PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS

    VOLUME I

    Part V951

    Part of the Records of of the lrst Church of Plymouth. Massachusetts952

    [1] Church-Records Anno 1682:

    Lords supper administred: March, 1[ ] July, 9: August, 6:

    September, 3: October, 1: [ ] December, 3: February, 25:

    Members dyed

    Benajah Prat, March, 17: in his s[ ] Sarah, the wife of Thomas [ ]

    Children [baptized]

    Patience, daugh[ ] baptized, March, 19: [ ] Theophilus, son of Jo[hn Cotton] Reliance, daughter of [ ] Benajah, son of Deborah [ ] Isaac, son of Samuel [ ] James, son of John & Martha [Cobb] Isaac, Rebekah, Mary, the [children of Isaac Cushman] Ebenezer, Jerimiah th[ ] Mercy, daughter of Jo[ ] Abigail, daughter of Abigail [Bryant] Hannah, Manasseh, Ephraim [Joanna, Ruth, George] Timothy, the seven children o[f George Morton] Joanna, the daughter of John [Morton]953

    April, 16 the Elders warned the chur[ ] after Lecture; Accordingly the [ ] The case propounded & agitated [ ] church of watertowne, now livi[ ] from that church to ours) [ ] which were then read to [ ] William Paybody of th[ ] agitation, the church [ ] comitting954 the diffe[ ]rke manifest he[ ] to heare the [ ] [2] [ ]deavours befor Reconciliation, they see not [ ]m to communion with us at the Lords Table. [ ] church being in the Pastors house was called [ ]ir conclusion, & manifested his [ ]omote it with W: Paybody, who [ ] Pastor his thankfull embracing [ ]ming next weeke to [ ]rmed by the Pastour of [ ] to attend the motion. [ ] 29 of those who [ ] 9: to attend [ ]mfortably [ ]hurch was [ ] acquainted [ ]eing left under [ ]ren concerned [ ]en voted, that [ ]nion with us was [ ] communion [ ]rch of watertowne [ ]dation, which were [ ]e church [ ] from the church of watertowne. [ ] was now Baptized. [ ] Cushman. [ ] Tinkham. [ ]: Mercy Dunham [ ]me together on wednesday next: [ ]son & his wife were955 called forth, [ ]onciliation, the brethren [ ] for a full [ ]manifestation

    [3] 1683:

    Lords supper: April, 1: May, 6: June, 3: July, 8: August, 5: September, 2: October, 7: November, 4: December, 9:

    Members dyed

    Mary Bartlett, widow, March, 27: in her 73d yeare. Mris Margarett Winslow, the Relict of Mr. Josiah Winslow, Deacon of the church at Marshfeild, in her widow-hood removed hither, & having lived in communion with us about 7 yeares, she dyed, September, 28: being about 75 yeares of age, she was a very choice Christian. Martha Nelson, widow, December, 20: in her 64th yeare.

    January, 23: there was a church-meeting attended in the Pastors absence, after the conference, in which the Propositions made by the Pastour the meeting before were read, but the agitation & Issue of that meeting had best be buried in silence. see the end of page 5956

    April, 15: William Harlow & Lydia his wife were called before the church, & charged with uncleanesse etc their957 child being borne within six weekes after marriage, & for disobedience to parents, engaging one to another without knowledge & against consent of parents, sinfully also hiding & denying their guilt, they manifested soe much Repentance for all charged, as that the church would not reiect them only voted Admonition, which was applyed by the Pastour

    Children Baptized

    Eliezer, son of Eliezer & Mary Churchel (borne Feb: 23: 1682:) baptized, April, 1: John, son of Samuel (Junior) & Sarah King: John, son of Mercy Holmes: Samuel, son of Hannah Harlow. Mercy, daughter of Mary Rickard: Sarah, daughter of Sarah Lobdell. John, son of John Dunham Junior: Samuel son of Samuel Dunham Junior. Peter, son of Elizabeth Tinkham. Thomas, son of Hannah Bartlett. Sarah, daughter of Samuel Rider. Samuel, son of John & Lydia Nelson. Benjamin, Sarah, the two children of Deborah Burden of the church of Barnstable: Ephraim, son of Esther Tinkham. John, son of Judith Faunce:

    February, 17: the Elders desired the church to meete Feb: 20: after Lecture, the ch: then met, after some discourse, a vote was of the major part of the ch: to put our differences to some ches for advice; after this the Elder moved that the magistrates being shortly to meet here, might be desired to heare & advise us, this seemed to be generally consented to though not put to vote.

    [4] 1683

    Members admitted

    Mary, wife of John Rickard Junior. Sarah, wife of Isaac Lobdell. Samuel Dunham, Junior. Mary, wife of Nathaniel Wood. Priscilla Cooper, widow, dismissed to us from the church of Barnstable. Esther, wife of Ephraim Tinkham Junior.

    June, 17: Samuel Dunham senior was called forth to manifest his Repentance publickly in order to his Reconciliation with the church, his speech was pænitentiall & well tending to satisfaction, but one Brother alleadged some matter of scruple upon his spirit as to the sincerity of his Repentance, intimating he had both spoken & done something inconsistent therewith, upon which it was concluded to respite the issue of the matter a fortnight longer.

    June, 27: at the conference-meeting, it was propounded to the church concerning Sam: Dunham; sundry of the Bretheren spake charitably concerning him that Brother who before had spoken in publick, said he should rest in the act of the church:

    At this time, it was propounded by the Pastour to the church, whether they tooke themselves bound to looke after church-children that lived else where, the bretheren roundly exprest themselves in the Affirmative; the case of Bithiah Sandy of Bristoll was mentioned who was guilty of fornication with him, whom afterward she married; the church concluded it necessary she should958 be Admonished by the Elders in their name for her sinne.

    July, 1: Samuel Dunham senior was Reconciled to the church.

    July 8: after the publick worship was ended, the Elders desired the church to stay; the Pastour read letters of Admonition for Bithiah Sandy, the church then voted, those letters should be sent by the Elders in their name to her, as their rebuke of her for her sinne. [5]

    July, 15: the Elders propounded to the church to set [apart] a day for fasting & prayer, partly with reference to th[e] great drought on the southerne townes,959 & our owne danger of a thin harvest if God should much longer withheld raine from us; partly for persecutions of saints abroad: it was left to consideration till the next Lords day.

    It pleased God to send such plentifull raine, that on July, 22: the church agreed to set apart, the Thursday following as a day of Thanksgiving for soe seasonable a mercy, which, July, 26: was accordingly attended.

    September, 2: Letters from the church of Barnstable were read, signifying their desires for messengers from our church to be present etc at the ordination of their Pastour, Mr Jonathan Russell, on Sep: 19: the church chose the Pastour & Elder, & one of the Bretheren, either secretary Morton, or Deacon Finney or Deacon Morton to goe along with the Elders as their Messenger also.

    September, 16: it was signifyed to the church, that neither the Elder nor any of the bretheren above nominated could goe to Barnstable, & therefore other Bretheren were propounded, namely, William Harlow, Andrew Ring, Joseph Howland, any one of these, the church by their silence consented to be their messenger.

    The Pastour & Leift: Joseph Howland only attended this service, & Sep. 23: the Pastour gave an account to the church in publick of the comfortable carrying on & issue of the worke in the day of ordination with great peace & unanimity.

    October, 14: the Elders propounded to the church to set apart, the Thursday following, viz, oct: 18: as a day of fasting & prayer, on the account of the troubles of Gods people in England etc as also to humble our selves under Gods Judgments on this land in blastings, meldews & in sundry places great drought, & floods that destroyed much of the fruits of the earth; the church did unanimously consent to the motion & publickly attend the duty at the time exprest

    January, 6: the Elder intimated desires from the Pastors motion, that the church would come generally together to the conference; Accordingly, Jan: 9: the church met & after the conference the Pastor propounded some greivances which he desired redresse of or release from office-worke, the Elder shewed discontent, & 1 or 2 more of the Bretheren, & there was noe vote or issue put to anything propounded: Looke back to page 3960 [6] 1684:

    [T]he church met, March, 7: & after hearing some counsell from our magistrates in the meeting house, the church went to the Pastors house, & agreed & voted to send to the churches of Barnstable, Taunton, Bridgwater, Duxburrough, Marshfeild to send their messengers in way of a councill to consider & helpe us with reference to our present differences, the meeting to be March, 19: & the church to provide for their Entertainement & to defray the charge thereoff; the Pastors wife was then publickly desired to see to their Entertainement, & they would satisfy for all disbursments thereabouts.

