But Mr. Beauchamp would give way in nothing, and demanded £400 of the partners here, sending a release to a friend to be delivered to them on receipt of the money. But his release was not perfect, having left out some of the partners’ names, with some other defects; and besides, the other partners there gave them to understand he had not nearly so much due to him. So no end was made with him till four years after. CHAPTER XXIII Death of Mr. William Brewster—His Career—Remarkable longevity of the principal men among the Pilgrims—Confederation of the United Colonies of New England—War between the Narragansetts and Monhiggs—Uncas permitted by the English to execute Miantinomo: 1643. I must open this year with an event which brought great sadness and mourning to them all. About the 18th of April died their reverend elder, my dear and loving friend, Mr. William Brewster, a man who had done and suffered much for the Lord Jesus and the gospel’s sake, and had borne his part in weal or woe with this poor persecuted church for over thirty-five years in England, Holland, and this wilderness, and had done the Lord and them faithful service in his calling. Notwithstanding the many troubles and sorrows he passed through, the Lord upheld him to a great age; he was nearly fourscore years, if not quite, when he died. He had this blessing added by the Lord to all the rest; he died in his bed in peace, in the midst of his friends, who mourned and wept over him, and gave him what help and comfort they could; and he, too, comforted them whilst he could. His illness was not long, and until the last day he did not keep his bed. His speech continued until about the last half day, and then failed him; and at about 9 or 10 o’clock that evening he died, without any pangs at all. A few hours before, he drew his breath short, and some few minutes from the end he drew it long, as a man fallen into a sound sleep,—without any gaspings,—and so, sweetly departed this life into a better. I would ask, was he the worse for any of his former sufferings? What do I say? Worse? Nay; he was surely the better, for now they were added to his honour. “It is a manifest token,” says the Apostle (II Thes. i, 5, 6, 7), “of the righteous judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer; seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you: and to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven, with His mighty angels.” And I Pet. iv, 14: “If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye, for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.” What though he lacked the riches and pleasures of the world in this life, and pompous monuments at his funeral? Yet “the memorial of the just shall be blessed, when the name of the wicked shall rot,”—with their marble monuments (Prov. x, 7).