Captiue liable to publicke punishment fled from her Master at Hartford, is entertayned in your house at Hartford, and though required by the magistrate is vnder the hands of your Agent there denyed, and we heare she is either marryed, or abused by one of your men: Such a servant is parte of her master's estate, and a more considerable parte then a beast, our children will not longe be secure if this be suffered : your Agent himselfe in height of disorder and contempt of authority, resists the watch at Hartford, drawes and breakes his rapier vpon their weapons and by flight escapes, had he bene slaine in this proude affront, his bloud had beene vpon his owne head: Lastly to passe by other particulars, some of your horses being pownded for damage done in the English Corne, your Agent and 4 more made an assault, and stroke him who legally sought justice, and in an hostile way tooke away his teame and laden.

We have also seene a Protest of yours Dat. Aug. 3. 1646 New stile, against our Confederates of New Haven with their Answer Dat. Aug. 12th, and deliuered to leiftenant Baxtey your messenger: vpon our most serious consideration of the contents togeither with their title heere held forth, we conceiue their Answere fayre and just; and hope it will cleare their proceedings, and giue you full satisfaction, yet to prevent all inconveniences which may grow by any part of the premises, we haue sent this bearer, by whome we desire such a returne as may testify your concurrence with vs to embrace and pursue righteousnes and peace.

Vpon information that the Dutch Governor in a letter to the Governor of the Mattachusets chargeth Mr. Whitinge, one of the Magistrates of Connecticut that at the Manhattoes he should say The English were fooles to suffer the Dutch to liue there, Mr. Whitinge vpon other occasions beinge nowe at New Haven the Commissioners enquired of him what had passed betwixt him and the Dutch Governoure or him and others at the Manhattoes, end therevpon in English wrote another letter to the Dutch Governoure as followeth :

SIR,

SINCE your former dated the fifth of this present we haue spoken with Mr. Whitinge concerninge words you chardge him with in your letter to the Governoure of the Mattachusets, he professeth he neither remembereth nor knoweth any such words spoken by him, and we could wish that all such provokinge and threatninge language might be forborne on both parts, as contrary to that peace and neighbourely correspondency which we desire sincerely to preserue betwixt the 2 nations. Mr. Whitinge complaines of a sentence lately passed against him in his absence at the Manatoes, when he had noe agent there to pleade to his cause, or to giue in his evidence, and that demandinge a just debt long since due from some of yours, he receiued neither that help of justice from your selfe nor soe fair an answere as the cause required and he expected, we are assured you will both grante him a review in the former and free passage for recoveringe debts as all the Colonies will readily doe to any of yours in our Courts, y! in

your answere to our former you will please to adde a word or two concerning the premises, it may settle a right understandinge betwixt vs, we rest yours, &c.

September 7th. 1646. old stiyle.

Both those letters were sent by Leiftenant Godfrey a messenger to the Dutch Governoure the same day.

September 15th leiftenant Godfrey returned Manattchoes and brought 2 letters from the dutch Governoure, the one in latine, the other in English, the latine translated hath these contents.

To the most noble and worthy Commissioners of the federated English met together at the Red Mounte, or Newhaven in New Netherlands, Wm. Keift Director and the Senate of New Netherland doe send many salutations.

YOURS dated the 5th September, old style, we receaued the 21. new style, by your messenger to which we thincke sufficient to giue this short answere.

That the Inhabitants of Hartford haue deceiued you with false accusations as were easy to be euidenced by us if it were now seasonable to produce our allegations which we can proue to be true by diuerse attestations as well of your owne Country men, as ours, togeither with other authenticke writinge, but that we may not seeme to be willing to evade you with vaine words, we shall at this time present you a few particulars, out of soe greate an heap, as by the claw you may iudge of the talants of the lyon, and therefore passinge by their vsurpinge of our jurisdiccon, and of our proper grounde against possession solemnly taken by us, and our protestacons formerly made, we doe say, that the bloud of our Country men wrongfully shed by the inhabitants of Hartford, and the sellinge of our domesticke beasts by them, doe sufficiently testify the equity of their proceedings and therefore your prejudgement supported by this Oath Creto Coxtius, as if you should say Amen, Amen, seemes wonderful to vs, and done contrary to the modesty requisite in such an Assemblie, who should allwaies keepe one eare for the other party.

Soe far as concernes the Barbarian handmaide although it be apprehended by some that she is no slaue but a free woman, because she was neither taken in war nor bought with price, but was in former time placed with me by her parents for education, yet we will not suffer her to be wrongfully detayned, but wither he shall pay the damadge to her Mr. or she shal be restored to him we will not suffer him that desires her for his wife to marry her, vntill she be lawfully baptised. Concerning the breaking in of our Agent vpon the watch at Hartford we truly conceiue that watches are appointed for the defence of townes against the violence of enemies, and not for the hinderinge of friends returne to their owne houses, and therefore least mischeifes happen, it were good to committ such a trust to skillfull men, and not to ignorant boyes who when they once finde themselues loaden with armes, thinke they may alsoe lawfully cry out etiam nos

poma natamus.

Certainely when we heare the Inhabitants of Hartford complayninge of vs, we seeme to heare Esops wolfe complayninge of the lamb, or the admonition of the younge man who cryed out to his mother chideinge with her neighboures, oh mother revile her, least she first take vp that practise against you: But being taught by precedent passages we received such an answer to our Protest from the inhabitants of Newhaven as we expected, the Eagle allwaies despiseth the Beetle fly, yet notwithstandinge we doe vndauntedly continue in our purpose of pursueinge our owne right by just armes and righteous meanes, and do hope without scruple to execute the expresse commands of our superiours.

