to his particular offence and carriage in managing the whole and it is not our manner to punish twice for one offence Thirdly take notice that the Government they charge was proved in open Court to bee according to the Law of England and therefore not committed for Petitioning for that they had Fourthly let the Reader know that the Presbyterian Government was as freely tendered them by the Governour in the open Court without any contradiction of any the Assistants or other â—s ever I heard any thing in my life though it appeareth that our Salamander is not a little troubled at it as I shall have occasion to touch in my answer to the Postscript which I verily beleeve hee penned every word Lastly let the Reader take notice that Doctor Robert Childe Mr. John Smith and Mr. John Dand were committed for certaine Papers upon close search of Dands Closet there found the night before the Ship came away which were far more factious seditious then the former Doctor Childe being committed because one of the Coppies was under his knowne hand another Coppy under Mr. Dands hand and both in his custody Mr. Smith in that hee not onely offered to rescue the Papers from the Officers that were sent to make search but when hee saw that hee could not rescue them brake out into high speeches against the Government and amongst other things said hee hoped ere long to doe as much to the Governors Closet and doe as much to him as hee did for them c. or to the like purpose And now Major Childe let the world and you take notice together wherefore your Brother those honest godly persons you pretend to speak of were committed Nor doe I beleeve that any people under the heavens that know what belongs to Government and have the power of it would doe lesse then the Magistrates there did But what the event will bee God onely knowes but this I know they are in the hands of mercifull men however they have beene abused or may by our Salamander whose reports I often meet with or by any other whatsoever And for answer to their relation of the effects this Petition produced much of it is false and answered before the rest not worthy the answering as concerning the Elders their long Sermons to provoke the Magistrates against them c. no wise man will beleeve as they relate And thus much for answer to the second part of their Booke concerning the Petition and Remonstrance A briefe answer to the third head of their Booke concerning the Capitall Lawes of the Massachusets c. HEre I finde the capitall Lawes of the Massachusets reprinted the oath they administer to their Freemen which I suppose they are sorry they can finde no more fault with And all these Capitalls rehearsed to shew the danger Doctor Childe is under by vertue of the last which followeth in these words If any man shall conspire or attempt any invasion insurrection or publique rebellion against our Common-wealth or shall indeavour to surprise any Towne or Townes Fort or Forts therein or shall treacherously and perfidiously attempt the alteration and subversion of our frame of Policy or Government fundamentally hee shall bee put to death Numb. 162 Sam. 3. and 18. and 20. Now if together with this they had manifestd a liberty the Court gives to any notwithstanding this Law fairely and freely to shew their grievance at any thing they conceive amisse and needeth either alteration or repeale then they had dealt fairly indeed but because they leave it out I take it my dutie to put it in I know our Salamander is not without some exception at any thing wee can doe but because I finde none more then as before I shall passe to the next head of their booke An answer to their Relation concerning the throwing the Petition overboard as a Jonas as they terme it I Acknowledge that Mr. Cotton taught from that Text they mention in 2 Cant. 15. Take us the Foxes the little Foxes which destroy the vines c. and let the Reader understand that this Text tell in his ordinary course of Lecture in going through that Book and not taken on purpose on that particular occasion The points hee delivered from hence as I remember were these two The first was When God had delivered his Church from the danger of the Beare and the Lyon then the Foxes the little Foxes sought by craft policy to undermine the same The second was this That all thâ—se that goe about by Fox-like craft and policy to undermine the state of the Churches of Jesus Christ they shall all bee taken every one of them The Text as I take it hee shewed belonged to that time of the Church when they returned from Babylon and were building the Temple and proved the first point of doctrine from that of Tobias and Sanballat that would have built with the Jewes the second was amplified by the History of Haman in the Booke of Hester and so brought many other examples and amongst others the story of the Bishops in the dayes of Hen. the eighth Edward the sixt Queen Elizabeth and to the beginning of these warres who under a colour of building and being Master Builders in the Lords house laid