New-England's Faction Discovered OR A Brief and True Account of their Persecution of the Church of England the Beginning and Progress of the War with the Indians and other Late Proceedings there in a Letter from a Gentleman of that Country to a Person of Quality Being an Answer to a most false and scandalous Pamphlet lately Published Intituled News from new-New-England c. Honourable Sir THO I have but very lately advised you of my Arrival and given you some short and general Account of the State and Circumstance of Affairs in new-New-England at the time I left the place which I thought might have been sufficient until I should have the Honour to wait on you personally but having had the view of a certain Pamphlet lately Published and Intituled News from New-England c. pretending to give an Account of the Present State of that Country and finding the same so very fictitious false and scandalous published out of a most wicked design to vilifie and traduce some Worthy Gentlemen who have been better Friends to our Country than ever the obscure Author thereof was or knows how to be and to amuse and perplex others I could not forbear out of my Zeal for truth and the love and value I have for the Peace and Welfare of my Country to give you the trouble of this Letter to discover the falseness of the pretended News and the baseness and ignorance of the Author who without great difficulty may easily be guessed at and known by his fruits And therefore it may not be amiss to acquaint you that about two years since one Mr. J. M. pretended Teacher of the Gospel in Boston privately left that place and came for London where of his own authority he set up to be an Agent for the Country and used all the art and subtilty he could during the Reign of King James to indear the same into the affection of F. Peters Mr. Brent and Nevil Pain undertaking as well for himself as us to subscribe to the taking off the Penal Laws and Tests to support the Dispensing Power and to satisfie his own malice and prejudice without any ground or reason conceived against the then Government of New-England This Man as it was the Opinion of most sober and considerate Men when I left New-England so I may very justly term the Author and Promoter of all our miseries founded upon apparent and wittingly devised Lyes and Calumnies carried on under pretence of Zeal and Piety insinuated into and imposed upon many of the common People hurrying them into mischiefs and inconveniencies now sufficiently seen felt and repented of Him therefore I will conclude the Author of the before-mentioned Pamphlet the falsities whereof I shall now plainly and briefly detect to prevent your self and others being imposed upon by him as many of my Country-men and others have too lately been And in the first place I cannot omit to take notice of his positive confidence to charge a Commission granted in due Form under the Great Seal of England for the Government of one of Their Majesties Plantations Illegal and Arbitrary and that Government a Tyranny which was by virtue thereof exercised with a thousand times more justice and lenity than when under the pretended Charter Administration or Commonwealth Discipline without any Authority for the same whatsoever if the Author had been but as well acquainted with the Law as he was with the Declaration he refers to and no doubt was the first contriver of he would have been of another judgment or at least have conceal'd it until the Opinion of his Superiors had been given therein 2. That the War with the Indians was begun as the Author there relates or that it was ever affirmed by the Indians that they were encouraged thereto by Sir E. A. is wholly false for in the Summer 1688 when Sir E. A. went to receive and settle the Province of New-York then annexed under his Government it so happened that a Party of about Nine French Indians fell upon an Indian Plantation at a place called Spectaclepond near Springfield on Connecticott River and kill'd and carried away about Nine Indians and after coming to a small Village on that River called Northfield they killed six Christians and being pursued fled the noise of these Murthers soon spread throughout the Country and notice was given thereof to all the Frontier or Out-parts advising them to be vigilant and careful to prevent Surprize by any strange or suspected Indians and soon after this News came to Saco a Town and River in the Province of Maine above three hundred Miles distant from the places beforenamed called by that name Five Indian Men and Sixteen Women and Children who had always lived and planted on that River were seized on and sent by Water to Boston some of whom were so old and feeble that they were forced to be carried when ashore on others backs On their arrival at Boston the Lieutenant Governor and those of the Council there examined into the cause of seizing those Indians and sending them thither but finding that no Cause was sent with them nor any ground or reason to hold them in Custody they returned them to the place from whence they came to be set at liberty but before they arrived there the English near those parts were got to their Arms and Garisons Other Indians of Ambroscoggen and Kenebeque River hearing that those of Saco were seized and sent away forthwith surprized as many of the English in Cascobay and Kenebeque River saying they intended no harm but would keep them till the Indians were returned Upon the Arrival of the returned Indians they were sent unto and a day and place agreed upon when both the English and Indians were to be set at liberty and all to be composed but the Indians not coming at the time