USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Plymouth church records, 1620-1859 > Part 18
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Wee some of vs knew m' Parker doctor Ames and m' Jacob in holland when they sojourned for a time in Leyden and all three for a time boarded together and had theire victuals dressed by some of our acquaintance and then they liued Comfortable and then they were provided for as became theire p'sons; and after m" Jacob Returned; and m' Parker was att Amsterdam; wher hee printed some of his bookes and m' Ames disposed of himselfe to other places It was Not worse with him and some of vs well know how it fared then with many 1 precious Christians in diuers times and places, To speake the truth, the professors in England though many of them suffered much att the hands of the prelates yett they had a Great advantage of the Separatists for the separatists had not onely the Prelates and theire faction to Incomter with and what hard 2 mea- sure they mett with att theire hands aboue the other doth sufficiently appeer by what is before declared. But alsoe they must Indure the ffrownes and many times the sharp Invictiues of the forward min- nesters against them, both in publicke & private and what Influences they had vpon the sperritts of the people is well enough knowne alsoe by Reason heerof the Minnesters in fforraigne Countryes did looke awry att them when they would Giue healp and Countenance to the other;
Indeed it seemes they haue somtimes suffered much hardnes in Young men the Low Countryes if that be true that is Reported of such a man as m" Ainsworth that hee should liue for some time with 9' pence a weeke; To which is Replyed by another That if people suffered him to Liue on 9 pence a weeke with Rootes boyled either the people were .
1 Here "diuers" is crossed out.
" Altered from "harder."
" Here "Ib" is interlined and crossed out.
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PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
growne extream low in estate or the Groweth of theire Godlines was Come to a very low ebbe [71]
Ancient men
The truth is theire Condition for the most p'te (was for some time) very low and hard it was with them as if it should be Related would hardly be beleiued and noe Maruell for many of them had lien Longe in prisons and then were banished into Newfoundland; where they were abused and att Last Came into the Lowcountryes and wanting mony trades frinds or acquaintances and Languages to 1 healp themselues how Could it be otherwise The Report of m' Ainsworth 2 was Neare those times when hee was Newly Come out of Ireland with others poore and being a single younge man and very Studious was Content with a little and yett to take of the Aspersion from the people in that p'ticulare * The Cheiffe and true Reason therof is Mistaken for hee was a very Modest & bashfull man and Concealed his wants from others vntill some suspected how it was with him; and prest him to see how it was and after it was knowne such as were able mended his Condition and when hee was Married afterwards hee and his family were Comfortable ‘ prouided for; But wee haue said enough of these thinges; they had few frinds to Com- fort them nor any Arme of fflesh to support them and if in some things they were to Ridged they are Rather to be pittied Considering theire times and sufferings then to be blasted with Reproach to posteritie; Was that Browne that fell away and " Made Apostacye the first Inventor and beginer of this waye
Young men
Ancient mon
Noe verily for as one answares this questian very well in a printed book almost forty years agoe; that the prophetts apostles and euan- gelests haue in theire Authentick writings layed downe the Ground therof; and vpon that Ground is theire building Reared vp and surely settled morouer many of the Martires both former and latter haue Maintained it as is to be seen in the acts and Monuments of the Church; alsoe in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth there was a Separated Church wherof m' ffitts was Pastour; and another before that in the time of Queen Mary of which m' Rough was Pastour or
1 Here the letters "th" are crossed out.
" Here a word is crossed out.
" Here "m"" is crossed out.
Here "and" is crossed out.
" Here something is crossed out.
