109-533: The Religious Freedom Act was an 1811 law passed by the Great and General Court of Massachusetts. It repudiated a decision made by Chief Justice Theophilus Parsons in the case of Barnes v. The First Parish in Falmouth. The law ensured that citizens could use their tax dollars to support the church of their choice, not just the one officially sponsored by their community. This article relating to law in
218-655: A Royalist captain, the other with a Parliamentarian captain, arrived in Boston, and the Parliamentarian sought to seize the Royalist ship. After much deliberation, Endecott's councils essentially adopted support of the Parliamentarian position, reserving the right to declare independence if the Parliament "should hereafter be a malignant spirit." The Parliamentarian was permitted to seize the Royalist vessel, and
327-902: A Plantation in Massachusetts" (or the New England Company ) by the Earl of Warwick on behalf of the Plymouth Council for New England ; the council was at the time the umbrella organisation overseeing English colonisation efforts in North America between 40 and 48 degrees latitude. Endecott was chosen to lead the first expedition, and sailed for the New World aboard the Abigail with fifty or so "planters and servants" on 20 June 1628. The settlement they organized
436-514: A complete break with the Church of England , while Nonconformist teachings, which were held by Winthrop and most of the colonial leadership in Boston, sought to reform the Anglican church from within. The arrival in Boston in 1631 of Roger Williams , an avowed Separatist, heightened this conflict. Authorities there banished him, and he first went to Salem, where, due to Endecott's intervention, he
545-476: A controversy over the propriety of taking sides in a power struggle going on in neighbouring French Acadia . Endecott pointed out that he should have let the French fight amongst themselves without English involvement, as this would weaken them both. The 1644 governor's election became a referendum on Winthrop's policy; Endecott was elected governor, with Winthrop as his deputy. During his one-year term he oversaw
654-513: A fashionable trend toward long hair: "Forasmuch as the wearing of long haire after the manner of Ruffians and barbarous Indians, hath begun to invade new England contrary to the rule of gods word ... Wee the Magistrates who have subscribed [signed] this paper ... doe declare and manifest our dislike and detestation against the wearing of such long haire." In 1651 he presided over a legal case in which three people were accused of being Baptists ,
763-541: A judicial case resulted in another reform in 1638, where the Council of Assistants became an upper house that sat separately, with consent of both houses required to pass legislation. In October 1650 the General Court took exception to the book The Meritorious Price of Our Redemption by William Pynchon . They regarded it as containing many errors and heresies and decided to make their views very plain by having
872-426: A law. It is usually effective in ninety days. The day after the governor signs the bill is considered to be the first day, and each succeeding day, including Sundays and holidays is counted until the ninetieth. Laws considered "emergency" in nature take effect immediately upon signing if the legislature has voted to attach an "emergency preamble" to the bill. Adoption of the preamble requires a two-thirds standing vote of
981-452: A long list of grievances. Believing that it was best to ignore the accusations, Endecott and other members of the old guard opposed sending representatives to London to argue against these charges. Supporters of the idea raised funds in a private subscription, and sent a commission to London. The colonial mission, led by future governor Simon Bradstreet and pastor John Norton , was successful, and King Charles announced that he would renew
1090-446: A man." After completing this work, Endecott and the Massachusetts men boarded their boats to return to Boston, leaving Gardiner and his men to finish the removal of the crops. The Pequots regrouped and launched an attack on Gardiner's party whose armor protected them from the arrowfire, but their escape was nevertheless difficult. Historian Alfred Cave describes Endecott's actions as a "heavy-handed provocation of an Indian war." All of
1199-582: A pear tree he planted still lives in Danvers, Massachusetts . He also engaged in one of the earliest attempts to develop a mining industry in the colonies when copper ore was found on his land. His name is found on a rock in Lake Winnipesaukee , carved by surveyors sent to identify the Massachusetts colony's northern border in 1652. Places and institutions are named for him, and (like many early colonists) he has several notable descendants. Little
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#17327656938801308-417: A practice that had been banned in the colony in 1644. In convicting John Clarke and sentencing him to either pay a fine or be whipped , Endecott, according to Clarke's account of the exchange, told Clarke that he "deserved death, and said he would not have such trash brought into his jurisdiction." Clarke refused to pay the fine; it was paid by friends against his wishes, and he returned to Rhode Island. Of
1417-601: A sapling on one of the early settlement convoys, still lives and bears fruit; it is known as the Endicott Pear Tree . In the early 1630s the religious conflict between the Nonconformists and the Separatists was the primary source of political disagreement in the colony, and it was embodied by the churches established in Boston and Salem. The Salem church adhered to Separatist teachings, which sought
1526-515: A state legislature in the United States. She was outed against her will following the election and served one term. As of 2018, the General Court was composed of 75 percent male and 25 percent female representation. There are 40 senatorial districts in Massachusetts, named for the counties in which they are located. There are 160 representational districts in Massachusetts, named for the counties in which they are located. The speaker of
