England, or any other of the Parliament's friends."--Palfrey's History
of New England, Vol. II., pp. 161-163.

Note.--It is plain from these words, as well as from other words quoted
elsewhere, how entirely and avowedly the Massachusetts Court identified
themselves with the Parliament and Cromwell against the King, though
they denied having done so in their addresses to Charles the Second.]

[Footnote 96: This maxim, that _the safety of the people is the supreme
law_, might, by a similar perversion, be claimed by any mob or party
constituting the majority of a city, town, or neighbourhood, as well as
by the Colony of Massachusetts, against the Parliament or supreme
authority of the nation. They had no doubt of their own infallibility;
they had no fear that they "should hereafter be of a malignant spirit;"
but they thought it very possible that the Parliament might be so, and
then it would be for them to fight if they should have "strength
sufficient." But after the restoration they thought it not well to face
the armies and fleets of Charles the Second, and made as humble, as
loyal, and as laudatory professions to him--calling him "the best of
kings"--as they had made to Cromwell.]

[Footnote 97: They say: "Receiving information by Mr. Winslow, our
agent, that it is the Parliament's pleasure that we should take a new
patent from them, and keep our Courts and issue our warrants in their
names, which we have not used in the late King's time or since, not
being able to discern the need of such an injunction,--these things make
us doubt and fear what is intended towards us. Let it therefore please
you, most honourable, we humbly entreat, to take notice hereby what were
our orders, upon what conditions and with what authority we came hither,
and what we have done since our coming. We were the first movers and
undertakers of so great an attempt, being men able enough to live in
England with our neighbours, and being helpful to others, and not
needing the help of any for outward things. About three or four and
twenty years since, seeing just cause to fear the persecution of the
then Bishops and High Commissioners for not conforming to the ceremonies
then pressed upon the consciences of those under their power, we thought
it our safest course to get to this outside of the world, out of their
view and beyond their reach. Yet before we resolved upon so great an
undertaking, wherein should be hazarded not only all our estates,