PART SECOND.

THE foundation of the Massachusetts colony was laid A. D. 1628. Its settlement was projected expressly for the purpose of providing for non-conformists a safe retreat, where they might enjoy religious liberty in matters of worship and of discipline. The company, to whom this section of New England had been sold, sent over about one hundred people, under the government of Capt. John Endecot, to carry on the plantation of Naumkeak, afterward called Salem. The colonists called that town Salem, as an expression of the peaceful asylum, which they found in the American wilderness. That was the first permathe nent town in Massachusetts. It was a primary object with the new settlers to form a church at Salem upon the same general plan of order and discipline with that at Plymouth.

The first church in Salem was gathered in 1629. Its first ministers were Mr. Francis Higginson and Mr. Skelton. In 1630, Gov. Winthrop arrived at Salem at the head of about 1500 persons of various occupations, many of whom were men of wealth and quality. +

The growth of the Massachusetts, was much more rapid than that of the Plymouth colony. For in ten years after the settlement of the Plymouth colony, the number of inhabitants did not exceed 300; but in ten years from the commencement of the Massachusetts more than 20,000 persons had arrived, and 300 ships had been employed in their transportation.

The towns, next to Salem in the order of settlement, were Charlestown, Dorchester, Boston, Roxbury, Lynn, Watertown, Cambridge, and Ipswich.‡

*Note. For the original covenant of that church see Mather's Mag. Vol. 1, page 66.

+ American Annals. Davis' Dis. before Mass. His. Society.

The remainder of this discourse will be occupied with the settlement and the ecclesiastical history of this town.

As no records of this church, dated further back than A. D. 1739, have ever fallen into my hands, the ecclesiastical history, proposed, must be collected from various sources, and cannot in all respects be so full and satisfactory, as is desirable. The following sketch is the result of considerable investigation of the most authentic sources of information, to which I have been able to find access :

The earliest notice which I find of this town is in 1611. "This year Mr. Edward Harlie and Nicolas Hobson sailed to North Virginia, and visited *Agawam, where the natives used them kindly." The next earliest mention of it, which I have seen, is contained in the following extract from Belknap's Biography, article Carver. It refers to the pilgrims on board the Mayflower, Capt. Jones, while lying at Cape Cod Harbor, Dec. 1620, and casting about for a place of settlement. "Others thought it best to go to a place called Agawam, 20 leagues northward, where they had heard of an excellent harbor, good fishing, and a better soil for planting."

June 13, 1630, Gov. Winthrop had an interview with the Sagamore of Agawam on board the Arabella, when lying at anchor off Salem harbor. "In the morning," says the Governor || "the Sagamore of Agawam and one of his men came aboard, and staid with us all day." Thus a favorable opportunity was presented to the Governor to treat with the Indians of this town, if he were disposed to avail himself of it.

*The Indian name of this town.

+ Prince's Annals. As to the excellence of the harbor they were misinformed. Winthrop's Journal.

Did our fathers obtain this territory from the nalives by fair purchase ? According to Gov. Winslow it was the general practice of the Plymouth colony, till the commencement of the Indian wars, to purchase of the natives all the land they possessed. For, said he, in 1676, "I think I can truly say, that before these present troubles broke out, the English did not possess one foot of land in this colony, but what was fairly obtained by honest purchase of the Indian proprietors."-[Hubbard's Indian Wars.] This probably was equally true with respect to the Massachusetts colony. That Ipswich

At a session of the General Court, holden at Charlestown, Sep. 7, 1630, it was ordered, "that a warrant be sent immediately to Agawam to command those, who were planted there, immediately to retire."* This might refer to fishing establishments, made here by ships, which came annually from England. Such establishments were then made at Cape Ann and other places.

In March 1633, John Winthrop, Esq. a worthy son of Gov. Winthrop, began a plantation here.† Mr. Hubbard informs us that "the Governor and his Council, being alarmed by some companies of Frenchmen, who were sent into these parts, agreed with all expedition, to hasten the planting of Agawam, one of the most commodious places in the country for cattle and tillage, lest an enemy should prevent them, by taking possession of the place. To that end the Governor's son was ordered forthwith to go and begin a plantation there, although he had only twelve men allowed him to make the attempt, which was that spring effected."I

"In April 1633, Gov. Winthrop,"|| a man preeminent for piety, wisdom, integrity, and liberality, in fine, for every virtue that can adorn a christian statesman, 66 went on foot from Boston to

was obtained by purchase appears from the two following votes in the town records :-In 1700, voted, that Col. John Wainwright, Col. John Appleton, &c. be a committee to treat with Maj. Gen. Winthrop about the deed of this town, which the Indians gave to his father, and to procure the same for the town's benefit.-Vol. 2, leaf 48.-Voted, that Captain Appleton, and our two representatives (Nehemiah Jewett, Esq. and *Dea. Nathaniel Knowlton) treat with the Hon. Wait Winthrop, Esq. with respect to Masconomo's deed of A. gawam, made to his honored father, Governor of Connecticut colony. vol. 2, leaf 77. * For some notice of the Deacon see the Appendix, No. 1. * Prince's Annals. + Winthrop's Journal.

