USA > Massachusetts > History of Massachusetts, for two hundred years: from the year 1620 to 1820 > Part 3
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Another settlement was begun in Massachusetts, in 1625, under Captain Wollaston and one Morton, a lawyer of suspi- cious character. There were about thirty persons in this com- pany ; and they settled on and near an eminence on the South side of Boston Bay, to which they gave the name of Mount Wollaston. The site is within the town of Quincy, and on the farm of the late John Adams, some time President of the United States. Little is recorded of Wollaston ; and what has been written of Morton, by his contemporaries, represents him as a man without moral virtue, and destitute alike of honorable and religious principles. There was scarcely the semblance of order and decency in the settlement. They were improvident and immoral themselves ; and their intercourse with the Indians served only to corrupt these ignorant beings, or to fit them for inflicting injury on the English settlements. They remained longer than those did who were at Wessaguscus in 1622; and their irregular conduct frequently called for the interference of the people of Plymouth and of Salem; but the leaders and most of the company had dispersed before the arrival of Win- throp and others in 1630.
One Thompson, a Scotchman, who had passed a year at Piscataway River, settled on an island in Boston harbor, in
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1624. And the following year Lyford and Oldham, who had been banished from Plymouth for disorderly conduct, joined by one Conant, made a temporary residence at Nantasket. Co- nant was not of the same opinions, precisely, with the people of Plymouth ; being less opposed to the rites and forms of the established church of England. Lyford and Oldham were men of no stability of character; the former assumed the clerical office, but was found to be immoral ; and the latter openly op- posed the civil authority. Both were inimical to the govern- ment of that colony. They complained afterwards of persecu- tion, and prevailed with some persons, who considered the Plymoutheans too rigid, to believe they had been severely treated ; but they were punished and ordered to leave that jurisdiction, for plotting against the government. After a short residence at Nantasket, these, with a few other persons, who were found, or had lately come to the place, removed thence to Cape Ann, chiefly for the purpose of fishing. Conant, with three others, John Woodberry, John Balch, and Peter Palfreys, characterised as prudent and honest men, left that place in 1626, and settled at Naumkeag, since called Salem ; to which he was urged by some characters in England, who were desirous of effecting a permanent settlement in Massachusetts.
About this time William Blaxton, (or Blackstone,) who had been a clergyman in England, settled on the peninsula, where the city of Boston now stands. He continued at that place till the arrival of the company under Governor Winthrop, in 1630, and four or five years after, when he sold his possessions and removed a little south of the patent of Massachusetts. He was an eccentric and unsocial character; neither agreeing with the Church of England, nor with the puritans. He said " he left England to escape the arbitrary conduct of the lord bishops ; and Massachusetts, to be free of the rigid discipline of the lord brethren."
In 1628, an important settlement was made at Salem, under John Endicot, who was chief of the plantation, till Governor Winthrop, with many others, arrived in June, 1630, and settled. at Charlestown, Boston, and vicinity. After the death of Winthrop, he was Governor of Massachusetts several years, and for one year in the lifetime of that eminent man. Endicot had much energy and decision of character, and was well quali- fied, in many respects, to build up a new plantation in the wilderness ; but he was narrow and rigid in his theological views.
This company came over in pursuance of a plan of Rev. Mr. White and others, who had been then some time preparing
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for a colony in New England, to extend the knowledge of the gospel, and to provide an asylum for such as chose or were obliged to flee from ecclesiastical tyranny in England ; and it was designed also as preliminary to the removal of larger num- bers, which took place in 1629 and 1630. The company which came with Endicot consisted of one hundred ; and they were far better supplied than the people of Plymouth were, at their first settlement. Of this party, three brothers, of the name of Sprague, with a few others, soon removed to the spot on which Charlestown has been since built. They found an Englishman living there, by the name of Walford, a black-smith. The Indians were more numerous at this place than in the vicinity of Salem ; but they readily consented that the English should reside there, and the chief was mild and friendly in his deportment.
