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WADSWORTH 
 
 OR 
 
 The Charter Oak 
 
 W. H. GOCHER 
 
 "The traditions of a nation are part of its existence." 
 
 — Disraeli 
 
 Hartford, Conn. 
 
 Published by W. H. GOCHER 
 
 1904 
 
;04 
 
 9 //to j 
 
 COPY B I 
 
 Copyright, igo4 
 
 by 
 
 William Henry Gocher. 
 
 Press or WINN & JUDSON 
 
 CLEVELAND 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 PAGE , 
 
 The Wyllys Mansion and The Charter Oak. Frontispiece 
 
 The Wadsworth Inn 41 '^ 
 
 'Wadsworths from 1595 to 1904 53 
 
 Oliver Cromwell 75 
 
 The Charter Oak in 1830 109 
 
 Hugh Peters 137'^ 
 
 William Pendrell 143- 
 
 The Royal Oak of Boscobel 151 ^ 
 
 Jane Lane 159 
 
 Charles II 171 
 
 John Winthrop 205 
 
 Charles II (From the Charter) 217 
 
 Edward Montague, First Earl of Sandwich . . . 237 
 
 Connecticut Governors 259 
 
 Sir Edmund Andros 275 " 
 
 The Charter Oak in 1847 291 
 
 James II 299 
 
 Moses Butler's Tavern 311 
 
 The Wadsworth Arms 329 
 
 The Charter Oak in 1856 335 ' 
 
 Weatogue Brook Falls 345 
 
 Imlay's Bridge 361 
 
 Imlay's Mill 373 
 
 The I^ast Scene 387 
 
INDEX 
 
 Introduction — pagk 
 
 Hartford 11 
 
 Constitution of 1638-9 18 
 
 Thomas Hooker, Preacher 27 
 
 Roger Ivudlow, Lawyer 31 
 
 John Haynes, Colonizer 36 
 
 Memories — 
 
 William Wadsworth 51 
 
 Cromwell 65 
 
 The Regicides 80 
 
 The Charter Oak 103 
 
 The Royal Oak 139 
 
 The Patent, Charter and Deed 179 
 
 Hiding the Charter 251 
 
 The Man 357 
 
 The Tree 385 
 
This Book is Dedicated to 
 
 THE WOODEN NUTMEG 
 
 The Symbol of the Land of Steady Habits 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 HARTFORD 
 
 Hartford is an old town as dates run in Amer- 
 ica. The first sod was turned in 1636, sixteen 
 years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth and 
 six years after the Puritans located in the vicinity 
 of what is now known as Boston. On May 31 
 of that year the members of the Rev. Thomas 
 Hooker's church at Newtown, now known as 
 Cambridge, having disposed of their homes in the 
 colony of Massachusetts Bay, turned their faces 
 towards the Connecticut valley. After a journey 
 of two weeks, which can now be made almost in 
 as many hours, this band of pioneers crossed the 
 Connecticut River and located on the land that 
 was subsequently known as Hartford. 
 
 So far as can be learned, all of the original pro- 
 prietors of Hartford, as well as those of Windsor 
 and Wethersfield, were born in England and had 
 emigrated on account of their religious views 
 differing from those Avhich were being forced on 
 the people by Charles I. through Laud. Thomas 
 Hooker, the leader of the company, had felt the 
 
12 Wadsworth 
 
 weight of the latter's displeasure. Being marked 
 as a Non-Conformist, he was in 1629 silenced at 
 Chelmsford and in 1630 forced to sail for Holland 
 to escape a summons to appear before the High 
 Commission Court. The ill-fated Charles Stuart 
 was at the time carrying out the threat which his 
 father made at Hampton Court when he told the 
 Puritan divines that he would make them con- 
 form or he would harry them out of the land, or 
 worse. At the time it sounded like an idle boast, 
 but when they found that King James was de- 
 termined to enforce "one doctrine, one discipline, 
 one religion, in substance and ceremony," many 
 well to do people, as well as artisans and agri- 
 culturalists, who considered their spiritual wel- 
 fare of more moment than their physical com- 
 forts, fled to Holland and later to America. 
 
 There were no drones among those who gave 
 up home comforts for faith. All of them were 
 workers and thinkers whose minds had absorbed 
 what could be gathered from the few books 
 within the reach of the people at that period and 
 the lectures which the Puritans had established 
 in all of their churches. The Bible, being the 
 most accessible, was read and discussed in every 
 home, and with the awakening of religious lib- 
 erty there came in turn that germ of civil liberty 
 which was destined to blaze forth on the virgin 
 
Introduction 13 
 
 soil of America. Over a century and a half was 
 to roll by, however, before anyone was bold 
 enough to declare that "all men are created 
 equal," and that mind, not birth, is the foundation 
 of greatness, but the hour was at hand for it 
 to be announced "that the foundation of authority 
 was based upon the consent of the people." That 
 declaration was made in 1638 in Hartford, the 
 cradle of democracy, by Thomas Hooker, and 
 from it and other thoughts leading up to it came 
 the spirit of opposition which eventually led to 
 the severing of the ties that bound the colonies to 
 the mother country.^ 
 
 The first settlement in Hartford extended from 
 what is now known as the South Green to Sen- 
 tinel Hill, where Morgan Street leaves Main 
 Street, the majority of the houses being along 
 what is now known as Front, Main and Trumbull 
 Streets, while others followed the banks of the 
 Little River to the foot of Lord's, now known as 
 Asylum Hill. Cut ofif from communication with 
 the outside world except by trails through the 
 forest or by the river, these English subjects on 
 American soil began to think and act for them- 
 
 ^ The birthplace of American democracy is Hartford. 
 Government "of the people, by the people, and for the 
 people" first took shape in Connecticut. The American 
 form of commonwealth originated here. — Johnson's 
 Connecticut. 
 
14 Wadsworth 
 
 selves. Untrammeled by the restraints of feudal 
 tenure which still oppressed all of the working 
 plasses in the old country, the founders of Hart- 
 ford, Windsor and Wethersfield devised a system 
 of their own and began to make history, in a 
 humble manner it is true, but on a plan which 
 in time attracted the attention of the world. 
 Without a charter to establish their rights to the 
 land upon which they built their homes or a basis 
 for civil authority, they went to the other extreme 
 and placed the foundation of authority in the 
 people and upon that cornerstone adopted a con- 
 stitution which created a government.^ Firm in 
 their faith, these men and those who were at a 
 later date associated with them, made self-reliant 
 and assertive by adversity and contentions with 
 the neighboring colonies, at a later date drafted 
 a charter which received royal sanction and under 
 which Connecticut conducted its government 
 
 * It was the first written constitution known to his- 
 tory that created a government. — Fiske. 
 
 The whole constitution was that of an independent 
 state. It continued in force, with very little alteration, 
 a hundred and eight years. — Palfry's History of New 
 England. 
 
 Alone of the thirteen colonies, Connecticut entered 
 into the War of the Revolution with her governor and 
 council at her head under the constitution of her royal 
 charter. — Leonard Wolsey Bacon. 
 
Infroductian 15 
 
 until 1818, and many features of which are still 
 reflected in its constitution.^ 
 
 Hinman states that there never was any com- 
 munication between the Connecticut colony and 
 the English government from the date of settle- 
 ment until after John Winthrop, Jr., appeared at 
 Whitehall in 1662 and procured the Charter from 
 Charles II. Prior to that time the founders of 
 the three river towns and the others which were 
 established under orders from the General Court 
 based their claims to the soil by purchase from 
 the Indians and an agreement with George Fen- 
 wick, who sold them the Saybrook fort and the 
 land on the river. A promise that Fenwick failed 
 to keep also went with the transfer, but in time 
 it was used not only as a means of recovering a 
 portion of the money spent in the river purchase, 
 but also in pressing the colony's claim for a char- 
 ter at Whitehall, the petition or one of the peti- 
 tions presented by Winthrop to King Charles II 
 being not for a new charter, which might have 
 been weakened by rights already granted by the 
 crown, but for a renewal of the Warwick patent, 
 
 * From this seed sprang the constitution of Connec- 
 ticut, first in the series of written American constitu- 
 tions framed by the people for the people. * * * 
 Nearly two centuries have elapsed * * * 5^ the 
 people of Connecticut have found no reason to deviate 
 from the government established by their fathers. — 
 Bancroft's History of United States. 
 
16 Wadsworth 
 
 then held by Lord Say and Seal, the sole surviv- 
 ing patentee, and who was heartily in sympathy 
 with the proposed measure, although he did not 
 live to see the charter pass the seals. All of this 
 is, or in time will be, set forth in the pages of 
 State histories, a number of changes being made 
 necessary on account of recent discoveries in cor- 
 respondence preserved in the Bodleian library, 
 while considerable space is devoted to the claims 
 of the Dutch and the House of Hope, a trading 
 post which was, according to Smith's History of 
 Mew York, established in 1623, — possibly a typo- 
 graphical error — on what is now known as Dutch 
 Point. 
 
 The members of Hooker's colony ignored the 
 claims of the New Amsterdam traders and sur- 
 rounded their low lying acres on the river front 
 with a thriving colony. The feeling between 
 them was not very friendly and on one or two 
 occasions they came to blows, while Peter Stuy- 
 vesant at a later date travelled from New Am- 
 sterdam (New York) to Hartford to assist his 
 countrymen in retaining their foothold on the 
 Connecticut. Finding that none of his claims 
 would be allowed, the peppery governor returned 
 to Manhattan, leaving the disposal of his coun- 
 trymen's affairs in the hands of two Englishmen. 
 They did not make a very favorable report. The 
 
Introduction 17 
 
 Dutch were, however, permitted to remain with- 
 in bounds until 1653, when England and Holland 
 were at war. In that year Captain John Under- 
 hill, a soldier of fortune, bearing a commission 
 from the Providence Plantations, marched to 
 Hartford and seized the House of Hope for Eng- 
 land. The General Court of Connecticut then 
 sequestered the Dutch property in Hartford and 
 when peace was declared the traders abandoned 
 the place and returned to New Amsterdam. All 
 that now remains to revive memories of the 
 first settlers in Hartford is the name Dutch Point 
 and the names of a few streets in that section of 
 the city. 
 
 On January 14, 1638-9, the inhabitants and resi- 
 dents of Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield 
 assembled in the meeting house in Hartford, the 
 building being located on what is now known as 
 the Public Square and adopted what is known as 
 the Fundamental Orders or "Constitution of 
 1638-9." It is surmised, and that is the strongest 
 word that can be used, that this constitution was 
 the joint work of Thomas Hooker, whose teach- 
 ings of civil liberty are reflected in it, Roger Lud- 
 low, a skillful lawyer who held office in Massa- 
 chusetts, Connecticut and Ireland, and John 
 Haynes, who served as Governor of Massachu- 
 setts before he joined the colony of Connecticut, 
 
18 Wadsworth 
 
 where like honors were conferred upon him. The 
 following is a copy of the constitution as adopted : 
 
 CONSTITUTION OF 1638-9. 
 
 "Forasmuch as it hath pleased the Almighty God, 
 by the wise disposition of His divine providence, so to 
 order and dispose of things, that we the inhabitants 
 and residents of Windsor, Hartford and Weathersfield, 
 are now cohabiting, and dwelling in and uppon the river 
 of Conneticutt, and the lands thereunto adjoining, and 
 well knowing when a people are gathered together, the 
 word of God requires, that to meinteine the peace and 
 union of such a people, there should bee an orderly 
 and decent governement established according to God, 
 to order and dispose of the affaires of the people at all 
 seasons, as occasion shall require; doe therefore asso- 
 ciate and conjoine ourselves to bee as one publique 
 STATE or COMMONWEALTH; and doe for our- 
 selves and our successors, and such as shall bee ad- 
 joined to us at any time hereafter, enter into combina- 
 tion and confederation together, to meinteine and pre- 
 serve the libberty and purity of the Gospell of our 
 Lord Jesus, which we now profess, as also the disci- 
 pline of the churches, which, according to the truth of 
 the said Gospell, is now practiced amongst us; as allso 
 in our civill affaires to be guided and governed accord- 
 ing to such lawes, rules, orders, and decrees, as shall 
 bee made, ordered, and decreed, as followeth: 
 
 I. It is ordered, sentenced and decreed. That there 
 shall bee yearly two Generall Assembly's or Courts, 
 the one the second Thursday in Aprill, the other the 
 second Thursday in September following: The first 
 
Inirodiiction 19 
 
 shall bee called the Courte of Election, wherein shall 
 be yearely chosen, from time to time, so many magis- 
 trates and other publique officers, as shall bee found 
 requisite, whereof one to be chosen Governor for the 
 yeare ensuing, and untill another bee chosen, and no 
 other magistrate to bee chosen for more then one 
 yeare; provided always, there bee six chosen besides 
 the Governor, which being chosen and sworne accord- 
 ing to an oath recorded for that purpose, shall have 
 power to administer justice according to the lawes here 
 established, and for want thereof, according to the rule 
 of the word of God; which choyce shall bee made by 
 all that are admitted Freemen, and have taken the 
 oath of fidelity, and do cohabit within this jurissdiction, 
 having beene admitted inhabitants by the major parte 
 of the town where they live or the major parte of such 
 as shall bee then present. 
 
 2. It is ordered, sentenced and decreed. That the 
 Election of the aforesaid magistrate shall bee on this 
 manner; every person present and qualified for 
 choyce, shall bring in (to the persons deputed to re- 
 ceive them) one single paper, with the name of him 
 written in it whom he desires to have Governor, and 
 hee that hath the greatest number of papers shall bee 
 Governor for that yeare: And the rest of the Magis- 
 trates or publique officer, to be chosen in this manner; 
 the Secretary for the time being, shall first read the 
 names of all that are to bee put to choyce, and then 
 shall severally nominate them distinctly, and every 
 one that would have the person nominated to bee 
 chosen, shall bring in one single paper written uppon, 
 and hee that would not have him chosen, shall bring 
 in a blanke, and every one that hath more written pa- 
 
20 Wadsworth 
 
 pers than blanks, shall be a magistrate for that yeare, 
 which papers shall bee received and told by one or 
 more that shall bee then chosen, by the Courte, and 
 sworn to bee faithfull therein; but in case there 
 should not bee six persons as aforesaid, besides the 
 Governor, out of those which are nominated, then hee 
 or they which have the most written papers, shall bee a 
 Magistrate or Magistrates for the ensuing yeare, to 
 make up the aforesaid number. 
 
 3. It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed. That the 
 Secretary shall not nominate any person, nor shall any 
 person bee chosen newly into the Magistracy, which 
 was not propounded in some General Courte before, 
 to bee nominated the next election: And to that end, 
 it shall be lawfull for each of the Townes aforesaid, 
 by theire Deputies, to nominate any two whoe they con- 
 ceive fitt to be put to election, and the Courte may 
 add so many more as they judge requisite. 
 
 4. It is ordered, sentenced and decreed, That no 
 person bee chosen Governor above once in two years, 
 and that the Governor bee always a member of some 
 approved congregation, and formerly of the magis- 
 tracy, within this Jurissdiction, and all the Magistrates, 
 fJreemen of this Commonwealth; and that no Magis- 
 trate or other publique Officer, shall execute any parte 
 of his or theire office before they are severally sworne, 
 which shall bee done in the face of the Courte, if they 
 bee present, and in case of absence, by some deputed 
 for that purpose. 
 
 5. It is ordered, sentenced and decreed. That to 
 the aforesaid Courte of Election, the severall Townes 
 shall send theire Deputyes, and when the Elections are 
 ended they may proceed in any publique service, as at 
 
Introduction 21 
 
 other Courtes; allso, the other Generall Courte in Sep- 
 tember, shall bee for making of lawes and any other 
 publique occassion, which concerns the good of the 
 Commonwealth. 
 
 6. It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed, That the 
 Governor shall, either by himselfe or by the Secretary, 
 send out summons to the Constables of every Towne, 
 for the calling of these two standing Courts, one month 
 at least before theire severall times; And allso, if the 
 Governor and the greatest parte of the magistrates see 
 cause, uppon any speciall occasion, to call a Generall 
 Courte, they may give order to the Secretary so to doe, 
 within fourteene dayes warning, and if urgent necessity 
 so require, upon a shorter notice, giving sufficient 
 grounds for it, to the Deputys, when they meete, or 
 else, bee questioned for the same; and if the Governor 
 and major parte of the Magistrates, shall either neg- 
 lect or refuse, to call the two Generall standing Courts, 
 or either of them; as allso, at other times, when the 
 occassions of the Commonwealth require; the Freemen 
 thereof, or the major parte of them, shall petition to 
 them so to doe, if then it bee either denied or neg- 
 lected, the said Freemen or the major parte of them, 
 shall have power to give order to the Constables of the 
 severall Townes to doe the same, and so many meete 
 together and choose to themselves a moderator, and 
 may proceed to doe any act of power which any other 
 Generall Courte may. 
 
 7. It is ordered, sentenced and decreed. That after 
 there are warrants given out for any of the said Gen- 
 erall Courts, the Constable or Constables of each 
 Towne shall forthwith give notice distinctly to the in- 
 habitants of the same, in some publique Assembly, or 
 
22 Wadsworth 
 
 by going or sending from howse to howse, that at a 
 place and time, by him or them limited and sett, they 
 meete and assemble themselves together, to elect and 
 chose certaine Deputies to bee at the Generall Courte 
 then following, to agitate the affaires of the Common- 
 wealth; which said Deputies, shall bee chosen by all 
 that are admitted inhabitants in the severall towns 
 and have taken the oath of fidelity: provided, that none 
 bee chosen a Deputye for any Generall Courte which 
 is not a Freeman of this Commonwealth: The afore- 
 said Deputyes shall bee chosen in manner following: 
 Every person that is present and qualified as before 
 expressed, shall bring the names of such written in 
 severall papers, as they desire to have chosen, for that 
 employment; and these three or foure, more or less, 
 being the number agreed on to be chosen, for that 
 time, that have greatest number of papers written for 
 them, shall bee Deputyes for that Courte; whose 
 names shall be indorsed on the backside of the war- 
 rant and returned into the Courte, with the Constable 
 or Constables hand to the same. 
 
 8. It is ordered, sentenced and decreed, That 
 Wyndsor, Hartford and Weathersfield, shall have pow- 
 er, each Towne, to send foure of theire Freemen as 
 theire Deputyes, to every Generall Courte, and what- 
 soever other Townes shall bee hereafter added to this 
 Jurisdiction, they shall send so many Deputyes, as the 
 Courte shall judge meete: a reasonable proportion to 
 the number of Freemen, that are in the said Towns, 
 being to bee attended therein; which Deputys shall 
 have the power of the whole Towne, to give theire 
 voates and allowance to all such lawes and orders, as 
 may bee for the publique good, and unto which the 
 
Introduction 23 
 
 said Towns are to bee bound; And it is allso ordered, 
 that if any Deputyes shall be absent uppon such occas- 
 sions, as Governor for the time being, shall approve of, 
 or by the Providence of God, shall decease this life 
 within the adjournment of any Courte, that it shall bee 
 at the libertye of the Governor to send forth a war- 
 rant, in such case, for supply thereof uppon reasonable 
 warning. 
 
 9. It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed, That the 
 Deputyes thus chosen, shall have power and liberty, to 
 appoint a time and place of meeting together, before 
 any Generall Courte, to advise and consulte of all such 
 thinges as may concerne the good of the publique; as 
 allso to examine theire owne Elections, whether ac- 
 cording to the order; and if they or the greatest parte 
 of them, finde any election to be illegall, they may se- 
 clude such for present, from theire meetinge, and re- 
 turne the same and theire reasons to the Courte; and 
 if it proove true, the Courte may fyne the party or 
 partyes so intruding, and the Towne if they see cause, 
 and give out a warrant to goe to a new election in a 
 legal] way, either in parte or in whole. Allso the said 
 Deputyes shall have power to fyne any that shall bee 
 disorderly at theire meeting, or for not coming in due 
 time or place, according to appointment, and they may 
 returne the said fyne into the Courte, if it bee refused 
 to bee paid, and the Treasurer to take notice of it, and 
 to estreite or levye as hee doth other fynes. 
 
 10. It is ordered, sentenced and decreed. That every 
 generall Courte (except such as through neglect of the 
 Governor and the greatest parte of Magistrates, the 
 Freemen themselves doe call,) shall consiste of the 
 Governor or some one chosen to moderate the Courte, 
 
24 Wadswofth 
 
 and foure other Magistrates at least, with the major 
 parte of the Deputyes of the several Towns legally- 
 chosen, and in case the Freemen or the major parte 
 of them, through neglect or refusall of the Governor 
 and major parte of the Magistrates, shall call a Courte, 
 it shall consiste of the major parte of Freemen, that 
 are present, or theire Deputyes, with a moderator 
 chosen by them, in which said Generall Courts, shall 
 consiste the Supreme powere of the Commonwealth, 
 and they onely shall have power to make lawes and 
 repeale them, to graunt levyes, to admitt of Freemen, 
 dispose of lands undisposed of, to severall Towns or 
 persons; and allso shall have power to call either 
 Courte or Magistrate, or any other person whatsoever 
 into question, for any misdemeanor, and may for such 
 cause, displace, or deale otherwise, according to the 
 nature of the offence; and allso may deale in any other 
 matter that concerns the good of this Commonwealth, 
 except election of Magistrates, which shall bee done by 
 the whole body of Freemen; in which Courts the Gov- 
 ernor or Moderator shall have the power to order the 
 Courte, to give libbertye of Speech, and silence un- 
 reasonable and disorderly speaking, to put all things 
 to voate, and in case the voate bee equall, to have the 
 casting voice: But none of these courts shall be ad- 
 journed or dissolved without the consent of the major 
 parte of the Courte. Provided, notwithstanding, that 
 the Governor or Deputy Governor, with two Magis- 
 trates shall have power to keepe a Particular Courte 
 according to the lawes established; And in case the 
 Governor or Deputy Governor bee absent, or some way 
 or other incapable either to sitt or to bee present; if 
 three Magistrates meete and chuse one of themselves 
 to bee a Moderator, they may keepe a Particular 
 
Introduction 25 
 
 Courte, which to all ends and purposes shall bee 
 deemed as legall as though the Governor or Deputy 
 did sitt in Courte. 
 
 11. It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed. That 
 when any Generall Courte, upon the occassions of the 
 Commonwealth, have agreed uppon any summ or 
 summs of monye, to be levyed uppon the severall 
 Townes within this Jurissdiction, that a Committee bee 
 chosen, to sett out and appoint what shall bee the pro- 
 portion of every Towne to pay of the said levye; Pro- 
 vided the Comittee bee made up of an equall number 
 out of each Towne. 
 
 The eleven preceding sections were voted or en- 
 acted at a General Court, held January 14th, 
 1638-9, and the following provision was added at 
 the revision in 1650: 
 
 Forasmuch as the free fruition of such libberties, 
 immunities, priviledges, as humanity, civility, and 
 Christianity call for, as due to every man in his place 
 and proportion, without impeachment and infringe- 
 ment, hath ever beene and ever will bee the tranquility 
 and stability of Churches and Commonwealths; and the 
 denyall or deprivall thereof, the disturbance, if not 
 ruine of both: 
 
 12. It is thereof ordered by this Courte, and au- 
 thority thereof, That no man's life shall bee taken away; 
 no man's honor or good name shall be stained; no 
 man's person shall bee arrested, restreined, bannished, 
 dismembred, nor any way punished; no man shall be 
 deprived of his wife or children; no man's goods or es- 
 tate shall bee taken away from him nor any ways in- 
 dammaged, under colour of law, or countenance of 
 
26 Wadsworth 
 
 authority; unless it bee by the vertue or equity of some 
 express law of the Country warranting the same, es- 
 tablished by a Generall Courte and sufficiently pub- 
 lished, or in case of the defect of a law, in any per- 
 ticular case, by the word of God." 
 
 This was the first step towards a government 
 by the people under a written constitution/ and 
 if this instrument was not the joint production 
 of Thomas Hooker, John Haynes and Roger 
 Ludlow, many authorities attributing it to the 
 last named on account of his legal training,^ it 
 reflected their sentiments, and they were also 
 instrumental in having it presented and adopted 
 by the inhabitants of the three river towns. 
 
 'The eleven fundamental orders of Connecticut, 
 with their preamble, presents the first examples in his- 
 tory of a written constitution. — Greene's History of 
 English People. 
 
 This constitution defined the laws, rules and regula- 
 tions of a government created by the people. — Tarbox's 
 Organization of Civil Government. 
 
 The oldest truly political constitution in America is 
 the instrument called the Fundamental Orders of Con- 
 necticut passed by the inhabitants of Windsor, Hart- 
 ford and Wethersfield in 1638-9. — Bryce's American 
 Commonwealth. 
 
 This remarkable document gave to Connecticut the 
 pre-eminent place in constitutional history.* * * It 
 was the constitution of an independent state, a distinct 
 organic law constituting a government and defining its 
 powers. — Brinley in Reprint Laws of 1673. 
 
 *"I cannot help regarding it his (Ludlow's) work. 
 The phraseology is his; it breathes his spirit." — Hollis- 
 ter's History of Connecticut. 
 
Introduction 27 
 
 THOMAS HOOKER. Preacher 
 
 Thomas Hooker, the founder of Hartford, was 
 born in 1586, at Marfield in the county of Leices- 
 ter, England. Elizabeth, the last of the Tudor 
 sovereigns, was then on the throne, her death 
 being recorded while the future divine was attend- 
 ing school at Market Bosworth, which was about 
 twenty-five miles from his native place and close 
 to Bosworth Field where Henry, Earl of Rich- 
 mond, defeated and killed Richard HI. When 
 Thomas Hooker arrived at Cambridge University 
 in 1604, the sovereignty of England and Scotland 
 was vested in the person of James I, son of Mary 
 Queen of Scots. He entered Queen's College as 
 a sizar, but was subsequently transferred to 
 Emanuel, where he remained until i5i8. During 
 Hooker's residence Peter Bulkeley, John Cotton, 
 John Wilson, Francis Higginson, Nathaniel 
 Ward and several others who were in one way or 
 another associated with him in his subsequent 
 career in New England, were in Cambridge and 
 were in all probability numbered among his 
 acquaintances. 
 
 Thomas Hooker's ministry began with a rector- 
 ship at Esher in Surrey. He remained there until 
 1626, when an invitation to act as lecturer at 
 Chelmsford in Essex was accepted. Being 
 
28 Wadsworfh 
 
 silenced for non-conformity in 1629, he retired 
 to Little Braddock, where he kept a school, one 
 of his assistants being John Elliot, who was after- 
 wards known in America as the Apostle to the 
 Indians. Archbishop Laud, however, did not for- 
 get the Chelmsford lecturer and on July 10, 1630, 
 Thomas Hooker was cited to appear before the 
 High Commission Court. On the advice of 
 friends he fled to Holland where he remained un- 
 til 1633, when upon the invitation of a number of 
 the members of his former congregation, who 
 had emigrated and located at Newtown, Massa- 
 chusetts, Thomas Hooker sailed with two hun- 
 dred others for America in the Grilfen, John 
 Haynes, Samuel Stone and John Cotton were in 
 the same vessel, which was two months making 
 the voyage. Cotton located in Boston, while 
 Hooker and Stone passed on to their friends at 
 Newtown. Their arrival was a source of pro- 
 found rejoicing, the people saying that "their 
 great necessities were now supplied, for they had 
 Cotton for their clothing. Hooker for their fish- 
 ing and Stone for their building." 
 
 During the early days of June, 1636, the inhabi- 
 tants of Newtown followed their leader through 
 the forest to the present site of Hartford. For a 
 year the government of the colony was conducted 
 under an order of the Massachusetts General 
 
Introduction 29 
 
 Court, Agawam (Spring-field) being included 
 with Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield. In 
 1637 magistrates appointed by the people took 
 charge of the affairs of the colony and they re- 
 mained in control until the Constitution of 1638-9 
 was adopted. In the interval Thomas Hooker, 
 firm in the belief that in public measures all of 
 the people could not go wrong, began to promul- 
 gate the doctrine which was in time reflected in 
 the "Fundamental Orders."^ That he spoke 
 plainly and to the point is evidenced by the fol- 
 lowing notes taken from a lecture delivered be- 
 fore the General Court May 31, 1638. 
 
 Doctrine: That the choice of the public magistrate 
 belongs unto the people. 
 They who have the power to appoint of- 
 ficers and magistrates, it is in their pow- 
 er, also, to set the bounds and limitations 
 of the power and place unto which they 
 have called them. 
 
 'It is on the banks of the Connecticut, under the 
 mighty preaching of Thomas Hooker and in the con- 
 stitution to which he gave life, if not form, that we 
 draw the first breath of that atmosphere which is now 
 so familiar to us. — Johnson's Connecticut. 
 
 It marked the beginning of American democracy, 
 of which Thomas Hooker deserves, more than any oth- 
 er man, to be called the father. — Fiske's Beginning of 
 New England. 
 
 The man who first visioned and did much to make 
 possible our American democracy. — Elliott's History of 
 New England. 
 
30 Wadsworth 
 
 Reasons: Because the foundation of authority is 
 laid in the free consent of the people. 
 Because by a free choice, the hearts of the 
 people will be more inclined to the love 
 of the persons chosen and more ready to 
 yield obedience. 
 
 The above are the first recorded utterances on 
 the broad doctrine of democracy in America. 
 They were taken down in short hand in a note 
 book now in the possession of the Connecticut 
 Historical Society, by Henry Walcott of Windsor 
 and deciphered by J. Hammond Trumbull, 
 
 At this date it is difficult to imagine the su- 
 preme courage required to enunciate such ideas 
 in 1638 when Charles I was ruling England with- 
 out a Parliament, and although he did not know 
 it, plunging headlong into a sea of troubles which 
 cost him a throne and his head. But at the same 
 time it must be remembered that they were pre- 
 sented by a man to men who had faced death 
 Jn every form in the wilderness, and men inured 
 to danger have little hesitation in expressing their 
 opinions. The fear of punishment was the last 
 thought that came to them. It was enough if 
 they believed, and had it come to an issue be- 
 tween them and Laud, the Archbishop's "You 
 shall not" would have been answered "We shall." 
 
 During the balance of his life Thomas Hooker 
 took an active interest in the civil as well as the 
 
Introduction 31 
 
 religious affairs of Connecticut and assisted Gov- 
 ernor Haynes in bringing about the confederation 
 of the colonies of New England. He died in 
 Hartford in 1647 and was buried in the First 
 Church burying ground, corner of Main and Gold 
 Streets. 
 
 ROGER LUDLOW. Lawyer 
 
 Roger Ludlow stands second only to Hooker in 
 founding the colony of Connecticut and second 
 only to him from the fact that the illustrious 
 divine in a measure inaugurated the movement 
 which gave Ludlow an opportunity to demon- 
 strate his abilities. At a later date Hooker also 
 taught the democratic principles that were 
 subsequently reflected in the constitution, which 
 with the knowledge of the work that Ludlow 
 did for the colony cannot be attributed to any 
 other hand. Hooker inspired and Ludlow wrote 
 the constitution.^ 
 
 * The document bears intrinsic evidence of a legal 
 skill and phraseology which, when compared with Lud- 
 low's Code of 1650, seems to prove that, whatsoever's 
 advice he had, no other hand but his drew the first con- 
 stitution of Connecticut. — Schenck's History of Fairfield. 
 
 He rendered most essential services, was a principal 
 in framing its original civil constitution. — Trumbull's 
 History of Connecticut. 
 
 The authorship of it was generally attributed to 
 
32 Wadsworth 
 
 A biographical sketch of Roger Ludlow shows 
 that he was born in England in 1590, educated 
 at Baloil College, Oxford, and admitted as a 
 student at the Queen's Temple in 1612. He first 
 became interested in colonial affairs in 1629, 
 when he was chosen assistant in a company which 
 had procured the charter of "The Governor and 
 Company of Massachusetts Bay in New Eng- 
 land" from Charles I. His associates included 
 Lord Warwick, Lord Say and Seal, Winthrop 
 and Vane. At this time his brother-in-law, John 
 Endicott, was interested in the Dorchester Com- 
 pany and was in New England founding a settle- 
 ment at Salem. 
 
 In the spring of 1630 Roger Ludlow sailed for 
 America, one of his companions on the voyage 
 being Captain John Mason,^ a soldier of renown, 
 
 Roger Ludlow. — Brinley's Reprint of Laws, of 1673. 
 
 He was the principal framer of the constitution of 
 1638-9. — Day's Notes. 
 
 'John Mason was born in 1600. He entered the 
 army at an early age and served with distinction under 
 Sir Thomas Fairfax in the Netherlands. He came to 
 America in 1630 and settled at Dorchester where he 
 remained until 1636, when he removed to Windsor. In 
 1646 he removed to Saybrook and in 1659 to Norwich. 
 John Mason was an assistant from 1642 to 1659, deputy 
 governor of Connecticut 1660 to 1668, and major gen- 
 eral of Connecticut 1661 to 1669. He died at Norwich 
 in 1672. While the struggle between Charles L and 
 the Long Parliament was in progress, Mason was re- 
 quested to return to England and enter the parliamen- 
 tary army. He declined. 
 
Introduction 33 
 
 who had served under Sir Thomas Fairfax in the 
 Netherlands and who afterwards accompanied 
 Ludlow to Windsor and led the colonial troops 
 in the Pequot war. Upon landing in New Eng- 
 land, Ludlow located at Dorchester, where he 
 remained for five years. During that period he 
 was chosen magistrate in the Court of Assistants 
 and was also elected Deputy Governor of the 
 Colony. In 1633 he was a candidate for governor 
 but was defeated by John Haynes, of Newtown. 
 This defeat with other differences created in the 
 heat of election, prompted Ludlow to join in the 
 Dorchester movement towards the Connecticut 
 valley. 
 
 In 1636 Roger Ludlow was the first man 
 named in the commission granted by the General 
 Court of Massachusets to "govern the people at 
 Connecticott for the space of one year." For 
 the next nineteen years his name was linked with 
 the history of the colony of Connecticut. He ar- 
 rived at what is now known as Windsor, May 6, 
 1636, took up a town lot and began to devise 
 means to protect the new settlement from the 
 Indians. May i, 1637, found him presiding at the 
 first court held in Hartford, then known as New- 
 town, it being the one at which war was declared 
 on the Pequots. Prior to the swamp fight that 
 followed the destruction of the Pequot fort, Lud- 
 
34 Wadsworth 
 
 low joined Mason, Stoughton and the Indian 
 allies at Saybrook, and while accompanying the 
 troops first saw the land which he afterwards 
 purchased from the Indians and named Fairfield. 
 The Colonial Records show that Roger Lud- 
 low was a magistrate in 1637 and 1638, the first 
 Deputy Governor of Connecticut under the Con- 
 stitution of 1638-9, John Haynes, who defeated 
 him in Massachusetts, being at the head of the 
 ticket. He was also chosen as a Magistrate in 
 1640, and every year from that date until he left 
 the colony in 1654, except in 1642 and 1648, when 
 he was again chosen Deputy Governor. In 1643 
 Ludlow was one of the representatives from Con- 
 necticut in the negotiations which led to the con- 
 federation of the colonies. His skill as a lawyer 
 was also recognized by the General Court in 1646, 
 when he was requested to draw up a body of laws 
 for the government of the commonwealth. This 
 task was completed in 1650, when at the May 
 session what is known as the Ludlow Code or 
 Code of 1650 was adopted.^ 
 
 ' Mr. Ludlowe is requested to take some paynes in 
 drawing forth a body of Lawes for the government of 
 this Comonwelth and present the same to the next 
 Generall Court; and if he can provide a man for his 
 occasions while he is employed in the said searvice, he 
 shall be paid at the country chardge. — Copy of order 
 adopted by the General Court April 9, 1646. 
 
Introduction 35 
 
 In 1639 the General Court gave Roger Ludlow 
 permission to begin a plantation at Pequannocke. 
 Moving from Windsor he located there and 
 founded the town of Fairfield, which was placed 
 under the jurisdiction of Connecticut. The foun- 
 ders of New Haven did not feel very kindly 
 towards the enterprise and in 1653, when both 
 Fairfield and Stamford expected an attack from 
 the Dutch and the Indians, Governor Eaton and 
 his court declined to assist them. This, with his 
 waning popularity in the broad field of New 
 England, prompted Ludlow to sell his land in 
 Fairfield and leave America. In May, 1654, he 
 sailed with his family to Virginia, where, after 
 visiting his brother George, he took ship for Eng- 
 land. At that time Oliver Cromwell was Protec- 
 tor. He controlled England by force of arms, 
 had subdued Scotland and conquered Ireland. 
 Sir Edmund Ludlow, the Lieutenant General of 
 Ireland, met Roger Ludlow at Hollyhead in Sep- 
 tember. Two months later the name of the colo- 
 nial lawyer appeared as a member of the com- 
 mission which was to determine all claims in con- 
 nection with the forfeited lands in Ireland. He 
 was reappointed in 1658. From that date Roger 
 Ludlow's name disappeared from history. 
 
 Endowed with talents that were in advance of 
 his surroundings and the period in which he lived, 
 
36 Wadsworth 
 
 Roger Ludlow's career in New England was be- 
 set with disappointments. He had the ability 
 and the desire to lead in every public measure, 
 but to all appearances an impetuous temper de- 
 prived him of the confidence which electors at that 
 or any other period place in those whom they 
 favor with the highest honors. Like scores of 
 others he failed in reaching the coveted goal 
 through a want of that conservative familiarity 
 which eastern people call magnetism and which 
 the western world looks for in a "good mixer." 
 
 JOHN HAYNES. Colonizer 
 
 John Haynes, the first Governor of Connecti- 
 cut, and the third Governor of Massachusetts, 
 was born in 1594, at Coddicot, County of Hert- 
 ford, England. As has been stated he sailed for 
 America in the Griffen, with Hooker and Stone, 
 and located at Newtown. After serving the Mas- 
 sachusetts colony as Assistant in 1634, he was in 
 1635 elected Governor, succeeding T. Dudley, 
 and retired the following year to make way for 
 Harry Vane, the same Sir Harry Vane from 
 whom Cromwell, when he dismissed the Rump 
 
Introduction 37 
 
 Parliament, asked the Lord to deliver him and 
 who was after the Restoration the last to suffer 
 on the scaffold for his connection with the Com- 
 monwealth. 
 
 Being a man of broad and liberal views in the 
 matter of religion and government, John Haynes 
 was not very favorabl}'' impressed with the Mas- 
 sachusetts Colony, and during the year after his 
 arrival he took means to ascertain the feasibility 
 of a settlement on the Connecticut River. The 
 report was, so far as appearances show, favorable, 
 and in 1636, John Haynes marched through the 
 forest with Hooker and about one hundred of his 
 followers who had one hundred and sixty head of 
 cattle and a few sheep and swine. The following 
 spring John Haynes removed his family to Hart- 
 ford and for a time resided on what is now known 
 as Main Street, opposite the Meeting House 
 yard (Public Square). Within a year or two he 
 purchased Richard Webb's lot, located at what is 
 now known as the corner of Arch and Front 
 Streets, and became the next door neighbor of 
 Thomas Hooker. The Wyllys property, on 
 which the Charter Oak stood, was on the oppo- 
 site bank of the Little River. 
 
 Before coming to America, John Haynes was 
 twice married. By his first wife he had two sons 
 and a daughter. Robert, the oldest, was left in 
 
38 Wadswofth 
 
 charge of his father's estate. He espoused the 
 cause of the Royalists during the Civil War and 
 was imprisoned in the Tower by Cromwell. 
 Hezekiah, the second son, took the side of the 
 Parliament and became a Major General under 
 Cromwell. After the Restoration, Charles II 
 committed him to the Tower, where his brother 
 is supposed to have died during the rule of the 
 Protector, but he was finally set at liberty in 1662. 
 John Haynes' second wife bore him three sons 
 and three daughters. The sons, John, Roger and 
 Joseph were educated at Harvard. John re- 
 turned to England after his father's death and 
 located at Colchester. Roger accompanied him 
 and is supposed to have died on the voyage. 
 Joseph graduated in 1658, located at Wethers- 
 field, and in 1664 succeeded Samuel Stone as pas- 
 tor of the First Church in Hartford. Of the 
 daughters, Mary, married Joseph Cook, Ruth 
 married Samuel Wyllys, and Martha, who was 
 born in Hartford, married James Russell of 
 Charlestown. John Haynes died in Hartford, 
 March i, 1653-4, and the stone raised over his 
 grave still stands in the old burying ground, cor- 
 ner of Main and Gold Streets. Connecticut as a 
 colony owed much to John Haynes'^ foresight 
 
 ' Whose hand soever may in detail have phrased and 
 formulated the Fundamental Laws, and Haynes, and 
 
Introduction 39 
 
 and means, of which he gave freely to advance its 
 interests. 
 
