but they that are fick.
But go ye and learn what that meanethy I will have
Mercy and not Sacrifice ; for I came not to call
the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance.
f^ X AM a poor weak Man, and know but
A " ^itxlQy and therefore I fhall fay but
« little.
" These Words are a Similitude, that as
^ fome be fick and forne well; and we fee in
*^ Experience that when we be fick we need a
" Phyfician, and go to him, and make ufe df his
" Phyfick 'y but they that be well do not fo, they
*' need it not, and c^re not for it : So it is with
** Soul-Sicknefs ; and we are all fick of that Sick-
" nefs in our Souls, but we know it not. We
" have many at this time fick in Body, for which
Caufe
Ch. vi. The History of New-England. 241
^^ Caufe we do fafl and pray this D.iy, and cry An7io
" to God; but more are fick in their Souls. We i^
" have a great many Diic^Ces and Siciaieifes in
*' our SouiS;, as Idlenefsy Ncgled of the Sabbath^
" Paffion, die. Tiierefore what fhould we do this
^' Day, but go to Chrift the Phyfician, foi"
" Chriil; is the Phyfician or Souis: He nealed
** Men's Bodies, but he can heal Souls alfo : He
^* is a great Phyfician, therefore let all Sinners
^' go to him ; therefore this Day lino\s' whrtC
*' need we have of Chrift, and let us go to Chriil:
*' to heal us of our Sins, and he can heal us both
*' Soul and Body. Again, What is that Leli-^ii
*' which Chriil: would have us learn, that he came' *'
*' not to call the Righteous^ but Sinners to Repentance^'
*' What ! doth not God love them that be righ-
*' teous ? Doth he not call them to him ? Doth
*' not God lave Righteoufnefs ? Is not God
*^ righteous ? Anjin}. The Righteous here are
*' not meant thofe that are truly righteous, but
** thofe that are Hypocrites, tlmt feem righteous
*' and are not ; that think themfelves righteous,
" but are not (o indeed : Such God cilleth not,
" neither doth he care for them. But fuch as
^" fee their Sins, and are fick of Sin, them Chrift
" calleth to Repentance, and to believe in Chrift :
*' Therefore let us fee our Need of Chrift to heal
" all our DiiQ(i(cs of Soul and Body.
the EXHORTATION of NisnoKOU \
from Genefis viii. 20, 21.
And Noah built an Altar ^0 Jehovah, and he took of
every cle:m Beafl^ and of every clean Foiul, and
offered burnt Ojferings on the Altar.
* Ibid. p. 10.
R And
<c
242 77;^ History ^/ New England. Ch. vi.
Anno And the Lord fmelt a fweet Savour, and the Lord
]^ /aid in his Hearty lixiiU not again curfe the Ground,
(Sic.
" A Little I fliall fay according to that litcle
X\ '' I know.
"In that Noah facrificed, he fhewed him-
" felf thankful ; in that Noah wurlhipped he
" fhevvcd himfelr Godly. In that he offered
" clean Beafts, he fhewed that God is an holy
" God, and that ail that come to God muft be
pure and clean. Know that we mull: by Re-
pentance purge ourfelves, which is the Work
*' we are to do this Day. Noah facrificed and (6
*' worfhipped. This was the manner of old
" Time. But what Sacrifices have we now to
" offer ? I fiiall anfwer by that in Pfahn, iv. 5.
" offer to God the Sacrifice of Righteoufnefsy and put
*' your T}-u/l in the Lord. Thefe are the true fpi-
" ritual Sacrifices which God requires at our
" Hands, the Sacrifices of Righteoufnefs ; that
*' is, we muft look to our Hearts and Ways that
*' they be Righteous, and then we Ihall be ac-
" ccptable to God when we worlhip him ; but if
" we be unrighteous, unholy, ungodly, we fhall not
" be accepted, our Sacrifices will be ftark
" naught.
'' Again, We are to put our Trufi in the Lord.
*^ Who elfe is there for us to truft in ? We muft
" believe in the Word of God; if we doubt of
*' God, or doubt of his Word, our Sacriiices are
" little worth, but if we truft fteadfaftiy in God,
" our Sacrifices will be good.
*' Once more. What Sacrifices muft we
*' of]:er ? My Anfwer is, we muft oiil:er fuch as
" Abraham oftered ; and what a Sacrifice was
" that, we are told Gen. xxii. 12. Now 1
^' know that thou fearefl me, feeing thou hafl not
" withheld thy Son thy only Son from me. It feems
« he
Ch. vi. T/^^HrsTORY of New-England. 24^
'' he had but one dearly beloved Son, and he of- Annb
'' fered that Son to God, and (b God faid, / ^^
*' know thou fear efi me J behold a Sacrifice in Deed
** and Truth! Such an one mud we orfer, on-
" ly God requires not us to offer our Sons, but
" our Sins, our deareft Sins. God calls us this
^' Day to pare with all our Sins, tho' never fo
" beloved, and we mufl not withhold any of them
" from him j if we will not part with Alk the
" Sacrifice is not right. Let us part with fuch
*' Sins as we love beft, and it will be a good
*' Sacrifice.
God fmelt a fweet Savour in Noalj^s Sacrifice,
" and fo will God receive our Sacrifices, when
/'~ we worfhip him aright : But how did God
" manifeft his Acceptance of Noah's Ofiering,
" it was by promiling to drown the World no
" more, but give us iruitful Seafons. God has
" chaftized us of late, as if he would utterly
** drown us, and he hiis drowned, and fpoiled,
" and ruined a great deal of our Hay,.and threa-
*' tens to kill our Cattel. ''Tis for this that we
" faft and pray this Day ; let us then ofler a
" clean and pure Sacrifice as Noah did, fo God
" will fxTiCll a Savour of reft, and he will with^
" hold the Rain, and blefs us with fuch fruitful
*' Seafons as we are deliring of him/'
The other Exhortations are of a piece with
thefe, and their Prayers were no lefs Pious and
Devout.
^T 1 s no wonder after all this, that Mr. Eliot
was in high eftcem am.ong the new Converts;
that they confukcd him as their Oracle in all dif-
ficult Cafes j that they loved him as their very
Lives, and would run ail Hazards to ferve him ;
he really defer vcd well of them, for no Man e-
vcr took fuch true Pains in the Mijjionary Work
as himfelf ; his Name therefore wiU be mcntion-
R z ed
244 T/'^ History ^^/New-England. Ch.vi.
Anno ed with Honour as long as there is a Chriflian
]^ Indian in the World.
While Mr. Eliot .\vas employed in convert-
ing the Indians within the Jurifdidion of the
Majfachufets ; Mr. Leverich was promoting the
fame good Work in Plimotnh Patent, and Mr.
Mayhew in Martha's Vineyardy Nantuket and
Eliz^abeth Ifles, The Worfhipiul M.v,MayheWy Sen.
having obtained a Grant of thefe Illands, placed
his Son Mr. T'ho. Mayhew^ a Young Manof con-
liderable Learning and Piety, with a few other
Englijh in Marthas Vineyard in the Year 16^1,
After fome time he accepted of the Peoples In-
vitation to be their Minifterj but not being eafy
that his Labours were confined to that fmall
handful of Englijh on the Ifland , he learn'd the
Indian Language, that he might be in a Capacity
of inftruding the Natives in the Chriflian Faith :
* The firft Convert that he made to Chriftianity
was one HiaccomeSj a Young Man of about 30
Years of Age : The Englijh had vifited him feve-
ral Times at his Wigijcam^ and invited him to
come and fee their way of living, but he was af-
fraid of his Countrymen, who look^'d upon the
Englifi as Enemies to their Gods and Nation ;
however, at length his Curiofity brought him to
the Plantation on a Lord's-Day; when Mr.
Mayhew taking notice of him invited him to his
Houfe, and entertained him in an obliging and
friendly Manner, difcourling with him concern-
ing the Excellency of the Chriflian Religion above
the Indian^ which made fuch an ImpreiTion up-
on him, that in a little time he renounced the
Gods of his Country, came ccnftantly to the
Meeting every LordVDay, and to Mr. Mayhevfs
t Mayhew'i Lattit tg tU Cor^Qmioti, U51. p. 3i 4-
Houfe
ttrto
Ch. vi. The History f?/.N£W-ENGLAND. 245
Houfe in the Evening:,,^ be further inftructed a
in the Chriftian Faith. 5^^
The Revolt oF HiaccOmes aJarmM the whole
Ifland, and brought upon him the Contempt and
Hatred of all his Acquaintance ; once as he was
going into one of their Wigwams^ alJ the Indians
fet up a great Laughter at hinij and Pakoponeffo the
Sachem, fpoke to hirn, after tiiis Manner ,• " I
" wonder that you who are a young Man, ha-
'' ving a Wife and two Children fliould love the
" Englijh^nd their Ways, and forfake the Poijc--
*' aws ; what would you do ii you fhould be
" fick ? Whither would you go for help ? I {ay,
" if I was in your Cafe, there fliould nothing
*' draw me from our Gods and Powaws." Hiac-
comes made him no Reply, but continued to vifit
Mr. Mayhew • who taught him to read ^ and en-
deavoured to fortify him againfl the Reproaches
ot his Countrymen. In the Year 1645, there
was a general Sicknefs all over the Ifland ; but
Hiaccomes and his Family happening to efcape
the Diftemper, the Neighbouring Indians began
- to think how it ftiould come to pafs that he who
•had expofed himfelf to fuch Reproaches and
Troubles Ihould receive more BiclTings than
themfelves, upon this they began to conceive a
good Opinion of the Cliriftian Religion, and
having confulted among themfelves, they fent a
Meflenger to Hiaccomes^ praying him to haflen to
Myoxeo, becaufe the Indians in thofe Parts were
delirous to be acquainted with his way of wor-
fhipping God ; Hiaccomes went with the Meflen-
ger and found Towanquatick the Sachem^ Myoxeo
his prime Miniiler, and a great Company of In^
dians allembled together. Xcii'anquatick prayed
Hiaccomes to tell him what he knew concerning the
Englijhmens God. Afccr which Myoseo uslvcd
him how many Gods the Englijh worfliippcd ;
Hiaccomes replied, One; AIcxco told him he h^d
R 3 thirty
24^ 77^^ History t?/ New -Engl AND. Gh. vi,
Anv9 thirty feven Gods, and fhall I throw them all a-
i^ way (fays he) for One? Hiaccomes told him he
had done fo, for above thefe two Years and yet
was preferred ; Myoxeo told him it was true, and
I (fays he) will throw away my old Gods, and
put my felf under the Protection of yours. Hiac-
comes acquainted the Company further with the
Sin of Adam, and reckoned up to them feveral
Sins of their own ; he told them likewife of the
Sufferings of Chrift the Son of God to make Sa-
tisfadion for Sin, and left them in a very
thoughtful and ferious Difpolition.
Some tim.e after Toivaaqimtick the Sachem fent
for Mr. Mayl:rd),an(i. fpoke thus to him, *' Along
*' t'me ago we had \vifc Men, who in a grave
" Manner taught the People Knowledge, but
*' they are dead, and their Wifdom is buried
" with them, and now Men live a giddy Life in
^^ Ignorance 'till they are white-headed, and
" tho' ripe in Years, }et then they go without
" Wifdom to their Graves.'*'* He therefore de-
fired in his own and his Peoples Name that
Mr. Majbew would fet up a Meeting and make
known the Word of God to them in their own
Tongue, which Mr. Mayhew agreed to do once a
fortnight. This Meeting was the Joy of fome of
the Indians, and the Derifion of others, who
f<:ofied at thofe that went to it, but Hiaccomes,
T^czvanqtiatick, and others were not afliamed.
Some time after the Indians fet up a Meeting
among them elves, to difcourfe about the New
and Old Religion ; and a great Number being
prefent, they began to debate the Power of the
PcivaiL'S or Priejis to kill Men, many Stories being
told of the great Hurt they had done to their
Enemies ; then the CJ^iedion was asked. Who is
there that dees not fear the Pcii-av^s ? One of
the Company flood up and faid, there is not any
Man that is not afraid of the Powaws j tlie Eves
'of
Ch.vi. r>&^ History ^fNEW-ENGLAKD. 247
of the Company being then fixed u^on Hi ac- An.*
' comesy he flood up and defied them all y laying, ^
he %vas very fare that they could not kill him,
becaufe he trufced in God who was above them
all ; Hiaccomes went on, and told them ot their
Sins, exhorting them to repent, and turn to the
living God, which had fuch an Eftea, that twen-
ty two Indians renounced their Idolatry at that
Meeting and defircd to be inftructed in the Chri-
ilian Faith. , r r» \
The Povja-ivs were enraged at thele Proceed--
ings, and threatned the Praying Indians ^ wicn
Death ; but Hiaccomes and his Friends chahenged
them to do their word, telling them that they
would abide their Power in the Face ot the whole
Illand : However, they did not think fit to put
' it to a publick Tryal at that time ; but " Dr.
'^ Mather tells us or a Sachem who,* upon his
'« Converfion to Chriftianity, declared, that ha-
" virg often employed his God, who appeared
« to him in the Form of a Snake to kill, wound,
" and lame fuch whom he intended mifchiet to ;
" he employed the faid Snake to kill , and that
« failing, to wound Hiaccomes, but to no Purpole ;
" and having ferloully confidercd the Afiertion
" of the faid Haccoines, that none of the Po^j^ivjs
«; could hurt him, fince his God whom he fer-
" ved was xht great God, to whom tbciys was fub-
'' fervienr; he refolved to worHiip the true God,
'' from which time during k\t\.\ Years, the
« Snake gave him great Di ft urban ce; but that he
"' never after his praying to God in Chrill em-
« ployed that fliid Snake m:^ny thing, and about
" that time it ceafcd to appear to limi/'
Mr. Mayhe-xs Method of infiruamg the /,i-
i^/^«J was the fame with Mr. £//6/s; he Cate-
* Mather, 3co\ 6. page 55-
R J. chifcd
248 77:?^ History ^/New-England. Chivi.
Anno chifccl thc-ir Children, preached, prayed, and
Jf^ fung Pfahns in the publick Meeting, and then
anfwered their Queltions : He conferr'd every
Saturday with Hiacccmes^ and fbrnifh'd him v/ith
Materials to preach to the IrJians on the Lord's-
Day, which Hiaccomes perform'*d with great Seri-
OLifnefs and Affection. Mr. Mayhew purfued his
Defign of converting the Indians with unwearied
Application for the Space of twelve or fourteen
Years, laying hold of all Opportunities to invite
and perfwade them to the Faith of Jefus Chrifl.till
at length intending a iliort Voyage to England, in
the Year 1657, ^"^^ ^^'^ ^^^^^ with Capt. Garret in
the Month of November, but neither the Ship nor
any of the PafTengers were ever heard of anymore.
Mr. Whitfield Minifler of Guilford"^., New Eng-
land, gives this Mr. M/rj'/jftx; a very great Charac-
ter, " I v.as an Eye-Vvitnefs (fays he) of the great
^' Pains he took, and feeing but a {lender Ap-
" ^pearance of outward Accommodations , I en-
^^ quired of him concerning his Maintenance ;
" but he was modeft and would make no Com-
*' plaints. However, I underflood from others
*' that things were very fhcrt with him, that
" many times he was forced to labour with his
*' own Hands, having a Wife and three fmail
*' Children to provide for, and not half fo much
*^ coming in yearly in a fettled Way, as a Day
. *^ Labourer gets in the Country j yet he was chear-
" ful among thefe flreights, and none ever heard
*' him c<implain; the Truth is, he would not leave
" the Work in which his Heart was engaged ,
'* for upon my Knowledge (fays Mr. Whitfield,)
" if he would, he might have had a more com-
" petent, and comfortable Maintenance." His
Talent h-.y in a fweet and arable way of Conver-
Whitnekri CoWf^/o» c/ l.c\itrs in Inf. p. •,
■ . ' fation
Ch. vi- The History of New-England. 249
fation, by which he wrought himfelf into the ^"^^
AflFedions of the IndianSy and by that means had i^
the eafier Accefs to their Minds. His Labours
were attended with great Succefs, for in the
Yean 650, *he tells us, that the Indians flock'd to
him by whole Families, defiring that they and
their Houfes 7night ferve the Lord ; that there were 8
Powaws and 280 adult Indians that had embraced
the Chriftian Faith, whereof 50 in one Dayf ; fo
that Mr. May hew' s Death was a publick Lofs,
and the Indian Converts were fo affeded with
it, that they could hardly hear his Name men-
tion'd for a long time after without Tears.
M R. Mayhew's Father, ft tho"* no Minifter,
afliftcd his Son with his Advice and Counfel in
the Miflionary Work ; and obferving that one
great Obftacle of the Converfion of the Indians
was the Princess Jealoufy of an Eclipfe of his
Power, and that the Princes in thefe lilands tho'
abfolute over their own Subjeds, yet did Hom-
age to a crrtain Potent Prince on the Continent,
paying hin-j an Annual Tribute for his AlTiftance
in their Wars ; he took a proper Occafion to let
them know, that by Order of his Mafler the
King of England, he was to govern the Englijb
that fhould fettle in thofe Iflands ,• that his Ma-
fter was in Power far above any of the Indian
Monarchs, but that as he was Powerful, fo he
was a great Lover of Juflice; and therefore would
not in the leafl invade their Jurifdiction, but on
the contrary affifl them as need required.
W H E N the Chrifiian Religion had made fome
Prcgrefs m the Jiland, he perfuaded the Sachem
to admit of the Counfel of Judicious Chrifa'ans,
and in Cafes of more than ordinary Confequenoe
^ Mayhew'i Lff^fr, p. 51.
t Letter to Corjyoratiov, l6^i. p. 3,
Ij. Mather, Locke, p. 57.
of
250 The HisroKY of New-England. Ch. vi.
Ann0 0^^ ^ i^^y ^^^ Trial ; he oflered himfelf to affift
1^4^ the Prince on fuch Occafions, but never to in-
*^ termeddle without his Ccnftnt : Thus within a
fews Years a civil Government was fettled among
them. Records were kept of all Ads pafl'ed in
their Courts, by fuch who having learn'd to write
were appointed to that Office , the Princes with
their Nubles fubmitted themfelves to the King oi
England^ referving to themfelves, as fubordinate
Princes, the Right of Governmg their Peopb
according to the Laws of God and the King.
There were feveral other Minifters who
deferve an honourable Mention, for their great
Pains in the Miilionary Work, as Mr. Eliot's Son,
who had made himfelf Mafler of the Indian Lan-
guage, and would have been a famous Evangelift,
if he had not dyed in the very beginning of his
Ufefulnefs. The Rev. Mr. Richard Bourne, who
beftowed his Labours upon the Indians of Ma-
fiifpaug in the County of Plimouth about 50
Miles from Bofton, the Rev. Mr. Fitch and Mr.
Pierfon, who have been very fuccefsful among the
Conneclicut Indians^ tho' they had to do with a
Prince who declared the utmofl Averlion to them
and their Religion, and Mr. John Cctton, Paftor
of a Church at P/imouth, and Son of the Kcv,
Mr. Cotton of B0JI0/7, \\4io was an indefatigable
Preacher, and attended Mr. Elict in feveral of his
Vifits to the Indians.
I N the Year 1 666, Mr. Eliot and Mr. Cotton
attended by the Honourable Governor, and fe-
veral Magillrates and Minifters of Plimouth Co-
lony fettled an Indian Church at Ma'hippaug, un-
der the Paftoral Care of Mr. Bourne, who was
then ordaiped to that Office : From hence they
vent to Martha'' S'Vineyard, and Colleded a
Church out of the Converts of the late Rev. Mr.
Mayhem ; Hiacco?nes was chofen their Paftor, John
Ti'ckinojh I'cacher; 'j^'jhia Mummee^heegs , and
iCh. vi. The History of New-England. 251
John Nanafoy ruling Elders, who were ordained to Ann*
; their fbveral Offices. Soon after another Church ^^
, was gathered at Nantuket, John Gibs an Indian
[\ being ordainM their Paftor j befides which there
V were feveral other AffembUes of Praying Indians
\ which were ferved by the Engliih Minifters, and
continued under the Charader of Catecu7nens.
But that the Reader may form a true Idea of
the Srate of Chriftianity among the Indians at
that time, and of the Progrefs of the Gofpel a-
mong them for the next 20 Years, together with
their Manner of Worfliip ; I have tranfcrib'd the
following Letter of Dr. Increafe Mather^ Minifter
in Bofto'n, and Redor of the College of Cam-^
bridge in New- England^ to Dr. John Leufden^ He-
brew-Profelfor in the Univerfjty oi Utrecht.*
Worthy and much Honoured S I R^
^ "VT" OUR Letters were very grateful to me,
JL " by which I underftand that You and
" others in your famous Univerfity of Utrecht de-
*' fire to be informM concerning the converted
*' Indians in America. Take therefore a true Ac-
*' count of them in a few Words."
