Zell Miller's Flag Flap is a pale and insipid affair when compared with the Williams/Endicott Flag Flap of 1635.

Roger Williams, in his relentless pursuit of sin, became convinced that the red Cross of St. George in the English flag was a satanic symbol. He contended that the Cross was a relic of the antichrist and had been given to the King of England as an ensign of victory by the Pope.

Williams preached several sermons on the subject which inspired John Endicott, a member of the governor's council, to order Richard Davenport, the ensign-bearer at Salem, to cut the red cross out of the King's colours in late 1634.

Richard Browne, ruling elder of the Watertown church, contended that defacing the King's flag might be interpreted as an act of rebellion and filed charges against Davenport on November 5, 1634.

The council, like the current Georgia Legislature, was unable to arrive at a clear cut stand on the matter but did issue a warrant for the appearance of Davenport at the next court in March of 1635.

There is no record of Davenport's appearance or of any attempt to enforce the warrant. Apparently the case against Davenport was either dropped or allowed to lapse.

Most of the councilmen were of the opinion that the cross was a superstitious symbol and doubted the legality of including it in their banners but were not eager to offend England at this time.

Massachusetts, along with Virginia was at odds with England and Winthrop had been warned that ships and soldiers were being staged for Virginia but he was convinced their purpose was to seize Massachusetts and install a governor general.

The council could not resolve the matter of the cross on January 13, 1635, and deferred the matter to another meeting.

John Endicott was called to answer for defacing the cross in the flag on March 4, 1635, but the court could not make a decision and the whole matter was again deferred to the next general court.

The council, however, was unanimous in resolving not to accept a governor general but to defend themselves if able and to avoid and protract if armed resistance was not possible.

The controversy meanwhile had spread with some soldiers refusing to follow the crossless flag. The commissioner for military affairs gave orders to lay aide all ensigns.

On May 6, l634, a general court was held at Newtown which censored Endicott over the flag issue. The court ruled his actions to be rash and without discretion and disqualified him from holding public office for one year.

The matter of the cross in the flag was again deferred to the next meeting and the suggestion was made that the cross be replaced by a red and white rose.

On February 1, 1636, Winthrop reported that the last general court had authorized the military commissioner to appoint colours for every company. The cross was omitted from all flags except the one at the Castle Island Fort.

On May 15, 1636, the flag with the cross had not been raised over the Castle Island Fort when the lieutenant of the fort compelled the master of the St. Patrick to strike her colours because of the cross in the flag.

The master filed a complaint and the lieutenant was compelled to acknowledge his error aboard the ship. On May 31, 1636, Mr. Miller, master's mate of the Hector branded the people as traitors and rebels for failure to fly the king's colours.

The governor sent for Mr. Ferne, the master, who agreed to deliver Mr. Miller. The marshal and four sargents attempted to arrest Miller but the ships company would not allow an arrest in the absence of Mr. Ferne.

Ferne delivered Miller to the court where he was tried, convicted and committed. The crew of the Hector created such a disturbance that Miller was released into Ferne's custody. The following day Miller was returned to the court where he acknowledged his offense and signed a submission quieting the matter.

The governor agreed to the request of the ships masters present to display the king's colours at the king's fort on Castle Island when ships passed. As no flag with the king's cross was available the governor accepted a flag from Captain Palmer for use at the Fort.

The cross continued to be regarded as a superstitious, idolatrous and degrading symbol of dependence as its use constituted an official recognition of the King's authority which Massachusetts wished to avoid at all costs.

The Massachusetts militia at the 1643 siege of Shawomet were so enraged by the defenders display of the king' colours to show their allegiance to the State of Old England that they shot the colours through and through many times. In 1651 Parliament revived and adopted the Red Cross of St. George as the colours of England.

The General Court of Massachusetts decreed that the old English colours would be flown from the Castle Fort on all necessary occasions and voiced their desire to have the flag changed.

The Crossless Flag Flap of 1635 was one of the factors that tipped the scale in favor of the Cross of St. Andrew over the Cross of St. George in 1861 when General Beauregard narrowed the design for a Battle Flag down to a choice between the two. The Cross of St. George had a slight edge as General Polk had already adopted it as a Battle Flag for his command.

General Beauregard resolved the issue in favor of the Cross of St. Andrew to avoid offending Jewish and Christian personnel that might object to serving under the Cross of St. George.

On July 1, 1956, General Beauregard's Battle Flag was incorporated into the Georgia Flag and today is considered by some to be a Satanic Symbol.

Roger Williams lives and as Captain Redlegs said, Doing good don't ever end.