The Revolution in New England Justified, Testimony 3 – Affidavit 4

The Revolution in New England Justified · Testimony 3 – Affidavit 4

p. 15Joſeph Lynde of Charles-towne in the County of Middleſex in N. E. being fifty three years of age, teſtifieth and ſaith, That in the year 1687. Sir Edmund Androſſe then Governour of New-England did inquire of him the ſaid Lynde what Title he had to his Lands, who ſhewed him many Deeds for Land that he the ſaid Lynde poſſeſſed, and particularly for Land that the ſaid Lynde was certainly informed would quickly be given away from him, if he did not uſe means to obtain a Patent for it. The Deed being conſidered by Sir E. A. he ſaid, it was worded well, and recorded according to N. E. cuſtom or words to the ſame purpoſe. He further enquired how the Title was derived he the ſaid Lynde told him, That he that he bought it of had it of his Father-in-law in Marriage with his Wife, and his ſaid Father from Charles-towne, and the ſaid Town from the General Court grant of the Maſſachuſetts Buy, and alſo by purchaſe from the Natives, and he ſaid, my Title were nothing worth if that were all. At another time after p. 16ſhewing him an Indian Deed for Land, he ſaid, that their hand was no more worth than a ſcratch with a Bears paw, under-valuing all my Titles, though every way legal under our former Charter Government. I then petitioned for a Patent for my whole Eſtate, but Mr. Weſt Deputy Secretary told me, I muſt have ſo many Patents as there were Counties that I had parcels of Land in, if not Towns, finding the thing ſo chargeable and difficult I delayed, upon which I had a Writ of Intruſion ſerved upon me in the beginning of the Summer 1688. the Copy whereof is in Charles-towne's Mens complaint, and was at the ſame time with that of Mr. James Ruſſel's, Mr. Seawall's, and Mr. Shrimpton's, it being for the ſame Land in part that I ſhewed my Title unto Sir E. A. as above, being my ſelf and thoſe I derived it from poſſeſſed, incloſed, and improved for about Fifty years, at which time I gave Mr. Graham Attorney General three pounds in Money, promiſing that if he would let the Action fall I would pay Court charges, and give him Ten pound when I had a Patent compleated for that ſmall parcel of Land, that ſaid Writ was ſerved upon me for, which I did becauſe a Quaker that had the promiſe of it from the Governour, as I was informed in the Governors preſence ſhould not have it from me, the ſaid Lynde, having about ſeven Acres more in the ſame common Field or Paſture, about a Mile from this forty nine Acres near unto the Land that the ſaid Governour gave unto Mr. Charles Lidget, of divers of my Neighbours, which I concluded muſt go the ſame way that theirs went, and therefore though deſired to be patented by the ſaid Lynde with the forty nine Acres, he could not obtain a Grant for it. About the ſame time Mr. Graham Attorney General asked the ſaid Lynde what he would do about the reſt of his Land, telling him the ſaid Lynde that he would meet with the like trouble about all the reſt of his Lands that he poſſeſſed, and were it not for the Governours going to New-York at this time, there would be a Writ of Intruſion againſt every Man in the Colony of any conſiderable Eſtate, or as many as a Cart could hold, and for the poorer ſort of people ſaid Sir E. A. would take other meaſures, or words to the ſame purpoſe. The ſaid Lynde further ſaith, That after Judgments obtained for ſmall wrongs done p. 17him, tryable by their own Laws before a Juſtice of the Peace, from whom they allowed no Appeals in ſmall Cauſes: he was forced out of his own County by Writs of falſe Judgment; and although at the firſt ſuperiour Court in Suffolk, the thing was ſo far oppoſed by Judge Stoughton as illegal, as that it was put by, yet the next Term by Judge Dudley and Judge Palmer, the ſaid Lynde was forced to anſwer George Farewell Attorney aforeſaid, then ſaying in open Court in Charles-town, that all Cauſes muſt be brought to Boſton in Suffolk, becauſe there was not honeſt men enough in Middleſex to make a Jury to ſerve their turns, or words to that purpoſe; nor did Suffolk, as appeared by their practice, for they made uſe of Non-Reſidents in divers caſes there. I mention not my damage, though it is great, but to the truth above-written I the ſaid Lynde do ſet to my hand—

Joſeph Lynde. Boſton the 14th of January, 1689/90. Juratus coram me John Smith Aſſiſtant.

