USA > Massachusetts > The history of Massachusetts, the colonial period. 1492-1692 v. I > Part 39
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But Randolph had other ends to subserve besides the
1 Hutchinson, 1. 302, and Coll.,
534 ; Chalmers, Ann., 414.
2 Hutch. Coll., 531-40 ; Mather MSS., vol. 6., fol. 57.
40
470
ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE EPISCOPACY.
CHAP. discomfiture of the agents and the overthrow of the XVII. Charter. A zealous Episcopalian, in correspondence with
1682. prelates of the National Church, and employed by them to circulate publications in favor of Episcopacy,1 he was earnest that the worship of that church should be set up in Boston, and that ministers should be sent over to carry out this plan ; and he hoped, through the agency of Dudley, to bring this to pass.2 Nay, he had even the effrontery to propose that the funds, the proceeds of individual subscrip- tion, which had been raised for propagating the gospel among the Indians, should be perverted to this end. 3 " Send over," says he, " able and sober ministers, and we will contribute largely to their maintenance ; but one thing will mainly help, when no marriages shall hercafter be allowed lawful, but such as are made by the ministers of the Church of England." And, not satisfied with even these propositions, bold as they were, he insinuated that the " factionists " might be attainted of treason, and their property sequestered to the church, " for," he says, " if his Majesty's laws, as none but fanaticks question, be of force with us, we could raise a sufficient maintenance for divers ministers out of the estates of those whose treasons - have forfeited them to his Majesty." 5
It is evident that it had been resolved in England to push matters to the utmost extremity. Massachusetts must be humbled. Her spirit of independence must be effectually subdued. Her ecclesiastical heterodoxy must be signally punished. Crown and Council, prelates and peers, mer- chants and manufacturers, had all leagued together to break down the charter, drive out the magistrates, cripple the commerce of the country, weaken the clergy, and ride rough shod over the "prejudices " of the people, by exalting the hierarchy to an equality with the colonial
1 Hutch. Coll., 532-3. 4 Hutch. Coll., 533.
2 Hutch. Coll., 533.
& Hutch. Coll., 531, 551.
5 Hutch. Coll., 540.
471
RECEPTION OF THE NEW AGENTS IN ENGLAND.
priesthood, - nay, by giving it the advantage of a foreign CHAP. XVII.
support, backed by the donations of the affluent in Eng- ~ 1682.
land.
It had long been a source of grievance and complaint, that the colonists had, from the outset, shown such an aversion to the priesthood of apostolic descent, and had succeeded in entirely preventing worship in the Episcopal form ; and it was hoped that the change contemplated would introduce a new order of things. "I boldly write it," says Randolph, " that the settling of the country, and putting the government into the hands of honest gentlemen, some of whom are already in the magistracy, and discoun- tenancing utterly the faction, will be more grateful to us ; for now our consciences as well as our bodies are in captivity to servants and illiterate planters." 1
The agents of the colony, Messrs. Dudley and Rich- ards, upon their arrival in England found his Majesty Aug 20. greatly provoked at the neglect of the colonists in not sending before; and in their first letters home they ac- quainted the Court with the feelings of the King, and desired to know whether it was best to hazard all by refusing to comply with his demands - intimating that they "seriously intended to submit to the substance." At that time they had not been heard before the Council ; but soon after, on presenting the address which had been Sep. 20. forwarded by their hands, they were commanded to show their powers and instructions to Sir Lionel Jenkins, Secre- tary of State; and on their perusal, finding these powers wholly inadequate, they were informed by Lord Radnor, that the Council had agreed, nem. con., to report to his Majesty that, unless further powers were speedily obtained, a Quo Warranto should proceed in Hilary term.2 It was
1 Hutch. Coll., 533. to Gov. Hinckley, in Hinckley MSS., 2 Orders in Council, in 4 M. H. 1. 41, speaks of a Quo Warranto Coll., 2. 292-3. Randolph, Lett. against Plymouth also.
