USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > Thirteen historical discourses, on the completion of two hundred years : from the beginning of the First Church in New Haven, with an appendix > Part 27
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And so [she] continued to the very time of her coming before the Church.
" Upon the 20th day of the third month, 1645, being the Lord's day, after the contribution, Mrs. Eaton was called before the Church in the public assembly, to see what fruit was of the admonition. The particular facts charged upon her were read unto her. She answered then to some of them; but it growing late, the Church left off for that time, and appointed the fourth day following to issue that mat- ter. The next fourth day, after lecture was ended, Mrs. Eaton was called again. When she gave her answer to the Church, it pleased God to leave her so far to herself to the discovering of her distemper, that though full of tears at other times when she hath a mind to ex- press herself that way, yet at both times when she appeared before the Church she behaved herself without any show of remorse, and expressed herself with an ostentation of empty words, which fell far short of the several charges in the admonition ; and added unto the former offenses new offenses and lies in the presence of the assembly as followeth," &c.
" Before the Church proceeded to sentence, the mind of God con- cerning the censure was so [clear] to the whole Church, that the brethren being desired by the elders to express their apprehensions concerning the case in hand, sundry of the brethren spake weightily to convince her of her obstinacy in her sins, and all and every one of them, with one consent, gave their vote to her casting out .- first, for not hearing the Church in her admonition, according to the rule, Matt. xviii,-secondly, for new offenses she gave, for lying before the Church, according to the rule, Rev. xxii, 15, and 1 Cor. v. And not the brethren only, but some elders of other Churches being pre- sent, and being desired by the elders to declare their judgment con- cerning this case, they did both speak weightily to her, and justify the way of the Church concerning her casting out ;- one of them adding that if this case had been in the Churches up the river, it would not have been delayed so long. And thus with much grief of heart, and many tears, the Church proceeded to censure; wherein God showed a wonderful presence to the satisfaction of all that were present."
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Concerning Henry Glover's seeking reconciliation with the Church, for the scandalous evils for which he was cast out, and the Church's receiving of him again, the 11th day of the 6th month, 1644.
" Henry Glover having acquainted the elders with his desire of being reconciled to the Church, and to hold forth his repentance to ยท the satisfaction of the Church according to God for those scandalous evils for which he was justly cast out, they appointed him a time and heard him what he could say ; which they considered of. And they likewise heard from sundry who conversed with him, of his sorrowful and mournful walking, which was commonly taken notice of, as formerly his scandals were. The elders having prepared the matter for the hearing of the Church, appointed him the next Lord's day to speak before the whole Church in the mixed assembly. After the morning exercise was ended, the ruling elder desired the brethren to stay ; and after the assembly was departed, he acquainted them with the desire of Henry Glover, and also desired those brethren that had been most in company with Henry Glover, they should speak what they had observed. Sundry of the brethren then spoke, and gave an encouraging testimony concerning him. The brethren agreed that he should have liberty to speak in the afternoon. After the contribution was ended, the ruling elder declared to the assembly that Henry Glover who stood excommunicated, desired to be recon- ciled to God and to the Church, and to hold forth his repentance according to God. If the brethren consented that he should now speak, we should take their silence for their consent. After a little pause, the brethren being silent, the ruling elder desired some that stood near the door to call in Henry Glover .* When he came in, the ruling elder spake to him, and told him that he had liberty granted to speak. Then he acknowledged the several facts for which he was cast out, and the rules he had broken ; and showed also how many temptations he had been exercised with from Satan since he was cast out; and how God had humbled him for those sins for which he was cast out, and made them bitter to him, and brought him to repentance, and gave him hope of mercy in the preaching of the word ; and also expressed his earnest desire of being reconciled to the Church. After he had done speaking, the ruling elder desi- red the brethren to declare whether he had spoken to their satisfac-, tion ; and they declared their apprehensions. Afterwards it was
* See p. 48.
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desired of those brethren that lived about him, and had most deal- ing with him, they should testify how they found the frame of his spirit, and what humiliation and reformation they saw of those evils for which he was cast out; and sundry of the brethren gave a good testimony concerning him. After this it was desired if any other that were not of the Church had anything wherein they were unsat- isfied in point of his conversation, they might speak and the Church would consider of it; but none spoke but Goodman Chapman, who spoke something tending to clear him.
