Servants on HORSE-BACK OR A Free-People bestrided in their persons and Liberties by worthlesse men BEING A Representation of the dejected state of the Inhabitants of Summer Islands CONTAINING Short Illustrations upon a Petition presented to the High Court of Parliament for REDRESSE Published by Will Golding Master of Arts and Teacher to the Congregation in that Island 2 Chron. 16. 10. Then Asa was wroth with the Seer and put him in a prison-prison-house for he was in a rage with him because of this thing and Asa oppressed some of the people the same time Quam quisque pessimè fecit tam maximè tutus est Salust Printed in the Yeare 1648. THE EPISTLE To the Honourable Committee of Lords and Commons Intrusted to examine the Petition presented unto the Parliament in the behalfe of the Inhabitants of the Summer Islands by Captaine Sayle and William Golding June Anno 1646. Honourable Sirs IT pleased the high Court of Parliament to accept a Petition in behalfe of the Summer Islands and to recommit it unto your selves for examination your care and readinesse in attending that trust was very eminent onely you met with obstructions partly from the Company who are concerned in the Petition partly from the sad breach between City and Armies emergent in that nick of time and since by the necessitated absence of Captaine Sayle and my selfe whose attendance was requisite In pursuance thereof Honourable Sirs I beseech you resume the Complaints which are before you That your Petitioners may not languish under an usurped power nor the power and honour of Parliament be trampled on by the vilest of our English Nation Sirs to set this wheele on motion I have presumed to publish the copy of the Petition and papers affixed as presented unto the High Court of Parliament As also some few Acts and Lawes made by governours Councell and Assembly with us with some Animadversions upon them for your better information leaving it to the wisdome and justice of Parliament to judge thereof Sirs I have taken this course not with desire to asperse the Honourable Company the Nobility and Gentry of that Court from whom we have alwayes found helpe when their leasure would permit their presence at the Court but to discover the practice of the trading-party who hold the people in bondage and study to vex those who plead for liberty Besides Sirs Those of the Company concerned in the Petition will be ready to give out that your Petitioners durst not owne their act and therefore withdrew and declined the prosecution thereof whereas the world shall know that was not the reason But the attendance upon places care of our families a good providence opening a way for our returne with our great expence under long delayes were the true causes of it Sirs Mr. Steele who is of Councell hath the copy of papers at large if you desire further satisfaction then what is Printed The wise God make you as Angels to judge righteously and as Gods to relieve the oppressed Sirs I am you humble Servant William Golding ΠΡΟΛΕΓΟΜΕÎΑ OR The Preface to the READER MY purpose is not to compile a History nor to enter upon a distinct Narration of all trans-actions with us I suppose that will be performed by a better hand but onely to give a briefe assay of things that the Honourable Court of Parliament with others may clearly perceive wee have not complained without a cause I shall briefly premise a few things to cleare a way to the ensuing Treatise viz. The Reader is desired to take notice 1. That the Island called Summer Islands alias Bermuda is governed by a Company of Merchant Adventurers of London who hold their power by Patent from King James who keep Courts make Lawes and reverse them at pleasure chose Deputy governours Magistrates and Commanders over the Inhabitants there all which depend for direction in their respective places upon the Company of London 2. That though there be many noble Lords and worthy Gentlemen of that Company yet are they strangers for the most part how things are carried in the Bermuda Court for their more weighty imployments take them off from so low and inconsiderable affaires The Court is upheld by a Deputy and a few assistants many of whom being of the trading party wait upon the quarterly Courts to consult what may tend to their advantage and the government of the Island in subordination to that end 3. That the pretence of the present difference in the Islands is about a congregation gathered there into Gospel-fellowship the beginning whereof and by what authority gathered the manner of its proceeding with the oppositions it met with in its infancy is faithfully reported by Mr. White Pastor of that Congregation in his answer to a scandalous paper sent from the Island and Printed under the Patronage of Mr. Prynn all which I shall passe over to prevent tediousnesse 4. That through the indulgence of the High Court of Parliament and Honourable Committee for the American plantations the Congregation in Summer Islands is indempnified in matters of Gods worship by their orders These things premised I shall give a briefe account of the proceed of things occasioned since the Company of London chose Captaine Turner to be Governour of these Islands Servants on Horse-back IT pleased the Company or part of them Anno 1645. to change their Governour in Summer Islands how regularly they proceeded I say not and chose Captaine Thomas Turner pretending that he being an honest and dis-ingaged person and now cloathed with authority might the better heale the distempers of the Island