and cummin, troubling their brains more than reason would require about things that are indifferent; and from that time sought occasion against my honest Host of Ma-re Mount to overthrow his undertakings, and to destroy his plantation quite and clear. OF A GREAT MONSTER SUPPOSED TO things; which indeede had beene done by such a person, but was of their conspiracy; mine host demaunded of the conspirators who it was that was author of 5 that information, that seemed to be their ground for what they now intended. And because they answered they would not tell him, hee as peremptorily replyed, that hee would not say whether he had, AND THE PREPARATION 10 or he had not done as they had bin inMADE TO DESTROY IT [From the New English Canaan, Book III, Chap. XV.] The Seperatists, envying the prosperity 15 and hope of the Plantation at Ma-re Mount, (which they perceaved beganne to come forward, and to be in a good way for gaine in the Beaver trade,) conspired together against mine Host 20 especially, (who was the owner of that Plantation,) and made up a party against him; and mustred up what aide they could, accounting of him as of a great Monster. formed. The answere made no matter, (as it seemed,) whether it had bin negatively. or affirmatively made; for they had resolved that hee should suffer, because, (as they boasted,) they were now become the greater number: they had shaked of their shackles of servitude, and were become Masters, and masterles people. It appears they were like beares whelpes in former time, when mine hosts plantation was of as much strength as theirs, but now, (theirs being stronger,) 25 they, (like overgrowne beares,) seemed monsterous. In 'breife, mine host must indure to be their prisoner until they could contrive it so that they might send him for England, (as they said,) there to suffer according to the merrit of the fact which they intended to father upon him; supposing, (belike,) it would proove a hainous crime. 35 Many threatening speeches were given out both against his person and his Habitation, which they divulged should be consumed with fire: And taking advantage of the time when his company, 30 (which seemed little to regard theire threats,) were gone up into the Inlands to trade with the Salvages for Beaver, they set upon my honest host at a place called Wessaguscus, where, by accident, they found him. The inhabitants there were in good hope of the subvertion of the plantation at Mare Mount, (which they principally aymed at;) and the rather because mine host 40 was a man that indeavoured to advaunce the dignity of the Church of England; which they, (on the contrary part,) would laboure to vilifie with uncivile termes: enveying against the sacred 45 booke of common prayer, and mine host that used it in a laudable manner amongst his family, as a practise of piety. There hee would be a meanes to bring 50 sacks to their mill, (such is the thirst after Beaver,) and helped the conspiratores to surprise mine host, (who was there all alone;) and they chargded him, (because they would seeme to have some reasonable cause against him to sett a glosse upon their mallice,) with criminall 55 Much rejoycing was made that they had gotten their capitall enemy, (as they concluded him;) whome they purposed to hamper in such sort that hee should not be able to uphold his plantation at Ma-re Mount. The Conspirators sported themselves. at my honest host, that meant them no hurt, and were so joccund that they feasted their bodies, and fell to tippeling as if they had obtained a great prize; like the Trojans when they had the custody of Hippeus pinetree horse. Mine host fained greefe, and could not be perswaded either to eate or drinke; because hee knew emptines would be a meanes to make him as watch full as the Geese kept in the Roman Cappitall: whereon, the contrary part, the conspirators would be so drowsy that hee might have an opportunity to give them a slip, insteade of a tester. Six persons of the conspiracy were set to watch him at Wessaguscus: But hee kept waking; and in the dead of night, (one lying on the bed for further suerty,) up gets mine Host and got to the second dore that hee was to passe, which, notwithstanding the lock, hee got open, and shut it after him with such violence that it affrighted some of the conspirators. 5 The word, which was given with an alarme, was, ô he's gon, he's gon, what to shall wee doe, he's gon! The rest, (halfe a sleepe,) start up in a maze, and, like rames, ran theire heads one at another full butt in the darke. Theire grande leader, Captaine Shrimp, 15 [Miles Standish] tooke on most furiously and tore his clothes for anger, to see the empty nest, and their bird gone. The rest were eager to have torne theire haire from theire heads; but it 20 was so short that it would give them no hold. Now Captaine Shrimp thought in the losse of this prize, (which hee accoumpted his Master peece,) all his honor would be lost for ever. Shrimpe, (a quondam Drummer,) such a wellcome as would have made him wish for a Drume as bigg as Diogenes tubb, that hee might have crept into it out of sight. Now the nine Worthies are approached, and mine Host prepared: having intelligence by a Salvage, that hastened in love from Wessaguscus to give him notice of their intent. One of mine Hosts men prooved a craven the other had prooved his wits to purchase a little valoure, before mine Host had observed his posture. The nine worthies comming before the Denne of this supposed Monster, (this seaven headed hydra, as they termed him,) and began, like Don Quixote against the Windmill, to beate a parly, and to offer quarter, if mine Host would yeald; for they resolved to send him for England; and bad him lay by his armes. But hee, (who was the Sonne of a Souldier,) having taken up armes in his 25 just defence, replyed that hee would not lay by those armes, because they were so needefull at Sea, if hee should be sent over. Yet, to save the effusion of so much worty bloud, as would have issued out of the vaynes of these 9. worthies of New Canaan, if mine Host should have played