And that the practices of theſe men have been according to their Principles, deſtructive to the Property of the Subject, is now to to be declared. It is a thing too well known to be denied, that ſome of Sir Edmunds Council begged (if they had not had ſecret encouragement no man believes that they would have done ſo) thoſe Lands which are called The Commons belonging to ſeveral Townſhips, whereby Plymouth, Lyn, Cambridge, Road Iſland, &c. would have been ruinated, had theſe mens Projects taken effect. And not only the Commons belonging to Towns, but thoſe Lands which were the Property of ſeveral particular perſons in Charles-town, were granted from them. And Writs of Intruſion were iſſued out againſt Coll. Shrimpton, Mr. Samuel Seawall, and we know not how many more beſides, That their Lands might be taken from them, under pretence of belonging to King James. An Iſland in the poſſeſſion of John Pittome anciently appropriated to the maintenance of a Free-School, was in this way ſeized. How ſuch men can clear themſelves from the guilt of Sacrilegious Oppreſſion, they had beſt conſider. Mr. Palmer ſwaggers and hectors at a ſtrange rate; for he hath theſe words, (p. 29.) I ſhould be glad to ſee that man who would bare-faced inſtance in one particular p. 18grant of any mans Right or Poſſeſſion paſſed by Sir E. A. during his Government.—And what if we will ſhew him the men, that dare affirm as much or more than that? what will he do?

Me me adſum qui feci, in me convertite Ferrum.

We will produce thoſe that have ſaid (and ſworn) as much as all this comes to. For John Pittome hath upon Oath declared, That James Sherlock, Sir Edmunds Sheriff, came on Dear Iſland on the 28th of January 1688. and turned him and his Family afloat on the Water when it was a ſnowy day, although he was Tenant there to Coll. Shrimpton, and that the ſaid Sherlock put two men (whom he brought with him) into poſſeſſion of the ſaid Iſland (as he ſaid) on behalf of King James the Second. Let him alſo know, that Mr. Shepard and Mr. Burrill of Lyn, and James Ruſſell Eſq of Charles-towne in New-England have declared upon Oath as followeth.

