METCALF, Dea. Eleazar

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Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Notes:

"The Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1660" by Peter Wilson Coldham, 198 8 lists, "Examinations of those intending to embark in the ship "John a nd Dorothy" of Ipswich Eng, Mr William Andrewes, and the ship "Rose" of Y armouth Eng, Mr William Andrewes, for New England:among those listed ar e Michill Metcalfe of Norwich, dornix weaver aged 45 and his wife Sarra h aged 39, and 8 children Michill, Thomas, Marey, Sarrah, Elizabeth, Ma rtha, Joane and Rebeca;
and his servant Thomas Comberbach aged 16 to Boston to inhabit (PRO:E15 7/21)"

"I was persecuted ", he writes " in the land of my fathers sepulchres, f or not bowing at the name of Jesus, and observing other religious cerem onies, forced upon me at the instance of Bishop Wren of Norwich and his C hancellor Dr. Corbet, whose violent measures troubled me in the Bishops C ourt, and returned me to the High Commissioners Court. Suffering many t imes for the cause of religion, I was forced for the sake of liberty of m y conscience to flee from my wife and my children, to go to New England , taking the ship voyage at London, 17th of Sept. 1636, being by tempes ts, tossed up and down the seas til the Christmas following, then veeri ng about to Plymouth in Old England, in which time I met with many sore a fflictions. Leaving with the ship I went down to Yarmouth, in Norfolk c ounty, whence I shipped myself and my family, to come to New England; s ailed 15 April 1637, and arrived 3 days before midsummer, with my wife n ine children and a servant. ". The name of the servant seems to have be en Thomas Comherbach, aged 16. [Manuscript of Hen. Tames Savage] The ab ove extracts were taken from a from a copy of a letter written in Plymo uth Eng. Jan 13 1636, on his voyage hither; directed, " To all true Pro fessors in Christ's Gospel within the City of Norwich". In a postscrip t he remarks, "my enemies conspired against me to take my life, and som etimes to avoid their hands, my wife did hide me in the roof of the hou se, covering me with straw."

History informs us, that one of the charges brought against Bishop Wren , by a committee of Parliament, was, that during the term of two years, f our months, while he held the See of Norwich, " 300 of his Majesties su bjects, many of whom use trafes, spinning, weaving, knitting, making cl oth stuff, stockings and other manufactures of wool, some of them setti ng one hundred poor people at work." " transported themselves to Hollan d and other parts beyond the sea " in consequence of his " superstition a nd tyranny" [See appendix to Dr. Lamson's Historical Discourses]

When he was hauled before the Ecclesiastical Court he expertly quoted a gainst the judges, their own theologians and the Bible itself,but to hi s disgust, "their learned and invincible arguments to refute their asse rtions were these: Blockhead, old heretic, the devil made you, I will s end you to the Devil." Frustration gave way to fear. " Having become a m arked man he had no choice but to flee to America. He counseled with le ss known fellow Puritans to remain in Norwich if they possibly could, a dvising them not to be discouraged --- be chearly --- have patience --- abidith the will of God who worketh all things best for you." A " lovin g brother in exile persecuted for Christ's verity." Michael Metcalf wou ld go out alone and unwilling to the savage land of MA. He w ent with his eyes on England. not America: " O Norwich, The beauty of m y native country, what shall I say to thee". Taken from A New England T own by Kenneth A. Lockridge W.W. Norton and Co 1985

FindaGrave:
GRID=at the Hunt House Museum in East Providence64230860

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