OLD MEFTING-11OUSE PULPIT . . . . . . . . . . . . COTIASSET MERTING-ROUSF . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DERBY ACADEMY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PORTRAIT OF MADAM DERBY . . . . . . . . . . . .
99 416 126
135 138
mribDoitp Iftess:
JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAIIBRIDG~
IA.. HINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 From a photograph by FRANCIS B. LINCOLN.
THE OLD MEETING-HOUSF, IIINGIIAM~ (EuLCIED 1681.)
FIRST PARISH.
THE first church in Hingham was formed in September, 1635. Rev. Peter Hobart, of Hingham, in Norfolk, England, carne to Charlestown in June, 105. Mr. Hobart was educated at ]Nlagdalene College, Cambrid.p, where lie was graduatod in 1625. lie declined the invitations of several settlements ts) becoine t1wir pastor, preferring to join that at Bare Cove, where inany of ])is fc1low-townsinen in the old Country were already establisliod. On the second of September, 1635, the nnitic of Bare Cove w9s Changed to Hingham ; Bed on the eiglitecuth of the Some nimith .Nir. Hobart and tiventy-nine others drew for house-lots. Ilere Mr. Hobart gathered the church which was the twelfth in order of time in 'Massachusetts proper. ~11L. I-I*
During the few years immediately succeeding 1635 settlers came in quite respectable numbers to Hingham; and there is every reaSon to SUDDOSC the church was in a prosperous condition.
Nov. 28, 1638, Mr. Robert Peck was ordained Teacher of the church. In the 11 Peck Genealogy," by Ira G. Peck, we find the following account of him: -
11 Rev. Robert Peck was born at Beccles, Suffolk County, England, in 1580. He was graduated at Magdalene College, Cambridge; the degree of A. B. was conferred upon him in 1599, and that of A. M. in 1603. He was set apart to the ministry, and inducted over the church at Hingham, Norfolk County, England, Jan. 8, 1605, where he remained until 1638, when lie fled from the persecutions of the church to this country."
He was a talented and influential clergyman, I zealous preacher, and a non-conformist to the superstitions, ceremonies, and corruptions of the church, for which be was persecuted and driven from the country. Brook, in his" Lives of the Puritans," gives many facts of interest in relation to him. lit particular, giving some of the offences for which lie and his followers were persecuted, he says: -
on a Lord's day evening, when some of his neighbors attended, his lordship (Bishop Harsnet) enjoined all who were present to do penance, requiring them to say, I I confess my errors,' etc."
Those who refused were immediately excommunicated and required to pay heavy costs. This, Mr. Brook Bays, appears from the bishop's manuscripts under his own hands. He says: 11 Ile was driven from his flock, deprived of his benefice, and fore seek his bread in a foreign land."
He arrived here in 1638. In relation to his arrival the town clerk of Hingham here says : -
11 Mr. Robert Peck, preacher of the gospel in the town of Hingham, in the county of Norfolk, old England, with his wife and two children and two servants, came over the sea, anal settled in the town of Hingham; and he was a Teacher of the Church."
Mr. Hobart, of Hingham, says in his Diary that lie was ordained here Teacher of the church, Nov. 28, 1638. His name frequentlv appears upon the records of the town. He had lands grante~ him. His family consisted of nine children. He remained here until the long Parliament, or until the periecutions in England ceased, when he returned and resumed his rectorship at Hingham. Mr. Hobart says he returned Oct. 27, 1641. He died at HingImm, England, and was buried in his churchyard there.
