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sett, Simonson, Delanoy, and Bompasse, of the "Fortune;" and Mitchell, Freeman, Collier, and other strong men of later date. So in 1632 a reluctant assent was given for a separate church; and the new settlement took the name of Duxbury,1 from one of the seats of the Standish family. The next year care was taken to enact that Plymouth should always be the capital of the Colony, and the Governor's dwelling-place. Bradford voiced a widespread feeling when he expressed a fear that this dispersion presaged the ruin of the Colony, "at least of y churches of God ther, and will provock y Lord's displeasure against them."

In 1636, in an effort to reunite the people, a joint-committee of nine advised that Plymouth and Duxbury villages be consolidated at Jones River (Kingston), and that a stone church be built there in token of stability. (Two of the members favored Morton's Hole, even nearer Duxbury.) The project was argued before a meeting of the citizens, who then referred it with power to the two churches, where it finally died. Owing to this suspense, Duxbury was not incorporated, nor a pastor elected, until 1637. It seems at the first to have been under the able lay ministration of Elder Brewster, who soon established a home in Duxbury; but now the church settled Ralph Partridge, a learned Cambridge scholar whom Laud had ejected from his English pulpit and “hunted like a partridge over the mountains."2 During the delay Scituate had been incorporated (1636); therefore Duxbury dated as the third town in the Colony. It became prosperous, and attracted a fine class of inhabitants through its superior fertility to Plymouth.3

1 See Supplementary Chapter, "Variations of Spelling."

2 Mather's "Magnalia" gives him a punning notice, a part of which is as follows: "Mr. Partridge was, notwithstanding the paucity and poverty of his congregation, so afraid of being anything that looked like a bird wandering from his nest, that he remained with his poor people till he took wing to become a bird of Paradise, along with the winged seraphim of heaven."

Partridge lived to an advanced age, dying in 1658.

81638, Jones River Bridge was made passable for carts. Francis Sprague was licensed as an inn-holder in Duxbury. He continued to be so until 1666, though often before the Court. He killed Hatherly's mare, beat Bassett's ser

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1632-40.]

NEW OFFSHOOT TOWNS.

363

To prevent further scattering, several grants of farm-lands had been made (1632-3) at Cut River, which from its verdant shores became Green River, soon perverted to Greene's River. It was thought no one would desire to live so far from Plymouth, and that even the employés would remain there only in the busy season of agriculture. But this plan led to another grievous dispersion under no less a leader than Edward Winslow. A new church was necessarily conceded; and in 1640 the place became a town called Rexham, soon re-named Marshfield. Yet as Taunton, Sandwich, Barnstable, and Yarmouth all of more recent origin — had been legalized in 1639, Rexham became the eighth town in order. Scituate,2 begun about 1628 by "men of Kent," did not at first draw from Plymouth; Barnstable had been settled from Scituate; the overflow from Lynn had resulted in Sandwich and Yarmouth; and Taunton was peopled by immigrants who had come to it overland through Boston. Therefore these towns, unlike Duxbury and Rexham, were regarded as unmixed blessings, and were incorporated very promptly.

vant, drank "overmuch," sold liquor illegally, etc. He was succeeded by his son, who was like him. Francis' daughter Mercy became wife of William Tubbs, and by eloping secured him a happy divorce.

In 1637, orchards were plenty at Duxbury. The town charter granted that year bore the great seal of the Colony, and provided that 1-20 of the gold and silver ore found there should belong to "our sovereign lord the king."

1 Bradford calls it "Greens Harbor."

2 An Indian name, originally Satuit. Bradford makes it "Sityate."

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