The nextyear, (1629,) three ships, with two hundred passen- gers, arrived at Salem; and a part of these also settled at Charlestown, one of whom was Thomas Graves, an eminent engineer. The population of these two places was estimated at three hundred, including those who arrived in 1629; two hundred of them were at Salem, and one hundred at Charles- town. There were four ministers in this company. Mr. Hig- ginson and Mr. Skelton continued at Salem, and were learned and pious men : Mr. Smith, who was of an odd temperament, and supposed, sometimes, to be partially insane, went first to Nantasket, and thence to Plymouth, where he officiated some years ; and Mr. Bright, who seems not to have gone to the extreme of non-conformity with the puritans of that period, soon left the country and returned to England.
Higginson and Skelton had received episcopal ordination in England; but holding the established church there, to be greatly corrupt, if not antichristian, they chose to devote themselves anew to the sacred office, by public prayer and by submitting to the imposition of hands by some of the lay brethren, as teacher and pastor. Delegates from the church of Plymouth attended on the occasion, by invitation ; not, however, to direct, or to impart any special ecclesiastical power, but to sanction the solemn act and to show their christian affection for the new-formed church. There was no pastor, at this time, over the church in Plymouth, and the delegation was considered by the members, both of that and of the Salem church, simply as an expression of christian fellowship.
The people of Plymouth have sometimes been supposed more decidedly to oppose and condemn the English hierarchy, than those of Salem, and those who came the next year to
2
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Boston ; but Mr. Skelton and Mr. Endicot were entirely in sentiment with the Plymouth church, as to the errors and cor- ruptions of the church of England, and of the propriety of a separation from it. They also agreed, as to the real independ- ence of the churches, and of the perfect equality of their min- isters or pastors. Governor Winthrop and his associates, who arrived the year following, did not consider the English estab- lished church as precisely antichristian, and yet they charged it as being unscriptural, arbitrary and corrupt. And, indeed, the people of Plymouth, through the influence of their enlight- ened pastor, John Robinson, had become cautious of denounc- ing the church of England as absolutely unchristian. Win- throp, and others of his company, both of the laity and clergy, coincided in sentiment with the pilgrim church, as to ecclesias- tical government, the equal powers of all christian ministers, and the necessity of following the directions of Christ and his Apostles, in opposition to all rites and forms adopted by, and all decrees resting solely on, human authority.
When the company with Higginson and Skelton arrived at Salem, in 1629, there were only eleven houses, one of which was for public use. During that year, several were erected in Salem and in Charlestown, and preparations were made for building more the following season, for the accommodation of those then expected to arrive. Among those who arrived in 1628 and 1629, were some servants of the more opulent ad- venturers, who proposed to come over in 1630; and of Mr. Craddock, one of the principal undertakers, but who never came to Massachusetts. Such was the condition of the colony, that it was thought best to release them from servitude the next year ; and most of them became worthy freeholders in the plantation.
There were few Indians at this time, near Salem, and they were entirely pacific and friendly. They were in fear of other tribes at the eastward, which probably induced them to seek the good will of the English. The Sachems at Saugust, Mis- tic and Agawam, cheerfully consented to their settlement, and sold them tracts of land for articles of small value. Naumkeag, or Salem, was uninhabited by any of the natives, when Endicot arrived.
The settlement of Massachusetts is commonly fixed in 1630; as it was in that year Governor Winthrop and company, con- sisting of nearly two thousand souls,* arrived, and settled at
" Fifteen hundred came with Winthrop, two hundred just before him, and settled at Dorchester, and there were three hundred at Salem and Charlestown when he arrived.
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Charlestown, Dorchester, Boston, Watertown, and Roxbury. The people who settled Dorchester, though of the same reli- gious views and opinions, were not immediately connected with those of Winthrop's company, till after their arrival. They arrived a short time before the larger company, and first pitched on the bank of Charles River, at Watertown ; but a part of those associated with Winthrop claimed the place, and they removed the same summer to Dorchester. Seventeen ships were em- ployed in 1630, bringing over passengers, cattle, and stock. They arrived in Salem harbor; but soon moved round to Charles River, and landed the people and goods on the north side. Within two months, however, Isaac Johnson, one of the most opulent of the company, fixed his residence on the south- ern peninsula, since called Boston ; and several others soon followed him. A part of the company, under Sir R. Saltonstal, settled up the river, at Watertown ; and Pynchon, and others, soon established themselves at Roxbury.
