ent estableshment and of all the previleges theirof, and that we may not be subjected to the arbitrary power of any who are not chosen by this people according to theire patent,

"We, whose names are subscribed, being of the traine band and singell men in the above sayd town, doe also desire to manifest ourselves to be of the same mynd with our parents, masters, and the aged men and housholders of the place.

but

It does not appear that Cambridge, in its corporate capacity, was actively engaged in the political contest which continued, with scarcely any intermission, for more than twenty years; there is the best evidence that its representative men were among the most active leaders in opposition to the arbitrary measures of the English court. Edward Randolph, "the arch enemy of the Colony," addressing the Lords of Trade in 1676, says: "Amongst the Magistrates, some are good men and well af

-

fected to his Majesty, and would be well satisfied to have his Majesty's authority in a better manner established; but the major part are of different principles, having been in the government from the time they formed themselves into a Commonwealth. These direct and manage all affairs as they please, of which number are Mr. Leverett, Governor, Mr. Symons, Deputy Governor, Mr. Danforth, Mr. Ting, Major Clarke, and Major Hathorn, still continued a magistrate, though commanded by his Majesty upon his allegiance to come into England, yet refused, being encouraged in his disobedience by a vote of the Court not to appear, upon some reasons best known to themselves. These, with some few others of the same faction, keep the country in subjection and slavery, backed with the authority of a pretended charter." 1 To the Bishop of London he writes, May 29, 1682, “I think I have so clearly layd downe the matter of fact, sent over their lawes and orders to confirme what I have wrote, that they cannot deny them however, if commanded, I will readily pass the seas to attend at Whitehall, especially if Danford, Goggin, and Newell, magistrates, and Cooke, Hutchinson and Fisher, members of their late General Court and great opposers of the honest Governor and majestrates, be sent for to appeare before his Majesty; till which time this country will always be a shame as well as inconveniency to the government at home."2 Soon afterwards, June 14, 1682, he writes to the Earl of Clarendon, " His Majesties quo warranto against their charter, and sending for Thomas Danforth, Samuel Nowell, a late factious preacher and now a magistrate, and Daniel Fisher and Elisha Cooke, deputies, to attend and answer the articles of high misdemeanures I have now exhibited against them in my papers sent Mr. Blaithwait per Capt. Foy, will make the whole faction tremble." 3

:

"During these distresses of the colony," says Hutchinson in 1681,"there were two parties subsisting in the government, both of them agreed in the importance of the charter privileges, but differing in opinion upon the extent of them, and upon the proper measures to preserve them. The governor, Mr. Bradstreet, was at the head of the moderate party. Randolph in all his letters takes notice of it. . . . . Mr. Stoughton, Mr. Dudley, and William Brown of Salem, these fell in with the Governor. The deputy governor, Mr. Danforth, was at the head of the other party: the principal members of the court with him were Major Gookins of Cambridge, Peter Tilton of Hadley, Elisha Cooke and Elisha

....

1 Hutch. Coll., p 499.

2 Ibid., 532.

3 Ibid., 535.

Hutchinson of Boston. This party opposed the sending over agents, the submitting to acts of trade, &c., and were for adhering to their charter according to their construction of it, and leaving the event. Gookins, being aged, desired a paper he drew up as his dying testimony, might be lodged with the court, containing the reasons of his opinion.” 1

Through the whole of this protracted controversy, Danforth and Gookin, together with the Deputies from Cambridge, continued firm in their resistance to the arbitrary measures of the English government. They were at last overpowered, however, and the Colony was reduced to a state little better than slavery. On the 25th day of May, 1686, Joseph Dudley, the newly appointed President, with his Council, assumed the government of the Colony, the charter having been abrogated. A few months later, Dec. 20, 1686, he was superseded by Sir Edmund Andros, who had been appointed Governor of New England.

1 Hist. Mass., i. 331.

CHAPTER VIII.

CIVIL HISTORY.

As early as 1654, some of the inhabitants upon the south side of the River commenced a movement, which resulted, seven years afterwards, in an order of the General Court, that all who resided more than four miles from the meeting-house should be freed from contributing towards the ministry on the north side the river," so long as the south side the river shall maintain an able ministry." This was not wholly satisfactory, and a petition for more extensive privileges was presented to the General Court, Oct. 18, 1672, but action thereon was postponed until the next session, May 7, 1673, at which time this record is found: "In answer to the petition of Mr. Edward Jackson and John Jackson in behalf of the inhabitants of Cambridge Village, on the south side of Charles River, this Court doth judge meet to grant the inhabitants of the said village annually to elect one constable and three selectmen, dwelling among themselves, to order their prudential affairs of the inhabitants there according to law, only continuing a part of Cambridge in paying country and county rates, as also town rates so far as refers to the grammar school and bridge, and also pay their proportion of the charges of the deputies of Cambridge, and this to be an issue to the controversy between Cambridge and them."2 But the people were not content to be a precinct. Accordingly at the session. of the General Court, commencing May 8, 1678, a petition was presented for incorporation as a town:

"To the honored Governor, Deputy Governor, together with the honored Magistrates and Deputies of the General Court, now sitting in Boston.

"The humble petition of us, the inhabitants of Cambridge Village, on the south side of Charles River, showeth, that the

1 Mass. Col. Rec., iv. (ii.) 16.

2 Ibid., 555.