English Plantations If ever it should be his chance to be amongst them again what could he expect but to be lookt on as communis Hostis when he thus openly declares that they have no English Liberties belonging to them That worthy Gentleman Sir William Jones who was Attorney General in the Reign of King Charles the second had certainly more understanding in the Law than Captain Palmer and yet Captain Palmer we suppose is not ignorant that when some proposed that Jamaica and so the other Plantations might be governed without an Assembly that excellent Attorney not like Captain Palmer but like an Englishman told the then King That he could no more Grant a Commission to Levy Money on his Subjects there without their consent by an Assembly than they could discharge themselves from their Allegiance to the English Crown and what Englishmen in their right Wits will venture their Lives over the Seas to enlarge the Kings Dominions and to enrich and greaten the English Nation if all the reward they shall have for their cost and adventures shall be their being deprived of English Liberties and in the same condition with the Slaves in France or in Turky And if the Colonies of N. E. are not to be esteemed as parts of England why then were the Quo Warranto 's issued out against the Government in Boston as belonging to Westminster in Middlesex Are the English there like the Welsh and Irish a Conquered people When Mr. Palmer hath proved that he hath said something They have through the Mercy of God obtained Conquests over many of their Enemies both Indians and French to the Enlargement of the English Dominions But except Mr. Palmer and the rest of that Crew will say That his and their domincering a while was a Conquest they were never yet a Conquered People So that his alledging the case of Wales and Ireland before English Liberties were granted to them is an impertinent Story Besides he forgets that there was an Original Contract between the King and the first Planters in New-England the King promising them if they at their own cost and charge would subdue a Wilderness and enlarge his Dominions they and their Posterity after them should enjoy such Priviledges as are in their Charters expressed of which that of not having Taxes imposed on them without their own consent was one Mr. Palmer and his Brethren Oppressors will readily reply Their Charter was condemned But he cannot think that the Judgment against their Charter made them cease to be Englishmen And only the Colony of the Massachusetts had their Charter condemned And yet these Men ventured to Levy Moneys on the Kings Subjects in Connecticott Colony For the which Invasion of Liberty and Property they can never answer Indeed they say the Corporation of Connecticott surrendred their Charter But who told them so It is certain that no one belonging to the Government there knoweth of any such thing and how their Oppressors should know that Connecticott made a Surrender of their Charter when the Persons concerned know nothing of it is very strange We can produce that written by the Secretary of that Colony with his own Hand and also Signed by the present Governour there which declares the contrary to what these Men as untruly as boldly affirm Witness the words following In the Second year of the Reign of King James the Second we had a Quo Warranto served upon us by Edward Randolph requiring our appearance before His Majesties Courts in England and although the time of our appearance was elapsed before the serving of the said Quo Warranto yet we humbly petitioned His Majesty for his Favour and the continuance of our Charter with the Priviledges thereof But we received no other favour but a second Quo Warranto and we well observing that the Charter of London and other considerable Cities in England were condemned and that the Charter of the Massachusetts had undergone the like Fate plainly saw what we might expect yet we not judging it good or lawful to be active in surrendring what had cost us so dear nor to be altogether silent we empowered an Attorney to appear on our behalf and to present our Humble Address to His Majesty but quickly upon it as Sir E. A. informed us he was empowered by His Majesty to Receive the Surrender of our Charter if we saw meet so to do and us also to take under his Government Also Colonel Thomas Dungan His Majesties Governour of New-York laboured to gain us over to his Government We withstood all these motions and in our reiterated Addresses we Petitioned His Majesty to continue us in the free and full enjoyment of our Liberties and Properties Civil and Sacred according to our Charter We also Petitioned that if His Majesty should not see meet to continue us as we were but was resolved to annex us to some other Government we then desired that in as much as Boston had been our old Correspondents and a people whose Principles and Manners we had been acquainted with we might rather be annexed to Sir E. A. his Government than to Colonel Dungans which choice of ours was taken for a resignation of our Charter though that was never intended by us for such nor had it the Formalities in Law to make it such Yet Sir E. A. was Commissionated to take us under his Government pursuant to which about the end of October 1687. he with a Company of Gentlemen and Granadeers to the number of Sixty or upwards came to Hartford the Chief Seat of this Government caused his Commission to be read and declared our Government to be dissolved and put into Commission both Civil and Military Officers throughout our Colony as he pleased When he passed through the principal parts thereof the good people of the Colony though they were under a great sense of the injuries sustained thereby yet chose rather to be silent and patient than to oppose being indeed surprized into an involuntary submission to an Arbitrary Power Robert Treat Governour John Allen Secretary Hartford June 13. 