ANNOUNCER
In the year 1661 Connecticut received from the hand of Charles the Second a very liberal charter granting to the people of the colony almost complete self-government and to the colony an enormous stretch of territory extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. For fifteen years the colony prospered under the generous charter. Then in 1676 trouble arose with the Governor of New York, Sir Edmund Andros, about the boundary line between the two colonies. Andros demanded authority over all the land west of the Connecticut River. Governor Treat of Connecticut refused to submit. Andros threatened to seize the disputed land. Treat defied him. Andros fitted out three ships, embarked a military force, and set out for Saybrooke, Connecticut. Treat ordered out the militia, garrisoned the fort at Saybrooke, and waited.
Our first scene is in the fort on the morning of July 9, 1676. The Governor is at breakfast when he hears—
VOICE [distance]
Sail, ho!
ALL [closer]
Sail, ho! Here they come; call the governor [etc.]
ALLYN [coming in]
Governor! Governor! The ships are coming into the harbor!
TREAT
Are you certain they are the ships of Governor Andros?
ALLYN
Come and see for yourself, Governor.
TREAT
Come along, then. Lieutenant Allyn, how many ships did you see? [crowd noises swell up]
ALLYN
Only one, sir. I didn't wait for any more.
TREAT
Ah, here we are! Give me your hand while I climb to the ramparts.
ALLYN
Yes, sir! Ah! There you are, sir!
TREAT
Good!
ALL [in]
There's three of 'em, Governor! That's Andros, sir. No doubt o' that!
TREAT
Yes, yes, three! Andros's ships! That's certain! [calling] Every man to his place! Load your muskets and prepare for action! Andros shall not land!
ALL
Aye! We'll stop him! Just let him try it!
Here, give me your ramrod. Have you got an extra flint? [etc.]
TREAT
Lieutenant Allyn.
ALLYN
Yes, sir!
TREAT
Load the cannon!
ALLYN
It is loaded, sir.
TREAT
Fire across the bow of the forward ship! Make them come to!
ALLYN
Yes, sir! [calling] Throw the cannon across the bow of the forward ship!
VOICE
Yes, sir!
ALLYN
Fire! [a cannon shot]
ALL
Oh! Look at it!
Yea! Good shot!
TREAT
Excellent! That will show Andros our temper!
ALLYN
The ship is coming about, sir!
TREAT
So I see! They may be going to answer our shot with a broadside! [calling] Down! Every man down behind the ramparts!
ALLYN
Down! Down! Every man down!
VOICE [distant]
Ahoy, the fort!
TREAT
Oh! Hailing us! Well, let them hail!
VOICE
Ahoy, the fort!
TREAT
Can you see who it is, Lieutenant?
ALLYN
No, sir!
VOICE
I say there! Ahoy, the fort! Is there anyone there? Answer or we'll open fire on you!
TREAT
Hail them, Lieutenant.
ALLYN [calling]
Hello there, what do you want?
VOICE
Is the Governor of Connecticut Colony in the fort?
ALLYN [low]
What shall I tell him?
TREAT
ALLYN [loud]
Yes, the Governor is here!
VOICE
Governor Andros sends his compliments—
TREAT [under his breath]
Compliments, indeed!
VOICE
And requests Governor Treat to come aboard for a parley.
TREAT
Never! Tell him if Andros has anything to say let him come here, alone and unarmed, and say it!
ALLYN
Yes, sir! [loud] Governor Treat's compliments. He requests Governor Andros to come ashore for a parley.
TREAT
Alone and unarmed.
ALLYN [loud]
If he means no harm, let him come alone and unarmed.
TREAT
He'll never come!
ALLYN
They're letting a small boat down, sir!
TREAT
Indeed! Who is in it?
ALLYN
A sailor and another—
TREAT
ALLYN
It may be, I don't know him. They're pulling away from the side now.
TREAT
If that is really Andros, he's a brave man.
ALLYN
Aye, sir, he is that. Will you go down to meet him?
TREAT
Indeed I will, if he has the courage to come ashore without a guard! I can do no less than meet him at the shore. Come along, Lieutenant. [calling] Stand by, men, ready for action at any moment! Lieutenant Allyn and I are going out to meet the Governor!
ALLYN
Through this portal, sir! I've unlocked it.
TREAT
Thank you.
ALLYN
The boat is just beaching, sir.
TREAT
Good! And here he comes.
ALLYN
Alone!
TREAT
Have I the honor of greeting Governor Andros?
ANDROS [coming in, storming angrily]
What is the meaning of this, sir? What is the meaning of this?
TREAT
ANDROS
This—this show of force? What is the meaning of it, I say?
TREAT
Sir! This force is here to maintain the rights of this colony against the illegal aggression of New York!
ANDROS
Where is your Governor?
TREAT
Here!
ANDROS
Well, Governor, I'll have you know that I have come here in the legal performance of my duties to take command of land legally and lawfully a part of the possessions of His Grace, the Duke of York.
TREAT
I have already informed you, sir, that you shall not have it!
ANDROS
Is this rebellion?
TREAT
It is not, I assure you. But we will hold this land which is ours by right of grant from His Majesty, Charles the Second.
ANDROS
My commission as Governor of this territory comes directly from His Grace, the Duke of York.
TREAT
His Grace has no jurisdiction here.
ANDROS
Here, sir, are my orders. [rattle of paper]
TREAT
And here, sir, is a true copy of our charter. [rattle of paper]
ANDROS
My orders supersede your charter.
TREAT
Our charter is a royal grant, and cannot be superseded except for cause by due process of law.
ANDROS
I shall take possession under my orders. You can appeal to the Privy Council for redress.
TREAT
You can take possession only after every man in this fort is dead!
ANDROS
Do you still insist on this ridiculous show of force?
TREAT
I do! If you make a move to land your troops, we will open fire!
ANDROS
Very well. I shall report to His Grace that I was prevented from obeying his command by an unwarranted and illegal show of force!
TREAT
And we shall report to His Majesty that we defended our rights under our royal charter.
ANDROS
Confound your charter! I'll see to it that you lose it! Good day, sir.
TREAT