472
THE WAR AGAINST THE CHARTER.
CHAP. to no purpose that they humbly craved the royal pardon XVII. for former irregularities, " which had been continued 1682. through inadvertence, and not through contradiction," and promised, for the future, a strict compliance with the " rules prescribed by the Charter." It was to no purpose that they laid before the Lords their answers to the matters " charged against the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay." Nor would it probably have availed anything had Massa- chusetts been ever so humble, and expressed her readiness Sept. to yield to all his Majesty might require. The Charter was Dec. 20. doomed ; and orders were sent to and received by Ran- dolph, commanding him to return to England and " pros- ecute a Quo Warranto." 1
Upon the receipt of these advices, the community was widely and extensively agitated. Intelligence had reached the country that a general war had been declared against all . corporations, and that many cities had submitted and sur- rendered their franchises. Bermudas, in the plantations, and London and Oxford alone had refused.2 And should Massachusetts join with the former or with the latter ? The question was one in which all were interested. Even the moderate party were friendly to the Charter; and the body of the people were sincerely attached to it. Their all was at stake here. It was for this they had left England, and fled to the wilderness. It was for this they had encoun- tered both peril and distress. It was for this they had submitted to the severest privations. It was for this they had contended with the difficulties incident to all new settlements. For more than fifty years, it had been the sheet-anchor of the colony ; its refuge from oppression, tyranny, and wrong. With the shield of its protection planted firmly before them, they had succeeded in defeating
..
1 Randolph's Narr., in Usurpation Papers, vol. 2. fols. 218-20; Mather MSS., vol 6. fols. 56, 61; Chalmers, Ann., 413, 450-61.
2 Mather MSS., vol. 6. fol. 64.
473
DISCUSSION OF THE QUESTION OF ITS SURRENDER.
the machinations of their enemies, and had rapidly and CHAP. steadily advanced in power. And now that the wilderness XVII. was subdued, and was ready to blossom; now that their 1082. homes had been reared, and their churches had been planted, and everything indicated that a career of unex- ampled prosperity might be theirs, should they surrender that instrument which had secured these blessings ?- endeared to them by the toils and the tears of their fathers, whose dust seemed to call to them, from the soil with which it had mingled, to remember the struggles and the trials of the past ?
Is it surprising that a question so vital was earnestly discussed ? The farmers in the country talked of it at their hearthsides ; the people of Boston pondered it in their warehouses, discussed it upon the Exchange, and in the halls of legislation. It went with them to the church, and was the burden of their prayers. The clergy were aroused, and their opinions and arguments, on the one side and the other, were given in writing, or uttered in public ; and, as they had ever been loyal to the colony, so now for the last time they declared themselves irrevocably in favor of adhering to the Charter.1
That no means might be spared, however, to prevent the consummation of the evil which threatened them, an address was agreed upon by the General Court, and another was pre- pared and sent throughout the colony, to be signed by all the inhabitants who were in favor of retaining the Charter. The first document the agents were at all events to present ; the latter they were to use or not, as seemed to them best ; and they were instructed to deliver up the deeds of the province of Maine, if required ; but they were to make no concessions of privileges conferred upon the colony by Charter.
1 See Oakes's Election, Ser., 1673 : " Keep to your patent," &c.
40*
474
CRANFIELD'S INSIDIOUS PROPOSALS.
CHAP. XVII. 1082.
