little provision & some skins for clothing & if our humble request herein, may find a gracious answer we shall take it as a further engagement to yo' Hon' & shall rest yo' hon's humble servants. Easthampton octob 5th 1675. In the name and with the consent of the rest of the Indians att Montauckett. Right Honble. The lines upon the other side I wrote upon the desire of the Sachem & his men, they were their owne words, & the substance thereof they also had expressed before Mr. Backer, but since my writeing of them wch was almost a week since, I perceive that delivering vp the armes to the Indians doth not relish well with the English, especially since of late we heard of the great slaughter, they have made vpon the English in other parts of the country; I perceiue att Southhampton yo English are much troubled ye Indians haue their armes & I thinke it doth much disturbe y spirits of these haue them not; as for these Indians for my owne part I doe thinke they are as Cordiale freinds to the English as any in ye Country & what is written by ym is knowne to many to be ye truth, though God knows their hearts. As their Counsoler, S', your hon" predecessor wrote severall letters to me to stirre me vp about Instructing the Indians in the knowledge of God & true religion & that he would further & encourage the business so farr as lay in his power. I doe thinke if yo' Hon' be pleased to set in att this tyme it may be a good promotion of that work, wch may conduce to ye enlargint of Christs kingdome & that wch I have seen in severall writeings of his most excellent Majesty ye King his pious desire expressed for yo putting forward ye worke, but Sir I cease further to trouble yo' Hon' att present & for wt ye Indians haue written I leaue to yr Honors prudence to act for y° best & rest wth my humble seruice to y' Hon' & hond Counsell. Yr Hons humble supplicant att Easthampton Octbr 5th 1675. ye Throne of Grace. THO: JAMES. AN ORD' PROHIBITING TRADING Wth INDYANS. Whereas the Genal Court of Assizes, now in this city, did yesterday make an Order strictly prohibiting the carrying any manner of Drinks or Goods to Traficke in any Indyan Plantagon or Creeke, or selling any strong Drinke to Indyans, in the respective Townes or places of Yorkshire upon Long Island & dependencies as also no Powder nor shott, but as is directed by the Law, These are therefore to Publish the same, and in his Maties name to require the punctuall observance thereof, accordingly in every particular, as you and every of you, will answer the contrary at yo utmost Perrills. Given under my hand in New Yorke, this 7th day of October, 1675. E. ANDROS. To the Mayor & Aldermen of this city, and to the Magistrates and Officers in the respective Townes, to cause this forthwith to be publisht and observed. Sr A LETTER WRITTEN TO THE DEPY GOVERNO OF CONECTICUTT. An Indyan under a p'tence of ffriendship, telling and affirming very confidently, to one of this place, That there is an extraordinary confederacy between all the neighbouring Indyans, & Eastwards (in wch pretended ffriends to bee included) and designed this light moone, to attack Hartford itself and some other places about Greenwich, of which being informed this morning, I have immediately dispatched this, to give you accot thereof, least there should bee some thing in it, though not so much as they report, 5 or 6000 Indyans enjoyned together, I am COUNCIL MINUTES. SECRETARY NICOLLS CHARGED WITH FALSIFYING THE RECORDS; TRADE RIVALRIES; HUNTINGTON; INDIANS. To the Right Honoble Governor & the honrble bench Assembled at this Genall Cort of Assizes. The humble Petition of Mathias Nicolls Secretary to Sheweth. his Honor ye Governor. That whereas ye Inhabitants of Huntingdon & Especially Jonas Wood Isack Platt Tho. Skidmore & Tho. Powell with severall false scandalous & malicious reports to Detract and take away ye good name & reputation of yo' Petitioner in ye monthe of Aprill 1674 & Diverse times before and since not only in words but in writing have charged yo' Petitioner of falsefieing the Records of this Colony & foysting in an Ord' of Assizes In re Smith & ye Inhabitants of Huntingdon &c. Oct. 12th 1675. Therefore humbly Prayes That yes Wood & his Confederates may prove their accusations agst ye Petitioner or else that they may be bound to their good Behaviour & to stand to ye Judgment of this Honoble Cort &c Too the Right Honorable Coll: Andreas Go" Ge" of all his Royal Highness Territtories in America. The Humble Petition and Addresse of the Coopers of South and Easthampton. Most humbly Showeth. That there is A Company of Coopers yearely Come in the Winter Season from Boston to worke here: that neither pay to: Towne nor Country any Rates and teach young men theire Trade for, A winters worke or som small tyme more whereby there be many poor workmen in