44

Description of Newbury.

colony. M. Noyes was chosen teacher, and Mr. Parker pastor of the church.

The beautiful river, on whose banks they first settled, was, in honour to their reverend pastor, named Parker river: tradition says because he was the first who ascended it in his boat. This he might easily effect from Ipswich, where he had lived the year before; it being only about eight miles of smooth water through Plumb Island sound. A writer in. 1652, gives the following account of Newbury. This town is twelve miles from Ipswich; it has meadows and upland, which hath caused some gentlemen, who brought over good estates, to set upon husbandry, among whom that religious and sincere-hearted servant of Christ, Mr. Richard Dummer, some time a magistrate in this little commonwealth, hath holpen on this town. Their houses are built very scattering, which hath caused some contending about removal of their place for sabbath assemblies. Their cattle are about four hundred, with store of cornland in tillage; it consists of about seventy families: the souls in church fellowship are about one hundred, The teaching elders of this congregation have carried it very lovingly towards their people, permitting them to assist in admitting persons into church society, and in church censures, so long as they act regularly, but in case of their mal-administra, tion, they assume the power wholly to themselves; their godly life and conversation hath hitherto been very amiable, and their pains and care over their flock not inferior to many others." Another account of Quafcacunquen or Newbury, in 1633, the year of its settlement, is in these words. "Merrimack lies eight miles from Ipswich, is the best place; the river is navigable twenty leagues; all along the river's side are fresh marshes, in some places three miles broad. In this river is sturgeon, salmon, and bass, and divers other kinds of fish. The country scarce affordeth that which this place cannot yield.” These quotations are not made on account of their geographical inaccuracy, for they are both defective. The first makes the distance from Ipswich four miles greater than it is. The last states the distance right, but calls the place Merrimack,which is four miles further, while his description much better applies to Parker River, where the settlement had actually commenced the year he made his observations, and on the Parker are the most extensive marshes.

The first person born in Newbury was Mary Brown, afterwards Godfrey. She lived to be eighty-two years of age, had

Curious Specimen of Style.

45

a good report as a maid, a wife, and widow, and left a numerous posterity.

Few churches of New England have sent forth so many branches as this at Newbury. Beside a meeting of friends and half a congregational society, the other half lying at Rowley, there are ten churches within the ancient limits of Newbury. A curious specimen of style, and that fondness which the man retains for the play place of his tender years," is left us by a native of this town. "As long as Plumb island shall faithfully keep the commanded post, notwithstanding all the hectoring words and hard blows of the proud and boisterous ocean; as long as any salmon or sturgeon shall swim in the streams of Merrimack, or any perch or pickerell in Crane Pond; as long as the seafowl shall know the time of their coming, and not neglect seasonably to visit the places of their acquaintance; as long as any cattle shall be fed with the grass growing in the meadows, which do humbly bow down themselves before Turkey Hill; as long as any sheep hall walk upon Old Town Hills, and thence pleasantly look own upon the river Parker, and the fruitful marshes lying beneath; as long as any free and harmless doves shall find a white oak or other tree within the township to perch, or feed, or build a careless nest upon, and shall voluntarily present themselves to perform the office of gleaners after barley harvest; as long as nature shall not grow old and dote, but shall constantly remember to give the rows of Indian corn their education by pairs; so long shall christians be born here, and, being made meet, shall hence be translated to be made partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." Description of the New Heaven, by S. Sewall, Fellow of Harvard College, printed 1727. So pleasing were his anticipations, and so readily did he find in his native town all the images of duration to satisfy his taste.

The ministers of this ancient church have been respectable for their talents and purity of character. Their first pastor, the Rev. Thomas Parker, was the only son of the Rev. Robert Parker, who, with some other ministers, was driven out of England in the reign of queen Elizabeth, for Puritanism. Mr. Thomas Parker was born in 1595. He had been admitted into Magdalen College, in Oxford, before his father's exile; after which he removed to Ireland, where he pursued his studies under the famous Dr. Usher. Thence he went to Holland, where he enjoyed the assistance of Dr. Ames. His labours were indefatigable, and his progress answerable. Before the age of

46.

Life and Character of the Rev. Mr. Parker.

twenty-two he received the degree of Master of Arts. In nis diploma it is said, " Illum non sine magna admiratione audiverimus." He soon returned to Newbury, in England, to pursue his theological studies, where he also for a time preached and kept a school. Thence he, with a number of christians from Wiltshire, came over to New England in the year 1634. The next year, with a number or those who left England with him, and others, he settled at Newbury, where, for a long course of years, by the holiness and humility of his life, he gave his people a lively cominentary of his doctrine. He was a hard student, and, by his incessant application, he became blind several years before his death. Under this extreme loss he supported an easy and patient temper, and would, in a pleasant manner, say, Well they will be restored shortly in the resurrection." He departed to a world of light, April 1677, in the eighty-second year of his age, and fifty-second of his ministry. He was a man of charity, and, for some peculiarity of opinions, experienced some difficulties with his neighbours. He was considered one of the first scholars and divines of the age. Mr. Parker's confidence in the success of New England settlements, may be inferred from the text he selected for a sermon preached at Ipswich, just before he and his people left England. It was Exod. i. 7." And the children of Israel were fruitful, &c. and the land was filled with them." Mr. Parker and his colleague, both considered the sabbath as beginning the evening preceeding, yet both kept sabbath evening as their people did. Mr. Parker being asked why he adopted a practice different from his opinion, replied," Because I dare not depart from the footsteps of the flock for my own private opinion." When he kept a small school he refused any reward, saying, lived for the church's sake; therefore he was not willing to receive any scholars, but those who were designed for the minis try." His whole life was employed in prayer, study, preaching, and teaching school. Going from his study one day, he found the young people of the family laughing very freely, he gravely said, "Cousins, I wonder how you can be so merry, unless you are sure of salvation."

