Cbt fiard fast or tbt Joundtr or Old t;ampton
·· f. m. Sanborn
FH AT :--Ol TH .ULH\\ !CK, :\f.\I:\J·: BEIJt·1-: \TllED BY l e,.,~., 1 F B. s~.NBORN. 1900 THE H ..-\RD CASE OF THE FOlTNDER OF OLD HAMPTON". \\.ROXGS OF RE\•• STF.PHEX B.-\CHII..ER. Read by his dcsd11da11t, /··. R. Sanborn, <'f CoJtt"ord • .1/ass., at t/1t,• reunion of the Racheldtr family, Seabrook, iV. H .. August 9, 1900. [The immediate occasion of the following address ,vas a desire to make available to the people of the five towns originally founded by Rev. Stephen Bachiler,-Hampton, Hampton Falls, North Hampton, Seabrook, and Kensington, all once included in his original colony,-the facts of his life before his foes brought his name into scandal. Few persons are aware of them, and the recent historian of Hampton Falls, l\lr. \Varren Brown (my cousin), was misled by inadequate papers in his possession to revive the scandal in a manner very disagreeable to the many descendants of Mr. Bachiler. \Vith this exception, however, and certain errors almost inseparable from a work so comprehensive as a town history being also excepted, Mr. Brown's history (printed by the John B. Clarke Company, Manchester) is a very useful and commendable volume. It contains much of the material of history, in the form of old records, antiquated doc uments, etc., and it gives a very satisfactory topography of the town in the account of the home steads from one side of the boundaries to the other. Much more might haYe been written to elucidate some of the matters touched upon, but that would have required another volume,-and this one runs to 640 pages. The long list of marriages contains several interesting entries. When Massachusetts lovers were married in Hampton Falls ( 1725-'28), they got a license from Lieut. Gov. John Wentworth; two of these were Emer~ons-Daniel of Cambridge in 1726, and Stephen of Ipswich in 1728. Daniel \Vebster's grandfather, Ebenezer, was married to Susanna Bachelder, great-great-granddaughter of Rev. Stephen, at Hampton Falls in 1738; Dr. John Goddard of Portsmouth was married to Mary Langdon by her father, Rev. Dr. Langdon, at Hampton Falls in 1791; and Rev. Dr. Thayer of Lancaster, l\'Iass., to Sarah Toppan (parents of the wealthy Thayers of Boston) by Dr. Langdon in 1795. "His Excellency, John Taylor Gilman, and Mrs. Charlotte Hamilton, both of Exeter," were married in Hampton Falls by Parson Abbot, Dec. 29, 1814. )fr. Bro,vn adds a few facts to what was otherwise known of the insurrec tion headed by Edward Gove in 168:;, and prints at much length the documents relating to • Meshech Weare and Rev. Paine Wingate in the long dispute of 1762-1776 over ministers and meeting-houses in Hampton Falls.-F. B. s.] Seldom has a better illustration of this unhandso111e trait of human nature been seen than in the case of our ancestor, the venerable and and get a bad nan1e for maligned Founder of this and the it 1s a Ruler's prh·ilege.'' .A.. nd the neighbor-towns of Han1pton, Hamp good Bishop Fenelon notified bis ton Falls, North Hampton, and Ken princely pupil, the Dauphin of France, sington,-Stephen Bachiler of Eng to the sa1ne effect, thus: '' Should it lish Hampshire, ,vho was one of the be your fortune to rule over n1en, you n1ost learned and distinguished plant must love them for the love of God, ers of New Han1pshire,-yet n~t without expecting to please them; allo,ved to lay his aged bones here, nay, sacrifice yourself to benefit any more than was the patriarch then1,-but be ,vell assured that they Moses permitted to be buried in will speak ill of ,vhoever governs Canaan. then1 with moderation and kindness.'' Stephen Bachiler ·was a boy of xs.ix-15 2 REV. STEPHEN B.ACHll~ER. four "·hen Shakespeare ,vas born at and from 1622 to 1630 o,vned land Stratford. and he outlived the poet and probably resided at N e,vton by forty.three years, dying at Hack Stacey, a han1let near \Vherwell. ney, no·w a part of London, in 1660, In 1630 he joined ,vith a cotnpany of in his hundredth year. He belonged husbandmen and n1ercha11ts, ,vho had to a social class much above Shakes obtained a patent for a tract of n1any peare's in the fanciful scale of Eng square n1iles in ~Iaiue. and he put lish rank,-of a mercantile fatnily, in a sun1 of n1oney, large for those perhaps, but turning. to scholarship, tin1es, to aid its colonization. His educated at Oxford in St. John's kinsn1an, Richard Dutnmer, \\·as also college. of ,vhich his persecutor, interested in this " Plough Patent," .Archbishop Laud, ,vas aftenvards ,vhich ran in the nan1e of John Dye, graduate and Head,-and in I 5Si, John Roach, Grace Hard\vin, and when Shakespeare ,vas beginning to Thomas Jupe. l\'.!r. Bachiler ,vas.to "·rite plays, after acting plays for be their n1inister, ,vhen they should son1e years, l\fr. Bachiler ,vas settled once be settled near Portland (then as Yicar of the sn1all parish of \Vher called Casco) ; and how he \Vas well ("Horrell'~) on the '' troutful regarded by his associates in this Test·, ri Yer in Hampshire,-his venture ,vill appear by their letter of patron being a powerful nobleman, l\iarch 8, 1631-2, preseryed among Lord Delaware, fron1 ,vhon1 our the \Vinthrop Papers. They said,- American state and ri\·er take their " First let us not forget to remember you of name. Bachiler remained there, in your and our duty,-that we return humble and pleasant surroundings, for sixteen hearty thanks unto Almighty God, that hath filled the heart of our reverend pastor so full years, and there his children "~ere of zeal, of love and extraordinary affection 111ostly born,-his son Stephen hay towards our poor Society. ~otwithstanding ing entered at Oxford in 1610, and all the opposition, all the subtle persuasions of abundance of opposers that haye been stirred another son, Sa111uel, having been a up against us, yet he remaineth constant,-per chaplain in Sir Charles l\:Iorgan's suading and exhorting,-yea, and as much as English regiment in Holland so early in him lietb, constraining all that love him to join together with this Society. And seeing ( 1620) that he n1ust have been born the Company is not able to bear his charges before 1605. over, he hath strained himself to provide pro In that year, the \\·retched James, vision for himself and his family; and hath done his utmost endeavor to help over as many son of the infan1ous 1'.!ary of Scot as he possibly