Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

I am Safe returnd from my wildernes work having Travelled
round the Country by way of Road Island to Stonington [thence]
to Hartford from thence to Major Pincheons at Springfeild and
So to Boston which in England would make 300 miles: I have
inclosed sent ^{to Mr Blathwayt} an Addresse from y^e Gov.^r & Company: ^{of R: Island} They So call it
but they mean by it a Surrender & upon reading it Seemes
Some what like it: but in case it do not answear the End they
intend to Send another under the Seal of Their Colony: Now
the Inhabitants of Road Island have a great jelousy That
the Quakers who are now in Govm:^t intend to petition his Ma.^te
that they may be joyned to York Govm:^t I am well assured there
is a Strict correspondence betwixt Coll Dougan & ye Quakers
& they are gott into a fooles Paradice hoping they shall be
Continued in ye Govm:^t & pay not one penny towards Support
of N: york: and I know they have Sent papers by a boat
expresse to N. york to accommodate affairs betwixt them. and
that being once added, They will have the Main Land
from the South bounds of Connecticutt with y^e Narragansett
[&c] the townes of Warrwick & Providence; by which meanes
they will contract our Govm.^t & take away the most usefull
part of N. Eng.^d from us: and now to Hartford. where
on Wednesday Last weeke I mett the Gov.^r Treat. he gave
me great respect as he thought when he told me he had
an honour for all persons who came from y^e Imperiall
brown: I tooke it so & in return presented him the Quo Warr.^to
told him the meaning & desired an answear (Major [illegible] Allen
& One Mr Fitch. Magistrates being present) wheither—they would
Surrender or Send over an Agent instructed to make their
defence. much tyme being Spent I respected their resolves: but I was
questioned by what Commission I was impowred to bring a
Quo: Warr.to to them: I told them I left that upon record in Eng.d
ready to be [Seen] by their Agent: I find them very indifferent
whither they Surrender ^{their Charter} or Suffer his Ma.^te to take it by processe
at Law: as also under what Govmt. they fall. but had rather
be continued independent with Some Small alteration in
their Lawes: the truth is they are discouraged by Cap.^t George
putting men aboard their vessells coming to Boston: and also
by Our Presidents disobliging carriage to the members of
ye Councill: but rather by private letters advising them
to protract tyme that the the Presid.^t & others may enjoy their
places of profitt & advantage: hoping thereby ther to pre-
vent or at least delay the Coming over of a Gov^r
here has been very fine work betwixt our Pres.^t & Cap Georg.
a Scotch man was come to Nantaskett upon Sight of the
Coquett I found it forged & Sent Cap^t George his long
boat to [illegible] her up: the Presid.^t admitts him to pro-
secute as an informer they carry the cause from me have
her apprized at 600:^£ but afterwards 700:^£ was bid &
paid they have Shared y^e money the Presid:^t has his own
& His Ma.te third part: which Cap.^t Georg & hee intend to
beg of his Ma:^tie pray call on Mr Savage & you will
find how much money in all how much money is in ye
Presidents hands which pray beg of his Ma.^te towards your
Charges in Coming over: I referr you to my letters to Mr
Blathwayt in which you will See Some late transactions
of Cap.^t Palmer & Mr West wee are in a very great Confusion Their Ministers Crying out open
mouth against the Common prayer: & to disswade people Say
tell them that whore mongers & addule adulterers shall
Sooner go to England ^heaven then those who follow will worship
Major Bulkley is a very good mem: & can hardly be perswaded
to come to ye Councill Seing So much folly & passion at
all meetings. Mr Usher is the Onely person of a Church
member who Stands up for ye Common prayer, and
has been chargd in Councill for advising Allen & other Mi-
nisters to attend their preaching onely & not [invey]
ag:^t ye Common Prayer: & those of that go to heare it/
my humble Service to my Lady Andros: my wife has
mett here with worse treatment from Cap.^t Georg then Cap^t
[illegible] from Cap:^t Billop: being libelled in a most Scu-
rilous manner: & other abuses which will oblige her to come
to England if shee can meet no Satisfaction here: S^r please
to remember in your instructions that you may have y^e power
of disposing Ministers Livings: & to grant liberty of
Conscience with limitations: there is as yr Hon:^r will find
at ye Plantation Office a Grant to a Corporation for Evan-
golizing Indians: they have a great Stock of Money
here: pray procure a Commission to Examine in whose hands
that money now lyes [in:^s] how it has been bestowed. &c to
call all persons to an account & that that money may be
ordered to build us a Church & maintain Our ministers:
In this with your Hon:^rs Speeding a way to us, you will oblige
all good men here:

my wife joines with me in Our hearty & humble Service
to my Lady Andros to yr Hon.^r & to madam Craven: pray
gett directions for a Gen:^ll assembly: I hope no delays will
be putt upon your Coming over upon y^e busines of Connecticott
you may assuredly expect their Surrender upon your arrivall
their Colony being mentioned in y^e Commission also. Will
R: Island & N. Plymouth: E R:

Major Winthrop Mr Wharton & Some of their family
intend for England as they Say about a the fall of ye
wars. / E R: pray obtain my Lord of Londons Order for Probate
of Wills to be in your Selfe. Its a great occasion of dispute
with Mr Dudley & Mr Stoughton: the former exercising y^e
power of Ordinary without any directions vertute officij: as
president./

To S.^r Edm.^d
Andros

M^r: Randolph
9^th of [7.^ber]/86