who arriving at the Island soon discovered his purpose and designe and within six or seven months acted so excentrically that many of the Inhabitants finding themselves agrieved did earnestly intreat Cap. Sayle and William Golding to addresse themselves for England to seek shelter for themselves and others against the blacke storme which was fallen upon them who casting themselves and families upon the Lord undertooke that * Province and by the good hand of God upon them comming to London they besought the Company to heare their complaints and put them into a way of security and peace The complaints were read and committed to examination but no report made after five months attendance At length it pleased the Lords and many Gentry to be present at Court resolving to heare and issue matters But the trading assistants with their friends perceiving this businesse would be now called upon left the Court in whose absence though thirty or forty still remained yet according to their orders requiring seven Assistants at least with the Governour or his Deputy there was not that number to make a Court which lost us that opportunity and clearly taught us what to trust too upon which Captaine Sayle and William Golding besought the Parliament The Copy of whose Petition was as followeth To the Honourable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses assembled in Parliament The Petition of Wil. Sayle and Wil.
world of particular wrongs offered by some members of that Company to the poore Plantors here but I spare them as not the miscarriage of the body with whom I have to deale and not with the body neither but with the feet and toes of it I proceed now to reflect on the government in the Island as it lyes in order in the Petition confining my selfe to the time since Captaine Turner was sent over by the trading party who being one of them acts their principles and from beginning told us of private instructions under which its like we have suffered much though not under that plea but by an assumed power and a high hand I shall branch the fifth head into particulars First Captaine Turner refused to take his oath at his enstalment which other Governors never did this will be witnessed by men of fidelity if he hath since taken it before his counsell in a clandestine manner it is unknowne to us and I suppose if done at all it was neare two yeares after he tooke his place I meane not the oath of Supremacy Allegeance or Covenant but that proper to the Deputy-governour of Summer-Islands His excuse was he tooke it in England but that was denyed by the Deputy and Secretary of that Company in open Court Secondly calls an assembly pretending the Company so ordered it but that also was denyed and the lawes of the Company say the second yeare it may be lawfull for the Governour to call an Assembly he within twenty dayes 'T is probable this plot was laid at Barbadus where Captaine Turner meeting with Captaine Parker who not long before stole away from Barmuda thither and since comming well from his companions in his way homeward dyed of an impostume blood issuing out of his mouth eares and nostrills The grand ingenier of trouble to the Congregation in Summer-Islands put Captaine Turner upon this designe and named the men fittest to act therein who for the most part were made choice of This Assembly thus met call themselves a grave Assembly Truly there were many grave and grey headed drunkards of that * Convention who proved the grave of piety justice and civility But this is too low a style for them therefore by their Speaker they are called a Parliament and by the Governour summoned downe under the name of Burgesses that under this pretence without respect to the Parliament of England or Company under whom they stand they might exercise an independent power over the Congregation Thirdly being met an oath of Secrecie is imposed viz. You shall sweare by all meanes to conceale the secrets of the house and not impart or discover either by word or writing or by any other meanes to any one not being of this present Assembly the passages or carriage of any affaires or businesse that shall be treated of and disputed during the whole time of the sitting and continuance of the said Assembly c. I shall not tell you how their grave wisdomes spent seven or eight dayes in little else then finding out who it was should say a Cole merchant was come our Governour as though this had been a greater disparagement Then to feed Hogs and Ducks cleanse ponds and such like drudgery I proceed to higher trans-actions Fourthly they make new Lawes viz. of purpose to snare the Congregation Dongson of the Assembly at Assizes when one of the Congregation pleaded he had transgressed no Law of England answered you have transgressed our Lawes otherwise we could have had no advantage against you An Act for casting out Independent Magistrates and Commanders WHereas by common experience we finde that where people will not readily and chearfully obey the Lawes Orders Rules Government under which they live undoubtedly there must follow upon that state and people inevitable misery and confusion And the rather when the Magistrates and those who fill the seats of justice shall apparently withstand the same Now whereas we the Inhabitants of the Summer-Islands have at this present many Magistrates and publicke Officers placed over us members of the Independent Church and will not yeeld obedience to the established fundamentall Lawes of the King nor yet submit to the Ordinance of the