'' It is above 40 Years fince that truly Godly
" Man My. John-Eliot^ Paftor of the Church at
^' Roxhury^ about a Mile from Bofton in Ne-ji-
" England being warmed with an holy Zeal of
" converting the Americans, fet himfelf to learn
" the Indian Tongue, that he might more eafily
*' and fuccefsfully open to them the Myfteries of
^' the Goipelj upon Account of which he has been,
*' (and not undefervedly) called the Ap^ftle of the
" A?nerican Indians. This Reverend Perfon not
" without very great Labour trantlatcd the
* Cotton Mather, i'cofe 3. p. i^^
" whole
25X r/??f History o/ New -Engl AND. Ch.vi.
Anno " whole Bible into the Indian Tongue. H?
r^4^ " tranflated alio feveral EngUjh Treatlfes of
" pradical Divinity, and Chatechifms into their
" Language. Above Twenty Six Years ago he
" gathered a Church of Converted Indians in a
*' Town called Natick ; thf^^Q Indians confelled
*^' their Sins with Tears, and profefTed their
" Faith in Chrift, and afterwards they and their
" Children were baptized, and they were folemn-
*^ ly joined together in a Church Covenant : The
" faid Mr. Eliot was the firft that Adminiftred
" the Lord's Supper to them. The Paftor of the
'^^ Church now is an Indian, his Name is Daniel,
" Befides this Church at Naticky among our Li-
*' habitants in the Majfacufets Cclony, there are
" Four Indian Afl'emblies, where the Name of
" the true God and Jefus Chrift is folemnly
*^ called upon ; thefe AfTemblies have fome Ame-
" rican Preachers ; Mr. Eliot formerly ufed to
" preach to them once every fortnight, but now
*' he is weakned with Labours, and old Age, being
" in the 84th Year of his Age, and preacheth
*^' not to the Indians oftner tho^n once in two i
" Months."
'' There is another Church confiding only
" of converted Indians about fifty Miles from
" hence in an Indian Town called Majhipfaug;
"'the firft Paftor of that Church was an Englifi-
'^ ?nany who being skilful in the American Lan-
" guage, preached the Gofpel to them in their
" own Tongue. This EngliJJi Paftor is dead,
" and inftead of him that Church has an Indian
" Preacher.''
" There are befides that, five Aflemblies of
" Indians, profefling the Name of Chrift not far
*' diftant from Majhippaug, which have Indian
" Preachers : John Cotton Paftor of the Church
'^ at Plijr.outh. Son of my venerable Father in Law
*' John C-tt.n, formerly the famous Teacher of the
^ '' CiiuTch -
Ch.vi. W^ Hi sTo R Y (?f New-En Gti AN D» 255
" Church at Bofion^ has made very great Progrefs ^;,„a
*^ in learning the Indian H'ongue^ and is very i^<i
*' skilFuU in it: He preaches in their own Lan- ^"^'^
*' guage to the lafl five mentioned Congregations
*' every Week. Moreover of the Inhabitants of
^' Sacunet in Plimouth Colony, there is a great Con-
" gregation of thofe who for Diftinftion fake are
" called Praying Indians^ becaufe they pray to
" God in Chrift : Not far from a Promontory cal-
" led Cafe-Cod there are 6 Afl'emblics of Heathens^
." who are to be reckoned as Catecmnensy amongft
•*' whom there are 6 Indian Preachers. Samuel
** T'reatyVn^iOT o'L^Chuxch ^t Eafihanty preacheth
*' to thofe Congregations in their own Language.
*' There are likcwife among the Iflanders of Nan-
*f^ tuket a Church with a Paftor, who was lately
'^ a Heathen, and feveral Meetings of Catecumensy
*' who are inftruded by the converted Indians.
" There is alfo another Ifland about feven Leagues
*' long called Martha's Vineyard, where are two
*' American Churches planted, which are more fa-
*^ mous than the reft ; over One of which there
** prefides an ancient Indian as Paftor, called Hi-
*' accomes. John Hiaccomes Son of the Indian Pa-
^' ftor alfo preacheth the Gofpel to hisCountrymen.
" In another Church in that place John TcckinoJ/j
' " a converted Indian teacheth. In thcfe Churches
'^ ruling Eiders of the Indians are joyned to the
'' Paftors ; the Paftors were chofen by the People,
" and when they had failed and prayed, Mr. Eliot
" and Mr. Cotton laid their Hands upon them, fo
" that they were folemnly ordained. All the
" Congregations of the converted Indians, (both
'' the Catecumens and thofe in Church Order) c-
" very Lord^s-Day meet together : The Paftor or
'' Preacher always begins with Prayer,and without
*' a form, becattfe from the heart ; when the Ruler of
'' the Affembly has ended Prayer, the whole Con-
" iU'cgation oF Indians praife God with Singing;
" ibmc
254 27^^ History ey New England. Ch.vi
dnno ^' fome of them are excellent Singers. After the
16^6 cc pfaim he that preaches reads a Place of Scrip-
^^^ " ture (one or more Verfes, as he will) and ex-
*' pounds it^jgathers Dodrines from it, proves them
'^ by Scripture and Reafons, and infers Ufes
" from them after the maner of the EngUjhy of
" whom they have been taught ; then another
^' Prayer to God in the Name of Chriil: concludes
" the whole Service. Thus do they meet together
*' twice every LordVDay. They obferve no Ho-
" ly Days, but the Lord's Day, except upon fome
*'• extraordinary Occafion ; and then they folemnly
" fet apart whole Days either in giving Thanks,
" or Failing and Praying with great Fervour of
" Mind.
" B E F o R E the Englijh came into thefe Coafts,
^ thefe Barbarous Nations were altogether igno-
" rant of the true God ; hence it i5, that in
« their Prayers and Sermons they ufe Englijh
« Words and Terms ; he that calls upon the moft
*' holy Name of God, fays Jehovah, or God, or
*' Lord'i and alfo they have learned and borrowed
" many other Theological Phrafes from us.
"In fhort there are 6 Churches of baptized
^' Indians m New- England, and iS AlTemblies of
" Catecumens profeffing the Name of Chrift : Of
'* the Indians there are 24 who are Preachers of
*' the Word of God, and befides thefe there are 4
" Englifi Minifters who preach the Gofpel in the
" Indian Tongue. I am now my felt weary with
" writing, and I fear left if I fliould add more, I
« fhould alfo be tedious to you ; yet one Thing
" I muft add, which I had almoft forgot, that
*' there are many of the Indians Children, who
" have learned by Heart the Chatechifm either
" of that famous Divine WiUiam Perkins^ or that
" put forth by the Affembly of Divines at IVeft-
« minfler, and in their own Mother Tongue can
" anfwer to all the Queftions in it.
^ *' But
Ch. vi. The History of New-England. 255
*' But I muft end ; I falute the famous Pro- AnM
^' fellbrs in your Univerfity, to whom I defire you J^
" to communicate this Letter, as written to
'' them aifb. Farewel, worthy Sir, the Lord pre-
*^ ferve your Health for the Benefit of your
*^ Country, his Church, and of Learning,
Boflon in New-Eng. Yours ever,
^tily 12, 1687. Increafe Mather.
D R. Cotton MatheTy* the Son of Increafe Mather ^
has brought down the Hiflory of the Indians a
little lower, he tells us that in the Year i(5p5,
there were three thoufand adult Indian Converts
in the lilands of Martha's-Vineyard and Nantuket;
that in Nantukety there were five conftant Aflem-
blies, or Meetings, fome of which had Preachers
of their own, and the reft were under the Dir
region of Mr. John Gardner y who writes in a Let-
ter dated May 17, 169^. that there were three
Churches among them, two of them Congregar
tional and one Baptift; and five conflam Affemblies
or Meetings^ but that the whole Number of pray-
ing Indians under his Infpedion did not amount
to above five hundred. Within the Liberties of
Edftham, there were five hundred and five adult
Chriftian Catecumens, who had four diftind Af-
femblies in four Villages belonging to the Town-
Ihip, and were ferved by four Teachers of their
own, who ufed to repair once a Week to Mr.
'Treat the Englijh Minifter, to be further inftruc-
ted in the Chriftian Dcdrine. They had four
Schools for the inftruding their Youth in reading
and writing ; and fix Juftices of Peace for the
Management of tiieir civil Aftairs ; their De-
BoqK 6. page 53.
port menu
2 5^ The History of New-England. Ch. vi.
Anno portmentjConverfe, and Garb was manly andlau-
i^4<^ dable^and they had great Defires of being baptiz'^d..
"""^ 1 N the Villages of Majhippauy Sancliiit^ and
Cotuit bordering on the Town of Sandwich^ there
\vere two hundred and fourteen Catecumens, who
all met "in one Aliembly, and were fometimes
inftruded by Simon Papmnit a Native, and at
other times by Mr. Roijuland Cotton Mmifter of
Sand-jjich ; Belides thefe there were feveral fmaller
Aflembiies in other Parts of the Country which
the neighbouring Minifters vifited and inftruded;
Mr. I'ljomas "Tiifper had a Congregation of i8o.
Indians, and Mr. John Cotton of Plimouth preached
to 500 more ^,. Mr. "Thacker Oi Mihon preached to
fome IndM0'^^ Punkenagg. Mr. Bondet, a French
Minifter, to the Nipmug Indians ; Mr. Rawfon of
Mendham to the Indians in his Neighbourhood,
and Mr. Daniel Gookin to the Remains of the In-
dian Church at Natick, which was the firft In-
dian Church in America. In the whole there
"were more than 30 Congregations of Indians in
the Province of the Majfachufets alone, and many
more than three thoufand Converts, who wor-
fhipped the true God through the Mediator Jefus
Chrift in thofe Aflembiies, and the Numbers
were very confiderable in other Parts of the
Country.
I have now before me the Reverend Mr. Ex-
perience Mayhevfs Journal of his Vilitationof the
Pequot and Mohegin Indians^ in the Year 171 5,
and 1714, by which it appears that the Remains
of thofe Nations are under ftrong Prejudices a-
gainft the Chriftian Religion i Mr. Mayhew ob-
tained a Meeting of Indians, and preached them
a very excellent Sermon by an Interpreter, but
with little Efted : They thanked Mr. Mayhew
for his good Will to them, but told him,
they muft take time to conhder oF the Things
propofed, In his return home hepafsM thro^the
Narhaganfit
Ch.vL TI&^ History ^/New-Englakd. 25^
Narrhaganfet Country, and fent for Ninnkraft Xnm
the Sachem of thofe Parts j Mr- Mayhevj delired *'^4^'
leave to preach the Gofpcl to his People ; but ""^^
Ninnkraft bid him go and make tho Englijh
good lirftj he objeded further^, that fome^of the
Englijh kept Saturday, others Sunday, and others
no Day at all for the Worftiip of God ; fo
that if his People fhould have a mind to turn
Chriilians, they could not teli what Religion to
be o£ He added further, that Mr. Mayheui
might try his Skill lirfl with the Pequcts, and
Mohegins, and if they fubmitted to the Chrifti-
an Religion, it may be, he and his People might
follow, but they would not be firll. He then
chid Mr. Mayhew for hindring him from his
Bufmefs, and in an angry Humour went aw^.
Next Year Mr. Mayhew, at the Requeft of
the Honourable Commiffioners of the Society?
for propagating the Gofpel on the Borders made
them another Vi/it, and obtained a Meeting of
the Mohegs.zt which tho t\\Q Sachem himfelf wasnot
prefent, yet there was his Uncle and 4 or 5 of his
Council : After Sermon Mr. Mayhew defired to
hear their Objedions againft the Chriftian Reli-
;ion, if they had any ; upon which one of thera
:ood up and faid; That they did believe the Be-
ing of a God and did worfhip him, but as feve-
ral Nations had their diflindl Ways of WorJfhip^
fo they had theiis, and they thought their Way
good, ^ and therefore there was no Reafon to
alter it.
Another faid that the Difficulties of the?
Chriftian Religion were fuch as the Indians could
not endure, their Fathers had made feme Trial
in Mr. Fitche's time, and had found Religion toa
hard tor them, and therefore quitted it ; and they
thought themfelves no better able to bear the
Hardfliips of it, than their Fathers.
S Othirs
'258 Ti&^ History ^/New-England. Ch.vi.
jintto Others of them faid, That fome Indians
l^ that had profefs'd the Chriftian Religion had
foon after forfaken the Englifh and joined with
their Enemies, which certainly they would not
have done, if the Chriftian Religion bad been fo
excellent a thing as was pretended.
Others faid, They could not fee that Men
were ever the better for being Chriftians, for the
Englijh that were Chriftians would cheat the In-
dians of their Land, and wrong them other Ways ;
and that their Knowledge of Books did but make
them the more cunning to cheat others, and fo
did more hurt than good.
A s to their having their Children taught to
read, which Mr. Alayew ofter'd, they faid, They
could not conclude upon it then, many of the
Men that had Families of Children not being
there to anfwer for themfelves.
And as to their hearing Minifters preachj
fome of them faid. That they had heard Mr. May-
hew, and were not fenfible it had done them any
hurt, and therefore it was likely they fhould
not refufe to hear again, if any came to fpeak to
them. Mr. May hew fpent about two Hours in
anfwering their Obje^ions ; with which fome oi
them feem'd very well fatisfy'd.
Next Week about 50 Indians gave him 2
Meeting at the Meeting-Houfe in Stoniton with
one of their Powaws along with them. The old
Man did every thing he could to hinder the In-
dians from embracing the Chriftian Faith. He
told Mr. Mayhew, That if the Indians prefent
fhould make him any Promifes, they could not
lieep them ; for as foon as he was gone they
Would be drunk, and be as bad as ever. The
Englijh (faid he) pretend to teach us Indians to
be Chriftians ; but if they will teach any, let
them firft teaeh their own Servants : As for my ,
felf, faid he, I believe that there is a Gody and ]
pra)
Zh. vi. The History ^/New-England. 259
)ray to him in my Way, which is fufHcient ; if I ^»««
hould change my Religion in my old Age, all l^
he young People would grni at me, and hate me.
But tho' Mr. Mayhew could not work upon
he Old Prkfi, yet all the People, except Skuttaub
he Sachem, declared themfeives willing to have
I School for their Children, and promifed to hear
uch Preachers as fhould be fent to inftrud them.
But to return to the Converts : The few Indian
'rcachers that remain among them are Men of
d Capacities, and would make as good a Figure
n the Pulpit as the Englifi, if they would apply
hemfelves to Learning; but Time has convinced
he New-England Government, that the Edijca-
ion of Indian Youth for the Miniftry is impradi-
;able, becaufe of their Siothfulnefs, and love of
bong Liquors ,• for which Reafon the Indian Col--
ege has long fince been demolifhed, Accommoda-
ions being referved in Stoughton-Hally for fuch
'ndian Youth as defire to be admitted into the
Zollege^ but there never has been above four or five
ducated there, and but one that took his Degrees;
0 that the Fatigue of preaching the Gofpel to
he Indians lies for the moil Part on the EngUJli
^linifters.
The fame Vices of Idlenefs and hard Drink-
ng reign too m.uch among the common People;
^'or, fays Dr. Alather^ if they had a Difpofition to
ollow an honeft Employment, they might thrive
IS well as the Englijh ; w hereas now they are poor>
nean, ragged, contemptible, and inftead of be-r
ng able to fupport a Miniflry amongfl: them-
elves, are forced entirely to rely on the Engtifi*
'hey obferve pretry well, indeed, one part of the
burth Commandment, To keep holy the Sabbatic
Day i but negled the other, Six Days jhalt thou
abour. And as for Strong-Liquors, they are fo
bnd of them, as to fell their Lands and every
hing elfe to purchafe them; which made the
S 7, Cto-
26o Ti&^HisTORy<?/ New-England. Ch.vi
Amo Government of New-England pafs two Laws i
J^ their Favour , One to prohibit the Selling ther
Strong-Liquors y the other to forbid the Purchafin
of their Lands without the Allowance of tb
General Court.
The Reader has now had before him a fai
Account of the Progrefs of the Gofpel anion
the Indians in New-Englandy which in my Jad^
jnent is very extraordinary, confidering the fe^
Hands that were employed in the Work, and th
immenfe Charge that was neceffary to bring
to Perfedion. It had been impoffible indeed to na^
carried it on thus far, if the Parliament of Englm.
had not pafs'd an Ad in the Year 16^9, for ei
couraging the propagating the Gofpel amon
the Indians in New-England; and for the A(
vancement of this Work ereded a Corporatio
confining of a Prefident, a Treafurer, and 14 A
iiftants, called by the Name of the Prefident and S
cietyforthe Propagation of the Gofpel in New Englan
impowering them to receive fuch Sums of Mon(
as from time to time fliould be coUeded or raift
by the liberal Contribution of fuch whofe Hear
God fhould incline to To glorious a Work. It w.
enafted further. That the Commiflioners for tl
united Colonies of New England for the Tirr
being, by themfelves, or fuch as they fhould a|
point, fhould have Power and Authority t
difpofe of the faid Moneys, brought in and pai
to the Treafurer for the Time being, or an
other Moneys, Goods or Commodities, acquir'
and delivered by the Care of the faid Corporatio
at any Time ; who(e Receipt or Receipts of fuc
Perfon or Perfons fo authorized by them, fhoul
be a fufficient Difcharge to the faid Corporatio
and Treafurer.
B Y the Authority of this kdi of Parliamen
a Colledion was made in ail the Parifhes in En
glandj which produced fuch a Sum of Money a
eaable(
Ch. vi. The History of New-England. 261
enabled the Society to purchafe an Eftate in Land -^«««
of between Five and Six hundred Pounds a Year, i^
The firfl: Prefident of this Corporation was Judge
Steele, and the firft Treafurer Mr. Henry j^jhurfi ;
but upon the Reftoration of King Charles the
Second their Charter became void, and Colonel
Bedding faldy a Roman Catholick Office, in the
King's Army, of whom a confiderable Part of
the Land was purchasM, feiz'd it for his own
Ule, pretending he had fold it under the Value,
in hopes of recovering it upon the King's Re-
turn. The Society met to confider what was
proper to be done in this Cafe, and agreed in the
Hrft Place to follicit the King for a new Charter,
which they obtained, by the Litereft of the Re-
verend Mr. Baxter and Mr. Ajhurft with the Lord
Chancellor Hidey at that Time. The Charter
bears Date February the yth, in the Fourteenth
Year of his Majefty's Reign, and declares, con-
ftitutes and ordains, that there be for ever here-
after within the Kingdom of England^ A Society
cr Company for Propagation of the Gofpel in New-
England, and the Parps adjacent in America ; and
accordingly appoints the following Noblemen,
Gentlemen and Cici;iens, to be the firfl Members
and Perfons whereof the faid Company fhould
fubfift, (viz..)
Edward, Earl of Claren-
don, Lord Chancellor
of England,
"Thomas, Earl of South-
ampton, Lord High-
Treafurer,
^ohn. Lord Roberts, Lord
Privy Seal,
(jitrrge, Duke of Albe-
ifiaiky
Edward, Earl of Mar^
chefter. Lord Cham-
berlain of the Houfe-
hold,
Arthur, Earl of Anglefey,
IVilliam, Vifcount Say
and Seal,
Francis Warne-r, Alder-
man of Ltndon,
Erafmus S'iiith^ Efq;
'Jauus^ Du\q of Onnoiid^, iHenry AJjwfi^
"^ S 3 ^ ' ' ' RiikTid
i62 T/&^ History of New-England
4ttno Richard Hutchinfon^
^ Jofoua Woolmughy
George Clarkey
'Thomas Speedy
Harman Sheafs
Raines Hayes^
Lawrence Brinjleyy
yohn Arrody
*JohnDockety
Robert Boyle^ Efq;
Sir William Thomfon,
Sir William BatemaUy
Sir Anthony Bateman,
Sir Theo^hilus Biddolph,
Sir Lavjrence Bromfield^
Temfeft Milner,
Ch.vi.
William Lovej 7 Alderm.
William Peak^ y of Lond.
Thomas Foley, Efq;
Thomas Cox, 7
John MicklethwaitSyiXX,
Edmund Trench, \
Charles Doyley,
Tho StayneSy
yohn Jurin,
William AntrohuSy
John Bathurfiy
Thoma6 Gtilibrandy
John Benbowe,
Barnabm Mears,
Edward Bofcowen, and
Martin NoeL
The Members of this Society are not tc
exceed Forty five ; thefe and their Succeflbrs t(
be hereafter chofen by the Society, are conftitutec
for ever One Body corporate in Deed and Name
and are to have Continuance for ever, with feve
ral Powers and Privileges as ufual in fuch Cafes
A Power is likewife given them to appoint Com-
miflioners refiding in New-England to tranfad al
Affairs relaing to the faid Work in thofe Parts,
And by the faid Letters Patents Robert Boyle, Efq
was appointed the firll Governor of the faic
Company.