"He

Mr. James Noyes was born in 1608, at Choulderton, of godly parents; his father being minister of the town. Mr. Noyes was called from college, in Oxford, to assist Mr. Parker in his school at Newbury in England. In his youth he was admired for his piety; after receiving a call at Watertown, while he was preaching at Medford, he chose to settle with his beloved Par

Character of Mr. Noyes.

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ker, and the people, who came over with him, who invited him to Newbury. He was much beloved by his people, and his memory is respected there to the present day. A catechism which he composed for the children of his flock, has lately been reprinted by them. He was their teacher for more than twenty years; and after a long and tedious sickness, which he bore with patience and even cheerfulness, he died Oct. 22, 1655, in the forty-eighth year of his age. He married Sarah Brown, before he left England, by whom he left six sons and daughters, who all lived to have families. Though Mr. Noyes fled from the church of England, he was not so high a republican, in religious affairs, as his brethren in general. "He no way approved the governing vote of the fraternity, but took their consent in a silential way." He held a profession of faith and repentance, and subjection to ordinances, to be the rule of admission to church fellowship, but admitted to baptism the children of those who had been baptized, without requiring the parents to own any covenant or being in church fellowship. Mr. Parker and Noyes kept a private fast once a month, while Mr. Noyes lived, as they often had done in England, and while on their passage to this country. Mr. Parker continued the practice after the death of Mr. Noyes. They were the most cordial and intimate friends; in England they instructed in the same school; they came over in the same ship; they were ministers in the same church; and as Mr. Parker never married, they lived in the same house; nothing but death could separate them.

Mr. John Woodbridge succeeded Mr. Noyes as a teacher of the church with Mr. Parker his uncle, his mother being Mr. Parker's sister. Mr. Woodbridge was born in 1613, the son of a pious clergyman of Wiltshire. John was "trained up in the way he should go," and when prepared, sent to Oxford to receive an education. But not choosing to take the oath of conformity, he left college, and pursued his studies in a more private way. The ceremonies of the church being rigorously enforced, young Woodbridge, in 1634, came over to New England with Mr. Parker. With the rest he took up lands in Newbury, and continued his studies, till, by reason of his father's death, he was called to England; having accomplished his business, and married a daughter of governor Dudley's, he returned to New England, in the infancy of Andover, where he was ordained Sept. 16, 1644. Here he continued with reputation, till, by the invitation of friends, in 1647, he once more crossed

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Character of Mr. Woodbridge.

"

the Alantic to the pleasant isle of his nativity. There he continued useful and happy, till the Bartholomew act, in 1663, banished him once more to America. Soon after his arrival ou these shores, the church in Newbury invited him to be an assistant of his aged uncle, and to them he devoted his labours. But after some time, a difficulty concerning church discipline arising between him and his people, he was dismissed. Soon after, he was remarkably blessed "in his private estate,' which supplied the loss of his salary. His reputation was good, and he was appointed a justice of the peace, and magistrate of the colony. He had twelve children; eleven of whom lived to be men and women. He had the comfort of seeing three sons and two sons in law employed in the gospel ministry, and four grandsons candidates for the same work. He was a man of an excellent spirit, and gave good evidence that he "had been sanctified from his infancy." He was of a remarkably patient, pleasant temper, noted for his readiness to forgive injuries, rarely or never disturbed by worldly disappointments. A messenger once brought him word of great loss of property; his reply was, "What a mercy it is that this is the first time that I ever met with such a disaster." On a sabbath day in March, 1695, after a distressing disease, he went to everlasting rest, aged 82 years. To him succeeded the Rev. John Richardson, who was ordained teacher of the first church in Newbury with Mr. Parker, October 20, 1675. He died April 27, 1696, in the fiftieth year of his age, and twenty-first of his ministry. Since that time the church has had three pastors, the Rev. Mr. Tappan, the Rev. Dr. Tucker, and the Rev. Mr. Moor, and is now destitute.

The Massachusetts colony was threatened by the surrounding Indians. In these circumstances prudence dictated that union should be established between the two infant colonies. To bring about a measure so necessary to their safety, the Governor, with the Rev. Mr. Wilson and others, proceeded to Plymouth, forty miles through the wilderness, on foot. They were kindly and respectfully received by Governor Bradford, and the principal gentlemen at Plymouth; and the result of this embassy was a lasting friendship between the colonies.