to smoke on Sundays witliin two miles of "entrance to 

 or departme from" a liouse of worship, they neglected to 

 include the meetinghouse itself. Therefore, church busi- 

 ness after services was frequently conducted in a cloud 

 of smoke. 



The Puritan elements continued to have a difficult 

 time in their campaign against smoking. Too often per- 

 sons of prominence were showing directly, or by in- 

 ference, the futility of attempting to curb or eliminate 

 one of mankind's recreations. A conspicuous example 

 among these opponents was Captain John Underbill, 

 the author of 'News from America in 1638, a magistrate, 

 a successful Indian fighter— and a man who had not 

 been noted for his piety. An early writer, remarking that 

 Underbill was a "lusty man," told of the occasion wlien 

 he held forth to his pastor before the whole congrega- 

 tion, saying that: 



having long lain under a spirit of bondage, he 

 could get no assiironce; till at length as he tvas 

 taking a pipe of (that good creature), tobacco, 

 the spirit set home upon him an absolute prom- 

 ise of free grace, with such assurance and joy 

 that he has never since doubted of his good 

 estate. 



ndian ways 



The Algonquians in and near the Massachusetts 

 colony also had restrictions relating to tobacco and its 

 use. Roger Williams commented on their belief tliat the 

 plant was "a sacred weed, to be cultivated and used 

 only by the braves . . . every other crop was planted and 

 gathered by the squaws." Women were not permitted 

 to smoke. It was regarded as bad manners for a youth 



18 