The Corporation being thus eftablifhed b}
Law, refolved to attempt the Recovery of theii
Lands ; Beddingfield being favoured by the At
torney General, and fome other great Men put
them to a great deal of Charge and IVouble
by prolonging the Suit, but at laft it was de
termined in the Court of Chancery, in Fa-
vour of the Corporation, the Chancellour de-
claring it as his Opinion, that Beddin'gfield had
not fo much as the Shadow of a Title to the
Land;
Ch.vi. r/&^HlSTORY^/NEW-ENGLAND.^ 26^
Land, having fold it for a valuable Confideration, j'-.
and that if there was a Forfeiture in the Cale, wyw
'it was into the Hands of the King, who had
ifignify'd his Royal Pleafure, that it fhouid be
reftored to the Corporation, and applied to thofe
good Purpofes for which it was originally de-
iigned. Mr. Baxter has committed a conlider-
able Miftake in the Account he has given the
World of Beddingfield's Eftate ; for, whereas he
computes =»^ it at 7 or 800 /. per Annum, I am
aflur^dfrom the bed Hands, that it was no more
than 322 /. fer Ann. and that the whole Reve-
nunc of the Corporation never exceeded between
5 and 600 1, per Ann. Their Powers are limited
to New England and the adjacent Borders ; here
they maintain at prefent about twelve or fixteen
Miffionaries, part Englijh ^nd part Indian, to
preach the Gofpel to the Nations, whole Sala-
ries are from 10 to ^o L per Ann. New England
Money : They ered Schools in proper Places,
and furnifti the Children with Catechifms, Pri-
mers, Pfalters, Books oi Devotion in the In-
dian Language, and with Pens, Ink, Paper, and
fometimes with Cloaths. Some ot the MifTiona-
ries are able to preach in the Indian Language,
but the reft do it by an Interpreter. ^
For the better carrying on of this good
Work, the Society have chofen CommiiTioners
refiding in New England to meet from time to
time to make Report of the State of the Indian
Affairs, and to diftribute their Chanty to the
beft Advantage : The Names of the prefent
CommiiTioners in New England are :
Samuel Shute, Efq; Governor of New England,
Jnaeafe Mather, D. D. ( yoLr, Higginfon Efq;
JohnFofter, Efq; I Edward Bromfield, Efq;
* Baxter'/ 1-'/^ r«0. 2^0. t-;- ?•
' • S 4 Eltahn
a^4 The HtsTOKY of Newj^Engl\j^d. Ch. vL
■
A»ti^ Eliakin Hutchinfon, Efq;
i^ Penn Townfendy Efq;
Simeon Stodda^dy Elq;
Samuel Sewaly Efq;
Ccmn Mather, D. D.
TheRev. Mr. Nehemiab
Walter^
Upon the Deceafe of
Mr. Daniel Olivevy
Mr. Thomas Fitch,'
Jonathan Belcher, Efq;
Adam fVinthrop, Elq;
Thomas Hutchinfon, Efq;
William Dummer, Efq;
Deputy Governour.
iio^^rf jBoj/,?, Efq; Robert
Thomffon, Efq; was elefted Governour in his
Fvoom ; and atter his Deceafe, Sir William Afiurfl
Knight and Alderman of the City of londony
who is the prefent Governour, and with him are
join'd the following worthy Gentlemen and Ci-
tizens, who make up the prefent Society for pro-
pagating the Gofpel in New Englandy and the
Parts adjacent.
jojeph Thompfon, Efq;
Treafurer,
Sir Tho?na6 Ahney,
Mr. Robert AJhurfly
Mr. John Gunflon^ De
puty-Treafurer,
Mr. pdivard Richier,
Mr. Samuel Read, Sen.
Earl of Stamford,
Sir John Scott,
Sir Daniel Wray,
paniel Dolings^ Efq;
J^^illiam Thompfon, Efq
John Lane, Efq;
Sir Ju(ius Beck, Bar^
Mr. Jihn Bridges,
Mr. John Morton,
Mr. Robert Atwwd,
Robert Clarke, Efq;
Mr. James Hulbertt
Richard Chifwell, Efq;
Mr. Thomas Gering,
Six Peter KingXoxd Chief
Juftice of the Com-
mon Pleas.
Mr. Thomas Knight,
Mr. Arthur Martin,
Richard Minjhall, Efq;
Philip Papillony Efq;
Mr. Henry Palmer,
Mr. Tho?nas Styles,
Mr. James Townfend,
Mr, John Jackfon,
Sir Henry AjJourfl, Bar^
Mr. Jojeph Thompfon, Jun,
Mr. Samuel Read, Jun.
Mr. Jeremiah M^irden,
Mr. Samuel Sheafe,
Mr. Thbmas CarpenteVy
Mr. John Mitchel
N.B. The Order of Names in this Catalogue
is according to the Order of their Ele^ien
iato the Society. Bur
I: Gh.vL The Histqky of New-England^ 2^5
But the Expence of converting the Indians Jinn%
has not lain entirely on the Society for propaga- ^^
ting the Gofpel in thofe Parts, for the Churches
of Bofton have their annual CoIIex^ions for this
Purpofe ; I Lave an Account before me of the
Sums collcded for propagating the Gofpel on the
Borders, in the Year 171 8. The Old Churchy fo
called, becaufe ^tis the Mother Church of fhe
Town, colleded \6o I. New England Money :
The North Church 90 I. the South Church 116 L
and the Neiu Church ii-j L They have likewife a
Fund of 800 or 1000 /. the Produce of which
ferves to promote the fame good Defign.
The Government and Clergy of New Eng-
land can never be too much cc mmended for their
Endeavours to civilize fo many barbarous Na-
tions, and bring them over to the Profeffion of
Chriftianity ; nor w^ill the Gentlemen of the So-
ciety for propagating the Gofpel in New Eng-
land be difpleas^'d to obferve in this Narrative
the Succefs of their generous Encouragement of
this good Defign j I confefs for my own part,
that I am fo far from w^ondering that no more
Good has been done, that I am furprized to find
fo much, confidering the Difficulties which at-
tend fuch an Undertaking, and the few Hands
that have been empIoyM in it.
The Miffionaries of the Church of Rome
may pofTibly have gained more Profelytes, but then
it ought to be confider'd that they have employed
more Hands, and have made ufe of fuch Me-
thods for the Converfion of the Indians, as the
New- England Minifters could not approve of.
In Maryland a great Crew of Indians fubmitted
to be baptizM by the Miffionaries for the fake of
fome new Shirrs, which were promis'd them on
that Condition ; but the poor Creatures not
knowing how to wafh them when foul, came
after a few Weeks and demanded new Qncs, orr
der'd
266 The History of New-England. Ch. vit
af„^o elfe they would renounce their Baptifm. The
i6^6 barbarous and cruel Methods of making Con-'
veTts,\vhich the Spaniards pradisM on the Southern
Continent of Amerkay are known to all the World,
W^hereby in the Space of Fifty Years they mur-
der'd as many Millions oi Indians-, and gave them
fuch a Difguft againft the Chrifiian Religion, as
made them declare they had rather go to Hell
with their Anceftors, than to the fame Heaven
with the Spaniards,
But after all, what fort of Converts theirs are,
the Reader may judge from the following Queflions
and Anfwers extraded out of a Catechijm of one of
the Jefuits, employ'd by the French as a Miffionary
among the Weflern Indians ,• "'tis VvTitten in the
Iroquoife Language, and is faid to contain the Prin-
ciples of Religion which the Heathens are to be
inftruded in : There is one Chapter about Hea-
ven, and another about Hell ; the Chapter about
Heaven contains thefe Queflions and Anfwers,
(X How is the Soil made in Heanjen ?
A. 'Tis a very fair Soil, they want neither for
Meats nor Cloths, "'tis but wiftiing and we have
them.
Q^ Are they employed in Heaven ?
A. No. They do nothing, the Fields yield
Corn, Beans, Pumkins, and the like, without any
Tillage.
' (X What fort of Trees are there I
A. Always green, full and flourifhing.
Q. Have they in Heaven^ the fame Suyi, the fame
Windy the fame T^hunder that we have here ?
A, No. The Sun ever fhines, 'tis always fair
Weather.
O. Eut how are their Fruits ?
A. In this one Quality they exceed ours, that
they are never walled : You have no fooner pluckt
one, but you fee another prefentiy hanging in its
Room. Th^
Ch. VI. The History cf New-England. zSy
The Chapter about Hell has thefe Queftions ^»*'»
amoDg others. ifjS
Q. M^:mt fort of Soil is that of Hell?
A. A very wretched Soil \ ^tis a fiery Pit in
the Center of the Earth.
Q. Have they any Light in HeU ?
A. No. 'I'is always dark, there is always
Smoke there, their Eyes are always in Pain with
it, they can fee nothing but the Devils.
Q^ Wloat fiaped Things are the Devils ?
A. Very ill fhaped things ; they go about with
Vizards on, and they terrify Men.
Q^ Wljat do they eat in Hell}
A. They are always hungry, but the Damned
feed upon hot Allies and Serpents there.
Q. TVhat Water have they to drink ?
A. Horrid Water, nothing but melted Lead.
Q^ Dont they die in HeU ?
A, No. Yet they eat one another every Day,
but anon God reftores and renews the Man that
was eaten, as a cropt Plant in a little I'ime fhoots
out again.
The Catechlfm is almoft all of a piece with this;
to w^hich if we add the Idolatrous Worfhip which
the Miflionaries of the Church of Rome oblige
their Profelytes to perform, their denying
them the Scriptures, and making them pay a
blind Obedience to the Priefts on Pain of Dam-
nation, w^e may conclude that the poor People
are very little the better for their Converfion, if
they were not altogether in as happy Circum-
fiances before.
C H A Po
26S r/^feHtsTORY o/New-Engiand. Ch.vii,
Chap. VII.
The Death and Charaffer of the Reverend Mr.
Thomas Hooker. The fecond Synod of
New England. Of their Platform of
Church Difcifline. The Separation of the
Anabaptifts, and their Sufferings* The
Death and Character of the Reverend Mr.
John Cotton, and of Thomas Dudley,
and Edward Winflow, Efqrs. A large
Account of the Sufferings of the Quakers.
Of the fever al Laws that were made againji
themj and Of the Perfons who fuffered^ by
the Execution of thofe Laws, An Afologj
for the Government of New England rvith
Relation to their Severities agatnH the
Quakers.
^r*** '^^ *H E Colony of Nevohaven met with
J^47 «SS^^!^* ^ conliderable Lofs at Sea this
Year ; they had built a new Ship
at Rhode- Ifland of about 1 5:0 Tuns,
and freighted it for England vvith
the moft valuable Effects of the
Country : Five or Six of the Principal Perfons
in the Colony with others of a lower Rank took
their Paffageinher : They fet fail in the Month
OF* "Jannaryy but were never heard of afterwards ;
- - ' the
Ch. vii. The History of New-England: 2-^9
the Ship with all the Pailengers and lading being Ann^
loft at Sea. The People were fo dilhearuied by i<^47
this Accident, that they would have broke up '"^
the FlantatioiT, if they could have agreed upon
a Place where they could have fettled more to
their Minds.
There were great Commotions among the
Indians about this Time, which muft have pro-
cGe<led to an open Rupture, if the Englijh had
not kept a watchtul Eye over them : Sequaffan^
an Indian Prince near N&'c^haven^ had laid a Plot
to allaflinate the chief Magiftrs.tes of the neigh-
bouring Colony, but it was difcovered and pre-
vented : The Narrhaganfets and Mohegim com-
mitted fuch Infults upon the Englifi at the fame
time, as obliged the Government to demand
Satisfai6tion of their Segamores^ which they chofe
to give, rather than run the Hazard of a War.
T H E next Year the Narrhaganfets hired the
the Maqua's to aflift them in profecuting their
eld Pique againft Uncas which would have drawn
the Englijb Power upon them ; but when they
faw the Englifo v/ere alarmed at their Proceedings,
they defifted. The Year after there was a gene-
tal Uproar among the Indians^ on the Account
of fome Murders which they had committed up-
on certain Perfons belonging to Newhavcn and
Long-Ifland ; the Englijh immediately demanded
the Murderers, whom at firft they refufed to
deliver up, but when they faw that Satisfaction
muft be given, or a War declared, they yielded
t© pacific Meafures, and fo the Storm blew ever-
Thus the publick Peace was preferved till the
Englijh had perfedled their Setdements fo far, as
to put it out of the Power of all the Indian
Nations to deftroy them. The Milfionarics who
were appointed to convert the Indians to the
Chriftian Faith contributed not a little to this
W orii, by dividing their Strength, and gettii-<g
acQuainted
-^70 T/&^ History ^/New-England. Ch.vii.
'dfim acquainted with all their Aftairs ,• fo that the
1^7 Savages could never form any Defign againft
"^"^ the Englijb, but it was prefently difcover'd.
The exceflive Heats this Summer produc^'d
a malignant Fever, which carried off a great
many People, and among the reft the Reverend
Mr. l*homai Huokery Paftor of the Church of
Hertford in the Colony of ConneElkut : He was
born at Marfield in Leiceflerjhire 1585, and was
educated in Emanuel College in Cambridgey of
which he was Fellow. Upon his leaving the
Univerfity, he preached occalionally for feme time
in Londoiiy till at length in the Year id 2 (5, he
was chofen Ledurer and Afliftant to Mr. Mitchel
at Chelmsford. Here he preached with great
Succefs for feveral Years, and was fo well be-
loved by the neighbouring Clergy, that when
the Bifhop of London filenced him for Noncon-
fonnity. Forty feven of them figned a Petition
in his Favour, teftifying, T'hat Mr. Hooker was
crthodoxin DoBrine, honefl and fiber in his Life and
Converfation, cf a peaceable Difpojitionj and no ways
turbulent or faElious : But it was of no Service,
for Dr. Laud would never fpare a Puritan, when
he could lay his Hands upon him, Mr. Hooker
therefore laid down his Miniftry, and fet up a
Grammar School at Little Baddo, a Village in
the Neighbourhood of Chelmsford. But the Bi-
Ihop^s Refentm-ents followed him thither, info-
much that the next Vilitation, he was cited to
appear before the High Commiffion Court, and be-
caufe he was then fick, they obliged him to find
Sureties to be bound in a Bond of 50 /. for his
Appearance j but as foon as he was well, with
the Confent of his Sureties he abfconded and
w^ent to HoUandy and they paid the 50 /. into
Court. Mr. Hooker lived in Holland 2 or 3 Years,
preaching fometimes at Delft., and fometimes at
Rotterdam ,• till hearing that many of his Friends
sind
Ch. vii. TheHmoKY of New-Ekgl and* 271
^nd Neighbours in EJfeXy weary "d out with the, jiruj»
OpprefTions of tlie Spiritual Courts, were tranf- ^^4?
planting themfclves and their Families into Ame-
rica, he came over privately into Englandy and
embark'd with them in the Year 1^33. Upon
his Arrival in New England he fettled firft at
Newtowriy where fome of his Acquaintance had
Inade a Settlement the Year before, and became
their Paflor ; but the Place growing too flrait
for them, they removed by the Encouragement
of Mr. Hooker, in the Year 1635, to the Banks
of the River ConneBkut, and built the Towh
oiHertfojTiy where he fpenf the Remainder of
his Days. Mr. Hucker was a Son of Thunder
'in the Pulpit, and having a loud Voice, expreffed
himfelf with a great deal of Warmth and Ve-
hemence ; his Miniftry was adapted chiefly to
the awakening of Sinners, and was remarkably
bleffed that Way. His natural Coitfiitution in-
clined him to PafTion, but he was a very great
Mafler of it. Upon the whole, in the Opinion
of thofe that knew him beft, he was a truly great
and good Man, and deferves to be called, the ,
Father of the Colony of Conneciiciif, He pub-
liflied feveral prnftical Treatifes, befides a Sur-
vey of Church Difcipline, in his Life time, and
his Friends publifhcd feveral of his Serm.ons
atter his Death, which were well received in
thofe Times. He was feized with an Epide-
mical Sicknefs about Midfummer, which thro*
the Heat of the Weather had proved mortal to
many, and was at laft fo to him ; he bore it
with invincible Refolution and Patience, and
when Nature was fpent, he clofed his own
Eyes, and laying his Hand on his Forehead,
gave a little Groan, and expired, July the
7Lh, 1647, in the Sixty fecond Year of his
Age.
Th*
27X The History of New-England. Ch. viL
JLnno The New'England Churches had not yet a-
J^ greed upon any uniform Scheme ot Difcipline :
There had been a Bill preferred to the General
Court in the Year i6^6y for the calling a Synod
for this Purpofe j but the Deputies of the feveral
Congregations not being willing to yield fuch a
Power into the Hands of the Civil Magiftrate,
. left they fhould make ufe of it fome time or other
to impofe upon the Churches an Uniformity of
Practice in things which Chrift had lefc indiffe-
rent, it was dropt for a time : But the Magi-
ftrates inlifting that it was certainly part of their
Province to encourage Truth and Peace among
the People, and allowing at the fame time that
the Determinations of the Synod were only to be
proposed to the Churches by way of Counfel and
Advice, and not as an Injun&on^they compremis^'d
the Difference after this manner. That the Or-
der direded to the feveral Churches for fending
their Deputies fhould be drawn up in Form of
a Motion, and not of a Command. But the
Bofton Deputies were not yet fatisfy'd, and there-
fore when the Order of the Court was read to
the Church on the Lord^s-Day, they could not
■ carry a Vote to fend any Delegates to it, fo jea-
lous were the People of their Chriftian .Liberty ,
which they apprehended in danger of being in-
vaded from this Claufe in the Order of the Court,
'That what fiould be prefented to them by the Synody
they would give fuch Allowance to, as fiould be meet.
But Mr. Norton o£ Ipfwich preaching the next
Thurfday^ Lediure, fo influence the Auditory,
that the next Lord^s-Day they agreed to fend
their Minifter and three of their Meffengers.
The Synod met at Cambridge the latter End
of the Year i6^6y but was adjourn'd from time
to time ''till the 30th of September 1548, when
they fat to do Bufinefs. One of the firl^ things
that fell under Confideration was the Confeffon of
Faith
u
Ich.vii. r/;(?HisTORY<?/ New-England. 273
■^litb lately pubiiili'J by the Aficmbly of Divines At^u^
IVeftminflcr, which ^v as read over Article by ^
rricle, and agreed to, nemhie Co'atradicente, in the
lowing Vote; (yiz..) " I'hc Synod having pe-
rus'd and coniidcr'dj with much Giadnefs of
j4eart and ThanKtulnefs to God, the Conjtffion
,f Faithy pubiifli'd by the laic Reverend Af-
'• Knr.bly in Engla/ul, do judge it to be very ho-
ly? orthodox ar.d JLuiicioiiSj in all Matters of
Faith, and do tiKTcfore freely and fully confent
tiiereunio in the Subilance thereof: And wedd
therefore ihink it meet that this Corifejjwd of Faith
lliould be commended to tiie CiiUrches of ChriiB
among us, and to the Honoured Court, as ssov-
thy of cheir due Confideration and Acceptance.
But the Dclign oi the Syr^od being chiefly to
agree upon aModel of Churcn Difcipline5they took
care in c ne tf their fcrn^er Seflions to appoint thred
Perfor.s, n imely, the Rev. Mr. Jo/m Citton, Mr.i^/-
hard Mather and Mr. Ral^h Partridge^ to drav/ up
each of them feparately a Model of Churcii Go-
vernment out of the Holy Scriptures, and preH^nt
them to the Synod ; that the Synods by comparing
hem carefully together, might form fuch an one
out of them, as fiiould be agreeable to the Minds
f all the Churches. From rlicfe three Performan-
c;es the Platlorm of Caurch Difcipline v/iiich the
Pveader will find in the Appendix ^ was compos'd,
md after many Debates, agreed unto by the Ma-
rity of the Sy .od^ ai-d prefented to the General-
CoLir:, ; \ d to tiie Churches, for their Conll-
ieration and Acceptiu'cc, in the Month o^OIrober^
[(548. 'Tis not to be imagined tha': every indi-
idual Member of thi:> ATfembly fliould ngree
:o all the Articles of the Platflnn ; 'zls fufficicnt
:o fay, they all acquiefc'd in k, and that when it
^as prerented to the Churches thev all recciv'd
* Apreadis, Numb. it.
274 T/?^ History ^ New-England. Ch.vii-
Ami9 it. But lince that time feveral Difputes having
^ arofe, the prefent Set of Minifters diifer from the
Synod in the following Articles of the Platform.
The Platform % Chap. IX. §. 6, and §. 7.
confines the Office of a Pajhr to that particular
Church to which he is related, and does not ex-
preily allow him to adminifter the Sacraments,
or att as an Officer in any Church but his own,
nor did any of the Neiv-England Minifters ven-
ture upon this Pradice for above 50 Years after;,
but moft of tli^ prefent Minifters are of another
Mind, for in an Affembly of the neighbouring
Minifters at Cambridge they declar'd it as their
Judgments, That the Paftor of a neighbouring
Church might, at the Requeft of a deftitute
Church, occafionaily adminijfter the Sacrament to
them ; and they cite the Opinions of tw^o of the
moft learned Men among the Independants in their
Favour, nam.ely, Dr. Ovjen and Dr. Goodivin.
