Servants on HORSE-BACK OR A Free-People bestrided in their persons and Liberties by worthlesse men BEING A Representation of the dejected state of the Inhabitants of Summer Islands CONTAINING Short Illustrations upon a Petition presented to the High Court of Parliament for REDRESSE Published by Will Golding Master of Arts and Teacher to the Congregation in that Island 2 Chron. 16. 10. Then Asa was wroth with the Seer and put him in a prison-house for he was in a rage with him because of this thing and Asa oppressed some of the people the same time Quam quisque pessimè fecit tam maximè tutus est Salust Printed in the Yeare 1648. THE EPISTLE To the Honourable Committee of Lords and Commons Intrusted to examine the Petition presented unto the Parliament in the behalfe of the Inhabitants of the Summer Islands by Captaine Sayle and William Golding June Anno 1646. Honourable Sirs IT pleased the high Court of Parliament to accept a Petition in behalfe of the Summer Islands and to recommit it unto your selves for examination your care and readinesse in attending that trust was very eminent onely you met with obstructions partly from the Company who are concerned in the Petition partly from the sad breach between City and Armies emergent in that nick of time and since by the necessitated absence of Captaine Sayle and my selfe whose attendance was requisite In pursuance thereof Honourable Sirs I beseech you resume the Complaints which are before you That your Petitioners may not languish under an usurped power nor the power and honour of Parliament be trampled on by the vilest of our English Nation Sirs to set this wheele on motion I have presumed to publish the copy of the Petition and papers affixed as presented unto the High Court of Parliament As also some few Acts and Lawes made by governours Councell and Assembly with us with some Animadversions upon them for your better information leaving it to the wisdome and justice of Parliament to judge thereof Sirs I have taken this course not with desire to asperse the Honourable Company the Nobility and Gentry of that Court from whom we have alwayes found helpe when their leasure would permit their presence at the Court but to discover the practice of the trading-party who hold the people in bondage and study to vex those who plead for liberty Besides Sirs Those of the Company concerned in the Petition will be ready to give out that your Petitioners durst not owne their act and therefore withdrew and declined the prosecution thereof whereas the world shall know that was not the reason But the attendance upon places care of our families a good providence opening a way for our returne with our great expence under long delayes were the true causes of it Sirs Mr. Steele who is of Councell hath the copy of papers at large if you desire further satisfaction then what is Printed The wise God make you as Angels to judge righteously and as Gods to relieve the oppressed Sirs I am you humble Servant William Golding ΠΡΟΛΕΓΟΜΕÎΑ OR The Preface to the READER MY purpose is not to compile a History nor to enter upon a distinct Narration of all trans-actions with us I suppose that will be performed by a better hand but onely to give a briefe assay of things that the Honourable Court of Parliament with others may clearly perceive wee have not complained without a cause I shall briefly premise a few things to cleare a way to the ensuing Treatise viz. The Reader is desired to take notice 1. That the Island called Summer Islands alias Bermuda is governed by a Company of Merchant Adventurers of London who hold their power by Patent from King James who keep Courts make Lawes and reverse them at pleasure chose Deputy governours Magistrates and Commanders over the Inhabitants there all which depend for direction in their respective places upon the Company of London 2. That though there be many noble Lords and worthy Gentlemen of that Company yet are they strangers for the most part how things are carried in the Bermuda Court for their more weighty imployments take them off from so low and inconsiderable affaires The Court is upheld by a Deputy and a few assistants many of whom being of the trading party wait upon the quarterly Courts to consult what may tend to their advantage and the government of the Island in subordination to that end 3. That the pretence of the present difference in the Islands is about a congregation gathered there into Gospel-fellowship the beginning whereof and by what authority gathered the manner of its proceeding with the oppositions it met with in its infancy is faithfully reported by Mr. White Pastor of that Congregation in his answer to a scandalous paper sent from the Island and Printed under the Patronage of Mr. Prynn all which I shall passe over to prevent tediousnesse 4. That through the indulgence of the High Court of Parliament and Honourable Committee for the American plantations the Congregation in Summer Islands is indempnified in matters of Gods worship by their orders These things premised I shall give a briefe account of the proceed of things occasioned since the Company of London chose Captaine Turner to be Governour of these Islands Servants on Horse-back IT pleased the Company or part of them Anno 1645. to change their Governour in Summer Islands how regularly they proceeded I say not and chose Captaine Thomas Turner pretending that he being an honest and dis-ingaged person and now cloathed with authority might the better heale the distempers of the Island