Endicott was a friend of Roger Williams, and much under his influence. Mr. Williams had preached a “discourse on the unlawfulness of all ceremonies and symbols, which had been borrowed from the service of idolatry or of Popery, on the ground that their use tended to lead men back to superstition and false religion." It was in accordance with this doctrine that Endicott, being the military commander, ordered the red cross to be cut from the King's military colors.* Endicott and Williams were both exceedingly strong in their hatred of Popery; but Endicott was naturally somewhat more hasty than Williams, though the anecdote is characteristic of both. There was nothing which Endicott regarded as a just principle, that he did not think should be put in practice. The attention of both these men, the preacher and the soldier, having been once turned to the Red Cross, and the question having occurred whether it was right to admit such a mark of the Beast in the ensigns of the Colony, it was almost as impossible to avoid agitation, as it is for some animals to prevent being infuriated at the sight of a red cloak. At length Mr. Endicott put an end to their questionings by erasing, on his own authority, a part of the red cross in the royal colors at Salem; enough, we suppose, to destroy the emblem of the cross, for their indignation was against the use of that sacred emblem in such a place, and not against the crimson hue.

The first record of this transaction we find in Gov. Winthrop's own Journal, of October 20th, 1634. He states that the ensign at Salem was defaced, namely, one part of the Red Cross taken away; which indeed savored of rebellion, but he says the truth was, it was done upon this opinion, that the Red Cross was given to the King of England by the Pope, as an ensign of victory, and so a superstitious thing, and a relic of Antichrist.†

* Prof. Gammell's Memoir of Roger Williams. Sparks's Am. Biog. v. 14, p. 36.

† Gov. Winthrop's Journal, p. 73.

It is next recorded, Nov. 27th, that the Governor's Assistants met at his house to advise concerning this matter, when they all expressed their dislike of this thing, and their purpose to punish the offenders; yet they were guarded, with as much wariness as they might use, being themselves doubtful of the lawfulness of the Cross in an ensign, though clear that the fact of the erasure in the colors, as concerning the manner, was very unlawful.

The result was, that in 1635 Mr. Endicott was left out from the magistracy at the election, and was called in question about defacing the cross in the ensign. A committee was appointed on this case, of one from every town, the magistrates also making choice of four. Their judgment was that the offence was great; that Mr. Endicott had been rash in taking more authority upon himself than he should have done, and indiscreet in not seeking advice of the Court; that his conduct was unwarrantable in that, judging the Cross to be a sin, he was content to have it reformed at Salem, not taking care that others might be brought out of it also; casting thus a blemish also upon the other magistrates, as if they would be willing to suffer idolatry. Mr. Endicott was publicly admonished, and rendered unable to bear office for the space of one year; they not being willing to deal a heavier sentence upon him, because they were persuaded that what he had done was out of tenderness of conscience, and not from any evil intent.*

It is evident that in the end Mr. Endicott's character did not suffer in the least with the Colony, by these transactions, for he was afterwards chosen to the highest offices in the gift of the people, and he was well known to be a man of integrity and piety. He pursued very much the same energetic course in regard to the King's red colors, that he did in regard to the obnoxious May Pole on Mount Dagon, the head quarters of Morton's revellings and insub*Gov. Winthrop's Journal, page 81.

ordination; but whereas in the latter case his zeal was wisely and admirably directed against a glaring evil, in the former it was an insignificant thing, to which his own opinions had given a fictitious importance. A part of the judgment of the Court is very curious; that his offence was the greater, because, judging the cross to be a sin, he was content to have it reformed at Salem, not taking care that others might be brought out of it also. One might have thought this would have mitigated the offence, because, it being a matter of opinion, he only bestirred himself where he had some authority to do so, and left others to judge and act as they pleased.

It is very clear that the antipathy of Williams and Endicott against all Popish emblems was shared by other as good men as they, in both Colonies. On the return of Governor Winthrop from his visit to the Colony at Plymouth, it is recorded in the Governor's Journal that they came to a place called Hue's Cross, and the Governor was much displeased at the name, in respect that such things might hereafter give the papists occasion to say that their religion was first planted in these parts; so he changed the name, and called it Hue's Folly.* Our Pilgrim Fathers were too near the age of martyrdom in England not to feel the necessity of such vigilance.

CHAPTER XX.

THE FIRST IMPOSITION OF A MINISTER, AND THE CHARACTER AND END OF THE MAN AND THE EFFORT.-CONSPIRACY OF LYFORD AND OLDHAM.-ENERGY AND PRUDENCE OF THE GOVERNOR.

THE colony of Pilgrims were evidently well supplied with an orderly and devout ministration of the Gospel, in the case of Mr. Brewster. There were some, however, in England, who insisted on their having an ordained minister, though doubtless mainly because they hoped thereby the more effectually to prevent Mr. Robinson from joining the colony, with the rest of the church in Leyden. There was, even at a very early period, a strong faction among the Merchant Adventurers, opposed to the Pilgrims, and to the influence of Robinson over them, and to his intention of joining them. In a letter in 1823, Robinson speaks in a saddened and desponding tone, both as to the state of the Church in Leyden, and the prospect of their ever getting to Plymouth. Doubtless the church suffered by the drawing away of so great a portion of its vitality, the Pilgrims being evidently amongst the most energetic and faithful of its members. And the faithful Pastor began to find himself in a trying position. He speaks of the good news they hear from the Pilgrims, "which makes us with the more patience bear our languishing state, and the deferring

of our desired transportation, which I call desired rather than hoped for, whatsoever you are borne in hand with by others." He then speaks of five or six of their bitter professed adversaries among the Adventurers, and of certain forward preachers of great influence, who of all others are unwilling that Robinson should join the Colony, having an eye themselves that way, and thinking, if he should go, "their market would be marred in many regards." "And for these adversaries, if they have but half their will to their malice, they will stop my course when they see it intended.” "Your God and ours and the God of all his, bring us together, if it be his will, and keep us in the mean while and always to his glory, and make us serviceable to his majesty, and faithful to the end. Amen."

But Robinson's work on earth was now nearly done; and so, in little more than two years after this, God called him home to his rest, away from the evil to come. Meanwhile, let us see how fully his predictions were fulfilled, and his discernment sustained in regard to the plottings against himself and the colony. His enemies in England were resolved, if possible, to break up the independent government of the colony, both civil and religious, and to establish an Episcopacy upon its ruins. For this purpose a plan was laid, and a fit instrument being found, the faction of Adventurers began to put it in execution. Mr. Winslow and Mr. Cushman were at this time in England on the business of the Pilgrims, but it is evident were not aware of the plot formed, nor of the character and designs of the agent employed, under the garb and profession of a preacher for the Colony.

The first rather quaint and curious notice of this affair we have in Gov. Bradford's notice of Mr. Cushman's letter to the Colony at the close of 1623, "wherein he writes that they (the Adventurers with Mr. Cushman) send a carpenter to build two ketches, a lighter, and six or seven shallops; a saltman, to make salt; and a preacher, though not the