ing the counsel and advice of the vine and fig-tree, and putting their trust under the shadow of a bramble. For they soon found that Mr. Burdet, whom they had formerly received for Governor in the room of Mr. Wiggans, set in there by the Lords, (as hath been said,) being laid aside, and Captain Underhill by them called to that place, they had not much advantaged themselves, save only in that the latter was not so subtle or malicious, and therefore not so capable to do them mischief. But Mr. Burdet, either out of necessity or design, (some foul practices of his being discovered,) removed not long after to a Plantation of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, on the northeast side of Pascataqua River, and within the Province of Maine, where we shall leave him for a little time, driving on the same trade, (or a worse,) which occasioned his removal out of the country in the issue.1

Captain Underhill, being now quietly possessed of the government, how fair soever he pretended to the Governor of the Bay, could not so dissemble it with others; for at the same time he wrote a letter to a young gentleman, that sojourned in the said Governor's house, wherein he reviled the Governor, with reproachful terms and imprecations of revenge upon him, and the whole Colony; which, being shewn to the Governor and Council, was afterward sent to Mr. Hilton, (though too late to prevent his exaltation,) and did not a little nettle the new Governor of Dover, to have his wickedness laid open, and his call to answer for his offences before the church of Boston, withal procuring him safe conduct for three months, from the General Court, then sitting, in the year 1639. But, instead of coming, he procured a new church at that place, called by them Dover, of some few of the looser sort of persons, who had called one Mr. Hanserd Knollis; whom Dr. Bastwick once not untruly styled, with a little variation of the letters of his name, Absurdo Knowless. This Mr. Knollis had lately come out of England, in the year 1638, and was rejected by the Massachusetts for holding some of the forementioned Antinomian tenets, and, repairing to Pascataqua, was chosen to

See page 361.—н.

be the minister within Captain Underhill's territories, who soon after suborned him to write letters to the church of Boston in his commendation, wherein he was styled the right worshipful, their honored || Governor, all which notwithstanding, the church of Boston proceeded with him. And, in the mean time, the General Court wrote to all the chief inhabitants of Pascataqua, and sent them a copy of his letters, (wherein he professeth himself to be an instrument of God for their ruin,) to know whether it were with their privity and consent that he sent them such a defiance, &c., and whether they would maintain him in such practices against them.

Those of the Plantations returned answer, that they disclaimed all such miscarriages, and offered to call him to an account, whenever they would send any to inform against him. They at the river's mouth disclaimed likewise, and shewed their indignation against him for his insolencies, and their readiness to join in any fair course for their satisfaction; only they desired them to have some compassion on him, and not to send any force against him.

After this Captain Underhill's courage became very much abated, for the chiefest of the River fell from him, and the rest little regarded him, so as he wrote letters of retractation to divers, and (according to his wonted policy) wrote a letter to the Deputy and the Court, (not mentioning the Governor,) wherein he sent the copies of some of the Governor's letters to Pascataqua, supposing that something would appear in them, either to extenuate his own fault, or to lay some fault upon the governor ; but he failed in both, for the Governor was able to make out what he had written.

Mr. Knollis, coming over into New England amongst some Familistical opinionists, upon that account was denied residence in the Massachusetts, and was also by Mr. Burdet (the preacher and Governor at that time at Pascataqua) inhibited from preaching there; but he being, in a short time, removed to Agamenticus, as was said before, the people having chosen Underhill their Gov

|| honorable

ernor, (that they might be "like priest like people,") chose him their pastor, who, to ingratiate himself with said Underhill, the Governor there, wrote a letter into England, to his friends in London, wherein he bitterly inveighed against the government of the Massachusetts, making it worse than the High Commission, and that there was not so much as a face of religion in the country; but a copy of the said letter being sent over, (of the which he had notice from the Governor,) he was exceedingly perplexed about it, being indeed convinced in his conscience of the great wrong which he had done them. He wrote to the Governor desiring a safe conduct, that he might come into the Bay to give satisfaction, saying that he could have no rest in his spirit till he had so done. This being granted him under the hand of the Governor, with consent of the Council, he came, and there at Boston, upon a Lecture-day, (most of the magistrates and ministers being then assembled,) he made a very free and open confession of his offence, with much aggravation against himself, so as the assembly were all as well satisfied as could be expected, upon a verbal confession of such an offence. He wrote also a letter to his said friends in England to the same effect, which he left with the Governor to be sent to them. Captain Underhill, also, about the same time, being struck with horror and remorse for his many and great offences, both against the church and against the country, he could have no rest till at last he had also obtained safe conduct to come and give satisfaction; and accordingly at the Lecture' at Boston, (it being then Court time,) he made a public confession, both of his living in adultery with the said woman, (of which he was before suspected,) and of attempting the like with another woman, and also of the injury he had done to the Massachusetts, and acknowledged also the justice of the Court in proceeding against him, &c. Yet all his confessions were mixed with such excuses and extenuations, that they gave no satisfaction as to the truth of his repentance: but, however, his offences being so foul and scandalous, the church presently cast him out. He seemed at the first to submit to the

