Hypocrisy Unmasked, Account 1
A TRVE RELATION OF THE Proceedings of the Governour and Company of the Maſſachuſets in New-England, againſt Samuel Gorton and his Accomplices; with the grounds and reaſons thereof, examined and allowed by their Generall Court holden at Boſton in November, 1646.
SAMƲEL GORTON lived ſometime at Plymouth, where his behaviour was ſo turbulent and offenſive both to the Magiſtrates and others, as they were neceſſitated to drive him out of their Juriſdiction. From thence hee went to Roade-Iſland, where hee began to raiſe ſedition, and to make a party againſt the Authority there; for which hee was apprehended and whipped, and ſo ſent away. From thence (with ſome others whom hee had gathered to his part) hee removed to Providence, where Mr. Roger Williams then lived. Hee (with ſome others) oppoſed his …itting down there as an Inhabitant, onelyonly in regard of his preſent diſtreſſe, they gave way for his abode for a time. But being once houſed, hee ſoon drew ſo great a party to him, as it was beyond the power of Mr. Williams and his party to drive them out, or to rule them there; ſo as both parties came armed into the field each againſt other, and had fought it out, had not Mr. Williams uſed meanes for pacification. duplicate page duplicate page Hereupon many of the chiefe of Providence ſent meſſengers with a Letter to the Governour and Councell of the Maſſachuſets, deſiring aide againſt Gorton and his company; but they were anſwered, that not being within our Juriſdiction nor conſederation we had no ground to interpoſe in their quarrells. Soone after ſome of thoſe men tendred themſelves and their lands to come under our Government, and were received.
There live neere to Providence two ſmall Indian Sachims called Pumham and Socononoco, who though they are as free as the great Sachim of the Nanohigganſet: Yet Myantonimo the then Sachim of of Nanohigganſet (being a very proud and ſterne man) kept them in great awe. This poore Sachim Pumham had a large parcell of land neer Providence, very convenient for plantation, which Gorton and his company (being now about 13, or 14.) taking notice of, and fearing they ſhould not be able to keep their power long where they were, dealt with Myantonimo for this parcell of land, promiſing him a good parcell of Wampam for it. And becauſe they knew that Pumham was the true owner of it, they dealt with him alſo; but he refuſing to ſell it (for hee dwelt upon it, or very neare to it) they cauſed Myantonimo to ſend for him, and having drawn a Writing purporting the ſale thereof for a certaine conſideration to bee given to both of them, Myantonimo ſigned it, and hee for feare of Myantonimo ſet his mark to it alſo, not knowing what it was. But when Gorton tendred him the conſideration for it, hee utterly refuſed it, it being the Indians manner not to account any thing ſold, till the party have received the thing it is ſold for.
But upon this colourable title Gorton and his company enter upon the land, and build ſome houſes, and withall much wrong the Indians with their cattle, and having Myantonimo their friend, behave themſelves very inſolently toward the poor Indians, who (having no friends or meanes to relieve themſelves) came and tendred themſelves and their lands to the government of the Maſſa…uſets, who (by order of the Court) gave notice thereof to Myantonimo, and appointed him to come or ſend to the next Court at Boſton, to ſhew his title or intereſt (if hee had any) to the ſaid Pumham and Socononoco or their lands. At the time appointed hee came, and pretended that they were his vaſſalls, but it appeared clearly both by a writing from Mr. Williams, and the teſtimony of ſome other Engliſh in thoſe parts, and of divers other Indians no way related to them, that they were free Sachims; ſo as Myantonimo having nothing to reply, the Court received the two Indian Sachims with their ſubjects and lands under the government and protection of the Maſſachuſetts; and upon that writ to our neighbours of Providence, intimating the ſame to them, and adviſing Gorton and his company, that if they had any juſt title to the lands they poſſeſſed, they ſhould come, or ſend ſome for them to ſhew the ſame to the Court, and offered them ſafe conduct. This letter from the Court they tooke in great diſdaine, and returned ſcornfull and menacing anſwers by word of mouth, and a good time after they wrote a letter to the Court full of reproach and blaſphemies, not onelyonly againſt the Magiſtrates, but againſt the Churches and Ordinances, as by the Copy thereof hereafter following will appeare. Notwithſtanding theſe provocations and daily wrongs offered to thoſe few Engliſh their neighbours (who had formerly ſubmitted themſelves to our Government) wee ſate ſtill neare halfe a yeare, and before we attempted any thing againſt them, wee adviſed with the Commiſſioners of the united Colonies, who (upon teſtimony of their inſolent and injurious courſes, and peruſall of the letter they ſent to us) left them to us to proceed according to Juſtice. Whereupon the Court ſent againe to them by two of their members, who carryed letters (to require and perſwade them to come and give