His Excellency, The Earl of BELLOMONT'S SPEECH TO THE Honourable the COUNCIL and House of Representatives, Convened in General Assembly, at Boston, in His Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New-England, on Wednesday the 29. of May. 1700.  
Gentlemen,  
WHAT I proposed last May's Session for the advantage of the Province in relation to the Settlement of the College, and Fortifying this Harbour, was so coldly entertained by the Assembly, That I am almost discouraged from renewing my Advice on those heads. Yet my zeal for the Public Service will not suffer me to pass over in silence those two material points. The Settlement of the College will best be obtained in my opinion by Addressing the KING for His Royal Charter of Privileges. And as for Fortifying the Harbour, that is in your own power to do, and will I am persuaded be pleasing to the KING, who desires, and delights in, the welfare and security of His people.  
I am told many of your Ministers in the remote parts of the Province, have very narrow Stipends, not enough to maintain 'em Decently; 'tis reasonable you should make them easy: with them I recommend to your care the French Minister of this Town, who is destitute of a Maintenance, because there are so very few French Families here: Let the present raging persecution of the Protestants in France, stir up your Zeal and Compassion towards him. I wish for your sakes the French Protestants had been encouraged among you, they are a good ●ort of People, very Ingenious and Industrious, and would have been of great use for Peopling this Country, and enriching it by Trade.  
You know as well as I the Circumstances we are in with the Eastern Indians, that the French Missionaries have debauched 'em from their former Obedience to the KING, and that it was at their Instigation they Murdered so many of your People this last War; and are now at the Devotion of the Jesuits to act over again such another Tragedy. It seems to me that the Suffering Jesuits or other Popish Missionaries to live in this Province, and poison the Indians with their gross Idolatry and Superstition, is, 〈…〉 Laws and Government; and I wish you w … 〈…〉 delay, make a Law for Punishing suc● 〈…〉 shall at any time presume to come 〈…〉  
I am sorry to tell you, That I find the French Missionaries are no less Industrious to debauch our five Nations of Indians in the Province of New York; taking Indefatigable pains to work on some by fear and menaces, on others by Enticement and Flattery; and the Messengers I lately sent to Encourage them, Inform me that several of our forward Fight Indians that were best affected to us, have lately been dispatched out of the world by poison. The parting with Canada to the French, and the Eastern Country called Acadie or Nova-Scotia, with the noble Fishery on that Coast, were a most execrable Treachery to England, and intended without doubt to serve the ends of Popery. 'Tis too well known what Interest that King favoured, that parted with Nova-Scotia, and of what Religion he died. I have now in my hands his Original Order to the Governor of Nova-Scotia, to Surrender that Country to the French, and 'tis observable the Secretary of State that Countersigned the Order, afterwards died a Papist. Such fatal Misgovernment in the late Reigns, aught to give us the highest Veneration and value for his Present Majesty, who is in all respects a true Protestant KING, both in the watchful and Indulgent Care of His Protestant Subjects, and his great moderation to others.  
I am Commanded by the KING to Recommend to you the passing a Law to prevent the Escape of Pirates and other Offenders out of Prison, and to punish the Keepers of Prisons within this Province, and all other persons that shall be consenting to or assisting in such Escapes.  
You would do well to make a Law that shall effectually prevent the Clipping and Debasing the Current Coin, and also the Exportation thereof, both which are become too universal a practice, and tend very much to the Impoverishment of the Province.  
The Management of the Eastern Indians in such manner as to bring them again under the Obedience of His Majesty is necessary above all other things, and worth your thoughts and care to try to effect.  
Gentlemen of the House of Representatives,  
It will become you to take Care for the Support of the Government, and to provide such Supplies as may best suit with the Ease and Convenience of the people, to you therefore I more particularly Recommend that Service.   

BY Virtue of an Order of the House of Representatives, I do Appoint Bartholomew Green, and John Allen, to Print His Excellency's Speech.  
John Leverett Speaker.