USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > History of the town of Plymouth, from its first settlement in 1620, to the present time : with a concise history of the aborigines of New England, and their wars with the English, &c. > Part 8
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In March of this year, messengers arrived at Plymouth from the governor of the Dutch plantation at Hudson's river, with letters dated at Manhattas, Fort Amsterdam, March 9th, 1627, and written in Dutch and French. In these letters, the Dutch congratulated the English on their prosperous and commend- able enterprise, tendered their good will and friendly services, and offered to open and maintain with them a commercial in- tercourse. The governor and council of Plymouth sent an obliging answer to the Dutch, expressing a thankful sense of the kindness which they had received in their native country, and a grateful acceptance of the offered friendship. The let- ters were signed by Isaac De Razier, Secretary.
In September, of the same year, the Plymouth planters re- ceived a visit from De Razier. Having arrived at the Ply- mouth trading-house at Manomet, according to his request, governor Bradford sent a boat for him, and he arrived at Ply- mouth, in the Dutch style, with a noise of trumpeters. He was a chief merchant, and second to the governor.
The people of Plymouth entertained him and his company several days, and some of them accompanied him on his return to Manomet, and purchased of him some commodities, especially
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wampum peack or wampum. The Plymouth settlers were un- acquainted with wampum, as an article of commerce, but, from the information received from the Dutch, they were in- duced to purchase the article of the Indians, to the value of £50, for traffic; it was unsaleable the two first years; but after- wards became a very important article of trade, especially with the inland Indians, who did not make it. 'Wompompague,' says Mr. Gookin, 'is made, artificially, of a part of the wilk's shell; the black is double the value of the white. It is made principally by the Narraganset and Long Island Indians. Upon the sandy flats and shores of those coasts, the wilk shells are found.' In Roger Williams's key, wampum is considered as the Indian money, and is described in the 24th chapter of that interesting tract. 'One fathom of this, their stringed money, is worth five shillings. Their white money they call wampum, which signifies white; their black, suckawhock, suki signifying black.' The editor of the Memorial says he received from the late professor Peck, a reply to some inquiries on this subject. He was satisfied that wampum was made from the shell of the paquawhock, or quahog. A traveller in this country in the year 1760, describing his journey from Newark to New York, by the way of Saten Island, has the following remark: 'In my way, I had an opportunity of seeing the method of making wampum. It is made of the clam shell; a shell consisting within of two colors, purple and white, and in form not unlike a thick oyster shell. The process of manufacturing it is very simple. It is just clipped to a proper size, which is that of a small oblong parallelopiped, then drilled, and afterwards ground to a round smooth surface, and polished. The purple wampum is much more valuable than the white; a very small part of the shell being of that color.'
1628 .- The Plymouth company had, for some time, been endeavoring to obtain a patent of a tract of land on the Ken- nebec river, as a place of trade. This year their object was accomplished, and they erected a house high up the river, and furnished it with corn and other commodities, for a market .- This year died Mr. Richard Warren, one of the passengers in the Mayflower, and a man of great usefulness during the suf- ferings and difficulties of the first settlement. Elizabeth Warren, the widow of Richard Warren, survived her husband about 45 years. She died in 1675, aged 90. Honorable men- tion is made of her in the Plymouth records. They had seven children, two sons and five daughters, all of whom married in Plymouth, excepting Abigail, the youngest daughter, who mar- ried Antony Snow, of Marshfield. Richard Warren stands at
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the head of the ninth share in the division of cattle in 1627. His location of lands was near Eel river, and the farm has remained in possession of his descendants till within about seven years. The late Honorable James Warren, of Plymouth, was a descendant from Richard Warren.
This year commenced the troubles occasioned by the eccen- tric Thomas Morton, of famous ' Merry Mount' and 'May Pole ' memory; but as this 'Lord of Misrule ' was not an in- habitant of Plymouth, and as his affairs were transacted chiefly at Mount Wallaston, (Braintree, ) the reader is referred to the New-England Memorial for particulars.
In 1623 or 1629, some Plymouth people, putting into Nantas- ket, met with a Mr. Ralph Smith, in a very miserable con- dition, but finding him to be a sober-minded man, and having officiated as a minister, they, by his earnest desire, brought him to Plymouth, where he was settled as their first minister .- See Ecclesiastical History.
