USA > New Hampshire > The history of New Hampshire, Volume I > Part 4
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We find in this relation a ftriking in- ftance of that fpecies of falfe religion, which, having its feat in the imagination, inftead of making the heart better and re- forming the life, inflames the paffions, ftupifies reafon, and produces the wildeft effects in the behaviour. The exceffes of enthufiafm
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enthufiafm have often been obferved to lead to fenfual gratifications ; the fame na- tural fervour being fufficient to produce both. It cannot be ftrange that they who decry morality, fhould indulge fuch grofs and fcandalous enormities as are fufficient to invalidate all thofe evidences of their religious character on which they lay fo much ftrefs. But it is not fo furprifing that men fhould be thus mifled, as that fuch frantic zealots fhould ever be reduced to an acknowledgment of their offences ; which in this inftance may be afcribed to the ftrict difcipline then practifed in the churches of New-England.
The people of Dover and Portfmouth during all this time had no power of govern- ment delegated from the crown; but find- ing the neceffity of fome more determinate form than they had yet enjoyed, combined themfelves each into a body politic after the example of their neighbours at Ex- eter. The inhabitants of Dover, by a written inftrument, figned by forty one perfons, agreed to fubmit to the laws of England, and fuch others as fhould be enacted by a majority of their number, until the royal pleafure fhould be known. The date of the combination at Portfmouth is uncertain, their firft book of records E 2 having
1640. -
Octo. 22
Hubbard's MS Hist.
52
HISTORY OF
1 640. Portf. Rec.
May 25.
Portf. Rec.
having been deftroyed [in 1652,] after copying out what they then thought pro- per to preferve. Williams, who had been fent over by the adventurers, was by annual fuffrage continued governor of the place, and with him were affociated Ambrofe Gibbons and Thomas Warnerton * in quality of affiftants. During this combi- nation, a grant of fifty acres of land for a glebe was made by the governor and in- habitants + to Thomas Walford and Hen- ry Sherburne, church-wardens, and their fucceffors forever, as feoffees in truft ; by virtue of which grant the fame land is ftill held, and being let on long leafes, a confiderable part of the town of Portf- mouth is built upon it. At this time they had a parfonage houfe and chapel, and had chofen Richard Gibfon for their par- fon, the patronage being vefted in the parifhioners.
* Warnerton had been a foldier. Upon the division of Mafon's fock and goods he carried his fhare to Penobfcot, or fome part of Nova-Scotia, where he was killed in a fray with the French inhabit- ants. 1644. (Hubbard)
+ This grant is fubfcribed by
Francis Williams, Governor, Henry Taler,
Ambrofe Gibbons, Affiftant, John Jones,
William Jones, William Berry.
Reynald Fernald,
John Pickerin,
John Crowther,
John Billing,
Anthony Bracket,
John Wotten,
Michael Chatterton,
Nicholas Row,
John Wall,
Matthew Coe,
Robert Pudington,
William Palmer.
(Portf : Rec :)
Henry Sherburne, John Landen,
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parifhioners. Gibfon was fent from Eng- 1640. land as minifter to a fifhing plantation be- longing to one Trelawney. He was " wholly addicted to the hierarchy and " difcipline of England, and exercifed his " minifterial function" according to the ritual. He was fummoned before the court at Bofton for " fcandalizing the go- " vernment there, and denying their " title ;" but upon his fubmiffion, they difcharged him without fine or punifh- ment, being a ftranger and about to de- part the country. After his departure the people of Portfmouth had James Parker* for their minifter, who was a fcholar and had been a deputy in the Maffachu- fetts court. After him they had one Browne ; and + Samuel Dudley a fon of Deputy-
* Governor Winthrop gives this account of him and his miniftry, (" 1642. 10 mo : ) " Thofe of the lower part of Pafcataqua invited " Mr. James Parker of Weymouth, a godly man, to be their minif- " ter. He by advifing with divers of the magiftrates and elders accept- " ed the calland went and taught among them, this winter, and it " pleafed God to give great fuccefs to his labours fo as above forty of " them, whereof the moft had been very profane and fome of them " profeffed enemies to the way of our churches, wrote to the magiftrates "and elders, acknowledging the finful courfe they had lived in, and " bewailing the fame, and bleffing God for calling them out of it " and earnestly defiring that Mr. Parker might be fettled amongft them. " Moft of them fell back again in time, embracing this prefent world." He afterward removed to Barbadoes and there fettled. (vid Hutchin- fon's collection of papers, p. 155 and 222.) Hutchinfon fuppofes him to have been minifter of Newbury, miftaking him for Thomas Parker. + Dudley fettled at Exeter in 1650, and died there in 1683, Æt. 77.