high Court of Parliament nor direction of the honourable Company We the Generall Assembly for prevention of so great disturbance which we have cause to feare may suddenly fall upon us by the power of those Magistrates Independent Covenanters desire it should be enacted And by the power and authority of the Generall Assembly be it enacted That no manner of person or persons who hath or have entred into Covenant and is admitted a member of the Independent Church being at this present a publick Officer or Magistrate and being hereof lawfully convicted by proof or his or their owne confession shall ipso facto be discharged from his or their office or offices of command and others chosen to their places by this Assembly Joh. Vaughan Secretary Dat. 14. April 1646. This Act was forthwith put in execution before any crime was objected or proved against them whom it did concerne Die Jovis 16. July 1646. WHereas at the a last sitting of this present Generall Assembly it was amongst other things enacted That all manner of Ministers and other persons inhabiting and residing within these Islands should conforme themselves in all things touching the publicke worship of God in obedience to the Directory of the Parliament of England And whereas Mr. Nath. White Mr. Paâ—rick Copland and Mr. Wil. Golding and divers other persons adhering to them have most presumptuously in contempt of authority taken upon them to congregate themselves together in a publicke place of meeting and there set up a new forme of Discipline according to their owne wills not acquainting the Governour and Councell here although by their petition to the Honourable Houses of Parliament they promise obedience to the Civill Magistrate b which practice of theirs is against the Lawes and government of this place hereby drawing unto them many of the Inhabitants from their Parish Churches upon such dayes and times as our faithfull Ministers now sent unto us by the honourable Company are exercising the Ministery in preaching Gods word unto the people and have likewise received into their Church-covenant divers and sundry persons contrary to all Lawes and rules of government which doings of theirs if not timely prevented must and will be destructive to the long established peace of these Islands Wherefore this Grave and Generall Assembly do order and by the authority and power of the same be it ordered that the said M. White Mr. Copland and Mr. Golding and other members of their congregation nor all nor any of them doe from henceforth presume to practice or set up any other discipline or order in Church-government other then what is commanded by Parliament and Directory set forth unto us And we doe further order by the Authority aforesaid that
no manner of person or persons inhabiting within these Islands shall or doe hereafter presume to enter into Covenant with them to be of their congregation nor bring in their children to be baptized or any marriage solemnized by them they being not in our judgements capable to performe the ministeriall function or administer either Sacraments Having c laid downe their Ministery and declared themselves to be but Lay-men but these duties shall be performed by our Ministers already conformable to the Ordinance aforesaid And likewise be it further ordered that no person or persons inhabiting within these Islands shall absent themselves from their owne Parish-Churches unlesse to such Churches where our Ministers shall be then teaching upon such paine and punishment as shall be thought fit upon high contemners of Authority d as to the Governour and Councell for the time being shall be thought expedient John Vaughan Secretary Ordered to be published throughout these Islands This Act was sent forth with a Proclamation to put life into it which was as followeth By the Governour and Councel July 18. An. 1646. WHereas it pleased Almighty God to designe me for this place and the honourable Company reposed the trust and government of these Islands into my hands I have hitherto endeavoured with all mildnesse and meeknesse of spirit to gaine a right understanding in and to the manners and orders of the people in these Islands and have through Gods providence discerned divers ill-affected people which are refractory to the Lawes and long established Government of Church and State here established and observed by my Worthy Predecessors in consideration whereof wee the Governours and Councell for the prevention of the evill that may ensue do by this my Proclamation declare unto all his Majesties loving Subjects inhabiting within in these Islands that we doe expect the like conformity unto all his Majesties Lawes and Statutes and to the Acts and Orders made and established to be observed in these Islands as our predecessours might have had or should have assuring all those that shall persist in their wilfull disobedience to the power and authority derived from the honourable Company by vertue of the letter patents granted by his Majesty King James of blessed memory unto them and from them unto us to proceed against e such to the full measure of their demerits being too sensible how my lenity and milde behaviour towards some hath been sleighted and experimentally too to much abused But for such as will endeavour to live in the feare of God and in obedience to the Lawes I shall both by my state and person endeavour to maintaine them in their rights and just priviledges and whereas with griefe of heart I speake it there is a party in these Islands that have