140 This colony, during the reign of Charles the fe cond, and his brother James, met with much trouble, though Charles had actually confirmed their charter, and promised them all encouragement. But the dif putes concerning religion had almost ruined all their When this fovereign promifed to preferve and confirm their charter, he also required, among other things, a refcinding of all their laws, and a repeal of every thing contrary to the King's the allowance of the ufe of the Comauthority; liberties. their patent, Philip Nelfon 1655. Gershom Bukley Mordicai Mathefon 1656. Eleazer Mather Increase Mather Robert Paine Subal Dummer Ezek. Rogers Simon Bradfteet Nathaniel Collins Samuel Elliot William Whitingham Jofeph Cook Samuel Carter Manaffah Armitage Peter Bukley mon Prayer, and the permiffion of perfons of all perfuafions to yote at their elections. Thefe were requifitions they were not ready to comply with, though the latter was exceedingly reafonable; and for their non-compliance, loft the King's favour, and fell under his difpleasure, which they fuffered during the whole courfe of his reign. In confequence of this difobedience, the King, 1664, iffued a fpecial commiffion under the great feal, impowering Colonel Nichols, and three others, therein named named, to go over and enquire into the ftate of the colony, and to hear and determine all complaints, and appeals in all caufes, and matters civil, military, or criminal, according to their good and found discretion, and to fuch inftructions as they had or fhould receive. Upon the return and report of these commiffioners various complaints and fuits were brought against this colony, till at laft they ended in the condemnation of the charter, and the total diffolution of their government, in the year 1684. Charles gave the finishing 1688, 1689. James Allen Samuel Moody William Payne Addington Davenport John Haynes William Partridge Paul Dudley Nathaniel Stone John Clark Thomas Buckingham Samuel Mansfield Peter Burr Thomas ing ftroke to their charter, and his brother James fucceeded, to exercise a defpotifm over them in its outmost extent. Sir Edmund Andros was appointed to be their governor, who would not fuffer them to elect an affembly or council, or to have any other government than what depended upon his arbitrary plea fure. He himself made laws, raised troops, levied taxes, and managed all things with a council of his own creatures, whom he made the iuftruments of his tyran ny, and the promoters of the ends of his covetoufnefs. New-England was now in a moft difinal fituation their charters were diffolved, and the whole province .brought into a ftate of abfolute fubjection. They were told that their charters being diffolved, their titles to their lands were forefeited therewith, and now belonged to the King. Under this pretence, they were called upon to take out new patents for their lands, fubject to fuch fines as should be imposed; and writs of ejectment were brought against such as refused, to put them out of their poffeffion. This was tyranny with a witnefs, but exceedingly confiftent with the other measures of the government at that time. The colony deferved to feel fome chaftisement for their Ipirit of intolerance; but this was chastisement beyond all meafure, and from hands that were guilty of higher tranfgreffions. A general exception was alfo made to all titles, in confequence of the difolving of the charter, and the towns were declared to be incapable of receiving any eftates; this rendered their fituation truly abject. The town of Ipfwich remonftrated against paying taxes levied by the governor's fole authority, without the confent of an affembly, or of the parliament, aud the felect men voted, "That in as much as it is against the privi lege of English fubjects, to have money raised without their confent, in an affembly or parliament, they therefore At the time of the collecting the above catalogue, there were in the three colonies of Plymouth, Maffachufetts, and Connecticut, an hundred and thirty-nine congregations, and of the minifters of thefe, there were above eighty, graduates of the Harvard college, and many of them men of good learning, and excellent parts. |