The history of Salem, Massachusetts, vol 1, 1924, Part 18

Author: Perley, Sidney, 1858-1928
Publication date: 1924
Publisher: Salem, Mass., S. Perley
Number of Pages: 610


USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > The history of Salem, Massachusetts, vol 1, 1924 > Part 18


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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TIMOTHY ORNE;4 merchant; married Rebecca Taylor of Lynn June 20, 1747; died July 14, 1767; she died, his widow, in 1771; children : I. Rebecca, baptized July 31, 1748; married Capt. Joseph Cabot; 2. Timothy, baptized May 6, 1750; 3. Sarah, baptized June 7, 1752; married Clark Gayton Pick- man; 4. Lois, baptized Feb. 22, 1756; married William Paine of St. John, N. B .; 5. Esther,5 baptized April 16, 1758; married Rev. John Clark of Boston; 6. Eunice, baptized April 6, 1760; died young; 7. Samuel,6 born about 1762; merchant; probably never married; died Feb. 20, 1785; 8. Eunice," baptized July 7, 1765. CAPT. JOSIAH ORNE;ª mariner ; married Sarah Elvins July 18, 1744; died in 1761 ; she died, his widow, Sept. 2, 1799; children : I. Josiah, born in 1745; 2. Sarah; married Lewis Hunt; 3. Me-


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HISTORY OF SALEM


these proceedings is contained in the following letter written by Charles Gott to Governor Bradford at the time :-


To the Worshipful, his worthy, and much respected friend, Mr. Bradford, Governour of Plymouth these,


Most worthy and much respected friend, Mr. Bradford; I with my wife, remember our service unto you and yours, thanking you most humbly for your great kindness, when we were at Plymouth with you :


hitable ;5 married Capt. Larkin Dodge; 4. Mary,5 baptized Feb. 2, 1755; married Ebenezer Hall; 5. Anna (Nancy), baptized Aug. 6, 1758; married Samuel Gray. CAPT. JONATHAN ORNE ;* mariner and merchant; married, first, Elizabeth Putnam June 28, 1748; she was his wife in 1752; married, second, Mary Bowditch Aug. 21, 1760; he died Jan. 1, 1774; she died in Salem, his widow, in the winter of 1812-3; children: I. Joseph, baptized June 18, 1749; 2. William, baptized Jan. 26, 1751-2; 3. Elizabeth, baptized Sept. 29, 1754; married John Williams ; 4. - (daughter), baptized April 20, 1759; 5. Eunice,6 baptized July 2, 1769; unmarried in 1793.


TIMOTHY ORNE; removed to Danvers about 1779; married Elizabeth -; died in Danvers between 1786 and 1790; she was of Salem, his widow, in 1814; children: I. Elizabeth,6 baptized May 24, 1778; 2. Margaret,6 bap- tized May 24, 1778; perhaps married Joseph Perkins; 3. Catharine Sewall Pynchon," baptized June 16, 1793; married Thomas Cushing of Newton. CAPT. JOSIAH ORNE; mariner and merchant ; married, first, Alice -; she died March 16, 1776; married, second, Nancy (Anna) White of Billerica Aug. 2, 1778; died June 21, 1789; his wife Anna survived him in 1791; children : I. Josiah,6 baptized April 3, 1768; 2. Alice,6 baptized April 23, 1769; probably married Stephen Williams; 3. Susannah,6 baptized Nov. 10, 1771; married Charles Harrison Fitch. DR. JOSEPH ORNE;5 physician; married, first, Mary Leavitt in 1774; second, Teresa Emery Oct. 21, 1781 ; died Jan. 28, 1786; she was his widow and lived in Exeter, N. H., in 1793; children : I. Maria,6 baptized Nov. 13, 1775; married Ichabod Tucker ; 2. Joseph,6 baptized June 14, 1778; mariner ; captain; died in 1806, probably unmarried; 3. Teresa,6 baptized Aug. 18, 1782; living . in 1793. CAPT. WILLIAM ORNE; mariner and merchant; esquire; married Abigail Ropes March 24, 1780; she was his wife in 1812; he died Oct. 14, 1815; children : I. William,6 baptized May 20, 1781; housewright; married Mary Hutchinson June 24, 1792; died in 1814; 2. George,6 baptized Sept. 7, 1782; probably died before 1815; 3. Eliza,6 baptized May 23, 1784; married, first, William Wet- more; second, Hon. Daniel Appleton White; 4. Samuel,6 baptized Feb. 5, 1786; esquire; removed to Springfield in 1818; his wife was Lucinda D. in 1819; 5. Charles Henry,6 baptized April 12, 1789; merchant; married Lucy Blanchard of Wenham March 25, 1814; she died June 16, 1815; he died Dec. 25, 1816, probably without issue; 6. Joseph, baptized Feb. 7, 1796.