 The democracy of Hooker, Ludlow, Haynes 
 and their associates, is now and always has been 
 the ruling spirit of the Anglo Saxon race. It 
 came into Britain with Hengist and Horsa, flour- 
 ished under Alfred, from whose reign trial by 
 jury dates, but was almost submerged by the 
 feudal system of the Normans, which was con- 
 tinued by the Plantaganets, the Houses of Lan- 
 caster and York, survived the Tudors and did not 
 disappear entirely until Cromwell appeared on 
 the scene. While it remained the rights of the 
 people were rarely considered, but with the ap- 
 pearance in Parliament of deputies from the 
 boroughs, the voice of the people began to com- 
 mand respect and eventually had sufficient force 
 to seek redress of grievances, until finally under 
 Henry V. the Commons required that no laws 
 should be framed merely upon their petitions un- 
 less the statutes were worded by themselves and 
 had been passed by them in the form of a bill. 
 
 In 1295, Edward I., prior to a war with France. 
 
 issued writs to the sheriffs enjoining them to 
 
 send to Parliament along with the Knights of the 
 
 Ludlow, and other men there were who might have 
 done it. — Walker's Thomas Hooker. 
 
 Haynes and Ludlow shaped the infant state. — Elli- 
 ott's History of New England. 
 
40 Wadsworth 
 
 Shire, two deputies from each borough within the 
 county and these provided with sufficient power 
 from their community to consent in its name to 
 what the council should require of them, "as it is 
 a most equitable rule," said the King in the pre- 
 amble to the writ, "that what concerns all should 
 be approved of by all," a principle which led to 
 the foundation of equitable government.^ This 
 was the beginning of the House of Commons, the 
 deputies composing it being elected by the alder- 
 men and the common council in their respective 
 boroughs. This system of representation was 
 reproduced in Connecticut, the town taking the 
 place of the borough. It began with the Consti- 
 tution of 1638-9 and is still in force. Under it 
 Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield were 
 allowed to send four of their freemen to every 
 General Court "and whatever other towns shall 
 be hereafter added to this Jurisdiction, they shall 
 send so many Deputys, as this Courte shall judge 
 meete." 
 ********* 
 
 For over two centuries the name of Hartford 
 has been linked with the Charter Oak. Every 
 school boy has read of Captain Joseph Wads- 
 worth and looked upon him as a genuine hero in 
 homespun, while Sir Edmund Andros has been 
 
 'Hume's History of England. 
 

Introduction 43 
 
 painted as black as the villain in the play. Both 
 of them were bold and fearless men whose cour- 
 age was tested on the battlefield, Andros be- 
 ing called to walk with kings and princes, while 
 Wadsworth lived from birth to old age within 
 the boundaries of New England. 
 
 The Charter Oak incident has always had a pe- 
 culiar fascination for the writer, possibly because 
 it was a little out of the ordinary and possibly 
 because Charles II, the King who granted the 
 Charter hid in an oak tree, when evading Crom- 
 well's victorious troops after the battle of Wor- 
 cester. After becoming a resident of Hartford I 
 made an effort to learn all the details, historical and 
 legendary, in connection with it and the people who 
 took part in the exploit which gave the tree a 
 place in American history. After exhausting the 
 archives of the Connecticut Historical Society, 
 which has in its vault a signature of the turbulent 
 Captain Joseph Wadsworth, the Wadsworth 
 Inn was visited. It is at present occupied by 
 Daniel Wadsworth, a lineal descendant of Will- 
 iam Wadsworth, through his son, Joseph, who 
 hid the charter in the oak and who at a later date 
 was bold enough to tell Governor Fletcher of 
 New York that if he interrupted him while put- 
 ting his men through their exercises he would let 
 the light shine through him, and that, at a time 
 
44 Wadsworth 
 
 when the Governor was striving to publish a 
 commission from King William giving him com- 
 mand of the Connecticut militia. And it might 
 also be added that Wadsworth and his drummers 
 made a tremendous uproar to drown anything 
 which might be said by the New York visitors. 
 
 The Wadsworth Inn stands on the edge of a 
 steep hill at the corner of Albany and Prospect 
 Avenues, the latter being the Western boundary 
 of the City of Hartford. It is a two-story red 
 brick building with an addition in the rear in 
 which the kitchen and dining room were located 
 when the Albany stage coaches and freight 
 wagons brought business to its doors. All of 
 those, however, rolled away years ago, the rail- 
 road having diverted the line of travel into other 
 channels. While the world marched on, the old 
 building remains just as it was when Elisha 
 Wadsworth opened its doors for business in 1820. 
 The little tap room in the north-west corner still 
 has its fireplace, brick hearth and bar, and an old 
 grandfather's clock swings its pendulum to and 
 fro at the foot of the stairs in the hall, while on 
 the walls are to be found prints of scenes con- 
 nected with the early history of Connecticut. 
 "Aunt" Lucy Wadsworth lived in this house for 
 seventy years and in all of that time occupied the 
 same room. She died August 30, 1900, aged nine- 
 
Introduction 45 
 
 ty-eight years and eight months. Lucy Wads- 
 worth was a daughter of Elisha Wadsworth, who 
 was born in 1781 and died in 1854. Her brother, 
 Sidney Wadsworth, was born in 1813 and died in 
 1887. He was the father of Daniel Wadsworth, 
 the present occupant of the Inn. Elisha Wads- 
 worth, the father of Lucy and Sidney, was the 
 third member of the family to bear that name, 
 his father being Elisha Wadsworth (1750-1824), 
 son of Elisha Wadsworth (1721-1780), son of 
 Ichabad Wadsworth (1688-17^), son of Captain 
 Joseph Wadsworth (1648-1730), son of William 
 Wadsworth (1595-1675), one of the original plan- 
 ters of Hartford. 
 
 In response to an inquiry for data connected 
 with the Wadsworths dead and gone, Daniel 
 Wadsworth told me that he had frequently heard 
 his father and Aunt Lucy speak of a box of old 
 papers in the garret. He said that he had never 
 seen it, but that he would make a search and re- 
 port. A few days later I received a note from him 
 stating that he had the box and if I would call 
 he would be pleased to give it to me with the con- 
 tents. The find proved a time stained box made 
 of inch pine boards fastened together with hand 
 made nails. When found the cover was pushed 
 to one side and many of the papers on the top 
 were torn, while the edges of others were frayed 
 
46 Wadsworth 
 
 by mice which had used portions of the material 
 to make nests for their young. In this box I 
 found scores of letters, accounts, and notes of all 
 sizes and descriptions, summons issued under the 
 authority of the Kings of England to appear in 
 court and folded with them other summons 
 issued under the authority of the State of Con- 
 necticut to appear in the same place. A republic 
 known as the United States of America was 
 established between the dates on which those 
 papers were served, and Connecticut, as well as 
 the Wadsworths within and without its boun- 
 daries, had fought nobly in the cause, leaving in 
 the path of history footprints as deep as the im- 
 mediate descendents of William and Christopher 
 Wadsworth had on the colonial records of New 
 England. 
 
 Accounts of every character and description 
 were scattered through the letters, the list of 
 items including everything from a barrel of rum 
 to pasture for a cow, while deeds, notes and other 
 memoranda outlined the daily lives of those who 
 penned them. A few of the bills on the top of the 
 box were made out in dollars and cents, but all 
 prior to 1783 were in the pounds, shillings and 
 pence of Great Britain. All of them were silent 
 witnesses of the change of government. Under 
 the several packages of letters, all of which 
 
Introduction 47 
 
 showed that they had been sealed with wafers, 
 many of them still retaining a portion of the wax, 
 I found a parcel somewhat frayed at the ends — 
 mice again no doubt — and tied with what looked 
 like a sinew of a deer. Whatever it was, time had 
 made it so brittle that it parted as soon as 
 handled. 
 
 Upon examining the papers I found the material 
 from which the following sketches were written. 
 Whether they are fact or fancy, and my impres- 
 sion is that there is a little of both, must remain 
 in doubt until another discovery of a similar na- 
 ture is made. Those who have read them are of 
 the opinion that the material presented is the 
 basis of the Wadsworth family legends, which 
 have been handed down from one generation to 
 another and which have been repeated from time 
 out of mind by many a gray head at New Eng- 
 land firesides during the winter evenings. When 
 a green log would snap and send the coals flying 
 over the hearth, more than one was heard to 
 exclaim that the spirit of Old Joe was in it, while 
 those whose lives led them back to the deeds 
 related by their grandparents would nod their 
 heads and chuckle over the dead, dead past whose 
 events were chronicled by an occasional pen or 
 the uncertain memories of those who took a part 
 in them. The ubiquitous reporter and the corre- 
 
48 Wadsworth 
 
 spondent at the front were unheard of in those 
 days. The men who acted in that period had no 
 time to pose for photographers or artists on the 
 spot. They were after results, not a few hours* 
 notoriety to be followed by contention, criticism 
 and obscurity. As for books and news letters, 
 they are rare, and those that can be located are, 
 with a few exceptions, filled with events from 
 the great outside world with an occasional item 
 about the land we live in. 
 
 Memory plays many pranks with history. Its 
 products are attractive, but as a rule unreliable, 
 as like a snowball on a warm day in winter, the 
 volume increases with each revolution on the hill 
 of time. Still it supplies the gloss and spangles 
 used to dress statistical matter, which is as dry 
 and uninteresting, but at the same time as neces- 
 sary as the multiplication table. By blending 
 fact and fancy it is possible to weave a narrative 
 which entertains and at the same time instructs the 
 reader. Those who believe it can ; those who 
 doubt it may ; — so let it go at that. 
 
MEMORIES 
 
MEMORIES 
 
 WILLIAM WADSWORTH 
 
 Now that old age and the infirmities that ac- 
 company it keep me by the fireside during the 
 winter months, I have, at the request of my chil- 
 dren and grandchilden, consented to put on paper 
 a few of the events in which the Wadsworth 
 family took part in the early days of the Connect- 
 icut Colony. There was a time when it was said 
 that whenever there was danger on foot or fight- 
 ing in the wind you would meet some one bearing 
 the name, and I hope it will always be so, provid- 
 ing the risk is taken or the fighting done on the 
 side of right. During my life I have had more 
 than my share of trouble with Indian surprises, 
 Dutch and French alarms and disputes with my 
 own folk, as well as those acting in authority for 
 the King and colony. Many a time I have been 
 called upon to pay the penalty for temper, and 
 when in the wrong no one ever saw the time that 
 I refused to make public or private reflections 
 upon myself. I have always tried in my poor 
 way to take what was allotted me in good part 
 and make amends for an injury, be it white man. 
 
52 Wadsworth 
 
 Indian or slave.^ That is the trail I blazed 
 through life, and while the bark is off many a 
 tree, now when old age has cooled the hot blood 
 of youth and the ardor of middle age, with an 
 old man's vanity I can say that I am proud of it, 
 and I say it as a soldier, as a lawyer, and as a 
 former deputy of Connecticut, of which my 
 father, William Wadsworth, was an original 
 planter. 
 
 There is a strain of Anglo-Saxon fighting blood 
 in all the Wadsworths, and I hope it will never 
 
 * The following, which was found in the box, was no 
 doubt written to illustrate this: 
 
 "As father grew older a marked change became ap- 
 parent to all of us. Age softened the sharpness of his 
 tongue and brought with it a desire for comradeship 
 that was very pleasing to all of us. Abroad, Captain 
 Joe was the same bluff, old soldier who would 
 shoulder a pike or gun as cheerfully as he would come 
 home to dinner, but at the fireside he always spoke of 
 the past, reminding all of us frequently by name that 
 the greatest good to the greatest number was accom- 
 plished by the most direct measures. After reading 
 from the New Testament he frequently said that the 
 greatest sayings were the simplest and that the 
 thoughts which bore conviction were clothed in the 
 language of a child. He rarely turned to the Old Tes- 
 tament upon which many of the penal laws of the col- 
 ony were based. On one of his visits the Teacher men- 
 tioned this and father, ever ready with the tongue, 
 said that it was a mistake for the colony to tax the 
 Jews when it had taken the laws handed down to them 
 by Moses. As I write I can still hear him tell the 
 Teacher that the people of all beliefs should be told to 
 love one another regardless of their faith, as all men 
 could not think alike." 
 
'v^ <-^ ■-'^v)^j--J"^vt/t/->:^*x- 
 
 
 WADSWORTHS FROM 1595 to 1904 
 
Memories 55 
 
 breed out. Father said it came down to us from 
 the Yorkshire Wadsworths, who traced to Duke 
 Wada.^ Whether it did or not is foreign to my 
 task, and lest I give oflfense to those who may 
 read these notes, I shall from this time confine 
 my remarks to the Wadsworth family and those 
 with whom they were associated in England and 
 America. 
 
 William Wadsworth, my father, came from 
 Newtown with the Hooker company in 1636 and 
 remained in Hartford the balance of his life. He 
 died in 1675 as is shown by the town records. He 
 
 * The following reference to Duke Wada in York- 
 shire appears in the Wadsworth Family in America, 
 the paragraph quoted being from Lionel Charlton's 
 History of Whitby, 1779. "During the course of these 
 civil wars, some little time before the year 800, one of 
 the chief leaders or heads of the faction against the 
 government was Duke Wada, who lived in the neigh- 
 borhood of Streanshalh, having his castle at the place 
 now called Mulgrave. This Wada was one of the prin- 
 cipal conspirators among those that murdered Ethel- 
 red, King of Northumberland; and afterwards joining 
 the confederates with what forces he could raise, gave 
 battle to his successor, Ardulph, at Whalley in Lin- 
 colnshire, but with such ill fortune, that his army was 
 routed and himself obliged to fly for it. On which he 
 fortified his castle at Mulgrave with an intention to 
 defend himself; but being seized with a certain dis- 
 temper, he soon ended his days, and was interred there 
 on a hill, between two hard stones, about seven feet 
 high, which being twelve feet from each other, gave 
 rise to the current report, which still prevails, that he 
 was a giant in bulk and stature." It is further fabled, 
 that Wada and his wife, the giantess Bell, built Mul- 
 
56 Wadsworth 
 
 was born at Long Buckley in Northamptonshire, 
 England, in 1595, or, as he always stated it, in the 
 thirty-seventh year of the reign of Queen Eliza- 
 beth, and came to New England on the ship Lion 
 in 1633 with his four children, Sarah, Mary, Wil- 
 liam and John, and his brother Christopher.^ 
 
 grave and Pickering castles, one working upon one 
 and the other upon the second. But since they had 
 only one hammer, they threw it backwards and for- 
 wards across the country when it was wanted, shout- 
 ing so that the one to whom it was thrown might be 
 ready to catch it. They had a son, who when an in- 
 fant could throw stones of enormous size, and becom- 
 ing impatient one day for his mother's return, threw 
 a huge stone across a valley at her, striking here with 
 such force as to indent the stone itself. The Roman 
 Road, which is called Wade's Causeway, was formed 
 by Wada and Bell; he paving and she bringing stones 
 in her apron, which, sometimes giving way, would 
 cause her to drop large heaps, which can now be seen 
 in the heath. — There can be but little doubt that the 
 name of Wadsworth originally signified Wada's or 
 Waddy's residence. Worth, according to Edmonds, 
 being derived in the Anglo-Saxon from Wyrth, an es- 
 tate or manor, usually one well watered. (See Glos- 
 sary of Yorkshire Words.) 
 
 * Christopher Wadsworth's name did not appear on 
 the Lion's passenger list and the date of his landing 
 was unknown until 1881, when E. S. Cowles, of Hart- 
 ford, Conn., came into possession of a Bible in which 
 the following is written: 
 
 "Christopher Wadsworth. His Book." 
 
 "Christopher and William Wadsworth landed in 
 Boston by ye ship Lion i6th September, 1632, together 
 in ye ship." 
 
 This Bible was printed in London by Bonham Nor- 
 ton and John Bill, 1625. 
 
Memories 57 
 
 Christopher settled in Massachusetts at Duxbury 
 and his descendants are well known in those 
 parts, several of them having fought and died in 
 the Indian wars. 
 
 The voyage on the Lion was the second made 
 by my father to the English colonies in America, 
 as in a book which my brother John gave me 
 some time before his death I find the following 
 entry : 
 
 November 22, 1621. Came this day to Newport 
 News with Daniel Gookin in the Flying Harte. 
 
 This Daniel Gookin^ was a native of Kent and 
 was at that time located at Cork, Ireland. He 
 owned over two thousand acres of land at New- 
 port News, as well as a number of vessels in 
 which he shipped cattle and goats from England 
 and Ireland to the Virginia colony. Father sailed 
 with him, as stated, in the Flying Harte and landed 
 at Newport News in November. 
 
 * According to the most ancient records of Virginia, 
 Daniel Gooken was granted two thousand acres in 
 Elizabeth City county, commonly called Newport 
 News. (William and Mary College Quarterly for 
 1897, Vol. VI, p. 257.) Newport News is now by leg- 
 islative enactment wholly in Warwick County. Prior 
 to 1621 Thomas Wood in behalf of Daniel Gookin 
 completed a treaty with the Virginia Company for the 
 transportation of cattle of the English breed out of 
 Ireland, the rate agreed upon being 11 pounds for 
 heifers and 3 pounds 10 shillings for she goats upon 
 certificate of safe landing. (Virginia Company in 
 London.) 
 
58 Wadsworth 
 
 On another page of the same book there ap- 
 pears a few facts in relation to the Indian massa- 
 cre which occurred March 22 of the following 
 year. In it three hundred and forty-nine people 
 were killed almost without a moment's warning. 
 Daniel Gookin and those who were with him re- 
 sisted the attack and escaped with their lives, 
 and when at a later date the governor of the col- 
 ony ordered the remnant of the people to draw 
 together for mutual protection, he was one of 
 those who refused to obey, the others, according 
 to these notes, being Edward Hill at Elizabeth 
 City and Samuel Jordan at Jordan's Point. By 
 throwing up intrenchments and mounting cannon 
 they put themselves in a position to defend them- 
 selves from further attacks, which fortunately 
 never occurred, as the Indians in Virginia were 
 from that day hunted like beasts of prey. 
 
 A short time after the massacre Daniel Gookin 
 sailed for London in the Sea Flower. He was 
 accompanied by my father and a number of 
 others who left the colony forever. Virginia was 
 almost depopulated, the number of the plantations 
 being reduced, as Daniel Gookin's son told me, 
 from eighty to six. As the years rolled by, others 
 arrived from England to take the place of the 
 dead and those who sailed away in the summer 
 of 1622. Daniel Gookin, after bearing the details 
 
Memories 59 
 
 of the massacre to the Virginia Company in Lon- 
 don, also returned and became one of the most 
 important men in the colony. His son, also 
 named Daniel,^ at a later date became one of the 
 noted men in the English colonies. Being a mem- 
 ber of the Puritan church, he removed in 1644 
 from Virginia to Massachusetts, and settled at 
 Cambridge, where he died in 1687. 
 
 My father's life from the time he settled in 
 Hartford was busy, though uneventful. The 
 town records show that he was a selectman, 
 townsman and constable between 1638-9, when the 
 Fundamental Orders were adopted, and 1656, and 
 that he was a deputy at almost every session of 
 
 ' Daniel Gookin, 2d, was born in Kent, England, in 
 1612, and is supposed to have accompanied his father 
 to Virginia when he returned after reporting the In- 
 dian massacre to the Virginia Company in London in 
 1622. In 1642 he was President of the County Court 
 at Upper Norfolk. In 1644 he removed to Massachu- 
 setts and located at Cambridge. He became a, friend 
 of John Eliot, the "apostle to the Indians." According 
 to the Massachusetts Historical collections (Vol. i, p. 
 228) Daniel Gookin was in 1644 chosen member of the 
 House of Deputies as well as appointed captain of a 
 military company. In 1652 he was elected assistant 
 and in 1656 superintendent of all the Indians in Mas- 
 sachusetts and continued in that office until his death, 
 except for two or three years while in England. In 
 1656 he visited Cromwell's court and had an inter- 
 view with the Protector who commissioned him to in- 
 vite the people of Massachusetts to go to Jamaica. 
 He was very unpopular during the King Philip war as 
 he sympathized with the Indians. He died in 1687, 
 
60 Wadsworth 
 
 the General Court from that year up to the day 
 of his death. 
 
 The Lion sailed from London June 22, 1633, 
 and arrived at Boston on Sunday evening, Sep- 
 tember 16, with one hundred and twenty-three 
 passengers, of which fifty were children. Of this 
 number, in addition to my father and his family, 
 the following came to Hartford with Hooker: 
 William Goodwin, James Olmstead, his two sons, 
 Nicholas and Nehemiah, two nephews, Richard 
 and John, and a niece, Rebecca, Nathaniel Rich- 
 ards, William Lewis, Elder John White and John 
 Talcott. William Goodwin was the neighbor 
 and friend of Thomas Hooker and was for many 
 years an elder of the church. He was one of the 
 agents who purchased Farmington from the In- 
 dians, while he also purchased large tracts of land 
 up the river. After Hooker's death he diflfered 
 with my uncle, Samuel Stone, in the management 
 of the church, and finally, with Governor Web- 
 ster, led what was known as the "Withdrawers," 
 from Hartford to Hadley. 
 
 I have always been told that this dismember- 
 ment of the church was a dark day for Hartford, 
 still those who remained, retained a kindly 
 feeling for their brethren further up the Connecti- 
 cut, as was shown by the assistance sent them 
 during the Indian wars. In my soldiering days I 
 
Memories 61 
 
 was there a number of times and on one of my 
 visits met with an adventure which will be writ- 
 ten down in its proper place. Elder Goodwin did 
 not live to see the sad days of the King Philip 
 war, as after living at South Hadley for about 
 ten years, he removed to Farmington, where he 
 died in 1673. It was in the month of March, and 
 a cold and stormy month it was. My brother 
 John and I were at his funeral and ate and drank, 
 as I remember, more than our share of the fare 
 provided for the mourners. 
 
 James Olmsted came to Hartford with his two 
 sons, two nephews and niece Rebecca. He died 
 in 1640, his place being taken in the colony by 
 his son Nathaniel, who at the age of eighteen 
 served in the Pequot war and was with Mason 
 when the fort was destroyed. He was also in the 
 King Philip war and died in 1684, His brother 
 Nehemiah removed in 1649 to Fairfield, a town 
 founded by Roger Ludlow, between New Haven 
 and the Dutch settlement at Manhattan. He died 
 in 1659. Richard, one of the nephews, was in 
 the Pequot war and also in the Sasco fight. In 
 165 1 he removed to Norwalk, where he died in 
 1684. The burying ground occupies the lot as- 
 signed Richard Olmsted. It was taken^ after it 
 
 ^January 11, 1640-1. The first settlers of Connecticut 
 commenced their year on the 25th of March. This was 
 continued in Great Britain and the American colonies 
 until 1752. 
 
62 Wadsworth 
 
 was decided not to make any more burials in the 
 Meeting House yard. John, the other nephew, 
 became a physician and surgeon. He removed to 
 Saybrook, but finally settled at Norwich. During 
 the King Philip war he was with the train bands. 
 Nathaniel Richards remained in Hartford un- 
 til 1650, when he, with a number of others, plant- 
 ed the town of Norwalk, while William Lewis 
 and John White, two of the remaining compan- 
 ions of my father on the Lion, were with the 
 "Withdrawers" who turned their backs on Hart- 
 ford in 1659. Lewis remained at South Hadley 
 until after the King Philip war, when he re- 
 moved to Farmington and died there in 1683. 
 John White returned to Hartford in 1671 and was 
 ordained ruling elder of the Second church. One 
 of his daughters married Barnabas Hinsdale, who 
 was in the company under Captain Lathrop, that 
 was killed by the Indians while marching with 
 carts laden with corn and other goods from Deer- 
 field to Hadley. Hubbard, in his "Narrative of 
 the Indian Wars," printed in Boston in 1677, says, 
 "Upon September 18 (1675) that most fatal day, 
 the saddest that ever befell New England, as the 
 company under Captain Lathrop was marching 
 along with the carts, never apprehending danger 
 so near, they were suddently set upon and almost 
 all cut off (ninety killed, teamsters included), not 
 
Memories 63 
 
 above seven or eight escaping." That night Ma- 
 jor Treat arrived at Deerfield with a company of 
 English and Mohegans. On the following day 
 he and Captain Mosely marched to the scene of 
 ambush and buried the brave men where they 
 fell. 
 
 John Talcott came from Braintree in Essex. 
 He was accompanied by his wife, Dorothy and 
 their two children, Mary and John. Like all of 
 the members of the Hooker company, they set- 
 tled at Newtown and remained there until 1636, 
 John Talcott being twice elected deputy in the 
 interval. His son, Samuel, was also born at that 
 place. John Talcott came to Hartford with 
 Hooker, and from that day to this one or more 
 members of the family have been continuously 
 chosen to represent the freemen. At the time of 
 his death, in 1660, John Talcott was an assistant 
 and treasurer of the colony. Before that he was 
 a deputy. His son, John, succeeded him as treas- 
 urer. He held the office until 1676, when he re- 
 signed to command the troops in the King Philip 
 war. I am proud to say that I have marched un- 
 der his orders. Colonel Talcott routed the In- 
 dians wherever he found them and they were as 
 much afraid of him and Major Treat as the Irish 
 are said to have been of Oliver Cromwell. 
 Throughout New England both of these men 
 
64 Wadsworfh 
 
 were known as skillful and bold soldiers. In my 
 humble way when a command came to me I tried 
 to follow in their footsteps, and now in my old 
 age I can look back and say that where I failed 
 in skill I more than balanced the loss with bold- 
 ness. 
 
 John Talcott's name appears in the charter which 
 King Charles II. gave the colony in 1662, and 
 when it was received he, with Samuel Wyllys 
 and John Allyn, were appointed by the General 
 Court to see that no harm came to it. The 
 charter was kept in a box which I have 
 been told Winthrop made with his own 
 hands in London. Whether this is true or not 
 I am not prepared to state positively, but the box^ 
 can be seen and the man who made it was not a 
 joiner. The box and the charters were for a 
 number of years deposited with John Allyn. On 
 town meeting days one of them was carried to 
 the Meeting House and read to the people. That 
 I can certify to, as I was present a number of 
 times when it was read and I was also present 
 when it was not read — but of that anon. 
 
 John Talcott died about two months after Ed- 
 mund Andros joined the government of this col- 
 ony to Massachusetts. He left a large family, 
 
 * This box is among the relics owned by the Con- 
 necticut Historical Society. 
 
Memories 65 
 
 my second wife, Elizabeth, being one of his 
 daughters, and I hope to live long enough to see 
 his son Joseph Governor of Connecticut.^ Mary, 
 the oldest daughter of John Talcott, married the 
 Rev. John Russell, of Wethersfield, in 1649. They 
 removed with the "Withdrawers," in 1659, to 
 South Hadley, where Mistress Russell died the 
 following year. Her husband remained at that 
 place and the majority of the members of his 
 church in Wethersfield followed him. It was in 
 his house that the King's Judges, William Whal- 
 ley and his son-in-law, Edward Gofife, found shel- 
 ter when they fled from Milford, and it was my 
 privilege to meet both of these good men, who 
 suffered without complaint and died in exile for 
 doing what their conscience dictated. 
 
 CROMWELL 
 
 The names of Whalley and Gofife recall a few 
 incidents in connection with my father's early 
 days in England, together with what both of 
 them told me of the history of the Cromwell fam- 
 
 ^ Captain Joseph Wadsworth lived to see Joseph Tal- 
 cott Governor of Connecticut. He died in 1630 and 
 Joseph Talcott was elected Governor in 1624 and re- 
 mained in office until 1641. 
 
66 Wadsworth 
 
 ily. Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector of 
 England, was Whalley's cousin, his father and 
 Whalley's mother being brother and sister. By 
 his skill in battle, boldness in counsel and vigor 
 in debate, Cromwell rose from a sheep farmer in 
 the fen country to a king in all but name, and 
 that what they told me may not be lost, I will 
 write it, although it is connected only incidentally 
 with the Wadsworths. 
 
 The country seat of the Cromwells was named 
 Hinchenbrook, its name being taken from the 
 brook that joins the Ouse River near Huntingdon 
 in Huntingdonshire. The estate was originally 
 a convent and after it was suppressed Sir Rich- 
 ard Cromwell,^ the founder of the family, pur- 
 
 * Sir Richard Cromwell was a son of Morgan Wil- 
 liams or Morgan ap Williams, whose father, William 
 ap Yeran, held an honorable place in the household of 
 William, Duke of Bedford, and it is said in that of his 
 nephew Henry VII. Morgan Williams married a sister 
 of Thomas Cromwell, afterwards Earl of Essex, and 
 their son upon the suggestion of Henry VIII. assumed 
 the name of his uncle. An attempt on the part of the 
 Roman Catholics in 1536 to check the progress of 
 the Reformation in the eastern counties of England 
 afforded Henry VIII. with a pretext for demolishing 
 the monasteries in that district and for disbursing their 
 revenues among his favorites and dependents. Ram- 
 sey Abbey was partly given and partly sold to Richard 
 Williams, alias Cromwell. He named it Hinchen- 
 brook. It became the home of the Cromwells and re- 
 mained in the family until Sir Oliver, impoverished by 
 the visits of royalty, was forced to sell it during the 
 reign of Charles I. to the Montagues. The crown giv- 
 
Memories 67 
 
 chased it from King Henry VIII. This Sir Rich- 
 ard was a son of a Glamorganshire squire named 
 Williams and a sister of Thomas Cromwell, 
 known in history as the "Mauler of the Monas- 
 teries," and to whom, according to Shakespeare, 
 the fallen Cardinal Woolsey said: 
 
 "Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition! 
 Had I but served my God with half the zeal 
 I served my King, he would not in mine old age 
 Have left me naked to mine enemies." 
 
 eth and the crown taketh away. Sir Henry Cromwell, 
 a son of Sir Oliver and a cousin of the Protector, 
 served in several Parliaments for Huntingdonshire, 
 voting in 1660 for the Restoration of the Monarchy, 
 and as he knew that the name of Cromwell would not 
 be acceptable at court he discarded it and assumed 
 that of Williams, and he is so styled in a list of 
 Knights of the proposed order of the Royal Oak. He 
 died at Huntingdon August 3, 1673. On March 22, 
 1663, Pepys referred to him in his Diary as "Colonel 
 Williams, Cromwell that was." Thomas Fuller, in 
 the second volume of his Church History of Great 
 Britain, says that Richard Williams, alias Cromwell, 
 the founder of the family, was one of five who in the 
 thirty-second year of Henry VIII. made the bold 
 challenge at jousts to all comers that would, in France, 
 Flanders, Scotland and Spain. He came into the place 
 an esquire, but departed a Knight, dubbed by the King 
 for his valor, clearly carrying away the credit; over- 
 throwing Mr. Palmer in the field at jousts in one day, 
 and the next serving Mr. Culpepper at barriers in the 
 same manner. Heretofore there goeth a tradition in 
 the family, that King Henry was highly pleased with 
 his prowess. "Formerly," said he, "thou wast my 
 Dick, but hereafter thou shalt be my Diamond," and 
 thereat let fall his diamond ring upon him. In avow- 
 ance thereof these Cromwells have ever since given 
 for their crest "a lion holding a diamond ring in his 
 forepaw." 
 
68 Wadsworth 
 
 Thomas Cromwell defended Woolsey with so 
 much spirit that King Henry VIII.'s attention 
 was called to him. This laid the foundation of his 
 favor with the King, who in six years conferred 
 on him the titles Vicar General, Lord Cromwell 
 and Earl of Essex, and finally sent him to the 
 scaffold. During the period of prosperity his 
 nephew was knighted and at the suggestion of the 
 king adopted the name of his distinguished uncle, 
 although up to the time of the Protector all of 
 the important family papers were signed Crom- 
 well, alias Williams. In his day Sir Richard also 
 made a name for himself at Court by his skill at 
 arms, one of his most brilliant exploits being in a 
 tournament at Westminster, on May Day, in 
 1540, when he defended the honor and rights of 
 the English king against the challenges from 
 France, Flanders, Scotland and Spain. 
 
 Sir Richard left Hinchenbrook to his son 
 Henry. He was held in high regard by Queen 
 Elizabeth, who knighted him and did him further 
 honor by lodging at Hinchenbrook while return- 
 ing from a visit to the University at Cambridge. 
 Sir Henry completed the manor house and spent 
 the money which his father acquired in the cru- 
 sades against the monasteries and convents, so 
 lavishly that he was known as the "Golden 
 Knight." He died in 1603, leaving six sons and 
 
3Iemories 69 
 
 three daughters. Of the latter, Joan became Lady 
 Barrington, Elizabeth the mother of John Hamp- 
 den, and Frances the mother of William Whalley, 
 upon whom Oliver Cromwell leaned in war and 
 peace. Of the sons, Oliver inherited Hinchen- 
 brook, Robert settled in Huntingdon and married 
 Widow Lynne, nee Elizabeth Steward, and in 
 time became the father of Oliver Cromwell, the 
 Lord Protector. A daughter of Henry, the third 
 son, married Oliver St. John, the lawyer who de- 
 fended John Hampden in the ship money trial and 
 who afterwards became one of the strong men 
 in the commonwealth. Philip, the fourth son, 
 was knighted by King James, at Whitehall, 
 while his sons fought for and against King 
 Charles in the Revolution, two being with the 
 Parliament and one with the Cavaliers. Neither 
 Richard or Ralph, the remaining sons, made much 
 stir in the world, although Richard was sent to 
 Parliament from Huntingdon in Queen Elizabeth's 
 time, but members were not permitted to say much 
 in those days. 
 
 In April, 1603, about four months after Sir 
 Henry's death. King James lodged two nights at 
 Hinchenbrook. He was at the time traveling 
 from Scotland to ascend the English throne, and 
 in return for the splendid entertainment of him- 
 self and retinue, the third member of the Crom- 
 
70 Wadsworth 
 
 well family was knighted. The following year 
 in September another member of the Stuart fam- 
 ily lodged at Hinchenbrook. The guest on this 
 occasion was Charles, the second son of King 
 James and then known as Duke of York. On the 
 morning after his arrival Robert Cromwell and 
 his wife,^ who was proud of her connection with 
 
 * Genealogists have shown that Oliver Cromwell and 
 Charles I. were distantly related. Both of them were 
 descended from Alexander, the Lord High Steward 
 of Scotland. He had three sons, James, John and 
 Andrew. James succeeded to the hereditary office of 
 his father and transmitted it on his death to his son 
 Walter, who brought the Scottish crown into the fam- 
 ily by marrying Margery, the eldest daughter of Rob- 
 ert Bruce and heiress of his brother David, who died 
 without issue. Their son was Robert II., King of 
 Scotland, the line of succession from him to Charles 
 I. being through Robert III., James I., James II., 
 James III., James IV., James V., Mary and James VI., 
 who was James I. of England and father of Charles 
 I. The second branch of Alexander's descendants 
 through his son are known in history as the Earls 
 and Dukes of Lennox, and was joined with the royal 
 line when Lord Darnley married Mary, Queen of 
 Scots, whose only child was the first of the ill-fated 
 Stuarts to ascend the throne of England. Andrew, 
 the third son, lived at Dundavale. His grandson was 
 appointed one of the attendants of James I. when he 
 was sent to France to evade the intrigues of his uncle, 
 the Duke of Albany. The vessel in which they sailed 
 was driven on the English coast and Henry IV. de- 
 tained the prince and his suite as prisoners. Growing 
 restless under restraint this member of the Steward 
 family, whose name was John, consented to fix his 
 residence in England if released. He married advan- 
 tageously and was knighted. Elizabeth Steward, the 
 mother of Oliver Cromwell, traced to this grandson of 
 
Memories 71 
 
 the Stuart family, although it was rather remote, 
 called at Hinchenbrook, taking their son Oliver, 
 then a rugged boy of five years, with them. The 
 boys met and were soon on good terms, as 
 neither of them had arrived at the age which 
 places a barrier between the reigning family and 
 a subject. While romping on the green in front 
 of the manor house they quarreled and before the 
 Prince's attendants could interfere Oliver made 
 the blood flow from the Duke of York's nose. As 
 soon as they were separated Oliver was hur- 
 ried away in disgrace, while the Prince proceeded 
 to London. In time he became King Charles I, 
 while Oliver grew up at Huntingdon, attended 
 Dr. Beard's school and was eventually taken to 
 
 Alexander, Lord High Steward of Scotland, through 
 William Steward, Archibald Steward, Richard Steward, 
 Thomas Steward, and Sir John Steward. When Hen- 
 ry VIII. suppressed the monasteries one of the Stew- 
 ards was prior of Ely. Like his first ancestor in Eng- 
 land he preferred a good living to the stings of adver- 
 sity and became the first Protestant Dean of Ely. 
 Thomas Steward succeeded his father William Steward. 
 He was knighted by King James in 1604 and farmed 
 the tithes of Ely until January, 1635-6, when he died, his 
 sister's son, Oliver Cromwell, being his principal heir. 
 Had the Lord Protector accepted Charles II. 's offer 
 to marry his daughter Frances the third branch would 
 have been joined to the royal line. In that event the 
 remark of James V. that the crown came with a lass 
 and would go with a lass, as it actually did, might have 
 been forgotten with the thousand and one prophecies 
 which fail to materialize. 
 
72 Wadsworth 
 
 Cambridge by his father. When Oliver and 
 Charles again met face to face, the latter was on 
 trial for his life and Cromwell was one of his 
 Judges. 
 
 Upon the death of his father in 1617, Oliver left 
 Cambridge and returned to Huntingdon to assist 
 his mother in looking after their estate and in 
 rearing his six sisters. At the time he was a bold 
 resolute blade who had few equals at cudgeling 
 and quarterstafif, and a temper that would flare 
 up at the least provocation. He never made any 
 friends, but was ever ready to have a bout with 
 anyone of his years in Huntingdon or the sur- 
 rounding villages, and there were few who 
 bothered him after the first encounter. From 
 the day that he quarreled with Prince Charles at 
 Hinchenbrook, strange tales were told of Oliver 
 Cromwell, many an old wife in the fen country, 
 where witches^ abounded, shaking their heads with 
 
 ' Of all the manias which have affected the English 
 speaking race the one against witchcraft has left the 
 blackest mark. The extent to which it was carried 
 by enlightened fanatics, the majority of whom were 
 men of influence, although for some reason none of 
 them were tainted with it, can be gathered from the 
 laws enacted and the penalties imposed. In 1559 
 Bishop Jewell, while preaching before Elizabeth, called 
 attention to the marvellous increase of witches and 
 sorceresses and petitioned the Queen to have laws im- 
 posed against them. In accordance with the good 
 man's wishes, in 1562 at the next session of Parlia- 
 ment, a bill was passed making enchantment and 
 
Memories 73 
 
 awe as they told of the gigantic figure that ap- 
 peared to him in a vision and said he would be 
 
 witchcraft a felony. A number of what were termed 
 witches, but in the majority of cases helpless old men, 
 women and even children, were convicted under it, three 
 being hanged at Warboise in Huntingdonshire in 
 1593- Under James I., who had before leaving Scot- 
 land assisted in the execution of several warlocks and 
 witches, this law was amended so as to make witch- 
 craft punishable by death and without the benefit of 
 the clergy. This law was not repealed until 1735, the 
 last execution under it being in 1722, when an old 
 woman was burned at the stake in the north of Scot- 
 land. At Chelmsford in Essex in 1645 there were thir- 
 ty tried at once by Judge Coniers and fourteen of them 
 hanged, and a hundred or more detained in prisons in 
 Suffolk and Essex. In 1716 a woman and her nine- 
 year-old daughter were hanged at Huntingdon, the 
 town in which Cromwell was born, and he in all prob- 
 ability witnessed the execution, for selling their souls 
 to the devil and raising a storm by pulling off their 
 stockings. 
 
 To Hartford, Connecticut, belongs the doubtful 
 honor of killing the first witch in America. In 1646 a 
 person of Windsor was put to death on the charge of 
 witchcraft at Hartford. No circumstances have been 
 found nor the name of the sufferer. June 15, 1648, 
 Maynard Jones of Charlestown was hanged in Bos- 
 ton and on December 7 of the same year Mary Johns- 
 ton of Windsor was hanged at Hartford on Rocky 
 Hill, the present site of Trinity College. In 1662-3 
 Nathaniel Greensmith and his wife Rebecca were tried 
 for witchcraft and convicted in Hartford. Nathaniel 
 Greensmith was executed January 25, 1662-3. There 
 is no entry to show whether the woman was hanged 
 or not. By the above it will be seen that all the 
 witches in America were not executed at Salem, Mass., 
 where in the delusion of 1692, of one hundred and 
 thirty person accused, seventeen were hanged on Gal- 
 lows Hill and eleven others were condemned to death, 
 but did not suffer. 
 
