Roger Williams was born of reputable parents, in Wales, A. D. 1598. He was educated at the University of Oxford; was regularly admitted to orders in the Church of England, and preached for some time, as a Minister of that Church; but on embracing the doctrines of the Puritans, he rendered himself obnoxious to the laws against non-conformists and embarked for America, where he arrived with his wife, whose name was Mary, on the 5th of February, 1631. In April following, he was called by the Church of Salem, as teaching Elder, under their then Pastor, Mr. Skelton. This proceeding gave offence to the Governor and Assistants of the Massachusetts Bay, and in a short time, he removed to Plymouth, and was engaged as assistant to Mr. Ralph Smith, the pastor of the Church at that place. Here he remained until he found that his views of religious toleration and strict non-conformity gave offence to some of his hearers, when he returned again to Salem, and was settled there, after Mr. Skelton’s death in 1634. While here and while at Plymouth, he maintained the character he had acquired in England, that “of a godly man and a zealous preacher.” He appears, however, to have been viewed by the government of that colony with jealousy from his first entrance into it. He publicly preached against the patent from the king, under which they held their lands, on the ground that the king could not dispose of the lands of the Natives without their consent--he reprobated “the calling of _natural_ men to the exercise of those holy ordinances of prayers, oaths, &c.” and “the frequenting of Parish Churches, under the pretence of hearing some ministers;”[2] but that, without doubt, which rendered him most obnoxious, was his insisting that the magistrate had no right to punish for breaches of the first table; or in other words, “to deal in matters of conscience and religion.” These causes conspiring with others of less importance, finally procured a decree of banishment to be passed against him, in the autumn of 1635, and he was ordered to depart the jurisdiction, in six weeks. Subsequently to this, he was permitted to remain until spring, on condition that he did not attempt to draw any others to his opinions; but “the people being much taken with the apprehension of his godliness,” in the January following the Governor and Assistants sent an officer to apprehend him and carry him on board a vessel then lying at Nantasket, bound to England. But before the officer arrived, he had removed and gone to Rehoboth. Being informed by Governor Winslow of Plymouth, that he was then within the bounds of the Plymouth patent, in the spring he crossed the river, and commenced the settlement of Providence. The field that he first planted composes “Whatcheer,” the present residence of his Excellency, James Fenner, Governor of Rhode-Island, and the land originally set off to Williams adjoining this field, has continued to the present day, in possession of his descendants.