A howling wilderness it is . The wolf and the bear meet us within halloo of our dwellings . The savage lieth in wait for us in the dismal shadow of the woods . The stubborn roots of the trees break our ploughshares when we would till the earth . Our children cry for bread , and we must dig in the sands of the seashore to satisfy them . Wherefore , I say again , have we sought this country of a rugged soil and wintry sky ? Was it not for the enjoyment of our civil rights ? Was it not for liberty to worship God according to our conscience ? '' `` Call you this liberty of conscience ? '' interrupted a voice on the steps of the meeting-house . It was the wanton gospeller . A sad and quiet smile flitted across the mild visage of Roger Williams , but Endicott , in the excitement of the moment , shook his sword wrathfully at the culprit -- an ominous gesture from a man like him . `` What hast thou to do with conscience , thou knave ? '' cried he . `` I said liberty to worship God , not license to profane and ridicule him . Break not in upon my speech , or I will lay thee neck and heels till this time to-morrow . -- Hearken to me , friends , nor heed that accursed rhapsodist . As I was saying , we have sacrificed all things , and have come to a land whereof the Old World hath scarcely heard , that we might make a new world unto ourselves and painfully seek a path from hence to heaven . But what think ye now ? This son of a Scotch tyrant -- this grandson of a papistical and adulterous Scotch woman whose death proved that a golden crown doth not always save an anointed head from the block -- '' `` Nay , brother , nay , '' interposed Mr. Williams ; `` thy words are not meet for a secret chamber , far less for a public street . ''
`` Hold thy peace , Roger XXXXX ! ''
Endicott Scotch Williams World doth gospeller halloo meeting-house ploughshares rhapsodist