As for Oldham, few of his letters were found, for he was so bad a scribe that his hand was scarcely legible; but he was as deeply involved as the other. So, thinking they were now strong enough, they began to pick quarrels at everything. Oldham being told off to stand watch according to order, refused to come, calling the captain a beggarly rascal, resisting him, and drawing his knife on him, though he had done him no wrong nor spoken to him improperly, but had merely required him with all fairness to do his duty. The Governor, hearing the tumult, sent to quiet it; but Oldham ramped more like a furious beast than a man, and called them all traitors, and rebels, and other such foul language as I am ashamed to remember; but after he had been clapped up awhile, he came to himself, and with some slight punishment was let go upon his behaviour, pending further censure. But to cut things short, at length it came to this, that Lyford with his accomplices, without speaking one word to either the Governor, the Church, or the elder, withdrew themselves, and held a separate public meeting on the Lord’s day; and with many such insolent doings, too long to relate here, began to act publicly what they had been plotting privately. It was thought high time to prevent further mischief by calling them to account; so the Governor called a court, and summoned the whole company to appear, and charged Lyford and Oldham with their guilt. But they were stubborn, and resolutely denied the charges, and required proof. The court first alleged that from what had been written to them from England, and from their practises here, it was evident they were plotting against them, and disturbing the peace, both in respect of their civil and church estate, which was most injurious to the colony; for both they and all the world knew that they had come here to enjoy liberty of conscience and the free use of God’s ordinances, and for that end had ventured their lives and had already passed through so much hardship; and they and their friends had borne the expense of these beginnings, which was not small. They pointed out that Lyford for his part was sent over at their expense, and that both he and his large family were maintained by them; that he had joined the church, and was a member of it; and for him to plot against them and seek their ruin, was most unjust and perfidious. As for Oldham, or any one who came over at his own expense, and were on their own resources, they had been received in courtesy by the plantation, coming to seek shelter and protection under its wings, being unable to stand alone; but as the hedgehog in the fable, whom the coney on a stormy day invited in pity into her burrow, would not be content to share it with her, but in the end with her sharp pricks forced the poor coney out, so these men, with similar injustice, endeavoured to do the like by those who entertained them.