USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Plymouth church records, 1620-1859 > Part 17
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Ancient mon
It is the Lords doeing and it ought to be Marueilous in our eyes and the Rather because M' Barnard in his booke" made theire smale Encrease in a few yeers one and the Cheiffe Argument against the way it selfe To which M' Robinson Answared that Religion is not alwayes sowne and Reaped in one age; and that John husse and Jerome of Prague finished theire Course a hundred years before Luther; and Wickliffee as Longe before them and yett Neither the one Nor the 7 other with like succes as Luther; and yett saith hee
1 Here some words are crossed out.
" See note 4, below.
* Here a word is crossed out.
" The three paragraphs beginning "*3 And the Cheife" and ending with the words "following page" are written on a small sheet of paper pasted to p. [64] of the text. The verso of the sheet is blank. The page measures 5 inches in height by 578 inches in width.
" Here "soe" is crossed out.
. Richard Bernard, Christian Advertisements and Counsels of Peace. Also Disuasions from the Separatists schisme, commonly called Brownisme, etc., 1608. " Altered from "theire."
121
JOHN ROBINSON AND WILLIAM AMES RECONCILED
Many are alreddy Gathered into the kingdom of Christ; and the Nearnes of many more throughout the whole land for the Regions are white vnto the haruest and doe promise within lesse then an hundred yeer; if our sines and theires make vs not vnworthy of his Mercye a very plentuous haruest 1 Justi folio (62) as if hee had Prophesied of these times yee some of vs haue oftens heard him say that euen those minesters and other Godly prsons that did then most sharply oppose them; if they might Come to be from vnder the Bishopps and liue in a place of Rest and peace whear they might Comfortably subsist they would practice the same thinges which they now did; and truely many of vs haue seen this aboundantly veri- fyed; Not onely in these latter times but formerly doctor Amesse was estranged from and opposed M' Robinson and yett afterwards there was loueing Complyance and Neare agreement between them; and which is more strange m' Johnson himself whoe was afterwards Pas- tour of the Church of God att Amsterdam; was a preacher to the Companie of English of the Staple att Middlebery at Zealand and had Great and sertaine maintainance 2 allowed him by them and 2001 pr anum was highly Respected of them and soe Zealous against this way [65] way as that m' Barrowes and m' ' Greenwoods Refutation of Gifford ' was privately in Printing in this Cittey hee Not onely was a Meanes to discouer it but was made the Ambassadors In- strument to Intercept them att the presse and see them burnt, the which Charge hee did soe well prforme as hee lett them Goe on vntill they were wholly ffinished; and then surprised the whole Impression Not suffering any to escape; and then by the Majes- trates Authoritie Caused them all to be openly burnt himselfe standing by vntill they were all Consumed to Ashes onely hee took vp two of them; one to keep in his owne Studdy that hee might see theire errours and the other to bestow on a speciall ffrind for the like vse; But Marke the Sequell; when hee had don this worke; hee went home and being sett downe in his Studdy; hee began to turne ouer some pages of this book; and Superficially to Read some
1 Here "Justi" is crossed out.
' Written above a word crossed out.
' Here "Greenoods" is crossed out.
4 A plaine Refutation of M. Giffard's bookse, intituled A short Treatise against
the Donatistes of England, etc., 1605.
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122
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
thinges heer and there as his fancy led him; att length hee mett with somthing that began to work vpon his sperit which soe wrought with him as drew him to this Resolution seriously to Read 1 ouer the whole book the which hee did once and againe, In the end hee was soe taken and his Consience 2 was troubled soe as hee could haue Noe Rest in him self vntill hee Crosed the seas and Came to London to Confer with the Authers whoe ' were then in prison and shortly after executed; after which Conferrence; hee was soe satisfyed and Confeirmed in the truth as hee Neuer Returned to his place any more at Middleburrow but adjoyned himself to theire societie att London and was afterwards Comitted to prison and then banished; and In Conclusion Comeing to Liue att Amsterdam hee Caused the same bookes which hee had bin an Instrument to burne to be New printed and sett out att his owne Charge; and some of vs heer prsent Testify this to be a' true Relation which was heard from his owne Mouth before many witnesses;
Young men
Wee haue seen a book of m" Robert Bayleys5 a Scotchman wherin hee seemeth to take Notice of the spreading of the truth vnder the Notion of error and Casts all the disgraces hee Can on it and Rankes it with others the foulest errors of the time and Indeauors to shew how like a small Sparke it Reviued out of the ashes and was brought from Leyden ouer the seas into New England and there Nurrished with much silence vntill it spread to other places in the Country " and by eminent hands from thence into old England
Ancient men
As wee dare say m' Bayley Intends noe honor to the pisons by what hee sayes either to those heer or from whence they Came soe are they farr from seekeing any to themselues but Rather are ashamed that theire weake wakeing 7 hath brought noe more Glory to God; and if in any thinge God hath made any of them Instruments for the Good of his people; in any measure they desire hee onely may haue the Glory and whereas M' Bayley affeirmeth that howeuer it was
1 Here "ouer" is crossed out.
" Here a word is crossed out.
