CHAPTER VII RHODE ISLAND IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY Bibliography Bradford's "History," Winthrop's "Journal," and John Cotton's controversial treatises (see bibliography on Massachusetts Bay, p. 54) should be consulted for the earlier Massachusetts experiences of Roger Williams. In the "Publications of the Narragansett Club" there is the following from Williams' pen:-"Key into the Language of America' Vol. I, 1866, edited by J. Hammond Trumbull); "Mr. Cotton's Letter Examined and Answered" (Vol. I, edited by Reuben A. Guild,) with "John Cotton's Answer to Roger Williams" (Vol. II, 1867, edited by Rev. J. Lewis Diman); "Queries of Highest Consideration" (Vol. II, edited by R. A. Guild) "The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution" (Vol. III, 1867, edited by S. L. Caldwell); "The Bloudy Tenent Yet More Bloody" (Vol. IV, 1870, edited by S. L. Caldwell); "George Fox Digg'd out of his Burrowes" (Vol. V, 1872, edited by Rev. J. L. Diman); "The Letters of Roger Williams, 1632-1682" (Vol. VI, 1874, edited by J. R. Bartlett). A scholarly biographical introduction by Reuben Guild and excellent service rendered by the editors, make these publications of primary significance to every student of Roger Williams. Several letters of Williams may be found in "Pub. R. I. Hist. Soc." New Series, Vol. VIII; also in "Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc." Series III, Vol. I. Of biographies of Williams, the earliest is a "Memoir of Roger Williams, ..." (1834) by James D. Knowles, thorough, but unduly commendatory of Williams in his dealings with Massachusetts Bay. William Gammell in a "Life of Roger Williams" (1845) followed in the footsteps of Knowles. "A Life of Roger Williams" (1853) by Romeo Elton, has material lacking in the two earlier biographies. The biog aphiical introduction to Vol. I of the "Narragansett Publications" by Reuben A. Guild, though brief is highly satisfactory. "Roger Williams, the Pioneer of Religious Liberty" (1894) by Oscar S. Straus, is a well written dispassionate study. In "Roger Williams, a Study of the Life, Times, and Character of a Political Pioneer," (1909) Edmund J. Carpenter has approached his hero from a political and personal rather than a religious point of view, and has thereby been able to place upon Williams an estimate free from the extremes of earlier writers. On the banishment of Williams, the following may be mentioned: "The Treatment of Intruders and Dissentients by the Founders of Massachusetts" by George E. Ellis (Lowell Lectures, Boston, 1869); "As to Roger Williams and His Banishment from the Massachusetts Plantation" (1876) by H. M. Dexter; "The Case of Roger Williams ("Unitarian Review," January, 1891); "Why Was Roger Williams Banished" (1901) by H. S. Burrage; and J. Lewis Diman's preface (1867) to Vol. II, "Narragansett Publications." An exhaustive bibliography on Roger Williams by Clarence S. Brigham appears in the appendix to Vol. III of "State of Rhode Island . . . "edited (1902) by Edward Field. From John Clarke, another victim of Massachusetts severity, there emanated (1652) "Ill Newes from New England" ("Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc.," Series IV, Vol. II): Although designed to give a picture of Massachusetts rigour, it incidentally refers to events in Providence and Rhode Island. The best biographical study of Clarke is that of J. C. C. Clarke, "John Clarke, the Pioneer Baptist Statesman" ("Baptist Quarterly," Vol. X, p. 180 f.; 257 f.). The "Simplicitie's Defence" by Samuel Gorton (1646, "Coll. R. I. Hist. Soc." Vol. II; Force, "Tracts and Papers" Vol. IV, Tract VI), and "Hypocrisie Unmasked" by Edward Winslow, have sidelights upon the Rhode Island situation. Samuel Gorton's defence of himself may be read in his letter to Nathaniel Morton (Force, "Tracts and Papers, " Vol. IV, Tract VII). Two studies on Gorton are, "A Life of S. Gorton" by J. M. Mackie (1848, Sparks, "American Biography Series, II, Vol. V), and "A defence of Samuel Gorton, " (1883) by G. A. Brayton ("R. I. Hist. Tracts," No. 17). Historical work upon Rhode Island began with "A Historical Discourse by John Callander, a minister of