USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 27
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Nahant > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 27
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynnfield > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 27
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 27
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynn > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 27
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Reverend and loving Friends and Brethren : We understand that John Hath- orne hath accused Andrew Mansfield and William Longley in the church of Lynn, for giving a false testimony against himself and Henry Collins, at the court of Ipswich, in March this was 12 month, and for which the said Mansfield and Longley stand convicted in the church, and finding themselves aggrieved thereat, hath brought their complaint against the said Hathorne in several actions of slander, which hath had a full and impartial hearing, and due examination, and by the verdict of the jury the said Hathorne is found guilty. Now because it is much to be desired that contrary judgments in one and the same case may be prevented, if possibly it may be attained, and one power strive not to clash against the other, we thought it expedient, before we give judgment in the case, to commend the same to the serious consideration and further examination of the church. We doubt not but that there hath been even more than a few both in the words and carriage of all the parties con- cerned, (though not the crime alleged), which if it may please God to put into their hearts to see and own so as may give the church opportunity and cause to change their mind and reverse their censures, so far as concerns the particular case in question, we hope it will be acceptable to God, satisfactory to ourselves and others, and the beginning of their own peace and quiet, the disturbance whereof hitherto we are very sensible of, and shall at all times be ready to afford them our best relief, as we may have opportunity or cognizance thereof. Had you been pleased, before your final conclusion, to have given us the grounds of your offence, we should kindly have resented such a request, and probably much of your trouble might have been prevented. We have deferred giving judgment in this case till the next session of this Court, to see what effect this our motion may have with them. Now the God of peace and wisdom give them understanding in all things, and guide them to such conclu- sions, in this and all other causes of concernment, as may be agreeable to his will, and conducing to your peace and welfare. So pray your friends and brethren. By order of the County Court, at Ipswich. ROBERT LORD, Clerk.
To this letter Mr. Whiting made the following reply, on the fourth of May :
Honored and beloved in the God of love: We have received your letter, which you have been pleased to send to us, wherein we perceive how tender you are of our peace, and how wisely careful you declare yourselves to be in preventing `any clash that might arise' between the civil and ecclesiastical powers, for which we desire to return thanks from our hearts to God and V
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ANNALS OF LYNN-1663.
unto you concerning the matter you signify to us; what your pleasure is that we should attend unto, we in all humility of mind and desirous of peace, have · been willing to prove the parties concerned, to see what errors they would see and own; and for his part that complained to us, he doth acknowledge his uncomely speeches and carriage both unto the marshal, he being the court's officer, and also to brethren in the church, in the agitation of the matter, and doth condemn himself for sin in ut; but for the other parties that stand convicted, they either do not see or will not acknowledge any error concerning their testimony, which we judge they ought. Wherefore we hum- bly present you with these few lines, not doubting but they will be pleasing to God and acceptable to you, whatever hath been suggested to yourselves by others that bear not good will to the peace of our church; we are sure of this, and our consciences bear us witness, that we have done nothing in opposition to you, or to cast any reflection upon your court proceedings, but have justi- fied you all along in what you have done, Secundum Allegata et probata, [according as they were alleged and proved] in all our church agitations, .. which our adversaries can tell, if they would witness; but by reason of this, ;! that some of our brethren did swear contrary oaths, we thought it our duty upon complaint made to us to search who they were that swore truly and who did falsify their oath, and after much debate and dispute on Sunday days-[this must be an error; sundry days is no doubt intended. Besides the awkwardness of the phrase in the mouth of such a man as Mr. Whiting, it is a familiar fact that the Puritans did not use the name Sunday, but called the first day of the week Lord's-day, or Sabbath, and occasionally First-day.] - about this matter, we did judge those two men faulty, which in conscience we dare not go back from, they' continuing as they do to this day. Could .we discern any token of these men's repentance, for this that they are, especially one of them, censured in the church for, we should cheerfully take off the censures ; but inasmuch as they justify themselves, and tell us if it were to do again they would do it, and lift up their crests in high language and come to such animosities from the jury's verdict, we desire the honored court would not count us transgressors if we do not recede from what we have done ; especially considering what disturbers they have been to us; especially one of them, for these several years. Now, therefore, honored and dear sirs, see- ing by what we have done we have gone in our own way as a church in the search after sin, we hope the court will be tender of us and of him that com- plained to us on that account, and if we humbly crave that it be not grievous to you that we humbly tell you that in our judgment the discipline of these churches must fall; and if so, of what sad consequence it will be, we leave it to those that are wiser than ourselves to judge, for this case being new and never acted before in this country, doth not only reflect on our church but on all the churches in the country; for if delinquents that are censured in churches, shall be countenanced by authority, against the church in their acting in a just way, we humbly put it to the consideration of the court, whether there will not be a wide door opened to Erastianisme,* which we hope all of us do abhor from our hearts. Now the God of peace himself give the country, courts and church peace always by all means ; grace be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Dated the 4th, 3d, 1663, with the consent and vote of the church.