who arriving at the Island soon discovered his purpose and designe and within six or seven months acted so excentrically that many of the Inhabitants finding themselves agrieved did earnestly intreat Cap. Sayle and William Golding to addresse themselves for England to seek shelter for themselves and others against the blacke storme which was fallen upon them who casting themselves and families upon the Lord undertooke that * Province and by the good hand of God upon them comming to London they besought the Company to heare their complaints and put them into a way of security and peace The complaints were read and committed to examination but no report made after five months attendance At length it pleased the Lords and many Gentry to be present at Court resolving to heare and issue matters But the trading assistants with their friends perceiving this businesse would be now called upon left the Court in whose absence though thirty or forty still remained yet according to their orders requiring seven Assistants at least with the Governour or his Deputy there was not that number to make a Court which lost us that opportunity and clearly taught us what to trust too upon which Captaine Sayle and William Golding besought the Parliament The Copy of whose Petition was as followeth To the Honourable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses assembled in Parliament The Petition of Wil. Sayle and Wil.
world of particular wrongs offered by some members of that Company to the poore Plantors here but I spare them as not the miscarriage of the body with whom I have to deale and not with the body neither but with the feet and toes of it I proceed now to reflect on the government in the Island as it lyes in order in the Petition confining my selfe to the time since Captaine Turner was sent over by the trading party who being one of them acts their principles and from beginning told us of private instructions under which its like we have suffered much though not under that plea but by an assumed power and a high hand I shall branch the fifth head into particulars First Captaine Turner refused to take his oath at his enstalment which other Governors never did this will be witnessed by men of fidelity if he hath since taken it before his counsell in a clandestine manner it is unknowne to us and I suppose if done at all it was neare two yeares after he tooke his place I meane not the oath of Supremacy Allegeance or Covenant but that proper to the Deputy-governour of Summer-Islands His excuse was he tooke it in England but that was denyed by the Deputy and Secretary of that Company in open Court Secondly calls an assembly pretending the Company so ordered it but that also was denyed and the lawes of the Company say the second yeare it may be lawfull for the Governour to call an Assembly he within twenty dayes 'T is probable this plot was laid at Barbadus where Captaine Turner meeting with Captaine Parker who not long before stole away from Barmuda thither and since comming well from his companions in his way homeward dyed of an impostume blood issuing out of his mouth eares and nostrills The grand ingenier of trouble to the Congregation in Summer-Islands put Captaine Turner upon this designe and named the men fittest to act therein who for the most part were made choice of This Assembly thus met call themselves a grave Assembly Truly there were many grave and grey headed drunkards of that * Convention who proved the grave of piety justice and civility But this is too low a style for them therefore by their Speaker they are called a Parliament and by the Governour summoned downe under the name of Burgesses that under this pretence without respect to the Parliament of England or Company under whom they stand they might exercise an independent power over the Congregation Thirdly being met an oath of Secrecie is imposed viz. You shall sweare by all meanes to conceale the secrets of the house and not impart or discover either by word or writing or by any other meanes to any one not being of this present Assembly the passages or carriage of any affaires or businesse that shall be treated of and disputed during the whole time of the sitting and continuance of the said Assembly c. I shall not tell you how their grave wisdomes spent seven or eight dayes in little else then finding out who it was should say a Cole merchant was come our Governour as though this had been a greater disparagement Then to feed Hogs and Ducks cleanse ponds and such like drudgery I proceed to higher trans-actions Fourthly they make new Lawes viz. of purpose to snare the Congregation Dongson of the Assembly at Assizes when one of the Congregation pleaded he had transgressed no Law of England answered you have transgressed our Lawes otherwise we could have had no advantage against you An Act for casting out Independent Magistrates and Commanders WHereas by common experience we finde that where people will not readily and chearfully obey the Lawes Orders Rules Government under which they live undoubtedly there must follow upon that state and people inevitable misery and confusion And the rather when the Magistrates and those who fill the seats of justice shall apparently withstand the same Now whereas we the Inhabitants of the Summer-Islands have at this present many Magistrates and publicke Officers placed over us members of the Independent Church and will not yeeld obedience to the established fundamentall Lawes of the King nor yet submit to the Ordinance