Cotton Mather, in his " Magnalia Christi Americana," has the following: -
11 1605, 7 ~Tan. Robert Peck, A. M. THo. Moon ; by grant of Francis 111'rell, But., he was I a inan of a very violent sebismatical spirit ; lie palled down the rails and levelled the altar an(] the whole chancel a foot la-low the church, as it remains to this day; but being prosecuted for it by Bishop Wrent lie fled the kingdom and went over into Aeu,-F~agland, with inany of his parishioners, who sold their estates for half their value, and con~eycd all their effects to that now plantation, erected a town and coloniv, by the name of HINGHAM, where many of their posterity are still remaining. Ile promised never to desert them ; but hearing that Bishops vivre deposed, lie left them all to shift for themselves, and came back to 11inybant in the year 1646. After 10 years' voluntary banishment lie rt-mune4l his rectory, and died in the year 1656.' His funeral sermon was preaelied by Nathaniel Joceline, A. Al., pastor of the church of Hardinghain, and was published by him, being dedicated to Mr. John Sidley, highsheriff; Brampton-Gurdon and Mr. Day, justices of the peace; Mr. Chureh, Mr. Barnham, and Mr. Man, aldermen and justices in the city of Xorivich.
11 1 WN, 25 J14y. Luke Skippon, A.M., was presented by Sir TnoAIAS Wootuiousz, Kitt. and Bart., as on Peck's death, lie having been absent about two years. And in -
" 1(;40, 11 April, the said Luke was reinstituted, the livin~ being voidIt does not appear that the harniony of the church or the prosperity of the town was interrupted until the year when thu onforta~uatc occurrence, of the military difficulties cause(] a serious injury to bell,. rile prominent part which Mr. Hobart took in this unpleasant controversy rendered him less popular at ]ionic and obnoxious to the governincHt. Ifis friends, however, were much the most numerous and influential party ill the church ; and his conduct in relation to tfie minority, although it gave rise to some jealousy, and in a few instances to strong dislike, does Hot appear to folio diminished the attachment which -it majority of the citizens had uniforod) exhibited towards hill). From the severe and burtliensonie lines and cxperls~s to which lie was subjected in CODS'Noclice of his zeal for popular rights, lie appears to have been relieved by the liberality of the people of his charge
Pieviously to the difficulties of 1644, we have reaBOR to S~Hpposo that, I he lot% n wag flourishing and prosperous. The situation was eligible ; the facilities for fishing and for intercourse with other towns by water contributed to enrich it. In 16,54 it is desel iked. by Johnson, in his 11 Wonder-Working Providence," ill the followin,g manner, viz. : -
,,A place nothing inferiour to their Neighbours for scittlatiou ; and file people have much profited themselv(s liv transportbo, Timber, Planke, and Alast for shipping to the not it of litiston ; as also ceder and Mileboard to supply the wants of other townes, and also to remote parts, even -is far as Barbadoes. They want not for fish for themselves :fit(] others also. This towne consisted of about sixty families. The fertile is tionle. what intricate to describe, by reason of the Seas wasting crookes where it beats upon a mouldering shore. Yet have they compleat streetes in some places. Tile people joyned in Church covenant fit this place were much about an hundred soules, but have here lessened by it sad, noan ,
brotherly contention which fell out anaing tbaon, wasting tlij: v'ry way - continued already for seven yeares' space, to the great grief of all other Churches."
I ain auare. however, that there is Justice in the remark of If., Iva i ned editor of Winthrop, when, in speakin', of Governor Winthiop's account of these affairs,he says, "Ail iniusualfairiless
tiow. The toon of Hingham, having one Elme., their liententuit scvvii or vight years. had lately chosen him to lie their captain, and had pre so lacd him to the Stalldim~ council for allowance ; but before it was m-olouplidied, tile greater part of the town took some lilght. occasion of ofli-ioc agilinst him, and ebose one Allen to Ile their captain, and pre. wno-d him to the magistrates (in the time of ill(, last 1,eneral court) to Ile
lie not then accepting it, they put it to tile vote, whether lie should lie their captain. The vote passim, for it, lie then told the company, it was now past question, ...-I t6--- All.,~ t,,c.ted it- mid exercised the company two or three days, only about a third part of them followed tile
him, that, were it not for the respect to his ministry, they would commit him. When his brethren and the rest were come in, the matters of thq information were laid to their charge, which they denied for the most part. So they were bound over (each for other) to the next court of assistants. After this five others were sent for by summons (these were only for speaking untruths of the magistrates in the church). They came before the deputy governour, when lie was alone, and demanded the cause of their sending for, :in(] to know their accusers. The deputy told them so much of the cause as lie could remember, and referred them to the secretary for a copy, and for their accusers be told them they kne%v both the men and the matter, neither was a judge bound to let a criminal offender know his accusers before the (lay of trial, but only in his own discretion, least the accuser might be taken off or perverted, &c. Being required to give bond for their appearance, &c., they refused. The deputy laboured to let them see their errour, and gave them time to consider of it. About fourteen days after, seeing two of theart in the court, (which was kept by those four magistrates for smaller causes), the deputy required them again to enter bond for their appearance, &c., and upon their second refusal committed them in that open court.
