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 8
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This was not the end of the church's contentions. One re- putcd heresy paved the way for another, till at length the sa- gacity of some men could discover at least eighty dangerous doctrines to prevail, either in the form of explicit avowal or of necessary inference. Partly on account of this trouble a gen- cral fast was kept in January 1637. But the observance of no rites whatever was able to abolish the existing differences or points of faith. Mr. Cotton alone of all the settled clergy was on one side ; and the very circumstance of his dissenting from his brethren was sufficient to give the dispute a wider notoriety and keener edge. The whole country was by this time divided. One party ranged itself on the side of justifica- tion, and the other on that of sanctification; and the distinction between the advocates of frec grace, and the adherents to works, was as broad as that which separates protestants from papists.
The General Court which commenced its session in March upheld its interest in the controversy. It had a party in fa- vour of Mr. Cotton and his church, but the majority was on the side of Mr. Wilson and his friends. Of course the correct- ness of the proceedings against him was questioned, and the church decided to have been in the wrong : his speech in the last court and the whole tenour of his conduct were adjudged not only faultless but reasonable.
Mr. Wheelwright had been so injudicious as to preach a sermon on the late fast day, which was calculated to inflame rather than to allay the irritation already existing. It was understood that he was to be called in question at this court for the seditious tendency of that sermon. Nearly all the church of Boston therefore interposed, and presented a peti- tion or remonstrance on the subject, in which they de manded that as freemen they might be present in cases of judicature, and that the court should declare whether they had a right to deal in cases of conscience before the church. The peti- tion was rejected as a groundless and presumptuous act. The court proceeded to adjudge Mr. Wheelwright to be guilty of sedition and also of contempt. Gov. Vanc and some others offered a protest which was rejected. The
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church of Boston also offered another petition in which they justified Mr. Wheelwright's sermon. In conclusion, sentence was deferred till the next Court. When they were about adjourning, it was moved that the next session should be held at Newtown. Gov. Vane, considering it an undeserved re- proach upon the people of Boston, refused to put the vote. 'The deputy, Mr. Winthrop, being also a Boston man, declin- ed doing it, except the court required it : so the honour fell to Mr. Endicott, who put the question and it was carried in the affirmative.
We find no event in the course of the history of Boston, which appears to have excited more universal interest in the people of the town than this Antinomian controversy, as it was called. Whether their religious notions were right or wrong, it is impossible to tell ; but it is evident that they felt their rights as an independent church to be encroached upon, and that they were jealous for their political privileges. 'The next court was held, according to vote, on the 17th of May. Soon as the meeting was organized, which was about one o'clock, a petition was offered by those from Boston. Gov. Vane would have read it ; but Mr. Winthrop declared it to be out of order, as this was a court of election. Others also opposed the reading; because the petition being upon some ' pretence of liberty' (a favourite Boston notion) would spend the whole day in debate. Mr. Wilson, in his zeal, got upon the bough of a tree (it was warm weather, and the election was carried on in the field) and there made a speech, advising the people to look to their charter and proceed to the business of the day. The people applauded him and cried out Elec- tion ! Election ! the great majority was for proceeding. Gov. Vane and his friends were not contented, till the deputy told him, that if he would not go on, himself and the rest would proceed without him. Upon this he yielded, and the election resulted in a return to the original establishment, Mr. Win- throp for Governour and Mr. Dudley for Deputy. Some new assistants were chosen, and Mr. Vane, Mr. Coddington and Mr. Richard Dummer left entirely out of office. This meeting was very tumultuous ; some fierce speeches were made and blows struck, but the strength being evidently on one side, the other soon grew quiet.
Boston had deferred the choice of her representatives till the election for Governour should be over. The next morn- ing, Mr. Vane, Mr. Coddington and Mr. Atherton Hough were chosen. The court considered this selection an insult, and sent them home again, on the ground that two of the freemen of Boston had not been notified. On a new choice the next day, the town returned the same gentlemen, and 'the
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court not finding how they might reject them, they were admitted.'
