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From A Model of Christian Charity, by Governor John Winthrop (1630)
For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are
upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken,
and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a
by-word through the world. We shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the
ways of God, and all professors for God's sake. We shall shame the faces of many of
God's worthy servants, and cause their prayers to be turned into curses upon us till we be
consumed out of the good land whither we are going.
From History of Plimouth Plantation, 1620-1647, by Governor William Bradford (c.
1650)
Marvilous it may be to see and consider how some kind of wickedness did grow and
breake forth here…
Ther was a youth whose name was Thomas Granger; he was a servant to an honest man
of Duxbery, being about 16 or 17 years of age…. He was this year detected of buggery
(and indicted for the same) with a mare, a cowe, [two] goats, five sheep, [two] calves,
and a turkey… And accordingly he was cast by the jury, and condemned, and after
executed about the 8 of Sept 1642. A very sade specktakle it was; for the first the mare,
and then the cowe, and the rest of the lesser cattle, were [killed] before his face,
according to the law, Levit: 20 15. and then he him selfe was executed.
Upon examination of this person, and also of a former that had made some sodomiticall
attempts upon another, it being demanded of them how they came first to the knowledge
and practice of shuch wickedness, the one confessed he had long used it in old England;
and this youth last spoaken of said he was taught it by an other that had heard of shuch
things from some in England when he was ther…
But it may be demanded how came it to pass that so many wicked persons and profane
people should so quickly come over into this land, and mixe them selves amongst them?
Seeing it was religious men that begane the work, and they came for religions sake.