Selected quad for the lemma: prince_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
prince_n	act_n	king_n	law_n	2,524	5	4.6885	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50390	A brief narrative of the success which the Gospel hath had, among the Indians, of Martha's-Vineyard (and the places adjacent) in New-England. With some remarkable curiosities, concerning the numbers, the customes, and the present circumstances of the Indians on that island. Further explaining and confirming the account given of those matters, by Mr. Cotton Mather in the life of the renowned Mr. John Eliot. By Matthew Mayhew. Whereto is added, An account concerning the present state of Christianity among the Indians, in other parts of New-England: expressed in the letters of several worthy persons, best acquainted therewithall.	Mayhew, Matthew, 1648-1710.	1694 (1694)	Wing M1436; ESTC R214153	20,858	59

the other Indians in morall Vertue so likewise from other Judicious Persons their Neighbours of whom I shall name Mr. William Vobes a Person now representing the Freeholders of those parts in the Great and General Assembly of the Province of the Massachuset-Bay in New England nor have these People as yet dependance on nor Expectation from any other than their Mother the Church of Martha's Vineyard Of the Indians Government when Christian I have already told my Reader that the Government of this People was the best of all Governments Monarchy and it has been judged not without reason that a main obstruction in the progress of the Gospel in the American Plantations was if not yet is the jealousy the Princes conceived of the Invasion of their Government through the pretences o● Religion and the Eclipsing their Monarchies Dignity The ever Honoured Thomas Mayhew there fore finding that the Princes on these Islands who although they maintained their obsolute Power and Jurisdiction as Kings were ye● bound to doe certain Homage to a Poten● Prince on the Continent and although they were no great People yet had been waste● by Intestine Wars wherein the great Princes on the Continent not unlike European Princes for like Reasons of State were not unassisting whereby they were necessitated to make these Princes the ballance to decide their Controversies and several Jurisdictions by presents annually sent whereby obliging the Princes to give their several Assistance as occasion required and seeing his Son as aforesaid in a zealous indeavour for their Conversion he judged it meet that Moses and Aaron joyn hands he therefore prudently lets them know that by order from his Master the King of England he was to Govern the English which should inhabit these Islands that his Master was in Power far above any of the Indian Monarches but that as he was powerfull so was he a great lover of Justice that therefore he would in no measure invade their Jurisdictions but on the contrary Assist them as need required that Religion and Government were distinct things Thus in no long time they conceived no ill Opinion of the Christian Religion When afterwards the number of the Christian Indians were increased among them he perswaded them to admit of the Counsils of the Judicious Christians among themselves and in cases of more than ordinary consequence of a Jury for Tryal when likewise he promised his Assistance and direction with the Prince when notwithstanding the Princes assent was to be obtained though he were no Christian Thus within a few years there was a happy Government settled among them and Records kept of all Actions and Acts passed in their several Courts by such who having learned to Write fairly were appointed thereto The Princes with their Sachims or Nobles made Publick acknowledgment of their Subjection to the King of England being notwithstanding mindful to be understood as Subordinate Princes to Govern according to the Laws of God and the King Here I shall take leave to insert two remarkables During the late unhappy War between the English and Indians in New-England about Nineteen years since an Evil Spirit possessed too many of our English whereby they suffered themselves to be unreasonably exasperated against all Indians of such there were some on these Islands who could hardly be so moderated by Mr. Mayhew and others in Government with him as to be restrained from rising to assay the disarming of the Indians for whose satisfaction Capt. Richard Sarson Esq was ordered with a small party the Indians being on these Islands Twenty to one having Arms to Treat the Indians on the West end of Martha's Vineyard who were mostly to be doubted he returns with the insuing answer that the delivering their Arms would expose them to the will of the Indians ingaged in the present War who were not less theirs than the Enemies of the English that they had never given occasion of the distrust intimated if in any thing not hazarding their safety they could give any Satisfaction for proof of their Fidelity they would willingly attend what should reasonably be demanded of them but they were unwilling to deliver their Arms unless the English would propose some mean for their safety and livelyhood with this return they drew a Writing in their own Language which I have often read and would have Verbatim inserted but cannot at present find it the Substance was that as they had Submitted to the Crown of England so they resolved to Assist the English on these Islands against their Enemies which they esteemed in the same respect equally their own as Subjects to the same King which was Subcribed by the Persons of greatest note among them Having this answer the Government resolved and accordingly improved them as a guard furnishing them with suitable Amunition and found them so faithful that even some neerly related in observance of general instructions given them so soon as they landed from the Continent were immediately brought before the Governour to attend his pleasure insomuch that the English although the War with respect to the multitude of Indians inhabiting the Continent and their advantage by the neerness to the French had no good aspect took no care but left the whole to the Indians nothing doubting to be advertised by them of any danger from the Enemy This was the effect of the bringing the Gospel of Peace among them Viz. a Peace-bringing Gospel The other observable I shall add to show as their Loyalty so their observance of the Laws of England In the time of the late Revolution when many in hopes there was no King in Israel expected to have done what they saw good in their own eyes Several of our English threatning to fetch certain Sheep in possession of the Indians inhabiting a small Island Adjacent to Martha's Vineyard which Sheep they asserted were Stolen from them who met with repulse the Sachim least there should happen any misunderstanding of that matter immediately makes his report to me in these words Viz. Several of your English have been on my Island and would have forceably taken Sheep from thence and we are much threatned therewith I am doubtfull if they persist in that Resolution it may Occasion Blood-shed you know that while your Grand-father and my Father lived there never happened any difference in such things nor hope will be Occasion given by me I desire the same Amity may be continued nor can the English say that we have not manifested our Allegiance to the King by a continued Subjection And although it is true we have desired your Order should come to us rather than your Officer which hath generally been observed yet we are willing in Case the English pretend any thing ours have injured them in let an Officer by writ from Authority doe his duty then we shall know how in an orderly way to be relieved yet shall the least Boy bringing your Order as in your Grandfathers time Command any thing and if you see cause