Edward Randolph letter to William Blathwayt, 1690 March 27

[Page 1]

hearing since my arrivall here that Seuerall of Our New England vessells by
which I sent you larg & perticular accounts of the unaccountable proceedings
of the Rebells in New England & New Yorke: I beleive it my Duty to acquaint you that
upon their receit of his Majesties letter of the 12th of August sent from the Earle of
Shrewsburys office the Bostoners haue interpreted that to be an allowance &
confirmation of their Rebellion ^ ^{& Gouernmentt also} they haue thereupon proceeded to exercise the
Souerain powers: hauing executed two persons vpon the Breach of
their Capital Laws: & haue ordered the Rates to be collected thro the whole
Colony for paying the men they sent last Summer to the Eastward to no
purpose & our Rate & a halfe more in money to defray the present charge
of Mr Cooke and Oakes their pretended Agents: all which amounts to about 10000lb
the people at Our Coming away refused to pay those Rates but are dayly
threatned to be imprisoned. at the tyme of their Rebellon they lett fall
the Customs & Excise hoping thereby to draw the trading men to comply
& to submitt to their easye yoake. but the very next day we were aboard
the Ship bound for England the Generall Court orderd all ordinary keepers to account
with the treasurer for all Beare Wine Syder etc: extracted by them since
the 18 of Aprill last & Such as refuse to be rated at Will & Doom: they
expect that his Majestie will grant them a Charter or at least entrust them
wholy with the Government otherwise they will haue no more to do with England.
All our Eastern Country from Pemmaquid Eastward to Piscataqua is
destroyed or [illegible] ^{deserted for feare} of the french & Indians of which a body
of about 400 were at the taking of Pemmaquid fort:*

The french King has recalled the Marques D'honvell & has sent in his place
Count Frontinack: who well understands the Southern Indians: wee
feared his Attack of Albany this winter will bee soone [illegible] of it whenever
he comes before it: that loss New York cannot hold out long: he has also
sent Mouns Perot in September last with 2 frigotts to Nova Scotia where he has
begun a large fortification at Port Royall: & with the helpe of 7 Ketches and
a very good Brigantine lately tooke by his frigotts from us & their Masters kept with
them will wholy destroy the Tar kiln & ffishery & not permitt vessells to trade from
our port to another

[Page 2]

after Mr Rigs had deliuered his Majesties letters at Boston. he went to New York
where Leisler was advised by letters from Mr Bradstreet that his Majestie did approue
of all their proceedings etc: which so farr inflamed him that he found the
letters directed to Captain Nicholson from Mr Rigs soon after proclaimed him
selfe their Majesties Leiftenant Governor Seizing vpon & imprisoning all persons who
do not approue of his actions: he sent Jacob Milburn his Secretary with
a force to Summon & possesse himselfe of Albany they stood out but awai
ted of men from the Bostoners & haue admitted their Agents to treat with the
6 Nations of Indians at Albany: which Expedition lost them about 700# &
will turn to their detriment for they went to renew their former Amity
with them including in that peace only the 3 vnited Colonyes: they enter
tained a Maquas Captain & 8 or 9 of his men at Boston carried them aboard
ship gaue them guns carried them to their castle & there they fired off
Some of the Guns: & haue acquainted them with a ready way from their
Country down to Boston Colony.

I heare Captain Nicholson is Sayld for virginnia with a Commission for to be
Leitnt Governor I wish him all happiness there, but I feare Our leprosy
of Rebellion which did so soon ouer Spread all the Colonyes will in a
very short tyme pass Southward to Virginnia vnlesse tymely stopd by
effectuall & Seuere punishments upon the Ring leaders: I shall show
you how bitterly they expresse their malice against him wee haue men who
trade to Virginnia fitt for that purpose & will account it an act of
meritt to debauch that people already uneasy upon the late high
duty on Tobacco: they will remember they once had a charter & from the
avowed principles of the Bostoners they haue as good reason to sett it
up again & will in a little tyme: if the New England Rebells go unpunished
I referr you to Sr. Edmund Andros his account of the whole no man being
so proper a Judge of the State & proper remedyes to be made use of to
bring them to a Settlement: the inclosed paper tells the world what interest the
Crown has in the Colony of the Massachusetts. I left Sr. Edmund: & Captain Jeofry well fryday
last. pray god send us a good meeting

[Page 3, blank]

[Page 4]

*aboue 300 Christians haue been destroyed in the provinces of New hampshire
Maine. & the County of Cornwall (formerly belonging to New York) by the
Indians & french Since the 18th of Aprill: & very Rich bootyes carried away

To the Honorable
Mr Blathwayt

Plimouth 27 March <em.1690
From Mr Randolph
new arriued from
New England