., The general court falling out before the court of assistants, the Ilubberts and the two which were committed, and others of 11ingharn, about ninety, (whereof Mr. Ilubbert their minister was the first), presented a petition to the general court, to this effect, that whereas some of them bad been bound over, and others committed by some of the magistrates for words spoken concerning the power of the general court, and their liberties, and the liberties of the church, &c., they craved that the court would bear the cause, &c. This was first presented to the deputies, who
Rent it to tile MaOstrates, desiring their concurrence wifli theni, that the calls(, mi,dit be hieud, &c. The nceistrates, tnarvellin" that thev Would graut such a petition, without desiring cooference first with themselves, Wholn it so much concerned, returned answer, that they were willing tile cattle Should be heard, so as the petitionrs would name the ma.,iltrates %% [lot,, they intended, and the matters they would lay to their charge, &e. Upon this the deputies demanded of the petitioners' agents (who w,.,-o then deputies of the court) to have Satisfaction in those points, whertaipon they sin,gleal out the deputY governour, and two of tile peti. tioncr4 undertook the prosecution. Then tile petition wag returned w-,ain to the magistrates for their consent, &c., who being deSIrOUS that the deputies might take notice, how prejudicial to authoritY and the honour of the court it would be to cull a magistrate to answer cri . .
e The (lay appointed beim, come, the court assembled in the meeting house at Boston. Divers of the elders were. present, and a great assembly of people. The deputy governour, cotain" in with the rest of tile imwistrates, placed himself beneath within the bar, and so sate uncovered. Smile question was in court about his being fit that place (for many both of the court and the assembly were grieved at it). But the deputy tellin,, them, that, being criminally accused, he mi,,ht not sit as Judge in that cause, and if lie were upon the bench, it would bt~ a ~,roat disadvtm. tags to him, for he could not take that liberty, to plead the eUILS1, Which he ought to be allowed at the bar, upon this the court Was satisfied.
