SCITUATE AND BARNSTABLE CHURCH RECORDS. [Concluded from page 287, vol. ix.] Situate. Some Acts of ye People & Church. 1. Novemb 6 1634 att Mr. Cudworths 2. Decemb. 25 1634. 3. Janu: 8 1634 which day wee joyned into covenant 4. Janu: 19, 1634 att my house, uppon wch day I was chosen Pastour & invested into office 5. August, 13, 1635 yt God might direct us for further officers particularly for Deacons. 6. Decemb. 15, 1635 our Brother Cobb was invested into the Office of a Deacon. 7. Aprill. 7, 1636, in respect of p'sent outward Scarcity & in respect of helpes in ministery, as also for the pevention of Enemies. 8. Novemb. 11 1636 Ffor a blessing uppon their consultation aboute the Lawes for Settling the State of this Patten. Some differences arising aboute some p ticulars in iudgement, wee were by the mercye of God reconciled joyntly. Aprill ye 27, 1637 Ffor this purpose I had taught out of Gen. 13, 8. 9. June 22, 1637. Ffor Successe in warring against the Pequeuts, as alsoe for composing differences amongst or Breathren in ye Bey, & for helpe in ye Ministerye in respect of our selves. 10. Ffebru. 22, 1637, partly for the tow Deacons more, but especially for our removeall, as alsoe for the remoueall of these Spreading opinions in the churches att ye Bey, as alsoe for the preventing of any intended evill against the churches here, uppon wch day Broth Ffoster, and Brother Besbetch were invested into the office of Deacons 10. Novemb. 29, 1638 especially for the grevious affliction uppon Gods people in Jermany & elsewhere, as alsoe for our further Successe in our Remoueall. 11. Janu. 23 1638 Wee, that were for Sippicann devided into 3 companies in this service for preventing of exceptions. Wherein wee petitioned for Direction in Electing of Committyes for the Setting downe of our towne, for good orders in beginning and proceeding, for more Spirituall helpe for us, as alsoe for our Breathren here. 12. June. 13, 1639, First occasioned by reason of much drought, as alsoe in regard of great dissentions in generall, as alsoe for Gods directing & provideing for us in the point of remoueall. June 26, 1639. Ffor the presence of God in mercy to goe with us to Mattakeese. Dayes of Humiliation at Barnestable. Octob. 31, 1639. Ffor the grace of our God to Settle us here in Church Estate, and to unite us togeather in holy Walkeing, and to make us Faithfull in keeping Covenaunt wth God, & one to another. 2. Aprill. 15, 1640, att the investing of my Brother Mao into the office of a Teaching Ellder, uppō whome, my Selfe Brother Hull, Brother Cobb Lay on hands, and for the Lord to finde out a place for meeting, & that wee might agree in it, as also yt wee might agree aboute ye division of Lands. 3. August 5 1640, in the behalfe of England, the Sadd differences be twixt it & Scotland as alsoe for direction and Successe in our private com union and for the continuance of peace & good agree. ment amongst us. Dayes of Humiliation. March 24, 1640. In regard of England & for others, & our owne particular, our Brother Cooper then invested into ye office of a Deacon, Í Brother Mao, & brother Cobb laying on handes. June, 10. 1641 In regard of ye wett & very cold Spring, as also for the quelling of Strange & heretical tenets raised principally by the Ffamilists, as alsoe for ye healing of a bloodye Coffe amonge children especially at Plimouth. Septemb. 23, 1642 Ffor old England & Ireland, & for the prvention of y Jndians here, & our owne Sinnes March. 21, 1642. Ffor old England—and Ireland-& for or owne P ticulars May ye 10th 1643 Ffor old England-& for our Selves. November ye 30, 1643. Dayes of Humiliation. Ffor old England & for ourselves August ye 1, 1644. Ffor old England & for ourselves July ye 22, 1646 Ffor the reforming of things amongst ourselves, especially ye Deadnes & drousynes in publique dutyes. Aprill the 22, 1647, partly for old England, partly for the State of this countrey, to prevent any evill that might come by their Synod, or by discontented persons. & partly for ourselves Ministery with us beeing uppon the pointe to be laid downe, & spirituall deadnes yett much continuing, & for reforming other thinges. July the 22, 1647, partly for old England, partly for this countrey As alsoe in Speciall for ourselves for the redressing of our Spirituall evills, & for a Sanctifyed use of Gods generall correction of Sickness uppon every ffamily—in a manner of every one in every ffamilye. Dayes of Humiliation. March 16 1647 principally for old England requested by Sr Thomas Fairfax and the parliment, in regard of many feares of the presbyterians, with many others to raise upp new warres in the Land, and notwithstanding all their troubles much pride & excesse abounding, with an unframed Spiritt to humble themselves by praying and Seeking unto God. November 15, 1649-principally for old England & alsoe for our owne particulars, God's hand beeing uppon us by Sicknesses & disease