appointed the English waited not for them but were not long gone ere they came and by an English Man and two Indians sent a Letter to the next Garison importing their readiness to deliver up the English and to make satisfaction for any hurt or spoil done by them who from that Garison were Fired upon and ill treated and not seeing how what they expected could be answered some of them discover'd other English Men on a Neck of Land near the place appointed to meet at and endeavouring to seize some of them were engaged into a Skirmish where five of the English were killed and several of the Indians wounded who presently after in rage killed two of the English Captives In this manner and no other was the War begun whereupon two Troops of Soldiers were raised and sent to the assistance of those parts against the Indians with Provision and Ammunition necessary by those of the Council at Boston and the Indians first mentioned to be taken were again sent back and Imprisoned and all in the absence of Sir E. A. Upon his arrival at Boston and being informed of the above and that such Indians
were in Prison a Committee of the Council was appointed to examine and see what Grounds or Cause there was for their Commitment or Detainer and the Committee reporting they could find none those Indians were by order of Council set at liberty to be sent to the place from whence they were brought if they desired it As for the mischief said to be sustained by the Inhabitants there it cannot be imputed to those Indians for it was either done while they were in custody or since the Rebellion and Subversion of the Government from whence begins the date of our Miseries and I have just reason to believe the Author was too far concerned therein as is evident by his directing of his Letters to Simon Broadstreet Esq Governor of the Massathusets c. before it was possible for him to know that he was so or could have any ground to believe he would be unless he had contrived or directed it 3. There was no endeavours used to keep the People ignorant of Affairs in England nor were any Imprisoned for dispersing the Prince's Declaration which was never publickly seen or known to be in new-New-England till some time after the Insurrection Tho I have heard that one Winslow arriving at Boston from Nevis about the beginning of April 1688. and pretending to shew to several Persons a Written Copy of the said Declaration was sent for before a Justice and being examined about the said Writing denyed he had any such thing and behaving himself contemptuously he was committed to Prison and the next Morning producing the same Paper to the Justice he was discharged without any further trouble or proceeding and this was all that was acted in New-England relating to the Prince of Orange's Declaration so that there was no grounds or reasons to stir up the People to Sedition but only the ambitious desires and wicked inclinations of their former Popular Magistrates and Members to set up their old Arbitrary Commonwealth Government that freeing themselves from the Authority of England they might without fear of punishment break all the Laws made for the encouragement and increase of the Navigation of England and regulating and securing the Plantation Trade as is sufficiently evident by the several Vessels since arrived from Holland Scotland Newfoundland and other places prohibited by the Acts of Trade and Navigation And that such was their design to rend themselves from the Crown of England will appear by the free and open confession of some well knowing in that Conspiracy who have since declared before Witnesses of undenyable truth now here in England that the design of seizing upon Sir E. A. and subverting Kingly Government in new-New-England had been long contrived and resolved on and was to have been done the beginning of January 1688. and that those concerned in the late Revolution were then to have acted the like parts at which time was no account of the Prince of Orange's intention of coming into England known in that Land 4. It cannot be said that ever any unlawful Levies of Money were made upon the Subject under the Government of Sir E. A. for all that was raised in his time was by virtue of a Law made and practised for about Fifty Years before which was continued and confirmed by express command under the Great Seal of England for support of the Government and was but a Rate of one Penny in the Pound to be annually collected by Warrant from the Treasurer which those who lately assumed the Government tho without any Lawful Power or Authority have so far exceeded that for about Six Months management they have caused seven Rates and an half to be levied and I have since advice that they have ordered Ten Rates more to be exacted 5. By the Actings and Proceedings of these New-England Reformers it is easily to be seen what regard they had to Religion Liberty and Property having now had the opportunity to make themselves Persecutors of the Church oâ— England as they had before been of all others that did not comply with their Independency whom they punished with Fines Imprisonment Stripes Banishment and Death and all 〈◊〉 matters of meer Conscience and Religion only The Church of England altho commandeâ— to be particularly countenanced and encouraged was wholly destitute of a place to perform Divine Service in until Sir E. A. by advice of the Council borrowed the new Meeting house in Boston for them at such times when â—thers made no use of it and afterwards promâ—ted and encouraged the building of a Neâ— Church for that Congregation to avoid 〈◊〉 manner of Offence to their dissenting Neigâ—bors which was