New England Vindicated from Unjust Aspersions

New-England VINDICATED, From the Unjust Aspersions cast on the former Government there, by some late CONSIDERATIONS, Pretending to Shew, That the Charters in those Colonies were Taken from them on Account of their Destroying the Manufactures and Navigation of England.

WE shall pretermit what the Considerators have in their Scandalous Libel related concerning other Plantations, and only take notice of what concerns New-England. And in the first place they affirm,

That hundreds of Ships have been Employed to transport thence Tobacco, Sugars, Wooll and other Materials for Manufactures, into France, Holland; and to import thence into New-England, Linnen, Woollen and all other Manufactures.

This at first View will appear a great Untruth to all that know New-England; for that Country can hardly expend the Goods that are yearly Exported from hence thither, the Number of the People considered; nor have they any other way to vend so great a quantity of Goods as such a Number of Ships must necessarily Import: Nor have they Commodities 〈1 page duplicate〉 to Export fit for those parts, nor could they (all things considered) purchase Goods thence on so easy terms as they may have them from England. And they have made a Law against Exporting of Wooll, not having a twentieth part of what is necessary for their own Use. The most of their Shipping is employed in transporting Lumber, Horses and Provisions to Jamaica, Barbados, and the Caribbee Islands, without which those Islands cannot well subsist: And many Vessels are built there upon Account of Merchants in London, sent home, and by them often sold or employed here: And to prevent Illegal practices, they made in the Year 1663. a Law, That the Act of Navigation should be strictly observed; and their Governors have been careful to see it Executed, and are yearly Sworn so to do; nor can it be proved, that the least Breach of it was ever allowed by the Government, which is not to be blamed for the private Transgressions of some few particular persons.

As for what the Considerators report, concerning the Manner of Vacating the Charter of the Massachusetts Colony, the Matter is by them fallaciously represented. When a Quo Warranto was in the Year 1683. issued out against them, with the Notification thereof: By the then Kings Order were sent over one hundred Copies of the proceedings against the Charter of London, and two hundred Copies of a Declaration, to be dispersed among the People in New-England, discharging the Inhabitants from all Rates and Contributions towards the Expence of the said Suit, and enjoining those particular Persons mentioned in the Quo Warranto, to make their Defense at their own particular Charge, without any help by a public Stock.

Nevertheless the Governor and Company appointed an Attorney to Answer to the Quo Warranto in the Court of Kings Bench; where it was let fall, and a new Suit Began by Scire Facias in Court of Chancery, and Judgment entered against them for Default in not Appearing: Whereas, considering the Remoteness of New-England from Westminster, it was impossible for them to Appear in the time allowed, and so by a Surprize their Charter was taken from them.

As to what is objected about Coyning, many Goldsmiths in London can testify, that the Money coined in New-England is as good as that of England, and not of a baser Allay, (as is suggested.) It was formerly customary for private Persons in England to Coyn Farthings for their own Use, and the Coyning in Massachusetts Colony was little more than that, and with Design to prevent the great Injuries Merchants and others sustained by base Spanish Money: And the Mint was set up in 1652. when there was no King in England, but the Government out of Course; and when the ancient Government of England was resettled, and the Kings mind to the contrary signified to them, they resolved to comply therewith, though many ways disadvantageous to themselves. Was not the Value of Coyn altered in Pensilvania? Did not the Lord Baltimore in Maryland, Coyn Money with his own Image on one side, and his Coat of Arms on the other? Did not the East-India Company? But when they understood there Error, they petitioned the King for liberty of Coynage, and pardon of what was past, and it was granted them? Why then should New-England be esteemed more criminal than other Plantations?

The Considerators go on, and complain, That in New-England they have Imposed Taxes upon Shipping and the Manufactures of England coming into those parts. There hath been none Imposed on Shipping but Powder-Money, and not half so much as is done in the other Plantations, nor any upon the Manufactures of England particularly, but only one penny upon Twenty shillings Value of all Merchandises whatsoever, as on all other Estates in the Country; and since Charters were taken from them, the same and more hath been levied by the present Governor, besides six times the Fees upon Shipping more than was paid formerly: All which hath been done by him without any consent of the People, or their Representatives, which the former Government never practiced.