Dr. Ov^en fays, " That if he did not think him-
*' felf bound to preach as an Authorized Minifter
" in all Places and upon all Occafions when he
** was caird thereunto, he thinks he fhould never
*' preach more in this World. "' And Dr. Good-
ivin fays, " An Elder y one fet apart for that Officey
*^ in any Churchy is truly a Minifier, occafionaily to
*' exercife Miniflerial Atis as he is calTd thereunto.
*' E'uery true Minifter, aciually fo to his own Church,
^' is Medium Applicabile, a Means or an Inftru-
*' menty that may apply any Miniflerial Att out of
" his own Churchy in any other Church, if he be call'd
** thereunto.
The Platform, Chap. IX. §. 2, §. 5, and §. 4.
affirms, That in every Church where there are
no Elders, Impofition of Hands for the Ordina-
tion of Elders (/. e. Minifters) may be perform^
!: Mathers £, y, f . 3?,
by
Ch. vii. 77;t> History (?/New-Englakd. 275
b\' fome of die Brethren, orderly chofen by the Anva
Church ; tho' it allows it to be tione by the '^"^^
h.lders of Other Churches, if deiir'd. But the ^^^
Practice of ordaining Minifters by the Impofition
ot the Hands of the Brethreti, is now entirely
diTus'd, and the Ceremony is always perform 'd
by the neighbouring Minifters.
The Pliitfsnn, Chap. XII. §. 5. affirms^ That
a pcrfonal and publick ComefTion, and declaring
of God's manner of working upon the Soul, is
lawful, expedient and ufeful. And it is cercain
that all the Mew- England Churches did once
ftriclly adhere to this Article in their Admiilion
of Church Members; but of late they are come
:o a greater Latitude, and do not infift upon its
3eing done by the Perfon himfelt; but the Mini-
fter examines the Candidate in private, and mi-
nutes down his Anfwers to the QiiefHons he puts
to him, which he communicates ro tiie Cnurch
■or their Satisfaction at a proper Seafon,
The Platform, Chap. VII. maintains -the
Office of a Balding Elder in the Church to be di-^
\mCt from the Pafcoral Office, and yet moft o^
he New-England Churches are at prefent with-
)ut them ; lome not thinking it a difUnct Gifice^
md others not having Perfons among them duly
qualify \i for the Dilcharge of it.
These are the mod confiderable Alterations
hat have been introduced into the Cnurches of
Slew-England 'm above Seventy Years; for the
Hutjorm is ftill the Rule of their DifciphnCj ex-
:ept in the Articles abovemehtion'd.
I N the Beginning of this Year dy'd >/;;2 Win- An.*
hrop, Efq; Son ol: Adcm Wintbrop. of Groton in i^^?
Suffolk; he was born Juue 12, 1587. educated in
he Law, and ferved* his Country as Jufticc of
Peace bclove he was 20 Years old. vVhen the
'i' i Defigrt
276 T/?^ History (?/N£\v -England. Cli.vil
AnnQ Defign Oi feiiling a Colony in the Majfachufet-
^ Bay *vas formed, he put nimfexf at mo Head of
it, and converted his EPiate of Six or Seven
Hundred a Year into proper Materials for the
Service of the Plantation. He came over with
them in the Quality of Governour in the Year
1630, ai^i fpent the Remainder of his Days and
all his Eftate in their Service. He was a Man
of great Piety and Moderation; patient with
regard to perfonal Injuries, but very exad in the
Diftribution of publick Juflice. Many were the-
Hardfliips that be fufter'd in common with the
reft of the People in the Infancy of the Planta-
tion, but he bore them with invincible Conftancy
and Refolution. His Generofiry was fuch, that
he parted with all his Provifions for the Supply of
the Poor ; but fome Years before his Death his
carelefs Steward run him Twenty Five Hundred
Pounds in Debt before he told him of it, for the
Payment of which he was forc'd to fell moft of
what he had left in the Country ; and yet
the peevifti and froward People could hardly ^ivc
him a good Word, but were ready on every Oc-
cafion to cenfure him as the Author of all the
Calamities that befel them. ^Tis no Wonder that
his Conflitution fhould be broke by fuch Fatigue
and Hardfliip. Mr. Winthrop declined for above
Seven Years before his Death ; but in the Begin-
ning of this Year he was taken with a flow Fe-
ver, which in a Month^s time carried him ofiv
on the 26th of March i6^g, in the 6id Year of
his Age. ^ The Character Mr. Cotton gave of him
in a Sermon that he preachM on a Fafl-Day that
the Church liept for his Recovery was this :
*^ H E was a Governour that has been a Friend
*' to counfel us : He adminiftred Help for our
*' Bodies by Phyfick, and for our Eflates by Law.
" A Governour who has been like a Brother, not
" ufurping
Ch.vii. r/;^HrsTORY ^/New-England. 277
" ufurping Authority over the Church ; often i<»»»
" fpeaJa'ng his Advice, and often contradided by l^
" young Men, and fome ol: low Degree ; yet not
<' replying, but offering Satisfaftion alfo, vv^hen
" any fuppofed Oli'ences have arifen ; a Gover-
" nour who has been to us like a Parent didri-
" buting his Goods to Brethren and Neighbours
•' at his lirft coming, and gently bearing our In-
" firmities without taking Notice of them."
He was fucceeded in the Government by Thomas
D:idiey, Efq;
The fame Year the Reverend Mr. T/mnas
Sheppard, Paftor oi the Church at Cambridge, de-
parted this Lite : He was born Novemher the 5th
1605, and educated in Emanuel College Cam-
bridge, where he proceeded Mailer of Arts. Up-
on his leaving the Univerlity, he became Lectu-
rer of Earls Coin, but after three Years was fi-
lenced by Bifl^iop Land for Nonconformity, and
forced to leave that Country. He then retired
into Torkjhire, but the Bifliop of that Dioceft
Dr. Neal would not allow him the Liberty of
Preaching, without fuch a Subfcription as his
Confclence would not fuffer him to make. He
then apply 'd himfeif to Dr. Morton^ Bifhop of
Durham, who was afraid -likewife to lliew hmi
any Countenance ; which made him refolve to
remove to Nevo- England. He rook Siiipping at
Harwich in the latter End of the Year 1634 ; but
when they had been out at Sea but a few Hours,
the Wind chopt about, and drove back the Ship
into Yarmouth R,ad, where it had like to have
been loft in a S'.orm within Sight of Land. It
was a prophane .Saying of an eminent Officer,
who, feeing the Di ttrefs they were in trom the
Shore, was heard to f^iy^ As.Jh" that p-r C //•'-/ iji
the Road I pity him much ; Liit . . \ins
in the ether Vejfel bound for Ne.- . ri^'iijij, I am
not concerned^ for their Faith v:i'^ \.^;<^the:ii: H' v.'-
278 jT/^^ History (?/ New-England. Ch. vii.
A»rr9 ever at lafl the Ship got fafe into the Harbour ;
^ but Mr. Shefpard was fo fick of the Sea, that he
dcYerr'd his Voyage to New- England "till next
Summer, when he took Shipping again from
London, and arrived at Boflon Ociober 23, 16'i,^,
About the Time that Mr. Sbeppard came to
B fion^ Mr. Hooker and his Congregation removed
from Cambridge to the Banks ot Connect i cut River,
which made room for Mr. Sheppard and his
Friends in that Place, where he continued \i\\
his Death. He was a Perfon of great Piety and
Induftry, fpending almoft ail his Time among
hisBuoks; and a,! admirable Preacher, which
was one Reafon, among others, why the Uni-
veriity was erected in this Place: Beiides his
conftant Preaching, he publifhed feverai VMuabl©
Treatifes, among which the moft lioted are
his Sincere Convert, and Evangelical Call ; but his
excelTive Labours iliortned his Life, for as he
was coming home from an Ailembly ot Minifters
at Rowly, he was taken with a Q^iinz^y, attended
with a Spnptomatical Fever, which in a few Days
put an End to his Life on the 2 5 th of Ai-igt^fi^
and in the 44th Year of his Age.
Anno The Separation of the Anahaptifis from the
^^^^ Eftablifhed Churches of the Country began laft
Year at Kehoboth in 'Plimoiith Patent after this
Manner * : Mr. Obadiah Holmes, and {^x^n or
eight more, withdrew from Mr. Ne-wman's Com-
munion, and fet up a feparate Meeting,^ not
thinking it lav. ful to approach the Table of the
Lord with Perfons whom tliey iudg'd unbaptizM.
Mr. New7nan admonifli'd Hdmes of his Ortence ;
but finding him obftinate, and not willing to
give an Account of \\i^ Condud to the Church,
he excommunicated him. He was lik'ev>'ife ac-
* CiViV.^' s Kant^livi 0^ the Niw-England^Pej/ef^^w^ London
C LI fed
Ch.vii. 77;^HisTORY(9/' New-England. 279
cufed of Uncleannefs, and of baptizing Mrs. a,wo
Bowdifi naked -, but the Evidence, it feems, was ^
not fufficient to convid him of it. No fooner
was Mr. HJmes excommunicated, but he and
two more of his Company were fummoned to
appear at the Court at Plimcuth, where four Peti-
tions were lodged againft them, defiring the Ma-
giftrates to take fome fpeedy Courfe to fupprefs
the growing Schifm : Orie was from their own
Plantation iign'd with 3^ Hands, Jnotber from
the Church at Taunton, a Third from all the
Miniflers in the Colony except two, and a Fourth
from the Court of the Majfachufets at Boflcn un-
der the Secretary's Hand : Whereupon the Court
charged them to defifc from their Separation, and
neither to ordain Officers, nor to baptize, nor
to break Bread together, nor to meet on the firfi:
Days of the Week ; but Holmes and his Friends
would make no Promife, but infilled upon the
Conviftion of their own Confciences, and that it
was better to obey God than Man.
Some Time after Mr. Clarke of Rhode IJl and
travelling into the Jurifdi6tion of the Majfachufets^
with Mr. Hohnes and Mr. Crandal/, they were all
three apprehended, uppn the 20th of July^ this
Year, at the Houfe of IVilliani Witters ci Li??,
as they were v.^orfliipping God in their own Way
on a Lord's-Day Morning. The Conftable took
them into Cuftody, and in the Afternoon carried
them to the publick Meeting. Mr. Clarke puU'd
off his Hat when he went in, but as foon as he
was feated in a Pew he put it on again, and fell
to reading of a Book while the Miniller was
praying : The Officers took off his Hat, but he
declared he could not joyn with them in their
Service. "Next Morning Mr. Clarke Pnd his t ,vo
Friends were brought before the M- g.'drate ot
"the Town, who fent them in Cufuxiy to Bcfl.n
with the following Mittimus. ^ ^ ^^
1 4 '■■
28o The History of New-England.- Ch. vii.
Anno
l^'' Ty^ Virtue hereof you are required ro take
Xj '' into }our Cuftody from the Conirable
" of Lin, or his Deputy, ciie Bodies of JJm
" Clarke^ Qbadidh HJmes and Joira Crandali, and
*' them to keep until the next County Court to
" be held at B-'ficn, that they may tl-en and there
" anfw er to fuch Complaints as may be alleged
" againfl: them, for being taken by the Conftable
" at a private, Meeting at Lin on the Lord's-
" Day exercifing among themfelves, to whom
'' divers of the 'lown repaired and joyned with
them, and that in the Time of publick Exer^
cife o the vVorfiiip of God; as aifo for often-
fively difiurbing ihc Peace of thx Congrega-
tion at their coming into the pubiick Meeting
" in the Time of Prayer in the Afternoon, and
*' for faying and manifefling that the Cnurch of
" Lrn Nvas not confiicuted according to the Or-
" aer of our Lord, and for fach other Things
" as ^i\:A\ be alleged againft .them concerning
*' their ^QduQin^ and dravving alide of others
^' after their erronecus Judgment and Pradices,
" and for Sufj^icion of having their Hands in
" rebaptizing of one or more am.ong us, as alfo
" for negle(5t!ng or refuiing to gwe 'in fufficient
" Security for their Appearance at the faid
" Court. Hereof hiil not at your Peril. " *
2 2d of the jth Re kn Bridges.
Month, 1.5)1.
Jo the Keeper of the P/ifon at Bofton.
A. BOUT a Fortnight afier, the Court fined
John Clarke I\venty Poiuids, cr to be well whipt.,-
John Crandall VixQ Pounds, or to be whipt j and
* Clarke'^ Narrative of the Nevv-England Terfemiov, London
Uiiy i'. 4) 5-
Obadidh
Ch.vii. T^^ History of New-England. 281
Obadiah Holmes Thirty Pounds, for their feveral Ann*
Otienccs. llie Reafor.s of ti;cir Sentence, be- ^
fides thofe mentioiiCd in the Mittimm^ are thefe :
'' Becaufc the faid ^ hn Clarke L\k{ the j^exc Day
^' aiier his Contempt or the pubiick Worfiiip on
*' the Lora's-Day meet again at the Hcufc of
" Witte-rs^ and in Contempt of Authority, being
" then in the Cuftcdy oi: the Law, did there
^^ adminifler the Sacrament of the Lord's-Sup-
*' per to one excommunicated Perfon, to another
" under Admonition, and to a third that was
" an Inhabitant of Lin. and not in Fellowfnip
" ^\ith any Ci^urch^ and yet upon Anfwer in
" open Court &A affirm that he never rebaptized
" any, dio' lie confeflcd that he did baptize fuch
^' as were baptized before, and thereby did ne-
" ceflarily deny the Baptifm that was before to
" be Baptifin, the Churches no Churches, and^
" aKo ail other Ordinances and Mmifters, as if
" all were a Nullity -, and alfo did m the Court
'^ deny the Lawfulnefs of baptizing of Infants:
" All this tends to the Difhonour of God, the
" Defp-fing the Ordinances of God among
" us, the Peace of the Churches, and feducing
" the Subjects of the Commonwealth from the
" Truth of the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift, and pcr-
** verting the flrait Ways of the Lord : Where-
*' fore thiC Court hi:ies you Twenty Pounds, to
" be paid, or fufficient Sureties that the faid
"= Sum Hiall be paid, by the firft Day of the
*' next Court of AfTiilants, or elfe to be well
*^ whipt ; and that you flmll remain in Prifon
'^ ''till it be paid, or Securities given in for it. "
Encreaje Nowell.
When Mr. Clarke was upon his Trial, the
Court cMercd him a Conference with any of
their Minifters, in order to remove his Scruples
about
282 r^f History <?/ New-England. Ch. vii.
An7,9 about the Lawfulnefs of Infant Baptifm, which
i!^ he looking upon as a Challenge to a publick Dif-
putation fent them the following Letter *.
To the Honour'd Court affembled at Bojion.
WHEREAS it hath pleased this Honour d Court,
yejierday to condemn the Faith and Order
which I hold and fraclice, and after you had pafs'd
your Sentence upon me for it, were pleas' d to exprefsy
J could not maintain the fame againft your MinijlerSy
and thereupon publickly proferd me a Difpute with
them, be pleas'd by thefe few Lines to underfiand,
J readily accept it, and therefore do dejire you to ap-
point the "Time when^ and Per/on with who?nj in that
publick Place where I was condemned, I /night with
Freedom, and without Molefiation of the Civil Power,
difpute that Point publickly,
John Clarke.
The Noife of this Difputation quickly fpread
all over the Country ; for Mr. Clarke writ Let-
ters to feveral of his Friends, acquainting them
with it, and defiring their AiTiflance ; but the
Court refented his Behaviour, and would not
comply with his Requeft, till he had iirfl: agreed to
fomx Preliminaries : They denied that they had
challenged him at all to a publick Difputation,
or ever intended it, and therefore that he mifre-
prefented the Governour's Speech ; but then they
add in the clofe of their Letter directed to him
in Prifon, and fignM by five of the chief Ma-
giftrates, thefe Words : '' Neverthelefs, if you
*' are forward to difpute, and that you will move
" it yourfelf to the Court, or the Magiftrates
*' about Bojion, we fhall take Order to appoint
* Clarke'i Karmtm, ace. ?. 7.
'' One,
Ch.vii. W^ History (?f New-England. 285
*' One, who fliall be ready to anfwer your Mo- A»n»
*' tion, you keeping clofe to the Qiieftions to be J^
*' propounded by your felf ; ana a Moderator
" alfo lliail be appointed to attend upon that
^' Service, and whereas you defire you might
" be free in your Difpute, keeping clofe to the
" Points to be difputed on, without incurring
" Damage by the civil Juftice, obferving what
" hath been before written, it is granted ; the
*' Day may be agreed, if you vieJd the Pre-
" milfesf"
'I' H E s E were certainly very fair ConcefTions,
and as much as could be expeded from the Le-
fiilature of a Country to a private Man, but
Ir. Clarke not being willing (as he faid) to be
thought forward to difpute, declined the Invi-
tation, and upon this Pundilio it was drop^'d.
The Prffoners agreed not to pay their Fines,
but to abide the corporal Punifhment the Court
had fentenced them to, but fome of Mr. Clarke's
Friends paid his Fine, without his Confent,
and Crandall was releasM upon hisPromife to ap-
pear at the next Court ; but Holmes received
thirty Lafhes at the Whipping-poft : Several of
his Friends were Speftators of his Punifliment,
among the reft John Spur and Jehn Haz,elly who
as they w ere attending the Priloner back to Pri^
fon, took him by the Hand in the Market-place,
and in the Face of all the People, praifed Goci
for his Courage and Conftancy ,• for which they
were fummonM before the General Court the
next ]3ciy, and fined each of them 40 j. or to
be whipt : The Prifoners refused to pay the
Money, but feme of their Friends doing it for
them, they Vvcre difmiflbd, and {0 they returned
to -Rhode Ifland.
Thus
284 r/'^ History ^/New-England. Ch. vii.
Amw Thus the Government of New England ^o^:
l^ the Sake of Uniformity in divine Worfhip, broke
in upon the natural Rights of Mankind, punifh-
ing Men, not for diRurbing the State, but for
their differing Sentiments in Religion, as ap-
.pears farther from the following Law, which was
enaded on this Occafion.
'' I T is ordered by this Court and Authority
*' thereof, that if any Perfon or Perfons within
'* this Jurifdiction fliall either openly condemn
** or oppofe the baptizing of Infants, or go about
*' fecretly to feduce others from the Approbation
*' or Ufe thereof, orfliaii purpofely depart the Con-
" gregation at the Adminiilration of that Ordi-
" r^nce, or fhall deny the Ordinance of Magi-
*' ftracy, or their lawful Right or Authority to
'' make War, or puniHi the outward Breaches
" of the firft Table, and fliall appear to the Court
" wilfully, and obftinately to continue therein af-
" ter due Means of Conviction every fuch Perfon
*' or Perfons fliall be fentenced to Banifliment.f ''
But neither this, nor feme other penal Laws made
againfl Sedaries, could prevent the Growth of
Anabaptifm, as the Reader will fee hereafter.
Dr. Mather'^' fays, that this Separation of the
j^nabaptifisy was a manifeft Violation of the Laws
of the Commonwealth concerning the orderly
gathering of Churches, which provide " That
*' no Company of Men fliall join in any pre-
*' tended Way of Church Fellow fliip, unlefs
" they fliall acquaint the Magiftrates and El-
*^ ders of the neighbouring Churches, and have
" their Approbation therein." Which (by the
Way) condemns all the Diffenting Congre-
gations^ that have been gatliered in Englanci
flnce the Act of Uniformity in the Year 1662,
The Dr. com- plains further of the Anabaptids
admitti'ig into their Society fuch as .the ella-
_ _ _ _^ blim^d
t ClafW* N^rraiivej &c. p. 35. * 3. vii. J^.z?-
Ch.vii. r/;^HisTORY 0/ New-England* 285
bllfh'd Churches of the Country had excommu- ^»^
municated for Immoralities; .and of their pre- i^
ferring them to be Adminiflrators of the Sa-
crament among them : He blames their Un-
charitablenefs in declaring Infant Baftifm to be
no Baptifm ; in unchurching all other Societies
of vifible Chrillians except thcfe of their own
Perfualion ; and of their choofing Shoe?nakerSy
'Taylors, and the mofl illiterate Perfons, for
their Paftors and Teachers ,• nay he draws the
Rife of the Separation from hence, " That
*' fome Men having privately exercis'd their
" Gifts in Meetings with Applaufe, began to
" think themfelves \srcnged that their Light
" was put under aBiifliel^and findingno Remedy
" in other Churches, they threw on a Cloak
*' o'l Anabaftifmy and fo gain'd the Thing they
*' aimed at in Difguife/' He ccnfefles indeed
that the New England Churches gave fome Pro-
vocation on their Side, by their Miniflers paf-
fing fevere Cenfures on thofe of that Perfuaiion
that went out of the Church when Infants were
brought into the Congregation to be baptiz'd,
which exafperaied them to fuch a Degree, that
they withdrew w holly from the Communion of
the Church, and fet up for themfelves. But let
the Reader judge, Who had moft Reafon to
complain ? The Ncxo England Churches, who
would neither fui^er the Baptiils to live quietly
in their Communion, nor feparate peaceably
from it ? Or, Thefc unhappy Perfons, who were
treated fo unkindly for fciiov>ing the Light of
their Confciences?