1689. Thus did Sir E. A. and his Creatures who were deeply concerned in the Illegal Actions of the Late Unhappy Reigns contrary to the Laws of God and Men commit a Rape on a whole Colony for which Violence it is hoped they may account and make reparation if possible to those many whose Properties as well as Liberties have been Invaded by them Captain Palmer in the close of his partial account of N. E. entertains his Readers with an harangue about the Sin of Rebellion and misapplies several Scriptures that so he might make the World believe that the people of N. E. have been guilty of wicked Rebellion by their casting off the Arbitrary Power of those ill men who invaded Liberty and Property to such an intolerable degree as hath been proved against them But does he in sober sadness think that if when Wolves are got among Sheep in a Wilderness the Shepherds and
THE REVOLUTION IN New England JUSTIFIED And the People there Vindicated From the Aspersions cast upon them By Mr. JOHN PALMER In his Pretended Answer to the Declaration Published by the Inhabitants of Boston and the Country adjacent on the day when they secured their late Oppressors who acted by an Illegal and Arbitrary Commission from the Late King JAMES Printed for Joseph Brunning at Boston in New England 1691. TO THE READER IT is not with any design or desire unnecessarily to expose the late Oppressors of that good Protestant People which is in New England that the Authors of the ensuing Vindication have published what is herewith emitted But the Agents lately sent from thence could not be faithful to their Trust if when the People whom they Represent are publickly as well as privately aspersed they should not either by themselves or by furnishing some other with materials for such an undertaking vindicate those who have been so deeply injured As for Mr. Palmer his Account which he calls Impartial he has wrong'd New England thereby in some other particulars besides those insisted on in the subsequent Apology For he does endeavour to make the World believe that the Massachusetts refused to answer to the Quo Warranto prosecuted against their Charter Than which Misrepresentation nothing can be more untrue or injurious An Account concerning that matter hath formerly and more than once been made publick in the which it is most truly affirmed That when the Quo Warranto was issued out against the Governour and Company of the Massachusetts Colony in New England in the year 1683. the then King did by his Declaration enjoyn a few particular persons to make their Defence at their own Charge without any publick Stock which shew'd that there was a Resolution to take away that Charter Yet the Governour and Company appointed an Attorney to answer to the Quo Warranto but the Suit was let fall in the Court of Kings-Bench and a new Suit began by Scire facias in Court of Chancery where time was not allow'd to make Defence The former Attorney for that Colony brought several Merchants to testifie that in the time allow'd which was from April 16. till June 18. it was impossible to have a New Letter of Attorney returned from New England The then Lord Keeper North replied That no time ought to be given So was Judgment entred against them before they could possibly plead for themselves By this the Impartial Reader may judge what Ingenuity and Veracity is in Mr. Palmers Account There is lately come forth another Scandalous Pamphlet called New England's Faction Discovered The Author has not put his Name to it But it is supposed to be written by a certain person known to be a Prodigy for Impudence and Lying The Reflections in it not only on New England in general but on particular persons there as well as in England are so notoriously and maliciously false as that it must needs be much beneath a great Mind to take notice of such Latrations or to answer them any otherwise than with contempt When we are treated with the Buffoonry and Railery of such ungentiel Pens 't is good to remember the old Saying Magnum Contumeliae remedium Negligentia As for what Mr. Palmer does in his Preface insinuate concerning the New-Englanders being Commonwealths-men Enemies to Monarchy and to the Church of England that 's such a Sham as every one sees through it There are none in the World that do more fully concur with the Doctrine of the Church of England contained in the 39 Articles than do the Churches in New England as is manifest from the Confession of their Faith published in the year 1680. Only as to Liturgy and Ceremonies they differ for which cause alone it was that they or their Fathers transported themselves into that American Desert as being desirous to worship God in that way which they thought was most according to the Scriptures The Platform of Church Discipline consented unto by the Elders and Messengers of the Churches Assembled in a General Synod at Cambridge in New England in the year 1647. sheweth that they are as to Church-Government for the Congregational way The judiciously Learned Mr. Philip Nye has long since evinced that no Form of Church-Government no not that which is Episcopal is more consistent with Monarchy or with the King's Supremacy than that of the Way-Congregational which some will needs call Independent But there are a sort of men who call those that are for English Liberties and that rejoyce in the Government of Their present Majesties King William and Queen Mary by the name of