Whereas it is maliciously insinuated, That the Massachusetts have Imposed an Oath of Fidelity to their Common-wealth, we shall only in Answer Insert the Copy of the Oath, as it is in their printed Law-book.

Nor know we that they have (as is asserted) Encroached upon their Neighbouring Colonies in a hostile manner, except it be meant of their Assisting with Volunteers when King Charles the Second sent to take Monhatas, now called New-York; or of their Concurrence in taking from the French, S. Johns, Penobscot, Port Royal, which were put into the hands of those that were then in Power in England.

Nor have they (as is alleged) Affronted the Commissioners of King Charles the Second; whose Commission (as to the legal part of it, not by them duly observed) was in some particulars Illegal and Arbitrary, and Empowred them to Hear and determine all Causes (not by Law, but) according to their sound Discretion; which could not be submitted to by the Massachusetts, without giving up at once their Charter and Privileges.

Neither have they made Laws against all Opinions in Religion, excepting those of the Congregational Churches, and more especially against the Church of England. It must be acknowledged, that there have been some severe and unjustifiable Laws there, in matters 〈…〉 long since sensible; yet what is here affirmed, is untrue; for Presbyterians have equal Encouragement with those of the Congregational persuasion: Nor are there any Laws against the Church of England, as is falsely and maliciously pretended. Let them prove if they can, that any number of Men inclined to worship God, in the way of the Church of England, were denied by the Government in New-England liberty so to do. The Magistrates there have often professed, that they would not hinder any that were so principled from practicing what they did most approve of.

As for their Treating ill the Captains of the Kings Ships for desiring Permission to recruit themselves with Men and Victuals; and as to entertaining of Pirates: These things are like the former. If any Commanders of Ships have behaved themselves Insolently, and violated the Laws of God and the Land, it became the Government to testify against them; but malice itself cannot deny, that the People of New-England have been extremely Civil to Strangers, and especially to such as the King hath put any mark of Honor upon; and they have sometimes relieved, and that Gratis, the Kings Ships distressed through want of Provision: And if any Pirates have been entertained, it hath been because they were not known to be such; for they made a particular Law against Piracy, agreeable to the Law of England, on account whereof some have been there Executed.

The Considerators tell us, that the People of New-England are free from all Taxes, and Contribute nothing to the Crown, nor their own Protection or Support: Whereas they are no more free than other Plantations, for they pay Customs in the Plantations for the Goods they fetch thence into New-England; and when those Goods are brought into England, they pay the same a second time; so that they Contribute not a little to the Crown. Before the change of their Government, they never did put the Crown to a penny Charge for their Protection or Support: but since that, have been very chargeable, and less beneficial to the Crown.

It is strange, that the Considerators should have the Impudence to publish to the World, That the People of New-England in General, are better satisfied with the present Government there, and do not 〈1+ pages missing〉 among whom there is not one known Papist, excepting some now in Government there.

All the Charters of New-England, one only excepted, are still in force; there having been no Judgment against them, nor Surrender of them made or Recorded; and by their Charters they have Power to choose their own Governors and Magistrates, as much as any Towns Corporate, or Cities here in England, have Power to choose their own Major and Aldermen. Besides, must those Colonies in New-England, be the only ones excepted from Indemnity, and all other Corporations supposed to have been without fault? And must they alone remain sorrowful for the loss of what is so valuable to them? who at their own vast Charges, and great Hazards subdued a Wilderness, and with the loss of many hundreds of their Lives, have maintained and defended it, to the enlargement of the Kings Dominions; hoping, as in Reason they might, that their Posterity should enjoy the benefit thereof? So that to deprive them of their Charters, is to deal more hardly, than to do the like with any Bodies Politick in England.

As to the other Pamphlet newly come forth, called, An Abstract of Laws in New-England, not agreeable with the Laws of England: The first Law they take notice of, is a Fiction of their own, the rest were most of them long since repealed; yea, all that were inconvenient, or esteemed repugnant to the Laws of England; and the Considerators (whom we must needs suppose to be the Authors of the Abstract) if ever they read the New-England Laws, could not be ignorant that the Word Common-wealth, so much complained of, was repealed and obliterated, and the Word Jurisdiction inserted instead of it.

As for the Remarks which they make thereon, they are nothing else but the Ebullitions of a spiteful Spirit, and so notoriously false, as that we think it not worth the while to recite, much less to refute them.