SAMUEL WHITING.
On the next day, the Court replied as follows :
Reverend and beloved: We are very sorry our endeavors have not produced that effect we hoped and desired, but seem to have been interpreted contrary
* Thomas Erastus, in 1647. during the civil wars in England, contended that the church had no power to censure or decree. This opinion was termed Erastianism.
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ANNALS OF LYNN- 1664.
to our intentions, (and, we conceive, our words,) as an encroachment and destructive to the right and power of the churches. We have been taught, and do verily believe, the civil and ecclesiastical power may very well consist, and that no cause is so purely ecclesiastical, but the civil power may in its way deal therein. We are far from thinking the churches have no power but what is derived from the christian magistrates, or that the civil magistrate hath ecclesiastical powers, yet may, and ought, the matter so requiring, take cognizance and give judgment in solving a case, not in a church but civil way. We suppose we have kept much within these bounds in the case that hath been before us, and that our opinion and practice herein hath been as clear from Erastianisme, as some men's assertions have been from the opposite error, and the declared judgments of our congregational divines. In that point, we own and desire so to regulate our proceedings accordingly. The God of order guide all our ministrations to his glory, and the peace and edifi- cation of his people.
By order and unanimous consent of the County Court, sitting at Ipswich, May 5th, 1663, p. me. ROBERT LORD, Clerk.
[For a year or two, difficulties seem to have existed regard- ing the organization and disposition of the "Lynn troopers." The Court, in June, judged it meet to declare, "that Capt. Hutchinsons comission doeth bind him to comand the troopers residing in Lynne, that are listed wth him, as formerly." And in October the Court say, in answer to a petition of the Lynn troopers, that "henceforth the troopers inhabitting in Lynne, shall apperteine unto and joyne wth Salem troope, . . . except- ing only such as shall rather choose to continue wth the Three County Troope, and shall certify theire desire soe to doe, under theire hands, at the next meeting of Salem troope."
[There was a great eclipse of the sun, 22 August, the light becoming "almost like eventyde," as a writer of the time ob- serves.]
1664.
On the 28th of June, Theophilus Bayley was licensed to keep a public house. (Q. C. Files.)
This year the wheat is first mentioned to have been blasted. (Hubbard.) Little has been raised on the sea coast of New England since.
A public fast was appointed on account of dissensions and troubles.
In November, a comet appeared, and continued visible till February. [In Bradstreet's journal this comet is noticed in a manner that aptly illustrates the popular opinion regarding the influence of such celestial visitants. "Novem. A great blazing star appeared in the S: west wch continued some monthes. The effects appeared much in England, in a great and dreadful plague that followed the next sumer; in a dreadfull warr by sea wth the dutch; and the burning of London the 2ª year following." By Josselyn this is called " the great and dreadful comet."]
--
256
ANNALS OF LYNN -1665, 1666, 1667.
1665.
On the 27th of June, Thomas Laighton, Oliver Purchis, and John Fuller, were appointed commissioners to try small causes.
[A fast was held, in June, on account of the caterpillars and palmer worms. John Hull makes this note: "This summer multitudes of flying caterpillars arose out of the ground, and from roots of corn, making such a noyse in the aire, that travel- lers must speak lowd to hear one another; yet they only seazed upon the trees of the wilderness." Could these "flying cater- pillars " have been locusts ?] .
On the 29th of November, Mr. Joseph Jenks was admonished by the Salem court, for not attending public worship.