can, for your further strength land, having con1e to the throne, and and encouragement. And although it may be, renewing the persecutions by the if he had stayed one year longer, you might ha-ve been better provided to have received bishops, ,vhich had been for a time him, yet through his great care of all your good, suspended, 1':Ir. Bachiler ,vas ejected he will by no means stay longer from you. fron1 his vicarage, and became one 0 let us never forget this unspeakable mercy of God towards us! \Ve hope the I.,ord will among hundreds of "·andering minis make him an especial instrument to unite you ters, ,v ho from 1604- on ward were all in true lo\·e to God and unto one another ' harassed for their opinions, and often which will be our strongest walls and bulwarks of defense against all our enemies. And we severely punished. He was some hope you will not forget to show your love times in England, son1etimes perhaps unto him, and to take notice of the charges he in Holland, ,vhere his religion ,vas is now at, and to appoint for him or his, as be shall desire, such shares or parts of shares as tolerated; sometimes he preached, shall belong unto him for the charges; and REV. STEPHEN BACHILER. 3 that bis man-servant and bis maid-servant may we have shown our good wills, and ha,·e pro be received as members of the Company, and cured his love, and many promises that we have such shares or parts as in that case pro shall have no wrong: we bestowed a sugar-loaf vided for every member. As for his neighbors upon him of some 16 shillings price, and he that now come with him, they promise all to hath promised to do us all the good he can. join with you; but because they do desire first \Ve can procure nothing under his hand; but to see how you agree together in love, they are in our hearing he gave order unto :\Ir Ayres: to not joined to our body; and the Lord of his write ttnto Captain Xeal of Pascatoway. that mercy grant that there may be no occasion on Bradshaw and we might be bounded, that we your parts but that they may join with you. may not trouble tach other; and hath given l\lr. Dummer's promise is also to join with you, the captain command to search your patent, if there be any reason for it. The Lord unite what it is you have under my Lord's hand and you all together! then shall you put to shame his. This contron~rsy must he ended between and silence many that do now shamefu11y rise yourselves and such Go,·ernors of Pemaquid as up against us." they have appointed.'' What do ,ve infer fron1 this state This letter ,vas brought by :\Ir. ment? First, that the Society had Bachiler hin1self, "·ho landed at some bond of religion other than that Boston, June 5, 1632: his cousin ordinarily existing behveen Puritans, Dummer, ,vith Rev. l\Ir. \Vilson and and that Mr. Bachiler ·was the seal of others, had landed fron1 the lVhafr, this bond, and the n1ost important ~fay 26. \\Tith l\Ir. Bachiler ca1ne person among them. Second, that Ed,vard \Vinslow, returning from for some reason there was n1 uch hos England to Plymouth, Rev. Thomas tility to the new colony ,-partly on \Veld, the libeller of l\Irs. Hutchin account of the selfish interests of Sir s011, and about sixty passengers in F. Gorges, Richard Bradshaw, and all; in the Whale ·were thirty pas others, ·who had land or clai1ns in sengers and sixty-eight cows,-Cap Maine. This appears by another tain Graves being shiptnaster. In passage in the letter : the preceding year (July 6, 1831), the "We gave you notice by Mr. Allerton 1 and Plouglz had reached Nantasket Roads, we hope you have long since received it, that near Boston, returning fron1 Casco we have had much ado about our patent; and ·with the first small company of col that there was one Bradshaw that had procured letters patent for a part (as we supposed) of onists, who did not like the seacoast our former grant; and so we think still,-but of l\iaine well enough to stay there be and Sir Ferdinando think it is not in our and make their beginning. Governor bounds. He was frustrate of his first purpose of comir.g over; but is now joined with two \Vinthrop, noting their coming, says: very able captains and merchants, who ,vill set "A small ship of 6o tons arrived at Natascot, him over, and we suppose will be there as soon l\Ir. Graves, master. She brought ten passen as this ship (the· William and Francis) if not gers from London. They came with a patent before. We cannot possibly relate the labor for Sagadahock, but, not liking the place, they and trouble ,ve have had to establish our for came hither. Their ship drew ten feet, and mer grant; many rough words we have bad went up (the Charles river) to Watertown; but from Sir Ferdinando at the first; and to this she ran on ground twice by the way. These hour he doth affirm that he never gave consent were the .company called 'The Husbandmen' that you should have above 40 miles in length and their ship called The Plough." and 20 in breadth; and saith that his own hand is not to your patent, if it have any more. ·so Thus far the original entry in 1 Isaac Allerton was a merchant, one of the May Winthrop's journal; but a later hand flower company, who in 1630, as John Winthrop was coming to port in Salem, met him, while on (perhaps his own in after years), his own voyage to Pemaquid, where he had trading ventures. He was, therefore, a good person to added this opprobrium,-'' Most of communicate with the Maine coast; but the Plough colonists were no longer there, having come to Nantasket, in July, 1631. :!Thomas Eyre, an agent of Gorges, as Neal WdS. RJ~'l".. 5TEPHEN BACH/LER. them proved familists and vanished Lynn (Saugus) where Mr. Hussey away.'' Some went, it seems, to ,vas then living; but his theological \·irginia, among thetn Brian Binckes opinions, or his ideas of church dis and Peter Johnson : others may have cipline, being different fron1 those of remained in \Vatertown : that they the Lords Brethren about Boston and were '· familists '' in the offensive Salem, the General Court made haste German sense, we have no proof to order, in October. 