which we now live, and we desire that a record hereof may be kept in each town, that future ages may not be seasoned with the sour malice of such unreasonable and groundless aspersions." Signed by the Deputies.

"Dated the 21st day of June, 1666."

Remonstrance of Southampton against the order requiring them to take out a new patent, as mentioned in Vol. I, page 334. SOUTHAMPTON, February 15, 1670.

To the Governor :

Honorable Sir.-We, the inhabitants of this town, do hereby present unto you our humble service, &c. to show our respect to your honor's pleasure, and our obedience to the order of the honorable court of assize-we are bold to manifest herein unto you some reasons why we are unwilling to receive any further patent for our lands, as followeth :

1st, Because, as we have honestly purchased them of the natives, (the proper and natural owners of them,) so also we have already the patent right, lawfully obtained and derived from the honorable Earl of Stirling, we being to pay one fifth part of gold and silver ore, and four bushels of Indian corn yearly.

2dly, Because the injunction laid on persons and plantations by the laws in 1666, to take forth patents for their lands from our then governor, we groundedly conceive intended not the plantations on this east end of the island, but only those at the west end who were reduced from a foreign government, even as heretofore. Those English, that came to dwell within the precincts which the Dutch claimed, took out land briefs from the Dutch governor.

3dly, Because those of us, who were first beginners of this plantation, put none but ourselves to the vast charge in our transport hither, we greatly hazarded our lives (as some lost theirs) here amongst and by the then numerous and barbarously cruel natives; yet through divine Providence we have possessed these our lands above thirty years without interruption or molestation by any claiming them from us, and therefore we cannot see why we should lose any of our rightful privileges, so dearly and honestly purchased, or how our lands can be better assured to us by taking out another patent from any one.

4thly, And materially because by our said patent we had licence (we being but few) to put ourselves under any of his Majesty's colonies for government, whereupon accordingly, by willing consent on all sides, we adjoined ourselves to Hartford jurisdiction, and divers of us became members of the king's court there, and when the worthy Mr. Winthrop obtained a patent from his Majesty our present lord, King Charles II.; for the said colony Hartford, our town is included, and some of the then chief members of our town expressly nominated

in the patent; so that this place became undeniably an absolute limb or part of the said colony; and moreover, since that and after his Majesty's commissioners came into these parts, his Majesty of grace and free motion was pleased so far to encourage his people of the said colony, as by his letter to assure them that their ecclesiastical and civil privileges which he had granted them, should not be infringed or diminished by his said commissioners, or any others what

soever.

5ly, It is not only in all our experience beyond all parallel that each town should be constrained to take forth a patent, but also the patents here imposed and those given forth, which yet we have seen, seem to bind persons and towns in matter of payment to the will and mercy of their lord and his successors, or lieutenants; and who can tell but in time to come those may succeed who, through an avaricious distemper, may come upon us with such heavy taxes and intolerable burdens, as may make us, or our poor posterity, to groan like Israel in Egypt.

6ly, Because people are enjoined to acknowledge in the said patent (if we mistake not greatly) that his royal highness the Duke of York is sole proprietor of the whole island; which we cannot consent unto, because we know ourselves to be the true proprietors of the land we here possess, with the appurtenances thereunto belonging, and also because men are enjoined by the said patent to pay not only all just dues, but also all demands that may be made by his royal highness or his authorised agent.

7ly, Because we are more than confident his Majesty will desire no more of us than already we are, even his faithful liege people, who have many of us already taken, and the rest of us are ready to take, the oath of allegiance unto him. Willing we are to pay our just dues in town and to the country, and ready to serve his Majesty with our lives and fortunes; we are his subjects, and we know that he will not make us slaves to any.

8ly, Because General Nichols gave it under his hand that we at this end should have as great privileges as any colony in New-England, and yet we are denied our deputies at the courts; we are forced to pay customs for goods imported, for which custom hath before been paid to his Majesty's use in England.

