General History of Connecticut, from Its First Settlement Under George Fenwick to its Latest Period of Amity with Great BritainPeters, Samuel
History
General History of Connecticut, from Its First Settlement Under George Fenwick to its Latest Period of Amity with Great Britain
Peters, Samuel
Connecticut -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775; Connecticut -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
They were brought over by one Captain Gooking, and arrived
in Boston in July, 1660. Governor Endicott, and gentlemen of
character in Boston and its vicinity, treated them with
peculiar respect and kindness. They were gentlemen of
singular abilities, and had moved in an exalted sphere.
Whalley had been a lieutenant-general, and Goffe a
major-general, in Cromwell’s army. Their manners and
appearance commanded universal respect. They soon went from
Boston to Cambridge, where they resided until February. They
resorted openly to places of public worship on the
Lord’s-day, and at other times of public devotion. They were
universally esteemed by all men of character, both civil and
religious. But no sooner was it known that the judges had
been condemned as traitors, and that these gentlemen were
excepted from the act of pardon, than the principal
gentlemen in the Massachusetts began to be alarmed.
Governor Endicott called a court of magistrates to consult
measures for apprehending them. However, their friends were
so numerous that a vote could not at that time be obtained
to arrest them. Some of the court declared that they would
stand by them; others advised them to move out of the
colony.
Finding themselves unsafe at Cambridge, they came, by the
assistance of their friends, to Connecticut. They made their
route by Hartford, and went directly to New Haven. They
arrived about the 27th of March, and made Mr. Davenport’s
house the place of their residence.
They were treated with the same marks of esteem and generous
friendship at New Haven which they had received in
Massachusetts. The more the people became acquainted with
them the more they esteemed them, not only as men of great
minds, but of unfeigned piety and religion. For some time
they appeared to apprehend themselves as out of danger, and
happily situated among a number of pious and agreeable
friends. But it was not long before the news of the king’s
proclamation against the regicides arrived, requiring that,
wherever they might be found, they should be immediately
apprehended. The Governor of Massachusetts, in consequence
of the royal proclamation, issued his warrant to arrest
them. As they were informed by their friends of all measures
adopted respecting them, they removed to Milford. There they
appeared openly in daytime, but at night often returned
privately to New Haven, and were generally secreted at Mr.
Davenport’s, until about the last of April.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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