36     court and Testamentary Business, 1 638.

            Liber Z.    are vnder his subiection, especially in this heathen country

                  where no godly minister is to teach and instruct ignorant

                  people in the grounds of religion. And as for people wch

                  cometh vnto the said Lewis or otherwise to passe the crceke,

                  the said Lewis taketh occasion to call them into his chamber,

                  and there laboureth with all vehemency craft and subtlety to

                  delude ignorant persons. Therefore we beseech you brethen

                  in Or Lo: and Savir XSt Jesus that you who have power that you

                  will doe in what lieth in you to have these absurd abuses and

                  herediculous crimes to be reclaymed, and that God and his

                  ministers may not be so heinously troden downe by such

                  ignominious speeches; and no doubt but he or they wch strive

                  to vphold Gods ministers and word, he shalbe recompcnccd

                  wth eternall ioy and felicity to reigne in that aeternall kingdome

                  wth xst Jesus, vnder whose banner we fight for evermore.

                  All wch words aforesaid wth hath beene spoken against wm

                  Lewis, the parties herevnder written wilbe deposed when time

                  and opportunity shalbe thought meete.

                     And being further examined touching the intent of the

                  writing, francis Gray said that he was not acquainted with the

                  writing till it was delivered it to him by Robt Sedgrave, & that

                  he had not as yet read it; & that Robt Sedgrave desired him

                  to publish it to some of the freemen, & to the intent onely to

                  procure them to ioine in a petition to the Governr & Counsell

                  nf this Province for the redressing of those greivous wch were

                  complained of in the writing. wherevpon the Captaine willed

                  them to attend againe in the afternoone & to bring security

                  for their answering the matter at the Court; and in the meane

                  time to demeane themselves quietly and soberly. And in the

                  afternoone, the Captaine and mr Secretary bound them over

                  wth 2. sureties to answere it at the next Court.

                     On Tuesday 3d July; the Sheriff was commanded by warrt

                  from the Governor to bring william Lewis, Robt Sedgrave,

                  ffrancis Gray, xpofer Carroll and Ellis Beach into the Court,

                  where were present the Governor, the Captaine and mr Secre

                  tary. the Governor demanded of Robt Sedgrave whether that

                  were his writing; and he confessed it. he demanded further

                  touching the intent of the writing; and he answered as aforc;

                  and being demanded who moved or advised him to that course;

                  he said that himselfe and ffrancis Gray being much offended

               p. 71    wth the speeches of william Lewis, ffrancis Gray did wish him

                  to draw a writing to some of the freemen, and lie would pro

                  cure them to ioine in a petition to the Governr & Counsell wch

                  the said Robt Sedgrave did accordingly the next day: but ffrancis

                  Gray wished him to keepe it till he had spoken wth mr Coply;

                     was on Satturday the last of June; and on Sunday morning

                  meeting wth francis Gray at the ffort, he asked him whether he