294

Charter of Connecticut saved.

and peaceable.

The charter could not be found. All was quiet The charter had been taken by Capt. Wadsworth and concealed in a hollow tree. Still Sir Edmond seized the reins of government; turned out the old, and appointed new officers, civil and military.

Numerous were the oppressions of this tyrant. The press was restrained, liberty of conscience infringed, and exorbitant taxes_levied.* The charter being vacated, it was pretended all titles to land were destroyed; farmers, therefore, who had cultivated their soil for half a century, were obliged to take new patents, giving large fees, or writs of intrusion were brought, and their lands sold to others. To prevent petitions or consultations, town meetings were prohibited, excepting one in a year for the choice of town officers. Lest the cries of oppression should reach the throne, he forbid any person to leave the country without permission from the government. But the resolute Dr. Increase Mather, escaped the watchful gov ernor, his guards and emissaries; crossed the AtIantic, and spread before the king the complaints of New England. But relief came not till the revolution.

When the report reached Boston, that the Prince of Orange had landed in England, joy beamed in every eye. Though the governor imprisoned the man who brought the Prince's declaration; though,

*TRUMBULL.

Andros imprisoned.

295

by a proclamation, he commanded all persons to prepare for an invasion from Holland; though magistrates, and the more considerate men were determined quietly to wait the issue; yet the indignant spirit of the people could not be restrained. On the morning of April 18th, the public fury burst forth like a volcano. The inhabitants of Boston were in arms; the country flocking to their assistance. Andros and his associates fled to a fort; resistance was vain, he was made a prisoner, and conducted to England. The charges exhibited against him not being signed by the colonial agents, he was dismissed, and this tyrant, thus indignantly spurned from New England, was appointed governor of Virginia.

Mr. Bradstreet, the late governor, with those who had been magistrates under the charter, assumed the government, taking the name of a "Council of Safety," till new orders should arrive from England. These were shortly after receiv ed from king William, who, with his queen Mary, were proclaimed in Boston, May, 29th, 1689, with more ceremony than had ever been known in that colony on the like occasion. The revolu tion in Boston was popular in New Hampshire, but they found themselves in a very unsettled state. After waiting in vain for orders from England, they chose deputies to agree on some mode

of government, and finally determined to return to their ancient union with Massachusetts.

In 1692, Samuel Allen obtained a commission for the government of New Hampshire. Having purchased of Mason's heirs the lands of the colony, they were embroiled with new controversies for several years.

Previous to this, in 1688, an Indian war broke out in New England; various were the provocations, plead by the natives in their justification. They charged the English with stopping the fish in Saco river; with not paying the tribute of corn stipulated in a former treaty; with turning cattle upon their corn; with granting away their lands, and cheating them in trade.. The first blood was: shed at North Yarmouth, in September. In the spring, the Penicook Indians joining those of Saco,, they made a dreadful slaughter at Cocheco. Mesandouit, being hospitably lodged at major Waldron's, in the night opened the gate, and a hundred, some say five hundred, Indians rushed into the garrison, murdered the major, and twenty two. others, took twenty nine prisoners, burned four or five houses, and fled, loaded with plunder. The captives were sold to the French in Canada. Fouryoung men of Saco being abroad were killed; twenty four men armed went forth, to bury them, and were assaulted by such a number that they retreated, leaving five or six of their number dead,.

In August, they took the fort at Pemaquid; and so frequent were their assaults, and so great the public alarm, that the country round retired to Falmouth for safety. The same month, major Swayn, with seven or eight companies from Massachusetts, relieved the garrison at Blue Point, which was beset with Indians. Major Church, with another party of English, and christian Indians, from Plymouth colony, marched to the eastward. Swayn making his head quarters at Berwick, sent Capt. Wiswel, and Lieut. Flag, on a scout. Near Winnipisioke pond, Flag left a number of his friendly Indians, who continued there a number of days. It was afterwards discovered that they had an interview with the hostile natives, and gave them all the information in their power. So strong is the attachment that binds us to our native country, that often the bonds of gratitude, oaths, and religion, like Sampson's cords, burst asunder, when they interfere with this passion. Feeble then, is that government which depends on foreigners for defence or counsel.

This month, Casco was assaulted, and Capt. Bracket was killed; but Capt. Hall arriving, a serious engagement followed, which was supported several hours of the English ten or twelve were killed; the enemy fled; and in Nov. our troops were dismissed excepting a few in the gar

298

Expedition against Canada.

risons at Wells, York, Berwick and Cocheco. The next spring, 1690, the French and Indians fell upon Salmon Falls, burned the greatest part of the town, killed about thirty persons, and took fifty prisoners. Artel was the French commander

of this party. On their way to Canada, one of their captives, Robert Rogers, endeavouring to escape was overtaken, stripped, beater, tied to a tree, and burned alive. The savages dancing and singing round him, cutting off pieces of his flesh and throwing them in his face.

As the French were the malignant instigators of the Indians in their bloody assaults, it was thought essential to the peace of New England, that these enemies should be attacked in their own dominions. Hence, vigorous exertions. were made for an expedition against Canada. The command was given to Sir William Phips. His first step was to subdue Nova Scotia, Accord. ingly, he sailed from New England, April 28, with a force of 700 men, and in a fortnight arrived at Port Royal. The fort surrendered, and he took possession of the province for the crown of England. Returning, he sailed again from Hull, August 9th, 1690, with a fleet of 32 sail, and arrived before Quebec, October 5th; but the season be-. ing far spent ; the army from Connecticut and New York, which was to have entered the province, having returned after visiting the lake; and