6 History of Hingham. 



he not then accepting it, they put it to the vote, whether he should he 

 their captain. The vote passing for it, he then told the company, it was 

 now past question, and thereupon Allen accepted it, and exercised the 

 company two or three days, only about a third part of them followed the 

 lieutenant. He, having denied in the open field, that authority had ad- 

 vised him to lay down his place, and putting (in some sort) the lie upon 

 those who had so reported, was the next Lord's day called to answer it 

 before the church, and he standing to maintain what he had said, five 

 witnesses were produced to convince him. Some of them affirmed the 

 words, the others explained their meaning to be. that one magistrate 

 had so advised him. He denied both. Whereupon the pastor, one Mr. 

 Hubbert, (brother to three of the principal in this sedition), was very 

 forward to have excommunicated the lieutenant presently, but, upon 

 some opposition, it was put off to the next day. Thereupon the lieuten- 

 ant and some three or four more of the chief men of the town informed 

 four of the next magistrates of these proceedings, who forthwith met at 

 Boston about it, (viz. the deputy governour, the sergeant major general, 

 the secretary, and Mr. Hibbins). These, considering the case, sent war- 

 rant to the constable to attach some of the principal offenders (viz. three 

 of the Hubbards and two more) to appear before them at Boston, to find 

 sureties for their appearance at the next court, &c. Upon the day they 

 came to Boston, but their said brother the minister came before them, 

 and fell to expostulate with the said magistrates about the said cause, 

 complaining against the complainants, as talebearers, &c, taking it very 

 disdainfully that his brethren should be sent for by a constable, with other 

 high speeches, which were so provoking, as some of the magistrates told 

 him, that, were it not for the respect to his ministry, they would commit 

 him. When his brethren and the rest were come in, the matters of the 

 information were laid to their charge, which they denied for the most part. 

 So they were bound over (each for other) to the next court of assistants. 

 After this five others were sent for by summons (these were only for 

 speaking untruths of the magistrates in the church). They came before 

 the deputy governour, when he was alone, and demanded the cause of their 

 sending for, and to know their accusers. The deputy told them so much 

 of the cause as he could remember, and referred them to the secretary for 

 a copy, and for their accusers he told them they knew both the men and 

 the matter, neither was a judge bound to let a criminal offender know 

 his accusers before the day of trial, but only in his own discretion, least 

 the accuser might be taken off or perverted, &c. Being required to give 

 bond for their appearance, &c, they refused. The deputy laboured to 

 let them see their errour, and gave them time to consider of it. About 

 fourteen days after, seeing two of them in the court, (which was kept 

 by those four magistrates for smaller causes), the deputy required them 

 again to enter bond for their appearance, &c, and upon their second 

 refusal committed them in that open court. 



" The general court falling out before the court of assistants, the Hub- 

 berts and the two which were committed, and others of Hingham, about 

 ninety, (whereof Mr. Hubbert their minister was the first), presented a 

 petition to the general court, to this effect, that whereas some of them 

 had been bound over, and others committed by some of the magistrates 

 for words spoken concerning the power of the general court, and their 

 liberties, and the liberties of the church, &c, they craved that the court 

 would hear the cause, &c. This was first presented to the deputies, who 