    March, 9: (which was the first day of our meeting in the new Meeting-house) the Pastour preached upon John, 17: 21: 22: 23: & in the afternoone sermon, he moved the church to set apart a day for fasting & prayer, to seeke mercy from961 God, & a gratious issue of our present trouble; after which the Elder manifested his scruple thereabouts, soe did some of the Bretheren; Leift: Morton shewed great discontent at the Pastors preaching that day, intimating as if they had not the food of their soules, because he heard [s]oe much in publick of differences, & that things were blowne up more then he heard all the weeke besides, with sundry expressions deeply reflecting upon the Pastours preaching that day; Will. Harlow did in such a manner expresse himselfe murmuring at the soe preaching: In Conclusion, the Pastour said (After the Elder had said it should not offend him if any did attend such service) that Thursday next, March, 13: he had dedicated to that solemne service in his owne house & all that pleased should be welcome thereunto. The day was through grace comfortably kept by many of the bretheren & sisters.

    Children Baptized

    William, son of Samuel Dunham Junior: Joseph, son of John & Mary Rickard Junior: Benajah, son of Joseph Dunham. Bartholomew, son of Thomas Cushman Junior & Abigail his wife. John, son of962 Nathaniel & Mary Wood. William, son of Samuel Rider: Rebekah, daughter of Joanna Morton: Patience, daughter of Patience Holmes: Mariah, daughter of Jonathan & Abigail Prat: Martha, John, 2 children of Esther Tinkham: Priscilla, daughter of Thomas & Jane Faunce: Mercy, daughter of Sarah Dotey: Nicholas, son of Hannah Drue: Margarett, daughter of Sarah Churchel: Joh[n], son of Hannah Harlow: [7] 1684:

    March, 18: the councill met, & the next day Entrance was made upon the worke, the councill then gave the church some advice, to endeavour to issue our differences by friendly debate amongst our selves, attempts that way prooved not successfull; the day following was a publick agitation of the church before the councill, after which, March, 21: the councill gave their conclusion subscribed with their hands, which was gratefully accepted by the church: the Lords day, March, 23: the963 Pastour read the sentence of the councill to the whole congregation; the Elder then moved to set apart a day of Humiliation, & left it with the church to consider of till the next Sabbath:

    March, 30: by reason of a Fast appointed by the court, the church-fast was deferred till afterward.

    April, 20: the Elders stayed the church, & propounded to set apart the friday sevennight following, viz. May, 2: for964 Fasting & prayer with reference to what had past in the late day of temptation, in order to our more comfortable attendance to & communion at the Lords supper, which the Pastour propounded to be the Sabbath immediately succeeding the Fast day mentioned; the church readily & universally consented then to attend the Fast: the Pastour desired the Elder to conclude with prayer, & he did soe:

    May, 2: the day of Fasting & Prayer was solemnly attended by the whole church in the Pastours house. The Pastour first prayed & preached, then Mr Fuller prayed: Afternoone the Elder prayed, Secretary Morton, Deacon Finney & Thomas Faunce; then Letters were read from Bithiah Sandy to the church, manifesting her965 Repentance for the sin which the church sent her Admonition for the last yeare: the church well accepted her letters:

    Deacon Morton spake to the church about Intemperance, & long sitting at ordinaryes etc the Elders & Bretheren that spake to it all agreed in their Testimony against those evills & their desires that God would helpe all to more care & watch fullnesse in all respects: the 122 Psalme was sung, & the Pastour minding of the Lords supper to be the next Sabbath, he then ended with prayer; Blessed be God for this comfortable day of peace etc [8] 1684:

    Lords supper administred: May, 4: June, 15: August, 24: October, 5: November, 16: February, 1:

    June, 22: the Elder desired the church to give meeting at the conference the next Wednesday; Accordingly they did, June 25: After conference the Elder propounded to know the minde of the church, viz, whether they were willing to deale with offending church-seed in private before the church only? the Answer of the bretheren generally was, that966 they Judged, those whose sin was publick should be publickly dealt with for it, & they were willing to continue their antient practise in that respect: the Elder then propounded to them, whether they were willing the Blessing should be pronounced on sacrament-morning[s] because some without were offended that it was not done; ther[e] appeared noe forwardnesse in any to promote that practic[e] in some there was scruple about it, soe it ended at present.

    July, 13: William Shirtliffe was called forth before the church in the open Assembly, to answer for his sin in carnall fellowship with her whom afterwards he married, his child being borne 26 weekes after marriage; William shewed little sense of sin, the church voted, & the Elder laid him under Admonition, for his sin, & for the pride & hardnesse of his heart, & soe it was left for the present.

    July, 27: the church was desired to stay after the publick worship, that if any had any Just exception against admission of old Goodm[an] Bryant into the church, they might then expresse it; the Issue of the Agitation was, that nothing appeared to hinder his calling forth to declare himselfe the next Lords day.

    October, 5: Letters were publickly read from the church upon the North River in Scittuate, desiring our church to send their Pastour & messengers to be present at the ordination of Mr Thomas Mighell for their Pastour, the church sent Elder Cushman & Mr Joseph Bradford, who attended that service with their Pastour, on october, 15:

    The Pastour in January began to catechise the children of the church & towne, in Mr Perkins’s catechisme:

    Members dyed

    Abigail, the wife of Jonathan Prat, August, 17: being newly entered into967 her 40th yeare: Giles Rickard senior, February ½: at 87 yeares of age:

    Members admitted

    Stephen Bryant senior: Mr John Cotton the Pastors son.

    [9] Church-Records, Anno 1685

    Lords Supper administred: March, 1: April, 5: May, 3: June, 7: July, 5: August, 2: September, 6: October, 25: November, 22: February, 28:

    Children Baptised

    Stephen, son of Eliezer & Mary Churchel, borne February, 16: 1684: baptized, March, 15: John, son of Mary Rickard Junior, borne Feb: 3: baptized, March, 15: following: Martha, daughter of Sarah Lobdel, borne, Feb: 24: baptized, March, 29: Sarah, daughter of Isaac Cushman: Nathaniel, son of Desire Southworth Eliezer, son of Samuel & Sarah King Junior. Phebe, daughter of John & Phebe Morton: William, son of Deborah Burden of Barnstable church, she lives at Midlebury. Isaac, son of Esther Tinkham: Ebenezer, son of Deborah Barrow. Benjamin, son of Joseph & Elizabeth Howland: Joanna, daughter of John & Lydia Nelson. Joanna, daughter of Elizabeth Tinkham.

    May, 17: the Elders stayed the church & propounded to them, a motion to sing Psalme, 130: in another Translation, because in Mr Ainsworths which wee sang, the Tune was soe defficult as few could follow it; the church consented thereunto, & on May, 24: sang, Ps: 130: in the Translation used by the churches in the Bay:

    Member dyed

    Mr Nathaniel Morton, Secretary, June28/29 in his 73d ye[are]

    Joseph Bartlet having wickedly scand[a]lized the Pastour, the church met August, 20: to heare & consider of the [m]atter, the Elder & church greatly condemned his wickednesse & solemnly vindicated their Pastour, & ordered the slanderer to appeare publickly before the congregation to give satisfaction, which he did, Aug: 30: & a large confession of his sin was presented & read by the Elder, which he owned, as also his humble letter to the Pastor, the church then laid him under solemne Admonition.

    November, 1: the Elders propounded to set apart Nov: 11: for Thanksgiving [for] continuance of spirituall & civill liberties, a good harvest notwithstandi[ng a th]reatning drought, & for health; which was consented to & attended. [10] 1686:

    [L]ords supper administred. April, 4: May, 30: July, 4: August, 8: September, 19: October, 17: November, 28: January, 23:

    Members admitted.

