Transcript:Colonial Society of Massachusetts. Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts/v10p275

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the Blessed Ordinance of the L'ds Supper, did w'thout any reason given to us [Besides that his conscience would not Suffer him Soe to do], advocate and Suspend us from p'ticipating in that holy Sacra™', to the great Scandall of your petitioners; and Further wee, yor petitioners, informed his Honr of the sd Doughtie's non-conformity & Scandalous liveing, uppon which our complatints the Honble Govr & Counsell have ordered in case our complaints bee grounded upon truth, that then his worship" Court bee empowered to putt out of the sd Doughty from being any longer Minister' in the parish of Sittingborne. All wch compl'ts wee are ready to prove, & not onely those before mentioned, But likewise that hee, the s'd Doughty, did in the p'nce of this wors'fl Court, impeach the Supremacy of his sacred Ma'jest, the which & more (contrary to the Knowne Canons of the church of Engld), wee are heer Ready to make appeare.¹

That Mr. Doughty was guilty of non-conformity and lack of respect for his Sacred Majesty is not unlikely, but it would require some better evidence to incline one to believe that he took to evil living in his old age.

In March, 1668-69, Mr. Doughty executed the following curious deed of gift:

To all Christian people to whom these shall come, greeting in our L'd God Everlasting, know yee that I, Frances Doughty, for and in cousid. of the good will, affeccon and love that I beare unto my well Beloved wife Anne Doughty, and in consid. that I the sd Francis am shortly intended, God willing to Transport myself out of the Colony of Virginia into some other country and clymate that may prove more favorable to my aged, infirm & decayed Body than the sd Country of Virginia wherein I now Reside, Doste and for that my wife the sd Anne is unwilling to Depart the sd country, shee finding the same Best agreeing with her health. Besides her loathness and unwillingness to Bid Farewell to her more Deare & Beloved children, and to her Beloved kindred & Relacons, all or least most of them Residing in the sd Colony of Virginia and in the Neighboring provinces of Maryl'd, as also for Divine [diverse ?] good causes & consid. mee at this pr'sent Especially moving, I Have given granted & confirmed . . . unto Richard Bough- ton of Charles county in the Province of May'ld . . . two hundred acres, lying upon Rappa. River in the sd Colony of Virginia . . . together w'th all Houses, etc.²

¹ Virginia Magazine, v. 288, 289.
² Ibid. pp. 289.