George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 3, 15th edition.

[72] now settled in the colony. The council resisted; and

Chap. XIX.}

the question was referred to the people. Nearly four fifths of the towns instructed their representatives to

1689. May 22.

reassume; but the pertinacity of a majority of the council permitted only a compromise. In June, the

June 5.

representatives, upon a new choice, assembled in Boston. Again they refuse to act, till the old charter officers shall assume their power as of right. The council accepted the condition, but still as subject to directions from England. Indeed, the time had gone by. Already an address to King William had contained the assurance that ‘they had not entered upon the full exercise of the charter government,’ and was soon answered by the royal assent to the temporary organi-

Hutch. i. 347, 348.

zation which the council had adopted. But the popu lar party, jealous of the dispositions of Increase Mather, joined with him, in the agency for New England, Sir Henry Ashurst and two of their own adherents, the patriot Elisha Cook, and the honest but less able Thomas Oakes.

A revolution in opinion was impending. The reformation had rested truth on the Bible, as the Catholic church had rested it on tradition; and a slavish interpretation of the Bible had led to a blind idolatry of the book. But true religion has no alliance with bondage; and, as the spirit of the reformation, which was but a less perfect form of freedom of mind, was advancing, reason was summoned to interpret the records of the past, and to separate time-hallowed errors from truths of the deepest moment. The statute-book, in obedience to this adoration of the letter, had asserted the existence of witchcraft by establishing death as its penalty; sustaining both the superstition and its pun ishment by reference to the Jewish records.