The clergy were very anxious to win over Mr. Cotton, and about a week later held a meeting at Boston and solemnly catechised Cotton on many abstruse points.  The storm of theological rancor was at its height.  Harsh words were hurled about, and by some orthodox ministers Mrs. Hutchinson and her friends were denounced as Familists, Antinomians, etc., after certain early sects who cherished the doctrines of private inspiration and had committed many strange offences.  On the other hand, some of Mrs. Hutchinson’s friends scornfully referred to the orthodox party as legalists and antichrists, “who walked in a covenant of works.”

Harsh words are only one step removed from harsh measures.  The legalists were in a majority in the general court, and they resolved to retaliate for the treatment Mr. Wilson had received at the hands of his congregation.[12] At the general court which convened March 9, 1637, Wilson’s sermon was approved and Wheelwright was summoned to answer for alleged “seditious and treasonable words” that were used by him in a sermon preached in Boston on a recent fast day.  This action brought forth a petition from the church of Boston in Wheelwright’s behalf, which the court declared “presumptious” and rejected.  Wheelwright himself was pronounced guilty, and thereupon a protest was offered by Vane, and a second petition came from Boston, which, like the first, went unheeded, and only served at a later day to involve those who signed it.

Amid great excitement the legalists carried a resolution to hold the May election at Newtown (Cambridge) instead of Boston, a partisan move, for Newtown was more subject to their influence than Boston.  At this court in May the turbulence was so great that the parties came near to blows.  Threats resounded on all sides, and Wilson was so carried away with excitement that he climbed a tree to harangue the multitude.  The Vane forces struggled hard, but were badly defeated, and Winthrop was restored to his former office as governor, while the stern Thomas Dudley was made deputy governor.  Vane and his assistants, Coddington and Dummer, were defeated and “quite left out,” even from the magistracy.[13]

Secure in the possession of power, the legalists now proceeded to suppress the opposing party altogether.  An order was passed commanding that no one should harbor any new arrival for more than three weeks without leave of the magistrates.  This was to prevent any dangerous irruption of sympathizers with Mrs. Hutchinson from England, and it was applied against a brother of Mrs. Hutchinson and some others of her friends who arrived not long after.