There they all with one assent put him to silence, crying out, heare the Governour, heare the Govern: who gave this sentence against mine Host at first sight: that he should be first put in the Billbowes, his goods should be all confiscated, his Plantation should be burned downe to the ground, because the habitation of the wicked should no more appeare in Israell, and [{164}] his person banished from those territories; and this put in execution with all speede.[525]
The Salvages reproove them.
The harmeles Salvages, (his neighboures,) came the while, (greived, poore silly lambes, to see what they went about,) and did reproove these Eliphants of witt for their inhumane deede: the Lord above did open their mouthes like Balams Asse, and made them speake in his behalfe sentences of unexpected divinity, besides morrallity; and tould them that god would not love them that burned this good mans howse; and plainely sayed that they who were new come would finde the want of such a howses in the winter: so much themselves to him confest.
Epictetus summa totius Philosophiæ.
The smoake that did assend appeared to be the very Sacrifice of Kain. Mine Host, (that a farre of abourd a ship did there behold this wofull spectacle,) knew not what hee should doe in this extremity but beare and forbeare, as Epictetus sayes[526]: it was bootelesse to exclaime.
Hee did consider then these transitory things are but ludibria fortunæ,[527] as Cicero calls them. All was burnt downe to the ground, and nothing did remaine but the bare ashes as an embleme of their cruelty: and unles it could, (like to the Phenix,) rise out of these ashes and be new againe, (to the immortall glory and renowne of this fertile Canaan the new,) the stumpes and postes in their black liveries will mourne; and piety it selfe will add a voyce to the bare remnant of that Monument, and make it cry for recompence, (or else revenge,) against the Sect of cruell Schismaticks.
[{165}] Chap. XXIV.
Of the digrading and creating gentry in New Canaan.[528]
There was a zealous Professor in the Land of Canaan, (growne a great Merchant in the Beaver trade,) that came over for his conscience sake, (as other men have done,) and the meanes, (as the phrase is,) who in his minority had bin prentice to a tombe maker; who, comming to more ripenes of yeares, (though lesse discretion,) found a kinde of scruple in his conscience that the trade was in parte against the second commandement:[529] and therefore left it off wholely, and betooke himselfe to some other imployments.