I-The petitioners having declared their grievances &c. the deputy craved leave to make answer, which wai to this effect, viz. that lie accounted it no disgrace, but rather :in honour put upon him, to be single(] out from his brethren in the defence of a cause so just (;is lie hoped to make that appear) and of so publick concernment. ' Awl although lie might have pleaded to the petition, and so have demurred in law, upon three points, 1, in thatthereisnothingLud toldsvicirl,,c, thatiqvithercriminalor unjust; 2, if lie had been mistaken either in tile law or in the State of tile case, yet whether it were such as a judge is to be called in question for as a delin. quent, when it doth not appear to be wickedness or Wilfulness; for ill England many erroneous jUdMlleftts are reversed, and errours ill proceedings rectified, and vet the judges not called in question about them
3, in that being thus Singled out from three other of the magistrates, and to answer by himself for some things, which were the, ;let of a court, lie is deprived of the just means of his defence, for many things may be justified as done by four, which are not warrantable if (lone by one alone, and the records of a court are a full justification of :111V act, while Stich record stands in force. But lie was willim, to waive this Idea, and to
Hereupon the court proceeded to examine the whole cause. The deputy justified all the particulars laid to his charge, as that upon credible information of such a Dultill practice, find opei , disturbance of the peace, auk] slighting of authortv, the offenders were sent for, the principal by warrant to the constable in bring them, and others by summons, and that some were bound over to the next court of assistants, and others that refused to be bound were committed ; and all this according to the equity of the lows here established, and the eastern and laws of England, and our constant practice her(, these fifteen Years. And for some speeches lie was charged with as spoken to the delinquents, when they came before him at his house, when none were present with him but themselves, first, lic appealed to the judgment of the court, whether delinquents niq ' v be received as competent witnesses against a magistrate in such a caw ; thell, for the words themselves, some lie justified, some he explained so as no advantage could be taken of them, as that lie should say, that the magistrates could try sorue criminal causes without Littry, that lie knew no law of God or mail, whieli required a judge
make known to the party his accusers (or rather witnesses) before file Cause Came to hearing. But two of them charged him to have said that it was against the law of God and man so to do, which bad been absurd, for the deputy professed he knew no law against it, only a judge may sometimes, in discretion, conceal their names &c. least they should be tampered with, or conve3ed out of the way &c.
Two of the ma-istrates and many of the deputies were of opinion that the mal,istrates exercised too much power, and that the people's fil erty was thereby in danger ; and other of the deputies (being about all) and till the rest of tile magistrates were of a different judgment, and that aullioritv was overmuch slighted, which, if not tilrody remedied, Would endanger the com moil weal tl I, and bring its to a mere democracy. By occasion of this difference. there was not so orderly carriage at the hearing, as was meet, each side striving unseasouablY to enforce the evidence, and declaring their judgments thereupon. which should have been reserved to a met c private debate (us after it was), so as the best part of two days was spent in this publivic agitation and exturtination of witnesses &c. This being ended, a committee was chosen of magistrates and deputies, who stated the case, as it appeared upon the whole pleading and evidence,, though it cost much time, and with great difficulty did the committee come to accord upon it.
" The case being stated and agreed, the mR.6strates and deputies considWA would 1, no means consent thereto, for they knew that ,,:my of the elders Understood tile cause, and were more careful to uphold the honour and poe or if tile magistrates than themselves well liked of, mul many of them (:ot Ihe request of tile elder and others of the chtin-h of Ilitudetin duriw, tbik . (,art) had be~u at Ifingloun, to see if they could settle peace in the chun-h there, and found the elder and others the petitioners in great hult &c. After this (upon motion of the deputie,) it was agieed to refer the cause to qrbitrators, accordim, to in order of the coult, when tile Rcu'i'll'ates Told deputies cannot a,gree &e. The magistrates named six of Tile elders of tile, Ilext towns, and left it to them to choose any three or four (if them. arid required them to naine six others. The deputies findin-, themselves now at tile wall, and not daring to trust. the elders w ill] (TIc came, they sent to desire that six of themselves mi,dit count mid couler with the magistrates, which tieing granted. they etone, find lit best cattle to this agreement, viz. the chief petitioners and the rest of tile off,-nolcrs were severally finked, (all their lines not amounthor to 51) Isonuk). thR rest of the petitioners to bear qual share to T)O pounds more towaid, thu charges of the court, (two of the principal offenders iiere the del'oties of tile iown, Joshua Ilubbert; and Bozonq Allen, tit,,, first was fined 20 pounds. and the other ,-) pounds), lieutenant Holes to be under ::;I ,~iui i Lion, tile deputy 'po,ornour to be legallY :tit<] Imblickly acquit of
I qupposo something may be expected from me, upon this clell-c that k hefiallen me. which moves me to speak now to you ; let I intond not to internieddle in the proceedinIgs of the court, or with any of tile 10 History of Hingham.
