times, now that catle and other things begane greatly to fall from their former rates, and persons begane to fall into more straits, and many being allready gone from them, (as is noted before,) both to Duxberie, Marshfeeld, and other places, and those of the cheefe sorte, as Mr. Winslow, Captaine Standish, Mr. Allden, and many other, and stille some dropping away daly, and some at this time, and many more unsetled, it did greatly weaken the place, and by reason of the straitnes and barrennes of the place, it sett the thoughts of many upon removeall; as will appere more hereafter.1

was called to take charge of a church of the dissidents. The incident is told in Deane, History of Scituate, 59-89. See also, Mass. Hist. Soc. Proceedings, VI. 471.

Chauncy remained at Scituate until 1654, when all differences between the two churches were healed. To the last he held to his opinions on baptism by immersion, of which Winthrop (History, 11. 72) relates some amusing, though at that time very serious, incidents, and on administering the Lord's Supper in the evening and on every Lord's day. In 1654 he was preparing to return to England, where the changes promised a better field for his labors; but the presidency of Harvard College falling vacant by the dismission of Dunster, he was chosen to that place. He filled the office until his death February 17, 1671-72.

The General Court in November, 1640, granted lands to eight persons, meadow lands by Jones River (p. 303, supra). Among the grantees was Chauncy, who appears to have been unwilling to remain in New Plymouth. The town in December of the same year "do generally consent that Mr. Chauncey shall have the place that he desireth to be graunted unto him if no way can be found for his staying at Plymouth.” He also received land at Mattapoyst. Plymouth Col. Rec., 1'. 9; Records of the Town of Plymouth, 1. 6.

1 Town meetings were held by the inhabitants of Plymouth on September 16, December 31, 1641, and October 17, 1642, at which a committee appointed by the General Court granted lands within the township of Plymouth, to such as required new plots or an enlargement of their present holdings. One curious reservation was of the lands "beyond the Second Brook," which "shall not be graunted forth to any man except to a pastor or a teacher." Plymouth Col. Rec., 11. 25. Yet nothing could prevent the people from spreading into new territory, setting up churches and laying out towns. The growth and influence of New Plymouth declined as those of the Massachusetts Bay plantation increased. Its harbor, its land, and the opportunities caused the locality to be considered less desirable, both as a plantation and for commercial purposes.

M

Anno Dom: ·1642·

ARVILOUS it may be to see and consider how some kind of wickednes did grow and breake forth here, in a land wher the same was so much witnesed against, and so narrowly looked unto, and severly punished when it was knowne; as in no place more, or so much, that I have known or heard of; insomuch as they have been somewhat censured, even by moderate and good men, for their severitie in punishments.1 And yet all this could not suppress the breaking out of sundrie notorious sins, (as this year, besides other, gives us too many sad presidents and instances,) espetially drunkennes and unclainnes; not only incontinencie betweene persons unmaried, for which many both men and women have been punished sharply enough, but some maried persons allso. But that which is worse, even sodomie

1 Winthrop makes the same complaint. "As people increased, so sin abounded, and especially the sin of uncleanness, and still the providence of God found them out." History, II. *48.

? So imperfect are the records of the plantation that no conclusion can be drawn as to the frequency of the crimes, or even the manner of punishment. In the years 1633-1640 the penalties for drunkenness were, a fine, stocks, whipping or disfranchisement (1. 12, 36, 44, 87, 100, 106, 132). The sale of intoxicants was under strict regulation, as also was the entertainment of strangers. These regulations, however, proved difficult of enforcement. On the more serious offences the records approach greater completeness, for the punishments were severer and a public minute added to their solemnity. Fornication fell more properly under church discipline, and, indeed, but for the requirements of the church would rarely have come to light. The confession was made only when there was a child; unless the confession was made and public penance performed, the child could not be baptized; without baptism the child was doomed to hell-such was the course of reasoning. See Some Phases of Sexual Morality and Church Discipline in Colonial New-England, 2 Mass. Hist. Soc. Proceedings, vi. 477. In New Plymouth the culprits were either placed in the stocks or whipped, and the punishment was inflicted upon woman as well as man. For a particularly noticeable act of incontinency, an Indian being involved,

and bugerie, (things fearfull to name,) have broak forth in this land, oftener then once. I say it may justly be marveled at, and cause us to fear and tremble at the consideration of our corrupte natures, which are so hardly bridled, subdued, and mortified; nay, cannot by any other means but the powerful worke and grace of Gods spirite. But (besides this) one reason may be, that the Divell may carrie a greater spite against the churches of Christ and the gospell hear, by how much the more they indea[v]our to preserve holynes and puritie amongst them, and strictly punisheth the contrary when it ariseth either in church or comone wealth; that he might cast a [242] blemishe and staine upon them in the eyes of [the] world, who use to be rash in judgmente. I would rather thinke thus, then that Satane hath more power in these heathen lands, as som have thought, then in more Christian nations, espetially over Gods servants in them.