" He was a perfon of good capacity and learning." (Fitch's MS.)
53
Gov. Win- throp's Journal, MS.
Portf. Rec.
MS Journ.
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HISTORY OF
1640. Deputy-Governor Dudley ; but thefe were only temporary preachers, and they did not obtain the regular fettlement of a minifter for many years.
Four diftinct governments (including one at Kittery on the north fide of the river ) were now formed on the feveral branches of Pafcataqua. Thefe combi- nations being only voluntary agree- ments, liable to be broken or fubdivided on the firft popular difcontent, there could be no fafety in the continuance of them. The diftractions in England at this time had cut off all hope of the royal attention, and the people of the feveral fettlements were too much divided in their opinions to form any general plan of government which could afford a profpect of perma- nent utility. The more confiderate perfons among them, therefore thought it beft to treat with Maffachufetts about taking them under their protection. That government was glad of an opportunity to realize the conftruction which they had put upon the claufe of their charter wherein their nor- thern limits are defined. For a line drawn from eaft to weft at the diftance of " three " miles to the northward of Merrimack " river and of any and every part thereof," will take in the whole province of New-
Hampfhire,
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Hampfhire,and the greater part of the pro- vince of Maine, fo that both Mafon's and Gorges's patents muft have been vacated. They had already intimated their intention to run this eaft and weft line, and prefum- ing on the juftice of their claim, they rea- dily entered into a negotiation with the principal fettlers of Pafcataqua refpecting their incorporation with them. The affair was more than a year in agitation, and was at length concluded by an inftrument fubicribed in the prefence of the general court by George Willys, Robert Salton- ftall, William Whiting, Edward Holiock, and Thomas Makepeace, in behalf of themfelves and the other partners of the two patents ; by which inftrument they refigned the jurifdiction of the whole to Maffachufetts, on condition that the inhab- itants fhould enjoy the fame liberties with their own people, and have a court of juftice erected among them. The proper- ty of the whole patent of Portfmouth, and of one-third part of that of Dover, and of all the improved lands therein, was re- ferved to the lords and gentlemen propri- etors, and their heirs forever.
The court on their part confented that the inhabitants of thefe towns fhould en- joy the fame privileges with the reft of the
55
1640. Maffa. Rec
1641. April 14.
October 8.
colony,
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HISTORY OF
1641.
colony, and have the fame administration of juftice as in the courts of Salem and Ipfwich ; that they fhould be exempted from all public charges, except what fhould arife among themfelves, or for their own peculiar benefit ; that they fhould enjoy their former liberties of fifhing, planting and felling timber; that they fhould fend two deputies to the general court : and that the fame perfons who were authorifed by their combinations to govern them, fhould continue in office till the commif- fioners named in this order fhould arrive at Pafcataqua. Thefe commiffioners were invefted with the power of the quarter courts of Salem and Ipfwich, and at their arrival they conftituted Francis Williams, Thomas Warnerton and AmbrofeGibbons of Portfinouth, Edward Hilton, Thomas Wiggen and William Waldron of Dover, magiftrates, who were confirmed by the general court.
Sept. 8. 1642.
By a fubfequent order a very extraor- dinary conceffion was made to thefe towns, which fhows the fondnefs that government had of retaining them under their jurifdiction. A teft had been efta- blifhed by law, but it was difpenfed with in their favor; their freemen were allowed to vote in town affairs, and their deputies
to
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to fit in the general court though they were not church-members.
The people of Dover being left defti- tute of a minifter by the fudden depar- ture of Larkham, who took this method to avoid the fhame which would have at- tended the difcovery of a crime fimilar to that for which Knollys had been dif- miffed, wrote to Maffachufetts for help, The court took care to fend them Daniel Maud who had been a minifter in Eng- land. He was an honeft man, and of a quiet and peaceable .difpofition, qualities much wanting in all his predeceffors. Larkham returned to England, where he continued to exercife his miniftry till ejected by the act of uniformity in 1662, from Taviftock in Devon. He is faid to have been " well known there for a man " of great piety and fincerity," and died in 1669. F. 68.
The inhabitants of Exeter had hitherto continued their combination ; but finding themfelves comprehended within the clain of Maffachufetts, and being weary of their inefficacious mode of government they pe- titioned the court, and were readily admit- ted under their jurifdiction. William Wenborne, Robert Smith, and Thomas Wardhall were appointed their magiftrates; and
1642. -
Hubbard's MS.
