THE Inhabitants of New-England had for many Years before the Late Happy Revolution, Enjoy'd the Liberty and Property of as Free and Eaſy a Charter as a People could Deſire; and this too, with as much Satisfaction and Loyalty on their part, as Malice and Envy on that of their Enemies; who, from a Perſecuting Spirit, looking upon this their Charter with an evil Eye, took up an Implacable Reſolution of Robbing them of it. They had no ſooner Effected this, but a vaſt Scene of Miſery appear'd; and they found among the Principal Inſtruments of this Miſchief, One, The preſent Governour, J. Dodley, Eſq is a Native of New England, Born at or near a place call'd Roxbury, 2 Miles from Boſton. whom their own Womb had brought forth, and whoſe Breaſts had Nouriſh'd! But the Unhappy (or rather Happy) Reign of the Late K. J. running Precipitantly upon its own Ruin, made well for the Deliverance of New-England; without which, doubtleſs the People had fell a Sacrifice to French and Popiſh Slavery:

We ſhall not Recriminate here the Miſmanagements of the then Governour Sir Edmond Androſs, ſince that Gentleman is now in a Future State; but by the way, we think it highly Neceſſary to ſay ſome Matters of Fact, of the preſent Governour Dudley, who, (under the ſaid Sir E. Androſs) acted as Preſident of the Council, and One of the Quorum in all his Affairs.

The Behaviour of this Man, ſo ſoon as he arriv'd, ſtruck 〈…〉 the firſt Opportunity to diſcover him of a Mercenary Intereſt. Indeed, the People were ſomething Surpris'd to ſee the publick Offices and Places of Truſt ſnatch'd from them, and Conferr'd on Strangers on one hand, and the Avarice and Beggary of a Crew of Mercenary Fellows, Supported by Extortion on t'other. But, when the Preſident was pleaſed, out of an Active and Paſſive Principle, to tell our Countreymen, in open Council, That the People in New-England were all Slaves; and that the only Difference between Them and Slaves, was their not being Bought and Sold: And that they muſt not think the Priviledges of Engliſhmen would follow them to the end of the World. I ſay, when the People heard this, they lookt upon themſelves in a manner Loſt. On one Hand they ſaw their Enemies inveſted with a full Power in the Government; on t'other they ſaw themſelves not only turn'd out of the Publick Miniſtry, but under a Neceſſitous Fear of being Quiet, leſt their Eſtates ſhould be Siezed, and themſelves Impriſoned. On this ſide they ſaw their Wives and Children, their Fathers, Mothers, &c. Butchered daily by a Handful of Barbarous Indians; on t'other ſide, little or no Reſiſtance made by their Armies, which were Commanded by thoſe of the Romiſh Religion; inſomuch that it ſeem'd rather an intended Maſſacre, than a Deſire of putting an End to a Diabolick and Bloody War. They ſaw then, that they had to their Coſt, brought forth a Prophet, who told them they were Slaves; and they then ſaw his Prophecy fulfilling; In fine, they ſaw all this, but perceiv'd no way to Eſcape; till throwing up their Cryes to Heaven, they were animated by Divine Power, to Reſcue themſelves and Children from the approaching Ruin.

Under the Preſſure of all theſe Grievances, they Unanimouſly aroſe, upon the coming in of the late King William, of Bleſſed Memory, Siezed the Government for His Majeſty's Uſe; and, amongſt the reſt of the Authors of their Miſeries, not unjuſtly Impriſon'd this their preſent Governour.

From that time New-England took Heart, and concluded that Heaven was removing from them all the Plagues in their Land. They indeed Thankfully Rejoyced to ſee themſelves Reſtored to their Ancient Liberty, as afterwards in a great Meaſure they were by another Miniſtry.

And thus much for the former Actions of the Author of the following Matters of Fact, which has rendred His Love to his Native Country, His Veneration for the Liberty and Property of a Free People, His Fidelity, Juſtice, and Loyalty, in delivering the Oppreſſed, and detecting the Queen's profeſs'd Enemies, but the Reverſe of Good Mens Actions, and ought to be Remembred only as ſo many Monuments of Infamy.