1635-457: Is a full-time legislature, although not to the extent of neighboring New York or some other states. The earliest history of the General Court is in the original charter of 1629. Massachusetts Bay Colony , one of the original Thirteen Colonies , was a royally chartered joint stock company founded in 1628 in London . Much like other joint-stock companies of the time the first General Court
1744-477: Is a holdover from the earliest days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony , when the colonial assembly, in addition to making laws, sat as a judicial court of appeals . Before the adoption of the state constitution in 1780, it was called the Great and General Court , but the official title was shortened by John Adams , author of the state constitution . It is a bicameral body . The upper house
1853-592: Is also evidence that Endecott fathered another child in his early years in England; in about 1635 he arranged funds and instructions for the care of a minor also named John Endecott. Despite his high position, Endecott was never particularly affluent. According to his will, several large tracts of land, including the Orchard estate in Salem and one quarter of Block Island, were distributed to his wife and sons; however, it
1962-412: Is composed of six senators and eleven representatives. The standing committees schedule public hearings for the individual bills, which afford citizens, legislators and lobbyists the opportunity to express their views. Committee members meet at a later time in executive session to review the public testimony and discuss the merits of each bill before making their recommendations to the full membership of
2071-532: Is known of Endecott's origins. 19th century biographers believed he hailed from Dorchester, Dorset , due to his significant later association with people from that area. In the early 20th century, historian Roper Lethbridge proposed that Endecott was born circa 1588 in or near Chagford in Devon . In the 16th century the prominent Endecott family, together with the Whiddons, Knapmans and Lethbridges, owned most of
2180-409: Is no firm evidence for this, nor is there evidence that identifies his parents. They conclude, based on available evidence, that he was probably born no later than 1600. A John Endecott was active in Devon early in the 17th century, but there is no firm evidence connecting him to this Endecott. Very little is known of Endecott's life before his association with colonisation efforts in the 1620s. He
2289-522: Is not known who the mother of his two sons was. There is only firm evidence that he was already married to Elizabeth in 1640, and the records that survive for the 1630s, when his sons were born, do not otherwise identify his wife by name. Endecott's last wife, Elizabeth, was a sister-in-law of the colonial financier and magistrate Roger Ludlow . Endecott's two known children were John Endecott and Dr. Zerubabbel Endecott, neither of whom, seemingly to his disappointment, followed him into public service. There
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#17327656938802398-471: Is now Boxford and Topsfield . The tract was not formally laid out until 1659, but as early as 1651 Endecott was granted an additional "three hundred acres of land to tend the furtherance of a copper works" that was adjacent to his land. Endecott hired Richard Leader , an early settler who had done pioneering work at an iron works in nearby Lynn , but the efforts to develop the site for copper processing failed. A persistent shortage of coinage in all of
2507-737: Is referred to the Senate or House Committee on Ways and Means after the first reading. Adverse reports ("ought not to pass") are also referred to the Committee on Steering and Policy in the Senate or placed without debate in the Orders of the Day for the next session of the House. Acceptance by either branch of an adverse report is considered the final rejection and the matter of the matter. However, an adverse report can be overturned. A member may move to substitute
2616-760: Is the Massachusetts Senate which is composed of 40 members. The lower body , the Massachusetts House of Representatives , has 160 members; until 1978, the state house had 240 members. It meets in the Massachusetts State House on Beacon Hill in Boston. Since 1959, Democrats have controlled both houses of the Massachusetts General Court, often by large majorities. The Democrats enjoyed veto-proof supermajorities in both chambers for part of
2725-3202: Is the only news organization with floor privileges and a desk in both the House and Senate chambers. 1 (1780) 2 (1781) 3 (1782) 4 (1783) 5 (1784) 6 (1785) 7 (1786) 8 (1787) 9 (1788) 10 (1789) 11 (1790) 12 (1791) 13 (1792) 14 (1793) 15 (1794) 16 (1795) 17 (1796) 18 (1797) 19 (1798) 20 (1799) 21 (1800) 22 (1801) 23 (1802) 24 (1803) 25 (1804) 26 (1805) 27 (1806) 28 (1807) 29 (1808) 30 (1809) 31 (1810) 32 (1811) 33 (1812) 34 (1813) 35 (1814) 36 (1815) 37 (1816) 38 (1817) 39 (1818) 40 (1819) 41 (1820) 42 (1821) 43 (1822) 44 (1823) 45 (1824) 46 (1825) 47 (1826) 48 (1827) 49 (1828) 50 (1829) 51 (1830) 52 (1831) 53 (1832) 54 (1833) 55 (1834) 56 (1835) 57 (1836) 58 (1837) 59 (1838) 60 (1839) 61 (1840) 62 (1841) 63 (1842) 64 (1843) 65 (1844) 66 (1845) 67 (1846) 68 (1847) 69 (1848) 70 (1849) 71 (1850) 72 (1851) 73 (1852) 74 (1853) 75 (1854) 76 (1855) 77 (1856) 78 (1857) 79 (1858) 80 (1859) 81 (1860) 82 (1861) 83 (1862) 84 (1863) 85 (1864) 86 (1865) 87 (1866) 88 (1867) 89 (1868) 90 (1869) 91 (1870) 92 (1871) 93 (1872) 94 (1873) 95 (1874) 96 (1875) 97 (1876) 98 (1877) 99 (1878) 100 (1879) 101 (1880) 102 (1881) 103 (1882) 104 (1883) 105 (1884) 106 (1885) 107 (1886) 108 (1887) 109 (1888) 110 (1889) 111 (1890) 112 (1891) 113 (1892) 114 (1893) 115 (1894) 116 (1895) 117 (1896) 118 (1897) 119 (1898) 120 (1899) 121 (1900) 122 (1901) 123 (1902) 124 (1903) 125 (1904) 126 (1905) 127 (1906) 128 (1907) 129 (1908) 130 (1909) 131 (1910) 132 (1911) 133 (1912) 134 (1913) 135 (1914) 136 (1915) 137 (1916) 138 (1917) 139 (1918) 140 (1919) 141 (1920) 142 (1921) 143 (1923) 144 (1925) 145 (1927) 146 (1929) 147 (1931) 148 (1933) 149 (1935) 150 (1937) 151 (1939) 152 (1941) 153 (1943) 154 (1945) 155 (1947) 156 (1949) 157 (1951) 158 (1953) 159 (1955) 160 (1957) 161 (1959) 162 (1961) 163 (1963) 164 (1965) 165 (1967) 166 (1969) 167 (1971) 168 (1973) 169 (1975) 170 (1977) 171 (1979) 172 (1981) 173 (1983) 174 (1985) 175 (1987) 176 (1989) 177 (1991) 178 (1993) 179 (1995) 180 (1997) 181 (1999) 182 (2001) 183 (2003) 184 (2005) 185 (2007) 186 (2009) 187 (2011) 188 (2013) 189 (2015) 190 (2017) 191 (2019) 192 (2021) 193 (2023) 194 (2025) John Endicott John Endecott (also spelled Endicott ; 1588 – 15 March 1665), regarded as one of