In this company were two able and pious clergymen ; John Wilson, who was the pastor of the Charlestown or Boston church ; and George Phillips, minister of the Watertown church. The people of Boston and Charlestown formed but one church for about two years ; and, after a few months, as early as No- vember, the greater part having removed to the Boston side, the public religious meetings were generally hield at the latter place. By a public tax, levied on the several settlements, in September 1630, Boston was assessed £11, and Charlestown but £7. Early in 1631, another tax was laid, in which Boston and Watertown paid a similar and the largest sum ; Charles- town and Dorchester were next; Salem and Roxbury still lower.
With the church and people, who settled Dorchester, came also two able and pious ministers, Warham and Maverick, who had been pastors of churches in the west of England. Lud- low, Stoughton, Rossiter, and Clap, were distinguished laymen of the sanie company. And the principal characters with Win- throp were Sir R. Saltonstal, Thomas Dudley, Isaac Johnson, William Pynchon, William Vassall, Simon Bradstreet, Increase Nowell, William Coddington, and Thomas Sharp.
Before this company sailed from England, April 1630, they addressed a letter, signed by Winthrop, Saltonstal, Johnson, Dudley, Phillips, Coddington, and others, to their brethren of the episcopal church; in which they acknowledge the church of England as their mother, blessing God for their birth and education as Englishmen, expressing christian charity for all the pious and good of that community, and desiring their
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prayers, for the success of the enterprise in which they had engaged.
The early death of Isaac Johnson, eminent alike for his wealth, and his zeal in favor of the settlement, was a heavy loss. He had devoted all his property, as well as his life, to the building up of a colony in Massachusetts, for the support of pure christianity. The influence of Johnson, arising from his wealth and piety, was so great, that when he died some were ready almost to despair of the continuance of the planta- tion. His noble consort, who left an abode of abundance and elegance, from her attachment to religion, died soon after their arrival, and some weeks before this worthy man's decease. Her death, probably, hastened his descent to the grave. She was not the only female, in this distinguished company, of con- fessors and martyrs, who were of noble families. The wives of Humfrey, who came over soon after, of Rev. Messrs. Shear- man, Bulkley, and Whiting, were daughters of noblemen ; and so was Lady Moody, who resided some time in Massachusetts. And they are honorable examples of the pious sensibility and religious devotion of the female character.
Governor Winthrop, and the eminent men associated with him, in the settlement of Massachusetts, were equally friendly towards the people at Plymouth, as Endicot, Higginson and Skelton had been. The Rev. John Cotton, from whose church several of the Massachusetts company came, and who joined his friends in Boston, in 1633, advised them "to take council with their christian brethren of Plymouth, and to do nothing to injure or offend them." The Rev. Mr. Warham, of the church in Dorchester, also expressed a desire to one of Plymouth church, in 1630, to be on friendly terms with that church and people ; and he declared himself satisfied with their ecclesiasti- cal government and proceedings. Similar sentiments of chris- tian kindness continued to be cherished by the principal char- acters of Plymouth and Massachusetts ; and were mutually beneficial to each, till the union in 1692. The great objects of the emigration of the company with Winthrop to Massachu- setts, were like those proposed by the people of Plymouth, the enjoyment of religious liberty, and the diffusion of christian knowledge among the native Indians. But the leading men of each colony were too wise to suppose they could live with- out civil government, or the friendly protection of England. They recognised the authority of the crown, and had patents, or grants from the king, for the territory on which they settled, who claimed the greater part of North America, by virtue of discoveries, which were made by his subjects.
