In what high employment, had? Lyford been engaged?

In what manner, did he salute the Plymotheans ?

How did they receive him? What special mark of respect did Bradford show him?

What special privilege did he dire ?

With whom, did Lyford soon be come intimately acquainted? What spirit did they soon manifest? With what, was it suspected, that Lyford's letters to England were fraught?

Who ascertained this point? With what, were Lyford's letters filled?

been made all of love, and the humblest person in the world." They received him with the utmost kindness, and gave him the best enter

Indeed the great Bradford himself was so pleased with his apparent piety, affection and intelligence, that in difficult cases, he would often consult Lyford, as though he had been another Brewster.

At length, he expressed a desire

exposures, and many of them sinking to their eternal rest. We have seen the emaciated survivors, continued in the furnace of affliction, still trusting in God, patient in tri-tainment, their poverty could afford. bulation, rejoicing in hope. We have seen them increased by small accessions of their friends, exposed to death from the vengeance of surrounding natives, who had plotted to shed their blood. From this horrid conspiracy, we have seen them delivered by the wonder-to become a member of their church. working providence of God, through He made a copious confession of the instrumentality of the faithful his faith or religious opinions; and Massasoit, and the desperate valor added an acknowledgment of his of Standish and his little army. former corruptions and vices, with Let us now behold them under a which, he professed, that his contrial much more unexpected, and science had been greatly burdened. perhaps scarcely less excruciating, He was accordingly received; and than any of the preceding. This so far from making any objection, was occasioned by a conspiracy, it is probable, that the church reformed among themselves, for thejoiced in the acquisition of such a purpose of overturning at once, brother. their infant church and state.

66

Ere long, he formed an acquaintEarly in the spring of 1624, came ance with Mr. John Oldham. They over Mr. John Lyford, sent by some soon became intimate, and maniof the adventurers in England. Hefested a spirit of perverseness and had been a preacher, When he came ashore, he saluted the Plymotheans with the greatest apparent reverence and humility. "And indeed," says Morton, he made them ashamed, he so bowed and cringed unto them, and would have kissed their hands, if they would have suffered him. Yea, he wept, and shed many tears, blessing God, that had brought him to see their faces, and admiring the things they had done in their wants, as if he had

malignity. They spared no pains, to draw as many as possible, into their faction. However vile and profane, they were received by these conspirators, and encouraged in their wickedness, especially in speaking evil of the church. Pri vate meetings and whispering were multiplied, while they were feasting their imaginations in anti cipation of the great things, which they hoped to accomplish. Not withstanding all their efforts to pre

Why did Bradford say nothing of Lyford's letters, for some weeks? What officer did Oldham abuse with most opprobrious language? What duty had Standish required him to perform?

What punishment was then inflicted upon Oldham ?

Who soon held a separate mecting on the Sabbath?

Who were assembled, when a court was formed, to try the disor

Conduct of Oldham, when Brad-ganizers ? ford, sent a messenger to quell the tumult?

serve a fair appearance, their works of darkness could not wholly elude the vigilance of Bradford and others.

1

}

Of what, were Lyford and Oldham accused?

possibility of his denying them to be his.

ters of Lyford and Oldham, they found one from another hand, stating, that these men intended to have a reformation in church and commonwealth, and that as scon as the ship was gone, they intended to join together, and have the sa crament separately. Oldham's letters showed him to be as deep in the plot as Lyford.

The conspirators, suspecting what was the governor's errand to At length, the ship, which brought the ship, appeared somewhat abashLyford, was about to return to Eng-ed, when he returned. But the land. It had been observed, that for discoveries being kept a profound some time, he had been much en-secret, in a few weeks, they apgaged in writing letters; and it peared as brisk and cheerful as evwas suspected, that they were deeper, and proceeded to the complely fraught with evil. The gover- tion of their nefarious arrangements. nor and some of his friends fearing, The design of this silence was to that Lyford's letters might have a discover their accomplices That pernicious influence in England, they had accomplices, was too evithought it their duty to make dil-dent already. For besides the letigent search, to ascertain their contents. They accordingly went to the ship, that lay at some distance, and called for all the letters, that had been sent there by Lyford and Oldham. It happened very fortunately, that Mr. Pierce, the Capt. of the vessel, was friendly to Bradford, and willing to afford him every possible aid in detecting and exposing the strange machinations of these two men. He accordingly produced all their letters, entrusted to his care. Twenty were found from the pen of Lyford; many of them long, and most copiously replenished with slanders and railing As it was judged necessary to accusations against the Plymothe-keep a guard, to prevent being surans, tending to the injury and ruin prised by hostile Indians, Oldham of their colony. Of most of these, was called upon by Capt. Standish, they took copies, and sent the orig-to take his turn in the performance inals to England. Of some of the of that duty. But Oldham refused worst, they kept the originals, and to obey the Captain's order, called sent copies to England. These him rascal, and beggarly rascal originals they kept, to witness and drew his knife at him, though against him, and to prevent the Standish offered him not the least

At length, the conspirators began more openly to attempt the execution of their wicked designs. They manifested a disposition to find fault and contend with one and another for the merest trifle.

How did they treat these char- How did his partizans appear? ges? With what, were Lyford's conpro-federates filled, when his conduct was more particularly exposed? How did Lyford attempt to palliate his crimes?

What evidence was then duced against Lyford? How was Lyford affected? How was Oldham affected? Of what, did he complain? To what, did he then call his {artizans ?