2834-425: Is uncertain, Endecott defended the letter when summoned to Boston, and was consequently jailed for a day; after "he came and acknowledged his fault, he was discharged." In 1636 the boat of Massachusetts trader John Oldham was seen anchored off Block Island , swarming with Indians. The Indians fled at the approach of the investigating colonists, and Oldham's body was found below the main deck. The attackers were at
2943-455: The "regicide" commissioners who had voted to execute Charles I . Although Charles promised in the 1660 Declaration of Breda that all were pardoned except by act of Parliament, the Indemnity and Oblivion Act 1660 singled out all of the regicides for punishment. Whalley and Goffe moved freely about the Boston area for some time, and Endecott refused to order their arrest until word arrived of
3052-497: The Anglican Church . This sometimes put him at odds with Nonconformist views that were dominant among the colony's early leaders, which became apparent when he gave shelter to the vocally Separatist Roger Williams . Endecott also argued that women should dress modestly and that men should keep their hair short, and issued judicial decisions banishing individuals who held religious views that did not accord well with those of
3161-872: The Massachusetts Body of Liberties , which enumerated a number of individual rights available to all colonists, and presaged the United States Bill of Rights . The next few years were quiet, although rumors of war with the Indians led to the formation in 1643 of the New England Confederation , designed to facilitate united action by the New England colonies against common external threats as well as internal matters such as dealing with escaped slaves and fugitives from justice. In 1643, Governor Winthrop became embroiled in
3270-475: The Privy Council of King Charles I was examining affairs in Massachusetts, and the colonial administration was concerned that a strong response was needed to prevent the loss of the colonial charter. Endecott was censured for the rashness of his action (and not for the act itself), and deprived of holding any offices for one year; 1635 was the only year in which he held no office. The committee managing
3379-606: The legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts since the adoption of the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780. The body was in operation before Massachusetts became a U.S. state on February 6, 1788 . The first sessions, starting in 1780 , were one-year elected sessions for both houses. This was expanded to two-year sessions starting with the 142nd General Court in January 1921. Thereafter,
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3488-545: The 1650s. In addition to formally claiming present-day Stonington, Connecticut as spoils from the Pequot War, Endecott sought to establish the colony's northern boundary. In 1652 he sent a commission with surveyors to locate the most northerly point on the Merrimack River , since the colonial grant defined its northern border as 3 miles (4.8 km) north of that river. These surveyors were led by Indian guides to
3597-619: The 1990s (i.e., enough votes to override vetoes by a governor) and also currently hold supermajorities in both chambers. State senators and representatives both serve two-year terms. There are no term limits ; a term limit was enacted by initiative in Massachusetts in 1994 but in 1997 was struck down by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court , which ruled that it was an unconstitutional attempt to provide additional qualifications for office by statute, rather than constitutional amendment. The legislature
3706-506: The Committee on Bills in the Third Reading. This amounts to preliminary approval of the bill in that branch. That committee examines technical points, as well as the legality and constitutionality of the measure, and ensures that it does not duplicate or contradict existing law. The committee then issues a report and returns the bill to the House or Senate for its third reading. At that time, legislators can further debate and amend
3815-533: The Connecticut River. Lion Gardiner , the leader there, angrily informed Endecott when he learned of the mission's goals, "You come hither to raise these wasps around my ears, and then you will take wing and flee away." After some discussion and delays due to bad weather, Gardiner and a company of his men agreed to accompany the Massachusetts force to raid the Pequot harvest stores. When they arrived at
3924-578: The Fathers of New England , was the longest-serving governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony , which became the Commonwealth of Massachusetts . He served a total of 16 years, including most of the last 15 years of his life. When not serving as governor, he was involved in other elected and appointed positions from 1628 to 1665 except for the single year of 1634. Endecott was a zealous and somewhat hotheaded Puritan , with Separatist attitudes toward
4033-425: The House has historically been quite powerful, exerting significant influence over all aspects of state government. The General Court is responsible for enacting laws in the state. The two legislative branches work concurrently on pending laws brought before them. Lawmaking begins when legislators, or their delegates, file petitions accompanied by bills, resolves or other types of legislation electronically, using
4142-604: The House or Senate. Matters not requiring reference to another Joint, House or Senate committee are, following the first reading, referred without debate to the Committee on Senate Rules if reported in the Senate, except certain special laws (relative to a city or town) are placed directly on the Senate Calendar (Orders of the Day), or, without debate to the House Steering, Policy and Scheduling committee if reported into
4251-524: The House or Senate. The Health Care Financing Committee is required to provide an estimated cost of the bill, when making their report. If the estimated cost is less than $ 100,000, the bill bypasses having to be referred to Ways and Means. If a bill is not related to health care, but affects the finances of the Commonwealth, or, if it is reported by the Health Care Financing Committee with an estimated cost greater than $ 100,000, it