[The Court, in the absence of newspapers through which to promulgate their orders, were obliged, on many occasions, to resort to the primitive way of proclaiming by herald. They order, this year, that a declaration be " published by Mr Oliuer Purchis on horse backe, by sound of trumpet, and that Thomas Bligh, the trumpeter, and Marshall Richard Wajte accompany him, and yt in the close he say, wth an audible vojce, 'God saue the king.'" It can hardly be imagined that Mr. Purchis ut- tered the closing ejaculation with any great heartiness, as he is understood to have been a decided anti-royalist.]
1666.
Mr. Andrew Mansfield was chosen town recorder.
On the 7th of December, the General Court assembled for religious consultation and prayer, in which Mr. Whiting and Mr. Cobbet sustained a part.
[This year was marked by several conspicuous events. The small-pox prevailed extensively, and a great many died of it. An unusual destruction of life by lightning, also took place ; an almanac memorandum says, "Divers were this year slain by lightning." Grasshoppers and caterpillars did great mischief during the growing season.
[Nathaniel Bishop and Hope Allen, curriers, petitioned the Court to forbid tanners and shoemakers exercising the trade of curriers. But the Court judged "it not meete to grant ye peticoners request."]
1667.
[The spring was so forward that apple trees began to blossom by the 18th of April.]
At the Quarterly Court, on the 26th of June, Nathaniel Kert- land, John Witt, and Ephraim Hall, were presented, " for pro- phaining the Lord's Day, By Going to William Craft's house, in time of publike exercise, (they both being at meeting,) and
257
ANNALS OF LYNN-1668, 1669.
1
Drinkeing of his sider, and Rosteing his Aples, without eyther the consent or knowledge of him or his wife."
Mr. Joseph Jenks presented a petition to the General Court for aid to commence a wire manufactory, but did not receive sufficient encouragement.
[Bradstreet notes that "toward the end of February, there was a mighty long beam appeared in the S: West, and was seen four or five nights ; it appeared like the tail of a comet, but no starre was to bee seen, nor had it any, vnlesse it was depressed vnder ye Horizon." This, taken in connection with the descrip- tion given in Morton's Memorial has led some to suppose that an unsually brilliant display of the zodiacal light then took place. But I do not see how it could have been that. Most likely it was a comet with the head below the horizon, or without a head of any density. But whatever it was, it created consider- able alarm and numerous disasters were ascribed to its agency. The next year, Rev. Mr. Shepard of Rowley, Rev. Mr. Flint of Braintree, and Rev. Mr. Mitchell, of Cambridge, died. And the apprehensive Bradstreet observes, "Possibly the death of these precious Servants of Christ might not bee the least thing sig- nefyed by that Blaze or Beam."
[The winter of this year " was exceedingly mild above N. English winters," says Bradstreet. There was not much snow and but little depth of frost.]
1668. W Merriam ja. 6. 8 . Incl
The ministers of the several towns assembled in Boston, on the 15th of April, to hold a public disputation with the Baptists. Mr. Whiting and Mr. Cobbet were among the principal.
On the 13th of June, Robert Page, of Boston, was presented for " setinge saille from Nahant, in his boate, being Loaden with wood, thereby Profaining the Lord's daye."
Land on the north side the Common was this year sold for ' £4 an acre; and good salt marsh, £1.10.
1669.
On the 29th of April, the boundary line between Lynn and Salem was defined. It ran from the west end of Brown's pond, in Danvers, "to a noated Spring," now called Mineral Spring; thence to " Chip Bridge," on the little brook which runs out near the house of John Phillips, to the sea shore.
[The Dolphin, a vessel belonging to Charlestown, lost a' top- sail and some other rigging in Ipswich Bay, and these were taken up at Lynn, by Mr. King- Daniel King, it is probable, who lived at Swampscot-and he, for some reason that does not appear, refused to give them up, notwithstanding recom- pense had "been tendered for all his paynes and charge in V* 17
258
ANNALS OF LYNN-1670.
securing the same. Uppon application for redress, by the mas- ter, Major Hathorne was empowered by the Court to heare and determine the case according to lawe, to allow what recompense he shall judge meet, and cause said sayle and rigging to be delivered to the sajd master."
[A difference existing between the county treasurer and the constable of Lynn, " about the prosecution of hues en cry," and on some other accounts, the Court, 19 May, gave to a committee power to "inspect the sajd differences, and together with the treasurer, to put issue thereto."]