Why did he not succeed in this? How did he manifest his sorrow, when he was fully convicted?

violence, nor gave him one unpleas-bellion." My masters," said he,

said, that several persons had made complaints to him, and stated particulars. But this only conduced to plunge him deeper in the mire. The persons being all present, denied every word.

ant word. Gov. Bradford hearing "where are your hearts? Now the tumult, sent a messenger to show your courage. You have ofquell it. But Oldham, becoming ten complained to me. Now is the still more outrageous, ranted with time, if you will do any thing, I great fury, and called them all will stand by you," &c. &c. But traitors. Upon this, he was ap-none of his party dared to speak, or prehended, and committed to pris- to move, in opposition to authority. on. Appearing much moderated The Gov. then turned to Lyford, by the infliction of a small punish-exhibited his letters, caused them anent, he was released upon trial. to be openly read, and made such Shortly after, Lyford and his a striking exhibition of his hypocaccomplices, without the least inti-risy, treachery and ingratitude, as mation to the Gov. the elder or the filed all his confederates with shame church, withdrew themselves, and and confusion. held a separate meeting on the Sab- After a while, poor Lyford rebath, with many manifestations of covered a little courage, and atan insolent and factious disposition.tempted to palliate his crimes. He It was thought high time to call these disorganizers to account. A court being formed, and the whole company assembled, Lyford and Oldham were called to the bar of justice. They were accused of plotting against the colony, and disturbing the peace of both church and state. These charges, drawn out in many particulars, they al- "In conclusion, he was fully most totally denied, and boldly de- convicted, and burst out into tears, manded proof. Lyford pretended and confessed, he feared he was a to regard many allegations with reprobate his sins were so great, astonishment. His letters were that he doubted, that God would then produced; and he was in-not pardon ther; he was unsavostantly struck dumb. Not so with ry salt, &c. and that he had so Oldham. He broke out in rage wronged them, as he could never and fury bitterly complaining, make them amends; confessed all that their letters were intercepted he had written against them, was Nor did he stop here. Then, and false and naught, both for matter there it was, that he erected the and manner; and all this he did standard of open mutiny, and call-with as much fulness, as words and ed his partizans to immediate re- tears could express."

They then proceeded to deal with him more particularly respecting his dissimulation in the church, &c. &c.

What did he confess respecting what he had written against the people of Plymouth?

What sentence was pronounced against Lyford and Oldham ? Why did they give Lyford a respite of 6 months?

What did Lyford acknowledge respecting his sentence?

To whom, did he afterwards nake more full confession?

How soon after, did he justify almost every slander, that he had confessed?

In what year, did Oldham return to Plymouth

How did he then appear? With what farewell, was he sent off the second time?

Where was he in great peril, about a year after ?

How was he then affected by a

whole company, with so many tears

the hardiness and presumption to justify almost all things contained in his former letters, which he had acknowledged to be such egregious lies and slanders.

Thus convicted and condemned, Lyford and Oldham were sentenc-and censures of himself, he had now ed to banishment; Oldham, to depart immediately, and Lyford, after six months. They had some hope that Lyford's repentance was sincere, and that his conduct would be such, as to render it consistent to remit his punishment. Accord-ham had the presumption to return ingly, the one departed, and the other remained.

Early the next year, 1625, Old

to Plymouth, contrary to his sentence of expulsion. He now ap peared more outrageous than ever, He called them all rebels and trai tors. His fury was soon moderat

Lyford acknowledged, that his censure was far less, than he deserved, and afterwards confessed his sin to the church with more ful-ed, however, by imprisonment. ness and more weeping than before. He confessed, that if God should make him a vagabond in the earth, like Cain, it would be just. He confessed, that three things had excited him to these works of iniquity, pride, vain-glory and selflove.

Some were so affected with the. appearance of his deep sorrow and repentance, that they were willing to fall on their knees, and beg for his restoration.

Being taken out of prison, he was compelled to pass between a number of soldiers, each of whom was ordered to give him a blow with the but end of his musket. He was then conducted to the water-side, and consigned to a boat, with this farewell, Go, and mend your man

ners

About a year afterwards, he was exposed to imminent danger at sea, on the shoals of Cape Cod. At that awful extremity, fearing that every hour would be his last, a sense of his guilt rushed upon him, like a giant. He trembled; he prayed; though perhaps he had never before so much as attempted to offer up a desire to God. To his companions in danger, he confessed, that he had

About two months after, he wrote a letter to the adventurers in England. The person, to whom the letter was entrusted, delivered it to Gov. Bradford. What must have been the grief, as well as amazement of that good man, when he saw its contents. After all Ly-exceedingly injured the church and ford's convictions, confessions and people of Plymouth; and that, as public acknowledgments in the pres- he had sought their ruin, so God ence of God and his church and the had now met with him, and might

view of his conduct at Plymouth?
What did he confess to his ship-in 1624 ?
mates?

What vow did he make?

What was his conduct afterwards?

By whom, was he murdered in 1636?

Of what war, was his murder a cause?

Where did Lyford die ?

If Lyford was in some measure insane, by what, was his insanity probably produced?

Meaning of insane?

When Lyford's six months were expired, so far from reformation, he had doubled his crimes, and was only fit to be cast out, as unsavory salt. It appeared upon farther inquiry, that he had been a profligate character, and bad caused many a heart to bleed in Ireland and Eng-church. If religion were not a reland.