heavie burthens upon the Saints corrupted the worship of God and Lorded it over his heritage when they were come to the top of their pride the Lord Jesus could endure them no longer but they were taken even every one of them in the same snare they had set for others But I forbeare the amplifying of it and hasten to the application so farre as it concerneth this scornefull story by them penned of their feigned miracle as they call it His use of Exhortation was twofold First to such as lived in the Countrey to take heed how they went about any indirect way or course which might tend to the prejudice of the Churches of Jesus Christ in the same or the Governments of the land which through Gods mercy was not onely in the hands of such as truely feared the Lord but according to his revealed will so far as we can judge And therefore if any though never so secretly or subtilly should goe about any such thing the Watchman of Israel that slumbreth not nor sleepeth will not take it well at their hands For He that hath brought his people hither and preserved them from the rage of persecution made it a hiding place for them whilst hee was chastising our owne Nation amongst other the Nations round about it manifested his gratious presence so apparently walking amongst his Churches and preserving and prospering our Civill State from forraigne plots of the late Archbishop and his confederates and the domestick of the Heathen where wee live there was no question to bee made but Hee would preserve it from the underminings of false brethren and such as joyned with them And therefore saith hee let such know in the foregoing
NEW-ENGLANDS SALAMANDER DISCOVERED By an irreligious and scornefull Pamphlet called New Englands Jonas cast up at London c. Owned by Major Iohn Childe but not probable to be written by him OR A satisfactory answer to many aspersions cast upon New-England therein Wherein our government there is shewed to bee legall and not Arbitrary being as neere the Law of England as our condition will permit Together With a briefe Reply to what is written in answer to certaine passages in a late Booke called Hypocrisie unmasked By Edw. Winslow LONDON Printed by Ric. Cotes for John Bellamy and are to bee sold at his shop at the signe of the three Golden Lions in Cornehill neare the Royall Exchange 1647. TO Major John Childe in answer to his Preface SIR I Am sorry for your owne sake being a Gentleman reported to bee peaceable in your conversation that you should bee thus engaged in other mens quarrells especially to father other mens falshoods and irreligious jeeres and scoffes whose spirits if you were so well acquainted with as my selfe and some others that came lately from New-England as well as thousands in the Countrey you would bee more wary then to engage as you doe But first for answer to your Preface and then I conceive I have answered every word of yours in your seeming Treatise And yet I would not bee mistaken that any should thinke I judge you unable to write such a peece for there is no solidity in it but I am so well acquainted with this language and such proceedings before ever I saw your face as no man is or ever was better acquainted with the phrase or writings of another then I am with your chief animator to this undertaking whom I call New-Englands Salamander because of his constant and many yeeres exercise and delight in opposition to whatsoever hath been judged most wholesome and safe for the weale-publick of the Country from whence hee last came either in Politicks or Ecclesiasticks being ever willing to enjoy the common benefits of peace by government which maintaines every man in his proper right but never willing to beare any part of the charge in supporting the same as appeared by his constant cavilling thereat when ever any rates came upon the country though never so easie and just But to come to the occasion of your printing the following relation which you say are the sufferings that not onely my Brother Robert Child Doctor of Physick with some Gentlemen and others have suffered in their persons and estates by Fines and imprisonment in New-England and false reports and feigned miracles bere c. For answer that your brother was in prison and for what I certified you at my first comming over though to you grievous in regard of naturall affection which I honour where I finde in any Then also being occasioned thereunto I freely imparted to you the Countries colorable grounds of suspecting his agency for the great Incendiaries of Europe besides the matter of fact for which hee was committed yea that the very yeare hee came over a gentleman in the country Mr. Peters by name was advised by letters from a forraign part that the Jesuits had an agent that Sommer in New-England And that the Countrey comparing his practise with the intelligence were more jealous of him then any though to mee he was a meere stranger and therefore I marvell that Major Childe should give me occasion and force mee to publish these things which I neither