Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-10-13

From the Second Volume parrcy History Of England
THE PERSECUTION OF THE QUAKERS
Interesting Passage of Colonial History.
TIE first notice of Quakers in Massachusetts,
occurs in the order passed May H. l6j6l by
the general court, appointing "a public day Of
humiliation, of which the purpose first named
was 'to seek the face of God in behalf of our
native country in reference to the abounding of
errors, especially those of the RantcrS and
QuakerS." Scarcely was the fast day over.
when vessel from Barhadocs brought into
Boston two Quaker women. Mary Fisher and
Ann Austin. The governor, deputy governor,
and four other magistrates. met, and ordered
that the master OF the ve,s, should give bonds
tu carry the women back to Babador>; that
they should he kept in jill ill their departure,
and that sume books which came with them
should he burned 10y the executioner
The two visitors iium Barbaducs had but
just left Boston on their return. when another
vessel brought from England eight olhc, per
sons of the same pri Nua>iIn; toar men and Is
many women, besides man who had ininpd
The party at Long Island, and been converted
on the passage thence. Officers went on boaid
in the harhut, aHi led them away 20 goal At
their examination before the magistrate. they
confirmed the opinion which had spread respect
ing the proficiency of the sect IL the use of op-
proprous language. Ore of them. Mary plinc,..
taken 10 Endicotts house for conference with
two ministers, reprodched them as "hirelings,
Baals and seed of the serpent"
The master of the vessel which had brought
this company was laid under bonds to convey
them back to England, and after eleven weeks
. confinement, they we're re-embafked and sent
away. The shipmaSter complained of the hard
ID, 1 /
to enter. But the magistrates su>pected-what
was indeed truc-that the Quakcis intended To
get on shore again after leaving the harbor-
While in Boston goal they had corrcsponded
with Gorton, who, though no Quaker, was vii.
ling to do his best to help them in ANNOYING
Massachusetts. He wrote To them that il he
could but be Informed when they would sail. he
would make arrangements TO to take them out
of the English vessel AT sea- and lani them in
NarraSansett Bay. This scheme was frustrated
by the caution OF the magistrates. The prison.
ers wrote to Gorton that the terms of the securi-
ty required of the >hpmastcr were peremptory
persisted in, and that his plan in their behalf
mus he abandoned.
When the general court of Massachusetts
met they at once took up the case of what they
described as the "curSed sect Of hcretics lately
risen up in the world, which are commonly
tilltu NSudhtIN, NHp ldkt upon llltIn 10 ne I'M
mediately sent OF God, and infallibly assisted
the Spirit to speak and write basphemous opin-
ions, despsing government and the order of
God in church and the commonwealth, speaking
eNilot dignities, reproducing and rcviling mag
istrates and ministers, seeking TO turn the peo-
pie from the faith and gain proscl ytes to their
pernlcous ways. And in order "to prevent
the like mischief as was wrought in their native
land, the court now required shpma>ters, who
should bring Quakers into the jurisdiction, to
pay fine of el00, and to give security for the
rc-transportation of such passengers to the port
whence they came. 1t was at the same time
enacted, that Quak ers coming into the colony
should "be forthwith committed to the House
of Correction, and at their entrance to be Sc
vcrely whipped, and by the master thereof to
kept constantly at work. and none he suffered
TO converse or speak to them during the time
OF their imprisonment that fine of 81 should
be incurred by the mportaton circulation, or
concealment OF Quaker books and that per-
sons presuming "to defend the herelical opin.
ions of the said Quakers,' should he punished
for the first offence by fine Of E2 for a second
by fine of ii and for a third. by imprison-
ment in the House of Correction till there should
"be convenient passage for them to be sent out
OF the land :" and that "what persons soeyer
should revie the office or person of magistrate
or ministers, as was usual with he Quakers
such persons should be severely whipped, or
pay the sum of fj.' This law, forthwith "pub-
lished in several places in Boston by heat of
drum" Jelrays the excitement into which the
government had been thrown by the transac-
tons Of the preN NiOuS summer Nicholas Up.
sal. an ancient citizen, for "reprOaching the
honored magistrates, and speaking against the
law made and published against the Qaaktrs"
was sentenced to pay fine Of 500, and to de
part the jurisdiction within one month, not to
return under the penalty Of imprisonment"
The admoniiiun signed by the new laws
was, before long. to be practically enforced
Ann Burden and Mary Dyer came to Boston
from England. The latter was the wife of the
secretary of Rhode Island, t. which colony.
twenty years before. she had gone To Boston
after the Antinnmian dissension. Both were
imprisoned. Burden, after two or three months,
was sent back to England. Dyer, pleading ig.
norance of the law, was delivered to her hus-
band to be conducted home on his giving Sc
curlty 'not to lodge her in any town of the
colony, nor to permit any one to speak with
her. But Mary Clarke, who had made the
voyage from London. 'to warn these persecu-
tors to desiSt from their iniquity." was scuurged
Christopher Holden and John Copeland, two of
the party who had been reshipped to England
the preceding autumn, appeared again at Sa-
lem, "and spoke few words in their meeting
after the priest had done !" they were whipped
and imprisoned, and Lawrence and Cassandn
Souhwick of Salem were imprisoned for hav-
ing harbored them. "'rhe next that came from
England as being under necessity from the
Lord to come to this land Of persecution, was
Richard Dowdney." lie received the same
treatment as Holden and Copeland, and the