Before reading William Phipps and the Diving Bell Bubble by Leon Hopkins, I considered Phipps a shadowy figure in the Salem witch trials. He wasn’t actively involved and yet his arrival with the new Charter led to the formation of the Court of Oyer and Terminer, followed by guilty verdicts and the deaths of 20 innocent people.
In October 1692, Phipps closed the court, tossed out spectral evidence, and in January 1693 opened the new Superior Court of Judicature. Within days, Phipps decisively shut down the witch trials after Judge William Stoughton issued execution warrants for several women whose earlier trials resulted in guilty verdicts that relied on spectral evidence.

Hopkins’ book showed Phipps (1651-1695) had the strength of character to get into situations which, in many cases, were beyond his experience and training. For an unschooled Maine backwoodsman, he fraternized with powerful men, even royalty.

For a person with no military experience, he was hired to lead military campaigns in Acadia and Quebec. And for a non-government man, he ended up as a royal governor. Some would say these leaps in prospects happened because Phipps discovered the rich treasures of a Spanish galleon, and being required to share 10 percent of that loot with the English monarch, earned a knighthood from King James II.

But that’s not giving credit where credit is due. Phipps rescued his neighbors during an Indian raid in 1676, sailing them into Boston harbor on a ship he built. He attracted wealthy supporters through joint-stock companies to finance his treasure hunting. He married an enterprising widow who could hold her own while he was at sea or in England for months or years at a time. And he won the admiration of Rev. Cotton Mather, who wrote his biography.

At times, the book gets bogged down in tangential topics like the English Civil Wars and Cromwell or the Gorges-Mason lands. Still, those topics connect to events and people in Phipps’ life. Hopkins also drops curious historical tidbits—like the imposter royal heir, a secret deal between two monarchs on a Catholic conversion—that especially American readers may not know.

Thanks to Pen & Sword History for the ARC.

This history chronicles the extraordinary life of William Phipps, from humble beginnings to knighthood for recovering Spanish treasure. His relentless ambition propelled him to wealth and influence in 17th-century Boston. But his forceful governorship of the Massachusetts Bay province and his opposition to the Salem witch trials created enemies, ultimately leading to his premature death in London.

This is an interesting and well-written book. I wish it had focused more on Phipps and less on the English Civil War. Maybe the problem is the title; this isn’t a biography of Phipps so much as a history of the clash of cultures between the Puritans and the outside world, as embodied in Phipps.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Early Life*
William was born on February 2, 1651, in Woolwich, Maine, to James and Mary Phips, and was raised in a large, humble family. He had limited formal education.

*Career*
William worked as a shipbuilder and navigator in Boston, Massachusetts.
He led an expedition to the Caribbean in 1683 to search for treasure. In 1687, he discovered a Spanish treasure fleet, including the Nuestra Señora de Concepción. He used a diving bell to salvage the treasure.He then returned to Boston with a significant portion of the treasure, earning him wealth and fame.

He was commissioned as a naval officer by King James II in 1688. He led expeditions against French colonies in Canada, including the Siege of Port Royal in 1690. He was appointed as the governor of Massachusetts in 1692

*Role in the Salem Witch Trials*
William initially supported the Salem witch trials, which led to the execution of 20 people accused of witchcraft, but then he later opposed the trials, recognising the hysteria and false accusations. He then established a special court to oversee the remaining cases, which eventually dismissed many of the charges.

*Personal Life and Death*
William married widow Mary Spencer Hull, and although they had no children together, they adopted Spencer Bennett, the son of Mary's sister, Rebecca.Spencer formally took the Phips name in 1716.He went on to serve as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, including two periods as acting governor.
William died on February 18, 1695, in London, England, before his charges were heard.

*Legacy*
William left behind a complex legacy. He made significant contributions to the development of Massachusetts, including the establishment of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. He was remembered as a hero for his role in the treasure hunt and his military expeditions.

William made a lot of enemies over the course of his lifetime.These were mainly due to disputes over treasure and wealth. He was also criticised for his conduct in military expeditions and conflicts,which negatively impacted Native Americans, how he viewed and presided over the Salem Witch Trials, and his politics and governance.