moreover, out of regard to the "prejudices" of the Colonists, the chaplain of the Commission was directed not to use the surplice.'

Armed with these instructions, and furnished with letters to the several Colonies, the Commissioners took their departure. Meanwhile vague rumors had reached New England, of an armed force destined for her ports; and on the 28th of May, the General Court being assembled at Boston, information was given them "that they might suddenly expect the arrival of some of his Majesty's ships, with Commissioners to visit his Majesty's Colonies in these parts of America." Upon this intelligence precautionary measures were at once adopted. The Captain of the Castle was ordered to give immediate notice of the approach of the fleet to the Governor and Deputy; two gentlemen ("whose habitations are in Boston,'') were appointed to wait on the Commissioners upon their arrival, and to request that the officers and soldiers should not be allowed to come on shore, save in small parties, and without arms. The Patent, with a duplicate, was committed, for safe keeping, to the care of four members of the Court, who were directed “to dispose of them as might be most safe for the country." Finally, a day was set apart for fasting and prayer, "to implore the mercy of God to them under their many distractions and troubles, according as they should stand in need."

After a boisterous passage, Colonel Nichols and George Cartwright, Esq., arrived at Boston, in the ship Guerney, on Saturday, the 23d of July, "about five or six of the clock at night." The rest of the fleet, having been driven to the eastward, arrived at Piscataqua, about the same time, with Sir Robert Carr and Samuel Maverick, Commissioners, and John Archdale, the agent of Ferdinando Gorges. Nichols and Cartwright requested that the Council might be called together without delay. It accordingly assembled on the 26th, when the Commissioners produced their Commission, with the King's letter of April 23d to the Colony, and that portion of their Instructions which related to "the reducing of the Dutch at the Manhattoes," and requested assistance for the conquest of New Netherlands, which was comprised in the recent Grant to the Duke of York. On the 27th Nichols and Cartwright made a formal request, in writing," that the government of Boston would pass an act to furnish them with armed men, who should begin their march to the Manhattans on the 20th of August ensuing, and promised that, if they could get other

1 See Temple's letter of March 4, 1662-3, in Mass. Hist. Coll xxvII. 127; letter of Commissioners to Gov. Prince, of Plymouth, ibid. v. 192; the King's letters of April 23, 1664, and Oct. 21, 1681, to Mass; the answer of the General Court to his Majesty's letter of June 28, 1662, dated Nov 25, 1662, in Danforth Papers, 47-9; Chalmers's History of the Revolt, &c., i. 112-13; Political Annals, pp. 386, 432; copies of the Commission may be found in Hutchinson, i. 459-60, and Hazard, ii. 638-9, Trumbull's Connecticut, i. 522-3, and Thompson's Long Island, i. 119-20.

2 Richard Bellingham, John Leverett, Thomas Clark, and Edward Johnson. 3 Chalmers's Revolt, &c., i. 113; Hutchinson, i. 210-11; Smith's History of New York, (410. Lond. 1757,) p. 11; Danforth Papers, in Mass. Hist. Coll. xvIII. 92. 4 See the Duke of York's Patent, dated March 12, 1664-5, for "all that part of New England, beginning att a certaine place, called or knowne by the name of St. Croix, next adjoining to New Scotland, in America, and from thence extending along the seacoast unto a certaine place called Petuaquino, or Peunquid, and so up the River thereof to ye furthest head of the same, as it tendeth northward, and extending from thence to the River of Kenebeque, and so upward by the shortest course to ye River Canada northward; and also all that Island or Islands, commonly called by the severall name or names of Matawacks or Long Island, abutting upon the maine land betweene the two Rivers Conecticott and Hudson, together also with the said River called Hudsons, and all the land from the west side of Connecticott to the east side of Delaware Bay; and also all those severall Islands cailed or known by the name of Martins Vinyards and Nantukes, otherwise Nantuckett, with all the Lands, Islands, Soyles." &c., "to the severall Islands, Lands, and premises belonging and appurtaining," &c. &c., in Thompson's Long Island, ii. 308-11.

assistance, they would give them an account of it." The Council replied that they would cause the General Court to assemble on the 3d of August, and lay the request before them. With this answer the Commissioners, says Thomas Danforth, manifested themselves not well satisfied, and informed the Governor and Council that there was yet many more things, which they had in charge from his Majesty to signify to them, which work they would attend at their return from the Manhattoes; and commended to the Court that, in the mean time, they would further consider of his Majesty's letter to this Colony, June 28, 1662, and give a more satisfactory answer to his Majesty concerning the same than formerly."

