USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > History of Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1630-1877. With a genealogical register > Part 8
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" 6. That in case any grievance shall hereafter happen to arise,
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
which for the present neither side foresee, nor is hereby clearly determined, that then all such matter of grievance or difference shall be from time to time heard and determined by meet persons, three or five, indifferently chosen by the prudential men of Cam- bridge and Shawshin.
" And these aforementioned propositions to be subscribed by all the present inhabitants of Shawshin, and by all such as hereafter shall have any allotments granted them there, and re- turn hereof made to the inhabitants of Cambridge within ten days after the end of the first session of the next General Court. Given under our hands this 17th 12m. 1654, by us,
" HENRY DUNSTER, RICHARD CHAMPNEY, EDWARD GOFFE, JOHN BRIDGE.
" These propositions are accepted of and consented unto by us the present inhabitants of Shawshin; and we do humbly crave this honored Court to confirm and record the same.
" Your humble servants,
" RALPH HILL, SenT. JAMES PARKER,
WILLIAM FRENCH, JONATHAN DANFORTH,
JOHN STERNE, HENRY JEFTES,
WILLIAM PATTIN, WILLIAM CHAMBERLYN,
GEORGE FARLEY, JOHN PARKER,
RALPH HILL, JunT., JOHN CROE,
ROBERT PARKER.
" Their request was granted by the Court."
On the same day, May 23, 1655, " in answer to the petition of several proprietors and inhabitants of Shawshin, humbly desir- ing a tract of land lying near the line of the farms of Jolin and Robert Blood, and so along by the side of Concord River, &c., the Court grants their request in that respect, so as it hinder no former grants, and grant the name of the plantation to be called Billirikey." 1
Thus was this first dismemberment of the extensive township of Cambridge amicably accomplished. No reasonable objection could be urged against granting an independent ecclesiastical and civil organization to those persons who resided at such a great distance from the centre of the town, as soon as they were able to defray their necessary expenses.
1 Mass. Col. Rec., iv. (i.), 237-240.
CHAPTER VII.
CIVIL HISTORY.
DURING the period embraced in the preceding chapter, very important events occurred in England. The ecclesiastical yoke which the Fathers of New England were unable to bear was broken, and the people enjoyed comparative religious freedom. The civil government also was overturned and established on new foundations. King Charles the First was beheaded Jan. 30, 1649, and the House of Lords was soon afterwards suppressed. For a few years, a Parliament consisting of a single House, and the army under the command of Cromwell, as chief general, ex- ercised a joint, or perhaps rather antagonistic, supremacy, until Dec. 16, 1653, when Cromwell, with the title of Protector, grasped the reins of government, which he held with a firm hand so long as he lived. After this Revolution in England, and as one of its consequences, the inhabitants of Cambridge were once more tempted to remove. "Cromwell had been very desirous of drawing off the New Englanders to people Ireland after his suc- cesses there, and the inhabitants of New Haven had serious thoughts of removing, but did not carry their design into execu- tion. Jamaica being conquered, Cromwell renewed his invita- tion to the colony of the Massachusetts to remove and to go and people that island, and it appears by Mr. Leverett's letters and a letter from the General Court to Cromwell, that he had it much at heart. Cromwell foresaw that the West India planters would raise estates far superior to those of the inhabitants of the north- ern colonies, and though a mere worldly consideration was not proper for him to urge, yet accompanied with the fulfillment of a divine promise, that God's people should be the head and not the tail, it was in character, and he artfully enough joined it with the other consideration. But all was insufficient to induce the people of New England to quit a country where they could live tolerably, and were indulged with all the privileges they desired,
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and we have no account of many families having removed."1 Al- though this temptation was offered to the people of the whole Colony, the inhabitants of Cambridge may be supposed to have been peculiarly sensitive to its force, inasmuch as it was presented by one of their most honored and trusted townsmen. Captain Gookin was in England in 1655, and was selected by Cromwell as a special agent to manage this affair. Having received his instructions, he returned to New England and devoted himself earnestly to his appointed task. Several of his letters to Secre- tary Thurloe concerning this mission are printed in Thurloe's State Papers. In the first, dated Jan. 21, 1655-6, he announces his recent arrival at Boston, " after ten weekes of an exercising passage from the Isle of Wight." 2 At a later period, he men- tions in detail some of his labors, and hopes, and discourage- ments, reminding the secretary that he undertook the work with . some misgivings. This letter may deserve insertion : -
" RIGHT HONORABLE. Since my arrival in New England, which was the 20th of January last, I wrote two letters by way of Barbadoes, and this 3d also the same way being destitute of a direct conveyance from hence. The sum of the 2 first were to inform your honour of my arrivall here, and of a little motion that I had then made in his highnesse's affayres ; but the sharp- ness of the winter prevented my travill into other colonies. But I procured a meeting of the council of this colony March the 7th being the soonest they mett, although the governour called them a month before; but in the interval between my arrival and the counsel's meeting, I endeavoured to make knowne, as far as I could, the sum of his highness desires ; but there was little done during that season for the forementioned reson, but after the counsell of this colony mett, and I had delivered his highness letters, and declared the cause of my coming, they thankfully accepted and readily made an order for the promotion thereof, requiring their officers to attend my motions in the publishing the same. Whereupon I did forthwith cause a short declaration to be printed and published unto all the towns and plantations of the English, not only in this, but other colonys, (the copie of which printed paper and order I have enclosed,) and together therewith I procured and imployed persons of trust in severall parts (where I could not be in person) to promote the business and take subscriptions. Shortly after this was done in mid Aprill
