USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > The history of Salem, Massachusetts, vol 1, 1924 > Part 21
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1Winthrop's Journal.
"Magnalia Christi Americana, by Cotton Mather, volume I, page 376.
LERE LIETI PARILLY BODY OF M. MARA CROMALL WIFE TO M PHILIP CROMALL AGED Z2 YEARES DEPARTED THIS LIFE THE 14 DAS LOF NOVEMBER
CROMWELL GRAVESTONE.
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Groue to purchafe land of them, neare the Buringe place for an Inlardgemt for to Bury the dead and to take care to agree & fettle highways to come to the place, and the L towne to pay the Chardge."1 The addition (Present Charter Street) marked A was probably E D (Present Liberty Street) bought of Henry Bar- tholmew, and that C A marked B was purchased Road of Edward Grove, sail- B maker, for twenty pounds, Nov. 26, 1669.2 O Liberty Street was laid N out from Essex Street to the present Charter Street very early, and, May 7, 1661, it was ex- tended to the river to provide a better way to the burial place.3 In BURIAL PLACE. 1669, when it was voted that the entrance to the burying ground should be improved, the town made this extension of Liberty Street a public way, and purchased of Samuel Pickman, Aug. 29, 1669,3 the addition which is marked C for the new entrance. The cemetery was again enlarged immediately after the laying out of Charter Street, in 1767. The new street cut off the rear ends of the homesteads of William Lander, chairmaker, and Joseph Mottey, mariner ; and, June 13, 1767, they conveyed to the town the said portions.4 Mr. Lander's lot is marked "D" and Mr. Mottey's "E." The Liberty Street entrance was then closed, and that section used for interments. The present gateway, on Charter Street, was opened at the time of the purchase of that portion of the ground.
Gravestones were rare until near the close of the seventeenth century, and the oldest stone now standing in the yard is that of Dorothy, wife of Philip Cromwell, who died Sept. 27, 1673. The stone marking the grave of Mrs. Mary Cromwell, who died Nov. 14, 1683, is probably unexcelled by any tombstone erected in New England in the early days. It is of Welch soapstone, and was very likely formed, ornamented and inscribed in England.
1Town records. 2Essex Registry of Deeds, book I, leaf 13.
3See deed of Samuel Pickman to John Pickman in Essex Registry of Deeds, book 8, leaf 2, and book 9, leaf 13I.
4Essex Registry of Deeds, book 121, leaves 183 and 184.
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Aug. 14, 1637, John Horne was allowed to erect a windmill in the burial place ; and it remained there until March 25, 1639, when the town "ordered y' John Horne shall desist from his in- closure in ye bury all place : and yt ye towne shall pay for a quarter of an acre when he hath bought ye same. except the Towne when they shall haue changed the buryall place shall alow him a portion of the same."
In the early times, cemeteries were allowed to be grazed by cattle. The selectmen let to Mr. John Cromwell, Feb. 24, 1680, "hearbadge of the towns land at the Burying poynt for Seauen yeares from the Date hearof ; Improuing it for grasing to his Best Advantag Except Swine which wee alow not of. Always prouided that the towne hath the Same liberty for Buriall as before this Agreement."
June 29, 1646, the town "Ordered that there shall be no buriall wthin the towne but that there shall be word giuen to the keep of the meeting house to ring the bell whereby notice may be giuen to the towne thereof, a little before the buriall. And the said keep to haue three pence for his paynes." This practice was continued for many years.1
1Town records for Nov. 15, 1651.
CHAPTER XI.
SEAT OF GOVERNMENT REMOVED FROM SALEM.
HE influence of Rev. Francis Higginson, by his pen, upon the people of England in regard to American colonization has probably been only partially appre- ciated. He was widely known among intelligent people and was regarded with great respect and confidence, even by the surpliced class from whom he differed in the understanding and interpretation of the Scriptures. It will never be known how many of the colonists of 1630 and subsequent years were induced by him, directly or indirectly, to leave their fair land to engage in a long perilous voyage, separat- ing from the scenes they had always known, with slight hope that they would ever see them again, for a life in the wilderness of which little was known beyond its dangers from animals and savages. At the end of his New-Englands Plantation, he wrote of Naumkeag, the following brief note :-
Of the Present Condition of the Plantation, and What It Is.
