and we, your majesty's almost undone subjects, now prostrate at your feet, may upon the tasting of your equity and goodness, be raised, and further engaged, in all humility and thankfulness, as in duty bound evermore heartily to pray, &c. [The following names having been derived from copies, not originals, there occurred a number of mistakes in the former editions, which I have endeavored to correct.] The like petition from the town of Hampton, in said province, signed by, Nathaniel Bachiler,3 Thomas Page, Thomas Browne, Jonathan Wedgwood, James Perkins, Morris Hobbs, senior, Henry Dearborne, Aratus Leavitt, Christopher Hussey, Philip Towle, William Sanbourne, senior, Ruth Johnson, widow, Richard Sanbourne, Benjamin Browne, Thomas Philbrick, Timothy Blake, [(1) Probably Theophilus Dudley, son of Rev. Samuel Dudley. (2) This name is now written Folsom. (3) Son of Rev. Stephen Bachiler, and died 2 January, 1710, aged 80. (4) Perhaps Benjamin Lavers.] The like petition from Portsmouth, in said province, signed by, (2) Yartridge in the former editions. Ph. Suret, Richard Waldron, (3) This name appears to be Reuben in contemporary records] 62 The like petition from the town of Dover, signed by, John Heard, John Roberts, John Woodman, senior, Thomas Edgerly, John Hill, Jenkins Jones, Joseph Canne, Richard Waldron, (From a copy in the hands of the Honorable President Weare, and now (1830) in the hands of J. B. Moore, Esq.) No. 42. The deposition of Peter Coffin relating to Cranfield's conduct towards William Vaughan. The deposition of Peter Coffin, Esq., one of his majesty's justices of the peace for New-Hampshire, being sworn, saith, That sometime in the beginning of February, A. D. 1683-4, I the deponent, was present at the house of Mr. John Hincks, in company with the Hon. Edward Cranfield, Esq. governor of this province, where I heard the said governor send for Mr. William Vaughan, and when the said Vaughan came, the governor inquired of him what affidavits those were he had that day desired to be taken. The said Vaughan answered, those that concerned his cause against Mr. Mason. The governor asked him who they [(1) Now spelled Dame. (2) Probably John Meader, who was of Dover. (3) Perhaps Joseph Kennedy. (4) A Nathaniel Lomax or Lummus, from Ipswich, was of Dover about this time.] were, he answered, if he might have summons he would bring them before his honor to be sworn; and then the governor brake out into a passion, and told him, the said Vaughan, that he was a mutinous fellow, and asked him what he went lately to Boston for; the said Vaughan answered he went about his business. Then the governor said, he went to carry a mutinous petition, to be sent to England by Weare, and asked him what vessel Weare went in ; Mr. Vaughan answered, that he left Weare in Boston. Then the governor said, that by the next ships after Weare was got to England, and had presented his petition, he should have an account of the persons' names that subscribed it, returned to him, and that it would be the best haul he ever had, for it would be worth £ 100 a man. The governor further said, that the said Vaughan was a mutinous fellow, and required of him bonds to the good behaviour; Mr. Vaughan answered, he knew none of the king's laws he had broken, but if he could be informed of his crime, he was ready to give bonds. And that in the whole discourse, Mr. Vaughan demeaned himself with a great deal of moderation and submission.Notwithstanding which, the governor commanded a mittimus to be writ, and signed the same with his own hand, whereupon the said Vaughan was forthwith committed to prison. PETER COFFIN. Peter Coffin, Esq., the above named deponent, appearing in the town of Kittery, in the province of Maine, this 27th of January, 1684-5, made oath to the above written, before me, CHARLES FROST, Just. of Peace. No. 43. The warrant and mittimus whereby William Vaughan, Esq. was committed to prison. New-Hampshire. To James Sherlock, gent. sheriff and provost marshal of the said province, or his deputy. In his majesty's name you are hereby required to take and apprehend the body of William Vaughan, of Portsmouth, Esq. and carry him to the prison of Great Island; and Richard Abbot, the prison keeper thereof, is hereby required to receive the said Vaughan into said prison, and there keep him in safe custody, till he shall give good security to our sovereign lord the king, his heirs and successors, for his, the said Vaughan's, good behaviour towards the same, our sovereign lord the king, he having refused to find security for his said good behaviour the sixth day of February, 1683. Given under my hand and seal the said sixth day of February, 1683-4. EDWARD CRANFIELD, (The two preceding papers are in the Recorder's office.) (L. S.) No. 44. A letter from William Vaughan, Esq., containing a journal of transactions during his imprisonment, &c. to Nathaniel Weare, Esq., agent in London. Mr. Nathaniel Weare, Portsmouth, 4th Feb. 1683-4. Sir, These serve to give covert to the euclosed, which were unhappily mislaid, and so brought to Portsmouth, instead of being carried by you to London, though on the other hand you carried many papers for London, which ought to have been at Portsmouth. There were several papers in the bundle which were very impertinent unto your business, and the transporting of them very prejudicial to some here; your especial care about them is expected, yet may be safely returned with you, if not transmitted by you before your return. We are now a doing about getting evidences sworn, which you shall have a further account by the first, though retarded much by having no copies of them as we expected.Since your departure, much ado has been made; many executions extended, viz. upon Messrs. Cutts, Daniel, myself, Mr. Fletcher, Moodey, Hanking, Earl, Pickering, Booth, &c. I went to prison, but was redeemed with money; several doors were broken open by Matthews, the marshal's deputy, chests also and trunks, and carried out of the houses till redeemed with money. John Partridge and William Cotton are in prison, and have been sundry days. No pay (as fish, sheep, horses, &c.) would be taken for their executions, so their bodies were levied upon, and there they lie. Our minister, for refusing to administer the sacrament to the governor, is bound over to the quarter sessions, to sit to-morrow, the issue we know not, but six months imprisonment threatened. Your wife and family well. Great bluster at Hampton about the petition; some weaklings were wheedled into a confession and they discovered the persons that carried the petition, who were by justices G. and R. bound over to the quarter sessions; but last Saturday night (on what ground know not) Mr. Green burnt their bonds, and only told them they must appear when called for.Charles Hilton is lately dead; as other news arrives shall hand it to you by all occasions, and do you the like by us. 5th. Quarter sessions are come, and there Capt. Barefoote, Messrs. Fryer, Coffin, Greene, Roby, Edgerly, were justices, Raines was attorney. It was brought in as a plea of the crown. Mr. Moodey pleaded his not being ordained, having no maintenance according to statute, and therefore not obliged to that work which the statute required. Besides, these statutes were not made for these places, the known end of their removal hither being that they might enjoy liberty in these foreign plantations, which they could not have by virtue of the statutes at home, and were allowed to have here, especially our commission granting liberty of conscience. These things were pleaded, but to no purpose. After a short pleading, and that not without many interruptions and smiles by the pragmatic, busy, impertinent attorney, he was committed to the marshal, (viz. Long Matthews) and held in custody that night, though permitted to lodge at Capt. Stileman's. The jutices |