Math. Mag.
(rolamy's account of ejected nun- rters, p. 210.
Sep. 2.
Maffa. Res.
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HISTORY OF
1642. and they were annexed to the county of Effex. Upon this, Whelewright who was ftill under fentence of banifhment, with thofe of his church who were refolved to adhere to him, removed into the province of Maine, and fettled at Wells, where his pofterity yet remain. He was foon after reftored, upon a flight acknowledgment, to the freedom of the colony, and remov- ed to Hampton ; of which church he was minifter for many years ; until he went to England where he was in favour with Cromwell : But, after the reftoration, he returned and fettled at Salifbury, where he died in 1680.
Hubbard's MS.
1 644. L
After his departure from Exeter, an at- tempt was made by the remaining inhab- itants to form themfelves into a church, and call the aged Stephen Batchelor to the miniftry, who had been difmiffed from Hampton for his irregular conduct. But the general court here interpofed and fent them a folemn prohibition, importing "that " their divifions were fuch that they could " not comfortably, and with approbation, " proceed in fo weighty and facred affairs," and therefore directing them " to defer ga- " thering a church, or any other fuch pro- " cceding, till they or the court at Ipfwich, " upon further fatisfaction of their recon- " ciliation
Maffa. Rec. May 29.
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" ciliation and fitnefs, fhould give allow- 1644. ance therefor." -1
Such a ftretch of power, which would now be looked upon as an infringement of chriftian liberty, was agreeable to the principles of the firft fathers of New-Eng- land, who thought that civil government was eftablifhed for the defence and fecu- rity of the church againft error both doc- trinal and moral. In this fentiment they were not fingular, it being univerfally adopted by the reformers, in that and the preceding age, as one of the fundamental principles of their feparation from the Ro- mifh church, and neceffary to curtail the claims of her Pontiff, who affumed a fu- premacy over " the kings of the earth."
CHAP.
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HISTORY OF
CHAP. III.
Observations on the principles and conduct of the firf planters of New-England. Caules of their removal. Their forti- tude. Religious Sentiments. Care of their pofterity. Fuftice. Laws. Theo- cratic prejudices, Intolerance and per- tecutions .
N N union having been formed between 1 the fettlements on Pafcataqua and the colony of Maffachufetts, their hiftory for the fucceeding forty years is in a great zeafure the fame. It is not my intention to write the tranfactions of the whole col- ony during that period ; but, as many of the people in New-Hampfhire had the iame principles, views and interefts with the other people of New-England, I fhall make fome obfervations thereon, and in- terfperfe fuch hiftorical facts as may illuf- trate the fubject.
In the preceding century the holy fcrip- tures, which had long lain hid in the rub- bifh of monaftic libraries, were brought to public view by the happy invention of printing ; and as darknefs vanifhes before the rifing fun, fo the light of divine truth began
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began to diffipate thofe errors and fuper ftitions in which Europe had long been involved. At the fame time a remarkable concurrence of circumftances gave peculiar advantage to the bold attempt of Luther, to roufe Germany from her inglorious fubjection to the Roman Pontiff, and ef- fectuate a reformation, which foon fpread into the neighbouring countries. But fo intimately were the political interefts of kingdoms and ftates blended with relig- ious prejudices, that the work, though happily begun, was greatly blemifhed and impeded.
Henry the VIIIth of England took ad- vantage of this amazing revolution in the minds of men, to throw off the papal yoke, and affert his native claim to independence. But fo dazzling was the idea of power, and the example of the firft chriftian princes, who had exercifed a fuperintendency in. fpirituals, as well as temporals, that he transferred to himfelf that fpiritual power which had been ufurped and exercifed by the bifhops of Rome, and fet up himfelf as fupreme head on earth of the church of England ; commanding both clergy and laity in his dominions to fwear allegiance to him in this newly affumed character.
This
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HISTORY OF
This claim was kept up by his fon and fucceffor Edward the Sixth, in whofe reign the reformation gained much ground ; and a fervice-book was publifhed by royal au- thority as the ftandard of worfhip and dif- cipline for his fubjects. This excellent prince was taken out of the world in his youth ; and his fifter Mary, who then came to the throne, reftored the fupremacy to the pope, and raifed fuch fiery perfecu- tion againft the reformers, that many of them fled into Germany and the Nether- lands ; where they departed from that uniformity which had been eftablifhed in England, and became divided in their fen- timents and practice refpecting ecclefiafti- cal affairs : the native effect of that juft liberty of confcience which they enjoyed abroad, purfuing their own inquiries ac- cording to their refpective meafures of light ; uninfluenced by fecular power, or the hope of acquiring dignities in a na- tional eftablifhment.