When we came first to Nehumkek, we found about halfe a score Houses, and a faire House newly built for the Gouernor, we found also aboundance of Corne planted by them, very good and well liking. And we brought with vs about two hundred Passengers and Planters more, which by common consent of the old Planters were all combined to- gether into one Body Politicke, vnder the same Gouernor.
There are in all of vs both old and new Planters about three hun- dred, wherof two hundred of them are setled at Nehumkek, now called Salem: And the rest haue planted themselues at Masathulets Bay, beginning to build a Towne there which wee doe call Cherton, or Charles Towne.2
We that are setled at Salem make what haste we can to build Houses, so that within a short time we shall haue a faire Towne.
We have great Ordnance, wherewith wee doubt not, but wee shall fortifie our selues in a short time to keepe out a potent Aduersary. But that which is our greatest comfort, and meanes of defence aboue all
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other, is, that we haue here the true Religion and holy Ordinances of Almightie God taught amongst vs: Thankes be to God, wee haue here plenty of Preaching, and diligent Catechizing, with strickt and carefull exercise, and good and commendable order to bring our People into a Christian conversation with whom wee haue to doe withall. And thus wee doubt not but God will be with vs, and if God be with us, who can be against us?
The famous Capt. John Smith endeavored to persuade his countrymen to settle in New England, but, as he said, the mer- chants "very little liked" it, "becaufe they would have the coaft free only for themfelves, and the Gentlemen were doubtfull of thair true accounts".1 Captain Smith published, in 1631, a book, entitled Advertisements for the Unexperienced Planters of New England, &c., and in it wrote of Salem as follows :-
In the year 1629, about March, fix good fhips are gone with 350 men, women, and children, people profeffing themfelves of good ranke, zeale, meanes and quality : alfo 150. head of cattell, as horfe, mares, and neat beasts; 41. goats, fome cowes, with all provifion houfehold and apparell; fi peeces of great Ordnance for a Fort, with Mufkets, Pikes, Corflets, Drums and Colours, with all provifions neceffary for the good of man. They are feated about 42. degrees and 38. minutes, at a place called by the natives Naemkecke, by our Royall King Charles, Baftable; but now by the planters, Salem; where they arrived for moft part exceeding well, their cattell and all things elfe profpering exceed- ingly, farre beyond their expectation. At this place they found fome good provifion and houfes built by fome few of Dorchefter, with whom they are joyned in fociety with two hundred men, an hundred and fifty more they have fent to the Maffachufets, which they call Charlton, or Charles Towne.2
No one incident, probably, shows the quickness of decision and speedy compliance of Governor Endecott with the order of the Company to purge the colony from harmful influences than the sending back to England upon the ship Talbot the five boys who were discovered to follow practices, which were physically and morally injurious to themselves and others. In other in- stances, where similar issues were involved, he displayed the same interest and alertness in the performance of his duty. At a meet- ing of the Company held in England July 28, 1629, was read a letter from him, dated May 27th of that year. In it, among other things, he complained of the profane and dissolute lives of some of the English who were formerly traders to New England, and
1Advertisements for the Unexperienced Planters of New England, &c., by Capt. John Smith, London, 1631, page 16.
2 Advertisements for the Unexperienced Planters of New England, &c., by Capt. John Smith, London, 1631, page 24.
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of their irregular commerce with the Indians, contrary to the proclamation of the king, desiring that the Company would seriously consider the matter, and use some means for its speedy reformation. It was thought best to apply to the king or the lords for renewing the proclamation made in 1622, with the addition of such beneficial clauses as would be needful for the correction of "so great and unsufferable abuses," and a committee was ap- pointed to inform the lord keeper and Secretary Coke of it and that afterward a petition to the council would be prepared. As soon as it was apparent that the colony would be successful, cer- tain members of the Company advocated the transfer of all its interests to New England; and Governor Cradock proposed the full transfer and release of the government to the planters. Debate followed the suggestion, and finally it was agreed that each mem- ber of the council should write his reasons for or against such removal and present them at the next meeting, and in the mean- time observe secrecy in the matter. Several persons were ap- pointed on each side of the question to make the arguments.
This proposition was made for the benefit of the plantation and to induce and encourage gentlemen of wealth to remove to America. A number of men of culture and property desired to emigrate, but their decision depended upon that of the Company in the matter under consideration.
At the next meeting of the council, Aug. 28, 1629, the pre- pared arguments were made, and the following day it was voted to transfer the government.
A month later, Sept. 29, 1629, the Company appointed a committee to secure the advice of able counsel as to whether the transfer could be made legally, how and when it could and should be done and on whom to confer the government.
One of the prime reasons for the formation of the Company was probably the cause of the protracted discussion. Not only was it intended to establish a colony in New England and to Christianize the aborigines, but it was also a financial adventure. Thousands of pounds had been paid in by the members of the Company with the expectation that large returns would be received from the sale of fish, fur, timber, minerals, etc. Little satisfaction had been received from this source, and it was recognized that the transfer of the absolute and entire government to New Eng- land would probably terminate the interest of the adventurers who remained in England. Whether the Company as a whole wished to do this, and, if so, upon what terms it should be done, were questions repeatedly discussed in the meetings.
It was decided, at one stage of the discussion, that certain meetings of the government should be held in London, and that the English adventurers should have some connection with it;
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that the government of the persons be held in New England, and of the trade and merchandise in England; and that if the entire government were removed to America, there should be fit persons appointed to manage the commercial part in each of the countries.
It was finally decided that the Company should have one-half of the trade in beaver and all other furs, the sole making of salt, sole transportation of passengers and goods, and that a committee
JOHN WINTHROP.
of two be appointed in each of the two countries to look after the enforcement of these matters. These privileges were to continue for seven years.1
The Company finally voted that the transfer should take place, and on the twentieth of the month chose John Winthrop governor, "both for his integritie & sufficienci, as being one every-
1For the full text of the record of these privileges, see Records of Massachusetts Bay Colony for Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 1629.
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well fitted & accomplished for the place of Gouno"." His term of office began immediately. John Humphrey was chosen deputy governor and two of the eighteen assistants were John Endecott and Samuel Sharp, who were already in New England, at Salem.
John Winthrop was well-known as a public man for a long time in the place of his residence, and was conformable to the practices of the church.1 Capt. John Smith wrote that he was "a worthy gentleman both in estate and esteem."" Mr. Winthrop was son of Adam and Anne Winthrop, and was born Jan. 12, 1587-8 in Edwardston, a small village adjoining Groton, in Suf- folkshire. He attended Trinity College. 'His diary prominently reveals the presence of opposing forces in his character, but he was gentle in his breeding and in his mature life, educated and refined. He and his wife and son John were frequent letter writers, and many of their epistles are extant and of great interest. He mar- ried, at the age of seventeen, Mary, daughter of John Forth of Great Stanbridge, Essexshire, and had six children. She died in 1615, and six months later he took a second wife, who died in December, 1616. He married, third, in 1618, Margaret, daughter of Sir John Tyndale.
This action on the part of the Company was influenced by persons of culture, position and wealth in England, whom the good report from the colony under Governor Endecott and its increase began to awaken to its importance and advantage. They had not become associated with the active work of the Company, but, being without engagements and believing that they might be serviceable in the prosecution of the enterprise at last resolved to be connected with the work. Seeing such men engaged therein, some of their acquaintances, from their affection for these new supporters or other reasons, became interested. A large number was readily secured to remove to New England.3 To the con- tinuation of the control of affairs by the Company in England, three thousand miles away, the new colonists demurred, and it was the expression of this objection that caused, to a considerable degree, the vote of the Company to transfer the entire govern- ment into the hands of the colonists.
Governor Endecott and others in Salem wrote letters to the Company Sept. 5, 1629, and these letters were received in due time and read at the meeting of the Company November 25th., following.
1Planters Plea, by Rev. William White, London, 1630, chapter VII.
2 Advertisements for the Unexperienced Planters of New England, &c., by Capt. John Smith, London, 1631, page 29.
3Planters Plea, by Rev. William White, London, 1630, chapter II.
ยท
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HISTORY OF SALEM
Active preparations were now made for the transportation of large numbers of colonists. The staunch ship Eagle,1 of three hundred and fifty tons burden, was purchased "for the safety & honor & benefitt of the plantacon" by vote of the Company Sept. 29th. Two of its passengers were to be Isaac Johnson and his- wife Lady Arbella, daughter of the late Earl of Lincoln, and prob- ably much of the money spent in the purchase of this vessel came from them, and the name of the vessel was changed to Arbella.
