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THE Declaration, Of the Gentlemen, Merchants, and Inhabitants of BOSTON, and the Countrey Adjacent. April 18th. 1689.
§ I. WEE have seen more than a decad of years rolled away, since the English World had the Disco∣very of an horrid Po∣pish Plot; wherein the bloody Devoto's of Rome had in their Design and Prospect no less than the extinction of the Protestant Religion: which mighty Work they called the utter subduing of a Pestilent Heresie: wherein (they said) there never were such hopes of Success since the Death of Queen Mary as now in our dayes. And we were of all Men the most insensible, if we should apprehend a Countrey so remarkable for the true Profession and pure Exercise of the Protestant Religion as New-England is, wholly unconcerned in the Infandous Plot; to crush and break a Countrey so intirely and signally made up of Reformed Churches, land at length to involve it in the miseries of an utter Extirpa∣tion: must needs carry even a Super erogation of merit with it, among such as were intoxi∣cated with a Bigotry inspired into them by the great Scarlet Whore.
§ II. To get us within the reach of the de∣solation desired for us, it was no improper thing that we should first have our Charter Va∣cated and the hedge which kept us from the wild Beasts of the field effectually broken down. The accomplishment of this was hastned by the unwearied solicitations and slanderous accusati∣ons of a man for his Malice and Fals-hood well known unto us all.
Our Charter was with a most injurious pre∣tence (& scarce that) of Law, Condemned before it was possible for us to appear at Westminster in the legal defence of it: and without a fair leave to answer for our selves concerning the crimes falsly laid to our charge, we were put under a President and Councill, without any liberty for an Assembly which the other American Planta∣tions have, by a Commission from his Majesty.
§ III The Commission was as Illegal for the forme of it, as the way of obtaining it was Ma∣licious and unreasonable: yet we made no re∣sistance thereunto as wee could easily have done; but chose to give all Man-kind a demonstration of our being a people sufficiently dutifull and loyall to our King: and this with yet more Sa∣tisfaction because wee took pains to make our selves believe as much as ever we could of the Whedle then offer'd unto us; That his Majestys desire was no other then the happy encrease & advance of these Provinces by their more imme∣diate dependance on the Crown of England. And we were convinced of it by the courses im∣medately taken to damp and spoyl our trade; wherof decayes and complaints presently filled all th Countrey; while in the mean time nei∣ther the Honour nor the Treasure of the King was at all advanced by this new Model of our Affairs, but a considerable Charge added unto the Crown.
§ IV. In little more than half a Year we saw this Commission superseded by another, Yet more Absolute and Arbitrary, with which Sr. Edmond Andross arrived as our Governour: who besides his Power, with the Advice and Consent of his Council, to make Laws and raise Taxes as he pleased; had also Authority by himself to Muster and Imploy all Persons resi∣ding in the Territory as occasion shall serve; and to transfer such Forces to any English Plan∣tation in America, as occasion shall require. And several Companies of Red Coats were now brought from Europe, to support what was to be Imposed upon us, not without repeated Me∣naces that some hundreds more were intended for us.
§ V. The Government was no sooner in these Hands, but care was taken to load Prefer∣ments principally upon such Men as were stran∣gers to, and haters of the People: and every ones Observation hath noted, what Qualifica∣tions recommended a Man to publick Offices and Employments, only here and there a good man was used, where others could not easily be had;