1 Hutchinson's Hist. Mass., i. 190-192. 2 Vol. iv., p. 440.
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CIVIL HISTORY.
(as soone as the waies were well passable) I tooke my journey to the colonies of Conecticut and New Haven (about 150 miles, for the most part through the woods) and unto the magistrates of those colonies declared my busines, delivering his highness let- ters to Mr. Eaton, &c. They all thankfully accepted his great love, manefesting themselves very ready to further the worke in the West Indies, which they trust is of God. But as for this place of Jamiaca now tendred, the minds of most were averse at present, for as much as at that very season their came divers letters from thence, signifieing the sore afflicting hand of God in the mortalitie of the English upon the Island, in so much that of 8,000 and upward, that landed there, there was not liv- ing above one halfe ; and those very weake, and lowe, and many of them dieing daily, wherein also was related the death of ma- jor general Fortescue, Mr. Gage, and divers others. These tyd- ings are a very great discouragement unto the most and best per- sons, which otherwise would have ingaged to remove ; only some few families have subscribed, but not considerable. If the Lord please to give the state either Hispaniola, Cuba, or any other helthful place, I have good reason to beeleve, that sundry per- sons. of worth, yea and some whole churches would remove from hence into those parts. But as for this Island (though through God's mercy late intelligence of 7th of March from the commis- sioners give great hope, that the good lord is returneing to visit the remnant, that is left, with health and cure ; and also they give great incouradgment of the fertilitie of the said island, all which tidings I have endevored to publish with my best skill, and what the effects may be towards the drawing in of more persons, I canot yet determine; but this island, through many bad reports of it, is not of such esteme here, as in several respects I conceive it deserves. For the present their are some few godly discrete persons, that intend to pass theither in a ship of the states called the Hope, whereof one Martin is comander, which is now here ladeing masts for the fleet. These persons leave their familie here ; and if it shall please God to cary them safe, and that the island be liked by them (as I hope it may ) then upon their returne and inteligence, 't is probable, that many will remove, and in the interimn if the Lord's purposes be to plant the said island with any people from hence, 't is possible upon this last newes I may heare of greater motion than formerly among the people. There is one thing, that I desire to mention to your honour, that is, an objection I mett with from some principal
5
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persons, that incline to transplant, and indeed the motions of such will draw or hinder many. If his highness see cause to re- move it, 't is probable it may further the work. They say, there is no incouradgment in the propositions for ministers or men of place, but what is equall with other men. Now if a minister and people remove, the people wil not be in a capacity, untill they are settled, to maintayne their ministers, for as much as they cannot cary their estates from hence, being it principally consists in land and cattle. Now if there were some annual allowance made unto such persons for a few yeares, until the people recruite, or other waies be contrived, it would then take of that hinder- ance.
" Thus I have, as breefly as I may, perticulerly signified unto your honour, the sume of what is hetherto done. I am hartily sorry, that my service hath beene hetherunto so unprofitable to his highness and the state, whome I desire, through the strength of God, to serve with a faitlifull hart and diligent hand. But I trust your wisdomes wil consider the providences of God, that have occurred ; and also remember some litle mention I made of my feares this way, before I undertooke the service; but yet I am not out of hope, that his highness pious intentions and ino- tions in this great worke both in the West Indies, and elsewhere, shal be owned and crowned with the Lord's blessing in his best season.
