TRuly Brother, I am very much offended with a foule Superstition, which I wonder is so easily passed over by others: Our Wind-mills, you know, are framed in so perfect a crosse, as if they were erected in defiance of Reformation. To what purpose do wee banish the Crosse out of our Churches and Markets, if we allow it upon our City-wals, or in our fields: It is no marvell if our corne that is ground with so Idolatrous an engine, turne to no better nourishment, and serve only to feed wicked humors; I warrant you our Brethren in New-England admit of no such abomination: Indeed what need we any Wind-mils at all, have we not wa­ter enough in every corner of our Land to drive our wheeles about? Or if our lot have fallen upon sandy soyles, or drie heathes, have we not Horse-mils, and hand-mils, that may sufficiently prepare our grist? How do they in those religious armies that are raised against the Malignant, and in those god­ly townes and cities that have zealously shut out their King, and made themselves their owne prisoners? How did our [Page 2]Fore-fathers before ever these vaine whirligigs were devised? certainly they are scandalous instruments, where of every saile is thwarted over with twenty crosse-bars, no crosse of Jeru­salem hath so many; and if you mark it, they are commonly seated upon high hils, that their offence may be the more no­torious: My advise therfore is, up with all Wind-mils, up with them both root and branch, let them be all presently eschea­ted to the State. But if any of our Brethren be otherwise min­ded, and shall think it fit to latch the moving aire for such an advantage, and that there ought to be a correspondence be­twixt the holy Wind-mils in our braines, and these outward motions; I could earnestly wish that at the next meeting it might be propounded to our Brethren, that they would be pleased to agree among themselves, upon a Vote for the refor­ming of this evill fashion of Wind-mils; whereto I shall not be unwilling to contribute my best thoughts.

Why may there not be a device of a round Wind mill free from offence, and more effectuall? the forme whereof I here present unto you: Let there be a large round wheele of good heart of Oake: In the inner part whereof, above the axel­wheele shall be prominently set out, and fast mortised in the circumferentiall wheele a large square of timber, with a faire roundell in the midst of it, borne out by foure studs arising from the axel-wheele, and in each corner of that square, be­twixt it and the outer circumference, let there be so many les­ser roundels severally placed (for I hate to think of any crosse bars in this fabrick) all these roundels shal be so covered with strong canvase, that there may be scope left for the bunt of the saile to swell in, wherewith the wind may be caught to pur­pose: In the circumference of that large wheele shall be fixed [Page 3]certain stiffe and long spoakes, winged with severall flags of canvase, two whereof may uphold a several saile, fastend with strong cords to the wheele, so as they may be spred or wrapt up according as the gale serveth. This is the modell of the re­formed Wind-mill; I suppose you have it in your head alrea­die. The Idea of it is so familiar, that every brother may run away with it at the first hearing. Here are no such emergent difficulties, and unreconcileable impossibilities, as should need the concurrence of many wise heads to salve them up; but plaine round and square, without any crosse intricacies or deepe subtilties.

Now the commodities of this forme, and just elogies there­of, which shall recommend it to present practise, and to poste­rity are not a few. First of all, it is new, and that I suppose is no small praise: Away with the rotten fashions of our doting Ancestors, give us all profitable novelties; I wonder at the fol­ly of those men which think any thing the better for age: We cast away cloaths because they are old; Liquors that are too stale we dislike; Timber that is worm-eaten is rejected; and who cares for mouldy and musty provision? Yet Rites and Ceremonies are by foolish men entertained and magnified because they are ancient: Should a man come forth clothed in the habit of his great Grand-sire, how should he be followed by all the boyes in the street, not without hooting and derisi­on; whereas he that walks in the common garbe of the last fashion, is not noted: And why should not we go beyond our Fore-fathers for wit, since we have both the help of theirs, and more pregnant of our own? What do they talke therefore of the old formes of Liturgie, or of the Discipline and govern­ment both of Church and State: It was the credulous stupi­dity of our progenitors to take all upon trust, that was derived [Page 4]unto them from former hands, without enquiring into the better reasons of alterations; For us we have learned to be wi­ser, and know how to be weary of the old decrepit inventions of silly antiquity, and rejoyce to furnish the world with better projects.