" Afterwards it was propounded to the brethren whether they would defer the issuing of this matter till next Lord's day, the busi- ness being of so great weight as the loosing a man from his sin and setting him in the fellowship of the Church again. The brethren agreed that it should be deferred till next Lord's day. Henry Glo- ver standing up by a pillar, went hastily down when he saw it was deferred till the next Lord's day, and he let some words fall which had the appearance of discontent because it was not then issued. His carriage in this matter, to the elders and many of the brethren that observed him, had an appearance of passion and pride, as if he thought he had held out that which might have satisfied. It was desired by the elders that he might be called in again. Our pastor stood up and spake to him, and told him that there was a law in the xiiith and xivth Chapt. Levit. concerning the cleansing the leper, that he was to be shut up seven days to see if his leprosy was cleansed. The leper under the law answered the state of an excommunicated person now. And the matter being so weighty, and he having left some suspicion by that carriage of his whether he was perfectly healed or not, made it necessary. [He] told him that the brethren did it out of tenderness to him. So it was respited till the next Lord's day.
" The next Lord's day, Henry Glover was called again, and re- quired to answer some questions that were propounded to him for the more full satisfaction of the Church concerning his repentance, and also concerning his carriage the last Lord's day. After he had answered, it was propounded to the brethren, if they had any other thing to propound to him they should speak. After sundry had spoken to him what they desired, it was propounded to vote in man- ner following,-that if the brethren were so far satisfied with what they had heard Henry Glover hold forth concerning his repentance, as they were willing he should be loosed from the sentence of ex- communication under which he stood bound, and to admit him to
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the liberties and privileges of the Church he formerly enjoyed, they should declare it by holding up of hands; which they did. Then it was again propounded to vote, if there was any of the brethren that was otherwise minded, they should declare it by holding up of hands. But there was none held up to the contrary; but all the brethren with one consent agreed to the receiving him again.
" Then our pastor stood up, and charged him, telling him that he was in the presence of Christ who searches the hearts and tries the reins ; and though the Church judged as men by such rules as they were to walk by, yet. the Lord knew whether that which he held forth was in truth or not. But the brethren were apt to receive any thing that they might judge according to rule to be in truth. After he had done speaking he went to prayer, begging a blessing on the ordinance of absolution ; and in his prayer went over all the particu- lars of his sins for which he was censured, and how he was hurried after he was cast out, and how God had brought him to repentance both by his word and by his providences; and he begged of God that he would make it appear his repentance was in truth, and that what was done by the Church might be according to the mind of Christ, and that he would ratify it in heaven. And after prayer [he] pronounced him absolved, thus, 'Henry Glover, I do in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by power delegated from Jesus Christ to his Church, pronounce thee absolved and set free from the sentence of excommunication under which thou hast stood bound, and do re- store thee to the liberties and privileges of this Church which thou formerly didst enjoy.'"
I know not where to look for a more copious illustration of the du- ties performed by the ruling elder in the primitive New England Churches, than is contained in the preceding records. Why was this office so early dropped in the Churches generally ? The most cogent reason, doubtless, was the difficulty of finding suitable men to sustain the dignity and perform the work of such an eldership. The fathers of New England carried their distinction between Church and State so far, that no man who held any civil office was allowed to hold at the same time an office in the Church. Thus in 1669, Roger Alling having been inadvertently chosen town treasurer when he stood under a nomination for the office of deacon in the Church, the election was set aside, and another treasurer chosen. And ten years earlier, Matthew Gilbert was not put in nomination for the magistracy, till he had ceased to be deacon. See Savage's Winthrop, I, 31.
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No. IV.
THE PRIMITIVE MEETING HOUSE IN NEW HAVEN.
THE custom still lingers in some parts of New England, of " seat- ing" the people in the meeting house by a committee. When this custom was given up in New Haven, I have not ascertained. Prob- ably it was continued till about the middle of the last century. In several instances the records of the town exhibit the assignment of persons to seats, with the names of all the individuals. The earliest record of this kind is in the proceedings of "a General Court," or town meeting, "held the 10th of March, 1646." As the record shows both the meeting house and the congregation, I have thought it worth copying.
"The names of people as they were seated in the meeting house were read in court; and it was ordered that they should be recorded which was as followeth, viz :
" The middle seats have, to sit in them,
1st seat. The Governor and Deputy Governor.
2d seat. Mr. Malbon, magistrate.
3d seat. Mr. Evance, Mr. Bracey, Mr. Francis Newman, Mr. Gibbard.
4th seat. Goodman Wigglesworth, Bro. Atwater, Bro. Seely, Bro. Myles.
5th seat. Bro. Crane, Bro. Gibbs, Mr. Caffinch, Mr. Ling, Bro. Andrews.