ſatisfaction,) and a ſafe Conduct withall; but they entertained thoſe Meſſengers as they had done the former, threatening to whip one, whom they tooke along with them; and ſent us word, that if wee had any thing to ſay to them, wee ſhould come to them, and wee ſhould have juſtice there, and that if wee came with force, they would meet us half the way. Our meſſengers returning with theſe ſcornfull anſwers, the Court reſolved to ſend ſome force to fetch them in; and in the mean time there came a ſecond letter from them; (the Copy whereof is hereafter alſo ſet downe) but before wee ſent forth our ſouldiers, wee wrote to them to this effect: Viz. That although the injuries and provocations wee had indured from them were very grievous, yet that our Juſtice and moderation might appeare to all men, wee had condeſcended ſo farre to their owne propoſition, as wee would ſend ſome Commiſſioners to them, to heare their anſwers and allegations, and if thereupon they would give us ſuch ſatisfaction as ſhould bee juſt, wee would leave them in peace; if otherwiſe, wee would right our ſelves by force of Armes: And ſignified withall, that wee would ſend a ſufficient guard with our Commiſſioners; for ſeeing they would not truſt themſelves with us upon our ſafe conduct, wee had no reaſon to truſt any of ours with them upon their bare curteſie. Accordingly about a week after wee ſent three Commiſſioners, and 40 Muſqueteers with them, with inſtructions, firſt to ſpeak and treate with them, and to require ſatisfaction according to Juſtice, and if it were denyed, then to take them by force, and bring them priſoners to Boſton; and to take withall ſo much of their ſubſtance as ſhould ſatisfie our charges. By the way as they went they met with another letter from them, letting them know, that they feared them not, but were prepared for them: And accordingly they had fortified themſelves in one houſe (ſome 12 of them) and had lined the walls with earth (Musket proofe) and had made Flanckers, and provided victualls, &c. to indure a ſiege. So that when our Commiſſioners came to the place, they would admit no parly. But after a while, by the mediation of ſome of their neighbours, they were content to parley, and offered to referre the cauſe to Arbitrators, ſo as ſome of them might bee of Providence, or of Roade Iſland. Our Commiſſioners were content to ſend to us to know our minds about it, and in the meane time ſate ſtill. Such of the Court as could meet, returned anſwer that their Propoſition was neither ſeaſonable nor reaſonable, nor could it bee ſafe or honourable for us to accept thereof: 1 Becauſe they would never offer nor hearken to any termes of agreement before our ſouldiers had them in their power. 2 Becauſe the ground of their Propoſition was falſe, for wee were not parties (as they pretended) but equall Judges between the Indians and others who were complainants, and themſelves, (and yet in a caſe of warre, parties may bee Judges.) 3 They were no State, or Body politique, but a few fugitives living without Law or Government, and ſo not honourable for us to joyne with them in ſuch a way of reference. 4 The parties whom they would referre it unto, were ſuch as had been rejected by us, and all the Governments in the Country, and ſo not likely to bee equall to us, nor able to judge of the cauſe: and their blaſphemous and reproachfull writings, &c. were not matters fit to bee compoſed by Arbit…ement, (being deeply criminall) but either to bee purged away by repentance and publique ſatisfaction, or elſe by publique puniſhment. For theſe and other reaſons, the Commiſ…oners were required to pro…d according to their Inſtructions. And thereupon they intrenched themſelves about the houſe, and in few dayes forced them to yeeld, and ſo brought them to Boſton, where they were kept in priſon till the Court ſate, and had their dyet from the Cookes (as good meat and drinke as the Towne afforded.) The next Lords day they refuſed to goe to the Church aſſembly, except they might have liberty to ſpeake there, as occaſion ſhould be. They were anſwered by ſome of the Magiſtrates that it appertained to the Elders to order the affairs of the Church, but they might preſuppoſe they ſhould not bee denyed ſuch liberty, ſpeaking words of truth and ſoberneſſe. So in the afternoon they came, and were placed in a convenient ſeate before the Elders. Mr. Cotton the Teacher taught then (in his ordinary courſe) out of Acts 19. of Demetrius ſpeech for Diana her ſilver ſhrine. After Sermon Gorton deſired leave to ſpeake, which being granted, hee tooke occaſion from the Sermon to ſpeake to this effect, That in the Church now there was nothing but Chriſt, ſo that all our Ordinances, Miniſters, and Sacraments, &c. were but mens inventions, for ſhew and pomp, and no other then thoſe ſilver ſhrines of Diana. He ſaid alſo, that if Chriſt lives eternally, then he died eternally, and other ſpeeches of like kinde. And indeed it appeareth both by his ſpeeches and letters, that it was his opinion, that Chriſt was incarnate in Adam, and was that image of God, wherein Adam was created; and that the chiefe worke and merit lay in his Inanition, when he became ſuch a thing, ſo meane, &c. and that his being borne after of the Virgin Mary, and ſuffering, &c. was but a manifeſtation of his ſuffering, &c. in Adam. Another of them ſaid that the Sabbath was Chriſt, and ſo was borne of the Virgin Mary. They called Magiſtracy among Chriſtians an Idol; yet they did acknowledge a Magiſtracy in the world to bee ſubjected to as an Ordinance of God, but onelyonly as naturall; as the father over his wife and children, and an hereditary Prince over his ſubjects.