" Here the letters "we" are crossed out.
' Here a word, perhaps "truth," is crossed out.
" A Dissuasive from the Errours of the Time; wherein the Tenets of the Prin- cipall Sects, especially of the Independents, are drawn together in a map, 1645-6.
. Here the words "in the Countrey" are crossed out.
" Perhaps "workeing."
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123
EXECUTIONS IN REIGN OF ELIZABETH
in a few yeers the most whoe settled in the land did agree to modle themselues after m' Robinsons 1 Patteren;
Wee agree with Reuerend M' Cotton that "there was Noe agree- ment by any sollemne or Comon Consultation but that it is true they did, as if they had agreed by the same speritt of truth and vnity sett vp by the healp of Christ; The same modle of Churches one like another; and if they of Plymouth haue helped any of the first Comers in theire Theory by hearing 2 and descerning theire practices, therin the Scriptures, fulfilled that the Kingdom of heaven is like vnto · Leauen which a woman took and hid in three measures of meale vntill all was Leauened mat: 13:3" Answare to m' Bayley Page 17 [66]
Wee desire to know how many haue bin put to death for this Young men Cause and what manor of p sons they were and what occations were taken against them by bringing them to theire end
Wee know Certainly of six that were publickly executed besides Ancient men such as died in prisons
Mª henery Barrow "} These suffered at Tyburne
Mª Greenwood
M Penery att St Thomas a Waterings by London
M. Wiltam & dennis att Thetford in Norffolke
Two others att Saint Edmonds in Suffolke whose Names were Coppin ' and Elias 5 These two last mensioned were Condemned by Crewell Judge Popham Whose Countenance and Carriage was very Rough and seuere toward them with many sharp menasses but God Gaue them Curriage to bear it and to make this Answare;
My Lord youer face wee feare not And for youer threats wee Care not And to Come to youer Read seruice wee dare not
these two last named were put to death for dispersing of books ffor m' dennis hee was a Godly man and faithfull in his place but
1 Here a word is crossed out.
" Here some words, perhaps "by hearing," are crossed out.
' Here "denis" is crossed out.
John Coppin (Copping) was hanged in 1583. Sketches of Henry Barrow, John Coppin, John Greenwood, and John Penry will be found in the Dictionary of National Biography.
" This was Elias Thacker, who was hanged in 1583: see Stow, Annales, or Generall Chronicle of England (1615), p. 696.
124
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
what occation was taken against him wee know not more then the Comon cause;
ffor m' Penery how vnjustly hee was Charged him self hath made manifest to the world in his bookes and that declaration which hee made a little before his suffering all which are extant in print, with some of his Godly letters
As ffor m' Barrow and m' Greenwood it alsoe appeers by theire owne writings how those Satutes formerly made against the Papists were wrested 1 against them and they Condemned thervpon; as may be seen by theire examinations
Young men
But these were Ridged Brownist and lye vnder much Aspersion and theire Names much blemished and beclouded Not onely by enimies but euen by Godly and very Reuerend men;
Ancient men
They Can noe more Justly be Called Brownests then the desiples might haue bin Called Judasitts
*ffor they did as much abhor Brownes Apostacye and prophane Course and his 2 defection as the disiples and other Christians did Judas Treachery
. And for theire Ridged and Roughnes of Speritt as some of them especially m' Barrows is Taxed it may be Considered they were very Ridgedly and Roughly dealt with not onely by 3 the Lords enimies and theire enimies but by some Godly prsons of those times differing in opinnions from them which makes some of vs Call to mind what one doctor Tayler hath written in a late booke in these Stirring times "such an eminent man (saith hee) hath had the Good happ to be Reputed orthodox by Posteritie and to Condemne such a man or such an oppinion; and yett him selfe to haue erred in as Considerable matters but meeting with better Naighbours in his life time and a more Charritable Posteritie after his death; hath his memory preserued in honor and the others Name suffers without Cause;" of which hee Giues Instances in his book Intitled the libertie of Prophesying Page 33 & following; [67]
Wee Refer you to m' Robinson answare ' to m' Barnard where hee Charges him with Blesphemy Railing Scoffing " &c
1 Here some words, perhaps "were wrested," are crossed out.
" Written above "theire," crossed out.