of the high Court of Parliament nor direction of the honourable Company We the Generall Assembly for prevention of so great disturbance which we have cause to feare may suddenly fall upon us by the power of those Magistrates Independent Covenanters desire it should be enacted And by the power and authority of the Generall Assembly be it enacted That no manner of person or persons who hath or have entred into Covenant and is admitted a member of the Independent Church being at this present a publick Officer or Magistrate and being hereof lawfully convicted by proof or his or their owne confession shall ipso facto be discharged from his or their office or offices of command and others chosen to their places by this Assembly Joh. Vaughan Secretary Dat. 14. April 1646. This Act was forthwith put in execution before any crime was objected or proved against them whom it did concerne Die Jovis 16. July 1646. WHereas at the a last sitting of this present Generall Assembly it was amongst other things enacted That all manner of Ministers and other persons inhabiting and residing within these Islands should conforme themselves in all things touching the publicke worship of God in obedience to the Directory of the Parliament of England And whereas Mr. Nath. White Mr. Paâ—rick Copland and Mr. Wil. Golding and divers other persons adhering to them have most presumptuously in contempt of authority taken upon them to congregate themselves together in a publicke place of meeting and there set up a new forme of Discipline according to their owne wills not acquainting the Governour and Councell here although by their petition to the Honourable Houses of Parliament they promise obedience to the Civill Magistrate b which practice of theirs is against the Lawes and government of this place hereby drawing unto them many of the Inhabitants from their Parish Churches upon such dayes and times as our faithfull Ministers now sent unto us by the honourable Company are exercising the Ministery in preaching Gods word unto the people and have likewise received into their Church-covenant divers and sundry persons contrary to all Lawes and rules of government which doings of theirs if not timely prevented must and will be destructive to the long established peace of these Islands Wherefore this Grave and Generall Assembly do order and by the authority and power of the same be it ordered that the said M. White Mr. Copland and Mr. Golding and other members of their congregation nor all nor any of them doe from henceforth presume to practice or set up any other discipline or order in Church-government other then what is commanded by Parliament and Directory set forth unto us And we doe further order by the Authority aforesaid that
Golding Humbly sheweth WHereas your Petitioners with the Inhabitants of Summer Islands the free-borne natives of this Kingdom groaning under severall pressures inconsistent with their native priviledges having duly sought redresse from the Company of that plantation and waited these six months for a favourable issue but without successe are enforced to spread their sad condition before your honours viz. 1. That your Petitioners at the pleasure of the Company or part of them have beene and may againe be restrained of the liberty of their persons 2. Your Petitioners are denyed the free disposall of their proper goods 3. Your Petitioners are burthened with an Impost upon their Tobaccoes which is this yeare raised a third part amounting usually to as much or more then the principall yeeldeth The company little regarding the ends therein pretended nor are the Inhabitants satisfied in the disposall thereof 4. Your Petitioners complaine under excessive fraught set upon their Tobacco and Rates upon the Merchant goods sent them 5. That the Deputy-governour Captaine Tho. Turner lately sent over refused to Jtake the Oath usuall at the enstalment of other Governours yet summons an Asembly who by their Speaker calls themselves a Parliament gives them an Oath of secrecy Together with them makes new Laws and inforce them sleight the power of Parliament imprison men at pleasure turned out Magistrates of known integrity to this state without and against the known Order of this supreame Court forbid appeals silence Ministers approved by the Honourable Company and whose labours were desired by the Inhabitants conceale good Orders for the incouragement of honest men and strengthens the hands of lewd persons with many other vexatious wayes Your Petitioners deepely resenting these grievances humbly pray 1 That your Petitioners may be free to transplant themselves and substance when providence goes before them and bee protected in their due liberties whiles they remaine in these Islands 2 That liberty of free trade be granted to the Inhabitants according to their desires and the subscriptions of many worthy members of that Company as appears by the papers affixed by which also your wisdomes may difcerne whence most of these sorrowes flow 3 That Offenders against the Parliament and just liberties of the Inhabitants may be put into a way of tryall 4 That the Deputy Governour may be questioned and if your wisdomes see just cause suspended and his new elected Councell raised by his sole power by your wisdomes reduced Your Petitioners entrusted by many of the Inhabitants as to the premises having run the hazzard of their lives to escape the violence of a meer Arbitrary power and wasted themselves families and estates in the pursuance thereof having a