Towards the latter End of this Year died i^^
famous Mr. John Cotton, B. D. or^e of the Mini-
flers of the Church at Bofion : He was born at
Derby, Dece?nber the 4th, 1585, and at the Age
Ol I'hirteen Years admitted into Trinity-College
in Cambridge, where he iludicd for fome Years,
but
286 jT/^'^Historyo/New-Enqland. Ch. vii.
Anno but was afterwards removed to Emanuel- College^
i^ where he proceeded M.ifier of Arts, Batchelor of
Divinity, and FelLw of the College. Upon his
leaving the Univerfity he was chofen Minifter of
Bofton in Lincolnjhire ; but had not been there
above three Years before he began to entertain
Scruples about Conformity to fome ot the Cere-
monies of the Church, and at laft refolved not
to comply with them ; however being a peace-
able Man, and beloved by all his Parifhioners, he
made afhift to keep his Place for almoft Twenty
Years, ^till the Government of the Church was
put into the Hands of Bifliop Laud. He was
then informed againfl by a debauched Fellow of
the Towttj who to be revenged of the Magi-
ftrates, for punifliing him according to his De-
ferts, fwore in the High CoinmifTion Court at
London, That neither the Minifter nor Magi-
ftrates of the Town of Boflon kneeled at the Sa-
crament, nor obferved fome other Ceremonies of
the Church. Upon this Letters Miffive were
fent down to bring Mr. Cotton before the Com-
milfioners, but he was fo wife as not to deliver
himfelf up into their Hands, but left the Town,
and travelled to London in Difguifc. Great In-
terceffions were made for him to the Archbifhop
by the Earl of Dorfet and others, but in vain.
The Earl fent him Word, " That if he had been
*' guilty of Drunkennefs or Uncleannefs, \\o
" might have had Favour ; but the Sin or Puri-
" tanifm was unpardonable '" Upon this he re^
folved to leave his Native Country and fettle in
Nev:- Engl and. He took Shipping the Beginning
o^ July, i6s3. ^^""d arrived at B)/ion the 3d of
Septe?nber following : When he had been a Month
out at Sea, his Wife fell m Labour, and was de-
livered of a Son, w^ho, from the Place of his
Nativity, was called Seahrn Cotton. Scon after
his coming afhore he was made Fellow-Laboui-er
Cli. vli. The History ^/New-England. 287
\vith Mr. IVilfon in the Church at Bofion; which i<«««
was a great Advantage to the Town, for it was |^
owing in part to his VVilcloir. and Influence that
it flourifhed To taft in Trade and Shipping as to
outftrip its Neighbours, and in a few Years be-
come the CdpJtal of the whole Province. VV^hen
the Epifcopal Power began to fall in England^^
about the Year 1642, fome of the Members of
both Houfes of Parliament writ to him, and
prelfed his Return to his Native Country ; but
being now in Safety, he was not willing to ven-
ture out again into a Storm : He therefore con-
tinued at Bofton to his Death. He was a Man
of great Reputation in both Eriglands : While he
was Minifter of Bofton in Lincolnjhire, he was
highly efleem.ed by Archbifhop PVilliains, Doctor
Prefto'dy the Earls of Dcrcefier and Lindfey^ and
feveral other Noblemen, for his incomparable
Parts. When the Archbifliop juH: mentioned was
in Favour at * Court, he procured 'hiv.Xotton a
Toleration under the Broad- Seal for the free
Exercife of his Miniftry, notwithftanding his dif-
fenting in Ceremonies, fo long as done without
Difturbance to the Church ; but when he fell
into Difgrace Mr. Cottons Patent could not skreen
him. His Reputation was no lefs confiderable
all over Ne-uj- England^ w here he was efleemed the
Oracle of the Country. He was certainly a
Man of very great Learning, and fo well ac-
quainted with the Hcbre-jj Language^ that he
could difcourfe \x\ it. He publifhed feveral C n-
tro'veyfial and Pra:ijcal Writings, the chief of
which was his Difcourfe of the Keys of the King-
dom of Heaven^ which was a mallerly Piece for
the Time in which it was writ; 'but his chief
Talents wtrc for the Pulpit, where he behaved
* Fuller Eeok xi. ^, jiS.
himfelf
«88 T/6^HisTORY ^/N^w-England. Ch.vli.
A^no .lia-jfelf with fuch Gr-vity and Decency, asftruck
J^ tas Audience wivU Vdniration and Awe : He
jnaue uie of no Latir. Seniences in his Sermons,
no obfolcte School Pii.aies, as was the Fafnion
of thofe Times, but fpoke to the Capacity of
' the Meaneii of his Hearers. He w^as a Perfon
of great Modedy and Good Nature, and tho'
he was often alfronted by angry Men, he never
expreiled any Refentments. Once a conceited,
ignorant Mechanick followed him home after
Sermon, and told him with a Frown, That his
Miniftry was become dark or flat: To which he
reply 'd. Both Brother, it may hs both j let me have
your Prayers that it may he otherwife. Another time
he was aflaulted in the Street by an impudent
Fellow, who caird him an old Fool : Mr. Cotton
reply 'd, / confefs I a?n fo ; the Lord make thee and
me "joifer than zve are, even wife to Salvation. His
Life was full of Ads of Piety and Charity; and
if his Conftitution had not been very firm, he
could not have gone thro" fo many Labours and
Toils as the Circumftances of his Affairs required:
But at laft he found himfelf decaying, his Voice
• faifd, he became Aflhmatical, and a Complica-
tion of Diftempers threatned his Death , fo he
fet his Houfe in Order, and having taken a fo-
lemn Leave of the Magiftrates and Minifters of
the Colony, who came to vifit him in his Sick-
nefs, he dy'd on the 23d of December, in the 58th
Year of his Age, and was interr'd with great
Honour and Solemnity.
Next Year dy'd the Honourable Thomas
i6^z Dudley, Efq; fom.e Time Governor of the Co-
lony of the Majfachujets : He was born at Nor-
thampon, 1574. ^^"^^ ^^^^ defign^d for the Law>
but being a brisk, adive young Gentleman,,
Queen Eliz^abeth gave him a Captain's Commif-
fion, andient him at the Head of a Company^
of Foot into the Service of Henry the IVth of
Fr'ance
Ch. vli. The History of New-Egnland. 289
Francs, in the Lew -Countries : Bat a Peace being Ann*
made foon after between the Ftencb and Spaniardy l^
Capt. Dudley returned to Nirthcunpton, and by
Converfation with Mr. Dod, Mr. Hddtrjhimy
Mr. Cleaver, and Mr. IVmlion^ became a Non-
conformifl. After this he entred into the Service
of the Earl of Lincoln^ and was his Steward about
9 or 10 Years ; but being a Puritan, and not
willing to conform to the Ceremonies of the
Church, he left the Early's Service, and went over
to New-England with the firft Colony in the
Year 1630, in Quality of Deputy-Governor.
Having been a military Man, he was chofeii
Major-General of the Colony, and was very in-
ftrumental in keeping the Peace at a Time when
the Government was difturbed by Perfons of
Amimmian and Familiftical Principles. He was
feveral times chofen Governor of the Colony ; and
after a long and ufeful Life, di^d in Peace at his
Houfe in Roxbiiry, July the 3 ift, in the 77th Year
of his Age, being fucceeded in his Government
by Mr. John Endicrtt.
M R. Henry Dunftar refigned his Place of Prefi- Anta
dent cf Harvard College about this time. I'he ^^^4
Overfeers were uneafy becaufe he had declared
himfelf an Anabaptift-^ fearing left he faould infiill
thofe Principles into the Youth that were under
his Care ; but the Preftdert no fooner undcrllcod
their Minds, but he treely rcfigned his Charge,
and retired to Scituate, where he fpent the Reft
of his Days in Peace. He was an excellent
Scholar, and a modeft, humble, charitable Man,
as appears by hislaft Will and Teftament, wherein
he ordered his Body to be buried at Cambridge,
and bequeathed Legacies to thole very Per lens
who had been the Authors ci his Removal cut
of his Place. He died in the Year 165^, and
was fucceeded b) the Rev. Mr. Charles Chauncyy
who governed the College w ita univerfai Af ^ lai^ie .
^ U Lv
290 T/^e History ^/New-England. Ch.vii.
4n7:^ for a great many Years, tho' foon after his Ad-
^^H vancement there was a great Difturbance among
^^^ fome of the Scholars, who, thinking themfelve^.
/put under a Hardfhip, by being obliged to lofQ ,,
part ot a Year of their Time upon which de-
pended their Degrees, left the College to th©
Number of Seventeen, without waiting for any,
Degree at all.
4«»o This Year the Honourable Ed-doard Winflow^
i^U Efq; fome Time Governor of Plmouth Colony,
died : He was the Son of Edward V/infloWy of
Draughrcjich in the County of JVonefter^ Efq;
Travelling into the Low-Countries, he joyned him-
felf to }Ax. Rolinfons Church at Ley den, and came
over to New-England with the hrft Detachment,
in the Year 1620. He w^as many Years Go^
vernor of Plimcuth Colony, and made feveral
Voyages to England as their Agent, In the
Year 1(545 the Majfachufa Colony chofe him their
Agent, and fent him to the Court of England
upon very important Affairs, which he difpatched
with great Fidelity and SucCefs, but never re-
turned to New-England any more ; for the Par-
iiam.ent finding him an able Statefman employe4
him in feveral important Trufls, and at lafl fent
him at the Head of an Expedition to Hifpaniola^
which not fucceeding according to his DefireSi
he died of Grief betv/een Domingo and Jamaica^
May the 8th, 1655, and had his Body honoura-
bly committed to the Sea.
pn^ About a Twelvemonth after died old valiant
'•^'^ C^'pt.StandiJh, as brave a Soldier as ever fet Foot on
New-Englifb Ground. He was bom in Lancajhire^
^nd was Heir apparent to a good Eftate, but be-
ing fraudulently deprived of it, he went for a Sol-
dier into the Low-Countries^ and after fome Time
falling into Acquaintance with feveral cf Mr- -^^
hinfon's Church at Leyden^ joyned with them in the
T>kim of making a Settlement in New-England.
Up
Ch-vii. The History of New-England, 291
He came over with the firil Colony, and had a ^nno
deep Share in all the Hardfliips and Difficulties J^
they filtered. He was fent out upon feveral
daring Encerprizes againfl: the Indians^ and others,
and did Wonders with an Handful of Men. At
laff, when he was no longer capable of ferving
his Country in the Field, he retired to Duxhry^
and there died of the Stone in an advanced
Age.
The Government of New-England, had no
fooner crufhcd tlie Anabaptifls, but the Quakers
rofe up and difturbed the Peace of the Country.
The Magiftrates proceeded againO: them, as a-
gainft the Anabaptiftsy by Fines, Imprifonment^
1 Whipping, &c, but thefe not proving eftedtual,
they ventured at lafl to put three or four of them
to Death. This Affair having made a great Noife
in the World, I'll endeavour to relate it with
the greateft Impartiality; and when the Reader
las confidered the whole Account, with the Rea-
fons of the Magiftrates for their Proceedings, as
they lie together in this Chapter, let him judge
of it as he plea fes.
The £rft Appearance of the People call'd.
Quakers in the World, was in the North of Eyig-
landy about the Year 1^44, but they were not
diflinguifh'd by any particular Name till the Year
1^50. At their firft fctting out they were a
wild, enthuliaftick Sore of People, having no
confiftent Scheme of Religion, but what arofe
from the ftrong Impuifes of their own Minds :
Hence they cried down a Regular Miniftry, and
raii'd againfl all fuch as Hirelings, Prieds of Baaly
and Deceivers of the People, they diflurbed
them in their publick Adminif-crations, and fre-
quently went' about Streets in an indecent man-
ner, denouncing Jadgments and Ciilaniiries on
he Nation ; nay, fo violent were their Impref-
lons at laft^ that fome of them imagined them-
U 2 ft.ves
292 TiieHisTORY ef New-England. Ch.vii.
Anno felves called of God, to leave their Families and
x6«i^ Employments, and travel mto foreign Countries,
^^ to convert the Pope, the Turk, and all the Nati-
ons of the World. V/ith this View fome of
them came over to New England, and fettled
among the Antinomians in Rhode Ifland^ firom.
whence they fpread themfelves over Plimouth Colo-
ny and were '' unhappily fuccefsful (fays Dr.Mz-
t/;/r) " in feducing the People, not only to at-
« tend to the myftical Difpenfation ot the Light
^' within, as having the whole of Religion con-
« tained in it, but alfo to oppofe the good.
« Order, both civil and facred, ereded in the
« nr^r^^\^ *
The firft Quakers that came into the Majfachufet
Colony were Mary Fijher and Ann Auftin, who
arrived t at Bofton from Barhadoes in the Begin-
ning of Jdy, 1656, and about a Month after
eight more arrived from Rhode Ijland, namely,:
Chriftopher Holder, Thomas Ihirftcne, William Brend,
%M Copland, Mary Prince, Sarah GMons, Mary
Wentherhead, ai:d Dorcthy Wai-gh, Upon the Ar-
rival of the tv.o firft, Notice was im.T^ediately'
fent to the Governour, who ordered them to be
fecured, and about one hundred Books and Pam-
phlets, which they brought Vith them, to be-
burned. The Women were brought afiioar, put
into clofe Prifon, and examined by proper Per-
fons for Tokens of Witchcraft. The Governour
called his Council together upon this extraordi-
nary Occafion, who came to the following Re-
folutions. ^ , _ , ^ „
Firft, "That all fuch corrupt Books as inall
« be found upon Search to be brought in, and
-«' fpread bv Mary Fijher and Ann Atftin fhall be
*' forthwith burn'd and deftroy'd by the common
'* Executioner.
> 3, vii. h i^ t Bii^-op*^ New-England ;V%'^,, i- 3-
Ch.vii. r/'^IIrsTORY ^/New-England. 29}
Secondly^ " That the faid Miry and Anne be ^"n9
" kept in clofe Prifon, and none admicred Com- J;^
** munication with them without Leave from
" the GovernoLir, Deputy Governour, or any
" two Magiftrates, to prevent the Spreading of
*' their corrupt Opinions, till fuch tune as mQy
** be delivered by Authority on board fome Ve{-
" fel to be tranfported out of the Cjuntry.
'Thirdly y " I'hat Simon Kempthorne do fpeedily
** tranfport, or caufe to be tranfported tne faid
" Perfons to Barbadies from whence they came,
" he defraying all the Charges of their Imprifon-
" ment, and for Performance thereof to give
*' Security to the Secretary, in a Bond of One
^ hundred Pounds, and upon Refufal to be
" committed to Prifon till he do it/'
Accordingly thefe two Women after about
a Month or hve Weeks Confinement, w^ere fent
out of the Country, by the Return of the fame
Ship that brought them ; the other eight were
imprifoned after the fame Manner, and at length
fent out of the Country -, bur tjie fame Spirit
that brought them firli to Nevj England, fjon
moved them to return, and propagate their Opi-
nions, in Defiance- of ail tiie Laws that were
made againil them.
The Dciign oi the Magiflrates in coming
to thefe Refoiucions againft the ^i'^^^^rj, was to
keep them out of the Country, iniagining, that
none of their own People had as yet received any
of their Opinions, tho' in tais they were mida-
ken, as will appear prefcncly : However with
this View the following fevere Laws were enact-
ed by a general Court held at B finny Oliober 14,
1656.
" That if any Maftcr or C >mmandcr of any
" Ship. Bark, &c. fliall henceforth bring into
" any Harbour, ^c. within this Jarifdiction, any
'* QiiAker or. Quakers,- ■- — he fliali pay or ciuYe
U 3 "to
294 T)^^HisTOKY^/ New-England. Ch.vii.
A^no " to be paid the Sum of One hundred Pounds to
1^55 " the Treafurer of the Countl^. That what
" Quaker fcever fhall arrive in this Country from
" foreign Parts, or Parts adjacent, fhall be forth-
** with committed to the Houfe of Corredion,
" and at their Entrance to be feverely whipt,
*^ and by the Mailer thereof to be conftantly kept
« at work, and none fufter'd to fpeak, or converfe
^' with them. If any Perfon fhall knowingly
" import any Quakers Books, or Writings con-
*' cerning their Devilifh Opinions, he fhall pay
" for every fuch Book, or Writing five Pounds ;
" and whofoever fhall difperfe, or conceal anv
*' fuch Book or Writing, and it be found with
" him or her, fhall forfeit and pay five Pounds.
'. And that if any Perfons within this Colony
" fhall take upon them to defend the heretical
" Opinions ot the faid Quakers, or any of their
" Books, &c. they fhall be fined for the firfl Time
« Forty Shillings; if they Ihall perfift in the
" fame, and Ihall again defend them, the fecond
^* I'ime, Four Pounds if they fliall again fo
^' defend, they fhall be committed to the Houfc
" ot Corredion 'till there be convenient PafTage
" to fend them cut of the Land, being fentenced
" by the Court of Alllflants to Banifhment. " *
These Laws being proclaimed by Beat of
Drum in the Streets of Bojhn, Nkholm Upjhal,
an ancient Man of about 60 Years of Age, came
out of his Houfe, and in a publick Manner told
the Officers, That the Profecution of thofe
Laws would be the Forerunner of Judgment on
the Country; and therefore defired them to take
heed what they did, left they fhould be found
fighting againft God. This was looked upon
as an Attack upon the Legillature, which might
" **•' t/tV-hitins* J Avftvfr t9 Cotton Mather, >. 14.
'•:: be
Ch.vii. Tl&fHisTdRY(?f New-England* 295
be attended with fatal Confequences ; for if Ann^
People might arraign the Laws of their Country ^^1*
in fuch an open Manner, the Authority of the
Government would quickly be deftroyed. Upjhal
was therefore fummoned to appear before the
General Court next Morning, and not acknow-
ledging his Offence, was firmed T'wenty Pounds^
and ordered to depart the Jurifdidion within the
Space of a Month ; and that if he returned, he
fhould be kept clofe Prifoner 'till he acknowledged
his Fault.
But the firft that fuffered by the foremention- Ann^
ed Laws was Mary Clarke, Wife of John CLirke^ ^^^1
of London^ Taylor, who left her Husband and
fix Children to bring a MefTage from the Lord
to Nev^- Engl and. She arrived in the Month of
Augufi ; and having delivered her Meflage, was
fent to the Hcufe of Corredion, where (he re-
ceived Twenty Stripes^ and w^as then turned out*
of the Jurifdidion. The next were Chriftopher
Holder and John Copeland^ who being returned to
l^evi'England lince their late Banifhment, and
attempting to fpeak to the People in the Meet-
ing-Houfe at Salem after Sermon, were fent to
the Houfe of Corredion, where they received
Thirty Stripes a>picce, and after Nine Weeks
Impriibnment were once more fent out of the
Country. "'TIS uncertain how long thefe Quakers
had been at Salem, but it began now to appear
that feveral of the Inhabitants of that Place had
embraced their Principles, by their abfenting
from the publick Worfhip, and fetting up pri-
vate Meetings of their own on the Firil Day of
the Week ; nor is this to be wondred ar^ fines?
.that Town had ITiown fo firong an Inclination
to.Enthufiaflical Dodrines but a few Years be-
fore t However thefe private Meetings of Friends
were quickly btoke up ; the Perfons that were
prefent at them were fined Five Shillings a
U ^ Hea4
*v^
296 The History of New-England. Ch. vii..
jir.»o Head for ab fencing from publick Worfiiip, and
1^57 their I'eachers were fent to the Houfe of Cor-
rection ^iBcfion; but there was hardly a Man
banifned tne Jurifdldion by Virtue of thefe
Laws, but returned again in a few Months, ani-
mated with new Zeal for the propagating his
Opinicns.
'I' H E Government being alarmed at thefc
Proceedings of the Quakers^ proceeded to farther
Severities againik them^ and at their next Gene-
ral Court in Oclber palfed a Law *, which
enaded, " That whofoever fhould bring any
" Quaker into their Jurifdiction fhould forfeit
" One Hundred Pounds to the Country, and
" be committed to Prifon, there to remain 'till
" the Penalty fliould be fatisiied. And whofo-
^ ever fhould entertain or conceal any Quaker or
*' Quakersy knowing them fo to be, every fuch
/' Pcrfon fliould forfeit to the Country Forty
" Shillings for every Hour's Entertaining or Con-
" cealment, and be committed to Prifon 'till the
** Forfeiture fhould be fully paid and fatisfied.
*' And further. That ail and every of thofe Peo-
*' pie that fhould arife among themfelves, fhould
*' be dealt withal, and fuffer the like Punifhments,
" as the Laws provide againft thofe that come
** in, which was, That for the firft Oftence (or
*^ coming in) after they had once fuffered what
*' the Law requireth, ii a Male, one of his Ears
*' fliould be cut off, and he kept at Work in the
*' Hcufe of Corredicn 'till he could be fent
*' away on his own Charges ; and for the fecond
^' Oflence his other Ear fliould be cut oft and
*' he kept in the Houfe of Corredion as afore-;'
*' faid : If a Woman, then to be feverely whipt,
and kept as aforefaid as the Male for the firft
<<
" Offence;
Ch.vii. K^ History ^/New-England. 297
" Oft'ence ; and for the fecond fhe fhall be alike A*nm
" ufed as aforefaid : And for every Qjiakery he '^5^
*' or fhe that fhall a third Time oAend, they "'^^'^
" fhail have their Tongues bored through with
" an hot Iron, and be kept at the Houfe of Cor-
" redion to Work 'till they be fent away at their
** own Charge,
I DO not find above three Quakers that loft
their Ears by this Law, namely, Holder^ Cope-
Land and Roufey who having been fent out of the
Jurifdidion once and again, were apprehended,
the two former at Dedham^ and the other at
Boflon. They were immediately carried before
the Governor, and acknowledging themfelves to
be the Perfons that were formerly banifhed,
were fentenced to have each of them their Right
Ear cut otf by the Hangman, which was accor-
dingly executed within the Prifon of Boflon^
Sept. i6y K558.