    Margarett, the wife of Abraham Jackson Junior, dismissed, from the church at Eastham. Elkanan Cushman. Susanna, wife of Samuel Gardner. Isaac Lobdell. Mris Joane Hart, recommended & dismissed to us from the church at Taunton. James Warren, then baptized also: Lydia (second) wife of Robert Barrow. Giles Rickard Junior & Hannah his wife: Elizabeth, the wife of John Dotey: Benjamin Bantam. Ephraim Morton Junior & Hannah his wife. Lydia, wife of Jacob Cooke.

    Children Baptised.

    Eliezer, son of John & Mary, Rickard senior; it dyed the same weeke: Elkanah, James, Allerton, Elizabeth, the 4 children of Elkanan Cushman. Samuel, Nathaniel, the two sons of Susanna Gardner. Elizabeth, daughter of Mercy Holmes: Barnabas, son of Sarah Churchel. Mercy, daughter of Judith Rickard: Elisha, son of Lydia Barrow. Mary, daughter of Samuel Dunham Junior. Lydia, daughter of Samuel Rider: Priscilla, daughter of Hannah Harlow. Elizabeth, daughter of Joanna Morton: Ichabod, son of Isaac Cushman. John, Edward, Jacob, Elizabeth, Isaac, Samuel, Elisha, the seven children of Elizabeth Dotey. Abraham, son of Margarett Jackson.

    Member dyed

    Phœbe, the wife of John Morton, June11/12 being 28 years of age & four moneth[s]

    On Nov: 28: Deacon Morton propounded to the church, the need of another Deacon; Deacon Finney being dise[n]abled, the Elders accepted the motion, the church was desired to ripen their thoughts thereabouts for the next Sabbath: on Dec: 5: the church was stayed, after the Pastor had prayed, each Elder & Brother generally nominated for choice, the major part of the then Voters chose [T]homas Faunce, divers of the bretheren being absent, the compleating of [t]he Election was deferred till their mindes also should be knowne.

    See the latter end of the next Page:968 [11] 1686:

    July, 25: the Elders propounded the desires of John Dunham, that the church would grant him letters of dismission to the church at Barnstable, where his Residence now was; the church granted his desires & the Elders sent his Dismission to that church.

    The same day, inasmuch as there had bin a great fame, as if Mris Dorothy Clarke, (formerly Grey) a sister of the church, had bin guilty of some breach of Rule in the management of the differences, betwixt her & her now Husband, Nathaniel Clarke, the Elders having before spoken with her & found her willing to attend the Rule, she then presenting us with a confession of her failing in words & then in writing, the Elders [t]hen brought the matter publickly before the Church, & read her confession, which she publickly owned to be hers, with which the church declared themselves to be well satisfyed: The Elder then speaking a few serious words to Nath: Clarke as a child of the church, he brake forth into a wicked passion & spake vile words, intimating, as if the church would cleare the guilty & condemne the innocent, abusing also Pauls words to the mariners, as if it were better & nearer to salvation to be out of such a church then in it etc which969 carriage & words of his were highly offensive, & soe declared by the Pastour to be, but at the present it was thought meete not further to proceed thereupon.

    On December, 19: after the publick worship was ended, the church was stayed; & after the Elder had prayed, the rest of the Bretheren who were before absent or had not voted for a Deacon, were called upon to nominate their choice, which accordingly they did, & the Major part of the then voters were for Brother Thomas Faunce, soe that it being declared, that if any Brother had ought to obiect why said Bro: Faunce should not be established in the office of Deacon, they had their liberty to speake & not one obiecting, it appeared that the [c]hurch was very unanimous in this motion, the Pastour then said, [t]hey would then proceed to his ordination the next comfortable Sabbath:

    On December, 26: Thomas Faunce was ordained Deacon of this church, the Pastor prayed, & then gave the charge, & then the Elder prayed, & all [t]his was done, whilst the hands of the Eldership were upon him: this Deacon was in the 40th yeare of his age when he was called to this office. [12] Anno 1687:

    Lords supper administred: March, 6: April, 17: June, 19: July, 24: September, 4: October, 2: November, 6: December, 4: January, 29:

    Children Baptized

    William, Lydia, the 2 children of Lydia Cooke. Hannah, Ephraim, John, Joseph, Ebenezer, the five children of Ephraim Morton Junior & of Hannah his wife. Samuel, son of Isaac & Sarah Lobdell (borne February, 17: 1686/7:) was baptized, March, 27: 1687: Susanna, Thomas, the 2 children of Thomas Clarke. Elizabeth, Thomas, the 2 children of Lydia Harlow. Elizabeth, daughter of Nathaniel & Mary Wood. Mercy, daughter of John & Mary Rickard senior. Thomas, son of Deacon Thomas Faunce & of Jane his wife. Jedidah, daughter of Eliezer & Mary Churchel. Daniel, son of Joseph Dunham. Samuel, son of Thomas Cushman Junior & of Abigail his wife. Lemuel, son of Hannah Drue: Mehetabel, daughter of Patience Holmes. Elizabeth, daughter of Desire Southworth: Susanna, daughter of Susanna Gardner. John, son of John Morton.

    March,970 20: the Elders made a motion publickly to the church to set apart a day for Fasting & Prayer, wherein to humble our soules before God under his frownes last yeare in drought, & in the long, cold uncomfortable winter, & in Epidemicall Coughs & colds now upon us & the small pox in some places: & to beg of God to blesse971 us with a comfortable, spring, seed time & harvest, & blesse our occasions by sea & land, & continue our spirituall priveledges, that the word of the Kingdome may not be taken away from us, & that God would in mercy remember his persecuted saints & deliver them: The time for this service was left to consideration till the next Sabbath. Then on March, 27: the motion was by the Elders renewed, & the Wednesday following, viz. March, 30: was agreed upon to be kept as a day of Fasting & Prayer, & was accordingly then attended:

    Mary Carpenter, (sister of Mris Alice Bradford, the wife of Governour Bradford) a member of the church at Duxbury dyed in Plimouth, March19/20 being newly entered into [th]e 91st972 yeare of her age, she was a godly old maide, never married [13] 1687:

    Members admitted

    Lydia, wife of William Harlow Junior. Thomas Clarke senior, son of James & Abigail Clarke Rebekah, wife of Isaac Cushman: John Bennett. George Morton.

    February, 26: the Elders propounded to the church & congregation to set apart, the 7th of March following, wherein to humble our soules by fasting & prayer, for the awfull hand of God in the measles this winter, that God would in mercy recover us blesse our labours by sea & land, our seed time & harvest & continue the meanes of grace & give us the grace of the meanes; the motion was by silence consented unto.

    Members dyed

    Anna Lettice, widow, July ⅔ in her eighty first973 yeare, or thereabouts. Mris Elizabeth Howland, the Relict of Mr John Howland, dyed at Swanzey, December, 21st, in her 81st yeare. Deacon Robert Finney, January, 7: being 80 yeares old within a moneth.

    Letters were sent to our church to desire us to attend the ordination of Mr Samuel Danforth to the office of a Pastour974 in the church at Taunton; they particularly requested the Pastour & Elder, & a messenger to be sent; because the Elder could not goe, the church chose two bretheren, viz, George Bonum & Nathaniel Wood, who both attended the Pastour to that solemnity, on September, 21: the Proceedings in the management whereoff, the Pastour gave an account of unto the Church the Sabbath following, Sep: 25:

    Letters of dismission were desired by our sister Mris Bithiah Howland to the church at Bristoll, which were granted, Sep: 25:

    October, 9: the Elders propounded publickly to the church & congregation to set apart a day of Thangsgiving to God, 1: For continuance of our Gospel mercies:975 2: For Gods gratious blessing on our labours by sea & land, giving a very seasonable yeare & plentifull harvest: 3: For our health: 4: For gratious restoring of Liberty to Gods people in o: E: by the Kings Proclamation. This was left to Consideration till the next sabbath.

    oct: 16: the church concluded to set apart, oct: 26: & then did attend that duty. [14] Anno, 1688:

    March, 7: was observed as a day of Fasting & Prayer.

    Lords supper Administred, March, 11: April, 22: May, 20: June, 24: July, 29: September, 2: October, 7: November, 4: December, 2: February, 3:

    Susanna Cole (who was Grey) was on April, 1: called before the church openly for fornication with John Cole before her marriage to him, she exprest some pœnitential words, & was laid under Admonition by the vote of the church, pronounced by the Elder & then seconded by the Pastour:

    Members admitted.