74 Wadswoith 
 
 the greatest man in England,^ a visitation in itself 
 more wonderful than the phantom ship at New- 
 Haven. 
 
 As Oliver grew to man's estate the burdens of 
 his uncle became heavier, until finally he was 
 forced to sell Hinchenbrook to the Montagues 
 and retire deeper into the fens. Oliver also dis- 
 posed of his father's holdings in Huntingdon and 
 removed to St. Ives where he became a sheep 
 farmer. He was living there when my father 
 sailed from London in 1632 for America. Long 
 before these changes were made, my father ac- 
 companied Oliver on one of his trips to London, 
 
 ^ The vision or dream in which Oliver Cromwell was 
 told that he should be the greatest man in England 
 made an impression that remained through life. As 
 with Napoleon, it became his star of destiny even after 
 being flogged by Dr. Beard for repeating it and being 
 told by his uncle Sir Thomas Steward that such 
 thoughts were traitorous. Noble says that Crom- 
 well mentioned it often when in the height of his 
 glory and Clarendon in his History of the Rebellion 
 and Civil War in England says that during the delib- 
 eration which took place when an offer of the crown 
 was made him, they who were near to him said that 
 in this perplexity he mentioned his former dream or 
 apparition that had first found and promised him this 
 high future to which he was already arrived and which 
 was generally spoken of even from the beginning of 
 the troubles, and when he was not in a position that 
 promised such exaltation; and that he then observed, 
 it had only declared that he should be the greatest 
 man in England and that he should be near to a King, 
 which seemed to imply that he should be only near, 
 and never actually attain the crown. 
 
OLIVER CROMWELL 
 
Memories 77 
 
 where he was married in 1620 to Elizabeth Bour- 
 chier. While casting about for employment he 
 met Daniel Gookin, with whom he sailed for Vir- 
 ginia. After returning to England he married 
 and settled in Essex at Braintree, where he re- 
 mained until he and his four children, their 
 mother being dead, embarked on the Lion. 
 
 My mother before marriage was Elizabeth Stone, 
 whom father married in Hartford in 1644. She told 
 me that before leaving England he traveled to St. 
 Ives, where he visited Oliver Cromwell and asked his 
 sister Elizabeth to accompany him to America as 
 his wife. She would not come unless the family did, 
 and for several years they were expected. Whalley 
 told me she never married. It is also well known in 
 Connecticut that Oliver Cromwell intended to come 
 to New England with John Hampden and others in- 
 terested in the Warwick patent, a plot of land hav- 
 ing been prepared for them at the mouth of the 
 river, now known as Saybrook.^ When on the ship 
 
 ' John Morley, in his Oliver Cromwell, says "There 
 is no substance in this fable, though so circumstantially 
 related; that in 1636 in company with his cousin 
 Hampden, despairing of his country, he took passage 
 for America and the vessel was stopped by an order 
 in council. All probabilities are against it, and there 
 is no evidence for it. While it is creditable enough in 
 Clarendon's story that five years later, on the day when 
 the Grand Remonstrance was passed, Cromwell whis- 
 pered to Falkland 'That if the Remonstrance had been 
 rejected he would have sold all he had the next morn- 
 
78 Wadsworth 
 
 they were stopped by an order from the King who 
 had reason to repent not letting them go to the wilds 
 of America. 
 
 In the war that followed, Oliver Cromwell and 
 those associated with him in the Commonwealth, 
 did not forget those who had crossed the ocean. 
 John Mason was one of the leaders remembered. 
 He was offered a major-generalship if he would re- 
 turn and enter the Parliamentary army, but he de- 
 cided to remain in the colony. Israel Stoughton, 
 who commanded the Massachusetts forces in the 
 Pequot war, returned and was given a regiment in 
 
 ing and never have seen England more,' and he knew 
 there w^ere many other honest men of the same reso- 
 lution." (Clarendon's History of Rebellion and Civil 
 War in England.) The histories published in the 
 eighteenth century refer to this as a fact. Hutchin- 
 son in his History of Massachusetts Bay says, "In 
 1635 there was a great addition made to the number 
 of inhabitants, among others Mr. Vane, afterwards Sir 
 Harry Vane, * * * * and many other persons of 
 figure and distinction were expected to come over, 
 some of which are said to have been prevented by 
 express order of the King, as Mr. Pym, Mr. Hampden, 
 Sir Arthur Hazelrigg, Oliver Cromwell, etc. I know 
 that this is questioned by some others, but it appears 
 very plainly by a letter from Lord Say and Seal, to 
 Mr. Vane and a letter from Mr. Cotton to the same 
 nobleman as I take it, although his name is not men- 
 tioned, and an answer to certain demands made upon 
 him, that his Lordship himself and Lord Brooke and 
 others were not without thought of removing to New 
 England and that several others persons of quality 
 were in treaty about their removal also, but undeter- 
 mined whether to join th** Massachusetts colony or to 
 settle in a new colony." 
 
Memories 79 
 
 Cromwell's army, while after peace was established 
 and Cromwell was in the saddle Samuel Disborow/ 
 one of the founders of Guilford, married Dorothy 
 Whitfield, sailed with her father for England and in 
 time became Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland. 
 
 ^ Samuel Disborow was born in the manor at Ettisley 
 in Cambridgeshire, November 20, 1619. He was the 
 third surviving son of James Disborow, who married 
 Jane, sister of Oliver Cromwell, and was one of the 
 Judges appointed to try Charles I. Samuel Disborow 
 studied law with his brother John, who was a bar- 
 rister, before he entered the Parliamentary army. In 
 1639 he decided to sail for America and in May of that 
 year when two vessels sailed from London, he was on 
 board with Henry Whitfield of Ockley, William Leete, 
 a London lawyer, and thirty-seven sturdy farmers 
 from Kent and Surrey. After a voyage of forty-nine 
 days they landed at New Haven and in September of 
 that year founded Guilford. In that year Whitfield 
 built both for the accommodation of his family and 
 as a fortification for the protection of the inhabitants 
 against the Indians, what is now known as the "Old 
 Stone House of Guilford," supposed to be the oldest 
 dwelling house now standing in the United States. 
 Samuel Disborow was the first person appointed Mag- 
 istrate in Guilford. He retained the office until 1651, 
 when after marrying Dorothy Whitfield he sailed for 
 England to rise to power with Cromwell. In a short 
 time Samuel Disborow became Commissioner of the 
 Revenues and member of Parliament for Edinburgh. 
 He was then appointed one of the Nine Counsellors 
 of the Kingdom of Scotland and soon after keeper of 
 the Great Seal of Scotland. After the Restoration he 
 accepted the pardon offered by Charles II. to a large 
 class of Puritans and by so doing saved for himself 
 his manor at Ellsworth, where he died aged seventy- 
 five, December 10, 1690. In 1651, Henry Whitfield 
 also returned to England, where he became one of the 
 Commissioners of the Revenues and in 1655 repre- 
 sented the City of Edinburgh in Parliament. 
 
80 Wadsworth 
 
 THE REGICIDES 
 
 Mention has been made in these pages of the 
 King's Judges, Whalley and Goife, both of 
 whom died in my brother-in-law's house at 
 Hadley, after being secreted there from 1664, 
 when they were compelled to leave Milford 
 on account of a commission arriving in Bos- 
 ton with instructions to find the Regicides, 
 both of whom were known to be hiding in the colony 
 of New Haven. Having met and conversed with 
 both of these men while they were in John Russell's 
 house, which also for a time sheltered a third Judge, 
 John Dixwell, who eventually went on to New 
 Haven, where he lived until 1688, the year James 
 n. was driven from the throne and Sir Edmund An- 
 dros' government in New England was overthrown, 
 I will write what I know of them as well as the 
 adventures and trials which they had to contend 
 with until death released them from confinement 
 and raised the possibility of being arrested for 
 treason from the shoulders of those who sheltered 
 them. 
 
 Edward Whalley was a merchant when the re- 
 bellion broke out in England. Entering the army 
 he soon distinguished himself in many battles and 
 sieges. At Naseby, where he fought under Crom- 
 well, he charged and defeated two divisions of Lang- 
 
 i 
 
Memories 81 
 
 dale's horse and for which ParHament made him a 
 Colonel of horse. He also received the thanks of 
 the Parliament for his brilliant action at Banbury 
 the following year. When King Charles was de- 
 tained at Hampton Court, Whalley had charge of 
 him and as near as I can learn permitted him to 
 escape in the hope that he would leave England. 
 The King fled to the Isle of Wight, where he was 
 confined in Carisbrook Castle and was eventually 
 taken to London, where he was tried and executed. 
 
 William Goffe was born at Stanmore in Sussex. 
 His father was a minister and paid great attention 
 to the education of his three sons. Stephen and 
 John were sent to the University and as William did 
 not develop a fondness for books he was appren- 
 ticed to Vaughn, a Salter in London. John became 
 a clergyman of the established church and Stephen, 
 acted as agent for Charles H. in France, Flanders 
 and Holland, turned priest and became chaplain to 
 Queen Henrietta Maria. While at Vaughn's, 
 William Goffe had ample opportunity to learn of 
 the stand which the Parliament was taking against 
 the King, and being imbued with the Puritan ideas 
 of his father, as well as the martial spirit of the 
 times, when the war broke out he entered the army. 
 
 In the camp GoflFe excelled as a prayer maker and 
 preacher, while in the field his boldness and skill 
 with the sword soon earned promotion. He was 
 
82 Wadsworth 
 
 one of the first to proclaim that Charles Stuart 
 should be brought to account for the blood he had 
 shed and when the commission of one hundred and 
 thirty judges was appointed to try the king, his 
 name was on the list. George Fenwick, who re- 
 turned to England from Saybrook the year before, 
 was also named as a judge. Of the one hundred 
 and thirty selected seventy-four sat in judgment 
 and fifty-nine signed the death warrant, Edward 
 Whalley's name being fourth, those preceding him 
 being John Bradshaw, Thomas Grey and Oliver 
 Cromwell. 
 
 When the King came to his own again in 1660, 
 according to a journal kept by Goffe and what I 
 have learned since his death, twenty-four of the 
 Judges, or Regicides as they were designated by the 
 Royalists, were dead, twenty-seven were taken, tried 
 and convicted, some of them being pardoned, while 
 nine, with five others who were prominent in the 
 affairs of the Commonwealth, were executed. Six- 
 teen fled and escaped. Of the latter, Whalley, Goffe 
 and Dixwell died in New England, one shot him- 
 self in Holland and one was assassinated. What 
 became of the others is unknown. 
 
 Whalley and Goffe sailed from London before 
 Charles II. was proclaimed King and arrived in 
 Boston July 27, 1660. They were received very 
 courteously by Governor Endicott and went on to 
 
Memories 83 
 
 Cambridge, where they resided while in that vicin- 
 ity. Their grave and devout manners commanded 
 the respect of all who were aware of the rank they 
 sustained under the Commonwealth and toward 
 which all of the inhabitants of New England had a 
 leaning, while Goffe made all Boston ring with his 
 praises by giving a vain fencing master an unmer- 
 ciful drubbing. This impudent fellow erected a 
 stage near the common and walked it for several 
 days challenging any one to play at swords with 
 him. Rumors of his boasting reached Cambridge. 
 Goffe for a lark disguised himself as a rustic and 
 armed with a broom stick, the mop of which he had 
 besmeared in a dirty puddle of water, and a cheese 
 wrapped in a napkin for a shield, mounted the stage 
 and offered to fight him. The fencing master bade 
 him begone, but Goffe insisted upon an encounter. 
 Aggravated by the cheers of a crowd which gath- 
 ered quickly, the fencing master made a pass at him 
 with his sword to drive him off. Goffe received 
 the sword in the cheese and held it there until he 
 drew the mop of the broom across his antagonist's 
 mouth. Breaking loose he made another attack only 
 to have the sword again stopped in the cheese, while 
 the broom was this time drawn over his eyes. At a 
 third lunge Goffe stopped him in the same manner, 
 while he rubbed the mop all over the boaster's face. 
 Exasperated by the treatment, the fencing master 
 
84 Wadsworth 
 
 dropped his small sword and rushed on Goffe with 
 a broadsword, swinging it over his head like a 
 Scotchman. Gofife who had nothing but a broom to 
 defend himself with, held up his hand and bade him 
 stop with so much firmness and determination that 
 he stood with the sword in the air. Upon this the 
 Judge reminded him that he was only playing with 
 him, but that if it came to broadswords he would 
 take his life. Dropping his sword the fencing mas- 
 ter asked the rustic who he was and as he did not 
 receive an answer he said, "You are either Goffe, 
 Whalley or the devil, as no other man in England 
 could beat me." Goflfe stepped from the stage and 
 disappeared, but it was not long before every one 
 knew the name of the man who had clipped the 
 wings of the boasting fencing master.^ 
 
 The notoriety which GofYe acquired by this per- 
 formance attracted the attention of a man named 
 Brudan, the captain of a vessel lying in the harbor. 
 On his return to London he told where Goffe and 
 Whalley were and as soon as the Court learned of it 
 steps were taken to apprehend them. In the interval 
 the Act of Indemnity was received and as neither of 
 them were excepted the Governor was alarmed. He 
 called the Court of Assistants together in February 
 to consult about securing them, but the Court would 
 
 ' History of the Three Judges of Charles I., by Ezra 
 Stiles. 
 
Memories 85 
 
 not agree to it. Finding it unsafe to remain 
 longer, Whalley and Goffe left Cambridge on 
 February 26, 1661, and arrived at New Haven, 
 Harch 7, having stopped at Springfield and Hart- 
 ford on the way. A few days after their depart- 
 ure a hue and cry was brought by way of Bar- 
 badoes and on March 8 a warrant was issued to 
 apprehend them. It was sent to Springfield, the 
 western boundary of the Massachusetts colony, 
 but the Judges were beyond the reach of it. 
 
 Finally on May 7, Governor Endicott gave 
 Thomas Kellond and Thomas Kirk an order to 
 make a search for Colonels Goflfe and Whalley. 
 They left Boston that night and on May 10 arrived 
 at Hartford, where they were informed by Gov- 
 ernor Winthrop that the men they were seeking 
 had been there, but had gone on to New Haven. The 
 following afternoon Kellond and Kirk were at Guil- 
 ford, where William Leete,^ the Deputy Governor, 
 
 ' William Leete was born in Huntingdonshire, Eng- 
 land, in 1613, his home being nine mile from Crom- 
 well's, while he was a neighbor of Samuel Disborow, 
 with whom he and Henry Whitfield were associated 
 in founding Guilford. He was bred to the law and 
 while serving as clerk of the Bishop's court at Cam- 
 bridge he observed the cruelties to which the Puritans 
 were subjected. After examining their doctrine he 
 adopted it, resigned office and in 1639, when twenty- 
 six years old, sailed for New England. During his 
 residence in Guilford he was a party to almost every 
 public transaction, being clerk of the town for twenty- 
 two years, magistrate from 1651, the years that Dis- 
 
86 Wadsworth 
 
 resided. Upon their arrival they presented a letter 
 from Governor Endicott and a copy of His Majes- 
 ty's order to apprehend the Regicides. Leete, who 
 was at the time acting Governor of the colony, 
 Francis Newman, having died in November of the 
 preceding year, read both papers aloud so that every 
 one in his store could hear their contents. When 
 Kellond and Kirk objected to such a course he told 
 them that he had not seen the Colonels for nine 
 weeks and that he would not issue an order to search 
 and apprehend without consulting the magistrates, 
 Matthew Gilbert, Robert Treat and Jasper Crane. 
 Both Kellond and Kirk demanded horses to con- 
 tinue their journey, but as it was Saturday and the 
 sun had set, further action had to remain in abey- 
 ance until after the Sabbath. 
 
 borow returned to England, until 1658, when he was 
 elected Deputy-Governor of the Colony of New Haven. 
 When Governor Newman died William Leete was 
 chosen to succeed him and remained in office until 
 1664, when the New Haven Colony was united with 
 Connecticut. In the Connecticut government he 
 served as magistrate from 1664 to 1669, as Deputy- 
 Governor from 1669 to 1676, and Governor from 1676 
 until his death April 16, 1683. When elected governor 
 he removed to Hartford, where he died and was buried 
 in the burying ground of the First Church. For over 
 forty years his acts as an official met with the ap- 
 proval of the freemen he represented. No greater 
 tribute could be paid a man. The Regicide incident 
 shows him to have been a man of great courage as in 
 tacitly favoring the concealment and escape of Whal- 
 ley and Goflfe he risked his life and all he owned. 
 
 J 
 
Memories 87 
 
 In the interval a swift-footed Indian was dis- 
 patched to New Haven to warn the Judges as well 
 as Rev. John Davenport^ and William Jones,^ who 
 had given them shelter from the time of their arri- 
 val, except for a day or two, when they walked over 
 to Milford in order to make the gossips report that 
 they had gone on to Manhadoes (Manhattan) to take 
 
 'John Davenport was born at Coventry, England, 
 in 1597. He was educated at Oxford and began preach- 
 ing in London in 1616. In 1624 he was appointed 
 vicar of St. Stephen. While Bishop of London, Laud 
 regarded him with suspicion, and when he became 
 Archbishop of Canterbury in 1633, Davenport fled to 
 Holland. While in Amsterdam he formed the idea 
 of establishing a colony in New England and in 1636, 
 with that object in view, he returned to London. After 
 consulting with his former parishioners he prevailed 
 upon Samuel Eaton, Theophilus Eaton, Edward Hop- 
 kins, Thomas Grigson, and many others of good char- 
 acter and fortune, to embark in the enterprise. They 
 arrived in Boston June 26, 1637, and after remaining 
 there for nine months, while engaged in selecting a 
 site for the colony, they sailed, on March 30, 1638, for 
 Quinnipiack. In about a fortnight they arrived at the 
 desired port, which was named New Haven. John 
 Davenport remained there until 1667, when he re- 
 turned to Boston. He died March 11, 1670. It was 
 Davenport's influence and courage that saved Whal- 
 ley and Gofife, while his interest in them may in a 
 great measure be attributed to the fact that he was a 
 brother-in-law of the Rev. William Hood, who was 
 in 1644 ordained reader of the church at New Haven. 
 He returned to England and was afterwards a chap- 
 lain to Oliver Cromwell. 
 
 'At the time the Regicides were in New Haven, Wil- 
 liam Jones was a new comer. He married as a sec- 
 ond wife Hannah, the youngest daughter of Gov. Ea- 
 ton, in London in 1659, and arrived in New Haven 
 
Wadsworth 
 
 shipping for Holland. Under receipt of this news 
 they slipped out of town and hid in a mill, while on 
 the following day John Davenport preached from 
 Isaiah XVI, 3 and 4. "Take counsel, execute judg- 
 ment, make thy shadow as the night in the midst of 
 noonday ; hide the outcasts, betray not him that 
 wandereth. Let mine outcasts dwell with thee; 
 Moab, be thou a covet to them from the face of the 
 spoiler." 
 
 Before break of day on Monday, John Megges 
 came from Guilford and told that the "red coats" 
 were after the Judges and that Dennis Scranton had 
 told where they were in hiding. Also when Magis- 
 trate Matthew Gilbert received notice from Deputy 
 Governor Leete, advising him that a meeting would 
 be held that day to decide what steps should be 
 taken in issuing an order to search and apprehend 
 Colonels Whalley and Goflfe, the Marshal, Thomas 
 Kimberly, decided to take the bull by the horns and 
 seize them as traitors. Knowing that both of them 
 had been seen near the neck bridge he rose before 
 
 with his wife in the fall of 1660, when they took 
 possession of Governor Eaton's estate and lived in his 
 house, which was opposite Mr. Davenport's. The Ea- 
 ton house was the finest in New Haven, having nine- 
 teen fireplaces and many apartments. The Davenport 
 house is described as having thirteen fireplaces and 
 many apartments. William Jones was a son of John 
 Jones, one of the King's Judges. He was Deputy- 
 Governor of Connecticut from 1692 to 1697. 
 
Memories 89 
 
 the break of day and going there lay in wait. Near 
 midday he saw both of them coming towards him. 
 Each had a stout staff, but so far as he could see it 
 was all that they had to defend themselves with. 
 Drawing his sword he rushed out and demanded 
 their surrender in the name of King Charles. 
 Whalley asked for his authority. Waving his sword 
 in front of them, the Marshal told them that it was 
 his authority to proceed against traitors. Before he 
 had the words out of his mouth Goffe, with nothing 
 but a staff, whipped the sword out of Kimberly's 
 hand and sent it flying into the water. With a 
 threat that he would return to New Haven and se- 
 cure sufficient aid to arrest them, Kimberly de- 
 parted, while Whalley and Goffe hid under the 
 bridge, believing that a searching party would pass 
 on instead of making an examination so near the 
 scene of the encounter. While lying there they 
 heard horses approaching and after they had 
 passed over the bridge they saw that the riders 
 wore the King's red coats which their old leader, 
 Oliver Cromwell, introduced into the English 
 army. 
 
 As soon as the riders disappeared on the road to 
 New Haven both Whalley and Goffe started 
 towards Guilford, skirting the road whenever pos- 
 sible or disappearing in the bushes if they saw a 
 traveler approaching, and there were not very many 
 
90 Wadsworth 
 
 of them in those days. At a bend of the road about 
 an hour after they left the bridge they saw a horse 
 and rider coming. Concealed behind a clump of 
 bushes they watched him. As he drew near both 
 of them recognized William Leete. BeUeving they 
 could trust him they stepped to the side of the road 
 and stood uncovered as he passed by. A sad smile 
 was their only greeting, but in it they saw safety so 
 far as he was concerned and they also felt they 
 could trust Jasper Crane of Branford, who soon 
 galloped by and joined Leete near the foot of the 
 hill. That night both Whalley and Goffe returned 
 to New Haven and slept in Governor Eaton's cham- 
 ber. 
 
 Deputy Governor Leete and Jasper Crane rode on 
 to New Haven, where the Magistrates and the four 
 Judges of the New Haven Court convened. For 
 five or six hours they were on the point of issuing 
 a warrant, and part of it was written when Matthew 
 Gilbert and Robert Treat, the Magistrate for Mil- 
 ford, arrived and stopped it. They suggested that 
 the question be referred to the Assembly, which 
 was called and convened within four days. 
 
 When advised that the Deputy-Governor and his 
 assistants would take no action in the matter, Kel- 
 lond and Kirk expostulated, threatened and even 
 went so far as to state that the Judges were hidden 
 in either the Davenport or Jones house. This was 
 
Memories 91 
 
 what Dennis Scranton had told them at Guilford, 
 and when they made the statement they were given 
 permission to search both houses, which they did 
 without finding any traces of the fugitives. As they 
 were returning disappointed, an Indian who had 
 heard of a reward offered for information, told 
 them that both of the Regicides had been seen in 
 New Haven that morning (May 14) and that they 
 were concealed in the home of Mrs. Eyers,^ who 
 had a grand house with four porches, on the creek. 
 Kcllond and Kirk went to the house in haste and 
 on reaching it found all of the doors open and Mrs. 
 Eyers busy in her flower garden. When asked if 
 the Regicides were there she answered that they had 
 been there, but had gone into the fields and woods. 
 Notwithstanding her fine words they insisted on 
 searching the house and she allowed them to pro- 
 ceed, but they were again unsuccessful. Years after 
 it was learned that Whalley and Goffe came to her 
 house that morning from Jones's and were concealed 
 while the search was being made in a large wains- 
 cotted closet in the kitchen. This closet had a door 
 
 * Mrs. Eyers was a daughter of Isaac Allerton, a Bos- 
 ton sea captain who settled in New Haven. Her hus- 
 band was also a sea captain who sailed up the Medi- 
 terranean. Both her father and husband were lost at 
 sea, leaving her a young widow with two children. 
 She inherited her father's, brother's and husband's es- 
 tates. She never married again and died in 1740, be- 
 ing over one hundred years old. 
 
92 Wadsworth 
 
 which AA'hen shut could not be distinguished from 
 the wall and all over it on the outside was hung 
 the kitchen furniture. 
 
 As soon as Kellond and Kirk departed the Judges 
 fled to the woods, where they lay concealed until 
 joined by Jones, Burril and Richard Sperry,^ who 
 conducted them to the house of the latter on Mr. 
 Goodyear's farm behind the West Rock. They 
 had been in this asylum only a few hours when the 
 red coats of their pursuers were seen coming up a 
 long corduroy road which led through a morass. 
 Rushing from the house into the woods of the ad- 
 joining hill they concealed themselves behind Savin 
 Rock. When Kellond and Kirk came to the house 
 and asked for the Regicides they were told that they 
 had been there, but had gone into the woods. Being 
 without authority to search or apprehend they de- 
 parted and went on to Manhadoes (Manhatten), 
 going from there to Boston by sea. 
 
 Whalley and Gofife slept that night under a bower 
 made of bushes and on the following day entered 
 the cave on the West Rock, where they remained 
 
 ^ Richard Sperry was a farmer brought from Eng- 
 land by Mr. Goodyear, a wealthy merchant who had 
 purchased from the town of New Haven a farm of 
 over a thousand acres and located beyond the West 
 Rock. Goodyear built Sperry a house on the place 
 and subsequently sold him the farm, which remained 
 in the possession of the Sperry family for over a cen- 
 tury. 
 
Memories 93 
 
 until June ii, Richard Sperry supplying them with 
 food from his house about a mile away. On the 
 night of June ii a panther or catamount put his 
 head into the door of the cave and affrighted them 
 so that they fled to Sperry's house for shelter. Upon 
 their arrival they learned of the report which Kel- 
 lond and Kirk had made to Governor Endicott upon 
 their return to Boston, and that their friends, the 
 Rev. John Davenport, William Jones and William 
 Leete, who was on May 29 chosen Governor of the 
 colony of New Haven, were in danger of being 
 charged with sheltering and aiding in the escape 
 of traitors. Upon receipt of this news both of them 
 started for New Haven, where after consulting bv 
 proxy with Matthew Gilbert, who was then Deputy 
 Governor, they sent a messenger to Guilford with 
 advice to Governor Leete that they were coming 
 there to surrender. Both Davenport and Jones did 
 what they could to dissuade them from taking this 
 step, and when they were unable to make them 
 change their minds they decided to accompany them 
 in the hope that something might happen on the 
 journe}' to keep them from making the sacrifice. 
 At the edge of the town they met their messenger 
 returning in company with Dr. Bryan Rossiter.' 
 The latter bade Whalley and Goffe go with him, 
 
 ' Dr. Bryan Rossiter purchased Samuel Disborow's 
 place on October 16, 1651. 
 
94 Wadsworth 
 
 while their companions proceeded to Governor 
 Leete's house and slept there. For nine days the 
 Judges remained in Guilford and in all that time 
 the Governor refused to see them. During the day 
 they were concealed in a stone cellar under Leete's 
 store on the bank of the river, their victuals being 
 carried to them from the Governor's table. Under 
 cover of night they walked to Rossiter's house to 
 sleep. 
 
 Finally their friends prevailed on them to recede 
 from their determination to surrender and they re- 
 turned to New Haven, where after appearing pub- 
 licly for three or four days in order to clear Daven- 
 port and Jones from the suspicion of sheltering 
 them, they returned to the cave on the West Rock, 
 wandering about from there to Totoket (Branford), 
 Paugasset (Derby) and other places of shelter until 
 August 19, when they repaired to Mil ford, where 
 one Tomkins had prepared a hiding place for them 
 in the center of the town. It was a two story build- 
 ing, twenty feet square, located within a few feet 
 of Tomkins' house. The lower room was built of 
 stone and considered a store room, while the up- 
 per room was finished in timber and used as a 
 spinning and work room by Tomkins' family. 
 Whalley and GoflFe remained in the lower room 
 of this building for two years without so much as 
 going into the orchard. After that, when the 
 
Memories 95 
 
 New Haven people had apparently forgotten the 
 declaration which the commissioners of the 
 United Colonies issued at Hartford, September 5, 
 1661, warning all persons not to receive, harbor, 
 conceal or succor Whalley or Goffe, they took a 
 little more liberty, made themselves known to 
 several persons and frequently prayed and 
 preached at private meetings in their chamber. 
 
 In 1663 it was reported at the Court of Charles 
 n. that Whalley and Goffe were at the head of an 
 army in New England and that the union of the 
 colonies was believed to have been made for the 
 express purpose of throwing off dependence on 
 England.^ When Col. Richard Nichols, George 
 Cartwright, Sir Robert Carr and Samuel Maverick, 
 the Commissioners from King Charles, sailed for 
 Boston the following year, they were instructed to 
 find the Regicides. Upon the news of their arrival 
 and in all probability on advice as to the instruc- 
 tions concerning them, Whalley and Goffe returned 
 to the cave at West Rock until another asylum 
 could be prepared. They had been there but eight 
 or ten days when an Indian, while hunting, dis- 
 covered their hiding place. The report being spread 
 abroad it was not safe to remain there, and on the 
 following night, October 13, 1664, Whalley and 
 Goffe, after a residence of three years and seven 
 
 * Bancroft's History of the United States. 
 
96 Wadsworth 
 
 months in New Haven and Milford, turned their 
 faces towards Hadley, where John Russell, the min- 
 ister of the town founded by the Hartford "With- 
 drawers," had previously agreed to receive them. 
 That night they traveled twenty miles, stopping 
 for the day in the woods near the ford over a brook 
 on the road to Hartford. They called the place 
 Pilgrim's Harbor,^ and it is still known by that 
 name. Before night they were joined by a guide 
 with horses. He conducted them to Hartford, where 
 after resting a day in John Talcott's house,- they 
 proceeded to Springfield, and from there to Hadley, 
 where both of them died and were buried in the 
 minister's cellar. 
 
 February lo, 1664-5, John Dixwell, who was also 
 a King's Judge, came to the Russell house and re- 
 mained there with Whalley and Goffe until after 
 the King's Commissioners had made their report. 
 He then removed to New Haven, where under the 
 assumed name of James Daniels he settled with a 
 fam.ily named Ling, was twice married, raised a 
 famil)', and died in 1688, aged eighty-two. He was 
 never molested. Two or three years before Dix- 
 well's death, while attending public worship in New 
 Haven, Sir Edmund Andros, who was at that time 
 
 ' Pilgrim's Harbor is located in the town of Meriden. 
 ^This house stood at the corner of Main and Tal- 
 cott Streets. It was torn down in 1900. 
 
Memories 97 
 
 Governor of New York, saw him and after meeting 
 asked who he was. Upon being informed that he 
 was a merchant, Andros replied that he 
 was not and became very inquisitive. Nothing more 
 was heard of the matter, as the venerable gentleman 
 was not seen at the meeting in the afternoon, and 
 Sir Edmund was so exasperated by one of the 
 psalms sung by the congregation that he no doubt 
 forgot all about him.^ 
 
 About ten years after Whalley and Goffe removed 
 to Hadley, the former began to fail both mentally 
 
 ^ At this meeting the deacon gave out the Fifty- 
 second Psalm to sing in Sternbold's and Hopkins' ver- 
 sion, which began 
 
 Why dost thou, tyrant, boast abroad, 
 
 Thj' wicked works of praise? 
 Dost thou not knov/ there is a God, 
 
 Whose mercy lasts always? 
 
 Why dost thy mind still devise 
 
 Such wicked wiles to harp? 
 Thy tongue, untrue, in forging lies, 
 
 Is like a razor sharp. 
 
 Thou dost delight in fraud and guile, 
 
 In mischief, blood and wrong; 
 Thy lips have learned the flattering style, 
 
 Of false, deceitful tongue! 
 
 Governor Andros felt it as an intended insult to 
 himself, and after meeting resented it as such, and rep- 
 rehended the deacon for it. But being told that it 
 was the usage of the church to sing the Psalms in 
 course, he excused the deacon and let the matter 
 drop. — Stiles' History of the Judges. 
 
98 Wadsworth 
 
 and physically. At the time of the King Philip war 
 he had lost all interest in worldly affairs and was 
 almost constantly confined to his bed. Goffe nursed 
 and humored him, doing all that he could to make 
 the last days of his companion in fortune and ad- 
 versity comfortable, and while he remained vigorous 
 and as cheerful as a man could under such con- 
 ditions, he frequently complained of being banished 
 from the world in which he had been so conspicuous 
 a figure, and to the last clung to the hope that his 
 friends in England would eventually secure a par- 
 don. It was that ray of hope and the memory of 
 his wife and family at home which kept Goffe from 
 leaving Hadley after Whalley died. 
 
 In the sixteen years that Goffe was under John 
 Russell's roof he was never seen in public but once, 
 and on that occasion his appearance was so unex- 
 pected and his exit so guarded that the people whose 
 lives were saved by his skill looked upon the mys- 
 terious stranger as an angel instead of a man whose 
 life and the lives of all who sheltered him, together 
 with all they possessed, would have been forfeited 
 to the crown had it been known. It was on Fast 
 Day in 1675 that Goffe saved Hadley. While the 
 people were attending public worship the town was 
 surrounded by a body of Indians. The attack was 
 so sudden and unexpected that everything was in 
 confusion before the meeting: house guard could 
 
Memories 99 
 
 rally those who had brought arms with them. Sud-- 
 denly a venerable man, whose apparel and manner 
 differed from the rest of the people, appeared in 
 their midst, took command, arranged them in the 
 best military manner and routed the Indians. The 
 town was saved, and while the Hadley forces were 
 pursuing the assailants the leader disappeared as 
 mysteriously as he came. Of all who saw him, 
 the minister, John Russell, alone knew to whom 
 they owed their homes and their lives. 
 
 In the spring of 1679, Whalley having been dead 
 some time, Goffe came down the river to Hartford, 
 intending to go on to New Haven and Milford for 
 a brief period. While here he was concealed in the 
 house of Joseph Bull and was visited by myself 
 and a few others who were in the secret. Through 
 a servant, his presence became known to one John 
 London, of Windsor, who in the hope of reward 
 associated himself with several others and decided 
 to seize him in the King's name. Thomas Powell 
 overheard them discussing their plans and informed 
 Major Talcott. He recommended that Goffe return 
 to Hadley, which he did, and Captain Allyn forbade 
 London to leave the town without a license. This 
 unexpected discovery made an old man of Goffe. 
 He saw that after nineteen years he was still in 
 peril. After his return to Hadley he was seized 
 with a fit of melancholy, under which he sickened 
 
 LofC. 
 
100 Wadsworth 
 
 and died early in the following year. London also 
 disappeared and nothing more was heard of him 
 or his threats until the following spring, when Sir 
 Edmund Andros wrote Governor Leete^ that he had 
 learned from depositions taken in New York that 
 Colonel Goffe, the Regicide, was concealed in Hart- 
 ford by Captain Joseph Bull and his sons. Upon 
 receipt of this advice John Allyn commanded the 
 constables to make diligent search in the houses, 
 barns and outhouses of Captain Bull and his sons. 
 No such person was found, Goffe having returned 
 to Hadley over a year before and was so far as I 
 know dead at the time the notice was received. 
 
 * For correspondence see Colonial Records of Con- 
 necticut covering years 1678- 1689, pages 283 to 285. 
 
THE CHARTER OAK 
 
THE CHARTER OAK 
 
 George Wyllys was the third Governor of Con- 
 necticut and the first of that name in New England. 
 Being a Puritan, he decided in 1637 to leave Eng- 
 land, and in order to make a home for himself in 
 the New World before leaving the family mansion 
 at Fenney Compton, at Knapton, in the county of 
 Warwick, he sent his steward, William Gibbons, 
 with twenty men and the frame of a house, to select 
 a site in the town which the Hooker company had 
 started in the Connecticut valley. For about two 
 years William Gibbons and the men in his employ 
 were busy felling trees, building and preparing the 
 soil for the seed on the home lot assigned George 
 Wyllys. It was on the south bank of the Little 
 River, running back from the top of the hill upon 
 which but one tree was permitted to remain stand- 
 ing. It was a gnarled oak with a hole in one side 
 of it, and that tree still stands^ on the brow of the 
 hill by the road leading down to the South Meadows. 
 
 •'The Charter Oak fell August 21, 1856. A marble 
 tablet has been inserted in a brick wall on Charter 
 Oak Avenue to designate the place where it stood. 
 All of the wood and bark were preserved, being made 
 into chairs, small tables, picture frames, etc., and Ex- 
 Governor Morgan G. Bulkeley tells me that there is 
 somewhere in Hartford a piano made of the wood of 
 the Charter Oak. 
 
104 IVadsworth 
 
 The Suckiag Indians, who were here when what 
 they called the big canoes with white wings were 
 first seen on the river, and from whom the Hooker 
 company purchased the site of Hartford, asked Will- 
 iam Gibbons to spare it, as in addition to being a 
 landmark the oak was the peace tree of the tribe. 
 
 The sachem Sequassen said that the tree was 
 planted by the great sachem who led his people 
 from the land of the setting sun as a pledge of per- 
 petual peace with those whom they found here and 
 from whom they received the land. At the planting 
 their tomahawks^ were buried under it and the acorn 
 adopted as their totem. For centuries the Suckiag 
 Indians lived in peace, fishing in the great river and 
 its branches and hunting in the forest, while the 
 squaws and the old men planted the com and beans 
 which Kiehtan sent them from the southwest. Ac- 
 cording to the Indian tradition, the corn'' was 
 
 * The English, when adopting the name of the Indian 
 hatchet, called it tom-my-hawk. The Indians say 
 tume-hegan, the e being short, and scarcely sounded, 
 with the short sound of a and the h has a full aspirate 
 as hee. The gn is sounded short. This word is com- 
 pounded of the Indian verb tume-ta-mun, to cut, and 
 the noun begun, a sharp cutting instrument. In com- 
 pounding this word half of the verb is clipped off and 
 joined with the noun. 
 
 ' The Southern Indians have the following tradi- 
 tion concerning the origin of corn, beans and tobacco: 
 "Two youths, while pursuing the pleasures of the 
 chase, were led to an unfrequented part of the forest, 
 where, being fatigued and hungry, they sat down to 
 
The Charter Oak 105 
 
 brought by the sacred blackbird and the bean by the 
 crow, the former being first seen in the slender 
 branches of the peace tree when the leaves were the 
 size of a mouse's ear, and by this they fixed the time 
 for placing the com in the ground. 
 
 As the generations of Indians were gathered to 
 their long sleep, the oak increased in size and was 
 known as a landmark and meeting place for all the 
 tribes on the river. In the fourth generation before 
 the coming of the white man, Wawanda, the sach- 
 em's favorite wife, bore him male twins, and in the 
 year of their birth a sprout appeared on the north- 
 east side of the oak. It was permitted to remain, 
 and as the boys, who were named Saweg and No- 
 washe, each of them being given a portion of their 
 
 rest themselves and to dress their victuals. While 
 they were in this employ the spirit of the woods, at- 
 tracted by the savory smell of the venison, approached 
 them in the form of a beautiful female and seated her- 
 self beside them. The youths, awed by the presence 
 of so superior a being, presented to her in the most 
 respectful manner a share of their repast, which she 
 was pleased to accept, and eat with satisfaction. The 
 repast being finished, the female spirit informed them 
 that if they would return to the same place after the 
 revolution of twelve moons they would find something 
 which would recompense their kindness, disappeared 
 from sight. The youths returned at the appointed 
 time and found that upon the place on which the right 
 arm of the goddess had reclined a stalk of corn had 
 sprung up; under her left, a stalk of beans, and from 
 the spot on which she had been seated was growing 
 a flourishing plant of tobacco." 
 