9ly, and lastly. The king's commissioners, in the year 1664, by their proclamation, seemed to demand only the government, with exact and full promise that the people should enjoy whatsoever God's blessing and their own industry had furnished them withal; and we see not what more a patent can assure us, especially considering that the patents here taken forth by places, or particular persons, secure them not absolutely; for it seems to us by the order of the court of assizes, even from them who have received a patent, wood and timber may be taken away without leave and without pay; in all which respects, and some other, we cannot be willing to take forth more patent than we have. And if wee do succeed otherwise than we expect, we hope we shall, like good chris

tians, patiently bear the pressure that may be permitted to fall upon us, yet never fail to be fervent votaries for your honor's real happiness.

[Signed by Thomas Halsey, jun. and 49 other inhabitants of the town.]

Easthampton Address to His Excellency Thomas Dongan, Governor of the Province of New York, September 10, 1683, as mentioned at page 315, Vol. I.

"To the Honourable the Governour under his Royall Highnes the Duke of York, The humble Address of the Inhabitants of the Towne of East Hampton upon Long Island, sheweth :

WHEREAS at the time the government of New Yorke was established under our Soveraigne Lord the King, by Collonell Richard Nicolls and those Gentlemen sent in commission with him, WEE, the Inhabitants of this Towne, soe well as the rest of the Island, being required, Sent our Messengers to attend their Honours, and then, both by word and writing, wee were promised and engaged the Enjoyments of all privileges and liberties which other of his Majesties Subjects doe enjoy, which was much to our Content and Satisfaction: Alsoe afterwards being required, by theise his Majesties Commissioners, to send upp our Deputies to meete at Hempsteade, and there the whole Island being Assembled in our Representatives, wee did then and there, uppon the renewal of those former promises of our freedom and liberties, Grant and Compact with the said Collonell Nicolls, Governour under his Royall Highnes, That wee would allow so much out of our Estates yearly, as might defray the Charge of Publicke Justice amongst us, and for killing of wolves, &c. But may it please your Honour to understand, that since that time we are deprived and prohibited of our Birthright Freedomes and Priviledges, to which both wee and our Ancestors were borne; Although wee have neither forfeited them by any Misdemeanor of ours, nor have, at any time, beene forbidden the due use and exercise of them by Command of our Gra'ious King, that we know of: And as yet neither wee, nor the rest of his Majesties Subjects uppon this Island, have been at any time admitted since then to enjoy a generall and free Assembly of our Representatives, as others of his Majesties Subjects have had the privilege of: But Lawes and Orders have beene Imposed uppon us from time to time without our consent, (and therein we are totally deprived of a fundamentall Priviledge of our English Nation,) together with the obstruction of Trafficke and Negotiation with others of his Majesties Subjects. So that we are become very unlike other of the Kings Subjects in all other Collonyes and Jurisdictions here in America, and cannot but much resent our grievances in this respect, and remaine discouraged with respect to the Settlement of our selves and Posteritie after us.-Yet all this time, payments and performance of