' Here "Go" is crossed out.
" Written above a word crossed out.
" Here "and" is crossed out.
125
HENRY BARROW UNJUSTLY ASPERSED
"ffor m' Barrow saith m' Robinson; as I say with m' Ainsworth that I will Not Justify all the words of another man nor yett my owne soe say I alsoe with m' Smith that because I know not by what prticular motion of the speritt hee 1 was Guided to write those Phraises I dare not Censure him as you doe especially Considering with what fiery Zeale the Lord hath furnished such his servants att all times as hee hath stered vp for speciall Reformation; lett the example of Luther alone suffice who into what tearmes his zeale Carryed him his writings testify and yett both in him and m' Barrow there might be with true sperituall Zeale fileshly Indignation Intermixed" Answare to m Barnard folio 84 And further in Paged 86 hee saith that "such harsh Tearmes wherwith hee Entertaines such p'sons & thinges in the Church as Carry with them 2 most appearance of holines, they are to be Interpreted according to his meaning with 3 this distinction that m' Barrow speaks not of these p"sons and thinges simply but in Respect soe and soe Considered, and soe Noe one tearme Giuen by m' Barrow but May att the least be tollerated;"
But diuers Reuerend men haue expressed Concerning this matter Young men that God is not wont to make Choice of men Infamous for Grosse sinnes and vices before theire Callinge to make them any Instru- ments of Reformation " after theire. Calling and proceeds to de- clare that m' Barrow was a Great Gamster and a dicer when hee liued in Court, and Giting much by play would bost of " losse spend- ing it with Curtezences &ci
Truely with due Respect to such Reuerend men be it spoken those Ancient men things might well haue bin spared from puting in print especially soe longe after his death when not onely hee but all his frinds are taken out of the world that might vindecate his Name that hee was tainted with vices att the Court before his Conversion and Calling it is Not very strange and if hee had liued and died in that Condition; It is like hee might haue Gon out of the world without any publick brand on his Name and haue pased for a tollerable Christian and Member of the Church; hee had hurt enough don him whiles hee
1 Here a word, perhaps "seak," is crossed out.
' Here the words "with them" are crossed out.
' Here "this" is crossed out.
' Here "soe" or "for" is crossed out.
" Here "those" is crossed out.
126
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
liued by euill and Crewell enimies; why should Godly men by pre- judicated to him after his death in his Name was not the Apostle Paule a pasecuter of Gods saints vnto death and doth Not the same Apostle 1 speakeing of Scandulas and Laciuious prsons say and such were some of you but you are washed but yee are sanctifyed, but yee are Justifyed in the Name of the lord Jesus and by the speritt of our God 1 Cor. 6:11:
And if histories deceiue vs not was Not Ciprian a Magition before his Conversion and Augustine a Manachean; and when it was said vnto him in the voyce hee heard tolle & lege hee was directed to that place of Scripture not in Gotteny nor 2 drunkenes Nor in Chamber- ing and wantones nor in striffe and envying but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and take noe thought of the filesh to fulfill the lusts of it Rom: 13: 13: by which it may seem that if God doe not make Choise of such inen as haue bin Infamous for Grosse vices before theire Calling; yett somtimes hee is wont to doe it and is free to Chose 3 whome hee pleaseth for Notable Instruments for his owne worke; as for other thinges that haue bin spoken of him and mr Greenwood and m' Penery wee leaue them as they are; But some of vs haue Reason to think there are some mistakes in the Relations of those thinges; onely wee shall adde other publick Testimonies Concerning them from witnesses of very worthy Creditt which are alsoe in print,
from m' Phillipps a famous and Godly Preacher haueing heard and seen m' Barrow his holy speeches and .preparations for death said Barrow Barrow my soule be [68] be with thyne; The same Auther alsoe Reports that Queen Elizabeth asked Learned doctor Reynalds what hee thought of those two men m' Barrow and Mr Greenwood; and hee answered her Matie that it could Not availe any thinge to shew his Judgment Concerning them seeing they were put to death, and, being loth to speake his mind further her Matie Charged him vpon his allegience to speak whervpon hee answared that hee was prswaded if they had lived they would haue bin two as worthy Instruments for the Church of God as hath bin Raised vp in this age &c: her Mathe sighed and said no more But after that
1 Here "an" is crossed out.
" Written above "and," crossed out.