Their firſt appearance before the Court was upon the Lecture day at Boſton, before a very great Aſſembly, where firſt the Governour declared the cauſe and manner of all the proceedings againſt them, and their Letters were openly read, and they had liberty to object, and anſwers were given, as followeth:
Firſt, to their plea, That they were not within our Juriſdiction; it was anſwered: 1 If they were not within ours, yet they were within the Juriſdiction of one of our confederates, who had referred them to us. 2 If they were within no Juriſdiction, then was there none to complaine to for redreſſe of our injuries in way of ordinary Juſtice, and then we had no way of relief but by force of Ar…es.
Secondly, to their plea Of perſecution for their Conſcience, &c. It was anſwered, that wee did not meddle with them for their opinions, otherwiſe then they had given us occaſion, by their owne Letters and free ſpeeches amongſtus, for wee wrote to them about civill Controverſies onelyonly, and gave them no occaſion to vent their blaſphemies and revilings againſt the Ordinances of Religion ſet up with us.
Thirdly, for their title to the Indians lands: wee had divers times deſired them to make it appeare; but they alwayes refuſed, even to our Commiſſioners, whom (according to their owne motion) wee ſent laſt to them: and ſince they were in priſon, wee offered them to ſend for any witneſſes they would name to us for that end, but this alſo they refuſed. So that our title (by the Indians ſurrender) appeareth good, and having regained poſſeſſion, we need not queſtion them any further about that.
Their Letters being read and their Subſcriptions acknowledged, they were demanded ſeverally if they would maintaine thoſe things which were contained therein. Their anſwer was, that they would, in that ſenſe they wrote them, and ſo were returned to priſon. The next day they were brought before the Court ſeverally to be examined upon particulars, (many of the Elders being deſired to bee preſent) becauſe they had ſaid they could give a good interpretation of every part of their Letters. But the Interpretation they gave being contrary to the words, they were demanded if they would then retract thoſe words, ſo plainely different from their pretended meanings. But this they refuſed to doe, ſaying, that then they ſhould deny the Truth; for inſtance in one or two. Their Letters were directed, one of them, To their Neighbours of the Maſſachuſets: and the other, To the great honoured Idoll Generall of the Maſſa…uſets, and by a meſſenger of their owne delivered to our Governour, and many paſſages in both Letters particularly applyed to our Courts, our Magiſtrates, our Elders, &c. and yet upon their examinations about their meanings in their reproachfull paſſages, they anſwered that they meant them, of the corrupt eſtate of mankinde in generall, and not of us. So, whereas in their Letter they charged it upon us, as an errour that we teach, That Chriſt dyed Actually onelyonly, when he ſuffered under Pontius …ilate; and before, onelyonly in Types, &c. upon their examination they ſaid, that their meaning was, that his death was actuall to the faith of the Fathers under the Law, (which is in effect the ſame which we hold:) Yet they would not retract their words they had written. The Elders conferred many houres with them before the Court, and by occaſion thereof they diſcovered divers blaſphemous opinions, which they maintained, we will inſtance one which was mentioned before, delivered by Gorton, viz. that the Image of God wherein Adam was created, was Chriſt; and Adams looſing that Image was the death of Chriſt, and the reſtoring of that Image in the Regeneration, was the reſurrection of Chriſt: and ſo the death of him that was borne of the Virgin Mary was but a manifeſtation of the former. Maſter William Tompſon one of the Elders had ſpent ſome time with them before in the priſon about the opinions which they held forth, and they had profeſſed their agreement with him (for ſubſtance) in every point, ſo as he came to the Court with a purpoſe to ſpeak in their behalf, but when he heard themſelves diſcover thus upon their publique examinations, he ſhewed how he had beene deluded by them. For they excell the Jeſuites in the art of equivocation, and regard not how falſe they ſpeake, to all other mens apprehenſions, ſo they keepe to the rules of their owne ſecret intentions. Being asked why they ſpake againſt the Ordinances of the Miniſtery, Sacraments, &c. ſeeing the Scripture allowes them? They anſwered that they were ordained onelyonly for the time of Nonage, but after the Revelation was written, they were to ceaſe, becauſe we finde no mention of them in that booke.
