R. EDWARD WINSLOW was chosen Gov[erno]r this year.

MR

Many having left this place (as is before noted) by reason of the straightnes and barrennes of the same, and their finding of better accomodations elsewher, more suitable to their ends and minds; and sundrie others still upon every occasion desiring their dismissions, the church begane seriously to thinke whether it were not better joyntly to remove to some other place, then to be thus weakened, and as it were insensibly dissolved. Many meetings and much consultation was held hearaboute, and diverse were mens minds and oppinions. Some were still for staying togeather in this place, alledging men might hear live, if they would be contente with their condition; and that it was not for wante or necessitie so much that they removed, as for the enriching of them selves. Others were resolute upon removall, and so signified that hear they could not stay; but if the church did not remove, they must; insomuch as many were swayed, rather then ther should be a dissolution, to condescend to a removall, if a fitt place could be found, that might more conveniently and comfortablie receive the whole, with shuch accession of others as might come to them, for their better strength and subsistence; and some shuch like cau

1 The Assistants this year were the same as those of the last year, with the exception that Bradford took the place of Prence.

? That the plantation really suffered at this time may be gathered from the following resolution passed by the town January 14, 1642-43: "It is also agreed upon that the money remayneing of the poores stock shalbe to buy corne to releeve the present extreme necessities of such as are ready to perish for want of bread." The returns of the poors' stock in 1642 showed a balance due it of £15. 125. 9d. Records of the Town of Plymouth, I. 10, 12.

tions and limitations. So as, with the afforesaide provissos, the greater parte consented to a removall to a place called Nawsett, which had been superficially viewed and the good will of the purchassers (to whom it belonged) obtained, with some addition thertoo from the Courte.1 But now they begane to see their errour, that they had given away already the best and most commodious places to others, and now wanted them selves; for this place was about 50. myles from hence, and at an outside of the countrie, remote from all society; also, that it would prove so straite, as it would not be competente to receive the whole body, much less be capable of any addition or increase; so as (at least in a shorte time) they should be worse ther then they are now hear. The which, with sundery other like considerations and inconveniences, made them chang their resolutions; but shuch as were before resoloved

1 Nauset was included in one of the three tracts reserved, in 1640, to the "purchasers" (p. 285, supra), but no steps had been taken to occupy the place. A committee of the church now viewed the lands and reported in favor of taking them under an agreement with the "purchasers." Some doubt appears to have arisen on the report, and a second visit was made to Nauset, where it was recognized that only a part of the church could be accommodated in the proposed settlement, and so the removal of all was out of the question. The names of those who did remove were, Thomas Prence, who had married Patience, daughter of Elder Brewster, John Doane, Nicholas Snow, Josias Cook, Richard Higgins, John Smalley and Edward Bangs. They purchased the Indian rights to the lands from Mattaquason, sachem of Monamoyick, and of George, supposed to be the successor of Aspinet, permitting them to retain some corn land, to have liberty to fish in the cove near the town, and to share in the blubber of any whales that should be driven upon the shore. The General Court, March 3, 1644-45, extended the grant, so as to include what at a later day became Harwich and Truro; and in June, 1646, recognized Nauset as a township. Five years later the name was formally changed to Eastham. The Indian title does not appear to have been determined until 1666. Mass. Hist. Soc. Proceedings, XLIV. 257. The church at Eastham, says Cotton, was the third which came forth as it were out of our bowels," that is, from the Plymouth Church. The other two were those of Duxbury and Marshfield. The first clergyman at Eastham was Rev. John Mayo, who had been serving as colleague of Rev. John Lothrop, at Barnstable, since 1640. Freeman, History of Cape Cod, 1. 347.