    John Churchel, & Rebekah his wife: Elizabeth, wife of Alexander Kenedy, she was then Baptized also: Deborah, wife of John Bennet, dismissed to us from the church at Beverley Joshua Prat & Mary his wife. Abiel Wood: Susanna, wife of Josiah Morton. Mr. Rowland Cotton; Mris Elizabeth Cotton, the Pastors children. John Prat.

    May 3:976 was appointed & kept a Fast for the great Drought God sent great raine that day & after in answer to prayer.

    Rebekah, the wife of our Brother Thomas Clarke, dyed, April, 4: she was not in full communion, a child of yarmouth church, & left in her owne hand-writing many gratious words, that did fully evidence God was gratiously at worke with her soule, & that she was preparing for church-fellowship: her pious parents are living: her Grand-parents were blessed Mr Miller, Pastour of yarmouth, Mr Josiah Winslow, Deacon of Marshfeild, they & their wives all in heaven.

    Children Baptized.

    Elizabeth, daughter of John & Rebekah Churchel. Josiah, son of Elkanan Cushman: Isaac, son of Samuel & Sarah King. Mary, daughter of Mary Rickard: Elizabeth daughter of Joshua & Mary Prat. Samuel, son of Esther Tinkham: Elizabeth, daughter of Elizabeth Tinkham. Hannah, Elizabeth, Jane the 3 children of Elizabeth Kennedy. Nathaniel, son of Deborah Burden, of the church at Barnstable. John, son of Samuel Holmes, of the second church in Boston. Samuel, son of Samuel Rider: Samuel, son of Margarett Jackson. Elnathan, son of Abiel Wood. Josiah, son of Susanna Morton. John, son of James Warren. Eliezer, son of Mercy Holmes. Hannah, daughter of Hannah Harlow. Benjamin, son of Abigail Bryant. Rebekah, daughter of Lydia Cooke.

    Members dyed

    Esther Jordan, May, 26: in her 42ond yeare, Samuel Edey at Swanzey November 12: in his 87th yeare. George Watson, January, 31: being 87 yeares of age.

    [15] 1688:

    June, 17: the Elders stayed the church after the publick worship was ended, & propounded to them, that seeing divers men who offered themselves to church fellowship were very bashfull & of low voices, & therefore not able to speake in publick to the ædification of the congregation, nor to the hearing of the whole church who should be satisfied before they vote for their Admission, it was expedient the Bretheren should expresse what way they Judged best for helpe & satisfaction herein; the Elders & whole church exprest themselves man by man, & the generall conclusion of the body of the church was977 that those that could speake to hearing, should soe doe in the publick congregation as formerly, but if the Elders Judged any man not capable thereoff, they should call the church together in private to heare such make their relations, but voting their Admission & covenanting with them should be deferred978 to be done before all in publick; Sundry of the Bretheren desired that the Relations of such might by the Elders be made knowne to the whole congregation at their Admission as Judging it would be for the ædification of others, which Proposall though it was not opposed by any, yet was left undetermined, & as God directed in the particular cases, soe for us to doe as should be Judged for the best.

    June, 21: a private Fast kept by about 50 of the church, on short warning, on account of our Bretheren & neighbours that day before the councill: God speedily answered & sent them home next day.

    Deborah Fish (who was Barrow) living now at Sandwich, was July, 15: declared guilty of Fornication with her now husband before marriage, & a letter read before the church to be sent to her from the Elders in their name to admonish her for her sin, the church consented thereunto.

    october, 14: Mris Anne Morton, widow was dismissed to the church at charlestowne.

    oct: 28: the Elders propounded publickly to set apart, Tuesday following oct: 30: as a day of Fasting & prayer. 1: That God would put a stop to the rage of the Heathen who had murthered sundry English & give peace. 2: Inasmuch as great sickness & death was at Boston, that God would heale there & continue our health. 3: For a gratious issue of our owne troubles, divers of our bretheren & neighbours being that day to attend the Court: the motion was consented to & accordingly attended.

    [16] Anno, 1689:

    [L]ords supper, March, 3: April, 7: May, 5: June, 2: July, 7: August, 4: September, 1: [O]ctober, 6: November, 3: December, 1: February, 9:

    March, 3: the Elders propounded to the church at conclusion of the sacrament to set apart the Thursday following, 7th Instant as a day of publick Thanksgiving for the mercies of the yeare past, continuance of our Gospel-liberties, with peace, health, plenty of the fruits of the Earth, & Gods gratious answering our prayers in a solemne dayof fasting & prayer last May for raine in time of drought; the motion was accepted universally, & the duty attended at the time mentioned, the Elders giving notice of it to the whole Assembly on the Sabbath evening.

    Children Baptized.

    Benajah,979 son of John Prat: Joanna, daughter of Nathaniel & Mary Wood, borne Feb: 27: baptized, April, 7: Feare, daughter of Isaac & Rebekah Cushman. William, son of Lydia Harlow: William, son of Elizabeth Kenedy. William, Samuel, the 2 sons of Lydia Churchel. Ebenezer, son of John Prat. Joanna, daughter of John & Lydia Nelson. Benjamin, son of Sarah Dotey. Mehetabel, daughter of Judith Faunce. Mercy, daughter of Sarah Churchel. Joanna, daughter of Deacon Thomas Faunce, & Jane his wife. Mary, daughter of Eliezer & Mary Churchel. Rebeckah, of John & Mary Churchel. Josiah, son of Elizabeth Dotey: Robert, son of Lydia Barrow. Mary, daughter of John Morton: Thomas, son of Susanna Gardner. Mercy, daughter of Samuel Sturtevant: also Samuel, Hannah, Nehemiah, James, in all six children of Samuel Sturtevant: see below under members admitted. Andrew, son of Mary Ring:

    March, 31: the Elders propounded to the church to set apart a day for Fasting & prayer; 1: for continuance of our Gospel-liberties, & to be humbled that wee have noe better improoved such mercies for our growth in grace. 2: For a blessing on our labours this yeare by land & sea, that the earth may yeild its increase, that our980 seamen may be preserved from dangers. 3: For Peace, & that these rumors of trouble may cease. 4: For health to be restored to sick places & continued with us. 5: for mercy & settlement to old England. fixing the day was reserved till the next Sabbath.

    April: 7: the Wednesday following Apr: 10: was concluded to be the Fast-day, & was accordingly observed. same day, Isaac Lobdel & Sarah his wife were dismissed to the church at Duxbury.

    Members admitted.

    Nathaniel Morton. Lydia, wife of William Churchel. Elizabeth Bryant since wife of Joseph King: Samuel Sturtevant, he was then Baptized also, & his son, William. Mary, wife of Eliezer Ring.

    Members dyed

    Elizabeth Edey at Swanzey, May 24: in her 82ond yeare, at the end of it. Priscilla Cooper, December, 29: in her 92ond yeare.

    [17] Church Records, Anno 1689: continued

    June, 23: Susanna, daughter of James & Abigail Clarke, was called before the church in Publick, & charged with the sin of Fornication, she manifested much sorrow & heavynesse by words & teares, & the Pastor & Elder giving solemne Admonition to her, the church by silence manifested concurrence & satisfaction.

    June, 30: the Elders called upon the church to come together on Wednesday following on some church-occasions.

    July, 3: the church met after Lecture at the Pastors house, & after Prayer, the Elder propounded, that there were offences committed by Mris Dorothy Clarke, in full communion with us, as also by Nathaniel Clarke & William Clarke, children of the church, which should be looked after; the church sent Deacon Faunce & Bro: Ephraim Morton Junior to call Mris Clarke to come before us; before she came, the Pastor read a letter from Deborah Fish (whom the church [h]ad sent letters of Admonition unto the last yeare for her fornication) wherein she manifested her Repentance for her sin etc.