The ships were ready to sail in February but remained until the next month to take a large number of cows and other cattle. There were on board great quantities of provisions and other supplies, and about three hundred passengers of various occu- pations and abilities were ready to embark. There were among them a number of cultured, titled and wealthy emigrants, with their wives and children. In the Arbella was Governor Winthrop and three of his sons, Henry, Stephen and Adam, his wife remain- ing in Groton. Some of the colonists were from the West of England, but most were from the vicinity of London.
The fleet consisted of twelve vessels, including the ship Arbella. As four of the vessels were ready to go, it was decided that they should not wait for the others, but sail at once. They passed down the harbor of Southampton, upon their long voyage, March 22d. These four vessels were the Arbella, Peter Milborne, master, carrying twenty-eight pieces of ordnance and manned by fifty-two seamen; the Talbot, Thomas Beecher, master; the Ambrose, John Lowe, master ; and the Jewell, Nicholas Hurlston, master. The Ambrose and Jewell were the property of Governor Cradock ; and the Talbot had brought Rev. Francis Higginson to Naumkeag the previous year. It was agreed by governors . Cradock and Winthrop that the Arbella in which Governor Win- throp was a passenger, should be the admiral of the fleet, the Talbot, vice-admiral, the Ambrose, rear-admiral, and the Jewell, captain. The other eight vessels were the Charles, Francis, Hope- well, Mayflower, Success, Trial, Whale and William.
The four vessels which had sailed were detained at Cowes for a week by adverse winds, and while there Henry Winthrop went on shore with some other men. The Arbella sailed without him, and later he boarded the Talbot and arrived in her.
The emigrants soon became acquainted with the boisterous Atlantic, and the vessels were scattered by a furious storm, which continued ten days. The cattle were so tossed about and bruised that seventy of them died, and many of the passengers were sick. The entire voyage was wet, cold and stormy.
1The ship had, for its figure head, the effigy of an eagle, and this fact may have suggested the eagle as our national emblem in later times.
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SEAT OF GOVERNMENT REMOVED FROM SALEM
The Arbella was separated from all the other vessels of the fleet, and later the people on board saw four ships apparently in pursuit of them. They had heard, as they lay in the harbor, before their departure, that four Dunkirk men-of-war were lying in wait for the approach of these vessels. The women and children retired to the hold of the ship, but the men remained on deck, ready for the reception of the strange vessels. Fear was soon dispelled, however, as it was shortly learned that the approaching vessels contained friends of their countrymen.
After about forty days had elapsed since these emigrants left English shores, America was approached, and soundings began to be taken. June 6th, bottom was found at a depth of eighty fathoms. The next day, the depth of the water was found to be but thirty fathoms, and fine codfish and later mackerel were caught. On Tuesday, the eighth, appeared the highlands of Mount Desert, the first land seen,1 and on the tenth the Three Turks' Heads, off Cape Ann, were visible. The ship came into the bay at four o'clock on Saturday morning, two days later.
Two cannon were fired, and the skiff of the Arbella was sent to the ship Lyon, which lay in the harbor. While the boat was gone, Isaac Allerton came down the harbor in a shallop, bound for Pemaquid. He went aboard the Arbella, and greeted Governor Winthrop. The ship was then "passed through the narrow strait between Baker's Isle and Little Isle and came to an anchor a little within the islands." Capt. William Pierce, master of the ship Lyon, which was in the harbor, went aboard the Arbella, and soon returned to take Governor Endecott to call upon Governor Win- throp. Many of the passengers went on the shore of the mainland and gathered strawberries. At about two o'clock in the afternoon, Governor Endecott, Rev. Samuel Skelton and Captain Levett went aboard the Arbella to greet Governor Winthrop and others.
When and how Governor Endecott learned that he was no longer the head of the government here is unknown, and the state of his feelings upon the change, probably, was always retained within his own breast. Manifestly, it had no crushing effect, as his disposition, shown in his subsequent life which is nearly all that is known of his spirit, was rigorous.
Governor Winthrop and the men on the vessel who were assistants, the captain and some other men and women accom- panied their visitors to the little village, where they "supped," as Governor Winthrop wrote in his journal, on "good venison pasty and good beer." At night, some of the women remained on shore, but the others of the passengers on the Arbella returned to the ship. An Indian also came aboard and remained all night.
