Edward Randolph to William Blathwayt
Content Warning
Some of the works in this project contain racist and offensive language and descriptions that may be difficult or disturbing to read. Please take care when reading these materials, and see our Ethics Statement and About page.
Edward Randolph to William Blathwayt, 20 July 1689
in New-England July 20
89.
Who would have questioned but the people who 13 years
pulled down a setled government & erected their old one should be
quiett & subject to it, but nothing lesse; here is a violent
& bloody zeal stird up in the Rabble acted & managed by
the preachers. So that when ever they have a design of
mischiefe, tis done upon their first direction: I have wrote
in my letter to Captain Nicholson sent by Robin the Governor’s servant
that Mr. Dudley upon his request to the Councill obtained leave
to be confined to his house at Roxbury: 6 of the Representatives
told the Governor and Councill twas their Assent also: you have No 1.
a Duplicate of it. as also of the bond No 2: upon which he
went on the 13th instant home: before 10 a clock that night a
Rabble of above 150 men calling at Mr. Bradstreets house first
to know by what order Mr. Dudley was out of Goal & calling
him old Rogue, went to Mr. Dudley house: broak down his Fence
fetched him to the Goal kept him at the Goal 2 houres. When left
him under the care of a Constable. Munday the 15th One Deering well
known to Mr. Usher & Captain Nicholson with one Winsloe who
married his daughter were sent to the prison for being head of
that Rabble & the better to pretend their dislike of his
action & that they would not send any to Goal they frame
a Mittimus No 3: he had not continued in Goal above
2 houres. but the Governor under pretence of business sends for
the keeper and in the Mean tyme a Constable fetches Deering out
of Goal: his Son in Law was bailed out by Bradstreet’s directions
& made head of the faction & Rabble tuesday Munday night
following. When the women boyes & negroes sett upon Paiges
house broak all the windowes & Mr. Dudley for feare left the house
conveyed himselfe but not unseen to Colonel Legett: being discove[-]
red to be there great care was taken to gett him to Goal. One
down by the Eabble should Mr. Dudley make his escape used his
arguments to have his return to goal: but nothing more does
demonstrate the inability of the Government to defend their own all
and the power the Rabble do upon all such suddain Emergen[-]
cyes exercise then Mr. Bradstreetes letter to Mr. Dudley No 4
& that would hardly Secure him from being Committed himself
nay they [blank] in such a feare he would be gone. that an order
was prepared to be published by beat of Drum to make it treason
for any person whatever to harbor him or conceal him.
One George Wells a Sayler & of Cape Ann was observed to be
very busy in the Riott. He was brought to Goal about 12 a
clock on Munday Night but sett out with his companions the
next day upon humbling themselves to the Councill: he & his
Company 6 or 7 men are all Saylers aboard John Updike
Master of the Ketch which brings this letter. It were well they
were all sent for examined & sent back to Boston to be punishd.
I inclose to you a copy of an Order for a fast. No 5: we very
much feare the dire effects of their fasting.
The paper No 6. is a Copy of a Warrant & Execution served upon
an honest man of Our Church now in goal. beacuse he will not pay
a fine of 4 £ nor Go to the Indian Warr. Severall other poore
men are here also upon the Same Reason. They know no Authority
they have to presse men & see no way how they shall be paid some
having been abroad this whole last winter without one penny for
their service: the Captains in Boston presse good house keepers
of whom they have 4. 5: & 6 £ a man to provide a man for
them: the money being received. They presse any poor man & give
him 20s or if he will not go they will get 4 £ of them him
before he comes out of Goal: this is the better part of their
methods to gett poor men to serve against the Enemye.
Epistle to Mr. Winthrop showes that great hopes the
church men had of his turning Rebell to serve their
Turn: this Mather had a meeting of Armed men at his
house the night before they Entred upon their strange
worke. he has showed his Christian spiritt in his Appen[-]
dix: calculated for One George Keith a Quaker of
whom Captain Nicholson and
an account & of the falcilyes contained therein.