But to come down to our Memorial, and inform the World of the modern Miſmanagements of this unhappy Gentleman, we humbly Declare, That

THE Trade with the French and Indians, being ſo countenanced by the Governour, that without ſpeedy Remedy, the Country is in great Danger of being Ruined, which will plainly Appear as follows:

First, In the Year 17 • 5. The Governour ſent his Son, William Dudley with Captain Vetch, to Canada, under a pretence of Redeeming Captives; but brought very few back to Boſton of thoſe that were there, and them of the Meaneſt ſort, leaving the Principal of the ſaid Captives behind, to give them occaſion of going again, that they might have a Pretence to Colour their Treacherous Deſign of Trading, as Appears by the ſaid Vetch's Acknowledgment, of going to Settle a Correſpondency with the Enemy, and carrying a Cargo out with him of 800 l. which, according to their Diſpoſal, might amount to near 3000 l. as particularly Shot, which was Sold at 13 Sous per Pound; whereof they carried a conſiderable Quantity, alſo Rigging, Pitch, Iron, and other Neceſſaries, fit for ſupplying the Indians and French; and this done under a Colour, of the ſaid Vetch's going to get in a Debt due to him, from the French, of 800 l. with the Governour's Approbation.

Secondly, For Settling a Correſpondency with the French Governour at Port-Royal, for Exchange of Priſoners; Whereas, it was indeed, only a Cover for an Illegal Trade; when, at the ſame time, the French there, were drove to ſuch extream Hardſhips, for want of Ammunition, Proviſion, &c. that moſt of their Principal People were forced to go out a Privateering on our Coaſts, who were afterwards taken and brought into Boſton; particularly one Battis, a Man of great Note and Service among the Enemy, who had been a Barbarous, Murdering Fellow, to the Engliſh: He, with all the other French Priſoners, were ſent to Canada and Port-Royal, and Diſcharged; but great part of our People that were Priſoners, were left behind at the ſame time, and that, becauſe our Governour had been falſe in his Promiſe, to the French Governour, who had reſtrained the Indians from diſturbing our Fiſhery, and indeed would not allow them any Ammunition for a conſiderable time, till our Governour taking that Opportunity of the Indians, great Want countenanced a Trade with them, and ſupply'd them by the Veſſels that were ſent as Tranſports (as aforeſaid) to fetch Priſoners; when at the ſame time they were made Veſſels of Merchandize, as appears by the Indian Traders on their Tryal.

Thirdly, The Country are at a vaſt Charge, in maintaining an Army Yearly, to March ſeveral Hundred Miles up into the Country, to Deſtroy the Indians Corn, the better to diſinable them to Subſiſt; for they have been ſo Reduced (as by Information of the Captives) that a great part of them would Periſh for Want, were it not for the Supply they had from the ſaid Indian Traders; who particularly, Sold about Eight Quarts of Indian Corn for one large Beaver Skin; which Trade has been all along countenanced by the Governour, which ſufficiently Appears, by his being always Unwilling the Priſoners taken in that Trade ſhould be Fined, or Puniſhed, even owned by Vetch, as in his Petition more at large, is ſet forth.

Fourthly, The Country was at a great Expence, in Erecting a Fortification at Caſco Bay, and maintaining a number of Soldiers for ſecuring the ſame, thereby to ſuppreſs the Enemy, and keep ſure Footting in that part of the Country; and the Governour, through ſome Deſign or Neglect, did ſuffer thoſe Soldiers to remain there without any Commiſſion Officer, to the great Diſſatisfaction and Dread to the Soldiers; inſomuch, that they Declared to Captain Cally, (a Member of the Aſſembly at Boſton) that when the Enemy came upon them, they would Surrender the Fort, and dare not Reſiſt for want of a Commiſſion. Then Captain Cally made Application to the Aſſembly, which he found Sitting when he came to Boſton, and they repreſented to the Governour, that ſpeedy care might be taken, that ſome Perſon might be Commiſſionated to Command that Fort, which, with a great deal of Difficulty, was at laſt Obtained.

