At length, when the ship was ready to go, it was discovered that Lyford was long in writing, and sent many letters and could not forbear to communicate with his intimates such things therefrom as made them laugh in their sleeves, thinking he had done their errands satisfactorily. The Governor and some of his friends, knowing how matters stood in England, and what harm this might do, took a shallop and went out with the ship a league or two to sea, and called for Lyford’s and Oldham’s letters. Mr. William Pierce being captain of the ship, and knowing well the mischief they made both here and in England, afforded them all the assistance he could. He found above twenty of Lyford’s letters, many of them long and full of slanders and false accusations, tending not only to their prejudice but even aiming at their ruin. Most of the letters they let pass, but took copies of them; of some they sent true copies and kept the originals, lest he should deny that he had written them. Amongst them they found copies of two which he sent enclosed in a letter of his to Mr. John Pemberton, a minister, and a great opponent of theirs. Of these two letters of which he had taken the copies, one of them was written by a gentleman in England to Mr. Brewster, the other by Mr. Winslow to Mr. John Robinson in Holland, at his coming away, as the ship lay at Gravesend. They were lying sealed in the main cabin; and whilst Mr. Winslow was busy about the affairs of the ship, this sly mischief-maker opens them, makes copies, and seals them up again; and not only sends the copies to his friend and their adversary, but adds in the margin many scurrilous and flouting annotations!
The ship went out towards evening, and in the night the Governor returned. They were somewhat blank at it, but after some weeks, as they heard nothing, they were as brisk as ever, thinking nothing was known, and all had gone well for them, and that the Governor had only gone to despatch his own letters. The reason why the Governor and the rest took no steps at once was in order to let things ripen so that they might the better discover their intention and see who were their adherents; for, amongst others they had found a letter from one of their confederates, stating that Mr. Oldham and Mr. Lyford intended a reformation in church and commonwealth, and that as soon as the ship was gone, they intended to join together and have the sacraments, etc.
As for Oldham, few of his letters were found, for he was so bad a scribe that his hand was scarcely legible; but he was as deeply involved as the other. So, thinking they were now strong enough, they began to pick quarrels at everything. Oldham being told off to stand watch according to order, refused to come, calling the captain a beggarly rascal, resisting him, and drawing his knife on him, though he had done him no wrong nor spoken to him improperly, but had merely required him with all fairness to do his duty. The Governor, hearing the tumult, sent to quiet it; but Oldham ramped more like a furious beast than a man, and called them all traitors, and rebels, and other such foul language as I am ashamed to remember; but after he had been clapped up awhile, he came to himself, and with some slight punishment was let go upon his behaviour, pending further censure.
But to cut things short, at length it came to this, that Lyford with his accomplices, without speaking one word to either the Governor, the Church, or the elder, withdrew themselves, and held a separate public meeting on the Lord’s day; and with many such insolent doings, too long to relate here, began to act publicly what they had been plotting privately. It was thought high time to prevent further mischief by calling them to account; so the Governor called a court, and summoned the whole company to appear, and charged Lyford and Oldham with their guilt. But they were stubborn, and resolutely denied the charges, and required proof. The court first alleged that from what had been written to them from England, and from their practises here, it was evident they were plotting against them, and disturbing the peace, both in respect of their civil and church estate, which was most injurious to the colony; for both they and all the world knew that they had come here to enjoy liberty of conscience and the free use of God’s ordinances, and for that end had ventured their lives and had already passed through so much hardship; and they and their friends had borne the expense of these beginnings, which was not small. They pointed out that Lyford for his part was sent over at their expense, and that both he and his large family were maintained by them; that he had joined the church, and was a member of it; and for him to plot against them and seek their ruin, was most unjust and perfidious. As for Oldham, or any one who came over at his own expense, and were on their own resources, they had been received in courtesy by the plantation, coming to seek shelter and protection under its wings, being unable to stand alone; but as the hedgehog in the fable, whom the coney on a stormy day invited in pity into her burrow, would not be content to share it with her, but in the end with her sharp pricks forced the poor coney out, so these men, with similar injustice, endeavoured to do the like by those who entertained them.
Lyford denied that he had anything to do with the people in England, or knew their plans, and pretended similar ignorance of the other charges. Then his letters were produced and some of them read, at which he was struck dumb. But Oldham began to rage furiously, that they had intercepted and opened the letters. Threatening them in very high language, he stood up and in a most audacious and mutinous manner called upon the people, saying,—My masters, where are your hearts? Now show your courage; you have often complained to me so and so; now is the time; if you will do anything, I will stand by you, etc. Thinking that everyone who, knowing his humour, had soothed and flattered him, or otherwise in a moment of discontent uttered anything to him, would now side with him in open rebellion. But he was disappointed; not a man opened his mouth, for all were struck silent by the injustice of the thing.
Then the Governor turned to Mr. Lyford, and asked him if they thought he had done wrong to open his letters; but he was silent and dare not say a word, knowing well what they might reply. Then the Governor explained to the people that he had done it as a magistrate, and was bound to do it to prevent the mischief and ruin that this conspiracy and plot of theirs might otherwise have brought to the colony. But Lyford, besides his misbehaviour here, had dealt treacherously with his friends that trusted him, and stole their letters, and opened them, and sent copies of them with disgraceful annotations to his friends in England. Then the Governor produced them and his other letters under his own hand, which he could not deny, and had them read before all the people: at which all his friends were blank, and had not a word to say.
It would be too long and tedious to insert his letters here—they would almost fill a volume—though I have them by me. I shall only note a few of the chief things from them, with the answers to them as they were then given, as instances.
1. He said that the church desired that no one should live here except its members; nor would anyone willingly do so, if they had but company with which to live elsewhere.
Ans: Their answer was that this was false, in both its parts; for they were willing and desirous that any honest men should live with them, who would behave peaceably, and seek the common good,—or at least do them no harm; and that there were many who would not live elsewhere, so long as they were permitted to live with them.
2. That if any honest men came over who were not dissenters, they soon disliked them, etc.