Hoadly, Charles. Records of the Colony and Plantation of New Haven 1638–1649

Extracts from
Charles Hoadly, Records of the Colony and Plantation of New Haven from 1638 to 1649

p 38

A Court holden the 1t of July 1640

Thomas Parsons and John [   ], servants to Elias Parkmore were whipped for their sinfull dalliance and folly wth Lidia Browne.

p 56

Att a Court held att Newhaven the 4th of the 6t m: 1641

John Seckett servant to Mrs. Stolyô for goeing about to slaunder and reproach his said Mrs, was admonished to tender to his Mrs such satisfactiô as she might accept, wch was referred to Mr. Goodyeare to determine. ”

p 80

A Court held att Newhaven the 2d of Nouem: 1642.

The difference betweene Mrs. Stolyô and Mr. Eliz: Goodmâ wth their owne consents is refered to Mr. Goodyeere and Mr. Gregson to determine.

p 136-139

Att a Genrll Court held att Newhaven the 1t of July, 1644.

The Governor tooke this oath as followeth,

I Theophilus Eaton, being att a Genrll Cort in October last, chosen Governor wthin Newhaven Jurisdictiô for a yeare then to ensue, and vntill a new Governor be chosen, do sweare by the great and dreadfull name of the ever living God, to promove the publique good and peace of the same, according to the best of my skill, and will allso maintaine all the lawfull priviledges of this comô wealth, according to the fundamentall order and agreemt made for governmt in this jurisdictiô, and in like manner will endeuor thatt all wholsome lawes thatt are or shall be made by lawfull authority here established be duely executed, and will further the executiô of justice according to the righteous rules of Gods worde, so help me God in or Lord Jesus Christ.

The Governor having allso received the oath of fidelity as followeth, I Theophilus Eaton, being by the providence of God an inhabitant wthin Newhaven Jurisdictiô, doe acknowledge myselfe to be subject to the governmt thereof, and doe sweare by the great and dreadfull name of the ever living God, to be true and faithfull vnto the same, and doe submitt both my person and my whole estate therevnto, according to all the wholsome lawes and orders thatt for present are or hereafter shall be there made and established by lawfull authority, and thatt I will neither plott nor practise any evill agst the same, nor consent to any thatt shall so doe, butt will timely discover the same to lawfull authority here established, and thatt I will as I am in duety bounde, maintaine the honor of the same and off the lawfull magistrates thereoff, promoting the publique goode of the same whilest I shall continue an inhabitant there. And whensoever I shall be duely called as a free burgesse, according to the fundamentall order and agreemt for governmt in this jurisdictiô to give my vote or suffrage touching any matter wch concerneth this comô wealth, I will give itt as in my conscience I shall judge may conduce to the best good of the same wthout respect of persons, so help me God, &c.

Then he gave itt to all those whose names are herevnder written,

[A total of 182 names are listed, including:]

Joh: Seckett

[A further 28 names are listed on 5 August 1644]

p 147

Att a Court held att Newhaven the 2d of October 1644.

Mrs. Stolyon demaund a debt of 3l–8–6 of Goodman Chapmâ, butt Robt Seely testified thatt Mrs. Stolyô had given him a note of thatt debt among others, to be payd into the ship on her behalfe, and accordingly he accepted itt, and thatt the said John Chapmâ from thatt time became debttor to the shipp, butt Mrs. Stolyô affirmed yt afterward she having payd all her part into the ship, and John Chapmans debt being yett unpayd, she desired Mr. Attwater, (who was then to receive the ships pay,) to lett John Chapmâ know thatt now she expected the 3l–8–6, should be payd into her owne hands, and to strike out his name out of the aforesaid note, wch Mr. Atwater affirmed upon oath he had done, and thatt John Chapmâ had said to him then that he cared nott, for he had as leave pay itt to Mrs. Stolyon herselfe, whereupon itt was ordered, thatt John Chapmâ shall pay the 3l–8–6 to Mrs. Stolyô.

p 174-176

At a Court held the 3d of December 1645.

Captayne Turner informed the court that Mrs. Stolion hath complayned to sundry persons that he made a bargaine wth her for cloth for wch shee accepted cowes, but was disapoynted to her great damadge, & therefore he desired she might shew what cause he had given her soe to doe.