Republicans and represent all such as Enemies of Monarchy and of the Church It is not our single Opinion only but we can speak it on behalf of the generality of Their Majesties Subjects in New England that they believe without any diminution to the Glory of our former Princes the English Nation was never so happy in a King or in a Queen as at this day And the God of Heaven who has set them on the Throne of these Kingdoms grant them long and prosperously to Reign E. R. S. S. THE Revolution in New England justified THE Doctrine of Passive Obedience and Non-Resistance which a sort of men did of late when they thought the World would never change cry up as Divine Truth is by means of the happy Revolution in these Nations exploded and the Assertors of it become ridiculous No man does really approve of the Revolution in England but must justifie that in New England also for the latter was effected in compliance with the former neither was there any design amongst the People in New England to reassume their Antient Charter-Government until His present Majesties intended descent into England to rescue the Nation from Slavery as well as Popery was known to them for indeed to have attempted it before that would have been madness They considered that the men then usurping Government in New England were King James's Creatures who had invaded both the Liberty and Property of English Protestants after such a manner as perhaps the like was never known in any part of the World where the English Nation has any Government And the Commission which they had obtained from the Late King James was more Illegal and Arbitrary than that granted to Dudley and Empson by King Henry 7th or than it may be was ever before given to any by King James himself or by any one that ever swayed the English Scepter which was a Grievance intolerable and yet they desired not to make themselves Judges in a case which so nearly concerned them but instead of harsher treatment of those who had Tyrannized over them they only secured them that they might not betray that Countrey into the hands of the Late King or of King Lewis which they had reason enough to believe considering their Characters and Dispositions they were inclined to do They designed not to revenge themselves on
Mr. Winstow had brought with him the Declaration he was therefore committed to Prison though he offered two thousand pound Bayl for bringing into the Country a Treasonable Paper For the satisfaction of such as are willing to be informed in this matter Mr. Winstow's testimony as it was given upon Oath before a Magistrate in New England shall be here inserted It is as follows John Winslow aged 24 years or thereabouts testifieth and saith that he being in Nevis some time in February last past there came in a Ship from some part of England with the Prince of Orange's Declarations and brought news also of his happy proceedings in England with his entrance there which was very welcome News to me and I knew it would be so to the rest of the people in New England and I being bound thither and very willing to carry such good news with me gave four shillings six pence for the said Declarations on purpose to let the people in New England understand what a speedy deliverance they might expect from Arbitrary Power We arrived at Boston Harbour the fourth day of April following and assoon as I came home to my house Sir Edmund Androsse understanding I brought the Prince's Declarations with me sent the Sheriff to me so I went along with him to the Governours house and assoon as I came in he asked me why I did not come and tell him the news I told him I thought it not my duty neither was it customary for any Passenger to go to the Governour when the Master of the Ship had been with him before and told him the news he asked me where the Declarations I brought with me were I told him I could not tell being afraid to let him have them because he would not let the people know any news He told me I was a Saucy fellow and bid the Sheriff carry me away to the Justices of the Peace and as we were going I told the Sheriff I would choose my Justice he told me no I must go before Doctor Bullivant one pickt on purpose as I Judged for the business well I told him I did not care who I went before for I knew my cause good so soon as I came in two more of the Justices dropt in Charles Lidget and Francis Foxcroft such as the former fit for the purpose so they asked me for my Papers I told them I would not let them have them by reason they kept all the news from the people so when they saw they could not get what I bought with my money they sent me to Prison for bringing Traiterous and Treasonable Libels and Papers of News notwithstanding I offered them security to the value of two thousand pounds John Winslow Boston in New England Feb. 4. 1689. sworn before Elisha Hutchinson Assistant By these things it appears that it was absolutely necessary for the people in New England to seize Sir E. A. and his Complices that so they might secure that territory for their present Majesties King William and Queen Mary 3. That Sir E. A. c. did make Laws destructive to the liberty of the Subjects is notoriously known for they made what Laws they pleased without any consent of the People either by themselves or representatives which is indeed to destroy the Fundamentals of the English and to Erect a French Government We cannot learn that the like was ever practised in any place where the English are Planters but only where Sir E. A. hath been Governour For whereas in New-England by constant usage under their Charter Government the Inhabitants of each Town did assemble as occasion offered to consider