Upon the election of Mr. Winthrop, the four serjeants, who had attended the former Governour to the court, being all Boston men, laid down their halberds and went home, refus- ing to perform any such service in honour of Gov. Winthrop .* Mr. Vane and Mr. Coddington being discontented that the people had left them out of all office, refused to sit in the magistrates' seat in the meeting-house, and took their seats with the deacons, although Gov. W. politely invited them to sit with him.
Mr. Wheelwright appeared at this court, according to order, but as a day of fasting had been appointed for the 25th of the month, ' when it was agreed that all the churches should choose men to meet and confer about the differences,' the court gave him respite to the next session, which was appoint- ed for the first Tuesday in August. They gave him that time to consider whether he would retract his errours and make submission, or abide the decision of the court. His answer was noble : ' if I have been guilty of sedition, let me die; recan- tation 'is out of the question : if you proceed thus unrighteous- ly against me, I shall appeal to the tribunal of my king.'
There was some expectation, about this time, of an arrival from England, with a party of emigrants favourable to the sentiments prevailing in Boston. This court therefore seiz- ed the opportunity of preventing such a calamity as they supposed their settlement here would be, and passed a law which prohibited all persons to entertain any stranger, who should come with intention to reside, without liberty from one of the standing council or two other assistants. This was a very severe order, and was so disliked by the people of Boston, that upon the Governour's return from court, they all refused to go out to meet him, or show him any respect.
Mr. Cotton was so dissatisfied with this law, that he was on the point of removing to New-Haven. A defence of it was published by the magistrates, and answered by Mr. Vane, who was replied to, probably by Gov. Winthrop. But ar- guments served only to make each party better satisfied of their own correctness. The difference between Mr. Vane and the Governour became so great, that Vane refused an invita- tion to a dinner, given by the Governour in honour of Lord Leigh, a young nobleman, who was here on a visit to the
* The country taking notice of this, offered to send in some from the neighbouring towns to carry the halberds by course, and upon that the town of Boston offered to send some men but not the serjeants : the Governour chose rather to make use of two of his own servants.
See Hutch. coll. of papers. p. 67-84.
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country. His lordship and Mr. Vane prepared to return in August. At their departure (Aug. 2) Mr. Vane's friends as- sembled and accompanied him to the boat. A military com- pany being under arms, gave them 'divers volleys of shot,' and five pieces of ordnance, and they had five more at the castle. The governour was absent, attending court at New- town, ' but he had left order with the captain for their hon- ourable dismission.'
On Mr. Vane's return to England he assumed an active .part in the political affairs of the kingdom; was knighted in 1640 ; joined the party that was against King Charles, and after the restoration was tried for high treason and beheaded June 14, 1662.
He had lived, while in Boston, in the house which now stands on the westerly side of Common Street, (within the square Fh of our plan, ) on one of the Tremont hillocks, next northeasterly to the mansion house of Lieut. Gov. Phillips. This is the oldest house in the city of which we have any ac- count. It was originally small. Mr. Vane gave it to Mr. Cotton, who made an addition to it, and lived and died there. His family occupied it some time after. The building is of wood : the front part has a modern appearance, but the back exhibits marks of its antiquity.
CHAPTER XIV.
" Ah me ! outstretch'd I see, In nameless agony, Woman's imploring hand."
SIR HENRY VANE has had the credit of being the life-blood of the party, which Mrs. Hutchinson's notions had created. However that may have been, it is very apparent that his presence here formed a powerful protection for them against the spirit of persecution, which had already been active. Roger Williams had been banished for holding opinions less dangerous, in the mind of Gov. Winthrop; and it had been declared by Mr. Vane, that the execution of the law against strangers would be followed by the banishment of such as were already here. We shall see that his forebodings were wofully prophetick.
Mrs. Hutchinson continued her lectures, and her admirers are said to have been indefatigable in spreading her senti- ments : both church and state were thrown into uproar and
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the affections of people strangely alienated; they were fre- quently quarrelsome, and upon every occasion ready to come to blows. Both parties claimed Mr. Cotton for their own man : the one affirmed that the doctrines they taught were regularly deduced from his sermons, the other denied it. At last Mr. Cotton was desired to declare himself freely from the pulpit, which he accordingly did, and condemned most of the new positions as false and erroneous. This brought upon him the bitterest reproaches : he was called by some a timorous man, that durst not abide by his own sentiments ; by others a deceiver, that taught one thing in publick and another in pri- vate. One man, more impudent if more witty than the rest, sent him a pound of candles, bidding his servant tell him it was because he wanted light; ' upon which the good man be- stowed only a silent smile.'