1670.
The Court ordered, that the lands of deceased persons might be sold for the payment of debts. Before this, if a person died in debt, his land was secure. The method of conveyance was by "turfe and twig;" that is, the seller gave a turf from the ground and a twig from a tree, into the hands of the buyer, as a token of relinquishment. [This is a mistake. The earlier practice of the courts here, even went to the extent of treating real estate the same as chattels ; in administration, allowing sales to be made regardless of heirship. The old English mode of conveying, by turf and twig, was never adopted here. It was about this time, however, that the distinguishing features of real estate law began to be recogized; and petitions for leave to sell were occasionally presented.
[Capt Marshall, who had been empowered to perform the marriage ceremony, at Lynn, as stated under date 1659, was discharged by the Court, 31 May, "from officyating in that imployment." He seems to have been "abused by the misin- formation of some," and by " his oune ouermuch credulity," and to have exceeded his commission, by marrying parties from other places, and such as had not been legally published. Some of his grievous offences are stated on the colony records. It is presumed that he inconsiderately performed the ceremony in the following case. "Hope Allin and John Pease, . . appear- ed in Court, and ye sajd John Pease acknowledged, that not- withstanding the counsell of the major general, who had declined ye marrying of Mr Deacon to Hope Allins daughter, he did ac- company them to Lynn, to Capt. Marshall, &c. and Hope Allin declared he did give his consent yt ye sajd Mr Deacon should have his daughter, and told Capt. Marshall yt he hoped they might be legally published before yt time, &c. ; the Court judged it meet to censure the sajd Hope Allin to pay ten pounds as a fine to the country for his irregular proceedure and John Pease forty shillings." And so it appears that Mr. Allen had to pay rather dearly for manifesting a little anxiety to get his daughter off his hands.]
259
ANNALS OF LYNN- 1671.
1671. John Messinain Ganz
On the 18th of January. there was a great snow storm, in which there was much thunder and lightning.
The following memorandum is copied from the leaf of a Bible. May 22. " A very awful thunder, and a very great storm of wind and hail, especially at Dorchester town, so that it broke many glass windows at the meeting-house."
Mr. Samuel Bennet sued Mr. John Gifford, the former agent of the Iron Works, and attached property to the amount of £400, for labor performed for the company. On the 27th of June, the following testimony was given: "John Paule aged about forty-five years, sworne, saith, that living with Mr. Sam- uel Bennett, upon or about the time that the Iron Works were seased by Capt. Savage, in the year 53 as I take it, for I lived ther several years, and my constant imployment was to repaire carts, coale carts, mine carts, and other working materials for his teemes, for he keept 4 or 5 teemes, and sometimes 6 teemes, and he had the most teemes the last yeare of the Iron Works, when they were seased, and my master Bennet did yearly yearne a vast sum from the said Iron Works, for he commonly yearned forty or fifty shillings a daye for the former time, and the year 53, as aforesaid, for he had five or six teemes goeing generally every faire day." (Salem Q. C. files.)
The Iron Works for several years were carried on with vigor, and furnished most of the iron used in the colony. But the want of ready money on the part of the purchasers, and the great freedom with which the company construed the liberal privileges of the Court, caused their failure. The owners of the lands which had been injured, commenced several suits against them, and at last hired a person to cut away the flood gates and destroy the works. This was done in the night, when the pond was full. The dam was high, and just below it, on the left, stood the house of Mac Callum More Downing. The water rushed out and flowed into the house, without disturbing the inhabitants, who were asleep in a chamber. In the morning, Mrs. Downing found a fine live fish flouncing in her oven. The works were much injured, and the depredator fled to Penobscot.
The suits against the Iron Works were protracted for more than twenty years. Mr. Hubbard says that " instead of drawing out bars of iron for the country's use, there was hammered out nothing but contention and law suits." The works were con- tinued, though on a smaller scale, for more than one hundred years from their establishment. But they have long been dis- . continued, and nothing now is to be seen of them, except the heaps of scoria, called the " Cinder Banks."