106 Wadsworth 
 
 father's name, Sawashe, grew in years, the sprout 
 became a twig and finally a branch as large as a 
 man's arm. In this limb the powwows and a few of 
 the sagamores saw the sign of a split in the tribe. 
 At different times they urged its removal, but Sa- 
 washe, proud of the skill and rugged strength of 
 the twin brothers, although they were almost oppo- 
 sites in disposition, would never consent, as he be- 
 lieved that the great father Kiehtan^ placed it there 
 
 'The Connecticut Indians believed in one great and 
 invisible Deity, who was known in the different tribes 
 as Kiehtan, Woonand and Cantantowit. The Indians 
 placed the dwelling of Kiehtan in the southwest be- 
 cause the wind from that quarter is the warmest and 
 pleasantest that blows in this climate and usually 
 brings fair weather. They also believed that the soul 
 existed after death and that the spirits of the good 
 would go to the house of Kiehtan. Then they would 
 be delivered from sorrow and enjoy pleasures similar 
 to those which they had indulged in here, only in 
 abundance and in perfection. They also believed that 
 the wicked would go to the door of Kiehtan and 
 knock for admittance; but upon his telling them to go 
 away, they would be obliged to wander forever in a 
 state of horror and discontent. The Narragansett In- 
 dians believed that Cantantowit made a man and 
 woman of stone, but not liking them he broke them 
 to pieces and made another pair of wood, from whom 
 all human beings were descended. Another tribe, when 
 questioned as to their creation, said that two squaws 
 were once wading in the sea; the foam touched their 
 bodies and they became pregnant; one brought forth 
 a boy and the other a girl; the two squaws then died 
 and their children became the progenitors of the hu- 
 man race. — Massachusetts Historical Collections, Vol. 
 III., and De Forest's History of Indians of Connecti- 
 cut. 
 
The Charter Oak 107 
 
 to show that another branch had been added to the 
 tribes which had lived for so many years on the 
 bank of the great river and that they would flourish 
 under the protection of the Mohawks so long as it 
 retained life. Saweg was the elder of the twins, 
 and from an early age he was noted for his even 
 temper and deliberate methods. The old men of 
 the tribe gave him their confidence, while they 
 looked with distrust upon Nowashe, who was im- 
 pulsive and fearless and also the acknowledged 
 leader of all the young men. 
 
 A few years after Saweg and Nowashe were 
 born, the Mohawks swept over the Connecticut val- 
 ley like a storm cloud, destroying or exacting tribute 
 from all who lay in their path. Sawashe heard of 
 their coming, and knowing that the hearts of his 
 warriors had grown soft after years of peace, bade 
 his sagamores carry presents of wampum and offer 
 tribute to the Mohawks if they were permitted to 
 remain undisturbed in their villages and among 
 their cornfields. The offer was accepted, while the 
 tribes that resisted were conquered or destroyed. 
 From that period until the coming of the white 
 man, every year two old Mohawks might be seen 
 going from village to village to collect tribute and 
 issue orders from the council at Onondaga. To the 
 tribes living on the Connecticut River this tribute 
 in wampum did not prove a burden, as Long Island 
 
108 Wadsworth 
 
 was then and for many years thereafter known as 
 the land of shells (Sewan Hacky). During the 
 summer months the canoes crossed the Sound and 
 returned loaded with conches and mussels which 
 the squaws and arrowhead makers fashioned into 
 wampum, white and purple, during the winter 
 months. 
 
 To Saweg, the visit of the Mohawks was a re- 
 minder of a greater and fiercer race of men, and 
 with the knowledge that he would in time be sachem 
 of his tribe, he steeled himself to bear without bit- 
 terness the boasts and petty insults which were at 
 times cast upon them by those who came to collect 
 tribute. As a boy, Nowashe sat at their feet and 
 heard with delight the sayings of the strangers as 
 they glowed with danger and daring, but when he 
 arrived at an age to learn that his own people, as 
 well as his own father and mother, were among 
 those who had been humbled by the Mohawks his 
 heart was pierced with Hobbamocko's^ black arrow 
 of revenge and from that time his one thought was 
 how he could free the world of the hated Mohawks 
 or get beyond their power. He had learned that 
 
 ^ Hobbamocko was the spirit of evil, the author of 
 all plagues and calamities. From the fear that his 
 malignant disposition inspired he received great ven- 
 eration. Many dances v^^ere performed in his honor, 
 and many sacrifices made to appease his wrath. 
 
>. ^t , ^^^ 
 
 
 THE CHARTER OAK IN iSio 
 
The Charter Oak 111 
 
 the field of their triumphs extended from the father 
 of waters to the inland seas and the falling waters,* 
 that all who obeyed them and paid tribute were at 
 peace and all who resisted were hunted like the deer 
 in autumn. To obey meant humble comforts, to 
 rebel, death. 
 
 This was the state of affairs in the tribe dwelling 
 under the shadow of the peace tree on the banks 
 of the Little River, when Sawashe died and Saweg 
 was named sachem, regardless of the protests of 
 Nowashe, who claimed that being of one birth they 
 should rule jointly until one died. In this conten- 
 tion he was supported by his mother and the young 
 men of the tribe, but the sagamores shook their 
 heads and said that Saweg was the older son and 
 in the event of his death Saweg's son and not No- 
 washe would be sachem. There was no appeal, as 
 the Mohawks knew that Saweg would succeed his 
 father and he had also sent a runner to Onondaga 
 with presents of purple wampum and advice of Sa- 
 washe's death. 
 
 Nowashe and those who supported him in his 
 claim remained silent until the Mohawks made their 
 next visit. It was in the summer when the corn 
 was beginning to grow hard and as they sat with 
 Saweg and his council under the old oak smoking 
 
 * Niagara Falls. 
 
1 12 Wadsworth 
 
 the peace pipe, Novvashe approached. The Mo- 
 hawks bade him enter the circle, but instead of 
 doing so he cast a bundle of arrows in front of 
 them and said "this is the tribute of Nowashe." 
 The older Mohawk raised the arrows from the 
 ground and drawing one from the thong which held 
 them together broke it and threw the pieces outside 
 of the circle, while Saweg did what he could to con- 
 vince the tribute collectors that the tribe was not 
 responsible for his brother's act. Nowashe remained 
 standing with his arms crossed on his breast, and 
 when his brother demanded an explanation for his 
 hostile act he turned towards the Mohawks and 
 pointing towards the remaining arrows said, "Let 
 my words and tribute sink into your hearts," and 
 walked away. 
 
 The Mohawks departed to all appearances satis- 
 fied with Saweg's explanations and nothing more 
 was heard of the incident until it was noticed that 
 the leaves on the branch of the peace tree were 
 withering. An examination showed that the limb 
 had been girdled near the trunk, while on the same 
 day Saweg learned from a young man who had 
 been down to Rocky Hill that Nowashe, who had 
 reported that he and his friends were going on a 
 big hunt, had spoken with a forked tongue, as they 
 were building a fort on the top of a precipitous hill 
 
The Charter Oak 113 
 
 near the Roaring Brook which runs through what 
 is now known as Glassenbury.^ 
 
 Saweg sent his father's brother, the oldest and 
 wisest man in the tribe, to remonstrate with No- 
 washe and to remind him that their land did not 
 extend beyond the great river, but Nowashe re- 
 fused to talk with him. He then sent his mother 
 and when she failed to return he went himself and 
 as sachem demanded obedience. In reply to Sa- 
 weg's orders Nowashe appeared and said that his 
 young men and their squaws had no wampum for 
 the Mohawks and that they had resolved to with- 
 draw from Saweg's tribe, build a fort, defend them- 
 selves in the position which they had selected and 
 maintain their right to hunt in the forest on the side 
 of the great river on which they were located. Sa- 
 weg pleaded long and earnestly with his brother 
 and when after many talks he found that his advice 
 was rejected he withdrew, but not before he re- 
 minded Nowashe and his young men that the Mo- 
 hawks were brave warriors, that their number was 
 like the leaves of the forest and that with his small 
 
 'The founders of this town having come from the 
 neighborhood of Glastonbury, England, the General 
 Court, in 1692, with a disregard for spelling, named 
 the town Glassenbury. This method of spelling the 
 name of the town continued to be used until about 
 1780, when it was changed to Glastenbury and so writ- 
 ten until 1870, when the town voted to make it Glas- 
 tonbury, by which name it is now known. 
 
114 Wadsworth 
 
 force resistance would in the end mean death for 
 all of them. The brothers parted in anger, Nowashe 
 boasting that he would fight and kill all the Mo- 
 hawks that could be sent against him, while Saweg 
 and his sagamores, having a knowledge of what 
 had happened in the past, returned to their villages 
 in silence. 
 
 For two com plantings Nowashe and his forces 
 remained undisturbed. During that period rocks 
 and logs had been carried up the hill and laid within 
 the palisades of the fort so that they could be rolled 
 down upon any force which might attack it. They 
 also built a village at the foot of the hill, planted 
 com and beans, fished in the river and hunted in 
 the forest. In that time the Mohawks' tribute col- 
 lectors made their regular visits, received the wam- 
 pum expected of Saweg's tribe and went on their 
 way to other villages just as though Nowashe and 
 his fort existed only in his imagination instead of 
 being a stem reality on the opposite bank of the 
 Connecticut River. 
 
 On the other hand Nowashe knew that the pro- 
 longed silence on the part of the Mohawks could 
 not be construed as indifiference on their part, as 
 the council at Onondaga was well advised of what 
 he had done and was either engaged in greater en- 
 terprises or waiting until time would give his young 
 warriors a careless sense of security, which would 
 
The Charter Oak 115 
 
 present an opportunity to attack them when off their 
 guard or when a majority of them were away on a 
 hunt. By spies and friends in the villages between 
 the two great rivers, Nowashe was constantly ad- 
 vised of the Mohawks' movements and when the 
 second leaves were falling on his wigwam, he 
 learned that the Mohawks were coming. Upon re- 
 ceipt of this advice the whole tribe, including wom- 
 en and children, were gathered within the fort and 
 on the following day they saw the Mohawks cross- 
 ing the river in canoes belonging to Saweg's tribe. 
 
 Knowing that Nowashe had a small force and 
 confident of success, the Mohawks proceeded against 
 the fort as soon as all of their warriors had disem- 
 barked. With a yell that had chilled the blood of 
 so many of their enemies they rushed up the hill 
 to be met not with a cloud of arrows as they ex- 
 pected, but by huge logs and rocks which as they 
 bounded from ridge to ridge tore holes in their 
 ranks and killed and maimed a number of their bold- 
 est warriors. Gathering up their dead and wounded 
 they retired to the village and burned it. Three 
 times on successive days they returned to the at- 
 tack, but with no better success. 
 
 When the morning of the fourth day dawned 
 they had disappeared, a few of Saweg's canoes on 
 the river bank and three or four dead Indians on 
 the side of the hill being all that was left, aside 
 
116 Wadsworth 
 
 from the ashes where the village stood, to remind 
 Nowashe and his followers of the visit of the Mo- 
 hawks. Later in the day it was learned from the 
 trail that the attacking force had gone up the river 
 and a small number were dispatched to follow them. 
 A week passed without anything being heard from 
 the enemy or those who were watching them. Be- 
 lieving that they had returned home, a number of 
 the women and children came down from the fort 
 and were soon busy gathering material for new 
 wigwams, while Nowashe, after sending the heads 
 and hands of the dead Mohawks to his brother as 
 an evidence of his prowess, joined with the pow- 
 wows in the dances of victory. 
 
 The Mohawks followed the bank of the river to 
 the falls which are above the point where William 
 Pyncheon built his warehouse, and remained there 
 for a number of days in order to give the wounded 
 time to recover from their injuries. Knowing that 
 they were being watched by the Nowashe scouts 
 they did what they could to convey the impression 
 that they were going to return to their own people, 
 the whole body crossing the river by the ford, which 
 can still be located below the point, and marching 
 rapidly inland. For two days they continued, but 
 on the night of the third those who had escaped 
 injury in the attacks on the forts left the wounded, 
 who were now able to travel and protect themselves 
 
The Charter Oak 117 
 
 if attacked, and turned towards the Connecticut 
 River. Evading the Nowashe scouts, they again 
 crossed the river at the ford^ and disappeared in a 
 southeasterly direction. 
 
 The Nowashe scouts also returned and after 
 crossing the ford struck the new trail made by the 
 Mohawks. They followed it until they came to the 
 head waters of Roaring Brook, near Minachaug 
 mountain. Here all traces ceased. Turning their 
 faces towards the Connecticut River they followed 
 the stream which they knew led to their fort. Si- 
 
 ' The ford referred to is opposite Windsor Locks. 
 The late Jabez Haskell Hayden, in his Historical 
 Sketches, devotes a chapter to "The old fording place 
 opposite Windsor Locks." He says "Very many years 
 ago, doubtless more than two hundred, this fording 
 place, the only one in the colony, was discovered, and 
 used even after the opening of the ferry in 1783." 
 Writing in 1900 (the old gentleman died in 1903) he 
 said "The last time I crossed the ford was more than 
 thirty years ago, when I was induced to go by two 
 little boys of about ten years growth, who wanted to 
 wade across the Connecticut River just once. The 
 water was very low, and taking the hand of each we 
 entered the ford below the mouth of Kettle Brook 
 and easily waded to the point, where we made directly 
 for the 'Old Horse Pasture.' Then we crossed the 
 channel, where the water was so deep and the cur- 
 rent so strong the boys would hardly have kept their 
 feet under them if they had not clung to me. We 
 crossed to the other side and returned in safety, but 
 I could not have been induced to try the same feat 
 again." The "Old Horse Pasture" is an island which 
 appears in the river at low water and between which 
 and the east shore is the deep water where Mr. Pyn- 
 chon anchored his sea-going vessel in 1636. 
 
118 Wadsworth 
 
 lently and swiftly they made their way through the 
 rough country drained by the Roaring Brook, being 
 awed by the disappearance of the broad trail which 
 led them to the Minachaug mountain, and eager to 
 report the fact to Nowashe. As they approached 
 the river from the top of a hill they saw a great 
 smoke and in a short time they met a few squaws 
 and children running for their lives. From them 
 they learned that the Mohawks had returned, taken 
 and burned the fort and killed everyone in it, No- 
 washe being one of the last to fall in the terrible 
 slaughter. 
 
 Subsequent events showed that the Mohawks had 
 entered the Roaring Brook at the place where the 
 trail disappeared and waded down the entire dis- 
 tance to near the fort. Nowashe and his people 
 were surprised, many of them being killed before 
 they could seek the shelter of the fort and when 
 they did get within the palisades the enemy was on 
 them before the logs and stones, of which they had 
 a great quantity, could be hurled down upon them. 
 All of the fighting men of the tribe, as well as many 
 of the squaws and grown children who mixed in 
 the melee, were killed. The few who remained, 
 together with those who were absent from the vil- 
 lage, were granted their lives upon payment of trib- 
 ute in wampum, the greater portion of which was 
 advanced by Saweg, who interceded for the unfor- 
 
The Charter Oak 119 
 
 tunate followers of his brother. The Mohawks 
 also required them to build another village between 
 the Podunk and the Scantic and almost opposite the 
 cornfields and a small village^ of Saweg's tribe. 
 They remained in this place until they sold the 
 lands to the Windsor plantation in 1636. 
 
 This little band was always referred to as the 
 Nowashe Indians, the name of their first sachem 
 being adopted by them, but after the sale of their 
 lands the tribe lost its identity and was absorbed 
 by the Podunks and Mohegans. It may also be 
 added that it was opposite the Nowashe village, 
 which was then surrounded by palisades, that Adra- 
 ien Block cast anchor when he sailed up the river 
 in the Restless and named it de Versche Reviere 
 (the Fresh River) in 1814, and upon whose right 
 of discovery and a subsequent purchase from the 
 Pequots the Dutch laid claim to the Connecticut 
 valley. 
 
 None of the river Indians ever forgot the deter- 
 mined manner in which the Mohawks stamped out 
 the spirit of resistance shown by Nowashe and his 
 followers, and from that day until long after the 
 white man controlled the colony of Connecticut 
 many a squaw and white woman as well subdued 
 
 ' The village referred to was located at what is now 
 known as Wilson's, a small station on the New York 
 and New Haven R. R., about two miles north of Hart- 
 ford. 
 
120 Wadsworth 
 
 a rebellious child by saying "the Mohawks are com- 
 ing."^ That the fear of the Mohawks was not con- 
 fined only to women and children was shown in 
 1656, when Uncas and Sequassen had a quarrel 
 with Tontonimo, a Podunk sachem. The latter re- 
 fused to surrender a young man named Weass- 
 apano who had murdered a sagamore living near 
 
 ^ Tradition tells of a brave tribe of aborigines which 
 occupied a position a little south of the centre of Glas- 
 tonbury, known by the name of the Red Hill Indians. 
 They were a branch of the Pequots, and between them 
 and the Mohawks there were unsparing and relentless 
 hostilities. The Red Hills had a fort on a very pre- 
 cipitous hill, which was strongly fortified on the east; 
 but towards the river, on the west, the besieged relied 
 principally on large logs and stones, which they rolled 
 down upon their enemies, if they attempted to ascend 
 the eminence. Spies and friendly Indians informed the 
 Red Hills of the advance of their enemies, who imme- 
 diately gathered their women and children within the 
 fort; and, on several occasions, made a gallant defence, 
 repelling the Mohawks with great loss. At length the 
 Mohawks, whose numbers far exceeded those of the 
 Red Hills, and who had usually made their most des- 
 perate effort by trying to ascend the hill, resorted to 
 stratagem.. Word came to the Red Hills that the "Mo- 
 hawks v/ere coming," and they hastily gathered their 
 little tribe within the fort. But the Mohawks did not 
 make their appearance, and, after waiting for some 
 time in vain, the Red Hills despatched a small number 
 up the river, for the purpose of reconnoitering. Near 
 the upper part of East Windsor or Enfield, the party 
 struck upon a trail, which they followed in a south- 
 easterly direction until they came to the head waters 
 of Roaring Brook, near Minachaug mountain. Here 
 all traces ceased. No trail, nor track, nor scent could 
 be found. Subsequently events showed that the Mo- 
 
The Charter Oak 121 
 
 Mattabesett.^ The three sachems submitted their 
 differences to the English, and when Governor 
 Webster supposed that Tontonimo would surrender 
 the murderer, the latter returned to the Podunk 
 fort and sent a messenger who said that Weasse- 
 apano had so many friends that he could not sur- 
 render him. Finally the English decided that they 
 would not trouble themselves with the Indians' 
 quarrel and gave Uncas and Sequassen to under- 
 stand that they could follow their own counsel. 
 Taking advantage of this advice Uncas assembled 
 a war party and marched against the Podunks. He 
 met them near the Hockanum River and as their 
 forces were about equal Uncas was unwilling to 
 fight, but before retreating sent a message to tell 
 Tontonimo that if he continued to shelter the mur- 
 
 hawks had at this place entered the stream, and, that 
 they might not be traced, had waded down the entire 
 distance to near the mouth, where were the fort and 
 village of the Red Hills. The scheme was successful. 
 The hapless Red Hills were surprised and experienced 
 more than savage vengeance. The Mohawks spared 
 not one of the race. This horrid butchery is said to 
 have taken place about the period when the first set- 
 tlers emigrated to Connecticut. Although the whites 
 had no part in this tragedy, the bloody legend was re- 
 membered and told; and the forward child was often 
 subdued by the terrific exclamation, "the Mohawks 
 are coming." — Barber's Connecticut Historical Collec- 
 tions. 
 
 ' Middletown. 
 
122 Wadsworth 
 
 derer he would bring the Mohawks and destroy 
 both him and his people. 
 
 A few weeks later the wily Mohegan sent a war- 
 rior supplied with Mohawk weapons to the Podunk 
 country where he set fire to a wigwam near the fort 
 and escaped, leaving his arms. In the morning, 
 when the Podunks came out of the fort to examine 
 the ruins and look for the trail of the destroyer, 
 they found the weapons which they knew by their 
 make and ornaments must have been fashioned by 
 a Mohawk. Believing that Uncas had succeeded 
 in fulfilling his threat and blinded with terror, with- 
 out making any inquiry, Tontonimo surrendered 
 Weassapano and asked for peace.^ It was granted, 
 and from that time the Podunks remained undis- 
 turbed until after the King Philip war, in which a 
 majority of their warriors were slain.^ When King 
 Philip was shot, the remnant of the Podunk tribe 
 was scattered, many of them joining the Pequots, 
 while a few crossed the river and allied themselves 
 with the Suckiag, Poquonoc and Tunxis Indians. 
 As the land which they occcupied was vacated it was 
 parcelled out to those who had taken an active part 
 
 * Trumbull's History of Connecticut and De Forest's 
 History of the Indians of Connecticut. 
 
 ^ The Podunk tribe in King Philip's war contained 
 between two and three hundred men, who went of? in 
 that war and never returned. — Massachusetts Histori- 
 cal Collections, Vol. 4. 
 
The Charter Oak 123 
 
 in the war, my reward being three hundred and 
 forty acres^ in the great swamp and which I after- 
 wards sold to Lieutenant John Ellsworth, who was 
 killed on the place by a tree falling on him. 
 
 After the defeat and death of Nowashe the Mo- 
 hawks remained with Saweg's tribe for several days, 
 celebrating their victory and at the same time giving 
 the wounded an opportunity to recover before start- 
 ing on the march to Onondaga. During this period 
 the sagamores and powwows of the tribe met under 
 the oak and in the presence of the Mohawks re- 
 moved the dead limb from the peace tree, charring 
 
 ^The plot of land referred to is located in the town 
 of Ellington, which was originally a part of the town- 
 ship of East Windsor. The following is from the or- 
 iginal record: "Land surveyed to Daniel and John 
 Ellsworth, sons of Lieutenant John Ellsworth of Wind- 
 sor, by Thomas Kimberly, surveyor of land in the 
 County of Hartford, i6th of March, 1720, five hundred 
 and forty acres of land between the mountains east of 
 Windsor and Connecticut River, at a place called by 
 the English 'the great marsh' and by the Indians 
 Weaxkashuck, three hundred and forty acres bought 
 of Captain Wadsworth and two hundred acres bought 
 of the Bissels by said Lieutenant John Ellsworth, be- 
 gan at a pine tree marked and having two mere stones 
 by it, standing on the plains near the northwest cor- 
 ner of said marsh, etc." Barber, in his Historical Col- 
 lections of Connecticut, says that on a stone a little 
 distance northwest from the residence of Samuel 
 Chapman, who lived on this land when the book re- 
 ferred to was published in 1836, the following inscrip- 
 tion appears: "Lieut. John Ellsworth was killed here 
 by the fall of a tree Oct. 26th, 1720, aged 49 years and 
 15 days." 
 
124 Wadsworth 
 
 it near the trunk with fire and reducing it to ashes 
 as soon as it fell. This limb, as has been stated, 
 was on the northeast side of the tree and in the 
 years which followed, the rain and the snow, rein- 
 forced by the heat and the frost, caused the balance 
 of the branch to decay and make a hole in the side 
 of the oak. 
 
 In those years the sachemship of the tribe de- 
 scended from Saweg to his son, who was in time 
 succeeded by Sowheag, the father of Sequassen, 
 the leader of the Suckiag Indians when the white 
 man came to the Connecticut valley. Having been 
 defeated by the Pequots, from whom the Dutch 
 traders had purchased a title to a portion of the 
 land occupied by his tribe, he hailed the coming of 
 the Hooker company with delight and sold its mem- 
 bers the site of Hartford for a few coats, blankets, 
 knives and hoes. The transfer was made under 
 the old oak on what was afterwards the Wyllys 
 home lot, Elder William Goodwin and my uncle, 
 Samuel Stone, acting for the English, and Sequas- 
 sen, who signed the deed with an acorn totem, 
 acted for the Suckiag tribe, all of his sagamores 
 being present and giving their consent to the trans- 
 fer. 
 
 After the deed had been signed a twig and a 
 piece of turf were handed Sequassen by one of the 
 sagamores. He stuck the twig in the turf and 
 
The Charter Oak 125 
 
 placed both in Elder Goodwin's hands. By this 
 ceremony he considered himself to have passed over 
 to the English the soil and all that grew on it. This 
 was the Indians' last meeting under the tribe's peace 
 tree, and except when they asked William Gibbons 
 to spare it, the old oak^ did not attract very much 
 
 'The Political Annals of the United Colonies from 
 the Settlement to the Peace of 1763 by George Chal- 
 mers and published in London in 1780 contains the first 
 mention of hiding the Connecticut Charter in a tree. 
 He says that "Connecticut with the other colonies con- 
 gratulated James II. on his accession to the throne, 
 acknowledge his authority and begged for protection 
 of their chartered privileges. He received the com- 
 pliment with satisfaction, though he had already de- 
 cided what course he should pursue with regard to 
 colonial policy. Various articles of Misdemeanor were 
 exhibited, in July, 1685, against the Governor and 
 Company, before the lord commissioners of colonies, 
 impeaching them of making laws contrary to those of 
 England; of extorting unreasonable fines; of intoler- 
 ance in religion; of denials of justice. These various 
 accusations which were supposed to infer a forfeiture 
 of the Charter, were instantly sent to Sawyer, attorney 
 general, with orders to issue a writ of quo warranto 
 forthwith against the colony. He obeyed and Ran- 
 dolph, who had acted as a public accuser, now offered 
 his services to carry it beyond the Atlantic. The Gov- 
 ernor and Company had for some time seen the storm 
 approaching which threatened to lay their beloved 
 system in the dust; and they endeavored with great 
 address, to elude the force of what they were unable 
 to resist. When they remembered the fatal accident 
 which had formerly bereaved them of their ancient 
 conveyance, they carefully concealed the Charter in a 
 venerable elm which to this day is deemed sacred as 
 the preserver of their constitution." That Chalmers re- 
 ceived this item from the Rev. Samuel Peters, who was 
 
126 Wadsworth 
 
 attention until after the overthrow of the Andres 
 
 government. Mistress Ruth Wyllys was bold enough 
 
 to say that I hid the charter in it the night that it 
 
 disappeared from the council chamber. 
 
 then in London, is evidenced by the following sentence 
 from Peters' General History of Connecticut which was 
 published in 1781. "They have represented the Magis- 
 trates of Connecticut as not having resigned their 
 Charter, but by an erroneous construction put on their 
 humble supplication to James II. by the Court of Lon- 
 don: whereas the fact is, they resigned it, in propria 
 forma, into the hands of Sir Edmund Andros, at Hart- 
 ford in October, 1687, and were annexed to the Massa- 
 chusetts Bay Colony in preference to New York, ac- 
 cording to royal promise and their own petition. But 
 the very night of the surrender of it, Samuel Wads- 
 worth, of Hartford, with the assistance of a mob, vio- 
 lently broke into the apartments of Sir Edmund, re- 
 gained, carried ofif, and hid the charter in the hollow 
 elm." Further on in the same work, when enumerating 
 the curiosities in Hartford, he refers to "an elm, es- 
 teemed sacred, for being the tree in which their Char- 
 ter was concealed." The substitution of an elm for an 
 oak in Peters' history will not surprise anyone who has 
 read the work published by that worthy divine, who 
 was forced to flee from Lebanon and eventually left 
 the country on account of his tory principles. In a 
 geography published in 1789 Jedidiah Morse wrote: 
 "In 1684, the charters of Massachusetts Bay and Ply- 
 mouth were taken away in consequence of quo war- 
 rantos which had been issued against them. The char- 
 ter of Connecticut would have shared the same fate, 
 had it not been for Wadsworth, Esq., who hav- 
 ing very artfully procured it when it was on the point 
 of being delivered up, buried it under an oak tree in 
 Hartford, where it remained until all danger was over, 
 and then was dug up and reassumed." Trumbull in his 
 History of Connecticut which was published in 1797. 
 says that the Charter was "secreted in a large hollow 
 tree fronting the house of the Hon. Samuel Wyllys." 
 
THE ROYAL OAK 
 
THE ROYAL OAK 
 
 The Indian deed and the promise of the War- 
 wick patent were the foundation of all land titles 
 in Connecticut until May lo, 1662, when the char- 
 ter granted by Charles II. passed the seals. It was 
 issued upon the application of the colony through 
 John Winthrop, Jr., who took a draft of what was 
 wanted with him when he sailed for England and 
 who was so fortunate as to secure the co-operation 
 of his old patron, Lord Say and Seal,^ the Earl of 
 Manchester and many other Puritan sympathizers 
 who had influence at Court through having been 
 instrumental in bringing about the Restoration. 
 
 Before taking up the Charter, I purpose devoting 
 a few pages to John Winthrop, Jr., and the King, 
 whose miraculous escape after the battle of Worces- 
 ter has been told time and again by the firesides of 
 New England, a version of it having been brought 
 over by Winthrop, who had it from the King him- 
 self.- Other incidents in connection with it have 
 
 ' William, first Viscount and second Baron Say and 
 Seal, was made Lord of the Privy Seal at the Restora- 
 tion. He died April 14, 1662. He was active to the end 
 of his days, as Pepys speaks of meeting him at the 
 Lord's House on April 7 of same year. 
 
 ^ Peter Cunningham says that Charles IL loved to 
 talk over the incidents of his life to every new face that 
 came about him, and especially his escape from Wor- 
 
130 Wadsworth 
 
 been sent from time to time to the people of Hart- 
 ford by relatives living in the counties that His 
 Majesty crossed v^hile seeking a vessel to carry 
 him to France, and it was the knowledge of this 
 adventure that prompted Mistress Ruth Wyllys, 
 when I brought her the charter, to bid me conceal 
 it in the hollow oak, just as the King who granted 
 it found shelter in the foliage of an oak when his 
 life was in peril and of which all Englishmen sing, 
 The Royal Oak it was the tree 
 That saved his royal majesty. 
 Possibly in years to come the descendants of those 
 who lived and acted in Hartford when Sir Edmund 
 Andros was here to do the bidding of King James, 
 may also sing, 
 
 The Charter Oak it was the tree 
 That saved the people's liberty. 
 
 cester. Burnet says that he went over it so often that 
 those who had been long accustomed to it usually with- 
 drew. On the other hand Sheffield says that many of 
 his ministers, not out of flattery, but for the pleasure 
 of hearing it, affected an ignorance of what they had 
 hear.d ten times before. This love of talking made 
 King Charles fond of strangers who would listen to 
 his stories and went away in raptures at such an un- 
 common condescension in a Monarch; while the same- 
 ness in telling caused Lord Rochester to observe that 
 "he wondered to see a man have so good a memory as 
 to repeat the same story without losing the least cir- 
 cumstance, and yet not remember that he had told it to 
 the same persons the day before." (See Lord Roches- 
 ter to Saville, relative to Mulgrave's Essay on Satire. 
 Malone's Life of Dryden, Burnet, etc.) 
 
The Royal Oak 131 
 
 John Winthrop, Jr., who was in 1635 designated 
 in the commission granted by the Warwick pat- 
 entees as Governor of the River Connecticut, with 
 places adjoining thereto, and who was at a later 
 date Governor of Connecticut, and died in 1676 
 while holding that office, was born at Groton in 
 Suffolk, England, February 12, 1605-6. He was 
 fitted for college at the free grammar school found- 
 ed by Edward VI. at Bury St. Edmunds and after 
 studying at Trinity College, Dublin, was admitted 
 a barrister of the Inner Temple in London, Febru- 
 ary 28, 1624-5. As secretary of Captain Best, on 
 the ship-of-war Dere Repulse, he served under the 
 Duke of Buckingham in the effort to release the 
 French Protestants at La Rochelle. 
 
 Upon the return of the fleet he departed for the 
 continent and for a year and a half traveled in 
 Europe, going as far east as Constantinople. On 
 February 8, 1631, John Winthrop, Jr., married 
 Martha Fones, whose sister was the wife of his 
 brother Henry, and in August of that year he and 
 his wife sailed for Boston on the ship Lion. They 
 were ten weeks at sea and arrived in Boston No- 
 vember 4, 1 63 1. The following March he was 
 elected Assistant in Massachusetts. In March, 
 1632-3, he made a settlement at Agawam, a name 
 that was afterwards changed to Ipswich, and re- 
 sided there until September, 1634, when his wife 
 
132 Wadsworth 
 
 and daughter died. A few weeks later he sailed for 
 England, where early in the following year, he was 
 employed by Lord Say and Seal and Lord Brooke 
 to found a plantation in Connecticut, the commission 
 granted him bearing the date of July 15, 1635, and 
 as has been stated, made him Governor of the River 
 Connecticut with places adjoining thereto for one 
 year after his arrival. Before sailing for New Eng- 
 land John Winthrop, Jr., married Elizabeth, daugh- 
 ter of Edmund Read and step-daughter of Rev. 
 Hugh Peters,^ who afterwards became chaplain to 
 Oliver Cromwell, Winthrop and his second wife 
 arrived in Boston on the Abigail, October 6, 1635, 
 in company with his step-father-in-law, Hugh Pe- 
 ters, and young Harry Vane, who was in due time 
 elected Governor of Massachusetts, and after his 
 return to England, became a power in the Com- 
 monwealth. 
 
 ^ Hugh Peters, a native of Fleury in Cornwall, was 
 expelled from St. John's College, Cambridge, for ir- 
 regularity. He was then an actor and afterwards took 
 orders and was celebrated for his buffoonery in the 
 pulpit. He was so bitter against Charles the First that 
 at the Restoration he was excepted in the act of pardon 
 and was hanged and quartered in 1660. Heath, in his 
 narrative which was published during the reign of 
 Charles II., refers to Peters in the list of Regicides as 
 follows: Hugh Peters, the shame of the clergy, a 
 pulpit buffoon, a seditious abominable fellow, trumpeter 
 of their pageantry of a high court of Justice, the most 
 unparalleled ecclesiastic in all story or times. 
 
The Royal Oak 133 
 
 As soon as he was settled comfortably in Boston, 
 John Winthrop, Jr., sent a party of twenty men to 
 found a settlement at the mouth of the Connecticut 
 River. The subsequent struggles of this outpost in 
 the wars and disputes with the Pequots, is a portion 
 of the history of the colony, but Winthrop did not 
 take an active part in them, as in 1637 he returned 
 to Ipswich and the following year obtained permis- 
 sion to set up salt works at Ryall-side, then part of 
 Salem, Prior to this date his son, Fitz John Win- 
 throp, who was Governor of Connecticut from 1698 
 to 1707, was born March 14, 1637-8, in Boston. 
 John Winthrop, Jr., moved to Ryall-side in 1639 
 and resided there until August, 1641, when he again 
 sailed for England. He remained abroad for over 
 two years, the most of his time being devoted to 
 organizing a company to erect iron works in New 
 England. 
 
 Returning to New England in 1643, John Win- 
 throp, Jr., remained in Massachusetts until the 
 spring of 1645, when he started for the Pequot 
 country, taking with him the first horse^ ever seen 
 
 'John Winthrop, Jr., was one of the first, if not the 
 first man to encourage horse breeding in New Eng- 
 land. On Fisher's Island he maintained a stud farm 
 which was continued by his son and grandson. In 
 1677, the year after John Winthrop, Jr., died, John 
 Hull, the master of the Boston Mint, at which the pine 
 tree shillings were coined, associated himself with Mr. 
 Brenton and Benedict Arnold, and enclosed Point 
 
134 Wadsworih 
 
 in Connecticut, In November of that year the town 
 of Pequot, a name subsequently changed to New 
 London, was founded, and in 1646 John Winthrop, 
 Jr., removed his family to Fisher's Island, which 
 was granted him by the General Court of Massa- 
 chusetts. His residence in New London was built 
 the following year. In 1655 he moved to New 
 Haven and from there to Hartford in 1657, when 
 he was elected Governor of Connecticut. From 
 1646 until his death, in 1676, John Winthrop, Jr., 
 
 Judith in Rhode Island by running a stone wall across 
 the north end in order to keep the mongrel breeds 
 from among the "very good breed of large and fine 
 horses" which they pastured there, and some of which 
 no doubt came from the Winthrop stud on Fisher's 
 Island. (See Archselogia Americana, Vol. Ill, p. 128.) 
 It is supposed that the Narragansett pacer which 
 fables have made rise, Venus like from the sea, trace to 
 this band on Point Judith and of which the Rev. Dr. 
 McSparren said that he had seen "some of them pace 
 a mile in a little more than two minutes." How much 
 more would be very interesting to those who study 
 racing. The first horse brought to New England ar- 
 rived in Boston, July i, 1630, in the Mayflower or 
 Whale. (See Winthrop's History of New England, 
 Vol. I, p. 34.) Three heifers and a bull were brought 
 to Plymouth in the Charity in 1624. (See Pilgrims and 
 Puritans, p. 179). They were the first cattle in New 
 England. In the south, Ferdinand De Soto landed in 
 Florida in May, 1539, with two or three hundred 
 horses and began his unsuccessful search for gold or 
 silver, although he discovered the Mississippi River in 
 which he also found a grave. Of the horses, a few 
 wounded ones were turned loose in the forest when 
 Mavilla or Mobile was burned October 18, 1540. In 
 March of the following year another bunch of horses 
 
The Royal Oak 135 
 
 was identified with Connecticut, and while he fre- 
 quently asked to be relieved from the cares of office 
 in order to devote his declining years to his own 
 affairs, the inhabitants of the colony had so much 
 confidence in his judgment that they would not 
 consider it. The highest honor in their gift was 
 none too great for a man who had procured the 
 charter upon which they based the titles to their 
 homes. 
 
 In 1649, Winthrop gave notice that he would 
 decline re-election in the Court of Assistants in the 
 
 escaped into the woods when the Chickasas burned 
 Chicaca after they had refused to supply De Soto with 
 two hundred men to carry the baggage of his army. 
 This village was in the upper part of Mississippi, 
 probably on the west bank of the Yazoo. (See Ban- 
 croft's History of the United States, Vol. I, Chapter 
 II.) A few days after this mishap, De Soto discovered 
 the Mississippi River, which he crossed, barges being 
 built for the horses. De Soto died May 21, 1542, and 
 his followers, after making an unsuccessful effort to 
 find gold, built a few boats to carry them down the 
 river. What horses they did not kill for food were 
 turned loose in the forest. The wild horses which 
 were subsequently found on the prairies traced to this 
 stock. Bancroft also says that it was not long after 
 1660 before the horses multiplied in Virginia, and to 
 improve that noble animal was early an object of pride 
 soon to be favored by legislature. Speed was es- 
 pecially valued and "the planters' pace" became pro- 
 verbial. (See Bancroft's History of the United States, 
 Vol. I, p. 234.) In New England in 1637, a mare from 
 England or Flanders was worth 30 pounds. (See 
 Trumbull's History of Connecticut, Vol. I, p. 78.) In 
 1687 the court allowed Steven Bracy 4 pounds for a 
 horse that was pressed into the country service and 
 lost. (See Connecticut Colonial Records.) 
 
136 Wadsworth 
 
 Massachusetts colony, and after a residence of one 
 year in Connecticut, he was in May, 1651, chosen 
 as an Assistant. About this time his step-father- 
 in-law, Hugh Peters, urged him to return to Eng- 
 land and cast his fortunes with the followers of 
 Oliver Cromwell. Winthrop decided to remain in 
 New England and was in 1657 chosen Governor. 
 He was again elected to that office in 1659, after 
 which the law forbidding immediate re-election of 
 the Governor was changed, and John Winthrop was 
 chosen annually from that date until 1676. In 1661 
 he was sent to England, without relinquishing the 
 Governorship, to procure a charter for the Colony 
 from Charles H., the General Assembly on the 
 fourth of March of that year voting 500 pounds for 
 his expenses and as the Treasurer did not have the 
 money, Winthrop raised it by mortgaging Fisher's 
 Island. 
 
 When John Winthrop, Jr., visited the court of 
 Charles II. no one in England was aware of the 
 relationship existing between him and Cromwell's 
 chaplain, Hugh Peters, who had been executed as 
 a Regicide. I have also heard it said that one of 
 Peters' legs was nailed over the gate by which his 
 step-son-in-law entered London, while Cromwell's 
 head,^ pierced with a pikestaff, looked down on him 
 
 ^ The embalmed head of Oliver Cromwell is owned 
 by Horace Wilkinson, who lives at Seal, near Seven- 
 
HUGH PETERS 
 
The Royal Oak 139 
 
 from Westminster Hall, but for the truthfulness of 
 this I cannot vouch. 
 
 At this period many Puritans had influence at 
 court. The King had not as yet forgotten that he 
 came to his own again through their favoring a 
 Restoration, to what prevailed after the death of 
 Oliver Cromwell, and made it possible by co-oper- 
 ating with Monk, under whom John Winthrop's 
 son Fitz John served as a captain on the march to 
 London. Monk was at this date Duke of Albe- 
 marle, and Lord Say and Seal, after serving as 
 privy counsellor to Charles I., survived the Com- 
 monwealth, and was now, notwithstanding his 
 Presbyterian principles and well-known bearing to- 
 wards the Puritans, Lord of the Privy Seal. Lord 
 Brooke, one of his associates in the Warwick Pat- 
 ent, and whose name is coupled with his in Say- 
 brook, was dead, having been shot while sitting 
 in his chamber by a besieged soldier in Litchfield 
 Close. 
 