2. An other reason may be, that it may be in this case as it is with waters when their streames are stopped or dammed up, when they gett passage they flow with more violence, and make more noys and disturbance, then when they are suffered to rune quietly in their owne chanels. So wikednes being here more stopped by strict laws, and the same more nerly looked unto, so as it cannot rune in a comone road of liberty as it would, and is inclined, it searches every wher, and at last breaks out wher it getts vente.

3. A third reason may be, hear (as I am verily perswaded) is not more evills in this kind, nor nothing nere so many by proportion, as in other places; but they are here more discoverd and seen, and

the woman was sentenced "to be whipt at a carts tayle through the townes streets, and to weare a badge vpon her left sleeue during her aboad within this gouerment; and if shee shalbe found without it abroad, then to be burned in the face with a hott iron." Not until December, 1641, did a case of adultery appear in the records. The punishment included severe whippings and the wearing "(whilst they remayne in the gouerment) two letters, viz. an AD, for Adulterers, daily, vpon the outside of their vppermost garment, in a most emenent place thereof." If found without this mark, another whipping would be their lot.

made publick by due serch, inquisision, and due punishment; for the churches looke narrowly to their members, and the magistrates over all, more strictly then in other places. Besides, here the people are but few in comparison of other places, which are full and populous, and lye hid, as it were, in a wood or thickett, and many horrible evills by that means are never seen nor knowne; wheras hear, they are, as it were, brought into the light, and set in the plaine feeld, or rather on a hill, made conspicuous to the veiw of all.

But to proceede; ther came a letter from the Gov[erno]r in the Bay to them here, touching matters of the fore-mentioned nature, which because it may be usefull I shall hear relate it, and the passages ther aboute.

SIR: Having an opportunitie to signifie the desires of our Generall Court in tow things of spetiall importance, I willingly take this occasion to imparte them to you, that you may imparte them to the rest of your magistrates, and also to your Elders, for counsell; and give us your advise in them. The first is concerning heinous offences in point of uncleannes; the perticuler cases, with the circomstances, and the questions ther upon, you have hear inclosed. The 2. thing is concerning the Islanders at Aquidnett; that seeing the cheefest of them are gone from us, in offences, either to churches, or commone welth, or both; others are dependants on them, and the best sorte are shuch as close with them in all their rejections of us. Neither is it only in a

1 The details of the distressing story leading to this inquiry will be found in Winthrop, II. *45.

After the proceedings of the General Court in its session of March 1, 1641–42, the Records contain this entry. "A quere. The plantacon of Prouidence haueing in it many honest and peaceable people, which groane vnder the want of gouernment and the ryotts and disorders falling out therevpon, the place being reputed within the gouernment of Plymouth, least worse thinges may fall out to the further and greater trouble of the colony, or honest people there, being ouerpressed by vyolent and turbulent persons should submitt or subject the place to another gouernment, we desire that a seasonable consideračon may be had thereof, for prevention of future mischeefs, if the place be within this gouernment, as it is generally reputed." Plymouth

faction that they are devided from us, but in very deed they rend them selves from all the true churches of Christ, and, many of them, from all the powers of majestracie. We have had some experience hereof by some of their underworkers, or emissaries, who have latly come amongst us, and have made publick defiance against magistracie, ministrie, churches, and church covenants, etc. as anti-christian; secretly also sowing the seeds of Familisme, and Anabaptistrie, to the infection of some, and danger of others; so that we are not willing to joyne with them in any league or confederacie at all, but rather that you would consider and advise with us how we may avoyd them, and keep ours from being infected by them. Another thing I should mention to you, for the maintenance of the trade of beaver; if ther be not a company to order it in every jurisdition among the English, which companies should agree in generall of their way in trade, I supose that the trade will be overthrowne, and the Indeans will abuse us. For this cause we have latly put it into order amongst us, hoping of incouragmente from you (as we have had) that we may continue

Col. Rec., 11. 37. Not until 1648 was it formally decided that the settlement on Rhode Island lay within the bounds of the Plymouth patent. It will be seen that the question was raised only a few weeks before this letter came from Massachusetts Bay, the authorities of which would have no intercourse, not even by letter, with the inhabitants of Aquidnett. Winthrop, 11. *21. The visit to Boston of Francis Hutchinson, son of Mrs. Ann Hutchinson, and William Collins, her son-in-law, in June, 1641, was largely responsible for Bellingham's words. Ib. *38. The Rhode Islanders long continued a source of annoyance to their neighbors.

In 1648 the Commissioners of the United Colonies "upon the perusall of the antient Patent graunted to New Plymouth," found that Rhode Island fell within the line and bounds of that plantation, "which the honourable comittee of parlement thinke not fitt to Straighten or infringe; nor may we." This record was made upon an application of certain inhabitants of Rhode Island for the Island to be received into the Confederation. An earlier application made in 1644 had been answered by providing that if the Island "will absolutely and without reservation submitt, either the Massachusetts [or] Plymouth may receiue them." In 1648 the people were to acknowledge themselves within the Plymouth jurisdiction, and then the Commissioners would "consider and advize how youe may bee accepted vpon Just termes and with tender Respects to your Conveniencie." The condition was not acceptable to those of Rhode Island, and that Colony never came into the Confederation. Plymouth Col. Rec., IX. 23, 110.