ty's Colony, by the name of the King's province, and prohibited all Colonies from the exercise of jurisdiction therein And after by a special commission, under their Honours hands and seals, did commit the government to the Governor and Council of this Colony, till your Majesty's pleasure be further known: All which being the effect of your Majesty's gracious and fatherly care of us your poor unworthy subjects: Thereby we feel much ease at present from great oppressors, and for it we return all humble thanks, as in duty bound: And however by this late result, our charter seemeth to be very much impaired, and as it were in part suspended for the present, yet we in all humility do confess and own your Majesty's royal wisdom, and the justice of those honourable persons, your Majesty's Commissioners, believing there is not any the least intent to make void our charter in any part, but rather to reconfirm and enlarge it. Wherefore we have made bold, in some other papers, humbly presented to the Right honourable the Earl of Clarendon, Lord high Chancellor of England, to declare some reasons why of right and necessity, the whole country of Narragansett, as in the very letter of the Charter, should belong to this your Majesty's Colony; as also why the line between your Majesty's Colony of New Plymouth and us, should be settled accordingly, though at present somewhat shortened; and for the more clear demonstration of the same matters, we have caused a draught to be made of Plymouth and Connecticut, and more particularly of this your Majesty's Colony lying between them, and herewith humbly presented it.

Therefore in the great experiences of your Majesty's most wonderful grace and favour shewed unto us, we prostrate ourselves in all loyalty and humility at your Majesty's feet, most humbly imploring your royal grace and favour, to restore your Majesty's royal grant to its former state and extent, readjoining the King's province to the rest, and so reconfirm unto us that your Majesty's said late royal grant, as it is under the great seal, and to set and settle our eastern bounds also accordingly. So shall we be encouraged to go on in propagating plan

tations of that which lieth waste, and by God's help and your Majesty's gracious favour, shall be able to serve your Majesty in protecting and directing the Indians here living, instructing their children in learning and civil education, as also in putting this Colony in a posture of defence, promoting of trade, husbandry and fishing, and governing ourselves in peace and justice, under your Majesty, and forever devoted to pray for your Majesty's long life and greatness here, and eternal glory hereafter.

These to the right honourable Edward Earl of Clarendon, Lord high Chancellor of England, most humbly presented.

Right Honble.

HOWEVER there are upon us so very many and great obligations to your Lordship, for those unmerited favours hitherto extended unto this his Majesty's Colony, which here to recount would but add to your Lordship trouble to read, and to ourselves greater measure of shame, in that we have not, nor as yet cannot, save in empty words, any way return your Lordship any the smallest token of our acknowledgments, but are even in a wanting, and consequently in a craving condition for your Lordship's favour to be still our defender and relief. May it please your honour, this poor, suppressed, and almost extinguished Colony, next under God and his Majesty, owe even their all unto your Lordship; And however have not wherein else to shew their grateful acknowledgments did design to choose and set apart, out of this small tract, a competent and convenient tract of land for a farm of a thousand acres or thereabouts, and to have begged your Lordship's acceptance of the same, so as to own and dispose of it at your honour's pleasure and should take it as the greatest favour possible, your Lordship's acceptation

thereof.

Now it so falls that a present seeming cloud passing over our Colony, hath eclipsed the splendour of our charter, and rendered us in sort incapable of disposing aught

102⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀RHODE ISLAND STATE PAPERS.