Fifthly, And further, as to the Governour's countenancing this Private and Illegal Trade, the Country has been at vaſt Expence, occaſioned thereby; inſomuch, that at one Seſſions the laſt Summer, the Aſſembly were forc'd to raiſe 33000 Pounds, for Supporting and Maintaining the Charge they were put to, by the Enemies Invaſions, after they had a Supply; that whereas, if things were rightly Managed, and the Enemy kept back for want of thoſe Supplies, one Third Part of the ſaid Sum might have anſwer'd the End. The Indians that were Supply'd by thoſe Traders, are the only People that Deſtroyed our Eaſtern Parts, the Fiſhery, and the Coaſt of Accady; and alſo the very ſame that were at Deſtroying of New-found land; particularly one Eſcombu • t, a Principal Commander among them, who is generally one that Heads the Indians, when they come to Deſtroy the Engliſh in New-England.

Sixthly, The Governour, with his Son Paul, not being Content with what Money they come fairly by, and over greedy of Gain, are very Screwing and Exacting upon the People, particularly upon ſundry Inhabitants, taking away their Priviledge in catching of Whales, a Priviledge they have Enjoyed many Years before; that is, (under Pretence of Drift Fiſh) what Whales are taken by Her Majeſty's Subjects, he takes from them by Force, not giving them the Liberty of a Tryal at Common-Law, but for his own Ends, decides the Matter in the Admiralty, where his Son Paul is the Queen's Attourny and Advocate, thereby Encroaching the whole to themſelves, a thing never heard of before, and very much to the Prejudice of Her Majeſty's good Subjects there, and that without Remedy.

Seventhly, As to the Addreſs the Governour Obtained, pretended to come over from the General Aſſembly at Boſton, in his favour, for his Continuance, it was no more than what he Clandeſtinely procured, by ſending to his particular Friends; ſuch, who being either Related to him, or bore Commiſſions under him, dare not deny his Requeſt, and was never approved nor allowed of by the Aſſembly; but on the Contrary, had not the Majority of the Country, waited in Expectation of Her Majeſty's Favour, in ſending another Governour, they would largely have ſignified their Reſentments and Diſſatisfaction, in the Adminiſtration of Dudly's Government.

Eighthly, While the Great and General Aſſembly at Boſton were Sitting, there arrived a Flagg of Truce from Canada, with a haughty Demand of the Governour, for all the French Priſoners, charging of him with breach of Promiſe, which was the occaſion of the French Governour's not ſending ſeveral of the Priſoners, particularly a Miniſter that was taken Captive at Derefield, detained by the French, who might have been Diſcharged with ſundry others.

Ninthly, The Lower Houſe, miſtruſting the French Flagg of Truce coming upon a Trading Deſign, as well as for Priſoners, ordered the Flagg of Truce to be diligently Searched, who found on Board their Veſſel ſundry new Arms and Ammunition, hid in Private Places, particularly new Bullets, hid among Peaſe, and yet denied by the Commander, who was an Engliſh Renagado, which Ammunition being brought before the Aſſembly, were generally concluded to be Bought in Boſton; whereupon, the Governour interpoſing the Matter was huſhed up and Conniv'd at, to the great Diſſatisfaction of the Aſſembly, and Country in general.

This being realy the State of New-England, and its Provinces, it may very well be called Deplorable, when it is render'd the very Scene of Arbitrary Power, with all that's Miſerable: But to proceed, before I come down to the ſeveral Affidavits upon theſe Heads, it is Convenient to Recite ſome Letters from the Inhabitants of that Place, who, under a deep Senſe of their Approaching Ruin, have breath'd forth their Complaints in the following Words.

In the foregoing Letters we find ſeveral things Worthy our Remark; but I ſhall only mention the Three following:

(1.) That without Money, there is no Juſtice to be had in New-England; So that the meaner ſort, doubtleſs, is in a Deplorable Condition; the faces of their Poor being ground to Duſt; their Widows Houſes laid Waſte, and the hopes of their Offspring cut off. From whence we may infer, that New-England having a Governour, whoſe God is the Mammon of this World; whoſe Principles act Counter to the Deſign of his Power; and whoſe Drift is the Ruin of his own Country; the Inhabitants thereof have nothing but Juſtice on their part to Petition Her Majeſty to throw him aſide.

