USA > Rhode Island > Washington County > South Kingstown > A history of South-Kingstown > Part 3
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in bitches as they have seen in cats, for he has not shown so much of his faculties in bitches not yet, there is no doubt in my mind but they are good, or else he would not have had a thought of contriving a bitch trade for he told me that he expected to be a great man like General Washing- ton, and expected that his effigee would be set up at the corners of the streets like Washington, and further, he advised me to set up a sign of a cat when I moved to Newport, for that would bring custom, therefore we must suppose that he was much in favor with cats, and he was sensible that I would not treat him so disrespectful as to set up a sign of a cat and not have the likeness of the cat inspector also, and as he mentioned my having a cat for a sign, for that was the way he took to be set up like General Washington. Perhaps after he has got the office of a bitch inspector he will advise somebody else to have the sign of a bitch set up. It has been hinted to me that he inspects black rats sometimes, but I can't really believe that my cat inspector would inspect black rats, for if he follows that business I am afraid it will hurt his character so much that he will never obtain to the office of bitch inspector, if he cannot obtain to that office it is not likely that he can get to be as great a man as General Washing- ton, and be set up at the corners of the streets like Washington; but if he obtains, and can make out his ends, and get in to be an inspector of bitches, and can inspect a bitch, and sell her for as much money as Whittington did his cat, he will be likely to get his effigee set up like General Washington: I am willing to assist him all I can that he may obtain, and to forward the business I shall place him on a sign with a cat under his left arm, and a branding iron in his right hand, placed against her tail, I think that will be my part towards making a great man of him.
Having got through with the cat story, and his ob- C2
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taining the office of a cat inspector, I think proper to set forth what took place soon afterwards: he was afflicted with the hypochondriack, and in that disorder the minds of men are frequently laid lower than they are when they are in a perfect state of health, for the nerves being affected lays the animal spirits too low, and they fre- quently think they are going to die soon, and that many times brings a serious thought about their future state, and how they shall give an account for the deeds done in the body, for in his bringing on the cat trade to obtain the above mentioned office, he made a great deal of use of the false tongue; it looks likely to me that his mind was some uneasy about it when he came to be afflicted with that disorder, and his faith being built up in water, for as I mentionad before, that he has frequently had made use of water to cure men when they are intoxicated, for he has told me that was the way to cure men when they were at the hornet's nest, he thought he would go to the pool at New-Lebanon, and try and see if he could get rid of the Hypochondriack and the false tongue by drinking and washing with that water, perhaps he might cleanse his heart from the false tongue and cure the Hypochondri- ack, and as he was returning home from the pool, I met him and used him how he did as to his health, and I enquired of him whether he had got rid of the false tongue; but I soon perceived that the false tongue re- mained with him.
I shall endeavor to inform people what I have dis- covered of him when he has been making use of the false tongue, as I have watched him since I have been acquaint- ed with him, when he has been making use of the false tongue his nostrils spreads wider than they are when he tells the truth, so that by watching closely people may discover whether he is a telling a great lie or lies, for he is very much given to lying.
Now I think it is proper to inform him how it was
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with Annanias when he was catched with a lie upon his tongue, and I wish him to take it into serious considera- tion, for fear he should come off in the same way. Anna- nias was struck dead catched with a lie upon his tongue, so did his wife Sapphira die when she came in and grew so bold as to confirm that wicked lie, that just before, her husband told. I think it proper to inform the above said Elisha R. Gardner, how he can get rid of lying. The scripture says that the day of the Lord shall burn as an oven, we know that an oven burns in the inside, for Christ makes his ministers as a flame of fire, or else they are not able to do the works that he did, for in the twenty eighth of Matthew, he said to his disciples, go teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and lo I am with you to the end of the world, and the works that I do ye shall do also; and breathed on them the Holy Ghost, and commissioned them to cast out devils, and to heal the sick and wounded. Now my cat inspector being possessed with a lying spirit, and is in the sinful nature and state of mind that Adam represents the earth, earthly, and was cast out of paradise because he partook of that which the Lord had forbade him to par- take of, and was the first transgressor, and being dead in sin and transgression, and was cast out of Paradise for his disobedience, and lost his state of innocence, and brought death on mankind. And the Lord sent his son into the world born of the Virgin Mary, to condemn sin in the flesh, for in Genesis he said that the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head, for the serpent was more subtle than the beasts of the field. Thus it pleased God to restore poor fallen man, and bring in a nearer way of worship, as the prophets prophesied of him, for death reigned from Adam to Moses, and it was more pleasing to Almighty God, to send his son into the world to condemn sin in the flesh, and to bring in a near way of worship, and restore poor fallen man. For the
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proverb of the fathers eating four grapes the children's teeth were set on edge; that proverb was no more to be used in Israel, but the soul that sins will surely die; Christ says put off the old man and his deeds; which was disobedience; for he says, come unto me all ye ends of the earth and be ye saved, for I kill I make alive; for he said to Jerusalem, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not, therefore your houses are left unto you desolate. How comes their houses to be left desolate? because they would not be obedient to his dictates in their hearts, and as he spake many things in parables, for he thanked his Father Lord of Heaven and earth that he had hid these things from the wise and prudent of this world, and had revealed them unto babes, for he took a little child in his arms and blessed it and said of such is the kingdom of heaven, and said ye must all become as little children.
