By THROP, for whom see above, No. 21. His journal throws light upon almost every phase of New England life in the first half of the seventeenth century. - See Contemporaries, I, No. 107. - On early colo nial life, see Contemporaries, I, chs. xiii, xxi, xxvi. Morton's settlement at Merrymount had been broken up by John Endicott in the summer of 1628.-See 103. Oct. 25. CHAPTER V-COLONIAL LIFE IN 28. New England Life (1630-1635) TH “HURSDAY, 17 [June, 1630.] We went to Mattachusetts, to find out a place for our sitting down. We went up Mistick River about six miles. Thursday, 8 [July.] We kept a day of thanksgiving in all the plantations. . [Sept. 30.] The wolves killed six calves at Salem, and they killed one wolf. Thomas Morton [was] adjudged to be imprisoned, till he were sent into England, and his house burnt down, for his many injuries offered to the Indians, and other misdemeanours. Capt. Brook, master of the [ship] Gift, refused to carry him. ... [Oct. 25.] The governour, upon consideration of the inconveniences which had grown in England by drinking one to another, restrained it at his own table, and wished others to do the like, so as it grew, by little and little, to disuse. . . . [Feb. 10, 1631.] The poorer sort of people (who lay Contempora- long in tents, etc.) were much afflicted with the scurvy, and ries, I, No. many died, especially at Boston and Charlestown; but when this ship came and brought store of juice of lemons, many recovered speedily. It hath been always observed here, that such as fell into discontent, and lingered [longed] after their former conditions in England, fell into the scurvy and died. . . A very early example of temperance sentiment. "This ship," i.e. the [Nov. 4.] The governour, his wife and children, went salute. Small pieces of artillery. on shore, with Mr. Peirce, in his ship's boat. The ship gave them six or seven pieces. At their landing, the cap- I.e. fired a tains, with their companies in arms, entertained them with a guard, and divers vollies of shot, and three drakes; and divers of the assistants and most of the people, of the near plantations, came to welcome them, and brought and sent, for divers days, great store of provisions, as fat hogs, kids, venison, poultry, geese, partridges, etc., so as the like joy and manifestation of love had never been seen in New England. It was a great marvel, that so much people and such store of provisions could be gathered together at so few hours' warning. [April 16, 1632.] A wear [dam] was erected by Watertown men upon Charles River, three miles above the town, where they took great store of shads. A Dutch ship brought from Virginia two thousand bushels of corn, which was sold at four shillings sixpence the bushel. . . curious example of the tendency of to see spiritual warnings the Puritans com monest happenings. [July 5.] At Watertown there was (in the view of divers witnesses) a great combat between a mouse and a snake; This is a and, after a long fight, the mouse prevailed and killed the snake. The pastor of Boston, Mr. Wilson, a very sincere, holy man, hearing of it, gave this interpretation: That the snake was the devil; the mouse was a poor contemptible people, which God had brought hither, which should overcome Satan here, and dispossess him of his kingdom. Upon the same occasion, he told the governour, that, before he was resolved to come into this country, he dreamed he was here, and that he saw a church arise out of the earth, which grew up and became a marvellous goodly church. . . . December 5 [1633.] John Sagamore died of the small pox, and almost all his people; (above thirty buried by Mr. Maverick of Winesemett in one day). The towns in the bay took away many of the children; but most of them died soon after. Samuel Maverick was the original settler of East Boston and Chelsea, what is now A common colonial [March 4, 1634.] At this court all swamps, above one hundred acres, were made common, etc. Also Robert Cole, punishment. having been oft punished for drunkenness, was now ordered to wear a red D about his neck for a year. . . In the early days of the colony, coin was very little used as a medium of exchange. [Oct. 14.] It was informed the governour, that some of our people, being aboard the bark of Maryland, the sailors did revile them, calling them holy brethren, the members, etc., and withal did curse and swear most horribly, and use threatening speeches against us. The governour wrote to some of the assistants about it, and, upon advice with the ministers, it was agreed to call them in question; and to this end (because we knew not how to get them out of their bark) we apprehended the merchant of the ship, being on shore, and committed him to the marshal, till Mr. Maverick came and undertook that the offenders should be forthcoming. The next day (the governour not being well) we examined the witnesses, and found them fall short of the matter of threatening, and not to agree about the reviling speeches, and, beside, not able to design certainly the men that had