weight of Winthrop's, who says: "Mr. Cotton ... stated the differences in
a very narrow scantling; and Mr. Shepherd, preaching at the day of
election, brought them yet nearer, so as, except men of good
understanding, and such as knew the bottom of the tenents of those of the
other party, few could see where the difference was." [Footnote: Winthrop,
i. 221.] While Cotton himself complains bitterly of the falsehoods spread
about him and his friends: "But when some of ... the elders of neighbour
churches advertised me of the evill report ... I ... dealt with Mrs.
Hutchinson and others of them, declaring to them the erroneousnesse of
those tenents, and the injury done to myself in fathering them upon mee.
Both shee and they utterly denyed that they held such tenents, or that
they had fathered them upon mee. I returned their answer to the elders....
They answered me they had but one witnesse, ... and that one both to be
known." ... [Footnote: Cotton, _Way of New England Churches_, pp. 39, 40.]
Moreover, it is a remarkable fact that, notwithstanding the advantage it
would have given the reactionists to have been able to fix subversive
opinions upon their prominent opponents, it was found impossible to prove
heresy in a single case which was brought to trial. The legislature chosen
in May was apparently unfit for the work now to be done, for the
extraordinary step of a dissolution was decided on, and a new election
held, under circumstances in which it was easy to secure the return of
suitable candidates. The session opened on November 2, and Wheelwright was
summoned to appear. He was ordered to submit, or prepare for sentence. He
replied that he was guilty of neither sedition nor contempt; that he had
preached only the truth of Christ, the application of which was for
others, not for him. "To which it was answered by the court that they had
not censured his doctrine, but left it as it was; but his application, by
which hee laid the magistrates and ministers and most of the people of God
in these churches under a covenant of works." [Footnote: _Short Story_, p.
24.] The prisoner was then sentenced to be disfranchised and banished. He