affect nor intended but I shall forbeare in that kind because I would not provoke As for their estates being weakned by Fines that is yet to prove for though they were fined yet the fines were not levied nay so gentle was the censure of the Court that upon the publike acknowledgement of the offence the Fine was to bee remitted to all or any one of them so doing And for false reports and feigned miracles fomented here to colour their unjust proceedings as you terme it I answer your book is the first reporter of many things I here meet with especially as you lay them downe as shall appeare more particularly In the next place you say They give out that my brother and others desire a toleration of all Religions This is the first time that ever I heard it so reported of them Secondly whereas you say they are accused to bee against all government both in Church and Common weak This I know to bee false for I heard them demand in Court the Presbyterian government and it was granted them Besides before this demand in Court at a private conference with an eminent person who well hoped to have satisfied them hee demanded of the Petitioners what Church government it was they would have One of them answered he desired that particular government which Mr. John Goodwin in Colemanstreet was exercised in Another of them said hee knew not what that was but hee for his part desired the Presbyterian government A third of them said hee desired the Episcopall government if it might bee if not the Presbyterian And a fourth told mee himselfe that hee disclaimed any thing in the Petition that was against the government of the Churches in New-England c. resting and liking what was there done in that kind Now the former three passages and not without the latter were all told mee by grave persons in New-England such as I beleeve And therefore if any so accuse them I must needs cleare them but withall testifie I never met with this accusation against them before I read it in your booke Thirdly for their petitioning the Parliament Take notice wee hold that no subject ought to bee restrained this libertie and therefore count it no offence nor ever did and therefore they were not committed for that A fourth false report you terme is Their Petition brought from thence to bee presented to the Parliament which they had named Jones in a ship called the Supply being in a storme neere Silly out of horrour of conscience the petition was torne and throwne over board and that then the storme immediatly ceased and they â—irâ—â—â—lously saved To this I answer I was not in the ship I praise God and therefore what I say in it must bee from others whom I judge truely godly and of the most grave and solid persons amongst them And Sir let mee tell you and the world in answer to you I have heard the passage from divers but never as you print it and doe thinke verily your informers belie themselves that they may have somewhat to cavill at But though I had not thought to have entred upon a large answer to any particular yet it being one of the heads of your Treatise I shall bee larger in answering that then another thing partly to vindicate Mr. Câ—â—on who is much abused in your booke and partly from their owne pen to shew the prophane carriage of the partie in the ship by their fearefull provoking the Almightie to follow them with his
reader take notice as well of the quality of these Petitioners as of their demeanour before expressed and then thou shalt finde divers of them to bee inconsiderable in regard of proprietie with us who might bee justly suspected to draw in the rest who are much bewailed by many of us and in so doing it 's possible thou mayst as well bee jealous of their good intents as those in the Countrey For three of them namely Doctor Childe John Smith and John Dand they are persons that have no proprietie or knowne proper estate in the government where they are so busie to disturbe and distract and for Mr. Thomas Fowle who whether drawne in or no I know not hee joyned with them in this Petition and Remonstrance at such a time when hee was resolved to leave the Countrey and since hath done and sent for his wife and family as I heare As for Doctor Childe hee is a Gentleman that hath travelled other parts before hâ—e came to us namely Italy confesseth hee was twice at Rome speaketh sometimes highly as I have heard reported in favour of the Jesuites and however he tooke the degree of Doctor in Physick at Padua yet doth not at all practise though hee hath beene twice in the Countrey where many times is need enough At his first comming to New-England he brought letters commendatory found good acceptation by reason thereof with the best fals upon a dilligent survey of the whole Countrey and painefully travells on foot from Plantation to Plantation takes notice of the Havens situation strength Churches Townes number of Inhabitants and when he had finished this toylesome taske returnes againe foâ—England being able to give a better account then any of the Countrey in that