Parentator. Memoirs of remarkables in the life and the death of the ever-memorable Dr.…

IN the Year 1686. New England saw it self delivered into the Hands of Sr. Edmund Andros, whom K. James II. made the Governor of the Country, with as Arbitrary, (and one may say Treasonable) Commission, as ever any part of the English Nation was abused withal, a Commission by which the Governor, with three or four more Unreasonable Men, whereof none were Chosen by the People, had power to make what Laws they would, and Levy Taxes according to their own Humours upon the People; and he himself had power to send the best Men in the Land more than Ten Thousand Miles out of it, as he Pleased. The Case of poor New-England was now, what Old Wendover tells of the Time, when Strangers domineered over Subjects in England; Judicia committebantur Jujustis, Leges Exlegibus, pax Discordantibus, Justitia Jujuriosis; and Foxes were made the Administrators of Justice to the Poultry. It would make a Long and a Black Story, to tell a Tenth Part of the Vile Things done, by that Scandalous Crew which then did what they would in the Administration of the Government: even Randolph himself who was then their Secretary, Confessed in a Letter of his, which anon came to Light; They were as Arbitrary as the Great ⟨p. 100⟩Turk. But the Awakened and Alarmed People in the English Nation, began to take notice in their Public Remonstrances, of what was doing at New-England, as an Essay of the French Government, whereunto England was then hurrying with a Phae•ontic Precipitation. The Administration, was almost entirely a Complication of Shameless and Matchless Villainies. The Honest Gentlemen in the Council were Overlooked and Browbeaten, and rendered Insignificant. Three or Four Finished Villains did what they Pleased: There was no Controlling of them. Among other Instances of the Vile Things in it, there was This Comprehensive One; The Banditi gave out, that the Charters being lost, all the Title that the People had unto their Lands was lost with them; (for which small Defect in the Legal and Public Settlements of them, was Presented:) and therefore they began to Compel the People every where to take Patents for their Lands. Accordingly Writs of Intrusion were Issued out against the Chief Gentlemen in the Territory; by the Terror whereof many were driven to Petition for Patents, that they might Enjoy the Lands, which had been Fifty or Sixty Years in their Possession: