USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > The history of Salem, Massachusetts, vol 1, 1924 > Part 24
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In 1647, the general court ordered that the auditor-general provide, for dry measures, a bushel, half bushel, peck and half peck ; for liquid measures, an ale quart, a wine pint and one-half pint ; for measures of length an ell and a yard ; and for weights a set made of brass, sixteen ounces to the pound, and with proper scales having steel beams. The constables were also ordered to procure, at their town's expense, for the standards in each town, similar weights and measures and have them tested by the coun- try's standard and sealed by the auditor-general. One of the constables, chosen by the selectmen and constables, was the sealer in each town. He had to be sworn into his office at the county court. In April of each year he issued a warrant to the inhabitants to bring to him all such measures and weights that they used. He was paid one penny for each original sealing, and nothing for each repetition as long as they continued to be accurate. The sealer was required to deface all weights and measures that were defective and could not be made to conform to the standard.
Of the immigrants who came at this time (about 1630), Capt. John Smith wrote: "Those which are gone within this eighteene moneths for Cape Anne, and the Bay of the Massachusets ; those which are their chiefe undertakers àre Gentlemen of good estate, some of 500, some a thousand pound land a yeere, all which they say they will sell for the advancing this harmlesse and pious work; men of good credit and well-beloued in their Country, not such as flye for debt, or any scandal at home, and are good Catholike Protestants according to the reformed Church of England, if not, it is well they are gone: the rest of them men of good meanes, or Arts, Occupations, and Qualities, much more fit for such a bussinesse, and better furnished of all necessaries if they arrive well, than was ever any Plantation went out of England."1
One of the immigrants to the colony who came at this time and settled in Salem was Samuel Archer.2 He was the Samuell Arkand ancestor of a long and useful
1Advertisements for the Unexperienced Planters of New England, etc., by Capt. John Smith, London, 1631, page 2.
2SAMUEL ARCHER1 (Archard) ; carpenter; marshall from 1649 until his death, in 1667; married Susanna - (he was called father of Thomas Tuck in 1652) ; she survived him, and married, secondly, Richard Hutchinson ; children : I. Hannah,2 born in 1632; married Matthew Dove; 2. Samuel,2 born in 1634-5; 3. John,2 born in 1638; 4. Bethiah,2 baptized July 14, 1642; unmarried in 1673.
SAMUEL ARCHER;2 house carpenter; married Hannah Osgood of Andover May 21, 1660; she was living in 1706, and he in 1717; children :
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line of descendants in Salem. Many of them were mechanics, and
I. Samuel,3 baptized Nov. 29, 1668; 2. Jonathan,3 born about 1670; 3. Joseph,3 baptized April 28, 1672; died young; 4. Joseph,3 baptized Sept. - , 1673; 5. Stephen,3 baptized March -, 1677; 6. Hannah,3 baptized March -, 1677 ; married Nicholas Jeffries ; 7. Mary,3 baptized Aug. 27, 1679; 8. Ebenezer," baptized Oct. - , 1682; 9. Nathaniel,3 baptized July 26, 1685. JOHN ARCHER ;2 cooper ; married Bethiah Weeks in 166- (Matthew Woodwell called him "son" in 1669) ; she was living in 1684; he died in 1693; children: 1. John," born Aug. 13, 1664; mariner ; died, unmarried, Dec. - , 1700; 2. Benjamin,3 born March 12, 1665-6; 3. Abigail,3 baptized May 10, 1668; married Samuel Very ; 4. Bethiah,3 baptized Oct. 23, 1668; married Samuel Waters; 5. Thomas, baptized July 2, 1671 ; potter ; died, unmarried, in or before 1703; 6. Joseph,3 baptized Aug. - , 1675; living in 1707: 7. Hannah,3 baptized June 22, 1679; died young; 8. Hannah,3 baptized Sept. - , 1682; married Barker before 1707; 9. Sarah;3 married - Verrin before 1707.
JONATHAN ARCHER ;3 cordwainer, mariner, yeoman, truckman or carman; married Abigail (Mancy), widow of Hilliard Williams Nov. 8, 1699; she died Oct. 8, 1738; he died July 16, 1746; children : I. Abigail,4 born May -, 1702; died young ; 2. Jonathan, born Sept. 22, 1703; 3. Abigail,4 born July 10, 1705; died Aug. 4, 1705; 4. Samuel, born Sept. 2, 1707; 5. Nathaniel, born April 17, 1710; 6. Abigail,4 born Aug. 17, 1711; married, first, Capt. John Elkins; second, Capt. William Brown. STEPHEN ARCHER;3 married Sarah Hodges Oct. 14, 1697; she was his widow in 1737 and 1761 ; child : I. Sarah,4 born June 24, 1698; married Benjamin Masury. BENJAMIN ARCHER;" cooper ; married Sarah Neal July 13, 1693; died in 170 -; she married, second, Gilbert Tapley ; and, third, Wilkins, and lived in Bos- ton; children : 1. John;4 2. Benjamin;4 3. Sarah;4 married John Swasey ; 4. Josiah.4
JONATHAN ARCHER ;* coaster; married Abigail Allen Jan. 30, 1728-9; died in 1756; she died, his widow, Sept. 29, 1791 ; children : 1. Samuel," bap- tized Nov. 23, 1729; died young; 2. Jonathan, baptized Dec. 13, 1730; died young ; 3. Samuel," baptized Dec. 13, 1730; tailor; married Bethiah Dod Sept. 4. 1761; was living in 1787; 4. Jonathan, baptized Oct. 22, 1732; 5. John, baptized March 31, 1734; coaster in 1770; 6. Abigail,5 baptized May 9, 1736; married Israel Ober; 7. Sarah, baptized May 7, 1738; married Benjamin Knights; 8. Bethiah," baptized March 8, 1740-1; married John Ward. SAMUEL ARCHER ;4 wig and peruke maker ; married Dorothy Ropes June 26, 1741 ; died in 1765; she died in 1794; children: 1. Samuel, born April 1, 1742; 2. 5 (son), born Jan. 5, 1744; probably died young ; 3. Elizabeth, born July 4, 1748; died July 30, 1748; 4. John, born June 14, 1751 ; trader; lived in Falmouth, Me., in 1782. NATHANIEL ARCHER; cooper ; married, first, Hannah Cook Aug. 2, 1733; she died May 21, 1767; married, second, Hannah (Hodges), widow of Samuel Ives April 3, 1768: died June 10, 1772; she was his widow in 1798; children: 1. Nathaniel,5 born March 21, 1734; 2. Hannah," born Sept. 8, 1736; married Benjamin Browne; 3. Stephen, born Nov. 5, 1738; 4. Elizabeth, born Nov. 22, 1740; blind from infancy ; never married; non compos mentis; lived in Andover and with her sister Hannah; was living in 1789; 5. George, born Nov. 10, 1742; 6. Abigail," born Sept. 18, 1744; married Issacher Woodbury June 15, 1769; 7. Jonathan," born Oct. 13, 1746; 8. Sarah," born Oct. 20, 1748; married Andrew Campbell; lived in New Gloucester, Me .; 9. Benjamin, born Dec. 1, 1750; laborer ; died, unmarried, July 4, 1787. JOHN ARCHER ;4 shoreman, cordwainer and fisherman; married Rebecca Bickford Feb. 6, 1722; died in 1754; she died, his widow, in 1763; children: 1. John,“ born in 1733; 2. Benjamin;5 living in 1763; 3. Thomas ;5 living in 1763; 4. Sarah;5 unmarried in 1817: 5. Bethiah; unmarried in 1794; 6. Rebecca ;5 married
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a considerable number of them mariners and fishermen. Others
Woolman Sutton. BENJAMIN ARCHER;4 mariner ; lived in Rowley until he removed to Boxford in 1715, and returned to Salem in 1721; married, first, Anna Bridges Jan. 15, 1710-I; second, Sarah Massey April 12, 1722; died in the spring of 1724; wife Sarah married, secondly, George Dean; children : I. Sarah, born Dec. 3, 1712, in Rowley; 2. Benjamin," born Jan. II, 1714-5, in Rowley; 3. Mehitable," baptized Nov. 4, 1716, in Boxford; died young ; 4. Mehitable,5 born March 7, 1717-8, in Boxford; 5. Josiah, baptized Feb. -, 1719-20, in Boxford.