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The council for the affairs of New England, (which was in- corporated in 1620,) granted to certain knights and gentlemen, about Dorchester, in England, in 1628, the territory lying be- tween the rivers Charles and Merrimac, and extending three miles south of all and any streams connected with the former, and three miles north of the latter; and west to the southern ocean. This grant was soon after confirmed by Charles I., and a patent was issued, under the broad seal of England, giving power to govern the colony to be there established. Endicot, Johnson, Saltonstal, Humfrey, Vassall, Nowell, Pynchon, and Bellingham, were among the patentees. The next year, Winthrop, Dudley, and others, at the instance of Rev. Mr. White, were associated with them. Matthew Crad- dock was chosen the first governor of the company, in Eng- land ; but as he did not purpose to remove to New England, Winthrop was chosen to that place, before the company em- barked, in 1630; and it was then also voted to transfer the powers of government to Massachusetts, where the settlement was to be made. Dudley was, at the same time, chosen deputy governor; and a board of assistants, viz. Endicot, Saltonstal, Humfrey, Jolinson, Pynchon, Nowell, Coddington, Vassall, and Sharp.
By the royal charter, the patentees of Massachusetts, their associates and successors were declared a body politic : the governor, deputy governor and assistants, with the other mem- bers of the company, had power to make laws and orders for the general good, not repugnant to the laws of England, and to punish all violations of such laws. This instrument was made a sufficient warrant to the officers of the colony to execute its laws, even against the subjects of England, who might visit there for trade, or other business ; to punish, par- don and govern all such, as well as those who had settled within the plantation. The laws of England were early re- cognised in the jurisdiction, except in so far as the condition of the colony required additions and alterations.
The first court of assistants, after the company arrived, of which the governor and deputy governor were, officially, chief members, was held at Charlestown, on the 23d of August. This court was also in session twice in September ; and in October there was a general court, composed of all the freemen or members of the company within the limits of the patent, when it was agreed, that the assistants should be chosen by the whole body of freemen, and that the assistants should chose the governor and deputy governor from their number. These latter, with the board of assistants, were authorized to
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make orders and laws for the government of the colony, and to appoint officers to execute them.
Soon after the arrival and settlement of the company, one hundred and eight persons expressed a desire to take the oath required of the freemen of the jurisdiction ; some of whom liad been in the country several years, as Maverick, Black- stone, and Conant. The next year, it was ordered that none but members of the church should be admitted to the privi- leges of freemen. This was justly considered a grievance by those who were not of the church. But it continued to be the law for many from the first settlement.
The power of the lay members of the church was equal to that of the pastor or teacher, except that the latter was ex officio moderator of the church meetings, and the authority to administer the ordinances belonged exclusively to him. Each church was admitted to have all power necessary to be exer- cised for discipline and government, and for the choice and separation of the clergymen ; and therefore were, at first, called independents ; but afterwards, were generally denomi- nated congregationalists.
The Indians near Boston manifested a friendly spirit towards the company, which settled there in 1630, as they had done to the people of Salem. They were, indeed, so few in that imme- diate vicinity, that they must have been unsuccessful in any attack on the English, unless they had received recruits from a distance. In 1632, there was an apprehension that a con- spiracy was forming against them by the natives, but there was no satisfactory proof of such a design, at that period; and the Neponsetchief, and other petty sachems, were then on good terms with the government. Part of Boston was purchased of Blackstone, soon after the arrival of the company in 1630, though not all, immediately. He probably bought of the Indians, as they were on friendly terms with him; and in other instances, as Salem and Charlestown, the full consent of the natives was given, for some small consideration, that the English might have possession. In no case, does it appear, that the lands were occupied by force or fraud. The natives were few, and they put a small value on the soil. It was in perfect good faith that the sales and purchases of the different tracts were made. So it was in Plymouth colony. Governor Josiah Winslow, in 1675, says in a public document, " that no lands there had been taken up, but by purchase, and consent of the natives who claimed them."
