1644 Detail

March 24, 1644 - Roger Williams petitions and receives an official grant to establish the Rhode Island colony from the seperatist Providence Plantation, despite protests from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Roger Williams, a Puritan minister, believed in several tenants which he staunchly defended. He believed in religious freedom, separation of church and state, a separation from the Church of England in the New World, and fair treatment of the Native population. He had arrived in the New World, Boston, on February 5, 1631, and immediately had problems with church heirarchy. Given the opportunity by the Church of Boston to fill in for their current pastor, Williams said he would not. That church was unseparated from the Church of England, whom he thought corrupt. A second offer from the Church at Salem was pulled away after offer due to the Church of Boston's protest. Finally, by the end of 1631, the Plymouth Colony allowed him into their flock and gave him the opportunity to preach. Plymouth Governor William Bradford approved, although Williams could not contain his opinions. He did not think the Plymouth church was separated enough either, and disagreed that the colonies were not paying the Native Americans for their land.

By 1633, Williams had moved back to Salem as an assistant to their pastor, Reverend Samuel Skelton, rising to head pastor after Skelton's death. But the Massachusetts Bay Colony was suffiently chuffed by many of his criticisms of the church, the King, and their policies toward the Native population. By 1635, he was no longer pastor and had been brought up on charges of sedition and heresy in October. Roger Williams would lose that case, and be banished, although his punishment was delayed, first by illness and second by obstinance. Williams refused to leave and spent the winter of 1636 with the Wampanoag tribe. By the end of the year, he established Providence Plantation, despite protests from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, buying land from the the sachems Canonicus and Miantonomi of the Narragansett. Williams finally founded the first settlement where religion and politics were separate.

Over the next several years, settlers with beef toward the Massachusetts Bay Colony and belief in Roger Williams founded other towns at Portsmouth and Newport. During the Pequot War, Williams sided with the other colonies and due to his positive relations with the Narragansetts, defeated the Pequot. For forty years, Williams maintained a friendship with the Narragansetts.

Roger Williams Letter 1639

For his much honored Mr. Governor, John Winthrop.
[Auguft, 1639.]

Much HONORED S1r, - You were pleafed fome while fince to refer me to Mr. Haynes for a lift of fuch Pequots as were authors and chief actors in the late murders upon the Englith.

Accordingly I have fent up once and again to Mr. Haynes, and we are come to a period: the child is come to the birth: a little ftrength from your loving hand (the Lord fo pleafing, and bleffing) will bring it forth.

This lift here enclofed (which I requeft may be returned) was drawn by my beft enquiry and Tho. Stanton in the prefenceof the Magiftrates at Connecticut the laft year.

This lift he was pleafedto fend me with the addition of feven more under his own hand.

Some queries I made upon fome of the feven: as alfo Safacous his brother Puppompogs (now upon Long Ifland) whom Mr. Haynes defired might be fpared, and I applauded the defire in many refpects, only I defired for many other refpects that he might be fent to fome other part of the world.

Alfo fince that the Nayantick Sachems who harbor many of thefe, and Uncas, Canonicus and Miantunnomu requefted that a pinnace might lie fome few days at Pequot, to promote and countenance the work while Miantunnomu purfued them.

Unto all which Mr Haynes in this laft is pleafed to anfwer, fo that we are come to a period. This week I went up to the Narraganfett about other bufinefs: there I found a bar, which I thought good to requeft your worfhip to remove by a word or two.

Your captive (which was Maumanadtuck's wife) now at Pequot, prefuming upon your experimented kindnefs toward her, informs all Pequots and Nayanticks that Mr. Governor's mind is, that no Pequot man fhould die, that her two fons fhall ere long be Sachems there, &c. Your wifdom (now bya frefh line or two) declaring that none but thefe (who by the beft of intelligence appear to be deeply guilty,) shall die, may facilitate the execution, to the honor of your mercy and juftice, and the clearing of the land from blood, either that of our countrymen already fpilt, or that may be hazarded by thefe wretches. I might but will not trouble your worfhip with fome pretumptions that way: the Lord be pleafed to further and blefs: and help your precious foul and mine to remember that vengeance, and to long and expect for it upon the enemies of Jefus, when blood fhall flow out of the wine prefs to the horfe bridles by the fpace of fixteen hundred furlongs.

