USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of Boston, the metropolis of Massachusetts, from its origin to the present period; with some account of the environs > Part 18
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Minot, Hist. Mass. i. 43-51.
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HISTORY OF BOSTON.
' the colony refused any obedience to the acts for regulating the trade of the plantations.'
'Several laws were made by the court, while the agents were in England, to remove some of the exceptions which were taken, and the king's arms were ordered to be carved and put up in the court [town] house. But it was a more difficult thing to conform to the acts of trade : they acknowledge in their letter to their agents that they had not done it. They apprehended them to be an invasion of the rights, liberties and property of the subjects of his majesty, they not being repre- sented in parliament ; however, they had made provision by a law, that the acts should be strictly observed from time to time, although it greatly discouraged trade, and was a great damage to his majesty's plantation.' Here we perceive that the gov- ernment of Massachusetts avowed the principle, that taxation and representation ought to go together, a hundred years before the united colonies declared that they should.
Randolph kept a continual watch upon the colony, and went divers times to England with complaints, and returned with fresh orders and powers. In 1678 he came over with authority from the commissioners of the customs as an inspec- tor, and to make seizures for breaches of the acts of trade ; but he was generally, if not always, condemned in costs. In his list of 'articles of high misdemcanour exhibited against a faction of the general court,' besides accusing them of aiming at independence, he alleges that in opposition to him, they had ' confirmed the place and powers of the collector of the cus- toms and imposts, laid upon wines and strong waters imported into their colony, set up by a law made in their colony in 1645 ;' which officer, he says, had been chief collector of these duties above a year before his own office was ordered.
Even this collector, though appointed by the court, it seems met with some refractory spirits, who were not disposed to submit to the 'acts of trade.' Town Records, 1678, Aug. 26, ' Mr. Paul Dudley, collector of the customs in this port of Bostone, complaining that Robert Orchard, who had received several goods from England, had neglected to make any entry, and refused to produce an invoice of them, the said Mr. Dud- ley desired the assistance of the selectmen to rate the said Orchard for the said goods, according to their best discretion, as the law directs. And the said collector with the selectmen do, according to the law, rate the said Orchard to pay to the collector £10 in money, for the custom of the said goods.'- And the constable thereupon attached 19lbs. of beaver, as security for the same.
Governour Leverett, who had been annually continued in office, from the time of his being first chosen in 1673, died on the 16th of March, 1679. He had been a soldier in early
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HISTORY OF BOSTON.
life, and distinguished himself in several actions abroad. Up- on his return he was chosen a deputy to the general court for Boston ; in 1664 he was appointed major-general, and elected assistant in 1665 : he succeeded Mr. Francis Wil- loughby in the deputy-governour's office in 1671, and held that place till he became governour. The weighty affairs of the war and of the agency during his administration, conduct- ed with prudence and steadiness, caused him to be greatly respected, and he was so beloved by the colony, that his elec- tion was never contested, and he descended with honour to the grave. His funeral was attended with great solemnity : a sermon was preached by Mr. [Samuel] Nowel, and military honours were conferred on the occasion .*
The agents returned in 1679. In 1681, Randolph obtained a commission from the crown, for collector and surveyor and searcher of the customs, in New England. He laid his com- mission before the general court, and desired he might be aid- ed in the execution of his office with their countenance and authority : but no notice being taken of his application, he set up his advertisement in the town-house, to acquaint all per- sons concerned, that an office was erected, and they must govern themselves accordingly. This, he said, was taken down by the marshal, by order of the general court, or some of the members. He, therefore, demanded a final resolution of the court, whether they would admit his, commission to be in force or not, that he might know how to order his proceed- ings. What was their reply to Randolph we have not found ;
* Order of march at the funeral of Governor Leverett, who died 16 March 1678, and was buried the first day of the next year, 25 March, 1679.
Mr. John Joyliffe
Mr. James Whetcombe
Mr. Wm. Tailer
to carry each a Banner Roll at the 4 corners of the Herse.
Mr. Rics. Middlecot 1
To march next before the Herse as followeth.
S Mr. Sam. Shrimpton, or in his absence Capt. Clap to carry the helmet. Mr. John Fairweather to carry the Gorget.