At the suggestion of Cranfield, the Governor of New Hampshire, who was then on a visit at Boston, 1 another step was taken, which was unwise and unfortunate. Pre- tending great friendship to the colony, and promising to represent its loyalty in the most favorable light, he advised that their agents should be authorized to wait upon Lord Hyde, and tender him an acknowledgment of £2000 for his Majesty's private service. It was well known that in the English Court everything was then venial; Chalmers himself admits that, had the affair been "dexterously " managed, it "would have probably proved successful ; " 2 and it was known that France had succeeded in bribing the King to betray the political interests of his subjects. . Hence the proposition of a douceur to his Majesty appeared not so absurd as it might under other circumstances ; and the colonists, in their dilemma, unwarily fell into the trap which their cunning enemy had purposely set for them ; for, no sooner had they adopted his advice, than he infamously denounced them as rogues and rebels, and made such sport of their folly, that the agents complained of the contempt which was heaped upon them, and of the ridiculous position in which the country was placed. 3
The fate of the Charter was now sealed. Randolph, May 28, who arrived in England in May, brought before the Com- 1683. Jun. 13. mittee of Plantations his " articles of high crimes and mis- demeanors " against the Massachusetts Colony ; the Lords of Trade presented a report affirming that sufficient powers had not been given to the agents of the colony, and advising that a Quo Warranto should be issued ; the King approved this report, and directed such a writ to be drawn by Sir Robert Sawyer, the Attorney General; for its more effectual prosecution, Mr. Randolph was required to attend with
1 A letter, relating to his appoint- ment, may be seen in the Hinckley MSS., vol. 1. fol. 36.
2 Revolt, 1. 133.
8 Hutchinson, 1. 303, note ; Chal- mers, Ann., 413 ; Hallam, 461-2.
·
475
THE AGENTS RETURN TO MASSACHUSETTS.
t
such " articles, witnessess, and proofs " as he might be able CHAP. to produce; 1 and in due time the Quo Warranto issued, ~
XVII. with a declaration from the King that "if the Colony, July 26. 1683. before prosecution, would make full submission, and entire resignation to his pleasure, he would regulate the Charter for his service and their good, and with no further altera- tions than should be necessary for the support of his government here." The agents of the Colony, as may well be supposed, were in no little perplexity ; and, unwilling with their limited powers to undertake the defense and management of so important a case, they petitioned for July 20. liberty to return home, " to take charge of their private affairs." This request was granted; and it was ordered that they should be discharged from further attendance, and be allowed to leave the kingdom " so soon as Mr. Edward Randolph, (who is forthwith going thither upon his Majes- ty's service upon his Majesty's commands) shall be em- barked for his said voyage." 2 Oct. 23 ?
Three months later, the agents returned to report the result of their mission ; and in the course of the same week Oct. 26. Randolph arrived, with his Quo Warranto, and two hundred copies of the proceedings against the Massachusetts Charter, and one hundred copies of those against the Charter of Lon- don, sent over by advice of the Privy Council for general distribution. 3 The Governor and a portion of the Assist- ants, satisfied that resistance was hopeless, were inclined to submit; and accordingly voted "not to contend with his Nov. 15. Majesty in a course of law," but that an address should
1 Randolph's Narr., in Usurpation Papers. vol. 2. fols. 218-20; 4 M. H. Coll., 2. 293-4; Chalmers, Ann., 414, 462.
2 Orders in Council, in 4 M. H. Coll., 2. 294-5.
3 Randolph, Narr., in Usurpation Papers, vol, 2. fols. 218-20, say he arrived in N. Eng., Oct. 17; but in
his Lett. to Gov. Hinckley of Ply- mouth, dated Oct. 29, 1683,in Hinck- ley MSS., vol. 1. fol. 49, he says he arrived at Boston on the previous Friday, which was the 26th. Sce further, Mather MSS., vol. 3. fol. 46: Blathwayt's Lett., in Hinckley MSS., vol. 1. fol 48; Orders in Council, in 4 M. H. Coll., 2. 295.
1
476
MASSACHUSETTS REFUSES TO SURRENDER HER CHARTER.
4
CHAP. be forwarded to him, declaring their resolution to send XVII. agents empowered to receive his commands ; and for suing 1683. a default for non-appearance upon the writ of Quo War- ranto, it was resolved that meet persons should be appointed and empowered by letters of attorney to appear and make defense, until the regular agents could make their appear- ance and submission.