1
133
SEPARATISTS DISLIKE THE NAMES PURITAN, BROWNIST
Teacher and Cudbert Simson a deacon whoe exercised amongst them- selues as other ordinances soe Church sensures as excomunication &c: and professed and practised that Cause before m' Browne wrote for it; But hee being one that afterwards wrote for it They that first hatched the Name of Puritans1 and bestowed it on the Godly professors that desired Reformation they likewise out of the same store house would Needs bestow this New Liuery vpon others that Neuer would owne it, Nor had Reason soe to doe m" Cotton likewise in his 2 in his Answare to M' Bayley page four; shewes how in the yeer $ 1567 4 there were an hundred p"sons whoe Refused the Comon littergye and the Congregations attending thervnto and vsed prayers and preaching and the " Sacrements amongst them selues wherof 14 or: 15: were sent to prison of whom the Cheiffest was m' Smith m" Nixon James Ireland Robert hawkens Thomas Bowland " and Richard Morecrofft; and these pleaded their Separation before the Lord Mayor Bishop Sands and other Comissioners 7 on June 20 1567 about 80 yeers agon being Many years before Brown* [72]
But if wee mistake Not m' Browne is accoumpted by some of Good Young men Note to be the Inventor of that way which is Called Brownisme from whom the sect took it[s] Name more ouer it is said by such of Note as aforsaid; That it is not Gods vsual Man[or] of dealing to leaue any of the first publishers or Restorers of any truth of his to such fearfull Apostacye
Posibly this spech might arise from a Comon Received opinion Ancient mem But Reuerend m' Cotton in his Answare to m' Bayley, saith the Backslideing of Browne from that way of Separation is a Just Reason why the Separatists may disclaime denomination from him and Refuse to be Called Brownest after his Name, and to speake with Reason (saith hee) if any be Justly to be Called Brownes[t] it is 8
1 Referring to the year 1564, Fuller said: "The English Bishops . . . began . . . urging the Clergy . . . to subscribe to the Liturgie, Ceremonies, and Dis- cipline of the Church, and such as refused . . . were branded with the odious name of Puritanes, a name which in this notion first began in this year" (Church History, ix. i. § 66).
" Here the word "book" is interlined and crossed out.
* Here "16" is crossed out. ' This date is underscored twice.
" Here "Sacrem" is crossed out.
· Neal (History of the Puritans, 1754, i. 164) gives this name as "Rowland."
" Here the words "and other Commissioners" are crossed out.
" Here "owne" is crossed out.
* diuers other Instance might be Giuen;
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PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
onely such as Revoult from separation to formallitie and from thence to Prophanes Page: 5: * 1
* To which wee may adde that it is very Injurious to Call those after his Name whos[e] prson they Neuer knew and whose writings (few if any of them) euer saw and whose errors and Backeslideings they haue Constantly borne witnes against and what truthes they have Received haue bin from the Light of Gods Sacred word Con- veye[d] by other Godly Instruments vnto them though Browne may sometime haue professed some of the same thinges and Now fallen from the same as Many others haue done
Young men
Seing wee haue presumed thus farr to enquire into these ancienter times (of you) and of the sufferings of the aforsaid pisons wee would likewise Intreat you; tho neuer soe breiffly to tell vs somthing of the prsons and Carriages of other emine[nt] men about those times or Imediately after as m' ffrancis Johnson m' henery Ainswor[th] m' John Smith m' John Robinson m' Richard Clifton;
Ancient men
heer are some in the Companie that knew them all familliarly whom wee shall desire to satisfy youer Request;
Those answared; wee shall doe it most willingly; for wee Can not but honour the memor[y] of the men for the Good that Not onely many others but wee our selues haue Received by them and theire Minnestry for wee haue heard them all and liued vnder the min- nestry of diuers of them for some yeers wee shall therfore speake of them in order breifly;
M. Johnson of whom somthing was spoken before; was Pastour of the Church of God att Amsterdam; a very Graue man hee was and an able Teacher; and was the most sollemme in all his adminnes- trations that wee haue seen any and especially in dispenceing the seales of the Couenant both baptismee and the Lords supper; and a Good disputant hee was wee heard m' Smith vpon occation say that hee was p'swaded noe men liueing were able to maintaine a Cause against those two men; meaning m' Johnson and m' Ains- worth if they h[ad] not the truth on theire side; hee by Reason of many desentions that fell out in the Church and the subtilty of one of the Elders of the same) Came after Many yeer[s] to alter his Judgment about the Gou ment of the Church and his practice ther- vpon which Caused a deuision amongst them but hee liued not