breaks not his covenant. The covenant between you and us is the oath you have taken of us, which is to this purpose, that we shall govern you and judge your causes by the rules of God's laws and our own, according to our beat skill. When you agree with a workman to build you a ship or house &e. lie undertakes as well for his skill as for his faithfulness, for it is his profession, and you pay him for both. But when you call one to lie a magistrate, he doth not profess nor undertake to have suffi. cient skill for flult office, nor can you furnish him with gifts &c. therefore you must run tile hazard of his skill and ability. But if be fail in faith. fulne;s, which by his oath he is bound unto, that he must answer for. If it fall out that the case be clear to common apprehension, and the rule clear also, if lie transgresses here, the errour is not in the skill, but tit the evil of the will : it must be required of him. But if the cause be doubtful, or the rule doubtful, to men of such understanding and parts as your magistrates are, if your magistrateR should err here, yourselves must bear it.
11 1 For tile other point concerning liberty, I observe a great mistake in the country about that. There is a twofold liberty, natural (I mean as our nature is now corrupt) and civil or federal. The first is common to men with beasts and other creatures. By this, man, as he stands in relation to man simply, both liberty to do what he lists ; it is a liberty to evil as well as to good. This liberty is incompatible and inconsistent with authority, and Cannot endure the least restraint of the most just authority. The exercise and maintaining of this liberty makes men grew more evil, anti in time to be worse thin brute beasts ; c unnes sumus licentia deleri-
All the rest of tile petitioners tieing fined 81,out of which number are eXcepted three ; viz., Mr. Peter Hubbard, John Foulodiame, suit John Toweta. The rest, frisking 78, are fined 20 shillings a piece, the sartin of which is - 1155 Ill.
We have also voted, that, accorditin, to the order of the general court, for so ]out, time as their (!:lose hath been in liandlite, the petitioners shall bear the charge of the 1-neateral court, the slim of which costs is to be crost tip unit agreed by the court when the cause is finished.'
Tobe rest of the trainband of Ilingharn, that have air equal vote .allowed thern by law for the choice of their military officers, are fined 55 I finds, to be paid by equal proportion; the which said sums of 50 and
Cbar,gv of the court occasioned by the hearing of the cause, in case the said charge shall arise to tile surn of 105 pounds. Tire deputies desire the consent of the neigistrates herein.'
11 Several discordant votes passed each branch before the business wits brought to its close."
After giving an account of the proceedings of the court, Winthrop remarks as follows : -
];lit tho difficultics did not terminate liere. The authority of _,.eC11lllWlit, wits resisted whell tile inarshal attempted to levy the jilic., imposed oil the petitioners. The following is Wintlit-op's f , clul of tile matter : -
lit, allegiance to the crown of England and exemption front such m , 1~ were not at'rettable to tile laws of England, qaYilc' to the inardeal floor le, could never know wherefore lie. was fine(], except it were for petillouilw, all-[, if they were so waspish that they night not be petitioned, It.- kiwa, not what to sity to it, &C. -all the answer he would 1,tive was. that. if If(- hall broken ativ wholesome law not repirelifint to the laws (If Ele-dard. It(! was really U; Submit to censure. So lie was bound over to tile [Next I ourt of assistalles.
information and other concurrent testimony being read to him'and hil; an,wer demanded. lie d"Irell to know lit what state lie stood, and what (Ifi'llee lie should be charged with, or what wholesome law of the Lind, "tot rl-pa, flalt to tire law of England, lie had broken. The court told hiin Ol it lit(! inatters lie wast charged with amounted to a seditious practice, vid deroceation and contempt of aittlioritv. Ile still pressed to kilow It 1. it LW, &C. Ho Wag told that tile call 'which he had taken was a bear I., trial ; and, besides, the law of God, which we were to Jud,,o by in
.I.c (If a defect of :11, expret;o; law. Ile said that the law of God :illore Lite gUlLeFUL court had fined them, except it were for petitioning; and if they were so waspish (or captious) as they might not be petitioned, &c. -and other speeches tending to disparage our authority and proceedings. Accordingly a bill was drawn up, Atc., and the jury found that he seemed to be ill affected to this government, and that his speeches tended to sedition and contempt of authority. Whereupon the whole court (except Mr. Bellin,-,ham, who judged him to deserve no censure, and desired in open court to have his dissent recorded) adjudged him to pay 20 pounds fine, and to be bound to his good behaviour till the next court of assistants, and then farther if the court should see cause. At this sentence his spirit rose, and he would know what the good behaviour was, and desired the immes of the jury and a copy of all the proceedings, which was granted him; and Be he was dismissed at present."