6th seat. Bro. Davis, Goodman Osborne, Anthony Thompson, Mr. Browning, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. Higginson.
7th seat. Bro. Camfield, Mr. James, Bro. Benham, Wm. Thomp- son, Bro. Lindall, Bro. Martin.
8th seat. Jno. Meggs, Jno. Cooper, Peter Browne, Wm. Peck, Jno. Gregory, Nich. Elsie.
9th seat. Edw. Banister, John Herryman, Benja. Wilmot, Jarvis Boykin, Arthur Holbridge.
" In the cross seats at the end,
1st seat. Mr. Pell, Mr. Tuttle, Bro. Fowler.
2d seat. Thom. Nash, Mr. Allerton, Bro. Perry.
3d seat. Jno. Nash, David Atwater, Thom. Yale.
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4th seat. Robert Johnson, Thom. Jeffery, John Punderson.
5th seat. Thom. Munson, John Livermore, Roger Allen, Jos. Nash, Sam. Whithead, Thom. James.
In the other little seat, John Clarke, Mark Pierce.
" In the seats on the side, for men,
Ist, Jeremy Whitnell, Wm. Preston, Thomas Kimberly, Thom. Powell.
2d, Daniel Paul, Rich. Beckly, Richard Mansfield, James Russell.
3d, Wm. Potter, Thom. Lampson, Christopher Todd, William Ives.
4th, Hen. Glover, Wm. Tharpe, Matthias Hitchcock, Andrew Low. " On the other side of the door.
Ist, John Mosse, Luke Atkinson, Jno. Thomas, Abraham Bell.
2d, George Smith, John Wackfield, Edw. Pattison, Richard Beech.
3d, John Basset, Timothy Ford, Thom. Knowles, Robert Preston. 4th, Richd. Osborne, Robert Hill, Jno. Wilford, Henry Gibbons.
5th, Francis Browne, Adam Nichols, Goodman Leeke, Goodman Daighton.
6th, Wm. Gibbons, John Vincent, Thomas Wheeler, John Brockett. " Secondly, for the women's seats, in the middle.
1st seat. Old Mrs. Eaton.
2d seat. Mrs. Malbon, Mrs. Grigson, Mrs. Davenport, Mrs. Hooke.
3d seat. Elder Newman's wife, Mrs. Lamberton, Mrs. Turner, Mrs. Brewster.
4th seat. Sister Wakeman, Sister Gibbard, Sister Gilbert, Sister Myles.
5th seat. Mr. Francis Newman's wife, Sister Gibbs, Sister Crane, Sister Tuttil, Sister Atwater.
6th seat. Sister Seely, Mrs. Caffinch, Mrs. Perry, Sister Davis, Sister Cheevers, Jno. Nash's wife.
7th seat. David Atwater's wife, Sister Clarke, Mrs. Yale, Sister Osborne, Sister Thompson.
8th seat. Sister Wigglesworth, Goody Johnson, Goody Camfield, Sister Punderson, Goody Meggs, Sister Gregory.
9th seat. Sister Todd, Sister Boykin, Wm. Potter's wife, Mat- thias Hitchcock's wife, Sister Cooper.
" In the cross seats at the end.
Ist, Mrs. Bracey, Mrs. Evance.
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2d, Sister Fowler, Sister Ling, Sister Allerton.
3d, Sister Jeffery, Sister Rutherford, Sister Livermore.
4th, Sister Preston, Sister Benham, Sister Mansfield.
5th, Sister Allen, Goody Banister, Sister Kimberly, Goody Wil- mott, Mrs. Higginson.
In the little cross seat, Sister Potter the midwife, and old Sister Nash.
" In the seats on the sides.
1st seat. Sister Powell, Goody Lindall, Mrs. James.
2d seat. Sister Whithead, Sister Munson, Sister Beckly, Sister Martin.
3d seat. Sister Peck, Joseph Nash's wife, Peter Browne's wife, Sister Russell.
4th seat. Sister Ives, Sister Bassett, Sister Pattison, Sister Elsie. " In the seats on the other side of the door.
1st seat. Jno. Thomas's wife, Goody Knowles, Goody Beech, Goody Hull.
2d seat. Sister Wackfield, Sister Smith, Goody Mosse, James Clarke's wife.
3d seat. Sister Brockett, Sister Hill, Sister Clarke, Goody Ford.
4th seat. Goody Osborne, Goody Wheeler, Sister Nichols, Sister Browne."