4360-512: The House or Senate. The public may still observe "executive" sessions, but may not participate in these meetings. The committee then issues its report, recommending that a bill "ought to pass" or "ought not to pass" and the report is submitted to the Clerk's office. The first reading of a favorably reported bill is automatic and generally occurs when the committee's report appears in the Journal of
4469-558: The House. Reports from Senate Rules or House Steering, Policy and Scheduling are placed on the Calendar of the Chamber receiving the report for a second reading. If a bill reported favorably by a joint committee affects health care it is referred by the House or Senate Clerk to the joint committee on Health Care Financing; and the first reading is delayed until the next favorable report, thus allowing Health Care Financing to report to either
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4578-522: The Indians on Block Island only briefly opposed the English landing there, he spent two days destroying their villages, crops and canoes; most of the Indians on the island successfully eluded English searches for them. English reports claimed as many as 14 Indians were killed, but the Narragansetts only reported one fatality. Endecott then sailed for Saybrook , an English settlement at the mouth of
4687-597: The Legislative Automated Workflow System (LAWS). The electronically submitted legislation is received in the House or Senate Clerk's office where the petitions , bills , and resolves are recorded in an electronic docket book. The clerks number the bills and assign them to appropriate joint committees. There are 26 of these committees, each responsible for studying the bills which pertain to specific policy areas, taxation , education , health care , insurance , and others. Each committee
4796-454: The Massachusetts assembly drafted a polite response, signed by Endecott, indicating that its people were happy where they were. In July 1660 word arrived in Boston that Charles II had been restored to the English throne. This was an immediate cause for concern in all of the colonies that had supported Cromwell, since their charters might be revoked. In Boston it created a more difficult problem for Edward Whalley and William Goffe , two of
4905-609: The Narraganssetts angered Massachusetts authorities (then under governor Henry Vane ), who were already upset that the Pequots had earlier failed to turn over men implicated in killing another trader on the Connecticut River . This second perceived affront produced calls in Massachusetts for action against the Pequots. In August 1636 Governor Vane placed Endecott at the head of a 90-man force to extract justice from
5014-462: The Pequot village near the mouth of the Thames River , they returned the friendly greetings of the inhabitants with stony silence. Eventually a Pequot sachem rowed out to meet them; the English delivered their demands, threatening war if they did not receive satisfaction. When the sachem left to discuss the matter in the village, Endecott gave a promise to await his return; however, shortly after
5123-572: The Pequots. Endecott's instructions were to go to Block Island, where he was to kill all of the Indian men and take captive the women and children. He was then to go to the Pequots on the mainland, where he was to make three demands: first, that the killers of Oldham and the other trader be surrendered; second, that a payment of one thousand fathoms of wampum be made; and third, that some Pequot children be delivered to serve as hostages. Endecott executed these instructions with zeal. Although most of
5232-492: The Plymouth Colony for medical assistance. His wife, who had been ill on the voyage over, died that winter. Other difficulties he encountered included early signs of religious friction among the colony's settlers (dividing between Nonconformists and Separatists ), and poor relations with Thomas Morton , whose failed Wessagusset Colony and libertine practices (which included a maypole and dancing) were anathema to
5341-583: The Puritans. He notoriously defaced the English flag because he saw St George's Cross as a symbol of the papacy , and had four Quakers put to death for returning to the colony after their banishment. An expedition he led in 1636 is considered the opening offensive in the Pequot War , which practically destroyed the Pequot tribe as an entity. Endecott used some of his properties to propagate fruit trees;
5450-472: The United States or its constituent jurisdictions is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Great and General Court Minority (4) Minority (24) Vacant (1) The Massachusetts General Court , formally the General Court of Massachusetts , is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts located in the state capital of Boston . The name "General Court"
5559-484: The arrival of John Winthrop and the colonial charter. The company had reorganised itself, relocating its seat to the colony itself, with Winthrop as its sole governor. After seeing the conditions at Salem, Winthrop decided to relocate the colony's seat at the mouth of the Charles River , where he founded what is now the city of Boston . Endecott, who was chosen as one of the governor's Assistants (a precursor to
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#17327656938805668-434: The authority of the General Court. Under this new system the religious qualification, that suffrage be for only Puritan men, was changed to a qualification of property ownership. The Assistants were also officially changed to a Governor's Council to be selected by the governor to act as an upper house as well as a council for advice and consent . All laws passed by the General Court were to be approved by Royal Governor of
5777-417: The bill for the report, and, if the motion to substitute carries, the matter is then given its first reading and follows the same procedure as if reported favorably by committee. After a bill is read for a second time, it is open to debate on amendments and motions . Following debate, a vote is taken and if the bill receives a favorable vote by the membership, it is ordered to a third reading and referred to
