“Being at Nevis,” he says, “there came in a ship from some part of England with the Prince of Orange’s Declarations, and brought news also of his happy proceedings in England, with his entrance there, which was very welcome news to me, and I knew it would be so to the rest of the people in New England; and I, being bound thither, and very willing to convey such good news with me, gave four shillings sixpence for the said Declarations, on purpose to let the people in New England understand what a speedy deliverance they might expect from arbitrary power.  We arrived at Boston harbor the fourth day of April following; and as soon as I came home to my house, Sir Edmund Andros, understanding I brought the Prince’s Declarations with me, sent the Sheriff to me.  So I went along with him to the Governor’s house, and, as soon as I came in, he asked me why I did not come and tell him the news.  I told him I thought it not my duty, neither was it customary for any passenger to go to the Governor, when the master of the ship had been with him before, and told him the news.  He asked me where the Declarations I brought with me were.  I told him I could not tell, being afraid to let him have them, because he would not let the people know any news.  He told me I was a saucy-fellow, and bid the Sheriff carry me away to the Justices of the Peace; and as we were going, I told the Sheriff I would choose my Justice.  He told me, No, I must go before Dr. Bullivant, one picked on purpose (as I judged) for the business.  Well, I told him, I did not care who I went before, for I knew my cause was good.  So soon as I came in, two more of the Justices dropped in, Charles Lidgett and Francis Foxcroft, such as the former, fit for the purpose.  So they asked me for my papers.  I told them I would not let them have them, by reason they kept all the news from the people.  So when they saw they could not get what I bought with my money, they sent me to prison for bringing traitorous and treasonable libels and papers of news, notwithstanding I offered them security to the value of two thousand pounds.”

The intelligence which reached Winslow at Nevis, and was brought thence by him to Boston, could scarcely have embraced transactions in England of a later date than the first month after the landing of the Prince of Orange.  Within that time, the result of the expedition was extremely doubtful.  There had been no extensive rising against the King, and every day of delay was in his favor.  He had a powerful army and fleet, and it had been repeatedly shown how insecure were any calculations upon popular discontent in England, when an occasion arose for putting English loyalty to the last proof.  Should the clergy, after all, be true to their assertions of the obligation of unqualified obedience,—­should the army be faithful,—­should the King, by artifice or by victory, attract to his side the wavering mass of his subjects, and expel the Dutch invader,—­there would be an awful reckoning for all who had taken