might
_ignorantly_, or _through mistake_, have deviated from the Charter; to
accept, indeed, any demands consistent with the Charter (as they
interpreted it), the existing Government established under it, and the
'main ends of our predecessors in coming hither,' which main ends were
defined by them to be 'our liberties and privileges in matters of
religion and worship of God, which you are, therefore, in no wise to
consent to any infringement of.' They were authorized to give up Maine
to the King, and even to tender him a private gratuity of two thousand
guineas. Bribes were quite fashionable at Charles's Court; the King and
his servants were accustomed to take them. The Massachusetts agents[180]
had expended considerable sums to purchase a favour, or to obtain
information, and by having clerks of the Privy Council in their pay they
were kept well informed of the secret deliberations of that body. But
this offer (of a bribe of two thousand guineas to the King), unskilfully
managed, and betrayed by Cranfield, the lately appointed Royal Governor
of New Hampshire, who had advised the magistrates to make it, exposed
the Colony to blame and ridicule."[181]

"If a liberty of appeal to England were insisted on, the agents were
'not to include the colony in any act or consent of theirs, but to crave
leave to transmit the same to the General Court for their further
consideration.' They were 'not to make any alteration of the
qualifications that were required by law, as at present established,
respecting the _admission of freemen_.'"[182]

It having appeared, on the perusal of the commission of the
Massachusetts agents by Sir Lionel Jenkins, Secretary of State, that
they did not possess the powers required to enable them to act, they
were informed by Lord Radnor that "the Council had unanimously agreed to
report to his Majesty, that unless the agents speedily obtained such
powers as might render them capable to satisfy in all points, a _quo
warranto_ should proceed."

"Upon receipt of these advices," says Mr. Hutchinson, "it was made a
question, not in the General Court only, but amongst all the
inhabitants, whether to surrender or not. The opinions of many of the
ministers, and their arguments in support of them, were given in
writing, and in general it was thought better to die by the hands of
others than by their own.[183] The address was agreed upon by the
General Court; another was prepared and sent through the colony, to