hem with that reverence &
humilitie as is seldome to be seen, and indeed made them ashamed, he so
bowed and cringed unto them, and would have kissed their hands if they
would have suffered him; yea, he wept & shed many tears, blessing God
that had brought him to see their faces; and admiring y^e things they
had done in their wants, &c. as if he had been made all of love, and y^e
humblest person in y^e world."

Nevertheless, not knowing his reprobate nature, they gave the clerical
the best entertainment they could, a larger allowance from the stored
food than any other had, and, "as the Gov^r had used in all waightie
affairs to consulte with their Elder, Mr. Brewster, (togeither with his
assistants,) so now he caled Mr. Liford also to counsell with them in
their waightiest bussineses." Soon he desired admission to the church,
and was received, confessing that his conscience had been troubled by
much wrong doing, and professing gratitude for "this opportunity of
freedom and liberty to enjoy the ordinances of God in purity among his
people."

Oldham also, who had been a malcontent and evil informant to parties
abroad, now, to quote again the magisterial historian, "tooke occasion
to open his minds to some of y^e cheefe amongst them heere, and
confessed he had done them wrong both by word & deed, & writing into
England; but he now saw the eminente hand of God to be with them, and
his blesing upon them, which made his hart smite him, neither should
those in England ever use him as an instrumente any longer against them
in any thing; he also desired former things might be forgotten, and that
they would looke upon him as one that desired to close with them in all
things, with such like expressions. Now whether this was in hipocrisie,
or out of some sudden pang of conviction (which I rather thinke), God
only knows. Upon it they show all readynes to imbrace his love, and
carry towards him in all frendlyness, and called him to counsell with
them in all cheefe affairs, as y^e other, without any distrust at all."

Thus generous and patient was the Governor and his Pilgrim comrades.
They were ready to let a man make amends for his misdeeds. But very soon
Bradford had opportunity to show that he had discretion as well as
mercy.

Lyford saw no prospect of his becoming the "spiritual" head at Plymouth,
although by his encouragement some of the Merchant Adventurers in
England succeeded in still keeping the Pilgrims' true pastor from