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He asked me farther who I thought myself to bee. I told him a minister of the church placed at Burlington, both by the laws of God and man as being placed there by my Lord of London. He told me my Lord of London did not place me there. I told him I humbly conceived he did by a letter I had from the Secretary of the Society of which my Lord of London was a member, and so I read him part of the letter relating to that matter. He told me my Lord of London (and I am pretty well satisfied he said the Society too) had no power to place me there nor anywhere else in his Government, neither ever did he place any, and that the Queen had invested him with that sole power and that he was ordinary.

"I told him if he was ordinary, I would not make any opposition, but that I was not sensible of, &c. But to conclude, his excellency told me that since my obedience was so uncertain, he would secure me from disobeying, and so ordered the Sheriff' (which came into the room a little before) to continue me in his custody, so he took away his prisoner and so I continued till Saturday when I was commanded to attend his Excellency whom I found gone from his house in order to go aboard of his barge for N. York. I found him at a house about a Bows shot from the water side. The Sheriff having spoken to my Lord, told me he was commanded to attend me into the barge. I told him I could not understand that, however that I would not go unless I was forced, but the Sheriff going again to my Lord into the house (for I was at the door) and returning with fresh commands, I went a little way with him to the other side of the house, where I found my Lord. I told his Excellency what I told the Sheriff. His Excellency asked me then whether I wanted to be carryed. I answered him something like it. He then commanded the Sheriff again to do his office, but he being unwilling to do that which his Lordship called so, his Lordship commanded the Amboy Sheriff who stood by to take me and force me to go (upon which the Lieutenant Governor commanding him likewise) he took me by the sleeve so we went with the rest of the company towards the water side, but as we were walking I told the Sheriff the danger of what he was doing and

bade him have a care how he forced me. When I was come pretty near the barge I told his Excellency that I wished him a good voyage and that I designed to go not farther unless I was forced to it (for the Sheriff had not then hold of me) my Lord in great anger bid the Sheriff again do his office, and the Lieutenant Governor commanding the same, but the Sheriff refusing to obey them, my Lord comes himself to me and takes me by my gown and sleeve and leads me about ten paces, but being perswaded by the Lieutenant Governor, or rather more probably by other reasons he leaves me again to the Sheriff, who, encouraged by my Lord's example and the earnestness of the Lieutenant Governor to him to take me, did so, and took hold of my gown and went before me into my Lord's barge in which my Lord brought me to York, being about 40 miles from Amboy. When I came ashoare I went with my Lord and the rest of the company to the Fort, thinking it in vain to make any farther opposition then and likewise being disswaded from that by one that I know wished me well. When we came into the Fort my Lord desired his Chaplain to take me into his room and told the officer of the guard that I was a prisoner and ordered him to give directions to the under officers to prevent my escape, and here I have been ever since.

"The day after I came in being Sunday, Mr. Sharpe, my Lord's Chaplain, asked my Lord whether I might not go to church; he told him no, and moreover said that I should not go without the walls till I was sent to England. I thank God I fare very well here, his Lordship having given orders that I should want for nothing.

“And thus I have told you as near as I could how I came hither with almost every particular circumstance; and withall my crime. This can't but seem to the Society very strangeand wou'd so to everybody here, were they not by unhappy experience but too well acquainted with his Ldship's conduct. I know not how long his Exc'y will keep me here, I am apt to think a good while and therefore hope the Society will apply to the Queen as soon as may be that I may be released and that no Governour may attempt the like for the future, but I refuse not

to be tryed before proper Judges in the most publick manner if her Majesty thinks fit, being conscious to myself that I have done nothing that deserves the usage I have met with; but if I have offended I hope I shall very willingly suffer the deserved punishment.

"I hope my present and late sufferings will be no disadvan tage to the Church. I am well satisfyed in my mind of the contrary and that I shall have reason to bless God for enabling me to act as I have done in relation to my Lord Cornbury and the Lieutenant Gov by which and other means I hope her Majesty will in time be well acquainted with those Gentlemen. I think 'tis time now to think of concluding. I will therefore only add that I know not the least shadow of a reason that my Lord Cornbury can produce to the world for the usage he has showed me and therefore hope the Society will be as speedy as may be in applying to the Queen for my relief and for prevention of anything of the like for the future.

