gansets,) came to Boston with seventeen of his men. He made divers propositions to the English, which they took into consideration, and promised to give him an answer the next day. But finding that he had received' divers of the Pequods, submitting to him since the last defeat, they first demand the delivery of them, which he sticking at, they refused further conference with him; but the next morning he came and offered what they desired. So the Governor referred him to the captains at the Pequod Country, and wrote instructions to them how to deal with him. So, receiving his ten fathom of Wampam, they friendly dismissed him.

In July, 1638, Uncus, the sachem of the Mohegins, having entertained some of the Pequods, came to the Governor, at Boston, with a present, and was much dejected because that it was not at first accepted. But afterward, the Governor and Council being satisfied about his innocency, they accepted it; whereupon he promised to submit to the order of the English, both touching the Pequods he had received, and as concerning the differences betwixt the Narrhagansets and himself, and confirmed all with his compliment: "This heart," said he, (laying his hand upon his heart,) " is not mine, but yours; command me any difficult service, and I will do it; I have no men, but they are all yours; I will never believe any Indian against the English any more." And so he

continued forever after, as may be seen in the following transactions between the Indians and the English: whereupon he was dismissed with some small reward, and went home very joyful, carrying a letter of protection, for himself and his men, through the English Plantations.

CHAP. XXXV.

The state of affairs in the Massachusetts, Anno 1636, while Mr. Vane was Governor.

WITH how much applause soever Mr. Vane was advanced to the Governor's place, and, at the first, managed the same, yet, in the latter end of the year, perceiving

1 Rescued in the MS.-H.

that there was much discontent in the minds of men, occasioned by different opinions in religion, then stirring in the country, the blame of which was, in a great measure, imputed to himself, he grew weary of the government, and was ready to take any occasion [which] offered to be freed therefrom. For in December, receiving letters from his friends, which necessarily required his presence there, he imparted the same to the Council, (which at that time consisted but of two, besides himself,1) and some others; and thereupon, being resolved of his return for England, he called a Court of Deputies, to the end he might have free leave of the country. They being assembled in Court, and himself declaring the necessity of his departure, and those of the Council affirming the reasons to be very urgent, though not fit to be imparted to the whole Court, they desired respite to consider thereof till the morning; when, being assembled again, one of the Assistants using some pathetical expressions of the loss of such a Governor in time of such danger as did hang over them from the Indians and Frenchmen, the Governor brake forth into tears, and professed that, howsoever the causes, propounded for his departure did concern the utter ruin of his outward estate, yet he would rather have hazarded all, than have gone from them at such a time, if something else had not pressed him more, viz., the inevitable danger of God's judgments, which he feared were coming upon them, for the differences and dissensions which he saw amongst them, and the scandalous imputation brought upon himself, as if he should be the cause of all; and therefore he thought it were best for him to give place for a time. Upon this the Court concluded it would not be fit to give way to his departure upon those grounds; whereupon he recalled himself, and professed that the reasons concerning his own estate were sufficient, (to his own satisfaction,) for his departure, and therefore desired the Court he might have leave to go; as for the other passage, it slipped from him out of passion, and not out of judgment: upon this the Court consented, silently, to his departure. And in point

1 See Sav. Win. i. 207.-H.

:

of prudence it had been much better for himself, as well as for the country, to have taken that occasion of removing, rather than to have been, in a manner, thrust away, as things fell out afterwards; but man knoweth not his time. But then the question in the Court was about supply of his place. Some were of opinion that it should be executed by the Deputy; but this scruple being cast in, that if the Deputy should die, then the government would be vacated, and none have power to call a Court, or preside therein, it was agreed therefore to call a Court of Election, for a new Governor and Deputy, in case the present Deputy should be chosen Governor and an order was made, (in regard of the season,) that such as would might send their votes by proxy, in papers sealed up, and delivered to the deputies. And so their Court was adjourned four days, and two days after, the Court of Election was to assemble. These things having thus passed in the Court, divers of the congregation at Boston met together, and agreed that they did not apprehend the necessity of the Governor's departure upon the reasons alleged, and sent some of them to declare the same to the Court; whereby it may be observed, by the way, that politicians were not much mistaken, when they accounted that the crosier as well as the distaff, (i. e. that persons led by their private passions and particular interests,) would always be found but as a broken reed for a State to lean upon. But to return by these insinuations the Governor was so overpowered, that he expressed himself to be such an obedient child of the church, that, notwithstanding the license of the Court, yet, without the leave of the church, he durst not go away. Whereupon a great part of the Court and country, who understood hereof, declared their purpose to continue him still in his place and therefore so soon as the day of election came, and the countrymen assembled, it was thought the best way for avoiding of trouble not to proceed to election, but to adjourn the Court, intended for election, to the great General Court in May. And so the Court of Deputies continued still to consider of such things, as were then most needful to be attended; which were the differences up and down the country in matters

