William Phips letter to William Blathwayt, 1692/1693 February 20

[Recto]

In my last, by the Captain of the Samuell & Henry, I infor
med you of the danger Rhode Island is exposed unto, by their
disorders in civill, & military Government: which is now most evi
dent; They pretend, to three miles on this side of the River, upon
the maine, which is a part of Plymouth colony now Joyned to
the massachusetts, province & have improved this false pre
tence, to such a height, as that thereby they have stirred up
the inhabitants of little Compton, a Town that lyes next to
Rhoad Island, to a tumultuous assembling together, to run
a Line for the boounds, although the bounds hath been fixed by
Comissioners in the midst of the River, that parts the Island, [illegible]
& the maine, when I came amongst them, the people were
convinced of their Error, & have submitted themselves, & pro
mise to give all due obedience, to their Majesties Government
& some of the ringleaders of this mischiefe, have been impriso
ned, & have given bail for their appearance, to answer for
their crime, their names are Daniell Willcocks, & Henry
head, the rest of their accomplishes Christopher [illegible], & one
more are fled; after I had settled this matter, I went on
to Rhode Island, where I caused their Majesties Royall
Commission to me given to be publiequely read, & required
their obedience to their Majesties Commands, concerning the
militia, if they had concurred therewith, I did designe to
have settled the militia, & ordered some sorte to be made in the
most convenient places for their defence: but although the
Governor summoned the Councell, to meet him, [illegible]
& came to the place according to the time apointed, expecting to meet
them they did not appear, The Governor is a Quaker, called John Easton
who shewed all due respect, & expressed his resentment of their
undutyfull carriage, & complained of their disorders in Government
& that it was onely a perverse humour in the Councill, that cau
sed them to shew such disrespect to their Majesties Commands, &
expressed his earnest desires of having the Island [illegible] under this
Government: hee promised, to send mee an answer, from the Councill
as soon as he had consulted them, but hath no [illegible] sens, although it
is about Six weekes Since I came from thence. This plainly
demonstrates they desire to continue in their present disor
ders, which will doubtlesse expose them to destruction if the
ennemy make an attacque upon them, & thereby the designe of
their Majesties, in giving the Command of the militia, of the other
Colonies, to the Governor of the Province of the massachusetts Bay is
frustrated, & will be a great prejudice to the whole; I have
also given an Account of the Condicion of the Government of New hamp
shire which cannot be supported but by assistance from this
Province, & some of the principall inhabitants told me, when I
was att Piscataqua, that they intended to peticion their Majesties
that they may be joyned to this Government . my duty oblige mee to gi
ve an exact account of the state of their Majesties affaires here, which
I hope will be acceptable, & I waite untill their Majesties pleasure
be signified, & declared. I am

[Verso]

To The Honorable William Blathwayt
Esquire att
Whitehall

Boston 20 ffebruary: 1692/3
no 3;
From Sr William Phips
Received 24 May 1693

Road Island claims [illegible]
lands belonging to N Plimouth

Sir William Demands the Command
of the Militia at Road Island

The Councill not meeting he
can get no answer.