one
day John Endicott led the little company of Salem militia out for a drill,
and saw that cross hanging over the governor's gate, the sight was more
than he could bear, and he--but Hawthorne has already told the story:--

Endicott gazed around at the excited countenances of the people,
now full of his own spirit, and then turned suddenly to the
standard-bearer, who stood close behind him.

"Officer, lower your banner!" said he.

The officer obeyed; and brandishing his sword, Endicott thrust it
through the cloth, and, with his left hand, rent the red cross
completely out of the banner. He then waved the tattered ensign
above his head.

"Sacrilegious wretch!" cried the High Churchman in the pillory,
unable longer to restrain himself, "thou hast rejected the symbol
of our holy religion!"

"Treason, treason!" roared the Royalist in the stocks. "He hath
defaced the King's banner!"

"Before God and man, I will avouch the deed," answered Endicott.
"Beat a flourish, drummer!--shout, soldiers and people!--in honor
of the ensign of New England. Neither Pope nor Tyrant hath part in
it now!"

With a cry of triumph the people gave their sanction to one of the
boldest exploits which our history records.

Endicott was one of the court assistants, but he was now removed from
his position and forbidden to hold any public office for one year. He
was fortunate in being permitted to retain his head.

Endicott had been punished, but the Puritan conscience was not yet at
rest, and now many of the militia declared that they did not think it
right to march under the cross. The whole militia could not well be
punished, and the commissioners for military affairs were as doubtful
as the honest militia men about what should be done. "We will leave it
to the next General Court to decide," they said, "and in the meantime
no flags shall be used anywhere."

This seemed a comfortable way to settle the question, but unluckily
there was a fort on Castle Island at the entrance to Boston Harbor,
and when an English vessel came sailing in, its captain refused to pay
any attention to a fort without a flag. Then the officer in command
rose to his dignity and made the ship--maybe with the aid of a ball
across her bows--strike her colors. The captain complained to the
authorities that the commandant of this flagless fort had insulted his
flag and his co