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Sir, your snare has been that thing, the hatred whereof is most expressly required of the ruler, namely COVETOUSness. When a governour shall make his government more an engine to enrich himself, than to befriend his country, and shall by the unhallowed hunger of riches be prevailed withal to do many wrong, base, dishonourable things; it is a covetousness which will shut out from the kingdom of heaven; and sometimes the loss of a government on earth also is the punishment of it. Now, Sir, much of this has appeared in your administration; and the disposition to make haste to be rich has betrayed you unto things, from which many have wondered, that the natural goodness, which they thought was in your temper, has not restrained you. In saying this, I use much softer terms than your departed friend, Mr. Stoughton (as well as another of nearer affinity to you) used, with some of the most eminent persons, concerning you. And the censure of such a person at least may render it reasonable and seasonable to examine yourself upon it. The main channel of that COVETOUSNESS has been the reign of bribery, which you, Sir, have set up in the land, where it was hardly known, till you brought it in fashion. When you were going over to exhibit articles against Sir William Phips, as others have done, and will do (I hear) against you, you said you could put him in a way to make the perquisites of his government worth twelve hundred a year. He did not understand the way; and said, he was sure he must not be an honest man, if he did so. But, Sir, you have made the way now to be understood. It was unaccountable, which you let fall at the Council Board, that a Governour could not be guilty of bribery. Yes, Sir, in Paul's time one could: and there lie affidavits before the Queen and Council, which affirm that you have been guilty of it in very many instances. I do also know that you have. You may expect that many more such instances will in time be declared. In the mean time the most infamous things done by your son this way (to whom I design more particularly to apply myself) do many of them reflect upon you; because the marks of a most intimate communication between you on this head, are on the view and talk of all the world. He has mude himself vile, and you have been far from restraining him. Sir, you are not such a stranger to history, but that you know the stories of what was done even by Pagan emperors unto their governours, when bribends could be charged upon them. It is a fearful thing, when professing christians will do that which virtuous Pagans have condemned as the worst of crimes; and when the member of an assembly professing christianity, shall in the defence of it say, it is a very little thing. This iniquity, and that one branch of it, a demand of cruel pensions for places, does fearfully betray and deprave the country. It brings in a flood of confusion; and it is now come to pass, that lesser officers begin to do villanous things in that way of iniquity; to which bribends and robberies they embolden themselves, because they think they have a great example. The dishonour done to the Queen's government by this iniquity is irreparable it begets a low and vile idea in the minds of the people.

But the worst wounds of all are given to the guilty person himself; because there is an essential ingredient of a sincere and saving repentance in the case, which the person will usually run any hazard rather than comply withal; and that is restitution, I say, restitution. And this it is that many do firmly believe has drawn you in to countenance that unlawful trade with the enemies, which has been carried on by some grateful merchants, and the bitterness whereof, I am afraid, is not yet over. The house of representatives did by their vote several times over, generally declare that they could not clear you from that unlawful trade; and though they were drawn at last into a vote of a more particular aspect about it, every body sees through the fallacy. Nor will such men of honour as divers of the pensioners at home (I believe) be so negligent of their own vindication, from the impolitick essays to stigmatize them, in the votes which you have (and this untruly) procured to be published in your News Letter, as unanimous; but they will pursue the inquiry, who shingled and boarded the barracks of the soldiers at the forts in Port Royal.

The whole affair of the trial of those grateful merchants will by degrees be brought to light; yea, is already so; and the communications between Roxbury and the prison are discovered, and will be published on the house top; and some fear will be found, MINOR FUIT IPSA IN

FAMIA VERO.

A trial of that nature by the general assembly is a thing which you always decried with the greatest abhorrence: yet you permitted it; yet you promoted it; yet you managed it, when a personal advantage might come out of it. The people were ensnared, by what you drew, Sir, them unto; the country endangered. And I must now tell you, Sir, that a certain letter to Sir Charles Hobby had never been written, if there had not come to the writer some gentlemen of your church of England (among some of whom your conversation on the Lord's day, after the publick service is over, has been by many serious christians a little wondered at !) pressing for such a letter to be written; because they protested with indignation that they perceived by some of your own private discourses among them, that you intended to improve that illegal trial unto the disadvantage of the charter.

This leads me to complain of the wrongs which you have done in that regard, or endeavoured to do, unto this poor people of God. I suppose myself to have but very little esteem among them; I have often met with unkind and unjust usage among them; I look upon my opportunities to be useful unto them as almost extinguished. Had I the wings of a dove, I know what I would do. If I remain here, it is as uneasy as Martinius tied with an iron chain to a mighty stone; or - standing for whole years together at his prayers in the cleft of a rock : Nevertheless I will plead for them. There is among them a people dear unto God: they should be dear unto us. It cannot be for the welfare of any man, or his family, designedly to hurt such a people: No, nor Connecticut any more than Massachusetts.

Connecticut, I say, because the late governour whereof has sent over large packets to England, and among the rest a letter or two from Northampton, demonstrating a wonderful falsehood in the charges, which you have loaded this poor people withal.

We have long since had sent over to us your son's letter to a kinsman, which declares your good will to the charter, expressed more ways than one. And, Sir, why should any more charters be envied, maligned, unhinged? The destruction of them would open the flood gates for a world of inconveniences, though particular men might be gainers thereby.

Shall I go on with my expostulations in behalf of my poor people? Before the Port Royalers knew (though we did) that the war was broke forth, you were earnestly solicited (as Haraden tells) by some, who would have put the country to no charge about it, that you would but give them leave to go, and at once put an end unto all possibility of any future trouble from that quarter, that unto us. I beseech you, Sir, why did you reject that proposal, and send them away with grief, and make them fear and say, that a seat of trade was to be reserved there ? This one thing has undone us.

