Author: Unknown
Date: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Hypocricie Unmasked, part 1Hypocricie Unmasked (1646), part 1

By A true Relation of the Proceedings of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts against Samuel Gorton (and his Accomplices) a notorious disturber of the Peace and quiet of the several Governments wherein he lived: With the grounds and reasons thereof, examined and allowed by their General Court holden at Boston in New-England in November last, 1646.

Together with a particular Answer to the manifold slanders, and abominable falsehoods which are contained in a Book written by the said Gorton, and entitled, Simplicities defense against Seven-headed Policy, etc.

Discovering To the view of all whose eyes are open, his manifold Blasphemies; As also the dangerous agreement which he and his Accomplices made with ambitious and treacherous Indians, who at the same time were deeply engaged in a desperate Conspiracy to cut off all the rest of the English in the other Plantations.

Whereunto is added a brief Narration (occasioned by certain aspersions) of the true grounds or cause of the first Planting of New-England; the President of their Churches in the way and Worship of God; their Communion with the Reformed Churches; and their practice towards those that dissent from them in matters of Religion and Church-Government.

By Edw. Winslow.

To The Right Honorable Robert Earl of Warwick, Governor in Chief, and Lord High Admiral of all those Islands and other Plantations of the English in America; Together with the rest of those truly Honorable Members of both Houses of Parliament joined in Commission with him for ordering the affairs of the said Plantations.

Right Honorable,

Were not your Wisdom and experience in the great and weighty affairs of State so well known, and were yet not so much accustomed to the unjust complaints of clamorous per. sons, I might be discouraged to appear in the righteous cause of the United Colonies of New-England, and more especially in the behalf of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts, to render a reason of their just and righteous proceedings against Samuel Gorton and his Companions, who however (where they are unknown) they go here under the garb of a peaceable people; yet if your Honors, and the rest of the Honorable Committee shall be pleased (when more weighty employments shall give way) to peruse our just defense against his clamorous complaints, and scandalous Treatise, called, Simplicities defense against Seven-headed Policy, etc. I make no question but you will receive full satisfaction in what we have done, and be ready to justify our proceedings against them as godly and righteous.

The reason wherefore I am forced to appear in Print before I give a particular answer to your Honors, and the rest of the Honorable Committee, is, because I find a more gross defamatory aspersion cast upon the Country to the public view of our Nation: which as it is dear in our eyes (witness our frequent public solemn days of prayer to the Throne of grace for it, together with our private supplications, which the Searcher of the heart best knows, sympathizing with it in every condition, to the loss of Ships, Goods, etc. to the great weakening of our estates) so we desire to remove whatsoever may sadden the thoughts of our Nation against us; especially your Honors, and all that are godly in Christ Jesus.

What greater wrong can be done a poor persecuted people that went into the wilderness to avoid the tyrannical Government of the late Hierarchy, and to enjoy the Liberties Christ Jesus hath left unto his Churches (which these blasphemous Adversaries of ours, so much sleight and cast off) then to be accounted persecutors of Christ in his Saints, yea, to go thither to that end, to become outrageously quell, barbarously inhumane, uniting together to suck the blood of our Countrymen, etc. And yet Right Honorable, it will and doth appear in the following Treatise, that Samuel Gorton was prosecuted against, First, at Plymouth as a gross disturber of the Civil peace and quiet of that Government, in an open factious and seditious manner. Secondly, he was no less troublesome, but much more at Rhode Island, having gotten a strong party to adhere unto him, affronting that Government (as Plymouth) in their public administration of Justice so foully and grossly, as mine ears never heard the like of any; to which Relation in the following Discourse I refer your Honors, being compiled as briefly as may be.