of what might conduce to the welfare of their respective Towns the relief of the poor or the like Sir E. A. with a few of his council made a Law prohibiting any Town meeting except once a year viz. on the third Monday in May. The Inhabitants of the Countrey were startled at this Law as being apprehensive the design of it was to prevent the people in every Town from meeting to make complaints of their Grievances And whereas by constant usage any person might remove out of the Countrey at his pleasure a Law was made that no man should do so without the Governours leave And all Fishing Boats Coasters c. were to enter into a thousand pound bond whereby Fees were raised for himself and creatures This Law could not pass at Boston because many of Sir Edmund's Council there opposed it but then a Juncto of them meeting at New-York passed it and after that Law was made how should any dissatisfied persons ever obtain liberty to go for England to complain of their being oppressed by Arbitrary Governours 4. But besides all this They made Laws for the Levying Moneys without the consent of the People either by themselves or by an Assembly for in order to the supporting of their own Government they did by an Act bearing date March 3. 1686. raise considerable sums of Money on the Kings subjects in that part of his dominions viz. a penny in the pound on all Estates personal or real twenty pence per head as Poll Money a penny in the pound for goods imported besides an Excise on Wine Rum and other Liquors It hath indeed been pleaded that all this was but what the Laws of the Countrey before the change of the Government did allow But this is vainly pretended for there was no such Law in force at the time when these sums were levied the former Laws which did authorise it were repealed Octob. 10. 1683. some years before Sir E. A. and his complices had invaded the Rights and Liberties of the people there Moreover in those parts of the Countrey where there were never any such Laws in force particularly in Plymouth Colony this Money was levied which they heavily complained of Yet further in another Act dated Feb. 15. 1687. they did without any colour of antient Law make an additional duty of Impost and Excise which raised the duty some ten shillings some twenty shillings per Pipe on Wines and so on other things Nay they levied Moneys on Connecticot Colony contrary to their Charter which was never vacated than which nothing more Illegal and Arbitrary could have been perpetrated by them 5. They did not only act according to these Illegal Taxes but they did inflict severe punishment on those true English men who did oppose their Arbitrary proceedings as shall be made to appear in many instances When the Inhabitants of Ipswich in New England were required to choose a Commissioner to tax that Town some principal persons there that could not comply with what was demanded of them did modestly give their reasons for which they were committed to Goal as guilty of high misdemeanours and denied an Habeas Corpus and were obliged to answer it at a Court of Oyer Terminer at Boston And that they might be sure to be found guilty Jurors were picked of such as were no Freeholders nay of
Strangers the Prisoners pleading the priviledges of English men not to be taxed without their own consent they were told that the Laws of England would not follow them to the end of the Earth they meant the priviledges of the English Law for the penalties they resolved should follow them quo jure quà que injuriâ And why should they insist on and talk of the priviledges of English men when it had been declared in the Governours Council that the Kings Subjects in New England did not differ much from Slaves and that the only difference was that they were not bought and sold But to go on with the matter before us In as much as the Prisoners mentioned had asserted their English Liberties they were severely handled not only imprisoned for several weeks but fined and bound to their good behaviour Mr. John Wise was fined fifty pound besides costs of Court deprived of the means of his subsistance and gave a thousand pound bond for good behaviour And Mr. John Appleton was fined fifty pound and to give a thousand pound bond for good behaviour and moreover declared incapable to bear Office besides unreasonable Fees After the same manner did they proceed with several others belonging to Ipswich Likewise the Towns men of Rowley Salisbury Andover c. had the same measure And the Kings Subjects were not only oppressed thus in the Massachusetts Colony but in Plymouth For when Shadrach Wild-boar the Town Clerk of Taunton in N. E. did with the consent of the Town Sign a modest Paper signifying their not being free to raise money on the Inhabitants without their own consent by an assembly the honest man was for this committed close Prisoner and after that punished with a Fine of twenty Marks and three Months Imprisonment and bound to find sureties by Recognizance to appear the next Court and to be of the good behaviour As to the matter of fact the persons concerned in these Illegal and Arbitrary Judgments will not have the face to deny them if they do there are Affidavits now in London which will evince what hath been related whenever there shall be occasion for it It is a vanity in Mr. Palmer to think that he hath answered this by affirming but not proving that the Ipswich-men assembled themselves in a riotous manner for that saying of his is very false The World knows that New England is not the only place where honest men have in these late days been proceeded against as guilty of Riots when they never deserved such a censure any more than