1632, that "Mr. except this entry, but perhaps this Bachiler forbear exercising his gifts tern1 may give a clue to the special as a pastor or teacher publicly in religious organization ,vhich should our patent, unless it be to those he have bound the Husband men to brought ,vith him for his conten1pt of gether, but did not. Their small authority.'' Like Roger Williams, ship, the Plough, after visiting \Vater John Wheelwright, Marmaduke Mat to\\·n, dropped back to Charlesto,vn, thews, and other pious and learned started thence for the West Indies, ministers, Mr. Bachiler wished some but returned after three "'eeks, '' so freedom of conscience,-some escape broke,'' \Vinthrop says, '' she could from the intolerance of England ; but not return home.'' In fact, she was he ,vas in the jurisdiction of Massa ahnost worthless ; the departure of chusetts and had to ob.ey. In 1635, her company from Casco ( Sagada haying continued to preach in Lynn, hock) put a stop to the going thither he was again taken in hand, and of ~Ir. Bachiler and his family; and agreed to leave Lynn and be settled he was left in New Town ( Cam elsewhere. He received a call to bridge) with many debts owing him Ips\vich, but did not go, at least as from the Plough Company, which minister; he was living there, how ,vere only in part paid; and his con ever, when Rev. R. Stansby, a si siderable estate was thereby much lenced Puritan in England, wrote to diminished. Of the total sum of his friend Wilson in Boston, April 17, 1,400 pounds sterling in the joint 163j, complaining, on the report of stock of this con1pany, l\ir. Bachiler others, '' that many of the ministers had contributed 160 pounds, or more are much straited with you; others than a tenth part; his titne was lay down the ministry and become ,vasted, his parish failed to material private members, as Mr. Bachiler, ize. and he removed to Lynn ,vith Mr. Jenner, and Mr. Nathaniel several of his grandchildren on his Ward. You are so strict in admis hands to be supported until he could sion of members to your church that make a position for himself ; and he more than one half are out of your ,vas seventy-one years old. church in all your congregations; \Vhat then did this resolute old this may do much hurt if one come Christian do ? Did he sit idly do,vn, among you of another mind and they to be supported by his son-in-la\v, should join "'ith him." From Ips Christopher Hussey, a person of prop wich, in the winter of 1637-~38, Mr. erty and standing, \\'ho for more than Bachiler, still seeking to found a forty years afterward lived in the old plantation, went on foot to what is town of Hampton ? Far from it. now Barnstable, six miles beyond He began to organize a church in Sandwich on Cape Cod,-100 miles REV'. STEPHEN BACH/Ll!~R. 5 from his place in Ipswich. But, as garchy. There is no doubt that Mr. Winthrop says, '' He and his com Bachiler sympathized ,vith these mys pany, being all poor men, finding the tics to some extent, how far we n1ay difficulty, gave it over, and others never know: indeed, their own tenets undertook it.'' He then retnoved to are much in doubt, fron1 the anti Ne,vbury, ,vhere he and l\Ir. Hussey quated and technical tern1s of theol owned land, and in October, 1638, ogy in ,vhich they ,vere expressed. having permission fron1 the l\Iassa They ,vere put do,vn in Massachu chusetts authorities to begin a plan setts ,vith a rigorous hand ; \Villiams tation at Hampton, he ,vent there ,vas banished to Rhode Island, \. ane ,vith young John Winthrop and laid returned to England, to play his out the to,vn, of which he at once great part there in the Revolution of became the pastor, receiving from the 16-,1-0, Wheehvright and his followers settlers a grant of 300 acres of land. ,vere disarn1ed,-that is, had their A meeting-house was built, to ,vhich carnal ,veapons taken a way, and he gave a bell, and he built himself a withdre,v first to Exeter, and then to good house and remoyed his library one of the many Maine colonies ; and thereto. He was no,v seventy-eight the privileges of the oligarchy in years old, and his troubles seemed to 1\iI assachusetts ,vere guarded ,vith be over; he might hope for rest at careful jealousy. Evidence of this, last under his o,vn vine and figtree. not often cited, is found in Governor But in the seven years since Mr. \Vinthrop's comments on the effort Bachiler, ·with his grandchildren and made by Rev. Nathaniel Ward of his ,vife Helen, had been seeking rest, Ipswich,-then under suspicion for and finding none in N e,v England, so1ne of his opinions,-to establish before this happy colonization of equity and civil justice in the ecclesi Hampton, much had been taking astical colony. In 1641, June 3, place in the Massachusetts oligarchy Winthrop says,- of n1inisters and magistrates. Their disaffection to the Church of England "Some of the freemen, without the consent of the magistrates or governor, bad chosen l\Ir. had been reported to King Charles Xatbaniel Ward to preach at this court'' (the and his meddlesome prelate, Arch Election Sermon), " pretending that it was a part of their liberty. Yet they had no great bishop Laud ; efforts had been made reason to choose him, though otherwise very by Capt. John Mason, who began the able, seeing he had cast off bis pastor's place colonization of N e,v Hampshire, and at Ipswich, and was now no minister, by the received determination of our churches. In by Gorges and others, to restrict the his sermon he delivered many useful things, power of Winthrop, Dudley, and their but in a moral and political discourse, ground little circle ; moreover, an enthusias ing his propositions much upon the t>ld Roman and Grecian governments,-which sure is an tic sect of English Puritans, repre error. For if religion and the word of God sented by Roger Willian1s, Sir Henry makes men wiser than their neighbors, . . . Vane, Rev. John Wheelwright, and we may better frame rules of government for Mrs. Anne Hutchinson, had con1e to ourselves than to receive others upon the bare authority of the wisdom, justice, etc., of those Boston, with certain mystical doc heathen commonwealths. Among other things, trines, at variance ,vith the formalism he advised the people to keep all their magis trates in an equal rank, and not to give more of Winthrop, Bulkeley, and the older honor and power to one than another,-which members of the Massachusetts oli- is easier to adyise than to prove, seeing it is 6 REV. STEPHEN B.4.CHILER. against the practise of Israel. Another advice churches, who had taken much pains about he gave,-that magistrates should not give pri this matter). He was off and on for~ long vate advice, and take knowledge of any man's time, and when he seemed most penitent, so cause before it came to public hearing. as the church were ready to have received him \Vhereas, it is objected that such magistrate is in again, he would fall back again, and, as it in danger to be prejudiced, I answer that if the were, repent of his repentance. In this time thing be lawful and useful, it must not be laid his house and nearly all his substance was con aside for the temptations which are incident sumed by fire. When he had continued ex to it; for the least dutie~ expose men to great communicated near two years, and much agita temptations ... tion had been about the matter, and the church being divided, so as he could not be received !