Secondly, this is a fashion that hath never been taken up by Papists or Heathens, (whose very use and practise is enough to make any thing sinfull and abominable;) yea, therefore is it most fit to be set up, because it is quite contrary to their formes: For since our Religion is justly opposite to theirs; why should we agree with them in any thing? Why should we not affect an utter contrariety unto them upon all occasi­ons? If they use set formes of publike Prayer, why should not we avoid them? If they uncover or kneele in their Churches, why should not we abhor that superstition? If they fast on Good-Friday, what day is fitter for our feasting? If Christ­mas day be their Festivall, why is it not fittest for our work­ing-day? If they preach in gownes, and walk in side-robes, what is so proper for us as short cloakes and Jumps: Their Lent should be our Carnevall: And if we could have a Sum­mer and Winter, a day and night, varying from theirs, or an­other Sunne from that which gives light to them, we would not partake with them in these: And if they go on their feet, I wish we could walk on our heads: I am much afraid lest when they see the better fashion of our grinding engine, they wil go neer to conforme unto this Fabrick, which if they should do, they should soon drive us to seek some other devise, for we are resolved to hold aloosse from them in all our concernments.

Thirdly, there can be no danger of any ill use to be made of this frame, whereas the other being so exquisite a crosse, doth (as it were) invite every passenger to superstition. In this re­gard [Page 5]surely I should marvell to see any Papist passe by so faire representation with his hat on: And if the Jesuit CAMPIAN uncovered his head when he passed by Tiburne (as his story tels us) the structure wherof is only composed of three crosse beams without any formall arrectary; how would he much more have vailed to so perfect a resemblance of that which is entertained with all idolatrous adoration? And if we breake down sorry halfe-headed crosselets in our Church-yards and high-waies, for fear of the worst: With what courage should we (with the valiant and zealous DON QUIXOTE) set upon these Giantly champions of superstition? Since we may bold­ly say that no old Primer, or Horn-book, no book of Popish Massing, or conjuring, hath in it a more exact forme of that great Idoll than the common Wind-mill hath. Well fare a good sister of ours, Mistris W. a school-mistris, which would not suffer her little ones to name that Idol in their first lesson, but taught them to say black-spot in stead of Christs-crosse; And our brother H. L. the Baker, that in detestation of this fi­gure, would not so much as prick his loaves with an headlesse crosse, but contented himselfe still with one single motion of his knife.

Fourthly, it cannot be denied that the fashion of this our Wind-mill is far more excellent than the other, for the round figure is by all confession most perfect; the heaven is round, the earth is round, and if these very square sailes did not move round they could do nothing; and if they be therefore estee­med because they go round, why should they not be so much more approved because they are round.

Fifthly, it is no slight argument to induce us to this forme, that herein we shall conforme our selves to all other kinds of Mills, the Hand-mill, the Horse-mill, the Water-mill, are all [Page 6]contrived into this figure; howsoever therefore all the Wind­mils of the whole world be square and crosse-like; yet since it is fit we should frame our selves to the fashion of our neigh­bours; surely it is meet that these windy Engins should imi­tate their fellowes, that so there may be a correspondence be­tween them, all of an happy and comely rotundity.

Many other inducements might be inforced, but these are enough to incline al reasonable men to a liking of this form, which I perswade my self will take so well upon the first mo­tion, that all our well-affected Corporations will be ready to run into this praise-worthy fashion. Which because it may be of so singular use, I could wish that in your next assembly, when you shall finde a generall approbation of this plot, you would move that we two (who are the first movers of this project) might have the just favour to be joynt Patentees in the work: (why not as well as some others have been in the round weights) so as whosoever will reap benefit by our invention, may give some reall acknowledgement to the Au­thors of it: for howsoever I hate Monopolies (as the very bane of the Common-wealth) yet I see no reason why those that have beaten their braines for the contrivance of any rare device for the common good, should not receive due encou­ragement from those hands which partake the benefit of their labour; but this I leave to your discretion, and to the deeper judgement of the Assembly, in the midst whereof I doe oft wish my selfe.