USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > Records of the First Church at Dorchester, in New England, 1636-1734 > Part 12
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(witnesse ye Copy of ye oath - attested)
Two witnesses Coming in against Them viz Wm Behoe & Stephen Squire, Swearing y Said Chaplain bid y™ bear witnesse He had [borrowed] sd 6li or 20 pieces of Eight, of Said Green pointing to ye Man, Said Chaplain was Indicted or brought before ye Grand Jury for Perjury.
The Grandjury find IGNORAMUS. (witnesse ye Copys of ye Evidences & Court Records.)
Ensign Tho®: Woodcock Testifys He was there at ye Same Time with ye other witnesses & heard W" Chaplain bid ym bear witnesse y' He had borrowd sd 6li of Said Green point- ing to ye Man. Item yt ye said woodcock discoursing with Sister Chaplin about it in Aprill 1695. She Said to Him yt Upon Her Complaints to said Green - & Her opportunity of a bargain of wines - He offered to lend ym Monys- & Let ym have 6 pounds, &c -
(See ye Testimony itself)
Sister Chaplain affirmed before ye Church y' she knew (within 24 hours y ye Mony was deposited) (long before She took ye oath) y ye Said Six pound was freely Given by Said Green to Her daughter Mehetabell. That 'Twas a Guift to Mehetabel. She also had from Time to time affirmed unto Deacon Samuel Fish' of Rentham Thomas Skinn' Senior, (Witnesse ye Testimonys)
But that 'twas given to Sister Chaplin herself She affirmed to Benjamin Palm' of Rhode Island & at one time to Ensign Tho® : Woodcock & His wife, & at times to Ebenezer Billinge - & to His Wife - (witnesse y' Sev'all Testimonys which expresse different Reasons of its being given Her &c)
Sister Chaplin Said She Remembred not that she Said such things to Palm', Woodcocke, Billinge-&, as for yo Oath, when M' Saffin putt it upon Her She added [& more mony,] (intimating y' some mony was given to Mehetabell but not expressing)
It was Proposed to ye Chh & Congregation & to m' Kent of Swanzy one of ye afforesª Grandjury particularly, y' if they had ought to Object Why ye Church Should not believe & take & proceed upon the abovenamed Evidences, that they should speak.
No Objection being then offered but a great Silence : (& some of ye Brethren speaking well of Some of ye wit- nesses y' were known to Them,) The Church Voted that they believed those witnesses to speak true & would take
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DORCHESTER CHURCH RECORDS
their Evidence. Again they Voted & publickly Unani- mously Manifested that they Judged Sister Chaplin to have been guilty of much falsehood & lying in Her Narratives & ye accounts she has given to one & to anoth' of this matt", & also of ye Sin of perjury or taking a false Oath. And she still persisting in Her way notwithstanding what was spoken for Her Conviction - The Church voted y' she should be Admonished in order to Excomunication which was instantly done accordingly.
June 7th 1696. Nath. Searls of Little Compton Laid hold upon The Covenant.
Item An order was read for a Thanksgiving for ye Kings p'servation from Assassination & ye Land from Insurrection & Invasion & for ye Detection of ye Conspirators.
Appointed by ye Honble Lt Gov : Councill & Representa- tives to be kept Throughout ye Province this next thursday Sennight viz June 18.
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June. 18, 1696. Thanksgiving day. M' Welds the Pastor of Dunstable assisted our pastor here in ye aft'noon - (when was Collected for ye poor 311. 56h. 4.)
July 23. 96. A publick fast to implore pardon of o' many & great Transgressions & Sins, to beg our dayly bread & peace &c : Famine & War threatning of us. Appointed by ye Honble m' Stoughton & ye Councill.
Sept. 8. 96. M' Benjamin Wadsworth was Ordeyned a Pastor of ye first Church in Boston : To which ordination this Church Sent (as was requested of ym by that Church) (togeth' with their Pastor Ruling elder and Deacons) Capt : Clap & Leiftenant Tilestone.
Octob'. 11. 96. One was dismissed to assist in ye Gathering of a Church at Cambridge Farms neer Concord where m' Benj Estabrook is to be ordeyned 21. 8 96. if God please.