1 Here a line and a half is crossed out.
135
ACCOUNT AND CHARACTER OF FRANCIS JOHNSON
many years after and died att Amsterdam after his Returne from Emden;
But hee is much spoken against for excomunicateing his brother Young men and his owne father and maintaineing his wifes Cause whoe was by his brother and others Reproued for her pride in Aparrell;
himself hath often made his owne defence; and others for him the Ancient men Church did oftens after longe patience towards them and much paines taken with them [73] them excomunicated them for theire vnreasonable and endles opposition and such thinges as did ac- companie the same, and such was the Justice therof as hee could not but Consent therto; In our time; his wife was a Graue Matron and very modest both in her apparell and all her demenior; Reddy to any Good worke in her place and healpfull to many especially the poor; and an ornament to his calling Shee was a younge widdow when hee Married her and had bin a marchants wife by whom hee had a Good estate and was a Godly woman and because shee wore such appar- rell as shee had bin formerly vsed, too; which were Neither excessive nor Imodist, for theire Cheiffest exceptions were against her wearing of some whalbone in the bodies & sleiues of her Gowne Corked shooes and other such like thinges as the Citizens of her Ranke then vsed to were; and although for offence sake shee and hee 1 were willing to Reforme the ffashions of them soe farr as might be without spoyling of theire Garments yett it would not Content them, except they Came full vp to theire sise such was the strictnes or Ridgednes (as now the tearme Goes of some in those times as wee Can by ex- perience and of our owne knowlidge shew in other Instances wee shall for breiuity sake onely shew one;
Wee were in the Companie of a Godly man that had bin a longe time prisoner att Norwich (for this Cause) and was by Judge Cooke sett att libertie ? after Goeing into the Country hee viseted his ffrinds; and Returning that way againe to Goe into the low Countries by shipp att yarmouth and soe desired some of vs to turne in with him to the house of an ancient woman in the Citty whoe had bin very kind and healpfull to him in his sufferings shee knowing his voyce made him very welcome and those with him; but after some time of theire entertainment being Reddy to depart shee Came vp
1 Here a word is crossed out.
* Here the words "by Judge Cooke sett at" are crossed out.
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PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
to him and felt of his band for her eyes were dim with age and p"seiu- ing it was somthing stiffened with starch; shee was much displeased and Reproued him very sharply, fearing God would not prosper his Journey; yett the man was a plaine Country man Clad in Gray Russed without either welt or Gaurd (as the prouerbe is) and the band hee wore scarce worth thripence made of theire owne home spining; and hee was Godly and humble as hee was plaine what would such professors if they were Now liueing say to the excesse of our times;
Mª Henery Ainsworth
A man of a Thousand was Teacher of this Church of Amsterdam att the same time when m' Johnson was Pastour; two worthy men they were and of exelent pites; hee Continewed Constant in his Judgment and practice vnto his end in those thinges about the Church Gou ment from which m' Johnson swarued and fell; hee euer maintained Good Correspondence with m' Robinson att Leyden and would Consult with him in all matters of waight both in theire differences and afterwards; A very learned man hee was and a Close student which much Impaired his health wee haue heard some eminent in the knowledge of the Tounges of the vniversitie of Leyden say that they thought hee had not his better for the hebrew toungve 1 in the vniversitie Nor scarce in Europa hee was a man very Modest Amiable and sociable in his ordinary Course and Carriage of an Inocent and vnblamable life and Conversation of a meeke speritt and a Calme temper void of Pasion and Not ezely [74] and not ezely prouoked and yett hee would be somthing Smarte in his 2 style to his opposers in his publicke writings; att which wee that haue seen his Constant Carriage both in publicke desputes; and the Mannageing of all Church affaires and such like occurrances haue somtimes Marueled; hee had an exelent Gift of teaching and open- ing the Scriptures and thinges did filow from him with that ffacil- litie plaines and sweetnes as did much affect the hearers; hee was powerfull and profound in doctrine although his voyce was not stronge; and had this exelencye aboue many that hee was most Reddy and pregnant in the Scriptures as if the booke of God had
1 Perhaps "tongves."
" Here "stil" is crossed out.
·
137
CHARACTERS OF HENRY AINSWORTH AND JOHN SMITH
bin written in his hart; being as Reddy in his quotations; without tosing and turning his booke as if they had lyen open before his eyes and Celdome mising a word in the Citeing of any place; Teaching not onely the word and doctrine of God but in the words of God; and for the most p'te in a Continewed Phraise and words of Scrip- ture; hee vsed Great dexteritie and was Reddy in Comparing Scrip- ture with Scripture with one an other; In a word the times and place in which hee liued were not worthy of 1 such a man;
but wee find that hee is taxed in a book writt by George Johnson Younge men with apostacye and to be a man pleaser &c
whoe Can escape the Scorge of tongues Christ himself Could not Ancient men doe it when hee was heer vpon earth although there was noe Guile found in his mouth; Nor Moses although hee was the Meekest man in the earth; for man pleasing they that taxe him because hee Con- curred against theire violent and endles decentions about the former matters and for his appostacye this was all the Matter when hee was a younge Man before hee Came out of England hee att the paswation of some of his Godly frinds went once or twise to heare a Godly Minnester preach and this was the Great matter of Apostacye for which 2 those violent men thought him worthy to be deposed from his place and for which they thus Charge him; and truly heerin they may worthyly beare the Name of Ridged &c:
M: John Smith
Was an eminent Man 3 in his time and a Good preacher and of other good pites but his Inconstancy and vnstable Judgment and being soe suddainly Carryed away with thinges did soone ouer throw him; yett wee haue some of vs heard him vse this speech (truely said hee) wee being Now Come into a place of libertie are in Great danger if wee look not " well to our wayes, for wee are like men sett vpon the Iyce and therfore may ezely slyde and fall; But in this example it appeers it is an ezier matter to Giue Good Councell then to follow it; to foresee danger then to preuent it which made the prophett to say o Lord the way of a man is Not in himself Neither