The August court probably postponed the business of Mr. Wheelwright, until they should know the result of the synod, which was expected to meet at Newtown, in accordance with the May vote, on the 30th of that month. The object of this assembly having been the purification of Boston from heresy, a particular account of it demands a place here. There were present not only the ministers and messengers from the seve- ral churches, but also the magistrates for keeping the peace, who were allowed both to hear, and to speak, if they had a mind. A place was likewise appointed for the favourers of the new opinions, and the doors were set open, for as many as pleased to come in and hear the debates. The first day was spent in choosing Mr. Hooker from Connecticut and Mr. Bulkley minister of Concord, for moderators. Mr. Cotton, though confessedly at the head of the clergy, was thought to be too much a party to be honoured with that dignity. A list was then read of eighty-two erroneous opinions, which had been maintained in various parts of the country, some of which were the most monstrous and absurd ever heard of. The following days were spent in debating the several points. In the morning a committee was employed in forming arguments against the errours to be confuted that day, which in the after- noon were produced in the synod. Next day the defenders gave in their reply, and produced their arguments for the sup- port of their side of the question ; the third day, the opponents made the last reply. The authors of the errours were neither mentioned nor enquired for by the synod, but the errours themselves were confuted and condemned by reference to particular texts of scripture, which, says Cotton Mather, being briefly applied unto the case, did, unto reasonable men, immediately smite the errour under the fifth rib. All the members of the synod signed the condemnation, except Mr. Cotton, who, though he expressed his dislike of the major part
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of the doctrines, refused to condemn them in the lump : the synod endeavoured to convince him of his mistake, but in vain. Yet this did not prevent a reconciliation between him and the rest of the clergy : he agreed to unite with them in opposing what he believed to be false, and 'thereafter this reverend and worthy minister regained his former splendour, with his wonted esteem and interest in the hearts of all his friends and acquaintance.'
Numbers of the Boston church were present at this synod. They, as well as some others were offended that so many errours should be produced, and declared it a reproach laid upon the country without cause. They called for the names of persons holding this or that doctrine, and were answered, that the evidence was abundant, that such errours had advo- cates either in town or country, yet as the synod had no con- cern with persons, but with doctrines only, it was deemed in- expedient to name any individual. The minority however were too much warmed to suffer any thing to be secreted. They were urgent in their calls for names and witnesses. The moderator, called for order in vain, and the magistrates, on suggesting that if silence were not maintained they should be obliged to interpose, were told that they had no province in such an assembly. One of them retorted, that if immediate silence did not ensue, an opportunity would be given for test- ing the correctness of the two opinions. There was so much severity in this sort of language, that some of the Boston mem- bers withdrew from the assembly.
Among other things which this synod decreed, this was one : though some few women may meet together for prayer and mutual advice, yet such a set assembly, as is in practice at Boston, is unlawful (where sixty or more meet every week, and one woman takes upon herself the whole exercise.) Ano- ther decree was, that private members should be very spar ing intheir questions and observations in publick after sermon. These two decisions struck at the root of two Boston evils. Mr. Davenport delivered the decrees of the synod, and after preaching a very seasonable discourse from Philippians iii. 16. dismissed the meeting on the 22d of September.
One would have thought, says Neal, 'the unanimous voice of the synod should have quieted the minds of the people, but the heads of the faction were not to be vanquished by scrip- ture and reason. Mr. Wheelwright continued his preaching, and Mrs. Hutchinson her meeting, and their followers were so influenced by their doctrines, that when Mr. Wilson went up into the pulpit, half the congregation would go out.' In this state of things, the people were prepared for further proceed- ings against those who maintained the condemned opinions. The court met on the 26th of September, when Mr. Wheel-
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wright appeared and was dismissed till further orders. It seems that a major vote of the deputies, to execute the decrees of the late synod, could not be obtained ; therefore* the house was dissolved and a new one chosen. Eleven only out of twenty-six of the former deputies were elected into the new court, which met Nov. 2, at Newtown, because ' the town of Boston was so infected with the new opinions, that they were afraid of a riot.' The representatives from Boston were Messrs. Coddington, Aspinwall and Coggeshall.