JOSIAH ORNE;6 merchant; married Alice Allen June 18, 1786; died Sept. 23, 1825; she survived him; children: I. Josiah,7 baptized Aug. 13, 1786; 2. Sarah,7 baptized June 15, 1788; unmarried in 1827; 3. Susan;7 unmarried in 1825; 4. George;7 living in 1825; 5. Edward," baptized April 24, 1791; living in 1825; 6. Richard Elvins,7 baptized Oct. 4, 1795; mariner; living in 1837 ; married Ann T. Allen May 5, 1823; 7. Alice," baptized June II. 1797 ; probably married Daniel Low of New York. JOSEPH ORNE;6 married Sally Fiske Ropes May 19, 1817; died Sept. 3, 1818; she died, his widow, March 28, 1876; child : I. Elizabeth Ropes,7 born Feb. 27, 1818; died, unmarried, March 8, 1842.


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FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH


Sir, I make bold to trouble you with a few lines, for to certify you, how it hath pleased God to deal with us, since you heard from us ; how, notwithstanding all opposition, that hath been here and elsewhere, it hath pleased God to lay a foundation, the which I hope is agreeable to his word, in every thing: The 20th of July, it pleased God to move the heart of our Governour, to set it apart, for a solemn day of humiliation for the choice of a pastor and teacher ; the former part of the day being


SEMPRINGHAM CHURCH.


spent in praise and teaching ; the latter part was spent about the election, which was after this manner; the persons thought on (who had been ministers in England) were demanded concerning their callings; they acknowledged there was a two-fold calling, the one and inward calling, when the Lord moved the heart of a man to take that calling upon him, and fitted him with gifts for the same; the second (the outward calling) was from the people, when a company of believers are joined together in covenant, to walk together in all the ways of God, every member (being men) are to have a free voice in the choice of their officers, &c. Now we being persuaded that these two were so qualified, as the apostle speaks of to Timothy, where he saith a bishop must be blameless, sober, apt to teach, &c. I think I may say as the eunuch said unto Philip, what should let him from being baptised, seeing there was water, and he believed; so these two servants of God clearing all things by their answers (and being thus fitted) we saw no reason but that we might freely give our voices for their election after this trial: Their choice was after this manner, every fit member wrote, in a note, his name whom the Lord moved him to think was fit for a pastor, and so likewise, whom they would have for teacher; so that most voice was for Mr. Skelton to be pastor, and Mr. Higginson to be teacher; and they accepting the choice, Mr. Higginson, with three or four more of the gravest members


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HISTORY OF SALEM


of the church, laid their hands on Mr. Skelton, using prayers therewith. This being done, then there was imposition of hands on Mr. Higginson : Then there was proceeding in election of elders and deacons, but they were only named, and laying on of hands deferred, to see if it pleased God to send us more able men over; but since Thursday, being (as I take it the 6th of August) is appointed for another solemn day of humiliation, for the full choice of elders and deacons and ordaining them; now, good Sir, I hope, that you and the rest of God's people (who are acquainted with the ways of God) with you, will say that here was a right foundation laid, and that these two blessed servants of the Lord


TATTERSHALL.


came in at the door, and not at the window : And thus I have made bold to trouble you with these few lines, desiring you to remember us to Mr. Brewster, Mr. Smith, Mr. Fuller, and the rest of the church ; so I. rest, at your service in what I may till death, CHARLES GOTT.


Salem, July 30, Anno 1629.


