of helpful
measures and of iron nerves, who could "hew down forests and live on
crumbs."

From first to last he was the loyal supporter and trusty defender of
the Plymouth colony. No danger unnerved him, no duty staggered him.
With but eight men he started out, in 1623, to overawe and subdue the
Indians of Massachusetts--then an unknown and perplexing quantity;
single-handed he checked the conspiracy at Weymouth and turned the
tables upon the savage plotters, by himself assassinating the
assassins--a deed that saved the colony from Indian massacre, but
called forth the mild protest of the Pilgrim preacher at Leyden, Mr.
Robinson, who wrote of it: "Concerning the killing of these poor
Indians, oh! how happy a thing had it been, if you had converted some
before you had killed any.... Let me be bold to exhort you seriously
to consider of the disposition of your captain, whom I love. There is
cause to fear that by occasion, especially of provocation, there may
be wanting (in him) that tenderness of the life of man which is meet."
But the Pilgrims of Plymouth seem not to have questioned the decisive
measures of the man who knew when and how to act in their defence.
Alone he faced the roystering Morton at Merrymount, unarming that
vaporing rebel and putting his riotous colony upon its good behavior.
He led out the forty men of Plymouth enlisted for the Pequot War,
headed the expedition that in 1635, sailed against the encroaching
French in Penobscot Bay, and, as late as 1653, when "very auncient and
full of dolorous paines," expressed himself as ready to take the
command intrusted to him when the colony forces were about to enter
upon a struggle for the right of occupation of the Connecticut country
with the Dutch colonists of Manhattan.

He never refused any burden however heavy nor shirked any duty however
onerous; he cheerfully yielded obedience to the civil power, never
exceeding his orders, nor rashly assuming responsibilities, nor
leading his men upon unwise ventures. While always the military
commander of the colony, his counsel and help were counted as equally
valuable in matters of administration. He served repeatedly as one of
the governor's council; he was at one time assistant-governor or
deputy, and, from 1644 to 1649, was treasurer of the Plymouth colony.
He went to England as the envoy of the colonists in 1625, and in the
midst of plague, of evil times and of bitter jealousies, withstood the
tyranny of the