1629 .- This year, Dr. Fuller, one of the first emigrants, a skilful physician as well as pious man, was called to visit some sick people at Salem, as a malignant disease prevailed there among a company of English emigrants under the care of Mr. (afterwards governor) John Endicott. Governor Bradford, and some others from the church of Plymouth, went to Salem, to as- sist in the ordination of Mr. Skelton, pastor, and Mr. Higgin- son, teacher, or ruling elder, by giving the right hand of fellow- ship. In August of this year, thirty-five families of the Leyden church arrived at Plymouth. They were received with great joy, and the expenses of their transportation were paid gratui- tously by the undertakers, and they were supported from the public stores for more than a year. Mr. Allerton, who made a third voyage to England in the autumn of 1628, as agent for Plymouth, returned some time in this month. He assisted very much the families of the Leyden church in their removal to this place. *
* Mr. Isaac Allerton was chosen the first and only assistant to Governor Bradford in 1621, and continued to be elected to that office, until 1624 when the number was increased. He was sent five times to England, as agent for the colony. In 1629, he employed the notorious Thomas Morton, as his secretary, which gave so great offence, that he was obliged to dismiss him. Mr. Allerton accom- panied Gov. Bradford and Dr. Fuller to Salem in July 1629, to assist in the ordination of Mr. Skelton and Mr. Higginson. In point of property he ranked the first, paying taxes to the amount of £3, 11s, when Mr. Edw. Winslow next to him in wealth paid £2, 5s. His character may be inferred from the following passage quoted from
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1630 .- Another portion of the Leyden people, about sixty in number, arrived on the 8th of May. Their transportation, amounting to £550, was paid by the undertakers. ' The generosity of the chiefs of the colony to their Leyden brethren,' says Mr. Baylies, 'is unparalleled. They almost deprived themselves of the common necessaries of life to get them over, and to support them, until they were able to support themselves! '
Execution. John Billington, indicted for murder, was found guilty, and executed in October. This was the first execution in Plymouth colony. Governor Bradford says, 'He was one of the profanest amongst us. He was from London, and I know not by what friends shuffled into our company. We used all due means about his trial; he was found guilty, both by grand and petit jury; and we took the advice of Mr. Win- throp, and others, the ablest gentlemen in the Massachusetts Bay, who all concurred with us that he ought to die, and the land be purged from blood.' He was guilty of the first offence in the colony in 1621, when he suffered an ignominious pun- ishment. Governor Bradford, writing to Mr. Cushman in 1625, says, 'Billington still rails against you, and threatens to arrest you, I know not wherefore; he is a knave, and so will live and die.' Billington waylaid and shot one John Newco- men, in revenge for some affront. It was Francis, who, in 1621, discovered the lake that has the name of Billington sea. In October of this year, the ship called the Handmaid arrived at Plymouth, having been twelve weeks at sea, and lost all her masts. About sixty passengers arrived, all well; but of twenty- eight cows shipped, ten were lost.
' Whereas our ancient work of fortification, by continuance of time is decayed, and christian wisdom teacheth us to depend upon God in the use of all good means for our safety, it is agreed by court, that fortifications be made in March or April, and the governor and council measure the work, and appoint
the old colony Records, p. 43. " 1633 dech'r 2d. Whereas Mr. Will. Bradford was appointed in the behalfe of the Court to enter upon the estate of Godbert Godbertson and Zarah his wife, and to discharge the debts of the said Godbert so far as his estate will make good. And whereas the greatest part of his debts are owing to Mr. Isaack Allerton of Plymouth merchant late brother of the said Zarah, the said Isaack hath given free leave to all other his creditors to be fully discharged before he receive any thing of his particular debts to himself, desiring rather to lose all than other men should lose any." He married Fear Brewster, daughter of the Elder, for his second wife. His son Isaac was graduated at Cambridge in 1560. The posterity of Mr. Allerton are numerous in the U. S.
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the whole of their joint and separate part of labor, and, in case any shall fail to do their part, they to forfeit ten shillings a day for each default, and to pay his or their part of labor, as the overseers shall agree.'
