1637.] DISPERSION OF THE CONQUERED. 305 The pursuers of Mason hastened to Sassacus at his fortress. Now his power is in the wane, they charge him as the author of all their misery, and threaten to destroy him and his connections. At the entreaty of his chiefs, they relinquish their purpose. Panic-struck, they burn their fort and wigwams, and disperse in different parts of the country. Sassacus and about seventy of his principal men flee towards the Hudson River. MASSACHUSETTS. Vane. CHAPTER XI. - - Lords commissioners. Thanksgiving. - Philip Vincent. Passengers. Social intercourse. - Lord Ley.- Antinomians.— Royal order. Pequods. - Feast for soldiers.- Resistance to foreign force. — Departure of Vane.- Synod.-Explanation.- Lecture.-Advice of elders. -Confederation of the colonies proposed. Session of the synod. - Errors condemned.—Mr. Moxon. - Murderers hung. Close of synod.- Questions. - Unsafe speeches. Resolves. - Location of the college.-Elders and deacons as to military service. - Proceedings against the Antinomians. — Governor guarded. Men disarmed. - Strange Indians. - Mrs. Ames. - Custody of Mrs. Hutchinson. - Great disorders. — Restraint.-An account of Antinomians for England. - Shepard's remark. Winthrop. - His opinion. - Subsequent views. Familists. Intemperance. - Idlers.-Poor travelers. — Wilson's compensation.- Letter to the churches. Maintenance of ministers. Parochial charges. — Contentions at Weymouth.—Overseers of the college. — Remonstrants disciplined. — Jenner at Weymouth. Colonial arms moved. Speculations. Cotton's remark. Consultation. - Royal order. — Duty of the teacher.- Scotch declaration.- Fright of Indians.- Ezekiel Holman. Persons summoned. - Code of laws. Familists. - Fast. - Opinions of Mrs. Hutchinson. Her excommunication. — Charter. - Church discipline. — Watertown order. Sabbath watches. Strangers. Antinomians. — Earthquake. Quarles's translation. — Knollys arrives. — Newman. - Tompson. — Printing press. PLYMOUTH. Pequods. Religious trials. - Forces. - Stocks. -Gorton.-Excommunication. - Violation of Sabbath. - Taunton, Sandwich and Yarmouth settlers. - Poole, Hooke, Street, Doughty, Leveridge, and Batchelor. Chauncey. - Recantation.- Baptism by immersion - Discussion. — Answers by ministers.- Working on the Sabbath. — Slander. — Appeal to England. Saugus people at Sandwich. MAINE. Commission as to Somersetshire. Land for Sir Richard Edgecomb. Purposes of Gorges. NEW HAMPBurdet. — Wheelwright settles at Exeter. Purchase of land. No familist. Knollys employed. RHODE ISLAND. Pequods. Williams's Indian confederacy. John Green. - Miantinomo. Clark and associates occupy Rhode Island; adopt a theocracy. — Order of Massachusetts. - Green's letter. -Deed of the island. Mrs. Hutchinson. - First law. - Verin's case. - Accession. Williams's letter. Session. - Stocks.-Freemen. - Prison. CoxNECTICUT. Defeat of the Pequods. — Delegates to the synod. - Stoughton's remarks.—Treaty with Indians. — Thanksgiving. — Division of Pequod lands. - Taxes. - Military staff. — Kindness to the natives. — Union among the colonists.—Emigrants from Boston. — Change of residence. — Bearing arms. —Services of the Sabbath. Covenant. Communication to Hooker. SHIRE. MASSACHUSETTS. 1637, June 3. Two ships, according to Winthrop, arrive at Boston from England. One of them brings the copy of instructions from the lords commissioners, "to divers of the magistrates here, 1637.] NEW GOVERNMENT APPOINTED. 307 to govern all the people in New England till further order, upon this pretence, that there was no lawful authority in force here, either mediate or immediate, from his majesty." This accords with the recent command of the king for the return of our charter to him. It shows what the national rulers would have done had their available strength been equivalent to their will. It manifests that, as, by a legal process, they had decretally succeeded to break down the constitution of Massachusetts, they paid no regard to the patent of Plymouth, and meant to bring all the Congregational interests of the land under the control of Episcopacy. Had the magistrates, so delegated, suffered ambition to overcome their love for the commonwealth, and thus ventured on the troubled sea of revolution for the selfish purpose of exercising greater and wider authority, they might have put in operation various disturbing forces, and added greatly to the burden of public difficulties. But, fearing God more than man, they held fast to their integrity; they strove to diminish domestic controversies and perils, and prepared to resist foreign aggression on their liberties. June 6. Though Vane had become unpopular for his zealous support of Mrs. Hutchinson's speculations, yet the magistrates are careful that his character should not suffer for the honest avowal of his sentiments. Hence they require William Knopp to give sureties for his appearance at court about "his speeches of Mr. Vaine, our late governor." 15. There is a general thanksgiving for "victory over the Pequods, and other mercies." Philip Vincent appears to be in New England. He published an account of the Pequod war the next year. He was son of Richard Vincent, as Hunter relates, of "Firsby or Frisby," and baptized at Coningsborough, November 23, 1600. He took his A. M. at Cambridge. When about twenty-five, he married Frances, daughter of Sir Christopher Heydon, of Baconsthorpe, in Norfolk, widow of Henry Draper, of Bromley, in Kent. In the same year, he "was presented to the rectory of Stoke d'Abernon, in Surrey, by Sir Francis Vincent, of a different family." He resigned the living August 17, 1629, and November 30, 1630, he lost his wife, who was buried in the church of St. Andrew, London. She had three children, one of whom, Henry, born in London, 1629, survived her. After her decease he became a traveler, and about 1632 he embarked for Guiana. From this date we have no trace of him till the time of his appearance in our country. Hunter remarks, after specifying books on Germany which Vincent had printed, that they indicate that he had been in that part of Europe. He says that, after 1638, he loses sight of him and his son Henry. 