Now we know that a little child is in a state of inno- cency, and we read that Christ came a light into the world, that whosoever believed in him, believes in his light, and when they disobey the light of Christ they lose that innocent state that they were in when they first came into the world, for the light is called the law of God in the heart, and when children come to have that law or light, and disobey it, they lose their innocent state that they were in before they had the law or light discovered in their minds; and when they disobey that law or light, they are condemned in their minds by it, and if they obey it, they are justified by it, and are in the state of inno- cency, until they break that inward law and then they lose that innocent state that they was in when they came into the world, and they became sinners, and not till then, for when there is no law there is no transgression.
Adam never lost his innocent state till he disobeyed the Lord, neither did ever any man or woman; when Jonah disobeyed the Lord he was in the belly of hell, for
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he said out of the belly of hell cried I; and it was for his disobedience; people generally break that law of light and grace in the heart, and disobey it till they are hardly sensible of it, and some people deny that there is any such thing it is called by many names, it is called the grace of God which appears to all men teaching them to live soberly and godly in this present world, it is called the seed of God sown in the hearts of the children of men, it is compared to a fire in the hearts of men, that burns up all the chaff and stubble in the heart, and cleanses the heart or mind from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, for man- kind is compared to old bottles for Christ said it would not do to put new wine into old bottles, for they would not hold it; we may see that the heavenly treasure cant be kept where the mind is full of vanity and lies or any thing that is contrary to his divine grace in the heart, for Adam in the state of transgression, is called the old man with his deeds, which was his disobedience, and he repre- sented the earth or earthy sinful part in man, which is enmity with God, for he is altogether pure, and his gospel fire burns up all the earthly sinful part in the hearts of men, if they will be obedient to his dictates in their hearts; this seed of God sown in the heart, creates a new heaven wherein dwells righteousness. Now if so be that Elisha R. Gardner, or the hornet's nest company, or any body else, will strictly attend to this inward light and grace in their hearts, they will find business enough there, and they will have full employ enough without seeking into other men's business; for the meanest thing that I can compare them to is to a certain sort of flies, that are diligent in attending flesh wounds and they are in a dark state of mind; we read of some men's being full of deceit and the poison of asps is under their tongues. Now if Elisha R. Gardner will strictly attend to the above in- struction, it will cleanse his heart and destroy all the false tongue in him, and he will speak the truth like other men
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of truth, and his mind will not be aspiring after great things, or after being a great man like Washington, nor after having the office of a cat-inspector and bitch- inspector, or inspector of black rats, or giving away his money for to hire somebody that is with him to go out of sight so that he may have a chance to inspect a squaw that he was carrying to gaol. And also he will be willing, if he wants apples, he will be willing to buy them, and pay for them, and not untie a man's bag and let out his apples in order to get them without paying for them: neither will he pour water in men's sleeves under a pretence of friendship; neither will he have occasion to go to New- Lebanon spring, to drink and wash with that water to cleanse himself of the false tongue, for that water will not cleanse his tongue any more than the common water of a frog pond. Neither will he contrive to get a man to dress up in woman's clothes to swear a child on Stanton the turner, neither will he ride about the country to enquire for bitch puppies, in order for him to get the office of inspecting of them, nor will his mind run in making April fools of his neighbors; neither will he recommend a man to be a gentleman of New London, who is one of the hornets nest company, I shall leave him to the above- mentioned advice.