From the fact that in the foregoing schedule, no seat is assigned to Ezekiel Cheevers, and from some occasional mention of "the scholars' seats" in other parts of the records, it may be inferred that the pupils of the school were seated together, perhaps in the gallery, under the care of their instructor. Servants also, and young people generally, seem to have no place in the schedule .*
* The reader will notice that in this assignment of seats no mention is made of " Mrs. Eaton the Governor's wife;" which seems to agree with what Lechford says as cited on p. 48. Another assignment of seats was made in 1655; and then, as the committee come to " the women's seats," they begin thus, " The long seats. The first as it was," giving no name. Yet in the same document, that is afterwards spoken of as " Mrs. Eaton's seat." If there had been such a rule as Lechford describes, they seem to have begun to get around it as early as 1655. At the second seating, the house seems to have been more crowded than at the first ; probably because many who in 1646 were servants, had in 1655 become householders, and under the equalizing influence of free institutions, were approaching the same level with their former masters.
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No. V.
NOTICES OF SOME OF THE PLANTERS OF NEW HAVEN.
STEPHEN GOODYEAR, who from the organization of the civil gov- ernment of New Haven till his death, stood almost uniformly in the office of deputy governor, appears to have been one of the merchants who followed Mr. Davenport from London to this country, and whose commercial habits and tastes determined the location of the colony and the plan of the town. His wife was one of the company who were lost at sea in 1646. (Winthrop, II, 176.) He afterwards mar- ried Mrs. Lamberton, the widow of the master of that unfortunate bark. Among other specimens of his activity and public spirit, we find him in 1655 forward in proposing and getting up " the iron works" at East Haven, which he thought "would be a great advan- tage to the town." He died in London, in the year 1658. He was obviously considered by the colonists, as second only to Eaton in qualifications for the service of their commonwealth. Trum. I, 233.
THOMAS GREGSON, (or GRIGSON, ) was a man of less wealth than many of his associates in the colony; yet while he lived he was con- tinually entrusted with important offices. He was always one of the " magistrates," who with the governor and deputy governor, were at once the superior branch of the legislature, and the supreme judi- ciary. He was sent with Gov. Eaton, in 1643, to meet commission- ers from the other colonies, for the purpose of forming that New Eng- land confederacy, in which, with its annual congress, the philosophic reader of history sees the first manifestation of the tendency which has resulted in our great federal government. In only one instance while he lived, was any other person associated with Eaton in the responsibility of representing New Haven colony in that congress. Of his activity as a member of the Church, some indication appears in the extracts from early Church records in No. III, of this Appen- dix. He was one of those lost at sea in 1646, he being then com- missioned by the colony to apply to parliament for a charter. His only son afterwards settled in London. One of his daughters mar- ried the Rev. John Whiting of Hartford. Dodd, East Haven Reg- ister, 125.
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His name has had some accidental celebrity, by its being the theme of one of the stupendous falsehoods of Peters. See Kingsley's Discourse, 87-90.
The two most remarkable military men of the New England colo- nies, Standish of Plymouth, and Mason of Connecticut, had acquired military skill and experience in the wars of the Netherlands. The same is true of Underhill, first of Boston, afterwards of Piscataqua, afterwards for a season of Stamford, in the New Haven jurisdiction, and afterwards a subject of the Dutch government in the New Neth- erlands, whose wife was a Dutch woman, and who was himself one of the most dramatic characters in our early history. The same may be presumed of " Captaine NATHANIEL TURNER," who at a General Court on the 1st of the 7th month, 1640, was formally " chosen" " to have the command of all martiall affairs of this plantation." Like Underhill, he had acquired his military title before coming to this country. He was made a freeman of Massachusetts in October, 1630. His name next appears in the first roll of representatives in Massachusetts, (A. D. 1634,) he having been deputed from Sagus, where he was one of the most considerable planters. Winthrop, I, 129. Next we find him (ibid. 192,) one of the captains in the expedition of 1636, from Massachusetts against the Pequots. In January, 1637, his house at Sagus was burnt down, "with all that was in it save the persons." (ibid. 213.) The editor of Winthrop (II, 276,) speaks of him, (I know not on what authority,) as having been in Stough- ton's expedition in 1637; though the burning of his house in Jan- uary might naturally have excused him from such a service in June. In 1638, he accompanied the adventurers who were to form the new colony at Quinnipiack. In this colony he was one of the most valued men. He not only had " the command of all martial affairs," but was continually entrusted with important civil offices. He was one of the committee of six appointed in 1639, to " have the dispo- sing of all the house lots about this towne," and without whose " con- sent and allowance" none should come to dwell as planters. He was the agent of New Haven for the purchase of land on the Dela- ware Bay, and the beginning of a plantation there. In 1643, at the first complete organization of a legislature for the whole jurisdiction, he was one of the deputies from New Haven. He too was lost in the fatal ship. His wife afterwards married a Dutch merchant, Samuel Goodenhouse, (or Van Goodenhousen,) who was for many
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years settled in New Haven. Was this alliance because Capt. Tur- ner's wife, like Capt. Underhill's, was a Dutch woman ? The de- scendants of Capt. Turner, bearing his name, reside, I believe, in North Haven. Thomas Mix, the common ancestor of all who bear that name, and the great grandfather of the late Judge Stephen Mix Mitchell, married Rebecca, the daughter of Capt. Turner.