respect Hee comes a second time and not onely bestoweth some Bookes on the Colledge as Sir Kâ—… Digby and many others commendably did but brings second Letters commendatory having put in some stock among some Merchants of London and for the advancement of Iron workes in the Countrey which through Gods goodnesse are like to become very profitable to them but hath no more to doe in the managing of them then any here who have other their Agents being expert in the worke This Gentlemans carriage is now changed and is not onely ready to close with such as are discontented but to bee a leader of such against the government affront the Authoritie God hath hitherto honored with his blessing appeale from their justice and thereby seeke to evade any censure and if he might be thus suffered why not others and then wee must all give over for if we have not the power of government and cannot administer justice seasonably on all occasions well we may come back againe and take some other course but wee cannot there subsist A second of these is Mr. John Smith who formerly lived about two or three yeeres in Boston but before this Remonstrance himselfe and wife were removed to Road Iland but never had any personall inheritance in the Countrey and was now at the Massachusets but as a stranger A third is one Mr. John Dand who hath lived in Boston as a soâ—ourner since these warres in another mans house at Board hire whose businesse and occasions there are unknowne unto us and whose carriage till this present was seemingly faire but all on a suddaine though no further interessed in the Countrey he thus engageth himselfe against the Authority of the place Thus taking Mr. Fowlâ— with them who was upon departure from the Countrey as afore you may see the persons to bee such as have no considerable interest amongst us at least foure in seaven And all this being true I have related I suppose by this time the Reader may conceive or at least suspect their faire pretences and great glisterings are not pure gold But besides all this take notice good Reader that our Salamander wintred many moneths amongst them very gracious and frequent in their companies and no doubt a great helpe in furthering their designe in their Remonstrance which brake forth not long after his returne home the spring following and indeed his company had beene enough alone to have produced such an effect and therefore for my part so well knowing the man I cannot wonder at it as many doe assuring my selfe bee better knowes how to ripen such fruit then all the Costermongers in London And now let mee goe to the Title of the booke which hath its relation to the Petition aforesaid and after their Gigge called New-Englands Jones cast up at London they would make the world beleeve that divers honest and godly persons are imprisoned in New-England for Petitioning for government in the Common-weale according to the Lawes of England and either for desiring admittance of themselves and children to the Sacraments in our Churches or else for leave to have Ministers and Church government according to the best reformation of England and Scotland Now these charges are most notorious false and so knowne for I came not alone from New-England but accompanied with an hundred persons at least which I beleeve can testifie in the case And therefore Major Childe take notice how you are abused by them to father such devilish and slanderous reports as these For the first There were none committed for petitioning but for their Remonstrance and the many false charges and seditious insinuations tending to faction and insurrections sleighting the government c. And lest any should thinke as I heare some doe that the Court of the Massachusets hath dealt rigorously with them and that the Petition is very faire and orderly c. let the Reader know that such thoughts must either proceed from great weaknesse in not understanding or discerning the many grosse charges in it or else from partialitie or evill affection to the Government which they neither love nor know for in their Remonstrance they not onely defame the Government but controule the wisedome of the State of England in the frame of their Charter which is under the broad Seale of the Kingdome by charging the Government to bee an ill compacted vessell Secondly they charge all the afflictions that have befallen the personall Inhabitants either by sicknesses on the land or losses at Sea upon the evill of the Government Thirdly they goe about to perswade the people that all the priviledges granted and confirmed under the broad Seale to the Governour and Company of the Massachusets belong to all freeborne English men which contrariwise belong onely to the said Governour and Company and such as they shall thinke meet to receive Fourthly they closely insinuate into the mindes of the people as the jealousies of others that these now in authoritie doe intend to exercise unwarranted dominion and an Arbitrary Government abominable to Parliament c. foretelling them of intolerable bondage which is enough alone to stirre up a people to commotion Fiftly how doe they goe about to weaken the authoritie of the Lawes of the place the peoples