S Mr. E. Hutchinson Brest
Mr. Charles Lidgett Back
S Mr. Samp. Sheafe
one tace
Mr. John Pincheon one tace Mr. Dummer in case
S Capt. Nich. Page one Gauntlet
Capt. Jona. Curwin one Gauntlet
S Lieut. Edw. Willys the Target
Capt. Edw. Tyng the Sword
Mr. Hez. Usber one Spur
Mr. Peter Sargeant one Spur
Capt. Wm. Gerrish to lead the Horse per the Rain and Return Waite (as Groom) per the headstall.
Mr. Lynde
Mr. Saffin
Mr. Rock to carry Banners mixt with the Banner Roles above.
N. Green
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HISTORY OF BOSTON.
but in an answer to the king we find them declaring, that he ' was acknowledged collector, and his commission enrolled.'
Charles II. remained dissatisfied, and required that other agents should be sent over, without delay, with powers to submit to such regulations of government as his Majesty should think fit. Mr. Joseph Dudley, a son of the first deputy-gov- ernour, and Mr.John Richards, a wealthy merchant of Boston, a man of fair character and one of the assistants, were cho- sen, and despatched with all practicable speed. They arrived at London on the latter end of August, 1682, and Randolph was not long after them, ready to disclose every thing they might wish to conceal. They found ' his majesty greatly pro- voked;' and in their first letters to the general court repre- sented the case of the colony as desperate, and left it to the court to determine, whether it was advisable to submit to his pleasure or to suffer a quo warranto to issue. Upon receipt of these advices it was made a question, not in the court only, but amongst all the inhabitants, whether to surrender or not. On the whole, the agents were instructed to make no conces- sions of any privileges conferred upon the colony by the charter. Upon receiving this final resolution of the court, their business was at an end : it was immediately determined a Q. W. should go forth, the agents returned to Boston, Oct. 23, 1683, and Randolph arrived the same week with the in- strument of death.
' The next day after Randolph arrived, a destructive fire happened in the richest part of the town. Some of the peo- ple in their rage and jealousy supposed it to have been kind- led by his procurement. It was on the south side of the dock's mouth, and consumed a great number of dwelling houses, warehouses and vessels.'
The Bostoneers, as Randolph called them, were forward to oppose his Majesty's demand : this is the record :
1684, Jan. 21. At a meeting of the freemen of this town upon lawful warning, upon reading and publishing his Majes- ty's declaration dated 26 July, 1683, relating to the quo war- ranto issued out against the charter and privileges claimed by the governour and company of the Mass. Bay in N. E. It being put to the vote, whether the freemen were minded, that the general court should make a full submission and entire resignation, of our charter and privileges therein granted, to his majesty's pleasure, as intimated in the said declaration now read, the question was resolved in the negative, NEMINE CONTRADICENTE.
It is impossible to pronounce the two last words without perceiving that the clerk felt himself animated with the assur- ance, that he was recording the sentiments of the whole popu-
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HISTORY OF BOSTON.
lation .* Yet the proposition divided the legislature. The Governour (Bradstreet) and the major part of the assistants, says Minot, voted not to contend in law, but to submit to the pleasure of the King; but the representatives, after a fort- night's consideration, refused to give this vote their concur- rence ; and a letter of attorney was sent to a suitable person to appear and answer in behalf of the Colony.
'It seems that this' process was issued from the Court of King's bench, where the attorney was accordingly authorised to appear ; but from some reason or other proceedings were not further prosecuted there, and a scire facias was issued against the colony from the Court of Chancery, on the 16th day of April, and was not received until the return day had expired ; by means of which, judgment was given against the colony on the 18th of June, 1684, subject to an appearance and defence on the next term, without their being heard, or receiving timely notice to appear. 'Thus fell the good old charter, valuable for its defects so happily supplied, as well as its powers. But with it fell not the habits it had engender- ed, nor the principles which the settlement of the country had inspired.'
