Roger Williams Biography written for the for Providence Parks Department
“…From his early manhood, even down to his old age, Roger Williams stands in New England a mighty and benignant form, always pleading for some magnanimous idea, some tender charity, the rectification of some wrong, the exercise of some sort of forbearance toward men’s bodies or souls….” Tyler, History of American Literature, p. 31. New York, 1878
Childhood
Roger was born at Cow Lane, London. His Father, James, is a cloth importer and member of the Company of Taylors. They own an inn called the Harrow across the street. Roger lives near Smithfield Market near where Tyburn stood—the place where executions took place. Roger is an avid reader, and he teaches himself stenography. (56 Words) Possible Addition: He becomes a Puritan at eleven years old. (64 Words)
1615-1621
Judge Sir Edward Coke sees Roger doing stenography at the St. Sepulchers’s Church. Roger becomes Coke’s secretary and stenographer. He does stenography and final copies for James I, and lawyers and litigants of the courts. Roger is influenced by Sir Coke and Sir Francis Bacon. (45 Words)
1621-1627:
Sir Edward Coke supports Roger to go to the Charterhouse School and Pembroke College. In 1624 Roger is one of three Charterhouse scholars chosen to be sent to university. He receives his degree in 1627, and is ordained into the Church of England. He has learned Latin, Greek, Hebrew, French and Dutch. He has become a Puritan Separatist. (45 Words)
1627-1631
Roger cannot be assigned to a Church of England church, because of his Separatist views. He finds a position as a domestic chaplain for the family of Sir William and Lady Elizabeth Masham. They are members of a leading Puritan group in England. Roger marries Mary Bernard, who is the daughter of a Puritan clergyman.
Oppression of Puritans increases, and Roger and Mary leave England for New England on December 1, 1530. (87 words)
1631
Roger and Mary arrive on February 9, and Roger is “unanimously chosen teacher at Boston” by the congregation there, but he “conscientiously refuses” to join, because the church held communion with the Church of England. Roger wanted a complete separation. Roger and Mary move to Plymouth where he speaks at the church, runs a trading post, and establishes a close relationship with the local tribes. (75 Words)
1631-1635
He angers the leaders of the Bay Colony by insisting on speaking even in small groups against the rules of the colony. He writes a tract questioning the rights of King Charles and his Charters. He thinks that the colonists should pay for any land that they acquire from tribes. He wants a complete separation from the Church of England, and he wants governments to stop being involved enforcing the first four of the ten Commandments. He is interviewed over the year, and In October 1635, he is banished from the colony. He is told that he can stay through the winter. His association with the Essex group protects him from any physical punishment.
1636
In January Roger learns that soldiers are coming to arrest him. He flees South. With the help of the local tribes, he makes the walk to Warren, RI. Massasoit allows Roger and his group to stay in Seekonk. Plymouth claims that the land is theirs, so Roger has to move. Canonicus and Miantonomoh agree to allow Roger to come west “… and therefore I declare to posterity, that were it not for the favor God gave me with Canonicus, none of these parts, no, not Rhode Island, had been purchased or obtained, for I never got anything out of Canonicus but by gift..”
1636
The group signs the Providence Agreement, the first agreement of a secular democratic governance in the modern world. The experience of living and working in the world of Coke and Bacon has given Roger a deep understanding of the law, science, and human behavior. Constitutionalism has its birth. There is no mention of God in the agreement.
1636-1637:
The Pequot War occurs between the Pequot tribe and an alliance of the colonists, and their allies. Roger spends three days negotiating with the Narragansett while the Pequots argue against him. In the end, the Narragansett elect to side with the colonists.
.1638 In Providence, Roger meets with Particular Baptists who have been banished by Massachusetts. He joins their group, but after a few months, he gives up his membership. He calls himself a “Seeker.” John Clarke has started a Baptist church in Newport, and has been given credit for the founding of the Baptist Church in America. Chaddus Brown takes over as minister when Roger steps away.
1640: Landowners sign The Plantation Agreement at Providence forming “..a pure democracy, which for the first time guarded jealously the rights of conscience by ignoring any power in the body politic to interfere with those matters that alone concern man and his Maker.”-Arnold.
1643: Roger travels to England, to find a charter for Rhode Island. Due to the English Civil War, Parliament is the functioning government, and Roger has friends in Parliament. Oliver Cromwell and Henry Vane the Younger give Roger support. On March 14, 1644, Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Plantations grants Rhode Island a Charter, also called a Patent.