soon compleated and finishâ—â— at the particular charge of those of the Churâ—â— of England whose number daily increasinâ— they became the envy as well as hatred of thâ—â— Adversaries who by all ways and means poâ—â—â—ble as well in their Pulpits as private 〈◊〉 endeavour'd to asperse calumniate and 〈◊〉 fame them and so far did their malice and bigotry prevail that some of them openly and publickly hindered and obstructed the Minister in the performance of the funeral Rites to such as had lived and dyed in the Communion of the Church of England And a most scandalous Pamphlet was soon after Printed and Published by Cotton Mather Son of the beforementioned J. M. intituled the unlawfulness of the Common-prayer Worship wherein he affirms and labours to prove the same to be both Popery and Idolatry and several scandalous Libels both against the Church and Government were spread and scattered up and down the Country insinuating into the Common People that the Governor and all of the Church of England were Papists and Idolaters and to stir them up to Faction and Rebellion for which the said Cotton Mather and others were bound over to answer according to Law but was superseded by their Insurrection And the Justices having issued their Warrant for the observation of the 30 th of January pursuant to the Statute the same was called in and suppressed by Captain Waite Winthorp one of the Council who in the Commotion appeared the chief Man and Head of the Faction against the Government which he twice swore to maintain and support and tho at the time of the Revolution most of the Principal Officers in the Government were of the Independent and Presbyterian Party yet their malice and fury was not shewn to any of them but only used and exâ—rcised against those of the Church of England whom as well the Governor as other Officers â—f the Government and principal Members of â—hat Church they seized and most barbarously â—mprisoned The Church it self had great difâ—â—culty to withstand their fury receiving the â—â—arks of their indignation and scorn by havâ—â—g the Windows broke to pieces and the Doors â—nd Walls daubed and defiled with dung and â—â—her filth in the rudest and basest manner imaâ—â—nable and the Minister for his safety was â—â—rced to leave the Country and his Congregaâ—â—on and go for England the Persons Impriâ—â—ned
the Indians affirm that the Indians say they are encouraged by some Gentlemen in Boston vigorously to prosecute the War is mere Invention and a most false and groundless Imputation unless by such Gentlemen in Boston are meant Foster and Waterhouse two of their own Party who being of the Conspiracy to subvert the Government sometime in March about a Month before the same was put in Execution loaded a Brigantine with Provision and Ammunition at Boston and entered her for Bermudoes but sent her to the Eastward amongst the French and Indians then in actual War with us and furnished and supplied them therewith when the Governor and the Forces were out against them and had reduced them to the greatest want and necessity both for Provision and Ammunition and soon after the Revolution that Vessel returned from those Parts with her Loading of Bever and Peltry which was publickly known and talked but no notice taken thereof the grievous effects of which the Country well knows and are since very sensible thereof The two Captives that last escaped and came to Boston related that by the Service done by Sir E. A. the last Winter was Twelve-months against the Indians they were reduced to that necessity both for want of Ammunition and Provision that in the Spring following they resolved to come in and surrender themselves at Mercy which they no doubt had done accordingly if the Revolution at Boston had not happened the Forces being drawn off from the Eastern Parts Garrisons deserted and they supplied with Ammunition and Provision from Boston which was the only encouragement they had to renew and continue the War upon us and has much increased the Numbers of our Enemies 'T is true the Mohawks tho a small are a warlike Nation and have been long Enemies to the French in Canada and now in War with them but that no ways affects us in New-England any otherwise than as it is some Diversion to the French for those Indians that war against us are in a direct opposite part of the Country remote from them and can be supplied from Canada Port-Royal and Nova Scotia altho those Mohawks endeavour to obstruct it and I could never hear any Offer made by them to that purpose or that they would engage against our Enemies for we never had any Acquaintance or Correspondency with them to influence them to our Assistance they being very remote from Boston and always under the Government of New-York but I have been informed by Letters from Persons of good credit at Albany that when the Agents sent from Boston to treat with the Mohawks and renew their Peace and Friendship with them and desire their Assistance proposed the same the Mohawks replied That it was unnecessary for them to come so far to renew their Peace since to the Indians Knowledge there had been no War between them and that they had not only by Words but by Action manifested their good Heart to the English particularly to New-England since they had by means of the Government of New-York engaged themselves in the last Indian War for their Interest against the Indians their Enemies by which means much Christian Blood was saved altho but little notice of their Service has been taken by those who had the benefit thereof that they were then in War against the French and would not increase the number of their Enemies until