" Thus with my most humble service presented, and earnest prairs to him, on whose shoulders the government is, to give his gracious presence and assistance to his highness and your honer in all emergencies, I remaine desirous to be, sir, his highness and your honer's most humble and faithful servant,
DANIEL GOOKIN.
" Cambridge in New England, May 10th, 1656." 1
Captain Gookin wrote again, Oct. 23, 1656, announcing the probable failure of the project, inasmuch as " the great difficul- ties and discouragement the English have grapled with in that place, being fully known here, have made the most considerable persons slow to appeare or ingage to transplant for present, lest they should bring themselves and families into great inconven- iences ; only there was about three hundred souls that subscribed, who for the most part are young persons under family government, and many of them females, and for quality of low estates, but divers personally godly." 2
1 State Papers, v. 6, 7.
2 Ibid., v. 509.
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CIVIL HISTORY.
While the Protectorate of Cromwell continued, Massachusetts was a favored colony, and the inhabitants of Cambridge shared the general benefit of political and ecclesiastical privileges. But his death, and the incompetency of his son Richard, prepared the way for the accession (or Restoration, as it was styled) of Charles the Second, who, on the twenty-ninth day of May, 1660, the an- niversary of his birth, entered London in triumph. From this time a constant struggle for chartered rights was maintained for many years, resulting in the forcible abrogation of the old char- ter. In this struggle, Cambridge men were active participants.
It is related by Hutchinson, under date of 1660, that, "in the ship which arrived from London the 27th of July there came passengers Col. Whaley and Col. Goffe, two of the late King's judges. .... They did not attempt to conceal their persons or characters when they arrived at Boston, but immediately went to the governor, Mr. Endicot, who received them very courteously. They were visited by the principal persons of the town, and among others they take notice of Col. Crown's coming to see them. He was a noted royalist. Although they did not disguise themselves yet they chose to reside at Cambridge, a village about four miles distant from the town, where they went the first day they arrived. The 22d of February the Governor summoned a court of assistants to consult about securing them, but the court did not agree to it. Finding it unsafe to remain any longer, they left Cambridge the 26th following and arrived at New Haven the 7th of March."1 The particular reason why they selected Cam- bridge for their residence does not distinctly appear. A prin- cipal inhabitant of the town, Edward Goffe, was the namesake of one of the regicides, and may have been his brother or cousin ; but I have found no proof of such relationship. Perhaps their acquaintance with Captain Gookin may have induced them to re- side here. In a " Narrative of the Commissioners from England about New England," published by Hutchinson in his " Collec- tion of Papers,"2 it is alleged that "Col. Whaley and Goffe were entertained by the magistrates with great solemnity and feasted
1 IIist. Mass., i. 213-215. From New tures and fate in New England, may be Haven the regieides retreated to Hadley, found in Judd's History of Hadley, pp. where they found shelter in the house of 214-223. Rev. John Russell. Whalley is supposed It should be added, that although Hutchinson and others style Whalley and Goffe " Colonels," both were act- ually Major-generals under Cromwell. to have died there about 1670, and to have been buricd in Mr. Russell's eellar. Goffc survived several years ; but the time and place of his death are not known. A 2 Pages 419, 420. chapter relative to their romantic adven-
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
in every place, after they were told they were traytors and ought to be apprehended ; they made their abode at Cambridge untill they were furnished with horses and a guide and sent away to Newhaven ; for their more security Capt. Daniell Gookin is re- ported to have brought over and to manage their estates ; and the commissioners being informed that he had many cattle at his farm in the King's Province which were supposed to be Whalyes or Goughs, caused them to be seazed for his Majestyes use till further order, but Capt. Gookin, standing upon the privilege of their charter and refusing to answer before the commissioners, as soe, there was no more done in it ; Capt. Peirce, who transported Whaly and Gough into New England, may probably say some- thing to their estate." It has been said that Gookin had made a second visit to England, and that he returned in the same ship with Whalley and Goffe.
A fragment of General Goffe's journal, descriptive of his res- idence in Cambridge, has been printed in the " Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society," 1863, 1864.1 Among other things he says : -
" 27 d. 5 m. Wee came to anchor betwen Boston and Charles- town betwen 8. and 9. in ye morning : all in good health thro: ye good hand of God ! upon us : oh ! yt men would praise the Lord for his goodness, - as ps. 107. 21 &c."