' The loss of the charter was followed within a few months with the death of King Charles II. (Feb. 6, 1685,) which oc. casioned such a crowd of business at home, that the planta- tions were neglected for some time. King James II. was proclaimed with great ceremony in the high street in Boston, on the 20th of April. As soon as he was settled in his throne, he sent over a commission to Col. Joseph Dudley, to take the government of New-England upon him,under the title of Pres- ident, and appointed him a new council, of his majesty's own nomination, with Wm. Stoughton as deputy president. Mr. D. received it (by the Rose frigate, the first we have noticed as arriving in Boston harbour) on the 15th of May, 1686, and it was made publick on the 25th, when the president and council met in form.t
' Mr. Dudley considered himself and the council appointed to preserve the affairs of the colony from confusion, until a governour should be appointed, and a rule of administration be more fully settled. Hutchinson says, that ' in general the former laws and established customs, so far as related to judicial proceedings, seem to have been their rule, although the government which framed them was dissolved. The
* See Remarkables of Increase Mather, who attended the meeting and made a spirit-stir- ring speech on the subject.
t Neal, N. E. ch. x. Hutch. Hist. 1. ch. iii. The old magistrates had continued to exer- cise authority, as a thing of necessity, until May 12, 1686, the date of the last old charter record, when Mr. Bradstreet was chosen Governour.
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HISTORY OF BOSTON.
affairs of the towns were likewise managed in the same man- "ner as formerly.'
The power of granting taxes being transferred to the Presi- dent and council, it was necessary for the town of Boston to make application for liberty to assess and collect their usual rates. The following articles, from the town records, are the . more interesting from the consideration that Randolph thought to have destroyed the publick records from 1686 to 1689. The town record next after May 14,1686, reads thus : 'Upon the constables' delaying or neglect to collect the rate for the alms-house or work-house, within mentioned, the President and council were pleased to endorse the warrant following upon each constable's list.
By the President and Council.
The order and agreement of the town of Boston relating to the alms or work house having been considered, the rate in this paper is allowed, and to be paid as formerly ordered by the Committee and Selectmen, reserving liberty to complain as formerly, to such as are oppressed or aggrieved : and where any have subscribed or made promise and refuse pay- ment, the treasurer or his attorney hath power to recover the same by action before any two justices of the peace, if the subscriptions exceed not 40s. or otherwise by the county court. per Edward Randolph, Sec'y.
By the President and Council, June 2, 1686.
In answer to the motion of the selectmen of Boston showing that their town treasury is so exhausted that they stand in need of a present supply, for the maintenance of the poor, mending the highways, finishing the alms house, and other necessary town occasions, which have been formerly and par- ticularly referred to their care and management, the Pres't and council for the present exigency, and having seen the town's votes allowing the said selectmen's power, accordingly do approve the same, and order them to give notice of the sum necessary and to proceed in due and equal manner to levy the same upon the inhabitants and estates of the town.
Sec.
Copy of a return to the Council, June 7th.
Whereas the President and council, June 2, 1686, in answer to the motion of the Selectmen of Boston for the supply of money to maintain the poor, mending of the highways, and other necessary town's occasions, ordering to give notice of the sum to defray the charge, it is found according to former
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HISTORY OF BOSTON.
experience, that rating the town about £600, rate pay, being customary to abate one third part if paid in money, which brings it to £400, and abatements for such as have been rated and found not able to pay, and for such as have died, and such as have gone to sea, removed to other places, before they have been paid, and such as have been abated on com- plaint of being overrated, commonly brings it to £340 or £350. And the standing charge of this town at this time is about £400 per ann. and about 200 of which is in maintaining three free schools, mending the highways in Boston, Romney Marsh and Muddy river, the rest to several that have standing salary for service in the town, and to poor people, that are not likely to get their livings as long as they do live, besides clothing and burying the poor, and giving to people's necessi- ties transiently, repairing the town-house and school-houses, maintaining bastards and poor people when they are sick and nurses for them, and powder for the town's occasions, paying house rent for it, and blowing up of houses, and finding powder for the town as the law requires.
Subscribed per Edward Willis, treasurer.
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CHAPTER XXX.
Thy sons, Edina, social, kind, With open arms the stranger hail, Gay as the gilded summer sky, Thy daughters bright thy walks adorn. Address to Edinburgh.
FROM this review of the course of publick affairs we turn now to exhibit to our readers a picture of private society and manners in the same period : and we shall do it in the words of the facetious John Dunton, who visited Boston in 1686, and published an account of his life and errours in 1705.