    Mris Clarke being come, the Elder declared her offences, 1: In particular her violent carriage to a child of the Pastors, full evidence of which was presented to the church: 2: her Joyning with & encouraging her husband to get Clarks Island981 from the towne & at last setting her hand to the sale of it: she was called to speake, & gave a Narrative of her carriage to the child, & in divers words & carriages showed an evill frame of spirit; the issue was,982 many bretheren exprest their dissatisfaction at her, & the Elder summed up her offence, in these things, viz, that she was in a passion, when [s]he pulled the lad out of the tree with her hand,983 & then threw him over the fence; that she ought first to have told the mother of her984 childs fault in getting up to the tree & not have toucht him herselfe; that there was violence appeared in her carriage to the child; these things she ought to confesse her evill in, to which was added by some of the Church, too much appearance of untruths in the words, in that she said, she tooke the lad gently downe from the tree & he came downe upon his feete, whereas the evidence did positively assert, the child fell flat upon the ground by her pulling him by the leg: another was, that she told Mr Arnold that Mris Cotton had by putting a key into Josiah’s mouth caused his bleeding, whereas she used noe such meanes; Mris Clarke also in her speech before the church [18985] did say, she had heard Mris Cotton did put a key into the childs mouth, by a credible person, but would not, though much urged by divers bretheren to it, mention her Author, but presently said, she must study who it was & would speake with them first to see if they would owne it, which gave vehement ground of suspition she therein spake untruly; for these things & her offensive carriage about the Island, it was solemnly declared to her, that the church was offended with her & she should prepare986 by Repentance to give them satisfaction, & was then ordered to withdraw: the church then sent Bro: Jos: Dunham & Bro: Ele. Churchel to call Nathaniel Clarke to come to them, the bretheren returned with this answer from him, namely, that he would not come, he had nothing to say to us, nor would have any thing to doe with us: upon which the Pastor declaring to the church sundry of his scandalous wicked words & practises, & that now he had practically disowned his relation to the church, the church then unanimously agreed in choosing Bro: Harlow & Bro: Bonum to goe to Nath: Clarke & tell him, that the church did require him in the Name of Christ to attend them in the publick assembly the next Sabbath in the afternoone, his answer to them was, he should not come, for he could not speake, because he was under bonds: this meeting was with much peace & comfortable unity in the whole church & was concluded with Prayer.

    July, 7: Nathaniel Clarke made it manifest his Rejection of the church, in that he came not to the publick worship, nor did attend on the church, wherefore after many bretheren had particularly exprest themselves as Judging him worthy to be reiected for his not hearing the church, there was then a vote called for & universally consented to, that he should be disowned; the Elder did then declare that whereas Nathanie[l] Clarke had like Esau despised his birthright, by many words & carriag[es] contemned the church, they therefore disowned him & cutt him off fro[m] his relation to the church as an unprofitable branch; the Elder praye[d] after, & the Pastour added a word of counsell & Admonition to all church-child[ren.]

    July, 28: the Elders propounded to set apart a day for Fasting & prayer. 1: on account of the drought: 2: Great sicknesse: 3: the Heathen doing mischeife Eastward. 4: our present unsettlement: 5: Distresse of Ireland; the day fixed [u]pon was, Tuseday following, July, 30: & it was then attended: [19] 1689:

    November, 17: the Elders appointed the church to meete together on wednesday next after Lecture.

    Nov: 20: the church stayed after the Lecture After prayer by the Pastor the Elders then declared matter of offence against Brother Samuel Dunham, partly in that he had taken the Name of God in vaine before many witnesses, in [o]ften saying those words, the curse of God is upon the head & pluck with many other unsavoury speeches; partly by intemperance in drinking which sister Jackson testifyed against him before [t]he Elders to his face, as to the next day after the sacrament in October last; others of the church then testifyed, that it was commonly reported of him, & they had divers times seene him disguised with drinke; said offender though he spake some good words yet not soe as to satisfy the church, & therefore by an universall vote of the church he was laid under Admonition & not to come to the Lords supper till he had manifested his Repentance for his inordinate walking by a reformed conversation, the Elder then concluded with prayer.

    January, 26: the Pastour propounded to set apart a day for Humiliation & prayer, partly for Gods blessing on the Agents987 now in & going for England, that there may be a good Issue of that Negotiation in our settlement on good Foundations: & 2: for prevention of the spreading of the small pox, now increasing in Boston. 3: That God would put an end to the war with the Indians, that the next spring & summer wee might not be afflicted by them: 4: for our aged Elder, that God would heale & succour him, & yet spare him to us; the motion was left to the consideration of the church, & the determination of the time, till the next Sabbath:

    February, 2: the Pastour againe propounding the motion, & the time to be Feb: 12: it was by a silent vote unanimously consented to; & then attended.

    February, 9: at the conclusion of the sacrament, the Pastour (having formerly propounded it in publick) then moved to the church, the necessity that some Brother should read the Psalmes in the Elders absence, & by a silentiall vote of the church, it was concluded the Deacons should one or other of them doe it; Deacon Morton excused himselfe because aged & the other younger, upon which Deacon Faunce was desired to read the Psalme then & continually whilst without an Elder, he then accepted & attended that service.

    [20] 1690:

    Lords supper administred: March, 23: April, 27: June, 8: July, 20: August, 17: September, 14: October, 12: November, 9: December, 7: February, 22:

    Members admitted

    John Bradford & Mercy his wife.

    Children Baptized

    Sarah, daughter of Patience Holmes. Sarah daughter of Margarett Jackson. Joanna, daughter of Mr John Cotton, the Pastors sonne. Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Rider. Abijah, daughter of Abiel Wood. Priscilla, daughter of Elizabeth Tinkham. Joseph, son of Ruth Skiffe, of Duxbury church. Edward, son of Desire Southworth: Thomas, son of George & Joanna Morton. Samuel, son of Hannah Harlow: Josiah, son of Samuel Sturtevant. Patience, daughter of John & Mary Rickard senior. Elenor, daughter of John & Deborah Bennet. Susanna, daughter of Susanna Morton. Edward,988 son of James Warren. James, son of Lydia Churchel. Deborah, daughter of Elizabeth Mayo of the church at Eastham. Esther, daughter of Joseph Dunham: Joanna, daughter of John Prat.

    April, 20: After the Blessing the Elders stayed the Church, & called forth Brother Joseph Howland, & charged him with Inordinate walking, by excessive drinking at one particular time as well as often formerly; Bro: Howland manifested some Repentance by confession, & owned his miscarriage at that time & many others; Elders & Bretheren did by divers solemne speeches labour to bring him to further Repentance, & the conclusive vote of the church, was to accept of this989 his manifestation, & to waite in hopes of his future Reformation, & soe the church was dismissed with prayer by the Elder.

    Members dyed

    Martha, wife of Samuel Dunham senior, April, 26: in her 78th yeare. Desire, wife of Nathaniel Southworth, December, 4: in her 39th yeare. Hannah Rickard widow (who was formerly Churchel) December, 22: in her 67th990 yeare. Lettice, the (second) wife of Andrew Ring, February, 22: about 66 yeares of age.

    May, 25: After the blessing the Elders stayed the church, & called forth sister Dorothy Clarke to give publick satisfaction to the church for those offences for which she was left under Admonition, she then manifested her Repentance, in confession of sin, selfe-Judging, desiring Pardon of God, his church, the Pastor & his wife; the Bretheren generally exprest their acceptance & pardon of her; & that being alleadged, that she acted irregularly in offering last sacrament day to speake to the church, the Elders knowing nothing of it before, this also she confest her fault in, & the church forgave her, & were dismissed with prayer by the Elder. [21] 1690:

    June, 22: the church granted Letters of dismission to our Brother Jonathan Prat from us to the church at Taunton.

    August, 10: the Elders propounded publickly to the church, the scandalous sin of Hannah Silvester, a child of this church, the daughter of Hannah Bartlet, in committing folly with Joseph Silvester many moneths before marriage the child being borne about 3 months after marriage, a Letter of solemne Admonition was read by the Pastor & the church by a silentiall vote consented that the Elders should in their names send it to her to Scittuate where she now lives; which they did.

    September, 7: the Elders desired the church to come together the next day.

    Sep: 8: The church met at the Pastors house, after prayer performed by the Pastor, the Elder propounded to the church the desires of Samuel Dunham to be reconciled to the church, he being called to manifest his Repentance before the church, did expresse himselfe humbly & pœnitently, some bretheren991 Testifyed that of late they had observed some amendment of his conversation, the Issue was, by the vote of the bretheren he was accepted againe to communion with us.