1643-1644: On the ship sailing to England, Roger writes his first book: A Key into the Language of America known as A help to the Language of the Natives in that part of America called New England. It is a translation of Algonquin, and a discussion of the cultures of both the indigenous people but Europeans as well. A year later, Roger completes his his best known book: The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution, for Cause of Conscience, Discussed in a Conference between Truth and Peace. Factions in Parliament order that it be burned. He writes twelve more books.
1647 May, Acts and Orders of 1647 is signed “…Made and agreed upon at the General Court of Election, held at Portsmouth, in Rhode Island, for the Colonies and province of Providence…’ This unifies the state under one system. The evolution of the democratic state continues.
1652: Roger, John Clarke, and Mr. and Mrs. John Dyer travel to England to stop Coddington’s efforts to form a colony in the Aquidneck islands, and attempt to receive a stronger Charter Clarke stays in London, The English Council of State agrees with Roger against Coddington, and Roger writes that he had “the confirmation of the charter.” In supporting documents, Roger connects with the Masham’s children, Oliver Cromwell, and Henry Vane.
1653-1658: Oliver Cromwell becomes the Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland. The instrument of Government or Constitution has the order that their be freedom of religion except for Popery and Prelacy. These are the core beliefs and aims of all that Roger Williams had worked for, and the Popery became legal beginning with the first Relief Act (1778).
Article:XXXVII. That such as profess faith in God by Jesus Christ (though differing in judgment from the doctrine, worship or discipline publicly held forth) shall not be restrained from, but shall be protected in, the profession of the faith and exercise of their religion; so as they abuse not this liberty to the civil injury of others and to the actual disturbance of the public peace on their parts: provided this liberty be not extended to Popery or Prelacy, nor to such as, under the profession of Christ, hold forth and practise licentiousness.
1654-75 Roger is elected president of the combined colonies of Providence, Newport, Narragansett and Warwick. Then, he is elected as a Commissioner. Then, he served as Deputy. Finally, he served on the Providence Town Council.
1675-76: King Philip’s war is the deadliest war in the history of American colonization. In the space of little more than a year, twelve of the region’s towns are destroyed and many more are damaged. Roger’s home is destroyed. Roger serves in a local militia, and participates in the sale of surviving tribal members into slavery.
1676: Mary Williams passes away.
1683: Roger passes away.
NOTE ON LOCKE: 1688-1704 John Locke lived at Otes, the mansion where Roger had spent his years as domestic chaplain for Sir William and Lady Elizabeth Masham. Sir Francis Masham, their grandson, lived at Otes with his wife Damaris Cudworth. Damaris had been close to Locke years earlier. She is considered to be the first female philosophers in England. Ralph Cudworth, Damaris’s father, and Francis both had close association with Oliver Cromwell.—they both were said have been ‘much obliged’ to the Protector.
ROGER WILLIAMS PUBLISHED WORKS
A Key into the Language of America known as A help to the Language of the Natives in that part of America called New England.
A Letter of Mr. John Cotton’s Teacher of the Church in Boston, in New-England, to Mr. Williams a Preacher There by John Cotton/Roger Williams
Mr. Cotton’s Letters Lately Printed, Examined and Answered. It is a copy of a letter that John Cotton wrote to him, with his answers against Mr. Cotton’s views.
Christenings make not Christians, or A Briefe Discourse concerning that name Heathen, commonly given to the Indians. As also concerning that great point of their Conversion.
Queries of highest consideration, proposed to the five Holland ministers and the Scotch Commissioners (so called) : upon occasion of their late printed apologies for themselves and their churches. In all humble reverence presented to the view of the Right
The Bloody Tenent Yet More Bloody: By Mr Cottons endevour to wash It white in the Blood of the Lambe of whose precious Blood, spilt in the Bloud of his Servants; and of the Blood of Millions spilt in former and later Wars for Conscience sake, that most Bloody Tenent of Persecution for cause of Conscience, upon, a second Tryal
Experiments of spiritual life & health, and their preservatives in which the weakest child of God may get assurance of his spirituall life and blessednesse
The Examiner defended, in a Fair and Sober Answer to the Two and twenty Questions which lately examined the Author of Zeal Examined
George Fox Digg’d out of his Burrowes, or, An offer of disputation on fourteen proposals made this last summer 1672 unto G.Fox
An Answer to a Letter Sent from Mr. Coddington of Rode Island, To Governour Leveret of Boston in what concerns R. W. of Providence