Nov. 1. 1696. Deacon Sumn's wife & family & His Broth" Samuel Sumn' with His Wife & family with Peter O Kellys wife & Six Children Dismissed to to ye Church of Christ neer Newington in South Carolina (since called Dor- chester.) Mrs How (formerly Clap) & M" Barrett (form'ly Woodland) Dismissed to Sudbury The Lett's bore date ye 9th of Nov. 96.
Since August last unto this Instant Decemb' 1696 These following persons (having been proved & approved by the Pastor & Ruling Elder as to Knowledge & Experience & by
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DORCHESTER CHURCH RECORDS
ye Congregation as to Conversation) publickly took hold of ye Covenant. Young Nath : Glover Samuel Pauls Wife
Humfrey Atherton : Obadiah Swift Samuel Clap John Baker
Young Tho® Maudsly
John Minots Wife oliv' Wiswalls Wife Peter Hixes Wife
M' Sunderlands Wife
Peter O Kellys Wife
Young Robert Searles Wife
Young Goodman Peirces Wife Eliz : Breck
Susanna Breck
Christian Pelton
Silence Rigby
Mary Glover
Susan Wiswall
Mary Wiswall
Sarah Clap
Hannah Clap
Mindwell Weeks
Repent Weeks
Hannah Bird
Unice Bird
Mehetabel Jones
Abigail Ball
Mary Ball
Eliz : Davenport
Thankfull Baker
Hannah Paul
Margaret O Kelly
Mehetabel O Kelly
Hannah O Kelly John Blackman's Wife
Joseph Hall
Item. January, 17. 96. Dennis Maroh Bernard Capen Jabez Searle Irijah Wales Isaac How John Payson Hopestill Clap
Eliz Clap sen
Elizabeth Clap jun
Thankf. Topleff
Eliz : Topleff.
Sarah Capen
Mary Capen
Mehet : Maxfield
Alice Pope Anne Jones
Eliz Hix Silence Foster Mary Evans :
Joshua George
Praiseev' Jones
James Trott
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DORCHESTER CHURCH RECORDS
Item. Jan" : 17. 96.
John Spur, making an humble Confession, was absolved from the sentance of Excommunication which had been passed upon Him for His petulant carriage when the Rd M' Flint & Elder Humfrey Sent for Him to examine Him of His Knowledge & Experience, in ord' to His laying hold of ye Covenant - & when before the Church. & upon His Request was Dismissed to ye Church of CHRIST at Tanton.
on ye 13th of ye Said Moneth was a Generall Fast by order of ye Generall Court wherein we were Directed to pray for ye convertion of ye Indians & for Pardon for Sins in The Time of the Witchcraft. .
Then Collected for ye poor [1] IOch oo.
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febr : 4. A Generall Thanksgiving for Generall health & many oth" Publick mercys
Memorandum
Goodman Plum (admitted to full Comunion in Rehoboth) Goodman Hill
& old Goodwife Wales (= but she sickned & Died) Stand Proposed in order unto full Comunion.
Febr. 21. 1696. Collected for ye Propagation of ye Gospell by virtue of a Breif from Authority ye Summe of to be putt into ye hands of Edwd Bromfeild Esq : as in said Breif is Directed.
Item Sent to Rhode Island
To Pensylvania the books then given -
To Narraganset - (by some in Boston.)
March. 21st 22ª & 23ª. 1697. Then Sat at Watertown a Council of 5 Churches whereof the Pastor of Dorchester with Leift: Tilestone & Deacon Hopestill Clap were members. The Councill Advized that there be one Church, 2 ordeynd Ministers, ye new meeting house to be for Church and Town, the old one to be Moved to ye Eastern Brethren for publick worsh : so long as 4: 9th or one third & upwds of ye Inhabi- tant-Freeholders continue to desire ye Same & y' ordination to hold accord : to appointm' (if they should aggree to it)
They aggreed to it publickly both Brethren & Inhabitants. March 22 at Night, to Witt as many as were prsent web were yª Most of ye Whole (excepting 2 or 3 y' dissented appar- ently) But finding they differd ye day following the councill advized to putt off ye ordination untill both aggreed, & in
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DORCHESTER CHURCH RECORDS
case, to Call anoth' Councill to be indifferently chosen by both partys.
