Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

JONAS

Cast up at

LONDON:

OR,

A RELATION of the Proceedings of the Court at Boston in New-England against divers honest and godly persons, for Petitioning for Government in the Common-wealth, according to the Lawes of England, and for admittance of themselves and children to the Sacraments in their Churches; and in case that should not be granted, for leave to have Ministers and Church-government according to the best Reformation of England and Scotland.

Together with a Confutation of some Reports of a fained Miracle upon the foresaid Petition, being thrown over-board at Sea; As also a breif Answer to some passages in a late Book (entituled Hypocrisie unmasked) set out

by Mr. Winslowe, concerning the Indepen

dent Churches holding communion

with the Reformed Churches.

By Major John Childe

London, Printed for T. R. and E. M. 1647.

[blocks in formation]

Force's Collection of Historical Tracts.

VOL. IV. No. 3.

The Preface.

Courteous Reader,

HE occasion of Printing this following Relation, are the sufferings that not only my Brother Robert Child Doctor of Physick,

with some Gentlemen and others have suffered in New-England in their persons and estates by Fines and imprisonments there, but here in England in their repute by false reports and fained Miracles invented and spread on purpose by some lately come from thence, and fomented by some others here to colour their unjust proceedings.

First, they give out of my Brother and others, that they desire a Toleration of all Religions.

Secondly, that they are troublesome persons, and against all government both in Church and Commonwealth.

Thirdly, that some of them are come from thence to Petition the Parliament for that purpose.

4ly. that their Petition brought from thence to be presented to the Parliam. (which they had named Jonas) in a Ship called the Supply, being in a storme neer Silly, out of horror of conscience, the Petition was torne and thrown over-board, and that then the

storm

storm immediately ceased, and they miraculously saved.

Now for satisfaction, I present to the Reader these following particulars.

First, the Petition of the greater part of the Inhabitants of Hingham and the proceedings therein. Secondly, a Petition of Doctor Child and others delivered to the generall Court at Boston with some passages thereupon.

Thirdly, the Capital Laws of the Massachusets Bay, with the Free-mans Oath as they are printed there by themselves.

Fourthly, a Relation of that story of Jonas verbatim, as it was delivered to me in writing by a Gentleman that was then a passenger in the Ship.

The

The Petition of the greater part of the Inhabitants of Hingham, as it was taken out of the Records of the Court at Boston.

To the Honoured, the Generall Court, consisting of the Magistrates and Deputies of the Country now assembled in Court at Boston: The humble Petition of the greater part of the Inhabitants of the Township of Hingham.

Whereas there hath fallen out some agitations amongst us

concerning the choice of our chief Military Officers, which by Order of the Court we have power to choose (as we conceive) So it is that we did elect, and present to the Generall Court for their confirmation, Mr. Bozoune Allin for our Chieftain but the Court not having time to finish that busines at that time, some other things and overtures have happened since, whereby it hath so fallen out that some of us have been compelled to appeare before some of the Magistrates, and to give Bonds for appearance at a Quarter-Court which is to be holden after this Generall Court; and some for not giving Bond to answer there, are committed to prison, and remain there at present; the matters of accusation (as we conceive) is for certain words spoken by some, concerning the liberty and power of the Generall Court, and our own liberty granted to us by the said Courts, and to the Country in generall; and also it doth concern the Liberty of an English free-borne Member of that State, and further it hath occasioned such disturbance and schisme in our Church, and trouble to some of our Members for witnessing against a Delinquent: whereby the power of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ in his Church is slighted, and the free passage thereof stopped, to the endangering of the liberty of the Churches amongst us, if timely remedy be not by your Wisdoms provided. Now seeing the matters in hand doth concern the generall liberty of the whole Country, and the peace of the Churches,

« AnteriorContinuar »