USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Cape Cod, the right arm of Massachusetts : an historical narrative > Part 6
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The second story was divided nearly in the same manner as the lower. A large square chamber occupied the space over the parlor, with lodging rooms in the rear. The spacious garret was occupied by servants, and as a general place of deposit. Some of the settlers kept their bee-hives in the garret, placing them on a shelf on the outside in the summer, and removing them inside in winter. Paint was unknown, and excepting the seams and crevices between the boards, few rooms were even plastered. The furniture was of domestic manufacture, the rooms were never carpeted, white sand from the beach spread evenly over the floor and "herrin' boned,"* occupying the place now assigned to tapestry and Brussels. The exceptions to this style were the fortification-houses, of which there were several in the county, which were constructed of large pieces of timber for sills and plates, with boarding on each side, filled in with small stones and clay. This formed the walls of the house, which were plastered with shell mortar, inside and out.
*Otis's Barnstable Families.
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The material for estimating the every day and social life of the forefathers is scanty and incomplete. But the casual and imperfect glimpses which we catch of their homes and firesides reveal a picture of domestic happiness and harmony. The relations between the sexes were regulated by rules of strict propriety, and violations of the laws of chastity and decorum were punished with inexorable severity. Children were taught to be obedient, retiring, and most respectful in their demeanor towards their superiors. Their recreations were few, but some of the old games, played by their parents in the fatherland, and some of the folk-lore of the old country, were perpetuated from generation to generation, and are not entirely forgotten even at the present day. The Puritanism of the first generation of our ancestors was not of so intense a type as to cause them to discard entirely the sports of their ancestors, and "hull-gull," "I espy," (corrupted to "hy-spry,") and "thread the needle," held their ground in the popular affection for many years. But the days for pleasure were few and short, and the cares of a busy and anxious existence were soon thrust upon them. The young men were early inured to the duties of a severe discipline, and wrestling, ball playing, and exercises in the manual of arms, trained them to vigor and self-control. General musters were occasions which called great companies together. Weddings and family reunions were almost the only social occasions of the women. Their literary educa- tion was inferior even to that of the men. It is rare to find among the signatures to public documents of the early days of the colony, evidences that they could write their names, the wife of Anthony Thacher of Yarmouth, one of the most learned men of the colony, signing as a witness to a will by her mark. Some quite prominent men, indeed, did the same thing, at a time when a knowledge of writing
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was not considered as essential as it was at a later day. Family devotions were observed with rigorous punctuality. On Sunday, no matter what the state of the weather, every member of the family attended church. The distance was often eight or ten miles. For many years there was no conveyance for worshippers. The younger people walked all the way, the older ones, when horses came into vogue, riding a part of the distance, tying their horses for those who came after them, who in turn tied theirs, after completing their portion of the journey. To save their shoes, the young people in mild weather carried them in their hands until near the meeting-house, and removed them when returning home. Assembled for worship, the sexton turned the glass when the sermon began, and the preacher kept on till the sand ran out, whether his ideas had run out or not. A short intermission was followed by another service, when the humble worshippers returned to their homes. Sunday began at sundown Saturday night, and ended on Sunday night. With our fathers, Sunday was the "day of all the week the best," not to be desecrated by travel, amusement, or any secular concerns. Any one found upon the road that day was halted by the constable, and, unless he had some very imperative business, was carried before the nearest magistrate. William Chase of Yarmouth was presented by the grand jury, in 1654, for "driving his oxen five miles on the Lord's day during the time of exercise." Two men were fined for sailing a boat from Sandwich to Boston on the Lord's day .* All persons stopping at ordinaries over Sunday were required to attend church or take the consequences.
Besides the permanent residents, these shores were resorted to by adventurers from abroad, for purposes of
*Plymouth Records.
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trade or motives of curiosity, or by those seeking to found homes on these western shores. Their intercourse with the settlers was sometimes of advantage, but not always so, and the rights and safety of the permanent settlers were jealously and studiously guarded and defined in the legis- lation of the colony and the regulations of the different towns. It was only by the rare and infrequent visits of these chance adventurers that the knowledge of occurrences in the motherland was kept alive, and as mails and newspapers were not known for many years afterwards, they had little information of the kindred and friends they had left behind them. Occasional expressions of love and affection for the mother country are found in their earlier writings, but they soon began to transfer to the land of their adoption the attachment due to the shores which were the haven of their children and of the generations yet to come after them. Under these conditions were founded, developed and perpetuated the homes and institutions which are now found existing upon Cape Cod.
