USA > Massachusetts > Historical collections, being a general collection of interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, &c., relating to the history and antiquities of every town in Massachusetts, with geographical descriptions > Part 3
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" When we came thither, we found the house so full of men, as we could scarce get in, though they used their best diligence to make way for us. There were they in the midst of their charms for him, making such a hellish noise as it distempered us that were well, and therefore unlike to ease him that was sick. About him were six or eight women, who chafed his arms, legs, and thighs, to keep heat in him. When they had made an end of their charming, one told him that his friends, the English, were come to see him. Having understanding left, but his sight was wholly gone, he asked who was come. They told him Winsnow, for they cannot pronounce the letter 7, but ordinarily n in the place thereof. He desired to speak with me. When I came to him, and they told him of it, he put forth his hand to me, which I took. Then he said twice, though very inwardly, Keen Winsnon ? which is to say, Art thou' Winslow ? I answered, Ahhe, that is, Yes. Then he doubled these words : Matta neen wonckanet namen, Winsnon ! that is to say, O Winslow, I shall never see thee again.
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"Then I called Hobbamock, and desired him to tell Massassowat, that the governor, hearing of his sickness, was sorry for the same; and though, by reason of many busi- nesses, he could not come himself, yet he sent me with such things for him as he thought most likely to do him good in this extremity ; and whereof if he pleased to take, I would presently give him ; which he desired; and having a confection of many comfortable conserves, on the point of my knife, I gave him some, which I could scarce get through his teeth. When it was dissolved in his mouth, he swallowed the juice of it ; whereat those that were about him much rejoiced, saying he had not swallowed anything in two days before. Then I desired to see his mouth, which was exceedingly furred, and his tongue swelled in such a manner as it was not possible for him to eat such meat as they had, his passage being stopped up. Then I washed his mouth, and scraped his tongue, and got abundance of corruption out of the same. After which I gave him more of the confection, which he swallowed with more readiness. Then he desired to drink. I dissolved some of it in water, and gave him thereof. Within half an hour this wrought a great alteration in him, in the eyes of all that beheld him. Presently after his sight began to come to him. . . . Then I gave him more, and told him of a mishap we had, in breaking a bottle of drink, which the governor also sent him, saying, if he would send any of his men to Patuxet, I would send for more of the same; also for chickens to make him broth, and for other things, which I knew were good for him ; and would stay the return of his messenger, if he desired. This he took marvellous kindly, and appointed some, who were ready to go by two of the clock in the morning ; against which time I made ready a letter, declaring therein our good success, the state of his body, &c., desiring to send such things as I sent for, and such physic as the surgeon durst administer to him.
" He requested me that, the day following, I would take my piece, and kill him some fowl, and make him some English pottage, such as he had eaten at Plymouth ; which I promised. After, his stomach coming to him, I must needs make him some without fowl, before I went abroad, which somewhat troubled me ; but being I must do some- what, I caused a woman to bruise some corn, and take the flour from it, and set over the grit, or broken corn, in a pipkin, for they have earthen pots of all sizes. When the day broke, we went out, it being now March, to seek herbs, but could not find any but strawberry leaves, of which I gathered a handful, and put into the same ; and be- cause I had nothing to relish it, I went forth again, and pulled up a sassafras root, and sliced a piece thoreof, and boiled it, till it had a good relish, and then took it out again. The broth being boiled, I strained it through my handkerchief, and gave him at least a pint, which he drank, and liked it very well. After this his sight mended more and more ; and he took some rest; insomuch as we with admiration blessed God for giving his blessing to such raw and ignorant means, making no doubt of his recovery, himself and all of them acknowledging us the instruments of his preservation. That morning he caused me to spend in going from one to another amongst those that were sick in the town, requesting me to wash their mouths also, and give to each of them some of the same I gave him, saying that they were good folk. This pains I took with willingness, though it were much offensive to me, not being accustomed with such poisonous savors.
