1 to proclaim his abhorrence of "such an infinite liberty of conscience" as was claimed by some who had followed his steps, and taken up their lot with him in the new plantation. And he well illustrated the case by the condition of a ship at sea, requiring, for the common safety, authority on one part and submission on the other. 1676. 1638. Oct. 8. Scarcely any records of the settlement at Providence for the first ten years are extant. Such as were made are believed to have been mostly destroyed when the Indians set fire to the town in Philip's war. Among the fragments which remain, two, besides what have been already referred to, are of principal importance. One is a grant, to thirteen associates, of "the meadow ground at Pawtuxet," lying west of the original settlement, on the other side of the Bay; a proceeding which was followed by important consequences, to be explained hereafter. The other exhibits the "Form of Government," devised by four "arbitrators" chosen for the purpose, and subscribed by thirtynine freemen as the rule of their association. It contains scarcely anything except a provision for the adjustment of disputes through a permanent board of "five disposers," to be chosen by the inhabitants, and the subsidiary arrangements suitable for carrying this plan into effect. In his new home Williams's own restless career took new directions. He became dissatisfied with his March. baptism, and was baptized anew. In a few months, he distrusted the last administration of that ordi 1640. July 27. 1639. 1 Letter of Williams to the Town of Providence, in Knowles's Memoir of Roger Williams (279). When the Quakers came in Williams's way, he was very impatient of what he thought their ill-manners. "These simple reformers are extremely ridiculous in giving thou and thee to everybody, which our nation commonly gives to familiars only, and they are insufferably proud and con- ́ temptuous unto all their superiors, in using thou to everybody. ..... I have therefore publicly declared myself, that a due and moderate restraint and punishing of these incivilities, though pretending conscience, is so far from persecution, properly so called, that it is a duty and command of God unto all mankind." (George Fox digged out of his Burrowes, pp. 199, 200.) nance, and waited for a new apostolic commission to give it validity.1 But the vital part of religion never deserted him. However his theories shifted, he never ceased to be a single-hearted lover of God and men. 1 "Mr. Williams was rebaptized by one Holyman, a poor man, late of Salem. Then Mr. Williams rebaptized him and some ten more." (Winthrop, I. 293.) "At Providence, matters went after the old manner. Mr. Williams and many of his company, a few months since, were in all haste rebaptized, and denied communion with all others; and now he was come to question his second baptism, not being able to derive the authority of it from the Apostles, otherwise than by the ministers of England, whom he judged to be ill authority, so as he conceived God would raise up some apostolic power; therefore he bent himself that way." (Ibid., 306.)-"I walked with him in the Baptists' way about three or four months, in which time he brake from the society, and declared at large the ground and reasons of it, that their baptism could not be right, because it was not administered by an apostle. After that, he set himself upon a way of seeking (with two or three of them that had dissented with him) by way of preaching and praying; and there he continued a year or two, till two of the three left him." (Letter of Richard Scott in George Fox's "New-England Fire-Brand Quenched," 247.) 36* CHAPTER XI. THE change of rulers in Massachusetts at the deposition of Winthrop had consisted merely in the promotion of two of his associates in the magistracy, while he was still their colleague in the Board of Assistants. The government continued to be conducted according to the same principles and methods as during the four years of his wise and upright administration. While the intelligence from England caused great uneasiness, the means and the confidence of the colonists were increased by the arrival of large numbers of their friends.1 “Five 1634. September. hundred pounds more was raised towards fortifications," almost immediately after the first large expenditure for that purpose. flag. The question which has been referred to, respecting the obliteration of the cross of St. George from the royal enMutilation of sign, arose during the year of Dudley's administhe English tration. At a Court of Assistants, "complaint Nov. 5. was made by some of the country, ... that the ensign at Salem was defaced; namely, one part of the red cross taken out. Upon this an attachment was awarded against Richard Davenport, ensign-bearer, to appear at the next Court to answer. Much matter was made of this, as fearing it would be taken as an act of rebellion, or of like high nature, in defacing the king's colors; though the truth were, it was done upon this opinion, that the red cross was given to the king of England by the Pope, as an ensign of victory, and so a superstitious thing, and a relic of Antichrist." 3 1 Winthrop, I. 135, 143, 149, 161, 164, 169, 196, 205. 2 Ibid., 144. 3 Ibid., 146. See above, p. 409. Nov. 27. In the existing state of relations with England, the business was critical. The next step taken in 'relation to it is thus recorded: "The Assistants met at the Governor's, to advise about the defacing of the cross in the ensign at Salem, where, taking advice with some of the ministers, we agreed to write to Mr. Downing in England of the truth of the matter, under all our hands, that, if occasion were, he should show it in our excuse; for therein we expressed our dislike of the thing, and our purpose to punish the offenders, yet with as much wariness as we might, being doubtful of the lawful use of the cross in an ensign, though we were clear that fact, as concerning the matter, was very unlawful." After three months' further deliberation, "Mr. Endicott was called to answer for defacing the cross in the ensign; but because the Court could not agree about the thing, whether the ensigns should be laid by, in regard that many refused to follow them, the whole cause was deferred till the next General Court, and the Commissioners for Military Affairs gave order in the mean time that all the ensigns should be laid aside." It is worthy of remark, as an indication of the sense entertained of the delicacy of the question, that in the public record no notice is taken of these proceedings. 1 1635. March 4. Israel 1634. The eccentricity of another prominent citizen troubled for a short time the quiet of Dudley's government. Israel Stoughton was a member, for Dorchester, of the first General Court that admitted Deputies, hav- Stoughton. ing probably come to Massachusetts the year before. A fortune, exceeding that of most of his neighbors, may have made him impatient of his inferior of ficial position. At a Court of Assistants, "he was questioned for denying the magistracy among 1635. March 4. setts Company, and came to Massachusetts in 1637 or 1638. 2 Ibid., 156. us, affirming that the power of the Governor was but ministerial, &c. He had also much opposed the magistrates, and slighted them, and used many weak arguments against the negative voice, as himself acknowledged upon record." 1 Having, moreover, "written a certain book which had occasioned much trouble and offence to the Court, he did desire of the Court that the said book might forthwith be burned, as being weak and offensive." But his submission did not save him from being "disenabled for bearing any public office in the commonwealth, within this jurisdiction, for the space of three years, for affirming the Assistants were no magistrates." Those were no times for allowing the authority of the local government to be called in question. chosen Gov ernor. Dudley did not possess the qualities which attract popular favor, so much as those which justify confidence. John Haynes But probably it was not owing to this defect that his service as Governor was limited to one year. May 6. The freemen intended to make it evident, that they did not forget Cotton's lesson concerning the right of permanence in office. It has been mentioned that the Governor now chosen was John Haynes, a person destined to fill an important place in the primeval history of New England. Little is recorded of him before his emigration, except that he was a gentleman of large estate in the county of Essex. He had come to America in company with John Cotton, and at the first election after his arrival had been chosen an Assistant, in which office he had now served a year.3 Richard Bellingham, who had arrived still Richard more recently, was elected to the second place. Bellingham, Bellingham, who had been educated a lawyer, Governor. had filled the office of Recorder in the English Boston, and was one of the twenty-six freemen named in the charter, which he was thought to have had a hand in 3 See above, pp. 367, 378, 410. Deputy 1 Winthrop, I. 155. 2 Mass. Col. Rec., I. 135, 136. |