these accused by Mr. Palmer But the truth of what hath been thus far related is confirmed by the following Affidavits Complaints of great wrongs done under the Ill Government of Sir Edmund Androsse Governour in N. E. in the year 1687. We John Wise John Andrews senior Robert Kinsman William Goodhue junior all of Ipswich in New England in the County of Essex about the 22d day of August in the year above named were with several principal Inhabitants of the Town of Ipswich met at Mr. John Appletons and there discoursed and concluded that it was not the Towns Duty any way to assist that ill method of raising Money without a general Assembly which was apparently intended by abovesaid Sir Edmund and his Council as witness a late Act issued out by them for such a purpose The next day in a general Town-Meeting of the Inhabitants of Ipswich We the above named John Wise John Andrews Robert Kinsman William Goodhue with the rest of the Town then met none contradicting gave our assent to the vote then made The ground of our trouble our crime was the Copy transmitted to the Council viz. At a Legal Town meeting August 23. Assembled by vertue of an Order from John Vsher Esq Treasurer for choosing a Commissioner to join with the Select men to assess the Inhabitants according to an Act of his Excellency the Governour and Council for laying of rates the Town then considering that the said Act doth infringe their Liberty as free born English Subjects of His Majesty by interfering with the Statute Laws of the Land by which it was Enacted that no Taxes should be Levied upon the Subjects without consent of an Assembly chosen by the Freeholders for assessing of the same they do therefore vote that they are not willing to choose a Commissioner for such an end without said priviledge and moreover consent not that the Select men do proceed to lay any such rate until it be appointed by a general Assembly concurring with the Governour and Council We the complainants with Mr. John Appleton and Thomas French all of Ipswich were brought to answer for the said vote out of our own County thirty or forty Miles into Suffolk and in Boston kept in Goal only for contempt and high misdemeanours as our Mittimus specifies and upon demand denied the priviledge of an Habeas Corpus and from Prison over ruled to answer at a Court of Oyer and Terminer in Boston aforesaid Our Judges were Mr Joseph Dudley of Roxbury in Suffolk in New England Mr. Stoughton of Dorchester John Vsher of Boston Treasurer and Edward Randolph He that officiates as Clerk and Attorny in the case is George Farwel The Jurors only twelve men and most of them as is said Non-freeholders of any Land in the Colony some of them Strangers and Forreigners gathered up as we suppose to serve the present turn In our defence was pleaded the repeal of the Law of Assessment upon the place Also the Magna Charta of England and the Statute Laws that secure the Subjects Properties and Estates c. To which was replied by one of the Judges the rest by silence assenting that we must not think the Laws of England follow us to the ends of the Earth or whither we went And the same person John Wise abovesaid testifies declared in open Council upon examination of said Wise Mr. Wise you have no more priviledges left you than not to be sold for Slaves and no man in Council contradicted By such Laws our Trial and Trouble began and ended Mr. Dudley aforesaid Chief Judge to close up the debate and trial trims up a speech that pleased himself we suppose more than the people Among many other remarkable Passages to this purpose he bespeaks the Jury's obedience who we suppose were very well preinclined viz. I am glad says he there be so many worthy Gentlemen of the Jury so capable to do the King service and we expect a good Verdict from you seeing the matter hath been so sufficiently proved against the Criminals Note the evidence in the case as to the substance of it was that we too boldly endeavoured to perswade our selves we were English Men and under priviledges and that we were all six of us aforesaid at the Town meeting of Ipswich aforesaid and as the Witness supposed we assented to the foresaid Vote and also that John Wise made a Speech at the same time and said we
Jury to serve their turns or words to that purpose nor did Suffolk as appeared by their practice for they made use of Non-Residents in divers cases there I mention not my damage though it is great but to the truth above-written I the said Lynde do set to my hand Joseph Lynde Boston the 14th of January 1689 90. Juratus coram me John Smith Assistant And that the practices of these men have been according to their Principles destructive to the Property of the Subject is now to to be declared It is a thing too well known to be denied that some of Sir Edmunds Council begged if they had not had secret encouragement no man believes that they would have done so those Lands which are called The Commons belonging to several Townships whereby Plymouth Lyn Cambridge Road Island c. would have been ruinated had these mens Projects taken effect And not only the Commons belonging to Towns but those Lands which were the Property of several particular persons in Charles-town were granted from them And Writs of Intrusion were issued out against Coll. Shrimpton Mr. Samuel Seawall and we know not how many more besides That their Lands might be taken from them under pretence of belonging to King James An Island in the possession of John Pittome anciently appropriated to the maintenance of a Free-School was in this way seized How such men can clear themselves from the guilt of Sacrilegious Oppression they had best consider Mr. Palmer