' We weighed out of the Downs, Nov. 2, 1685 ; and made the best of our way for the Beachy .- We were above four months at sea, and at last reduced to that extremity that each of us had no more than the allowance of one bottle of water for four days. When we came within ken of Boston, we were all overjoyed, being just upon the point of starving ; we put off to land in the long boat and came ashore near the Castle, which stands about a mile from Boston. The country appeared at first like a barren waste, but we found humanity enough when we came amongst the inhabitants. We lodged
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HISTORY OF BOSTON.
the first night at the Castle, and next morning we found the way to Boston lay over the ice, which was but cold comfort, after we had been stowed up so many months in a cabin. The air of New England was sharper than at London, which, with the temptation of fresh provisions, made me eat like a second Mariot of Gray's Inn. The first person that welcom- ed me.to Boston was Mr. Burroughs, formerly a hearer of my reverend father-in-law, Dr. Annesly. He heaped more civilities upon me than I can reckon up, offered to lend me monies, and made me his bedfellow, till I had provided lodgings.
As I was rambling through Boston, I met both with lodg- ings, and a warehouse at Mr. Wilkin's, whose family deserves as well of me, as any in New England. Being thus fixed, I delivered the letters of recommendation I had brought with me from England. I had one from the Reverend Mr. Richard Stretton, to Mr. Stoughton, the deputy governour: and Mr. Morton of Newington-Green, sent another to major Dudley, afterwards president, which, with other letters to the magis- trates, had the good effect that I was made freeman of Boston, though very much obliged for it to the friendship of Mr. Burroughs. Immediately upon this, captain Hutchinson gave me an invitation to dine with the governour and the mag- istrates in the town hall. The entertainment was very rich and noble, and the governour, deputy-governour, major Dud- ley, and the other magistrates gave me a very friendly wel- come to Boston, and kindly wished me success in my under- taking.
He that trades with the inhabitants of Boston, should be well furnished with a Grecian faith : he may get promises . enough, but their payments come late. However, under all the disadvantages of that kind, I was now resolved to run the risk of it, and in order to promote the sale, I made a visit to the Reverend Mr. Increase Mather, the metropolitan clergy- man of that country, and rector of Harvard College. He is master of a great stock of learning, and a very eminent divine. His son, the Reverend Mr. Cotton Mather, was then upon finishing his Magnalia Christi Americana, which has lately been published here in England. There is abundance of freedom and familiarity in the humour of this gentleman ; his conversation and his writings are living evidences that he has read much, but there are many that won't allow him the prudence to make a seasonable use of it. His library is very large and numerous, but had his books been fewer when he writ his history, 'twould have pleased us better.
I was next to wait upon the Reverend Mr. Willard, minis- ter of the South-Meeting in Boston ; he is well furnished with learning and solid notion, has a natural fluency of speech,
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HISTORY OF BOSTON.
and can say what he pleases. Afterwards I went to visit the Reverend Mr. Allen, he is very humble and very rich, and can be generous enough, when the humour is upon him. His son was an eminent minister here in England, and deceased at Northampton. Mr. [Joshua] Moody was assistant to Mr. Allen, and well known by his practical writings. Leaving Mr. Allen's house, I went next to Mr. John and Mr. Thomas Baily. These two are popular preachers, and very generous to strangers; I heard Mr. John upon these words,-Looking unto Jesus, aud I thought he spake like an angel. They ex- press a more than ordinary kindness to Mr. Wilkins, my land- lord, and (being persecuted in Limerick for their noncon- formity) came over with him from Ireland. Reader, I might be large in their character ; but when I tell you they are true pictures of Dr. Annesly (whom they count as a second St. Paul) 'tis as high as I need go.
The sun being now gone to bed (for though I was up before him, he got to his lodging first) I bid good night to these two brothers, who gave me a hearty welcome to Boston, and as- sured me of all the service that lay in their power.
Having first paid my visits to the clergy of Boston, and given a character of them, pray give me leave to ask my brethren the booksellers how they do, and that shall be all. For though I know they love to be respected, yet at the same time I am satisfied, that I'm as welcome to them as sour ale in summer, for they look upon my gain to be their loss, and do make good the truth of that old proverb, that interest will not lie ; but I must begin my addresses to them.