of religion, which ||at that time had|| so far prevailed, that men's affections began strongly to be engaged in them, so as if at any time any matter about those new opinions was mentioned in the Court, they were presently divided, although far the greater part held firm to their former principles. And at the General Court, held at Boston, March 9th, 1636, so much heat of contention appeared between the opposite parties, that it was moved that the next General Court, which was the Court of Election, might be kept at New-Town, which went so against the grain with Mr. Vane, the Governor, that he refused to put it to vote; nor was the Deputy forward to do it, except the Court would require him, because he dwelt at Boston; so the Court put it to Mr. Endicot, who putting it to vote, it was presently carried in the affirmative and accordingly that next Court of Election, which fell on the 17th day of May, was kept at NewTown, Anno 21637. When the day came and the Court sat, which was not till one of the clock in the afternoon, a petition was preferred by those of Boston. The Governor was to have it read; but the Deputy said it was out of order; it was a Court of Election, and that must first be dispatched, (as had been done once before, when the reading of petitions was laid aside till the election was over,) and then the petition should be heard. Divers others also opposed that course, as an ill precedent; and the petition, being about pretence of liberty, (though intended chiefly for revoking the sentence at the last Court, passed against Mr. Wheelwright,) would have spent all the day in debate. But yet the Governor, and those of that party, would not proceed to election, except the petition were read. Much time was already spent about the debate, and the people crying out for election, it was moved by the Deputy that the people should divide themselves, and the greater number must carry it. And so it was done, and the greater number by many was for election. But the Governor and that side kept their places still, and would not proceed; whereupon the || 21636 || 1

I had at that time ||

The figures are almost obliterated from the MS; I think it was as now printed-the above is, at all events, the true date.-H.

Deputy told him, that if he would not go to election, he and the rest of that side would proceed. Upon that he came from his company, and they went to election, and Mr. Winthrop was chosen Governor, Mr. Dudley Deputy Governor, and Mr. Endicot of the Standing Council; and Mr. Israel Stoughton, and Mr. Richard Saltonstall were called to be Assistants; and Mr. Vane, and Mr. Haugh, and Mr. Dummer, and Mr. Coddington,' (being all of one persuasion|| in the matters of difference,) were left quite out. There was great danger of a tumult that day, for those of the opposite party grew into fierce speeches, and some began to lay hands on others, but seeing themselves too weak, they grew quiet. They expected a great advantage that day, because the remote towns were allowed to come in by proxy; but it fell out that there were enough besides. And if it had been otherwise, they must have put in their deputies, (as other towns had done,) for all matters beside election. And Boston having deferred to choose their deputies till the election was past, went home that night, and the next morning sent for deputies, Mr. Vane, the late Governor, Mr. Coddington, and Mr. Haugh. But the Court, not being pleased thereat, found means to send them home again, because all the freemen had not notice of the time of their choice. But the freemen of Boston making the same choice the next time, they could not be rejected. Upon the election of the new Governor, the serjeants, that had attended the former Governor to the Court with their halberds, (which was a respect put upon Mr. Vane, and never upon any Governor before,) laid them down, and went home, and refused to attend the Governor to and from the meeting on the Lord's Days, as they were wont; so as the Governor made use of his own servants in their room, to carry two halberds before him, (never affecting to seek great things for himself,) though Mr. Vane had never less than four. The country proffered to supply the defect of Boston, but the Governor made use of his own servants.

'Atherton Haugh, (pronounced Hoffe,) Richard Dummer, and William Coddington.-H.