Mrs. Stolion pleaded that the captayne came to her howse to buy some cloth, chose a peece of 20s a yard, and said he would have sixe yards of it, and Mrs. Stolion should have a cow, and both aggreed to have her prized by some indifferent men; the captayne said alsoe that he had neede of more cloth & commodityes to the vallew of 12l & told her she should have 2 cowes, and she said when her son came home he should come & chuse them; accordingly when her son came home he went to the captayne, chose 2 cowes, and when he came home he tould her the captayne would come the next day & speake wth her, but came not according to his pmise, and though she sent to him yet he came not.

The captayne said he did really intend to have had some cloth and that she should have a cowe, and when Mr. Stolion came to chuse one of the best cowes he had, and Mr. Stolion told him he might as well let his mother have 2 cowes, for she had neede of cowes and the captayne had need of cloth and commodities, wherevppon the captayne let him chuse another cow & set him a prise, namely 12l. Mr. Stolion said he would give but 10l, the captayne told him he would abate 10s. Mr. Stolion said he would give noe more but 10l, they parted and the captayne promised he would come and speake wth his mother, but because he could not well goe to Mrs. Stolion, & haveing heard of the dearnes of her commodities, the excessive gaynes she tooke, was discouradged from proceedinge, & accordingly bid his man tel her he would have none of her cloth, and nameing sundry perticuler instances of commodities sold by her at an excessive rate, left it to the consideracon of the court whether she had not done him wronge in complayning of him, and if she might not be dealt wth as an oppressor of the commonweale.

The court conceyved the captayne was to blame that he did not goe to her according to his promisse, espetially that after he heard she was vnsatisfied he did not attend her satisfaction, but wthall that the captayne might justly offer it to the consideration of the court whether such selleinge be not extortion and not to be sufferred in the commonwealth.

1. The captayne complayned that she sold some cloth to Wm Bradly at 20s Þ yard that cost her about 12s, for wch she received wheate at 3s 6d Þ bushell, ans sold it presently to the baker at 5s Þ bushell who received it of Wm Bradly, only she forbaring her monny 6 monthes.
2. That the cloth wch Leiut Seely bought of her for 20s Þ yard last yeare, she hath sould this yeare for 7 bushells of wheate a yarde, to be delivered in her chamber, wch she confest.
3. That she would not take wompom for commodityes at 6 a penny though it were the same she had paid to others at 6, but she would have 7 a penny, as Thomas Robinson testified.
4. That she sold primmers at 9d apeece wch cost but 4d here in New England. Thomas Robinson testified that his wife gave her 8d in wompom at 7 a penny, though she had but newly received the same wompom of Mrs. Stolion at 6.
5. That she would not take beaver wch was mrchantable wth others at 8s a pownd, but she said she would have it at 7s and well dryed in the sun or in an oven. Leiut. Seely, the mrshall & Isaacke Mould testified it. John Dellingham by that meanes lost 5s in a skinne (that cost him 20s of Mr. Evance and sold to her,) vizd 2s 6d in the waight and 2s 6d in the price.
6. She sold a peece of cloth to the 2 Mecars at 23s 4d p yard in wompom, the cloth cost her about 12s Þ yard & sold when wompom was in great request.
7. That she sold a yard of the same cloth to a man of Connecticott at 22s p yard, to be delivered in Indian corne at 2s p bushell at home.
8. She sold English mohejre at 6s Þ yard in silver, wch Mr. Goodyeare and Mr. Atwater affirmed might be bought in England for 3s 2d Þ yard at the vtmost.
9. She sold thridd after the rate of 12s Þ pownd wch cost not above 2s 2d in old England.
10. That she sold needles at one a penny wch might be bought in old England at 12d or 18d Þ hundred, as Mr. Francis Newman affirmeth.

The Court seriously weighing all the perticulers chardged agaynst Mrs. Stolion, conceived that the nature and aggravations of the aforesaid chardges was proper for a court of magistrates to consider off, and therefore respited and refferred it to the Court of magistrates to be held at Newhaven the last Munday in March next.

p 270-271

At a Court held at Newhaven the 6th of October, 1646.

John Sackett and Henry Morrell for wanting rests were fined 6d apeice. ”

p 300

At a Court held March the 2d 1646.