When Church afterwards went with his forces thither, he could as easily have taken the fort at Port Royal, as have done any thing in the world; but the reason which he has often given of his not doing it, is because you absolutely forbade him; you peremptorily forbade him. The cause you assigned was; because the matter had been laid before the Queen; and the Queen had sent over no orders for it. Anon the fort will not be taken; and though the Queen has sent no orders, we send a pretence to take it. But this story grows now too black a story for me to meddle with. The expedition baffled. The fort never so much as demanded. The forces retreating from the place, as if they were afraid of its being surrendered. An eternal gravestone laid out on the buried captives. A nest of hornets provoked to fly out upon us. The back of

the country broken with insupportable expenses. A shame cast upon us, that will never be forgotten. And all possible care taken that after all, nobody shall be to blame! I dare not, I cannot meddle with these mysteries. There are abler and better pens will do it. All I say is, the country is ruined; and the premises declare whose conduct very much of the ruin is owing to. As I could wish that your own true honour and interest had in those matters been more consulted; so it were to be wished that the honour of the government had been less forgotten. Sir, though your counsellors have not the courage (as I have) to tell you of it, yet I will inform you that your way of treating them is grievous to many of them, a damage to the publick, and a disgrace to the government.

When things are proposed unto them, you will not allow them (no, though they in an humble manner request it) the liberty of a due deliberation. You hurry them; you force them; you chase them out

of their pace; you drive them too fast; and when you have been told of wrong steps, you have laid the blame upon them, saying, It was the council.

When officers are to be chosen, a day for a general council is appointed. You take not the day for the choice. Two or three days after, you nick the time for the turn. Sometimes justices are thus obtruded upon the people, that bring a blemish and contempt on the commissions; and are the reason why our best gentlemen disdain to meddle with them; and some that have them, do resent the affront of the companions provided for them, as much as the gentlemen of Essex do what was lately put upon them.

It is no rare thing for you to impose gross contradictions on the council. You will strongly assert a thing; and a while after, with as much strength, assert the contrary. Yea, in the same session, you will vehemently explode a thing; and within a week or two, as vehemently maintain that very thing. You will say, You will forfeit your head, if you do this or that; and anon you will do it for all, when some indirect purposes are to be prosecuted.

The dropping of courts merely to satisfy the disposition, that sometimes makes wise men mad, has been vastly to the damages of the subjects.

You have catalogues of grievances by the assemblies often laid before you, and they groan that they cannot persuade you to take notice of them. Yea, it is cried, that the publick faith has been most notoriously violated. You have the remonstrance of an assembly upon it.

I will only add, that the cry of the horrible trade carried on at the castle reaches to the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and will doubtless hasten terrible rebukes from an holy God upon the causer of it.

What the grieved merchants have to say, they themselves are best able to say.

Sir, these are some of those things for which, I fear, you are in illterms with heaven, and except those be removed, you are in danger of meeting ill-thing's on earth. Nazianzen applying himself in a sermon to the governour of the places where he lived, says, Sir, I pray you remember that you are baptized a christian; and exercise your authority with so much goodness and mercy, as to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, from whom you have received it. I presume to offer unto your Excellency the same counsel; but because you have not so exercised your authority, and because I knew not what may be the continuance of your authority, I must further entreat of you that you would endeavour in the methods of piety such a reconciliation to the Divine Majesty, as may engage his good providence on your behalf in this world, and may secure you happiness in the world to come.

Sir, you are sensible that there is a judgment to come, wherein the glorious Lord will demand, how far you aimed at serving him in your government; how far you did in a wise, grave, just, and good administration, represent the beauties of his government unto

your people; how far you did in your government encourage those that had most of his image upon them, or place your eyes on the wicked of the land. Your age and health, as well as other circumstances, greatly invite you, Sir, to entertain awful thoughts of this matter, and solicit the divine mercy through the only sacrifice.

No usage that I can meet withal shall cause me to lay aside the temper towards you, which multitudes of witnesses can say, I have expressed on all occasions. I have been desirous that you should not hurt my poor country; for it is dearer to me than your Excellency. It would make me cry out, though I was the dumb son of Croesus. When things have looked incurable, I have declared my sorrows to a private friend, and there at the instigation of those whom I thought were friends to the publick. It was never intended, but the contrary with all importunity demanded, that any of my simple conversation with a private correspondent should be made publick; and that when I have spoken what the best men in your council will speak upon occasions, it should reach any further than the private conversation. At the same time I can, with all the sincerity imaginable, acknowledge your abilities and accomplishments; talents whereof a great account must be given to the Lord of all. And I have always done so. I can heartily mourn for all the calamity wherein you make yourself obnoxious; and I have done so. I can heartily set myself about to seek the prosperity of your family; and I have done so. I can heartily pray, that you may enjoy an old age full of good fruits, and be blessed in both worlds; and I do so. Secret places can testify it. Every service that can be done for you, consistent with what I apprehend fidelity to the publick interest; even so far as these altars, where all personal respects must be sacrificed, you may with assurance command me to do.

Scores of times have my most intimate friends heard me formerly say, that although in the time of your government, you have treated me with much aversion (and would affront a gentleman for nothing, but the crime of giving me a visit; and would throw affronts upon gentlemen, merely for being inhabitants in that part of the town where I have my habitation;) yet if the troubles you brought on yourself should procure your abdication and recess unto a more private condition, and your present parasites forsake you, as you may be sure they will, I should think it my duty to do you all the good offices imaginable.

Finally, I can forgive and forget injuries; and I hope I am somewhat ready for sunset; the more for having discharged the duty of this letter.

It is now so near it, that I take leave to subscribe, Sir,

Your humble and faithful servant,

To the Governour.

COTTON MATHER.

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