This Report was made to Chh on behalf of y' messeng's by the Pastor on ye Lords day March. 27th 1697.
Aprill. 21. 97. Dorchest" Church upon request from med- field having chosen & Sent y' Pastor, Ruling Elder Capt. Clap & Deacon Topliffe to Sit in Councill with ye messeng's of 7 oth' Churches to advize & assist abt ye ordination of Rd m' Jos. Baxter ; on said day -they went accordingly & m" Baxter was Ordained their Pastor, no publick opposition being made, m' Fisk gave ye Charge, M' Thacher gave ye Right hand of Fellowship &c: & the Dissenters having in a Paper Highly reflected on ye last councill in medfeild y sat a 12 moneth agoe as well as on ye Chh & on m' Baxter, & on ye p'sent Counsell, declining to answ' before ym, the Councill advized the Chh in Medfield to attend ye Rules of Christ in a way of Church-dealing for ye Recovery of both Brethren & also ye Upgrown Children of ye Church that had appeared so Criminal = Also ye Church sollemnly renewed y' Covent adding many Articles of particular Engagem's for Reforma- tion.
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March. 17. 93 A publick Fast after a very Long, sore, Sharp Winter.
Dec. 15. 98. A Publick Thanksgiving for a plentifull Harvest, (after years of Great Scarcity) Health, Civill & Sacred Libertys continued, Peace with ye French restored after long war, Indian Rage check'd: The King's Proclama- tion for and Encouragem' to reformation : As Per (Proclama- tion) ord' of General Court.
Then Collected. for ye Poor . ...
March. 23. 99. A publick fast by Proclamation ordered by ye L' Gov' : & Council.
May. 7. 99. The Elder Proposed the Pastors desire of Help in ye work of ye Ministry. & Some time before that, He Proposed for the Choice of anoth' Ruling Elder or Eld's.
(But both Motions dropped)
May. 7. 99. The widow of Henry Mayr (was) dismisssed to ye North Chh Boston -& Mary Paine daughter of Broth" Pearse dismissed to ye Church of Brantry :
Since o' Pastors Sicknesse in ye End of January last He hath had twenty & two Sermons of help without the cost of the Town to yo month of August
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DORCHESTER CHURCH RECORDS
Nov. 23. 99. A thanksgiving for Peace Health & Plenty &c: by order of Authority. Then Collected for m' Man minister of Wrentham who lost his substance by fire- IOli 1 6h 4ª (besides some gifts privately Sent Him.)
January ye 7th 1699 1700 The widow Mary Goodale made a pub- lick confession of Her Sin of fornication now a 2ª Time Comitted & a profession of Repentance, that was accepted.
August 18, 1700. A letter was read from Boston South Church, desiring Elder & Messengers to assist in ye ordina- tion of m' Pemberton ye 28th Instant ' The Deacons & capt. Clap were voted to accompany The Pastor to that Service.
Memorandum. Fasting & Prayers at Braintry, Dedham & Boston having been graciously answered by Rain (after a sore Drouth) the last week Gods Goodnesse in Christ to Us therein was this day, particularly acknowledged.
Sept. 1. 1700. Report was made to ye Church y' m' Pem- berton was ordained to ye office of a Pastor on ye Day ap- pointed, ye Elders & Messeng's concurring & giving ye Right Hand of fellowship.
Sept. 8. Hannah Dean, daughter of our Broth' John Bird, took hold on ye Covenant.
Sept. 22. Hannah Bartlet took hold on ye Covent as also did Unice Bird daught' of James Bird.