1 March 5, 1639-40.-H.

censure, and was, for the time he staid at Boston, (four or five days,) much dejected; but, returning home, he gave not the proof of a broken heart, as he gave hope of at Boston; for, to ingratiate himself with some gentlemen' at the river's mouth, that had much dependence upon the Commissioners in England, he sent thirteen men armed to Exeter to fetch one Fish out of the officer's hands for speaking against the King; and when the church and people of Dover desired him to forbear coming to the Court, till they had considered of his case, and had promised so to do, yet, hearing that they were consulting to remove him from his government, (which he had before proffered to lay down, but when it came to be done in good earnest he could not bear it,) came and took his place, and grew passionate, and would not stay to receive his dismission, nor seem to accept it when it was sent after him; yet they proceeded, and chose one Mr. Roberts to be president of the Court, and returned back Fish to Exeter.

3

Besides this, in the open Court, he committed one of his fellow magistrates for rising up and saying he would not sit with an adulterer, &c. But the chief matter for which they proceeded against him was, that, when he himself was the first mover of them to break off their agreement with the Massachusetts, he had written to their Governor to lay it upon the people, especially upon some among them. Soon after this he went again to Boston to tender satisfaction; but, not being satisfied about his repentance, they would not admit him to public speech, and so he returned home again; but half a year after, viz. in September, 1640, he was brought to a true and thorough remorse of conscience for his foul sins, and did openly, in a great assembly at Boston, on the Lecture-day, and in the Court time, and in a ruthful habit, (being accustomed to take great pride in his bravery and neatness,) standing upon a form, lay open, with many deep sighs and abundance of tears, his wicked course of life, his adultery and hypocrisy, his prosecution of people

"Who were very zealous that way, and had lately set up Common Prayer, &c.," says Winthrop.-H. "One Gabriel Fish," (Ibid.) afterterwards of Boston. Farmer.-H. See Sav. Win. i. 327.-H.

I. e. Of the Massachusetts.-H.

there, and especially his pride, as the root of all, (which caused God to give him over to his other sinful courses,) and contempt of the magistrates; justifying God, and the Court, and the church, in all that had been inflicted on him, and declaring, also, what power Satan had over him since his casting out of the church, and how his presumptuous laying hold of a mercy and pardon, before God gave it, did then fail him when the terrors of God came upon him, so as he could have no rest, nor see any issue, which had put him divers times upon a resolution of destroying himself, had not the Lord prevented him, even when his sword was drawn to have done the execution &c.; so, with other expressions arguing much brokenness of heart, and looking like one worn out with sorrow, he earnestly and humbly besought the church to have compassion on him, and deliver him out of the hands of Satan. Indeed it was a spectacle which caused many weeping eyes, though also it afforded matter of rejoicing to behold the power of the Lord Jesus in his own ordinances, when they are dispensed in his own way, holding forth the authority of his sceptre in the simplicity of the Gospel. Upon this manifestation of his repentance the sentence of excommunication was taken off in the church, and of his banishment, by the Court, and he was also set free from the punishment of his adultery; for the law against it being made since the fact committed by him, it could not touch his life.

This story is the more particularly related for the satisfaction of all that may ever after hear of such practices, what they may expect from a sort of men that cry down sanctification and inherent righteousness, under a pretence of magnifying free grace. And, indeed, they of the Antinomian persuasion had need fortify themselves with arguments to keep off the force of the moral law, that have so little ability or grace to observe and keep the same. But it was to be feared this was but one stray sheep that returned, amongst ninety-nine that have been entangled in the same snare of temptation, of whose repentance there was little heard.

In the same summer, sc. 1640, there arrived there one