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CHAPTER III.

EARLY YEARS IN AMERICA. `

[NOTE. All dates before 1752 are Old Style.]

WING to the disorders in England, the colonists of Massachusetts Bay had increased rapidly in numbers by 1656. It would naturally be supposed that, having left England largely on account of religious persecution, they would be ready to establish religious liberty in their new home. Nothing was further from their thoughts. The express purpose of their coming was to do as they pleased in regard to religious matters. Stern and unbending opponents of toleration, one of their first acts was to send back two Episcopalians. Another episode was the banishment of Roger Williams. Scarcely were they clear of him, before Anne Hutchinson and the Antinomians rose up; then the Anabaptists. "Fines, imprisonment, whipping, etc.,' were brought into use to clear the colony of these dangerous heretics. If the colonists felt in this way toward those differing with them who had already appeared, it is not to be wondered at that they felt still more strongly in

1 Neal, "New England," vol. i., p. 291.

regard to the Quakers, against whom, however, there was in 1656 no law.1

The first recorded visit of any Quakers in Massachusetts was that of two women, Ann Austin and Mary Fisher, who arrived in a vessel from Barbadoes in the beginning of July, 1656. As soon as Richard Bellingham, the deputy-governor, heard of their arrival, he sent "officers aboard who searched their trunks and chests and took away the books they found there, which were about a hundred, and carried them ashore, after having commanded the said women to be kept prisoners aboard, and the said books were by an order of council burned in the market-place by the hangman." The women were then brought on shore, put in prison, all persons forbidden to speak to them under penalty of five pounds; pens, ink, and paper were taken away from them, and a board nailed before the window that no one might see or speak to them. Worse than this, they were stripped perfectly nude and subjected to an outrageous examination to see if they were witches. All this was done, it should be remembered, before trial and before there was any law against the Quakers. After an imprisonment of five weeks, during which they were cruelly treated, they were put on board the vessel and sent back to Barbadoes. Two days after they left, a vessel

1 Hutchinson, "Massachusetts," vol. i., p. 197.

2 Sewel, p. 156; Bishop, "New England Judged, etc.," London, 1703, pp. 8 ff.; Besse, vol. ii., pp. 177 ff.; Bowden, vol. i., pp. 33 ff.; Hallowell, "Quaker Invasion," pp. 32 ff.; Brooks

arrived from London with eight of the hated sect on board. One can imagine the horror of the magistrates. The master of the vessel was forced to take them back to England.'

It was while these were still in prison that the first law directly aimed against the Quakers was passed, strictly an ex post facto one so far as the prisoners were concerned. It is dated “Boston, 14 of October, 1656." It begins: "Whereas, there is a cursed sect of heretics lately risen up in the world which are commonly called Quakers, who take upon them to be immediately sent of God and infallibly assisted by the Spirit to speak and write blasphemous opinions, despising government and the order of God in church and commonwealth," etc. Heavy penalties were provided for the master of any vessel who might knowingly bring a Quaker into the colony, while any of the sect who might come from any direction were to be "forthwith committed to the house of correction, and at their entrance to be severely whipped and by the master thereof, be kept constantly to work, and none suffered to converse or speak with them." Any person importing, concealing, etc.,

Adams, "Emancipation of Massachusetts," pp. 128 ff.; George E. Ellis, "Memorial History of Boston," James R. Osgood & Co., Boston, 1882, vol. i., pp. 177 ff.; G. E. Ellis, "The Puritan Age in Massachusetts Bay," Boston, Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1888, pp. 408 ff. (the last two are a defense of the Puritans); Bryant and Gay's "History of the United States," Chas. Scribner & Sons, New York, 1878, vol. ii., chap. viii.

1 Hutchinson, "Massachusetts," vol. i., p. 197.

2 Mass. Records, vol. iv., part i., pp. 277 ff.; Hallowell, pp. 133 ff.; Besse, vol. ii., p. 179; Bowden, vol. i., p. 46, etc.

"Quaker books or writings concerning their devilish opinions," was to suffer heavy penalties likewise.

Notwithstanding this law, the Quakers continued to come, and on October 14, 1657, the second law against them was enacted, and severer penalties prescribed.1

2

A third law, enacted May 19, 1658, forbade the Quakers holding meetings, those attending being fined ten shillings and those who might speak five pounds, with further penalties for old offenders. But this was not enough, for on October 19th of the same year, and May 22, 1661, it was provided that banished Quakers who might return were to suffer death. Space does not allow a description of even one of the punishments inflicted under these laws; suffice it to say that the laws were rigorously carried out, even to the hanging on Boston Common of three men and one woman. These cruelties, and particularly the executions, having been brought to the notice of Charles II., he issued the "King's Missive," which reached Boston shortly before the day fixed for the execution of one of the sufferers, Wenlock Christison, and he and his fellow-prisoners to the number of twenty-seven were set at liberty.

1 Mass. Records, vol. iv., part i., pp. 308 ff.

2 Ibid., vol. iv., part ii., pp. 2, 321, 345.

8 Bowden, vol. i., p. 226; Bishop, pp. 335 ff.; Neal, vol. i., p. 314; Hallowell, Quaker Invasion," pp. 55, 189-191; Besse, vol. i., preface, p. xxxii., and p. 225. See Whittier's poem, "The King's Missive."

This action, however, only applied to the punishment of death, for a year later the laws, so far as whipping, etc., were concerned, were re-enacted with but little modification. In May, 1681, the death penalty was formally repealed, and on March 23, 1681-82, the laws were suspended.' There was no whipping after 1677, though Friends suffered imprisonment for their refusal to pay tithes, etc. Even the Plymouth colonists made use of whipping, disfranchisement, fines, banishment.' Friends were always ready to pay their share toward the expenses of the civil government, but they would not pay tithes.'

It may be said, as it has often been said, "The Quakers brought all this suffering upon themselves; why did they 'intrude' themselves where they were not wanted?" It may well be said in reply, Why should they have stayed away? They were Englishmen, with all the rights of Englishmen. Wenlock Christison on his trial appealed to the laws of England, asking the pertinent question, "How have you power to make laws repugnant

1 Mass. Records, vol. iv., part ii., pp. 4, 19, 34, 59, 88; vol. v., pp. 60, 134, 322.

2 Bowden, vol. i., p. 294; MS. Records, Sandwich Monthly Meeting, "8th mo., 2, 1674, 4th mo., 4, 1675, 6th mo., 1705 ("Thos. Bowman in prison for priest's rates "); Bishop, pp. 164 ff.; Bowden, vol. i., pp. 75 ff.

Hallowell," Pioneer Quakers," p. 51; Sandwich Monthly Meeting Records, " 3d mo., 9, 1712." Two Friends report that they have found out the proportion between the priest's rates and town and county charge, "and the priest's part, which Friends cannot pay, is near about one half, lacking half a third of the whole."