Octobr 13. 1700. The Chh sent y' Pastor and Brother Nath. Clap, Serjeant Leadbetter & Deacon Hopestill Clap. who were with (the Rd m' Thacher &) ye Pastor & one mes- seng' of Milton, viz m' Blake, 3 weeks abroad, at Newport & Compton, where Such as were Examined & Approved & Proposed for ye Discovery of y' Life laid hold on ye Covent & they & theirs (yt were not baptised before) many of y™) were then Baptized. These laid hold on ye Covenant at Newport & were baptised. Capt. N. Coddington Esq' M™ Joanne Brightman m" Rob. Pocock. m" Sarah Creek : m's Hannah Clark - Sarah Timberlake Jane Dill
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others y' laid hold on ye Covent at Newport were M' Calender m's Calender, Elisabeth Caparon, Susanna Willet, m' Richd Clark, m™ Mamford, m's Magewick,
But m' Wackman & m's Coggeshall only renewd y' Covent.
The Children Baptised were Patience, Thomas, Freegift, Sarah, Elisabeth, William, Mary, & Nathaniel children of m' Freegift Coggeshall.
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DORCHESTER CHURCH RECORDS
John & Margaret Caparon
Susanna & Alice Willet
Abigaile, Elisabeth, Mercy, Mary, & William children of m' Magewick.
Mary daugh' of m' Wackman
Steven Memford. Jonathan Alice & Hannah Children of m' Richard Clark. 27. 8". 1700
At Compton there Laid hold on ye Covenant and were Baptised those that follow, viz L' John Wood m' Edward Richmond & His wife & Daughter Abigail, m' Silvest" Richmd M' John Palmer & His Wife, Joseph Church's wife, Nath: House, Mercy Rouse, Joseph Seabury, & Martha Seabury.
Others y laid hold on ye Covent having been baptised formerly were, m' Fobes & His Wife M' Thomas Gray, L' Wood's wife m' Samuel Crandoll's wife, m' John Church, m' Samuel Gray's wife, Nath : Searle's Wife & James Ben- nett's Wife.
Others that were then (viz Nov 3. 1700) baptised, were, m' Fobes' Children, Elisabeth constant, mercy, & Mary :
m' wood's Children, John Mary Sarah Deborah Abigail Margaret Elisabeth
m' Grays Children, Thomas and Edward.
m' Richmonds Children Edwd: Anne : Elizabeth Ame : Benjamin : Mary
m' Jos. Church's Children, Joseph Nathan Alice Deborah, Elisabeth
m' Palmer's Ch" : John Sarah : Elisabeth Edwd Job Aaron, Anne
Jonath : Davenports Children Jonathan Hannah Simon Ebenez' : John Joseph Benjamin
Benj. Blackman's Children Benjamin, Ichabod Sarah Re- becca Elisha
m' John Churches Child, Elisabeth
m' Hilliard's, Abigail & Sarah.
m' Woodworths, David & Grace.
m' Crandolls, Samuel & Mary.
Nath. Searles, John & Sarah.
At Newport & Compton Baptised 95 persons. wherof 64 at Compton.
Nov. 10. 1700. Then was a Proclamation Read for a Thanksgiving on ye 21th of Nov. instant : from ye Honble L' Gov'no' Stoughton & Councill ; for yº Kings life, & favor, peace from Indians & Disappointm' of y' plotts & for
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DORCHESTER CHURCH RECORDS
Health & Rain in answ' to pray', & a Comfortable Harvest; Esply for ye Gospel yet continued.
Nov. 21. 1700, then Collected for o' Poor.
Jan. 12. 1700. Francis Price laid hold on ye Covent :
15. Imo. 1701. Thomas Tillstone laid hold on ye Covent
April. 24. 1701. A publick Fast. (ye Governo" being de- ceased) & ye L' Governo" ill.
May. 18. 1701. John Maudsley laid hold on ye Covent
Aug. 31. 1701. Proposed to Elect 2 Ruling Elders.
Sept. 7. 1701. Capt : Clap & Deacon Topliff Chosen Elders & a Proclamation from ye Council for a fast on account of ye Honble m' Stoughtons Death &c.