Rev. Samuel Skelton was baptized in the parish of Coningsby, in Lincolnshire, Feb. 26, 1592-3 ; and was educated at Clare Col- lege, Cambridge, where he was matriculated, as a sizar, July 7, 1608. This indicates that he had slight means. He persevered, and received the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1611 and of Master of Arts in 1615. He was the incumbent of the ancient Sempringham church, on the border of the fens, in Lincolnshire, until about 1621, when he became attached to Tattershall, a seat of the Earl of Lincoln, seventeen miles from Sempringham. What his possition or service at Tattershall was is unknown. The earl had died in January, 1618-9. His family were Puritans, and by


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FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH


removing thither Mr. Skelton came under strong Puritan in- fluences. Edward Johnson, in his "Wonder-Working Providence of Sion's Saviour in New-England," speaks of him as "a man of gratious speech, full of Faith and furnished by the Lord with gifts from above."1 He married Susanna, daughter of William


Somurt Stelton


Travis of the village of Horbling, about two miles from Sempring- ham, April 27, 1619. She was baptized at Horbling Sept. II, 1597.“


Rev. Mr. Higginson3 was son of Rev. John Higginson, and was born in England in 1587. He was educated at Jesus and St.


1History of New England; Wonder-Working Providence of Sion's Saviour in New-England, by Edward Johnson, 1654, page 22.


2The children of Mr. and Mrs. Skelton were as follows: I. Sarah, bap- tized at Sempringham Aug. 12, 1621; buried Aug. 27, 1621; 2. Samuel, bap- tized at Tattershall Jan. 8, 1622-3 ; he returned to England, and conducted an inn at Tattershall; married Margaret -; had children; and died in February, 1663-4; 3. Susannah, baptized at Tattershall April 3, 1625; mar- ried John Marsh; 4. Mary, baptized at Tattershall June 28, 1627; married Nathaniel Felton; 5. Elizabeth; married Robert Sanford of Boston.


See New England Historical and Genealogical Register, volume 52, page 347, and volume 53, page 64.


3REV. FRANCIS HIGGINSON,1 born in 1587; minister at Claybrook, Leices- ter, until his removal to Salem in 1629; married Ann -; died Aug. 6, 1630; she survived him, removed to Charlestown about 1634, and died at New Haven in 1640; children, born in England: I. John,2 born at Claybrook Aug. 6, 1616; 2. Francis,2 born in 1617; schoolmaster at Cambridge; went to Europe ; lived in London ; settled as a minister at Kerby Steven in Westmore- land, England ; and died there about 1670, unmarried; 3. Timothy ;2 mariner ; died, unmarried; 4. Theophilus;2 lived in New Haven; died at the age of thirty-seven ; had a son; 5. Samuel ;2 captain of a man-of-war in Cromwell's time, and afterwards of an East India-man; died at the age of forty-four; 6. Mary ;2 died May 19, 1629, aged four; 7. Ann,2 baptized Jan. 28, 1626, at St. Mary's, Leicester; married Thomas Chatfield, afterwards of Guilford, Conn .; 8. Charles ;2 captain of a ship in the Jamaica trade; died at the age of forty-nine; 9. Neophytus ;2 died at the age of about twenty.


REV. JOHN HIGGINSON2 kept the grammar school at Hartford; after- wards chaplain of the fort at Saybrook; went to Guilford in 1641 and as- sisted Rev. Henry Whitfield in the ministry; pastor of the Salem church; married, first, Sarah, daughter of Rev. Henry Whitfield of Guilford; she died July 8, 1675; married, second, Mary (Blackman), widow of Joshua Atwater of New Haven and Boston; died in office Dec. 9, 1708, aged ninety- two; his wife Mary survived him, and died March 9, 1708-9; children : John,3 born at Guilford in 1646; 2. Nathaniel,3 born at Guilford Oct. II, 1652; H. C., 1670; went to England; was a steward and tutor to the children of Lord Wharton about seven years; in 1681, was employed in the mint of the Tower; in 1683, went in the Company's service to Fort St. George in the East Indies; was secretary and member of the council, afterwards of


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HISTORY OF SALEM


John's colleges, at Cambridge, graduating at St. John's in 1609; and was ordained deacon at Cawood Castle Sept. 25, 1614, by


the factory at the Fort; married Elizabeth Richards May -, 1692; in 1700, returned to England, becoming a merchant in London; lived in Charter house yard, London; died at Pancreas parish, Soper Lane, Oct. 31, 1708, of small pox; had children; 3. Sarah;3 married Richard Wharton of Boston; 4. Anna;3 married William Dolliver of Gloucester; 5. Thomas;3 apprentice to a goldsmith in England; returned to New England; sailed for Arabia, and was lost after 1705; 6. Francis,3 born in Salem June 9, 1660; lived with. his uncle Francis at Kerby Steven; educated at the university; died at Lon- don in 1684; 7. Henry,3 born in Salem Dec. 18, 1661 ; educated as a merchant ; went as a factor to Barbadoes, where he died in 1685.


