96        162              1677

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June 17 the church stay^d to conclude of o^r church meeting about the 3 brethren

that had offended by their disorderly carriages in word & deed M^r Nelson B^r Platts

B^r Holmes I propounded for the place of meeting whether at my house or in y^e meeting

house M^r Nelson say^d if y^e church mett at my house he would not come at it I

told him if the church did think it convenient ther to meet it did not become

him soe to speak, I desired that hims: & the other 2 brethren would not absent

yms: he say^d it was noe matter whether they were present we could goe on in

our business a bold & contemptious speech both for y^s matter & his maner of speak

ing it

June 19 1677 The Church mett at y^e meeting house at 2 of y^e clock in y^e

afternoon: we began w^th M^r Nelson  for the breach of y^e 5 comand in 6 particulars

he acknowledg 1 The reproachfull speech of y^e church meeting & his refusing to come & his

saying what care I who is speaking: but for carrying me to y^e court 2 his speech

before the collect at my hous 3 his refusing y^t bond w^ch was done in his waight in main

tenour & stirring up y^e whole town to y^e like contempt he acknowledg not his fault

At y^s meeting he twice publickly told me that prejudice & mallice had stired me

up to present him in a church way

And y^t according to my own Exposition of y^e 6^th comand I had broaken it instancing

in y^t Scripture 1 Sam 1 8 9 w^ch I say^d was a murdering look such a look or soe I had

set my eye upon him & y^e other offending brethren ever since that day they voted w^th

y^e Toun for M^r Sheperds Keeping a fortnight lecture

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B^r Homes acknowledged his evill in charging the captain with cheating but for his

foul accusations of Neh: Jewitt (1 That he had by his wicked informations mislead y^e arbi

trators 2 Y^t it was in vayne to speak to Neh: of what was amiss for nothing could be

gott off him but Squibs & Scornes & high flowne Speeches) he acknowledged not his sin

nor made out his accusations to be grounded nor y^e breech of y^e 9^th comand

B^r Platts say^d as to both his offences he was not convinced of any evill in y^m but if he

might have y^e 5 Elders to give y^e judg^mt if y^ei say^d he had offended he should submitt

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13. Septemb 1677 the honourd committee of y^e general court mett at Salisbury & desired M^r

Hale & S P to accompany them wher they gave their result as followeth

we whos names are subcribed appointed by the honourable general court may 23 77

 Upon our repair to Salisbury & action given to all partyes to yeild their attendance

a full hearing & plea being allowed to Major Pike, & y^e Rever^nd M^r Wheelwright and

others of the church concerned: we find that though the original fault charged on

                  matter of

Major Pike was not a plain Imorality & Scandall, yet y^t in y^e after manag^mt

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and prosecution of y^e difference between hims & the W. Pastor he hath shewed hims

too litigious in Impeaching him with soe many articles under his hand, thereby

procureing great disturbance to y^e church & place

And alsoe much contempt of the say^d W Person & offence in publickly reflecting up

on him these words of Math 7. 5 cast out y^e beam &c. & of him & y^e church in his

sudding withdrawing & with much contempt refusing their judg^mt, as is prooved

against him: of all w^ch we expect his candid acknowledg^mt

Neither can we excuse M^r W. of too much precipitancy in pronouncing a sen

tance of excomunication upon Major Pike, without further tryall for repentance ac-

cording to y^e voat of the church If he repent not, aggravated in y^t y^e offence was

primarily personal, & y^rby plainly hazarding the breach of y^e church being but 9

and 7 w^ch sadly came to pass

We condemn the evill practise of thos of the church & Town that did indea

vour in their petition to y^e general court to Eject M^r W: from his ministry

by rendering him to be y^e cause of the disturbances, & that his ministry had a ten

dency to inflame the minds of pp one against another, a practise of soe dange

rous a consequence, that not onely the contraries but those that were