upon them out at his port holes, (for they came within danger like a flocke of wild geese, as if they had bin tayled one to another, as coults to be sold at a faier,) mine Host was content to yeelde upon quarter; and did capitulate with them in what manner it should be for more certainety, because hee knew what Captaine Shrimpe was. In the meane time mine Host was got home to Ma-re Mount through the woods, eight miles round about the head of the river Monatoquit that parted the two Plantations, finding his way by the helpe 30 of the lightening, (for it thundred as hee went terribly;) and there hee prepared powther, three pounds dried, for his present impolyement, and foure good gunnes for him and the two assistants left 35 at his howse, with bullets of severall sizes, three houndred or thereabouts, to be used if the conspirators should pursue him thether: and these two persons promised theire aides in the quarrell, and 40 confirmed that promise with health in good rosa solis. Now Captaine Shrimp, the first Captaine in the Land, (as hee supposed,) Hee expressed that no violence should be offered, to his person, none to his goods, nor any of his Howsehold: but that hee should have his armes, and must doe some new act to repaire this 45 what els was requisit for the voyage: losse, and, to vindicate his reputation, who had sustained blemish by this oversight, begins now to study, how to repaire or survive his honor: in this manner, callinge of Councell, they conclude. 50 Hee takes eight persons more to him, and, (like the nine Worthies of New Canaan,) they imbarque with preparation against Ma-re Mount where this Monster of a man, as theire phrase was, 55 had his denne; the whole number, had the rest not bin from home, being but seaven, would have given Captaine which theire Herald retornes, it was agreed upon, and should be performed. But mine Host no sooner had set open the dore, and issued out, but instantly Captaine Shrimpe and the rest of the worthies stepped to him, layd hold of his armes, and had him downe: and so eagerly was every man bent against him, (not regarding any agreement made with such a carnall man,) that they fell upon him as if they would have eaten him: some of them were so violent that they would have a slice with scabbert, and all for haste: untill an old Souldier, (of the Queenes, as the Proverbe is,) that was there by accident, clapt his gunne under the weapons, and sharply rebuked these worthies for their unworthy practises. So the matter was taken into more deliberate consideration. Captaine Shrimp, and the rest of the nine worthies, made themselves, (by this outragious riot,) Masters of mine 10 Host of Ma-re Mount, and disposed of what hee had at his plantation. This they knew, (in the eye of the Salvages,) would add to their glory, and diminish the reputation of mine honest 15 Host; whome they practised to be ridd of upon any termes, as willingly as if hee had bin the very Hidra of the time. [1634] more allowed of then both the other: and had not mine Host confounded all the arguments that Eacus could make in their defence, and confuted him that 5 swaied the rest, they would have made him unable to drinke in such manner of merriment any more. So that following this private counsell, given him by one. that knew who ruled the rost, the Hiracano ceased that els would split his pin ace. A conclusion was made and sentence given that mine Host should be sent to England a prisoner. But when hee was brought to the shipps for that purpose, no man durst be so foole hardy as to undertake carry him. So these Worthies set mine Host upon an Island without gunne, powther, or shot or dogge or so 20 much as a knife to get any thinge to feede upon, or any other cloathes to shelter him with at winter then a thinne suite which hee had one at that time. Home hee could not get to Ma-re HOW THE 9. WORTHIES PUT moneth at least, and was releeved by Salvages that tooke notice that mine Host was a Sachem of Passonagessit, and would bringe bottles of strong liquor to him, and unite themselves into league of brother hood with mine Host; so full of humanity are these infidels before those Christians. a From this place for England sailed mine Host in a Plimmouth shipp, (that came into the Land to fish upon the Coast,) that landed him safe in England at Plimmouth: and hee stayed in England until the ordinary time for shipping to set forth for these parts, and then retorned: Noe man being able to taxe him of any thinge. But the Worthies, (in the meane time,) hoped they had bin ridd of him. [1634] RICHARD MATHER (1596-1669) Richard Mather, who came from England in 1635, the first of "the Mather dynasty" in Massachusetts, has a place in American literary history because of his connection with the first book printed in America, the so-called "Bay Psalm Book," issued from the newlyestablished Cambridge press in 1640. The Pilgrims had brought to America the standard hymn book of their day, the metrical version of the Psalms made by Sternhold and Hopkins, but its wide departure at times from the Biblical original and its constant sacrifice of literalness for poetic effect troubled the Puritan conscience beyond endurance. They would make a hymn book of their own and they would place literal rendering of the sacred text first and poetic polishings last of all. The committee to make the new metrical version, chosen not at all because of poetic ability but because of their eminence as divines and their unshaken orthodoxy, consisted of Richard Mather, pastor of the church at Dorchester, Thomas Welde, and John Eliot, the "apostle to the Indians." The greater part of the work of making the metrical versions fell upon Mather and from his pen undoubtedly came the prefatory note. The full title of the book was "The Whole Booke of Psalmes Faithfully Translated into English Metre. Whereunto is prefixed a discourse declaring not only the lawfullness, but also the necessity of the heavenly Ordinance of singing Scripture Psalmes in the Churches of God." The new version became at once the standard psalter of