By the deacons of Braintree informed, that Mr. Flint and Mr. Thompson are each of them allowed £55 per annum, paid generally in such things as themselves take up and accept of from the inhabitants, paid ordinarily yearly or within the year, the town being about eighty families, Mr. Thompson's family being three persons, Mr. Flint's family being about seven or eight persons. These elders depend generally upon publick contribution.

Being again met at Boston, 24th of the 7th month, 1657, by the deacon of Dorchester informed, that Mr. Mather is allowed £100 per annum, paid generally at the end of the year in corn and part in work, as he need or have use. He have six or seven persons in his family, and have a competent stock of cattle and good accommodation in land for corn and hay, the town being about one hundred and twenty families.

By the deacon of Roxbury informed, that Mr. Elliot and Mr. Danforth are each of them allowed £60 per annum, paid generally in corn, or otherwise to their content, cleared in accounts ordinarily once in the year, Mr. Danforth's family being six persons, Mr. Elliot eight in his family. They both have estate in corn and cattle, the town consisting of about eighty families.

By the deacon of Dedham informed, that Mr. Allin is allowed £60 per annum in corn, or some in work when he need, generally paid in the year, his family being seven persons, the town being about one hundred and sixty-six families. Mr. Allin hath a good stock of cattle, and a good accommodation in corn-land and meadow.

By the deacon of Medfield informed, that Mr. Wilson is allowed £50 per annum, paid generally in corn, and the accounts cleared ordinarily in the year. He hath six persons in his family, and hath cattle and corn and accommodation for each, the town being about forty families.

Further, informed by the brethren of the new church in Boston, allowed to Mr. Mayhew and Mr. Powell, each £55 per annum, besides what helps they receive from

friends, which is not settled, the families of one being six and of the other seven persons.

Hull allow their minister £40 per annum, the families

being twenty.

THOMAS SAVAGE.

ELEAZER LUSHER.
JOHN JOHNSON.

[The report is in the handwriting of the first signer. ED.]

Right Honourable,

THESE are to give your honour an account not only of the receipt of your honour's letter bearing date 15th February, 1660, and the enclosed copy of his majesty and council's order in reference to the business of merchants trading into New England, but also of my actings thereupon. Having ordered our secretary, Mr. Edward Rawson, a person of known fidelity to his majesty, to pursue the directions therein required, I doubt not but he will give your honour a satisfactory account in his returns. At the same time that I received your honour's letter and order, I also received from the secretary of state, Sir William Morrice, his majesty's most gracious letter in answer to our humble address to his majesty, with his majesty's order for the searching after and apprehending of Col. Whalley and Goffe, and sending them over in order to their trial for having a hand in the most horrid murther of our late sovereign, Charles the First, of glorious memory, both which I caused to be printed here for the better furtherance of his majesty's service. What our council did in order to the colonels' apprehension before his majesty's order came to hand, with what zeal and fidelity the Lord enabled me to act in sending meet messengers, persons of known fidelity to his majesty, with instructions and true copies of his

majesty's letter and order for their apprehension to the several governours of the other colonies, or chief magistrates there, for the better accomplishment of his majesty's just commands—an account thereof I have transmitted to the honourable secretaries of state, Sir Edward Nicholas and Sir William Morrice, that so his majesty might understand the sincerity of my endeavours to serve him. Our council since, having also made a proclamation that whosoever shall be found to have a hand in concealing the said colonels, or either of them, shall answer for the same as an offence of the highest nature, and caused our secretary to write unto the governour of New Haven, in our names, to press him to the discharge of his duty, (in whose jurisdiction they were lately seen, and as we are credibly informed by a report given out, that they came to surrender themselves, only desired a little time to be in private by themselves, before which pretended time was expired, they were by a youth met creeping through a field of corn [and] made their escape.) Yet [we] are not without hope that double diligence will be used by them of New Haven to regain his majesty's favour, and that his majesty therein may have full satisfaction, which 1 shall not be wanting to endeavour. Since the arrival of the last ship from England, understanding by several, that however we thought our address to his majesty had been a sufficient proclamation of his majesty, and manifestation of our due allegiance, yet that it was expected from his majesty's privy council that we should formally proclaim his majesty here; whereupon calling our General Court to make a return of their deep sense of the unspeakable mercy of God manifested in his majesty's gracious promise not only to protect and defend us in the liberties formerly granted us by his royal father of glorious memory, but to confirm them to us, and not be behind his royal predecessors, which engageth this poor people on all occasions to manifest their due obedience, and continually to be petitioners at the throne of grace for his majesty's long and prosper

ous reign on earth, and that an eternal crown of glory may be his portion in heaven when this life shall cease; the court ordered also his majesty to be proclaimed here, which was done the next day by our secretary, in the best form we were capable of, to the great rejoicing of the people, expressed in their loud acclamations, God save the king! which was no sooner ended, but a troop of horse, four foot companies, then in arms, expressed their joy in their peals; our forts and all the ships in our harbour discharged, our castle concluding with ****** all thundered out their joy.

Right honourable, I am the bolder to give your honour the trouble of this short account, that so,, if your honour see cause, as occasions may present, your honour may be pleased to inform his majesty, and appear in our behalf to improve your interest with his majesty, that no complaints may make impression in his royal heart against us, nor any alteration imposed on us till we understand the said complaints, and be heard to speak for ourselves, which we doubt not will be to his majesty's satisfaction, of which your honour's favour I hope your honour will have no cause to repent. Myself and the people here, as in duty we are bound, shall become suitors to the throne of grace, that the Lord would be pleased to endue your honour with wisdom and suitable abilities to serve him and his majesty in your generation, and pour on your head and heart a rich recompense of reward; which is the prayer of him that is,

Right honourable,

Your honour's most humble servant,

JO. ENDECOTT.

[This letter was probably addressed to Lord Clarendon, or the Earl of Manchester. ED.]

5*

Honoured Sir,

NEWPORT, the 9th of November, 1661.

THE last night there came a letter to my hand, directed to myself and court of commissioners; and there being not any court of commissioners till May next, I did not intend to have opened it, till the court did meet; but not knowing the necessity of an answer, I did open the letter, and finding it to be from the recorder, in the name and by the authority of the court, concerning a certain parcel of land, that was conquered and taken from the Pequits: Sir, at our last court of commissioners, there was a petition put up by some of our inhabitants for a certain parcel of land to the southward, which parcel of land is now in difference. Sir, in that particular, I acted not in the least with them; but since, notwithstanding, they have proceeded, and much trouble hath been betwixt them and some of yours. Sir, if the land appear to be in our patent, I have a share in it, though not owned by ours; and in case it be the conquered land, I have some interest in it, for money went with others' to bear the charges. But it seems by both sides I am defeated; yet with me peace is better than land, and my endeavour shall be for peace what in me lies. Sir, our people that do possess the land, do inform me, that it is no part of the conquered land, but land that doth belong to our colony, and they say they have bought it of the right owners. If it be so,

1

my

I hope none of yours will molest them. Sir, the Lord cause us all to strive for peace in a just way. This, with my service, presented to your honour, I take leave, and remain your servant in any office of love,