\ir. \Vanl was a man of n1ore gen in,-at length the matter was referred to some eral learning, especially in law, than magistrates and elders, and by their mediation he was n~lease Bachiler, under the title of "Teach " I see not how I can depart hence n ( that is er.'' Trouble soon began between from Hampton, to accept one of two calls he had then1, and, as ,vas natural, each had recein:d, to Casco and to Exeter), "till I have, or God for me, cleared and \"indicated the cause his partisans : by r 64 r the quarrel and wrongs I have suffered of the church I yet ,vas Yery hot, and charges of in1n1or live in ; that is, from the Teacher, who hath ality ,vere 111ade against t~ pastor, done all and been the cause of all the dishonor that hath accrued to God, shame to myself and I I no,v eighty years old. He denied the grief to all God's people, by his irregular pro- charge, in itself improbable ; but ceedings and abuse of the power of the church Dalton persisted, and secured his ex in his hand,-by the major part cleaving to him, heing his countrymen and acquaintance in old con1n1unication, after the church had England. l\Iy cause, though looked slightly forgiYen his offense, wbateyer it n1ay into by diverse Elders and brethren, could ha,·e been ; for no 11an1es are gh·en, · never come to a judicial searching forth of things, and an impartial trial of his allegations and no prosecution ,vas eyer n1ade, un and my defence; which, if yet they might, I am der the very strict laws then in force. confident before God, upon certain knowledge \Vintbrop, ,vho entered gossip of all and clue proof before yourseh-es. The Teach er's act of his excommunicating me ( such as I sorts in his Journal, goes on to say : am, to say no more of myself), would prove the foulest matter,-both for the cause alleged of " After this ~Ir. Bachiler went on in a yery that excommunication, and the impulsive Yariable course, sometimes seeming yery peni cause,-even wrath and revenge. Also, the tent, soon after again excusing himself, and manner of all his proceeding throughout, to the casting blame upon others, especially his fel very end, and lastly his keeping me still under low-elder, Mr. Dalton ( who indeed had not car bonds,-and much worse than here I may men ried himself so well in this cause as became tion for diYers causes,-than ever was com him, and was brought to see his failing, and mitted against any member of a church. Neg acknowledged it to the elders of the other lecting of the complaints of the afflicted in such .., ' a State, - wherein :\lagi~tratcs, Elders, and party in ~Iaine, ,vhich ,vas carrying brethren all are in the sincerest manner set to find out sin, and search into the complaints of on a controversy ,vith the Puritan the poor,-not knowing father nor mother, party ,-the latter headed by George church nor Elder,-in such a State, I say,-in Cleeve, an original Casco settler, such a wine-cellar to find such a cockatrice. and not to kill him,-to have such monstrous though not of the Plough Colony. proceedings passed over, without clue justice, - Rev. Robert Jordan, a s011-in-la,v of this again stirs up my spirit to seek for a writ John \Vinter, and an Oxford gradu ad mc!ius inqu ircndu m. Towards whid1 the enclosed letter tendeth, as you may perceive. ate, like Bachiler, ,vas an Episcopal Yet if your wisdoms ~hall judge it more safe clergy111a11 originally, and continued and reasonable to refer all my wrongs ( con of the Cavalier party, like Gorges cei\-ed) to God's own judgment, I can submit myself to he overruled by you To conclude, and the Trelawnys. \\'."riting to the if the Apostle's words he objected, that this is Parliament n1en1ber, Trela,vny, who thanksworthy, if a man for conscience' sake had a colony in 1Iaine, Jordan said, shall endure grief, suffering wrongfully .-and therefore I ought to endure, without seeking after 111eutioning the fact that ~Ir. any redress or justice against the offender,- I Bachiler had been chosen un1pire in profess it was more absolutely necessary so to the disputes between Trelawny and suffer, ,,·hen the Church had no civil power to seek unto, than in such a land of righteous George Clee,·e : ness as our Xew England is .. , '' :\Ir. Stephen Rachiler, the pa~tor of a church in the Massachusetts Bay, was, I must This manly appeal ought to haye say, a grave, reYerend, and a good man; but reached \Vinthrop's heart,-for he whether more inclined to justice or men-y, or whether carried aside b_y secret insinuations, I had occasion, a fe,v years later, to must refer to your own judgement. Sure I am stand up and clear himself in a Bos that Cleeve is well nigh able to disable the ton court, upon rather graye charges wisest brain.·• of partiality in office ; and he did this, Considering that this letter, ,vrit he said, that his posterity n1ight not ten July 3 r, r 642, is that of the de blush for hin1 ,yhen he was no more. feated party in the suit "·here Mr. But, for politic reasons, doubtless, Bachiler was un1pire, and that Jordan -I can concei Ye of no other, -the re ,vas ,veil placed to kno,v ,vhat his real quest of the wronged old n1an for a character ,vas, a year after the slan pablic inquiry ,vas not granted. It ders against hin1, there could be few ,vas ju~t after ~rassachusetts had pa testin1onies 111ore conYincing. Soon ternally taken the four N e,v Ha111 p after this, l\Ir. Bachiler's old friends shire towns under her goyennnent, in the Casco settlen1ent, a111011g then1 and the Lords Brethren did not want this san1e ,vise and ancient George any n1ore public ,vrangling than ,vas Cleeve, invited hi111 to resu111e his old unavoidable in that part of their 1Io purpose of founding a church there. saic despotisn1. They had trouble Cleeve had obtained fron1 Richard enough fro1n the free-spoken settlers Dumn1er the original Plough patent, in l\Iaine and N e,v Hatnpshire, ,vho had induced Alexander Rigby, a ,vere not too ,veil pleased to be '' trot more influential 111e111ber of the Long ting after the Bay Horse." A.t this Parliament than Trelawny, to pur point we have an itnportant testi1nony chase it of John Dye and Thon1as to the high character of Mr. Bachiler J upe, the leading grantees, and can1e fronr a source naturally hostile to back fron1 England in 1643 as Rig him,--viz.: the Church of England by' s deputy governor of the Proyince 8 of Lygonia, granted and named by front London with his wife Helen and Sir F. Gorges. 