COL. JOHN HIGGINSON ;3 esquire and merchant; It .- colonel of the regi- ment and member of the council; married Mary Savage of Boston Oct. 9,. 1672; died March 23, 1719-20; she died, his widow, in 1722; children : I. Mary,4 born Sept. 27, 1673; married, first, Thomas Gardner ; second, Dr. Edward Weld; third, Dea. James Lindall; 2. John,4 born Aug. 20, 1675; 3. Thomas,4 born Dec. 23, 1677; died Sept. 18, 1678. 4. Nathaniel,4 born April 1, 1680; 5. Sarah,4 born June 1, 1682; married Nathaniel Hathorne; 6. Elizabeth,4 born Oct. 13, 1684; married John Gerrish; 7. Margaret,4 born Nov. 10, 1686; died Jan. 18, 1688.


JOHN HIGGINSON ;4 merchant; register of probate, 1698-1704; married, first, Hannah Gardner Sept. II, 1695; she died June 20, 1713; married, second, Margaret Sewall Nov. II, 1714; died April 26, 1718; she died, his widow, March -, 1736; children : I. Elizabeth, born June 28, 1696; married Rev. Benjamin Prescott; 2. John, born Jan. 10, 1697-8; 3. Samuel,5 born Feb. 5, 1699-1700; died Sept. 23, 1702; 4. Sarah, born Feb. 13, 1702-3; married Dr. John Cabot; 5. Francis, born Nov. 29, 1705; died Nov. 29, 1705; 6. Henry, born Sept. 23, 1707; died Dec. 1, 1708; 7. Stephen,5 born July 31, 1716; 8. Nathaniel,5 baptized June 1, 1718; died in 1719. NATHANIEL HIGGINSON ; merchant; married Hannah Gerrish April 23, 1702; died in 1721 ; she married, secondly, Edmund Batter ; children: I. Nathaniel,5 born March 30, 1704; died Oct. 6, 1706; 2. Francis, born Dec. 22, 1705; died Aug. 15, 1707; 3. Mary, born Oct. 14, 1708; married Nathaniel Andrew ; 4. Han- nah, born Nov. 8, 1712; married John Ward; 5. Elizabeth,5 born Sept. 30, 1714; married Obadiah Morse of Boston.


HON. JOHN HIGGINSON ;5 H. C., 1717; merchant; esquire; captain in the militia ; chosen county register in 1725; married, first, Ruth Boardman of Cambridge Dec. 4, 1719; she died June 14, 1727; married, second, Esther Cabot April 28, 1732; died July 15, 1744; she was his wife in 1737 ; children : I. John,6 born Oct. II, 1720; 2. Elizabeth,“ born March 30, 1722; married Joseph Cabot; 3. Ruth, born Sept. 25, 1723; died July 9, 1727; 4. Andrew,“ born June 5, 1727; H. C., 1745; went as a factor to the West Indies, and was lost on his homeward passage before 1758; 5. Francis, born Feb. 3, 1732-3; captain ; married Esther Gardner July 15, 1758; died in 1760; she married, secondly, Capt. Daniel Mackay; 6. Nathaniel,“ born Dec. 13, 1734; died about 1757; 7. Susannah,6 born May 8, 1737; unmarried, in 1767. HON. STEPHEN HIGGINSON ; merchant, esquire and judge; married Elizabeth Cabot April 22, 1743; died Oct. 12, 1761 ; she removed to Beverly about 1786, and died there April 23, 1797; children: I. Stephen, born Nov. 28, 1743; 2. Sarah, born Jan. 14, 1744-5; married Hon. John Lowell of Newburyport ; 3. John,6 born April 30, 1746; died Aug. - , 1750; 4. Henry, born Dec. 14, 1747; died, unmarried, before 1797; 5. Deborah, born July 24, 1750: died Sept. - , 1753; 6. Deborah,6 born Jan. 6, 1754; married, first, Stephen Cabot ; and, second, Joseph Lee, both of Beverly.


