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    con-rowley

    76   142                          1675

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    Company; his rash & hasty spirit & speeches

    2 he sayd that those Evills which he had acknowledged & I had blotted out yet

    I had mentioned them at 4 or 5 church meetings after wheras we had but 2

    Church meetings after his acknowledgmt, & in one of them not a word spoaken

    of any of his evill speeches nor in the other but in way of answer to brethren

    who mentioned them first thems

                                           agust 1672

    3 That I told him an untruth in relating that ye church desired him to give

    them a visit wheras they gave him not a call till 2 months after viz octob 6

    vid page 35

     

    A letter from Salisbury dissenting brethren

       as to the censure of Excomunication that passed

       upon Major Pike

     

    To the Elder & brethren of the Church of Christ at Rowley these present

    Revrend & beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ

     Wheras ther have bin & yet are several sad & uncomfortable differences among

    us in the Church of Salisbury, of wch we are perswaded you cannot be wholy

    ignorant (though possibly not suffitiently in fully informed) the consequences & con

    tinuance wherof seems to threaten the Rending or ruining the same if not

    timely prevented, wch considered we have thought it behoofull to Implore the In

    =spection of neighbouring Churches to hear the Case, & advise what according to

    God we ought to doe therin, & for that purpose to meet at Salisbury upon the

    7th of December to Sit in concill, at wch time & place, It is our request that

    you will please to be helpfull to us by sending your Elder & messengers: In all

    wch that the onely wise god may direct Is the prayer of us the Subscribers

     Voted at Salisbury the 18 of november 1675 Subscribed by

    The churches that we send to are

     Rowley Newberry Haverhill         Robert Pike   Philip Calier

     Hampton Dover Portsmouth          Henry Trew    Henry Brown

    John Eaton    Jaret Haden

    Roger Estman  Richard Curryer

    Samuel ffrench Thomas Rawleson

       wth several other of the brethren that had not oppertunity to subscribe

       we signified the same alsoe to the Reverend Mr Wheelwright & the rest of ye

       Brethren the 17 day of this instant, desiring their Concurrance therin

     Novem. 2 [-] The Church of Christ at Rowley voted to send their Elder S P & with

     him Deacon Tenny & Br Leaver.  ––

    The messengers of the churches mett Excepting Haverhill who sent none Mr Reynor alsoe

    absent but 10 in all present, we heard ye differences & were ready to give or sence of matters

    amongst ym but considering it would not attaine the End viz peace & accord; we

    agreed to leave the following lines with them

    Wee the Elders & messengers of the churches assembled in councill at ye

    request of Major Pike & sundry Brethren of the Church of Salisbury for the

    hearing & healing the uncomfortable differences in yt church, finding to our great

    greif that notwithstanding or serious Indeavours to compose the same yet we

    cannot attaine the End desired viz. the peace of the sayd church, & being

    much weakened by the providentiall absence of sundry principall members both

    Elders & brethren designated by their respective churches: Inasmuch alsoe