To be kept ye 18th of this Instant Septemb' S. D. p. which was observed accordingly :
October. 19. 1701. An Account was given to ye Chh by y' Pastor y+ 14 more were admitted to lay hold of ye Covent at Newport & 24 Baptised.
m' Thacher & m" Danforth (the messengers of ye Chh& not being then so well able to go with y", & ye Councill being put under a Prorogation) went to Newport & preached one Sabbath & a Fast to m' Claps Congregation Examined & Approved divers that Presented y"selves, & proposed y", whereupon (m' Thacher going to narragansett) ye next Sabath (which was October 12, 1701) m' John Miles & Hannah Perdue laid hold on ye Covenant : & those y' follow both laid hold on ye Covenant & were baptised Divina Gratia in Christo viz M" Mary & M" Rebecca Coggeshall, mrs Bridget Sanford, Henry Butler, M" Content Coddington, William Wilcox, Thomas Miles, Sarah Hoar, Mary Bright- man, Content Norton, Catharine Hampton & Mary Loc. Besides these wer baptised, John & Daniel Miles: Mary Norton : Bridget & Elisabeth Pocock: Edw. Momford : Sarah Daddy : John Wackman Mary [x x x x] John Walke[r] Joseph Chanterlin.
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Nov. 9. 1701. Dan1. Preston Jun' was Chosen Deacon.
Nov. 20. 1701. was a Publick Thanksgiving day throughout this Province.
Dec' 14 1701. Voted y ye Full Comunicants renew ye Chh covent on ye Ordenation -fast day intended to be shortly if God please = & y ye Children of yº Chh yt have laid hold on ye Covent renew ye Coven' togeth' on ye same day. The Coven' being Read they are to stand up & mani- fest y" Assent : Also y' oth's be Examined Exhorted Pre-
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DORCHESTER CHURCH RECORDS
pared & Propounded in order to y' joying wth oth's in Professing y' assent & adherence to ye Covn' of Grace, & submitting to Chh watch & Goverm' here, while they con- tinue in capacity for ye same.
Febr. 3. 1703 Then was Kept by ye Favor of the Lord A sollemn Day of Humiliation & Pray' & In ye Close of ye Afternoon Exercise
I. The Full Comunicants Renewed y" Covenant according to ye Printed fform, & some othy lately admitted then Entred into Covenant
2. The Children of ye Church Renewed Covenant & Near One hundred Newly Examined & Propounded Entred into or Laid hold on ye Covent togeth" wth ym
3. m' Samuel Clap & m' Samuel Topliff were ordained Ruling Elders or Helps in Governm' of ye Church & m" Daniel Preston Junior was ordained a Deacon of ye Chh, yo Rd m' Thacher Assisting ye Pastor of ye Chh y' Day as in Preaching so in Laying on of hands.
4. His Majestys Proclamation against Imorality & Pro- fanenesse was Sollemnly Read to ye Congregation
The Names of Such as were Examined allowed & pro- pounded (before) for laying hold of ye Covenant on ye same Day y' oth's renewed ye Covent (and on other days) were these
22. 12. 1701 Hannah Atherton Hannah Alcock Sarah Atherton Mercy Bird
Edward Breck Jos. Butt Mary Bird
Roger Billinge John Bradley Sarah Beamont Elis. & Bebe Bird
John Billinge Benj Ball Mary Butt Anne Baiton
Hannah Brown
Nathanael But (Joseph But) Mary Blake Elis. Baker Joseph Billinge Patience Bird Katharine Bird Jonathan Chandler (Edward Clap 22. 12. 1701) John Capen jun.
Experience Clap. Sarah Clap Huldah Chandler Ruth Clap
(Elijah Danforth 22. 12. 1701) Elis. & Hañah Capen
(Richard Hawes)
Martha Cheyny Sarah Davenport Anna Foster Prudence & Silence Foster
Nath : Glovers wife & Elis. Glover
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DORCHESTER CHURCH RECORDS
John Henshaw Hannah Glover & Sarah or Elisabeth Glover Abraham John James & Samuel How Bathsheba Hall
(Israel Hill 22. 12. 1701)
Mary Humfrey
Benjamin Jordan Mary Jinkins
Samuel Leeds
Margaret Lord
Nath. Leeds
Rebecca Leeds
(Hezekiah Maroh 22. 12. 1701)
Nehemiah Maroh
Ebenez. Maudslys wife
Sarah Moseman Sarah Mason
John Preston Remember Preston
Robert Pelton's wife
Mary Preston
Margaret Preston
Deliverance Preston
Elisabeth Paul
Ebenezer Paul Jacob Royal John Robinson
Sarah Payson Mary Payson
(Abigail Swift 22. 12. 1701)
William Trescott 5 April. 17. 1708 { Waitstill Royal 13. 7.
