For notwithstanding all this noise of Erecting Statues, and the great danger in plucking them down, &c. yet in P. 89, 'tis said that even Sir William shewed Choler enough, leaving it open for others, thereby to understand, that he was wholly given over to Passion and Choler.[146] And in P. 92, 'tis said he did not affect any mighty shew of Devotion; these expressions with others may prevail with the unbiased Reader to think that these builders of Statues, had some further design in it, than to blazen the Achievements of Sir William Phips, viz. To set forth Mr. J. Mathers Negociation in England, his procuring the New-Charter for Sir William to be Governour, and himself Establish'd President of the College, are the things principally driven at in the Book.[147]
Another principal thing is to set forth the supposed Witchcrafts in New-England, and how well Mr. Mather the Younger therein acquitted himself.[148]
As to the New Charter for the right understanding that Affair, it will be needful to say, that the People that afterwards settled in New England, being about to leave their Native soil, and to seek (as the Providence of God should direct them) a settlement in remote Regions, wherein they might best secure their Civil and Religious Interests, before they enter'd upon this, considering it might be needful on many accounts for their future well being, they obtain'd a Charter to be in the nature of a prime agreement, setting forth the Soveraigns Prerogative, and the People's Priviledges; in the enjoyment whereof they long continued, after having purchas'd the Title to their Lands, of the Natives of the Country, and settled themselves therein, without any charge to the Crown.
That Clause in their Charter for this Country, viz. (Provided that no other Christian Prince be prepossest of it) being a tacit acknowledgment, that before settlement no one Christian Prince had any right thereto more than another. During this time of New-England's Prosperity, the Government here were very sparing of Granting Freedoms, except to such as [148] were so and so qualfied. Whereby the number of Non-Freemen[149] being much increas'd, they were very uneasie, by their being shut out from having any share in the Government, or having any Votes for their Representatives, &c. it rendred many of them ready to join with such as were undermining the Government, not duly considering that it had been far more safe to have endeavoured to prevail with the Legislators for an enlargement.
So that it will not be wonder'd at that in the latter end of the Reign of King Charles the II. and of King James, (when most of the Charters in England were vacated) that this was quo warranto'd and finally Judgment entered up against it, and the Country was put into such a form of Government as was most agreeable to those times, viz. A Legislative pow'r was lodg'd in the Governour (or President) and some few appointed to be of his Counsel, without any regard therein, either to the Laws of England, or those formerly of this Colony: Thus rendering the Circumstances of this Country beyond comparison worse than those of any Corporation in England. The People of those Corporations being acknowledged still to have a right to Magna Charta, when their particular Charters were made void. But here when Magna Charta has been pleaded, the People have been answered, that they must not expect that Magna Charta would follow them to the end of the World: not only their Estates, but their Lives being thereby rendered wholly precarious. And Judge Palmer[150] has set forth in Print, that the King has power to grant such a Commission over this People.
It is not hard to imagine that under such a Commission, not only the People were liable to be opprest by Taxes, but also by Confiscations, and Siezing of Lands, unless Patents were purchased at Excessive prizes, with many other Exorbitant Innovations.
The first that accepted this Commission was Mr. Dudley, a Gentleman born in this Country, who did but prepare the way for Sir Edm. Andros. In whose time things being grown to such Extremities, not only here, but in England, as render'd the succeeding Revolution absolutely necessary; the Revolution here being no other than an acting according to the Precedent given by England.
During the time of Sir Edmonds' Government, Mr. Increase Mather, Teacher of the North Church in Boston, having undergone some trouble by Fobb-Actions[151] laid upon him, &c. (tho with some difficulty) he made his Escape, and got passage for England, being therein assisted by some particular Friends; where being arrived, he applied himself to King James for redress of those Evils the Country then groaned under; and meeting with a seeming kind reception, and some promises, it was as much as might at that time be reasonably expected.[152]
[149] Upon the Day of the Revolution here, tho the greatest part of the People were for reassuming their Ancient Government, pursuant to his Royal Highness' Proclamation; yet matters were so clog'd, that the People were dissmist without it, who did not in the least mistrust but that those who were put out of the Government by Mr. Dudley, would reassume: Mr. Broadstreet, who had been then Governour, being heard to say that Evening, when returned home, That had not he thought they would have reassum'd, he would not have stirr'd out of his House that Day.[153] But after this, some that were driving at other matters, had opportunities by Threats and other ways not only to prevail with that good Old Gentleman, but with the rest of the Government wholly to decline it; which some few observing, they took the opportunity to call themselves a Committee of Safety, and so undertook to Govern such as would be govern'd by them.[154]
It has been an Observation of long continuance that matters of State seldom prosper, when managed by the Clergy. Among the opposers of the reassuming few were so strenuous as some of the Ministers, and among the Ministers none more vehement than Mr. Cotton Mather, Pastor of the North Church in Boston, who has charged them as they would answer it another day to reassume. Among his Arguments against it, one was that it would be to put a slight upon his Father, who, he said, was in England, labouring for a compleat Restoration of Charter Privileges, not doubting, but they would be speedily obtain'd. Any Man that knows New England cannot but be sensible, that such Discourses from such Men, have always been very prevalent. And hence it was that even those that would think themselves wronged, if they were not numbred among the best Friends to New-England, and to its Charter, would not so much as stoop to take it up, when there was really nothing to hinder them from the Enjoyment thereof.[155]