" The messengers were now returned, but finding his stomach come to him, he would not have the chickens killed, but kept them for breed. Neither durst we give him any physic, which was then sent, because his body was so much altered since our instructions ; neither saw we any need, not doubting now of his recovery, if he were careful. Many, whilst we were there, came to see him ; some, by their report, from a place not less than a hundred miles. Upon this his recovery, he brake forth into these speeches : 'Now I see the English are my friends and love me ; and whilst I live, I will never forget this kindness they have showed me.' Whilst we were there, our entertainment exceeded all other strangers."-Good News from New England.
Massasoit, gratefully impressed with the kind offices performed by Winslow, revealed a plot of the Massachusett Indians against Weston's people at Wessagusset, and, lest the English at Plymouth should avenge their countrymen, they were also to be destroyed ; and he advised them to kill the conspirators, as the only means of security. The governor, on receiving this intelligence, which was confirmed by other evidences, dispatched Capt. Standish with eight men, in order, if a plot should be discovered, to fall on the 3
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conspirators. Standish sailed to the Massachusetts, where the natives, suspecting his design, insulted and threatened him. Watching his opportunity, when four of the principal conspirators were in a room with about the same number of his own men, he attacked them, and, after a dreadful struggle, succeeded in kill- ing the whole. This sudden and unexpected execution so terrified the other natives, who had intended to join with the Massachusetts in the conspiracy, that they forsook their houses and fled to swamps and desert places, where they contracted diseases which proved mortal to many of them, among whom were a number of sachems.
The fame of the plantation at Plymouth being spread in the west of England, Mr. White, a celebrated minister of Dorchester, in 1624, excited some merchants and other gentlemen to attempt another settlement in New England. They accordingly, on a common stock, sent over several persons, who began a plantation at Cape Ann. In March of this year, Mr. Winslow, agent for the colony, arrived in the ship Charity, and, together with a good sup- ply of clothing, brought a bull and three heifers, which were the first cattle of the kind in this part of America. At the close of this year (1624) the plantation at Plymouth consisted of one hun- dred and eighty persons, who lived in thirty-two dwelling-houses. Their stock was a few cattle and goats, and a plenty of swine and poultry. Their town was pallisadoed about half a mile in compass. On a hill in the town, they had a fort well built of wood, and a watch-tower. This year they freighted a ship of one hundred and eighty tons.
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The year 1625 is distinguished by the death of the Rev. Mr. Robinson. He died at Leyden, in March, 1625, in the fiftieth year of his age. He was truly a great and good man, and highly esteemed. After his death, his wife, children, and most of his congregation, came and joined their brethren, the colonists at Ply- mouth. In 1630, when the plantation consisted of about three hundred souls, a patent was taken out in the name of William Bradford, his heirs, associates, and assigns. This patent con- firmed their title to a tract of land bounded on the east and south by the Atlantic ocean, and by lines drawn west from the rivulet Connohasset, and north from the river of Narragansett, which lines meet in a point, comprehending all the country then called Pokanokit. In the same patent was granted a large tract border- ing on the river Kennebec, (now in the state of Maine,) where they carried on a traffic with the natives for furs. This patent passed the king's hand, but, on account of the agents of the colony inserting a clause without their advice, the patent was never finished, and they remained without a charter until they were incorporated with Massachusetts in 1691 or 1692. Notwithstanding this, Plymouth was a government de facto, and considered as such by king Charles in his letters and orders which were sent them at various times, previous to their incorporation with Massachusetts.