1 702.
Zachary Trescot Mr Horton Rebecca Trescot Sarah
But
Mary Trott
May : 1708 waitstill Topliff
Henry Tollman Mary Williams Anne Tilestone
Daniel Tolman Daught' of W. Pond Timothy Tilestones wife
Samuel Tolman Thomas Tilestones wife
Elijah or Irijah Wales
Elisabeth Wales
Edward White Thankfull Withington
Richard withington Sarah Watkins
Josiah & Eben : Williams (Hannah Withington 22. 12. 1701) Richard White. Hannah Weeks. Sarah Withington
(In 1702 ab Aprill Joseph Bird owned ye Covent :)
& Ab' July 1702 Elis. Long.
At a Meeting of the Elders & Deacons.
March. 6. 1702. Elder Topliff gave up an account of His Nine (or eight) years Deaconship & He Remains Debtor to y® Church for Church Rents &c 101b & 6ª & to ye Poor for mony given for y' Use & putt into His hands ye Sume of 31b 4ªh & Id. Deacon Clap also gave account y he hath yet in his hands Due to ye Poor 11. 14. 8
& to ye Chh 2. 01. 2.
1
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DORCHESTER CHURCH RECORDS
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Aprill. 2. 1702. Then was Celebrated & Observed a Pub- lick Fast by Proclamation & Order from ye Honble Councill to implore Pardon & Mercy for o'Selves & a Continuance & Settlem' of our Libertys, Chh* Colledge, o' Peace, Plenty, Health & Defence & Conduct for the Kings Majesty, Suc- cess to His Counsel, Parliam', Armys & Navys. A blessing on ye Year, & Smiles on ye Protestant Interest, & to Obtain ye hastning of ye Gospellizing of all Nations, & ye Accom- plishm' of ye Great things promised.
July. 21. A Church fast. (R") m' Walter helped y Pastor in ye Forenoon.
Aug. 9. Samuel Butt & Sarah Butt His wife & Patience Lawrence appeared before ye Church & penitently Confessed y Sins of Fornication to ye Satisfaction of ye Church.
Aug. 30. 1702 A Contribution for Israel Hill who lay long ill of a Broken Bone & is still Lame. Then was Collected
(The mortality at New York is Sore & Dreadfull.)
Oct. 22. 1702 A General Fast on account of ye war & Sicknesse at New York & Here
Me-in ab't 12 month ye Deaths at Boston amount to 500 or y'abouts.
Nov. 1. 1702 A Contribution for Obed: Hawes
Nov. 8. 1702. The Chh. at Duxborough's Letter was read, w'rin they requested m' Robinsons Dismission to y", & our Assistance in His Ordination or Sollemn Inaugura- tion into His office of a Pastor, by Fasting Pray', & the hands of ye Presbytery. Elder Topliff was Voted to accom- pany the Pastor to y' work on ye 18th Instant which was per- formed then, together with y' Renewing of Covenant, & so many Men then Joyned, as doubled y number of y" Fra- ternity.
Dec. 10. 1702. A Publick Thanksgiving & then was col- lected for ye Poor.
Febr. 18. 170g. A publick fast (Sicknesse still continuing & warre impending.)
March 14. Daughter of Walter Everinden & - who 1703. lives at Sam1 Capen jun" house
Laid hold on ye Covenant
March 21 wife of Everinden laid hold on ye Covenant.
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DORCHESTER CHURCH RECORDS
April. 8. 1703. A\ publ : Generall Thanksgiving for Her Majestys Successes by Sca & Land against y^ French & Spaniards in Europe & America, many Ships, much Treasure & many Towns being taken.
Then Contributed for Goodwife Birch.
