Transcription
Letter from the general court of Connecticut to governor Colve
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It being not the manner of Christian or Civill nations to disturb ye poore people in
Cottages & open Villages in the times of warr much less to Impose oaths uppon
them but to suffer them to goe on with their Husbandry & other Contry affayres,
wee Cannot but wonder to heare that some of yours ( Notwithstanding a Caution
formerly to the sea Commands ) haveing bene lately done toward the Eastern End of
Long Island have urged his Majestys Subiects there to take an oath Contrary to their
alleigance to their Souveraigne & to use many threatning Expressions towards them
in case of the Refusall of such an oath, Wee thought fit hereby to lett you know that
wee kan scarce believe that such Commission should proceed from your selfe, whom wee
have heard to be a Souldier, & wel acquainted with Martiall affaires & may
suppose you to Vnderstand better the Law of Nations & the Customes & Vsages
of persons of honour in their pretences of warr, And we Cannot giies that the reasons
should move to such molestation towards poore planters, except it be to attaine some
plausible pretence for Plundering & pillaging, which if it should be done wee
know verry well where there may be Easy Reparacon among your Boares & open Dorps,
but the English will scorne such unchristion designes Except Barbarous depredations
from your selves should Necessitate Retribution to the Injured You may bee assured if
you proceed in Provocations to Constrayne the rising of the English Colonyes, they
will not make it their worke to tamper with your peasants about sweareing but deale
with your head quarters, which yet if reduced to obedience to his Majestys may
Certainly Expect thereby much more happynesse & larger Immunityes without such
Imposure then can be Enjoyed by them in the station wherein they now are.
Mr John
Bankes is our messenger by whom wee send these who can further Informe you how tender
wee are of the Effijsion of Christian blood yet cannot but resent with great
Indignation of any Malicious oppression shall be forced upon our dear Neighbours his
Majestys good Subiects These adnimadversons are Represented to your serious
Consideration from,
|
( Signed: ) |
John Allyn Secretary in the name & by the |
These for the Commander in Chiefe of the dutch forces in the manados. |
Order of the gouvernor & generall Court of Connetticott. |
This per me |
John Banckes. |
References
Translation: O'Callaghan, E.B., trans./ed., Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New-York, vol. 2 (Albany: Weed, Parsons: 1858), pp. 569-730 (vol. 23, pp. 1-270 only).A complete copy of this publication is available on the
New Netherland Institute website.