In Prince's Annals are nine of their names, viz.: William Clark, Robert Coles, Thomas Howlet, John Biggs, John Gage, Thomas Hardy, William Perkins, Mr. Thorndike, and William Sargeant.

For the lives of Gov. Winthrop, his son John, and the principal governors and magistrates, who were shields to the churches of New England, until A. D. 1686, see Mather's Magnalia. Those who laid the foundations both of our civil and ecclesiastical order, were highly respectable for intelligence and integrity.

Agawam; and, because the people there wanted a minister, he spent the Sabbath," and in the language of that day, "exercised by way of prophecy." The Governor pursued his course through almost a trackless desert. November, the same year, "Rev. John Wilson, by leave of the congregation of Boston of which he was the pastor, went to Agawam, to teach the people of that plantation, because they had yet no minister."*

August 5, 1634, by order of General Court this town was incorporated by the name of Ipswich. This name was designed as a grateful memorial of the kindness which its first settlers received at Ipswich, in England, whence they embarked for this country. The same year this church was gathered. It was the ninth church in the Massachusetts.

Its first pastor was the Reverend Nathaniel Ward. He was born in Haverhill, in England, A. D. 1570; was son of John Ward, a minister of the established church; and educated at the University in Cambridge. He was a practitioner of law before he commenced the work of the ministry. Travelling with certain merchants into Holland, Germany, Prussia, and Denmark, he became acquainted with David Paroeus, a distinguished scholar and divine, through whose influence he turned his attention from law to divinity. After pursuing a course of theological studies at Heidelberg, he returned to England, and was settled in the ministry in Standon, in Hertfordshire. Dec. 12, 1631, he was ordered before the bishop to answer for his non-conformity, and forbidden to exercise his clerical office. He came to this country in June 1634, and the same year took the pastoral charge of this church. He appears to have sustained his special relation to the church only two or three years, though he preached more or less to the people for eleven years. He returned to England in 1647, and was settled in Shenfield, near Brentwood, where he ended his days, aged 83. Mr. Ward appears to have been a man of piety, though of great eccentricities. He was

*Winthrop's Journal.

+ Ipswich town records.

Morse's and Parish's History of New England.

certainly a man of abilities and learning. In 1641, he preached the election sermon. The same year the General Court established 100 laws, called The body of Liberties, which were drawn up by Mr. Ward. As a writer he is now chiefly known, as the author of The simple cobler of Agawam; a book full of wit and satire, which he composed in this town, and published in England.t So prone was Mr. Ward to indulge a facetious humor, that Cotton Mather stiles him St. Hilary. His natural humor was often indulged to excess. The simple cobler, tho' eagerly sought by those who delight in the curious, does him no honor as a divine. He was deficient in candor toward those who differed from him in opinion. In his view toleration was a crime. He was father of Rev. John Ward, of Haverhill, in this county, a minister of superior piety and excellence. The celebrated Gyles Firmin married a daughter of Mr. Ward and settled in Ipswich, as a physician.

During most of the first year of Mr. Ward's ministry at Ipswich, he was assisted by Rev. Thomas Parker, a minister eminent for piety and learning, who was invited by the people to be settled as his colleague, but who declined the invitation,|| and was soon after settled as the first minister of Newbury. Mr. Hubbard says, that "the plantation at Agawam was, from the first year of its being raised to a township, so filled with inhabitants, that some of them presently swarmed out into another place a little further eastward," meaning Newbury.

Rev. John Norton was settled colleague with Mr. Ward in 1636. He continued in his relation to this church and people till about the year 1653, when, after much solicitation on the one hand, and opposition on the other, the civil authority at last, interposing, he was obtained by the old church in Boston, as suc

*American Annals.

+ Mr. Samuel Baker of this town has a copy of it.

The lives of many learned and pious ministers, who commenced their work in England before they came to this country are contained in Mather's Magnalia. To that work the reader is referred for the fullest account in any one author, of Mr. Ward, Mr. Norton, the first Mr. Rogers, and Mr. Cobbett. Town records.