M" John Earl of Marlborough is Capt. General of ye Land forces James Duke of Ormond is General of y^ Fleet forces & S' George Rook is Admiral of y" Fleet ; und' o' Soveraign Queen Anne who came to yf Throne March. S. 1702. But before ye Late King William y" 3" of Glorious Memory died, there were Sundry Societys Sett up for Reformation of Manne's, & behold y" Smiles of Heaven, upon y" Same, o' Nation being on a Suddain filld with plenty of Grain & plenty of Silver, (y" Plate Flect being taken,) & plenty of Honor & Victory, So that y" Queen has Invited Her Sub- jects in ye plantations in America to Rejoyce with Her & so Return Thanks to God.
Aug. 17. 1703 Our Lecture day: Kept for a day of Prayer in this Town & Church to implore Converting Grace for the Unconverted, & particularly for the Rising Genera- tion ; & to implore deliverance from our French & Indian Enemys who have lately made a great Slaughter, & Taken many Captives at ye Eastward, & to beg Raine from Heaven.
M": God sent a plentifull Raine; Item Diverse of our Enemys have fallen into our hands. 8. 7". 1703.
Sept. 23. 1703. Kept for fasting & pray' (a Proclamation from his Excellency Joseph Dudley Esq &c Governo' being Read before, appointing ye Same, Especially for to implorc y" Divine mercy for The Queens Majesty the Protestant In- terests in Europe, our forces now advancing against ye Enemy, & o' Fronteirs exposed.)
Nov. 7. 1703, John Maxfield laid hold on y" Coven'.
Dec. 9. 1703. A publick Thanksgiving for Removal of Sicknesse, Continuance of Health, a plentifull harvest, ye Safe Arrival of many of our vessels from Engl: &c. re- straint upon Enemys &c. Then was Collected for y" Poor 3". 5. 3. & 2"} Corn
Febr. 1703 Captivated from Deerfield, the Rev m' John Williams ; & 96 more but killed by ye French & Indians
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DORCHESTER CHURCH RECORDS
52 wrof m" Williams one & some of y' Children & Eleven Souldiers soms y' were sent to y' Garison oth" (viz 5) y. came in upon y" Alarum & 14 men more Diverse houses burnt about so french & Indians kill' as Col . Patricks Lett' shows.
March 5. 1704. Jonathan Chandler Made publick Con- fession of y" Sin of fornication, to acceptance
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May 18 1704 A Province Fast by Proclamation & there was a slaughter & captivation of People at Northampton six days before. We Read a Declaration for Reformation.
June 18. 1704 Experience Birch laid hold on ye Coven' & a little before Anna the Daughter of Nath : Lion Laid hold on y' Covenant.
July 18, 1704. Our Lecture was turned into a Day of humiliation & P'ray' - To Ask Converting Grace & to ask Rain in a Time of Drouth & wars - & oth' mercys. The l'astor being sick, M' Thacher & M' Walters Preached & Prayed & m' Cotton Mather helped in prayer. Mercifull showers followed. & in Diverse Churches hereabouts & as Convenient y" wheel of pray' has been & is now going, Audiat Dominus Amen.
Octobr. 22. 1704. We read a Lett' from the Church in Marlborow Requesting us to send our Elders & Messengers to assist in the Ordination of m' Robert Brick y' Pastor. The Chh officers, so many as could attend it were Sent.
Oct. 29. 1704. Account was given to y' Chh that Our Pastor with Elder Clap & Deacon Preston jun', went & mct in Council with M' Easterbrooks m' Clark & m' Rawson the Pastors of Concord, Chelmsford & Mendon & with the Brethren that attended them & m' Breck was admitted into y' Church on y" 24"" day, Ordained on y" 25th, The Presbytery laying on Hands M'. Easterbrooks giving y Charge m' Clark giving the Right hand of fellowship, Our Pastor giv- ing the Charge to y" Chh to doe y' Duty to y' Pastor & m' Rawson Calling for the Suffrages & votes &c. No man Op- posing, & God in Christ most graciously Assisting.
M On ye 25th day at Night, M' Gardin' Minister of Lan- caster was killed, one of the watch shooting Him by Mis- .take.
Nov. 23. 1704. A publick Thanksgiving for Defeat of Enemys at home & in Europe, disapointm' of y' Expeditions against us, by Sea & Land y' many of them are delivered
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