plymouth colony
Photos Courtesy of Elizabeth A. Bates
Officials in Plymouth Colony had little tolerance for the members of the cursed sect and passed many laws of great severity but did not adopt nor enforce a death penalty. When Commissioners to the General Court of the United Colonies met in 1657 and began recommending the banishment of Quakers, one of the Commissioners, Captain James Cudworth of Scituate, refused to subscribe to instrument, and from that time suffered much persecution himself, including being left off the Board of Commissioners.
Plymouth court magistrate Timothy Hatherly of Scituate was firmly opposed to the cruelty of the Iaws propounded against the Quakers, and accordingly, was left out of the magistracy in 1658. Isaac Robinson, son of the venerable pastor of the Pilgrim Church in Leyden, and some others were removed from their places in government and disenfranchised. It is probable that the influence of these highly respected individuals helped prevent Plymouth Colony from following the bloody steps of Massachusetts.
In 1657, Plymouth Colony enacted a law providing the penalty of whipping and a fine of five pounds for entertaining a Quaker, and a fine of 40 shillings for attending a Quaker meeting. In 1658, it was enacted that "No Quaker or ranter be allowed the freedom of the Colonie and all Quakers shall depart the jurisdiction on pain of a fine of 20 shillings per week and their books to be seized. A fine of 10 pounds would be assessed for guiding a Quaker into the Colonie."
Plymouth records indicate that William Leddra was apprehended at Plymouth in 1659 and imprisoned as a foreign Quaker. Mary Dyer was conducted by Thomas Greenfield from Rhode Island to Sandwich. They were both arrested and Greenfield was adjudged by the court to pay a fine of 16 shillings to defray the expense of sending her back to Rhode Island.
The records further indicate that in 1660 Rhodophus Ellmes of Scituate was fined 10 shillings for being at a Quaker meeting. The same year William Parker was fined 40 shillings for permitting a Quaker meeting in his home. Also in 1660 Robert Whetcombe and Mary Cudworth were sentenced to pay a fine of 10 shillings and be imprisoned during the pleasure of the court for coming together in a Quaker marriage.
Plymouth court magistrate Timothy Hatherly of Scituate was firmly opposed to the cruelty of the Iaws propounded against the Quakers, and accordingly, was left out of the magistracy in 1658. Isaac Robinson, son of the venerable pastor of the Pilgrim Church in Leyden, and some others were removed from their places in government and disenfranchised. It is probable that the influence of these highly respected individuals helped prevent Plymouth Colony from following the bloody steps of Massachusetts.
In 1657, Plymouth Colony enacted a law providing the penalty of whipping and a fine of five pounds for entertaining a Quaker, and a fine of 40 shillings for attending a Quaker meeting. In 1658, it was enacted that "No Quaker or ranter be allowed the freedom of the Colonie and all Quakers shall depart the jurisdiction on pain of a fine of 20 shillings per week and their books to be seized. A fine of 10 pounds would be assessed for guiding a Quaker into the Colonie."
Plymouth records indicate that William Leddra was apprehended at Plymouth in 1659 and imprisoned as a foreign Quaker. Mary Dyer was conducted by Thomas Greenfield from Rhode Island to Sandwich. They were both arrested and Greenfield was adjudged by the court to pay a fine of 16 shillings to defray the expense of sending her back to Rhode Island.
The records further indicate that in 1660 Rhodophus Ellmes of Scituate was fined 10 shillings for being at a Quaker meeting. The same year William Parker was fined 40 shillings for permitting a Quaker meeting in his home. Also in 1660 Robert Whetcombe and Mary Cudworth were sentenced to pay a fine of 10 shillings and be imprisoned during the pleasure of the court for coming together in a Quaker marriage.