On the 29th of July a letter was sent from Boston, by the Commissioners, to Governor Winthrop, of Connecticut, informing him that the ships had arrived in safety, and were only waiting for a fair wind to sail for the New Netherlands, and requesting him to meet them at the west end of Long Island."

3

Nichols, whom the Duke of York had appointed his Deputy Governor within the territories lately granted to him by his royal brother, soon proceeded to Manhattan, without waiting for aid from Massachusetts. His force consisted of four frigates and three hundred men. He entered the harbor of New York, Aug. 19th, and on the 20th summoned Stuyves.int, the Dutch Governor, to surrender, and published a Proclamation to the inhabitants of Long Island. Here he was joined by Governor Winthrop, and several other gentlemen, from Connecticut. Governor Winthrop wrote a letter to the Dutch Governor and Council, recommending the surrender of the City. Stuyvesant refused. Officers were immediately sent to obtain volunteers on Long Island, and orders were given to Capt. Hugh Hide, who commanded the squadron, to proceed to the reduction of the fort. These preparations, with the solicitations of those about him, induced Stuyvesant, on the 26th, to agree to a surrender, and on the 27th of August Articles of Capitulation were signed by the English and Dutch Commissioners, which, having received the assent of Colonel Nichols,

1 Chalmers's Political Annals, pp. 573-4; Smith's History of New York, p. 12 ; Danforth Papers, in Mass. Hist. Coll. XVIII. 92-3; Hutchinson, i. 211; Josselyn's Voyages to New England, (2d ed., 16mo. Lond. 1675,) p. 272; Maine Hist. Coll. L 109; Hazard, ii. 639 - 40.

2 The King himself and the Lord Chancellor told Mr. Winthrop of Connecticut, and Mr. Clarke, of Rhode Island, and several others, now in these countries, that he intended shortly to send over Commissioners, and to many of these we brought letters, either from the King or the Lord Chancellor." The Commissioners to the Mass. General Court, May 2, 1665. According to Smith, Col Nichols arrived first at Cape Cod, from whence he despatched "a letter to Mr. Winthrop, the Governor of Connecticut, requesting his assistance," and then proceeded to Boston, stopping at Nantasket on his way. Smith's Neo York, pp. 11-12; Danforth Papers, in Mass. Hist. Coll. XVIII. 56.

3 By an instrument dated at Whitehall, April 2, 1664. Thompson, i. 119.

4 See the Articles in Smith, and in Thompson, ii. 316-18. They were subscribed by Sir Robert Carr and George Cartwright, two of the royal Commissioners, Gov. John Winthrop and Samuel Wyllys, of Connecticut, and Thomas Clark and John Pynchon, "Commissioners from the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay, who," says Smith, "but a little before, brought an aid from that Province." The same author also informs us that "in two days after the surrender the Boston aid was dismissed, with the thanks of the Commissioners to the General Court." Hutchinson and Judge Davis tell us that "Thomas Clark and John Pynchon, as Commissioners from Massachusetts, and Thomas Willet, from Plymouth, attended the King's Commissioners to Manhadoes," and Hutchinson says that troops "were raised" in Massachusetts, "but the place surrendering on Articles, no orders were given for them to march." Thomas Danforth says that "although there was no order given by the Commissioners for the soldiers, thus listed, to march from Boston, yet on this expedition there was expended out of the publick treasury of this Colony, for the encouragement of the soldiers listed, their maintenance until discharged, and for their provisions and ammunition, &c., together with payments made to such as were sent with their ships to pilot them into

L

were ratified two days after by the Governor, and the fort and town of New Amsterdam surrendered to the English. Sept. 24th, Fort Orange surrendered to Cartwright, and Oct 1st, the Dutch and Swedes on Delaware River and Bay capitulated to Sir Robert Carr.'