1632 .- In the autumn of this year governor Winthrop, of Massachusetts, Rev. Mr. Wilson, and some other gentlemen from Boston, visited Plymouth. In Winthrop's journal the par- ty is thus described: ' The governor, with Mr. Wilson, pastor of Boston, and two captains,' &c. The two captains, it may be presumed, were Endicott and Underhill. 'They went on board Captain Pierce's ship, (October 28th) which had just be- fore arrived from England, and were put on shore at a place called Massagascus. The next morning, the governor and his company went on foot to Plymouth, and arrived within the evening. The governor of Plymouth, Bradford, with Mr. Brewster the elder, and some others, came forth and met them without the town and conducted them to the governor's house, where they were kindly entertained, and feasted every day at several houses. On the Lord's day was a sacrament, which they did partake in, and in the afternoon Mr. Roger Williams, (according to their custom) propounded a question, to which their pastor, Mr. Smith, spake briefly. Rev. Mr. Williams prophecied,* and after, the governor of Plymouth spake to the question; after him, the elder, then some two or three more of the congregation. Then the elder desired the governor of Massachusetts and Mr. Wilson to speak to it, which they did. When this was ended, the deacon, Mr. Fuller, put the congre- gation in mind of the contribution, upon which the governor and all the rest went down to the deacon's seat and put into the bag, and then returned.'
October 31st .- ' Wednesday, about five in the morning, the governor and his company came out of Plymouth, the gover- nor of Plymouth, with the pastor and elder, &c. accompanying them nearly half a mile out of town in the dark. The lieuten- ant, Holmes, with two others, and the governor's man, came along with them to the great swamp, about ten miles. When they came to the great river, they were carried over by one Ludham, their guide, (as they had been when they came) the
* The term prophesying, in the sense intended by Governor Win- throp in his account of the religious exercises at Plymouth, has be- come obsolete. It originated in the reign of Elizabeth, when the puritans maintained frequent religious exercises, in which texts of scripiure were interpreted or discussed, one speaking to the subject after another, in an orderly method.
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stream being very strong and up to the hips; so the governor called that passage Ludham's Ford. Then they came to a place called Hue's Cross: the governor being displeased at the name, in respect that such things might hereafter give the paptists occasion to say that their religion was first planted in these parts, changed the name, and called it Hue's Folly; so they came that evening to Massagascus, where they were bountifully entertained as before, with store of turkeys, geese, ducks, &c., and the next day to Boston.'
The great swamp mentioned in this narrative was in Pem- broke; the great river is supposed to be what is now called North River. Ludham's Ford was probably in Hanover, about fourteen miles from Plymouth. Massagascus was probably written Wessagascus, and indicates the place which was com- monly called Wessagassett.
1633. First Water Mill .- January, Stephen Dean cove- nanted to set up a water-mill, that should be sufficient to beat corn for the whole colony. His mill was erected near Billing- ton sea, where he had a house. This mill, as supposed, was merely a pounding mill, by which the corn was cleared from the hull and prepared for Samp, (Nausamp) and Succatash a pleasant and wholosome substitute for bread, for a knowledge of which our ancestors were indebted to the Indians. The next year it was agreed that Dean's privilege should be sur- rendered whenever a grinding mill should be set up. Such a mill was soon afterwards erected by John Jenney, for the re- cords inform us that, in 1638, John Jenney was presented for not grinding corn well and seasonably.
A law was made in the colony this year, inflicting a penalty of twenty pounds on any person who should refuse to accept of the office of governor, unless he was chosen two years in suc- cession, and whoever should refuse the office of counsellor or magistrate, was required to pay ten pounds.
This year, Mr. Edward Winslow was chosen governor of the jurisdiction of New Plymouth, Mr. William Bradford, Cap- tain Miles Standish, Mr. John Howland, Mr. John Alden, Mr. John Doan, Mr. Stephen Hopkins, and Mr. William Gilson were chosen to be his assistants in government. Governor Bradford, having served in the office of governor about twelve years, now, by importunity, got off.
At a general court held 28th October, it was by full consent agreed upon, that the chief government be held in the town of Plymouth, and that the governor live there, and keep his resi- dence and dwelling, and there also hold such courts as concern the people.
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It is a current tradition, that the house, in which the general court held their sessions for many years, occupied the identical spot on which now stands the dwelling house of Mr. Thomas Jackson, in Main street, and that some of the original timber was incorporated into the present house. The walls of the chamber were high, in which sat the governor and assistants, and the lower room was occupied by the house of deputies.
All and every person in the colony were to be subject to such military orders for training and exercise of arms, as was agreed upon by the governor and assistants.