    The Pastor then propounded to the church, the necessity that they should make choice of some more Deacons, & they to take care that his maintenance be duly brought in according to promise, that he might serve God among them without distraction, the Bretheren approved the motion, but left the conclusion thereoff till another time, only chose 4 Bretheren, viz, Deacon Faunce, Isaac Cushman, Ephraim Morton Junior & Samuel Sturtevant to enquire of each one in church & towne what they would ingage to give unto the ministry for this present yeare: the Elder then concluded with prayer, only a motion was made to set apart a day of Fasting & prayer for our Armies gone to Canada & the Eastward, & it was well accepted.

    Sep: 14: The Elders renewed the motion for a Fast to the whole congregation, it was then concluded to set apart, Sep: 24: for that service, which was then attended:

    January, 25: the Elders, after the publick worship, stayed the church, on behalfe of Samuel Wood, who desired to be reconciled to the church, he was a child of the church & had bin censured for offence, & now by letters manifested his Repentance for what had bin offensive, & his desires [a]lso for full communion, the church by a silentiall vote readily manifested their willingnesse to forgive & accept him soe that if God should take him out of the world before he had opportunity to prosecute his motion for [f]ull fellowship, the church was reconciled to him & his censure taken off. [22] 1691:

    Children Baptized

    Josiah, son of Thomas Clarke, borne December, 15: baptized, March, 1: John, Alice, Abigail, Mercy, Samuel, Priscilla, William, 7 children of John & Mercy Bradford. Lydia, daughter of Elizabeth King. Esther, daughter of Mary Rickard. Jabez, Thomas, William, Susanna, the 4 children of William & Susanna Shirtliffe. Mary, daughter of Nathaniel & Mary Wood. Mary, daughter of Lydia Harlow. Mary, daughter of Esther Tinkham: Joshua, son of Joshua & Mary Prat. Benjamin, son of Thomas & Abigail Cushman: Jacob, son of Lydia Cooke. Martha, daughter of Elkanan Cushman. Abiel, son of Abiel Wood. Joseph, son of Samuel Rider: Elkanah, son of Eliezer & Mary Churchel. Joanna, Henry, Ephraim, Samuel, Rebekah, Anne, Jabez, 7 children of Samuel Wood. Joanna, Daughter of John & Mary Rickard senior. John, son of John & Rebekah Churchel. Israel, son of Margarett Jackson.

    Elder Thomas Cushman dyed, December, 11: having within two moneths finished the 84th yeare of his life; He was ordained Ruling Elder of this church, April, 6: 1649: he was neere 43 yeares in his office.

    Lords supper; April, 5: May, 10: June, 7: July, 12: August, 9: September, 6: October, 4: November, 1: December, 6: January, 31:

    Members dyed

    John Jordan, March, 14: in his 82ond yeare. Mris Sarah Parke, widow, April, 26: in her 76th yeare. Mris Joane Hart, widow, June 9: being 75 yeares old. And Richard Wright, about two houres after being about 83 yeares old. Patience Whitney, widow, August, 16: in her 77th yeare neere finished. Sergeant William Harlow, August, 25: in his 67th yeare neere finished. Anne, wife of Deacon Morton, September, 5: about 64 yeares old. Lydia, wife of John Nelson, September, 11: in her 44th yeare. see above.

    Members Admitted

    Samuel Wood. William Shirtliffe & Susanna his wife. John Dunham senior, Reconciled to the church. Elizabeth, the wife of Thomas Clarke senior. Mary, the wife of John Carver; she was then Baptized. Sarah Cotton, the Pastors second Daughter.992 [23] 1691:

    April, 26: at the conclusion of the morning worship, the Elders desired the church to repaire to the Pastors house; being there, Samuel Wood was called forth to make his relation in order to Admission into the church, he having much bodily infirmity, weaknesse, & shaking of his head whence he was uncapable of speaking in the publick Assembly; After he had spoken, it appeared the church was satisfyed with him, & by vote publickly in the congregation he was that afternoone received into the church.

    Then the Elders called out John Dunham, whose desires for Reconciliation with the church had 8 weekes before bin published to them, he did acknowledge his sin for which the church rejected him, & his sin in soe long993 standing out, Justifyed God & the church in their proceedings against him etc: the church respited the conclusion of the matter till the next Lords day: & then, May, 3: before the whole congregation upon further manifestation of his Repentance he was released of his censure & admitted into the church.

    November, 8: after Evening-worship the Pastour propounded to the church the desires of his son Mr Rowland Cotton for letters of dismission to the church of Sandwich, which was accordingly granted & subscribed by the Elders.

    Then the Pastor read letters from the church of Barnstable desiring our church to send messengers to helpe them in way of councill, respecting Mr Hinckleys case, in answer whereunto the church chose the Pastour & Deacon Morton to attend that service.

    Nov: 29: The Pastour propounded to the church to set apart a day for Fasting & prayer, espetially for our Elder in his languishing condition, & for mercy to the land under black clouds etc Left to consideration till next Sabbat[h].

    Dec: 6: the Pastor renewed the motion, & added, as further matter of Humiliation, the increase of sin among us, the day mentioned & concluded upon was, Dec: 16: The next Sabbath, Dec: 13: the Pastour propounded, that the Death of our Elder did call aloud upon us for Humiliation & Prayer, & moved that on the Fast day there might be a contribution for the widow as a Testimony of their Respect, Love & Thankfullnesse to the deceased Elder [for] all the service & paines he taken for us while he lived [

    Dec: 16: the Fast was attended, Mr Arnold & the Pastors tw[o sons] John & Rowland asisted in prayer & there was a c[heerful] & liberall contribution. [24] 1691:

    December, 13: Sarah Howland, a child of the church, was called forth before the whole Congregation to answer for the sin of Fornication, she confessed her sin against God & his people, & desired forgiveness & prayers, by the vote of the church she was by the Pastour laid under the solemne ordinance of Admonition with severe rebukes; the Bretheren exprest that they would proceed thus farre at present, & not put hereby a finall issue to dealing with her in case afterward further guilt & aggravations of her sin should appeare, but then to act accordingly.

    Dec: 27: the Pastour propounded to the church before the whole Assembly his desires of some Bretheren to be chosen by them, to be present with him in the private examination of persons in order to church-fellowship, whose relations were to be read before their Admission; & then put it to vote, that they chose the present Deacons, viz, Leift: Morton & Bro: Faunce, & any other Brother whom the Pastor might see reason to improove in this worke; to this the church consented by a silentiall-vote.

    Jan: 31: The Pastour propounded to the church before the whole Assembly to set apart a day of Thanksgiving. 1: For the continuance of our sanctuary-mercies. 2: For our peace while trouble & war is in the remote parts of the country, 3: For Gods blessings on our Labours, seasonable showers & a comfortable Harvest. 4: For restoring health after sicknesse. 5: For protecting us994 in that the Enemy by sea did not annoy us though in sight of us, & preserving all our sea-faring men: 6: For good successe of the Kings forces in subduing Ireland. 7: For good tidings from old England, giving hopes of the Establishing charter Goverment, & thereby blasting the designes & expectations of those who sought our hurt: The conclusion of the thing & time was reserved till the next Sabbath.

    Feb. 7: the Pastor renewed the motion, to observe the day Wednesday following, Feb. 10: by a silentiall vote it was consented to; the Pastour then moved & exhorted to a liberall contribution on that day for the [ ]ife & Redemption of the captives lately taken at Yorke, & other [ ] Easterne parts in distresse: The day was comfortably attended, [and the cong]regation made a very liberall contribution for the ends above [ ]

    [25] Church Records, 1692:

    Lords supper, March, 6: April; 3: May, 1: June, 5: July, 3: August, 7: September, 11: October, 16: November, 13: January, 8: February, 12:995

    Children Baptized.