Under the direction of such able and worthy men as Win- throp, all proper regulations were early made, for maintaining
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the peace of the community, and for providing the necessary means of safety and defence. They felt fully competent, by the grants of power in their charter from the king, and by virtue of their rights as Englishmen, to make laws for the support of civil authority. It will be seen, by reference to the powers given in that instrument, as before stated, that they might with propriety exercise all the authority requisite for self-government, and for the protection and welfare of the colony. That they were ready to use all the powers granted by their charter, there is abundant proof; and if they exceeded those powers, it was generally, if not in all cases, owing to their distant location from the parent country, which rendered the exercise of sovereign authority necessary ; or to their jealous care to preserve their religious liberty.
Several courts of assistants were holden, within a few months after their landing at Charlestown. The first was in August, two were in September, two in October, and others in Novem- ber and December. After forming anew into churches, at Charlestown, Watertown and Dorchester, and ordering a sup- port for the Clergymen, particularly of the two former, and providing houses for the approaching winter, they consulted for preparing a fortified town, in a central and proper place, for protection against the natives, of whose disposition towards them they could not be fully informed in a few months. The places mentioned for this purpose, were Boston, Roxbury, Watertown and Cambridge, then called the New Town. The general opinion was in favor of the latter, for the chief town, where the principal characters were to live; and Winthrop, Dudley, and others accordingly prepared to build in that place. But in the spring of 1631, it was concluded, that Boston should be the capital of the colony, and there Winthrop and some other public men fixed their residence. This caused a temporary coldness between Winthrop and Dudley, who sustained some pecuniary losses by the change ; but a cordial reconciliation soon took place between them. As at Plymouth,. soon after the arrival of the pilgrims, there was much sickness among the people who came to Massachusetts in 1630. About two hundred of the company died, within the first year. Whether this is to be attributed to change of climate, or poor provisions, or unusual exposure to the cold, it is difficult to decide. Their privations and sufferings were very great ; and their condition was far different from that in which most of them had before lived. On finding that their stock of provisions was fast spending, they despatched a ship, early in the autumn, for Ireland ; which returned in February following, and gave great relief to the plantation.
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The magistrates were consulted, by the government of Plymouth, in October, as to the execution of a man, for mur- der, committed within that jurisdiction ; and they advised that he should be put to death, " that the land might be purged of blood." It was a plain case of felonious homicide. But it was a question, with some in Plymouth, whether the colonial gov- ernment had authority to inflict capital punishment ; or whether the case should not be referred to the judicial tribunals in England. The charter for Massachusetts was explicit on this point. During the first year, one hundred and eight per- sons were admitted freemen; the most of whom came over with the governor and his company in June, 1630 ; but some were adınitted who were in the country before their arrival. The original patentees, their heirs and assigns, were considered members of the company, and freemen of the jurisdiction ; but, in 1631, it was ordered, that none should be of the General Court, and be allowed to vote for the election of governor and assistants, except they were also members of one of the churches. The General Court was composed of the whole body of free- men at first, by whom the Governor and assistants were elected, who had all judicial and legislative power in their hands ; the people had then no further power or care in the government.
In the large company which arrived in Massachusetts, in 1630, there were many gentlemen of family, property and education. Winthrop, Dudley, Saltonstal, Nowell, Ludlow, Bellingham, Bradstreet, Pynchon, Coddington and others, were men of good information and more than ordinary learning; and those of the clerical profession among them were also well educated characters.
The clergy, from the first settlement, and for a long period after, had great influence, not only in the church, but in the civil government. This influence arose from their learning and piety ; the sacred office alone gave them little power. The spirit of equality which prevailed among the puritans, in many respects placed the clergy and the laity on a level. But the clergy of that period were not mere theologians ; they had been led to inquire into the nature of civil government. The state of England had forced the subject on their attention. Hence their competency to judge in political and social, as well as ecclesiastical affairs. They were therefore often consulted on the concerns of civil government ; as to the separate powers of legislators and judges, of the peculiar authority of the board of assistants and of the assembly of deputies, and of the propriety of inaking war and peace. And, if the clergy were sometimes permitted and invited to give advice, touching political matters,
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