 Favored by "Old Subtility,"^ the Earl of Man- 
 oaks, in Kent. It, together with a portion of the 
 pikestaflf with which it was pierced, fell from the pin- 
 nacle of Westminster Hall during the reign of James 
 II, after being exposed to the elements for over thirty 
 years. 
 
 * It was an age of nicknames. The King was known 
 as "Old Rowley," an allusion to an ill-favored but 
 famous horse in the Royal Mews. King Charles called 
 Hobbes "the bear," named a favored yacht "Fubbs" 
 
140 Wadsworth 
 
 Chester and their following, John Winthrop, Jr., 
 soon made his way at court, his recitals of the won- 
 ders of this, then comparatively unknown world, 
 in which the English by their valor and skill at 
 arms, had conquered the Pequots and other tribes 
 of Indians, being very gratifying to the King, with 
 whom Winthrop had several audiences, and those 
 who had followed His Majesty from the continent. 
 During one of these interviews Winthrop presented 
 His Majesty with a ring which was given his grand- 
 father by Charles I. when he was Prince of Wales. 
 This pleased the King mightily and in return he 
 presented Governor Winthrop with a miniature of 
 himself painted on ivory. 
 
 in honor of the Duchess of Portsmouth, who became 
 very plump in her person, while he called the Queen 
 "a bat" in allusion to her short, broad, figure, her 
 swarthy complexion and the projection of her upper lip 
 from a protuberant tooth. The name selected for 
 Lord Say and Seal was very appropriate when it :3 
 remembered that it was applied to a man who passed 
 through the Revolution, lived under the Common- 
 wealth and aided in the Restoration without being put 
 to any annoyance, while his sons also lived on in the 
 enjoyment of their estates under Charles II., although 
 one of them, Nathaniel Fiennes, commanded Bristol 
 when taken by that madman. Prince Rupert, was con- 
 demned to be shot, but escaped the penalty, later be- 
 came one of the Commissioners of the great seal under 
 the Parliament and subsequently a member of Crom- 
 well's privy council; while John, his third son, was 
 one of Oliver Cromwell's Lords. After the Restora- 
 tion Nathaniel retired to his estates in Wiltshire, 
 where he died Dec. i6, 1669. 
 
The Royal Oak 141 
 
 Notwithstanding the favors shown him by His 
 Majesty and those who were numbered among- his 
 admirers, John Winthrop, had many obstacles 
 to overcome, but his tact proved equal to every 
 emergency. On one occasion an enemy of colonial 
 interests, who felt that he had been slighted by an 
 unknown from America, handed the King a pine 
 tree shilling^ which had been struck in Massachu- 
 setts as an evidence that the colonists were violating 
 the laws of England by coining the King's money, 
 and under such conditions were not entitled to pat- 
 ent privileges. The King retained the coin until 
 Winthrop again appeared at court to urge the Con- 
 necticut petition, and after his arguments were pre- 
 sented Charles handed him the piece of money and 
 asked him what was meant by the tree on the face 
 of it. "That," said Winthrop, who was familiar 
 with the personal history of the King and who also 
 saw that the name of the tree could not be deter- 
 mined by the stamp on the coin, "is the Royal Oak, 
 whose leaves and branches once sheltered your gra- 
 cious Majesty from your foes." 
 
 ^ The pine tree shillings were coined by John Hull 
 who was made master of the Mint in Boston in 1652. 
 Hull was born at Market Hanborough, Leicestershire, 
 England, December 18, 1624, and accompanied his 
 father to New England in 1635. He was a zealous Puri- 
 tan and married Judith, daughter of Edmund Quincy, 
 the ceremony being performed by Governor Winthrop 
 "on the nth day of the third month," 1647. 
 
142 Wadsworth 
 
 "Oddsfish," said His Majesty, "you are truly loyal 
 in New England, when even the dangers I have 
 passed are commemorated on your coins," and as 
 Winthrop related on his return, the King, utterly 
 regardless of the other business which required his 
 attention, called his spaniels^ and as he fondled 
 their long silky ears, related to those present how 
 he fled from Worcester and wandered for over six 
 weeks in the southwestern counties of England 
 before his friends could find a ship to carry him 
 across the channel to France. Over fifty years 
 have elapsed since I first heard what the King said 
 to Winthrop and the others who were present and 
 since then many local facts have been added to the 
 narration which I will endeavor to place on record 
 in these notes. 
 
 The battle of Worcester was the last stand that 
 the Royalists made in England against Cromwell, 
 and as his victorious troops poured into the city, 
 Charles Stuart, the nominal King of Great Britain, 
 surrounded by a few nobles, rode out of St. Mar- 
 tin's gate towards Scotland, a fugitive who in a 
 few days had a price of i,ooo pounds placed on his 
 
 * Sept. 4, 1667. Staid (at the Whitehall chamber) 
 and heard Alderman Baker's case of his being abused 
 by the council of Ireland, touching his lands there; all 
 I observed there was the silliness of the King, playing 
 with his dogs all the while, and not minding the busi- 
 ness, and what he said was mighty weak. — Pepy's 
 Diary. 
 
WILLIAM PENDRELL 
 
The Royal Oak 145 
 
 head. In the first flush of triumph no one in the 
 Parliamentary forces appeared to be very anxious 
 to apprehend the King and to this no doubt he owed 
 his escape without leaving a clue. 
 
 When the King left the city, he and Lord Wil- 
 mot, afterwards the Duke of Rochester, intended 
 to make a dash for London in the hope of getting 
 a vessel for France before the news of his defeat 
 could get thither, but he found that he could not 
 break away from his defeated soldiers who were, 
 like himself, fleeing along Leicestershire road until 
 it was too late. He finally, with about sixty gentle- 
 men and officers, the Duke of Buckingham, Lord 
 Derby and Wilmot being of the number, slipped 
 out of the high road and galloped towards Wolver- 
 hampton, passing through Stonebridge, where a 
 troop of the enemy was quartered for the night, 
 without being suspected. After a ride of about 
 twenty miles, as the day was breaking they came 
 to White Ladys,^ a house belonging to the Giffard 
 family, one of whose retainers, William Pendrell, 
 hid Lord Derby at Boscobel House while he was 
 recovering from a wound received in a skirmish 
 with Colonel Lilburn at Wigan, Just as they ar- 
 rived at White Ladys, a country fellow brought the 
 
 * White Ladys was given the name from it having 
 been formerly a monastery of Cistertian nuns whose 
 habits were of that color. 
 
146 Wadsworth 
 
 news that there were three thousand Royalist horse 
 on a heath near Tong Castle, all in disorder, under 
 David Leslie. A few of those who were with the 
 King advised him to join Leslie and endeavor to 
 reach Scotland, but Charles thought that this was 
 not possible, as he knew that the country would rise 
 against the Scotch and that men who had deserted 
 him when in good order could not be depended upon 
 after they had been beaten. 
 
 After having some refreshments of bread and 
 cheese, the King decided to go on foot to London 
 disguised in a country fellow's habit, a pair of or- 
 dinary gray cloth breeches, a leather doublet and a 
 green jerkin. Upon the announcement of his plan, 
 all of the persons of quality and officers, except Lord 
 Wilmot, rode off to join Leslie. After they reached 
 him and marched about six miles they were 
 routed by a single troop of horse. Lord 
 Derby and a number of others being taken prison- 
 ers. Before leaving to join the Leslie horse, Charles 
 Giffard recommended to the King his retainers, 
 Richard and William Pendrell,^ ashonestmenwho 
 
 ^ The Pendrell family consisted of six sons and one 
 daughter, the mother, good wife Pendrell, called Dame 
 Joan by Charles II., being at Hobbal Grange when the 
 King was in that vicinity. She died in 1669 and was 
 buried at White Ladys. Of her sons, Thomas fell at 
 Edgehill in the army of Charles I., William lived with 
 his wife at Boscobel House; Richard, "Trusty Dick," 
 resided at Hobbal Grange; John and George, both of 
 
The Royal Oak 147 
 
 could be depended upon. With their assistance 
 he cut off his hair and flung his clothes in a privy- 
 house so that nobody might see that anyone had 
 been stripping themselves there, and, disguised 
 in a leathern doublet and workman's suit, left 
 White Ladys to find refuge in Spring Coppice 
 wood. Seated on a blanket which Richard Pend- 
 rell brought from the house of his brother-in-law, 
 Francis Yates, the King passed the first day of 
 his hiding, good wife Yates, a sister of the Pend- 
 rells, bringing him a mess of butter, milk and 
 eggs, and cheering him with the assurance that 
 she would rather die than discover him. 
 
 As the King and Richard Pendrell passed the 
 day in the wood, they talked about getting to 
 
 which were woodmen, occupied adjoining cottages, al- 
 though Father Hudleston says that John lived at 
 White Ladys and Humphrey at the mill at White 
 Ladys. The daughter Elizabeth was the wife of Fran- 
 cis Yates, who gave the King the coarse shirt which 
 he wore until Hudleston gave him a linen one the fol- 
 lowing week at Moseley Hall. The King is supposed 
 to have changed his clothes in the Yates house, and 
 he told Pepys at Newmarket in 1680 "the man in whose 
 house I changed my clothes came to one of the Pend- 
 rells about two days after, and asking him where I 
 was, told him that they might get 1,000 pounds if 
 they would tell, because there was that sum upon my 
 head. But Pendrell was so honest, that, though he at 
 the time knew where I was, he bade him have a care 
 what he did; for, that I being gone out of reach, if 
 they should now discover that I had been there, they 
 would get nothing but hanging for their pains." 
 
148 Wadsworth 
 
 London, and, as the family did not know any men 
 of quality on the way, Charles decided that he 
 would create less suspicion by crossing the Sev- 
 ern and seeking shelter among the Royalists in 
 Wales until a ship could be found to carry him 
 from Swansea or some of the other sea towns, to 
 France. At nightfall they repaired to Hobbal 
 Grange, where the King completed his rustic dis- 
 guise and from which he and "Trusty Dick" 
 Pendrell started on foot towards the river, in- 
 tending to cross at a ferry between Bridgewater 
 and Shrewsbury. As they were trudging along 
 in the dark they came to a mill in which they 
 could hear people talking. When they passed, 
 the miller, who was sitting at the door, 
 called out, "Who goes there?" upon which Rich- 
 ard Pendrell answered, "Neighbours going 
 home." Whereupon the miller cried out, "If you 
 are neighbours, stand or I will knock you down." 
 Fearful of exposure on account of the King not 
 being able to speak in the accent of the country, 
 and believing that the company was coming out 
 of the mill, Pendrell and Charles turned and fled 
 up a lane, with the miller crying "Rogues, 
 rogues," in pursuit. 
 
 They soon evaded him in the darkness, and, 
 after hiding for about half an hour behind a 
 hedge, marched on to Madeley, where Pendrell 
 
The Royal Oak 149 
 
 knew an old Royalist named Woolfe, who had 
 hiding holes for priests. The King refused to go 
 into his house until he knew whether Woolfe 
 would harbor so dangerous a guest, and remained 
 in the field under a hedge until Pendrell could 
 learn if he would receive a person of quality and 
 hide him the next day. At the time Woolfe's son 
 was a prisoner at Shrewsbury, having been taken 
 while fighting for the King, while his house had 
 recently been searched and all of the hiding holes 
 discovered. 
 
 When Woolfe learned that the man seeking 
 shelter was one who escaped from Worcester, he 
 said that he would not venture his neck for any 
 man unless it were the King himself. As Pend- 
 rell had orders not to tell who the person was, he 
 did not know which way to turn, but upon learn- 
 ing that there were two companies of militia in 
 the place Ireeping guard at the ferry, and seeing 
 that the day was coming, he decided to disobey 
 Charles' commands and told Woolfe that it was 
 the King. Upon this Woolfe said that he would 
 venture all he had in the world to secure him, 
 and Pendrell brought the King into the house by 
 a back way. 
 
 After giving the pair some cold meat, Woolfe 
 concealed them under the corn and hay in his 
 barn, where they remained all the next day. 
 
150 Wadsworth 
 
 Towards evening Woolfe's son who had been 
 released, came home. At dusk they brought 
 food to the barn, where they discussed the 
 chances of getting over the Severn into Wales. 
 They were of the opinion that it could not be 
 done on account of the strict guards that were 
 kept all along the river where a passage could 
 be found, and, as the King had taken sufificient 
 chances in the past forty-eight hours, he decided 
 to return to Pendrell's house and remain there 
 until he could hear from Lord Wilmot. After 
 Mrs. Woolfe had completed the King's disguise 
 by staining his face and hands a reeky color with 
 walnut leaves, Richard Pendrell and Charles 
 started for Boscobel House, stopping on the way 
 at John Pendrell's, where they learned that Wil- 
 mot had found shelter at Moseley Hall, the home 
 of Mr. Whitgreave, and that Major Carles, an 
 officer who had fought under him at Worcester 
 and who had maintained his ground until the last 
 man was killed, was in hiding at Boscobel. 
 
 As soon as the King arrived at his destination 
 he sent for Carles and consulted with him as to 
 what they should do the next day. Carles advised 
 him that it would be dangerous to remain in the 
 house or go into the great wood, as the enemy 
 would certainly search for people who had made 
 their escape. He also said that he knew of but 
 

 THE ROYAL OAK OF BOSCOBEL 
 
The Royal Oak 153 
 
 one way to pass the day, and that was to climb 
 into an oak tree standing in an open space about 
 a furlong from the house, ^ As the King approved 
 of the plan, the two fugitives, assisted by the 
 Pendrells, went up into the great oak, taking 
 some bread, cheese and small beer as victuals for 
 the day. This tree had been lopped some three 
 or four years before, and, having grown out again 
 very thick and bushy, could not be seen through ; 
 but during the day both Carles and the King saw 
 the red coats of Cromwell's soldiers as they 
 searched in the Boscobel wood for persons who 
 had escaped from Worcester. None of them 
 came near the hiding place, which has since that 
 day been known as the Royal Oak.^ At dusk 
 
 * After the Restoration, when the details of the 
 King's escape from Worcester were published, hun- 
 dreds flocked to Boscobel to see the tree, which was 
 soon called the Royal Oak. The more zealous ad- 
 mirers of the King were not satisfied with looking at 
 the tree, but insisted on carrying away young branches 
 as souvenirs. At an early date Basil Fitzherbert, who 
 subsequently owned the property on which the tree 
 stood, built a stone wall around the tree to protect it 
 from the public. He also had it cropped in the hope 
 that it would grow out again, but even this heroic 
 measure failed to save it. Upon its fall one of its 
 acorns was planted on the original spot. The wall 
 built by Sir Basil was removed in 1814, when a high 
 iron railing took its place. A brass plate, with Sir 
 Basil's inscription formerly fixed on the tree, is still 
 preserved in Boscobel House. 
 
 "^ On April 21, 1840, at a meeting of the Connecti- 
 cut Historical Society Col. Wm. L. Stone of New 
 
164 Wadsworth 
 
 Carles and the King returned to Boscobel House, 
 where they remained until the following evening, 
 when John Pendrell returned from a visit to Lord 
 Wilmot and told the King that arrangements had 
 been made to receive him at Moseley Hall. 
 
 At nightfall, surrounded by a bodyguard com- 
 posed of the five Pendrells and brother-in-law 
 Yates, the King, mounted on Humphrey's mill 
 horse, set out. As they trudged along in the 
 
 York, made the following reference of the Charter and 
 Royal Oaks: "I need not remind this audience of the 
 fact that after the decisive defeat of Charles the Sec- 
 ond, by Cromwell at Worcester, he was indebted to 
 the thick branches of an oak in Boscobel, for conceal- 
 ment from his victorious pursuers, upon whom he 
 looked down in perfect security. Now had it not been 
 for the Oak of Boscobel, Charles would have been 
 taken and executed by the fierce and victorious Presby- 
 terian. Of course, in that event, he would not have 
 granted the Charter of 1662, securing to the Colony the 
 Constitution of 1639; and again when in 1687, Sir Ed- 
 mund Andros came hither to reclaim the Charter, had 
 it not been for the dexterity of Wadsworth and his con- 
 federates, and the noble old Oak, whose boughs, 'mossed 
 with age, and bald with dry antiquity,' yet brave the 
 tempest and 'the scolding winds,' what would have be- 
 come of that priceless Charter? Sir, I venerate the 
 'gnarled and unwedgeable oak;' I prize it for its poetical 
 associations and for its history. I prize it because it 
 sheltered the patriarchs; I regard it because the Anglo 
 Saxons loved and worshipped under it. I love it because 
 it saved Charles the Second to give the Charter of 
 1662. And I value it still more because it saved the 
 Charter itself. Let me then give as a toast — The Oak 
 of Boscobel and the Oak of Hartford — the latter saved 
 the Charter of Connecticut, which but for the former, 
 King Charles would not have lived to grant." 
 
The Royal Oak 155 
 
 darkness and rain, his Majesty, who had not as 
 yet recovered from his fatigue, complained that 
 his mount "was the dullest jade he ever rode on," 
 to which the miller replied, "Can you blame the 
 horse, my liege, to go heavily when he has the 
 weight of three kingdoms on his back?" an an- 
 swer the King enjoyed hugely. 
 
 When within two miles of Moseley Hall the 
 King dismounted, and after parting with three of 
 the brothers, proceeded on foot to a small grove 
 of trees known as Pit Leason, where he was met 
 by Father Hudleston^ and Mr. Whitgreave and 
 conveyed to the home of the latter, where he 
 found Lord Wilmot. The King remained at 
 Moseley Hall for two days, during which Lord 
 Wilmot and Colonel Lane perfected arrange- 
 ments to have him proceed to a point near Bris- 
 tol, as William Jackson, a serving man with 
 Jane Lane, under a pass which she had from 
 Captain Stone, Governor of Stratford. Clothed 
 in an ordinary gray suit, the newly made servant, 
 after being equipped and tutored in the stable by 
 the Colonel, rode to the front door of Bentley 
 Hall on a double horse provided for Mistress 
 
 ' Both Hudleston and Whitgreave had served in the 
 army of Charles I. The former survived the Restora- 
 tion and also Charles II. and was the priest who was 
 smuggled into the Royal chamber to administer ex- 
 treme unction to that monarch in his last moments. 
 
156 Wadsworth 
 
 Lane and set off in company with a Royalist offi- 
 cer named Lascelles, Mrs, Petre, a sister of Col- 
 onel Lane, and her husband. 
 
 After a ride of about two hours the King's 
 mare cast a shoe and he was forced to ride to a 
 village near by to have it reset. As he was hold- 
 ing the mare's foot he asked the smith what news 
 and was told that there was none since the Scotch 
 rogues were beaten at Worcester. The King 
 then asked if none of the English had been taken 
 with the Scots and was told that he did not hear 
 that the rogue Charles Stuart was taken, but that 
 some of the others were. At this point His Maj- 
 esty ventured the remark that if the rogue Charles 
 Stuart were taken he deserved hanging for bring- 
 ing in the Scots. Upon which the smith told 
 him he talked like an honest man, and they parted. 
 
 As the King and his small party arrived near 
 Walton, within four miles of Stratford, an old 
 woman who was gleaning in the fields cried out, 
 "Master, don't you see a troop of horses before 
 you?" and upon looking in the direction indicated 
 they espied a troop whose riders had alighted 
 and the horses eating grass by the wayside. At 
 the suggestion of one of the gentlemen who ac- 
 companied Mrs. Lane, they wheeled about and 
 took a more indirect way into Stratford, where 
 they met the same or another troop, which opened 
 
The Royal Oak 157 
 
 right and left, making way for the travelers to 
 march through them. Jane Lane and her com- 
 pany lodged that night at the house of Mr. 
 Toombs, in Long Marston, four miles west of 
 Stratford. Upon their arrival, Will Jackson was 
 sent to the kitchen, where the cook was busy 
 preparing supper for the master and his guests. 
 As the King in disguise sat by the fire, the cook 
 bade him wind up the jack. When he failed to do 
 it properly she flew into a passion and asked, 
 "What countryman are you that you know not 
 how to wind up a jack?" His Majesty answered 
 very satisfactorily as he said, "I am a poor ten- 
 ant's son of Colonel Lane's of Staffordshire ; we 
 seldom have roast meat, but when we have it, we 
 do not make use of a jack," at which the cook 
 was very much amused. 
 
 The following day Jane Lane's party, which 
 was now reduced to Mr. Lascells and the dis- 
 guised serving man, Mr. Petre and his wife hav- 
 ing parted from them at Stratford, passed through 
 Camden and lodged at an inn in Cirencester. 
 Another day's journey brought them to the resi- 
 dence of George Norton at Abbotsleigh, three 
 miles beyond the town of Bristol. The King re- 
 mained here from Saturday until the following" 
 Tuesday. On the morning after his arrival he 
 was recognized by the butler of the house, an 
 
168 Wadsworth 
 
 honest fellow named Pope, and who had served 
 Tom Jermyn, a groom of the King's bedchamber 
 when Charles was a boy at Richmond. Pope 
 had also been a trooper in his father's army. 
 Plaving learned that he was always loyal, the 
 King, as soon as he was advised of the discovery, 
 sent for Pope and told him that as an old ac- 
 quaintance he would trust him with his life. He 
 also told him that it was his design to get a ship 
 at Bristol, and to that end bade Pope go that day 
 to the town and learn if there were any vessels 
 ready to sail for Spain or France. Upon his re- 
 turn Pope reported that there would be none 
 sailing for a month, and, as the King could not 
 remain at Abbotsleigh for that length of time, 
 after consulting with Lord Wilmot, who traveled 
 about without putting on any disguise, he de- 
 cided to adopt Pope's suggestion of seeking shel- 
 ter with Frank Wyndham at Trent in Somerset- 
 shire. 
 
 Accordingly the next morning Jane Lane, 
 accompanied by Mr. Lascells and her disguised 
 serving man, departed for Trent, although at the 
 time the Nortons supposed that they were re- 
 turning to Bentley Hall, while Lord Wilmot 
 rode on in advance to apprise the Wyndhams of 
 the quality of the guest who would seek the shel- 
 ter of their roof. Upon receipt of advice that it 
 
JANE LANE 
 
The Royal Oak 161 
 
 was the King, Colonel Wyndham, who was at 
 the time a prisoner on parole, assured Wilmot 
 that for His Majesty's preservation he would 
 value neither his life, family nor fortune and 
 would never injure His Majesty's confidence in 
 him. 
 
 The next morning, after acquainting his 
 mother. Lady Wyndham, her niece, Juliana Con- 
 ingsby, his wife and the servants that could be 
 trusted with what Lord Wilmot told him over 
 night, he and his lady walked forth in the fields 
 to meet Jane Lane and her escort, which had 
 lain the preceding night at Castle Cary, a town 
 six miles distant from Trent. In their absence 
 Lady Wyndham had her chamber prepared to 
 receive the King, while all of the servants not 
 privy to the secret were given employment which 
 removed them out of the way at the time of his 
 arrival. 
 
 As soon as the King came near Colonel Wynd- 
 ham, he called to him, "Frank, Frank, how dost 
 thou do?" but refrained from further remarks 
 until he and Mistress Lane had been conveyed into 
 Lady Wyndham's chamber, where they were 
 soon joined by Lord Wilmot. The ladies then 
 withdrew to the parlor and on the following 
 day Jane Lane and Mr. Lascells departed. As 
 for the King, he remained at Trent house for 
 
162 Wadsworth 
 
 nineteen days, except during the period coA^ered 
 by an unsuccessful attempt to get a vessel to 
 transport him from Lyme to France. During 
 this period he had ample opportunity to learn of 
 the loyalty of the Wyndhams. 
 
 When the time hung heavily, Colonel Wynd- 
 ham, on more than one occasion, entertained the 
 King by relating how, in 1636, before the break- 
 ing out of the Civil War, his father. Sir Thomas 
 Wyndhani, summoned his five sons to his cham- 
 ber and spoke to them of the peace which the 
 kingdom had enjoyed under the Tudor sover- 
 eigns and of the blessed union of the crowns of 
 England and Scotland, which put an end to the 
 border raids and feuds, many of which traced 
 back to the Normans. After dwelling upon the 
 stern but loyal barons who wrested the Magna 
 Charta from King John, and referring to the 
 divisions of families in the troubles between the 
 houses of Lancaster and York, both of which 
 were united in Henry VIL, he said, "My sons ! 
 we have hitherto seen serene and quiet times, but 
 now prepare yourselves for cloudy and trouble- 
 some. I command you to honor and obey our 
 gracious sovereign, and in all times to adhere to 
 the crown ; and though the crown shall hang on a 
 bush, I charge you to forsake it not." Sir Thomas 
 died before the war began, but his family re- 
 
The Royal Oak 163 
 
 mained loyal to the end, three of his sons and a 
 grandson falling in battle in the cause of Charles 
 I., and Frank Wyndham also served with honor. 
 
 On one of the days while the King was con- 
 cealed at Trent, he heard the bells ringing in a 
 church yard hard by the Wyndham house, and, see- 
 ing a company there he sent a maid who knew him 
 to learn what was on foot. Upon her return she told 
 him that one of Cromwell's troopers was telling the 
 people that he had killed the King and that he was 
 then wearing his buff coat. As the majority of the 
 people were bitterly opposed to the Royalists, they 
 expressed their joy by ringing the church bells and 
 making a bonfire. 
 
 The morning after the King arrived at Trent, 
 both he and Lord Wilmot, after consulting with 
 Frank Wyndham, decided that the latter should 
 approach Sir John Strangways, who had had two 
 sons in Charles I.'s army, and ask him to assist 
 in procuring a vessel. The StrangAvays were un- 
 able to give any aid in the adventure other than 
 by sending the King a hundred pounds. After 
 advising His Majesty of the failure in that quar- 
 ter, Frank Wyndham traveled to Lyme, where 
 he approached WiUiam Ellesden; a merchant 
 who had, with the assistance of his brother, con- 
 veyed several gentlemen to France. As soon as 
 Ellesden learned that Colonel Wyndham came 
 
164 Wadsworth 
 
 from the King, he expressed himself as willing 
 to meet any hazard in the enterprise and went 
 with him to one of his tenants, Samuel Limbry, 
 who intended to make a speedy voyage to San 
 Malo. Limbry agreed to transport Colonel 
 Wyndham, who treated with him under the name 
 of Captain Norris, and three or four friends to 
 France for 60 pounds, promising to take them 
 from the beach near Charmouth in his long boat 
 on the night of September 22. As soon as their 
 arrangements were completed, Colonel Wyndham 
 returned to Trent and dispatched his servant, 
 Henry Peters, to Charmouth to engage chambers 
 at the inn for the King and his party until it was 
 time to go on board. By representing his master 
 as a gallant who was eloping with a young wom- 
 an of good parents in Devon, and favoring the 
 hostess with a present, Peters left with a promise 
 that the house and its servants should be at his 
 master's command. 
 
 When the day selected for the journey to Char- 
 mouth came, the King rode away from Trent as 
 a serving man before Lady Wyndham's niece, 
 Juliana Coningsby. Colonel Wyndham acted as 
 guide, while Lord Wilmot and Peters remained 
 at a convenient distance. William Ellesden met 
 them and conducted the party to his brother's 
 house among the hills, where they remained un- 
 
The Royal Oak 165 
 
 til nightfall. The company then started for the 
 inn, where they expected to lay until midnight, 
 when Limbry's long boat was to meet them at 
 the appointed place. 
 
 As the set hour drew nigh Colonel Wyndham 
 and Peters repaired to the beach, where they re- 
 mained until the break of day. The boat did not 
 come, and as they had not received a message 
 from the master of the ship, they returned to the 
 inn and advised both the King and Lord Wilmot 
 to fly, as they feared that they had been betrayed. 
 As soon as the horses could be led out, Colonel 
 Wyndham and the King, the latter riding before 
 Mistress Coningsby, departed for Burport, where 
 Lord Wilmot promised to join them as soon as 
 he learned why the ship had failed them. Send- 
 ing for Ellesden, he had him find Limbry, from 
 whom it was ascertained that in order to prevent a 
 discovery he had not told his wife of his intention 
 of going to sea until it was almost time for him 
 to go aboard. When he called for his chest, she 
 asked him why he was going to sail without 
 goods, and he told her that Mr. Ellesden had pro- 
 vided a better freight. His wife, having been at 
 the Lyme fair that day, heard the proclamation 
 read wherein i,ooo pounds reward was promised 
 for the discovery of the King, and in which the 
 penalties for concealing His Majesty or any of 
 
166 Wadsworth 
 
 those who fought with him at Worcester were 
 set forth. Being convinced that her husband 
 intended to carry a few of these fugitives into 
 France, she locked the door upon him and by 
 the help of her two daughters kept him by force, 
 and at the same time threatened that if he offered 
 to stir out of doors she would go to Lyme and 
 give information against him and Mr, Ellesden 
 to Captain Macy, who was lying there with a 
 company of foot. Knowing what an exposure 
 meant, Limbry remained peaceably at home. 
 
 While getting this information Lord Wilmot 
 learned that his horse was wanting a shoe, and, 
 knowing that it was all he had to depend upon 
 in making his escape from Charmouth, he bade 
 the hostler at the inn lead him to a smith and 
 have one set. The horse was taken to the forge 
 of one Hammet, who, after finishing his task, 
 examined the remaining shoes, as all good work- 
 men will. As he did so he said in the hearing 
 of the hostler, "This horse hath three shoes that 
 were set in three different counties, and one of 
 them in Worcestershire." This confirmed the 
 hostler's suspicions, which were first aroused by 
 the horses being kept in readiness all the night, 
 and several members of the company going to 
 the seaside, but before he could find anyone who 
 would listen to him, Lord Wilmot rode off 
 
The Royal Oak 167 
 
 towards Burport, where he joined the King and 
 Colonel Wyndham. 
 
 When Charles and his party arrived at Bur- 
 port they found the streets full of Cromwell's 
 red-coated soldiers, it being a regiment of Colonel 
 Haynes going to embark for Jersey. Wyndham 
 was very much startled, but the King told him 
 that they must go impudently into the best inn 
 in the town, and take a chamber there; because 
 they should otherwise miss Lord Wilmot in case 
 they went anywhere else, and that would be very 
 inconvenient both to him and them. So they 
 rode directly into the inn yard. The King alight- 
 ed and, taking the horses, went blundering 
 through the middle of the soldiers into the stable ; 
 and in doing so created not a little anger by his 
 rudeness. 
 
 As soon as he went into the stable Charles 
 took the bridles off the horses, called the hostler 
 to help him, and to give the horses some oats. 
 As the hostler was feeding the horses he said, 
 "Sure, sir, I know your face," which was not a 
 very pleasant remark under the circumstances, 
 but in order to learn what he did know the King 
 asked him where he had lived and if he had al- 
 ways lived in Burport or not. The hostler told 
 him that he was born in Exeter and had worked 
 in the stables at an inn near the house of one 
 
168 Wadsworth 
 
 Mr. Porter, in whose house His Majesty 
 had slept in the time of the war. Deeming it 
 advisable to give the fellow no further occasion 
 of thinking where he had seen him, the King told 
 him, "Certainly, friend, you have seen me at Mr. 
 Porter's, for I served him a good while above a 
 year." At this the hostler replied, "Oh, then I 
 remember you a boy there," and desired the King 
 to drink a pot of beer with him. Excusing him- 
 self by saying that he must go and wait on his 
 master, and get his dinner ready, and promising 
 to share a pot w^ith him on their return from 
 London in about three weeks, Charles sought 
 the shelter of the inn, where he remained until 
 Lord Wilmot rode into the town. As soon as 
 Peters announced his arrival, they took horse 
 and galloped off on the London road, which they 
 left as soon as Lord Wilmot joined them, taking 
 what they supposed was the road to Yeovil, but 
 which led them at about nightfall to Broad Wind- 
 sor, where they found shelter in an upper cham- 
 ber of a small inn kept by Rice Jones. In the 
 interval the hue and cry raised by the hostler and 
 those in Charmouth who listened to him, 
 reached Captain Macy. He rushed off with a 
 party in pursuit of the royal fugitive. At Bur- 
 port he learned from the hostler that the party 
 
The Royal Oak 169 
 
 had gone on to London, but all traces of them 
 disappeared before Dorchester was reached. 
 
 The following morning the King returned to 
 Trent. Upon his arrival he sent a message to 
 Salisbury for Colonel Robert Phillips, to learn 
 what could be done in the way of getting a ship. 
 Phillips chartered one, but before their plans 
 could be completed it was prest to carry troops 
 to Jersey. The next messenger was sent farther 
 into Sussex, and, in order to be nearer the point 
 of embarkation should a vessel be procured. His 
 Majesty arranged with Colonel Phillips to find 
 him a hiding place nearer Salisbury. He selected 
 a house owned by Sergeant Hyde, and which was 
 then occupied by the widow of his elder brother. 
 It was near Heale, three miles from Salisbury. 
 
 As soon as the necessary arrangements were 
 completed Colonel Phillips went to Trent and 
 returned with the King, the latter traveling in his 
 old disguise of a serving man and for security 
 riding in front of Mistress Juliana Coningsby. In 
 this journey he passed through the middle of a 
 regiment of horse and also met Disborow, who 
 was at the time walking down a hill with three 
 or four men who had lodged with him the night 
 before in Salisbury. 
 
 In four or five days Phillips returned to Heale 
 
170 Wadsworth 
 
 to advise Charles that a vessel had been secured 
 at Shoreham. Upon which, at two o'clock in the 
 morning, they went out of the house by a back 
 way, and, after traveling fifteen miles, met Lord 
 Wilmot and Colonel Gunter. The latter con- 
 ducted them to the home of his brother-in-law at 
 Hambleton, seven miles from Portsmouth. The 
 next day they went to Brighthelmstone, where 
 they met the merchant Francis Mansel, who had 
 procured the vessel, and its master, Captain Nich- 
 olas Tattersall. As they were all sitting together 
 the master of the vessel looked very much at the 
 King, who was at the time in the same gray 
 cloth suit. After they had supped he took the 
 merchant aside and said that he had not dealt 
 fairly with him, for though he had given him a 
 very good price for carrying over the gentleman, 
 he had not been clear with him, "for," said he, 
 "it is the King, and I very well know him to be 
 so." Upon which, the merchant denying it, as at 
 the time he only knew His Majesty as a person of 
 quality who had escaped from the battle of 
 Worcester, the master answered, "I know him 
 very well, for he took my ship, together with 
 other fishing vessels, at Brighthelmstone in 1648. 
 But be not troubled at it, for I think to do God 
 and my country a good service in preserving the 
 King, and, by the grace of God, I will venture 
 
CHARLES II 
 
The Royal Oak 173 
 
 my life and all for him and set him safely on 
 shore, if I can, in France." 
 
 When the merchant advised Lord Wilmot and 
 the King of the conversation, His Majesty told 
 him that what Captain Tattersall said was true 
 and that he had, when in command of his father|s 
 fleet, taken the vessels as stated, but let them 
 go again. After what had happened, and remem- 
 bering their mishap at Charmouth, it was not 
 deemed prudent to let the captain go home lest 
 he should be asking advice of his wife or any- 
 body else, so they kept him with them at the inn 
 where they sat up all night drinking beer and 
 taking tobacco. 
 
 About four o'clock in the morning the King 
 and his company went towards Shoreham, where 
 both he and Lord Wilmot got into the ship. They 
 went out of port about seven and stood all day 
 with easy sail towards the Isle of Wight, the 
 vessel being bound for Pool with a load of sea 
 coal. About five o'clock in the afternoon, the 
 wind being then full north, its bow was turned 
 towards France and the next morning, a little 
 before day, they saw the coast. As the tide failed 
 them, the King and Lord Wilmot were rowed 
 ashore and went up into the town of Fecamp, 
 where they remained until they procured horses 
 to carry them to Rouen, from whence they sent 
 notice to Queen Henrietta in Paris. 
 
174 Wadsworth 
 
 Within an hour after the King landed the wind 
 changed and Captain Tattersall was carried 
 directly to Pool without its being known that 
 he had been on the coast of France.^ Such, in 
 brief, is the narrative of Charles II. 's escape from 
 
 * Charles II. 's love of talking referred to by Cun- 
 ningham and others in a preceding note is aptly illus- 
 trated in the Diary of Samuel Pepys, who wrote as fol- 
 lows on May 23, 1660, the day Charles sailed from Hol- 
 land for England. "All the afternoon the King walked 
 here and there, up and down, very active and stirring. 
 Upon the quarterdeck he fell into discourse of his es- 
 cape from Worcester, where it made me ready to weep 
 to hear the stories that he told of his difficulties that he 
 had passed through, as his traveling three days and 
 four nights on foot, every step up to his knees in dirt, 
 with nothing but a green coat and a pair of country 
 breeches on, and a pair of country shoes that made him 
 so sore all over his feet that he could scarce stir. Yet 
 he was forced to run away from a miller and other 
 company that took them for rogues. His sitting at a 
 table at one place, where the master of the house, that 
 had not seen him in eight years, did know him, but 
 kept it private; where at the same table there was one 
 that had been of his own regiment at Worcester, could 
 not know him, but made him drink the King's health, 
 and said that the King was at least four fingers higher 
 than he. At another place he was by some servants in 
 the house made to drink, that they might know him 
 not to be a Roundhead, which they swore he was. In 
 another place at his inn, the master of the house, as 
 the King was standing with his hands upon the back 
 of a chair by the fireside, kneeled down and kissed his 
 hand, privately saying that he would not ask him who 
 he was, but bid God bless him whither he was going. 
 Then the difficulty to get a boat going into France 
 when he was fain to plot with the master thereof to 
 keep his design from the foreman and a boy (which 
 
The Royal Oak 175 
 
 Worcester and his wanderings in the southern 
 counties of England before he could find a vessel 
 to carry him across the Channel, and that he did 
 not forget those who risked their lives and prop- 
 erty aiding and sheltering him when there was a 
 price upon his head, is evidenced by the following 
 pensions which were granted after the Restora- 
 tion: 
 
 Lady Fisher, nee Jane Lane,^ pension for 
 life looo pounds 
 
 Colonel Lane, pension for life 500 
 
 Anne Wyndham, widow of Sir Francis 
 Wyndham, pension in which her daugh- 
 ters Rachel and Frances had a joint 
 reversionary interest for their lives 400 
 
 Robert Phillips, pension for life... ... 400 
 
 Mr. Whitgreave, an annuity with reversion 
 to his son Thomas 200 
 
 Richard Pendrell and his heirs forever, per 
 annum 100 
 
 William Pendrell and his heirs forever, per 
 annum 100 
 
 Humphrey, John & George Pendrell and 
 
 their heirs forever, per annum severally. 100 marks 
 
 Elizabeth Yates, widow, and her heirs for- 
 ever, per annum 50 pounds 
 
 was all the ship's company) and so got to Fecamp in 
 France. At Rouen he looked so poorly that the peo- 
 ple went into his rooms before he went away to see 
 whether he had not stole something or other." 
 
 *Jane Lane's pension was accompanied by a watch, 
 which by the express request of the King, was to 
 descend by succession to the eldest daughter of the 
 house of Lane. The Colonel Lane pension ceased in 
 the reign of George L The Pendrell and Yates an- 
 nuities are still paid, the last reference to them in the 
 daily press being published in the New York Sun in 
 
176 WadswoHh 
 
 the form of a despatch from St. John, N. B., Canada, 
 September 20, 1902. It is reproduced as an evidence that 
 at least one family did not suffer when its members 
 trusted a Prince. 
 
 "A gift from Charles II. Dr. Walker benefiting by 
 the gratitude of a King 250 years ago. St. John, N. B., 
 Sept. 20, 1902. Because in September, 251 years ago, 
 the Pendrells, of Boscobel in Staffordshire, England, 
 saved the life of Charles Stuart, afterward Charles II., 
 Thomas Walker, M. D., of St. John, gets 10 pounds per 
 annum. For he is a descendant of the Pendrells. After 
 Charles became King, Farmer Pendrell was suitably 
 remembered. One of the estates which Charles granted 
 afterward was made chargeable with a perpetual pay- 
 ment of 100 pounds to each of the other four brothers, 
 and 50 pounds to a sister, Elizabeth Pendrell, who 
 shared the family secret. Dr. Walker, of St. John, is a 
 descendant of Elizabeth Pendrell. There were five 
 families descended from her, and the 50 pounds was 
 divided, so that the representative of each branch gets 
 ID pounds a year. A check for this amount, less a 
 small commission, comes every spring to Dr. Walker 
 from a solicitor at Lichfield, England. His father got 
 it before him, and it will descend to his son. Once, 
 when in England, the doctor sought to learn whose 
 estate was still paying so old an account, but the solic- 
 itor was abroad." 
 