Newport (with notes by Romeo Elton, "Coll. R. I. Hist. Soc.," Vol. IV). In the "Providence Gazette" (January to March, 1765) there appeared a series of papers entitled "An Historical Account of the Planting and Growth of Providence" from the pen of Governor Stephen Hopkins ("Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc.," Series II, Vol. IX). Not to mention a newspaper contribution of Henry Bull entitled "Memoirs of Rhode Island" (1832) and a "Discourse, (1838) by Rev. A. A. Ross of Newport, Rev. Edward Peterson followed (1853) with a "History of Rhode Island." His inaccurate and incoherent work was soon completely outclassed by that of Samuel G. Greene, whose "History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations" (II Vols. 1859-60) holds its place to this day. Contemporary, but quite different in its interpretation of men and events, is the "History of New England" 1858 f.) by Samuel G. Palfrey, another work of abiding worth. George W. Greene's "Short History of Rhode Island" (1877) is a handly manual but nothing more. "The Beginnings of New England, or the Puritan Theocracy in its Relation to Civil and Religious Liberty" (6th edition, 1890) by John Fiske, is fair in its interpretations and reasonably full in details. Charles S. Brigham's political sketch in Vol. I of "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the End of the Century" (editor-in-chief, Edward Field, 1902) is well written, but necessarily brief. Two recent works by Irving B. Richman, "Rhode Island, Its Making and Its Meaning" (1902) and "Rhode Island, A Study in Separatism" (1905) are particularly worthy of careful study. The social and economic are stressed in the following contributions by Charles B. Weeden: "Economic and Social History of New England, 1620-1789" (II Vols. 1890); "Early Rhode Island, A Social History of the People" (in "Grafton Historical Series," 1910); "Early Oriental Commerce in Providence" ("Proc. Mass. Hist. Soc.," Series III, Vol. I, pp. 236-278). "Three Commonwealths, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island: Their Early Development" ("Proc. Amer. Antiq. Soc.," New Series, Vol. XV, pp. 130-164) by the same author, sets forth the significance for individual liberty of Rhode Island. The latest work, (1916) by Howard M. Chapin, Librarian of the R. I. Hist. Society, entitled "Documentary History of Rhode Island" weaves into narrative form the source material dealing with Providence and Warwick to 1649. "The Early History of Narragansett" by Elisha R. Potter ("Coll. R. I. Hist. Soc.," Vol. III) is well written and possesses a documentary appendix. "The Planting and Growth of Providence" by Henry C. Dorr ("R. I. Hist. Tracts," No. 15) though lacking in its citation of authorities is reliable. His treatment of "The Proprietors of Providence and Their Controversies with the Freeholders" ("Pub. R. I. Hist. Soc.," New Series, Vols. III and IV) is thoroughgoing. A complete list of town histories may be consulted in "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the End of the Century" edited by Edward Field, Vol. III, pp. 670-676. The "Rhode Island Colonial Records" (III Vols. 1856 f.) edited by John Russell Bartlett, fill an important place in Rhode Island historical apparatus; also the "Early Records of the Town of Providence" (XX Vols. 1892 f.) edited by Horatio Rogers and others, and "The Early Records of the Town of Portsmouth" (1901) edited by C. S. Brigham. On the ecclesiastical side a general work is "The Ecclesiastical History of New England" (Vol. I, 1855, Vol. II, 1862) by Joseph B. Felt. Next come the several histories of the Baptists. Probably the best is "A History of New England, With Particular Reference to the Denomination of Christians Called Baptists" (III Vols. 1777, 1784, 1796) by Isaac Backus. The second edition (II Vols. 1871) with notes by D. Weston should be used. Benedict's "History of the Baptist Denomination in America, ' (1813) is especially satisfactory in its treatment of Rhode Island. Rev. Morgan Edwards has done good work in putting together "Materials for a history of the Baptists in Rhode Island” ("Coll. R. I. Hist. Soc.," Vol. VI, pp. 302-370). A number