[geeks] can't wait for Vista

[Sandwich Maker]

" From: Charles Shannon Hendrix <shannon at widomaker.com>
" 
" Wed, 08 Nov 2006 @ 14:08 -0500, Phil Stracchino said:
" 
" > It's been said, and not at all unfairly IMHO, that the Pilgrim Fathers
" > fled religious persecution in Europe seeking the freedom to persecute
" > others in their own way.
" 
" I wonder how they felt about budding ideas of creating a secular
" government in the colonies?

read about the foundation of rhode island?  roger williams wanted
more freedom of religion...  the law permitting rhode islanders to be
shot on sight wasn't taken off the massachusetts books until the '50s,
though by then it was an invalid anachronism.

" One of my history professors in college said the English and the
" pilgrims both provided inspiration to make sure we didn't end up with a
" theocracy.

just about the only decent thing they ever did for us.

" Aside:
" 
" I saw a pilgrim house restored on a history program a couple of years
" ago.
" 
" What struck me was that it was basically a small wooden fortress, with
" heavy walls, iron studded doors, and good musket coverage from the top
" floor.

i don't know if it counts as a pilgrim house, but i spent my childhood
summers with my grandparents at their summer place in ipswich ma, a
1669 house they moved from peabody.  it never struck me as a fortress.

btw ipswich has more 17th c houses than the rest of the us put
together, a remnant of their brief moment of greatness.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh at an.bradford.ma.us                       and think what none thought