I intreat you to communicate those papers & booke to
Captain Nicholson, Mr. Usher and Mr. Ratcliffe for I have not
tyme nor any particular busines to write to them. pray
peruse that letter to the Marquis of Hallifax: if you
think it more proper to adresse it to any other of the
Lords of the Council you may please to put it under
another cover & direction. I wish all happines to you
& your Lady. Wee think it long to have no shipps
from England. Mr Mather has wrote to his friends
here that he stoped the circular letter with their
Majesty’s declaration to continue all Officers in their
respective places: which wee heare is sent to all
other of his Majesty’s Plantations. My service to
Sir Robert Southwell & to Mr. Povey. I am Sir
Your most humble &
fast friend
Ed Randolph
[PS] My service to Captain
Nicholson. I have wrot to
him Severall letters.
20 July 1690 To Mr. Blathwayt
From Mr. Randolph
Received 2 Nov 1689
Mr Dudley Bayled out
But is brought to Gaole again
by the Rable.
Deering imprisoned for
heading that rable but they
fetch him out againe.
An Order makeing it treason
to Harbour Dudley.
An order for a fast
Men Pressed but the
Authority Questioned.
A Booke set forth by
Young Mather;
A letter for My Lord Privy Seal
Edward Randolph to William Blathwayt, 30 July 1689
Common Goal July 30th
Sir
The ketch remaining yet in the Harbour, I am further to –
add; that the Indians have fallen upon Saco in the Province of
Maine; have burnt 4 houses a stack of wheat kild 10 men
& wounded 4 & have taken above 20 good Armes. the men
who went out against them for want of Good conduct were
some cutt off, others fled & cast away their arms to save
their Lives: these, with other Calamityes, are by the <unclear>discrossed</unclear>
made known to the pretended Government: they take no notice
of it: their cheife care being how to secure themselves
in their new Government against any Orders or force from
his Majesty having drawn in all the Country either by
threats of Imprisonment or promises of favour to side with
them: the Acts of Trade are not thought off here. & all
matters accommodated to the present humour of the Rabble
who Crye out that the Sword Governs & must protect them
in that Government. You may plepase to inform their Lordships of
the Committee for Trade: that we have certain advise
by One Alden who is a great trader with the Eastern french
newly returned hither: that St. Casteen the Frenchman who
lives at Penobscutt told Alden 4 french frigotts with
2 merchant men were arrived at Quebeck from france
that Casteen had notice of the warr betwixt England & france.
We are now an Easy prey to the french unless care bee
taken from England to secure this Country. Raised by dissention
some merchant ships to us. That Mather returnes without a
Charter: this does not at all affect them: Mr. Moode assures
the people that they need not a Charter: having their
former in as good Force as it was in 1660. that they
Know no King or power or Lawes in England has any
Influence upon them, further then their Charter privileges
admitt of. Their malice with their ill treatment of his
day a Court in Boston. Major Richards is a Great Stickler
with Cooke & Addington well known to Captain Nicholson & Mr.
Usher: I have a Mapp of all the Land & Lakes where
the five Nations of the Indians above Albany are setled
with all the french Force made in that Country from
Quebeck to the Great River running into the Gulf of
florida: made by Major Mack Gregory: had Sir Edmund
Andros Continued in the Government wee had long since putt
an issue to the Indian Warr: brought all the French as
far as St Croix under the obedience of the Crown of England
& drove them out of all their pretentions and
the 5 Nations of Indians possessions & been both Masters
of all the Beaver trade in North America: but now this
will be a chargeable Enterprise to effect: besides tis not
30,000 l. will repair the losse already done by the Indians in
our Eastern parts.
the 18 of Aprill; here is a vast difference in the humors of Our
ministers since the tyme Mr. Ratcliffe & Mr Usher left this place
their Endeavors being more to Embroil the Country then to pre
serve it by favour of the Crown & pardon for their past Crimes
having done nothing but what their charter & their Lawes warrant:
& have besides the Militia of the whole Colony at their command.
We waite with patience for effectuall redress of
Calamityes
to your self Lady & all friends I am Sir
your humble Servant
ER
To the Honorable
William Blathwayt Esquire
at the Plantation Office
Whitehall
30 July 1689
N England
From Mr
Randolph
Received 26 Sept 89