The acceffion of Elizabeth infpired them with new hopes ; and they returned home, refolving to attempt the reformation of the church of England, agrecably to the re- ipective opinions which they had embrac- ed in their exile. But they foon found that the queen, who had been educated in the
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the fame manner with her brother Ed- ward, was fond of the eftablifhment made in his reign, and was ftrongly prejudiced in favor of pomp and ceremony in relig- ious worfhip. She afferted her fupremacy in the moft abfolute terms, and erected an high-commiffion court with jurifdiction in ecclefiaftical affairs. Uniformity being rigoroufly enjoined and no abatement or allowance made for tender confciences (though it was conceded that the ceremo- nies were indifferent) a fepartion from the eftablithment took place. Thofe who were defirous of a farther reformation from the Romifh fuperftitions, and of a more pure and perfect form of Religion were deno- minated Puritans ; whofe principles, as diftinguifhed from thofe of the other re- formers who were in favor with the queen, are thus reprefented.
" The queen and court-reformers held, I. That every prince had the fole author- ity to correct all abufes of doctrine and worfhip within his own territories. 2. That the church of Rome was a true church though corrupt in fome points of doctrine and government ; that all her miniftra- tions were valid, and that the pope was a true bifhop of Rome though not of the univerfal church. 3. That the fcriptures
Neal's Hift- Puritans, vol. I. p. 95. 98. 4to.
were
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HISTORY OF
were a perfect rule of faith, but not a ftandard of difcipline ; and that it was left to the difcretion of the chriftian magiftrate, to accommodate the government of the church to the policy of the ftate. 4. That the practice of the primitive church for the firft four or five centuries was a proper ftandard of church government and difci- pline ; and in fome refpects better than that of the apoftles, which was only ac- commodated to the infant ftate of the church, while it was under perfecution ; whereas the other was fuited to the gran- deur of a national eftablifhment. 5. That things indifferent in their own nature as rites., ceremonies, and habits, might be fettled, determined and made neceffary by the command of the civil magiftrate, and that, in fuch cafes it was the daty of the fubject to obferve them."
" On the other hand, the puritans, I . Difowned all foreign jurifdiction over the church, but could not admit of that exten- five power which the crown claimed by the fupremacy. However, they took the oath, with the queen's explication, as only reftoring her majefty to the ancient and natural rights of foverign princes over their fubjects. 2. They held the pope to be antichrift, the church of Rome a falfe church,
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church and all her miniftrations furerfti- tious and idolatrous. 3. That the fcrip- tures were a ftandard of difcipline as well as doctrine, and if there was need of a dif- cretionary power, it was vefted not in the magiftrate but in the officers of the church. 4. That the form of government ordained by the apoftles was ariftocratical, and de- figned as a pattern to the church in after ages, not to be departed from in its main principles. 5. That thofe things which Chrift hath left indifferent ought not to be made neceffary ; and that fuch rites and ceremonies as had been abufed to idol- atry and fuperftition, and had a manifeft tendency to lead men back thereto, were no longer indifferent but unlawful."
" Both parties agreed too well in affert- ing the neceffity of uniformity in public worfhip, and of ufing the fword of the magiftrate for the fupport and defence of their refpective principles ; which they made an ill ufe of in their turns, whenever they could grafp it in their hands. The ftandard of uniformity according to the bifhops, was the queen's fupremacy and the laws of the land ; according to the puritans, the decrees of national and pro- vincial fynods, allowed and enforced by the civil magiftrate. Neither party were
F for
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HISTORY OF
for admitting that liberty of confcience and freedom of profeffion which is every man's right, as far as is confiftent with the peace of civil government. Upon this fatal rock of uniformity, was the peace of the church of England fplit."
It is melancholy to obferve what mif- chiefs were caufed by the want of a juft dif- tinction between civil and ecclefiaftical power, and by that abfurd zeal for uniform- ity, which kept the nation in a long fer- ment, and at length burft out into a blaze, the fury of which was never thoroughly quelled till the happy genius of the revolu- tion gave birth toa free and equitable tolera- tion, whereby every man was reftored to the natural right of judging and acting for himfelf in matters of religion. All the celebrated wifdom of Elizabeth's govern- ment could not devife an expedient fo fuc- cefsful. Though her reign was long and profperous, yet it was much ftained with oppreffion and cruelty toward many of her beft fubjects ; who, wearied with ineffec- tual applications, waited the acceffion of James, from whom they expected more favour, becaufe he had been educated in the prefbyterian church of Scotland, and profeffed an high veneration for that efta- blifhment. But they foon found that he
he
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NEW HAMPSHIRE.
had changed his religious principles with his climate, and that nothing was to be expected from a prince of fo bafe a char- acter, but infult and contempt.