In the midft of thefe Troubles died Wtlliam
Bradford, Efq; Second Governor of Plimouth Co-
lony : He was born in an obfcure Village called
An fter field in Torkjhire, in the Year 15 88. The
Converfation and Miniflry of Mr. Cliftoriy under
whom he was educated, made him a Nonconform
mifl ; but the Severity of the Bifhops not allow-
ing him the Liberty of his Confcience at Home,
he tranfported himfelf with fome of his Acquain-
tance into Holland, and fottled with the Brownifl
Church at Amfierdam, where he lived ten Years:
But when the Expedition for New-England was
fet on Foot he left Amfierdam, and embarked
with that Part of Mr. Rohinfons Congregation
at Leydetty which made the iirfl Settlement in
thofe Parts. Upon the Death of Mr. Carver he
was unanimouily chcfcn Governor of the Infant
Colony in the Year 1621. and continued in that
Pofl with very little Intermillion 'till his Death.
He was a Gentleman of a \Qry noble and gene-
rous
298 1%^ History of New-^England. CLviL
A„m rous Spirit, laying afide all private Views, wh6n
Jg7 they flood in Competition with the publick Good
of the Country, as appears by this Example :
When the Crown of England gave the Coloily
of Plimouth a Patent for their Lands, the Patent
was drawn in the Name of WiUiam Bradford^ his
Heirs, Aflbciates and Aflign^ which gave him
the Propriety ot the whole Country ; but when
the Number of Freemen was confiderably en-
creafed, and feveral new Towns ereded, the
General Court defired Mr. Bradford to furrender
up the Patent into their Hands, which he gene-
roufly ^idi'i and confirmed it with bis Hand and
Seal, referving no more for himfelf than what
i was his Proportion with others by Agreement.
This endeared him fo much to the People, that
they chofe him in a manner Governor for Life*
He was a Perfon of excellent Temper, as ap-*
peared by his admirable Management of the
peevifh and fro ward Humours of the People, un-
der the inexpreflible Hardfhips they fuffered the
firft three or four Years of their Settlement ; but
he bore a part in them all himfelf, and rnimited
the People by his own Example. The Year be-
fore he died he found himfelf decaying, his
Conftitution being broken by the Fatigues he
had undergone in the Service of the Colony;
and after a lingring Indifpofirion of feveral
'Months, he died May % 16'yj. univerfally la-
• mented by all the Colonies of New-Englayidy in
the dpth Year of his Age, and was interred with
the greateft Honour and Solemnity that was pof-'
fible for the Colony to exprefs.
He was fucceeded by Mr. H'homas Prince^ a Man
of no Learning, but of good natural Pares ; wha
• finding the Want of a liberal Education in himfelf,
•*^bccame thb greateft Patron ot Learning that that
Colony ever enjoyed, and was fo well beloved,
that
Ch. vii. The History of New-England. 299
that he was conftantly chofen Governor as long An,»
as he lived. ^^
I N the fame Year died Tbeophilus Eatotiy Efq;
Governor of Newhaven Colony ,• he was born at
Stony- Stratford in Oxfordjhirey his Father being
Minifter of the I'own : He was bred an Eaft
Country Merchant, and travelling into thofe
Parts was employed by the King as his Agent
at the Court of Denmark ; after three Years he
returned home, and continued feveral Years in
London, a Merchant of great Bufinefs and Repu-
tation. When the Puritannkal Minijiers were
driven out of the Land by the Rigour of Arch-
bilhop Laud's Impofitions, and among the reft
his old Acquaintance Mr. Davenport, he took up
a Refolution to accompany him to New-England,
where they arrived in the Year 1637. ^"^ choo-
fing to be a diftind Colony by themfelves, fetled
in the South- Wefl: Part of the Country, at a
Place w^hich they called Newhaven^ and fpread
themfelves along the Coafl, where in a few Years
they built feveral pretty Villages. As Mr. Da-
venport was Minifter, fo Mr. Eaton was chofen
annually their Governor as long as he lived. He
met with more Troubles than moft of the Go-
vernors of the other Colonies, but bore them
with invincible Patience and Conflancy. He
had once fuch a large Fiflula in his Bread, that
the Surgeon told him he had not Courage enough
himfelf to lay it open, being afraid he W'ould
dye under his Hands ; but Mr. Eaton bid him,
with an undaunted Refolution, perform the
Operation, and not be afraid, For God calls you to
do, fays he, and me to fi^ffer ; and after fome time
he was perfedly cured. He was a Pcrfon of
ftric5t Virtue and Piety, facetious and pleafant in
Convcrfarion, but always grave upon proper Oc-
cafions : He was \ery charirabie to the Poor,
and eafie of Acccfs by the mean -ft Pcrfons, butj
always
joo The History of New-England. Ch. vii.
JLnm always maintained the Dignity of his Character
J^ as a Magidrate. He was exercifed with great
Troubles in his Family, feveral of nis Children
died of malignant Diftempers, his Wife was
troubled with a melancholy Indifpcfition, and
at lait the Divifions and Quarrels that arofe m
the Church ot Hertfird broke his Heart. He.
feemed to be in perfect Health the Day before he
died, and had been taking a Solitary Walk in the
Fields, for the Benefit of private Meditation ;
when he came home in the Evening, he went
into his Wife's Chamber, and bid her good
Night. She looked up in his Face and faid,
Methinks you loik fad. He replied, T'he Troubles
of the Church of Hertfoitl make me fo. After this
he went to his Apartment, and about Midnight
being heard to fetch a deep Groan, one of the
Watchers that fat up with his Wife run in, and
asKM him how he did, he replied. Very iU^ and
without fpeaking a Word more died. Mr. Fran-
cis Newman^ who had been Secretary of the Co-
lony for feveral Years, was chofen unanimoufly his
Succefibr.
Within a few Months of Governour Eaton
tho' at a very great Diftance of Place, dyed his
Son in Law Edward Hopkins^ Efq; fometime Go-
vernour of ConneElicut Colony : He was born about
Shrewsbury in the Year 1600, educated a 'turkey
Merchant, and was a conliderable Trader to
thofe Pares for feveral Years in Lcndon^ till the Vi-
olence of the Times forced him to remove to
Nerui England^ where he fettled at Hertford^ and
was made Governour of the Colony. After fome
time his elder Brother dying, who was Warden
of the Fleets he was obliged to return to Eng-
land to look after his Affairs, where, he was quick-
ly taken Notice of by thofe who had" then the
Government in their Hands : They made him
iirft Warden of the Fleet in his Brother's Room,
then
Ch.vii. T)&e History «?/ New-England, joi
then CommifTioner of the Admiralty and Navy- Ann%
Office, and at laft got him chofcn a Member of ^
Parliament. Theie unexpected Preferments de-
termined him to fend over for his Family, and
fpend the Reft of his Days in his native Country.
He was a confumptive Man, troubled with a
Cough and Spitting of Blood for above 30 Years,
but a Perfon of great Piety, Virtue and Libera-
lity to the Poor : He was extremely beloved in
both Englands^ but his Conftitution being quite
wafted, he died this Year in the 58th Year of
his Age.
The next Year carry 'd off two ancient Mini- Ant$»
{l^rs, who had been forced to leave their Native ^^^*
Country on the Account of Religion.
One was the Reverend Mr. Kah^h Patridge^
who had been a Minifter in the Church of Eng-
land^ but by the Severity of the Bifhops was
hunted (as he ufed to exprefs it) like a Partridge
upon the Mountains, till at laft he refolved to get
out of their Reach, and take his Flight into Nevo-
England. He fetled at Duxkiry in the Colony of
Plimouth, and was in fuch high Efteem all over the
Country that the Synod of Cambridge in the Year
i6^^y chofe him one of the three to draw up
their Model of Church Government : He was a
Perfon of great Humility and Self-denial, and
contented himfelf with very mean Circumftances
in the World, infomuch that when moft of the
MInifters of Plimouth Colony left their Places y
on Account of the People^s withdrawing iheir
Maintenance, this good Man continued with his
poor People till he died : He was an able and
taithfurPrcacher of the Gofpel, and was rarely, if
€ver interrupted in his Work by bodily Sicknefs>
till he died, in a good old Age, having ferved
Chrift in the Work of the.Miniftry between forty
and iifty Years.
Till
56^ T&^ History ^/New-England. Gh.vii.
Amn The other was the Reverend Mr. Peter
i<58 Bulkly^ bom at Woodhiliin Bedford/hire, 1582. He
was educated at ^S*^. Johns in Camhrid^e, and was
Fellow of the College. He had a Gentleman's
Eftate left him by his Father, whom he fucceed-
ed in his Miniftry at the Place where he was
born, and continued in his Poll without any
Difturbancc for Twenty one Years ; but at laft
Information being given to Archbifliop Laud of
his Nonconformity to fome of the Ceremonies of the
Church, he was immediately filenced ; where-
upon he turned his Eftate into Money, and came
over to New- England in the Year 1535. ^"^
bringing over a good Number of Planters with
him, they fetled by themfelves at a Place which
they called Concord. Here he buried a great
Eflate, whilft almoft all his Servants got Eftates
under, him. It was his Cuilom, when a Servant
, had lived with him a certain Number of Years,
to difmifs him his Service, and put him into a
Farm for himfelf, and fo take another in his
Room. He was an excellent Scholar, a thun-
dring Preacher, of an holy and exemplary Con-
verfation, and one who had great Authority and
Influence in the Place where he lived. He printed
a Treat ife of the New Covenant ^ which was very
much efleemed in thofe Times, and at laft died
of Age and Infirmities, March xhQ ^ihy 1558-^.
in the 77th Year of his Age.
B u T to return to the Qj^iakers i neither the
pairing the forementioned Laws, nor the fevere
Execution of them, had the leaf]: Influence on
the Quakers, who gloried in their Sufterings, as
for the Caufe of God, and the T'eftimony of Jefm.
They traveled the Country,di{]:urbM the Churches,
and continued their private Meetings as much
as ever. On the 13 th of Ap'il two Women
fpake alcud in the Meeting-houfe at Bcfion ; and
a few Weeks after T. Harris of Barbadoes difturb-
(^h.vii. The History of NfiW-ENGtAND. J05
cd the publick Worfhip again, for which he was Anno
apprehended, fent to the Houfe of Corredion, ^J^
apd put to hard Labour ; but Hants, like the
r^ft of his Brethren, would not flrike a Stroke in
prifon ; he would fuffer any thing, but do no-
ting i nay, fo ilubborn were he and his Friends,
that they would neither pay the Fines that were
laid upon them, nor be at the Charge of tranfport-
ing them f elves out of the Country, tho' they were
oftcred their Liberty upon that Condition, nor
fo much as pay the Goalcr his Fees. In fliort,
they vere as perverfe and obftinate in Prifon as
out of it, infomuch that the Goaler was forced
at laft to lay the Cafe before the Magiftrates»
who thereupon ordered him, ^' To whip them
twice a Week if they v ould not Work, and the
" firft time to add hve Stripes to the former ten,
" and each time after to add three more, and
^' the tuo Conftables of the Town to be pre-
" fent at the Execution. " But Harris and his
Friends were not to be tamed by thefe Methods,
they refolved to dye rather than fubmit, and one"
of them was almoft whipt to Death upon thi$
Order ; but v hen Harris had fuffered a fecond
Whipping fome of his Friends paid his Charges,
and fo he was difmifled. And this became af-
terwards the ufual Practice of the Quakers^ not
to pay their own Fees, but to fuffer others to do
it for them *. But when the Prifoners had no
Friends to afTift them, the Court was forced to
rid their Hands of them as well as they could,
as appears from the Cafe of Daniel and Provided
Southick, who being fined Ten Pounds for not
coming to Meeting, and refuhng to work or pay
the Money, w ere ordered to be fold to the Plan-
tations. The Order of the Court ran thus :
* NeW'Er gland jnd^fdj p. 107.
'' WHERE-
J04 !n^^HistoRY(?/ New-England. Ch.vii.
^nB « T If THERE AS DanieUnd Provided Southkky
I^f V V *' Son and Daughter of Lawrence
" Southkky have been fined by the Courts of
** Salem and Ipfwich, pretending they have no
" Eftates, refolving not to work ; and others
*' have been fined for fiding with the Quakers^
*^ and abfenting themfelves from publick Or-
" dinances ; in Anfwer to what Ihall be done
*' for the Satisfaction of the Fines, the Court
*' upon Perufal of a Law which was made up-
" on the Account of Debts, refolves that the
•' Treafurers of the feveral Counties are and
•' fhall be fully empowered to fell the faid Per-
*' fonsto any of the Englijh Plantations at Vir-
" ginia or Barbadoesy to anfwer the faid Fines,
** C'c. " Edward Rawfotiy Seer.
I AM apt to think this Order was made
rather to terrify the Quakers, than with
a Defign to be put in Execution ; for whert
Southkk and his Wife had been thoroughly
frighten'd, they were fent home without any
further Punifhment ; nor is there a fingle Inflancc
to be given of any one that was fold for the
Payment of his Fees.
Several private Meetings of the Quakers
were difcovered about this Time in Salem,
Bojion, and other Places ; about the latter
End of June Twenty were taken at the Houfe
of Nkholas Phelps in the Woods about five Miles
from Salem^ among whom were tv/o Foreigners
William Brend and William Leddra^ who were
fent to the Houfe of Correition at Boftcn ; and
having received ten Lafl:ies, were told they might
have their Liberty, paying their Fees, and hiring
the Marflial to convey them out of the Country,
but they refufcd to depart, and were therefore
whipt more feverely, till fome of their Friends
laid
Gh. vii. T/^^ History ^/New-England. 305
laid down the Money^ and fo they were dif- A»no
charged. i^
It now appeared tliat the Inhabitants of ^S"^:-
lem enclined very much to the Opinion oi the
QuakerSy for more Families in that little Village
deferted the oublick Worftiip than in Boflon it-
felf, arid thif they did in Defiance of a very fe-
vere Law which Enaded, * " That every Per-
^' fon or Perfons called Quakers arifing from
" among themfeives, and profelHng any of their
" pernicious Ways by fpeaking, writing, meet-
" mg together on the Lord's Day, or any other
" Time, fhould pay to the Country 10 Shillings^
** and every one fpeaking in fuch a Meeting
*' 5 Potmdsy and in cafe any fuch Perfons had
*' been fcourgcd, or whipt the firft Time accor-
" ding to the former Laws, that then they fhould
" be kept at V/ork in the Houfe of Corre^ion,
'' 'till they pur in Security by two fufficient Men
*' that they fliail not any more vent their hate-
" ful Errors, nor ufe their linful Pradices ; or
" fhali depart the Jurifdidion at their own
" Charge ; and if they return, to fufter as in
" the cafe of Foreigners ".
Several Perfons and Families were ruined by
the Execution of thefe Laws, for no fooner did
they abfent themfelves from the publick Wor-
fhip, but Enquiry was made where they were,
and whether they had not been at fome private *
Meeting 0'^ Qiiahers ; if they were lilent, or could
not give a good Accour.t of themfelves, they
were watch'd by the Informers, who quickly
laid their Hands upon them. But fuch was the
enthufiafcick Fire of the QiuikcrSi that nothing
could quench it : The Secc grew under all thefe
Difadvantages, and fcveral Familes went over to
"* Nsw-England >%'^. p. H
X it
5o6 r/;^ History ^/New-England. Ch. vii.
Ann* it ; their Sufferings ferv'd only to raife the Com-
^ pafTions of the People, and open their Mouths
^gainfl the publick Minifters of the Country, as
the Authors of all the Severities ufed againft
them. No Methods were effedual to fiipprefs
them, for no fooiler was one Party of Qiiak^rs
punilh'd and fent out of the Country as the Law
direded, but another was immediately detached
from their Head-Qiiarters in Rhode-Ifland^ which
■provok'd thd Magiitrates to fuch a Degree, that
at their next General Court they pafs'd a Law
to banifh all foreign Quakers upon Pain of Death;
the Words are thefe ;
After the Preamble declaring the Reafons of
■ their Proceedings, it follows : *
■*— " This Court doth order and en?.(5l that
" every Perfon or- Perfons of the accurfed Sc6t
" of- the Quakers, w^hich is not an Inhabitant of-^
'' but is found within this Jurifdidion, fhall be
*^ apprehended without Warrant, where no Ma-
" giftrate is at Hand, by any Conftable, Com-
*' miffioner, or feled Man, and conveyed from
" Conflable to Conftable, until they come before
*' the next Magiftrate, who fhall commit the
" faid Perfon or Perfons to clofe Prifon, there
*^ to remain without Bail until the next Court
*' of Aififtants, where they ihaW have a legal
*' Trial by a fpecial Jury, and being convifted
" to be of the Sed of Quakers, fhall be fen-
*' tenc'd to be baniH^ied upon Pain of Death;
" and that every Inhabitant of this Jurifdidion
" being convided to be of the aforefaid Sed, ei-
•^ ther, by taking up, publifiiing, or defending
*' the horrid Opinions of the Qjiakers^ ■ or
" by taking up their abfurd and deilrudtive Pra-
" dices, viz.. denying civil Refpeds to Equals,
w 1\ Wbitips'^ ^nT^'^y to Dr. Mather, p. 17^
« and
Ch.vii. TI&^HistorV o/New-England. ^of
"- and Reverence to Superiors, and withdrawing ^^««»
'' from our Church -Aliemblids, and inHead 1^5^
*' thereof frequent private Meetings of their
«i own, — _^ or by adhering to, or approving
*' of any known Quaker, or condemn-
*' ing the Practice of Proceeding of this Court
** againft the Quakers, ■ ^ Every fuch Per-
•" fon upon Examination and iegal Conviction
*' before the Court of AlTiilants Ihall be com-
" mitted to clofc Prifon for one Month, and
^^ then, unicfs they chocfc voluntarily to depart
" this Jurifdiclion, Ihall give Bond for their
'' good Behaviour, and appear at the next Court
" of AlTiflants, where continuing obifinate, and
" reFufing to retrace, and reform the faid Opi-
'' nions and Practices, fhall be fentenced to Ba-
*' nifhment upon Pain of Death : And in eafb
'' of the aforefaid voluntary Departure^ not to
*' remain, nor again to return into this Jurif-
'^ diction without the Allowance of the Coun-
*' cil firft had, and publifiied on Penalty of be-
'' ing baniflied on Pain of Death/''
It w^as with great Difficulty that this * Law
v:as obtained ; the Court of Magiftrates indeed
pafs'd it roundly without the Claufe of being
tried by a Jury, agreeing that it fliould be exe-
cuted by a Country Court conlifcing of 3 Magi-
ftrates, a Majority of whom were to give Judg-
ment ; but the Court of Deputies would by no
means give their conlent, it being contrary to
the Laws of England, to put Men to Death
without Trial by a Jury, but the Magiftrates at
laft, by prevailing with tv/o of the Deputies to
change Sides, carried it in the Houfe of Depu-
ties by the Majority of a fingle Voice, the-Speakef
and 1 1 being againft it, and 1 3 for it. But the
New-Kngland jt^g^i p. 102.
X a IwelVii
joS T/'^ History 0/ New-England. Ch.vii.
A.nm twelve that were againft the Bill rejfolved to enter
i^ their Protefts, 'till the others agreed to qualify
it by adding thofe Words o: hwg tried by a fpe-
ual Jury.
