1662.

Stuyve

ter to the

Court of

cut.

10

Connecti

Connecticut. Southold chose Captain John Young as her CHAP. XX. deputy to the next General Court at Hartford. Young's previous proceedings had awakened the attention of the New Netherland government; and Stuyvesant now inform- 13 October. ed the Connecticut authorities that they were " an absolute sant's letbreach and a nullification" of the boundary treaty of 1650, General and that they gave the States General and the West India Connecti. Company a just ground to demand and recover all their ancient rights to the territory between Greenwich and the Fresh River. The General Court was, therefore, requested to return its "categorical answer" about Young's "seditious doings." This was soon given. The charter was Oct. exhibited to Captain Nicholas Varlett, who had brought his brother-in-law's letter, and the court desired that Stuyve- Reply of sant "would not in any wise incumber or molest his maj- cut. esty's subjects comprehended within the extent of our patent by any impositions, that thereby more than probable inconveniences may be prevented." Southold was received under the protection of the court, and Young was admitted a freeman of the corporation. West Chester was declared 23 October. to be included in Connecticut, and the inhabitants were ter, Greenrequired to send deputies to its next General Court. Green- the Long wich was also accepted, and annexed with West Chester to towns anthe jurisdiction of the local court at Fairfield. The settlements at Huntington, Setauket or Ashford, and Oyster Bay, were notified to choose constables; and "all the Plantations on the island," including Jamaica, Flushing, Gravesend, Heemstede, and Middelburgh, were ordered to "attend the established law of this colony for the rule of rating," and to appear at the General Assembly to be held the next May.*

Religious zeal had, meanwhile, been animating the Jesuits in Canada to new efforts for the conversion of the sav

* Alb. Rec., iv., 379, 382; xviii., 218, 219; xx., 249, 253, 263; xxi., 97-101; Dunlap, ii., App. xxix.; Hazard, ii., 467; Hartford Rec., i., 12; ii., 1, 168; Col. Rec. Conn., 384-390; Bolton's West Chester, ii., 20, 162, 163; Riker's Newtown, 54. The particular reason why Captain Varlett went to Hartford was because his sister Judith had been imprisoned there, on a "pretended accusation of witchery ;" and the Dutch director's letter warmly urged her release. Judith afterward married Stuyvesant's nephew, Nicholas Bayard, and in 1686 resided in the "Hoogh Straat," or High Street, in the city of New York.

West Ches

wich, and

Island

nexed.

Le Moyne

Iroquois.

CHAP. XX. ages, and Father Le Moyne once more visited the country of the Iroquois. Though the Mohawks were implacable, 1661. the Western tribes showed friendship; and deputies from among the the Senecas, Cayugas, and Onondagas, assembled at the 12 August. sound of the bell, which had once summoned the faithful to worship in the deserted chapel of the Jesuits. The council seemed inclined to peace; but the Western nations could 1662. not influence the fiercer Mohawks, and the next spring Le Canada. Moyne returned to Canada.

Returns to

Mohawks

nebeck.

3 May. Surprise

quis and

glish.

After having crushed the Hurons, the Mohawks executed their threatened design against the Eastern savages, 30 April. and a formidable war party visiting the English traders on on the Ken- the Kennebeck, forced them to an unwilling traffic. Thence they proceeded to the Penobscot fort, where they surprised and captured a party of Abenaquis, who had come thither the Abena- to trade. On their return, the Mohawks killed the cattle rob the En- of the English, and robbed their store-houses "to the value of three hundred pounds." To obtain redress for these aggressions, delegates from Boston accompanied Captain Thomas Breedon, the governor of Nova Scotia, to New Amsterdam; and the director at once proceeded with the English agents to Fort Orange. The Mohawk sachems offered an atonement of wampum, but would surrender no prisoners; and, abruptly breaking up the conference, they threatened, unless the English declared themselves satis3 August. fied, to ravage the borders of Connecticut. At length StuyStuyvesant vesant arranged an accommodation, and purchased by presmodation. ents the release of some of the captives. Breedon, how

27 July.

arranges

an accom

12

22

ever, still unsatisfied, complained to the commissioners at Boston that "no recompense" could be obtained; and the Sept. Board, apprehending "the insolencies and wrongs done by Measures the aforesaid Indian Mohawkes have been very great," recommended the several colonies to allow the governor of Nova Scotia to enroll volunteers within their jurisdictions "for his just relief and satisfaction."

commissioners.

At the very moment Stuyvesant and the English delegates were negotiating with the sachems at Fort Orange, a war party of Mohawks and Oneidas was threatening

Montreal. A post near its gates was attacked, and the CHAP. XX.

again in

ada.

garrison killed or captured. Father Vignal was slain; 1662. Brignac was burned at the stake. Three of the prisoners 12 August. escaping with great difficulty, after nine days of constant Iroquois suffering and peril, reached Fort Orange, where they were vade Canhospitably entertained and clothed. Thence they were conveyed to New Amsterdam, and finally reached Quebec by way of Boston. The situation of Canada was now, indeed, alarming. Reduced to forty-five associates, the impoverished and disheartened proprietaries of New France resigned all their rights to the king; and the surrendered Reorgani province was soon afterward conveyed by Louis XIV. to the govern the new and wealthier West India Company, which his New great minister Colbert had organized, and under whose auspices Alexander de Prouville, Marquis de Tracy, was 1663. commissioned as French viceroy in America.*

zation of

ment of

France.

