Ecclesiastical History. 15 



secution had subjected him. I give, however, Winthrop's account 

 in his own words : — 



"In 1646. (9). 4. ] This court the business of Gorton, &c, and of 

 the petitioners Dr. Child, &c, were taken into consideration, and it was 

 thought needful to send some able men to England, with commission and 

 instructions to satisfy the commissioners for plantations about those com- 

 plaints ; and because it was a matter of so great and general concernment, 

 such of the elders as could be had were sent for, to have their advice in 

 the matter. Mr. Hubbard, of Hingham, came with the rest ; but the 

 court, being informed that he had an hand in a petition which Mr. Vassall 

 carried into England against the country in general, the governour pro- 

 pounded that if any elder present had any such hand, &c, he would with- 

 draw himself. Mr. Hubbard sitting still a good space, and no man 

 speaking, one of the deputies informed the court that Mr. Hubbard was 

 the man suspected ; whereupon he rose and said that he knew nothing of 

 any such petition. The governour replied, that, seeing he was now named, 

 he must needs deliver his mind about him ; which was, that, although 

 they had no proof present about the matter of the petition, and therefore 

 his denial was a sufficient clearing, &c, yet in regard he had so much 

 opposed authority and offered such contempt to it, as for which he had 

 been lately bound to his good behaviour, he thought he would (in dis- 

 cretion) withdraw himself, &c, whereupon he went out. Then the gover- 

 nour put the court in mind of a great miscarriage, in that our secretest 

 counsels were presently known abroad, which could not be but by some 

 among ourselves, and desired them to look at it as a matter of great 

 unfaithfulness, and that our present consultations might be kept in the 

 breast of the court, and not be divulged abroad, as others had been." 



Winthrop then remarks upon a special providence of God (as 

 he terms it), in which he takes it for granted that Mr. Hobart, 

 the people of Hingham, and Dr. Child entertained similar views, 

 if they did not openly combine their efforts to promote them. 



" I must here observe a special providence of God, pointing out his dis- 

 pleasure against some profane persons who took part with Dr. Child, &c, 

 against the government and churches here. The court had appointed a 

 general fast, to seek God (as for some other occasions, so) in the trouble 

 which threatened us by the petitioners, &c. The pastor of Hingham, and 

 others of hi* church (being of their party), made light of it, and some 

 said they would not fast against Dr. Child and against themselves ; and 

 there were two of them (one Pitt and Johnson) who, having a great raft 

 of masts and planks (worth forty or fifty pounds) to tow to Boston, would 

 needs set forth about noon the day before (it being impossible they could 

 get to Boston before the fast ; but when they came at Castle Island there 

 arose such a tempest, as carried away their raft, and forced them to cut 

 their mast to save their lives. Some 6f their masts and planks they re- 

 covered after, where it had been cast on shore ; but when they came with 

 it to the Castle, they were forced back again, and were so oft put back 

 with contrary winds, &c, as it was above a month before they could bring 

 all the remainder to Boston." 



The editor of Winthrop in noticing these remarks very justly 

 observes, that " unless we be always careful to consider the cause 