Puritan America. In 1647 a new edition was prepared. In the words of Cotton Mather, "it was thought that a little more art was to be employed upon them" and the translations were accordingly “refined." This edition and a third issued in 1650 was used almost to the period of the Revolution when it was replaced by the hymn book of Isaac Watts. From a poetic standpoint it has little merit; it must be classed indeed with the curiosities of American literature. Moses Coit Tyler and others have made merry in their criticism of it. It should be remembered, however, that it was made in an atmosphere of awful reverence for the Bible such as we of a later day can hardly realize, and it should be remembered, moreover, that it was made not to be read as poetry but to be sung to appropriate tunes in the solemn worship of the sanctuAs chanted by a fervent congregation the hymns lose much of their uncouthness: Some of them, like the 23d and the 100th Psalms, may indeed be said to have even as poetry real beauty and real lyric feeling. It is worth noting too that this first book printed in the new world was a book made necessary by the new spirit of America, a book distinctively American prepared deliberately because the Mother Country had nothing with which to meet the new demands. ary. FROM THE PREFACE OF THE As for the scruple that some take at the translation of the book of psalmes into meeter, because Davids psalmes were sung in his own words without meeter: we answer-First. There are many verses together in several psalmes of David which run in rithmes (as 10 those that know the hebrew and as Buxtorf shews Thesau. pa. 629.) which shews at least the lawfullnes of singing psalmes in english rithmes. Secondly. The psalmes are penned in such verses as are sutable to the poetry of the hebrew language, and not in the common style of such other bookes of the old Testament as are not poeticall; now no protestant doubteth but that all the bookes of the scripture should by Gods ordinance be extant in the mother 5 tongue of each nation, that they may be understood of all, hence the psalmes are to be translated into our english tongue and if in our english tongue wee are to sing them, then as all our english songs (according to the course of our english poetry) do run in metre, soe ought Davids psalmes to be translated into meeter, that soe wee may sing the Lords songs, as in our English tongue soe in such verses as are familiar to an 15 english eare which are commonly metricall and as it can be no just offence to any good conscience, to sing Davids injoye this ordinance also in its native purity: wee have therefore done our indeavour to make a plaine and familiar translation of the psalmes and words of David into english metre, and have not soe much as presumed to paraphrase to give the sense of his meaning in other words; we have therefore attended heerin as our chief guide the originall, hebrew songs in english words, soe neither to sing his poetical verses in english poeticall metre: men might as well stumble at singing the hebrew psalmes in our english tunes (and not 5 in the hebrew tunes) as at singing them in english meeter, (which are our verses) and not in such verses as are generally used by David according to the poetry of the hebrew language: to shunning all additions, except such as but the truth is, as the Lord hath hid from us the hebrew tunes, lest wee should think our selves bound to imitate them: soe also the course and frame (for the most part) of their hebrew 15 methods poetry, that wee might not think our idioms.] selves bound to imitate that, but that every nation without scruple might follow as the grave sort of tunes of their owne country songs, soe the graver sort 20 of verses of their owne country poetry. Neither let any think, that for the meetre sake wee have taken liberty or poeticall license to depart from the true and proper sence of Davids words in the 25 hebrew verses, noe; but it hath beene one part of our religious care and faithfull indeavour, to keepe close to the original text. 35 40 As for other objections taken from the 30 difficulty of Ainsworths tunes, and the corruptions in our common psalme books, wee hope they are answered in this new edition of psalmes which wee here present to God and his Churches. For although wee have cause to blesse God in many respects for the religious indeavours of the translaters of the psalmes into meetre usually annexed to our Bibles, yet it is not unknowne to the godly learned that they have rather presented a paraphrase then the words of David translated according to the rule 2 chron. 29. 30. and that their addition to the words, detractions from the words are 45 not seldome and rare, but very frequent and many times needles, (which wee suppose would not be approved of if the psalmes were so translated into prose) and that their variations of the sense, 50 and alterations of the sacred text too frequently, may justly minister matter of offence to them that are able to compare the translation with the text; of which failings, some judicious have oft 55 complained, others have been grieved, whereupon it hath bin generally desired, that as wee doe injoye other, soe (if it were the Lords will) wee might even the best translaters of them in prose supply, avoiding all materiall detractions from words or sence. . . . [Here follow five short paragraphs concerning his with Hebrew and English to If therefore the verses are not alwayes so smooth and elegant as some may desire or expect; let them consider that Gods Altar needs not our pollishings: Ex. 20. for wee have respected rather a plaine translation, then smooth our verses with the sweetnes of any paraphrase, and soe have attended Conscience rather than Elegance, fidelity rather then poetry, in translating the hebrew words into english language, and Davids poetry into english meetre; that soe wee may sing in Sion the Lords songs of prayse according to his owne will; untill hee take us from hence and wipe away all our teares, & bid us enter into our masters joye to sing eternall Halleluliahs. |