" 29 d. 5 m .- Lds day ; wee had opportunity of waiting upon God in his publick ordinances, wch wer solemnly performed by Mr. Mitchel."
" 9 d. 6 m. - At night Majr Gookins shewed us a printed paper yt was brought in ye Scotch ship, wherein ye Lords do . order 66 members of ye High court of Justice to be secured, wth yr estates, - its dated 18 d. May, 1660. But I will meditate on Hebr. 13. 5, 6."
" 15 d. 6 m. - Sup't at Mr. Chancey's ; the good old servant of ye Lord, still expressing much affection, & telling us, he was perswaded ye Ld had brought us to this country for good both to them and or selves."
" 23 d. 6 m. - In ye evening wee vissited Elder Frost, who recd us with great kindness & love esteeming it a favour yt we would come into yr mean habitation; assured us of his fervent prayers to ye Lord for us : - A glorious saint makes a mean cot- tage a stately palace ; were I to make my choyce, I would rather abide wth ys saint in his poor cottage then wth any one of ye princes yt I know of at ys day in ye world."
1 Pages 281-283.
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CIVIL HISTORY.
" 24 d. 6 m. - Wee visited G.1 Bcalc, sorely afflicted with ye stone. Hc complained yt lie could not in ye extremity of ye pain submitt with checrfullness to ye will of God ; & told us yt God spake many things to him under this exercise."
" 26 d. 6 m. - Mr. Mitchell wth diverse came to visit us; or dis- course tended to provoke to give up or selves wholly to Jesus Christ and make him ye whole delight of or souls."
Within a few days after Whalley and Goffe left Cambridge, orders arrived from England for their arrest; and there was at least a show of earnest exertion, on the part of the magistrates, to overtake them ; but the effort was in vain. Knowing that dis- satisfaction existed in the English government, not only on ac- count of their friendly reception of the regicides, but also for their persistent disregard of the navigation laws, and many other acts of insubordination, the General Court which assembled May 22, 1661, attempted to remove some of the causes of offence. They rebuked the apostle Eliot for publishing a book advocating a " Christian Commonwealth " rather than a monarchy ; they modified their laws concerning Quakers, and soon afterwards ex- pressed their intention to comply with the laws concerning nav- igation. On the last day of the session, which had extended into June, they adopted a vote which clearly indicates their concep- tion of . the grave difficulties which surrounded them, and their anxiety to devise means of escape : -
" For as much as the present condition of our affairs in highest concernments call for a diligent and speedy use of the best means seriously to discuss and rightly to understand our liberty and duty, thereby to beget unity amongst ourselves in the due observance of obedience and fidelity unto the authority of England and our own just privileges, for the effecting whereof it is ordered by this Court, that Mr. Symon Bradstreet, Mr. Samuell Symonds, Major Gencral Denison, Mr. Danforth, Major Wm. Hauthorne, Capt. Tho. Savage, Capt. Edward Johnson, Capt. Eliazer Lushier, Mr. Mather, Mr. Norton, Mr. Cobbet, and Mr. Michell, be and hereby are appointed a committee, immediately after the dissolution or adjournment of the Court, to meet together in Boston on sec- ond day next, at twelve of the clock, to consider and debate such matter or thing of public concernment touching our patent, laws, privileges, and duty to his Majesty, as they in their wisdom shall judge most expedient, and draw up the result of their apprelien- sions, and present the same to the next session for consideration
1 Goodman.
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
and approbation, that so (if the will of God be) we may speak and act the same thing, becoming prudent, honest, conscientious, and faithful men."
This important committee consisted of four Assistants, four ยท Deputies, and four clergymen, of whom Danforth and Mitchell were of Cambridge. The report was signed by Danforth, and was probably written by him ; it is here inserted, as it indicates the skill and firmness with which encroachments on their char- tered rights were resisted by the party of which he was the ac- knowledged leader. Immediately after the appointment of this committee, the Court adjourned. It met again on the tenth of June, after a recess of probably less than a week. The first bus- iness presented was this Report : -
" The answers of the Committee unto the.matters proposed to their consideration by the honored General Court :
" 1. Concerning our liberties.
"1. We conceive the patent (under God) to be the first and main foundation of our civil polity here, by a Governor and Com- pany, according as is therein expressed.