CHAPTER VI. EVENTS FOLLOWING THE SETTLEMENTS.
Eel River Bridge-Dutch War Scare-Drift Whales-Thomas Prence of Eastham elected Governor-Growing Indifference to Religious Ordinances-Ministerial Changes-Labors of Richard Bourne among the Indians-Controversy with William Nickerson of Mannamoit-Legislation respecting the Fisheries-Indian Pledge of Fidelity-Death of Governor Prence and Accession of Josias Winslow.
HE taxation of the three Cape towns for the construction of a bridge over Eel River, in Plymouth, and the public highway leading thereto through the Cape towns, became, soon after the settlement, an important question. The inhabitants of Eel River village. having petitioned the Court for repayment in some form of the expense for constructing the bridge, which the Court found to be greatly needed and was much used by travellers from the Cape towns, they were required to make payment
for their proportional part of the charge therefor. The Court, in 1649, deemed £15 a proper sum to be contributed by the towns of Sandwich, Barnstable and Yarmouth, which they neglected or declined to pay, believing that this structure ought to be regarded as a local, and not a public, improvement. In 1652, Sandwich, Barnstable and Yar- mouth were presented by the Court for non-payment of their share of this charge, and the inhabitants of Eel River commenced a suit against the above towns, and a verdict of £20 was recovered by the plaintiffs, which, after a review,
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was again affirmed, and the towns were compelled to contribute according to the verdict of the Court.
Complaint was also made, in 1652, that "the lower way between Sandwich and Barnstable was intercepted," and Mr. Prence and Capt. Standish were ordered to empanel a jury "to lay out as conveniently as they can a country road, unless the town of Barnstable will allow it for a highway." The same were ordered to empanel a jury to lay out the most convenient way from Sandwich to Plymouth. The latter jury consisted of Anthony Thacher, Thomas Dexter, Thos. Hinckley, Wm. Hedge, Edward Bangs, Joseph Rogers, John Wing, John Ellis, Henry Dillingham, James Skiff, John Finney, Jona. Hatch and Wm. Bassett. This jury reported on the location as follows : "Beginning at Sandwich and so beginning at Goodman Black's house on the right hand, running across the swamp over the river, and so on a nor'-north-west line falling upon Eel River," etc. This was the first public highway legally laid out from Sandwich to Plymouth, and was substantially the one used for more than two centuries in going from the Cape to the latter town.
In consequence of the threatening aspect of the relations between England and Holland, the Court directed the several towns to send deputies to meet the magistrates April 6, 1653, "to treat and conclude upon such military affairs as, through God's blessings, may possibly tend to our present and future safety." Sandwich sent James Skiff ; Barnstable, Lieut. Fuller and Sergeant Thomas Hinckley ; Yarmouth, Sergeant Thomas Rider and John Gorham; Eastham, John Doane and Richard Sparrow. Vigorous measures were taken to place the colony in a state of defence. They appointed a council of war, who made provision for the immediate bringing into the field of 60 men, whereof
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Sandwich was required to furnish 6, Yarmouth 6, Barnstable 6, and Eastham 3. The most minute and comprehensive plan of operations was deemed necessary. The anticipated collision with Manhattan did not however occur. The great victory of Admiral Blake over the Dutch fleet established the supremacy of the English arms so decisively, that their antagonists on the continent had sufficient care for the time to attend to their own defence, without interfering with the English possessions in her colonies.
The alarm which had subsided at this time was again revived in 1667, unfriendly designs being feared from the French as well as the Dutch, both of whom the council proclaimed as "common enemies." The council ordered that during any appearance of danger a military watch be kept in every town. The members of this council for this year were as follows: Sandwich, Richard Bourne, Wm. Bassett, James Skiff, Sr. ; Barnstable, Thomas Hinckley, Nathaniel Bacon, John Chipman; Yarmouth, Anthony Thacher, Edmund Hawes, Thomas Howes; Eastham, Lieut. Freeman, Josias Cooke, Richard Higgins. Pending the disputes with the Dutch, new Indian difficulties arose with the Narragansett tribe, who attacked the Indians who were under the protection of the English, and whose cause they were bound by treaty obligations to espouse. The Com- missioners of the Colonies urged the raising of a body of troops to convey a message to Nianti, sachem, to compel him to desist from his hostile proceedings. Of this number Yarmouth, Sandwich and Eastham were required to furnish four each, and Barnstable five. The troops accomplished their purpose, without a hostile encounter.
