174.

Charter surrendered.

and zealous in defending, the doctrine of univer sal freedom of opinion in matters of religion.

Upon the accession of James II. to the throne, the colonists of Rhode Island and Providence immediately transmitted to him.an address, in which they acknowledged their subjection to him, pledged themselves to obey his authority, and asked, in return, for the protection of their chartered privileges. This address, did not, however, avail to prote& them against the effects of the plans of reform in New England, resolved on by the British court. Articles of "high misdemeanour were exhibited to the Lords of the Committee of Foreign Plantations, against the governor and company of the colony of Rhode Island and Providence," in which, among other things, they are charged with neglecting to keep an authentic record of their laws; with refusing to permit the inhabitants to have copies of them; with rasing or cancelling their laws as they please, without consent of the assembly, and with administering the government, and justice, without taking the legal oaths. These charges were referred to the attorney general, July, 1685, with orders immediately to issue a writ of quo warranto against their patent. The governor and company, were served with a regular notice of the process, which had been issued against them, and they were put upon their defence; they declined standing a suit with their king. In full assembly, they passed an act formally surrendering.

Government dissolved by Andros.

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to his majesty their charter, with all the powers it contained. This act, it is said, was afterwards made way with, agreeably to a common practice."*

The governor and company afterwards assem bled, and on serious consideration of the suit instituted against them, agreed upon an address to his majesty, in which they pray, that their charter privileges, civil and religious, might be continued; that "all things wherein they have been weak and short, through ignorance, may be remitted and pardoned." They conclude, by "prostrating their all at his Majesty's feet, with entire resolution to serve him with faithful hearts." Such servile language was improper for freemen to use, or for the ruler of a free people to receive. It failed of its intended effect. No sooner was the ad, dress received, than the committee of the colonies, with the approbation of the king, ordered, that Sir Edmund Andros, the governor of Massachusetts, should demand the surrender of their charter, and gavern them in the manner the other colonies of New England were governed. At the same time they were assured of his majesty's protection, and of his determination to exercise no other au thority over them, than what was common to the other plantations. Accordingly, in December, 1686, Andros formally dissolved the government of Rhode Island, broke their seal, assumed the reins of government, and selected five of the cit

* CHALMERS,

izens, and formed them into a legislative council. This state of things continued scarcely two years, when the revolution of 1688, put an end to the tyrannic authority of Andros, in this and the other colonies. Their charter was resumed, and has ever since continued to be the basis of the civil administration of their government.

CHA P. XIV..

War with the Pequot Indians.

IN 1634, the Indians murdered Capt.. Stone and Capt. Norton, with six others, in a bark. sailing up Connecticut river. The next year they killed part of a crew, who had been shipwrecked on Long Island. In the year 1636, at Block Island, they killed Mr. Oidham. To obtain satisfaction for these injuries, the governor and council of Massachusetts sent ninety men, who sailed under the command of captains Endicott, Underhill, and Turner. They had commission to put to death the men of Block Island, but to spare the. women and children, to make them prisoners, and take possession of the Island. Then they were to visit the Pequots, and demand the mur. derers of Capt. Stone, and the other English; and a thousand fathom of wampum for damages, and some of their children for hostages. Force was.

1

to be employed if they refused. They arrived in September at Block Island; the wind being northeast, and a high surf, it was difficult landing. A. bout 40 Indians gave a shot from their bows and fled. The island was covered with bushes, but had no good timber. They traversed it for two days, burned two villages of wigwams, and some corn, of which there was about 200 acres, and then retired.

They first directed their course for Connecticut river; thence they took twenty men, and two shallops to assist them, and returned to Pequot river, (now the Thames) “ landing in much danger, the shore being high, ragged rocks." This is accurately descriptive of Groton. Three hundred natives were soon assembled, who trifling with the demand of Endicott, encouraging him, yet delaying to observe his demand, he assured them he had come for the purpose of fighting. They immediately withdrew; when they had proceeded beyond musket shot, he pursued them; two of them were killed, and others wounded; the English burned their wigwams and returned. The next day they went on shore the west side of the river, burned their wigwams, and spoiled their canoes, and returned to Narraganset, and thence to Boston,

After the troops left Pequot river, the 20. men of Saybrook lay wind bound, when they undertook to fetch away the Indians' corn. Having

178

Treaty with the Narragansets.

carried one load, and supplied themselves a second time, the Indians assaulted them; they returned the fire, which was continued most of the afternoon. One of the English was wounded. Two days after, five men at Saybrook were attacked in the field, one was taken prisoner, the others fled, one having five arrows in him. A fortnight after, three men in the same neighbourhood were fowling, two of whom were taken prisoners; at the same time they killed a cow, burned a house, some out houses, and stacks of hay.

October 21, Miantonomo, the sachem of Narraganset, came to Boston with two sons of Canonicus, another sachem, "and twenty sanops." Twenty musketeers met him at Roxbury. The sachems declared, that they had always loved the English, and desired firm peace with them, that they would continue the war with the Pequots and their confederates, till they were subdued, and desired that we would do so; that they would deliver our enemies to us or kill them; and desiring that if any of theirs should kill our cattle, that we would not kill them, but cause them to make satisfaction. This was the substance of the treaty established. They were also to return fugitive servants, to furnish guides for our troops when they marched against the Pequots, and they were not to approach our plantations, during the war, without some Englishman or known Indian.

About this time, the governor of Plymouth