stop, or they would be resisted "even to the spending of our lives." Winthrop replied, and Bradford rejoined vigorously; but the letters are lost. Suffice it to say, that illicit traffic ended.

In the early autumn the Plymouth pulpit made a notable acquisition. Roger Williams,1 soon after landing (February, 1630-1), was unanimously invited by the Boston Church to fill their pulpit during the absence of Pastor Wilson in England. Williams demanded as a condition that the members express their repentance for having ever communed or even worshipped with the Church of England, and, further, that they prohibit their members from thereafter attending such worship during occasional visits to England, even if no other services might be available. The Boston Church very properly refusing to do this, Williams rejected their call and went to Salem. It is a surprising fact that any person should have left the Boston of 1631 because he found there a religious liberality which amounted to a sin; but the surprise is increased many fold when the person so departing is found to have been Roger Williams.

Salem was ready to receive the young preacher as an assistant pastor; but he had begun to contest the validity of the King's charter in a way which, if permitted, would much imperil the existence of the government. The magistrates of the Colony therefore requested the Salem Church to withhold action until their new teacher's views should be more clearly understood. Williams cut short the controversy by leaving Massachusetts and going to Plymouth. He was there placed in the Pilgrim pulpit as the colleague of Smith, in contrast with whom, his freshness and vigor proved highly acceptable. With all honor to the Roger Williams of after years, the plain fact must be stated that he left Boston in 1631 because the theological hardness there was too liberal

1 Williams was born in Wales, 1599–1603(?). In 1621 Sir Edward Coke procured him a scholarship in Sutton Hospital (now Charter House). He entered Pembroke College, Oxford, in 1625, obtaining an “A. B." in 1627. (See Chap. XLII.)

1631.]

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for him. Plymouth had no charter to be assailed or lost, and she was sufficiently liberal to tolerate illiberality.

In November (1631) the indomitable Peirce brought the "Lion" again to Boston. Among his passengers was John Eliot, who, though yet to win a deathless fame, was little noticed in the public enthusiasm which welcomed Governor Winthrop's wife and family. The Bay people had ever a high respect for official dignity, though their favor was often fickle; while, on the other hand, their Plymouth neighbors were very constant, but not enthusiastic. It was now thought a delicate compliment to receive the lady with a turn-out of the whole militia. The second day after, the substantials and luxuries of the Colony came pouring in to the Governor's great "framed house;" and there was such universal feasting in honor of the arrival that the grateful Winthrop declared it a great marvel that so much people and food could be got together in Boston at such short notice. Some two weeks later Governor Bradford came up from Plymouth and paid his respects to Mrs. Winthrop. Of course due honor awaited him at Boston's executive mansion; but he preferred to slip down the harbor and spend the night on board the “Lion” with his old friend Captain Peirce. Bradford was impatient of ceremony or parade; and it may well be supposed that the aristocratic formalists at the Bay were far less congenial to him than the intelligent veteran of the "Lion."

CHAPTER XXXIX.

SIR CHRISTOPHER GARDINER'S ESCAPADES.

N 1630 came to Boston Sir Christopher Gardiner, “Knight of the Sepulchre," who expressed a desire to forsake the world and pursue "a godly course," even to supporting himself by humble pursuits; and who sought admission to the church. Finally, at Neponset River, seven miles out from Boston, he began housekeeping with two servants and "a comely young woman whom he called his cousin."

The next winter Captain Peirce, returning to Boston with the "Lion," said that in London he had visited two ladies who had each been married and deserted by Gardiner, and who now, "condoling each other's estate," were living together. They had both written to Winthrop. The first wife only asked the truant's safe return to his duty; while the other, whom he had robbed of costly jewels, plate, and linen, mildly desired his "destruction for his foul abuse." One of the injured ladies, expressing her opinion of the knight's "cousin" with extreme plainness, desired her return to England along with Sir Christopher.

It was resolved to ship the couple back to London, and a force was sent to bring them to Boston. The knight was wary, and fled, fully armed, to the woods. His housekeeper was taken to Boston. But Dudley declared her to be "impenitent and close;" she would only admit that her name was Mary Grove, that Sir Christopher and she had until recently been Catholics, but were now Protestants, and that the knight had formerly a wife in Europe, but she was dead. Grim Dudley

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dismissed the case with the remark: "So we have taken order to send her to the two wives in Old England, and let them search her further!" Still, he calls her "a gentlewoman."

Soon after, the Indians told Bradford that Gardiner was lurking about Namasket (Middleborough), and naïvely asked leave to kill him. Bradford, sternly forbidding their harming the man, hired them to bring him in. The savages had a fear of the knight's weapons; but by the upsetting of his canoe as he was escaping from them across Namasket River, he lost his gun and rapier. Scrambling ashore, he stood at bay with his dagger; but the natives, beating this from his hands with long poles, captured him.

Gardiner, when the Indians led him into Plymouth like some wild beast, was found with his arms very sore and much swelled, from the blows given to disarm him. Bradford, censuring the Indians for the violence they had used, treated the knight with much hospitality, and provided him with such surgical treatment as quickly healed his injuries. At length Captain Underhill came from Boston and took Gardiner back as a prisoner. Bradford kindly besought Winthrop's leniency for the knight, and was assured that while "no hard measure" had been intended, "he shall speed the better for your mediation." With a thoughtfulness not always or often shown in the future, Massachusetts insisted on paying Plymouth for all her cost and trouble.

The errant pair were not sent to England, though until recent researches1 the contrary has always been stated. They remained several months at Boston, where the knight was rather an honored guest than a prisoner. In August, 1631, Thomas Purchase of Maine visited Boston. In 1628 he had settled where is now Brunswick; and in 1654, being the leader of that region (Merrymeeting Bay), he was placed over it as magistrate, by Plymouth, whom the English Government had ordered to extend its authority there. Purchase married Mary Grove on this Boston visit, and not only took her to his

1 By Charles Francis Adams, Jr., whose article in "Harper's Monthly," March, 1883, made known the connection of Purchase with the case.

Maine home, but also for the next year had Sir Christopher as a guest. This implies that the scandal in the case had come to be disbelieved, or that Mr. Purchase was practical rather than sentimental. Madam Purchase, who seems to have made a good wife, died at Boston in 1656-7, and the Worshipful Thomas, re-marrying, survived to the age of a hundred and one.

Gardiner professed many thanks for Boston's "great courtesy" to him; but late in 1632, on reaching London, he actively co-operated with Morton, Ratliffe, Mason, Gorges, and other malignant enemies of Massachusetts Colony. Indeed, he and Morton were at the Bay as agents and spies for Gorges, who was hoping to deprive the Bostonians of the north side of their harbor and bay. It was sought to silence Gardiner by proceedings for bigamy; but the failure to make out a case against him mystifies the story told to Peirce, and makes the knight's whole record a puzzle. He no more appears in history, unless in 1656 he was Charles II.'s London spy, described as "Christopher Gardiner, an American."