Gorton being there whips in his person, and thence banished with some of his principal adherents, they went next to Providence, where Mr. Williams, and some others have built a small Town. This people receiving them with all humanity in a cold season, when the former places could no longer bear his insolencies; he soon undermined their Government, gained a strong party amongst them to his own, to the great distraction of Mr. Williams, and the better party there, contending against their Laws, and the execution of Justice, to the effusion of blood, which made Mr. Williams and the rest sadly complain to the Government of the Massachusetts, and divers of them take the protection of that Government, to defend their persons and estates. But when they saw Mr. Williams resolve rather to lose the benefit of his labors, then to live with such ill-affected people, and the neighbor Governments become affected with Gortons misrule there also, he (and his Companions in evil) began then to think of buying a place of a great aspiring Sachem, or Indian Prince, to the wrong of the proper owners, ( two inferior Sachems) who also, as well as divers English of Providence, submitted their persons and lands to the Government of Massachusetts, and desired their protection not only against the oppressing tyranny of Myantonimo the foresaid Great Sachem, but against Gorton and his Companions, who intruded into their proper right, by unwarrantable means, etc. Now the Government of the Massachusetts having used all due means and none prevailing, but their gentleness answered with the greatest contempt that might be: At the next Meeting of the Commissioners for the United Colonies they complained of Gorton and his irregular Companions, which the said Commissioners took into serious consideration, and the more because of Gortons, etc. extraordinary familiarity with Myantonimo, and the rest of the Narragansett Sachems, who were known to be in a deep Conspiracy against all the English in the Land at the same time. And therefore by a solemn Act gave liberty to the Government of the Massachusetts to call them to account, and proceed with them so far as might stand with righteousness and justice, which they accordingly did.

Now these Right Honorable, etc. are the true causes of all the Censures and punishments that befell Gorton in the Country; only needlessly in his and their contemptuous answers to the modest and well-ordered Writings of the said Government of the Massachusetts, they belched forth such horrid blasphemies, not only against them in particular, and Civil Government in the general, but against the received Christian Religion of all the Reformed Churches in Europe, as well as our selves; Insomuch as many tender Consciences, both Ministers and others, thought the Government did not well in giving him such liberty, whereby he may and doth (as is reported) poison other persons and places with his corrupt opinions, to the great dishonor of God, and ruin of the souls of his followers, who reject the means of grace God hath sanctified to strengthen and build up his people in faith and holiness.

But that I may not be tedious, I shall presume to prefer these following requests to your Honors and the rest of the honored Committee this Renowned Parliament hath betrusted with the affairs of the Foreign Plantations of our Nation: The first is to strengthen the Censure of the Massachusetts by your favorable approbation, so far as it shall appear to be just and righteous; and then shall the Country be the more preserved from their fears of the Gortonians desperate close with so dangerous enemies as their malignant neighbors the Narragansetts; which I persuade my self, if your leisures will suffer you to read the following Discourse, you will easily condescend unto; there being nothing (I thank God in it) affirmed by me, but as it is affirmed hereunto I may safely depose. A second thing is, that you will never suffer Samuel Gorton this pestilent disturber of our Societies, any more to go to New-England to disquiet the peace thereof. My third request is, that you will be pleased to suffer New-Plymouth, to enjoy their former liberty in the line of their Government, which includeth their very seat, even Shawamet it self, where Gorton and his Company dwelt. My fourth request is, to take into your serious consideration, how destructive it will prove to the well-being of our Plantations and proceedings there, (who by Gods blessing are growing up into a Nation) here to answer to the complaints of such malignant spirits as shall there be censured by Authority, It being three thousand miles distant, so far as will undo any to come for Justice, utterly disabling them to prove the equity of their cause, unless their estate be very great. My fifth and last request is, that your Honors, and the rest of the Honored Committee will be pleased to patronize the weak labors of your humble servant, in the just defense he hath made for New England, and the several Governments of it (especially the Massachusetts) against the gross calumnies of the fore-mentioned scandalous Treatise published by the said Gorton: And herein you shall not only oblige our Plantations of New-England to continue their daily request to the God of all mercies for a blessing upon this Renowned Parliament, and your Honors, and the rest of this Honored Committee in especial, but to engage with, and for them and you, against all opposers of the State, to the last drop of blood in our veins; yea, hereby shall you sweeten the tedious travels, great charges and labors of me their unworthy Agent, who do and shall daily pray to God to recompense your vast hazards, expenses, studies, and cares, (to advance the Weale Public of this distressed Kingdom, and the several limbs thereof) with all the blessings of Heaven and earth to you and yours to succeeding Generations.

Yours Honors humble devoted servant, Edw. Winslow.