1Winthrop's Journal; Wonder-Working Providence, by Edward John- son, book I, chapter 14, pages 29 and 30.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
The next day, Sunday, Masconomo, the chief of the Agawam tribe of Indians, off whose territory the vessel was anchored, and one of his men, visited the ship and remained all day. At two o'clock in the afternoon, the ship Jewell came into the bay, as far as the tide and wind allowed. During its voyage, one of the sea- men on the vessel had died and a child had been born.
SIR RICHARD SALTONSTALL.
The next forenoon, the Arbella was warped in, against the wind, through the narrow channel, into the inward harbor, as Governor Winthrop called it,1 and which is now North River ; and in the afternoon most of the passengers went on shore. The coming of Governor Winthrop was announced by Captain Mil- borne by a salute of "five pieces."
On Thursday of that week, Governor Winthrop went to Mystic River to select a site for a new town; and returned to Salem the following Saturday. He found that the ship Ambrose had arrived there, in his absence, two of Governor Cradock's servants, whom he had sent, having died on board. The May- flower and Whale arrived in Charlestown harbor July first, and
1Winthrop's Journal. See chart of the channel on page 113.
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SEAT OF GOVERNMENT REMOVED FROM SALEM
the Talbot, at Salem, the next day. Fourteen of the passengers on the Talbot had died on the voyage. On the third, the Hope- well, William and Francis, and on the fifth the Trial arrived at Charlestown. On the latter date, the Charles came to anchor at Salem ; and on the next day the Success arrived. The ship Lyon had sailed from Salem before this time, but returned on Wednes- day, the seventh.
Among the passengers who came with Winthrop was Sir Richard Saltonstall, who was baptized at Halifax, England, April 4, 1586. He was one of the patentees of the colony, and lord of the manor of Ledsham. Sailing from Salem in 1631, he returned to England, where he died about 1658.
Because of the safe voyage of the fleet, a day of thanksgiving was observed in each of the plantations on Thursday, July 8th.
Governor Winthrop's son Henry arrived in the Talbot, and the next day after his arrival, he was drowned in the North River.' "Henry was twenty-two years of age, sprightly and hopeful," and left a widow in England. In the first letter Governor Winthrop sent to his wife after Henry's death, dated at Charlestown July 16th, he wrote: "We have met with many sad and discomfortable things, as thou shalt hear after; and the Lord's hand hath been heavy upon myself in some very near to me. My son Henry! my son Henry ! ah, poor child! Yet it grieves me much more for my dear daughter. The Lord strengthen and comfort her heart, to bear this cross patiently. I know thou wilt not be wanting to her in this distress. Yet, for all these things, (I praise my God,) I am not discouraged; nor do I see cause to repent or despair of those good days here, which will make amends for all."1
Governor Winthrop remained in Salem but two or three weeks, and then went with most of the new immigrants to join the colony at Charlestown.
The charter of the Massachusetts Bay Company was in duplicate, one having been sent to Governor Endecott in 1629, and the other being brought by Governor Winthrop in 1630. The one brought by Governor Winthrop is in the state house at Boston.
The arrival of the new governor terminated the authority of Governor Endecott. He had been the political governor, acting under the authority of the Company in England. Governor Win-
1An ancient family record says of Henry's death that "the very next day on which he went on shore in New England, he and the principal officers of the ship, walking out to a place now called by the Salemites, Northfield, to view the Indian wigwams, they saw on the other side of the river a small canoe. He would have had one of the company swim over and fetch it, rather than walk several miles on foot, it being very hot weather; but none of the party could swim but himself; and so he plunged in, and as he was swimming over, was taken with the cramp, a few rods from the shore, and drowned."-Life and Letters of John Winthrop, volume II, page 35.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
throp came in a broader capacity. The organized company no longer existed as such, but individual adventurers had a financial connection with the colony. The men who wished to enter into the scheme of colonization in Massachusetts Bay demanded the transfer of all the government to the place of the settlement before they would participate in it. The prospect was so good for the establishment of a successful colony, as the germ of something greater and better than they had dared anticipate, that they temporarily forgot that they were adventurers, and entered into the plan with a broad, deep and abiding unselfish interest. Al- though reservations relating to trade, reimbursements, etc., were made, the later transactions show that they were virtually un- enforced, and the adventurers received no returns except grants of land that were occasionally made to some of them. Pure un- selfish democracy continued to be the rule in the plantations of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
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