respectâ— it is the Land of 〈◊〉 a Land that is pretious in the eyes of the Lord they shall not prosper that rise against it but shall bee taken every one of them in the snares they lay for it And this said hee I speake as a poore Prophet of the Lord according to the word of his grace in my Text which however in the proper sense of the Holy Ghost belonged to that age of the Church mentioned in the Booke of Nehemiah yet it is written for our example and instruction for God is the same yesterday to day and for ever no lesse carefull no lesse able and no lesse willing to save and deliver his people by ingaging himselfe in their case and who can stand before him In the second place saith he whereas divers our brethren are to goe for England and many others to follow after in another Vessell let mee direct a word of exhortation to them also I desire the gratious presence of our God may goe with them and his good Angels guard them not onely from the dangers of the Seas this Winter season but keepe them from the errours of the times when they shall arrive and prosper them in their lawfull designes c. But if there bee any amongst you my brethren as 't is reported there are that have a Petition to prefer to the High Court of Parliament which the Lord in mercy goe on blessing to blesse as hee hath begun that may conduce to the distraction annoyance and disturbance of the peace of our Churches and weakning the Government of the Land where wee live let such know the Lord will never suffer them to prosper in their subtill malicious and desperate undertakings against his people who are as tender unto him as the apple of his eye But if there bee any such amongst you that are to goe I doe exhort and would advise such in the feare of God when the terrors of the Almightie shall beset the Vessell wherein they are the Heavens shall frowne upon them the billowes of the Sea shall swell above them and dangers shall threaten them as I perswade my selfe they will I would have them then to consider these things for the time of adversitie is a time for Gods people to consider their wayes I will not give the counsell was taken concerning Jonah to take such a person and cast him into the Sea God forbid but I would advise such to come to a resolution in themselves to desist from such enterprises never further to ingage in them and to cast such a Petition into the Sea that may occasion so much trouble and disturbance But it may be hardnesse of heart stoutnesse of spirit may cause such a person or persons with stiffe necks to persist and yet in mercy with respect to some pretious ones amongst you as I perswade my selfe there are many such goe in each Vessell the Lord may deliver the Vessell from many apparent troubles and dangers for their sakes but let such know the Lord hath Land judgements in store for such for they are not now free Hee being the God of the Land as well as of the Sea and if you turne to Numb. 14. 36 37. you shall there see how hee threatned to destroy such as brought a false report upon his land with the Plague and truely God hath still Plagues in store for such as bring a false report upon his Church and people Nay said hee I heare the Lord hath a destroying Angell with the Sword of Pestilence in that Kingdome striking here and there as seemeth good unto him though not vehemently blessed bee his name and who knowes what the Lord will doe and therefore I advise such in the feare of God and I speak it as an unworthy Prophet of His according to that portion of his word I now speake from to lay these things to heart for it is the Lord Jesus hath said Take us the Foxes the little Foxes c. or let them bee taken And beleeve it for a truth all those that goe about by Fox-like craft and subtiltie to undermine the Churches of Christ Jesus they shall all bee taken even in the very snare and ginne they set for others And thus much for what Mr. Cotton delivered on this Thursdayes Lecture in Beston Novemb. 5. 1646. which I have shewed to many eminent persons now in England who were present at this Lecture and judge it not onely to bee the summe of his exhortation but his very expressions and are ready to testifie it on all occasions against all opposers as Mr. Thomas Peters and Mr. William Golding Ministers Hâ—rbert Pâ—lbâ—â— Esquire Captaine William Sayles Captaine Leveret Captaine Harding Mr. Richard Sadlâ—â— c. And take notice withall good Reader that I never heard the good man deliver any thing with more earnestnesse and strength of affection then these things thus sleighted by our adversaries as thou seest And for the second part of their story viz their passage and the passages of Gods providence befell them in it take notice good Reader that however our Salamander turned things into a jest as soone as they were delivered asking whether hee were a great Fox or a little one yet many others that were