forfeited in Europe. Their clergy (unlike that revered band who
acquired so singular a fame elsewhere in New England) were too often
destitute of the religious fervor which should have kept them in the
track of virtue, unaided by the restraints of human law and the dread of
worldly dishonor; and there are records of lamentable lapses on the part
of those holy men, which, if we may argue the disorder of the sheep from
the unfitness of the shepherd, tell a sad tale as to the morality of the
eastern provinces. In this state of society, the future governor grew
up; and many years after, sailing with a fleet and an army to make war
upon the French, he pointed out the very hills where be had reached the
age of manhood, unskilled even to read and write. The contrast between
the commencement and close of his life was the effect of casual
circumstances. During a considerable time, he was a mariner, at a
period when there was much license on the high-seas. After attaining to
some rank in the English navy, he heard of an ancient Spanish wreck off
the coast of Hispaniola, of such mighty value, that, according to the
stories of the day, the sunken gold might be seen to glisten, and the
diamonds to flash, as the triumphant billows tossed about their spoil.
These treasures of the deep (by the aid of certain noblemen, who claimed
the lion's share) Sir William Phips sought for, and recovered, and was
sufficiently enriched, even after an honest settlement with the partners
of his adventure. That the land might give him honor, as the sea had
given him wealth, he received knighthood from King James. Returning to
New England, he professed repentance of his sins (of which, from the
nature both of his early and more recent life, there could scarce fail
to be some slight accumulation), was baptized, and, on the accession of
the Prince of Orange to the throne, became the first governor under the
second charter. And now, having arranged these preliminaries, we shall
attempt to picture forth a day of Sir William's life, introducing no
very remarkable events, because history supplies us with none such