ship ready to returne them to their relations And fearing to fall under the power of those who have already envaded whatever is deare unto them except their lives which are next in danger are humbly bold to fly to your honours for just and speedy reliefe your Petitioners refreshed with by past favours which they humbly acknowledge and crave continuance of shall continue praying c. A Coppy of the Papers affixed to the Petition when presented to Parliament the first being the Answer of the Assembly in Summer Ilands to the Inhabitants suing for free trade viz Summer Islands Die Lunae 6 Aprill 1646. HAving received divers Petitions from severall of the Inhabitants of these Islands thereby craving a free trade for Tobacco and to have priviledge to transport the same at their own pleasures not weighing nor regarding the priviledge and royalty of the Honourable Company after long dispute and serious debate and well weighing how far forth we can in justice answer your expectations in this particular and moreover well regarding his Majesties Letters Patent granted to the Honourable Company we for your better satisfaction have thought good to affixe that branch or clause whereby we are absolutly prohibited and debarred of this priviledge and as we are all nearly concerned in the premises as you are so we do hereby declare and ingenuously promise that if it were in our power to grant or lawfull for us to do c. we should be no ways wanting and dilatory to advance our own priviledge and profits and whereas it doth appeare to us that we all groane under the excessive rates held and set upon the goods sent hither from the Honourable Company and that our Tobacco and goods passeth at low rates we shall in that behalfe use our best skill and indeavour by enforming the Honourable Company as well on your as our own behalfe to have such things reformed as are neither for their honour nor for our profits not doubting of reliefe therein when we shall with all candor and integrity hold forth our just grievances unto them this wee hope will clear us from having any selfe end or want of will and affection in the discharge of the trust reposed in us by our Countrey But we are bound by oath and duty to maintaine that power from whence we derive our owne yet alwayes regarding our owne so farre forth as civility and justice will warrant it Ordered to be read in the severall Churches of these Islands Signed John Vaugham Clerke of the Assembly A Branch of the grants extracted out of the Letters Patents ANd to the intent that the said Company their Successors and Assignes shall and may enjoy the full and sole benifit and profit of this our grant according to the true intent and meaning of the same our will and pleasure is and by these presents for our Heirs Successors of our more especiall grace certaine knowledge and meere motion and of our supream and absolute authority which we forbid to be argued disputed or brought in question we do straightly charge and command all and every person and persons whatsoever of what degree or condition soever he or they or any of them be that none of them other then the said Company successors assigns deputies servants factors or the assigns of some of them do at any time hereafter attempt presume or go about any manner of way directly or indirectly to transport any monies goods or merchandise out of any our Kingdomes into the limits or bounds of the said Summer Islands or import out of the said Islands or any part thereof into any forreigne parts or into any of our Kingdomes upon paine of forfeiture of all such monies goods and merchandise which shall be so imported or exported contrary to the true meaning of these presents and of the Ships and Vessells wherein the same shall be so transported or imported to the use of the said Company their Successors and Assignes and upon such further paine and penalty and imprisonment as by the Lawes and Statutes of this our Realme of England or by our Prerogative Royall may any way be inflicted or adjudged for their contempt in that behalfe The Copy of another paper affixed to the Petition was as followeth Upon certaine weighty confiderations presented to us
modesty the distressed men that came a shoare that he hath made the Island stinke in the nostrills of the Spaniards and exposed the Inhabitants and other of the English Plantations to their wrath when they shall fall into their hands and herein he is incouraged by the trading party who not contenting themselves with invading the liberties of the Inhabitants expose their lives to the fury of a forreigner for the Company in their instructions sent over with Captaine Turner give liberty to pillage all Spaniards who shall fall upon the coasts As also in a generall letter to Captaine Chadock An. 1640 they give these instructions and that when any Spaniards doe hereafter fall into distresse on those Islands and shall send or seeme to capitulare before their arrivall on land that you and the Councell there doe require them to cast themselves on or stand to your courtesie or otherwise that you keep them off and doe not suffer them to land Signed with fourteen hands Captain Turner laying hold upon this advantage so minded the enriching of himselfe thereby that he neglected the safety of the Island for how easie had it been for the justly provoked though disarmed party if the feare of God had not restrained them to have joyned with the Spaniards and have wrought their will upon him and his faction without resistance I onely hint this to let the world see that Independents as they call them dare not take those advantages which carnall prudence prompt others too but quietly commit themselves unto the f Righteous Judge of all the world for compensation for wrongs done them in the day of recompence for Zions controversie Thus much touching the complaints contained in the Petition Animadversions upon the requests therein fall next under consideration First we crave liberty to transplant our selves first because it hath been and may againe be denyed while the Company continue an unlimited power over us in what we have and are Secondly The Island will not beare the increase of men and beasts Thirdly The Land is worne out not enjoying a Sabbath these thirty yeares Fourthly We have served the Trading Company long enough and for nought and are unwilling to leave our children bondslaves Fifthly We cannot beare the yoke of tyranny nor the insolency of worthlesse and illiterate men to be our lawlesse judges especially in the matters of God the things whereof they savour not Sixtly We are deserted of the Company who in justice should relieve us and at best in our redresses to them the remedy hath proved worse then the disease who if at any time they have saved the children of the needy yet have not broken in peeces their oppressors Psal. 72. 4. the failing in either is a defect in justice Seventhly Suppose our Rockes were Amber-greece and our mountaines the finest gold yet would the trading party invent waves by raising rents by new impositions by limiting us to their ship and goods by demurages or the like to keepe us still in rags almost to nakednesse Secondly Liberty of free trade of propriety of goods First it is our birth-right and that ancient bounds left us by our fathers to inherit let them whom it doth concerne consult the word of truth Deut. 27. 17. Cursed be he that removeth his neighbours landmarke and let all the people say Amen Secondly we earne it with the hazard of our lives and a kinde of banishment Thirdly It is the priviledge of all other English Plantations who have either meanes or hopes of support besides Tobacco which we want Fourthly in case the London ship should miscarry where should the Inhabitants seeke supply or hope for it Fifthly If Tobacco beare a low price the Company will send a ship but little goods Instance An. 1647. hardly one hundred pound Cargo from the Company to accommodate foure thousand people and Captaine Turner the mouth of the trading party protested he cared not if the Tobacco yeelded but 〈◊〉 and duties it should be sent home if the trading Company may be maintained it matters not what becomes of the poor Planters Sixtly why should the Inhabitants be debarred of the benefit of society and commerce which is the Islands cause whilst ships that passe by have no encouragement to anchor in our Harbour Seventhly Many worthy members of the Company would grant this liberty who being free thereof are interest in all due profits as any other Third head That offenders be put into a way of Triall First because the faction of the Governour is so prevalent that we can have no hopes of right here having this experience that such as have been named by the Tribe for Jury men if they comply not with the Governours liking have been discharged or put upon the Jury of life and death though no use of such a Jury at that time Secondly because many crimes are capitall requiring witnesses to depose viva voce now we have not liberty or power to examine witnesses and take attestations which they desired from the Governour could not be obtained or not exercised when seemingly granted Thirdly most of the Magistrates are parties in the charge and how can we with prudence engage them in these causes Fourthly we cannot confide in all who have power to take attestations it is knowne to us Attestations have been mended â—â—â—ed and how should we in this confusion be secure Fourth head That the Deputy-governour may be questioned First in errorem that his examples be not a president or emboldning to the succeeding Governour because justice upon offenders is not speedily executed 〈◊〉 heart of the sons of men are set to doe evill Secondly That the peace of the Country may be preserved Thirdly how else shall the oppressed be righted or secured for the future Job hath a saying That the hypocrite reign not lest the people be ensnared Job 34. 30. That the new elected Counsellours and Commanders may be reduced First The Company who plead this priviledge have nor done it they restored indeed two Counsellours but the Governour allows but one of hem Secondly else usurpation in authority will be justified Thirdly else it is all one as though the Governour was paramount for if he be left to himselfe to place and displace Magistrates and Commanders they being his creatures must in all comply with him or lose their honour Fourthly else those Magistrates and Officers who have beene faithfull to the State and Company and have suffered so much infamy cannot be repaired in their reputation Fifthly they and others will bee discouraged for the future to serve the publicke if thus left under the feet of vile men Sixtly else the Island will soone be corrupted most of that new creation being men of foule mouthes and lives giving bad examples not daring to punish sin in others themselves being in the same or greater condemnation Truly there is nothing owned for sin with us but going to the Mill walking soberly humbly and non-compliance with workers of iniquity These