This vote, to which the Deputy Governor and other of the Assistants objected, was referred by the magistrates to the deputies for their consent ; and, after a fortnight's Nov.30. consideration, and protracted debates, it was returned, endorsed : " the deputies consent not, but adhere to their former bills."1 It is intimated by Hutchinson that, "had this been made an act of the General Court, upon the revo- lution they might have reassumed their Charter, as Rhode Island and Connecticut did their respective Charters, there having been no judgment against them ; " 2 but the correct- ness of this intimation has been doubted.
The people of Boston sustained the deputies'; and at a Jan. 21, Town meeting, held to consider the King's declaration, 1683 4., Increase Mather, then President of the College, nurtured in the ancient faith of the Puritans, and one of its oldest . and firmest defenders, full of zeal, and richly furnished by study and reflection,-a man who, for twenty years, exerted a greater influence upon the fortunes of Massachusetts than any other in the same length of time, - delivered a speech against the surrender of the Charter which was both powerful and effective. 3 "I verily believe," said he, "we shall sin against the God of Heaven, if we vote an affirma- tive to it. The Scripture teacheth us otherwise. That which the Lord our God has given us, shall we not possess it ? God forbid that we should give away the inheritance of our fathers. Nor would it be wisdom for us to comply.
1 Mather MSS., vol. 3. vol. 46 ; Hutchinson, 1. 304-5 ; Chalmers, Ann., 414 ; 3 M. II. Coll., 1. 74-81.
2 Hutchinson, 1. 305.
3 Robbins, Ilist. Second Church Boston., p. 49.
-------
477
SPEECH OF INCREASE MATHER.
If we make a full and entire resignation to pleasure, we CHIAP. fall into the hands of men immediately ; but if we do not, ~ XVII. we still keep ourselves in the hands of God: and who 1683-4. knows what God may do for us ? The loyal citizens of London would not surrender their charter, lest their pos- terity should curse them for it. And shall we then do such a thing ? I hope there is not one freeman in Boston that can be guilty of it !"
The effect of such an appeal was wholly irresistible. " Many of the people fell into tears, and there was a general acclamation, We thank you, sir! we thank you, sir !" And when the question was put to the vote, it was unanimously rejected. "It is better," was their conclusion, " if we must die, to die by the hands of others than by our own."
Under these circumstances, a letter of attorney was sent to Mr. Humphreys to appear and answer for the colonies, and addresses were forwarded to the King one after another urging forbearance. But entreaty and remonstrance were equally vain. Randolph, who left for England in Decem- Dec. 14 ber, bearing the intelligence of the proceedings of the 1683. General Court, arrived at Plymouth in February, after a Feb. 14, 1683-4.
" dangerous voyage," in which the vessel was wrecked, and his goods were lost ; and being " commanded to prose- cute the Boston Charter,"1 a scire facias was issued, upon Apr. 16. which a conditional judgment was entered, and it was for- Jun. 18. warded by Mr. Dudley, and communicated to the Governor, who called a special Court to consider the same : - but Sept., before the Court assembled, the day of grace had passed. No other answer therefore was attempted, but an humble address; judgment was entered up,-" the validity of which Oct. 23. has been questioned by a very great authority,"-and a
1 Randolph's Narr., in Usurpation Plymouth for a Charter for that Col- Papers, vol. 2. fols. 218-20. Ile ony. See Hinckley MSS., vol. 1. was the bearer of despatches from fols. 39, 52, 53, 62, 63.
:
478
DOWNFALL OF THE CHARTER.
CHAP. copy of the instrument was received the ensuing Sum- XVII. mer.1 Thus tyranny triumphed, and the Charter fell. This Jun. 2, was the last effective act of Charles the Second relative
1685. to Massachusetts ; for before any new government could be settled, the Monarch was dead. His death and that of the Charter were nearly contemporary.
