time formerly or lately entred vpon any place to which you had, or haue any knowne title, nor in any other respect beene injurious to you. It is true we haue lately vpon Pawgusett Riuer, which falls into the sea in the midst of the English Plantations, built a small house within our owne limits, many miles nay leagues from the Manhattoes from your tradinge house and from any porte of Hudson's River, at which we expect little trade but can compell none, the Indians beinge free to trade with you, vs, Connecticute, Mattachusetts, or with any others: nor did we build there till we had first purchased a due title from the true proprietors: what injuries and outrages in our persons and estates at the Manhattoes in Delawar River &c. we haue receiued from you, our former letters and protest doe both declare and proue to all which you have hitherto given very vnsatisfyinge answeres : But whatever our losses and sufferinge haue beene, we conceiue we haue neither done, nor returned any thinge euen vnto this day, but what doth agree with the law of God, the law of Nations, and with that ancient confederation and amity betwixt our Superiours at home, soe that we shall readily refer all questions and difference betwixt you and vs euen from first to last to any due examination and iudgement, either heere or in Europe and by these presents doe refer them, being well assured that his Majesty our soueraigne Lord Charles Kinge of greate Britaine and the Parliament of England now assembled will maintaine their owne right and our iust liberties against any who by vnjust encrochment shall wronge them or theirs, and that your owne Principalls vpon a due and mature consideration will also see and approue the righteousnes of our proceedings.

T. E. New Haven in New England August 12th 1646. old stile.

The premisses being duly considered both in reference to Hartford and New Hauen the Commissioners thought fitt to expresse their apprehentions in writinge to the Dutch Gouernor in latine but the Contents as followeth.

To the Right Worshipful WILLIAM KIEFT, Gouernor &c.

SIR,

VPON a due consideration how peace (a choice blessinge) may be continued, we are carefull to enquire and search into those differences and offences soe longe continued betwixt some of our confederates and your selues: it is neare 3 yeares since the Governor of the Mattachusets by consent and advice of the Counsell of that Colony, did particularly propounde to your consideration sundry injurious and vnworthy passages done by your Agent vpon the fresh Riuer, and some of his family vpon our brethren at Hartford to all which you returned an Ignoramus with an offensiue addicon which we leaue to a Review and better consideration, what inquiry and order you after made and tooke to suppresse such miscarriages for the future, we haue not heard, but certainly your Agent, and his company are now growne to a strange and vnsufferable bouldnes (we hope without comission) An Indian Captiue liable to publicke punishment fied from her Master at Hartford is entertayned in your house at Hartford, and though required by the magistrate is vnder the hands of your Agent there denyed, and we heare she is either marryed, or abused by one of your men: Such a servant is parte of her master's estate, and a more considerable part then a beast, our children will not longe be secure if this be suffered: your Agent himselfe in height of disorder and contempt of authority, resists the watch at Hartford, drawes and breakes his rapier vpon their

weapons and by flight escapes, had he bene slaine in this proude affront, his bloud had beene vpon his owne head: Lastly to passe by other particulars, some of your horses being pownded for damage done in the English Corne, your Agent and 4 more made an assault, and stroke him who legally sought justice, and in an hostile way tooke away his teame and laden.

We have also seene a Protest of yours Dat. Aug. 3. 1646 New stile, against our Confederates of New Haven with their Answer Dat. Aug. 12th. and deliuered to leiftenant Baxtey your messenger: vpon our most serious consideration of the contents togeither with their title heere held forth, we conceiue their Answere fayre and just; and hope it will cleare their proceedings, and giue you full satisfaction, yet to prevent all inconveniences which may grow by any part of the premises, we haue sent this bearer, by whome we desire such a returne as may testify your concurrence with vs to embrace and pursue righteousnes and peace.

Vpon information that the Dutch Governor in a letter to the Governor of the Mattachusets chargeth Mr. Whitinge, one of the Magistrates of Connecticut that at the Manhattoes he should say The English were fooles to suffer the Dutch to liue there, Mr. Whitinge vpon other occasions beinge nowe at New Haven the Comissioners enquired of him what had passed betwixt him and the Dutch Governoure or him and others at the Manhattoes, end therevpon in English wrote another letter to the Dutch Governoure as followeth :

SIR,

SINCE your former dated the fifth of this present we haue spoken with Mr. Whitinge concerninge words you chardge him with in your letter to the

B b

Governoure of the Mattachusets, he professeth he neither remembereth nor knoweth any such words spoken by him, and we could wish that all such provokinge and threatninge language might be forborne on both parts, as contrary to that peace and neighbourely correspondency which we desire sincerely to preserue betwixt the 2 nations. Mr. Whitinge complaines of a sentence lately passed against him in his absence at the Manatoes, when he had noe agent there to pleade to his cause, or to giue in his evidence, and that demandinge a just debt long since due from some of yours, he received neither that help of justice from your selfe nor soe faire an answere as the cause required and he expected, we are assured you will both grante him a review in the former and free passage for recoveringe debts as all the Colonies will readily doe to any of yours in our Courts, yf in your answere to our former you will please to adde a word or two concerninge the premises, it may settle a right understandinge betwixt vs, we rest yours, &c.

September 7th. 1646. old style.

Both those letters were sent by Leiftenant Godfrey a messenger to the dutch Governoure the same day.

September 15th lieftenant Godfrey returned Manattchoes and brought 2 letters from the dutch Governoure, the one in latine, the other in English, the latine translated hath these contents.

To the most noble and worthy Comissioners of the federated English met togeither at the Red Mounte, or Newhaven in New Netherlands, Wm. Keift Director and the Senate of New Netherland doe send many salutations.

YOURS dated the 5th September, old style, we receaued the 21. new style, by your messenger to

which we thincke sufficient to giue this short an

swere.

That the Inhabitants of Hartford haue deceiued you with false accusations as were easy to be euidenced by us if it were now seasonable to produce our allegations which we can proue to be true by diuerse attestations as well of your owne Country men, as ours, togeither with other authenticke writinge, but that we may not seeme to be willing to evade you with vaine words, we shall at this time present you a few particulars, out of soe greate an heap, as by the claw you may judge of the talants of the lyon, and therefore passinge by their vsurpinge of our jurisdiccon, and of our proper grounde against possession solemnly taken by us, and our protestacons formerly made, we doe say, that the bloude of our Country men wrongfully shed by the inhabitants of Hartford, and the sellinge of our domesticke beasts by them, doe sufficiently testify the equity of their proceedings and therefore your prejudgement supported by this Oath Creto Coxtius, as if you should say Amen, Amen, seemes wonderful to vs, and done contrary to the modesty requisite in such an Assemblie, who should allwaies keepe one eare for the other party.

Soe far as concernes the Barbarian handmaide although it be apprehended by some that she is no slaue but a free woman, because she was neither taken in war nor bought with price, but was in former time placed with me by her parents for education, yet we will not suffer her to be wrongfully detayned, but wither he shall pay the damadge to her Mr. or she shal be restored to him we will not suffer him that desires her for his wife to marry her, vntill she be lawfully baptised. Concerning the breaking in of our Agent vpon the watch at Hartford we truely conceiue that watches are appointed for the defence of townes against the violence of enemies, and not for the hinderinge of friends returne to their owne houses, and therefore least mischeifes happen, it were good to committ such a trust to skilfull men,