the Towne which is greatly to the Damage of both Townes & Mcht' And if any of our Coopers in the Summer tyme when wee have noe Employment at whome goe but to Boston to work if they work under one of those Coopers here Cannot bee p'mitted to work because hee served not his tyme there whereby it appeares that they have A Law: that none but such as have served theire tymes in that Jurisdiction may be p'mitted to Sett up theire: Wherefore wee most humbly beseech yo' Hon' would be gratiously pleased to Cause an Order to be made for the prohibition of any such that shall come heere to Set up that have not in this Governmt: Either Served their tyme or are inhabitants thereof As also that none might bee pmitted to worke for themselves but under some other men that have not served at least five yeares :—And that theire may bee a sworn searcher and gager that no unmerchantable Barrells may be putt upon m'chts as frequently they are whereby the M'cht is forced by reason of his Dammage with his Casque to Sett higher prices of his good soo that both Plants and M'chts are hereby wronged: which makes us yo' Gvr most humble Pettitioners humbly seeke Releife of yo' Hon' and wee shall as wee are Everbound most humbly pray. CHA SHAWE EBENEZER LEEKS To the Right Honoble Edmond Andross Esq' Governor Gen11 under his Royall Highnesse James Duke of Yorke and Albany of all his R. H3 territoryes in America and this honorable Bench. The honorable Petiçon of the Poore farmers whoe are seated on the Land Lately in Controversy Betweene Richard Smith and the Inhabitants of Huntington. In all humility Sheweth That yo honno's poore Petitioners have by virtue of an order of an hono'ble Court of Assizes held in New Yorke in the month of October Ad 1670 Satt downe: built upon, Cleared fences, Planted Plowed and so etc upon yo Land on the West side of Nessequauke River and Cutt and provided Hay for their Cattells Provizion this winter and yo' honor and this honorble Bench having found the aforementioned Land etc doth belong to said Richard Smith and passed a decree accordingly Not Explaining therein, yo' honno' intention, how yo' poore Petition's Shall regulate themselves as to ye Possessing, renting or purchasing the said Land wch is by them soe seated, cleared cultivated and built on. Being by Experience Assured that if yo1 honno' take not some course and make some firme order for their releife in and about the renting or Purchasing the said Land. Your poore Petigoners their wives and Children Must of necessity Inevitably and Ireparably bee ruined and vndone, it now appearing the said Smith hath noe more than wt Huntington Long since tendered for Peace and Quietness sake to the said Smith as they are able immediately & ready to prove and make appeare wch the said Smith refused to accept of or Embrace wch refusall hath occasioned all this trouble and charge to ye poore towne of Huntington &c. Now if yo' poore Petiton's might bee constreyned to lye at said Smiths mercy imediately to bee turned off or in the renting or Purchasing the said Land they can promise nothing to themselves but unreasonableness and Cruelty which constreynes them to address themselves to yo honour for relief in the premisses, humbly begging and beseeching yo' honno seriously to Consider this their sadd and deplorable Condition in ordering something for their releif as Shall best suite with yo' honors Gravity wisdome and Prudence wch will oblidge them and theirs Ever to pray for yo' honno" Long life & Prosperity etc THOMAS SKIDMORE For ye farmers. Whereas there lately past an Ord' of Councell That by reason of the good comport of the Indyans, their Armes should bee restored unto them, except those of Easthampton & Shelter Island, for the reasons therein given, or such others as were not fitt to be trusted therewth, The which hath in most places beene attended; These are (notwithstanding the former Order) to Empower and Authorize Mr John Topping, Justice of the Peace, and Capt John Howell of Southhampton, That as the Matter may require, and they Shall See Occasion, They send for their Indyans and disarme them againe, yet wth all, to afford themselves Protecçon as formerly; ffor the doing whereof, this shall bee yo' Warrant; Given under my hand in New Yorke, this 14th day of Octobr. 