Jeremiah Shepard Aged forty two years and John Burril aged fifty ſeven years, we whoſe names are ſubſcribed being made choice of by the Inhabitants of the Town of Lyn in the Maſſachuſetts Colony in New England to maintain their right to their properties and Lands invaded by Sir Edmund Androſſe Governour, we do teſtify that (beſides Sir Edmund Androſſe his unreaſonable demands of Money by way of Taxation, and that without an aſſembly, and Deputies ſent from our Town according to ancient cuſtom, for the raiſing of Money or levying of Rates) our Properties, our honeſt and juſt and true Titles to our Land were alſo invaded, and particularly a great and conſiderable tract of Land called by the name of the Nahants, the only ſecure place for the Grazing of ſome thouſands of our Sheep, and without which our Inhabitants could neither provide for their own Families, nor be capacited to pay dues or duties for the maintenance of the publick, but (if diſpoſſeſſed of) the Town muſt needs be impoveriſhed, ruined, and rendred miſerable, yet this very tract of Land being Petitioned for by Edward Randolph, was threatned to be rent out of our hands, notwithſtanding our honeſt and juſt Pleas for our right to the ſaid Land, both by alienation of the ſaid Land to us from the Original Proprietors the Natives, to whom we paid our Moneys by way of purchaſe, and notwithſtanding near fifty years peaceable and quiet poſſeſſion and improvement, p. 19and alſo incloſure of the ſaid Land by a Stone Wall, in which tract of Land alſo two of our Patentees were intereſted in common with us, viz. Major Humphreys, and Mr. Johnſon, yet Edward Randolph Petitioning for the ſaid Land, Sir Edmund the Governour did ſo far comply with his unreaſonable motion, that we were put to great charges and expences for the Vindication of our honeſt rights thereto, and being often before the Governour Sir Edmund and his Council for relief, yet could find no favour of our innocent cauſe by Sir Edmund, notwithſtanding our Pleas of Purchaſe, antient Poſſeſſion, Improvement, Incloſure, Grant of the General Court, and our neceſſitous condition, yet he told us all theſe Pleas were inſignificant, and we could have no true Title unleſs we could produce a Patent from the King, neither had any perſon a right to one foot of Land in N. E. by vertue of Purchaſe, Poſſeſſion or Grant of Courts, but if we would have aſſurance of our Lands, we muſt go to the King for it, and get Patents of it. Finding no relief (and the Governour having prohibited Town Meetings, we earneſtly deſired Liberty for our Town to meet, to conſult what to do in ſo difficult a caſe and exigency, but could not prevail. Sir Edmund angrily telling us that there was no ſuch thing as a Town in the Country, neither ſhould we have Liberty ſo to meet, neither were our Antient Town Records (as he ſaid) which we produced for the vindication of our Titles to ſaid Lands worth a Ruſh. Thus were we from time to time unreaſonably treated, our Properties, and civil Liberties and Priviledges invaded, our miſery and ruine threatned and haſtned, till ſuch time as our Country groaning under the unreaſonable heavy Yoke of Sir Edmunds Government were conſtrained forcibly to recover our Liberties and Priviledges.

Jeremiah Shepard.

John Burril.

Jeremiah Shepard Miniſter, and John Burril Lieutenant, both of Lin, perſonally appeared before us, and made Oath to the truth of this Evidence,

Salem. Feb. 3. 1689/90.

John Hathorn. Aſſiſtant.

Jonathan Corwin. Aſſiſtant.

p. 20James Ruſſel Eſq on the behalf of the Proprietors of the ſtinted Paſture in Charlestown, and on his own perſonal account, declares as followeth.

That notwithſtanding the anſwer made to Sir E. A. his demand by ſome Gentlemen of Charlestown on the behalf of the Proprietors, which they judged ſatisfactory, or at leaſt they ſhould have a further hearing and opportunity to make out their Rights, there was laid out to Mr. Lidget adjoining to his Farm in Charlestown a conſiderable tract of Land (as it is ſaid one hundred and fifty Acres) which was of conſiderable value, and did belong to divers perſons, which when it was laid out by Mr. Wells there were divers bound marks ſhewed by the Proprietors, and ſome of them, and I had Petitioned for a Patent for my particular Propriety, yet the whole tract was laid out to the ſaid Lidget, who not only did cut down Wood thereon, without the right owners conſent, but Arreſted ſome for cutting their own Wood, and ſo they were deprived of any means to uſe or enjoy their own Land. And notwithſtanding there was about twenty Acres of Paſture Land and Meadow taken from the ſaid Ruſſel, and given to Mr. Lidget, yet afterwards there was a Writ of Intruſion ſerved upon a ſmall Farm belonging unto the ſaid Ruſſel, unto which the aforeſaid Paſture Land did belong, and had been long improved by Patrick Mark his Tenant, (and others good part thereof) above fifty years, ſo that to ſtop Proſecution, the ſaid Ruſſell was forced to Petition for a Patent, he having a Tenant who was feared would comply in any thing that might have been to his prejudice, and ſo his Land would have been condemned under colour of Law, and given away as well as his Paſtorage was without Law. Further the ſaid Ruſſel complains, that he having an Iſland in Caſcobay, called Long-Iſland, which his honoured Father long ſince bought of Mr. Walker, and was confirmed to James Ruſſell by the General Court, and improved ſeveral years by Captain Davis, by mowing as Tenant to the ſaid Ruſſell, and the ſaid Ruſſell hearing it was like to be begged away, cauſed his Writ to be entred in the Publick Records in Mr. Weſt's Office, which he paid for the Recording of; notwithſtanding Sir E. A. ordered Capt. Clements (as he ſaid) to ſurvey the ſame, and he ſhewed p. 21me a Plat thereof, and ſaid, If I had a Patent for it, I muſt pay three pence per Acre, it being 650 Acres. He was further informed, That if the ſaid Ruſſell would not take a Patent for for it, Mr. Uſher ſhould have it—

Per James Ruſſell.