John Sackett demanded a debt dew from Stephen Medcalfe of 18s.
Wm Fancy informed the court that Stephen Medcalfe said vnto Jno Sackett in his hearing that he had forgott to reckon the 15s he owed him, wch he said he would pay him the said John before he went, of wch he was ready to make oath.
Bro: Myles & bro. Whitnell are desired to view Stephens howse & judge what it is worth Þ weeke. ”

p 302-304

[10th of March, 1646 – Seating plan for meeting-howse. No seats reserved for Sacketts or Stolions. Had they been excommunicated? Date of court, 10th March 1646 was, in the old calendar, March 1646/47. Next court, a month later on 6 April 1647, shows that Mrs. Stollion had died. A footnote on p303 explains why Mrs. Eaton, the Governor’s wife had no seat.]

* The following passage, from Lechfords Plaine dealing, explains why no seat is assigned for Mrs. Eaton, the Governor’s wife. “At New-haven, alias Quinapeag, where Master Davenport is Pastor, the excommunicate is held out of the meeting, at the doore, if he will heare.” Mass. Hist. Coll. 3d series, iii. 73.”

p 306-307

At a Court held at Newhaven this sixt of Aprill, 1647.

An atatchmt being layd vpon the goods of Mrs. Stallion by Richard Platt of Milford for a debt of 57s, it was ordered, that Mr. Goodyeare & Mr. Newman, who were intrusted by Mrs. Stallion wth her estate, doe pay the aforesaid Ricd Platt the 57s wch is due to him for rent of the howse wch Mrs. Stallion did live in, & the said Ricd Platt doth promise, that for any thing done to the howse by Mrs. Stallion, when the covenant is out he shall stand vnto such just consideration as is fitt. ”

[At the same court was the trial of a James Heywood for the “sinne of drunkennesse”. This has no reference to Sackett history but is an interesting commentary on the social attitudes of 17th century New Haven.]

James Heywood was called forth to answere for the sinne of drunkennesse, the chardge against him standing thus, that being called to went aboard a Dutchmans vessel, and did there drinke stronge watters in such excesse that he made himselfe drunk by it, so as that he had not the vse of his reason, nor of his tongue, hands or feete; so that there is all the caracters of a drunken man, as was most fully proved when he was cast out of the church. The Governour further declared to him how greatly his sinne was agravated wth manny circumstances, but espetially that he, being a member of the church wth whom the Lord had dealt so kindly with, and he so to requite the Lord was a sinfull foolish thinge, oh foolish people & vnwise, doe you thus requite the Lord.

He having liberty to speake for himselfe answered, I owne my sinne and take the shame, and doe confesse the name of God hath bin dishonered and blaspheamed through mee, for my sinne hath manny circumstances wch maks it greivious, for wch the hand of the Lord is justly out against mee, so that I have nothing to say, but doe justifie the proceedings of the court in what God shall guide their harts to.

This answere being given, the Governour opened the case thus, Drunkenesse is among the fruits of the flesh, both to be witnessed against, both in the church and in the civill court, and it’s a brutish sinne, and so to be witnessed against. A whip for the horse, a bridle for the asse, & a rodd for the fooles backe, & his sinne is more heynous as he was a member of the church. But it hath not bin brought to mee that this man hath bin given to drunkennesse, nor is it fownd that it was an appoynted meetinge for drinking, but he being called, drank an excessive quantitye wch caused these efects. I leave it therefore to the courts judgement whether they shall find it a dispositiô to drunkennesse or an act onlye.

The court considering what had bin said, thought it not a disposition to drunkennesse in him, nor a match appoynted for drinking, therefore thought not to punish it wth corporall punishement, but by a fine. Therfore the centence of the court was, that James Heywood pay fivety shillings to the towne for this act of drunkeñesse.

p 307

At a Court held at Newhaven the 4th May, 1647.

Richard Myles & Jeremy Whitnell having bin apoynted to view Stephen Medcalfes howse, returned to the court that the fence stands, and John Sackett hath put vp some pales & spent some nayles; the said John gave in a noate to the court, of chardges wch had bin spent about the howse, to the vallew of about 17s 8d, & what the howse & lott was worth by the yeare to defray this chardge, or what it is worth to be sold, was referred to Richard Myles & Anthony Thompson, and to take in the helpe of some workmen with them.