This court, finding upon consultation that two so opposite parties could not continue in the same body without apparent hazard of ruin to the whole, agreed to send away some of the principals. For this a 'fair opportunity was offered by the remonstrance which was preferred by the Boston people in March last, and rejected by the court as presumptuous.t' The remonstrance was signed by more than sixty hands. The first step was to clear their own body from all that had any concern in it. Mr Aspinwall was a signer and Mr. Cogges- hall had defended it : they were therefore expelled, and war- rant issued to the town for a new choice. The people would fain have sent the same men again, but Mr. Cotton appeared at the meeting (Nov. 6.) and with much ado dissuaded them from their resolution. They then chose William Colburn and John Oliver to be joined with Mr. Coddington.§ Oliver was in the same condemnation and he was not received. But whether the court had too much discretion to insult the town by a warrant for a third election, or whether the town had too much spirit to choose another does not appear.|
The next business was to dispose of Mr. Wheelwright. The court summoned him to give his peremptory answer, whether he would acknowledge his offence, or abide the sentence of the court. His answer was, 'that he had been guilty of no sedition nor contempt ; that he had delivered nothing but the truth, and as for the application of his doctrine, that was made by others and not by himself,' He was then desired to leave the colony of his own accord, and upon refusal, received the following sentence : 'Mr. J. W. being formerly convicted of contempt and sedition and now justifying himself and his for- mer practice, being the disturbance of the civil peace, he is by the court disfranchised and banished, having fourteen days to settle his affairs.'
Next came on the examination of the petitioners. The first who was sent for was Mr. Coggeshall, who was a deacon
* Backus. t Winthrop's Journal.
¿ See this remonstrance in Appendix No. II.
§ Town records. 1) Mass. II. C. 2. x. 24.
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of the Boston church. The court charged him with contempt for having said that if they expelled Mr. Aspinwall for sign- ing the remonstrance, they had better make but one work of all; for though his hand was not to it, his heart was in it.' Mr. Coggeshall pleaded that his privilege as a deputy should screen him from any punishment. The court would not ac- cede to this and he ' was disfranchised and enjoined not to speak any thing to disturb the publick peace upon pain of ban- ishment.'
Mr. Aspinwall was called next. He not only had signed the remonstrance, but was himself the author of it, and had carried it about town to get signers to it. He justified himself, and was disfranchised and banished, to depart before the end of the next March.
After these, William Balston and Edward Hutchinson two of the serjeants of Boston appcared. Both their hands were to the remonstrance, and the court took a great deal of pains to make them acknowledge their offence; but they were obsti- nate, and uttered a great many affronting speeches against the magistrates who were not of their opinion : so they were both ' turned out of their places, disfranchised and fined, Balston £20 and Hutchinson £40 : but HI. owning his fault the next day was released of his fine, and only disfranchised.'
Another day, four or five more of the leading petitioners were called, and they, being obstinate too, were disfranchised. Capt. Underhill had his commission taken from him, and Thomas Marshall, the ferryman, lost his place. Ten others whose names were signed made their appearance, but the court judging that they had been drawn in, by the subtilty of a few active men, they were pardoned, upon acknowledging their offence.
As disfranchised men were not likely to be long quiet or to remain friendless, it was judged not improbable that those who had been seduced into the errours of Mr. W. and Mrs. H. might 'as others in Germany in former times, upon some revelation, make sudden irruption upon those that differ from them in judgment; for prevention whereof it is ordered that those whose names are underwritten shall deliver in at Mr. Kcayne's house, at Boston, all such guns, pistols, swords, powder, shot and match as they shall be owners of, or have in their custody-and no man who is to render his arms by this order, may buy or borrow any guns, swords or pistols, pow- der, shot or match, until this court shall take further order herein.' Seventy-six men are named as being disarmed by this order, only if any of them would disavow the remon- strance, they might be freed from its operation. Of these sev- enty-six 58 belonged to Boston. The whole number of fam- ilies in town did not much exceed 120.