Jan. 30. 1689/90. James Ruſſell Eſq perſonally appeared before me, and made Oath to the truth of what is before written —

William Johnſon Aſſiſtant.

Had not an happy Revolution happened in England, and ſo in New-England, in all probability thoſe few ill men would have ſqueezed more out of the poorer ſort of people there, than half their Eſtates are worth, by forcing them to take Patents. Major Smith can tell them, that an Eſtate not worth 200 l. had more than 50 l. demanded for a Patent for it. And if their boldneſs and madneſs would carry them out to oppreſs the Rich after ſuch a manner as hath been ſhewed, what might the Poor look for? Nevertheleſs, their Tyranny was beyond any thing that hath been as yet expreſſed: For if men were willing to bring their Titles to their Poſſeſſions to a Legal Tryal, they were not only threatned, but fined and perſecuted, and uſed with barbarous Cruelty. When ſome Gentlemen in Boſton reſolved in a Legal way to defend their Title to an Iſland there, Sir Edmund's Attorney threatned that it might coſt them all that they are worth, and ſomething beſides, as appears by the following Affidavit.

The Depoſition of Captain Daniel Turel, and Lieutenant Edward Willis Sworn ſay, That upon a Writ of Intruſion being ſerved on Deer-Iſland belonging to the Town of Boston, and let unto Colonel Samuel Shrimpton by the Select Men of the ſaid Town, the Rent whereof being of long time appropriated towards the maintenance of a Free School in the Town, we the Deponents two of the ſelect Men of the ſaid Town, do teſtifie, That meeting with Mr. James Graham upon the Town-houſe, and telling him, that if Colonel Shrimpton did decline to perſonate the caſe of the ſaid Iſland, we the ſelect Men would. The ſaid Graham ſaid, Are you the Men that will ſtand Suit againſt the King? We the Deponents told him p. 22we would anſwer in behalf of the Town. The ſaid Graham replied, There was no Town of Boston, nor was there any Town in the Countrey; we made anſwer we were a Town, and owned ſo to be by Sir Edmund Androſſe Governor, in the Warrant ſent us for the making a Rate; then the ſaid Graham told us, We might ſtand the Tryal if we would, but bid us have a care what we did, ſaying, it might coſt us all we were worth, and ſomething elſe too, for ought he knew, and further theſe Deponents ſay not —

Jan. 30. 1689.

Daniel Turel.

Edward Willis.

Captain Daniel Turel and Lieutenant Edward Willis appeared perſonally before me, and made Oath to the truth of what is above written.

William Johnſon Aſſiſtant.