swaggers and hectors at a strange rate for he hath these words p. 29. I should be glad to see that man who would bare-faced instance in one particular grant of any mans Right or Possession passed by Sir E. A. during his Government And what if we will shew him the men that dare affirm as much or more than that what will he do Me me adsum qui feci in me convertite Ferrum We will produce those that have said and sworn as much as all this comes to For John Pittome hath upon Oath declared That James Sherlock Sir Edmunds Sheriff came on Dear Island on the 28th of January 1688. and turned him and his Family afloat on the Water when it was a snowy day although he was Tenant there to Coll. Shrimpton and that the said Sherlock put two men whom he brought with him into possession of the said Island as he said on behalf of King James the Second Let him also know that Mr. Shepard and Mr. Burrill of Lyn and James Russell Esq of Charles-towne in new-New-England have declared upon Oath as followeth Jeremiah Shepard Aged forty two years and John Burril aged fifty seven years we whose names are subscribed being made choice of by the Inhabitants of the Town of Lyn in the Massachusetts Colony in New England to maintain their right to their properties and Lands invaded by Sir Edmund Androsse Governour we do testify that besides Sir Edmund Androsse his unreasonable demands of Money by way of Taxation and that without an assembly and Deputies sent from our Town according to ancient custom for the raising of Money or levying of Rates our Properties our honest and just and true Titles to our Land were also invaded and particularly a great and considerable tract of Land called by the name of the Nahants the only secure place for the Grazing of some thousands of our Sheep and without which our Inhabitants could neither provide for their own Families nor be capacited to pay dues or duties for the maintenance of the publick but if dispossessed of the Town must needs be impoverished ruined and rendred miserable yet this very tract of Land being Petitioned for by Edward Randolph was threatned to be rent out of our hands notwithstanding our honest and just Pleas for our right to the said Land both by alienation of the said Land to us from the Original Proprietors the Natives to whom we paid our Moneys by way of purchase and notwithstanding near fifty years peaceable and quiet possession and improvement and also inclosure of the said Land by a Stone Wall in which tract of Land also two of our Patentees were interested in common with us viz. Major Humphreys and Mr. Johnson yet Edward Randolph Petitioning for the said Land Sir Edmund the Governour did so far comply with his unreasonable motion that we were put to great charges and expences for the Vindication of our honest rights thereto and being often before the Governour Sir Edmund and his Council for relief yet could find no favour of our innocent cause by Sir Edmund notwithstanding our Pleas of Purchase antient Possession Improvement Inclosure Grant of the General Court and our necessitous condition yet he told us all these Pleas were insignificant and we could have no true Title unless we could produce a Patent from the King neither had any person a right to one foot of Land in N. E. by vertue of Purchase Possession or Grant of Courts but if we would have assurance of our Lands we must go to the King for it and get Patents of it Finding no relief and the Governour having prohibited Town Meetings we earnestly desired Liberty for our Town to meet to consult what to do in so difficult a case and exigency but could not prevail Sir Edmund angrily telling us that there was no such thing as a Town in the Country neither should we have Liberty so to meet neither were our Antient Town Records as he said which we produced for the vindication of our Titles to said Lands worth a Rush Thus were we from time to time unreasonably treated our Properties and civil Liberties and Priviledges invaded our misery and ruine threatned and hastned till such time as our Country groaning under the unreasonable heavy Yoke of Sir Edmunds Government were constrained forcibly to recover our Liberties and Priviledges Jeremiah Shepard John Burril Jeremiah Shepard Minister and John Burril Lieutenant both of Lin personally appeared before us and made Oath to the truth of this Evidence Salem Feb. 3. 1689 90. John Hathorn Assistant Jonathan Corwin Assistant James Russel Esq on the behalf of the Proprietors of the stinted Pasture in Charlestown and on his own personal account declares as followeth That notwithstanding the answer made to Sir E. A. his demand by some Gentlemen of Charlestown on the behalf of the Proprietors which they judged satisfactory or at least they should have a further hearing and opportunity to make out their Rights there was laid out to Mr. Lidget adjoining to his Farm in Charlestown a considerable tract of Land as it is said one hundred and fifty Acres which was of considerable value and did belong to divers persons which when it was laid out by Mr. Wells there were divers bound marks shewed by the Proprietors and some of them and I had Petitioned for a Patent for my particular Propriety yet the whole tract was laid out to the said Lidget who not only did cut down Wood thereon without the right owners consent but Arrested