JONATHAN ARCHER ;5 peruke maker; married, first, Bethiah Very (pub- lished March 13, 1756) ; and, second, Elizabeth Silsbee July II, 1773; died Aug. 28, 1797 ; wife Elizabeth survived him, and was deceased the next year ; children : I. Jonathan, baptized Jan. 9, 1757; 2. Bethiah,6 baptized May 21, 1758; lived with her stepmother in 1796; 3. Mary,6 baptized Feb. 8, 1761; married Elisha Gunnerson July 27, 1784; 4. James,6 born in 1762; 5. Eliza- beth ;6 living in 1789; 6. Nathaniel;" hairdresser; living in 1789; 7. Sarah,6 born in 1768; married William Millet. SAMUEL ARCHER; peruke maker and merchant; married, first, Mary Woodwell Aug. 31, 1762; she died Aug. 31, 1812; married, second, Mary Buffington May 13, 1813; died Oct. 19, 1825; she died, his widow, May 29, 1846; children : I. Samuel, born Jan. 25, 1763; 2. John Woodwell,6 born April 1, 1765; died Feb. 7, 1782; 3. William,6 born April 2, 1767; 4. George,6 born April 27, 1773; died Aug. 2, 1790; 5. Mary,6 born April 1, 1776; died Sept. 29, 1796; 6. Nathaniel, born March I, 1779; died Aug. 8, 1780; 7. Elizabeth,6 born July 9, 1783; died Dec. 2, 1802. NATHANIEL ARCHER; fisherman ; married Hannah Cheever March 30, 1760; she was living in 1775; he died in Norway, Me., July 12, 1825; children : I. Benjamin;6 mariner ; living in 1808; 2. Hannah;6 married Thomas Bowlin (or Boland) ; 3. Sarah;6 married Henry Rust June 19, 1785; 4. Margaret ;6 married John Millet of Salem (published June 4, 1791). STEPHEN ARCHER ;5 married Sarah Pickering June II, 1766; was dead in 1793; she was his widow in 1796; children: I. Hannah;6 unmarried in 1798; 2. Stephen ;6 died, unmarried, in or before 1796; 3. Joseph;6 mariner; married Mary Alley March 3, 1796; 4. Sarah;6 married Amos Foster. GEORGE ARCHER ;5 mariner ; had been long absent and supposed to be dead in 1772; married Martha Needham Dec. 16, 1764; she married, secondly, Nathaniel Goyet Webb; children: I. George,6 born in 1765; 2. John,6 born in 1768; mariner ; lived in Craven, S. C., in 1792, and returned to Salem the next year ; 3. Na- thaniel,6 born about March, 1771; master-mariner ; married Sally Beckford Nov. 2, 1794; he was living in 1817; she died, his widow, Oct. 25, 1844. JONATHAN ARCHER ; peruke maker, tanner, trader and yeoman; conducted an inn on Union Street, and in the Revolution an office for shipping seamen on privateers ; taught navigation; married Mehitable Kimball Nov. 3, 1772; she died first; he died in 1800; children : I. Daniel;" master-mariner ; died, probably unmarried, while residing in Liverpool, England, in 1806; 2. An- drew;6 tanner; lived in Fairfield, Me .; married Abigail Brown Sept. 24, 1806; 3. Mehitable;" living in 1806; 4. Hannah;6 unmarried in 1806; 5. Lydia ;" unmarried in 1806; 6. Henry,6 born in 1789; shipmaster; died March 28, 1848. CAPT. JOHN ARCHER;" coaster, fisherman, mariner and shoreman ; married Elizabeth Norris June 28, 1758; she died April 3, 1814; he died Sept. 18, 1819; children: I. John,6 born in 1758; cabinet maker and housewright; probably never married; died, by an accident, Dec. 27, 1829; 2. Elizabeth ;6 unmarried in 1781 ; 3. Benjamin ;6 living in 1829; 4. Edward6.