Meantime the Massachusetts General Court assembled on the 3d of August. The King's Commission, &c., having been read, it was first resolved" to bear faith and true allegiance to his Majesty, and adhere to their Patent, so dearly obtained, and so long enjoyed by undoubted right in the sight of God and ren;" and then it was determined to raise a number of men, not exceeding two hundred, at the charge of the Colony, for his Majesty's service against the Dutch. Officers were appointed and commissioned, and orders were given to the Treasurer to disburse the necessary sums of money; "all which being thus agreed upon, the Court despatched away two gentlemen," Thomas Clark and John Pynchon, "as their messengers to the Commisssioners, by that time supposed to be arrived near to, or before, the Manhattoes, to inform them of the Court's proceedings as to their supply.' The men were raised, but, in consequence of the capitulation of the Dutch, were never called upon to march.

The Court now proceeded to the consideration of his Majesty's letter of June 28, 1662, the reply to which, says the King, "did not answer our expectations, nor the professions made by your messengers," and made some change in the law relating to the adinission of freemen. On the 10th of September an Order was published, prohibiting complaints to the Commissioners. These gentlemen had not chosen to impart to the Massachusetts government their instructions relative to the Colonies. This conduct gave offence, and, "with some words and carriages, distasteful to the people, falling from some of them, and, in particular, Mr. Samuel Maverick, on his first arrival in Piscataqua River, menacing the constable of Portsmouth, whiles he was in the exercise of his office, occasioned in the hearts and minds of the people a deep sense of the sad events threatening this Colony, in case the Commissioners should improve their power in such a manner as they feared they would; on whose general solicitude for the preserving of their enjoyments, according to their present constitution, granted to this Colony by his Majesty's royal Charter under the Great Seal of England, the General Court, consisting of Governor, Deputy Governor, Magistrates, and deputies of the several towns, resolved immediately to make their addresses to his Majesty," which was accordingly done, Oct. 25, 1664. Letters of entreaty were also sent to Robert Boyle and the Earls of Clarendon and Manchester."

Mr. Whiting, of Connecticut, who happened to be in Boston when the Commissioners arrived from England, hastened back to give information of their extraordinary powers, as evidenced in their conduct previous to their departure for New Netherlands, and to communicate the apprehensions which were entertained by Massachusetts. The alarm became uni

that harbour." Not being able to determine whether or not the Massachusetts forces proceeded to "Manhadoes," the reader is left to form his own opinion on the subject. See page 577; Smith's New York, pp 19, 22; Hutchinson, i. 212; Davis's Morton, p. 311 Danforth Papers, in Mass. Hist. Coll. xvIII. 94.

'Hutchinson, i. 211, 212; Chalmers, pp. 573-4; History of the Revolt, i. 116-18; Smith, pp. 12-23; Thompson, i. 121-6, ii. 313-16; Trumbull's Connecticut, i. 67; Holmes's Annals, i. 334-5.

2 Danforth Papers, in Mass. Hist. Coll. xvIII. 93-4; Hutchinson, i. 212.

3 Letter of April 23, 1664, in Hazard, ii. 634–7.

4 See the Address in Hutchinson, i. 460-4. The authorities are, Hutchinson, i. 212-13, Danforth Papers, in Hist. Coll. xvIII. 94-5; Hutch. Coll. Papers, p. 422.