They were unlearned men, the ableſt of them could not write true engliſh, no not in common words, yet they would take upon them to interpret the moſt difficult places of Scripture, and wreſt them any way to ſerve their owne turne. As for inſtance, Mr. Cotton preſſing Gorton with that in Act. 10. Who can forbid water, why theſe ſhould not be baptiſed, &c. He interpreted thus, who can deny but theſe have beene baptiſed, ſeeing they have received the Holy Ghoſt, &c. ſo he allowed them to have beene baptiſed. This ſhift …e was put to, that he might maintaine his opinion, viz: that ſuch as have beene baptized with the Holy Ghoſt, need not the baptiſme of water. Divers dayes were ſpent both by the Court and the Elders in labouring to bring them to repentance, but all in vaine. They continued obſtinate. Whereupon they agreed to ſentence them, but firſt they brought them in publique before a great Aſſembly, and there (out of their Letters and Speeches) they laid upon them this charge, viz. they were found to be blaſphemous enemies of the true Religion of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and of all his holy Ordinances, and likewiſe of all Civill Government among his people, and particularly within this jurisdiction. Then they were demanded, if they did acknowledge this charge to be juſt, and would ſubmit to it, or what exception they had againſt it? They anſwered, they did not acknowledge it to be juſt, but they fell into ſome cavilling ſpeeches, ſo they were returned unto priſon againe. Being in priſon they behaved themſelves inſolently towards their keeper, and ſpake evill of the Magiſtrates, ſo as the keeper was forced to threaten them with Irons, to keepe them quiet.
After all meanes uſed to reclaime them, and not prevailing, they were brought before the Court to receive their ſentence, which was this. Gorton and ſix more of them, were to be ſent to ſeverall townes, there to bee kept to worke for their livings, and to weare an Iron chaine upon one leg, and not to depart the limits of the Towne, nor by word or writing to maintaine any of their blaſphemous or wicked errours upon paine of death, except in conference with any of the Elders, or any other allowed by ſome Magiſtrate to conferre with them; and this to continue during the pleaſure of the Court. Three of the Company (becauſe they had not their hands to the Letters) were ſet at libertie, two of them upon a ſmall ranſome as priſoners taken in warre, and the other, freely, for that he was amongſt them in his Maſters houſe, where they were taken; a fourth being found to be a plaine ignorant young man was diſcharged alſo, onelyonly enjoyned to abide a time in one of our Townes, but hee went away and returned no more, contrary to his promiſe. There were two other who were brought in after; (but not by force) the one of them diſclaiming to have any hand in the Letters, was diſcharged preſently; the other was kept a while in priſon, and after upon his ſubmiſſion &c. was releaſed.
Gorton and the other ſix remained in the ſeverall Townes all that Winner; and then in regard of their wives and children (who were like to be much diſtreſſed by their husbands abſence) they were ſet at liberty, and baniſhed upon paine of death if they were found in any part of our juriſdiction.
After the Court had paſſed ſentence upon them for their c…finement, we ſent to fetch ſo many of their Cattle, as might defray the charges they had put us to, which amounted to about one hundred and ſixty pounds, but the Cattle came not to ſo much, for we left every of them a part for the ſupport of their families, and ſome of them had no Cattle at all.
The Letters follow.