JONATHAN ARCHER ;6 peruke maker, barber and, later, trader ; married Rachel Woodman (published Nov. 10, 1781) ; she died in 18 -; he died May 27, 1842; children : I. Rachel,7 born Nov. 20, 1782; married William Ropes ; 2. Joseph,7 born in 1785; seaman; married Mary M. Martin Sept. 1, 18II; died Sept. 12, 1841; she died Dec. 4, 1881; 3. Mary," born July 18, 1787;
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of them engaged in various other occupations that were necessary
married Capt. John Ropes; 4. Sarah;" married Robert Brookhouse Oct. II, 1812; 5. Hannah;" married John Lefavour Jan. - , 1810; 6. Elizabeth ;' married Benjamin Foster Nov. 3, 1816; 7. Lydia ;" married Nathaniel Griffin Dec. 10, 1821; 8. William;7 9. John,7 born in 1796; shipchandler ; married Abigail B. Woodward Nov. 6, 1823; she died Jan. 26, 1868; he died March 5, 1884. JAMES ARCHER;6 cordwainer and mariner; married Elizabeth Archer Feb. 17, 1787; she died first; he died March 7, 1841; children: I. James ;" living in 1841; 2. Elizabeth," born Sept. 15, 1789; married Samuel West. SAMUEL ARCHER;6 trader; married Sarah Woodbury Nov. 16, 1788; died June 13, 1815; she died Aug. 15, 1832; children: I. John Woodwell;7 book- seller; removed to Illinois in 1838; married Deborah H. Little of Beverly (published Sept. 22, 1821) ; living in Illinois in 1850; 2. Samuel H., born in 1796; 3. Elizabeth Sarah,“ born in 1796; died, unmarried, Dec. 26, 1849. CAPT. GEORGE ARCHER;6 master-mariner; married Judith Hathorne March 2, 1792; died Dec. - , 1799, on his passage from Hamburg; she was his widow in 1817; children: I. George," born Jan. - , 1793; sea-captain ; married Eliza Osborn Aug. 24, 1817; died at Oswego, N. Y., June 23, 1833 ; 2. Sarah,7 baptized Sept. 21, 1794; living in 1801; 3. Judith,7 baptized July 3, 1796; died March 14, 1801; 4. Caroline," baptized Nov. 18, 1798; living in 180I. EDWARD ARCHER ;6 married Elizabeth Phippen; died in 18 -; she died, his widow, May 25, 1866, aged ninety-three; children: I. Edward,7 born about 1803; died July 9, 1826; 2. Sarah ;7 living in 1814; 3. Rufus Phippen," born Jan. 30, 1812.
WILLIAM ARCHER;7 trader; married Elizabeth Daniels Oct. 8, 1815; died in 18 -; she died, his widow, Aug. 31, 1879; children : I. William,8 born July 27, 1816; 2. Lucy C.,8 born in 18 -; married Ebenezer Tucker of Lynn Sept. 19, 1847; 3. Samuel,8 born April 26, 1820. SAMUEL H. ARCHER;" schoolmaster ; married Zervia Fidelia Worcester Oct. 21, 1823; died Dec. 27, 1838; she died, his widow, March 29, 1884; children: I. Fidelia W.8, born Aug. 26, 1824; died, unmarried, Feb. II, 1865; 2. Mary Jane,8 born in 1829; died, unmarried, Aug. 16, 1853; 3. S. E.8 (daughter), born about 1826; died Sept. 22, 1829. RUFUS PHIPPEN ARCHER ;" cooper ; married Elizabeth Dennis Sept. 2, 1841 ; she died Nov. 16, 1886; he died Feb. 7, 1909, aged ninety-seven ; children : I. Laura A.8, born in 1842; married Albert W. Brown; 2. Lizzie D.8, born in 1844; married George H. Kimball; 3. Benjamin M.8, born Feb. 2, 1849 ; died May 29, 1852; 4. Charles E.8, born Dec. 17, 1851.