ingaged to goe but in the Ship their hearts trembled that they were to goe in such company And Mr. Thomas Peeters a Minister that was driven out of Cornewall by Sir Ralph Hopton in these late Warres and fled to New-England for shelter being called back by his people and now in London upon sight of what I have written gave mee leave before many to adde this that upon Mr. Cottons exhortation having shipped his goods and bedding to have gone in the Ship with them amongst other arguments this was the maine that hee feared to goe in their company that had such designes and therefore tooke passage to goe rather by way of Spaine c. And to speake the truth as the ship rode out many fearefull stresses in the Harbour after they were ready before they could goe to saile the wind being faire but overblowing so after they came to Sea had the terriblest passage that ever I heard on for extremitie of weather the Mariners not able to take an observation of Sunne or Star in seven hundred Leagues sayling or thereabouts And when they were all wearied out and tired in their spirits certaine well-disposed Christians called to mind the things delivered by Mr. Cotton before mentioned and seeing the Tempest still to continue thought meet to acquaint such as were conceived to be meant by Mr. Cotton and that had a purpose to persist in such courses that they thought God called them now to consider of the things delivered by him hereupon a godly discreet woman after midnight went to the great Cabbin and addressed her speech in sobrietie and much modesty to them whereupon one of the two answered in these words or to this purpose Sister I shall bee loath to grieve you or any
other of Gods people with any thing I shall doe and immediatly went to his Chest or Trunke and tooke out a paper and gave it her and referred it to the discretion of others to doe withall as they should see good which the woman not in a distracted passion as they reported shewed to Mr. Richard Sadler and others who although they knew it was not the right Petition but that they were deluded yet because they judged it also to bee very bad having often seene it in New-England but never liked the same cut it in peeces as they thought it deserved and gave the said peeces to a Seaman who cast them into the Sea The storme for the present continued that night say some others say some abatement of winde befell presently after but all conclude it abated the next day but that they had divers stormes afterward being then 200. leagues short of the lands end is most certaine And in one of these hideous stormes having no saile abroad the ship lying adrist with the helme bound up the master conceiving hee was to the Southward of Silley layed the ship to the Norward the night being very darke In the last watch of the night one of the Quarter masters going to the Pumpe discerned Rocks ahead within a Cables length and made such an outery as the whole ship was awakened and nothing but death presented them there was much hast made to let loose the Helme and to come to saile but before it could bee done the ship was engaged amongst the Rocks of Silley and nothing could bee discerned under water but by the breaking of the waves which was their best direction to cunne the ship In this labyâ—inth the Ship travelled for a quarter of an hower or more in which time it was generally observed the Ship readily obeyed her Helme or rather the great Pilate of the Seas upon the word given which at other times shee was slow in At length the Ship drove in and came a ground between two Ilands and could not bee got off being â—bbing water and it was the speciall providence of God to place her there in much mercy and compassion on his poore afflicted ones the vessell being full of passengers for on both sides and on head were desperate Rocks which were not discovered till the morning light the Ship all this while lying fast upon a bed of Sand or Owse when it was day the dangers which they had escaped in the night to our admiration presented themselves nor durst the Master worke the ship till hee had gotten a Pilate from the shore who undertooke to bring her to an Anchor neâ—re Crowes Sound The deliverance was so strange as the Inhabitants of Silly were amased at it some saying it was a miracle another that God was a good man that should thus deliver us indeed all the Iland wondred and the passengers themselves most of all when they saw the Breaches at low water so farre off at Sea neere which they passed before they knew the danger and the Rocks they sailed by after they found themselves involved as it were between Sâ—pllâ— and Câ—rybdis Much more might bee added to account the mercy but this may suffice to let the world see 't is no such trifle as is pretended in their prophane relation who had then other thoughts being passengers also in the Ship and seemed willing to joynâ— with the godly party in the Ship in testimony of their thankfulnesse to celebrate a speciall day of thanksgiving unto the Lord for so great salvation