The Parties in all Causes, speak themselves for the most part, and some of the Magistrates where they think cause requireth, do the part of Advocates without Fee or Reward.
Though among the several Colonies which were founded here by the confluence of dissenting Zealots, this Government is exercis’d, differing from that of the Church and State of England: yet in those Provinces which are granted by particular Persons, the Government is much more conformable to that of England; but as the Mattachusets or Bostoners were from the beginning the most Potent and Predominant of all the rest of the Colonies, (insomuch, that Boston may well be accounted the Metropolis of all New England,) so of late years they have still usurp’d more and more Power and Authority over the rest; and especially have not stuck to give Laws to the foresaid Provinces allotted to particular Persons, and have gone about wholly to subjugate those places to themselves, intrenching upon the rights of the true Proprietors; and that, even contrary to the Kings express Commands by his Officers, there, and as it were in open defiance of his Majesty and Government, as is evident from this following Narration, of their behavior upon a business of this nature.
Proceedings of the Mattachusets against his Majesties Commissioners.
In the Year of our Lord 1665. his Majesties Commissioners for the Affairs of New England, being in the Province of Mayne, the People being much unsetled in Point or Government, by reason the Mattachusets Colony, or Boston Government, did usurp compulsively a Power over them contrary to their wills; and the right of Sir Ferdinando Gorges Heir, who had his Commission then in the place, did unanimously Petition to his Majesties Commissioners to settle the Government; upon which the said Commissioners examin’d the Bounds and Right of Mr. Gorges Patent, with all the Allegations and Pretensions on both sides, and so according to their Instruction from his Majesty, did settle a temporary Government under his Majesty’s immediate Authority, until such time as his Majesty should give his final determination thereof; and for that end did Institute Justices of the Peace to Govern the Province according to the true Laws of England. Also his Majesty was pleas’d by his Mandamus in April 1666, to the Governors of Boston, to signifie that it was his will and pleasure, That the Province of Main should stand good as his Commissioners had setled it, until he had more leisure to determine it; yet notwithstanding, after three years quiet possession, and exercising of Government by the Kings Justices, according to their Commission granted by his Majesty’s Commissioners, the Bostoners, without any Conference with the said Justices, did in a hostile manner oppose the King’s Power, July 1668. which was as followeth:
The General Court of Boston sent their Warrants to keep Court at York under their Authority, and for that purpose Commissionated Magistrates by their own Authority, namely Major General John Leveret, Mr. Edward Ting, Captain Richard Walden, and Captain Robert Pike: Whereupon the King’s Justices did oppose their Warrants, and sent Post to New York, with an Address to General Nicholas, for Advice what to do therein; who forthwith dispatch’d away to the Governors of Boston, informing them of the danger of their Proceeding, it being an open breach of Duty, to subvert the Government establish’d by his Majesty’s Power; also sent the King’s Mandamus, April 1666. that will’d to the contrary. Notwithstanding the Boston Magistrates in July 1668. in order to their Boston Commission, came to York Town in the said Province, with several Armed Men, Horse and Foot, to keep Court under their Authority; Opposition was made by the King’s Justices, and his Majesty’s Power was urg’d, but little regard thereunto shewn; his Majesties Mandamus was likewise much insisted upon, and produced by the Justices, who ask’d the Bostoners what they thought of it? and how they durst act so contrary to the King’s Will and Pleasure? Major General Leveret told them, That he believ’d it might be the King’s Hand, but he had a Commission from the general Court at Boston, which he would follow and observe by the help of God. The same day in the Afternoon the said Major General Leveret, with the rest of the Boston Magistrates, seiz’d and imprison’d the Province Marshal in doing his Office, and then forthwith went in warlike posture to the Court-house, where the King’s Justices sat in Judicature, and putting them from their Seats, sat down themselves in their Places, and Executed their Boston Commission. The King’s Justices drew a Protest against their Proceedings, and so left the Decision to God’s Providence, and his Majesty’s good Pleasure. Then they turn’d out all Officers, both Military and Civil, and Swore others in their Places under their Authority; they forc’d the whole Record of the Province out of the Recorders House contrary to his Will, by vertue of a Special Warrant from that Court. They imprison’d the Mayor of the said Province about three weeks, forcing him to give in five hundred Pound Bonds, not to act according to his Commission; which with some Reservations he was forc’d to deny for the security of his Estate.
These riotous Proceedings thus acted with such a precipitate fury, so incens’d his Majesty, that speedy care had been taken to reduce them to reason, had they not upon mature consideration bethought themselves afterwards to yield Obedience to his Majesties Orders.
Having treated at large of all that concerns New England in general, both in reference to the Natives and the English Planters, we shall conclude with a brief view of the Provinces of Laconia and Main, as they are truly Describ’d (among other ingenuous Collections and Observations of the Affairs of America, and especially these Parts) by Ferdinando Gorges Esq; Heir to the above-mention’d Sir Ferdinando, and thereby sole Lord of the said Provinces, onely contracting what hath been by him deliver’d more at large.
A brief Description of Laconia, a Province in New England.
Among divers Plantations of the English happily Founded in New England, is a Province to the Landward, nam’d Laconia, so call’d by reason of the great Lakes therein, but by the ancient Inhabitants thereof it is call’d The Countrey of the Troquois: It lies between the Latitude of forty four and forty five Degrees, having the Rivers of Sagadehock and Merrimeck on the Sea-Coast of New England, Southerly from it; into each of which Rivers there is a short Passage, frequented by the Salvages inhabiting near the Lakes. Also it hath the great Lakes which tend towards California in the South Sea on the West thereof: On the North thereof is the great River of Canada, into which the said River disgorgeth it self by a fair large River, well replenish’d with many fruitful Islands: The Air thereof is pure and wholesom, the Countrey pleasant, having some high Hills, full of goodly Forrests, and fair Valleys and Plains, fruitful in Corn, Vines, Chesnuts, Wallnuts, and infinite sorts of other Fruits, large Rivers well stor’d with Fish, and inviron’d with goodly Meadows full of Timber-trees.
One of the great Lakes is call’d The Lake of Troquois, which together with a River of the same Name, running into the River of Canada, is sixty or seventy Leagues in length.