]it 1646 the celebrated petition of Dr. Child and six others for the abolition of 11 the distinctions which were maintained here, both ill civil and church estate," and that the people of this country might be wholly governed by the laws of England, was Presented to the House of Deputies. Six of the petitioners were cited before the court and charged with great offences contained in this petition. They nppealed to the Parliament of England, and offered security to abide I~y their sentence; but the court tlioug~ht proper to sentence the offenders to fino and imprisonment. The petitioners then resolved to lay their case before Parliament ; and Dr. Child, Mr. Vassall, and Mr. Fowle went to England for thnt purpose.1 But it appears that they met will) very ill success in their exertions. Their papers were published at London by Major John Child, brother of Dr. Robert Child, in a tract entitled " New England's Jonas Cast up at London," in allusion, probably, to the reinark of Mr. Cotton in one of his sermons, " that, if any shall carry any writings at- complaints against the people of God in this country to England, it would be as Jonas in the ship." This tract was answered by Mr. Winslow, who was then in Eiil,lqnd, in another tract, entitled 11 The Salamander," " wherein," says Winthrop, 11 lie cleared the justice of the proceedings" of the Vverpinent here. I introduced this notice of the petition of Dr. Child and others
11 An amusing account of the superstitious terror of some of the passengers in the vessel in which the petitioners went to England, and of the ill success of their petition, may be found in Neal's " History of New tilglarl
iteration lend subjected Iiiiii. I give, bowever, Winthrop's account in his own words:
8peaking one of the deputies informed the court that Mr. Hubbard was the mail suspected; whereupon he rose and said that lie knew nothing Of any such petition. The governour replied, that, seeing lie was now named, lie must needs deliver his mind about him ; which was, that, although they laid no proof present about the matter of the petition, and therefore his denial was a sufficient clearing, &c., yet in regard lie had so much opposed authority and offered such contempt to it, as for which lie had been lately bound to his good behaviour, he thought lie would (in discretion) withdraw himself, &c., whereupon he went out. Then the governour put the court in mind of a great miscarriage, in that our secretest counsels were presently known abroad, which could not be but by some among ourselves, and desired them to look at it its a matter of great unfaithfulness, and that our present consultations might be kept in the breast of the court, and not be divulged abroad, as others had been."
Winthrop then remarks upon a special providence of God (as lie terms it), in which lie takes it for granted that Mr. Hobart, the people of Hingham, and Dr. Child entertained similar views, if they did not openly combine their efforts to proinote them.
11 1 must here observe a special providence of God, pointino~ out his displeasure against some profaire persons who took part with Dr. Child, &c., against the government and churches here. The court had appointd a general fast, to seek God (as for some other occasions, so) in the trouble which threatened us by the petitioners, &c. The pastor of Ilingliani,and others of his church (being of their party), made light of it, and some said they would not fast against Dr. Child and against themselves ; and there were two of them (one Pitt and Johnson) who, having a great raft of inasts :aid planks (worth forty or fifty pounds) to tow to Boston, would needs set forth about noon the day before (it being impossible they could get to Boston before the fast; but when they came at Castle Islan;1 there arose such a tempest, as carried away their raft, an(] forced them to cut their inast to save their lives. Some of their masts and planks they recovered after, where it had been cast on shore ; bill when they canic with it to the Castle, they were forced back again, and were so oft put [lack 'a ith contrary winds, &c., as it was above a month before they could bring all the remainder to Boston."