5886-425: The bill, first in the House and later in the Senate, is the final step in the passage of a bill by the legislature. Following enactment, the bill goes to the governor , who may sign the bill into law, allow it to become law without signing it (if the governor holds the bill for ten days without taking any action while the legislature is in session, it becomes law without his or her signature), veto it, or return it to
5995-554: The bill. Following the third reading, the body votes on "passing the bill to be engrossed." The bill must then pass through three readings and engrossment in the second legislative branch. Should that occur, it is sent to the Legislative Engrossing Division where it is typed on special parchment in accordance with the General Laws . However, if the second branch passes an amended version of the bill,
6104-824: The book burnt on Boston Common . With the collapse of the Dominion of New England in the Glorious Revolution in 1689 The Assistants convened an assembly of delegates from each town to reform the General Court. With the Massachusetts Charter in 1691 the Province of Massachusetts Bay absorbed the colony of Plymouth . The Plymouth Colony , along with the District of Maine and the islands off Cape Cod , Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket were to be an extension of Massachusetts and thus under
6213-548: The city on March 17, 1776. The Governor's Council acted as the executive in the absence of the governor and lieutenant governor, administering the rebel forces of the colony during the early years of the American Revolutionary War , which began in Massachusetts at the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. The General Assembly declared Massachusetts independent from Britain on May 1, 1776. With
6322-487: The colonial charter, provided the colony allowed the Church of England to practice there. The Endecott administration dragged its feet on implementation, and after months of inaction, the king sent a commission headed by Samuel Maverick , one of the colony's most vocal critics, to investigate. Endecott had advance warning of what the commission was to investigate, and took steps to address in form, if not in substance, some of
6431-607: The colonial era to the Massachusetts Historical Society . In 1930, the Massachusetts tercentenary was marked by the issuance of a medal bearing Endecott's likeness; it was designed by Laura Gardin Fraser . Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts (once a part of Salem) is named for him. In 1831, the brig Governor Endicott , of Salem, H. H. Jenks, master, was engaged in the pepper trade on
6540-464: The colonial militia voted that year to stop using the English flag as its standard. Following the incident, and the refusal of the colonial assembly to grant Salem additional land on the Marblehead Neck because of Williams' presence in Salem, the Salem church circulated a letter to other churches in the colony, calling the legislative act a heinous sin. Although the authorship of the letter
6649-493: The colonies prompted Massachusetts to establish a mint on 27 May 1652, and begin production of coins from its silver reserves. This act solved a practical problem, but the colony had no authority to do so from the crown. Although this did not become an issue while Endecott was governor, it eventually became a source of controversy with the crown, and the mint had apparently ceased operations around 1682. The colony's boundaries expanded somewhat during Endecott's tenure, mainly in
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#17327656938806758-429: The colony also began seizing Royalist vessels that came into port. Thomas Dudley was elected governor in 1645, with Winthrop as his deputy. Endecott, as a consolation, was given command of the colonial militia, reporting to the governor. He was also once again made a governor's assistant, and was chosen to represent the colony to the confederation in 1646. The threat of Indian conflicts in neighbouring colonies prompted
6867-430: The colony to raise its defensive profile, in which Endecott played a leading role. Winthrop was reelected governor in 1646; after his death in 1649, Endecott succeeded him as governor. By annual re-elections Endecott served nearly continuously until his death in 1664/5; for two periods (1650–1651 and 1654–1655) he was deputy governor. In 1639 Endecott had been granted several hundred acres of land north of Salem, in what
6976-659: The colony. Soon after, Governor John Winthrop and the Deputy Governor Thomas Dudley broke with protocol when they themselves traveled to New England and moved the government to Massachusetts Bay. Along with them came the stock holders of the company and the Council of Assistants . Once in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the new government reorganized itself out of convenience. Instead of attempting to assemble all stockholders to
7085-470: The colony; however, they also defined such orthodoxy as consisting of views that were acceptable to local ministers. This effectively negated the law, because there were probably no ministers in the colony who would agree that Anglicans satisfied their idea of orthodoxy. In 1655 the Massachusetts assembly passed a law requiring its governor to live closer to Boston; this was probably done in response to Endecott's sixth consecutive election as governor. Endecott
7194-488: The company. These officials were to have royally assented governmental control of the colony and would be tasked with the management and defense of the colonial plantation. The first Court assembled would be made from these members to discuss and evaluate the situation of the colony. The first meeting of the original General Court took place in London in 1629. The General Court selected John Endicott as its representative to
7303-459: The conservative Puritanism practiced by most settlers in the Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies. Early in his term as governor he visited the abandoned site of Morton's colony and had the maypole taken down. When one group of early settlers wanted to establish a church independent of that established by the colonial leadership, he had their leaders summarily sent back to England. Endecott's first tenure as governor came to an end in 1630, with
