upon the
Corporation to transmit the Charter to England, at the same time
authorising the present Government to continue in office until the
issuing of a new Charter. Mr. Cradock transmitted this letter to the
Governor of Massachusetts Bay, the General Court of which decided not to
acknowledge the receipt of it, pronouncing it "unofficial" (being
addressed to Mr. Cradock, who, though the Governor mentioned in the
Charter, and the largest proprietor, was not now Governor); that the
Lords Commissioners could not "proceed upon it," since they could not
prove that it had been delivered to the Governor; and they directed Mr.
Cradock's agent not to mention Lords Commissioners' letter when he wrote
to Mr. C.

At this juncture the whole attention of the King was turned from
Massachusetts to Scotland, his war with which resulted ultimately in the
loss of both his crown and his life.

In view of the facts stated in this and the preceding chapters, I think
it must be admitted that during the nine years which elapsed between
granting the first Charter by Charles and the resumption of it by _quo
warranto_ in the Court of King's Bench, the aggression and the hostility
was on the side of the Puritans of Massachusetts Bay. Their first act
was one of intolerance, and violation of the laws of England in
abolishing the worship of the Church of England, and banishing its
members for adhering to its worship. Their denials of it were an
admission of the unlawfulness of such acts, as they were also
dishonourable to themselves. Their maxim seems to have been, that the
end sanctified the means--at least so far as the King was concerned; and
that as they distrusted him, they were exempt from the obligations of
loyalty and truth in their relations to him; that he and his were
predestined reprobates, while they and theirs were the elected saints to
whom, of right, rule and earth belonged. They were evidently sincere in
their belief that they were the eternally elected heirs of God, and as
such had a right to all they could command and possess, irrespective of
king or savage. Their brotherhood was for themselves alone--everything
for themselves and nothing for others; their religion partook more of
Moses than of Christ--more of law than of Gospel--more of hatred than
of love--more of antipathy than of attractiveness--more of severity than
of tenderness. In sentiment and in self-complacent purpose they left
England to convert the savage heathen in