The ownership of drift whales cast upon the shores of the different towns was for some years a source of difference and controversy. In 1661, Constant Southworth, colonial
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treasurer, made a proposition for compromise to the towns of the Cape, to the effect that finders of whales should pay one hogshead of oil in Boston, for each whale so found. The committee appointed by the town of Yarmouth, to debate and determine the difference, agreed to the proposi- tion, and there is no record of the action of the other towns, the general presumption being that they, too, acceded to the proposition of the Court, made through their treasurer.
In 1657, Thomas Prence of Eastham was elected Governor of Plymouth colony, an office which he had held twice before, previous to his removal from Plymouth. By a law enacted in 1633, it was provided "that the chief government be tied to Plymouth, and that the governor for the time being be tied there to keep his residence and dwelling ; and there also to hold such courts as concern the whole." But a dispensation was granted in this case, so desirons were the people to secure the services of Mr. Prence. He continued to reside in Eastham, until the inconveniences of the arrangement became so great that in 1664 he was induced to remove again to Plymouth, a honse being provided for him, and suitable provision being made for his entertainment there. The cares and responsibilities of the office were very great and increasing, and it was difficult to procure the services of a competent person for the position, so averse were the men of those days to public employment.
The Cape towns, during the period of Governor Prence's residence here, held a relative importance in the colony greater than at any subsequent portion of their history. Gov. Prence's partiality for Eastham was justified by the facilities which the town afforded for both agriculture and the fisheries, which, even at this day, are retained in some portions of her former territory. Four times each year, at
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least, the governor made the journey to Plymouth, to attend the sessions of the general court or the court of assistants. Starting from his home, he passed by the house of Kenelm Winslow, brother of the former governor, Edward, who lived in Harwich (now known as Brewster). A little farther along was the residence of Richard Scars, another leading man of the colony ; still farther, the homes of John Crow, Thomas Howes, Anthony Thacher and Edward Sturgis, both the latter of whom kept ordinaries, where refreshments were procured for man and beast, and the latter of whom could spread a table with a display of plate larger than any person in this part of the territory, and befitting the state and dignity of a governor. In Barnstable, he came to the homes of the Gorhams and Lothrops, and here, also, he doubtless met Thomas Hinckley, for many years an assistant, and destined to be his successor in the government. Mr. Hinckley was not a wealthy man, but he had an opulent neighbor, Mr. Thomas Allen, who entertained the governor and suite upon these journeys to and fro, with suitable state, providing a bountiful table and a private room, for conferences with those repairing to the governor on business. From Barnstable he passed through East Sandwich, where, we may feel quite sure, he avoided intercourse with the citizens, the greater part of whom were sympathizers with the Quakers, and were in bitter opposition to the government. Doubtless, too, he had but little intercourse with the leading citizen of that town, Mr. Edmund Freeman, who, it was well known, was utterly opposed to the policy of the government in their dealings with the Quakers. Mr. Richard Bourne and Mr. Thomas Tupper of this town, though men of tolerant views, were not so greatly estranged from Mr. Prenee's poliey as Mr. Freeman, and special sessions of the magistrates were
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sometimes held at Mr. Bourne's house. From Sandwich, through the long stretch of wood, past "Sacrifice Rock" and over Eel River, the retinue approached the seat of govern- ment, and met the leading men of this colony of four thousand population, and some two hundred voters, more than one-third of whom inhabited the northern shores of Cape Cod.