1675. Mr Justice Tapping E. ANDROS. New Yorke the 14th October 1675. In answer to some or yor Lines, wherein you seem dissatisfyed, at the delivering the Indyans Armes, yo'selfe nor Capt Howell, nor yet the Constable and Overseers, not finding just cause to detaine them longer, you have done well; And as for the other, you are of yo'selves sufficiently Authorized (upon any occasion requiring it) either for the publicke Peace, or safety, to call for, or take from the said Indyans, or any other that shall happen to be in yo' parts, all or part of their Armes, or secure the Persons of any that shall, or indeavor to do harme, or cause disturbance; But are always to do Justice, and Protect the good and unconcerned; from yo affectionate ffriend October 16, 1675. E. ANDROS. Upon ye request of ye Sachem of Easthampton, & Mr James ye Ministers recommendation about ye returning their Indyans their Armes. It's not thought convenient to alter ye former Resoluçon, but as ye Justice of peace & Cheife Officers shall see cause, they may lett some few have their Guns for their present use, they returning them againe in some short time. Ambusco late Sachem of South-hold hath liberty to remove wth his family to Shelter Island to abide there with Mr Sylvesters permission, but no others to be admitted to come on, or to follow him, wthout particular leave. At a Councell Oct 23th 1675. Present. The Governour. The Secretary. Capt. Dyre. Mr Philips. A Letter from Mr Leete Dep: Governo' of Conecticott about ye Indyan affaires, & in answer to ye Governors Letter of Intelligence to them was read. The Governo had another letter of private Intelligence about ye Indyans ill Intent upon Long Island. Resolved, Upon ye said Indyan Intelligence of our Indyans being in Confederacy with the Narrogansett Indyans upon ye Maine, & plotting mischiefe, That all our said Indyans on Long Island be forthwith disarmed. The Armes to be delivered into ye Constables hands of ye severall Towns, who may lend some few of them to such Indyans as they shall think may be trusted, for their hunting, wth ye approbaçon of ye Justices of Peace, and where no Justice at hand, of yo chiefest military Officers of ye Place. Gent. That an Order be made hereupon for the putting of this in Execution. A Lett' to y Dep's Governo' &e: of Hartford. Last night I received yors of ye 6th Instant, & am as from the beginning very sensible of, & much troubled at the Indyans Continued Depredations & successes, & misery of our Country men in those parts, and have endeavored not to bee Wanting in my Duty though at the very first slighted & rejected. When I was at Albany I took the Occasion on a Lett' from Major Pinchon to the Command & Comissaryes there to returne him an Answer my selfe, & of my Endeavor In which I have been as Careful since as possible, but noe Answ". The 10th inst I gave you by Expresse an Acct of some Indyan Newes, of their Designe on Hartford it selfe &c: and immediately dispatched Capt Brockholes my first Lieutent, to Albany, with reiterated Orders to these parts for yo' Aduantage, as farr as I might, not having heard from you. But if you desire any thing farther, & please to send a fitt p'son I shall bee ready to doe what is fitt for mee, and serve you to my Power, being Gent, N. Yorke, Oct. 17th 1675. Yo' Affecate Friend & Humble EDM ANDROS. ORDERS CONCERNING FORTIFICATIONS ON L. I. By the Governo". Whereas I am informed That severall of the Inhabitants of Oyster bay, notwithstanding the late Orders & Proclamaçons are still very backward in making up their ffortifications, These are by the Advice of my Councell in his Maties Name to require all the Inhabitants in Gen That with all speed they apply themselves to finish the said Worke already begunn; only that it bee left to the discretion of the Constable and Overseers to execute such persons as they shall thinke most proper, & may not bee a hindrance to the setting forward soe needfull and Publick a Work. Provided They bee Such Auncient persons as have principally contributed to the building of the House taken in within the said ffortificaçon. Given under my hand in New York this 19th day of Octob" 1675. To the Constable & Overseers of Oyster bay. By the Governor. E. ANDROS. Whereas I am informed That neare the Fort newly built at Seatalcott there is a parcell of Brush wood both in the Comon & the Lotts of private Persons which upon occasion may prove very inconvienient these are in his Matles name strictly to enjoyne and require the Inhabitants of said towne that forthwith they all joyne in cutting downe & burning the Brush in the Comon wthin eighty pole of said Fort and that the persons who have particular Lotts doe the like in the 8d Lotts to that distance & for soe doeing this shall be their warrt. Given under my hand in N. Y. the 22nd day of Oct. 1675. To the Justice of Peace, Constble & overseers of Seatalcott. LETTER FROM SECRETARY NICOLLS TO THE CONSTABLES OF SEVERAL L. I. Towns. Gentlemen By the Governors order I am to give you notice by this Expresse that his hono' expects you make payment forthwith for the Sumes due from yor Townes for the last years Rate (the particulars whereof you have here enclosed) & that in Corne. The Governo' having present occasion for the Garrison & you shall receive discharges for what you pay to the Sheriffe. New Yorke Oct 20th 1675. I am MATTHIAS NICOLLS. |