Mr. [John] Usher, your humble servant. This trader makes the best figure in Boston ; he is very rich, adventures much to sea ; but has got his estate by book-selling ; he pro- posed to me the buying my whole venture, but would not agree to my terms, and so we parted with a great deal of seeming respect.
Mr. Phillips, my old correspondent !- 'Tis reason I should make you the next visit. He treated me with a noble dinner, and (if I may trust my eyes) is blest with a pretty obliging wife ; I'll say that for Sam (after dealing with him for some hundred pounds) he is very just, and (as an effect of that) very thriving. I shall add to his character, that he is young and witty, and the most beautiful man in the town of Boston.
But leaving Phillips, I rambled next to visit Minheer Brun- ning, he is a Dutch bookseller from Holland, scrupulously just, plain in his clothes, and if we will believe the printers in Boston (who are notable criticks in such cases) a most excel- lent paymaster. Brunning is versed in the knowledge of all sorts of books, and may well be styled a complete bookseller. He never decries a book, because 'tis not of his own printing;
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there are some men that will run down the most elaborate pieces, only because they had none of their midwifery to bring them into publick view, and yet shall give the greatest encomium to the most nauseous trash, when they had the hap to be concerned in it. But Brunning was none of these ; for he would promote a good book whoever printed it ; and I found him a man of that great interest, that I made him my partner in printing Mr. Mather's sermon, preached at the ex- ecution of Morgan, who was the only person executed in that country for near seven years. From the Dutch, I went to the Scotch bookseller, one Duncan Cambel, he is very indus- trious, dresses all-a-mode, and I am told, a young lady of a great fortune is fallen in love with him.
Having visited all the booksellers, I will next give an ac- count of what acquaintance I had in Boston. I shall begin with Mr. Willy, who fled thither on the account of conscience, (and is brother-in-law to the Reverend Mr. Baily) he is a man of a large heart, one who, in relieving others' wants, con- siders not so much his own ability, as their necessity. This Monmouth's forlorn fugitives experienced often, to whom he was the common refuge. The next I shall mention is Mr. White, a merchant, who by trading has clasped islands to the continent, and tacked one country to another ; his knowl- edge, both of men and things, is universal .- --- The next was Mr. Green, a printer ; I contracted a great friendship with this man ; to name his trade, will convince the world he was a man of good sense and understanding; he was so facetious and obliging in his conversation, that I took a great delight in his company, and made use of his house to while away my melancholy hours. Another of my acquaintance was Cap- tain Gery [Gerrish ?] a man as eminent for his love to his country, as Junius Brutus and the famous Scaevola among the Romans .- Another of 'em was George Monk, a person so remarkable, that had I not been acquainted with him, it would
1 be a hard matter to make any New England man believe that I had been in Boston; there was no house in Boston more noted than George Monk's, or where a man might meet with better entertainment; he was so much the life and spirit of the guests that came to his house, that it was almost impossi- ble not to be cheerful in his company. Another was captain Townsend, a gentleman very courteous and affable in his con- versation.
I might here ramble to Mr. Jollyff, justice Lines, Macarty, and some others ; but least I tire you quite, I will next come to a distinct head, which shall be those of my countrymen that have rambled into this country as well as myself, such of them, I mean, as I came acquainted with in the course of my business : and these were, first, Mr. Mortimer, who came from
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HISTORY OF BOSTON.
Ireland ; he was an accomplished merchant, a person of great modesty, and could answer the most abstruse points in algebra, navigation, dialling, &c.
The next to these was Mr. King: love was the cause of this gentleman's long ramble hither ; sure his mistress was made of stone, for King had a voice would have charmed the spheres, he sang, All Hail to the Myrtle Shades, with a match- less grace, and might be called an accomplished person.
Another acquaintance was Mr. York, he had his soft min- utes as well as other men, and when he unbent the bow, for he was very industrious, he treated the fair sex with so much courtship and address, as if loving had been all his trade.
The next I mention shall be Andrew Thorncomb, bookseller from London ; his company was coveted by the best gentle- men in Boston, nor is he less acceptable to the fair sex ; for he has something in him so extremely charming, as makes them very fond of his company. However, he is a virtuous person, and deserves all the respect they showed him. He visited me often in Boston, and I here declare I've a particular kindness for him.
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