in the far greater part of his royal Majesty's grant and of our absolute clear purchases from the Indians. But believing there is no intent, but that all will be restored to its clear and full extent unto us, in which we humbly implore your Lordship's favour to be our helper and protector. Some reasons we have made bold to present to your Lordship in two papers, shewing why of right and necessity that now called the King's province be still continued and adjoined to the rest of this Colony, and why the line between Plymouth Colony and us be established as in the map described, it being according to the very letter of the Charter to us granted. And have yet a further humble petition to your Lordship, concerning some help or encouragement towards fortification of this bay; which in very deed is the most excellent in NewEngland. Considering the climate, most healthful; site, most commodious; in the middle of the colonies; harbours most safe for the biggest ships that ever sailed the sea, and of all sorts whatsoever; and for outlet and inlet, so good as none can equal it; that in the hardiest winters, when the Massachusetts and others, to the East and West, are fast locked up with strong doors of ice, this is always open; besides the conveniency of the main land and islands, at the very entrance so near each other, easy to be secured by forts in either channel. One means, may it please your Lordship, to encourage the growth of, and give strength to, this his Majesty's Colony, would be by some act of grace, extending some peculiar privilege, in point of freeness of commerce, hence to other his Majesty's dominions, with some ease, in some measure, as to taxes upon that is imported or exported, though but for some years. But we dare not direct your Lordship's wisdom, but only implore your Honble. countenance in what shall seem best, only one thing shall be bold to propose, concerning an estate that is bequeathed in England for the pious end of propagating the gospel, in converting, or at least instructing, the Indians in the knowledge of moral virtues, and by degrees to know God. Here are the greatest number of Indians living in the confines of this little spot, that are in any part of New

England besides; and however those which are grown up to ripe years, in their wild and uncivil manners, will hardly leave their own sensual customs, yet were there a school erected, with means to maintain it, for the bringing their children, some to learning, and some to handicrafts for the increase of manufactory, there woud in a few years, by the blessing of the Lord, appear a very hopeful change, and in one generation, they would, in a great measure, be made happy, and also be a mean of good advance unto his Majesty's interest in these parts, under the government by his Majesty already here established unto us under the great seal: And therefore we humbly implore your Lordship's favour in furthering this good word, if so it shall in your honour's wisdom appear to be.

And thus craving your Lordship's pardon for our extreme boldness and importunity, we shall humbly recommend to your Honble. consideration the perusal of our humble petition to his royal Majesty, herewith presented to your Lordship's view, humbly craving your Lordship's favour to cover or excuse our boldness, or any other errors therein (to us unawares) committed; and so far to extend your Honour's favour to us, as we may thereby be restored to that happiness of enjoying that most ample grant, in its full extent, the which we own ourselves your Lordship's greatly obliged for procuring the same at first, but most exceedingly bound to your Lordship for those high favours mentioned in your Honble. letter to us, therein declaring such unexpected regard to us, as was and is wonderful, and hath emboldened us thus to presume to give your Lordship this further trouble by the hands of this noble and Honble. gentleman, Colonel Cartwright, to whom and the other Honble. Commissioners we are most deeply engaged for that exceeding care, pains and travail, taken in our behalves, and the most unbiassed resolutions by their Honour's proceeds declare, upon the hearing of all differences, so as we have cause, and hope shall have, to bless the Lord and the King's Majesty, and return all humble thanks to your Lordship for this happy visitation by these Honble. persons, whereby those incredible oppressions we indured, of

scorn and contempt, slander and reproach, threatening and molestation, captiveing and imprisoning, fining and plundering the people of this Colony, is now made clear before their Honours: And therein clearly discovered a combination of all the Colonies to root us up and expose us to ruin in seeking out new places of the wilderness, there to struggle with all sort of difficulties, as in the beginning of the plantation they forced us to, and denied us relief in greatest dangers, which our sufferings could not be known to any but God and ourselves, until this time of hearing was come. But not to give your Lordship more trouble at this time, we humbly cast ourselves and cause at your Lordship's feet, and with all cheerfulness subscribe ourselves, in behalf of this his Majesty's Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,

Your Lordship's most humbly and

faithfully devoted servants.

Some reasons humbly presented unto the Right Honble. Edward Earl of Clarendon, Lord high Chancellor of England, by the Govr. and Compy. of his Majesty's Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, shewing why it is both right and of necessity, that the part of the said Colony, distinguished by the name of the King's province, should remain to the said Colony.

1. FORASMUCH as we have had possession, by free purchase, in some part of the middle of the Narragansett country, by the Indian sale, about seven or eight and twenty years, besides what was before (that time) granted to the four towns of Providence, Portsmouth, Newport and Warwick.

2. For that the said country is wholly and clearly contained in the grant made in his late Majesty's name, by the Lords and Commons, in 1643, before the Indians surrendered themselves and lands unto his late Majesty's government and protection, which grant was since confirmed, and that which Mr. Wells under hand got of the same country was prohibited, being never passed at Council table nor registered.