they certainly knew that those Eastern Indians assisted the French against them This is the sum and truth of that Negotiation which cost us above four hundred Pounds Expence and what Advantage or Credit we are like to get thereby all Men may judgâ— We of New-England I find are too apt to boast of what we neither understand nâ—r have any assurance of and build too much on mistaken Notions and false Grounds as in this Case of the Indians 9. The Story about the Mohawks Jesuits and Eclipse of the Sun has not been heard of or acted in any part of New-England but as I am informed is an old Story taken out of some History of the Spanish Indies and only inserted by the Author to enlarge his strange News and fill up his Paper But it must be admitted that with those Mohawks and other Indians several French Priests and Jesuits have dwelt and inhabited and endeavoured to propagate their Religion amongst them which is more than any of our English Priests or Teachers have done for altho by the Piety of our Forefathers considerable Sums of Money have been given and a Corporation erected for the Evangelizing of the Indians in New-England a very small progress hath been hitherto made therein and now scarce any Endeavours or proper Means used at all for their Conversion tho large Sums of Money are annually sent over and disposed of amongst the Brotherhood on that pretence which the Government or those chiefly concerned therein would do well to enquire after now there are so many of that Country here capable to give an Account thereof that so good and pious an Undertaking may be neither neglected nor perverted 10. It is too true that great Devastations have been made in new-New-England by the Indians since the Revolution there which those that subverted their Majesties Government have been and are the sole occasion of and that the Fort of Pemaquid a considerable Frontier next the French hath been taken the whole County of Cornwal greatest part of the Province of Maine and part of the Province of Hampshire are destroyed and deserted besides other Mischiefs in the Massathusets Colony within thirty Miles of Boston the loss and damage of all which when I left New England was not computed at less than one hundred thousand Pounds besides the loss of above three hundred of their Majesties Subjects and the whole Fish Mast and Lumber Trade and all Out-parts forced to Garisons But that so considerable a Force as is pretended was sent out against the said Indians is a Misinformation for there was not one Man sent from Connecticott last Summer nor had they resolved to be concerned in the War tho much persuaded thereto by those of the Massathusets and when I left those Parts and for some Months before there was not a Soldier out and they have reason enough to apprehend an Attack from the French as well as Indians in the Spring so soon as the Rivers are open and the Snow off the Ground which by their present ill Management of Affairs want of Authority and the many Divisions amongst them they will not be in a posture to resist nor to defend and secure themselves and Country 11. I did hear before I left New-England that about sixty Men were ordered to march for Albany from the several Towns on Connecticott River but whether they were to assist those of Albany against the French or to reduce them under the Subjection of that Rebel Leslier who by the evil Instigation of those of Boston and Connecticott had usurped the Government of New York which those of Albany always refused to submit to but continued as they were was a great Question and can only be known by their Fruits and Service The base imputation which the unworthy Author of that scurrilous Paper would cast on Sir E. A. and other Persons concerned in Their Majesties Government I think are not worth my taking any particular notice of since both his and their Actions do plainly shew them of whom he so speaks to be Faithful and Loyal Subjects And from the whole scope of proceedings in New-England it is most plain that the late Subverters of the Government had no manner of regard to Their Majesty's Interest or Service but when they had as far as possible ruined and destroyed the same thought themselves obliged to endeavour their own Security and Preservation which if His Majesty doth not speedily help by settling of the Government and giving them further assistance from hence they are not in a condition to maintain but will endanger the loss of the whole Country As is evident by the farther late advice we have of the French and Indians Incursions upon those parts the loss of Schenectade a considerable frontier Town near Albany and of several settlements on Piscataqua River with about two hundred more of Their Majesties Subjects killed and carried away Captives and the several other Parties of French and Indians we hear are out designed to fall on other parts of that Country and feared on Albany it self This Sir is the true tho miserable State and Condition of that Country as can be particularly made appear whenever it shall be inquired into and must pray your Assistance to endeavor a Redress of its present inconveniencies and that we may obtain Their Majesty's favour for a happy settlement that so considerable a Dominion on the prosperity of which depends the Welfare of Their Majesty 's other West-India Plantations may not be ruined and destroyed for want of Their Gracious Protection Begging your Pardon for this tedious discourse I presume to subscribe my self Honoured Sir Your Most Humble Servant C. D. LONDON Printed for J. Hindmarsh at the Sing of the Golden Ball over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1690.