There is one John Nichols who is a saddler, that lives at the hornets nest, and wears a plain coat, and he has been in company so much with this cat inspector, that he has learnt to make use of the false tongue, for I am credibly informed, that he and Elisha R. Gardner has put their heads together and imposed on Joseph Stanton the turner, for they have got a man, as I am told to dress up in woman's apparel and swear a child on Stanton, and was about to commit him to gaol because he would not give bonds, and carried the jest as far as they dared to carry it without committing him. I think that was too much for a man that has a justices commission, much more for a
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Friend. I shall reprove him for his lies and deceit. I speak boldly to him, and I shall use so much freedom with him as to tell him that he has deceived L. with his lies and deceit. I think it will be a hard task to deal with him, as I suppose he belongs to the Friends' meeting, and it is very difficult to deal with a lying hypocrite. I enter- tain a very good opinion of real Friends, but this John Nichols appears to me, to be a disgrace to the society; for a man to put on a plain coat and have a deceitful and lying heart, don't only deceive himself but often is a stumbling block to weak minds. When I find a man who calls himself a Friend and has not religion enough to make him morally honest, my heart despises such a man, and much more him that is full of deceit and lies, to defraud men. I shall write down his conduct to me, and speak the truth.
When I first moved into South-Kingstown, I sold him a quantity of seal-skins, and goat-skins, and he promised me that he would pay me the money in about ten days, how many times I called upon him for the money I cannot correctly tell, I suppose not less than ten times, and I made some discounts for part of it, not in money; and he promised me time after time, but did not pay me. After I had waited about six or seven months, for his negligence I was sued, and he promised me that he would stop the action and pay the debt. I rested easy about it about three months longer, and thought he had paid the debt, and Job Hopkins came down out of the country and wanted some saddles upon a long credit, and gave him my note, for I thought he had settled the old debt as he had promised me, and after about one year afterwards, I found that he had stopped the action but had not paid the money, and I had the money to pay myself, and about one dollar and seventy-cents cost to pay, and still had not the money from Nichols. I thought he was somewhat shuffling about it. Soon afterwards I agreed with him to
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have some more saddles, and take out the old debt, and I believe the saddles came to almost thirty dollars more than the old score was, and he was to wait with me till I could make it convenient to pay it. So we settled and he said I might give him a note on demand, perhaps some- body or other would tell him that I should break and he would sue me, he promised me that he would not sue me, only let the note be upon interest and he would take it in something that I had to spare. It happened so that I paid him part of the debt sooner than I talked of paying, and reduced the note under twenty dollars, and without asking me for the pay, or giving me any notice he sued me, I was afronted and went to him and asked him how he came to treat me in such a shameful manner, and put me to cost, I asked him whether I had not paid him faster than I talked of paying him, and he said I had paid him sooner than I told him that I would pay him, and he promised me that he would pay cost, and he would not pay one cent of it, and his word is not worth one cent in my opinion, unless he is bound in writing. Perhaps some of his friends may think or suppose that I handle his character too freely, but I have so great avertion against lying and hypocrisy, that I think it is my duty to publish it to the world, and to his brethren; for Christ said that the time shall come, when seven women shall lay hold of one man, saying let us eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel, only to be called by thy name, to take away their reproach from the world, but a name to live, and being dead in sin and transgression, will not stand when we come to give an account for the deeds done in the body. I shall leave him and return to the hornet's nest company.
As I have not given a full account of their wit and activity in respect to their art when they go to the negro elections. One of the hornet's nest company told me that the old way of inspecting black rats and cheating them,
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was to grind a copper smooth and pass it to a black rat in the dark for an English shilling, for a chance of inspect- ing the black rat and boast of it afterwards, and appear to be proud of it for they are not ashamed of cheating any one they can, but the cat inspector Colonel Cook. I think as Abram's name was changed from Abram to Abraham, colonel Cook's name be changed to colonel Cat, for he obtained the title of a colonel by being a cat merchant, and he appears to be proud of his office, he appears to be witty in arts of inspecting black rats, for he told me that he had found out a new way to inspect black rats, which is as follows.