of discourses and anniversary addresses dealing with local churches have appeared from time to time, some of which may be found in the "Pub. R. I. Hist. Soc." Others have been issued under separate cover (see "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the End of the Century," Ed. Field, editor, Vol. III, pp. 667-668). For Quaker history the reader is referred to the standard Quaker histories (see page 154f), and to "The Narragansett Friends' Meeting in the Eighteenth Century, 1657-1784" (1899) by C. Hazard. "The Huguenot Influence in Rhode Island" ("Proc. R. I. Hist. Soc.," 1885-86, pp. 46-74) by Esther B. Carpenter goes fully into the connection with Rhode Island of Gabriel Bernon. On the Roman Catholics, an interesting article by R. H. Clarke entitled, "Rhode Island and Maryland; Which Established Religious Liberty First?" may be consulted in the "American Catholic Quarterly,' Vol. XX, pp. 289-312. See also Maryland bibliography (page 24). "An Inquiry concerning the Origin of the Clause in the Laws of Rhode Island (1719-1783) disfranchising Roman Catholics" by S. S. Rider appears in the "Rhode Island Hist. Tracts," Series II, No. 1. DOCUMENTS 1. THE EARLIER COMPACT Although never formally adopted, this compact was respected and therefore may be regarded as the first constitution of the Rhode Island group. We, whose names are hereunder written, late inhabitants of the Massachusetts (upon occasion of some difference of conscience) being permitted [?] to depart from the limits of that Patent under which we came over into these parts, and being cast by the God of Heaven remote from others of our countrymen amongst the barbarians in this town of New Providence, do with free and joint consent promise each unto other that, for our common peace and welfare (until we hear further of the King's royal pleasure concerning ourselves), we will from time to time subject ourselves, in active or passive obedience, to such orders and agreements as shall be made by the greater number of the present householders, and such as shall hereafter be admitted by their consent into the same privilege and covenant in our ordinary meeting. Text-Richman: Rhode Island, Its Making and its Meaning, Vol. I, p. 95. II. THE FORMAL COMPACT Dated probably August 20, 1637, this instrument had thirteen signatures. The phrase “only in civil things" did not appear in Williams' original draft. We whose names are here under-written, being desirous to inhabit in the town of Providence, do promise to submit ourselves, in active or passive obedience, to all such orders or agreements as shall be made for public good of the body, in an orderly way, by the major consent of the present inhabitants, masters of families, incorporated together into a township, and such others whom they shall admit unto the same, only in civil things. Text Collections of the Rhode Island Historical Society, Vol. IV, p. 207. III. DEED OF ROGER WILLIAMS TO HIS TWELVE ORIGINAL ASSOCIATES Providence, 8th of the 8th month, 1638, (so called,) Memorandum, that I, Roger Williams, having formerly purchased of Caunannicus and Miantinomu, this our situation, or plantation, of New-Providence, viz. the two fresh rivers, Wanasquatuckett and Mooshausick, and the ground and meadows thereupon, in consideration of thirty pounds received from the inhabitants of said place, do freely and fully pass, grant and make over equal right and power of enjoying and disposing of the same grounds and lands unto my loving friends and neighbors, Stukely Wescott, William Arnold, Thomas James, Robert Cole, John Greene, John Throckmorton, William Harris, William Carpenter, Thomas Olney, Francis Weston, Richard Waterman, Ezekiel Holliman, and such others as the major part of us shall admit into the same fellowship of vote with us: As also I do freely make and pass over equal right and power of enjoying and disposing of the lands and grounds reaching from the aforesaid rivers unto the great river Pautuxett, with the grass and meadows thereupon, which was so lately given and granted by the aforesaid sachems to me. Witness my hand, ROGER WILLIAMS. Text-Collections of the Rhode Island Historical Society, Vol. IV, pp. 206-7. |