Soon after the settlement of the towns, complaint was made, both here and in other parts of the colony, of the prevalence of indifference to, or dissatisfaction with the ordinances of religion as administered and expounded in the churches. This was the result partly of a reaction from the rigorous and restraining doctrines of Puritanism, and in some degree the result of reflection and free inquiry on religious themes which was abroad in the community. In an especial manner the ministerial office and church organization were growing in disesteem, and men were beginning to exercise their own spiritual gifts instead. This tendency was rigorously dealt with by the authorities. The Court ordered "that if any slothful or profane persons, in any of the towns, neglect to attend public worship, they shall pay for each offence ten shillings or be publicly whipped." In the application of this order, all persons who, for any reason, did not attend public worship, were deemed either "lazy, slothful or profane," and fined accordingly. Among those presented by the grand jury for " not frequenting the public worship of God " were a number of citizens of Sandwich, who afterwards were prominently identified with the Quaker schism, and Mr. Edmund Freeman, for several years one of the assistants, and others, who simply staid away from the place of worship from dissatisfaction with the removal of Mr. Leverich from the pastorate of the church, and their distrust of the gifts and
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spiritual insight of those who had supplanted him. Ralph Allen, Sr., and Richard Kerby, of the same town, were also bound over in the sum of £20 each, "for deriding and villifying speeches of and concerning God's word and ordinances," another way of saying that they dissented from the construction placed upon scriptural texts by those who were in authority at that time. These occurrences were the beginning of that series of events which subsequently led to the Quaker schism, a movement in which the protests and discontents of former years found their logical expression.
The disaffection on the part of the congregations resulted in several changes in ministerial incumbency of the Cape towns. Mr. Leverich of Sandwich, having, as already seen, incurred the hostility of a portion of his people, his position was rendered extremely irksome and distasteful. He was arraigned by the Court, at the instigation of his enemies, for exchanging with an Indian a gun for some commodity, and subsequently was fined £15. He was spoken of in contemporaneous writings, as "a man of great piety and meekness," but his theological teachings were criticised with much rancor by his opponents, which led him " to seek a quiet recess at Long Island," and he subsequently settled at Oyster Bay, laboring with great usefulness and success with the people of that place, Huntington, and Newtown, for many years thereafter. After the departure of Mr. Leverich there was no settled minister in that town for several years. Mr. Tupper, who was not an ordained minister, though in favor with the government, officiated to a portion of the people. Mr. Richard Bourne, also a layman, occupied the pulpit for a portion of the time. Neither of these persons was entirely acceptable to the friends of Mr. Leverich. About the year 1658, Rev. John Smith, who had previously officiated in Barnstable, became
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the regular successor of Mr. Leverich, and continued in that relation for many years, Messrs. Bourne and Tupper turning their attention to the Indians, in which field Mr. Bourne, especially, filled a sphere of great usefulness and success. In Barnstable, Mr. Lothrop having died in 1653, no one was found to take the leading position, which from his talents and character, he held in the church and town. Mr. Lothrop was succeeded by Rev. Wm. Sargent, the length of whose ministry, as also of that of Rev. John Smith and of Mr. John Mayo, are not certainly known. In 1663, Rev. Thomas Walley became the minister of Barn- stable, and was a distinguished and influential man in his day, though subject to many annoyances from the Quaker element of the town. Quakerism was not the only form of dissent which was manifest here. Secretary Morton, writing in 1654, records "great divisions in the Barnstable church, occasioned by one John Cook, an Anabaptist." Mr. Walley's treatment of dissenters of all shades was characterized by great prudence and consideration, which doubtless contributed to allay the excitement and compose the theological difficulties which had before existed in this town.
During these years, Rev. John Miller, the pastor of the Yarmouth church, was ministering to a society somewhat divided in sentiment, partly in consequence of the survival of old discontents and partly owing to the prevalence of the spirit of unrest and dissatisfaction which was abroad in other communities, and which had its reflection and expres- sion here. Mr. Miller resigned his position about the year 1661, and Mr. Walley, before settling in Barnstable, resided in this town, owned lands and was connected with the society and church here. About the year 1663, Rev. Thomas Thornton, a member of the established church of
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England, who was ejected from his living the year before by the Act of Conformity, commenced his labors with the Yarmouth society, although his installation into the pastoral office did not occur until 1667. Mr. Thornton, in learning, native ability and character, was the equal of any of his contemporaries in the Plymouth colony, but it illustrates the critical spirit of the times, that a man of his gifts and fitness for his work should have had to encounter fierce and bitter opposition in the incipiency of his ministry. A communication which has recently seen the light, signed by fifteen leading members of the church, and addressed to the governor and assistants of the colony, defends the character of his services and repels aspersions upon the doctrinal quality of his sermons, which had been employed to prevent his settlement in the town. This vindication appears to have been successful, and the connection with the church, thus formed, continued until near the close of the century.