 In order to make a permanent provision for the con- 
 tinuation of the Pendrells' and Yates' pensions, 
 Charles II., on July 24, 1675, settled by patent fee farm 
 rents to Sir Walter Wrottesley, Bart., Richard Con- 
 greve and John Richard, Esqrs., charged with the 
 pensions granted the Pendrells and Yates families. 
 
i 
 
 THE PATENT, 
 CHARTER AND DEED 
 
 I: 
 
THE PATENT, CHARTER AND DEED 
 
 November 3, 1620, James I., by letters patent, 
 incorporated the Duke of Lennox, Marquis of 
 Buckingham, Marquis of Hamilton, Earl of Arun- 
 del, Earl of Warwick and others to the number 
 of forty noblemen, knights and gentlemen, into 
 what was afterwards known as the Plymouth 
 Company, the object of which was the planting, 
 ruling and governing of New England in Amer- 
 ica, "and granted unto them, and their successors 
 and assigns, all that part of America lying and 
 being in breadth from forty degrees of north 
 latitude, from the equinoctial line to the forty- 
 eighth degree of said northerly latitude inclu- 
 sively, and in length of, and within all the breadth 
 aforesaid, throughout the main lands from sea 
 to sea." The patent ordained that this territory 
 should be known forever as New England. It is 
 also the foundation of all subsequent grants made 
 to the Colonies in New England. 
 
 On March 19, 1628, the Plymouth Company 
 granted unto Sir Henry Roswell, Sir John Young, 
 Thomas Southcoat, John Humphrey, John Endi- 
 cott, and Simon Whitcomb, their heirs and as- 
 signs forever, all that part of New England be- 
 tween the Merrimack and Charles Rivers, in the 
 
180 Wadsworth 
 
 bottom of Massachusetts Bay, and three miles 
 to the north and south of every part of the Charles 
 River, and three miles south of the southernmost 
 part of said bay, and three miles to the northward 
 of every part of the Merrimack River. Charles 
 I. confirmed this patent on March 4, 1629, and 
 the settlement of Massachusetts was commenced 
 under it. 
 
 In 1630 the council of Plymouth granted its 
 President, Robert, Earl of Warwick, "all that 
 part of New England in America which lies and 
 extends itself from a river there called the Narra- 
 gansett River, the space of forty leagues upon a 
 straight line, near the seashore, towards the 
 southwest, west and by south or west, as the 
 coast lyeth towards Virginia, counting three miles 
 to the league, and also all and singular the lands, 
 hereditaments whatsoever, lying and being with- 
 in the lands aforesaid, north and south in latitude 
 and breadth, and in length and longitude of, and 
 within all the breadth aforesaid, throughout the 
 main lands there, from the western ocean to the 
 south seas, and all lands, grounds, soil, wood and 
 woodlands, grounds, havens, ports, creeks, rivers, 
 waters, fishings and hereditaments whatsoever 
 lying within the said space and every part and 
 parcel thereof, and also all lands lying in America 
 aforesaid, in the said seas or either of them, on 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 181 
 
 the western or eastern coasts or parts of the said 
 tracts of land by these presents, to be given and 
 granted."^ This grant was subsequently known 
 as the Warwick Patent and is the original patent 
 of Connecticut. 
 
 This patent was, on October 19, 163 1, trans- 
 ferred by the Earl of Warwick to William Vis- 
 count Say and Seal, Robert Lord Brooke, Rob- 
 ert Lord Rich, Charles Fines, Sir Nathaniel Rich, 
 Sir Richard Saltonstall, John Pym, John Hamp- 
 den, John Humphry, Herbert Pelham, their heirs 
 and assigns and their associates forever, but no 
 steps to found a colony were made until July 7, 
 1635, when William Say and Seal, Henry Law- 
 rence, Richard Saltonstall, George Fenwick, Ar- 
 thur Hazelrigg and Henry Darley appointed 
 John Winthrop, the younger, "Governor of the 
 River Connecticut in New England, and of the 
 harbor and places adjoining," for the space of one 
 year from his arrival there. The articles of agree- 
 ment between the parties also stipulated that as 
 soon as Winthrop came to the Bay he should 
 employ at least fifty able men to build a fort and 
 houses at the River Connecticut, and the harbor 
 
 * This grant, according to President Clap of Yale 
 College, extended from Point Judith to New York, 
 and from thence in a west line to the south sea; and if 
 the whole length of the Narragansett River is included, 
 it extended as far north as Worcester, Massachusetts. 
 
182 Wadsworth 
 
 adjoining, first for their own accommodation, 
 and also houses suitable to receive men of qual- 
 ity, the latter to be built within the fort. It was 
 this clause which led to the rumor that Pym, 
 Hampden, Hazelrigg, Cromwell and others who 
 were associated with them, intended to leave 
 England and settle in America. They were ex- 
 pected for many a day, or at least until the suc- 
 cesses of the Parliamentary forces under Crom- 
 well convinced the surviving patentees that vic- 
 tory was assured, the rout of King Charles' forces 
 at Naseby practically putting an end to his au- 
 thority as sovereign. 
 
 In addition to appointing John Winthrop, Jr., 
 Governor of the River Connecticut, the Warwick 
 patentees also employed Lion Gardiner to com- 
 mand the fort for four years, subject to the direc- 
 tion of the Governor. At the time of his engage- 
 ment, Gardiner was Master of the Works of For- 
 tification in the camp of Frederick Henry, Prince 
 of Orange, in the Netherlands, where he and 
 John Mason, one of the founders of Windsor and 
 the leader of the Connecticut forces in the Pequot 
 war, both saw much active service under Sir 
 Thomas Fairfax. Gardiner was born in England 
 in 1599, and went with the English army to the 
 Low Countries, where he met Hugh Peters, and the 
 Rev. John Davenport, one of the founders of New 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 183 
 
 Haven, both of whom were at the time connected 
 with a Protestant church in Rotterdam. They 
 urged him to accept the offer of the Warwick 
 patentees and both of them in the course of a 
 few years met him in New England. 
 
 Before leaving for England, Gardiner was, on 
 July lo, 1635, married to Mary Wilemsen, of 
 Woerden. They proceeded to London, where, 
 after entering into an agreement to act as archi- 
 tect, builder and engineer of the town and fort of 
 defense which was to be located at the mouth of 
 the Connecticut River, Gardiner and his wife, with 
 her maid, Elizabeth Colet, sailed on August 11 for 
 New England, with Captain Thomas Webb, in 
 the Batchelor. After a voyage of three months 
 and seventeen days, they landed on November 
 28 in Boston, where Gardiner met Winthrop. 
 
 As arrangements for the reception of Gardiner 
 and his wife at the mouth of the Connecticut had 
 not been made, the citizens of Boston solicited 
 his advice in completing their fort, and while 
 each of them were contributing fourteen days' 
 labor, or the equivalent in money, a force of 
 twenty men under Lieutenant Gibbons was sent 
 by Winthrop to the mouth of the Connecticut 
 River to erect suitable buildings for Gardiner 
 and his wife, both of whom went there as soon 
 as the work at Boston was completed. 
 
184 Wadsworth 
 
 Winthrop and Gardiner learned upon their ar- 
 rival in Boston, that a company had gone from 
 Dorchester and Watertown to settle upon the 
 Connecticut River, and that the inhabitants of 
 Newtown intended to go there the following 
 summer, but with the understanding that they 
 were not to go beyond the limits of the Massa- 
 chusetts patent. The desire to remove to the 
 Connecticut valley was first expressed in 1634, 
 and before the inhabitants of the three towns 
 named took their departure they were joined by 
 Roxbury, under the leadership of William Pyn- 
 chon. One of the reasons for the change of abode, 
 as stated at the time and also subsequently re- 
 peated by John Winthrop, Jr., in his address to 
 Charles II., when the colony of Connecticut was 
 seeking a charter, was that the place was not 
 large enough for so great a number if they re- 
 mained together. The true reason, however, was 
 that the residents of the towns named were dis- 
 satisfied with the management of public affairs 
 and decided to establish a colony in which the 
 foundation of authority rested upon the free con- 
 sent of the people. This was Hooker's idea. In 
 Dorchester that ambitious, but restless, spirit, 
 Roger Ludlow, was a leader. He had been an 
 Assistant in the General Court of Massachusetts 
 for four years and Deputy-Governor in 1634. He 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 185 
 
 hoped to be Governor in 1635, but was defeated 
 by the jealousy of the deputies, who had taken 
 offense at some remarks made by him. John 
 Haynes was chosen notwithstanding Ludlow's pro- 
 test, and in order to hide his humiliation he decided 
 to follow Newtown's lead. The inhabitants of the 
 last named town received permission to seek a more 
 convenient place of residence on May 14, 1634, A 
 like permission was granted Roxbury and Water- 
 town on May 16, 1635, and Dorchester on June 3 of 
 the same year. 
 
 In the location of the new colony, the residents 
 of Newtown were no doubt guided by the favor- 
 able reports received by John Haynes, one of the 
 leaders in the movement, although he was at that 
 time Governor of Massachusetts, while Roger 
 Ludlow had also acquired considerable informa- 
 tion from traders and the Pequots, who had twice 
 visited him during his term of office as Deputy- 
 Governor. In 1635, a few of the inhabitants of 
 Watertown and Dorchester came to the Con- 
 necticut River and settled at Wethersfield and 
 Windsor. The Hooker company, however, did 
 not leave Newtown until May 31, 1636. Prior to 
 its departure the General Court of Massachu- 
 setts, at its session on March 3, 1635-6, appointed 
 a commission composed of Roger Ludlow, Wil- 
 liam Pynchon, John Steele, William Swaine, 
 
186 Wadsworth 
 
 Henry Smith, William Phelps, William West- 
 wood and Andrew Ward, giving them full power 
 and authority for the space of one year to hear 
 and determine in a judicial way all dififerences 
 that might arise in the new plantation. At the 
 time that this step was taken, it was understood 
 that those who were withdrawing from the vicin- 
 ity of Boston were to remain within the limits of 
 the Massachusetts patent, but all of them, possi- 
 bly because they did not have the means of de- 
 termining where the boundary was, except the 
 inhabitants of Roxbury, who founded Agawam, 
 afterwards known as Springfield, passed beyond 
 it. When this was discovered no steps were 
 taken to make a change, and when the members 
 of the commission held their last meeting on 
 February 21, 1636-7, they took the first step 
 towards separating the towns on the river from 
 Massachusetts by changing the name of New- 
 town to Hartford, Watertown to Wethersfield, 
 and Dorchester to Windsor. 
 
 The first General Court in Connecticut met at 
 Hartford, May i, 1637. While in session it or- 
 dered "that there shalbe an oflFensive warr against 
 the Pequoitt, and that there shalbe 90 men levied 
 out of the 3 Plantacons, Harteford, Weathersfeild 
 & Windsor." Of this number Hartford contrib- 
 uted forty-two Windsor thirty and Wethersfield 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 187 
 
 eighteen. The trouble between the English and 
 the Pequots began in 1634, when two traders, 
 Captains Stone and Norton, came into the river 
 with a design of trading with the Dutch at the 
 House of Hope. They employed Indians t(0 
 direct them to Dutch Point, as they did not know 
 the channel. All of them were murdered. In 
 1635, Captain John Oldham, who was trading 
 with the Indians at Block Island, was also mur- 
 dered. 
 
 When this was reported to the authorities of 
 Massachusetts Bay, the Governor, Sir Harry 
 Vane, upon the advice of the magistrates 
 and ministers, decided to retaliate. This meant 
 an Indian war. Lion Gardiner, who of all 
 men was vitally interested in it, as his fort was 
 on the edge of the Pequot country, was not ad- 
 vised of it until late in the summer, when 
 George Fenwick came to the mouth of the Con- 
 necticut, by way of Boston, in company with 
 Governor Winthrop and Hugh Peters. From 
 the early spring until the date of their arrival, 
 Gardiner had been expecting three hundred able- 
 bodied men, as promised by the Warwick pat- 
 entees, when he made his contract with them, 
 but, as he subsequently remarked, "Our expecta- 
 tions came only to two men (George Fenwick and 
 his man servant), and they did not come to stay." 
 
188 Wadsworth 
 
 Before Gardiner's visitors returned to Boston, 
 they promised to do what they could to have the 
 Governor defer hostilities for a year or two, or 
 at least until the fort at the mouth of the Con- 
 necticut River was garrisoned and well supplied 
 with provisions, as at that time Gardiner had but 
 twenty-four men, women and children, one of the 
 latter being his infant son David,^ the first white 
 child born within the limits of Connecticut, and 
 not enough food to keep them two months unless 
 he could save the crop of corn which was 
 planted two miles from the fort and could not 
 be gathered if there was trouble with the Indians. 
 
 Before Fenwick and Winthrop reached Boston, 
 John Endicott had departed with ninety men for 
 
 ^ David Gardiner was born at Saybrook fort, April 
 29, 1636, and was as has been stated, the first white 
 child born in Connecticut. He remained there until 
 1639. when his father removed to Gardiner's Island. 
 He was sent to England for an education and married 
 there. Lion Gardiner died in 1663, having willed all 
 his property to his wife. She died in 1665 and in her 
 will said: "I give my island Isle of Wight to my son 
 David, wholly to be his during his life and after his 
 decease to his next heire maile begotten by him, and 
 to be entayled to the first heires maile proceeding from 
 the body of my deceased husband Lion Gardiner and 
 me his wife Mary, from time to time for ever. Never 
 to be sold from them and to be a continuous inheri- 
 tance to the heires of me and my husband for ever." 
 The island is owned to this day by the Gardiner fam- 
 ily. As for David, he succeeded his father and died 
 very suddenly in 1689 at Hartford, where he was called 
 
SIR EDMUND ANDROS 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 189 
 
 Block Island, where he killed fourteen Indians, 
 destroyed their corn, staved in their canoes and 
 burned every wigwam he could find. He then 
 sailed for the Pequot country, where, after par- 
 leying with the natives, he destroyed their vil- 
 lages and growing corn, after which he sailed 
 away, leaving the little fortress at the mouth of 
 the river the only habitation of the white man 
 upon which the Pequots could wreak their ven- 
 geance. They lay in wait for every one seen out- 
 side of the fort, killing a few, and destroying all 
 of the property not within range of the guns. 
 In February the General Court, sitting at Hart- 
 
 on business. His grave is in the burying ground back 
 of the Center Church. The head stone bears the fol- 
 lowing inscription: 
 
 Here lyeth the body of David Gardiner of Gardiner's 
 Island. Deceased July lo, 1689, in the fifty fourth year 
 of his age. Well. Sick. Dead in one hours space. 
 
 Engrave the remembrance of Death on thine heart, 
 
 When as thou dost see how swiftly hours depart. 
 
 David Gardiner was succeeded by his son John, born 
 April 19, 1661, and died at Groton, Conn., in 1738, from 
 injuries received by a fall from a horse. He married a 
 daughter of John Allyn of Hartford. It was in their 
 day that the pirate Captain Kidd landed on the Island 
 and buried the iron chests in which there were 74754 
 ounces of gold, 6065^ ounces of silver and three bags of 
 precious stones. The Captain also demanded refresh- 
 ments for himself and crew and requested Mrs. Gardi- 
 ner to roast a pig. She cooked it very nicely and the 
 Captain was so well pleased with it that he made her a 
 present of a piece of silk, a sample of cloth of gold., 
 which is still in the possession of her descendants. 
 
190 Wadsworth 
 
 ford, sent Captain John Mason with twenty mei\ 
 to reinforce the garrison, and advised the Gov- 
 ernor of Massachusetts of the evils growing out 
 of Endicott's expedition. After each attack the 
 Indians became bolder. Finally, in April, they 
 ascended the river as far as Wethersfield, where 
 they killed six men and two women and took two 
 maidens captive. They also killed twenty cows 
 and destroyed other property. This act forced 
 the General Court to declare war on the Pequots. 
 
 Within a few days of the Indians' attack on 
 Wethersfield, John Underbill, who had served 
 under Endicott, was sent from Massachusetts 
 with twenty men to reinforce Gardiner's garrison. 
 Upon his arrival. Mason and his men returned 
 to Hartford, but within a month the doughty 
 captain was again en route for the mouth of the 
 river with the ninety men levied in the three river 
 towns and seventy Mohegan Indians under Un- 
 cas. They sailed from Hartford on May lo and 
 were five days in reaching Saybrook, where nine- 
 teen men under Underbill were added to the 
 forces. 
 
 On the morning of May 25, about two hours 
 before day, Mason attacked and burned the Pe- 
 quot fort. About five hundred Indians, men, 
 women and children, were destroyed, while only 
 seven were taken prisoners and seven escaped. 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 191 
 
 This slaughter, with the swamp fight that fol- 
 lowed, gave the colony of Connecticut a title to 
 all of the Pequot country, and upon it, together 
 with the deed of purchase from the Indians, as 
 well as the promise of George Fenwick, the foun- 
 ders of the colony and their ancestors based their 
 claim to the land which was subsequently cov- 
 ered by the charter. 
 
 On February 9, 1637-8, the General Court again 
 met at Hartford, and after transacting some busi- 
 ness about the price of corn and the payment of 
 the expenses of the Pequot war, Agawam 
 (Springfield) being included in the levy, it was 
 dissolved, no further attendance being expected 
 from its members unless they were chosen for 
 the next Court. It met March 8, Agawam being 
 represented by William Pynchon. No fur- 
 ther change was made until January 14, 1638-9, 
 when the inhabitants of Windsor, Hartford and 
 Wethersfield met and adopted the Fundamental 
 Orders. The first general meeting of the free- 
 men under them was held April 11, 1639, when 
 John Haynes, of Hartford, was chosen Governor 
 "for the yeare ensueing and until a new be chos- 
 en," Roger Ludlow, of Windsor, Deputy-Gov- 
 ernor, Edward Hopkins, Secretary, and Thomas 
 Welles, Treasurer. 
 
 Edward Hopkins, the first Secretary of the Col- 
 
192 Wadsworth 
 
 ony, was born at Shrewsbury, England, in 1600. 
 He amassed a fortune as a merchant in trade with 
 Turkey, Having become imbued with the Puri- 
 tan ideas of John Davenport, he decided to ac- 
 company that worthy divine and Theophilus 
 Eaton when they sailed for Boston in 1637. Hop- 
 kins was also related in a manner by marriage 
 with the latter, he having married Ann Yale, 
 whose mother was Theophilus Eaton's second 
 wife. Instead of accompanying Davenport and 
 Eaton to Quinnipiack, where they founded New 
 Haven the following year, Edward Hopkins lo- 
 cated in Hartford. In 1640 he was chosen Gov- 
 ernor. Between that time and 1654 he was seven 
 times re-elected to that office. He also served as 
 Deputy-Governor for six years, was an Assistant 
 and a Commissioner of the United Colonies. 
 
 In 1654, upon the death of an elder brother, he 
 returned to England to look after an estate which 
 he inherited. Upon his arrival Cromwell ap- 
 pointed him Warden of the Fleet, a post which 
 had been filled by his brother. He was afterwards 
 a Commisioner of the Admiralty and the Navy, 
 and also a member of Parliament. The prompt 
 appreciation of his abilities, as well as the infirm 
 state of his health, induced him to remain in London. 
 
 While Edward Hopkins lived (his death oc- 
 curred December 5, 1657,) the New England Col- 
 
The Patent, Charier and Deed 193 
 
 onies had a firm friend in him. He assisted their 
 agents with advice, left a portion of his estate for 
 the encouragement of learning at the grammar 
 schools and colleges/ and, as a mark of appre- 
 ciation for the many favors shown him by rela- 
 tives and friends in New Haven, he printed at 
 his own expense the laws compiled for that col- 
 ony, and in doing so gave the followers of Dav- 
 enport and Eaton a code in book form seventeen 
 years before Connecticut.^ 
 
 ^The following is the portion of Edward Hopkins' 
 will referred to: "And the residue of my Estate there 
 (in New England) I do hereby give and bequeath unto 
 my father Theophilus Eaton Esqr; Mr. John Daven- 
 port; Mr. John Cullick and Mr. Wm. Goodwin, in full 
 asurance of their Trust and Faithfulness in disposing of 
 it in according to the interest and purpose of Mr. Ed- 
 ward Hopkins, which is to give some Encouragement 
 unto the foreign Plantations for the breeding up of 
 Hopeful! youth in the way of Learning both at ye 
 Gramer School and Colledge, for the public service of 
 the Country in future times." Owing to dissensions 
 in the Church at Hartford and in which the members 
 of the General Court took an active interest, this fund 
 was not surrendered to the parties named in the will 
 until March, 1664, at which time John Davenport and 
 William Goodwin were the only surviving trustees. In 
 the division Hartford wq,s given 400 pounds, while the 
 balance, including 500 pounds to come from the estate 
 in England, was divided between New Haven and Had- 
 ley, 100 pounds out of the share of the latter being 
 given to Harvard. 
 
 ^ Until the year 1673 the laws of the colony of Con- 
 necticut were kept in manuscript and were promulgated 
 by sending copies of them to the several towns. At a 
 General Court, held at Hartford October 10, 1672, it 
 
194 Wadsworth 
 
 Upon the expiration of his engagement with 
 the Warwick patentees, Lion Gardiner purchased 
 
 was ordered that the laws of the colony should be 
 printed. Each family in the Plantation was also re- 
 quired to purchase a copy of the Law Book. The Law 
 Books were to be paid for when delivered either in 
 silver or wheat; "those that pay in silver to pay twelve 
 pence a book; and those that pay in wheat to pay a 
 peck and a half a book, and those that have not these 
 things to pay two shillings in pease for a book, pease 
 at three shillings per bushel." This was the first 
 printed edition of the Connecticut laws. It was printed 
 by Samuel Green and was issued after October, 1673, 
 when the court appointed Mr. Samuel Wyllys and Mr. 
 James Richards to compare one of the Law Bookes 
 with the originall and see that the printer rectify the 
 errataes according to his covenant." Prior to this date 
 Roger Ludlow had compiled what is usually designated 
 as the "Code of 1650." It was not printed at that time 
 nor until more than a century and a half later. This 
 code was written into the Law Books of the dififerent 
 towns. One of these books, the one used by the town 
 of Windsor, still exists and is owned by the Connecti- 
 cut Historical Society. Of the Law Books of 1673, 
 but nine are known to exist. There is one in His Maj- 
 esty's Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, London; 
 two in the State Library at the Capitol, Hartford; one 
 at Trinity College, Hartford; one in Yale University 
 Library; one in Yale Law School Library at New 
 Haven; one in the Public Library, Boston, Mass.; one 
 owned by the Pennsylvania Historical Society, Phila- 
 delphia, Pa., and one by the Connecticut Historical 
 Society. The copy owned by the Connecticut Histor- 
 ical Society was located in 1903 by Joseph Mitchelson, 
 Tariffville. Conn., in the office of General John B. San- 
 born, St. Paul, Minn., and was purchased for the 
 Society by James J. Goodwin. It is in its original 
 binding and is the copy given by John Allyn to Samuel 
 Wyllys, on whose grounds the Charter Oak stood. 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 195 
 
 Gardiner's Island^ (he called it the Isle of Wight) 
 from the Indians and removed there with his 
 family, as well as a number of the men who had 
 served under him at Saybrook fort, as soon as 
 his successor, George Fenwick, arrived from 
 England in the summer of 1639. While Gardiner 
 was in charge neither Hampden, Pym or any of 
 the others named in the patent gave the settle- 
 ment at the mouth of the Connecticut River much 
 attention. All of them were busy with home 
 affairs, but after Hampden's ship money trial it 
 
 ^ The Gardiner family has an old Bible which be- 
 longed to Lion Gardiner, upon a blank leaf of which 
 the following is written: "In the year of our Lord, 
 1635, the loth of July, came I, Lyon Gardiner, and 
 Mary my wife, from Worden, a town in Holland, where 
 my wife was born, being the daughter of one Diricke 
 Willemson, deureant; her mother's name was Hachir, 
 anH her aunt, sister to her mother, was the wife of 
 Wouter leanerdson, old burger Muster, dwelling in 
 the hostrade, over against the Bruser in the Unicorne's 
 head; her brother's name was Punce Garretson, also 
 old burger Muster. We came from Worden to London, 
 and from thence to New England, and dwelt at Say- 
 brook fort four years — it is at the mouth of Connecti- 
 cut river — of which I was commander, and there was 
 born unto me a son, named David, 1635. the 29th of 
 April, the first born in that place, and 1638 a daughter 
 was born, named Mary, 30th of August, and then I 
 went to an island of my own, which I had bought and 
 purchased of the Indians, called by them Monchonack, 
 by us Isle of Wight, and there was born another 
 daughter, named Elizabeth, the 14th September, 1641, 
 she being the first child of English parents that was 
 born there." 
 
196 Wadsworth 
 
 became self-evident to those who were opposed 
 to the King's unconstitutional exercise of his 
 prerogative and Laud's domineering methods in 
 religious affairs, that the time had come to leave 
 England or resort to arms. In order to prepare 
 for the former, the gentlemen interested in the 
 Warwick patent decided to send one of their 
 number to New England to complete the prepa- 
 rations which were begun in 1635. George Fen- 
 wick, a London barrister, who had visited the 
 fort at the mouth of the Connecticut in 1636, was 
 selected. He started with two ships in charge, 
 being accompanied by his wife, Lady Fenwick, 
 sometime known as Lady Alice Bottler or Butler, 
 and several gentlemen with their attendants. 
 They laid the foundations of Saybrook and so 
 named the settlement in honor of the two princi- 
 pals in the patent, William Viscount Say and 
 Seal, and Robert Lord Brooke. 
 
 The year after Fenwick left England, Charles 
 L called what proved to be the Long Parliament, 
 which eventually dethroned, tried and executed 
 him. As soon as war was declared in England, 
 emigration to America ceased, while a number 
 of the leading men in New England returned to 
 their native land, where they took up arms in de- 
 fense of the Parliament. To George Fenwick itj 
 also meant a series of disappointments, as Hamp- 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 197 
 
 den, Pym, Hazelrigg and others who were inter- 
 ested with him in the patent were so actively en- 
 gaged in public affairs that they did not have the 
 time or means to advance the interests of Saybrook. 
 As soon as the novelty of the situation wore 
 off, Fenwick saw that nothing could be made out 
 of the enterprise, while his training as a barrister 
 unfitted him for agricultural pursuits. When the 
 inhabitants of the river towns (Hartford, Wind- 
 sor and Wethersfield) learned that Saybrook fort 
 was a burden to Fenwick, they desired him to 
 make a proposition concerning the sale of the 
 place, and finally, after some correspondence with 
 his associates in England, he offered it at 3,000 
 pounds, although he would have accepted one- 
 half of that amount providing it had been divided 
 into three payments of 500 pounds per annum. 
 The amount demanded was more than the towns 
 could pay, but they made a bid of 200 pounds per 
 annum for ten years, payable in the products of 
 the country, for the whole interest at Saybrook 
 and on the river. Fenwick did not accept this, 
 and there was no further treaty between him and 
 the colony until 1644, after the death of Hamp- 
 den and Pym.^ At the time it was apparent to 
 
 ^ Hampden was in 1643 wounded in the shoulder at 
 Chalgrave field and died from the effects of it. Pym 
 died early in the winter of 1644, worn out by incessant 
 labors in the interest of the Parliament. 
 
198 Wadsworth 
 
 Penwick that in the event of the King being vic- 
 torious in the war which was being waged be- 
 tween the Royalists and the Parliamentary forces, 
 English soil, even in the wilds of America, would 
 not prove an asylum for his associates and their 
 followers. According to his advices the issue 
 was still in doubt and even the most sanguine 
 could see but few rays of hope until Cromwell's 
 military genius swept all before it at Marston 
 Moor and Naseby. 
 
 Knowing that defeat meant disaster, Fenwick 
 again opened negotiations with the colony, after 
 having sent abroad reports that he intended to 
 impose taxes and customs on vessels entering the 
 river. He was also prompted to renew the nego- 
 tiations on account of the fortifications and hous- 
 ings at the fort being sadly in need of repair. 
 The palisades, which were whole trees set in the 
 ground, were so rotten that they could almost 
 be pushed over.^ Finally, on December 5, 1644, 
 George Fenwick met Edward Hopkins, John 
 Haynes, John Mason, John Steele and James 
 Boosy. They entered into an agreemnt under 
 which Fenwick made over to the jurisdiction of 
 Connecticut, Saybrook fort and the lands upon 
 
 ^ See the George Fenwick letter dated Nov. 10, 1643, 
 at Saybrook in the Barrington Letters; Egerton 2648, 
 in Bodleian Library, Oxford. 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 199 
 
 the river, the colony agreeing in return for ten 
 years, from the first of the next March ensuing, 
 that he or his assigns should receive two pence 
 for each bushel of corn or meal and six pence for 
 each one hundred of biscuit which should pass 
 out of the river mouth ; twelve pence per annum 
 for each milch cow and mare three years old or 
 upwards within any of the towns or farms upon 
 the river, and two pence per annum for each hog 
 that was killed within the limits of the river. 
 He was also to receive twenty shillings on each 
 hogshead of beaver traded out of the colony and 
 two pence on each pound of beaver traded within 
 the limits of the river. 
 
 Before this agreement was placed on record,^ 
 Fenwick, on February 17, 1646, entered into a 
 second agreement, which was signed by Edward 
 Hopkins, John Talcott and Fenwick's brother-in- 
 law, John Cullick. Under it Fenwick or his as- 
 signs were to receive for ten years one hundred 
 and eighty pounds per annum, one-third in good 
 wheat at four shillings per bushel, one-third in 
 peas at three shillings per bushel and one-third in 
 rye or barley at three shillings per bushel. About 
 
 'The General Court did not order the Fenwick agree- 
 ment to be placed on record until May 18, 1654, when 
 it ordered "that the Secretary of the Courte shall truly 
 in the Country Book of Records record the agreement 
 of the jurisdictyon with Colonel George Fenwick, Esq., 
 about the forte." 
 
200 Wadsworth 
 
 i,6oo pounds were paid under this agreement, the 
 bulk of it passing through the hands of John 
 Cullick/ who represented Fenwick, the latter hav- 
 ing returned to England in 1648, a short time after 
 the death of his wife. 
 
 In the first agreement George Fenwick also 
 promised "that all the lands from the Narragan- 
 sett River to the fort at Saybrook mentioned in a 
 patent granted by the Earl of Warwick to certain 
 nobles and gentlemen, should fall under the jur- 
 isdiction of Connecticut if it came into his pow- 
 er." He failed to keep this promise, possibly be- 
 cause he was never in a position to do so, neither 
 did he favor the General Court with a copy of the 
 patent, which was destroyed in 1647 in the Say- 
 brook fort fire. But that he did not, after his 
 return to England, forget the promise was after- 
 wards shown by the fact that Governor Winthrop 
 procured from Henry Dalley, the executor of Ed- 
 ward Hopkins, a copy of the patent^ which was 
 
 * A few of the receipts given by Cullick for the "fort 
 rate" are still extant, several of them being published 
 in the first volume of the Colonial Records of Con- 
 necticut. They show that Hartford paid 60 pound;?, 
 5 shillings in 1654, 1655 and 1656-7; that Windsor paid 
 42 pounds 5 shillings i penny in 1647, and 26 pounds 
 15 shillings i penny in 1656; that Wethersfield paid 49 
 pounds 9 shillings 12 pence in 1654 and that Farming- 
 ton paid 15 pounds 5 shillings in 1654 and 1657. 
 
 ^ In 1662 when forwarding the Charter to the colony, 
 Governor Winthrop enclosed two copies of the War- 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 201 
 
 found among that gentleman's papers, and it is 
 only fair to Fenwick to presume that he gave it 
 to the former Governor of the Colony. 
 
 Upon his return to England, George Fenwick 
 was named as one of the King's Judges. He did 
 not sit, neither did he taken an active part in the 
 afifairs of the Commonwealth. For a second wife 
 he married Katherine, daughter of Sir Arthur 
 Hazelrigg. She survived him, his death occur- 
 ring in April, 1657. In his will he left "all lands, 
 chattels, real and personal, owned by him in New 
 England, to his sister Elizabeth, wife of John Cul- 
 lick, and her children, and likewise that out of 
 itt may bee had five hundred pound, which I doe 
 hereby give to ye publique use of that country of 
 New England, if my loving friend Mr. Edward 
 Hopkins think it fitt." It is not known as to 
 
 wick Patent, both of which were made from the one 
 found among the Hopkins' papers as is shown by the 
 letter of acknowledgment written by Daniel Clark 
 from Windsor on November 17, 1662. In it he said. 
 "We have received the Charter, the duplicate and the 
 copy of ye former charter, well approved and liked by 
 all." (See Massachusetts Historical Collections, Vol. 
 XI.) One of these copies is still preserved in the files 
 of the State Department of Connecticut, and has the 
 following written in what is believed to be the hand of 
 Governor Winthrop at the top of the first page: "The 
 copye of the Patent of Connecticutt, being a copy of 
 that copy wch was shewed to the people here by Mr. 
 George Fenwick. Found amongst Mr. Hopkins' 
 papers." 
 
202 IVadsworth 
 
 whether Edward Hopkins ever heard of this be- 
 quest, as he was at the time far gone with con- 
 sumption and made his own will in March of the 
 same year, although he did not die until the fol- 
 lowing December. Nothing was said about this 
 bequest until the will was presented to the Gen- 
 eral Court. It refused to surrender Fenwick's 
 estate or to grant administration thereon until 
 an equitable settlement of accounts should be 
 affected, the Court claiming that Fenwick had 
 failed to fulfill his engagement with the Colony 
 to secure the right of jurisdiction to the territory 
 covered by the Warwick patent. Captain Cul- 
 lick finally, in 1660, compromised the matter with 
 the Court by the repayment of 500 pounds,^ which 
 
 ' When Mrs. Cullick was advised that a copy of the 
 Warwick Patent had been found among Edward Hop- 
 kins' papers she presented the following petition to the 
 General Court, which met in Hartford, May 14, 1663: 
 
 To the Honrd Generall Court of Connecticutt Jvris- 
 diction, now assembled, the humble petition of Eliza- 
 beth Cullicke, relict to Captayne John Cullick, de- 
 ceased. 
 
 Humbly sheweth: 
 
 That whereas there weare entred into (by yor Peti- 
 tioner's husband,) certayne obligations for the make- 
 ing of paymt the sum of fiue hundred pownds vnto this 
 honord Cort, according to the tymes specifyed in the 
 twoe obligations given for the same, together with the 
 paymt of interest in case of falure in poynt of tyme, 
 one of wch obligations hath beene satisfyed & taken 
 vp, & the other prt satisfyed, viz: one hundred 
 pounds, foure shillings, tenpence, being payde, so that 
 there remaynes one hundred fourty & nine popnds, 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 203 
 
 was set aside to pay Governor Winthrop's ex- 
 penses when he went to England to secure the 
 charter. 
 
 No effort was made by the colony to procure a 
 charter from Cromwell, although it was well 
 known that he sympathized with those who had 
 emigrated to America in order to escape perse- 
 cution for their belief, while on the other hand the 
 
 fiftene shillings, twoe pence, by the sayd obligation, 
 for yor petitioner to pay, as executrix vnto her late 
 husband. And forasmuch that the grownd of these ob- 
 ligations given by j'or petitioner's husband, was vpon 
 the apprehention that there had beene a totall falur in 
 the brother of yor petitioner, George Fenwick, Esqr, 
 respecting his procuring of a Pattent for the Collony, 
 since which it hath appeared that there was a mistake 
 therein, for that there was found wth the Executor of 
 Mr. Edward Hopkins some such writing, wch was de- 
 livered to the Honrd John Winthrop Esqr, Governor 
 and Agent for the Collony, whereby he was advantaged 
 in the soliciting the Kyngs most excellent Majesty for, 
 and in procuring of, those letters Pattent now ob- 
 tyned, — 
 
 Wherefor yor Petitioner doth pray this Honrd 
 Gen'rall Cort, that they will please to accept of what 
 hath beene already payde; and that you would remit 
 the one hundred fourty nine pounds, fiftene shillings 
 twoe pence, by obligation remaineing; which wilbe an 
 acceptable clemency before the Lord towards yor pe- 
 titioner, and noe stratening to the Treasury of this 
 Honrd Court. And yor petitioner shal pray. 
 
 Elizabeth Cullick. 
 
 The following paragraph in the proceedings of the 
 court shows what was done with it: "The petition of 
 Mrs. Cullick was this day read and the court voted that 
 they did not see cause to make any abatement of the 
 said bill according as she petitioned." 
 
204 
 
 Wadsworth' 
 
 Protector was too busy with European affairs to 
 pay any attention to the colonies except when he 
 suggested that the New Haven people, who were 
 almost disheartened by a series of disasters on 
 land and sea, remove to the recently acquired 
 island of Jamaica.^ 
 
 Upon the fall of the Commonwealth and after 
 the news of the Restoration crossed the Atlantic, 
 the colony of Connecticut followed Massachu- 
 setts' lead in making a formal avowal of its alle- 
 giance to the crown and at the same time made 
 its first move towards acquiring a charter, as with 
 the Dutch on one side, the Indians on the other 
 and Massachusetts contending for more terri- 
 tory, the three river towns and those which were 
 allied with them presented a very forlorn appear- 
 ance, with nothing but an Indian deed and 
 George Fenwick's promise to depend upon in the 
 event of a contest. Governor Winthrop, who was 
 selected to represent the colony in this important 
 matter, was requested to draw up an address to 
 His Majesty, which when presented at the May 
 meeting was cordially approved. 
 
 In his address Governor Winthrop said that the 
 founders of the colony of Connecticut settled in 
 Massachusetts : 
 
 ' Jamaica was taken from Spain in 1655. 
 
JOHN WINTHROP 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 207 
 
 "neer the port of their first arrival * * * till vpon 
 experience they found that place would be too streight 
 for soe great a number if they should continue all there 
 together. They therefore vndertooke a troublesome, 
 hazardous and chargeable discouery of the more inland 
 parts of ye Countrey; where comeing to ye great faire 
 Riuer of Connecticut, haueing opertunity by the free 
 tender of ye sale of some larg tracts of lands fit for ye 
 settling of diuers Plantations or Townes, profered unto 
 them by ye Sachems or Heathen Princes and with ye 
 concurrence of ye other natiues vnder them, the then 
 proprietors of those places, they thought it very con- 
 venient to purchase those lands of them who appeared 
 to be the owners and possessors of ye same, which 
 could not but tend to ye enlargement of his Maties 
 Dominions, and be a good step towards ye yet further 
 extent thereof, and ye benefit of ye English people. 
 And therevpon transplanted themselues and vs to this 
 place, where we were but now in a manner vpon our 
 very beginnings of takeing possession and inhabiting 
 ye places wch we had brought at noe smal expencees. 
 when those sad and vnhappy times of trouble and wars 
 begun in England, which we could only bewaile with 
 sighs and mounrfull teares: And haue euer since hid 
 our selues behind the Mountains, in this desolate 
 desert, as a people forsaken, choosing rather to sit 
 solitary and wait only vpon the Divine Providence for 
 protection than to apply ourselues to any of those many 
 changes of powers, or hearts as wel as or station stil 
 remaining free from illegale ingagements and intire to 
 yor Maties interests, euen now at ye returne of or 
 Lord ye King to his Crowne and dignities." 
 
 The Court also, in order to give this petition 
 greater weight, appointed a committee on which 
 
208 Wadsworth 
 
 the Governor was associated with Deputy Gov- 
 ernor Mason, Mr. Wyllys, Mr. Allyn, Mr. Ware- 
 ham, Mr. Stone, Mr. Hooker, Mr. Whiting and 
 Daniel Clark, Secretary of the colony, to still 
 further perefct and amend it. In their petition 
 they said : 
 
 "And whereas, besides the great charge that hath 
 been expended by our fathers, and some of their as- 
 sociates yet surviving, about the purchases, building, 
 fortifying, and other matters, of culturing and improv- 
 ing to a condition of safety and subsistence, in the 
 places of our present abode, among the heathen, where- 
 by there is a considerable and real addition to the 
 honour and enlargement of his majesty's dominion, by 
 the sole disbursements of his majesty's subjects here; 
 of their own proper estates, they have laid out a very 
 great sum for the purchasing a jurisdiction right of 
 Mr. George Fenwick, which they were given to under- 
 stand was derived from true royal authority, by letters 
 patent, to certain lords and gentlemen therein nomi- 
 nated, a copy whereof was produced before the com- 
 missioners of the colonies, and approved by them, as 
 appears by their records, a copy where of is ready to 
 be presented at your majesty's command, though, 
 either by fire at a house where it had been sometimes 
 kept, or some other accident, is now lost; with which 
 your poor subjects are rather willing to have con- 
 tented themselves, in those afflicting times, than to 
 seek for power or privileges from any other than their 
 lawful prince and sovereign." 
 