* Here the words "and is free to Choose" are crossed out.
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127
CHARACTER OF HENRY BARROW
Ryding to a Parke by the place where they were executed and being willing to take further Information Concerning them) demaunded of the Right honorable Earle of Comberland) that was prsent when they suffered what end they made hee answared a very Godly end and prayed for youer Mati. and the State &c: wee may alsoe adde what some of vs haue heard by Credible Information; that the Queen demanded of the Archbishopp what hee thought of them in his Consience hee Answared hee thought they were the servants of God; But dangerous to the State; alas said shee shall wee put the servants of God to death, and this was the true Cause why noe more of them were put to death in her dayes;
did any of you know m' Barrow if wee may be soe bold to aske Young men for wee would willingly know what his life and Conversation be- cause some wee p'seiue haue him in presious esteem; and others Can scarce name him without some Note of oblique and dislike;
Wee haue Not seen his p'son but some of vs haue bin well ac- Ancient men; quainted with those that knew him familliarly both before and after his Conversion and one of vs hath had Conference with one that was his domestick servant and tended vpon him both before and some while after the same; hee was a Gentleman of good worth and a fflorishing Courtier in his time and as appeers in his owne Answares to the archbishopp and doctor Cousens that hee was somtime a Student att Cambridge and the Inns of Court and accomplished with strong prtes;
Wee haue heard his Conversation to be on this wise, walking in London one Lords day with one of his Companions, hee heard a preacher att his Sermon very Loud as they passed by the Church vpon which m' Barrow said vnto his Consort Lett vs Goe in and heare what this man saith that is thus earnest Tush saith the other what shall wee goe to hear a man talk &c: But in hee went and sate downe; and the minnester was vehement 1 in Reproueing sin and sharply applyed the Judgments of God against the same; and it should seem touched him to the quick in such thinges as hee was Gilty off soe as God sett it home to his soule and began to worke his Repentance and Conversion therby, for hee was soe striken as hee Could not be quiett vntill by Conference with Godly men and further hearing of the word with dilligent Reading and meditation
. 1 Here "a" is crossed out.
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128
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
God brought peace to his soule and Consience after much humillia- tion of hart and Reformation of life; soe as hee left the Court; and Retired him selfe to a private life some time in the Country and somtime in the Cittey Giueing him selfe to studdy and Reading of the Scriptures and other Good workes very dilligently and being mist att Court by his Consorts and acquaintance it was quickly bruited abroad That Barrow was turned Puritan; what his Course was after wards his writings shew as alsoe his sufferings and Con- ference with men of all sorts doe declare vntill his life was taken from him;
And thus much wee Can further affeirme from those that well knew him that hee was very Comfortable to the poor and those in distresse in theire sufferings, and when hee saw hee must die hee Gaue a stocke for the Relieffe of the poor of the Church; which was a Good [69] healp to them in theire banished Condition afterwards; yee and that which some will hardly beleiue hee did much p'swade them to peace and Composed many differences that were Growne amongst them whiles hee liued, and would haue it is Like preuented more that after fell out; if hee had Continewed;
Younge men
Wee thanke you for youer paines wee hope it will extend further then our satisfaction wee Can not but maruell that such a man should be by soe many aspersed;
Ancient men
It is Not much to be Maruelled att for hee was most plaine in discouering the Crewellty fraud and hipocresy of the enimies of the truth and serching into the Corruptions of the time which made him abhored of them; and pradventure somthinge to harsh against the haltinges of diuers of the preachers and professors that hee had to deale with in those times whoe out of feare or weaknes did not come soe Close vp to the truth in theire practice as theire doctrines and Grounds seemed to hold forth; which makes vs Remember; what was the Answare of Erasmus to the duke of 1 Saxony when hee asked his opinnion whether " Luther had erred hee answared his opinnions were Good but wished hee would moderate his style which stired him vp the more Enimies; noe doubt;
Young men
Wee find in the writings of some such whoe were very eminent in theire times for piety and Learning; that those of the Separation
1 Here a word is crossed out.
' Written above "of," crossed out.