Four Qtiakers fuffered Death by Virtue of
this Law, William Robinfm of London Merchant ;
Marmadiike Steven/on of the Eaft Part of York-
JJmey Countryman ,- Ma-ry Dyar, and William
Leddra : the three former of thefe coming from
Rhode- I/land in the Month of June^ were appre-
hended, and banifh'd on Pain of Death, and
were allowed 'till the 4th of September to depart
the Jurifdidion , the two Men went into Pafca-
taqua Government, and the Woman to Rhode-
JJlandy but returning again to Bofton, they were
all three apprehended about the middle of Ouh-
ber-i and carried before the Magiftrates to fhew
Caufe, why they came into the Jurifdidtion after
they had be^n banifhed upon Pain of Death ,• but
all the Reply they made was, that they came vn
Obedience to the Call of the Lord. Next Day they
were fent for again, when the^ Governour fpoke
to this Effed. *' We have made many Laws,
'' and endeavoured by feveral Ways to keep you
" from us, but I find neither Whipping, nor
** Imprifonm^ent, nor cutting off of Ears, nor
*^ Baniiliment upon Pain of Death will keep you
*^ from us^ I defire not ycur Death " Being
then asked what they had to fay for them.l^lves,
IVilliam Robinfon delivered in a Paper into Court
defirlng it might be read, which was refus'd, and
Sentence of Death pafs'd upon him; to be carried
back to the Place from whence he came^ and from
thence to the Place of Execution to be banged on tl:>e
Gallows 'till he be dead. Stevenfon and Dynr faid
nothing for themfelves at their Trial ; but Sto-
^jenfon a little before his Execution gave out a
Paper of Reafons of liis coming to Bofion to this
Efte<^^ " Th^t as he was following his Plough
"iff
i
CLvii. The History of New- England, J09
^ '* in the Eaft Part of Torkfiire in Old Englandy ^"»<*
*' he was in a lore oF Rapture, and heard a fe- i^
^* cret Voice, in his Confcience, faying, / /jai'e
'^ ordained tl)ee a Prophet to the Nations. In O-
** bedienxc to this Voice he left his Family
** and Employment, and went firft to Barba-
*' does m the ^ear 1^58, and tVom thence to
" Rhode Ijlandy where, as he was viliting the
'^ Seed, the Word of the Lord came to him
'* again, faying, Go to Boflon with thy Brother
'' William Robinfon; now (fays he) for yielding
*' Obedience to this Command of the Ever-
" living God, and not obeying the Commands
**■ of Men do I fufter thefe Bonds near to Death.
Sign'd Marmaduke Robinsot^.
But have a New Name
Boftorz-FviCon^ in the given me, which theWorhl
SthJMonth, 16$^, knows not of, written in
the Book if Lije,
Robinforis Paper which was afterwards printed
was to the fame Purpofe,- declaring the Reafon
of his continuing in the Jurifdidion after his Ba-
nifiiment to be from the Motion of the Lcrd in
him.
On the 27th of OBober they were all three
carried to the Place of Execution, where the
two Men were hanged, but when Mary Dyar
was upon the Ladder fhe receiv'd a Pardon, and
was fent away to Newpi.rt in Rhode- I/land, thb
Place from whence fhe came ; but being pof-
fefs'd with the Spirit of Martyrdom, (lie could
not flay at home, but came again iiito the Ju-
rifdidion fome Time after, and was executed
ytwe I. 1660.
Dr. Mather fays, * V' It any enquire with
" what Spirit thefe Men dyed, he muil: lincerely
f Mather, Batk 6, page $?•
^3 !' ^^h
w^
5 TO T^^HisTo^Y of New-England. Ch. vii,
4»«9 '^ fay, that as far as he can learn they fhewed
^ «^ little enough of the Spirit of Martyrdom,
*^ they dyed not like the true Martyrs of Jefus
'' Chrift with the glcnous Spirit of God reft-
'^ ing on them ; but a fierce, a raging, a ful-
*' len and a revengeful Spirit, and a Degree of
*' Madnefs rather infpired them/' But how-
■G'Ver thefe Executions raifed a great Clamour
againft the Government, and fuilied the Glory
of their former Sufferings from the Brfhops, for
now it appeared that the JVe-jj- England Puritans
were no better Friends to Liberty of Confcience
than their Adverfaries, and that the Qj-iefdon
between them was not, whether one Party of
Chriftians fhould have Power to opprefs another,
but who fhould have that Power ? Great Num^
bers of the common People were offended at
thefe Proceedings, as wxll as the Generality of
fober Perfons in the feveral Nations of Eumpe,
which obliged the Magiftrates to publifh to the
World the following Declaration in theip own
Vindication.
^* Tko' the Juftice of our Proceedings againft
^' William Rolfinfon, Marmaduke Stevenfon and
^^ Mary Dyar, fupported by the Authority of
" this Court, the Laws of this Country, and the
" Laws of God, may leather perfuade us to ex-
" pe61; Encouragement and Commendation from
*' all prudent and pious Men, than convince us
" of any NeceiTity to apologize for the fame ;
" yet forafmuch as Men of weaker Parts out of
*' Pity and Com.miferation ( a comrrendable and
" Chriffian Virtue, yet eaiily abufed, and fuf-
^' ceptible of finifter and dangerous Impreifions )
'' for want of a full Lifcrm-ation may be lefs fa-
'^ tisfied, and Men of perverfer Principles to ca-
^' lumniate us, and rencier us as bloody Perfe-
*' cutors ; to fatisfy.one^. and flop the Mouths
^' of the other, we have-tiiought fit to declare,
: :r <-' that
Ch. vli. The History of New-England, j i x
" that about three Years fincc divers Perfons A^n»
*' profeiUng theiTifelves Quakers ( of whole perni- ^
" cious Opinicns and Practices ^^ c had received
*' Intelligence from good Hands) both from Bar-
*' badoes and England^ arrived at B"JJ'j}ij whofe
** Perfons v^cre or;ly iecurcd to be fent away by
" the firft Opportunity without Cenfure bt 'Pu-
" nifhmcnt, altho' their profeilcd Tenets, turbii-
" lent and contemptuous Beha\'iour to Autho-
*^ rity, would have juftilied a feverer Animad-
" verfion ; yet the Pmdence of this Court was
^' exercifed only in making Provilion to fecure
" the Peace and Order here cflabKfhed againfl
" their Attem.prs, whofe De/ign ( v/e were well
" allured by cur own Experience, as well' as by
*' the Example cf theii* Pj^edecelfors in M-iiifler )
*' was to undermhie and ruine the fame ; and
" accordingly a Law was made-^and.publifhed,
*' prohibiting all Maflersof Ships to^bring any
*^ Quakers into this Jurifdiftion, and themfelves
'' trorn conii ng in, on Penalty of the Houfe of
" Correction ""till they could be fent away.
Notwithftanding which by a Back-Door they
found Entrance, and the Penalty inflided on
^' them proving infufliciont to reftrain their, im-
'' pudent and infolent Obtruiions, was encreafed
'' by the Lofs of the Ears of thofe v/ho offended
" a fccond Time j which alfo being too weak a.
*' Defence againft their impetuous and fmatick
^' Fury, necelTitated us to endeavour our Secu-
'' rity ,*^ and upon ferious Coniideration a Law
'^ was made, that fuch*- Perfons fliould be ba-
" niflied on Pain of Death, according to the
" Example of England, in their Provilion againft
** !/^y^^'^->> whicph Sentence being regularly pro-
*' nounced at the lail Court of AlTiftants againfl
^' thefe Parties, and they cither returning, or
*' continuing prefumptuoufly in this Jurifdidion
^* r.ttc: the Time limited were apprehended,
X 4 " and
cc
312 r/;^ History (/New-England. Ch.vii.
4»«o *« owning themfelves to be the Perfons banifhed,
'i^ *' were fentenceci by the Court to Death, ac-
*' cording to the Law aforefaid, which hath
*^ been executed on two of them, Mary Dyar
^' upon Petition of her Son, and the Mercy and
'* Clemency of this Court had Liberty to depart
** within two Days, which ihe hath accepted
*^ of. The Confideration of our gradual Pro-
'* ceedings will vindicate us from the clamou-
** rous Accufations of Severity ; our own juft
'' and neceflary Defence calling upon us ( other
** Means failing ) to oiFer ;:he Point which thefe
'^ Perfons have violently and wilfully rufhed up-
*^ on, and thereby became Feknes de fe, which,
" might it have been prevented, and the fove-
^' reign Law Salus Po^uli been preferved, our
** former Proceedings, as well as the fparing
" Mciry Dyar upon an inconfiderable Interceflion
**^, will manifeftly evince, we defire their Lives
*' abfenr, rather than their Deaths prefent/^
The Quakers have obferved upon this Decla-
ration ,• that the Law oF putting Quakers to
Death, which it deligns to vindicate w'as con-
trary to the Laws of England, and confequently
a Forfeiture of their Charter, the Example of
the jfefuits being nothing to the Purpofe, for if a-
Law made againfr J{fuits may be turnM againft
Quakers^ by the fame Way of Reafoning, it may
be miade Ufe of againfl: the Presbyterians them.-
felves, when the Power , is lodged in proper
Hands. But fuppc.fe it was not contrary to the
Laws of England, it was certainly, contrary to
the Laws of God which allows every Man a
Right of private Judgment. And further, tho"
it were allowed that the Quakers by their impru-
dent Conduct had jufrly expofed themifelves to the
.Notice of the Civil Magiilrate, yet the Offence
was by no Means equal to the Punifhment, foi;
'^^--~ were not proceeded againfl: for Feloiiy or
• ■ Treafon,
Ch. vii. The History of New-England. 3 15
Treafon, but for Contempt of Authority, and of Antw
God's Ordinances, which might indeed deferve ^^
a Fine or a Pillory, but has never been thought
worthy of Death by any civilized Nation in the
World.
But the prefent Magiftrates were not to be
foftned by thefe Arguments, they were fatisfied
of theReafonablenefs and NeceiTity of theirLaws,
and therefore refolved to continue the Execution
of them. Several Quakers were baniflied on Pain
iaf Death, who never returned into the Country
anv more, as, Laurence and Cajfandra Sotithkh,
y^Jiah Southick, S. Shnttock, N. Phelp, and others.
But William Leddra, a Foreigner, who had been
whipped feveral Times, and turned out of the
Jurifdidion, and at laft banifhed upon pain of
Death, coming again to Bojlcn this Spring in
Defiance of the Laws, was apprehended and
carried before the Court of Affiftants : Mr. Brad-^
ftreet asked him, * Whether he was willing to go
for England^ he anfwered, That he had no Buftnefs
there ^ he was then told, he fhould have his Li-
berty, if he would promife to return no m.ore ;
to which he replied, / fland mt in mine c^ccn Willy
hut in the Will of the Lord ; if I may haze my Free-
dom IJhall gOf but to make fuch a P'/omife I cannct.
Mr. Bradflreet then faid, That if he VNOuId nei-
ther go for England, nor promife to keep out of
the Jurifdiftion he mufl fuffer the Law; Wii-
liam then appealed to the Laws of England for
his Trial, but his Appeal was refufed. Th6
Court fpent a great deal of Time in perfuading
him to recant his Errors, to conform to the
Laws of the Country, or promife to come there
r.o m>ore, but he was very obflinate. Whatjoyn
New-England jndgd. p. 313, ^c.
Wth
JI4 37;^ History (?/ New -England. Ch. vii.
Anno zvhh fiich Murtherers as you (fays he)? then Ut
i^ every Man that meets me fay, Lo ! this is the Ma:>^
that has forfaken the God of his Salvation, At lafti
Sentence of Death was pafs'd upon him, which
was executed March 14, 1660-61 ; he faid little
at the Gallows but this, That for bearing his Te-
ftimony for the Lord againjl Deceivers and the De-
ceived he vjas brought there to fuffer.
While Leddra was upon his Trial Wenlock
Chriftifony * who had been banifhed upon pain
of Death came boldly into Court with' his Hat
upon his Head, warning the Magiftrates to fhed
no more innocent Blood ; the Marjhal com-
manded him to pluck oif his Hat, but he reply-
ed, No, Ifiall not* He was then aslced, whether
his Name was not Chriftifon^ and whether he
had not been banifhed upon pain of Death-,
which he confeiling, was fent to Prifon ; he was
brought upon his Trial in the Month of May^
and made the befl Defence for his Life of any of
the Quakers that went before him : Being asked.
What he had to fay, w^hy he fhould not fuffer the
Law, he asked, by what Law they would put him
to Death'j the Court anfwered, by the late Law
made againft Q_iakers ; he then defired to know
who empowered them to make that Law, and
whether it was not repugnant to the Laws of
England; the Governor replied, that there was
a Law in England to hang Jefuits ; but IVenlock
anfv.ered, If you put me to Death, "'tis not be-
caufe I go under the Name of a ^efuit^ but a
Qjiakej': I appeal to the Laws of my own Na-
tion. The Court told him, he fhould have a fair
Trial for his Life, by a Bench and Jury ; but he
continued to appeal to the Laws of Englandj
faying, He had never read, nor heard of any
* NtW'England iK%'^. p. 319.
Law
Ch.vii. T/?^ History ^/ New-England. 515
Law that was in England to hang Quakers ; how- Avh^
ever, the Court over-ruled his Plea, and the Jury ]^
brought him in guilty. When Sentence of Death
was pronounced upon him, he delired the Court
to confider what they had gained by their cruel .
Proceedings againft the Quakers ; Fvr the laft Man.
that was put to Deathy ((ays he J here are five coine
in his RooTfty and if you have Power to take my Lifi
from me, God can raife tip the fame Principle of Life
in ten of his Servants, and fend them among you in .
my Room, that you inay have Torment upon Torment.
What Eiiecl this Speech had upon them I can't
determine, but belbre the 1 3 th of j^://2c^5 which
was the Day appointed for his Execution, he was
fet at Liberty, and conducted cut of the Jurifdi-
dion, together with 27 Quakers more, then in.
Prifon.
The Court began to be fenfible that the, •
putting Men to Death for their religious
Principles, was odious in the Eye of the
World ; that in the Cafe of the Quakers it did
not anfwer their Ends, for the more they perfe-
cuted, the more bloody Work they had upon
their Hands ; and thereiore they refolved for the
future, only to whip them at the Cart's-Tail, as
Vagabonds, thro' all the Towns in their Way
out of the Jurifdidion. 'I'is polHble likewife,
that the Change of Government in England
might make them ail with m^ore Caution, for
the Quakers were very bufy about this Time in
foliciting K. Charles the Second, to put a Stop to
the Hardfliips of their Friends in New-Englandy
and at laft, they obtained the following Ordtr,
CHARLES R.
^Vnp'' Rusty and Well-beloved, We greet you
JL *' well, having been informed, thatfe-
'' veral of our Subjeds among you called Qua-
'/ ktrSy have been, and are imprifoned by you,
*' v> hereof.
3 id The History of New-Englakd. Cfa. vii.
Anm " whereof fome have been executed, and others
J^ '* (as hath been reprefented to us) are in Dan-
•^ ger to undergo the like ; We have thought iit
" to fignify our Pleafure in that Behalf for the
*' future, and do hereby require, That if there
" be any of thofe People called Quakers amongft
" you, now already condemned to fuffer Death,
" or other corporal Punifliment, or that are im-*
" prifoned, and obnoxious to the like Condem-
" nation, you are to forbear to proceed any fur-
*' ther therein, but that you forthwith fend the
" faid Perfons (whether condemned, or impri-
" foned) over into this our Kingdom of England^
" together with their refpective Crimes or Of-
^"^ fences laid to their Charge, to the End fuch
*' Courfe may be taken with them here, as fhall
*' be agreeable to our Laws and their Demerits,
■ *' and for fo doing, thefe ourLetters Hiall be your
*' futficient Warrant and Difcharge. Given at
" our Court at Whitehall, Sept. 9. 1661^ in the
^^ 13 th Year of our Reign.
Subfcribed, To our trufly and well-be-
loved John Endkctt, Efq; and to all and
every other the Governour or Gover-
nours of cur Plantation oF New-England^
and of all the Colonies thereunto be-
longing that now are, or hereafter fhall
be ; and to all and every the Minifrers
and Officers of our faid Plantation and
Colonies whatfoever within the Conti-
nent of New-England. By His Maje-
{\.y's Command.
JVilliam Morris,
.This put an effedtual Stop to the Sufferings
of the Quakers on the Account of their Principles,,
the Hands of the Government being tied up by
this Letter from putting their La^^ s in Execu^
.tion
Ch. vii. TheHisTOR^ of New-England. 317
tion for the future; fomeofthem indeed have Annw
been punillied fince, as Vagabonds and Crimi- J^
nals againft the State, but none that I know of,
purely for their Sentiments in Religion.
It ought to be obferved, that all the Colonies
of Nevi-Engliind were not equally fevere againft
the Quakers^ they fufler'd but little in the Jurif-
didions of Connetlicta and Ncvj-Haven^ but Pli-
?miith Patent copied after the MaJJachufets, as ap-
pears by the following Abftrad of Capt. James
Cudworth's Letter to his Friend in Lwdon^ dated
December lo, 1658.
"AS for the * State and Condition of Things
jr\^ " amongft us (fays he) it is fad, and
*' like fo to continue ; the Antichriftian perfe-
*' cuting Spirit is very active, and that in the
" Powers of this World ; he that will not whip
'' and lafli, perfecute and punifh Men that differ
" in Matters of Religion muft not fit on the
'' Bench, nor fuftain any Office in the Common-
'' wealth. Laft Eledion Mr. Hatheyly and my-
" felf left off the Bench, and I was difcharged of
'^ my Captainfhip, becaufe I had entertain^
" fome of the Quakers at my Houfe (that I might
" be the better acquainted with their Principles):
" I thought it better io to do, than with the
*^ blind World to cenfure, condemn, rail at, and
" revile them, when they neither faw their Per-
" fons, nor Imew any of their Principles ; but
*' the Quakers and my felf can't clofe in divers
" Things ; and fo I fignified to the Court I was
*' no Quakery but muft bear my Teftimony a-
" gainlt fundry Things that they held, as I had
•** Occafion and Opportunity, but withal I told
*' them, that as I was no Qiiahr^ fo I would be
* New-England /«'i(gV, p, u?.
4C
no
Hr^
^18 The History of New-England. Ch. vii.
^^ " no Perfecutor ; this Spirit did work thofe two
i^i 't Years that I was of the Magiftracy, during
^"'^ ^' which Time I was on fundry Occafions forced
*^ to declare my Diilenc in fundry Actings of
*^ that Nature, which tho^ done with all Mode-
'- ration, and due RefpeCt, yet wrought great
*' Difaifedion and Prejudice in them againft me,
*' and produced a Petition to the Court againft
'^ me, lign^d with 19 Hands, which was followed
v^!^ with another in my Favour, fignM with 54
■** Hands. *" The Court returnM in An-
^' fwer to the lafl Petition, That they acknow-
*' ledged my Parts and Gifts, and profefled,
*' they had nothing againfl me, only in the
*' Thing of my giving Entertainment to Quakeys^
*^ tho"* I break no Law in fo doing, for our Law
" then was, ■ If any entertain a Quaker,
.^' and keep him after he is warned ha Magi fir ate
•" to depart^ he jh all pay 20 s. a Week for entertain-
*^ ing him. But fince that, a Law has been
*^ made, That if any entertain a Quaker, tho hut
" a quarter (tf an Hour ^ he \h all forfeit 5 1. Ano-
« t her , - ■-- That if any fee a Qiiaker, he is
'^ bound-i tho* he lives fix iniles or more from a Con-
*' flahky to give immediate Notice to him^ or elfe be
" jubjeB to the Cenfure of the Cctrrt. ' ■■ An-
** other, ■■■ That if the Conftable knozv, or
*^ hear of any Qiiaker in his Precincts^ he is pre-
'' fently to apprehend him, and if he will not prefently
*' depart the Town, to whip, and fend him away.
" Divers have been whipp'd within our Patent ;
" and truly, to tell you plainly, the whipping of
" them with that Cruelty, as fome have been
" whippM, and their patience under it, hath
** fometimes been the Occalion of gaining more
" Adherents to them, than if they had fuffered
*' them openly to have preached a Sermon.
" Another Law made againft the^f^^^^^ri
V~ is, '^i_'^ ■■:_T7a-z^ if there he a Q^dk.Q'c's- Meeting
" any
Gh.vii. T^^ History ^/New-Engl and; 519
^"^ an-j 'where in this Colony^ the Party in ijuhofe Houfct Amf
*^ or on whofe Ground it is Jhall pay 40 s. the Prea- ^^^^
*' cher 40 s. and every Hearer 40 s. j ■ Our
*^ laft Law is, ■ T^hat the Quakers are to be
'' apprehended^ and carried be fire a Magifirate^ and
*^ by him ammitted to cioje Prifon, till they zcil/pro-
" mife to depart, and never come again^ and will alfo
" pay their Fees ( neither of which they will ever do)
" and they muft be kept only with the Country Allow-
" ance (which is coarfe Bread and Water). No
" Friend may bring them any thing, nOr be permit-
^^ ted to fpcak to thei7i; nay, if they have Money of
*' their own, tJjey may not make Ufe of it to relieve
*' themfelves. • .
"In the Majfachufets, after they have whipt
" them, and cut cii' their Ears, they have now
" at laft gone the furtheft Step they can ; they
" have banifiied them upon pain ot" Death if ever
" they come there again; we exped: we muft do
" the like ; we muft dance after their Pipe, for
** it is well if in fome there be not a Defire to
" be their Apes and Imitators in all their Pro-
" ceedings of this Nature.