(2.) A general uneaſineſs under, and oppoſition to this Governour, thro' the whole Country. And this, methinks, might ſtop the Mouths of ſome People here, (who, not knowing the Nature of this affair, no otherwiſe than as their Intereſt leads them to ſide with the Governour, or by Virtue of a bare Friendſhip Contracted with him whilſt he Reſided in England) and put a Period to all their Objections in his Behalf; eſpecially One, unhappily let ſlip from the Mouth of a Gentleman too well known for his great Learning and Parts, to be thought ſo over-ſighted, and that is to this Effect. If a Governour must be removed for every trivial Complaint, there wou'd be no End of ſuch Removals; and Her Majeſty's Miniſtry would be wholly taken up with turning out, and putting in. I will not pretend to affirm the Reaſon that produc'd this haſty Plea for our Criminal Governour; but ſure I am, the Author of it knows too much Law, than to extenuate the like Crimes in others. And a weak Argument I take it to indeavour the influencing our Superiors in Redreſſing Grievances of the Subject, when the ſeveral matters of Fact Sworn to, are laid down before them: But, to ſay no more, this Gentleman has not been the firſt that has over-ſhot himſelf in Defending things of this Nature. And,

(3dly,) A fervent Deſire to be eas'd of Oppreſſion, i: e. That they might be capable of acknowledging with Reſpect and Gratitude, the mighty advantages of ſuch a Deliverance to the Queen of Great Brittain; to a Queen who is all Juſtice and Piety, Peace and Union; and a Queen who will not only hear the Petitions of her Subjects, but maintain them in their Rights and Priviledges. Let not New-England doubt then of finding Redreſs, from ſo Great and Gracious a Miſtreſs, notwithſtanding the ſubtle Deſigns and Evaſions of Evil-minded Men. And ſo we come to preſent the Reader with a further Account of the ſaid Miſmanagements, by another Hand.