Your worfhip's unfeigned hitherto
Rocer WILLIAMS.

Relationship with the Other Colonies

However, he did not maintain a solid relationship with the other settlements, forcing him to return to England and lobby for an official charter from parliament to establish the Providence and Rhode Island Colony. It would be known as a Parlimentary Patent of 1643, and united the towns of Providence (1636), Portsmouth (1638), and Newport (1639). It would take three years before all of the towns and peoples of the colonial settlements to agree to their inclusion. Portsmouth and Newport had had their own democratic entity in 1640/41, including religious liberty for all.

Roger Williams had travelled back to England in 1643; he was worried about the land claims of the New England Confederation and wanted to protect the settler claims for the acreage bought from the Native Americans. The Earl of Warwich and his Foreign Plantations committee in parliament would grant it. The document agreed that the Indian deeds were legal. It did not contain the royal seal from Charles I; he was already contested for power.

When Roger Williams returned to the colony in September 1644, he received a hero's welcome. Holding the patent high in hand from his boat in the harbor, he had achieved the first step toward Rhode Island statehood, coming nearly one hundred and fifty years later. In an odd turn of events while Williams was in England, another settlement had sprung up to the south of Providence, i.e. Warwick. Yes, it was included in the patent.

Full Text, Parlimentary Patent 1643

Patent for Providence Plantations - March 14, 1643

WHEREAS by an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons, now assembled in Parliament, bearing Date the Second Day of November, Anno Domini 1643, Robert Earl of Warwick, is constituted, and ordained Governor in Chief, and Lord High Admiral of all those Islands and other Plantations inhabited or planted by, or belonging to any His Majesty the King of England's subjects, (or which hereafter may be inhabited and planted by, or belonging to them,) within the Bounds, and upon the Coasts of America. And whereas the said Lords have thought fit, and thereby ordained, that Philip Earl of Pembroke, Edward Earl of Manchester, William Viscount Say and Seal, Philip Lord Wharton, John Lord:Rolle, Members of the House of Peers. Sir Gilbert Gerrard, Baronet, Sir Arthur Haslerig, Baronet, Sir Henry Vane, jun. Knight, Sir Benjamin Rudyard, Knight, John Pim, Oliver Cromwell, Dennis Bond, Miles Corbet, Cornelius Holland, Samuel Vassal, John Rolle, and William Spurstow, Esqrs, Members of the House of Commons, should be Commissioners, to join in Aid and Assistance with the said Earl. And whereas for the better Government and Defence, it is thereby ordained, that the aforesaid Governor and Commissioners, or the greater Number of them, shall have Power and Authority from Time to Time to nominate, appoint, and constitute all such subordinate Governors, Counsellors, Commanders, Officers, and Agents, as they shall judge to be best affected, and most fit and serviceable for the said Islands and Plantations; and to provide for, order and dispose all Things, which they shall, from Time to Time, find most advantageous for the said Plantations; and for the better Security of the Owners and Inhabitants thereof, to assign, ratify, and confirm, so much of their afore-mentioned Authority and Power, and in such Manner, and to such Persons as they shall judge to be fit for the better governing and preserving of the said Plantations and Islands, from open Violences and Private Disturbances and Distractions. And whereas there is a Tract of Land in the Continent of America aforesaid, called by the Name of the Narraganset-Bay; bordering Northward and Northeast on the Patent of the Massachusetts, East and Southeast on Plymouth Patent, South on the Ocean, and on the West and Northwest by the Indians called Nahigganneucks, alias Narragansets; the whole Tract extending about Twenty-five English Miles unto the Pequot River and Country.