308 ARRIVAL OF PASSENGERS. [MASS. June 20. Though the supporters of hierarchal policy in England were doing to their utmost for the abolition of non-conformity here, yet three hundred and sixty passengers from Ipswich, in that kingdom, are brought into Boston by three ships. 26. Two more ships come to the same port from London. John Davenport † is a passenger in one of them. He was son to a mayor of Coventry, and born 1597. After being at Merton College, Oxford, two years, he removed to Magdalen Hall, 1615, which he left without a degree. As Brook relates," he was called to preach in London, where his rare ministerial endowments, and his pious courage in visiting the sick during the raging of the plague, soon brought him into notice." He became eminent as a preacher among the Puritans, and was settled over St. Stephen's Church, in the same city. In 1625 he took the degree of bachelor of divinity at Magdalen Hall. He was an efficient member of the Massachusetts Company, and for its advancement put fifty pounds into its common stock. Having been concerned with other devoted ministers in the purchase of impropriations so that the profits might supply poor congregations with preachers, he fell under the displeasure of Laud. This, "together with other notices of his being prosecuted for nonconformity, induced him to embark for Amsterdam," the latter part of 1633. In this city he is called to be colleague of Mr. Paget. Not approving the promiscuous baptism of children, as practiced in Holland, he engages in a discussion about it, which terminates his ministerial labors in two years. He then gave private instruction. After a while, he goes back to London. Seeing a letter from Mr. Cotton about New England, he concluded to embark for this country. When the archbishop heard that he had emigrated hither, he declared that his arm should reach him in his last refuge. Among those who accompany Davenport is Samuel Eaton. The latter, as Palmer says, was son of Richard Eaton, vicar of Great Budworth, in Cheshire. He had his A. B. at Magdalen College, Cambridge, 1624, and his A. M. 1628. Wood states, that" after he had left the university, he took orders according to the church of England, and was beneficed in this country; but having been puritanically educated, he did dissent in some particulars thereof. Whereupon, finding his place too warm for him, he revolted, and went into New England, and preached among the brethren there." He assisted Davenport in ministerial labors, before he came to our shores. His brother, Theophilus Eaton, and Edward Hopkins, who were to take a prominent part in founding and promoting the * Winthrop's Journal. † Magnalia. Neal's History of the Puritans, 1637.] PROBATION OF IMMIGRANTS. 309 religious colony of their adoption, are of the same estimable company. July. The disaffection between the Legalists and Antinomians, so called, breaks up social intercourse. Winthrop invites Vane and Lord Ley, son to the Earl of Marlborough, recently arrived for seeing the country, to dine with him. But Vane declines on conscientious grounds, and goes with Ley, at the same hour, over to Noddle's Island, and there they take dinner with Maverick. 12. A brother of Mrs. Hutchinson and friends of Mr. Wheelwright had come to Boston. As it was desirable to know whether these immigrants would side with the Antinomians or not, before they should become inhabitants, and also to save persons, who should give them shelter, from the demand of the law relative to strangers, the governor allows them four months' probation. This arrangement is disliked by the opponents of Winthrop, who "utter many hot speeches.' دو 23. A royal order† is issued for the constitution of a general government in New England. A reason assigned for this step is, because "of the severall opinions, differing humors, and many other differences springing up between them, and dayly like to increase." It says further that the council for this country were not able to suppress such evils, and this was one cause why they surrendered their patent into the hands of his majesty, so that he might have the reformation of them made. To carry out their plan, he and his advisers appoint Sir Ferdinando Gorges as the chief governor of the northern colonies, and forbid all persons to come hither without a license. This action of the highest powers in England for sealing the doom of our colonial liberties was the more threatening in form than all others which preceded it for a similar purpose. The. dread which our ancestors had long entertained of such a conclusion would have been increased, and greatly oppressed them with anxiety, had they not been assured that it was less likely to be accomplished by the increase of non-conformists in that kingdom. 28. In a letter from Winthrop to Bradford, respecting the conquest of the Pequods, he says, "My desire is to acquaint you with the Lord's great mercy towards us, in prevailing against his and our enemies, that you may rejoice and praise his name with us." The defeat of so resolute and powerful a foe was regarded by our ancestors as a signal blessing of Providence for the continuance and spread of their churches. *Winthrop's Journal. + State Papers in London. Morton's Memorial. |