The letter to Boyle, dated Oct. 19, 1664, is in Hutch. Coll. Papers, pp. 338-9. The letter to Clarendon was dated Nov. 7th. See Boyle's reply, Mass. Hist. Coll. XVIII. 49; Clarendon's reply, Hutchinsor, i. 464, 465.'

versal. It was said that a yearly revenue of £5000 was to be raised in Massachusetts for the King, "whereupon," say the Commissioners, "Major Hawthorne made a seditious speech at the head of his Company," and Endicott whose life was fast drawing to a close-addressed the people "at their meeting-house in Boston." Such was the report which was carried to Connecticut. New Haven, as we have seen, had been included in Charles's Charter to this Colony, but had persisted in refusing to acknowledge that Charter, and had maintained her independence until the present time. She was now urged to incorporate herself with Connecticut without delay. On the 1st of September the Commissioners of the United Colonies met at Hartford; the case was laid before them, and a speedy union of the two Colonies recommended, as absolutely necessary, not only for the safety of New Haven, but for the welfare of the whole Confederacy.1

Connecticut had much to fear from the visit of the Commissioners. The Duke of York's Patent, as has been mentioned, included Long Island, which had been claimed by Connecticut. The Duke and Duchess of Hamilton had petitioned the King to restore to them a tract" of sixty miles square, on the eastern side of Connecticut River," which had been granted to their father, James Marquis Hamilton, in 1635, and his Majesty had, on May 6, 1664, referred the case to the determination of the Commissioners whom he had appointed "to settle the affairs of New England.' 192 Moreover the boundaries between the Colony and her neighbors were unsettled and in dispute; and it was said that Massachusetts had encroached upon her northern and eastern limits. Thus beset on every side, Connecticut saw, or fancied she saw, the necessity of conciliating the royal emissaries, and thus obtaining the favor of the King. The Assembly, therefore, ou the 13th of October, ordered a present of five hundred bushels of corn to be made to the King's Commissioners; committees were ap pointed to settle the boundaries between Connecticut and the Duke of York's Grant, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island; and a deputation was

'Trumbull, i. 252-66, 269-71, 515-21; Hutch. Coll. Papers, p. 417; Danforth Papers, in Mass Hist. Coll. XVIII. 56-7, 60; Hazard, ii. 496-8. At this same meeting of the Commissioners was presented and read a letter from his Majesty, dated June 20, 1663, and directed "to the Governor and Assistants of the Massachusetts, Plymouth, New Haven, and Conecticot Colonies," in answer to a petition from the proprietors of the Narragansett Country, in which the King commands that the said proprietors "be permitted peacably to improve theire Collonie and Plantation," and recommends them to the "naighborrly kindnes and protection" of the Colonies abovementioned. Hereupon the Commissioners write" to the Governor and Councell of Providence Plantations," saying "we desire you, and, in obeidience unto the pursuance of his Majesties order, shall expect, that some effectuall course be by you attended, that may for the future reclaime youer people from such injuriouse and disturbing carriages, as they have formerly to frequently used." Hazard, ii. 498-9; Mass. Hist. Coll. V. 230, 241-2.

2 See pages 217, 309-10; Trumbull, i. 272, 524-5.

3 The gentlemen appointed "to accompany John Winthrop, Esqr.," (who, it seems from this, had returned to Connecticut after the capitulation of the Dutch) "to New Yorke," were Matthew Allyn, Senr., Nathan Gould, James Richards, and Fitz-John Winthrop; and I have no evidence that these gentlemen were the "several magistrates and principal gentlemen of Connecticut" who joined Nichols before New Amsterdam, as rashly stated in the note on page 577. The Articles of Capitulation were signed by Gov. Winthrop and Wyllys alone, from Connecticut. See Trumbull, i. 267, 272, 273 525-6; Thompson's Long Island, i. 125, 126-7, ii. 318.

4 When the inhabitants of Rhode Island applied to Charles II. for a Charter, they petitioned that it might include the Narragansett Country. This caused a dispute between Clark and Winthrop, the agents of Rhode Island and Connecticut ; for the Charter just granted to the latter Colony included all that part of New England "bounded on the east by the Narrogancett River, commonly called Narrogancett Bay, and from the said Narrogancet Bay on the east to the South Sea on the west," thus taking in a great part of Rhode Island. Upon Clark's complaint of this encroach

sent to New Haven, with instructions "to require the inhabitants, in his Majesty's name, to submit to the government established by his Majesty's gracious grant."