1 One of his first acts some of his grandchildren in 1632 :- ,vas to send to Hampton an in,·itation " Said I to my wife, considering what a call for l\Ir. Bachiler to lea\·e his warring ing I had, some 14 years agone, by that Com parishioners and slandering colleague, pany of the Plough, there to sit down with them, not as a Planter only, but as a Pastor and become the minister at Casco. also; and considering how the Lord shoYed me This shows, as does the commenda from Xew Town to Saugus ( upon that disas tion of Jordan, how little the Hamp ter which happened to the goods of the Com pany, by the false dealing of those entrusted ton squabbles affected the opinion of by us with the Plough Ship, and our goods persons at a distance. therein)-then from Saugus to Newbury, then The loyal and friendly old Chris from Xewbury to Hampton; and now seems to do the like from Hampton to the very place it tian, living ,vith his grandchildren self (Casco),-all the former shovings and re across yonder meadows, after his o,vn movings being still directly towards that place, house had been destroyed by fire, -this, I thought in my mind, might have some resemblance to the Pharisees dealing with my and a malicious effort made to blast Lord and Master.'' his good name, at once wrote to John This thought occurred to him, he Cotton and his church in Boston (,vho says, from a sermon of Brother Cot had been good friends of his friend ton's, in ,vhich he argued that all the ,vheelwright, until oyerborne by the proceedings of the Scribes and Phar magistrates of l\Iassachusetts Bay), isees '~ did but thrust and shove at asking their adyice in the n1atter of Christ, till they had thrust him into accepting the Casco call. \Vhat he that yery place to which the Father said in this letter of Christtnas tin1e, had appointed him." But then, he 1643, is interesting, as rehearsing his proceeds, he could not be sure that fortunes in the tninistry since starting this was really God's purpose,-'' see ing the intervenient callings \Yere also 1 :\1y son.\". C. Sanborn. of Kenilworth. Ill.. has sent me certain facts ahout the grantees of the of God, and the last, to Ha1npton, not Plough Patent.audits final absorption in the g-rant of Rigby. which are worth recording. John DYe least certain to me to be of God ; !ived in Philpot Lane. London. and Thomas Jupe 1n Crooked Lane; both seem to ha,·e been citizens, also the last two removals not being and prohahlv artisans. Grace Hard win was a man a wax-chandler in Crooked Lane.-his wife was ~ so properly from God, as frotn Satan friend of :\tildred Hitch. who mav have heen akin to Christopher Levitt, the first settler at Casco. and son1e unjust instru111ents. This The three Binckeses were also from London Richard Dummer, who had the custodv of the pat: now, from Hampton to Casco, n1ay ent. was one of a familv which seni manv mem bers to ~lassachusetts. :.\::-chbishop Laud \\·as in be, after a sort, forced by like unjust fo~med rn 163S by onf: of his spit:s in the Isle of ,v1ght_(Oglander) that John DumnH:r of Swathling, proceedings, as ,vell as by an honor and h1s son Thomas. with Thomas Dummer of Chickenwell. for his brother Richard, and Stephen able calling fron1 Casco, and like hon Dun11n<:r of :rowuhill were all layiu~ in pro,·ision for en11grat10n. and se,·eral of them came over. orable advice from you.'' He there Richard himself had come in 16,2. hut returned in 16.,S to England. taking the patci1t with him; whkh fore desires the advice and good ,vill a~terward~ passed to Rigby. In 1674, Serjeant Rigby. heir of Alexander. recited in his memorial of Cotton, Winthrop, and lhe other the grant to Bryan Binckes. John Dve, and Olher-s. (June 26. H"i_,o) .. of two islands in the river Sag-ada church n1embers at Boston, and goes hoc and certain tracts of land; "that in 1630 the said Hinckes and his associates .. settled them on to say: selves in Casco Bay. laid out considerable sum~ of money in planting there. and made laws and con " I haYe sent them of Casco thi~ answer stitutions tor the government of said plantation;" that in 1643 the sun·ivors of Binckes, etc .. granted briefly,-! purpose, God· willing, to come and their interest to Alexander Rigby; that in 1644. the confer with them about the last week of the earl of Warwick. Go,·ernor-in:Chief of America '' ratified and confirmed said laws and constitu next month, our first (January, 16.+4), and that tions for_ the territory aforesaid, styling the samt.· the will of God shall o,·errule me against all the Provmce of Lygonia: "and that in 1646 "the said Earl and the Council decided the title to the the difficulties of the case. And indeed the Province to be iu the said Righy and his heirs." being of my dear brother Jenner and Mr. REV. STEPHEN BACHILER. 9 ,vheelwright established in those parts is not a the situation and the n1otives of Mr. weak motive to drive, or a cord to draw me that way.'' Dalton, the persecutor of his pastor: "The contentions in Hampton were grown Probably this casual mention of to a great height; the whole town was divided those punished heretics, Wheelwright into two factions, one with !