One of Sir Edmund's Council and Creatures, Petitioned for an Iſland belonging to the Town of Plymouth, and becauſe the Agents of the ſaid Town obtained a voluntary Subſcription from the Perſons concerned to bear the charge of the Suit; they were treated as Criminals, and againſt all Law, Illegally compelled to anſwer in another County, and not that where the pretended Miſdemeanours were committed. And Mr. Wiſwall the Miniſter of Duxbury having at the deſire of ſome concerned tranſcribed a Writing which tended to clear the right they had to the Iſland in Controverſie, and alſo concerning the aboveſaid voluntary Subſcription, both Tranſcribed in the Winter 1687. A Meſſenger was ſent to bring him to Boston on the 21th June 1688. he was then lame in both Feet with the Gout, fitter for a Bed than a Journey, therefore wrote to the Governour, praying that he might be excuſed until he ſhould be able to Travel, and engaged that then he would attend any Court, but the next Week the cruel Officer by an Expreſs Order from Sir E. A. forced him to Ride in that condition, being ſhod with Clouts inſtead of Shoes; and when he came before the Council he was there made to ſtand till the anguiſh of his Feet and Shoulders p. 23had almoſt overcome him; after he was diſmiſſed from the Council, the Meſſenger came and told him, he muſt go to Goal, or enter into Bonds for his appearance at the next Superior Court held in Boſton, and pay down 4 l. 2 s. in Silver. His Sickneſs forced him to decline a Priſon, and to pay the Money. At the next Superior Court he appeared in the ſame Lame and Sick condition, and the extremity of the Weather caſt him into ſuch a violent Fit of Sickneſs, that he was in the judgment of others nigh unto death, and he himſelf thought that he ſhould ſoon be out of their Bonds, and at liberty to lay his Information againſt his Oppreſſors before the Righteous Judge of the whole World. After all this having been forced a third time out of his own County and Colony near Forty Miles, he was delivered from the Hands and Humours of his Tyrannical Oppreſſors, who had expoſed him to great difficulties, charges, and to 228 Miles Travel in Journeying to and from Boston, directly oppoſite to the place where he ought to have been tryed, had he been guilty of any of the pretended Miſdemeanours, none of which his worſt Enemies ever had the Face to read in open Court, or openly to charge him with to this day. Now ſhall ſuch Men as theſe talk of Barbarous Ʋſage who have themſelves been ſo Inhumane?

Quis tulerit Gracchos de ſeditione querentes!

7. As for Sir E. A. his ſupplying the Indians with Ammunition in the time of actual War with them, the following Teſtimonies confirmed the people of N. E. in the belief of it.

Lenox Beverley aged about twenty five years being Sworn, ſaith, That he being Souldier at Pemyquid the Winter time 1688. where was Captain General Sir E. A. Knight, there came to the Fort where Sir E. A. then was, two Squaws, the one Madocowandos Siſter, and the other Moxis Wife (as was ſaid,) and two other Indian Women that went along with them; they were in the Fort with Sir Edmund two days, and when they came forth they ſeemed to be half drunk, this Deponent and Peter Ripley was commanded to Guard theſe Squaws from Pemyquid to New Harbour, being in diſtance about two Miles, and as we paſſed on the way Madocowandos Siſter laid p. 24down her Burden in the Snow and commanded the Deponent to take it up, whereupon the Deponent looked into the Baſket, and ſaw a ſmall Bag which he opened, and found it to be Gunpowder, which he judged five pounds weight, and a Bag of Bullets of a greater weight, and the weight of the Basket I took up, was as much as the Deponent could well carry along, and the other three Squaws had each one of them their Baskets, which appeared rather to be of greater than leſſer burden, than that the Deponent carried, which were all of them loaden, and brought out of the Fort, and Madocowandos Siſter ſaid ſhe had that Powder of Sir Edmund, and added, that ſhe was to come again to him within four days —

Lenox X Beverley his mark. Boſton. Aug. 17. 1689. Sworn in Council. Atteſts Iſ. Addington Secretary.

Gabriel Wood of Beverly aged about twenty four years, teſtifies, That being one of the Souldiers that was out the laſt Winter paſt, Anno 1688. in the Eaſtward parts, and under the command of Sir Edmund Androſſe, and being then at Pemyquid with him, was commanded by him the ſaid Sir E. together with ſo many more of the Souldiers as made up two Files to Guard and ſafely Conduct three Indian Women from Pemyquid aforeſaid to New Harbour, which ſaid Indian Women were all laden, and to my certain knowledge one of the ſaid Women had with her in her ſaid Journey a conſiderable quantity of Bullets, which ſhe brought with her from Pemyquid aforeſaid, and to my beſt apprehenſion, ſhe had alſo a conſiderable quantity of Powder in a Bag in her Basket, but I did not ſee that opened, as I did ſee the Bullets, neither dared I be very inquiſitive, the reſt of the Souldiers in company with me ſeeing the Indians ſo ſupplied with Ammunition (as we all apprehended they were by our Governour and Captain General Sir E. A. aforeſaid) we did very much queſtion amongſt our ſelves, whether the ſaid Sir E. did not intend the deſtruction of our Army, and brought us thither to be a Sacrifice to our Heathen Adverſaries —