In consequence of these proceedings, and the decision of his Majesty's Commissioners, at New York, Nov. 30, 1664, relative to the boundaries of Connecticut, a General Court met at New Haven December 13th, when it was resolved that, in loyalty to the King's Majesty, when an authentic copy of the determination of his Majesty's Commissioners is published, to be recorded with us, if thereby it shall appear to our committee that we are, by his Majesty's authority, now put under Connecticut Patent, we shall submit, by a necessity brought upon us by the means of Connecticut aforesaid; but with a salvo jure of our former rights and claims, as a people who have not yet been heard in point of plea.'

12

The Dutch being reduced; Carr, Cartwright, and Maverick returned to Boston, leaving Colonel Nichols at New York, and on the 15th of February, 1664-5, met the Governor and magistrates at the Governor's house, when they made known their intention to go to Plymouth on the next day, and requested that orders might be given for all the inhabitants to assemble the next Election-day, and that persons might be appointed to go with them to show them the bounds of the Patent. The latter proposition was readily acceded to, but to the former objections were made, to which Cartwright replied, "that the motion was so reasonable, that he that would not attend it was a traitor," and the Commissioners sent letters about the country, in their own name, desiring the people to assemble.'

66

Proceeding to Plymouth the Commissioners presented to the General Court of the Colony, on the 22d of February, the King's letter of April 23, 1664, and a paper of "Propositions." They had but one plaint to them, which was, that the Governor [Thomas Prince] would not let a man enjoy a farm of four miles square, which he had bought of an Indian; the com

ment the Connecticut Charter "was called in again, and it had never been returned, but upon a report that the agents, Mr. Winthrop and Mr. Clarke, were agreed by mediation of friends." The question of difference "concerning the right meaning of certain bounds set down in a Patent lately granted to the Colony of Connecticut," was left for settlement to five referees, mutually nominated and chosen by the two agents, who came to a decision, which was solemuly ratified by Winthrop and Clark on the 17th of April, 1663. Upon this agreement the Connecticut Patent was restored, and a Charter granted to Rhode Island, which recites the agreement, and confirms to the Colony all that part of New England containing the Naragansett Bay, and countries and parts adjacent, bounded on the west, or westerly, to the middle or channel of a river called and known by the name of Pawcatuck, alias Pawcawtuck, River, and extending towards the east, or eastwardly, to the most westwardly line of Plymouth Colony, and bounded on the south by the Ocean, and, in particular, the lands belonging to the towns of Providence, Pawtuxet, Warwick, Misquammacock, alias Pawcatuck, and the rest upon the main land, together with Rhode Island, Block-Island, and all the rest of the islands and banks in the Narragansett Bay, and bordering upon the coast of the tract aforesaid, (Fisher's Island only excepted,) any grant or clause in a late Grant to the Governor and Company of Connecticut Colony to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding; the aforesaid Pawcatuck River having been yielded, after much debate, for the fixed and certain bounds between these said Colonies, by the agents thereof." Brinley's Account, in Mass. Hist. Coll. v. 218; Roger Williams's letter, in R. I. Hist. Coll. 111. 162; Hazard, ii. 604; R. I. Hist. Coll. IV. 257-8, 259; the Decision of the Referees, ibid. 111. 200-1, and Mass. Hist. Coll. v. 243-9.

1 Trumbull, i. 272–3.

2 Ibid. 273-4, 525-30; Smith's New York, p. 26; Thompson's Long Island, i. 126-7.

3 Danforth Papers, in Mass. Hist. Coll. xv. 95-6; Hutchinson, i. 213-14.

4 The answers to these Propositions (which, with the Propositions themselves, may be found in Davis's Morton, pp. 417-19, and in Hutchinson, i. 214-15,) were not finally drawn up until the 4th of May, when the General Court ordered "Mr. Constant Southworth, treasurer, to present these to his Majesty's Commissioners, at Boston, with all convenient speed."