\Ir. Bachellor, their and his friend, then ministers at Saco late pastor, and the other with Mr. Dalton their teacher,-both men very passionate, and want and Wells, on the ,vay to Portland, ing discretion and moderation. Their differ and out of the ~Iassachusetts jurisdic ences were not in matters of opinion but of tion, led the Boston brethren to dis practice. l\Ir. Dalton's party being the most of the church, and so freemen (voters) had great courage his removal to Casco ; and adyantage of the other, though a considerable he gave it up. But in the meantime, party, and some of them of the church also, Wheelwright's colony at Exeter, whereby they carried all affairs both in church and town, according to their own minds, and adjoining Hampton, and likely to be not with that respect to their brethren and fully informed about :rv[r. Bachiler's neighbors which had been fit. Divers met:t record in his O\vn colony, had in ings had been, hoth of magistrates and elders, and parties hap been reconciled,-but broke vited him to succeed Mr. Ra.sbleigh out again i,resently, each side being apt to take as their n1inister,-a fact which goes fire upon any provocation. \Vhereupon Mr. to prove his innocence of anything Bachellor was adYised to remove, and was called to Exeter, whither he intended to go; serious in the Hampton imbroglio. It but they being divided and at great difference is to be remembered that \Vheel also, when one party had appointed a day of "·right and Bachiler founded their humiliation, to gather a new church and call colonies side by side in the same l\Ir. Bachellor, the Court sent order to stop it." years, ,vhen Massachusetts had not N o,v let us see ,vhat 1fr. Bachiler extended her rule over N e\v Hamp himself, who acted in this n1atter shire, and that, ,vhen this occurred, ,vith entire moderation, so far as can in 164r, "Theelwright moved over be seen, had to say about the Exeter into l\iaine. His people invited Mr. call (Hampton, l\Iay 18-19, 1644): Bachiler. but the Bay influence had " Being clearly free from any engagement of divided Exeter, as Hampton was di promise to Casco, and no one misliking mine Yided ; and the Lords Brethren took inclination to Exeter,-as the one, two or three opposites had no one word to oppose further, advantage of this fact to ~orbid Mr. so were the whole residue of the plantation Bachiler's accepting the invitation. (brethren and others) thoroughly satisfied and Governor Winthrop's version of this encouraged to go forward. Upon my promise to ac<;ept of their calling and desire, they ( dated Feb. 6, 1645) is as follo\VS : resolved to pitch upon the day of their consti tution and coming into order, and sending " Mr. Wheelwright being removed from Ex forth their letters for help and advice unto the eter to Wells, the people remaining fell at va churches. \Vbiles I desired to delay for some riance among themselves. Some would gather further short time, . . . I could see no a new church, and call old Mr. Batchellor sound reason to desire further time, but freely from Hampton to be their pastor; and for that consented to their desire and calling: only purpose appointed a day, and gave notice earnestly exhorting them to liYe in love and thereof to the magistrates and churches ; but peace, and so to redeem whatsoeyer ill opinion the Court, understanding of their divisions and the country had conceived of them. \Vhere present unfitness for so solemn and sacred a upon they called a meeting, and agreed upon business, wrote to them (by way of direction the persons and materials of their intended only) to desist for that time. To this they sub church, and the day of the helpers' meeting, mitted and did not proceed." which is the 18 of the next month succeeding (June, 1644). Which if it shall please your An earlier record made by Win Worship (Gov. Winthrop) to communicate, throp in July, 1644, lets light in upon with this poor relation, to your Reverend IO REV. STEPHl:.. N BACHILER. Elders (to save me a little pains in writing), I will lay what rates they can upon my lot and shall stand thankful to you; and doubly thank estate in Hampton. Whether I may not obtain ful to my brother \Vilson (as the ablest to favor from our Government, to be favored and travel) in case he would honor us with bis exempted, either for the short term of my life, prcsence,-and make it a progress of recrea or for some certain years, as shall be thought tion to see his old friend. and so to do me this fit, from any rate? ( 1), For that I procured the last ~en.·ice, save to my burial. For the e~tah plantation for them, as your \\·orship knows, lishment of a church-estate in Exeter, I have, and have heen at great charges many ways of my own accord, freely consented to allow ..p since, for the upholding and furthering of the pounds, out of the wages which they purposed same. 2, For that I never had any main to have allowed to :\Ir. Rashleigh yearly , and I tenance from them hitherto. 3, I have had think paid>, to the purchasing of :\Ir. \\'heel great losses by fire (well known) to the value wrigbt's house and accommodations thereto,- of 200 pounds. with my whole study of books. to be mine for my term only, and so to he left It is considerable, that I voluntarily remove, at my end of term to such as shall succeed .. , for peace sake. and that my removing, though to so near a place, cannot he but both trouble Is there not son1ething pathetic as some and chargeable. And lastly it can detract ·well as truly Christian and gentle but a matter of 3 pounds or theret•pon,-haply manly in this staten1ent? In his a little more, I do not know,-from the Teacher's maintenance, or otherwise; which eighty-fourth year, after a troubled yet may be a comfort and benefit to me. and toilson1e life, he desires his old I have. in effect, little or no other means and friend, one of the Boston n1inisters, maintenance to depend upon. but from my lot in Hampton. to con1e and ordain hin1 "·here he "\\'hetber I may not lawfully and reasonably expects soon to be buried. Xotwith desire such a favor from the state? if not, in standing the reputation for conten your wise and conscionable judgment, and of my brothers, your Elders, I sit down in silence. tion ,vhich his enen1ies ,vould fasten If yes. then I shall beseech you as a friend and upon him, I could ·wish that they had father, to propound my humble suit to the eyer manifested so 1nuch Christian Court, as you best know how, with my reasons and considerations,-and cast the success upon spirit. But the Lords Brethren, the Lord above. And were it not that I know ! must think against the ,vish of the your \\'orship respecteth no trouble, so you gentle \Vinthrop,-refused to pern1it may do any service for God, or any of His poor sen·ants, I should not he so bold as I am thus the Exeter heretics to gather a to trouble you with my letters