WILLIAM ARCHER;8 auctioneer and jeweler; married, first, Mary O. Glover (published July 10, 1842) ; she died Sept. 9, 1860; married, second, Mary J. Brown of Charlestown; died Dec. 31, 1874; she died, his widow, Jan. 18, 19II; children : I. William A.º, born in 1843; died Dec. 31, 1845; 2. Rufus P.º, born about 1845; married Emeline P. Goodrich of Beverly May 21, 1868; she died May 26, 1915; no issue probably ; 3. Benjamin .? born Nov. - , 1846; 4. Mary Elizabeth,9 born in 1846; married Francis Perley Preston; 5. Sarah S.º, born May 28, 1849; died April 13, 1857. SAMUEL ARCHER;8 machinist; married Elizabeth S. Wellington Feb. 3, 1842; died April 17, 1871; she died, his widow, June 14, 1900; children: I. William Henry," born June 10, 1842; married Mary E. Frost ; she died Dec. 23, 1876; he died at the soldiers' home, in Togus, Me., Jan. 29, 1900; 2. Samuel A.º, born May -, 1846; died Dec. 25, 1847; 3. Samuel A.º, born March II, 1848; died by an accident June 20, 1866; 4. Ellen E.9, born May 4, 1851 ; died in Charlestown Aug. II, 1852. CHARLES E. ARCHER;8 teamster and butcher ; married, first, Sarah Elizabeth Hayford Dec. 15, 1870; she died Jan. 14, I901 ; married, second, Mary A. Beckford July 29, 1914; children : I. Charles Asa, born May 22, 1871; 2. Nellie Maud, born July 13, 1875; 3. Anna Gertrude,9 born June 17, 1877.
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to the life and prosperity of the community. William Ager1
Wwithham AgEr (Eager) was also in the colony as
early as 1631, perhaps living in Salem at that time. Jeffrey
fiffenio mation
Massey2 appeared in Salem in 1630, having probably immigrated that year.
CHARLES ASA ARCHER ;º cashier ; married Ella B. Martin of Lynn July 2, 1894; child: I. Russell H.10, born July 23, 1897. 1WILLIAM AGER1 (Eager) ; married Alice - -; died in 1654; she sur- vived him; children: I. Joseph;2 away from home in 1654; 2. Benjamin,2 baptized Feb. 12, 1636-7; 3. Jonathan,2 baptized Nov. 10, 1639; 4. Abigail;2 married Arthur Kibben.
BENJAMIN AGER ;2 married Ann Cromwell; died in 1671; she married, secondly, David Phippen; children : I. Benjamin,3 baptized Sept. 7, 1671 ; 2. Thomas,3 baptized Sept. 7, 1671; died before July 8, 1689, without issue. JONATHAN AGER;2 shipwright; married Rebecca Hide June 27, 1661; died in I717; children : I. Hannah,3 born July 27, 1662; married Robert Stone ; 2. Jonathan,3 born Jan. 25, 1664; died young; 3. Mary,3 baptized "at age" April 5, 1705; married Elias Langsford; 4. Richard;3 shipwright; lived in Weymouth in 1718; 5. William,8 baptized May -, 1692; died young.
BENJAMIN AGER ;3 shipwright; married Ann Phippen; died in the winter of 1690-I; she was his widow, in 1714; child: I. Daniel;4 living in 1689. 2JEFFREY MASSEY1 lived in Salem; planter; married Ellen - : died Nov. 9, 1676; she survived him three years or more; child: I. John,2 born about 1631, in Salem.
JOHN MASSEY ;2 husbandman and innholder ; married Sarah Wells April 27, 1658; she was living in 1705; he died about 1709; children: I. Jeffrey,3 born May 14, 1664; tailor; removed to Gloucester about 1700; married Martha Augur of Gloucester Nov. 9, 1700; she was his wife in 1707; he died there about 1716; 2. John,8 born Oct. 6, 1665; ferryman or waterman; living in 1739, when his nephew was to support him "handsomely" by the terms of the will of John's brother Nathaniel; 3. Thomas,3 born Dec. 5, 1667; died Dec. 19, 1667; 4. Sarah,8 born July 25, 1669; married Miles Ward; 5. Abigail,8 born Dec. 26, 1671; married, first, Hilliard Williams; and, second, Jonathan Archer; 6. Thomas,3 born March 22, 1672-3; died Nov. 21, 1673; 7. Thomas,3 baptized March -, 1677; 8. Nathaniel,3 born about 1679.
