This  colony  appears  to  have  been  very  well  off,  as
many  of  the  families  brought  with  them  from  one  to  four
servants  each.  They  all  settled  at  Hingham.  Mass.  Here
also  had  pre\  ioiisly  settled,  among  others,  four  families
of  Hoharts.  of  whom  was  Rev.  Peter,  the  l"irst  minister  in
the  town.  Rev.  Father  James  Hobart,  late  of  Berlin,  Vt..
was  of  this  stock.  The  iirst  meeting-house  was  erected
in  1635,  and  at  a  town  meeting,  March,  1644-5,  Edward
Oilman  and  four  other  persons  were  empowered  to  build
at  the  north  end  of  the  meeting-house  one  gallery  for
themselves,  to  remain  their  property,  etc.
Rev.  Robert  Peck  was  ordained  a  "Teacher"  in  the
church  soon  after  his  arrival,  but  it  does  not  appear  that
he  ever  had  a  settlement,  as  he  returned  to  his  old  Par-
ish in  England  in  1641,  the  persecutions  there  having
mainly  ceased.
The  following  is  a  sketch  of  Rev.  Mr.  Peck  by  Rev.
John  Watson,  who  was  the  Rector  of  t!ie  same  parish  in
England,  1683-1727  :  "  He  was  a  man  of  very  violent,
schismatical  spirit.  He  pulled  down  the  rails,  and  lev-
eled the  altar  and  the  whole  chancel  afoot  below  the
I  hurch,  as  it  remains  to  this  day;  but  heing  prosecuted
for  it  by  Bishop  Wren,  be  fled'tbe  kingdom  and  went
over  to  New  England  with  many  of  his  parishioners.
He  promised  never  to  desert  them,  but  hearing  that  the
Bishops  were  deposed,  he  left  them  and  came  back  lo
Hingham  and  resumed  his  Rector>*.     He  died  in  1656."

Peck,  Rev.  J.  Milton.  A  Sermon  ;  Preached
in  Trinity  Church,  Rutland  :  before  the  Young


19fi


BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF    VERMONT.