of complaint church. Having adYised the wronged and advice. And even so I conclude, with my old 111an to lea\·e Hampton for the wife"s and my poor service promised to your \Yorsbip and your Christian consort, mine sake of peace, and he haying taken ancient friend, with our faithful prayers for their counsel,-they no,v stepped in you and my reverend brethren. I cease and and frustrated his good purpose,- rest in the Lord, yours to command, His most unprofitable sen·ant, Keeping the word of promise to the ear, "STEPHE=" BACHILER. ·• Bear with my blotted paper,-my maid But breaking it to the hope. threw down mine ink glass upon it, and I In the full faith that now he is to had not rcscribcndi /01lpus ~, (time to write it over). find repose at Exeter, this aged Lear; so ungratefully treated by his breth Here 1s the case truthfully pre ren, not by his children, n1akes a sented; but \vhether the fayor of further request, modestly and pathet relief from taxation in his o,vn col ically to this powerful '' Court '' ony ("plantation") ·was ever granted, which assu1nes to regulate church ,ye may not know·, for the in1perfect and state at once. The same letter to,vn records of Hampton do not of May, 1644-, goes on : sho,v it. He aftenvards sued the "I must expect that, so soon as I am trans to,vn for ministerial services, and got lated to my new place, the people of Hampton a yerdict in his favor. RliV. STEPHEN B.-1.CHILER. I I Having sacrificed some 400 or 500 America, Nathaniel Bachiler, Wil pounds in his fifteen years' endeavors liam Sanborn and Stephen Sanborn, to build up towns and churches in 20 pounds sterling each. The aged New England, the old Puritan ,vas sufferer still con1plained to \Vintbrop no,v compelled to sell his great farm of unredressed \Vrongs, and wrote to in Seabrook, near the :\Iassachusetts hin1 (May 3, 1647) retninding hin1 of line, to maintain hitnself on the pro a pron1ise to open his case, \Vhen oc ceeds, without burdening his grand casion should serYe, in these ,vords: children, ,vho by this time ,vere "I can ~hew a letter of your \Vorship's, occa prominent citizens of Han1pton. This sioned by some 1etkrs of mine, craving some sale occurred during 164-4-, and ,vas help from you in some cases of oppression un der which I lay,-and still do,-wherein also in the interest of the town of Hamp you were pleased to take notice of those op ton, to ,vhon1 the buyers (Thotnas prc-ssions and wrongs: that in case the Lord Ward and \Villian1 Howard) resold it, should gh·e, or open a door of, opportunity, you would be ready to do me all the la,vful for the benefit of ~Ir. Bacbiler's friend right and Christian sen·ice that any cause of and successor, Rev. John \Vheel mine might require. \Vhich time being, in my wright, ,vho seetns to have been conceit, near at hand, all that I would humbly crave is this,-to read this inclosed letter to my chosen as a n1eans of reconciling the two heloYed and reverend brothers, your El adherents of Bachiler and of Dalton. ders (Cotton and \Vibon), and in them to the The beginning of the contract ,vith whole Synod. \Vherein you shall fully know my distressed case and condition: and so, as \Vheehvright is significant in this re you shall see cause, to join with them in coun spect ; it reads : sel, what best to do for my relief.'' "The church of Jesus Christ in Hampton, Here the allusion is, no doubt, to having seriously considered the great pains and the slanders against him in Hampton, labors that the reverent and ,,ell-beloved :\Ir. as ,vell as to the pecuniary indebted Timothy Dalton have taken among them in the work of the ministry, e7.-'Cll btJ'Ond his abili~J' ness of his ungrateful colony, for ser and strength of nalcr: and having, upon sol vices as pastor. \Vhat follows, in emn seeking of God, settled their thoughts the san1e letter~ opens a ne,v source of upon the reverent and well-beloved :\Ir. John . \Vheelwright of \Vells, as a help in the work of affliction for the persecuted old man . the Lord with the said l\Ir. Dalton, our present He had gone to Ports1uouth, appar and faithful teacher, .. etc. ently, upon a sort of engagen1ent to It seen1s to ha,·e been further preach there, as successor to "that agreed to accept :rvrr. Bachiler's offer godly man and scholar'· James peaceably to ren1ove fron1 Hatnpton, Parker, ·who had shortly before gone ,vhere, in the meantitne (164j), his to Barbadoes, after missionary ·work wife, Helen, had died: be did in fact a111ong- the ungodly at Strawberry remove in the spring of that year, Bank and Kittery Foreside for t\YO or (and before Mr. \Vheehvright can1e) to three years. It was a trading and Stra,vberry Bank, as Portsmouth was fishing comn1~1nity, ,vith little affinity then called. Soon after so ren1oving, for the Puritan strictness, to ,vhich he conveyed (.A.pril 20, 1647) all his l\Ir. Bacbiler undertook 1nissionary remaining estate in Hampton, includ service; and he fell into the snares ing all grants not then appointed, to of the ,vicke "Whereas, your petitioner having formerly Released front the complications of lived with Mr. Stephen Bachiler in this Colony as his lawful wife, (and not unknown to divers his old age in N e,v Englaud, and of you, as I conceive), and the said Mr. Bach returning to kindly and prosperous iler, upon some pretended ends of his own, has descendants and kindred in old Eng transported himself into old England, for many years since, and betaken himself to another land, Stephen Bachiler passed his wife, as your petitioner hath often been credi latest years in tranquility and died bly informed, and there continues; whereby peacefully at Hackney, now a part of your petitioner is left destitute not only of a London, in 1660, nearly a century guide to herself and her children, but also made incapable of disposing herself in the way old. His descendants in this country of marriage to any other without a lawful per alone must nun1ber 5,000. in Eng mission. . . . And were she free of her en land perhaps half as n1any. His gagement to :\Ir. Bachiler. might probably so dispose of herself as that she might obtain a rancorous opponent, Dalton, left no meet helper to assist her to procure such means posterity, and, in his penitent later for her livelihood, and the recovery of her years, gave n1uch of bis property, as children's health, as might keep them from perishing,-which your petitioner, to her great did his wife, to the grandson of Mr. grief, is much afraid of. if not timely pre Bachiler, Nathaniel, ,vhose posterity vented." are before me to-day. It is, there At this time she could not have fore, proper for us to pay the honor been more than forty. Neither of to our common ancestor ·which his her children could have been her character and services demand. A husband's, who was by this time less agreeable task is to censure and ninety-five, and had never married correct the erroneous and injurious again. Nor had he been in England terms in ,vhich the historian of " many year~," for he returned with Hampton Falls has inconsiderately his grandson, Stephen Sanborn, who spoken of the planter of these five not only signed the Hampton peti towns, which owe thei_r existence to tion in favor of Robert Pike in 1653, his zeal and aged activity. It should but was in Hampton in ...