THOMAS MASSEY;3 married, first, Abigail Williams Jan. 3, 1698; she was his wife in 1715; married, second, Mary Williams in or before 1717; she was his wife in 1730, when he was living; children: I. Sarah,4 born Nov. - , 1699; married Benjamin Archer; 2. John, born Sept. 3, 1702; 3. Abigail,4 born July 13, 1704; died young ; 4. Elizabeth,4 born May 15, 1707; 5. Samuel,4 born Oct. 17, 1717; 6. Mary,4 born May I, 1720; 7. Abigail,4 born Dec. 8, 1722; married Samuel Blyth. NATHANIEL MASSEY;3 cooper ; married Re- becca Tompkins Nov. 4, 1708; she died Jan. 19, 1735; he died Oct 15, 1739; children : I. Nathaniel,4 born July 18, 1709; cordwainer; lived in Tolland, Conn .; married Rachel Mackmallin Nov. 23, 1740; 2. John,4 born Aug. 31, 1712; 3. Daniel,4 born July 28, 1714; 4. Samuel, born June 25, 171 -; 5. Re- becca,4 born Oct. 14, 17I -; probably died before 1739.
JOHN MASSEY ;4 cordwainer and innholder; married Jane Vining Feb. 15, 1732-3; died in 1740; she married, secondly, Elias Hart of Lynn Aug. 16, 1752; children : I. John,“ born June 23, 1734; truckman and cooper ; married
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John Devereaux1 evidently came to Salem in 1630. He was a mariner and fisherman, and only a boy of fifteen at this time. The Dev- ereaux farm and beach perpetuate his name in Marblehead.
Those who had the greatest interest in the success of the Massachusetts Bay Colony sought, in every way, to keep out undesirable persons ; and at a meeting of the assistants, Sept. 7, 1630, it was voted that no person should plant within the patent without leave of the governor and assistants. This law was, probably, principally directed to the prohibition of new plantations made without such permission. Subsequently, the inhabitants of towns voted to receive or reject proposed citizens ; and May 17, 1637, the general court ordered that no stranger should be re- ceived or entertained above six weeks without due license. This practice was continued for many years.
It is evident that the leading men of the colony did not intend to lose any of the planters by removal to any other settlement or return to England, as June 14, 1631, the court ordered that no person should travel out of this patent, by land or sea, without leave from the governor, deputy governor or some other assistant.
An account of Thomas Morton and of his May-day doings at Mount Wollaston has been given already. Subsequently, a man, who styled himself Sir Christopher Gardiner, incurred the dis-
Jane Phillips of Lynn Nov. 27, 1766; died before April 6, 1767; 2. Ben- jamin," baptized Jan. 30, 1736-7 ; lived in Lynn; died in the summer of 1787; 3. Nathaniel,5 baptized June 10, 1739. DANIEL MASSEY ;* ferryman ; married Abigail -; they were living in 1747; children: 1. Sarah, born Oct. 16, 1734; living in 1741; 2. Abigail," born Aug. 25, 1736; living in 1741 ; 3. Deb- orah," born Dec. 21, 1738; living in 1740; 4. Daniel, born July 3, 1741; 5. Elizabeth," baptized July 24, 1743; 6. Rebecca, baptized Sept. 8, 1745; 7. Jonathan, baptized Dec. 13, 1747. SAMUEL MASSEY ;* yeoman; married Mary Reid June 23, 1735; they were living in 1749; children: I. Samuel,5 born March 9, 1735; 2. Mary, born Feb. 19, 1738; 3. Aaron," born April 18, 1741 ; 4. (son), baptized Jan. 5, 1743; 5. Bartholmew,“ baptized Sept. I, 1745; 6. Thomas," baptized Aug. 2, 1747.
'JOHN DEVEREAUX, born about 1615; mariner and fisherman; lived in Salem until 1659, when he purchased the Peter grant in Marblehead, and removed thither, becoming a yeoman; married Ann - before 1664; she was born in 1621 ; he died in the spring of 1695; she was his widow in 1708; children : I. Mary, baptized in Salem May 18, 1641; 2. Bethiah, baptized in Salem Nov. 30, 1643; married John Bartlett; 3. John; lived in Marble- head; 4. Anne, born about 1647; married Nicholls; 5. Humphrey ; iharried Elizabeth -; died in 1690; she was his widow in 1693; 6. Hannah ; married, first, Peter Greenfield; second, Joseph Swett; 7. Robert; cord- wainer, tanner and yeoman; married Hannah Blaney; lived in Marblehead; 8. Emma, born about 1656; married William Peach.