withdrawn themselves not onely from the rules of civil Government which are prescribed and warranted unto us to walke by but also have of their owne inventions set up and imposed a discipline and bound them in covenant to observe the same without my f privity or consent which rule and order or rather indeed disorder as I may justly tearme it being not warrantable by the Parliament and Synod in England but otherwise commanded by that Authority and Directory set forth to us Wherefore I have been enforced with the advice and consent of my Councell and Assembly to make and set forth an order thereby to declare the danger of such unnaturall division tending to the subversion of the knowne Lawes and orders of Church and State And I doe hereby in his Majesties name will and require all the Inhabitants of these Islands to yeeld due obedience to the same as they and every of them may avoyd the penalty due to contemners of Authority and as they tender the peace and quietnesse of this Colony And moreover I charge and require all Counsellours Justices Church-officers Constables Head-boroughs and all and every his Majesties Subjects to yeeld obedience to the order annexed and to all the Laws and Acts made and set forth in and by this present Assembly and all such as shall be g dissoyall to authority or disobedient herein I charge and require the Officers aforesaid respectively in their severall tribes to be vigilant and carefull to take notice of all such as shall in the least degree oppose this my Command and them and every of them of what condition or quality soever they be to bring them before me to be proceeded against as contemners of the Laws and utter enemies to the peace and safety of this Colony I doe further require that this Proclamation be published in all the Churches and publicke meetings together with the order above mentioned Given under my hand at my house at S. Georges the day and yeare aforesaid Tho. Turner The intelligent Reader will easily discerne the contradictions between the Order and Proclamations the Order requires obedience to the Directory of Parliament the Proclamation conformity to the Lawes Acts and Orders established â—o be observed by his Worthy predecessours now in his predecessours time the Directory was not in being but the Episcopall way They made a Law forbidding rests upon the Sabbath day A Proclamation May 19. An. 1647. By the Governour WHereas an Order of Assembly bearing date Die Jovis 16. of July 1646. with a Proclamation thereunto annexed and ordered to be published in all the Churches of the Islands thereby requiring conformity to that order and to all other orders here established to be observed as h a Law And for as much as since the publishing hereof I have manifestly found divers ill-affected people contemners of our government have not onely sleighted our authority but have and i do contemn the power and authority of the honourable Company and Parliament and have drawne themselves from the discipline and orders established to be observed in our Church-government and ever since continued in disobedience and contempt of our Lawes and Government endeavouring the subversion of the same to the continuall disturbance of our peace k and quietnesse in these Islands In tender consideration whereof and out of zeale to Gods glory and the hallowing of his Sabbath which of late hath been too much polluted and blasphemed by reason of our unnatural division I do therefore in his Majesties name and by vertue of the power given to me by the honourable Company and Parliament streightly will and require all the Justices Constables and all other officers with all and every his Majesties subjects to take speciall notice of the aforesaid Order and Proclamation And that every Justice in his respective tribe doe immediately apprehend all manner of person and persons that have gone contrary to that Order or Proclamation or hereafter shall do contrary to the same And the persons so offending to binde over with two sufficient sureties to answer their contempt at the next Generall Assizes and such as shall not give sureties that they be forthwith committed
all lawfull meanes for the preservation of this poor Plantation in peace and quiet government It is therefore enacted by this present Generall Assembly and by the power and authority of the same be it enacted that our present Governour doe continue the command of the Kings Castle in his owne power with all the land servants and other priviledges and commodities to the same belonging and to place there such Officers under him as he shall finde both faithfull and able to discharge the trust and to dispose of severall Forts to his discretion being of right belonging to him as he is by Commission Captaine Generall of all these Islands provided alwayes that this Act be in force untill we receive answer of the last Generall letters or untill the honourable Company doe alter or make void the same any Order or Commission heretofore had or which x hereafter may intrench the honourable Resolution to the said letters in any wise notwithstanding John Vaughan Secret Charles Whittenall Speaker June 25. An. 1647. Thus I have given the world an account of some of the Lawes enacted by this Grave Assembly leaving the godly-wise to judge of them We now proceed They enforce these Lawes viz. by their sole power Instance 1. The Magistrates under the odium of Independents though standing by power of Parliament and Company are ipso facto discharged of their place and others chosen