On the 19th of March, 1628, the Plymouth Council sealed a patent to Sir Henry Roswell and five others, of all that part of
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New England included between a line drawn three miles south of Charles river, and another three miles north of the river Merrimac, from the Atlantic to the South sea. A royal charter, giving pow- ers of government, passed the seals March 4th, 1629. At this period a few scattering settlements only had been made in Massa- chusetts Bay. In the summer of 1628, Mr. Endicott, one of the original planters, with a small colony, was sent over to begin a plantation at Naumkeag, (now Salem). The June following, about two hundred persons, with four ministers, came over and joined Mr. Endicott's colony ; and the next year they formed them- selves into a church, being the first church gathered in the original colony of Massachusetts, and the second in New England; the church at Plymouth being gathered eight years before. In 1630, seventeen ships came over to Massachusetts from different ports in England, with more than fifteen hundred passengers, among whom were many persons of distinction. Many of these persons were from illustrious and noble families. Having been accustomed to a life of ease and enjoyment, their sufferings for the first year were very great, and proved fatal to many; among others to the lady Arabella, who "came from a paradise of plenty and pleasure, in the family of a noble earl, into a wilderness of wants." She died at Salem, where she first landed, and Mr. Johnson, her husband, overcome with grief, survived her but a short time. About this time settlements were made at Charlestown, Dorchester, Cam- bridge, Roxbury and Boston. The first General Court of Massa- chusetts was held October 19th, 1630, at Boston, by the freemen of the corporation at large. At this court it was agreed that, in future, the freemen should choose the assistants, and that the assistants should choose from among themselves the governor and deputy-governor. The court of assistants were to have the power of making laws and appointing officers. Being desirous of esta- blishing a religious commonwealth, they ordained " that none but church members should be admitted to the freedom of the body politic," or enjoy the privilege of voting.
In 1632 and 1633 great numbers of emigrants came over to New England. Such was the tide of emigration, that the king in coun- cil issued an order in February, 1633, to prevent it. Notwith- standing this order, Messrs. Cotton, Hooker, and Stone, three emi- nent ministers, who were considered the most famous pillars of the churches, came over this year, with two hundred emigrants, and landed at Boston. Mr. Cotton settled at Boston, the other two at Cambridge. Mr. Hooker, with one hundred others, re- moved in 1636, and settled Hartford in Connecticut. In 1634, it was found so very inconvenient for all the freemen to assemble in one place and transact their business, the mode of legislation was altered by the general consent of the towns. They delegated to twenty-four representatives the authority granted by the charter to the whole body of freemen. The appellation of General Court, which had been applied to all the freemen when assembled, was now transferred to their representatives. It was during this year
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(1634) that Roger Williams, the minister of Salem, having occa- sioned disturbances by tenets considered not only heretical, but seditious, and being found irreclaimable, was ordered to leave the colony. He retired to Rehoboth, which was then within the juris- diction of Plymouth. In 1635, there came to Massachusetts a large number of inhabitants from England, among whom were Hugh, Peters, who was afterwards chaplain to Cromwell, and Mr. Vane, afterwards Sir Henry Vane, who acted a conspicuous part during the Commonwealth of England. Mr. Vane was made governor of the colony the year after his arrival. His popularity, however, was transient. During his administration, in 1636, Mrs. Hutchinson, a woman distinguished for her eloquence, held weekly meetings for persons of her own sex, in which she commented on the sermons of the preceding Sunday, and advanced mystical and extravagant doctrines. These spread rapidly among the people, and many became converts, among whom were Governor Vane, Mr. Cotton and Mr. Wheelwright, two distinguished ministers. Great excitement was produced among the people, the final result of which was, a synod was appointed to be held at Cambridge in August, 1637, where were assembled both ministers and messen-
gers of churches, and magistrates, who, after three weeks' disputa- tion, condemned as erroneous upwards of eighty opinions, said to have been maintained by persons in the country. In consequence of this, Mrs. Hutchinson and some of her principal followers were sentenced to banishment. She, with her husband and family, removed to Rhode Island, where, in 1642, Mr. Hutchinson died. She, being dissatisfied with the people or place, removed to the Dutch country beyond New Haven, where she was killed, with all her family, being sixteen in number, except one daughter, who was carried into captivity.