The town of Plymouth was this year visited with a mortal sickness, of which upwards of twenty men, women, and chil- dren died. Among others, was that most excellent and pious man, Dr. Samuel Fuller. He had attached himself to the puritan interest, while at Leyden, and came over as a member of Robinson's church, in the Mayflower. He twice visited Salem in the discharge of his professional duties, and, being experienced in the church affairs at Plymouth, communicated some useful information to governor Endicott, relative to the formation of a church at Salem, for which he received his grateful acknowledgments. He was an ardent friend to the church, of which he was deacon, and was distinguished for his moral and christian virtues. 'The spring before this sickness,' says Morton, (Memorial) ' there was a numerous company of flies, which were like for bigness unto wasps and humble-bees; they came out of little holes in the ground, and did eat up the green things, and made such a constant yelling noise as made the woods ring of them, and to deafen the hearers. They were not heard nor seen by the English in the country before this time, but the Indians told them that sickness would follow; and.so it did. Very hot in the months of June, July, and Au- gust, of that summer.' The insect here described, is the lo- cust, which has appeared in our woods at distant intervals since.
In the inventory of Dr. Fuller, three cows were appraised, January 2d, 1633, at sixty pounds sterling.
1634 .- This year, Mr. Thomas Prince was chosen governor of the jurisdiction of New Plymouth. Mr. William Bradford, first assistant, or deputy governor, and six other gentlemen were chosen assistants.
Indian Anecdote. Governor Winthrop mentions in his jour- nal, that ' Mr. Winslow, coming in his bark from Connecticut, left his bark at Narraganset, to return to Plymouth by land. Asamequin, (Massasoit) his old ally, offered to be his guide; but before they took their journey, the Sagamore sent one of his men to Plymouth, to tell them that Mr. Winslow was dead. and directed him to show where he was killed; whereupon
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there was much fear and sorrow at Plymouth. The next day, when Asamequin brought him home, they asked him why he sent such word, he answered that it was their manner to do so, that they might be more welcome when they came home.'
1635 .- William Bradford chosen Governor, Edward Win- slow, Thomas Prince, and five others assistants.
Mr. E. Winslow again visited England, as agent for the colony, and was joint agent for Massachusetts also. While before the council, on the affairs of the colonies, archbishop Laud, being greatly incensed against him, as against all the colonists, as separatists from the church of England, accused him of officiating in the celebration of marriages, and. as reli- gious teacher. Mr. Winslow acknowledged that he had occa- sionally taught publicly in the church and that he had officiated in the celebration of marriages as a magistrate, and that he himself had been married by a magistrate. The archbishop pronounced him guilty of separation from the national church, and ' by vehement importunity,' says governor Bradford, 'got the board at last to consent to his commitment. He was con- veyed to the Fleet prison, and was there confined about seven- teen weeks.'-See Ecclesiaslical History.
On the 15th of August, Plymouth was visited by a tremen- dous storm or hurricane, which is thus described in Morton's Memorial. 'It began in the morning a little before day, and grew, not by degrees, but came with great violence from the beginning to the great amazement of many: it blew down sun- dry houses, and uncovered divers others; divers vessels were lost at sea in it, and many more were in extreme danger. It caused the sea to swell in some places to the southward of Ply- mouth, as it rose to twenty feet right up and down, and made many of the Indians to climb into the trees for safety. It threw down all the corn to the ground, which never rose more, and the which, through the mercy of God, it being near the harvest time, was not lost, though much the worse; and had the wind continued without shifting, in likelihood it would have drowned some part of the country. It blew down many hun- dred thousand of trees; turning up the stronger by the roots, and breaking the high pine trees, and such like, in the midst, and the tall young oaks and walnut trees of good bigness were wound as withes by it,-very strange and fearful to behold. It began in the southeast and veered sundry ways, but the great- est force of it, at Plymouth, was from the former quarter: it continued not in extremity above five or six hours, before the violence of it began to abate; the marks of it will remain for many years in those parts where it was sorest. The moon suf-
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fered a great eclipse two nights after it.' There is a close similarity between the hurricane described by Mr. Morton, and that which we experienced at the same place in 1815 .*
March 13th .- Thomas Boreman agreed, and was to be paid in beaver, at ten shillings a piece, or other commodities of val- uable price, to be levied on the company, to do the fort in the manner following: all the posts, ten inches square, and not to stand above ten feet asunder; to be done with three rails .be- tween every post, the post and rails to be sawed, he to enclose the whole with sawed boards; to be nine feet high, and to be cut sharp at the top.