Cor. JOHN HIGGINSON ;" esquire; lt .- colonel of the First Essex Regiment of militia; register of deeds thirty years; married, first, Hannah Marsh of


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FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH


Tobey Mathew, archbishop of York, his title being curate of Scredingham,1 and priest at Bishopthorpe by the same archbishop Dec. 8, 1614. He was collated or instituted April 20, 1615, by the same archbishop to the rectory of Barton-in-fobis, in Nottingham- shire, which he resigned April 4, 1616, having never served under that appointment. From about 1617 to 1629, he was the minister in the churches connected with the parish of St. Nicholas, in Leicester, where he styled himself "lecturer" as well as "minister." He was a worthy man2 and an attractive speaker, having a pleasing voice, and was greatly successful in his service.


He practised the full ritual of the Church of England for many years ; but, having made the acquaintance of Mr. Arthur Hildersham and Mr. Thomas Hooker, he became interested in the controversy that had begun to agitate the church as to whether it was right to recognize certain ceremonies. He began to in- vestigate the matter, and became convinced that many of the rites had neither the support of scriptural authority nor ancient prac- tice. He therefore became a conscientious non-conformist ; and consequently was deprived of his position in the church in which he had so long and favorably officiated. Nevertheless, his min- istry was so desirable that his people procured for him the liberty of preaching a constant lecture® on one part of each Sunday ; and


Braintree Sept. 19, 1743; she died Feb. 9, 1747; married, second, Elizabeth Wolcott Oct. 4, 1747; third, Mehitable Robie of Boston Dec. 29, 1755: died Sept. 23, 1774; his widow and daughter conducted a private school in Salem for many years ; she died Jan. 20, 1818, aged ninety-four ; children : I. Mehit- able," born April 6, 1759; died Dec. 15, 1759; 2. John,7 born Sept. 1, 1760; died Dec. 22, 1762; 3. Andrew,7 born Aug. 5, 1762; died Sept. 9, 1763; 4. Mehitable,' born March 26, 1764; for many years conducted a noted pri- vate school, teaching about fifty years; died, unmarried, July 19, 1846. STEPHEN HIGGINSON ;6 removed to Boston about 1778; merchant; married, first, Susannah Cleveland ; she died in 1788; married, second, Perkins of Boston; third, Sarah Perkins of Boston; died Nov. 22, 1828; children : I. John,7 born Jan. 15, 1765; lived in Paris, France; married in 1796; had children; 2. Sarah,7 born June TI, 1766; married Dudley Atkins Tyng of Newbury; 3. Nathaniel,7 born Feb. 12, 1768: lived in Philadelphia, Pa .; died in 1794, without issue; 4. Stephen,7 born Nov. 20, 1770; lived in Cam- bridge; for many years steward of Harvard College; married, first, Martha Salisbury Aug. - , 1794; she died Sept. 20, 1803; married, second, Louisa Storrow; he died at Cambridge Feb. 20, 1834; had fifteen children : 5. Bar- bara Cooper." born Jan. 15, 1774; married Samuel G. Perkins of Boston; 6. Elizabeth," born Aug. 5, 1776; married, first, Dudley Atkins Tyng, her brother-in-law, as his second wife; and, second, Rev. James Morss, D. D., of Newburyport; 7. George," born July 19, 1779, in Boston: 8. Henry.7 born Feb. 5, 1781, in Boston; 9. Susan Cleveland,7 born April 20, 1783, in Boston; IO. James Perkins," born July -, 1791, in Boston.


1Now spelled Scrayingham.


2Magnalia Christi Americana, by Rev. Cotton Mather, volume I, book 3. part 2, chapter I.


3A set discourse, but less than a formal sermon. These were usually delivered at mid-week meetings, the entire service at such meetings being called lectures.


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HISTORY OF SALEM


on the other part as an assistant to an aged person, who wished it. Having thus lost the official living, Mr. Higginson and his family were afterward maintained by voluntary contributions of the in- habitants. Although the other clergymen in Leicester continued to conform to the requirements of the rubric, they all freely invited him to use their pulpits as long as it did not bring trouble upon themselves. By this means he preached successively in three of the parish churches after he had become ineligible through non-conformity. He preached also at this time at Belgrave. a mile out of town. Much of this liberty was due to the goodness and candor of Doctor Williams, bishop of Lincoln, to whose diocese Leicester belonged. These conditions continued for some time.