them down but if the English get the day we say nothing and that in the Spring French and Irish would come to Boston as many and all won Indians for that was the first place that was to be destroyed and after that the Countrey Towns would be all won nothing And further the said Solomon said that the Governour had given him a Book which said Governour said was better than the Bible and all that would not turn to the Governours Religion and own that Book should be destroyed In which Book he the said Thomas said was the Picture of our Saviour and of the Virgin Mary and of the Twelve Apostles and the Governour said when we pray we pray to the Virgin Mary and when the Fight should be at the Eastward the Governour would sit in his Wigwam and say O brave Indians Whereupon John Rutter told the Indian that he deserv'd to be hanged for speaking such things but the Indian replied it was all true Upon the hearing this discourse we resolved to come to Boston and acquaint Authority with it but by reason of the sickness of Jos Graves we could not presently but as soon as conveniently we could we accordingly appeared at Boston with our Information which the said Joseph Graves carried to Mr. Bullivant a Justice of the Peace Joseph Graves John X Rutler signum Mary Y Graves mark Boston Jan. 28. 1689. Joseph and Mary Graves came and made Oath to the truth above-written Before me William Johnson Assistant That when the English secured some of the Indians mentioned and brought them before Sir E. A. Justices they were basely barbarously used for their pains the following Affidavits shew Sudbury in new-New-England March 22. 1688 9. Thomas Browne aged about Forty four years and John Goodenow aged about Fifty four years John Growt senior aged near Seventy years Jacob Moore aged about 44 years Jonathan Stanhope aged about 57 years and John Parmiter aged about 50 years all Inhabitants of the Town of Sudbury aforesaid do witness that we heard John James Indian of his own voluntary mind say That the Governour was a Rogue and had hired the Indians to kill the English and in particular had hired Wohawhy to kill Englishmen and that the Governour had given the said Wohawhy a gold Ring which was his Commission which gold Ring the said Wohawhy sold to Jonathan Prescott for two shillings in money Whereupon we replied Sirrah you deserve to be hanged for what you say John James the Indian replied What you Papist all one Governour I speak it before Governours very face This discourse of John James Indian was at the place and on the day above-written Thomas Browne John Goodenow Jacob Moore Jonathan Stanhope John Parmiter Thomas Browne and John Goodenow two of the Subscribers above having received this Declaration from John James the Indian we thought it our duty forthwith to inform Authority and did with the Indian presently go to Water-town to Justice Bond where the said John James did voluntarily give his Testimony before the said Justice Bond which after he had taken the said Justice Bond ordered us the said Thomas Browne and John Goodenow to make our appearance before the Governour Sir E. A. or one of the Council with the Indian which accordingly we did when we came to the Governours house after long waiting in a very wet and cold season we were admitted unto the Governours presence where we were detained until eleven or twelve a Clock at night and after a very unkind Treat we humbly prayed his Excellency he would please to discharge us of the Indian but he told us no and joaked us saying we were a couple of brave men and had the command one of a Troop of Horse and the other a Company of Foot and could we not know what to do with a poor Indian Further he asked us what money we gave the Indian to tell us such news and commanded us still to take care of the Indian till his pleasure was to call for us again and this as we would answer it Thus being severely chidden out of his presence we were forced with the Indian to seek our quarters where we could find them The next morning we were preparing to go home again to Sudbury being 20 miles or more being Saturday we were again sent for by the Governour by a Messenger to wait on the Governour with the Indian which we did and waited at the Exchange or Council-house in Boston from nine a Clock in the morning till three of the Clock in the afternoon where in the face of the Countrey we were made to wait upon the Indian with many squibs and scoffs that we met withal at last we were commanded up before the Governour and his Council where we were examined apart over and over and about the Sun-setting were granted leave to go home it being the Evening before the Sabbath Thomas Browne John Goodenow On Munday Morning following being the 25th of March 1689. Jacob Moore Joseph Graves Joseph Curtis Joseph Moore Obadiah Ward were by Thomas Larkin as a Messenger fetched down to Boston where after Examination Jacob Moore was committed to close Prison Joseph Moore Joseph Graves Joseph Curtis and Obadiah Ward were sent home again paying the said Larkin twelve shillings per Man On the next Monday Morning after being the first day of April 1689. Samuel Gookin the Sheriff of Middlesex and his Deputy came up to Sudbury and commanded Thomas Browne John Goodenow Senior John Growt Senior Jonathan Stanhope John Parmiter forthwith to appear at Boston at Collonel Page's House but it being a Wet and Cold Day we were detained at Judge Dudleys house at Roxbury where after long waiting had the kindness shewn us to have an examination every man apart before Judge Dudley Judge Stoughton Mr. Graham and others and were bound over to answer at the next Superiour Court to be held at Boston what should there be objected against us upon his Majesties account Thomas Browne John Goodenow Senior John Growt Senior were each of them bound over in three hundred pound Bonds and each man two sureties in three hundred pound Bond a piece John Parmiter and Jonathan Stanhope were bound in a hundred pound a piece besides the loss of our time and hindrance of our Business the reproach and ignominy of Bond and Imprisonment we shall only take the boldness to give a true account of what money we were forced to expend out of our own Purses as followeth to the Sheriff and other necessary Charges  l. s. d. Thomas Browne 2 00 00 J. Goodenow Senior 2 00 00 J. Growt Senior 0 10 00 J. Rutter Junior 3 05 00 Joseph Curtis 0 17 00 Jacob Moore 3 00 00 Jonathan Stanhope 0 15 00 John Parmiter 0 15 00 Joseph Graves 3 15 00 Thomas Browne John Goodenow Jacob Moore Jonathan Stanhope Joseph Curtis John Parmiter Boston the 21st of Decemb 1689. Jurat cor Isaac Addington Assistant Altho no man does accuse