where Mr. Golding preached being a passenger with them and Teacher to a Church of Christ in Bermâ—dâ— And now good Reader what wilt thou judge of such as can turne such deliverances into a scoffe witnesse their prophane Title New-Englands Jonas cast up at London the naked truth whereof thou hast heard related in all which Jonas was but once accidentally named and that by way of direct opposition to any such counsell The Master of the ship never spoke to no speech between the woman and Mr. Vassall that I can learne but betweene Mr. Fowle and her shee under no distemper of passion but modest discreet and sober in her carriage thorow out the whole In briefe all that I can meet with that were in the Ship especially the most eminent persons affirme this relation of theirs to bee false yea Mr. Fowle himselfe acknowledged it before Captaine Sailes late Governour of Bermudas Captaine Leveret and Captaine Harding all passengers in the ship who all concuâ—â—ed in the falshood of the same and the three Captaines not a little offended thereat and Mr. Richard Sadler and divers others are ready to testifie the same But put the case they had deluded a poore weake passionate woman by a shadow instead of a substance Mee thinkes if any feare of God had been before their eyes they might have trembled at so many and so great threatnings of the Almightie who followed them from one land to another over the vast Ocean with his terrours and have shewed greater thankfulnesse for such a deliverance as before recited then to carry themselves as they doe labouring to delude the Reader as well as themselves and to ascribe all to the Winter season as if all our passages were ordinarily such as appeareth by their note in the Maâ—gent page 12. when as that is false also witnesse some that came with them who affirme they have bin in Winter passages but never in the like the Master his company all concurring therein being confident also they fared the worse for their company And thus much â—â—â—n affirme and at least an hundred more that came with me who came away about the middest of December five weeks deeper in Winter then they and yet through Gods undeserved favour had a comfortable passage and landfall which I thought good to adde to the rest that persons may not bee discouraged from the passage though I must confesse the Spring and Fall are the best seasons But let them go on if nothing will reclaime them and I will waite and attend the word of the Lord in the mouth of his servant and observe the dispensation of his providence towards his Churches and the enemies of the same And thus much for answer to the fourth head of their book published by Major Childâ— An answer to the Postscript IN this postscript which containeth more matter then the whole â— booke I can trace our Salamander line by line and phrase after phrase in his accustomed manner to delâ—de many simple ones and weaken their respect to the government of New-England where hee did a great deale more hurt by his personall presence than hee can doe here by such slanderous invectives as he either pinâ—â—th upon others witnesse this silly peece called New-Englandâ— Jâ—nâ—â— oâ— any hee shall publish hereafter To answer every particular at length would bee too tedious But because hee pretendeth an answer to some passages in a booke written lately by my selfe
called Hypocrisie Vnmasked concerning the Independent Churches holding Communion with the Reformed Churches at the request of many I came to a resolution as to answer the former passages so to reply to his malicious cavils in this who indeed hath not answered any one thing but rather raised some scruples that may cloud what I did and cause such as are ignorant to doubt where things are most cleare but however I am 〈…〉 with in this case not onely by some of the Independent 〈…〉 to answer yet withall am come to a resolution not to write any more in this kinde partly because the world are wearied with too mâ—nâ— controverfies of this nature but more especially because our Salamander so much delighteth in them as aâ—… by many yearâ—â—â—â—â— experience being restlesse and 〈…〉 therein 〈…〉 Answer Hee beginneth with the discovery of a 〈…〉 plot against the Lawes of England and the Liberties of the English Subjects c And then secondly hee would render mee odious to the world as being a principall â—pposâ—â— of the Lâ—â—â—â— of England in New-England Thirdly hee would make our Government of New-England to bee arbitrary And fourthlyly his malicious cavils and bitter indignation at any thing may tend to union betweene brethren I meane the Presbyterians and Independents but of these in order And First for the subtile plot c. which is contrived saith hee by writing against Gorton a man whom they know is notorious for Heresie that so behinde him they may get a shot at a bigger game c. Answ It is well knowne and our Salamander is not ignorant that however Gorton notoriously abused himself and every Government of New-England where hee lived yet when that Country was grown