In the beginning of his reign a great number of the puritans removed into Hol- land, where they formed churches upon their own principles. But not relifhing the manners of the Dutch, after twelve years they projected a removal to America, and laid the foundation of the colony of Plymouth. The fpirit of uniformity ftill prevailing in England, and being carried tothe greateft extent in the reign of Charles the Firft by that furious bigot Archbifhop Laud ; many of the lefs fcrupulous, but confcientious members of the church of England, who had hitherto remained in her communion, feeing no profpect of reft or liberty in their native country, follow- ed their brethren to America, and eftab- lifhed the colony of Maffachufetts, from which proceeded that of Connecticut.
By fuch men, influenced by fuch motives, were the principal fettlements in New-England effected. The fortitude and perfeverance which they exhibited therein will always render their memory dear to their pofterity. To prepare for their enterprize, they had to fell their F 2 eftates.
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HISTORY OF
eftates, fome of which were large and valu- able, and turn them into materials for a new plantation, with the nature of which they had no acquaintance, and of which they could derive no knowledge from the expe- rience of others. After traverfing a wide ocean they found themfelves in a country full of woods, to fubdue which required immenfe labour and patience ; at a vaft diftance from any civilized people; in the neighbourhood of none but ignorant and barbarous favages ; and in a climate, where a winter much more fevere than they had been accuftomed to, reigns for a third part of the year. Their ftock of provifions falling fhort, they had the dreadful apprehenfion of perifhing by famine, one half of their number dying before the firft year was completed ; the ocean on one fide feparated them from their friends, and the wildernefs on the other, prefented nothing but fcenes of hor- ror, which it was impoffible for them to conceive of before they endured them.
But under all thefe difficulties, they maintained a fleady and pious refolution ; depending on the providence of the fupreme ruler, and never repenting the bufinefs on which they had come into this wildernefs. Aspurity in divine administrations was the profeffed
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profeffed object of their undertaking, fo they immediately fet themfelves to form churches, on what they judged the gof- pel plan. To be out of the reach of pre- latic tyranny, and at full liberty to pur- fue their own inquiries, and worfhip God according to their confciences ( which had been denied them in their own country) was efteemed the greateft of bleffings, and fweetened every bitter cup which they were obliged to drink. They always profeffed that their principal defign was to erect churches on the primitive model, and that the confideration of temporal intereft and conveniency had but the fecond place in their views .*
In the doctrinal points of religion they were of the fame mind with their brethren of the church of England, as expreffed in their articles. The Maffachufetts planters left behind them, when they failed, a re- fpectful declaration importing that they did not confider the church of England as antichriftian, but only withdrew from the impofition
x " It concerneth New- England always to remember, that they "are originally a plantation religious, net a plantation of trade. ". The profeilion of the purity of doctrine, worthip and difcipline " is written upon her forehead. Let merchants, and fuch as ars "increafing cent per cent remember this, that wordly gain w.s ". not the end and dedign of the people of New-England but relig- "ion. And if any man among w, make religion as twelve, and " the world a. thirteen, Such an one hath not the Spirit of a true " Nav. . Engladmag." Higginfon's EleSi:y: Sermon, 165.
Hutchin. Hift. vol. I. p. 487.
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HISTORY OF
impofition of unfcriptural terms of com- munion. Some of the Plymouth planters had embraced the narrow principles of the Brownifts, the firft who feparated from the church of England ; but by the improve- ments which they made in religious know- ledge under the inftruction of the renown- ed John Robinfon, their paftor in Holland they were in a great meafure cured of that four leaven. The congregational fyftem of church government was the refult of the ftudies of that truly pious, learned, humble and benevolent divine, who feems to have had more of the genuine fpirit of the reformation, and of freedom from bi- gotry, than any others in his day. His farewell charge to thofe of his flock who were embarking in Holland for America deferves to be had in perpetual remem- brance. " Brethren (faid he) we are now " quickly to part from one another, and " whether I may ever live to fee your face " on earth any more, the God of heaven " only knows ; but whether the Lord hath
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