One would think that after thirty years the scandalous behavior of Joseph Benson and Abigail Muxom would have faded from memory and been replaced by something else for the townspeople of Wareham to gossip about. But apparently Abigail flaunted her husband with it. And then a new minister came to town and really stirred things up. Again, this is from William Root Bliss' Colonial Times on Buzzard's Bay:
The first action of Parson Everitt was to propose a season of fasting and self-examination. The members of the church, declaring themselves to be "sensible of our coldness and lukewarmness in religion," voted to renew "our covenant with God and with one another," and they appointed a committee "to converse with brethren and sisters who are or may be guilty of public offence according to the rule given Mat. 18." These cleansing explorers brought to light an old scandal which had been forgotten. Thirty years had elapsed since Abigail Muxom was disciplined. Now an old woman, she was again called up to listen to the reading of the complaint recorded against her in 1753, the evidences written in 1750, and to the statements of new witnesses as to her conduct "upwards of twenty years ago :" —
"John Benson of Middleborough testifieth that upwards of 20 years ago he was at the house of Edmund Muxom the husband of said Abigail, sometime in the afternoon before sunset, he saw said Abigail on bed with Joseph Benson, in the easterly part of the house. He also saith that at another time he was at work near Edmund Muxom's house and heard him repeatedly bid his son Lem. go and fetch the horse and on refusal corrected him. Abigail came to the door and said — What do you whip that child for? it is none of yours, upon which John Benson said I always thought so, at which she went into the house and said no more. April 11th, 1783."
"Hannah Besse testifieth that sometime about 20 years ago or upward she went to Edmund Muxom's house late in the evening and there saw Abigail his wife on bed by the fire with Joseph Benson. April 11th, 1783."
The accused woman, having listened to these statements, positively declared, in presence of the assembled church, that "the evidences of John Benson and Harriet Besse are false." There was no friend or attorney to represent her before this self-righteous tribunal; and, without cross-examining the unsworn witnesses, the church voted (men only were allowed to vote) that she "is guilty of the charge." Then there was a pause in the proceedings, and the people went home as if to think over the matter. After some weeks had elapsed, she was again summoned before the church, and was "admonished by the pastor" of the perilous position in which she stood. Some of the sinful brethren who had voted her to be guilty," labored" with her; and sympathizing women conversed with her. But she refused to confess that she was guilty of the alleged sin, and resolutely maintained that the witnesses were liars.-pp155-157
Colonial Times on Buzzard's Bay Houghton, Mifflin, Cambridge, Ma 1888
Luckily for Abigail Muxom things had progressed a bit in Massachusetts from the century before. But things were about to get worse.
To be continued.
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