 This petition bears the date of June 7, 1661, 
 and was signed by Daniel Clarke, secretary, by 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 209 
 
 order of the General Court of the Colony of Con- 
 necticut in New England. In addition to this 
 the Governor was given letters signed by the 
 Secretary of the colony addressed to Lord Say 
 and Seal and the Earl of Manchester. In the 
 communication to the latter the colony solicited 
 his counsel and advice respecting the monies paid 
 to George Fenwick for jurisdiction and power 
 and obtaining a patent for the colony. It also 
 stated that: 
 
 "the great disappointment yt we meet with about an 
 Agreemt yt was made by this Colony with ye fore- 
 mentioned Mr. Fenwick doth necessitate vs therevnto. 
 We disbursed a considerable sum of estate, to ye value 
 of 1600 L., vnto Mr. Fenwick. We willingly disbursed 
 the sum forementioned; wch tho' it hath much op- 
 pressed vs, ye could we but haue enjoyed what he ex- 
 pected, it would haue satisfied; but now we see orselues 
 as naked as before, haueing neither Fattent or Coppy 
 of it, not ought elce yt may ensure vs of future con- 
 tinuance of or present privilidges. And therefore are 
 necessitated from several other respects to lay out 
 orselues, and to improve all the interests yt we can 
 raise in or natiue soyle, for obtaineing reliefe in this 
 or state and condition, wh humane frailty hath in a 
 great measure cast vs into. Had we not bene too 
 credulous and confident of ye goodness and faithful- 
 nes of that Gent: we might possibly haue bin at a better 
 pass." 
 
 In the letter to Lord Say and Seal, who was 
 at the time the sole survivor of the Warwick 
 
210 WadswoHh 
 
 patentees, the following reference was made to 
 the agreement with Fenwick : 
 
 "Mr. George Fenwick took possession of Saybrook 
 Fort, there resideing for certain or severall years; at 
 length he was moved for ends best known to himself to 
 returne to England, and thereupon propounded by him- 
 self, or agent, the sale of th^ Fort, with the Housing 
 there, and several appertenances, together with all the 
 Lands on the River, and so to the Narragansett 
 Bay, with jurisdiction power to this Colony, 
 which was exceedingly opposed by severall 
 amongst us, whom some of us have heard to 
 affirm that such a thing would be very dis- 
 tastfull to your Honour, with the rest of the noble 
 Pattentees, who had very boutifuU intentions to this 
 Colony nevertheless, tho there was a stopp for the 
 present, yett in some short time, the business of pur- 
 chase was revived by Mr. Fenwick, and expressions 
 to this purpose given out by him or his agents, or 
 both, that he had power to dispose of the premises, 
 the rest of the Pattentees deserting, it fell into his 
 hands by agreement; and in case the Towns on the 
 River, refused to comply with such terms as he pro- 
 posed for the purchasing of the said Fort, &c., itt was 
 frequently reported that he proposed either to impose! 
 customes on the River, or make sale thereof to the 
 Dutch, our noxious nighbours, at last for our peace] 
 and settlement and security (as we hoped) we made 
 by our Committee, an agreement with the said Mr. 
 Fenwick, a coppie whereof is ready to be presented 
 unto your Honnour, which cost this River, one thousand 
 six hundred pounds or thereabouts, wherein your 
 Honnour may see the great abuse that we received at 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 211 
 
 Mr. Fenwick's hand, receiving a vast sum from a poor 
 people, and we scarcely att all advantaged thereby; 
 may we judge our condition worse then if we had con- 
 tented ourselves with the patronage of the grand Pat- 
 tentees, for we have not so much as a coppy of a 
 Pattent to secure our standing as a commonwealth, nor 
 to ensure us for the continuance of our rights and 
 priviledges and immunities, which we thought the juris- 
 diction power and authority which Mr. Fenwick had 
 engaged to us, and we paid for at a dear rate, nor any 
 thing under his hand to engage him and his heirs, to 
 the performance of that which was aimed at and in- 
 tended in our purchase, the lands up the River for a 
 long tract, the Massachusetts Colony doth challenge, 
 and have run the line, which as they say, falls into 
 one of our Towns; on the other side towards Narra- 
 gansett, we know not how to claime, being destitute of 
 Pattent and a coppie to decide the bounds." ' 
 
 * The statements made in the appeal, petition and let- 
 ters quoted are admirable examples of the equivocating 
 diplomacy which earned for Connecticut, the sobriquet 
 of the Nutmeg State as related by Judge Haliburton 
 in his satirical articles which appeared in 1835 and 
 were republished in book form in 1837 under the title 
 of "The Clockmaker or the Sayings and Doings of Sam 
 Slick of Slickville," and which created a feeling of 
 distrust in the councils of the sister colonies, the most 
 glaring out-cropping of which appeared in the will of 
 Lewis Morris of Morrisania, N. Y., who wrote, in 
 1762: 
 
 "It is my desire that my sone, Gouverneur Morris, 
 may have the best education that is to be had in Eur- 
 ope or America, but my express will and directions 
 are that he never be sent for that purpose to the 
 Colony of Connecticut lest he should imbibe in his 
 youth that low craft and cunning so incident to the 
 people of that country which is so interwoven in their 
 
212 Wadsworth 
 
 The draft of instructions to the Governor re- 
 quested that the following be made patentees: 
 "the present Gouevnour, Dep. Gouevnour, Mr. 
 Henry Clark, Mr. Samll Willis, Mr. Mathew 
 Allyn, Mr. Richard Treat, Mr. William Phelps, 
 Nathan Gold, together with their associates here- 
 after named, Mrs. John Warham, Samll Stone, 
 John Whiting, Samll Hooker, James Fitch, Rich 
 Lord, Henry Woolcot, John Steele, Edw. Stebbin, 
 John Talcot, Benjamin Nubery, Danll Clarkw, 
 Mathew Campfield, Willm Wadsworth, John 
 Hawley, John Allyn. Before his departure, how- 
 ever, this list was changed to read as follows: 
 'John Winthrop, Esqr, and Maior John Mason, 
 Esqr, Samll Willis, Henry Clark, Math Allyn, 
 William Phelps, Richard Treat, Nathan Gold, 
 John Talcot, Daniell Clark, John Deming Senr, 
 Anthony Howkins, Robert Warner, John Clark 
 Senr, Robert Royce, Phillip Groues, Jehu Burr,. 
 Mathew Campfield,'^ my father being placed on 
 
 constitutions that all their art cannot disguise it from 
 the world, though many of them under the sanctified 
 garb of religion have endeavored to impose themselves 
 on the world for honest men." 
 
 At the time these letters were written the members 
 of the General Court knew that Fenwick had not sold 
 a jurisdiction right, but only made a promise if it came 
 in his power, while the same Court in 1660 exacted 
 500 pounds from his sister Elizabeth before it would 
 release his estate. 
 
 ' By comparing the above with the Charter on page 
 216 it will be found that still other changes were made 
 in the list of patentees. 
 
 
 1 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 213 
 
 Committee with Captain Lord, Henry Woolcot, 
 John Allyn, and Mathew Allyn to order and dis- 
 pose of the 'pay'^ that was to come to the colony 
 from Captain Cullick so as to meet the bills 
 charged to the colony by the Governor while in 
 pursuance of the patent in England. 
 
 In addition to the foregoing Governor Win- 
 throp also carried with him to London the Indian 
 deed* which Sequassen gave the founders of the 
 colony under the Wyllys oak and a copy of John 
 
 ' "Pay" was barter, property at the prices which the 
 General Court had affixed to it in acceptances for taxes 
 for the year. "Money" was metallic currency or wam- 
 pum for the token money. "Pay or Money" was 
 property at rates fixed by the parties, not by the Gen- 
 eral Court. "Trust" was a price with time given. Pay- 
 ment "in Specie" meant payment in articles specified by 
 the agreement or, in default of that, in articles at rates 
 specified by the General Court's acts. — Johnson's Con- 
 necticut. 
 
 ^The following reference to this Indian deed has 
 been found in a decision rendered in 1754 by Roger 
 Wolcott, then County Court Judge, in the case Sam- 
 uel Flagg vs. John Ledger and Wm. Hooker: "The 
 Indian deed of July 5, 1670, is of the same guise. We 
 never look upon things well until we consider the time 
 and circumstances that attend them. There was now 
 no need of the purchase. The deed of itself declares 
 the land was purchased in 1636. but that the deed was 
 out of the way — no wonder such management and 
 design — and that it had been laid before the King with 
 other purchases of 1662 and by him found sufficient as 
 purchased lands to invest him with a good title to it 
 which title he had granted to the corporation in 1662." 
 Roger Wolcott was Deputy Governor of Connecticut 
 from 1742 to 1750 and Governor from 1751 to 1753. 
 
214 Wadsworth 
 
 Mason's narrative of the Pequot war that gave 
 Connecticut a claim to their lands by right of 
 conquest. 
 
 Having decided to take ship from New Amster- 
 dam (New York) the Governor left Hartford 
 early in July, stopping on the way at Guilford, 
 New Haven and Milford to confer with a few 
 of the leaders in the New Haven Colony, a num- 
 ber of whom were not in accord with the Daven- 
 port system of government. As to the under- 
 standing arrived at, nothing has ever been said, 
 but it was at a later date generally understood 
 that William Leete, of Guilford, who was at 
 the time the Governor of New Haven, was in 
 favor of having the charter cover both of the 
 colonies, as New Haven's tardiness in declar- 
 ing its allegiance to the King, as well as the 
 part its leading men, Leete being of the number, 
 had taken in giving comfort and shelter to the 
 Regicides, Whalley and Goffe, would at least 
 during Charles' reign, stand in the way of procur- 
 ing a charter, v/hile they were, should the planta- 
 tion remain without one, apt to be joined to one of 
 the other colonies. 
 
 Governor Winthrop sailed from New Amster- 
 dam July 23, 1661,^ in the De Trouw and noth^ 
 
 ^ The following item appears in the New Amsterdam 
 book of Monthly Payments: "July 18, 1660, 27 lb. 
 Powder to salute Gov. Winthrop coming here from the 
 Fresh River to proceed in the Trou to Fatherland." 
 
 I 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 215 
 
 ing more was heard of him or his mission until 
 the following summer, when Henry Wolcott re- 
 turned with a letter dated May 13, in which the 
 Governor said that the charter for the colony 
 had passed the great seal ^ and that it was ''as 
 full and large for bounds and privileges as could 
 be desired." At the same time he also advised 
 John Talcott, the Treasurer of the Colony, that 
 he had agreed with three London merchants,^ 
 who had supplied him with money to meet the 
 necessary expenses in procuring the charter, to 
 be paid the same in wheat and pease delivered in 
 New London. 
 
 The Charter followed in due season and, after 
 being shown to the commissioners of the New 
 England colonies when they met at Boston Sep- 
 tember 4, 1662,^ was publicly read to the freemen 
 
 *The Charter bears date April 23, 1662. It passed the 
 great seal May 10, 1662. 
 
 *The merchants were Edward Cowes, Giles Silvester 
 and William Maskeline. They advanced 500 pounds on 
 the Colony's letter of credit, accepting a bill drawn on 
 the Treasurer for "Two Thousand Bushels, Winchester 
 Measure, of good and well conditioned wheat, at three 
 shillings and six pence p bushell, and Twelve hundred 
 Bushells of pease, at two shillings and six pence p 
 bushell, all which amount to Five hundred pounds 
 sterling." This grain was delivered to Philip Best and 
 Edward Paule aboard the John and Robert, December 
 I, 1662. 
 
 ' Simon Bradstreet and John Norton brought the 
 charter from London to Boston and gave it to Samuel 
 Wyllys and John Talcott, the Connecticut representa- 
 tives at the above meeting. 
 
216 Wadsworth 
 
 of Connecticut in Hartford on October 4, 1662, 
 when it was declared to belong to them and their 
 descendants forever. The following is a copy 
 of it: 
 
 Charles the second, by the grace of GOD, King of 
 England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of 
 the Faith, &c. To all to whom these presents shall 
 come, GREETING. 
 
 Whereas by the several navigations, discoveries and 
 successful plantations of divers of our loving subjects 
 of this our realm of England, several lands, islands, 
 places, colonies and plantations have been obtained and 
 settled in that part of the continent of America, called 
 New England, and thereby the trade and commerce 
 there, hath been of late years, much increased: And 
 whereas we have been informed by the humble petition 
 of our trusty and well beloved John Winthrop, John 
 Mason, Samuel Wyllys, Henry Clarke, Matthew Allyn, 
 John Tapping, Nathan Gold, Richard Treat, Richard 
 Lord, Henry Wolcott, John Talcott, Daniel Clarke, 
 John Ogden, Thomas Wells, Obadiah Bruen, John 
 Clarke, Anthony Hawkins, John Deming and Matthew 
 Camfield, being persons principally interested in our 
 colony or plantation of Connecticut, in New England, 
 that the same colony, or the greatest part thereof was 
 purchased and obtained for great and valuable consid- 
 erations, and some other part thereof gained by con- 
 quest, and with much difficulty, and at the only en- 
 deavours, expence, and charges of them and their as- 
 sociates, and those under whom they claim, subdued 
 and improved, and thereby become a considerable en- 
 largement and addition of our dominions and interest 
 there. 
 

 
 
 CHARLES II 
 (From the Charter! 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 219 
 
 NOW KNOW YE, That in consideration thereof, 
 and in regard, the said colony is remote from other the 
 English plantations in the places aforesaid, and to the 
 end the afifairs and business which shall from time to 
 time happen to arise concerning the same, may be duly 
 ordered and managed, we have thought fit, and at the 
 humble petition of the persons aforesaid, and are gra- 
 ciously pleased to create and make them a body politic 
 and corporate, with the powers and privileges herein 
 after mentioned; and accordingly our will and pleasure 
 is, and of our special grace, certain knowledge, and 
 mere notion, we have ordained, constituted and de- 
 clared, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and 
 successors, do ordain, constitute and declare, that they 
 the said John Winthrop, John Mason, Samuel Wyllys, 
 Henry Clarke, Matthew Allyn, John Tapping, Nathan 
 Gold, Richard Treat, Richard Lord, Henry Wolcott, 
 John Talcott, Daniel Clarke, John Ogden, Thomas 
 Wells, Obadiah Bruen, John Clarke, Anthony Hawkins, 
 John Deming, and Matthew Camfield, and all such 
 others as now are, or hereafter shall be admitted and 
 made free of the company and society of our colony of 
 Connecticut, in America, shall from time to time, and 
 for ever hereafter, be one body corporate and politic, 
 in fact and name, by the name of Governour and com- 
 pany of the English colony of Connecticut in New 
 England, in America; and that by the same name, they 
 and their successors shall and may have perpetual suc- 
 cession, and shall and may be persons able and capable 
 in the law, to plead and be impleaded, to answer and 
 to be answered unto, to defend and be defended in all 
 and singular suits, causes, quarrels, matters, actions 
 and things, of what kind or nature soever; and also to 
 have, take, possess, acquire, and purchase lands, tene- 
 
220 Wadsworih 
 
 ments, or hereditaments, or any goods, or chattels, and 
 the same to lease, grant, . demise, alien, bargain, sell, 
 and dispose of, as other our liege people of this our 
 realm of England, or any other corpQration or body 
 politic within the same may lawfully do. 
 
 And further, That the said Gouvernour and company, 
 and their successors, shall and may for ever hereafter 
 have a common seal, to serve and use for all causes, 
 matters, things, and affairs whatsoever, of them and 
 their successors, and the same seal, to alter, change, 
 break, and make new from time to time, at their wills 
 and pleasures, as they shall think fit. 
 
 And further. We will and ordain, and by these pres- 
 ents, for us, our heirs and successors, do declare and 
 appoint. That for the better ordering and managing of 
 the affairs and business of the said company and their 
 successors, there shall be one Gouvernour, one Deputy- 
 Gouvernour, and twelve Assistants, to be from time to 
 time constituted, elected and chosen out of the freemen 
 of the said company for the time being, in such manner 
 and form as hereafter in these presents is expressed, 
 which said ofificers shall apply themselves to take care 
 for the best disposing and ordering of the general busi- 
 ness and affairs of and concerning the land and heredi- 
 taments herein after mentioned to be granted, and the 
 plantation thereof, and the government of the people 
 thereof: And for the better execution of our royal 
 pleasure herein, we do for us, our heirs and successors, 
 assign, name, constitute and appoint the aforesaid John 
 Winthrop to be the first and present Gouvernour of the 
 said company, and the said John Mason, to be the 
 Deputy-Gouvernour, and the said Samuel Wyllys, 
 Matthew Allyn, Nathan Gold, Henry Clarke, Richard 
 Treat, John Ogden, John Tapping, John Talcott, 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 221 
 
 Thomas Wells, Henry Wolcott, Richard Lord and Dan- 
 iel Clarke, to be the twelve present Assistants of the 
 said company, to continue in the said several offices 
 respectively, until the second Thursday, which shall be 
 in the month of October now next coming. 
 
 And further, We will, and by these presents for us, 
 our heirs, and successors, do ordain and grant, That 
 the Gouvernour of the said company for the time be- 
 ing, or in his absence by occasion of sickness, or other- 
 wise by his leave or permission, the Deputy-Gouver- 
 nour for the time being, shall and may from time to 
 time upon all occasions, give orders for the assembling 
 of the said company, and calling them together to con- 
 sult and advise of the business and affairs of the said 
 company, and that for ever hereafter, twice in every 
 year, That is to say, on every second Thursday in Octo- 
 ber, and on ever 2d Thursday in May, or oftener in case 
 it shall be requisite; the assistants, and freemen of the 
 said company, or such of them (not exceeding two per- 
 sons from each place, town or city) who shall be from 
 time to time thereunto elected or deputed by the major 
 part of the freemen of the respective towns, cities, and 
 places for which they shall be elected or deputed, shall 
 have a general meeting, or assembly, then and there to 
 consult and advise in and about the affairs and busi- 
 ness of the said company: and that the Gouvernour, or 
 in his absence the Deputy-Gouvernour of the said 
 company for the time being, and such of the assistants 
 and freemen of the said company as shall be so elected 
 or deputed, and be present at such meeting or as- 
 sembly, or the greatest number of them, whereof the 
 Gouvernour or Deputy-Gouvernour, and six of the as- 
 sistants, at least to be seven, shall be called the general 
 assembly, and shall have full power and authority to 
 
222 Wadsworth 
 
 alter and change their days and times of meeting, or 
 general assemblies, for electing the gouvernour, deputy- 
 gouvernour, and assistants, or other officers, or any 
 other courts, assemblies or meetings, and to choose, 
 nominate and appoint such and so many others persons 
 as they shall think fit, and shall be willing to accept 
 the same, to be free of the said company, and body 
 politic, and them into the same to admit; and to elect 
 and constitute such officers as they shall think fit and 
 requisite for the ordering, managing and disposing of 
 the affairs of the said gouvernour and company and 
 their successors. 
 
 And we do hereby for us, our heirs and successors, 
 establish and ordain, That once in a year for ever here- 
 after, namely, the second Thursday of May, the gouver- 
 nour, deputy-gouvernour, and assistants of the said 
 company, and other officers of the said company, or 
 such of them as the said general assembly shall think 
 fit, shall be in the said general court and assembly to 
 be held from that day or time, newly chosen for the 
 year ensuing, by such greater part of the said com- 
 pany for the time being, then and there present; and if 
 the gouvernour, deputy-gouvernour, and assistants by 
 these presents appointed, or such as hereafter be newly 
 chosen into their rooms, or any of them, or any other 
 of the officers to be appointed for the said company 
 shall die, or be removed from his or their several of- 
 fices or places before said general day of election, whom 
 we do hereby declare for any misdemeanor or default, 
 to be removable by the gouvernour, assistants, and 
 companv. or such greater part of them in any of the 
 said public courts to be assembled, as is aforesaid, 
 that then and in every case, it shall and may be lawful 
 to and for the gouvernour, deputy-gouvernour, and as- 
 
 I 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 223 
 
 sistants, and company aforesaid, or such greater part 
 of them to be assembled, as is aforesaid, in any of their 
 assemblies, to proceed to a new election of one or 
 more of their company, in the room or place, rooms 
 or places of such gouvernour, deputy-gouvernour, as- 
 sistant, or other officer or officers so dying or removed, 
 according to their discretions, and immediately upon 
 and after such election or elections made of such Gouv- 
 ernour, deputy-gouvernour, assistant or assistants, or 
 any other officer of the said company, in manner and 
 form aforesaid, the authority, office and power before 
 given to the former gouvernour, deputy-gouvernour, or 
 other officer or officers so removed, in whose stead and 
 place new shall be chosen, shall as to him and them, 
 and every of them respectively cease and determine. 
 
 Provided also, And our will and pleasure is. That as 
 well such as are by these presents appointed to be the 
 present gouvernour, deputy-gouvernour, and assistants 
 of the said company, as those that shall succeed them, 
 and all other officers to be appointed and chosen, as 
 aforesaid, shall, before they undertake the execution of 
 their said offices and places respectively, take their 
 several and respective corporal oaths for the due and 
 faithful performance of their duties in their several of- 
 fices and places, before such person or persons as are 
 by these presents hereafter appointed to take and re- 
 ceive the same; That is to say. That the said John 
 Winthrop, who is herein before nominated and ap- 
 pointed the present gouvernour of the said company, 
 shall take the said oath before one or more of the mas- 
 ters of our court of chancery for the time being, unto 
 which master of chancery, we do by these presents give 
 full power and authority to administer the said oath to 
 the said John Winthrop accordingly: and the said John 
 
224 Wadsworth 
 
 Mason, who is herein before nominated and appointed 
 the present deputy-gouvernour of the said company, 
 shall take the said oath before the said John Winthrop, 
 or any two of the assistants of the said company, unto 
 whom we do by these presents give full power and au- 
 thority to administer the said oath to the said John 
 Mason accordingly: and the said Samuel Wyllys, Henry 
 Clarke, Matthew Allyn, John Tapping, Nathan Gold, 
 Richard Treat, Richard Lord, Henry Wolcott, John 
 Talcott, Daniel Clarke, John Ogden, and Thomas 
 Wells, who are herein before nominated and appointed 
 the present assistants of the said company, shall take 
 the oath before the said John Winthrop, and John 
 Mason, or one of them, to whom we do hereby give 
 full power and authority to administer the same accord- 
 ingly. And our further will and pleasure is, That all 
 and every gouvernour, or deputy-gouvernour to be 
 elected and chosen by virtue of these presents, shall 
 take the said oath before two or more of the assistants 
 of the said company for the time being, unto whom we 
 do by these presents give full power and authority to 
 give and administer the said oath accordingly; and the 
 said assistants, and every of them, and all and every 
 other officer or officers to be hereafter chosen from 
 time to time, to take the said oath before the gouver- 
 nour, or deputy-gouvernour for the time being, unto 
 which gouvernour or deputy-gouvernour, we do by 
 these presents give full power and authority to admin- 
 ister the same accordingly. 
 
 And further. Of our more ample grace, certain knowl- 
 edge, and mere notion, we have given and granted, and 
 by these presents for us, our heirs and successors, do 
 give and grant unto the said gouvernour and company 
 of the English colony of Connecticut, in New England, 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 225 
 
 in America, and to every inhabitant there, and to every 
 person or persons trading thither, and to every such 
 person and persons as are or shall be free of the said 
 colony, full power and authority from time to time, and 
 at all times hereafter to take ship, transport and carry 
 away for and towards the plantation and defence of 
 the said colony, such of our loving subjects and strang- 
 ers, as shall or will willingly accompany them in, and 
 to their said colony and plantation, except such per- 
 son and persons, as are or shall be therein restrained 
 by us, our heirs and successors; and also to ship and 
 transport all, and all manner of goods, chattels, mer- 
 chandizes, and other things whatsoever that are or 
 shall be useful or necessary for the inhabitants of the 
 said colony, and may lawfully be transported thither: 
 Nevertheless, not to be discharged of payment to us, 
 our heirs and successors, of the duties, customs and 
 subsidies which are or ought to be paid or payable for 
 the same. 
 
 And further. Our will and pleasure is, and we do 
 for us, our heirs and successors, ordain, declare, and 
 grant unto the said gouvernour and company, and their 
 successors, that all, and every subjects of us, our heirs, 
 or successors, which shall go to inhabit within the 
 said colony, and every of their children, which shall 
 happen to be born there, or on the seas in going thith- 
 er, or returning from thence, shall have and enjoy all 
 liberties and immunities of free and natural subjects 
 within any of the dominions of us, our heirs or suc- 
 cessors, to all intents, constructions and purposed 
 whatsoever, as if they and every of them were born 
 within the realm of England; and we do authorize and 
 impower the gouvernour, or in his absence the dep- 
 uty-gouvernour for the time being, to appoint two or 
 
226 
 
 Wadsworth 
 
 more of the said assistants at any of their courts or 
 assemblies to be held as aforesaid, to have power and 
 authority to administer the oath of supremacy and 
 obedience to all and every person and persons which 
 shall at any time or times hereafter go or pass into 
 the said colony of Connecticut, unto which said as- 
 sistants so to be appointed as aforesaid, we do by these 
 presents give full power and authority to administer 
 the said oath accordingly. 
 
 And we do further, of our special grace, certain 
 knowledge, and mere motion, give and grant unto the 
 said gouvernour and company of the English colony 
 of Connecticut, in New England, in America, and their 
 successors, that it shall and may be lawful to and for 
 the gouvernour, or deputy-gouvernour, and such of 
 the assistants of the said company for the time being 
 as shall be assembled in any of the general courts 
 aforesaid, or in any courts to be especially summoned 
 or assembled for that purpose, or the greater part of 
 them, whereof the governour, or deputy-gouvernour, 
 and six of the assistants to be always seven, to erect 
 and make such judicatories, for the hearing and de- 
 termining of all actions, causes, matters and things 
 happening within the said colony or plantation, and 
 which shall be in dispute, and depending there, as they 
 shall think fit, and convenient, and also from time to 
 time to make, ordain, and establish all manner of 
 wholesome, and reasonable laws, statutes, ordinances, 
 directions and instructions, not contrary to the laws 
 of this realm of England, as well for settling the forms 
 and ceremonies of government, and magistracy, fit 
 and necessary for the said plantation, and the inhabi- 
 tants there, as for naming and stiling all sorts of offi- 
 cers, both superior and inferior, which they shall find 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 227 
 
 needful for the government and plantation of the said 
 colony, and the distinguishing and setting forth of the 
 several duties, powers and limits of every such office 
 and place, and the forms of such oaths not being con- 
 trary to the laws and statutes of this our realm of Eng- 
 land, to be administered for the execution of the said 
 severall offices and places as also for the disposing 
 and ordering of the election of such of the said offi- 
 cers as are to be annually chosen, and of such others 
 as shall succeed in case of death or removal, and ad- 
 ministering the said oath to the new elected officers, 
 and granting necessary commissions, and for imposi- 
 tion of lawful fines, mulcts, imprisonment or other 
 punishment upon offenders and delinquents according 
 to the course of other corporations within this our 
 kingdom of England, and the same laws, fines, mulcts, 
 and executions, to alter, change, revoke, annul, re- 
 lease, or pardon under their common seal, as by the 
 said general assembly, or the major part of them shall 
 be thought fit, and for the directing, ruling and dispos- 
 ing of all other matters and things, whereby our said 
 people inhabitants there, may be so religiously, peace- 
 ably and civilly governed, as their good life and or- 
 derly conversation may win and invite the natives of 
 the country to the knowledge and obedience of the 
 only true God, and the Saviour of mankind and the 
 Christian faith, which in our royal intentions, and the 
 adventurers free possession, is the only and principal 
 end of the plantation; willing, commanding, and re- 
 quiring, and by these presents for us, our heirs and 
 successors, ordaining and appointing, that all such 
 laws, statutes, and ordinances, instructions, imposi- 
 tions and directions as shall be so made by the gouv- 
 ernour, deputy-gouvernour, and assistants as aforesaid, 
 
228 
 
 Wadsworth 
 
 and published in writing under their common seal, 
 shall carefully and duly be observed, kept, performed, 
 and put in execution, according to the true intent and 
 meaning of the same, and these our letters patent, or 
 the duplicate, or exemplification thereof, shall be to 
 all and every such officers, superiors and inferiors 
 from time to time, for the putting of the same orders, 
 law^s, statutes, ordinances, instructions and directions 
 in due execution against us, our heirs and successors, 
 a sufficient warrant and discharge. 
 
 And we do further for us, our heirs and successors, 
 give and grant unto the said gouvernour and com- 
 pany, and their successors, by these presents, that it 
 shall and may be lawful to, and for the chief com- 
 manders, gouvernours and officers of the said com- 
 pany for the time being, who shall be resident in the 
 parts of New England hereafter mentioned, and oth- 
 ers inhabiting there, by their leave, admittance, ap- 
 pointment, or direction, from time to time, and at all 
 times hereafter, for their special defence and safety, to 
 assemble, martial-array, and put in war-like posture 
 the inhabitants of the said colony, and to commission- 
 ate, impower, and authorize such person or persons, 
 as they shall think fit, to lead and conduct the said in- 
 habitants, and to encounter, expulse, repel and resist 
 by force of arms, as well by sea as by land, andj 
 also to kill, slay, and destroy by all fitting ways, enter- I 
 prizes, and means whatsoever, all and every such per- 
 son or persons as shall at any time hereafter attempt j 
 or enterprize the destruction, invasion, detriment, or i 
 annoyance of the said inhabitants or plantation, and to 
 use and exercise the law martial in such cases only! 
 as occasion shall require; and to take or surprize byj 
 all ways and means whatsoever, all and every suchj 
 
The Patent, Charier and Deed 229 
 
 person or persons, with their ships, armour, ammuni- 
 tion and other goods of such as shall in such hostile 
 manner invade or attempt the defeating of the said 
 plantation, or the hurt of the said company and inhab- 
 itants, and upon just causes to invade and destroy the 
 natives, or other enemies of the said colony. 
 
 Nevertheless, Our will and pleasure is, and we do 
 hereby declare unto all christian kings, princes, and 
 states, That if any persons which shall hereafter 
 be of the said company or plantations, or any other b}' 
 appointment of the said gouvernour and company for 
 the time being, shall at any time or times hereafter 
 rob or spoil by sea or by land, and do any hurt, vio- 
 lence, or unlawful hostility to any of the subjects of 
 us, our heirs or successors, or any of the subjects of 
 any prince or state being then in league with us, our 
 heirs or successors, upon complaint of such injury done 
 to any such prince or state, or their subjects, we, our 
 heirs and successors will make open proclamation with- 
 in any parts of our realm of England fit for that pur- 
 pose, that the person or persons committing any such 
 robbery or spoil, shall within the time limited by such 
 proclamation, make full restitution or satisfaction of 
 all such injuries done or committed, so as the said 
 prince, or others so complaining may be fully satisfied 
 and contented; and if the said person or persons who 
 shall commit any such robbery or spoil shall not make 
 satisfaction accordingly, within such time so to be 
 limited, that then it shall and may be lawful for us, 
 our heirs and successors, to put such person or persons 
 out of our allegiance and protection; and that it shall 
 and may be lawful and free for all princes or others to 
 prosecute with hostility such offenders, and every of 
 them, their, and every of their procursors, aiders, abet- 
 tors and counsellors in that behalf. 
 
230 Wadsworth 
 
 Provided also, And our express will and pleasure is, 
 and we do by these presents for us, our heirs, and 
 successors, ordain and appoint, That these presents 
 shall not in any manner hinder any of our loving sub- 
 jects whatsoever to use and exercise the trade of fish- 
 ing upon the coast of New England, in America, but 
 they and every or any of them shall have full and free 
 power and liberty to continue, and use the said trade 
 of fishing upon the said coast, in any of the seas there- 
 unto adjoining, or any arms of the seas, or salt water 
 rivers where they have been accustomed to fish, and 
 to build and set up on the waste land belonging to 
 the said colony of Connecticut, such wharves, stages, 
 and work-houses as shall be necessary for the salting, 
 drying and keeping of their fish to be taken, or gotten 
 upon that coast, anything in these presents contained 
 to the contrary notwishstanding. 
 
 And know ye further. That we, of our abundant 
 grace, certain knowledge, and mere notion, have given, 
 granted, and confirmed, and by these presents for us, 
 our heirs and successors, do give, grant and confirm 
 unto the said gouvernour and company, and their suc- 
 cessors, all that part of our dominions in New Eng- 
 land in America, bounded on the east by the Narra- 
 ganset River, commonly called Narraganset Bay, where 
 the said river falleth into the sea; and on the north by 
 the line of the Massachusetts plantation; and on the 
 south by the sea; and in longitude as the line of the 
 Massachusetts colony, running from east to west, that 
 is to say, from the said Narraganset Bay on the east, 
 to the south sea on the west part, with the islands 
 thereunto adjoining, together with all firm lands, soils, 
 grounds, havens, ports, rivers, waters, fishings, mines, 
 minerals, precious stones, quarries, and all and sin- 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 231 
 
 gular other commodities, jurisdictions, royalties, 
 privileges, franchises, pre-eminences, and hereditaments 
 whatsoever, within the said tract, bounds, lands, and 
 islands aforesaid, or to them or any of them belong- 
 ing. 
 
 TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the same unto the 
 said gouvernour and company, their successors and as- 
 signs for ever, upon trust, and for the use and ben- 
 efit of themselves and their associates, freemen of the 
 said colony, their heirs and assigns, to be holden of 
 us, our heirs and successors, as of our manor of East 
 Greenwich, in free and common soccage, and not in 
 capite, nor by knights, service, yielding and paying 
 therefore to us, our heirs and successors, only the 
 fifth part of all the ore of gold and silver which from 
 time to time, and at all times hereafter, shall be there 
 gotten, had, or obtained, in lieu of all services, duties 
 and demands whatsoever, to be to us, our heirs, or 
 successors therefore, or thereout rendered, made, or 
 paid. 
 
 And lastly. We do for us, our heirs and successors, 
 grant to the said gouvernour and company, and their 
 successors, by these presents, That these our letters 
 patents, shall be firm, good and effectual in the law, 
 to all intents, constructions, and purposes whatsoever, 
 according to our true intent and meaning herein before 
 declared, as shall be construed, reputed and adjudged 
 most favorable on the behalf, and for the best benefit, 
 and behoof of the said gouvernour and company, and 
 their successors, although express mention of the true 
 yearly value or certainty of the premises, or any of 
 them, or of any other gifts or grants by us, or by any 
 of our progenitors, or predecessors, heretofore made 
 to the said gouvernour and company of the English 
 
1 
 
 232 Wadsworth 
 
 colony of Connecticut, in New England, America, 
 aforesaid, in these presents is not made, or any statute, 
 act, ordinance, provision, proclamation, or restriction 
 heretofore had, made, enacted, ordained, or provided, 
 or any other matter, cause, or thing whatsoever, to the 
 contrary thereof, in any wise notwithstanding. 
 
 In witness whereof. We have caused these our let- 
 ters to be made patents. Witness ourself at West- 
 minster, the three and twentieth day of April, in the 
 fourteenth year of our reign. (1662.) 
 
 By writ of Privy Seal. 
 
 HOWARD. 
 
 When the Charter was read to the freemen 
 
 assembled in the Meeting House yard it was 
 
 by common consent placed for safe keeping with 
 
 Mr. Samuel Wyllys, whose father was the third 
 
 Governor of the Colony, Captain John Talcott 
 
 and Lieutenant John Allyn,^ and at the first meet- 
 
 *John Allyn was a son of Matthew Allyn, one of 
 the original proprietors of Hartford, but subsequently 
 of Windsor, where he removed after being excommu- 
 nicated by the church. He married Ann, daughter of 
 Henry Smith, of Springfield. By her he had six daugh- 
 ters. One of them married John Gardiner, of Gardin- 
 er's Island, another was the second wife of Joseph 
 Whiting, the Treasurer of the colony, and another the 
 wife of William Whiting, Marshal of the colony. John 
 Allyn was in office almost continuously from 1659, 
 when he was chosen town clerk of Hartford, until his 
 death, the following reference to his services appear- 
 ing on his tombstone in the old burying ground: 
 
 "Here lyes interred the body of the Honourable Lt. 
 Col. John Allyn, who served His Generation in the 
 Capacity of a Magistrate, Secretary of the Colony of 
 Connecticut, 34 years, who dyed Nov. 6, in the year 
 1696." 
 
Tite Patent, Charter and Deed 233 
 
 ing of the General Court after Governor Win- 
 throp's return from England he was requested to 
 deliver the duplicate to the same parties.^ The 
 two Charters remained in their hands from that 
 time until 1687, when both of them disappeared 
 for a period. 
 
 After the return of Governor Winthrop it was 
 learned that upon his arrival in London he re- 
 paired to the home of William Whiting in Cole- 
 man Street near St. Stephen's church. He was a 
 
 * The Colonial Records make the following reference 
 to the custody of the Charters: 
 
 "Oct. 9, 1662. The Patent or Charter was this day 
 publiquely read in audience of ye Freemen, and de- 
 clared to belong to them and their successors, and ye 
 freeman made choice of Mr. Wyllys, C: John Talcott 
 and Lt. John Allyn to take the Charter into their cus- 
 tody, in behalf of ye freemen, who are to have an oath 
 administered to them by the General Assembly, for 
 ye due discharge of the trust committed to them." 
 
 "August 19, 1663. This Court doth desire that those 
 Friends appoynted to keepe the Charter do allso re- 
 ceive the Duplicate into their custody, and keepe it in 
 behalfe of ye Freemen of this Corporation: and the 
 Woshipfull Governour is desired to deliver the sd Du- 
 plicate to the said Friends or either of them." 
 
 If the Charter and duplicate were brought to Con- 
 necticut as would be inferred from the above orders, 
 there must have been a third copy, although there is no 
 record of it having been made, as in September, 1686, 
 the following appears in the instructions sent to Wil- 
 liam Whiting, the Colony's agent in England: "You 
 are to have ye duplicate of our Charter ready to be ex- 
 hibited in Court if need be (wch by Governour Winthrop 
 was left with Mr. James Porter of London and since by 
 us he was ordered to deliver it to you." 
 
234 Wadsworfh 
 
 merchant, like his father, who died in Hartford 
 in 1647, being at the time Treasurer of the Colony, 
 as well as a partner of Governor Hopkins, their 
 dealings extending from Virginia to Piscataqua, 
 where Whiting had interests in common with 
 Lord Say and Seal, Lord Brooke and George 
 Wyllys. As soon as he was comfortably settled 
 in his new surroundings, the Governor, in accord- 
 ance with the instructions of the General Court, 
 began to make inquiries as to the whereabouts 
 of those who were interested in the Warwick 
 patent in the hope of procuring a copy of same so as 
 to determine what privileges, rights and immunities 
 were granted in it. After diligent inquiry he learned 
 that Lord Say and Seal, at the time Lord Privy 
 Seal, was the sole survivor. Mr. Jessup, who 
 had acted as clerk for the corporation, was also 
 supposed to be in London, but the Governor was 
 unable to find him until Lord Say and Seal had 
 interested the Earl of Manchester in the project. 
 At this date "old Subtlety" was in very poor 
 health. He was excused from attendance at 
 Court, his general weakness and an attack of his 
 old enemy, the gout, confining him to his estate 
 during the latter part of autumn and fully half 
 of the winter, and while he had no longer an ac- 
 tive interest in the colony which he and his asso- 
 ciates planned in America over a quarter of a 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 235 
 
 century before, he still had a friendly feeling for 
 New England and never failed when before the 
 King and Council to advance its interests. 
 
 Upon advice as to the whereabouts of Lord 
 Say and Seal Governor Winthrop wrote him, and 
 while he was unable to favor him at that period 
 as he did later with his presence at court, he 
 sent him letters to the Earl of Manchester,^ who 
 soon put the Colonial Governor in the way of 
 finding Mr. Jessup and also to push his acquain- 
 tance among those w^ho brought him and his mis- 
 sion to the notice of the King. From Mr. Jessup 
 the Governor learned that Edward Hopkins had 
 a copy of the Warwick patent and that access 
 could be had to it, as well as his other colonial 
 papers, by applying to his executor, Henry Dal- 
 ley. The result of the visit has been referred to 
 on a preceding page. 
 