7412-407: The death of the enthusiasts [i.e., the Quakers]; and his whole contact, in respect to them, was marked by brutal cruelty." Even though the Puritan colonists of New England were supportive of Oliver Cromwell's reign in England, they were not always receptive to Cromwell's suggestions. In response to a proposal by Cromwell that New Englanders migrate to Ireland to increase its Protestant population,
7521-464: The discretion of local magistrates creating a theocratic quasi-democratic state. By votes of the General Court in the 1630s, the system of government changed to have an elected governor and to restrict the list of "freemen" to those affiliated with certain Puritan churches. In 1634, after complaint the charter was not being followed, a compromise resulted in recomposition of the General Court as two deputies elected by freemen in each town. Problems with
7630-420: The division of the colony into four counties: Suffolk , Essex , Middlesex , and Norfolk . The ascent of the Salem-based Endecott also prompted an attempt by other Salem residents to have the colonial capital relocated there; the attempt was rejected by the governor's council of assistants. Fallout from the English Civil War (begun in 1642) also permeated Boston during Endecott's tenure. Two ships, one with
7739-399: The expected actions. Charles insisted that all religious dissenters be freed, which Endecott had done long before Maverick's arrival, but he did so by deporting them. Upon the commissioners' arrival, the assembly took up the matter of allowing Church of England activity in the colony. They passed a law deliberately using the king's language, allowing anyone "orthodox in religion" to practice in
7848-641: The form of the Governor, the Governor's Council, etc. had more executive authority the Court could cause political stalemate if its demands were not met. Even the Governor's reserve power to dissolve the General Court was ineffective because a new assembly had to be elected the following year. With the passage of the Intolerable Acts by the Parliament of Great Britain there was political turmoil in
7957-536: The king, congratulating him on his rise to power. The mint was claimed to be a bald-faced attempt to devalue good English currency, some colonists complained that the expansion of the colony's borders in 1652 was little more than a land grab, while others put forward claims of administrative malfeasance with respect to funds provided by the crown for the Christianization of Indians, and the Quakers catalogued
8066-524: The later notion of a Governor's Council ), chose to remain in Salem, where he was one of its leading citizens for the rest of his life, serving in roles as town councilor and militia leader, in addition to statewide roles as militia leader, magistrate, deputy governor, and governor. He established a plantation called "Orchard" in Salem Village (now known as Danvers ), where he cultivated seedlings of fruit trees. One particular pear tree, brought over as
8175-415: The legislation returns to the original branch for a vote of concurrence in the amendment. If concurrence is rejected, a conference committee consisting of the three members from each legislative branch representing both political parties may be formed to effect a compromise piece of legislation. When a compromise is reached, the bill is sent to both legislative branches for their approval. A vote "to enact"
8284-429: The legislative year was defined as: "The first legislative year starting with the opening of the biennial session and ends at midnight on Tuesday before the first Wednesday of the following year. The second legislative year starts on the first Wednesday of the second year and ends when the legislature prorogues or at midnight on Tuesday before the first Wednesday of the following year. Watson F. Hammond , seated in 1885,
8393-462: The legislature with recommended changes. If the legislature has concluded its yearly session, and the governor does not sign the bill within ten days, it dies. This is referred to as a " pocket veto ." This ten-day period includes Sundays and holidays, even if they fall on the tenth day, and it begins the day after the legislation is laid on the governor's desk. A bill signed by the governor, or passed by two-thirds of both branches over his veto, becomes
8502-535: The local militia's flag, because it bore St George's Cross , which Williams claimed was a symbol of the papacy . This action is celebrated in Nathaniel Hawthorne 's story, "Endicott and the Red Cross", where the writer presents the "tension between Endecott as a symbol of religious intolerance and as emblem of heroic resistance to foreign domination of New England." Endecott did this at a time when
8611-443: The meeting of the General Court the government decided on having each town elect two representatives to send in their stead. The General Court became a de facto bicameral legislature by virtue of the distinction between delegates elected by towns and the Council of Assistants. The assistants acted as magistrates and counselors of jurisprudence, however when in session they served as a sort of upper house . Their assent and approval
8720-512: The membership. The governor may also declare an act to be an emergency law and make it effective at once. A special act takes effect thirty days from the day it is signed, unless it contains a provision to make it effective immediately. The State House News Service is an independent privately owned wire service based in the Massachusetts State House that provides comprehensive coverage of the Commonwealth's government. It
8829-637: The mines around the stannary town of Chagford, which might—if he is indeed from this family—explain his interest in developing copper mining. (Based on this evidence, Chagford now has a house from the period named in Endecott's honour.) However, more recent research by the New England Historic Genealogical Society has identified problems with Lethbridge's claims, which they dispute. According to their research, Endecott may have been born in or near Chagford, but there
8938-630: The outlet of Lake Winnipesaukee which was claimed by the guides to be the source of the Merrimack. At that location, the party incised an inscription on a rock that survives, and is now located in a small New Hampshire state park. When this survey line was extended eastward, the boundary was determined to fall on the coast at Casco Bay , and the colony thus claimed most of what is now southern Maine and New Hampshire. One written statement made early in his tenure in May 1649 showed Endecott's dislike of