The year 1637 was distinguished by the Pequot war in Con- necticut, in which were killed five or six hundred Indians, and the warlike Pequots were mostly destroyed. This first war with the Indians struck such a terror into the surrounding tribes, that for forty years afterwards they never openly commenced hostilities with the English. In 1640, the tide of emigration from England ceased. Persecution having ceased in England, the motives for coming to New England were removed. They who then professed to give the best account, say that in two hundred and ninety-eight ships, which were the whole number from the beginning of the colony, there arrived twenty-one thousand two hundred passengers, men, women, and children, perhaps about four thousand families. After this period it is supposed that for a long time afterwards more persons returned to England, than came from England to the colonies. "Such, however, were the character and virtues of the emigrants, such the power over difficulties, which their reso- lute minds, and bodies hardened by labor, had imparted to them, that they continued to increase with astonishing rapidity in wealth and numbers."
In 1643, four of the New England colonies, Massachusetts, Con-
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necticut, Plymouth and New Haven, united in a confederacy for mutual protection and assistance. The articles of union and con- federation were signed at Boston, on the 19th of May. The rea- sons assigned for this union, were, the danger from the Indians, from the Dutch at New York, and from the French; also the impossibility of obtaining aid from the mother country in case of any sudden attack. By the articles of the confederation, each colony was to appoint two commissioners, who were to assemble by rotation in the respective colonies, and were empowered to enact ordinances of general concern ; and in case of invasion each colony was bound to furnish a stipulated proportion of men and money. The commissioners who formed the union, declared, that, as in nation and religion, so in other respects, they be and continue one ; and henceforth be called by the name of The United Colonies of New England. This union rendered the colonies formidable to their enemies, and secured the peace and rights of the country.
The first instance on record in Massachusetts of a trial for witch- craft, was in 1648, when Margaret Jones, of Charlestown, was indict- ed for a witch, found guilty, and executed, in accordance with the laws of England against this crime. "She was charged with having such a malignant touch, that if she laid her hands upon man, woman, or child, in anger, they were seized presently with deafness, vomiting, or other sickness, or some violent pains." Since the year 1634, committees, consisting of ministers and prin- cipal laymen, were appointed almost every year, for twelve or fourteen years, to prepare a code of laws for the colony. Mean- while, laws of the greatest necessity had been successively enacted. This year (1648) the whole were collected, ratified by the court, and printed. In civil actions, equity, according to the circum- stances of the case, seems to have been their rule of determining. In punishing offences, they professed to be governed by the judi- cial law of Moses, but no farther than those laws were of a moral nature. Many of their sentences previous to their having a regu- lar code of laws, seem to be adapted to the circumstances of a large family of children and servants, as will appear from the fol- lowing, which, from among many others of the same sort, are taken from the public records,
Josias Plaistowe, for stealing four baskets of corn from the Indians, is ordered to return them eight baskets, to be fined five pounds, and hereafter to be called by the name of Josias, and not Mr., as formerly he used to be .*
Captain Stone, for abusing Mr. Ludlow, and calling him justass, is fined one hun- dred pounds, and prohibited from coming within the patent, without the governor's leave, upon pain of death.
Serjeant Perkins ordered to carry forty turfs to the fort for being drunk.
Edward Palmer, for his extortion in taking two pounds thirteen shillings and four- pence for the wood-work of Boston stocks, is fined five pounds, and ordered to sit one hour in the stocks.
* They were very careful to give no titles where they were not due. In a list of one hundred freemen you will not find above four or five distinguished by Mr., although they were men of some substance. Goodman and goodwife were the common appella- tions.
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Capt. Lovel admonished to take heed of light carriage.
Thomas Petit, for suspicion of slander, idleness and stubbornness, is censured to be severely whipped and to be kept in hold.
Catharine, the wife of Richard Cornish, was found suspicious of incontinency, and seriously admonished to take heed.
Daniel Clarke, found to be an immoderate drinker, was fined forty shillings.
John Wedgewood, for being in the company of drunkards, to be set in the stocks.
John Kitchin, for showing books which he was commanded to bring to the governor, and forbidden to show them to any other, and yet showed them, was fined ten shil- lings.
Robert Shorthose, for swearing by the blood of God, was sentenced to have his tongue put into a cleft stick, and to stand so for the space of half an hour.
Great numbers of the like kind might be added .- Hutchinson's Hist. of Mass., vol. i. p. 436.