It appears that previous to this date the general court pro- mulgated no penal laws, but the people were governed by the moral law of Moses and the New Testament, as paramount to all others. These laws indeed accord with that patriarchal simplicity of manners and morals, which were the crowning
* In the above mentioned tempest, a bark belonging to Mr. Aller- ton of Plymouth, was shipwrecked on an Island in Salem harbor, and 21 out of 23 persons were drowned. The vessel was returning from Ipswich to Marblehead, having on board Mr. Anthony Thacher, his wife and 4 children, and Rev. John Avery, his wife and 6 chil- dren ; they were recently from England, and Mr. Avery was about to settle at Marblehead. None of the company were saved except Mr- Thacher and his wife, who were cast on the island in a remark- able manner, while their 4 children perished. According to Dr. C. Mather, the vessel was dashed to pieces on a rock ; and while Mr . Avery and Mr. Thacher were hanging on the rock, Mr. Thacher holding his friend by the hand, and resolved that they should die to- gether, Mr. Avery, having just finished a short and devout ejacula- tion, was by a wave swept off into the sea. Mr. Thacher gave to the island his own name, and to the rock Avery's Fall. Mr. Thach- er became one of three grantees of land in the town of Yarmouth, county of Barnstable, where he died, in 1688, aged about 80 years. He was employed in various public offices, and represented the town in the general coourt at Plymouth, in 1643, and in ten subsequent years. His oldest son, the Hon. John Thacher, born after the ship- wreck, was for several years a representative to the general court, and was one of the council of war, and one of the Governor's as- sistants. In 1692, he was chosen a member of the provincial coun- cil, in which station he continued till his death in 1713, aged 75 years. The descendants of this family are very numerous ; the au- thor of this history is of the fifth generation from Anthony Thacher Mr. Thomas Thacher, nephew to Anthony, and who came over with him, says Dr. Mather, 'had such a strong and sad impression upon his mind about the voyage, that he was induced to travel the journey by land, and thereby escaped the shipwreck.'
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characteristics of the puritan fathers. Among the penalties inflicted on individuals under the administration of governor Bradford, governor Winslow, and governor Prince, from 1632 to 1640, we find the following instances recorded. Frances Sprague, for drinking overmuch, fined ten shillings; Frances Billingham and John Phillips, for drinking tobacco in the high way, twelve shillings each-this was probably using tobacco by smoking. Stephen Hopkins, presented for selling beer at two pence per quart, which was worth but one penny. John Barnes for sabbath-breaking, was fined thirty shillings, and set one hour in the stocks. Edward Holman, less guilty, fined twenty shillings. Thomas Clarke, for selling a pair of boots and spurs for fifteen shillings, which cost him but ten, fined thirty shillings. William Adey, for working on Sunday, was severely whipt at the post.
1636 .- Edward Winslow was chosen governor this year.
Plymouth Declaration of Rights. The body of laws adopted by the colony of Plymouth, styled ' The general Fundamen- tals,' was now established. The first article is' ' That no act, imposition, law, or ordinance, be made or imposed upon us at present, or to come, but such as has been, or shall be, enacted by the consent of the body of freemen or associates, or their representatives legally assembled; which is according to the free liberties of the free born people of England.'
The second article is, ' And for the well governing this col- ny, it is also ordered, that there be a free election annually of governor, deputy governor, and assistants, by the vote of the freemen of this corporation.' The fundamentals are dated, 1636. The style of enactment is, 'We, the associates of the colony of New Plymouth, coming hither as free born subjects of the kingdom of England, endowed with all and singular the privileges belonging to such, being assembled, do enact, or- dain, and constitute,' &c.
Plymouth Laws .- ' For the better government of the Indians, and for their improvement in civility and christianity, the as- sembly of Plymouth colony made several laws for preaching the gospel to them; for admitting Indian preachers among them, &c. with the concurrence of the principal Indians; for · making orders and constituting courts, for appointing civil rulers, and other officers, to punish misdemeanors, with the liberty of appeal to the county court and court of assistants.'- Holmes' Annals.
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