To conclude we protest against all you Commissioners mett at the Red Mounte as against breakers of the common league, and alsoe infringers of the speciall right of the Lords, the States our superiours, in that ye have dared without expresse Commission to hould your generall meetinge within the limits of New Netherlande, these things are spoken from the Duty of our place, in other respects we are yours.

WILLIAM KEIFT,

By commande of the Lord

Amsterdam fort in New Netherland

the 22. Sept. 1646.

Director and Senate, CORNE: TMHAVEIUS.

The following is an extract from the letter wrote in English. "Whereas likewise you mention Mr. Whitinge's complaint concerning a sentence of Corte passed here against him in his absence and without any Attorney to pleade for him, I cannot but apprehend it as a greate injury to myselfe in particular, but chiefly to you gentlemen that he should soe misinforme you, for in the first place he left Mr. Dolling, for his Agent, who pleaded his cause for him, and what process was then and there awarded with the reasons and grounds inducinge vs., if he had produced the Copy of the Sentence of Corte vnder our Secretary's hand, I suppose you would haue beene very well satisfyed. Yet if he can further cleare the said cause by better Evidence I shall willingly graunte a review, and doe that which is just according to that light God giues me. Concerninge debts due to him. from any here, I shall according to justice and the law of our country doe him right."

REIPUB

Seal of Massachusetts.

"Several persons in the west of England, having by fishing voyages to Cape Ann, The nothern promontory of the Massachusets Bay, obtained some acquaintance with those parts; the news of the good progress made in the new plantation of Plymouth, inspired the renowned Mr. White, minister of Dorchester, to prosecute the settlement of such another plantation here for the propagation of religion. This good man engaged several gentlemen about the year 1624, in this noble design; and they employed a most religious, prudent, worthy gentleman, one Mr. Roger Conant, in the government of the place, and of their affairs upon the place; but through many discouragements, the design for a while almost fell unto the ground. That great man greatly grieved hereat, wrote over to this Mr. Roger Conant, that if he and three honest men more would yet stay upon the spot, he would procure a patent for them, and send them over friends, goods, provisions, and what was necessary to assist their undertakings. Mr. Conant, then looking out a situation more commodious for a town, gave his three disheartened companions to understand, that he did believe God would make this land a receptacle for this people; and that if they should leave him, yet he would not stir; for he was confident he should not long want company; which confidence of his caused them to abandon the thoughts of leaving him. Well, it was not long before the Council of Plymouth in England, had by a deed bearing date, March 19, 1627, sold unto some knights and gentlemen about Dorchester, viz. Sir Henry Rowsel, Sir John Young, Thomas Southcott, John Humphrey, John Endicott, and Simon Whetcomb, and their heirs and assigns, and their associates for ever, that part of New England which lyes between a great river called Merimack, and a certain other river there called Charles'

River, in the bottom of the Massachuset Bay. But shortly after this, Mr. White brought the aforesaid honourable persons into an acquaintance with several other persons of quality about London; as, namely Sir Richard Saltonstall, Isaac Johnson, Samuel Adderly, John Ven, Matthew Cradock, George Harwood, Increase Nowel, Richard Perry, Richard Bellingham, Nathaniel Wright, Samuel Vassal, Theophilus Eaton, Thomas Goff, Thomas Adams, John Brown, Samuel Brown, Thomas Hutchings, William Vassal, William Pinchon, and George Foxcraft. These persons being associated unto the former, and having bought of them all their interest in New England aforesaid, now consulted about settling a plantation in that country, whither such as were then called Non-conformists, might with the grace and leave of the King make a peaceable secession, and enjoy the liberty and the exercise of their own pers wasions, about the worship of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whereupon petitioning the King to confirm what they had thus purchased with a new patent, he granted them one, bearing date from the year 1628, which gave them a right unto the soil, holding their titles of lands, as of the manner of East Greenwich in Kent, and in common soccage. By this Charter they were empowered yearly to elect their own governour, deputy-governour and magistrates; as also to make such laws as they should think suitable for the plantation: but as an acknowledgment of their dependance upon England, they might not make any laws repugnant unto those of the kingdom; and the fifth part of all the oar of gold or silver found in the territory, belonged unto the crown. So, soon after Mr. Cradock being by the company chosen governour, they sent over Mr. Endicott in the year 1628, to carry on the plantation, which the Dorchester agents had lookt out for them, which was at a place called Nahumkeick.

The report of the charter granted unto the governour and company of the Massachuset Bay, and the entertainment and encouragement, which planters began to find in that Bay, came with a,-Patrias age, desere Sedes, and caused many very deserving persons to transplant themselves and their families into New England. Gentlemen of ancient and worshipful families, and ministers of the gospel, then of great fame at home, and merchants, husbandmen, artificers to the number of some thousands, did for twelve years together carry on this transplantation. It was indeed a banishment rather than a removal, which was undergone by this glorious generation, and you may be sure sufficiently afflictive to men of estate, breeding and conversation. As the hazard which they ran in this undertaking was of such extraordinariness, that nothing less than a strange and strong impression from Heaven could have thereunto moved the hearts of such as were in it; so the expense with which they carried on the undertaking was truly extraordinary. By computation, the passage of the persons that peopled New England, cost at least ninety-five thousand pounds the transportation of their first small stock of cattle great and small, cost no less than twelve thousand pound, beside the price of the cattle themselves: the provisions laid in for subsistence, till tillage might produce more, cost fourty-five thousand pounds; the materials for

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