    Phœbe, daughter of Mary Ring, borne January, 26: baptized, March, 6: Ebenezer, son of Samuel Dunham Junior, borne996 February, 24: baptized, March, 27: Joseph, son of Sarah Churchel, borne January, 20: baptized, March, 27: Hilkiah, Mary, John, Jacob, the 4 children of Hilkiah & Ruth Tinkham. Nathanael, son of Samuel & Sarah King: Nathaniel, Bathshua, Israel, the children of Eleazar & Bathshua Dunham; their son Eleazar was baptized at Scittuate by Mr. Witherell, Pastour there. Stephen, Thomas, William the sons of Mehetable Bryant. John, son of Susanna Cole. Ephraim, son of Rebekah Cole. Sarah, daughter of James Warren. Benajah, son of John Prat. James, son of Susanna Cole. Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth Clarke. William, son of Hannah Harlow: Elisha, son of Eleazer & Bathshua Dunham. Shubael, son of Elizabeth Tinkham: John, son of Mary Carver. Hannah, Gershom, children of Hannah Bradford. Rebekah, daughter of Rebekah Rickard. Mercy, daughter of Isaac & Rebekah Cushman. Thankfull, daughter of Lydia Barrow. Mary, Anne, the two children of Joanna Grey:

    March, 6: the Pastour propounded to the church to meet together at his house the Wednesday following.

    March, 9: the church met, after the Pastor had prayed, he earnestly moved to the church, that they would in this day of Gods anger endeavour to finde out what is evill & provoking to God amongst us & be vigorous in promoting a worke of Reformation; God was gratiously present in the meeting, all the Bretheren who spake approoved of the motion as very seasonable & necessary to be attended; The Pastor propounded that all in full communion should search & try & reforme their wayes, & in particular, that some effectuall course might be taken to reforme the children of the church, who were much given to sensuality, intemperance, long tarrying, drinking & gaming at ordinaries: Yea & prophaning the Sabbath in needlesse drinking etc It was mentioned & concluded by an universall vote of the church by lifting up of hands, that the Pastor should in some convenient time, call all the Adult children of the covenant in the Name of the church to appeare before the church, & it should be demanded of them [26997] whether they did owne their covenant-relation to the church, & accordingly to proceed in present counsells & Admonitions etc as might be Judged necessary; with a solemne declaration of the firme purpose & resolution of the church hereafter faithfully to watch over them for their soules good in preventing & endeavouring to heale sin & encourage holinesse: the Pastour then ended with Prayer.

    Members admitted

    Bathshua, wife of Eleazar Dunham. Lydia (second) wife of Samuel Rider. Hilkiah Tinkham & Ruth his wife; he was then Baptized. Susanna, wife of John Cole: Rebekah, wife of Ephraim Cole. Eleazar Dunham. Mehetabel, wife of Stephen Bryant Junior, she was then Baptized. Hannah, wife of Samuel Bradford. Rebekah, wife of Samuel Rickard: Mercy, wife of Samuel Sturtevant, she was then Baptized. Joanna, wife of John Grey: Mehetabel Nelson, since the wife of John Dotey Junior.

    April, 3: the Pastour gave publick notice in the Congregation of what was concluded by the church at the meeting, March, 9: that soe all concerned might be prepared to attend the motion.

    Members dyed

    John Dunham, April, 6: in his 77th yeare. Elizabeth, wife of John Dotey, November, 21: her 44th yeare almost finished. Her little daughter Martha was Baptized the Sabbath after. Andrew Ring dyed, February, 22: in his seventy fifth yeare.

    February, 26: John Rider, a child of the church, was publickly called before the church, & laid under Admonition, for the sin of Fornication committed with Hannah Barnes, who was afterwards his wife.

    May, 1: the Pastour read letters from the church of Barnstable renewing their desires that wee would attend in councill with other churches there on May, 18: about Mr Hinckley. The church had in Nov: last desired Deacon Morton to attend that service with the Pastor, & did soe still, & now voted that if he failed Deacon Faunce should goe, The Pastor & Deacon Faunce went at the time appointed. [27] 1692:

    April, 24: the Pastor desired the church betweene the meetings to repaire to his house, they came, He propounded to them, that wee should renew our Covenant upon the approaching day of Fasting & Prayer, & read to them the Record of what the church had done in that kinde in the yeare 1676: as also two other papers, one from the Elders of this Colony, another from many Elders of Boston-Colony, in which were solemne calls, counsells, exhortations & encouragements to endeavour thorough Examination of hearts & wayes, & Reformation of heart & life in turning from all provoking evills etc.998 The church readily accepted the motion & resolved to attend the worke on the day mentioned; & agreed, that the male-children of the covenant should by the Pastour be invited to come to his house on the morrow then & there to heare what was expected from them, viz, from about twenty yeares old & upwards, & the female-children of the church of such age to come on that account to the Pastors house on the Fast-day betweene the meetings; accordingly the Pastor gave them all publick notice:

    April, 25: there was a very great & Generali appearance of all the male-children of the church & those very few absent being out of towne or necessarily hindered, not one refusing to owne his covenant relation to the church) the Pastour spent neere 2 houres with them in prayers & solemne Exhortations, counsells & Admonitions to all sorts of them particularly, & then read to them what they had done, Anno 1676: & asked them, if they were willing to acknowledge the Lord God of their fathers, & in like manner on the day of prayer at hand renew the conenant for Reformation etc which they universally consented to; it was observed many were much affected at what was spoken, & they did not spend that evening as many had used to doe.

    April, 27: on the Fast day betweene the meetings came the Female church-children to the Pastors house a great Assembly,999 the Pastor prayed & exhorted etc about an houre, & did all as he had done with the young men at the meeting above mentioned, & had the like issue. Then after sermon in the publick congregation in the Afternoone, the Pastor stood up [and after] some [281000] Preface grounded on Josh: 24: 15: etc he read a solemne Letter which the Generality of the ministers in this Colony had perused & approoved of as meet to be commended to all the churches & people to quicken them to Reformation; & for further Encouragement in the worke he read the conclusion of nine ministers in one of their Association-meeting[s] at Cambridge, March, 6: foregoing, & then proceeded first with the members of the Church in full Communion & desired them all both bretheren & sisters to manifest their consent in Renewall of Covenant by standing up all the time the Paper was read which contained confessions of our particular sins & ingagements of Reformation, the Paper was the same that on the like occasion had bin improoved in the yeare, 1676:1001 only some further addition in the matter of confession our present circumstances called for; the whole church did accordingly; then the Pastour proceeded with the1002 the children of the covenant & called on them soe to stand up while a Paper sutable for them was read, the same (only with some Addition as in the other) which they had consented to Anno 1676: on a like occasion, there was universall concurrence in this manner by them also, & the whole solemnity concluded with prayer; It was observed that many of all sorts were much affected with this solemne Transaction, the Lord accept us in Christ & enable us all to performe our vowes & covenant-ingagements to him

    June, 19: After the Evening worship, the Pastour stayed the church, & propounded, 1: That a sister; susanna Ransom, having falling into scandall by excessive drinking, & not appearing this day before the church1003 to answer for it, that therefore the church would by Bro: Shaw in their name require her to attend the next Sabbath, to which the church consented by a silentiall vote. 2: That seeing many of the Psalmes in Mr Ainsworths Translation which wee now sung had such difficult tunes as none in the church could sett [ ] the church would consider of some way of Accomod[ation tha]t wee might sing all the Psalmes; This motion [ ] the consideration of the church for a time. [29] 1692:

    Susanna Ransom (who formerly was Gardner) was called before the church, July, 10: to answer for her sin of Drunkenesse, she partly by word, & more by writing did manifest some Repentance for her sin; the Pastor called upon every Brother of the church by Name to declare their Judgment; every one did speake, the Generall conclusion was, she should be laid under the censure of Admonition, & the church would in that way waite upon God for1004 discovery of the truth of her Repentance; This Proposition being made to the church by the Pastor, was by a silentiall Vote universally consented to, & that ordinance solemnly applyed to her, with prayer for a blessing; then was the whole congregation dismissed with the Blessing.

    August, 7: at the conclusion of the sacrament, the Pastor called upon the church to expresse their Judgments as to the Proposall made about the Psalmes1005 June, 19: & put to vote, whether they did consent, that when the Tunes were difficult in our Translation, wee should sing the Psalmes1006 now in use in the neighbour-churches in the Bay; two bretheren vocally exprest their approbation, & by a silentiall vote the whole church consented it should be soe, not one opposing: The Sabbath following, Aug, 14: wee began to sing the Psalmes in course, according to the vote of the church.

