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IX.

bers, a few of them, as "under a covenant of grace," CHAPTER and the rest, including most of the old leaders, as "under a covenant of works." This invidious distinction was 1637. maintained, at least to a certain extent, in a sermon preached by Wheelwright at a special fast ordered by Feb. the General Court on account of the Indian war and the religious differences a sermon which gave such offense that Wheelwright was presently summoned before the magistrates on a charge of sedition. The whole colony was torn with the controversy, and the members of the Boston Church, "frequenting the lectures of other ministers, did make much disturbance by public questions and objections to their doctrines."

At an adjourned session of the General Court, not- March. withstanding several petitions in his favor, one, especially, signed by many principal inhabitants of Boston, Wheelwright was found guilty of sedition, and also of contempt, "for that the court had appointed the fast as a means of reconciliation of differences, and he purposely set himself to kindle them." A protest was offered by the governor and others, but the court refused to receive it. It was also resolved that the Court of Elections and the next General Court should be holden, not at Boston, but at Newtown, out of the immediate sphere of Mrs. Hutchinson's influence. Till then, the sentence of Wheelwright was postponed.

It had been ordered, in consequence, probably, of the Indian war, that all freemen should come armed to the election, and thus a body of armed men was assembled at Newtown, inflamed by enthusiasm, and excited to the highest pitch by theological differences. Wilson, who was short of stature, mounted on a tree, and from that elevation harangued the assembly. There was great danger of a tumult that day; inflamed opponents more

CHAPTER than once laid hands upon each other. The majority, IX. however, was sufficiently decisive to prevent a resort to 1637. violence. Winthrop was elected governor, while Vane,

Coddington, and Dummer, supporters of Mrs. Hutchinson, were left out of the magistracy. The danger of such scenes was prevented for the future by a law, presently passed, dispensing with the attendance of all the freemen at the Court of Elections, and allowing them to give their votes in their own towns for governor and assistants, and to send them, sealed up, by the hand of their deputies.

Vane and Coddington were immediately chosen deputies for Boston, that town having delayed its choice till after the general election. Some alleged informality was set up to prevent them from taking their seats; but they were immediately rechosen, and this time the court was not able to find "how they might reject them." The Hutchinsonians were beaten, but not yet subdued. The vergers who had walked before Vane to and from meeting on the Lord's day, threw down their halberds and refused to attend upon Winthrop, "so as the new gov ernor was fain to use his own servants to carry two halberds before him, whereas the former governor had never less than four." In contempt of Winthrop's gracious invitation, Coddington and Vane refused to sit in meeting in the magistrates' seat, but went and sat with the deacons; and on the fast day presently appointed, instead of staying to hear themselves berated by Wilson, they went to Mount Wollaston, and kept the day with Wheelwright. Wheelwright's sentence was respited to the next court, while the theological questions raised by Mrs. Hutchinson were referred to a synod or conference of delegates from the churches, summoned to take them into consideration. Divers writings were now published about these differences in manuscript, for as yet there was no print

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ing press in the colony-an "Apology" by the magis- CHAPTER trates for their condemnation of Wheelwright, a "Tractate" by Wheelwright in defense of his sermon, and an 1637. "Answer" to that sermon by the other ministers. Seeing how matters were going, Cotton bent to circumstances, explained, distinguished, and prepared to yield.

Resolved to prevent any accessions to their opponents from abroad, the triumphant party enacted a law, by which all new comers were required to obtain a permit from one of the magistrates before they could be allowed to settle in Massachusetts; nor was any inhabitant to let a house to a new comer, or entertain him above three weeks, without like permission. A great outcry being raised against this law, Winthrop put forth a manuscript treatise in its defense, to which Vane replied. Vane, however, presently retired from the colony, to act in England on a broader stage. His experience in America was not, perhaps, without its effect; in England he became a leader of the new party of the Independents, a zealous opponent not of the bishops only, but of that Presbyterian faction which, after the downfall of the Royalist party, sought to establish a religious despotism not unlike that which existed in Massachusetts.

Orthodoxy having thus triumphed, attention was directed toward the Pequod war. The new towns on the Connecticut had continued to suffer during the winter. The attack on Wethersfield has been mentioned already. Fort Saybrook was beleaguered; several colonists were killed, and two young girls were taken prisoners, but were presently redeemed and sent home by some Dutch traders. It had been resolved in Massachusetts to raise a hundred and sixty men for the war, and already Underhill had been sent, with twenty men, to re-enforce Fort Saybrook; but, during Vane's administration, these prep

IX.

CHAPTER arations had been retarded-not from any misgivings as to the justice of the war, but because the army "was 1637. too much under a covenant of works." The expedition was now got ready, and, by "a solemn public invocation of the word of God," a leader was designated by lot from among three of the magistrates set apart for that purpose. The lot fell on Stoughton, whose adherence to the orthodox party during the late dissensions had restored him to favor, and obtained for him, at the late election, one of the vacant magistrates' seats. Wilson was also desig nated by lot as chaplain to the expedition.

The people of Plymouth agreed to furnish forty-five men.

The decisive battle, however, had been already fought. The Connecticut towns, impatient of delay, having obtained the alliance of Uncas, sachem of the Mohegans, had marched, to the number of ninety men, almost their entire effective force, under the command of John Mason, bred a soldier in the Netherlands, whom Hooker, with prayers and religious ceremonies, solemnly invested with May 10. the staff of command. After a night spent in prayer,

this little army, joined by Uncas with sixty Indians, and accompanied by Stone, Hooker's colleague, as chaplain, embarked at Hartford. They were not without great doubts as to their Indian allies, but were reassured at Fort Saybrook. While Stone was praying "for one pledge of love, that may confirm us of the fidelity of the Indians," these allies came in with five Pequod scalps and a prisoner. Underhill joined with his twenty men, and the united forces proceeded by water to Narraganset May 21. Bay, where they spent the Sunday in religious exercises.

They were further strengthened by Miantonimoh and two hundred Narraganset warriors; but the English force seemed so inadequate that many of the Narragansets became discouraged and returned home.

IX.

The Pequods were principally collected a few miles CHAPTER east of Pequod River, now the Thames, in two forts or villages, fortified with trees and brushwood. After a fa- 1637. tiguing march of two days, Mason reached one of these strongholds, situated on a high hill, at no great distance from the sea-shore. He encamped a few hours to rest his men, but marched again before daybreak, and at early dawn approached the fort. The Pequods had seen May 26. the vessels pass along the sea-shore toward the bay of Narraganset, and, supposing the hostile forces afraid to attack them, they had spent the night in feasting and dancing, and Mason could hear their shoutings in his camp. Toward morning they sunk into a deep sleep, from which they were roused by the barking of their dogs, as the colonists, in two parties, approached the fort, one led by Mason, the other by Underhill, both of whom have left us narratives of the battle. The assailants poured in a fire of musketry, and, after a moment's hesitation, forced their way into the fort. Within were thickly clustered wigwams containing the families of the Indians, and what remained of their winter stores. astonished Pequods seized their weapons and fought with desperation; but what could their clubs and arrows avail against the muskets and plate-armor of the colonists? Yet there was danger in the great superiority of their numbers, and Mason, crying out "we must burn them," thrust a fire-brand among the mats with which the wigwams were covered. Almost in a moment the fort was

The

in a blaze. The colonists, "bereaved of pity and without compassion," so Underhill himself declares, kept up the fight within the fort, while their Indian allies, forming a circle around, struck down every Pequod who at tempted to escape. No quarter was given, no mercy was shown; some hundreds, not warriors only, but old

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