9047-867: The passage of the Indemnity Act. Endecott then issued a warrant for their arrest on 8 March 1661. It is unknown whether Whalley and Goffe had advance warning of the warrant, but they fled, apparently to the New Haven area. Endecott's warrant was followed by an order issued by King Charles in March and received by Endecott in May 1661 containing a direct order to apprehend the two fugitives and ship them back to England. Endecott dutifully obeyed, but he appointed two recently arrived Royalists to track them down. Somewhat predictably, their search came up empty, and Whalley and Goffe thus escaped. Biographer Lawrence Mayo suggests Endecott would have appointed different men for
9156-447: The prompt removal of Quakers from their jurisdictions. And on his horse, with Rawson, his cruel clerk at hand, Sat dark and haughty Endicott, the ruler of the land. — Excerpt from "Cassandra Southwick" by John Greenleaf Whittier The measures adopted were insufficient to prevent the influx of these perceived undesirables, so harsher measures were enacted. Repeat offenders were to be punished by having ears cut off, and, on
9265-529: The province. The powers of the monarch to be expanded in this new system as well. The King had full control of maritime affairs and acted as an executive, through the Royal Governor, to enforce commercial law. This separation of powers led to some friction with the Royal Governor and the General Court. The General Court retained power over spending and budget and while the Royal Officers, in
9374-579: The province. With political disorder Thomas Gage , then the Royal Governor, cancelled the new elections for the General Court and in 1774 the assembly was essentially dissolved. This allowed the governor to rule by decree and appoint town governments. In defiance of both Crown law and Gage, members of the General Court formed the Massachusetts Provincial Congress and seized control of the colony except for Boston, where British troops maintained control until when they evacuated
9483-418: The sachem left, he began landing his fully armed men on shore. The sachem rushed back, claiming the senior tribal leaders were away on Long Island ; Endecott responded that this was a lie, and ordered an attack on the village. Most of the villagers got away, and once again the expedition's activity was reduced to destroying the village and seizing its crop stores; Gardiner reported that "[t]he Bay-men killed not
9592-443: The search had he been serious about catching them. Opponents to the rule of the Puritans in Massachusetts were vocal in airing their complaints to the new king. Among their complaints was the fact that Charles' ascension to power had not been formally announced; this only took place in 1661 after Endecott received a chastising order from the king. This prompted the assembly to draft another of several laudatory letters it addressed to
9701-540: The surrounding colonies protested the action, complaining that the lives of their citizens were placed in jeopardy by the raid. Since the Pequots had previously been relatively peaceful with the English, Endecott's raid had the effect Gardiner predicted and feared. Communities on the Connecticut River were attacked in April 1637, and Gardiner was virtually besieged in Saybrook by Pequot forces. Endecott had no further role in
9810-499: The third offense, to have the tongue "bored through with a hot iron". By 1658 the punishment for the third offense had been raised to death, "except they do then and there plainly and publicly renounce their said cursed opinions and devilish tenets." In October 1658 the death penalty was enacted for the second offense in Massachusetts. One year later, three Quakers were arrested and sentenced to death under this law. Two of them, Marmaduke Stephenson and William Robinson, were hanged, while
9919-463: The third, Mary Dyer , received a reprieve at the last minute. Dyer returned to the colony in 1660, and, under questioning by Endecott and the other magistrates, refused to either recant her beliefs or agree to permanent banishment from the colony. She was hanged on 1 June 1660; she, Stephenson, Robinson, and William Leddra (hanged in 1661) are now known as the Boston martyrs . The severity of these acts
10028-631: The three men convicted, only Obadiah Holmes was whipped; John Crandall , out on bond, returned to Rhode Island with Clarke. When Oliver Cromwell consolidated his control over England in the early 1650s, he began a crackdown on religious communities that dissented from his religious views. This notably included Baptists and Quakers , and these groups began their own migration to the North American colonies to escape persecution. Those that first arrived in Boston in 1656 were promptly deported by Endecott's deputy, Richard Bellingham , while Endecott
10137-605: The time believed to be from tribes affiliated with the Narragansetts , but Narragansett leaders claimed that those responsible had fled to the protection of the Pequots . At the time the Pequots were aggressively expansionist in their dealings with the surrounding native tribes (including the Narragansett), but had generally kept the peace with the English colonists of present-day southern New England. The accusation of
10246-543: The war still ongoing, demands for government reform resulted in the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1778 , but the text proposed by the legislature failed in a statewide voter referendum. The Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1779–1780 was held by a specially-elected body, and the resulting text, after amendment and ratification, became the current state constitution. The current Massachusetts General Court has met as
10355-405: The war, which ended with the destruction of the Pequots as a tribe; their land was divided up by the colonies and their Indian allies in the 1638 Treaty of Hartford , and the surviving tribespeople were distributed among their neighbors. One captive, an enslaved Pequot boy, was sold to Endecott in 1637. Endecott was elected deputy governor in 1641 and in this role was one of the signatories to