1 Here "him" is crossed out.
" Here a word is crossed out.
' Here the words "was an eminent man" are crossed out.
" Here the words "to it" are crossed out.
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PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
is it in man to walk; and to direct his stepps Jeremiah 10: 23: hee was sometimes Pastour to a Companie of honest & Godly men which Came with him out of England and pitched att Amsterdam hee first fell into some errours about the Scriptures, and soe into some opposition with m' Johnson whoe had bine his tutor and the Church there; but hee was Convinced of them by the paines and faithfulnes of m" Johnson and m' Ainsworth and Revoaked them but afterwards was drawne away by some of the 1 duch Annabaptists whoe finding him to be a good Scoller and vnsettled they ezely misled 2 the most of his people and other of them Scattered away hee liued Not many yeers after but died there of a Consumption to which hee was In- clined before hee Came out of England; his and his peoples Condition may be an object of pitty for after times; [75]
M: John Robinson
Was Pastour of that famous Church of Leyden in holland a man not ezely to be parraleeled for all things whose singular vertues; wee shall not take vpon vs heer to describe neither Need wee for they soe well are knowne both by frinds and enimises, as hee was a man learned and of a solled Judgment and of a quick and sharp witt; soe was hee alsoe of a tender Consience and very Cinceire in all his wayes a hater of hipocresie and desimulation and would be very plaine with his best frinds hee was very Curteous affible and sociable in his Conversation and towards his owne people especially; hee was an accute and exact disputant very quick and Reddy, and had much bickering with the Arminnians whoe stood more in feare of him then any of the vniversitie hee was Neuer satisfyed in himself vntill hee had serched any Cause or argument hee had to deale in thoroughly and to the botome; and wee haue heard him somtimes say to his familliars that many times both in writing and disputation hee knew hee had sufficiently answared ' others but many times not himself and was euer desirous of any light and the more able Learned and holy the p"sons were the more hee desired to Confer and Reason with them; hee was very " profittable in his minnestry and Comfortable
1 Here "Church" is crossed out.
" Here "him" is crossed out.
' Here "angwared" is crossed out.
" Here the words "Learned in" are crossed out.
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139
CHARACTERS OF JOHN ROBINSON AND RICHARD CLIFTON
to his people hee was much beloued of them and as loueing was hee vnto them; and Intirely sought theire good for soule and body; In a word hee was much esteemed and Reuerenced of all that knew him and his abillities both of frinds and strangers; but wee Resolued to be breife in this matter; leaueing you to better and more Large Information heerin from others
Mª Richard Clifton
Was a Graue and fatherly old man when hee Came first into holland haueing a Great white beard and pitty it was that such a Reuerend old man should be forced to leaue his Country and att those yeers to Goe into exile but it was his Lott and hee bore it patiently much good had hee done in the Country where hee liued and Converted many to God by his faithfull and painfull minnestry both in preaching and Cattechising sound and orthodox hee alwaies was and soe Continewed to his end; hee belonged to the Church att Leyden but being setled att Amsterdam and thus aged hee was loth to Remove any more; and soe when they Remoued hee was dismised to them there and there Remained vntill hee died; thus wee haue breifly satisfyed youer desire;
Wee are very thankefull to you for youer paines wee p'seiue God Young men Raiseth vp exelent Instruments in all ages to Carry on his owne worke and the best of men haue theire fayleings somtimes as wee see in these our times and that there is noe new thinge vnder the sun; but before wee end this mater we desire you would say som- thing of those two Churches that were soe longe in exile of whose Guids wee haue alreddy heard:
Truly there were in them many worthy men and if you had seen Andent men them in theire bewty and order as wee haue don, you would haue bin much affected therwith wee dare say; Att Amsterdam; before theire deuision and breach they were about three hundred Comunicants and they had for theire Pastour and Teacher those two eminent men before named and in our time four Graue men for Ruleing elders and three able and Godly men for deacons, one ancient widdow for a deacones whoe did them seruice many yeers though shee was sixty yeers of age when shee was Chosen shee honored her place and was an ornament to the Congregation shee vsually sate in a Convenient place in the Congregation; with a little birchen Rode in her hand;