by the Governour and his councell Instance Andrew Bromlow Samuel Wise William Reighton had their cattle distrained upon the breach of that Act requiring the baptizing Infants supra M Jenor and one Phillip Clemons wife were sent downe as prisoners to the Governour for not frequenting their Parish Church The whole Congregation and their friends keeping a Fast at their usuall place of meeting upon a day appointed by the Governour but the Governour not approving that place by warrant commanded them to Towne who going together in their boats he would not suffer them to land but sent his Martiall to chuse out some ten of them whom he detained prisoners eight dayes and when he dismist them he confined them and the rest of the Congregation to their owne Plantations withall binding them over to answer it at the Assizes onely reserving to them the liberty of fishing and hearing the word Imprisons men at pleasure Instance Lieutenant John Davis who was by the censure of the house committed close prisoner and cast forth of the Assembly for saying that what the Assembly did was of no force till confirmed by the Company They pretended this was a breach of the oath of Secresy when yet they be the expresse words of the Companies Printed Lawes which all the Inhabitants are bound to take notice of This Davis was not for their turne though no Independent therefore they sought this occasion against him Instance the imprisonment of M. Wilkinson M. Reyner M. More one whole month protesting against the Assemblies meeting a second time and others of their proceedings at first sitting and because the world shall see what was done by those Magistrates had no muteny in it I shall give you a copy of their protest and the Assemblies censure thereupon viz. Right VVorshipfull Governour WHereas your warrants are issued forth to command all such persons who are under the name of Burgesses to tender their attendance at Georges Towne pretending their meeting to be for the ordering things tending to the safety of this Island we of your Councell whose names are subscribed do crave leave of your Worship to deliver our judgements of the same 1. We conceive that this which you call an Assembly to be no other but an Innovation having neither Precept nor Order from the honourable Company nor president in this Island for it 2. That in the former meetings of these persons now conveened was handled maintained and as they would have it acted things absolutely contradictory to Order of Parliament and the honourable Company 3. Rumor being spread by some of these parties that at this meeting they will quite put downe the preaching of the word by those faithfull Ministers of Christ M. White M. Copland and M. Golding though by Parliament and honourable Company allowed 4. Certaine of those persons now conveened insinuating into your Worships that the whole Countrey with urgency solicited this meeting which we finde not to be according to truth with much more which we sorbeare to relate till a hearing before the High Court of Parliament and Honourable Company in England be made to which we appeale and in the meane time declare we may not we dare not for the glory of God the safety of this Island and our just obedience to the trust by higher powers reposed in us comply with this your meeting nor the putting into execution any thing that there shall be or heretofore hath beene by them agitated till heard and confirmed by the honourable Company in England who have not been defective to expresse their minds in that point to that purpose And as by necessity enforced doe crave your Worships protection for our peaceable being in this place till we or such of us as by the mercy of God shall receive opportunity for transporting our selves unto the Honourable Court of Parliament and Company for redresse of such grievances raised and fomented by those persons now conveened and humbly pray we may in behalfe of the Parliament and Company have liberty to take such attestations as may be needfull for the maintenance of the premises Subscribed Wil. Sayle Wil. Reyner Wil. Wilkinson Joseph More July 21. 1646. The Assemblies censure upon this paper July 13. 1646. UPon dispute of a scandalous paper brought in as a charge against the power and proceedings of this Assembly under the hands of Captaine Sayle Mr. Reaner Sheriffe Mr. Wilkinson and Mr. Moore the said Mr. Reyner standing to justifie the same to the derogation of the power of Parliament of England the power and priviledge of the Honourable Company and the subversion of the government of this place upon e mature debate had of the premises it was voted and ordered by the whole Assembly that M. Reyner should be committed to the Marshalsey during the pleasure of this Assembly and be suspended from bearing office in this Island with reference to the Honourable Company Mr. Wilkinson and Mr. Moore being severally examined did likewise in contempt of the Court and power thereof justifie the same paper and contrary to their oaths refuse their assistance and voluntarily deserted their places thereupon were both censured by the generall vote ut supra John Vaughan Secret Let wise men judge what weake Logicians these Grave Assembly be who take in more into the conclusion then the premises will beare We proceed Imprisoned one Watkins upon suspicion of crime whereof he had been formerly acquitted at an open Assizes nor could the Grave Assembly fasten any new matter upon him but after some dayes imprisonment dismist him Instance the imprisoning of Mr.