too hot for him hee came over here and complained against us to that honourable Committee of Parliament to whose care the well ordering the affaires of forraigne Plantations is referred The Right Honourable the Earle of Warwick being Governour in chiefe and Chairman of the same who upon Gorton and his companions complaints sent over to the government of the Massacâ—â—sets whom it most of all concerned to give answer to the same c. Whereupon they to shew their respect to the Parliament sent mee to render a reason thereof which I still attend till their more weighty occasions will permit them to heare But when I came over I found that Gorton had enlarged his complaints by publishing a booke called Simplicities defence against Seven-headed Policy c. which being full of manifold slaunders and abominable falsehoods I tooke my selfe bound in duty to answer it as I did by that Treatise he mentioneth called Hypocrisie Vnmasked which was but an answer to Gorton as this is to him being necessitated thereunto in Vindication of the Country whose Agent I am though unworthy And yet our Salamander would blinde the ignoram and make them beleeve wee tooke occasion to write such a thing to make the Parliament have a good opinion of us as it none of all this had preceded Next that hee might still turne our innocent simplicity into policy hee takes advantage where none is and layes hold on a request of mine which I must still prosecute maugre his malice and I trust in God the Parliament will bee sensible of it viz. That the Committee would take into consideration how destructive it will bee to the wel-being of our Plantations and proceedings there which are growing up into a Nation here to answer the complaints of such Malignant spirits as shall there bee câ—â—â—â—red by Authority it being three thousand miles distant so far as will undoe any to come hither for justice utterly disabling them to prove the equity of their cause c. Now if hee had set downe this request as it is I would never have answered word to it nor need at present to any but such as are ready to burst with malice and the more satisfaction I shall give the worse they will bee And for the danger of the State of England is in by this plot he could not more clearely have expressed the unevennesse of his spirit to any indifferent Reader then by such expressions and therefore need no farther answer thereunto Secondly Whereas hee chargeth mee to be a principall opposer of the Lawes of England in New England c. Hee dealeth with mee here in this particular just as he did there For our Salamander having labored two years together to draw me to his party and finding hee could no way prevaile he then casts off all his pretended love and made it a part of his worke to make mee of all men most odious that so what ever I did or said might bee the lesse effectuall As for the Law of England I honour it and ever did and yet know well that it was never intended for New-England neither by the Parliament nor yet in the Letters Patents we have for the exercise of Government under the protection of this State but all that is required of us in the making of our Lawes and Ordinances Offices and Officers is to goe as neare the Lawes of England as may bee which wee punctually follow so neare as wee can For our Letters Patents being granted to such and their Associates these Associates are the Freemen whereof there are many in every Town Now take notice good Reader that as every Corporation here send their Burgesses to the Parliament upon summons So divers times a yeere the Governour sending out his Warrants the Towns choose their Deputies viz. two of a Towne out of these Freemen which meeting together with the Governour and his Assistants compose and make or repeale such Lawes and ordinances as they conceive our 〈…〉 require And however wee follow the custome and practise of England so neere as our condition will give way yet as the 〈…〉 of a growne man would rather oppresse and 〈…〉 if put upon him then any way comfort or refresh him being too heavy for him so have I often said the Lawes of England to take the body of them are too â—â—wâ—ldy for our weake condition Besides there were some things supported by them which wee came from thence to avoid as the Hiâ—rarâ—â—y the crosse in â—â—ptisme the holy dayes the booke of Common Prayer c. All which I doubt not but this renowned Parliament will utterly abolish as they have done in part to Gods glory and their everlasting fame I meane whiâ—â—t time shall bee But I have been so farre from sleighting the Law of England as I have brought my owne booke of the Statutes of England into our Court that so when wee have wanted a Law or Ordinance wee might see what the Statutes provided in that kind and found a great readinesse in our generall Court to take all helpe and benefit thereby And never did I otherwise oppose the Law of England nor ever stand against the liberties of the subject but am ready to sacrifice my life for the same when ever I shall bee called thereunto