he knoweth that his time is short. All our godly pastors are to be
dragged to prison. We shall see them at a Smithfield fire in King
street."

Hereupon the people of each parish gathered closer round their
minister, who looked calmly upward and assumed a more apostolic
dignity, as well befitted a candidate for the highest honor of his
profession--a crown of martyrdom. It was actually fancied at that
period that New England might have a John Rogers of her own to take
the place of that worthy in the _Primer_.

"The pope of Rome has given orders for a new St. Bartholomew," cried
others. "We are to be massacred, man and male-child."

Neither was this rumor wholly discredited; although the wiser class
believed the governor's object somewhat less atrocious. His predecessor
under the old charter, Bradstreet, a venerable companion of the first
settlers, was known to be in town. There were grounds for conjecturing
that Sir Edmund Andros intended at once to strike terror by a parade of
military force and to confound the opposite faction by possessing
himself of their chief.

"Stand firm for the old charter-governor!" shouted the crowd, seizing
upon the idea--"the good old Governor Bradstreet!"

While this cry was at the loudest the people were surprised by the
well-known figure of Governor Bradstreet himself, a patriarch of
nearly ninety, who appeared on the elevated steps of a door and with
characteristic mildness besought them to submit to the constituted
authorities.