The mark of Gabriel [A] Wood.

p. 25Gabriel Wood of Beverley in the County of Eſſex, perſonally appeared before me at Salem in N. E. Jan. 29. 1689/90. and made Oath to the Truth of the above ſaid Evidence.

John Hatherne Aſſiſtant.

8. That the Indians declared they were encouraged by Sir E. A. to make War upon the Engliſh, is moſt certainly true, although the Lying Author of that Scandalous Pamphlet, called New-Englands Faction diſcovered, has the impudence to ſay, that it is certainly falſe. Two Indians, Waterman and David, teſtifie that the Maquas Indians ſent a Meſſenger to Pennicock, to inform that Sir E. A. had been tampering to engage them to fight againſt the Engliſh. Another Indian called Solomon Thomas, affirmed, that Sir Edmund gave him a Book, and that he ſaid that Book was better than the Bible, that it had in it the Picture of the Virgin Mary, and that when they ſhould fight at the Eaſtward, Sir Edmund would ſit in his Wigwam, and ſay, O brave Indians! Another Indian named Joſeph (who was in hoſtility againſt the Engliſh) bragged that the Governour had more love for them than for the Engliſh. Another Indian named John James, did of his own voluntary mind declare to ſeveral in Sudbury, that Sir E. A. had hired the Indians to kill the Engliſh: The men to whom he thus expreſſed himſelf, reproved him, and told him that they believed he belied Sir E. A. and therefore they ſecured him, and complained to a Juſtice of Peace, by which means he was brought to Boſton, but Sir E. inſtead of puniſhing, was kind to the Indian, when as both the Juſtice and the Sudbury man had (to uſe Mr. Palmers phraſe) horrible uſage, by means whereof an Alarm and Terrour ran through the Countrey, fearing ſome miſchievous deſign againſt them. That this Relation is not a feigned ſtory, the enſuing Teſtimonies make to appear.

The Teſtimony of Waterman, and David, Indians, ſaith, That the Maquas ſent a Meſſenger to Pennicock to inform, that Governour, Edmund Androſſe hired the Maquas to fight the Engliſh, and paid down to them one Buſhel of white Wompon, and one Buſhel of black Wompon, and three Cartloads of Merchants goods, trucking Cloath and Cotton Cloath, and Shirt Cloath, and other goods. The Maquas ſaid, That the Engliſh were their good Friends, and ſaid, they would not p. 26fight them, for the Engliſh never wronged them, but the Maquas took the pay on account of the Maquas helping the Engliſh to fight their Enemies the laſt War.

Witneſs our hands

Davids X mark.

Watermans Q mark.

Teſt.

Cornelius Waldo ſenior,

Moſes Parker,

Thomas Read.

The two Indians above-mentioned Waterman and David, appeared the 4th day, of May 1689. and to the Council then ſitting owned the above-written to be truth;

Iſa. Addington Secretary.

Rocheſter in the King's Province, Sept. 16. 1688. Samuel Eldred junior of Rocheſter came before Arthur Fenner and John Fones Eſq two of His Majeſties Juſtices of the Peace, and did declare upon Oath, that on the Evening before an Indian whom he had ſeized, by name Joſeph, did in an inſulting and vaunting manner ſay, There was 500 at Martins Vineyard, 700 at Nantucket, and 400 at Chappaqueſſot, all very well armed, and in a better manner than him the ſaid Samuel Eldred, and that our Governour did not dare to diſarm them, for that the Governour had more love for them, the ſaid Indians, than for His Majeſties Subjects the Engliſh. The ſaid Indian being brought before us, and examined, did confeſs the greateſt part of what was ſworn againſt him, and owned that he was one of them that were in hoſtility againſt the Engliſh in the late Wars, upon which the ſaid Indian was committed to Gaol.