The editor of Winthrop in noticing, these remarks ~cry justly Observes, that 11 unless we be always careful to consider the cause 16 Hi8tory of Hingham.
of any special providence, we may fail in our views of the displeasure of God ; " and notices tile fact that the elergy, when they came to this town to reduce the church ineli to sobriety, 11 were kept twenty-four hours in the beat, lind were in great donger by occasion of a tempest."
The last time at which Mr. Hobart was made, to feel the displeasuro of the government was in 1647. Winthrop mentions it in tire following inariner : -
11 4. (6). There was a great marriago to be solemnized at Boston. The bridegroom beieg of Ifilorhale, Mr. flubbiLrd's church, fie was procared to preach, and came to Boston to that end. But the magistrates, hearho, of it, sent to him to forbear. The FeaSODS were, 1. for that his spirit ]to(] been discovered to be adverse to our ecclesiastical and eivil government, and lie was a bold man, and would speak his rabid, 2. we were oot willinor to bring in the English custom of ministers'performing the, solemnity, 07 Dearrize-0, which SeralODS at Such tialeS alhilit iliduce, but if ariv minister were present, and would bestow a word of exhortation, &C., it was permitted."
I have thus gleaned from Winthrop all the facts %ihich his valliable journal contains, relating in any manner to the military difficulties ill this town, and to the conduct of the most prominent individuals concerned in them. The dispassiormt;c trader, while be will give to Winthrop all
Thus we learn that one of the militarY company liere professed 11 he would die lit the swo point, if lie might not have the choice of his own officers.!,~`qsorne of the principles and privileges for which our fathers contended, were undoubtedly too liberal and republican for the spirit of the age in which they lived. They were, perhaps, injudicious and indiscreet in their
cad.~ovo],s io promote their views ; and probably in some instances re;.!ht not have expressed that respect for tile constituted authori-
i. 4 11 ) %; 1 ; iv h their -hatractei entit I Pd tile in. The most superfici-I ~-:Avr, howeA er, trial- discover in the eondect of tire deprity gov 1-1 Wo- 101110him, of ilic spirit of bigotry which was, unfortunately, t fict, allowed to affect the judgments of tire wisest and best of no-n at that little, and which operated very much to the injury of tbov who entertained more liberal opinions in politics an4 p.1w,ioll. file deputies, although conscious of the disorder which R~wh principles inight cause in the community, did net feel so S 1-011111 it disregard of tile motives of the pes~)Ple of llingbaril, ~% hielt impelled thern to the course which they pursued, as to in,]a(-(- them to consent to impose on them heavy fines, without rivat reluctance.
The deputv goiernor appears to have been very sensitive on I he subject oi intiovations upon the authority of government, and stningli. bent, not only upon punishing, but desirous of publicly 'E'.-'racilag lit(. " p rofatic " people of Ilitigharn. lit, seellis to have
Bible, Testairivrit, and ,ill nto the corrinion law," itsThe effect of this controversy does not appear to lane been ultimately injurious to the most conspicuous individiells vilgaged in it. Air. Hobart, the pastor of Ifilighana, enjoyed the estvern ,if his people, and as has been before remarked, was relieved fr"Ill tile severe penalties which lie incurred, li_~ the libetality of th'. p-ople of the town, His brother Joshua was afterwards fl~ .1to-1111% a deputY, and in 1674 lie was honored by an election U. ill(. otbre of Speaker to the House of Deputies. It i.A to Is, admitted that tile excitement necessarily caused by
condition after the conclusion of this troublesome atI or. Nothilor of importance occurred until the declining strength
Ow %cuorablo poster necessitated the settlottient of a succesill l1w person of Mr. John Norton, in 1678. Mr. Hobart was 11-1 it, his -venti.-lifth Yeur, in(] lie, had served this people faith lull~ :111.1 ~% ith trial ked ability for over finty-three years.
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