John Mays

upon removall tooke advantage of this agreemente, and wente on notwithstanding, neither could the rest hinder them, they haveing made some beginning.1 And thus was this poore church left, like an anciente mother, growne olde, and forsaken of her children, (though not in their affections,) yett in regarde of their bodily presence and personall helpfullnes. Her anciente members being most of them worne away by death; and these of later time being like children translated into other families, and she like a widow left only to trust in God. Thus she that had made many rich became her selfe poore. [262]

2

1 1 Duxbury also required more land for its growth, and asked for an extension to the westward. The General Court in August, 1644, passed the following order: "Upon the petition of Duxbury men, it is thought good by the Court, that there be a view taken of the lands desired by them, namely, twelve miles up into the woods from Plymouth bounds at Jones river. And if it prove not prejudicial to the plantation to be erected at Teightaquid [Titicut], nor to the meadows of Plymouth at Winnytuckquett [Winnetuxet], it may be confirmed unto them." In the following year a competent proportion of lands about Saughtuckquett [Bridgewater] towards the west for a plantation was granted to the inhabitants of Duxbury, provided it did not entrench upon Winnytuckett, formerly granted to Plymouth. The number of inhabitants of Duxbury at that time who shared in the grant was fifty-four, and two additional shares were set aside for a minister and miller. The names of the proprietors, with Bradford first on the list, are in a deed from Ousamequin [Massasoit], sachem of Pokanoket, dated March 23, 1649-50. Bridgewater, the name given in 1656, was the first interior settlement in the county of Plymouth, and two of the early Plymouth settlers came to the new plantation, William Basset, a passenger in the Fortune, in 1621, and Experience Mitchell, who came in the Ann, in 1623. 2 Mass. Hist. Colllections, vII. 138-148; Mitchell, History of the Early Settlement of Bridge

water.

2 The Commissioners of the United Colonies in their meeting of September, 1644, took into consideration the question of the support of the churches in the different governments. The motion undoubtedly came from the ministers of the Bay, and in all probability in connection with the proposition made by Rev. Thomas Shepard, pastor to the church at Cambridge, for a general contribution for the maintenance of poor scholars at the newly established college in that place. While this proposition received the unquestioning commendation of the Commissioners, "as a matter worthy of due consideration and entertainment for advance of learning," the question of supporting the churches called out a doubt from one of the Plymouth representatives,

Some things handled, and pacified by the commissioner[s] this year. Wheras, by a wise providence of God, tow of the jurisdictions in the westerne parts, viz. Conightecutt and New-haven, have beene latly exercised by sundrie insolencies and outrages from the Indeans; as, John Browne. It is hardly probable that in so important a matter, one that would be strongly urged by Massachusetts Bay, Browne acted without consulting and receiving the approval of his colleague, Edward Winslow. No records exist to show how the ministers of Plymouth Plantation were supported, or the manner in which the money was raised. The Plantation made grants of land to each minister, but presumably this was to him as a member of the community and not to the pastor. It was a personal allotment, not in the nature of a glebe. The description by Winthrop of his visit to Plymouth in 1632 includes a contribution at the termination

JP fra forms from
fogn Brown.

of the Lord's day service, of which the Deacon put the congregation in mind. P. 161, supra. An enforced contribution, by way of taxation, was offensive to some, as in the case of Nathaniel Briscoe of Watertown; but from that method to a belief that the ministry should be unpaid, a variety of opinions prevailed and practises existed. The Commissioners of the United Colonies in 1644 made the following entry to their minutes:

"Whereas the most considerable persons in these colonies came into these parts of America that they might enjoy Christ in his ordinances without disturbance, and whereas among many other precious mercies the ordinances have beene and are dispenced among us with much puritie and power. The Commissioners tooke it into their serious consideration how some due mayntenance according to God might be provided and setled both for the present and future for the encouragement of the ministers who labour therein and concluded to propound and commend it to eich generall Court, That those that are taught in the word in the severall plantations be called together, that euery man voluntaryly set downe what he is willing to allow to that end and use. And if any man refuse to pay a meete proportion, that then hee be rated by authoryty in some just and equall way. And if after this any man withhold or delay due payment, the ciuill power to be exercised as in other just debts." Against the last sentence is noted in the margin: "Mr. Browne desired further consideration about the 2 last clauses of this conclusion." Plymouth Col. Rec., 1x. 19. The question appears to have rested for some years. Hutchinson Papers, *285.