Per Arthur Fenner,

John Fones.

The Teſtimony of Joſeph Graves aged 46 years or thereabout, and Mary Graves about 30 years, of John Rutter aged about 40 years, witneſs that on the 2d day of January 1688. Solomon Thomas Indian, being at the houſe of Joſeph Graves, in the Town of Sudbury, ſaid, that when the Fight at the Eaſtward ſhould be, if the Indians had the better of it, as the Engliſh did p. 27retreat, the Friend Indians were to ſhoot them down, but if the Engliſh get the day, we ſay nothing, and that in the Spring French and Iriſh would come to Boſton, as many, and all won Indians, for that was the firſt place that was to be deſtroyed, and after that the Countrey Towns would be all won nothing. And further, the ſaid Solomon ſaid, that the Governour had given him a Book, which ſaid Governour ſaid, was better than the Bible, and all that would not turn to the Governours Religion, and own that Book, ſhould be deſtroyed. In which Book he the ſaid Thomas ſaid was the Picture of our Saviour, and of the Virgin Mary, and of the Twelve Apoſtles; and the Governour ſaid, when we pray, we pray to the Virgin Mary; and when the Fight ſhould be at the Eaſtward, the Governour would ſit in his Wigwam, and ſay, O brave Indians! Whereupon John Rutter told the Indian, that he deſerv'd to be hanged for ſpeaking ſuch things, but the Indian replied, it was all true. Upon the hearing this diſcourſe, we reſolved to come to Boston, and acquaint Authority with it, but by reaſon of the ſickneſs of Joſ. Graves, we could not preſently, but as ſoon as conveniently we could, we accordingly appeared at Boſton with our Information, which the ſaid Joſeph Graves carried to Mr. Bullivant a Juſtice of the Peace.

Joſeph Graves,

John X Rutler ſignum.

Mary Y Graves mark.

Boſton, Jan. 28. 1689.

Joſeph and Mary Graves came and made Oath to the truth above-written;

Before me William Johnſon Aſſiſtant,

That when the Engliſh ſecured ſome of the Indians mentioned, and brought them before Sir E. A. Juſtices, they were baſely & barbarouſly uſed for their pains, the following Affidavits ſhew.

Sudbury in New-England, March 22. 1688/9.

Thomas Browne aged about Forty four years, and John Goodenow aged about Fifty four years, John Growt ſenior, aged near Seventy years, Jacob Moore aged about 44 years, Jonathan Stanhope aged about 57 years, and John Parmiter aged about 50 years, all Inhabitants of the Town of Sudbury aforeſaid, do witneſs that we heard John James, Indian, of his own voluntary mind, ſay, That the p. 28Governour was a Rogue, and had hired the Indians to kill the Engliſh, and in particular, had hired Wohawhy to kill Engliſhmen, and that the Governour had given the ſaid Wohawhy a gold Ring, which was his Commiſſion, which gold Ring the ſaid Wohawhy ſold to Jonathan Preſcott for two ſhillings in money: Whereupon we replied, Sirrah, you deſerve to be hanged for what you ſay. John James the Indian replied, What you Papiſt, all one Governour. I ſpeak it before Governours very face. This diſcourſe of John James Indian, was at the place, and on the day above-written.

Thomas Browne,

John Goodenow,

Jacob Moore,

Jonathan Stanhope,

John Parmiter.