many Children in the Bey dyeing bye the Chin cough & the pockes & wee beeing alsoe many visitted to Sicknesses or diseases. December 19, 1649. In regard of our owne particulars, very many amongst us beeing visitted with colds and coughes in a strange manner especially children theire coughing constraineing casting & bleeding att ye nose & mouth, & principally in regard of my selfe beeing brought very low by the cough & Stitch in my left side, by reason whereof I was detained from Ministery seven weekes, but our God was intreated to shew mercye Dayes of Humiliation. August, ye. 7, 1650. Ffor the investing of my Brother Dimmicke into the office of an Ellder Aprill ye 9, 1651. Ffor getting & obtaining an able & godly minister or Teacher from God. As alsoe in speciall & particular in the behalfe of my selfe toutching the Recovery of my weakeness, and the raising upp of my Spirit with Cheerfullnes in performance of my Ministerye Upon which day I was att home beeing weake. March, 30, 1653. Ffor the preservation of Gods people in this Land from the purposed invasion of the Indians, especially the Narragansetts, being instigated thereunto by the Dutch even to cutt of all ye Inglish, uppō which day I was absent frō the people, haveing a great cold & cough, & alsoe for our owne countrey beeing att warr with the Dutch. May 11, 1653. Beeing requested by our Governours, Maiestraites & Commissioners being att Boston in Consultation togeather aboute their present conceived dangerous Estate of the Inglish, and haveing sent Messengers unto the Dutch here in this Land. Contraction. John Smith & Susannah Hinckley contracted at or Syster Hinckleyes house-P me I: Lo: May 22, 1643, exercised uppon this Scripture Lett yo:r conversation be as becomes ye Gospel Phil: 1. 27. Our Syster Hull renewed her Covenaunt with us, renounceing her joyneing wth the . at Jarmouth confessing her evil in soe doeing wt Sorrow.. March. 11, 1642. Henry Actkins: & Elizabeth Wells contracted by my Brother Cobb, att Brother Wells his house July ye 9, 1647. Dayes of Thanksgiveing. 1. Decemb: 22, 1636, in ye Meetinghouse, beginning some halfe an houre before nine & continued untill after twelve a clocke, ye day beeing very cold, beginning wt a short prayer, then a psalme sang, then more large in prayer, after that an other Psalme, & then the Word taught, after that prayer-& the a psalme,-Then makeing merry to the creatures, the poorer sort beeing invited of the richer. October. 12, 1637, performed much in the same manner aforesaid, mainely for these tow particulars. 1. Ffor the victory over the pequouts, ye 2. Ffor Reconciliation betwixt Mr. Cotton, and the other ministers. Dayes of Thanksgiveing since we came to Barnestable. Decemb. 11, 1639, att Mr. Hulls house, for Gods exceeding mercye in bringing us hither Safely keeping us healthy & well in or weake beginnings & in our church Estate. The day beeing very cold or praises to God in publique being ended, wee devided into 3 companies to feast togeather, some att Mr Hulls, some att Mr Maos, some att Brother Lumbeids senior. Dayes of Thanksgiveings September 2, 1641, Especially for good Tydeings frō old England, of amost happie beginning of a gracious Reformation both of Religion and State, the Lord in the tyme of Reformation, discovering & also preventing sudry Treasons, one amongst others was this a diabolicall intendment to sett ye cittye of London on fire att six sundry places haveing an armie prepaired uppon it to massacre whome they thought good, but that snare is broken, & Gods people in England are yett preserved blessed be God. as alsoe for Gods good hand of providence over us & his churches here. Octob. 14, 1647. Both in regard of our native countrey, God in his infi nite Love, goeing on with his Servaunts raised upp by him to doe his worke there, giveing them admirable successe, and in particular by the hand of St Thomas Ffarefax and his armie, as alsoe for many singular mercyes bestowed uppon us here, and in and among the rest, ffor recovering us, & all the people in this countrey from a generall visitation of sickenes, none or very few dyeing of it, and likewise for continueing our outward peace and Liberty, with the blessed privilidges of Gods House. Dayes of Thanksgiveing. March 13, 1649. Ffor God his gracious restorcing & recovering manye of our Little children who hadd beene very nigh death with very violent coughings, & my selfe alsoe in my left syde God beeing by the congregation sought unto herein, and beeing intreated, shewing mercy, wee as duely required, rendered praise. January, ye 8, 1650, Ffor gods exceeding mercyes towards old England. in the prosperous good successe of the armie there under the conduct of Coronall Crumwell, & particularly for their prevaileing against the Rebells in Ireland, as alsoe their admirable victory against the Scotts, The Inglish beeing but a Leaven thousand att the most, But they at Least one & twenty thousand. March 24, 1652. Ffor the Lords admirable powerfull workeing for old Children of the Church Martha Ffoxwell dwelling wt Goody Hull summoned before ye congrega tion in publique, & delt wt & reproved for ioyneing wt her Dame in beateing the maide Servaunt of Samuell Mao. delt wt for itt, Ffebru. 