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1
Lvor
HAYDARIVA "Apud" Guiljelmun Brevyferum
In vico Chorali,
ZIOL
Engraved for The Colonial Society of Massachusetts
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SUFFERINGS OF BROWNISTS, PURITANS, AND SEPARATISTS 129
found more fauor in our Natiue Country then those whoe are Re- proched by the Name of puritans and after much discourse therabouts; Come to this Conclusion; That Noe Comparison will hold from the separatists to them in theire sufferings but a1 Minori?) and then they Goe on and say; what a Compulsary Banishment haue bin put vpon those blessed and Glorious Lights m' Cartwright m' Parker docter Ames &c
ffarr be it from ' any of vs to detract from or to extenuate the Ancient men Sufferings of any 4 of the servants of God; much lesse; from those worthyes fore Named, or any others afterwards mensioned; yett vnder fauor wee Craue prdon if wee Can not Consent to the Judg- ment of such eminent ones for pietie and Learning aboue hinted;
Wee doubt not but doe ezely Graunt that the sufferings of those Reproached by the Name of Puritans were Great especially some of them & were better knowne to those pious and Learned first aboue Intimated, then the sufferings of those that are Reproached by the Name of Brownests, and Separatists; But wee shall Giue you some Instances, and leaue it to you and some others to Consider off;
1 Though Noe more were publickly executed yett sundry more were Condemned and brought to the Galloes and Assended the Ladder Not knowing but they should die and haue bin Repreiued and after banished some of which wee haue knowne and oftens " spoken with; 2 others haue not onely bin fforced into voulentary Banishment by Great Numbers to avoid further Crewelty but diuers after Longe and sore Imprisoment haue bin fforced to abjure the land by oath neuer to Returne without Leaue in Anno6 1604 four prsons att once were fforced to doe soe att a publick sessions in London " or else vpon Refusall they were to be hanged; this theire abjuration was 8 done on the Statute of the 35 of Queen Elizabeth, some of these wee haue also Knowne
3 Wee find mension in a printed book of 17 or eighteen that haue
1 Here "minnory" is crossed out.
" This word is underscored three times.
' Here "vs" is crossed out.
' Here some words are crossed out.
" Written above "after," crossed out.
· Here "164" is crossed out.
" Here some words are crossed out.
. Here "on" is crossed out.
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130
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
died in seuerall prisons in London1 in six yeers time before the year " 1592 besides what haue bin in other prtes of the Land and since that time perishing by Could hunger or Noisomnes of the prison; [70]
4 In the same yeer wee find a lamentable Petition now in print of sixty prsors Comited vnbailable to seuerall psons in London as New Gate the Gatehouse Clink &c: being made Close prisoners allowing them Neither Meate drink nor Lodging; nor suffering any whose harts the Lord would stir vp for theire Releiffe; to haue any accesse vnto them; soe as they Complaine that Noe ffellons Traitors nor murderers in the Land; were thus dealt with, and soe after many other Greiuious Complaints Conclude with these words, "wee ª Craue for all of vs but the libertie either to die openly or to liue openly in the Land of our Natiuity if wee deserue death It beseemeth the Mate of Justice not to see vs Closly murdered yee starued to death with hunger & Could and stiffeled in Lothsome dungeans; if wee be Guiltles wee Craue but the benifitt of our Inocensse viz: That wee may haue peace to serue our God and our Prince in the place of the sepulchers of our fathers;"
And what Numbers since those whoe haue bin Put vnto " Com- pulsorie Banishment and other hard sufferings as losse of Goods frinds and long and hard Imprissonments vnder which many haue died It is soe well knowne that it would make vp a vollume to Re- herse them and would not onely equallice but farr exceed; the Num- ber of those Godly Called Puritans that haue suffered suppose they were but few of them Minnesters that suffered as aboue expressed yett theire sorrowes might be as Great and theire wants inore; and theire souls as much afflicted because more Contemned and Neglected of men; but some haue said they were excomunicated and that was noe Great matter; as excomunications went in those dayes; soe were these not onely while they were liueing but some of them many times after they were dead and as some of the other were Imprisoned soe were more of these; but it is further said all of them were deprived of theire minnestry and soe were these of theire Liuelihood and maintainance although they had noe offices to losse;
Here some words are crossed out. -
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" Here a word is crossed out.
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131
ROBERT PARKER, WILLIAM AMES, AND HENRY JACOB
But these Remained still in the land and were succured and sheltered by Good people in a Competent wise the most of them and sundry of them liued as well as may ezely be proued if not better then as if they had Injoyed theire benifices wheras the other were; a Great Number of them forced to fly into fforraigne Lands for shelter or else might haue perrished in prisons; and there poor Creatures In- dured many of them such hard shipps (as is well knowne to some of vs as makes our harts still ake to Remember;
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