[Jonathan Leonard, in a letter published in the N. E. Histori-
:
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ANNALS OF LYNN-1672.
cal and Genealogical Register, Oct. 1857, mentions a tradition handed down from his ancestors, one of whom was employed at the Lynn works, in their very infancy, to the effect that after these works had done considerable business, the people became alarmed through the apprehension that the quantity of charcoal used, would occasion a scarcity of wood; and, urged on by their fears, threw so many obstacles in the way of the company that the business was broken up. It is quite certain that they were constantly beset by difficulties, and the singular apprehension alluded to may have laid the foundation for some at least. .
[As evidence of the desire to diffuse education among the people, it may be remarked that at this time the law required every town, consisting of as many as one hundred families, to establish a grammar school, with a master able to fit the youth for college. And every town neglecting the requisition was liable to a penalty of ten pounds a year.
[That a disposition towards independence was early entertain- ed by the people of New England, is evidenced by a note in Evelyn's journal, under date of this year. He says, "There was a fear of their breaking from all dependence on this nation." Evelyn was a member of the board of trade and plantations.]
1672.
Mr. Daniel Salmon attached the property of the town, to the value of forty pounds, for not laying out the land granted to him in 1661. On the 27th of June, the Quarterly Court required the town to give him about six acres, near his house.
[On the first of April there was a violent snow storm. Drifts were left six feet in height. And the rains that followed did much damage. It rained fourteen days during the month.
[The whole General Court resolved to keep the twenty-sec- ond of May as a day of fasting and humiliation, and to meet at the court house, where Rev. Messrs. Whiting, Cobbet, John Eliot, Increase Mather, and others, were appointed " to carry on the worke of that day, by prayer and preaching." The solemnities were held on account of the disturbances and dis- tresses in Europe, and to supplicate for freedom from like afflictions here.
[Joseph Jenks, senior, made proposals to coin the money. But the Court judged it " meet not to grant his request."
[The first dancing school in the colony was commenced this year. It was soon, however, suppressed by the strong arm of the law. And up to this time there were no professed musi- cians in the colony.
[The sun was eclipsed, 12 August, " total or very near."
[There was a great easterly storm, 10 November. It brought in " so great a tyde as hath not bene this 36 years."]
X
X
261
ANNALS OF LYNN-1673, 1674.
1673.
On the 18th of June, a new road was laid out from Lynn to Marblehead, on the north of the former road. It is now called Essex street.
The second inhabitant of Nahant, of whom we find any men- tion, was Robert Coats. He probably lived there as a fisherman and shepherd, and left before he married Mary Hodgkin, which was 29 December, 1682. He had six sons and three daughters. After he left, there appears no inhabitant until 1690.
1674.
[John Tarbox, one of the first farmers in Lynn, died 26 May. He had seven acres of upland on Water Hill, an orchard, three cows and nine sheep, at the time of his decease. His will says, "I bequeath my house and housing, with orchard and all my land and meddow, with a greene Rugg, and a great Iron kettell, and a round Joynd table, to my son John Tarbox." He was a small proprietor in the Iron Works. This was the same John Tarbox, for the winning of the affections of whose daughter, Matthew Stanley was fined £5, in 1649. See page 225.]
Some of the inhabitants of Salem attempted to form a new church, and engaged Mr. Charles Nicholet for their minister ; but their design being opposed, they came to Lynn to complete it. Mr. Rogers, minister of Ipswich, wrote a letter to Mr. Phil- lips, minister of Rowley, requesting him to assist in preventing the accomplishment. This letter was handed to Major Dennison, who subjoined the following approbation : " Sir, Though I know nothing of what is above written, I cannot but approve the same in all respects.". On Sunday, the 11th of December, the dele- gates from the churches of Boston, Woburn, Malden, and Lynn, with the governor, John Leverett, assembled at Lynn, and formed a council. They chose the Rev. John Oxenbridge, of Boston, moderator, and agreed that the new church should be formed. Afterward, the delegates of the churches of Salem, Ipswich, and Rowley, arrived, when the vote of the council was reconsidered, and decided in the negative. In the curious church records of Rowley, it is said that " This work was begun without a sermon, which is not usuall. There was also a break- ing out into laughter, by a great part of the congregation, at a speech of Mr. Batters, that he did not approve of what Major Hathorne had spoken. Such carriage was never known on a first day, that I know of." After the frustration of this design, Mr. Nicholet went to England. [Nicholas Root was active in this design.
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