Thomas Browne and John Goodenow, two of the Subſcribers above, having received this Declaration from John James the Indian, we thought it our duty forthwith to inform Authority, and did with the Indian preſently go to Water-town to Juſtice Bond, where the ſaid John James did voluntarily give his Teſtimony before the ſaid Juſtice Bond, which after he had taken, the ſaid Juſtice Bond ordered us the ſaid Thomas Browne and John Goodenow to make our appearance before the Governour Sir E. A. or one of the Council with the Indian, which accordingly we did, when we came to the Governours houſe; after long waiting in a very wet and cold ſeaſon, we were admitted unto the Governours preſence, where we were detained until eleven or twelve a Clock at night, and after a very unkind Treat, we humbly prayed his Excellency, he would pleaſe to diſcharge us of the Indian, but he told us no, and joaked us, ſaying, we were a couple of brave men, and had the command, one of a Troop of Horſe, and the other a Company of Foot, and could we not know what to do with a poor Indian? Further, he asked us what money we gave the Indian to tell us ſuch news, and commanded us ſtill to take care of the Indian till his pleaſure was to call for us again, and this as we would anſwer it. Thus being ſeverely chidden out of his preſence, we were forced with the Indian to ſeek our quarters where we p. 29could find them. The next morning we were preparing to go home again to Sudbury (being 20 miles or more) being Saturday, we were again ſent for by the Governour by a Meſſenger, to wait on the Governour with the Indian, which we did, and waited at the Exchange or Council-houſe in Boſton, from nine a Clock in the morning till three of the Clock in the afternoon, where in the face of the Countrey we were made to wait upon the Indian with many ſquibs and ſcoffs that we met withal; at laſt we were commanded up before the Governour and his Council, where we were examined apart over and over, and about the Sun-ſetting were granted leave to go home, it being the Evening before the Sabbath.

Thomas Browne,

John Goodenow.

On Munday Morning following being the 25th of March. 1689. Jacob Moore, Joſeph Graves, Joſeph Curtis, Joſeph Moore, Obadiah Ward, were by Thomas Larkin as a Meſſenger fetched down to Boſton, where after Examination, Jacob Moore was committed to cloſe Priſon. Joſeph Moore, Joſeph Graves, Joſeph Curtis, and Obadiah Ward were ſent home again, paying the ſaid Larkin twelve ſhillings per Man. On the next Monday Morning after, being the firſt day of April 1689. Samuel Gookin the Sheriff of Middleſex and his Deputy came up to Sudbury, and commanded Thomas Browne, John Goodenow Senior, John Growt Senior, Jonathan Stanhope, John Parmiter, forthwith to appear at Boſton, at Collonel Page's Houſe, but it being a Wet and Cold Day, we were detained at Judge Dudleys houſe at Roxbury, where after long waiting, had the kindneſs ſhewn us, to have an examination every man apart before Judge Dudley, Judge Stoughton, Mr. Graham and others, and were bound over to anſwer at the next Superiour Court to be held at Boſton, what ſhould there be objected againſt us upon his Majeſties account. Thomas Browne, John Goodenow Senior, John Growt Senior, were each of them bound over in three hundred pound Bonds, and each man two ſureties in three hundred pound Bond a piece. John Parmiter and Jonathan Stanhope, were bound in a hundred pound a piece, beſides the loſs of our time and hindrance of our Buſineſs, the reproach and ignominy of p. 30Bond and Impriſonment, we ſhall only take the boldneſs to give a true account of what money we were forced to expend out of our own Purſes as followeth, to the Sheriff and other neceſſary Charges.

Thomas Browne.

John Goodenow.

Jacob Moore.

Jonathan Stanhope.

Joſeph Curtis.

John Parmiter.

Boſton the 21ſt. of Decemb. 1689. Jurat. cor. Iſaac Addington Aſſiſtant.

Altho no man does accuſe Sir Edmund meerly upon Indian Teſtimony, yet let it be duly weighed (the premiſes conſidered) whether it might not create ſuſpicion and an aſtoniſhment in the People of New-England, in that he did not puniſh the Indians who thus charged him, but the Engliſh who complained of them for it. And it is certain, that ſome very good and wiſe men in New England do verily believe that he was deeply guilty in this matter, eſpecially conſidering what might paſs between him and Hope Hood an Indian, concerning which Mr. Thomas Dantforth the preſent Deputy Governour at Boſton in New England, in a Letter bearing date April 1. 1690. writeth thus —