" 2. The Governor and Company are, by the patent, a body politic, in fact and name.
" 3. This body politic is vested with power to make freemen.
" 4. These freemen have power to choose annually a Governor, Deputy Governor, Assistants, and their select representatives or deputies.
"5. This government hath also [power] to set up all sorts of officers, as well superior as inferior, and point out their power and places.
" 6. The Governor, Deputy Governor, Assistants, and select representatives or deputies have full power and authority, both legislative and executive, for the government of all the people here, whether inhabitants or strangers, both concerning ecclesias- tics and in civils, without appeal, excepting law, or laws repug- nant to the laws of England.
"7. The government is privileged by all fitting means (yea, and if need be, by force of arms), to defend themselves, both by land and sea, against all such person or persons as shall at any time attempt or enterprise the destruction, invasion, detriment, or annoyance of this plantation or the inhabitants therein, besides other privileges mentioned in the patent, not here expressed.
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" 8. We conceive any imposition prejudicial to the country contrary to any just law of ours, not repugnant to the laws of England, to be an infringement of our right.
" 2. Concerning our duties of allegiance to our sovereign lord the King.
" 1. We ought to uphold and to our power maintain this place, as of right belonging to our sovereign lord the King, as holden of his majesty's manor of East Greenwich, and not to subject the same to any foreign prince or potentate whatsoever.
" 2. We ought to endeavor the preservation of his majesty's royal person, realms, and dominions, and so far as lieth in us, to discover and prevent all plots and conspiracies against the same.
"3. We ought to seek the peace and prosperity of our king and nation, by a faithful discharge in the governing of this peo- ple committed to our care. (1.) By punishing all such crimes (being breaches of the first or second table) as are committed against the peace of our sovereign lord the King, his royal crown and dignity. (2.) In propagating the gospel, defending and up- holding the true Christian or Protestant religion according to the faith given by our Lord Christ in his word; our dread sovereign being styled ' Defender of the faith.'
" The premises considered, it may well stand with the loyalty and obedience of such subjects as are thus privileged by their rightful sovereign (for himself, his heirs and successors forever), as cause shall require, to plead with their prince against all such as shall at any time endeavor the violation of their privileges.
" We further judge that the warrant and letter from the King's majesty, for the appreliending of Col. Whalley and Col. Goffe, ought to be diligently and faithfully executed by the anthority of this country.
" And, also, that the General Court may do safely to declare, that in case (for the future) any legally obnoxious, and flying from the civil justice of tlie state of England, shall come over to these parts, they may not here expect shelter.
" Boston 10. 4m. 1661. By order and consent of the Com- mittee. " THO. DANFORTH.
" The Court allows and approves of the return of the Com- inittee." 1
On the last day of the year 1661, the General Court deter- mined to send " Mr. Symon Bradstreet and Mr. John Norton "
1 Mass. Col. Rec., iv. (ii.) 24-26.
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
to England, as special agents. Among their instructions were these : "1. You shall present us to his majesty as his loyal and obedient subjects." " (4.) You shall not engage us by any act of yours to anything which may be prejudicial to our present stand- ing according to patent." 1 The agents were received more fa- vorably than they expected, and returned with a gracious letter from the King. This letter was read in Court, Oct. 8, 1662. In consequence of the King's declaration therein, " We will pre- serve and do hereby confirm the patent and charter heretofore granted unto them by our royal father of blessed memory, and they shall fully enjoy all the privileges and liberties granted to them in and by the same," - the Court appointed a special thanksgiving, making mention of " the safe and speedy return of our public messengers sent for England, together with the contin- uance of the mercies of peace, liberties, and the gospel ; " and on the same day it was further ordered, " that henceforth all writs, process, with indictments, shall by all magistrates, the secretary, clerk of the several courts and writs, be made and sent forth in his Majesty's name, i. e., you are hereby required in his Majesty's name, etc., any usage or custom to the contrary notwithstanding." Some of the other requisitions, especially those interfering with their ecclesiastical polity, were very unwelcome, and the Court was not ready to comply. " The Court, having duly considered of his Majesty's letters now in Court, and the contents thereof, do hereby order the publication thereof. And forasmuch as the said letter hath influence upon the churches as well as the civil state, it is further ordered, that all manner of actings in relation thereunto be suspended until the next General Court, that so all persons concerned may have time and opportunity to consider of what is necessary to be done, in order to his Majesty's pleasure therein." 2
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