*^ A L L thefe carnal and antichriftian Ways,
" being not of Code's Appointment, efred:
*^ nothing, as to the obftructing or hindring
" them in their Way or Courfe : It is only the
*' Word and Spirit of the Lord that is able to
" convince Gaindiyers ; thefe are the mighty
*' Weapons of a Chriftian's Warfare, by which
'' Great and mighty Things are done and accom-
'' pliflied.
" The Q^iakej's have many Meetings and
'• many Adherents, almoft the whole Town of
" Sandwich is adhering towards them; and give
" me leave a little to acquamt you with their
" Sufferings, which is grievous to, and fiiddens
" the Hearts of moft of the precious Saints of
" God ; it lies down and rifcs up with them,
«' and
J 20 Ti&^ History of New-England. Ch. vii.
4imo " and they cannot put it out of their Minds. f- •
J^ " The Majjachufets have banifhed fix on pain ■.
" Death, and I willi that Blood be not fhec:;
*' But our poor People are pillaged and plundei^
" ed of tneir Goods, and haply, when they hav>.
" no more to (^.lis^y their unfatiable Defire, may
" be forced to fly, and glad they have their Lives
^' for a Prey.
"As for the Means by which they are im-
" poverifbed, thofe in the firft Place were their
*' fcrupling an Oath,* upon which ail were called
'^ upon to take the Oath of Fidelity ; which
*^ they refufing, a Giaufe was added, That if
*' any Man retufed or negleded to rake it by
*^ fuch a Time, he Hiould pay Five Pounds, or
*' depart the Colony : When the Time is comej
" they are the fame as before ; then goes out the
*' Marjhal, and fetcheth away their Cows and
*' other Cattle. Well, another Court comes, and
'^ they are required to take the Oath again, — r
'' they cannot, then Five Pounds more. On
" this Account Thirty five Head of Cattle, as I
*' have been credibly informed, hath been, by
" the Authority of our Court, taken h'om them
" the latter Part of this Summer. —
"The laft Court of AfilPcants, the firfi:
" Tuefday of this Inftant, the Court was pleafed
" to determine Fines on Sandwich Men for
" Meetings on the firfl Day of the Week, and
" other Days, (for they meet ordinarily twice a
" Week befides the Lord's- Day) an Hundred
" and Fifty Pounds ; whereof W. Newlarid is
*' Twenty four Pounds for himfelf and Wife, at
*' Ten Shillings a Meeting ; IV. Alleyt Forty Cm
" Pounds j and a poor /^^^I'^r Twenty Pounds.
" Brother Cook told me, One of the Brethren at
*' Barnflable was in the Houfe when. the Marilial
*' came to demand the Money, when all that he
" was worth did not amount to Ten Pounds.
<* What
Ch.vii. r/?^ History (?/ New-England. ^21
*' What will be the End of fuch Courfes or Prac- ^"^<i
*" tices the Lord only iinows ! i^
' -'^ Our civil Powers are (o exercifed in Matters
^o Religion and Confcience, tliat we have no
^ Time to do any thing that tends to promote
' the civil Profperity of the Place. We muft
*' now have a State Religion, fuch as the Powers
*' of this World will allow, and no other ; a
" State Minitlry, and a State Way of Mainte-
" nance ; and we muft worfhip and ferve the
'' Lord Jefus as the World fliall appoint us ; w©
" muft cili go to the publick Place of Meeting
" in the Parifli where we dwell, or be prefented;
" I am informed of Three or Fourfcore liift:
" Court pre rented for not coming to publick
" Meetings at Ten Shillings a Time. Cer-
" tainly we have either lefs Wit or more Money
" than the Majfachufets^ for a N/lan may flay* a-
*' way there for Five Shillings a Day, 'till it
" come to Twelve or Thirteen Pounds, if he
" has but Money to pay.
"We are \\ rapped up in a Labyrinth of con-
" fufed Laws, that the Freemens Power is quite
" gone. Sandvoich Men may not go to the Bay,
" left they be tal:en up for Quakers. IV Newlaml .
" was there about his Occaiions Ten Divs ago,
" and they put him in Prifon Twenty four Hours,
*' and fent for divers to witnefs againft aim, but
*' they had not Proof enough to make him it
" Quaker, which if they had he fliould have been
*' waipped; nay, they may not go about their
*' Occaiions in other Towns in our Colony,
*^ but Warrant ^ lie in Ambufh to apprehend and
^' bring them before a Magiftrate to give an
^^ Account of thsir Bufinefs. Some pf the Q^^a-
*^ hers m Rhode - IJland came to bring therrl
" Goods, to trade witn them on more reatbnable
*' Terms than the Merchants of the Covinrry,.
*' but thrtt VrlM not be {^jfFer^d ; fo that iinlefs
Y *' the
522 T]&e History o/ New-England. Ch.vfi.
A»r.o " the Lord ftep in to their Help and AfTiflance,
Jf2 " ^heir Cafe is fad, and to be pitied, and truly,
'' it moves Bowels of Companion in all Sorts,
'' except thofe in Place, \Nho carry it with a
" high Hand towards them ; thro^ Mercy, we
" have yet among us worthy Mr. Dunflay, whom
*' the Lord hath made boldly to bear his Tefti-
" mony againfl the Spirit of Perfecuticn.'"— —
James Cudwortb,
Bur after fo long a Narrative of Matters of
Facl, "'tis but reafonable that I acquaint the Reader
with the Motives, that pufhM the Government of
New- England u^on fuch violent Meafures, againft
the Qriakers^ w^hich may be reduced to thefe
three :
J^irfti Their new and flrange Opinions which
feem^'d to fap the very Foundations of Chriftianity.
They denied, the Holy Scriptures to be the only
Rule of their Faith and Manners, and advanced
their Light uithin in the Place of it ; the Spirit of
the Lord is our Ruky (faid one of them to Mr.
Skibael Dummer) and ought to he all Mens to walk
by. This Light zvithin they affirmed to be fuffi-
cient to Salvation without any thing dfQ ; and
called them blind Beafts and Lyars, who fhould
fay that the Scriptures reveal God to us. Samuel
Fijher fays, T^he Scriptures are not God's Voice, they
are in fome T'hings fallible, and fo net fit to he the
Rule, but the Light if Cbift in the Heart ; this
is infalUhky the only Guide^ Law, and Rule'^,
They advanced nevv^ and ftrange Notions about
the Perfcn of ChnTc calling himf a certain heavenly
divine Body, conftituted of invifible Flejh, Blood, and
Bones in which he came down from Heaven ; and they
* Mejagii of the Lord, p. I?, il,
f Afifrjsr ta Mathcr, p. 'j"^.
direi^ed
Ch.vlh l7>^HiSTORY^ New-England. J25
direded the People not to look fo much to Chrift Anni
without them, as to Chrift within. John Whi- ^^
tir2g fays, The Quakers believe both in a GJmfl with-
out and a Chrijt 'ivithin^ but not as two Cbrifls^ but
oney and the fame vjithcut as within. George Fox
fa)'S, Tour imagined God beyond the Stars^ and your
carnal Chrift is utterly denied ; to fay this Chrifl is
God and Man in one Perfon is a Lie\. They de-
nied the received Doctrine of the Huly Trinity^
faying that the Doctrine of three Perfons in the
Godhead was introduced by the Pope *. They
denied the Alorality of the Sabbath , main-
taining that every Day was equdly the Lord's^
and that there was no particular Day chofen
or fet apart by God for divine Worfhip. They
denied the two Sacraments of Baftijm and the
Lord's-Supper calling them carnal Ordinances, and
teaching the People, that there was no other
Baptiff>i under the Gofpel Difpen.fation, but the
Baptifm of the Holy Ghoft, and no other
Supper cf the Lord but Drinking the JVine
new in the Kingdom of Hea'ven. They con-
demned the Prayers and Preachings cf the
publick Miniflers, as carnal and wicked ;. they
reviled their Perfons, calling them Priefts of
Bualy Hirelings, Deceivers of the People, and
exhorted them to defert their Market-houfes (as
they called their Meeting-places) on Pain of the
fevered Judgments of Almighty God. The
fpreading of: thefe new and flrange Doctrines
alarmed the Clergy of the Countryj and made
them not only preach boldly againft them, but
call for the AfTiftance of the civil Magiilrate^
to preferve the Purity of Religion, and prevent
the Confufions they were filling into.
•f Ti^^ Sv:orii of the Lord drxvjn^ pi *^i
* Fox'i Gviat My^liry, p. %d6.
Buf
5 24 Tk History of New-England. Ch. viL
Arvt, But Secondly, The Magiftrates and MiniHers
1661 <3,f ]S4i,v:-Eni'.and were doc only otfended at the
^^'^ Qn2ii^c^ix\Oi:ciYines, but at their Seditious and
riotous Manner ot fp reading them j for when a
Man or VVornan \vas moved by the Spirit of
the Lord, they would leave their Families
and Employments , and ramble over the
whole Province to g-iin Prolelytes : They
would inlinuate themleives into private Fami-
lies, and endeavour by a Pretence to Infpiration
to draw^ them from the publick Afi'emblies. It
\vas t-or tiiis that Ed'v:aYd Wharton of Salem was
\vhip\I through fcveral Towns, being told that
if he ^vculd ftay at home and mind his Bufinefs,
he mi^ht have his Liberty. Several of the
Qiiakers went thro^ the Streets of the moft
populous Towns in the Country, and in a pub-
Hcic Manner denounced the Judgments of God
upon the People, except they repented. George
PVilfm went thro" the Streets of Bofion, crying
with a loud Voice, that the Lordivas coming forth
i^ith Fire and Svcrrd to j^lead with Boflon ; and
Eliz.. Hooton did the like at Cambridge. And to
cloath their Meilage wath the greater Terrour,
they covered thcmfeives with Sackcloth, and put
AfliCS on their Heads. Four Women appeared
in the Court at B flon * in this rueful Figure
when Wenkck Chriftifon was upon his Trial ,• nay,
Deborah iVilfcn w as fo impudent, that laying a-
fide the Mcdeuy of her Sex, fhe w ent thro' the
Streets of Salem ftark naked as fhe was born, for
w hich ihe was apprehended and fent to the Houfe
of Corredion : One would think, that no fober
Perfbn fliculd appear in Vindication of fuch an
Adicn, and yet G. Bijhop ] reprefents her, as a
* Ne\v-Englaad;;<%V, p. 34c, in th Margin,
t Ibid, p, 3sa
modeil
Ch.vii. TheHisroKY of New England. 525
" modeft Woman of a retired Lite, and fober ^„„o
" Converfation ,• and that bearing a great liur- ^f^
" then for the Hardnefs and Crucicy ot the Pco-
*' pie, fhe went thro' the 1 own of Salem naked
" as a Sign, which fhe having in part performed
** (fays hej was laid hold on, and bound over to
*' appear at the next Court of Sakm^ where the
" wicked Rulers fentenced her to be whipt/"*
In fhort the w hole Province was fadly diflurbed
by thefe itinerant Prophets, and Prophetelfes, and
the Minds of the People were continually difqui-
eted, there being feldom a Month in the Sum-
mer Time, wherein one or other had not a
Meflage to deliver after this Manner to the
People.
But the Qiiakers were not content to pror
phecy in the Streets, and High-ways, but they
entred the Meeting-Houfes and diflurbed the
People at their Devotions ,• Humfhrey Norton ftood
up in the Meeting-Houfe at Bofion after Sermon,
and faid *, Verily, this is the Sacrifice ivhich the J^ord
accepteth not ^ for inhilfi with the fame Spirit thatyefiuy
ye p-each and fray and p.ng, that Sacrifice is an Abo-
mination to the Lord. Another time, T^ho. Ne'j:J)Oufi
went into the Meeting-Houfe j with a Couple
of great Glafs-Bottles, and breaking themagainft
one another in the Fkce of the Congregation,
faid, "Thm will the Lord break you in pieces. Mav-^
garet Brewfter went into the Meeting-Houfe ano-
ther time, with her Face fmeered all over as
black as a Cole ||, as a Sign (fays my Author-)
of the black Pox, which was to com.e among
them. Lydia War dwell. Wife cf EUaktm IVard-
well of Hampton went at the Time of Divine
Service into the Meeting-Houfe ^x^Ntwbury^ as
* New England jitd^e^^ p. yi.
t Ibid, p.^l-
I Arjwer to Mather, ^. lo?.
y 3 naked
526 T/:/^ History <jfNEW-ENGL AND/ Ch.vii.
4iiti9 naked as file was born*, which put the Congrega-
i^ tion into fuch Diforder that they could not proceed
iu their Worfiiip, till feme of the Congregation
had laid hold of her, and carried her to the
Houfe of Corred;ion, where (lie received t\\ en-
ty or tiiirty Laflies at the Whipping-pofl.
Such Methods of Reformation are not only
potous but infamous : If the Quakershad wrought;
JvliracleSj cr produced any otiier fufficicnt Cre-
dentials of their divine Miffion, they ought to
have been received in any Form; but to fuppofo
the World muft believe them to be Prophets and
Prophetefles without the leaft external Evidence,
merely becaufc they themfelves fay fo, or be-
caufe they have the Affurance to go about Streets,
in a ludicrous Manner, denouncing the Judg-
ments of God againfc their Adverfarics, is the
moft abfuvd Conclulion in the World. I am
fatisfied the Modem Quakers cannot approve of
thefe Things, and their prefent Condud is a
Proof of it ; for we hear no more of their Agi-
tations, their Prophefjv'ings in the Streets, and
their Difturbing the AiTemblies of other Chrifti-
ans ; they are content with the Liberty of Wor-
Ihippirjg God, in their own Way, without ttou-
idling themfelves about other People.
But Thirdly^ Another th'ng that difgufted
the Government of N^w-Eyrgland was the ftub-
born and difrefpectful Behaviour ot the Qy^aken
to Authority : II was a new thing in thofe I'imes
to fee People rcfufe the common Titles of Re-
fpeft to their Superiors, and deny them the Ccr
remony of the Hat ; this was apprehended to be
a Denial of the Authority of the Civil Magi-
ilrare, tho* \is now known that the Q^n^kers
rnake it a Part of their Religion : But their rude
Beha.Yxgur
Ch.vii. 37;^ History ^/New-England. 327
Behaviour in Court was very provoking ; JVharton, Ama
Chriftifon, Mary To7nkini, and fome others, being L^i
brought before Deputy Governor Billingham with
their Hats on their Heads, he ordered them to
be taken off and thrown on the Ground; where-
upon Mary T'omkins letting her Foot on one oF
the Hats, calls out to the Governor in an inde-
cent Manner, faying, See I have your Honour un-
der my Feet. Be/ides, they would not comply
with any of the Ufages of the Country, they
would neither hold up their Hand at the Bar,
nor plead to their Indidmcnrs, nor give an in-
telligible Anfwer to any Qiicflions which the
Court asked them. Wlien Mary Tomkim was
asked. Where H^q dwelt ? All the Anfwer they
could get was, that She lived in God ; for in him
we livsy and move, and have our Beings. The
Court had an immenfe deal of Trouble with
them ^ for when one was at the Bar, half a Score
(it may be) would come in to Court, and di-
flurb the Procefs, by threatning the Magillrates
with the Vengeance of God. And when any
of the Quakers were convided, they laiew not-
what to do with them, for they would not fub-
mit to any of their Orders; they would give no
Security to the Government for their good Be-
haviour at Home, noV would they depart the
Jurifdidion with a Promife net to return. When
fome of them were offered their Liberty upon
thefe Terms, they refufed it, faying, lljey were
at the Will of the Lord ; the Lord commanded them
to do as they did ; andJJjould the Government fend
them never fofar away, if the Lord commanded them
they would return. They would not pay the
Fines that were laid upon them, nor work in Pri-
fon, tho'' they were whipped to Death for not
doing it. In fliort, the Q'jnkers would fuffer any '
thing, but would do nothing at the Command
of the Magiflrare ; aiul this is the true Reafon
Y .|- why
318 7);^ History (?f New-England. Ch.vii.
Anno why many of them fuffered a great -deal m.ore
IS^ Damage in their Goods and Chattels than other-
wife they would. Now the Quakers themfelves
coniefs, that a turbulent and provoking Carriage
to the Government we live under, requires the
Notice of the Civil Magiilrate, and for this
Reafcn their Friends in Pe/ijihama fined and
imprifoned George Keith, and obliged him to
leave the Province ; tho' I am of Opinion it
was not nierely for his Crimes againft the State,
but ibr his new Dodrines, wliich had like to
have made a Schifm amiong them : But how-
ever, if turbulent and feditious Perfons, who
difquiec thQ Minds of People, diflurb the Peace
of' the Government, and refufe Obedience to
their Superiors, ought to be punifhed , I leave all
Mankind to judge whether the Behaviour of the
Q_^ akers in Nev:- England did not ablolucely re-
quire the Interpcfiu*e of the Civil Magiftrate in
this Way, for the Prefervation of the publick
Peace.
T ji E General Court m their Addrefs of
Congratulation to King Charles the Second on
his Refloration, have endeavoured to j iftify the
Whole of their Proceedings againfl che Q^Lakers
from the forementioned Topicksj they leli the
King, " That the Q_.akers v^'ere open capital
" Bl?>fphemers; open beducers h-oin the glofious
" ^rij^i^y) t^^^ Lord Chrift. the blefled Gofpel,
*' and from the holy Scriptures, as the Rule of
" Life ; open Enemi^ to Government itfeif, as
" eftablifbAed in the Hands of any but Men of
" their own Principles ; malignant Promoters of
" Dodrines directly tending to fubvert both our
'^ Church and State. '"' They add further,
*^ That after ail other Means, for a long Time
'' pfed in vain, they were at lafc conftrained for
" their own Safety to pafs a Sentence of Banifh-
infl them upotJ pain of Death, fuch
Ch.vii. 77?^ History 0/ New-England. 529
*' was their dangerous, impetuous and defperatc ^»»»
« Turbulency in Religion,, and to the State i^
** Civil and Ecclefialticai i-a.. :hat how unwilling
" foever, could it be avoided, the Magiftrate,
" at leall: in Confcience both to God and Man,
*^ judged himfelf called for the Defence of all,
" to keep tlie Pafllige with the Point of the
" Sword held towards them. This could do no
" harm ({ay they) to them that would be warn-
" ed thereby ,• their willingly rufliing themfelves
" thereupon was their own Ad ; and we with
" all Humility think a Crime, bringing their
" Blood upon their own Heads. " ■ They
conclude therefore, — " That the Qiiakers died
*' not becaufe of their other Crimes how capital
" foever, but for their fuperadded Prefumpti-
*' ons and incorrigible Contempt of Authority,
" breaking in upon ''em notwithftanding the Sen-
*^ tence of B-inifliment. Had they not been re-
" ftrain'd, there was too much Caufe to fear that
" weourfelves(7^/7^^^j')fhould quickly have died,
" or worfe • and they would not be retrained but
" by Death : Nay, had they at laft but promifed
" to depart the Jurifdiction, and not to return
*' without Leave from Authority, we fhould
*' have been glad to have faid, they fhould not
'' die. "
But after all I mufl freely declare it as my
Opinion, that no Man ought to be deprived of
his civil Riglits upon the Account of his reli-
gious Sentiments, tlio' differing never fo widely
from the eftabliflied Doctrines of his Country.
A Turk or a Jew has as much a Right to live
as a Chrjfiian, and therefore to fine or imprifon
Men for not coming to Church, or to prohibit
their Worfliipping God in a peaceable Manner
according to the Light of their own Confcicnces,
is no better than Perfecution for Confcience fake:
But when Men diflurb the publlck AlTemblies of
other
3^o U&fHisTORY (7/ New-England. Ch.vii.
^»»'> other Chriftians, revile their Minifters, and ter-
i^ rify the Minds of People by Predictions of ap-
proaching Judgments, as the Primitive Q^iakeys
of Neu)-England did, ^tis the Duty of the Ma-
giftrate to reftrain them ; for the Minifters and
People of the Country had certainly as good a
Right to be protected in their Way of V/orfhip,
as the Qriakers had to fet up a new One. Not
that I think the Crimes which the Quakers were
guilty of will, juftify all the Severities of tlie
Government againft them ; for it was very hard
to take away Mens Lives for Contempt of the
Court, for fpeaking in a peculiar Dialed, or for
being guilty ot fome riotous and feditious Prac-
tices ; nor will the prefent Clergy of New-
England vindicate thefe Proceedings. Dr. Ma-
iher fays *, " That he does not approve of Perfe-
'' cution; tliat he abhors it; that he has preach-
" ed againfl it, and writ againft it ; that he has
" bewailed the Miflakes that fome Men have
" committed in it ; that he would have the
** Quakers treated with all the Civility imagina-
" ble, and would not have the civil .Magiftrate
^ infflidt upon them the Damage of one Farthing
^^ for their Confciences. " He tells us further t>
^' That his Country has fince renounced thefe
" Laws, and declared for a juil Liberty of Con-
" fcience. '' I can aflure the Reader this is now
the general Senfe of the Country ; and I hear^
tily wifh that fuch generous -Sentiments may
prevail in all other Parts of the V\/lDrid.
* J^9pk vii. i*. 100. j- Ibii. p. z4.
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