To tye a not in a handkerchief and let the rat step one leg into the handkerchief, and flip his arm into the handkerchief and shoulder the rat's leg, that would bring the rat close too him, then he could inspect the rat stand- ing on her leg. There has been some hints that colonel Cat catched the quall of a black rat and the quall began to whistle in the valley; how that was I cannot say, hav- ing got through with their art of inspecting black rats.
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A NEW CATECHISM More Studied than an older and a better one.
What is the chief end of man
To gather up riches, to cheat all he can,
To flatter the rich, the poor to despise,
To pamper the fool, to humble the wise,
The rich to assist, to do all in his power
To kick the unfortunate still a peg lower,
To cry up fair freedom, defend it with vigor,
Have slaves without number, and use them with rigor,
To deal fair with all men, where riches attend them,
To grind down the poor, where there's none to defend them,
To seduce the fair virgin to accept his embrace,
To cast on her then all the shame and disgrace,
To be angel without and devil within,
To pretend to all virtue, and practice all sin.
This is most men's chief end, or their actions belie them, And if you don't believe it you may e'n go and try them.
A PETITION
To the General Assembly of the State of Rhode-Island and Providence Plantation at Newport, for the Hornet's Nest Company:
YOUR petitioners pray that they may have a char- ter for their company, and to have certain previleges hereafter named, for to regulate our company; and we are a company that make but little use of the truth, for we laugh at them that keep to truth, and call them fools, and as our company are singular it is necessary that our charter should be so too, or else it will not fit the com- pany; and as CHARLES COMSTOCK has wrote the truth respecting our conduct towards him and others, and we feel ourselves much injured by his publishing a pam- phlet, certifying the truth respecting our conduct, and
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we are very much opposed to truth, therefore we pray that the General Assembly may take it into their con- sideration, and grant us the privilege to sue him for writing the truth about us, if we can prove it true, and we have no doubt but that we can easily prove what he has wrote, to be the truth, and that we may recover all the damage we have sustained, by his publishing the truth about us, and if we cannot have that privilege granted to us we must write a book about him, containing all the lies that we can contrive, for we are as full of lies as he is of truth, and we think we can match him that way, for we are artful in lying. We further pray, that we may have the privilege of raising our company to one hundred and fifty smart active liars, and very full of deceit. And we further pray, that as spirituous liquors is a growing evil amongst us, that we lose more of our company with the rum fever, than we lose with the yellow fever, and we have been in the practice of pour- ing water in mens sleeves a nights, when they are intoxi- cated at the hornet's nest, we pray that we may have the privilege of pouring water in their sleeves in the day time if they are intoxicated. And we further pray, that we may have laws and regulations to govern our company, so as to keep them under certain rules and regulations, for some of our company hold office in the town of South-Kingstown, and it has been reported, that our cat inspector as he is a deputy sheriff, took a writ to attach Thomas Par's property, and we are informed that he was about to take one of Par's beds, and Par's wife was very much surprised, that the cat inspector should come to take the bed his own children lay on for she pointed to two of the children and said, them two children belong to you, and you are about to take the bed they sleep on away, how can you be so cruel? and she burst out a crying, and the cat inspector cried likewise, and left the bed: and there has been some reports that the cat in-
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spector inspects black rats sometimes, and there has been reports that the black rats complain of him, and say his belly is too big to inspect them well, therefore we pray to have squire Nichols appointed to try all complaints of that kind or nature, and either of the parties that are dissatisfied with his judgment, they have a right of an appeal to colonel Cat, who is a man of an experimental knowledge in that art, and that all actions brought before squire Nichols and are appealed up to colonel Cat, that his judgment shall be binding on the parties and that we have the privilege to make laws and regulations, that the company shall see cause to make, not repugnant to their charter, and if we don't want this petition granted our actions belie us. We think this petition is agreeable to our conduct. Therefore we recommend the cat inspector to use his best endeavors to get the same granted, and to get it acted upon in the twilight of the evening, for fear they should see the cat inspector's nostrils spread, and not receive the same.
All printers are requested not to print any of these Pamphlets without leave of the author.
F 845876.18
6029 1
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