Lieut. ROBERT SEELY, (or CEELY,) is named by Lyon Gardner in his " Relation of the Pequot wars," (III, Mass. Hist. Coll. III, 153,) " as one of the right New England worthies," who with Maj. Mason and Capt. Underhill, "undertook the desperate way and design to Mistick Fort." He was made a freeman of Massachusetts in Octo- ber, 1630, and was of Watertown in 1631. (Farmer.) Having re- moved with other Watertown people to Connecticut, probably to Wethersfield, he was Capt. Mason's lieutenant in the celebrated expedition which annihilated the Pequots. (III, Mass. Hist. Coll. III, 143.) At the organization of the government of New Haven, he was chosen marshall, which office he retained till he was suc- ceeded by " Brother Thomas Kimberly." In 1642, he was formally chosen lieutenant of the train band, and after that election he was, as before, frequently employed about the martial affairs. In Octo- ber, 1646, he " had liberty of the court to depart for England, though a public officer." He seems however either to have deferred his voyage, or to have been absent only a few months, for in February, 1648, he was still here. From June, 1651, he seems to have been absent for a long time. In 1662, he had "returned from England ;" and at a town meeting, " a motion was made in his behalf for some encouragement for his settling among us," which does not appear to have resulted in any thing effectual. Probably he settled either on Long Island or in Fairfield county. A Capt. Seely of Stratford, fell in " the great swamp fight" with the Narragansetts, in 1675.
WILLIAM GIBBARD was for many years Treasurer of the town and of the colony ; and from 1658, till just before the union with Con- necticut, Secretary. While the records, full, minute and accurate, shall remain, his works, notwithstanding his complaint " that his hand was much too slow for the court," will not cease to praise him. Of his modesty, one specimen may be given, which sets in a striking light the difference between ancient and modern times. In April, 1661, he was nominated at a town meeting, to be propounded at the
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court of election, for a magistrate ; whereupon he " declared that he was satisfied in himself that he was not called of God to that place, both in regard of some inward unfitness which he finds in himself, and in regard of some circumstances respecting his outward condi- tion which would not admit of it." His fellow citizens thought more highly of him than he thought of himself, and insisted on their nomi- nation. They told him "that what was done had not been done rashly ; they therefore saw not ground to alter from it, nor must they make any such precedent, which would be of such ill consequence." Being thus promoted against his will, the office of Secretary passed from his hands into those of James Bishop.
In 1656, his barn was set on fire by the malice of an indented servant boy, and both barn and house were consumed. Two years afterwards, "Mr. Gibbard acquainted the town that a friend of his in England hath sent a parcel of books to the town in the way of thankfulness for the kindness that the said Mr. Gibbard had received from them since his house was burned; and he now desired to know how the town would have them disposed of. It was declared that seeing they are most of them Latin school books, they leave it to him, the schoolmaster, and such others as they shall take in to ad- vise with for the disposing of them." He died in 1663.
JOHN NASH deserves to be commemorated here for an instance of modesty parallel to that exhibited by Secretary Gibbard. He had long been a man of some military standing, as ensign, and as lieuten- ant. In 1660, " it being recommended by the General Court to the several plantations, that as they are furnished with able men, a cap- tain might be chosen for the military service, Lieutenant Nash was nominated as a man fit for that place; whereupon he declared that he hoped the rules of God in Scripture would be considered and at- tended in this matter, whereby it appears that such as were chosen were men of courage and valor, chief men, men of estates, such as rendered the place to be a place of respect. He said he was satisfied in himself that he was not meetly qualified for that place, and desired that they would not choose a man to expose themselves and him to derision. The Governor told the town, (they having heard Lieut. Nash's answer,) they might propound some other. But the freemen and others still showing their inclination to him, he said that he could not see it to be the will of God for him to accept though they should choose; which if they did he thought would put him upon a
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