Principal men there shall keep them from Ravening that this is the Sin of Rebellion condemned in the Scripture How or by whose Authority our Lawyer comes to play the Divine we know not But since he hath thought meet to take a Spiritual Weapon into his hand let him know that the Scripture speaks of a lawful and good Rebellion as well as of that which is unlawful It is said of good Hezekiah that he Rebelled against the King of Assyria and served him not 2 Kings 18.7 Indeed reviling Rabshakch upbraided him and said as in verse 20. thou Rebellest not unlike to Captain Palmer saying to N. E. thou rebellest Hezekiahs predecessours had basely given away the Liberties of the people and submitted to the Arbitrary Power of the Assyrians and therefore Hezekiah did like a worthy Prince in casting off a Tyrannical Government and asserting the Liberty of them that were the Lords People and God did signally own and prosper him in what he did and would never permit the Assyrian to regain his Tyrannical Power over Jerusalem or the Land of Judah though for their tryal he permitted their Enemies to make some Devastations among them The like we hope may be the happy case of New England Mr. Palmer tells us that N. E. hath valued it self for the true profession and pure exercise of the Protestant Religion but he intimates that they will be termed a Land full of Hypocrisie and Rebellion Irreligion and a degenerate wicked people p. 39. And is this the Sincerity and Christian Moderation which he boasts himself of in his Preface Surely these are the Hissings of the Old Serpent and do sufficiently indicate whose Children the men are that use them Since he will be at Divinity let him if he can read the Apologies written by Justin Martyr and Tertullian and there see if Pagans did not accuse Christians of Old just after the same manner and with the same Crimes that he wickedly upbraids that Good and Loyal People with Who are they that use to call the Holiest and most Conscientious men in the World Hypocrites Liars Rebels and what not but they that are themselves the greatest Hypocrites Liars and Rebels against Heaven that the Earth does bear It is hard to believe that Captain Palmer does not rebel against the light of his own Conscience when he affirms as in Page 38 that in N. E. every thing that hath any relations to their Majesties is neglected and unregarded without any recognition of their Authority over those dominions He cannot be ignorant of the humble Addresses which the people in N. E. have from time to time made to their present Majesties acknowledging their Authority He knows that on the first notice of their Majesties being proclaimed King and Queen in England both those now in Government in N. E. and the body of the people with them did without any command of their own accord with the greatest Joy proclaim their Majesties in N. E. he knows that their Majesties have no subjects more cordially and zealously devoted to them than those in N.E. are or that do with greater fervour pray for their long and happy Reigns or that are more willing to expose themselves to the utmost hazards in their service and yet this man that knoweth all this to cast an Odium on that Loyal and Good people insinuates as if they were Rebels and disaffected to the Present Government and designed to set up an Independant Common Wealth and had no regard to the Laws of God or Men. After this lying and malicious rate hath he exprest himself What Rational Charity can be extended so far as to believe that 't is possible for him to think that what himself hath written is true When Sanballat wrote that Nehemiah and the Jews with him intended to Rebel did he believe what he had written no he did not but feigned those things out of his own heart The like is to be said of those Sanballats that accuse the people of N. E. with thoughts of Rebellion And so we have done with Mr. Palmer What hath been said is sufficient to justify the Revolution in N. E. and to vindicate the People there from the Aspersions cast upon them by their Enemies Several Worthy Gentlemen have under their hands given an account concerning some of Sir Edmund's Arbitrary proceedings which is subscribed by five and more would have concurred with them had there been time to have communicated it of those who were of Sir Edmunds Council during his Government there and for that cause their complaints carry the more weight with them which shall therefore as a Conclusion be here subjoined Reader THere is such Notoriety as to Matter of Fact in the preceding Relation that they who Live in new-New-England are satify'd concerning the Particulars contained therein If any in England should Hesitate they may please to understand that Mr. Elisha Cooke and Mr. Thomas Oakes who were the last Year sent from Boston to appear as Agents in behalf of the Massachusetts Colony have by them Attested Copies of the Affidavits at least wise of most of them which are in this Vindication published and are ready if occasion serve to produce them FINIS