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Mrs. Hutchinson's fate remained to be determined. She was accordingly sent for by the court. She was formally ac- cused of the errours attributed to her, and witnesses were pro- duced to sustain the charges. . Several clergymen gave ac- count of conferences they had held with her, which exhibited her conduct in an unfavourable light. She demanded that they should be put under oath. After much altercation that course was adopted. Messrs. Eliot, Peters and Weld were sworn, and the amount of their testimony was ' that Mrs. H. averred, that there was a broad difference between them and Mr. Cotton; that he preached a covenant of grace and they of works; that they were not able ministers of the New Tes- tament and were not clear in their experience, because they were not sealed and were but like the apostles before the as- cension.' This was the head and front of her offending. The trial lasted two days : for the most part she referred her ac- cusers and judges to the scriptures, whose words, says Mr. Emerson, it must be confessed, as urged by the woman, often caused them some little confusion. She acknowledged her confidence in revelations, which she had received in regard to future providences, and this acknowledgment satisfied most of the court of her worthiness of banishment, She warned them to forbear, but to no purpose ; the trial con- cludes thus :
Gov. - If it be the mind of the court that Mrs. Hutchinson, for these things that appear before us, is unfit for our society, and if it be the mind of the court that she shall be banish- ed out of our liberties, and imprisoned till she be sent away, let them hold up their hands :
All but three.
Those that are contrary minded, hold up yours :
Mr. Coddington and Mr. Colburn only.
Mr. Jennison. I cannot hold up my hand one way or the other, and I shall give my rea- son if the court require it.
Gov. Mrs. Hutchinson ! the sentence of the court you hear is, that you are banished from out of our jurisdiction, as being a woman not fit for our society, and are to be imprisoned till the court shall send you away.
Mrs. H. I desire to know wherefore I am banished.
Gov. Say no more : the court know wherefore, and is satisfied.
After this sentence Mrs. H. remained in Boston and the neighbourhood, in custody of some of the clergy. The church found occasion to disapprove her conduct, and on the 22d of March 1638, she was 'cast out of the church for impenitently persisting in a manifest lie.' She received orders from the Governour to leave the jurisdiction before the close of the month, and accordingly departed on the 28th day. She went with her husband to Rhode Island. In the year 1642, after her husband's death, she removed into the Dutch country beyond New Haven, and the next year she and all her family, consisting of sixteen persons, were killed by the Indians, ex- cept one daughter, whom they carried into captivity.
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Fisher Del.
Massachusetts Hall.
Harvard Hall. Hollis Hall . Stoughton Ball. Holworthu Hall.
University Hall
IDATIOS CIVAIVE LO STIVE TVIHANS TEL HO MAIA ELLOS
Taken from the Balcony of the President's House in 3828;
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In consequence of these proceedings, which the sufferers felt to be severely oppressive, however justifiable the au- thors may have thought themselves, a considerable number of very respectable men contemplated a removal from Boston. It was proposed by Mr. John Clarke, a learned physician, a man of ardent piety and sound understanding, sufficient knowl- edge and much usefulness. He with some others were chosen to select a convenient place, and after wandering up and down, in the depth of winter, they concluded upon Rhode Island, whither they removed in the spring of 1638. The court had intimations, that it was their intention to return, when the fer- vour of the times should be abated. To prevent this, an order of banishment was issued against a number, requiring that they should remove their families, whenever they went them- selves. Mr. Coddington was included in this order. He was the principal man of the company, but for some reason had not attracted the attentions of the court heretofore, being neither disfranchised nor disarmed. He was a gentleman of family, and fortune, from Boston in Lincolnshire, and was one of the first and most eminent merchants here. His prop- erty at Mt. Wolaston was large, and he owned the first brick building which was erected in Boston .*
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