There were a large number of Puritans in Leicester who attended the public services of the church punctiliously, but fre- quently had private meetings for prayer and conference, at which Mr. Higginson was often present. He was virtually their pastor. They had many enemies. Mr. Higginson enforced the rubric be- fore the communion, by privately and publicly prohibiting those who were notoriously evil or who had malice and hatred to others from participating in the sacrament until they had declared their penitence.1


Later, at several times, he was offered some of the greatest and most profitable livings in the region where he lived, but his insistence upon non-conformity prohibited acceptance. He con- tinued to preach in the parish churches, and, also, though known as a non-conformist, delivered various visitation, assize and funeral sermons.


He was also very serviceable in the education of scholars in entering and after leaving the university, and in promoting and forwarding contributions for the relief of Protestant exiles who came to England from Bohemia and the distressed Palatinate, and in other ways.


But at last, Archbishop Laud removed Doctor Williams from the bishopric of Lincoln, and then gave his attention to Leicester. An information was presented against Mr. Higginson, and there- after he was in constant anticipation of being summoned to the High Commission Court, where a sentence of perpetual imprison- ment was the least to be expected.


His thought then turned to America, where great oppor- tunities seemed to beckon to him, especially the work of the gospel among the Indians. Under these conditions came the call from the Massachusetts Bay Company to join the colony at Naumkeag. Two messengers were sent to him with the invitation. They


1Cotton Mather, in his Magnalia Christi Americana, cites several in- stances of the influence of Mr. Higginson's preaching and practice.


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FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH


learned that Mr. Higginson knew that officers were likely to come at any time to take him to London ; and so they knocked loudly at the door like men of authority and gruffly demanded, "Where is Mr. Higginson? we must speak with Mr. Higginson!" Mrs. Higginson was alarmed, and told her husband that the officers had come. She besought him to go out of their way, but he said, "No, I will go down and speak with them; and the will of the Lord be done!" When the strangers came into the hall, they put their papers into his hands, saying with an assumed roughness of manner, "Sir, we come from London, and our business is to fetch you up to London, as you may see by these papers !" The other people present were now convinced that the strangers were officers of the law, and had come for the arrest of Mr. Higginson. Mrs. Higginson said, "I thought so!" and her tears fell. Mr. Higginson, however, proceeded to examine the papers, and found that they consisted of a letter from the governor and company inviting him to go to New England, and a copy of the charter and proposition for the management of their design of establishing and propagating reformed Christianity in the new plantation. He bade the men welcome ; and the purpose of their coming was made known to the persons who were present. All were happy at this relief from their fears and the news, and conversation flowed pleasantly. After much prayer and thought and with the advice of several ministers, Mr. Higginson accepted this opportune in- vitation. His strong friend, Arthur Hildersham, said to him, "Were I a younger man and under your case and call, I would think I had a plain invitation of Heaven unto the voyage."


The parting with his Puritan friends was not easy, and many of them resolved to accompany or follow him to Naumkeag.


He had already prepared a farewell sermon, which he knew would be needed sooner or later, unless he was taken to London to court with insufficient notice. It was prepared for a parting by force, and at the mandate of Laud, and not one like this. His text was Luke XXI: 20, 21 : "And when ye shall see Jerusalem com- passed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out ; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto." The sermon was delivered to a great congregation. He mentioned the sins of England in general and of Leicester in particular ; and said that he was per- suaded that God would chastise England with a war, in the sufferings whereof Leicester would have more than its share. History shows how this prediction was verified in May, 1645, when Leicester was beseiged and taken in assault by Charles I., and recaptured the next month. The town was strongly fortified and garrisoned and the wealth of all the country around had been


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HISTORY OF SALEM


brought into it for safety. Eleven hundred people were slain in the streets, and the houses and public buildings plundered.


At the close of the delivery of the sermon he thanked the magistrates and Puritans of the place for the liberty, countenance and encouragement they had given to his ministry, and told them of his intended removal to New England, the principal end of the plantation there, he then declared, being the propagation of re- ligion ; and of the hope he had that New England might be designed by Heaven as a refuge and shelter for the non-conform- ists against the storms that were coming upon the nation, and a region where they might practise the church-reformation unto which they had been bearing witness. He concluded with a most affectionate prayer for the king, the church and state, and par- ticularly for Leicester.




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