so offended. Whereupon (the bark staying only upon [for] this) the bail was discharged, and a letter written to the master, that, in regard such disorders were committed aboard his ship, it was his duty to inquire out the offenders and punish them; and withal to desire him to bring no more such disordered persons among us. [March 4, 1635.] At this court brass farthings were for`bidden, and musket bullets made to pass for farthings. [April.] Some of our people went to Cape Cod, and made some oil of a whale, which was cast on shore. There were three or four cast up, as it seems there is almost every year. John Winthrop, The History of New England from 1630 to 1649 (edited by James Savage, Boston, 1853), I, 32–188 passim. A 29. Church Services (1642) CHURCH is gathered there after this maner: A convenient, or competent number of Christians, allowed by the generall Court to plant together, at a day prefixed, come together, in publique manner, in some fit place, and there confesse their sins and professe their faith, one unto another, and being satisfied of one anothers faith & repentance, they solemlny [solemnly] enter into a Covenant with God, and one an other (which is called their Church Covenant, and held by them to constitute a Church) to this effect: viz. To forsake the Devill, andall his workes, and the vanities of the sinfull world, and all their former lusts, and corruptions, they have lived and walked in, and to cleave unto, and obey the Lord Jesus Christ, as their onely King and Law-giver, their onely Priest and Prophet, and to walke together with that Church, in the unity of the faith, and brotherly love, and to submit themselves one unto an other, in all the ordinances of Christ, to mutuall edification, and comfort, to watch over, and support one another. Whereby they are called the Church of such a place, which before they say were no Church, nor of any Church except the invisible: After this, they doe at the same time, or some other, all being together, elect their own Officers, as Pastor, Teacher, Elders, Deacons, if they have fit men enough to supply those places; else, as many of them as they can be provided of. By THOMAS setts from turned to England in disgust. He to practise law in the province. His com was the first ments, though hostile, are valuable.- - For Lechford, see Contemporaries, I, Nos. 91, 110. -For church services, see Contempora ries, I, Nos. 143, 169; II, ch. xv. An excellent sec ondary study of Puritan religious feeling is Barrett Cotton Wendell's Mather. This was the principle of fundamental the Puritan church polity. The Puritans were much averse to women take When a man or woman commeth to joyne unto the Church so gathered, he or shee commeth to the Elders in private, at one of their houses, or some other place having appointed, upon the weeke dayes, and make knowne their part in public desire, to enter into Church-fellowship with that Church, and then the ruling Elders, or one of them, require, or aske worship; not so the religicus Methodists. Quakers and him or her, if he bee willing to make known unto them the worke of grace upon their soules, or how God hath beene dealing with them about their conversion: which (at Boston) the man declareth usually standing, the woman sitting. And if they satisfie the Elders, and the private assembly, (for divers of the Church, both men and women, meet there usually) that they are true beleevers, that they have beene wounded in their hearts for their originall sinne, and actuall transgressions, and can pitch upon some promise of free grace in the Scripture, for the ground of their faith, and that they finde their hearts drawne to beleeve in Christ Jesus, for their justification and salvation, and these in the ministerie of the Word, [in] reading or [in] conference: and that they know competently the summe of Christian faith . . Then afterwards they shall be called forth I.e. have been aroused by preaching, private reading, or conversation. Which done, the Elder turneth his speech to the party to be admitted, and requireth him, or sometimes asketh him, if he be willing to make knowne to the congregation the work of grace upon his soule; and biddeth him, as briefly, and audibly, to as good hearing as he can, to doe the same. Thereupon the party, if it be a man, speaketh himselfe ; but if it be a woman, her confession made before the Elders, in private, is most usually (in Boston Church) read by the Pastor, who registred the same. The party having finished his Discourses of his confession, and profession of his faith, the Elder againe speaketh to the congregation: Brethren of the congregation, if what you have heard of, from this party, doe not satisfie you, as to move you to give him the right hand of fellowship, use your liberty, and declare your mindes therein. . . This done, sometimes they proceede to admit more members, all after the same manner, for the most part, two, three, foure, or five, or more together, as they have time, spending sometimes almost a whole afternoone therein. And then |