About this period, the custom of wearing long hair, "after the manner of Russians and barbarous Indians," as Gov. Endicott and others termed it, was deemed contrary to the word of God, which says "it is a shame for a man to wear long hair." The rule in New England was, that none should wear their hair below their ears. In a clergyman it was peculiarly offensive, as they were required to go with open ears. A few years before this, tobacco was prohibited under a penalty, and the smoke, in some manuscripts, is compared to the smoke of the bottomless pit. Some of the clergy fell into the practice of smoking, and tobacco, by an act of government, "was set at liberty."
The trade of the colony increasing, especially with the West Indies, where the bucaneers or pirates at this time were numerous, and part of the wealth they took from the Spaniards, as well as what was produced by the trade, being brought into New England in bullion, "it was thought necessary, for preventing fraud in money," to erect a mint for coining shillings, sixpences, and three- pences, with no other impression at first than N. E. on the one side, and XII., VI., or III. on the other; but in October, 1651, the court ordered that all pieces of money should have a double ring with this inscription, MASSACHUSETTS, and a tree in the centre, and NEW ENGLAND and the year of our Lord on the other side .* The annexed cut is a representation of one of these coins.
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* The first money being coined in 1652, the same date was continued upon all that was struck for thirty years afterwards. No other colony ever presumed to coin metal into money. A very large sum was coined, and the mint-master made a large fortune by it, as he was allowed to take fifteen pence out of every twenty shillings for the . trouble of coining, &c. It was commonly reported that Mr. Sewall, who married his only daughter, received with her thirty thousand pounds in New England shillings .- Hutchinson's Hist. vol. i. p. 178.
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In the year 1656 began what is generally called the persecution of the Quakers. The first who openly professed their principles in the colony were Mary Fisher and Ann Austin, who came from Barbadoes in July of this year. In a few weeks after, nine others arrived in a ship from London. Being brought before the court of assistants on the Sth of September, they affirmed they were sent by God to reprove the people for their sins. Being questioned how they could make it appear that God had sent them, they, after a pause, replied, that they had the same call that Abraham had to go out of his country. To other questions they gave rude and contemptuous answers, which is the reason assigned for com- mitting them to prison. A great number of their books, which they intended to circulate over the country, were seized and re- served for the fire. Soon after this, as the governor was going from public worship on the Lord's day, several gentlemen accom- panying him, Mary Prince called to him from a window of the prison, railing and reviling him, saying, "Woe unto thee, thou art an oppressor," and denouncing the judgments of God upon him. She also wrote him a letter, filled with opprobrious language. The governor sent for her twice from the prison to his own house, and, with a number of ministers, endeavored with much tenderness and moderation to convince her of her errors. She, however, railed upon them, calling them hirelings, deceivers of the people, Baal's priests, the seed of the serpent, &c.
At this time there was no special provision made in the laws for the punishment of Quakers; but, in virtue of a law which had been made against heretics in general, the court passed sen- tence of banishment upon them all. Afterwards other severe laws were enacted, among which were the following : any Quaker, after the first conviction, if a man, was to lose one ear, and for the second the other; a woman, each time to be severely whipped ; and the third time, whether man or woman, to have their tongues bored through with a red-hot iron. In October, 1658, after much opposition by members of the court, they, by a majority of one vote only, passed a law for punishing with death all Quakers who should return into their jurisdiction after banishment. Under this law four persons were executed. The friends of the Quakers in England now interposed, and obtained an order from the king, September 9th, 1661, requiring that a stop should be put to all capital or corporeal punishments of his subjects called Quakers, and that such as were obnoxious should be sent to England. This order was obeyed, and all disturbances by degrees subsided.
Much censure has been passed upon the New England colonies. for their severe laws against those calling themselves Quakers; yet it must be recollected that the laws in England against them, at this period, were severe, and although none were put to death by public execution, yet many were confined in prisons, where they died, in consequence of the rigor of the law. One principal thing which tends to mislead the judgment of many, in this pre- sent age, is the supposition that those who suffered the punishment
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