SOmetime in the Spring of the Year, 1706. Mr. Dudley, the preſent Governour of the Province of Maſſachuſets Bay, and New-Hampſhire, writ a Letter from Boſton, Directed to Mr. Richard Waldron, and my ſelf, to uſe our Intereſt to prevail with the Council at an Aſſembly, to Draw up an Addreſs to the Queen, That Her Majeſty would pleaſe to continue the ſaid Dudley in the Government of New-Hampſhire: Whereupon the ſaid Waldron (after he had Communicated the Letter to me) drew up an Addreſs, and ſhew'd it to the Aſſembly, and prevailed with them to paſs it in Both Houſes, with little Alteration. And this is the Addreſs that is now come over from the Province of New-Hampſhire. The Aſſembly was much againſt it, but we thought it would be beſt for us to do any thing that would pleaſe the Governour at that time; conſidering, that we were always in danger of the Enemy, and concluded, it was much in his Power, under God, to preſerve us, having often heard him ſay, that he would ſtop the Courier of the Indians and French, (when he pleas'd) in a Month or Six Weeks time; and I did then, and do ſtill believe, that he could prevent the Indians and French from coming upon us, and Killing us as they did; for I know that he had Correſpondence with a Fryer or Jeſuit, or one ſo called, a Frenchman that Lives among the Indians, and hath great influence over them, who Writes himſelf Galen Emeſary. The Governour, to my certain Knowledge, did order ſundry things that were ſent him; and, conſidering the great Correſpondence (he told me) he had with the Governour of Port-Royal, it cauſed a firm belief in me, that he could do what he would with the Enemy: Theſe, with other Motives, preſs'd us forwards to get the Addreſs paſſed, concluding all theſe things would add to our Peace, if rightly improved; and the Indians, about that time, and for many Months before, had done little or no Miſchief, and for my part, I did really believe, that it was the Governour's Intereſt that cauſed our quiet, but ſoon found we were Miſtaken, finding out, that much about the ſame time that Waldren and my ſelf were forwarding the Addreſs to Her Majeſty, to continue Mr. Dudley Governour, he was countenancing a private Trade with the Indians and French, our Enemies, as we found by woful Experience: For ſoon after thoſe Traders went to the Eaſtward, the Indians came ſharply down upon us about the latter end of June laſt, Killed Six People, Wounded two, and carried away two from the Town of Almsbury, and a little before they Killed Lieutenant John Shapleigh, at the Town of Kittery, and a whole Family, as a Man, Wife and Children, all Killed and Scalped out of the Townſhip of Dover; and one Man Killed with Swan-ſhot out of the Townſhip of Hampton; and Nine Killed, one Wounded, and one carried out of the Townſhip of Exeter. All theſe Barbarities were committed before I came from thence, which was about the beginning of September laſt; God knows how many have been thus Barbarouſly Murther'd ſince. Captain Vetch, and Captain Lawſon, oftentimes told me, that they had oftentimes acquainted the Governour with their deſign of going to the Eastward upon Trade, and had the conſent of him, and did ſolemnly proteſt they would not have gone without it: And I do believe, and it is generally believed in New-England, that the Governour did know of this Trade, and no doubt but he was to have a ſhare of the Profit. When theſe Traders came from the French and Indians, one of their Veſſels ſtopped at the Iſle of Shoals, near the Province of New Hampſhire, the Maſter's Name was Rouſe, who brought to that place from Port Royal Seven Priſoners; and Capt. Jethro Furbur being at the ſaid Iſles of Shoales, at the ſaid time when the Veſſel came in, heard the ſaid Priſoners affirm, That the Eaſtern Indians had no Shot, nor Bullets, nor Lead to make any, and it was very ſcarce with the French, inſomuch that they could not ſupply them, ſo that the Indians were like to Starve for want of Ammunition; for great part of their Livelihood depends on their Guns to Kill wild Beaſts and Fowl, &c. whereby we find it was not the Governour's Intereſt he had with the Enemy, to prevent their coming upon us, but it was for want of Ammunition: And thoſe Priſoners that were brought from Port-Royal, which Capt. Furber ſpoke with at the Iſles of Shoals, did further affirm, That they heard the Governour of Port-Royal ſay, That he had given his Letter to the Governour of Boston, that he would not ſupply the Indians with Powder nor Shot, but that he would do all he could to prevent the Indians coming upon the Engliſh, and had been as good as his Word; but that the ſaid Governour of Boſton, or his People, had ſupplied the Indians with more Ammunition than he was able to do; for the Traders from Boſton brought it by Tun • ; and that if this Trade had not been incouraged by the Governour, we ſhould have had no Men Killed, nor indeed any Diſturbance amongſt us. It is my Belief, and it ſeems very plain to me, that the Governour intends to forward the French and Indian Enemy to Deſtroy all they can, and keep the Country allarm'd, thereby to put them to ſuch vaſt Charges, as will Ruin the whole Government, by Killing ſome and Impoveriſhing the reſt. There was never ſuch Taxes on the Poor People as now; 33000 l. being raiſed a little before I came away, and many great Sums not long before that. I was credibly Informed that ſome Perſons were forced to cut open their Beds, and Sell the Feathers to Pay their Taxes. I do'nt remember that ever there was any of the Indian Enemy Kill'd or Taken ſince Mr. Dudley came over Governour, except an Old Woman, and two others I took to be Girls by their Scalps; and ſome few taken near Port Royal taken by Major Church. So that inſtead of being Deſtroyed, I wiſh they be not preſerv'd: For, Six Months before it came to paſs, the Governour Mr. Dudley told me, what Methods the Indians would take when they came again, and it proved accordingly. He told me, That the Indians would not come in any great Body as they uſed to do, but they would come in ſmall Numbers, no Number above Thirty, and ſo Line the Woods from Dearfield, which is the South-Weſt ſide of the Maſſachuſets Government, and all along the Woods, juſt without the Towns to Casko Bay, which is the North-Eaſt Part of Inhabitants at this time. And this Method I am afraid will be continued till the Country is for a great part Deſtroyed, if Mr. Dudley be continued Governour. As for the Addreſs he obtained of the Militia of Maſſachuſet's Bay, it was a forc'd thing; for the Officers are beholden to him for their Commiſſions, and if any Refus'd to Sign what the Governour got drawn, he could put them out, and put in others as he pleaſed.

Thus having given the Publick an Exact Relation of the preſent State of New-England, it remains only that we Produce a Confirmation of all that hath been ſaid. To which end we will begin with the ſeveral Affidavits and Depoſitions already made, and which are as follows.