22, 1651. David Linnell & Hannah Shelley beeing questioned by the church uppon a publique ffame toutching carnall & uncleane carriages betwixt them tow, beeing in y congregation confessed by them, they were both by the sentence & joynt consent of the church, pronounced to bee cutt off from that relation wch they hadd formerlye to the church, by virtue of their parents covenaunt, acted & done by y church, May 30, 1652. -They both were for their faults punished with Scourges here in Bernestable by the Sentence of Magestracye Jun. 8, 1652 Excommunicated out of the Church of Christ att Situate Christopher Winter, partlye for marrying of one Mrs Cooper a woman of scandalous carriage, beeing vaine, light, proud, much given to scoffing: and partlye for his unchristian passages in his proceeding, as, 1. making a soclaim covenaunt to her not acquainteing any of the Brethren therewith. 2. pretending sometymes to us hee had made noe absolute covenaunt with her 3. Breakeing frequentlye his word & promise, in promising to us hee would not proceed therein without the church consent. Lastly in his finall Summons before the church he seemed to cast asper. tions uppon the church, & raither to justifye than to humble himselfe Excomunicated, Aug. 26, 1658. Hereunto Mr Vassell didd not consent, nor Goodman Raylings, who purposely went out of the congregation before w .... delt with him. Nor Mr. Hetherly who........ discontent to ye Greife of.... went out, while wee w....dealeing wth him. att Barnestable William Carsley excommunicated & cast out of the church att Bernestable for carnall carriages [&c.,.... 9 lines omitted......] Hee was alsoe much given to Idleness, & too much to Jearing and had of late tymes slacked in the duty of prayer, observed alsoe by some to bee somewhat proud.-The sentence of Excommunication was pronounced by Brother Mao. William Carsley tooke it patiently. Excomunicated, Septemb. 5, 1641 Mr. Hull excommunicated for his willfull breakeing of communion wt us, & joyneing himselfe a member wt a companie at Yarmouth to be their Pastour contrary to ye advise and Counsell of or Church, May, 1, 641 Mr. Hull in the acknowledgeing of his sinn, & renueing his covenaunt was received againe into fellowshipp with us, August, 10, 1643. Samuell Jacksonn excomunicated, & cast out of ye church for Lyeing & sundry suspitions of stealeing, as pinnes wch were John Russells & divers other thinges from others, Ffebru: 23, 1644. Samuell Jacksonn in the acknowledging of his Evills, & renueing his covenaunt, was received againe into fellowshipp with us January 31, 1646, & went from us to live at Situate, beeing necessitated thereunto. Ffebru: 10, att night 1646. Goodye Shelley excommunicated & cast out of ye church though absent, for shee would not come, setting att nought ye messengers of the church sent to her, principally for slaundering of 2 systers, Syster Wells & Syster Dimmick saying syster Dimmick was proud, & went about telling Lyes but could never prove any thinge by any Testimonye. And alsoe afirming that myselfe & Brother Cobb, to my syster Wells att her house didd talke of her, uppon a day I went to see.. .. Hukkins beeing sicke there, wee denying.. noe speach of her.... ontinued from tyme to tyme to affirme it as confidently as if shee hadd hadd a spirit of Revelation, Saying also that I had confessed it, and after didd denye it: and that all the church knew it was soe, but durst not or would not speake, And that I deserved raither to bee cast out then shee, for shee was innocent but I was guilty. Shee would never be convinced of any of her conceived Jealousyes, was wondrous perremptorye in all her carriages, many tymes condemning the Breathren that they delt not with her in a way of God. wee had long patience towards her & used all courteous intreatyes & persuasions, but the longer wee waited the worse shee was. The Beginning of all this was, because uppon some occasion shee was not called to a christian meeting which some of the Systers hadd appointed among themselves. many untrueths shee haith uttered from the beginning unto the end of this busynes. Excommunicated, June, 4, 1649. Barnestable. Brother Henricke dealt wtall for Lyeing & other evills-& some satisfaction given by him, Aboute latter end of Octob. 1640. We had a meeting uppo y 7th of Decemb. 1640 to expresse our greivances wtout takeing exceptions, but noe great satisfaction was in ye thinge, yet wee concluded peaceably & promised not to speake of each others infirmityes to any, but to deale in a way of God, onely we thought it expedient by way of advise to propound a case in gen. |