    August, 21: the Pastor desired the church to be together on the Lecture day.

    Aug: 24: After Lecture the Pastor stayed the church, & propounded to their consideration, that some of our church & church-children had last spring desired William Hoskins to come & live with them at Lakingham for carrying on the Sabbath in teaching them, which they desired & he accepted without asking any consent or counsell of the Elder or church therein, & thereby they generally in that village neglected coming to the publick worship, & in espetiall on a Fast-day, wherein the church agreed to a solemne renewall of their covenant,1007 they stayed there & came not to attend that solemne worke; After discourse of divers bretheren declaring their dissatisfaction at their practice, & some speaking more favourably to it, it was unanimously voted by the church, that the Pastor should warne the Bretheren concerned in the matter of offence, in some convenient time to attend the church & give an account of their actings & the grounds thereoff

    September, 4: the Pastor read a letter from the Governour to the ministers etc to set apart days of Fasting & Prayer for the Army gone Eastward etc: Sep: 11: the church agreed to set apart, Sep: 15: for that service, & on that day it was attended. [30] 1692:

    September, 11: after the Sacrament the Pastor propounded to the church to consider of some meet bretheren that might read the Psalmes in the absence of Deacon Faunce (who was then sick) & left it to consideration.

    October, 2: The Pastor desired the church to come together the next day:

    Oct: 3: The church met, after prayer the Pastor propounded to the church, concerning John Grey & Joseph Warren, two church children, who had sinned both by Excesse in drinking, & the former by evill speaking etc inasmuch as these evills were committed before renewall of covenant (see church Records Apr: 24: & 27: 1692: pag: 3: 4:1008) they would deale with them in private, the church consenting thereunto, Joseph Warren was then called before the church, & manifested Repentance for his sin & desired them to forgive him, the church voted he should have an Admonition, which was solemnly applyed to him by the Pastor.

    In answer to the motion above, Sep: 11: divers Bretheren were nominated as sutable to read the Psalmes, viz, Jonathan Shaw, Thomas Cushman, Isaac Cushman, Elkanan Cushman, John Morton, Ephraim Morton Junior, Eliezer Churchel, william Shirtliffe, John Bradford, &1009 Baruch Jordan, & it was concluded, that any of these might be called forth by the Pastor to this service, & any other of the Bretheren that might hereafter be found meet for it.

    The Pastor then propounded, that the church would unite in some way for his setled yearly salary, most of them that spake, were to doe it by Rate; the meeting was then dissolved.

    November, 13: the Pastor desired the church to meet on the Lecture day

    Nov. 16: the church met at the Pastors house before Lecture; after Prayer, John Grey was called before the church, & charged with excessive drinking & evill speaking, matter of fact was evident, he showed but an ill frame of spirit, after some solemne speeches to him, by vote of the church, the Pastor laid him under awfull Admonition for his sinnes & impenitency therein.

    After the Lecture, the Pastor stayed the church, & called the bretheren mentioned of lakingham, who had called Will: Hoskins etc & declared the offences as in pag: 5:1010 W: Hoskins & the other said they were sorry for their giving any offence to the church: The Issue was, the church did declare that their meeting in short days & unseasonable weather, they [fa]ulted not, but their constant meeting there in comfortable seasons for travell they disapprooved as irregular. [31] 1693:

    Lords supper: March, 26: May, 7: June, 18: July, 23: August,1011 27: September, 24: October, 22: November, 19: December, 17: February, 4:

    May, 14: Mris Elizabeth Allyn (the Pastors daughter) dismissed to the church at Salisbury

    Children Baptized

    Henry, son of Susanna Morton (borne January, 7:) baptized March, 5: John, son of Samuel & Mercy Sturtevant (borne, February, 10:) baptized, March, 12: Robert, Susanna, the two children of Elizabeth Cooke. Jane, daughter of Deacon Thomas Faunce & Jane his wife, (borne November, 18:) baptized, April, 16: Joseph, son of Judith Faunce. John, Mercy, Anne, Jane, Elizabeth, the five children of Caleb & Jane Cooke: Benjamin, son of Samuel & Lydia Rider: John, son of Susanna Ransom. Lydia, daughter of Lydia Harlow. Nathaniel, son of Eliezer & Mary Churchel. John, son of Baruch Jordan. Samuel, son of John Prat. Nathanael, son of Nathanael & Mary Wood. Isaac, son of Lydia Churchel. Hannah, daughter of Rebekah Rickard. Caleb, son of Hilkiah & Ruth Tinkham. Nathanael, Samuel, Seth, the 3 sons of Samuel Fuller Junior. Mehetabel daughter of Elkanan Cushman. Desire, daughter of Joanna Grey. Sarah, daughter of Elizabeth Kenedy. Eleazer, son of Rebekah Morton, a member of the third church in Boston. Lydia, daughter of John & Patience Nelson.

    March, 19. The Pastor propounded to the whole Assembly to set apart a day of Thanksgiving for preservation of King & Qu: etc for our Gospel-merc[ies,] Health, Harvest, destroying caterpillars last summer, saving ours in storme etc checks to the Enemy at wells, saving all townes last yeare, preserving ours that went forth returning Agents, yet ruling us by saints; Mar: 26: at Lds Table church consented.

    April: 1:1012 appointed for the service: & it was then attended.

    Members Admitted

    Elizabeth, wife of Francis Cooke: Caleb Cooke & Jane his wife: Jacob Cooke: Samuel Fuller Junior: Patience, the (third) wife of John Nelson: Benjamin Eaton senior.

    November, 5: Mr John Cotton (the Pastors son) was dismissed to the church at Yarmouth.

    May, 7: the Pastor propounded to set apart a day of Fasting & prayer, wherein to humble our selves for sin, seeke mercy for the Army, restoring peace, blessings of the1013 yeare, Mercy to O: E: successe to the King etc: May, 14: the church by a sile[ntiall] vote agreed to set apart May, 24: for that service; & accordingly it was [then attend]ed universally [32] 1693:

    [Ju]ne, 11: the Pastor called the church at the End of the morning [w]orship to come to his house, which they did, & then heard & accepted Caleb Cookes Relation, in order to his Admission to church-fellowshi[p.] The Pastor then propounded & left to the consideration of the church that Question, viz, whether the child of a church member under the censure of Admonition may be regularly Baptized.

    July, 23: immediately before the Administration of the Lords supper Susanna Ransom’s confession & Repentance of her owne writing was read to the church alone, & accepted, & she released of the censure of Admonition, & soe the Pastor had noe need to desire an answer to the Question above propounded:

    Members dyed

    Leiftenant Ephraim Morton, a Deacon, October, 7: in his 70th yeare or 71st: Elizabeth, wife of Hugh Cole (formerly of Jacob Cooke) at Swanzey in her 57th yeare dyed October, 31:

    John Waterman & Anna his wife1014 dismist to us from Marshfeild church againe received Jany.1015

    November, 19: Letters were read from the church at Yarmouth to desire the Pastor & some of the Bretheren to come to them to the ordination of Mr John Cotton Junior to be their Pastor on Nov: 22: the church chose1016 two bretheren to accompany their Pastor, viz, Samuel Sturtevant & Thomas Clarke, who did attend that service, the Pastor Nov: 26: gave an account to the church publickly, how the whole work was managed at Yarmouth.

    December, 31: the Pastor publickly propounded to the church to prepare for the choice of two Deacons.

    February, 4: the Pastor called a church meeting to be on Febr: 7:

    The church then met, after prayer, the Pastor propounded, 1, The singing of spirituall songs, to this the church consented by a silentiall vote. He then told them he would renew catechizing of children, & desired the church to warne their families, children & servants not to goe out of the Assembly till the Blessing was given, in these things was exprest much unanimity: Nextly whether parents might without offence hold up their children to Baptisme, not being in full communion? some said for it, some said it was indifferent, but it appeared that generally the bretheren were not free to admit of it. After some discourse of setling the Pastors salary, the matter of Nomination of Deacons was deferred till that day moneth.

    February, 25 [Jedu]thun Robins & Hannah his wife (who was Prat) children of the church [were ca]lled forth publickly, & by the Pastor in the Name of Christ by th[ c]hurch, laid under Admonition for fornication before marriage.