Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/182

 138 THE HISTOEY OF BAF.RINGTON. and peaceable conversation, orthodox in the fundamentals of religion, and a rateable estate of twenty pounds. These were pre-requisites to the freeman's oath. All of the towns already granted by Plymouth Court, ten or twelve in number, were of the Plymouth type, democratic in civil affairs, orthodox Congregational in church polity. Not a town in all the New England Colonies, save in the heretical little Commonwealth of Rhode Island, had been es- tablished on any other than a sound Puritan theology, and a Cromwellian democracy. Swansea, however, has a Baptist Church already formed, and the people do not want a state church, of the ruling order. John Brown has already shown his dissent by contributing of his own funds to support the Rehoboth Church, and has entered his strong but unavailing protest against taxing the people to pay for meeting-houses and ministers' salaries. Willett and Myles agree with Brown, and all unite in a petition for a township, with no trammels as to religious concerns. What Roger Williams had done at Providence, under penalty of excommunication, these patriot founders of Swansea attempted to accomplish, with slight modification, within the loyal domain of Plymouth. They ask for a town grant, solely and simply. And in proper sea- son, and according to due process of Plymouth Court law, they obtain a township, founded on independency as to church relations, and on the absolute freedom of the inhabi- tant to be or not to be a church member, and to contribute or not to church support. It is of interest to note in the Acts of the Plymouth Court the following order under date of July 2, 1667, which may have hastened the action of the people of Sowams and Wan- namoisett, relative to the formation of a new town. It will be remembered that Mr. Myles, Mr. Brown and others had set up their new meeting-house and held worship therein in 1663. The Court takes knowledge thereof by the following order : " Mr. Myles and Mr. Brown for theire breach of order in setting up of a public meeting without the knowledge and