<\.ugust, have been his pride, as_ it ·was his 1654. Upon leaving America, ,vhere duty, to clear our Founder's na1ne he had been so ungratefully dealt from the aspersions of his oppon ,vith by all except his o,vn kindred, ents. he turned over the last remains of Instead of this, his account of Mr. his American property to his son Bachiler \Vill not stand judicial ex in-law, Captain Christopher Hus an1ination for a moment. It copies sey, ancestor of the poet Whittier, carelessly and defectively from \Vin as two of his old neighbors testified throp's secret journal. ·which did not later: come to light till more than a century "They did hear Mr. Bachiler say unto his after Bachiler's death, ,vhen all who son-in-law that in consideration the said Hussey had little or nothing from him with his daugh had direct know ledge of the facts ter, which was then married to the said Hussey; ·were also dead, and when its state as also that this said son Hussey and his wife ments must be tested by probability, had been helpful unto him both formerly and not taken as gospel truth. Valuable in fitting him for his voyage, and for other con siderations; he did give to the said Hussey all as Winthrop's manuscript journals his estate, consisting in cattle, household goods are, for facts within his own knowl and debts, for which his gift aforesaid he also edge, and where his judgment was gave a deed in writing and delivered a copy thereof to the said Hussey." not warped by superstition or preju- 14 REf ·. STEPHEN BACHILER. dice, there are numerous instances in league with Satan, as for Mr. where we now know his account to Bachiler's a 11 e g e d misconduct at be false or exaggerated; many more Hampton ; yet who believes no,v that in ,vhich his credulity and bigotry they ,vere "?itches? Had the offence led him to the most ridiculous state charged, upon mere hearsay, by Win ments. He tells a story of the mice throp, been committed by Mr. Bach eating one of his son's Yolumes, in iler, or provable, it ,vould have been ,,·hich ,vere the Greek Testament sharply prosecuted in the courts; for and the book of Common Prayer. our ancestors "·ere Yery· severe Disliking the latter, ,vhich \Vinthrop against such offences,-·whipping and regarded as heretical or idolatrous in eyen hanging for their punishment. parts, he giYes us to understand that That he n1ade any confession is no his son John's tnice acted under more likely than that Bachiler's God's direction in nibbling the friend \Vheelwright confessed the prayers and aYoiding the Gospels ! heresies for \vhich the Lords Brethren He can no,vhere speak of Anne unlawfully banished hin1 to N e,v Hutchinson ,vith n1oderation, and Hampshire ; his courteous expression after she had been unjustly banished of some slight fault was doubtless to .A.quiday, near Rhode Island, he tortured into a confession, ,vhich he set down this gossip against her: ever afterwards denied, and asked to have the matter brought to public "Mr. Collins and one )fr. Hales (a young man very well conceited of himself and cen trial.-not left in the secret conclave sorious of others) went to Aquiday; and so of church discipline. Judge Bach soon as Hales came acquainted with ::\Irs. elder and other careful -lawyers who Hutchinson, he was taken with her, and be came her disciple. :Mr. Co11ins was enter have looked into the cases of Wheel tained at Hartford to teach a school; went wright and Bachiler, are unanimous, away without taking leave, and being come to so far as I know, in saying that noth )Irs. Hutchinson, he was also taken with her heresies, and in great admiration of her. These ing could be yroved, in a just court, and the other like (things) before, when she upon no better evidence than \Vin dwelt in Boston, ga\·e cause of suspicion of throp records. Nor would the scan witchcraft; for it was certainly known that Hawkins's wife (who continued with her and dal have received any attention, prob was her bosom friend) had much familiarity ably, had not Mr. Bachiler, in his with the devil in England, when she dwelt at failing old age, fallen into the hands St. Ives, where divers ministers and others resorted to her and found it true." of the wicked wo1nan who enticed him to a whoUy unfit marriage. His Winthrop also recorded, a few two former marriages had been long years after, and not long before his and undisturbed, so far as we know, own death, the ,vondrous evidence by any domestic dissensions; his upon ,vhich Margaret Jones was ,vives were not so many as \\7in hanged in Charlesto,vn for a witch, tbrop's (who married four times), and bow the presence of her widowed but equally worthy; bis children and husband in a loaded vessel in Charles grandchildren were honored and re river caused the ship to heel and roll spected, and were much attached to until he was taken out and impris him. The charge of immorality was oned! Now there is quite as much the outgrowth of theological rancor, evidence for these three persons being than which nothing is more slan- REV. STEPHEN B.ACHILER. 15 derous, or less to be credited in daughter of the murdered' Sir John accusation. Tyndal. But it is also alleged by Winthrop Even if these revived slanders had that Bachiler was so contentious that more foundation in fact than we now there could be no peace in the see they had, it was not the part of churches till he ,vas sent a,vay. a good historian to gloat o\·er them. That he ,vas stiff and passionate at Until he "·as eighty years ol