"I am Sir,

"Your very humble Servant,

"THO: MOORE."

CAUSES OF CORNBURY'S DISPLEASURE.

Mr. Moore to the Secretary.

"Fort Anne, Aug' 1707

"SIR

"It is but just now almost that I finished a long Letter to you which goes by the way of Barbadoes; if that came safe to your hands, I suppose it did not a little surprise the Society by acquainting them with the imprisonment of one of their Missioners which is myself now confined in Fort Anne in the city of New York brought hither in the most arbitrary and illegal manner that I believe they ever heard, the particulars I will not now mention because a Copy of that whole Letter (if you have not already received it) will be sent or delivered you with this, for the Revd Mr John Brooke (to whom I deliver this unsealed) has a Copy of it which with this he will send (though he is

coming himself) by all occasions. He is going towards Boston in Order for England if he be not confined before he leave this place which I am something fearful of and am well satisfied he would be if his Excellency My Lord Cornbury knew of his design of going home.

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"I am thinking the Society will be inquisitive to know the reason of my Lord's displeasure against me, but when they are acquainted with his Lordship's Character I am sure they will cease inquiring and be satisfied I could not faithfully discharge my duty, and shew my respect and value for men of piety and real worth and have his Friendship; and indeed I know nothing has more contributed to my displeasing his Lordship than my acquaintance and intimacy with those I thought good men and promoters of the public Good some of which have been my acquaintance and intimate friends from my first arrival in America and which is the worst of it, I know none of them either in New York or New Jersey that are his; but in short the chief nay only cause of his Lordship's pulling me out of New Jersey and transporting me to York I do verily believe is his persuasion that I have been and still am a block in the way of some of his designs (though I thank God I don't know I ever troubled myself with state matters) which with some others must necessarily be removed. What his Lordship designs to do with me now I know not; I am apt to think I shall continue here a good while, for the same reason that induced his Lordship to contine me, will probably prevail with him to continue me where I am; I am apt to think till I have the Queen's Commands for my release nay longer, if his Lordship (which God forbid) continues in the Government, I say God forbid he knows, not for my own sake but the good of others; for I bless God through his assistance I am very easy being well convinced that there is nothing of this that has happened to me but what is ordained by the wise hand of providence; and I can truly say I am scarce sensible of the difference between Liberty and confinement.

"I am tempted to say something of the illegality of his Lordship's proceedings, I think I could show a Gradation of very many unlawful steps he has taken from his first summons of me

to York to his confining me there but you will easily see them in the Account I have given (and which Mr Brooke will confirm) of the matters of fact; I need only add, what I remember I omitted in my last, that there is a County (I think it is called Middlesex) between Burlington and Amboy through which my Lord by his Warrant which Mr Brooke will show you, commanded the Burlington Sheriff to bring me.

"As to the irregularities his Lordship seems to intimate I am chargeable with in his summons and warrant (both which Mr Brooke has) they may easily be imagined to be only pretences for sending them. I bless God I know of none that I am accountable to him for. His Lordship indeed has told me of some things in his anger which either he did or would have me think were so, but I think them not worth mentioning, only one I will and that was that I had the Sacrament too often (which I had when I well could once a fortnight) which frequently he was pleased to forbid but I minded that as little as I the Lieutenant Governor and afterwards his suspension, thinking his power in both much the same and this puts me in mind of the several times his Lordship commanded me to appear before him, and that the last from York was but the 4th command. I had to attend him twice before he called me from Burlington to Amboy which are 50 miles distant.

"Sir, though I would not be tedious yet I can't forbear making a humble proposal to the Society which is that they would be pleased to use their Interest with her Majesty in order to their obtaining leave for the recommending proper persons to be Governors of these parts, men of good morals if not of true religion, but alas! why not the latter, every one knows the powerful influence of the example of the King or Governor and indeed the Society will find themselves extremely deceived and the success not answerable to their pious care if there be not very different men sent over for these parts than what are now and have been heretofore. But, I must think of concluding which shall be with my best wishes and hearty prayers for the truly Venerable Society that God would give them true wisdom fervent zeal and indefatigable Industry in the prosecution of that great and glorious work they have undertaken; their minutes

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