what hath beene Imposed uppon us hath not beene omitted on our parts, although performance of our Premised Priviledges aforesaid have beene wholly unperformed; and what payments from yeare to yeare, this many yeares, hath beene made by us, Hath beene made use of to other purposes than at first they were granted for and intended by us: Soe that wee cannot but feare, if the Public Affairs of government shall continue in this manner as they have beene, but hope better, least our Freedomes should be turned into Bondage, and our Antiente Priviledges so infringed that they will never arrive to our Posteritie. And wee our Selves may be justlie and highly Culpable before his Majestie, for our Subjection to, and supporting of such a Government, Constituted soe Contrarie to the fundamentall Lawes of England; it being a principall part of his Majesties Antiente and Just Government to rule over a free people endowed with many priviledges above others, and not over Bondmen oppressed by Arbitrary Impositions and Exactions.-These things Considered, we cannot but humbly request your Honour, to weigh our Condition in the Ballance of Equity with Seryousnes, before you proceede to any Action of your owne whereby to assert the proceedings of your Predecessors in Government, which wee now with all Christian moderation dos complaine of. And for the redresse hereof, an Addresse as we understand, hath beene made to his Royal Highnesse, by a late Court of Assize, in behalfe of us and our Neighbours in this Colloney: Soe that we are not without hope your Honour hath received Directions to ease us in these our grievances, by the Remedies humbly represented by us, and Petitioned for by the Inhabitants of this Island to the last Court of Assize that did sit at New Yorke; to which as yet no Satisfactorie Answer hath beene made. If, therefore, your Honour may bee an Instrument under God, and his Majesty our Soveraign Lord the King, to relieve us, and the rest of his Majesties good Subjects uppon this Island, in our grievances, and bee a meanes to helpe us to the free Enjoyment of our Birthright Priviledges, which the fundamentall Constitution of our English Nation Government doth invest us with, (which as wee doubt not will bee very pleasing to his Majestie, and all your Loyall Superiours:) Soe your Honour may bee assured it will firmly Engage and Oblige us, your humble Petitioners, and our Posteritie after us, to have your Prudence and Justice in Honourable Remembrance, as the first Restorer of our freedome and priviledges, to our great Contentment. But, Sir, if it shall fall out otherwise, which God forbid, and wee are very unwilling to suppose; and that your Honour should, by reason of Counsells and Suggestions, pursue a Contrary course to our humble Desires, soe as to continue or augment our grievances; then wee Request your Honours Pardon and Excuse, if in our Conscience to God, and in Honour and Submission to his Majestie, our most Gratious Soveraigne, we prostrate our Selves and our State and Condition before the Throne of his unmatchable Justice and Clemencie, where we doubɩ not to find Reliefe and Restauration, and can doe noe less in the mean time but Resent our folorne and bereaved Condition. Soe, Sir, as our prayers are Continued for a happy and glorious Reigne to his Sacred MaVOL. II.

42

jestie the King; and alsoe our prayers for your Honour, that you may bee a blessed Instrument under God, in your Wisdome, Justice and Equity over us: And humblie make bold to subscribe ourselves, his Majesties poore, depressed, though Loyall Subjects, and your most Humble Servants."

Some account of the notorious sea-robber, Captain Kidd, and the treasures buried by him upon Gardiner's Island, which were afterwards recovered.

WILLIAM KIDD, the famous freebooter and pirate, was an Englishman by birth and had been commander of a merchant vessel that sailed between London and New York, and was celebrated for nautical skill and enterprize, on which account he was strongly recommended by Col. Richard Livingston of New York, then in London, as a proper person to take charge of a vessel which Lord Romney and others had purchased, and were then fitting out against the hordes of robbers which infested the India seas and preying upon the commerce of all nations. The expense of the expedition was £6000 sterling, being a joint fund, to which the King, Lord Somers, Earl of Romney, Duke of Shrewsbury, Earl of Oxford, Lord Belomont and Col. Livingston, were contributors. Kidd agreed to be concerned to the amount of the onefifth of the whole, and Col. Livingston, became his surety for £600. Hume says, the King promised to contribute one-half of the expense, and reserved to himself one-tenth of the profits, but that he never advanced the money. For the purpose, however, of giving character to the expedition, a commission was issued under the great seal of England, and signed by his Majesty, William III. directed "to the trusty and well beloved, Captain William Kidd, commander of the Ship Adventure Galley," dated Kensington, Dec. 11th, 1695, and "ordering and requiring all officers, ministers and subjects, to be aiding and assisting in the premises." He was, moreover, provided with a commission to act against the French, with whom England was then at war. He set sail from Plymouth in April, 1696, and arrived on the American coast, where he continued for some time, occasionally entering the harbor of New York, and visiting his family in the city. He was considered particularly useful in protecting our commerce,