19 Nov.

Bowne, of

Stuyvesant had scarcely returned from Fort Orange when he felt himself called upon to interfere again, to check the progress of Quakerism on Long Island. And now the scene of persecution was at Flushing. Among the early emigrants thither was John Bowne,† a plain, strong- John minded English farmer. His wife soon became attached Flushing. to the society of the Quakers, who, owing to the severe. measures of the provincial government, were obliged to hold their meetings privately, in the woods and solitary places. Bowne, out of curiosity, having attended some of these meetings, invited the Quakers to his house, and, before long, joined their society. The magistrates of Jamaica, faith- 24 August. ful to their promise, informed the director that Bowne's and fined house had become a "conventicle" for the Quakers of all ing Quakthe neighboring villages; and the new convert, upon being

Alb. Rec., iv., 423; xx., 178, 184-194; Hol. Doc., xi., 211; Hazard, ii., 462, 463; Relation, 1660-1, 1661-2, 1663-4, 1664-5; Charlevoix, i., 348-380; Bancroft, iii., 148; O'Call., ii., 452, 453; Hildreth, ii., 91; ante, p. 647, 682.

† Bowne was born at Matlock, in Derbyshire, in 1627. He came over to Boston in 1649, and soon afterward settled himself at Flushing, where, in 1656, he was married to Hannah, a daughter of Robert Field, and a sister of Elizabeth, the wife of Captain John Underhill. In 1661, Bowne erected a fine dwelling-house at the eastern end of Flushing, where it may still be seen. Near this house were two large oak-trees, under which George Fox preached in 1672. One of these trees was blown down in September, 1841; the other, still standing, is supposed to be at least four centuries old.

Y Y

Arrested

for harbor

ers.

CHAP. XX. arrested, confessed his offense. To punish Bowne's contempt of authority, Stuyvesant condemned him to "an amend" of twenty-five Flemish pounds, and threatened him with banishment.

1662.

14 Sept.

21 Sept. New proc

against

ism and se

dition.

The next week, a new proclamation declared that the lamation public exercise of any religion but the Reformed, "in sectarian houses, barns, ships, woods, or fields," would be punished by a fine of fifty guilders; double for a second offense; and for the third quadruple, with arbitrary correction. The importation or distribution of all seditious books was forbid den, under penalty of fine and confiscation. Strangers arriving in the province were to report themselves within six weeks to the secretary, and take the oath of allegiance. And magistrates who permitted the violation of this proclamation were threatened with immediate removal from office. But the threat of punishment did not repress the 5 October. Zeal of the Quakers. John Tilton, and Mary his wife, and Michael and Samuel Spicer, of Gravesend, persisting in frequenting conventicles, were ordered to leave the province before the twentieth of November. Meanwhile, Bowne, refusing to pay his fine, had remained imprisoned at New Amsterdam; and, at the end of three months, "for the welfare of the community, and to crush as far as it is possible that abominable sect who treat with contempt both the political magistrates and the ministers of God's holy word, and endeavor to undermine the police and religion," an order was made in council "to transport from this province the aforesaid John Bowne, if he continues obstinate and pervicacious, in the first ship ready to sail, for an example to others." The Quaker convert, however, remaining firm, 1663. the director executed his threat. Bowne was ordered on board the Gilded Fox; and Stuyvesant wrote to the Ambanished. sterdam Chamber that the contumacious prisoner had been banished as a terror to others, who, if not discouraged by this example, would be dealt with still more severely. But the banishment of Bowne was the harbinger of a better day for New Netherland. On reaching Amsterdam, the exile "manifested his case" to the directors of the West

14 Dec. Order in council against

Bowne.

9 Jan. Bowne

}

India Company, who did not utter "one word tending to CHAP. XX. the approval of any thing" that their provincial govern- 1663. ment had done against the Quakers. So far from justify

The W. 1.

enjoins to

ing Stuyvesant, they thus rebuked him in their next dispatches. Although it is our cordial desire that similar 16 April. and other sectarians may not be found there, yet as the Company contrary seems to be the fact, we doubt very much wheth- eration. er rigorous proceedings against them ought not to be discontinued; unless, indeed, you intend to check and destroy your population, which, in the youth of your existence, ought rather to be encouraged by all possible means. Wherefore, it is our opinion that some connivance is useful, and that at least the consciences of men ought to remain free and unshackled. Let every one remain free as long as he is modest, moderate, his political conduct irreproachable, and as long as he does not offend others or oppose the government. This maxim of moderation has always been the guide of our magistrates in this city; and the consequence has been that people have flocked from every land to this asylum. Tread thus in their steps, and we doubt not you will be blessed." This reproof was effect- Persecuual. Persecution ceased in New Netherland; and Bowne, returning after two years absence, met Stuyvesant as a private citizen, who "seemed ashamed of what he had done."* The Amsterdam Chamber also instructed their director 26 March. that it would gratify them if the proposed settlement of tions of the Puritans on the Raritan River, which might serve as a bulwark against the Raritans and Minnisincks, should be car- Puritan ried into effect. "The principal obstacle was the appeal on the Rarin criminal cases, and capital crimes of fornication, adultery, and similar offenses, which they punish according to the law and the expressed word of God. Against which maxim, although the laws of our Fatherland use some connivance in this respect, we make no objection; but we could not willingly transfer to them the absolute disposal of all criminal cases whatever without appeal." The di

* Alb. Rec., iv., 427; xviii., 221, 222; xx., 199, 208-220, 230-233, 263, 291; Besse, ii., 237; Thompson's L. I., ii., 74–79, 293–295, 386-388; Bancroft, ii., 300; Dr. De Witt, in N. Y. H. S. Proc., 1844, 73; O'Call., ii., 454-457; ante, p. 689.

tion ceases.

Instrue

W. I. Com

pany re specting a

settlement

itan.