1 Chalmers, Ann., 415; Revolu- Judgment against the Charter, is tion in New England Justified, p. 4, given in full in 4 M. H. Coll., 2. 246-78; and the Letter of the King, relative to the writ of seire facias, an exceedingly valuable document, may be seen in the Mass. Archives, Colo- nial Papers, vol, 2. fols. 38-44. in Force, vol. 4, Tract 10. Also the " Brief Relation," 5-6, in ibid., Tract 11, and Narrative of the Mis- erics of New England, p. 2, cd. 1775. The exemplification of the
CHAPTER XVIII.
UNION OF THE COLONIES.
THE accession of James II. to the English throne, took CHAP. place in February 1684-5; and immediately upon its occur- XVIII. rence, Mr. Blathwait, one of the principal Secretaries of Feb., 1684-5. State, wrote Mr. Bradstreet recommending his Majesty's proclamation in Massachusetts ; and, as dutiful subjects, his Apr. 20, Majesty was proclaimed, though "with sorrowful pomp," at 16S5. the Town House in Boston, in the presence of the eight military companies, and "three vollies of cannon" were discharged on the occasion. 1
The condition of the colony had long awakened the gloomiest apprehensions. The Charter, the cherished palla- dium of their rights, and " the hedge which kept them from the wild beasts of the field," had been ruthlessly destroyed. It was evident that despotism had marked them for its victims. They could hope for no mercy from any of the Stuarts, for harshness and tyranny were ingrained in their natures. Their worst fears seemed confirmed, therefore, when, before the death of Charles, it was re- ported that Kirke, the ferocious and detestable Governor of Tangier, and infamous at a later date as the associate of Jeffreys, had been appointed their Governor. 2 There were all the symptoms in the country of an expiring con- stitution. Several of the towns had refused to send depu-
1 Hutchinson, 1. 306 ; Chalmers, Ann., 417. King James was pro- claimed in Plymouth, April 24. Hinckley MSS., in Mass. Hist. Soc., vol. 2. fol. 4. Prince, in ibid., fol. 2, speaks of a Lett. to Gov. Hinck-
ley, directing the proclamation of the King, which he supposes to have been lost.
? Hinckley MSS., vol. 2. fol. 10; Hutchinson, 1. 307, and Coll., 542, 549.
Nov., 1684.
480
JOSEPH DUDLEY APPOINTED PRESIDENT.
CHAP. ties to the General Court, and little was transacted by that XVIII. once active body. Resentment was shown towards those 1685. magistrates who had favored the surrender of the Charter ; Dudley, Richards, and Brown, were dropped, and Cooke, Johnson, and Hutchinson, were chosen in their stead ; Mr. Bradstreet, though re-elected, had less votes than ususal ; and others of the former officers were treated with ne- glect. In 1685, the indifference was still greater, and a change in the government was daily expected.
May 12, 1686. The election for 1686, passed without enthusiasm. Mr. Dudley being set aside, Mr. Stoughton, from complaisance to him, declined serving. The people sullenly awaited Jan. 30. intelligence from abroad. Already had news been received 1685-6. that a frigate was to be sent by his Majesty, with com- mission for a new governor ; 1 and it was a relief to the people, when the Rose frigate arrived, to find that Joseph
May 14.
1686. Dudley was appointed President by the King, instead of Kirke.2 It was the substitution of a lesser evil for one infinitely greater.
The General Court was then in session ; a copy of his May 17. commission was presented and read ; and a reply was May 20. returned, complaining of its arbitrariness, and that the .. people were abridged of their liberties as Englishmen ; " but if you are so satisfied therein," was its closing lan- guage, " as that you hold yourselves obliged thereby, and do take upon you the government of this people, although we cannot give our assent thereto, yet we hope we shall demean ourselves as true and loyal subjects to his Majesty, and humbly make our address to God, and in due time to our gracious prince for our relief." 3 With this reply, and
1 Mather MSS., vol. 6. fol. 2.
2 Randolph's Narr., in Usurpation Papers, 2. 218-20; Hutchinson, 1. 306-7. The Commission to Dud- ley and his associates, was issued Oct. 8. 1685. Council Rec's., in afterwards complained of as " libel- Mass. Ar., fol. 4. lous." Council Rec's., fols. 19, 20.
