They found it no easy thing to make her trap herself. Their fine theological distinctions were familiar ground to her. She had a ready grasp of scriptural authority, and wonderful skill in using her intellectual power to prove her spiritual position. With the ability and clearness of a trained advocate she conducted her case, showing tact and judgment and self-reliance, and always with the demeanor of a lady. What Winthrop described as her “nimble wit and voluble tongue” never deserted her, though she was hard pressed by the keenest minds of the colony. When they failed to prove her women’s meetings opposed to the Bible, they fell back on the argument of their authority and said, “We are your judges, and not you ours, and we must compel you to it.” When she answered to some of their questions, “That’s matter of conscience, sir,” stern Governor Winthrop replied, “Your conscience you must keep, or it must be kept for you.” It was the deputy-governor who summed the whole matter up: “About three years ago we were all in peace. Mrs. Hutchinson from that time she came hath made a disturbance.... She hath vented divers of her strange opinions and hath made parties.... She in particular hath disparaged all our ministers.... Why this is not to be suffered, and therefore being driven to the foundation and it being found that Mrs. Hutchinson ... hath been the cause of what is fallen out, why we must take away the foundation and the building will fall.” The result of the trial might have been announced before it opened. Read how the court record finishes: “Governor Winthrop: The Court hath already declared itself satisfied concerning the things you hear, and concerning the troublesomeness of her spirit, and the danger of her course amongst us, which is not to be suffered. Therefore if it be the mind of the Court that Mrs. Hutchinson, for these things that appear before us, is unfit for our society, and if it be the mind of the Court that she shall be banished out of our liberties, and imprisoned till she be sent away, let them hold up their hands.” All but three held up their hands. “Governor Winthrop: Mrs. Hutchinson, you hear the sentence of the Court. It is that you are banished from out our jurisdiction as being a woman not fit for our society, and you are to be imprisoned till the Court send you away. “Mrs. Hutchinson: I desire to know wherefore I am banished. “Governor Winthrop: Say no more. The Court knows wherefore, and is satisfied.” Semi-imprisonment Mistress Anne had all that winter, in the house of a man in Roxbury whose brother was one of her most bitter enemies. She was sent up to Boston to be admonished by the elders of the church; and when she refused to sign an absolute retraction of her opinions, and would not promise to hold any more meetings, she was excommunicated.