And whereas divers well affected and industrious English Inhabitants, of the Towns of Providence, Portsmouth, and Newport in the tract aforesaid, have adventured to make a nearer neighborhood and Society with the great Body of the Narragansets, which may in time by the blessing of God upon their Endeavours, lay a sure foundation of Happiness to all America. And have also purchased, and are purchasing of and amongst the said Natives, some other Places, which may be convenient both for Plantations, and also for building of Ships Supply of Pipe Staves and other Merchandize. And whereas the said English, have represented their Desire to the said Earl, and Commissioners, to have their hopeful beginnings approved and confirmed, by granting unto them a free Charter of Civil Incorporation and Government; that they may order and govern their Plantation in such a Manner as to maintain Justice and peace, both among themselves, and towards all Men with whom they shall have to do. In due Consideration of the said Premises, the said Robert Earl of Warwick, Governor in Chief, and Lord High Admiral of the said Plantations, and the greater Number of the said Commissioners, whose Names and Seals are here under-written and subjoined, out of a Desire to encour age the good Beginnings of the said Planters, Do, by the Authority of the aforesaid Ordinance of the Lords and Commons, give, grant' and confirm, to the aforesaid Inhabitants of the Towns of Providence, Portsmouth, and Newport, a free and absolute Charter of Incorporation, to be known by the Name of the Incorporation of Pi evidence Plantations, in the Narraganset-Bay, in New-England.-Together with full Power and Authority to rule themselves, and such others as shall hereafter inhabit within any Part of the said Tract of land, by such a Form of Civil Government, as by voluntary consent of all, or the greater Part of them, they shall find most suitable to their Estate and Condition; and, for that End, to make and ordain such Civil Laws and Constitutions, and to inflict such punishments upon Transgressors, and for Execution thereof, so to place, and displace Officers of Justice, as they, or the greater Part of them, shall by free Consent agree unto. Provided nevertheless, that the said Laws, Constitutions, and Punishments, for the Civil Government of the said Plantations, be conformable to the Laws of England, so far as the Nature and Constitution of the place will admit. And always reserving to the said Earl, and Commissioners, and their successors, Power and Authority for to dispose the general Government of that, as it stands in Relation to the rest of the Plantations in America as they shall conceive from Time to Time, Inost conducing to the general Good of the said Plantations, the Honour of his Majesty, and the Service of the State. And the said Earl and Commissioners, do further authorize, that the aforesaid Inhabitants, for the better transacting of their public Affairs to make and use a public Seal as the known Seal of Providence-Plantations, in the Narraganset-Bay, in New-England. In Testimony whereof, the said Robert Earl of Warwick, and Commissioners, have hereunto set their Hands and Seals, the Fourteenth Day of March, in the Nineteenth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign-Lord King Charles, and in the Year of our Lord God, 1643.

ROBERT WARWICK, PHILIP PEMBROKE, SAY and SEAL, P. WHARTON, ARTHUR HASEERIG, COR. HOLLAND, H. VANE, SAM VASSAL, JOHN ROME, MILES CORBET, W. SPURSTOW.

Image above: From a painting by C.R. Grant. Engraving from The Providence Plantations for 250 Years, Welcome Arnold Greene, 1886. Courtesy Wikipedia Commons. Image below: Drawing of Roger Williams House in Salem, 1886. Whitefield, Edwin? Courtesy Library of Congress. Info source: "Letters of Roger Williams. 1632-1682," 1874, Roger Williams; "Rhode Island's Royal Charter," Rhode Island Secretary of State; Bartlett's Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations; The Avalon Project, Documents in Law, History, and Diplomacy, Yale Law School; "Rhode Island, Polity Style 1644-1687," anthontology.org; "Rhode Island's Founding Documents: The Rhode Island Patent of March 1643/44 and the Acts and Orders of 1647," Patrick T. Conley, smallstatebighistory.com; Wikipedia.

History Photo Bomb

Harvard House, 1899, Detroit Publishing Company. Courtesy Library of Congress.

Painting of Oliver Cromwell, 1656, After Samuel Cooper. Courtesy National Gallery via Wikipedia Commons.

ABH Travel Tip

You can visit much of the Pre-Revolution history of the United States throughout the many trails and historic sites of the nation. And don't miss out on the Native American history throughout Florida or other regions. The history of the nation and North America comes from the culture of the many tribes that made up the mosaic of human culture in each state. They were here before the majority of us, after all, and their history is an amazing collection of wonder, beauty, and dedication to the land that sits beneath us.

Montage of old New Sweden home (left), Nothnagle Log House in New Jersey, built 1638, 2010. Courtesy Wikipedia Commons; and drawing of New Amsterdam, Painting of Oliver Cromwell, 1656, After Samuel Cooper. Courtesy National Gallery via Wikipedia Commons.

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