accused, and served to increase the number of horrid executions. The
clergy were often accused, and sometimes the judges themselves. The jails
were filled with infants, old men and women, the people were distracted
with gloomy apprehensions, and the country was stained with innocent
blood. At last the popular phrenzy began to subside, and gave way to
painful remorse. The eyes of the blinded fanatics were opened, so as to
discern their guilt; and a general fast was appointed to implore the
pardon and mercy of God for their enormous crimes and horrible delusions.

[Sidenote] Divide into different governments.

This colony, which was planted by oppression, in process of time owed its
extension to the same cause, Dissenters, who all claim an equal right to
liberty in religion, with respect to private judgment and opinion, were
not likely to remain long in harmony and peace among themselves. Though
they reprobated the doctrine of uniformity in England, yet they became
the most bigoted sticklers for it in their new settlement. The tenets of
others, who differed from their mode of worship, were condemned without
scruple or hesitation, insomuch that the oppression from which they fled
in Britain was like gentle toleration, when compared with that to which
they subjected their fellow-refugees. Hence various sectaries arose in
their settlement, who claimed the same right to dissent from them, which
they formerly did from the church of England. But their claim was
rejected, and of consequence a persecution for conscience sake commenced
among that people, who had become separatists in defence of universal
toleration. However, these sprigs, torn by violence from the old root,
had the same resource left; they separated, and planted themselves in a
new soil, and spread their branches over the country. Hence different
governments took their origin, and different colonies were settled, by
persons who were denied religious freedom, and the right of private