While these controversies and mutual recriminations between heated sectaries were proceeding in all the sur- rounding communities, one eminent and devoted man entered upon the work of piety and good will towards the aboriginal inhabitants, whose minds had not, as yet, been illumined by the light of civilization or the precepts of christianity. Mr. Richard Bourne, who has already been mentioned as one of the original settlers of Sandwich, and who had labored in the pulpit after the departure of Mr. Leverich, conceived the idea of gathering the Indians of Mashpee into a community by themselves, organizing them as a civil society, teaching them the truths of the gospel, and, as fast as might be, connecting them together under a church discipline. The first grant was made for the promo- tion of this project about the year 1661. His entire parish embraced the region from Middleboro to Provincetown.
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The Apostle Eliot and Cotton assisted at his ordination. His work was crowned with marked success. In a letter to Major Gookin, dated many years later (Sept. 1, 1674,) he said he was the only Englishman employed in this extensive region, and the results of his labors are stated in a return, of which this is a condensed abstract : "Praying Indians that do frequently meet together on the Lord's day to worship God." He names twenty-two places where meetings were held. The number of men and women who attended these meetings was 309. Young men and maids 188. Whole number of praying Indians 497. Of these, 142 could read the Indian language, 72 could write, and 9 could read English. Statistics, however, fail to indicate the influence of these labors upon the welfare of the colonists. In the Indian war which followed, the important results of Mr. Bourne's efforts were felt, contributing powerfully to the safety of the colonists. What a contrast his work presents to the fierce and fanatical strife which was going on around him, of the professed followers of the Prince of Peace, hanging and scourging men and women of a like faith, for following the "inward light" and wearing their hats in public assemblies !
The long controversy between the authorities and Wmn. Nickerson, growing out of his attempts to acquire titles of lands at Monnamoit, was brought to a close in the year 1672. The difficulties commenced sixteen years before. For buying land of the Indians, and selling them a boat, in 1656, Mr. Nickerson was disfranchised. Nothing daunted, he the next year petitioned to have his lands confirmed to him, and it was ordered that "the lands be viewed, and that he have a competency allowed him, and the rest be resigned to the government." In 1659, he was "allowed his lands." In 1663, he and his sons and his sons-in-law petitioned for
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liberty to settle a township at Monnamoit. In 1665, he was again charged with illegally purchasing land of the Indians, " submitted himself to the clemency of the court," and was allowed one hundred acres near his house. The rest of the land at Monnamoit was granted "to Mr. Thomas Hinckley, Mr. John Freeman, Mr. William Sargent, Mr. Anthony Thacher, Nathaniel Bacon, Edmund Hawes, Thomas Howes, Sr., and Lieut. Joseph Rogers, in equal proportions, said Nickerson to have an equal proportion with them in the meadow lands." It was ordered that all said lands appertain to and shall be "within the limits of the township of Yarmouth." The penalty of £5 for every acre illegally purchased of the Indians by said Nickerson was remitted. Other persons having purchased lands in Monnamoit, without a grant from the Court, and conflicting with the rights of the aforesaid parties, a compromise was effected in 1672, Mr. Nickerson agreeing to pay them a valuable consideration ; and a grant was made to him by the general court, confirm- ing his claim in the face of former controversies; and the settlement of Monnamoit proceeded without further imped- iment. Mr. Nickerson and his family had the full control of the town in its incipient stages. This statement of the official steps taken in the progress of the controversy gives little idea, however, of the bitterness and angry feelings engendered, which extended to the church and the social relations of the parties. Mr. Nickerson and his sons were arraigned, in 1667, for scandalously reproaching the Court, in a letter to the Governor of New York, and put under bonds to the amount of £500. The next year he was called upon to answer for words spoken against the preaching of Mr. Thornton. He and his sons were also set in the stocks for resisting the constable in the performance of his duty ; and refusing to find sureties for future good behavior, he
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