3 Usurpation Papers, 1. 1 ; Inter- Charter Papers, 1. 208; Hutchin- son, 1.307-8 ; Chalmers, Ann. 418; 2 M. H. Coll., 8. 179 ; 4 M. H. Coll., 2. 234-5. This paper was
481
MEETING OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT.
the appointment of a Committee to take charge of all CHAP papers relating to the Charter, and titles of lands, the XVIII. assembly adjourned, and the deputies returned in sadness 1686. to their homes, to spread among their neighbors the dis- couraging news.
A few days later, the President and Council met ; the May 25. exemplification of the judgment against the Charter was read in open court, "in the presence of divers of the eminent ministers, gentlemen, and inhabitants of the town and country," with his Majesty's commission to the new government ; the President took the oath of allegiance ; and the officers being seated, a speech was delivered by Mr. Dudley, in which, after referring to the allegiance which it was hoped would be shown, he proceeded to say : " The necessary alterations in the rule and form of his Majesty's government, from the method late used by the government while it stood by the charter, as they need be but a few, so we assure you shall with all care and pru- dence be continued as plain and as easy as is possible, and we shall hasten humbly to lay them at his most gracious Majesty's feet, for his allowance and confirmation."1 At the close of this speech, a Proclamation was read, setting forth his Majesty's Commission, which was " published by beat of drum and sound of trumpet," and ordered to be sent to every town ;2 a few days later, an address was drawn up, to be sent to Mr. Blathwait, for his Majesty, by Mr. Mason, one of the Council, with a letter to the Lords Commissioners of Foreign Trade and Plantations ; 3 Ran- dolph served his writs of Quo Warranto against Rhode Island and Connecticut ; 4 and the New England Colonies, having lost the freedom which they had so long enjoyed,
1 Council Rec's., fols. 1-4.
2 Council Rec's. fol. 4.
8 Council Rec's., 21-4, 31.
4 Randolph's Narr., in Usurpation Papers, 2. 218-20.
41
482
RELIGIOUS OPINIONS OF THE OFFICERS.
CHAP. were destined to experience the rigors of a despotism, the XVIII. more galling from its contrast with their former liberties.
1686. Despair, however, was never a trait of the Puritan character ; and, though the friends of Episcopacy welcomed the new administration with " outward expressions of joy and satisfaction," and " many seemed well pleased at the change," the " independent faction " still prevailed ; the "independent ministers " did not hesitate, even in their pulpits, to " speak treasonable words ;" and the former magistrates were not without hope, "either by some un- happy accidents in the state of affairs at home, or some dissensions among the members of the government, they might prevail so far as to dissolve the new constitution, and reassume the old." Of the persons composing the Colonial Council, but two, Randolph and Mason, were avowed Episcopalians ; most of the officers and justices of the peace were " congregational men ;" Dudley himself pretended to sympathize with the latter;1 and not above three "Church of England men " were officers in the militia.2 For these reasons, the churches of the colony were not immediately disturbed, but continued their wor- ship and discipline as before ; and the affairs of the town -. were managed much as formerly. Randolph, the Secretary of the Council, had indeed proposed that the Plymouth colony should be taxed for the support of Episcopal wor- ship; that one of the three meeting houses in Boston should be " ordered to be set apart for the exercise of the religion according to the church of England ; " and that twenty shillings weekly should be paid out of the contri- butions of each society to defray the charges of an Epis- copal church ; but, though such a church was gathered this
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