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PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
and kept little Children in Great awe from disturbing the Congrega- tion shee did frequently visitt the sicke and weake especially weomen and as there was need Called out maids and younge weomen to watch and doe them other healpes [76] as theire Nessesitie did Require and if they were poor shee would Gather Releiffe for them of those that were able; or acquaint the deacons and shee was obeyed as a mother in Israell and an officer of Christ 1
And for the Church of Leyden they were some times not much fewer in Number nor att all Inferior in able men though they had not soe many officers as the other for they had but one Ruling elder with theire Pastour, a man well approued and of Great Integritie alsoe they had three able men for deacons; and that which was a Crowne vnto them they liued together in loue and peace all theire dayes without any Considerable differences or any disturbance that Grew therby but such as was easely healed in loue; and soe they Continewed vntil with mutuall Consent they Remoued into New England; and what theire Condition hath bine since some of you that are of theire Children doe see and Can tell many worthy and able men there were in both places whoe liued and died in obscuritie in Respect of the world as priuate Christians yett were they precious in the eyes of the Lord and alsoe in the eyes of such as knew them whose vertues wee wish such of you as are theire Children doe follow and Imitate
Young men
If wee may not be to tedious wee would Request to know one thinge . More It is Comonly said that those of the separation hold none to be true Churches but theire owne and Condemne all the Churches in the world besides which lyeth as a fowle blott vpon them yee euen by some heer in New England except they Can Remoue it;
Ancient men
It is a manifest Slaunder laid vpon them; for they hold all the Reformed Churches to be true Churches and euen the most Ridged of them haue euer don soe as appeers by theire apollogyes and other writings and wee our selues some of vs know of much entercomunion that divers haue held with them Recipprocally not onely with the duch and french but euen with the scotch whoe are not of the best mould yee and with the Lutherens alsoe; and wee beleiue they haue Gon as farr heerin; both in Judgment and practice as any of the Churches in New England doe or Can doe to deale faithfully and
1 Here something is crossed out.
141
END OF WILLIAM BRADFORD'S DIALOGUE
beare witnes against theire Corruptions; haueing thus farr satisfyed all youer demaunds wee shall heer break of this Conference for this time desireing the Lord to make you to Grow 1 vp in Grace and wisdom and the true feare of God that in all faithfulnes and humil- litie you may serue him in youer Generations
Gentlemen wee humbly thank you for youer paines with vs and Young men Respect vnto vs, and doe further Craue that vpon any fitt occations wee may haue accesse vnto you for any further Information and heerwith also humbly take our leaue; Finis ?
1 Here "vp" is crossed out.
" The verso of p. [76] is blank. This is the end of Morton's entries, except
a few words found on a later page: see p. 247, below.
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS VOLUME I
PART II 1
[1'] A further account of matters in & relating to the church at Plymouth from the yeare 1667: untill 1697, inclusively.
It being desired in page 59: ' in the conclusion of the Eclesiaticall History of this church, by that Godly Brother, M' Nathaniel Morton, that Elders & Bretheren suceeding would be carefull to commit to writing what might occurre in their day for the Glory of God & good of after times, these following Pages " shall truly & faithfully upon certaine knowledge declare what was transacted in this chh 5 for the space of about thirty yeares soe far as may be Judged meet for edification.
M. Morton in his foregoing Narrative truly declares, that after
1 Part ii contains 18 leaves, or 36 pages, of which two (the verso of pp. [31] and [34]) are blank. The pages measure 11}{ inches in height by 736 inches in width. Like Parts i, iii, and iv, Part ii is a portion of the original vellum- covered volume, the leaves being the same size and the watermark identical.
Pp. [1-29] of the text, or pp. 142-184 of this volume, are wholly in the hand of the Rev. John Cotton, except three marginal entries - one on p. [8] of the text, the other two on p. [20] of the text: see pp. 152 note 3, 170 note 1, 170 note 2, of this volume. Pp. [30-34], in an unknown hand, were originally not numbered, but page-numbers have been inserted in a later hand in pencil.
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