10464-549: Was a meeting of shareholders, known as freemen . The "Great and General Court" was to meet in London and elect its officers and members in the same manner as other colonial charted companies of the time such as the Virginia Company and the East India Company . The freemen would meet annually to elect representatives in the form of a Royal Governor, a Deputy Governor, and a Council made from the directors of
10573-524: Was abandoned. Endecott was not formally named governor of the new colony until it was issued a royal charter in 1629. At that time, he was appointed governor by the Company's council in London, and Matthew Craddock was named the Company's governor in London. Endecott's responsibility was to establish the colony and to prepare it for the arrival of additional settlers. The winters of 1629 and 1630 were difficult compared to those in England, and he called on
10682-495: Was also noted that some of his books were sold to pay debts. One unexpected legacy left behind by Endecott was the uncertain boundaries of the Orchard estate. Several generations later, his descendants were involved in litigation concerning disputed occupancy of part of the estate. Endecott's descendants include Massachusetts governor Endicott Peabody and United States Secretary of War William Crowninshield Endicott . His descendants donated family records dating as far back as
10791-484: Was consequently obliged to acquire a residence in Boston; although he returned to Salem frequently, Boston became his home for the rest of his life. Endecott died in Boston on 15 March 1664/5. Although early accounts claim he was buried at Boston's King's Chapel , later evidence has identified his burial site as tomb 189 in the Granary Burying Ground . Before he came to the colonies in 1628, Endecott
10900-478: Was first called Naumkeag, after the local Indian tribe , but was eventually renamed Salem in 1629. The area was already occupied by settlers of the failed Dorchester Company , some of whose backers also participated in the New England Company. This group of earlier settlers , led by Roger Conant , had migrated from a settlement on Cape Ann (near present-day Gloucester, Massachusetts ) after it
11009-468: Was governor. Whittier characterized Endecott as "dark and haughty", and exhibiting "bitter hate and scorn" for the Quaker. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow recreated the trial of Wenlock Christison in "John Endicott", one of three dramatic poems in a collection called New England Tragedies . Christison was the last Quaker Endecott sentenced to death for returning to Massachusetts after having been banished. He
11118-557: Was in Salem. More Quakers arrived while Endecott was resident in Boston, and he had them imprisoned pending trial and deportation. He met several times with the Quaker Mary Prince, after receiving an "outrageous letter" from her. The meetings were apparently fruitless, and she and the other Quakers were deported. Following these acts, the members of the New England Confederation all adopted measures for
11227-416: Was known to Sir Edward Coke , and may have come to know Roger Williams through this connection. He was highly literate, and spoke French. Some early colonial documents refer to him as "Captain Endecott", indicating some military experience, and other records suggest he had some medical training. In March 1627/28, Endecott was one of seven signatories to a land grant given to "The New England Company for
11336-447: Was married to his first wife, Anne Gourer, who was a cousin of Governor Matthew Craddock . After her death in New England, he was married in 1630 to a woman whose last name was Gibson, and by 1640 he was married to Elizabeth, the daughter of Philobert Cogan of Somersetshire. It is uncertain whether these represent two different wives, or a single wife whose name was Elizabeth (Cogan) Gibson. Due to this uncertainty concerning his wives, it
11445-451: Was needed in order for any decision from the house of delegates to be passed. The new legislature was elected annually. Suffrage was allowed only for men who were Puritan church members and freemen. This General Court removed any feudal restraints on the population and codified a Bill of Rights and powers of a judiciary. The General Court also enshrined the Laws of Moses as legal code under
11554-436: Was not executed, however, because the law was changed shortly after his sentencing. Author Nathaniel Hawthorne described Endecott in " The Gentle Boy ", whose title character is the six-year-old son of William and Mary Dyer, as "a man of narrow mind and imperfect education, and his uncompromising bigotry was made hot and mischievous by violent and hasty passions; he exerted his influence indecorously and unjustifiably to compass
11663-609: Was offered a position as a teacher in the local church. When word of this reached Boston, Endecott was criticised for supporting Williams, who was banished from the colony. Williams went to Plymouth, but returned to Salem a few years later, becoming the church's unofficial pastor following the death of Samuel Skelton in 1634. Boston authorities called for his arrest after he made what they viewed as treasonous and heretical statements; he fled, eventually establishing Providence, Rhode Island . During this time Endecott argued that women should be veiled in church, and controversially defaced
11772-606: Was recognized by the colonists as problematic, and the laws were changed so that execution was the penalty for the fifth offense. (The poor treatment of Quakers and other religious dissenters would be cited as one of the reasons for revocation of the colonial charter in 1684.) Endecott's role in the treatment of the Quakers was immortalized by John Greenleaf Whittier in his poem " The Ballad of Cassandra Southwick ," named for another Quaker who suffered persecution along with husband Lawrence and at least three of her six children, daughter Provided and sons Daniel and Josiah, while Endecott
11881-503: Was the first Native American to be elected to the body. Florence Slocomb was one of the first three women in the Commonwealth to be elected to the state Legislature and the first woman from Worcester to win a state legislative seat, representing that district from 1926 to 1928. Althea Garrison was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1992 and is known as the first transgender person to serve in
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