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pleasure of the Bay colonists, and escaped to England. Both of these men endeavored to stir up the people against the New England government, and while they were thus engaged an in- cident occurred in Salem which furnished new material for Morton's critical pen.
Among the servants sent with the colonists by Governor Cradock was Philip Ratcliffe, who was an Episcopalian. He had charge of the business and other servants of Governor Cradock in the colony, and had sold some goods to one of the colonists. When payment therefor became due, Ratcliffe was sick, and instead of the beaver he was to receive there was delivered to him a letter, suggesting that as he was sick he might find it more profitable to attend to the welfare of his soul rather than to "transitory things that perished with the body, and to bethinke himselfe whether his conscience would be so prompt to demaund so greate a somme of Beaver as had bin contracted for." The reading of this letter led Ratcliffe to say: "Are these your members? if they be all like these, I believe the Devil was the setter of their church." He also made some "malicious and scandalous speeches" against the colonial government.2
In his New English Canaan, Morton implies that this debt was contracted for the purpose of getting into some trouble with Ratcliffe and forcing him out of the colony, and probably when the chance for getting rid of him and his claim by banishment came, the debtor found it easy to publish the speeches, which the churches regarded as blasphemous. Complaint was duly made against the offending creditor, and he was sentenced, as Morton says, to have his tongue bored through, his nosè slit, his face branded, his ears cut, his body whipped in every plantation in the Bay Colony, and to be fined forty pounds and be banished.1 Through the interference of Sir Christopher Gardiner with Governor Winthrop, the boring of the tongue, slitting of the nose, and branding of his face was remitted;1 and so the sentence ap- pears on the record of the court held in Boston June 14, 1631, that he "shalbe whipped, haue his eares cutt of, fyned 401, & banished out of ye lymitts of this jurisdiccon."" Morton, in his New Eng- lish Canaan, devotes the whole of chapter twenty-five to this incident, as follows :--
There was an honeft man, one M' Innocence Fairecloath, by M' Mathias Charterparty fent over into New Canaan, to raife a very good marchantable commodity for his benefit; for, whiles the man was bound by covenant to ftay for a time, and to imploy fuch fervants as did there belong to M' Charterparty, hee defdained the tenents of the Seperatifts
1New English Canaan, by Thomas Morton, Amsterdam, 1637, page 168. 2Massachusetts Bay Colony Records, volume I, page 88.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
and they alfo, (finding him to be none) difdained to be imployed by a carnall man, (as they termed him) and fought occafion againft him, to doe him a mifcheife. Intelligence was conveyed to M' Charterparty that this man was a member of the Church of England, and therefore, (in their account,) an enemy to their Church and ftate. And, (to the end they might have fome coloure againft him,) some of them practifed to get into his debte, which hee, not miftrufting, suffered, and gave credit for fuch Commodity as hee had fold at a price. When the day of payment came, infteede of monyes, hee, being at that time fick and weake and ftood in neede of the Beaver hee had contracted for, hee had an Epiftle full of zealous exhortations to provide for the foule; and not to minde thefe tranfitory things that perifhed with the body, and to bethinke himfelfe whether his confcience would be fo prompt to demaund fo greate a fomme of Beaver as had bin contracted for. Hee was further exhorted therein to confider hee was but a fteward for a time, and by all likely hood was going to give up an accompt of his ftewardfhip: and therfore perfwaded the creditor not to load his confcience with fuch a burthen, which hee was bound by the Gofpell to eafe him of (if it were poffible;) and for that caufe hee had framed this Epiftle in fuch a freindly maner to put him in minde of it. The perufall of this, (lap'd in the paper,) was as bad as a potion to the creditor, to fee his debtor Mafter Subtilety (a zealous profeffor as hee thought) to deride him in this extremity, that hee could not chufe, (in admiration of the deceipt, ) but caft out these words :
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