Stephen Bachiler in Dow's History of Hampton

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The extract below was moved here from the profile of Rev. Stephen Bachiler.

From Joseph Dow's History of Hampton 1638-1892: "Rev. Stephen Bachiler..may justly be regarded as the father and founder of the town [of Hampton]." He came from "gentle blood", received orders in the "established church", but became a Dissenter. After problems with the bishops he went to Holland with other Dissenters, formed "The Company of the Plough" planning to come to New England in 1630 settling in Cambridge as a Planter and Pastor. He sailed from London on Mar 9, 1632 in the "William and Francis", arr Boston 5th Jun, went to Boston and joined son-in-law Christopher Hussey & dau Theodate in Lynn. There he began his ministry, but found the church members & magistrates too intolerant of his "liberal" Puritanism. "Scandal" resulted--most likely because of the difference of beliefs, and Bachiler was discharged from the church (1635). He went first to Ipswich, then Newbury, and then Winnacunnet (Hampton). Wm Samborne and Timothy Dalton were both associates in the ministry. Dalton was Teacher to Bachiler's Pastor. He fell out over beliefs with Dalton, and was excommunicated in 1641, restored 1643 but not as pastor. He was over 80 by now. Some people of Exeter invited him to form a new church there and be their Pastor, but the Gen. Court interfered. "Not the slightest allusion is made to any unfitness for the sacred office, on the part of Mr. Bachiler. The order is based entirely on the divisions among the people of Exeter." In 1655 he returned to England, escorted by his grandson, Stephen Sanborn. [The Gen Reg. XII:272 :" The ancient Stephen Bachiler, of Hampton, New Hampshire, died at Hackney, a Village and Parish in Middlesex, two miles from London, in 1660, in the one hundredth year of his age."] "It is difficult to form a just estimate of Mr. Bachiler's character. Much of our information concerning him comes through the records of the acts of the magistrates and the General Court, or the writings of Governor Winthrop, with whom he was no favorite. His refusal to bow to unreasonable mandates made him enemies in high places, and his misfortunes followed as a natural sequence. But that he was a good and useful man, there can be no reasonable doubt."Dow