 Of the Governor's new acquaintances at 
 Whitehall, no one gave him more assistance than 
 the Earl of Sandwich, who was ever zealous in 
 the affairs of others and negligent of his own. 
 Both the King and his brother, the Duke of York, 
 who was afterwards James H., knew that he did 
 as much to bring about the Restoration as Monk, 
 
 ^ The Parliamentary General who was instrumental 
 in the King's Restoration, became Chamberlain of the 
 Household, a Privy Councillor and Chancellor of the 
 University of Cambridge. He died in 1671. 
 
236 Wadsworth 
 
 but for reasons unknown to them, although the 
 wife of the old soldier never hesitated in her 
 rough way to attribute it and many of his subse- 
 quent acts to cowardice/ he allowed the bulk of 
 the glory to go to the General who was created 
 Duke of Albermarle for the part he played in this 
 bloodless victory of the Royalists. 
 
 The Earl of Sandwich was a descendant of the 
 Montagues, who purchased Hinchenbrook from 
 Sir Oliver Cromwell. He stood high in the coun- 
 cils of the Commonwealth, one of the last acts 
 of its governing powers being to appoint him a 
 member of the Council of State, and with Monk 
 a General at Sea, and at a time when he was in 
 active correspondence v/ith the King and Duke 
 of York in reference to placing the former on the 
 throne. He also had the honor of bringing the 
 King to England. 
 
 * Pepys in his Diary quotes the Duchess of Albemarle 
 as having said in the presence of twenty gentlemen 
 "that she would have Montague sent once more to 
 sea, before he goes his embassy, that we may sec 
 whether he will make amends for his cowardice." 
 (Jan. lo, 1666.) The same writer also refers to Gen- 
 eral Monk (Duke of Albemarle) as "a dull heavy man," 
 (March i, 1660) while he also says "I perceive his 
 (Sir Edmund Montague) being willing to do all the 
 honor in the world to Monk and to let him have all 
 the honor of doing the business (that is, bringing in 
 the King) though he will many times express his 
 thought of him to be but a thick skulled fool." (May 
 3, 1660.) 
 
EDWARD MONTAGUE 
 (.First Earl of Sandwich) 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 239 
 
 Upon the advice of the Earls of Manchester 
 
 and Sandwich, and of which Lord Say and Seal 
 
 at a later date expressed his approval, Governor 
 
 Winthrop, in addition to presenting- the petition 
 
 approved by the General Court of Connecticut, 
 
 also asked for a renewal of the Warwick patent 
 
 on account of the original having been destroyed 
 
 in the Saybrook Fort fire,^ while the duplicate 
 
 was with other papers lost when taken abroad 
 
 by Lord Keeper Finch during King Charles I.'s 
 
 troubles with the Parliament. The petitions 
 
 ^To the Kings Most Excellent Matie. 
 
 The humble Peticon of John Winthrop Esqr. in the 
 name and by Order of your Maties most Loyall, obed- 
 ient and most dutifull Subjects, the Colony of Conecte- 
 cut in New England in all humility 
 Sheweth 
 
 That your Maties Subjects of the said Colony of 
 Conectecut at their greate expence in the beginning of 
 the late unhappy Civil warr, became lawfully seized of 
 all the Maineland and Islands, Bayes, Harbours, 
 Creekes, Fresh Rivers Rivelits Mines Mineralls Quarries 
 of Stones &c with Right of Government in and over all 
 the said Colony, Situate and lying in the West and 
 Southward parts of New England bounded on the East 
 with the Norriganset Bay, on the North with the South 
 Line of Mattechusets on the South with the Sea, and 
 thence Westward to the Pacifique Sea, comprehending 
 all that part of your Maties Dominions Westward of the 
 said Norriganset Bay called New England, to the 
 Fortieth Degree of Lattitude North from the Equator, 
 all which they peaceably enjoyed in the right of the 
 right Honorable the Lord Viscount Say and Scale and 
 the Lord Brookes and other persons of Honour their 
 Associates who were incorporated with the said Pattent 
 about the Twelfth yeare of the Reigne of your Maties 
 
240 Wadsworth 
 
 made rapid progress at court, as the Earl of Sand- 
 wich at that period of all men knew how and 
 when to approach His Majesty, who looked upon 
 matters of state as burdens and stumbling blocks 
 rolled in the way to interfere with his sports, long 
 walks and still longer dalliance with his mis- 
 tresses. The gallant Earl ever willing to follow 
 
 Royall Father of Blessed memory, Which Colony was 
 settled in a Competent Measure by the said Originall 
 Pattentees at their greate expence in Transporting 
 some hundred of Families, Cattle of all kindes ffortify- 
 ing the said Colony, in which Settlem* your Mat'" 
 Peticoner was employed in the Right of the said Lords 
 and their Associates the first Pattentees. 
 
 The said Lord Viscount Say and Scale Lord Brookes 
 and their Associates the Lord Proprietors unwilling to 
 make further disbursements on the said Colony did by 
 their Agent George ffenwicke Esqr one of the said 
 Proprietors make sale of the said Colony to the Peti- 
 coner and the rest of the Colonic your Mat'^s good Sub- 
 jects for a very valuable sume of money who have since 
 built severall Towns and Villages which the Inhabitants 
 have ever since peaceably enjoyed by virtue of their 
 Purchase from the first Pattentees. 
 
 But soe it is, the Originall Pattent being lost in a 
 Fatall Fire at Saybrook fort in the said Colony and the 
 Duplicate being lost amongst those papers carryed be- 
 yond the Seas by the Lord Keeper Finch in the late 
 Civill Troubles, Your Mamies Peticoner has recourse 
 (upon your Mat'^s happy restoration) to the Grace and 
 Clemency inherent in your Princely minde, and most 
 humbly prayes the Reneual of the said Pattent under 
 your Maties greate Seale. 
 
 And yo*" Ma'ies Peticoner and all those concerned in 
 the said Colony, as they are bound in duty shall ever 
 pray for your Majesty. 
 
 J. WiNTHROP 
 
The Patent, Chartei and Deed 241 
 
 the King in his pleasures, even so far as to share 
 in his vices, was also high in the good graces 
 of the Countess of Castlemaine, who for many- 
 years twisted the A'lerry Monarch around her 
 thumb. 
 
 It has been told, and I have no reason to doubt 
 it, that this vacillating mistress of the King 
 looked for a time with more than ordinary favor 
 upon Governor Winthrop's mission, being fasci- 
 nated with his recital of adventures and the won- 
 ders of the New World, and in one of her flam- 
 boyant moments begged of him for her cabinet 
 the Indian deed, promising in return for the 
 parchment bearing the totem of the Suckiag 
 Indians, her influence to obtain a charter under 
 the broad seal of England from her Sovereign 
 Lord, King Charles 11. The Earl of Sandwich 
 who was well acquainted with the petulant tem- 
 per of the lady advised, aye, even insisted upon 
 the Governor complying with her request, which 
 was literally a demand, telling him that she would 
 soon tire of the novelty and that he or one of his 
 servants, almost all of whom were on friendly 
 terms with the Castlemaine household, would get 
 it for him as soon as the charter passed the seal. 
 The Countess also proved true to her promise, 
 and when Lord Say and Seal returned to court 
 he found that the Connecticut Charter was as- 
 
242 Wadsworth 
 
 sured, but death claimed him nine days before it 
 was signed. 
 
 In due time the Charter and duplicate passed 
 the great seal, the former being forwarded to 
 New England and the duplicate, from which a 
 copy was made for the colony's agent in Lon- 
 don, was retained by Governor Winthrop until he 
 returned to Hartford in June, 1663. Prior to his 
 departure from England he sought the Earl of 
 Sandwich in order to recover the Indian deed, but 
 found him dangerously ill, so bad in fact that his 
 life was despaired of. Knowing that with the 
 Charter the deed was of little or no value, except 
 for sentimental reasons, the Governor left the 
 matter in the hands of the colony's agent. He 
 failed to secure it, although he ultimately learned 
 that it was destroyed by a fire in the Castlemaine 
 apartments.^ When the fragment of this story 
 leaked out a few of the original planters insisted 
 upon procuring another deed from the descend- 
 
 * January 26, 1663-4. Pepys writes "Tom Killegrew 
 told us of a fire last night in My Lady Castlemaine's 
 lodging, which she did bid 40 pounds for one to ad- 
 venture the fetching of a cabinet out, which at last 
 was got to be done, and the fire at last quenched with- 
 out doing much wrong." On January 20. four days 
 prior to the fire, he also made note of the intimacy 
 existing between the Countess and the Earl of Sand- 
 wich, or as he worded it "My Lord Fitz Harding and 
 the Hambletons and sometimes My Lord Sandwich 
 they say have their snaps with her." 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 243 
 
 ants of the Indians who had by right of inher- 
 itance a claim to any of the lands included in the 
 treaty of 1636. They were therefore summoned 
 to Hartford, where on July 5, 1670, the following 
 was drawn up and signed : 
 
 "Whereas our predecessor, Sunckquasson, sachem of 
 Suckiage, alias Hartford, did about the yeare sixteen 
 hundred thirty six, by a writeing under his hand, pass 
 over unto Mr. Samuel Stone and Mr. Wm. Goodwin, 
 in the behalf of the present proprietors and owner of 
 the lands belonging to the township of Hartford, all 
 that part of his country from a tree marked N. F. 
 which is the divident between Hartford and Wethers- 
 field — we say from the afoarsayd tree on the south, 
 till it meet with Windsor bounds on the north, and 
 from the great river on the east, the whole bredth to 
 run into the wilderness towards the west full six miles, 
 which is to the place where Hartford and Farmington 
 bounds meet; which grant of Sunckquasson, as occa- 
 sion hath been, was by him renewed to the honoured 
 John Haines, Esqr. and other the first magistrates of 
 this place, and enlarged to the westward so far as his 
 country went; which enlargement as well as his former 
 grant was made in presence of many of the natives of 
 the place and English inhabitants; and several! yeares 
 after, about the time of the planting of Farmington 
 in the yeare one thousand six hundred and forty, in a 
 writeing made between the English and Pethus the 
 sachem or gentleman of that place, there is a full 
 mention of the aforesayd Sunckquasson his grant of his 
 country to the magistrates of this place, which grant 
 we are privy too; and we being the only successors 
 
244 
 
 Wadsworth 
 
 of Sunckquasson and proprietors (before the fore- 
 mentioned sale) of the lands belonging to the town- 
 ship of Hartford on the west side of the great river, 
 being desired to confirm and pass over all our right 
 and interest in the aforesayd lands to the present 
 possessors of them, they informeing us that those 
 writeings made by Sunckquasson before recited are 
 at present out of the way, knowing what our pred- 
 ecessor hath done, and what consideration he hath 
 received for the same, — 
 
 We, Masseeckcup and William squa, in behalfe of 
 ourselves and Wawarme, the sister and onely heire of 
 Sunckquasson, and Keepequam, Seacutt, Jack Spiner, 
 Currecombe, Wehassatuck squa and Seacunck squa, 
 the onely inhabitants that are surviving of the afoar- 
 sayd lands, doe by these presents owne, acknowledge 
 and declare, that Sunckquasson whoe was the sachem of 
 Suckiage alias Hartford, and grand proprietor of the 
 lands adjacent, did with the consent of those of us 
 whoe were of age to declare our consent, and with the 
 consent of the rest of the inhabitants of this place, 
 about the year 1636, pass over unto Mr. Samuel Stone 
 and Mr. Wm. Goodwine, in behalfe and for the use of 
 themselves and their company, all the land from 
 Wethersfield bounds on the south, to Windsor bounds 
 on the north, and the whole bredth from Connecticutt 
 river on the east six large miles into the wilderness on 
 the west, which sayd grant was afterwards upon fur- 
 ther consideration renewed and enlarged by the sayd 
 Sunckquasson, upon the desire of the honoured Mr. 
 Haines and the rest of the magistrates of this place; 
 but we being informed that on the removeall of some 
 of the gentlemen afoarmentioned, the papers and write- 
 ings before specifyed are out of the way, and haveing 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 245 
 
 now received of Mr. Samuel Willys, Capt. John Tall- 
 cott, Mr. John Allyn and Mr. James Richards a farther 
 grattification of near the value the land was esteemed 
 at before the English came into these parts — to prevent 
 all father trouble between ourselves and the inhabi- 
 tants of Hartford, we the sayd Masseeckcup, William 
 squa as afoarsayd, and Seacutt, Keepequam, Jack 
 Spiner, Currecombe, Wehassatuck squa and Seacunck 
 squa, upon the consideration forementioned by these 
 presents have and doe fully, clearly and absolutely 
 grant, bargain, sell, alien, enfeoflfe and confirme unto 
 Mr. Samuel Willys, Capt. John Tallcott, Mr. John 
 Allyn and Mr. James Richards, in behalfe of the rest 
 of the proprietors of the land belonging to the town- 
 ship of Hartford, their heires and assignes forever, all 
 that parcell of land from a tree marked N. F. being a 
 boundary between Wethersfield and Hartford on the 
 south, to Windsor bounds on the north, and the whole 
 bredth of land from Wethersfield to Windsor bounds 
 from the great river on the east to runn into the wilder- 
 ness westward full six miles, which is to the place 
 where Hartford and Farmington bounds meet, — To 
 have and to hold all the afoarsayd parcell of land as it 
 is bounded, with all the meadowes, pastures, woodes, 
 underwood, stones, quarries, brookes, ponds, rivers, 
 profitts, comodities and appurtenances whatsoever be- 
 longing thereto, unto the sayd Mr. Samuel Willys, 
 Capt. John Tallcott, Mr. James Richards and Mr. John 
 Allyn, in behalfe of themselves and the rest of the 
 inhabitants of the towne of Hartford, whoe are stated 
 proprietors in the undivided lands, their heires and 
 assignes, to the onely proper use and behoofe of the 
 sayd Mr. Samuel Willys, Capt. John Tallcott, Mr. John 
 Allyn and Air. James Richards as afoarsayd, their 
 
246 Wadsworih 
 
 heires and assignes forever; and the sayd Massecup 
 and Wm squa in behalfe of themselves and Wawarme 
 the sister of Sunckquasson and Seacutt, Keepequam, 
 Jack Spiner, Currecombe, Wehassatuck squa, and 
 Secunck squa, doe covenant to and with the sayd Mr. 
 Samuel Willys, Mr. John Talcott, Mr. James Richards 
 and Mr. John Allyn, that after and next unto the afoar- 
 sayd Sunckquasson, they the said Masseeckcup, Wm 
 squa, Seacutt, Keepequam, &c., have onely full power, 
 good right, and lawfull authority to grant, bargain, sell 
 and convey all and singular the before hereby granted 
 or mentioned to be granted premises with their and 
 every of their appurtenances, unto the sayd Mr. Sam- 
 uel Willys, Mr. John Talcott, Mr. John Allyn, and Mr. 
 James Richards as aforesayd, their heires and assignes 
 forever and that they the sayd Mr. Samuel Willys, Mr. 
 John Talcott, Mr. John Allyn and Mr. James Richards 
 and the rest of the proprietors of the undivided lands 
 within the bounds of the township of Hartford, their 
 heires and assignes, shall and may by force and vertue 
 of these presents, from time to time and all times for- 
 ever hereafter, lawfully have, receive and take the 
 rents issues and profitts thereof to their owne proper 
 use and behoofe forever, without any lett, suit, trouble 
 or disturbance whatsoever of the heires of Sunck- 
 quasson or of us the sayd Massecup, Wm squa, Sea- 
 cutt, Keepequam, Jack Spiner, Currecombe, Wehassa- 
 tuck squa, and Seacunck squa, our heires or assignes, 
 or of any other person or persons whatsoever clayming 
 by, from or under us or any of us of by our meanes, 
 act, consent, priority or procurement, and that free and 
 clear and freely and clearly acquitted exonerated and 
 discharged or otherwise from time to time, well and 
 sufficiently saved and kep harmless by the sayd Mas- 
 
The Patent, Charter and Deed 247 
 
 secup, William-squa, Seacutt and Keepequam, &c., 
 their heires, executors and administrators from all for- 
 mer and other grants, guifts, bargains, sales, titles, 
 troubles, demands, and incumbrances whatsoever had, 
 made, committed, sufifered or done by the afoarsayd 
 Massecup, William squa, Keepequam, Seacutt, &c. 
 
 "In witness whereof, they have signed, sealed and 
 delivered this writeing with their own hands, this 
 fifth of July, one thousand six hundred and seventy. 
 Signed sealed and delivered 
 in presence of 
 Arramatt, his mark, Masseeckcup, his mark, L. S. 
 Mamanto, his mark, Seacutt, his mark, L. S. 
 
 Jack Spiner, his mark, L. S. 
 
 Seacunck, his mark, L. S. 
 
 Currecombe, his mark, L. S. 
 Keepequam, his mark, L. S. 
 
 William squa's mark, L. S. 
 
 Wehassatuck squa's mark, L. S. 
 Nescanett gives consent to this 
 grant and bargain, as he wit- 
 nesseth by subscribing 
 Nesacanett, his mark, L. S. 
 
 Neschegen, his mark, 
 Attumtoha, his mark, 
 Wennoe, his mark. 
 Will. Wadsworth, 
 John Adams, 
 John Strickland, 
 Giles Hamlin. 
 
HIDING THE CHARTER 
 
HIDING THE CHARTER 
 
 In the twenty-four years that elapsed between 
 the arrival of the Charter and Gov, Andros' visit 
 to Hartford, the Connecticut colony became the 
 granary of New England. It exported so much 
 grain that Sir Edmund, in the winter of 1675-6 
 sent Captain Salisbury to England to advi&e the 
 Duke of York that it was impossible for the gov- 
 ernment of New York to subsist without the ad- 
 dition of that colony. 
 
 The wheat, corn, peas and beans grown in the 
 valleys of Connecticut, were carried in vessels to 
 Boston, New York, the West Indies and Eng- 
 land, the merchants and others who shipped it 
 bringing back products which made colonial life 
 more comfortable, while the material comforts of 
 the inhabitants were not forgotten, tobacco,^ 
 
 * At the General Court which was held in Hartford, 
 June II, 1640, it was ordered "that what person or per- 
 sons within this jurisdiction shall, after September, 
 1641, drinke any other Tobacco but such as is or shalbe 
 planted within these libertyes, shall forfeit for every 
 pownd so spent fiue shillings, except they haue license 
 fro the Courte." This order was repealed January 28, 
 1646-7, and the following adopted at the General Court 
 May 20, 1647: "Forasmuch as it is obsearued that 
 many adbuses are committed by frequent takeing To- 
 bacco, It is Ordered, that noe person vnder the age of 
 20 years, nor any other that hath not allreddy accus- 
 
252 
 
 Wadsworth 
 
 wine, and strong waters^ being brought in large 
 
 quantities and consumed so freely that the Gen- 
 
 tomed himselfe to the vse therof, shall take any To- 
 bacco vntil he haue brought a Certificat, vnder the 
 hand of some who are approued for knowledg and 
 skill in phisicke, that it is vsefull for him, and also 
 that he hath receaued a lycencc fro the Court for the 
 same. And for the regulateing those who either by 
 their former takeing yt haue to their owne apprehen- 
 sions made yt necessary to them, or vppon due aduice' 
 are persuaded to the vse thereof. It is Ordered, that 
 no man within this Colony, after the publication hereof, 
 shall take any tobacco publicquelv in the street, nor 
 shall take yt in the fyelds or woods, vnlesse when they 
 be on their trauill or joyrny at lest lo myles, or at the 
 ordinary tyme of repast comonly called dynner, or if it I 
 be not then taken, yet not aboue once in the day atj 
 most, and then not in company with any other. Norj 
 shall any inhabiting in any of the Townes within this] 
 Jurisdiction, take any Tobacco in any howse in the same ^ 
 Towne wher he liueth, with and in the company ofj 
 any more then one who vseth and drinketh the sarne I 
 weed, with him at that tyme; vnder the penulty of six! 
 pence for ech oflfence against this Order, in any of the! 
 particulers thereof, to be payd without gainsaying,^ 
 vppon conuiction by the testimony of one witnesse that] 
 is without just exception, before any one Magistrate; 
 and the Constables in the seuerall Townes are required] 
 to make presentment to ech particuler Court of such asj 
 they doe vnderstand and can evict to be transgressors; 
 of the Order." This order appears under the head.' 
 "Tobacko" in the Code of 1650. 
 
 * The following order in reference to the excessivej 
 use of same was adopted May 20, 1647: "And for the! 
 preuenting that great abuse which is creeping in by] 
 excesse in Wyne and strong waters. It is Ordered, that! 
 noe inhabitant in any Towne of this Jurisdiction shalll 
 continue in any comon victualing howse in the samej 
 Towne wher he liueth aboue halfe an hower att a tymej 
 in drinkeing wyne, bear or hotte waters, nether shalll 
 any who draweth & selleth wyne suffer any to drynkej 
 
Hiding the Charter 253 
 
 eral Court was time and again called upon to 
 pass laws against the indiscriminate sale and use 
 of them. 
 
 During this period I received my share of at- 
 tention from the horn book at school and the 
 stick of the tithing man^ at meeting, a turbulent 
 and an impulsive nature making me a leader of 
 the lads in the misdemeanors of the town. As 
 soon as I was old enough I became a member of 
 the train band, of which I was subsequently 
 
 any more wyne att on tyme then after the proportion 
 of three to a pynt of sacke. And it is further Ordered, 
 that noe such wyne drawer deliuer any wyne, or suffer 
 any to be deliuered out of his howse to any who com 
 for yt, vnlesse they bring a noate vnder the hand of 
 some one Mister of some family and alowed inhabitant 
 of that Towne, nether shall any such Ordinary keep, 
 sell or drawe any hotte waters to any but in case of 
 necessity, and in such moderation for quantity as they 
 may haue good grownds to conceaue yt may not be 
 abused; and shalbe reddy to giue an accoumpte of 
 their doeings herein when they are cauled thereto, 
 vnder Censure of the Court in a case of delinquency." 
 'A parish officer elected annually to preserve order 
 in meeting during divine service. He was provided 
 with a staff which had a rabbit's foot at one end and a 
 piece of iron on the other, the former being used to 
 rouse sleepy ladies, and the latter to keep the boys in 
 order or out of the land of nod. A writer in Hartford 
 in History also says that the tithing man was required 
 to "look after young people illegally walking together 
 on the Sabbath, after strangers at inns, after travelers, 
 after such as 'lye at home' or 'linger without doors at 
 meeting time,' and after 'all sons of Belial strutting 
 about, setting on fences and otherwise desecrating the 
 day.' " 
 
254 Wadsworfh 
 
 Sergeant, Lieutenant, and afterwards Captain.^ 
 Also when I arrived at the proper age I was made 
 a freeman^ of the colony and afterwards a 
 Deputy^ to the General Court, my first service in 
 the latter being prior to the trouble over the 
 Charter. 
 
 Time and again it has been said that war at- 
 tracts the attention of the aggressive and I cer- 
 tainly must be numbered among them, for as soon 
 as King Philip began the war which laid waste to 
 a greater part of Massachusetts and Rhode Island 
 I was ready to march out and meet him. For- 
 tunately Connecticut was not called upon to make 
 any sacrifices in this troublous time, as aside 
 from the burning of Simsbury there was no prop- 
 erty lost in the colony and I always believed that 
 it would not have happened if the people had re- 
 mained in their homes instead of rushing oflf to 
 Windsor, after burying the most of their property 
 in the swamp and losing it, as no one has found 
 
 * Joseph Wadsworth is referred to as Sargeant in 
 order of Council dated Sept. 6, 1675. He was appointed 
 Lieutenant January 14, 1675, and Captain by order of 
 the General Assembly October 14, 1697, although he 
 appears as Captain in the list of Deputies elected May 
 9, 1695. 
 
 * Propounded for freeman May 11. 1676, was admitted 
 at session of General Court October 12, 1676. 
 
 * He was a Deputy from Hartford in 1685, 1694, 1695, 
 1699, 1703, 1704 and 1705. 
 
Hiding the Charter 2bb 
 
 the place of sepulture to this day. Major Treat, 
 afterwards Governor of the colony, was in com- 
 mand of the Connecticut troops from the begin- 
 ning of the war until after the burning of the 
 Narragansett Fort. He relieved Hadley and 
 would have saved Springfield, when a portion of 
 it was burned by the Indians, had he not been de- 
 layed in getting boats to cross the river. 
 
 After the Commissioners of the United Col- 
 onies decided upon a winter campaign and to at- 
 tack the Indians at their headquarters in the 
 Narragansett country it was resolved to raise an 
 army of one thousand men. Of that portion Con- 
 necticut supplied three hundred Englishmen and 
 one hundred and fifty Mohegan and Pequot In- 
 dians, the latter being attached to the companies 
 commanded by Captain John Gallup of Stoning- 
 ton and Captain John Mason of Norwich. The 
 other three companies of the Connecticut division 
 were commanded by Samuel Marshall of Wind- 
 sor, Thomas Watts of Hartford and Nathaniel 
 Seely of Stratford. Gershom Bulkeley was sur- 
 geon. Reverend Nicholas Boyes chaplain and 
 Stephen Barret commissary. 
 
 This corps, under the command of Major Treat, 
 marched from Stonington to Pettyquamscott, 
 where it arrived on December 17 and found the 
 buildings in which they expected to find shelter 
 
256 
 
 Wadsworth 
 
 had been burned a day or two before by the In- 
 dians. The next day they joined the Massachu- 
 setts and Plymouth forces and after remaining 
 over night in an open field continued the march 
 towards the Narragansett fort, which was 
 reached about noon Sunday, December 19. 
 
 The fort^ was on an island of five or six acres 
 in the midst of a cedar swamp which was under 
 water except in the driest part of the year. It 
 was impassable except to the Indians by their 
 accustomed paths, but was now easily approached 
 as the severe cold had turned the waters of the 
 swamp into a mass of ice. The fort was sur- 
 rounded by a palisade and a hedge of almost a 
 rod in thickness. The former, however, was not 
 all completed at the time of the attack and the 
 English were fortunate in coming upon the place. 
 It was at a corner and while there was a block- 
 house opposite the gap and flankers at both sides 
 of it, there was nothing across it except a long 
 tree about five feet from the ground. Captains 
 Johnson and Davenport rushed into this opening 
 with the Massachusetts troops. Johnson fell at 
 
 'The scene of the battle was in West Kingston, 
 Rhode Island, on the estate of J. G. Clark, whose res- 
 idence is about a mile from where the fort was located. 
 The island was cleared and ploughed about 177S, while 
 the swampy land is still overflowed except in the driest 
 part of the season. 
 
Hiding the Charter 257 
 
 the log and Davenport within the fort. With 
 their leaders gone the troops fell on their faces to 
 escape the galling fire of musketry and retreated 
 as soon as it abated. Captains Moseley and Gar- 
 diner pressed up to take their places, but had to 
 fall back. They were succeeded by Major Apple- 
 ton and Captain Oliver, who drove the enemy out 
 of one of the flankers. 
 
 Holding the Plymouth forces in reserve. Gen- 
 eral Josiah Winslow rushed forward the Connec- 
 ticut troops which were in the rear of the army. 
 Not being aware of the extent of the danger from 
 the blockhouse, Captain Marshall's company suf- 
 fered terribly as it entered the line of fire. 
 Marshall fell at the tree. As he dropped Major 
 Treat assumed command of the company and 
 beckoning for the men to follow him rushed into 
 the fort. With a yell that could be heard above 
 the cries of the Indians and the roar of the mus- 
 kets, Gallup and Seely followed him. Both of them 
 were shot down, while Captain Mason received 
 a wound from which he died nine months later. 
 
 As the Connecticut troops forced back the 
 enemy the Massachusetts forces joined them. 
 Step by step they drove the Indians out of the 
 blockhouses into the wigwams. After three hours' 
 fighting the order to destroy the place by fire 
 
258 Wadsworth 
 
 came, and as in the Pequot fight, the scene of 
 carnage became a fearful holocaust. 
 
 Major Treat was in the thick of the fight from 
 the beginning and in one of the skirmishes re- 
 ceived a ball through the rim of his hat. He 
 was the last man who left the fort in the dusk of 
 the evening, commanding the rear of the army. 
 Of his five captains three were killed and one 
 wounded, while of the three hundred Englishmen 
 seventy were killed or wounded ; twenty in Cap- 
 tain Seely's, ten in Captain Gallup's, seventeen in 
 Captain Watt's, nine in Captain Mason's and four- 
 teen in Captain Marshall's company. Of these 
 about forty were killed or died of their wounds. 
 About half of the loss in action fell upon Connec- 
 ticut and they, as well as those who survived 
 them, richly deserved the following tribute which 
 was subsequently made by the legislature of the 
 colony : 
 
 "In that signal service, the fort fight, in Narragan- 
 sett, as we had our full number, in proportion with the 
 other confederates, so all say they did their full propor- 
 tion of service. Three noble soldiers, Seely, courageous 
 Marshall, and bold Gallup, died in the bed of honour; 
 and valiant Mason, a fourth captain, had his death's 
 wound. There died many brave officers, and sentinels, 
 whose memory is blessed; and whose death redeemed 
 our lives. The bitter cold, the tarled swamp, the 
 tedious march, the strong fort, the numerous and stub- 
 born enemy they contended with, for their God, king 
 
<j l/i/tUi^S 
 
 
 J(^f^i ^TaLih 
 
 CONNECTICUT GOVERNORS 
 
Hiding the Charter 261 
 
 and country, be their trophies over death. He that 
 commanded our forces then, and now us, made no less 
 than seventeen fair shots at the enemy, and was thereby 
 as oft a fair mark for them. Our mourners, over all 
 the colony, witness for our men, that they were not un- 
 faithful in that day." 
 
 On April 5, 1676, John Winthrop, the Governor 
 of Connecticut, died in Boston while attending a 
 meeting of the Commissioners of the United Col- 
 onies. At the election on May 11 he was suc- 
 ceeded by William Leete, while Major Robert 
 Treat^ was chosen Deputy-Governor and Major 
 John Talcott appointed to command the troops 
 during the balance of the war, which dragged 
 along until King Philip was killed in the swamp 
 near Mount Hope on August 12. When Major 
 Talcott was made chief in command, the Reverend 
 Gershom Bulkeley of Wethersfield was appointed 
 surgeon. The latter was the son of Peter Bulke- 
 ley, the first minister of Concord, Mass., and 
 Grace, the daughter of Sir Richard Chitwood. 
 He was born December 26, 1635, a few weeks 
 after their arrival in America. It is stated that 
 his mother apparently died on the passage to 
 
 ' Robert Treat was born in England in 1622 and came 
 to America with his father. In 1641 he located at Mil- 
 ford and moved from there to New Jersey when the 
 Connecticut and New Haven colonies were united. He 
 was one of the founders of Newark and remained there 
 until 1672, when he returned to Milford. 
 
262 Wadsworth 
 
 this country and as her husband supposed land 
 was near he prevailed upon the captain, notwith- 
 standing the superstitious fears of the sailors, to 
 keep the body three days beyond the time ap- 
 pointed for consigning it to the deep. A chest^ 
 containing a portion of their earthly possessions 
 was emptied and the body placed in it. On the 
 third day symptoms of vitality were discovered 
 and before the vessel reached land animation was 
 restored, and although carried from the vessel an 
 invalid, Mrs. Bulkeley survived her husband and 
 followed her son, Gershom, to New London, 
 where after graduating at Harvard in divinity 
 and medicine in 1659 he was installed as a minis- 
 ter. In 1666 he removed to Wethersfield to 
 preach to a portion of the congregation over 
 which John Russell presided before he accom- 
 panied the "withdrawers" to Hadley. When the 
 King Philip war broke out Gershom Bulkeley ac- 
 companied Captain Thomas Bull to Saybrook and 
 was present when Edmund Andros made an ef- 
 fort to take possession of the fort. 
 
 ^ This chest is now owned by Ex-Governor Morgan 
 Gardner Bulkeley, the most prominent representative 
 of the family since his distinguished ancestor, Gershom 
 Bulkeley, brought the name to Connecticut in 1659. By 
 a strange coincidence both of them were born on the 
 same date, providing allowance is not made for the 
 eleven days change in calendar, Gershom Bulkeley as 
 stated in the text being born December 26, 1635, and 
 Morgan Gardner Bulkeley December 26, 1838. 
 
Hiding the Charter 263 
 
 As the latter played a very important part in 
 the history of New England from the time of the 
 King Philip war until after James II. was driven 
 from the throne of England, a few words in refer- 
 ence to him would scarcely be out of place. Sir 
 Edmund Andros, Lord Seignoire of Saufmarez in 
 the Island of Guernsey, was born in London De- 
 cember 6, 1637. His ancestors were originally 
 from Northamptonshire, where they were known 
 as Andrews or Andros, and became connected 
 with the Island of Guernsey in 1543, when one of 
 them, acting as lieutenant to Sir Peter Meautis, 
 the Governor, married Judith D'Saufmarez, the 
 heiress who brought the fief of Saufmarez into 
 the family. Amice Andros, the father of Ed- 
 mund Andros, married Elizabeth Stone, sister of 
 Major Stone, cupbearer to the Queen of Bohemia 
 and Captain of a troop of horse in Holland. He 
 was master of ceremonies to Charles I. at the 
 time of the birth of his son, who was brought up 
 in the royal family and during its exile com- 
 menced his career as a soldier in Holland under 
 Prince Henry of Nassau. After the Restoration, 
 Edmund Andros was appointed Gentleman in 
 Ordinary to the King's aunt, the Queen of Bo- 
 hemia, whose daughter, Princess Sophia, be- 
 came the mother of George I. of England. 
 
264 Wadsworfh 
 
 Edmund Andros distinguished himself in the 
 Dutch war which ended in 1667, but was not 
 heard from again until 1672, when he appears as 
 the commander of the forces in Barbadoes and 
 during which he acquired a knowledge of Ameri- 
 can affairs. Under royal warrant of the Master 
 General of Ordnance, on April 2 of that year, a 
 regiment of dragoons raised for the King's 
 cousin, Prince Rupert, was directed to be armed 
 "with the bayonet or great knife," this being its 
 first introduction into the English army. An- 
 dros was promoted to this regiment, and the four 
 companies then under his command in Barbadoes 
 advanced to be a troop of horse in it. 
 
 In 1674 upon the death of his father he suc- 
 ceeded to the office of Bailiff of Guernsey, the 
 reversion to which had been granted to him by 
 King Charles during his father's lifetime. The 
 same year, the war which had been re-commenced 
 with the Dutch having terminated, Andros' regi- 
 ment was disbanded and he was commissioned by 
 the King to receive New York and its depend- 
 encies pursuant to the treaty of peace, which was 
 signed at Westminister February 9, 1674. On 
 June 29 of the same year the Duke of York, to 
 remove all grounds of controversy respecting the 
 title of his American claim, obtained a new patent 
 from the King confirming his former grant of 
 
Hidins the Charter 265 
 
 *d 
 
 1664. Two days later he appointed Major Andres 
 his lieutenant and governor in America and over 
 all the territory embraced in the patent. Andros 
 arrived in New York on November i, 1674, and 
 ten days later received a formal surrender of the 
 province of New Netherlands from Governor 
 Clove. 
 
 As soon as he was settled in New York, Gov- 
 ernor Andros sent the Governor and General 
 Court of Connecticut a copy of the Duke of 
 York's patent, and the following spring made a 
 demand for the territory included in same lying 
 within the jurisdiction of Connecticut, "as the 
 Duke's patent included all of the land from the 
 west side of the Connecticut river to the east side 
 of the Delaware Bay." As a portion of the land 
 was in 1662 included in the Connecticut Charter 
 and the boundary between the two colonies fixed 
 by a former governor of the Duke of York, the 
 General Court of Connecticut advised Governor 
 Andros that it did not have a plantation, town, 
 village, house or place in its possession which was 
 not within the limits granted by His Majesty and 
 approved b)'" his royal letters. On July 8, after the 
 beginning of the King Philip war, Edmund An- 
 dros appeared at Saybrook with two sloops, 
 ostensibly to protect the inhabitants against the 
 
266 Wadsworth 
 
 Indians, but really to get control of the part of 
 the colony claimed by the Duke of York. 
 
 On the day prior to Andros' arrival, Captain 
 Thomas Bull was sent to Saybrook with two 
 companies of soldiers. His instructions were so 
 framed that while they had ostensible reference 
 to the protection of the place against Indians, 
 he was authorized to repel aggression from any 
 quarter and to maintain the possession of the fort 
 if necessary by force of arms. Upon his arrival 
 Governor Andros sent Captain Nichols, with two 
 or three gentlemen, on shore with a flag in the 
 bow of the boat and instructions to advise the 
 parties that he was there to give assistance 
 against the Indians if necessary. The occupants 
 of the fort and the inhabitants of Saybrook, how- 
 ever, were well aware of his object, and lost no 
 time in advising the General Court at Hartford. 
 They were also prepared to meet the Governor 
 and his gentlemen when they came ashore on the 
 morning of July 12 and desired to speak with the 
 ministers and chief officers of the place. Failing 
 in this Andros ordered that the Duke of 
 York's charter and his commission be read. This 
 was done, Captain Bull and the men who were 
 with him withdrawing, declaring that they had 
 nothing to do with it. 
 
 As soon as the reading was completed Captain 
 
Hiding the Charter 267 
 
 Bull presented, and had read, a protest from the 
 General Court in which it tendered "him a treaty 
 by meete persons deputed to that purpose in any 
 place of this Colony where he should choose," 
 while Captain Bull informed him that his instruc- 
 tions were to keep the King's colors standing- un- 
 der his majesty, the lieutenant governor of Con- 
 necticut, and if any other colors were set up they 
 would be struck down. Governor Andros, 
 pleased with the Captain's bold and soldier-like 
 appearance said, "What is your name?" He re- 
 plied, "My name is Bull, sir." "Bull!" said the 
 Governor, "It is a pity that your horns are not 
 tipped with silver." Finding that he could make 
 no impression upon the officers or people, and 
 that Connecticut was determined to maintain its 
 chartered rights, Andros gave up his design of 
 seizing the fort and returned to his vessels, being 
 guarded to the water side by town soldiers. Dur- 
 ing this trying period Captain Bull displayed in 
 military affairs the courage which had already 
 distinguished him in private life, and especially in 
 winning a wife.^ 
 
 * The allusion in the text refers to a matter passed 
 upon at the County Court, holden at Hartford, March 
 4, 1669, before John Winthrop, Governor, Captain John 
 Talcott, Leftenant John Allyn, Mr. Henry Wolcott, and 
 Mr. Anthony Hawkins, Assistants. The following ap- 
 pears in the record: 
 
 Benjamin Waite having publiquely protested against 
 
268 Wadsworth 
 
 Gershom Bulkeley was also present at Saybrook 
 when Governor Andros made his visit. Two of 
 the letters sent to the General Court were written 
 by him and while it approved of all that was 
 done, Deputy Governor Leete was of the opinion 
 that when Andros came ashore and commanded 
 the Duke's charter and commission read, they 
 should have interrupted "by shouts or the sound 
 
 Thomas Bull, Jun., and Esther Cowles, their proceed- 
 ings in referrence to marriage and manifested his de- 
 sires that authority would not marry, or any ways 
 contract in order to marriage, them the said Thomas 
 and Esther, — the Court desired the said Waite, that he 
 would manifest his reasons to them and produce his 
 proofes of any right or clayme that he hath to the said 
 Esther Cowles. but he refused to attend to any such 
 thing at this time; the Court did therefore declare to 
 the said Benjamin Waite, that they did not judge it 
 reasonable to restrain Thomas Bull and Esther Cowles 
 from marriage 'till the next term of this Court in Sep- 
 tember next; and therefore, if the said Waite doth not 
 make good his clayme and prosecute it to effect be- 
 tween this and the 7th day of April next, (to which 
 day this Court will adjourn) they will no longer deny 
 them the said Thomas and Esther marriage. 
 
 Esther Cowles, the lady in question, was the daughter 
 of John Cowles, of Hatfield, Massachusetts, one of the 
 first settlers of that town, and the ancestor of all who 
 bear that name now dwelling in Farmington, Con- 
 necticut. Hannah Cowles and Sarah Cowles. daughters 
 of John Cowles, married inhabitants of Hartford, the 
 former Caleb Stanley, and the latter Nathaniel Good- 
 win. It may also be added in order to complete the 
 note that Benjamin Waite failed to produce to this ad- 
 journed Court "proofes" to his "clayme" to Miss Esther 
 Cowles, and she soon afterwards became Mrs. Thomas 
 Bull. 
 
Hiding the Charter 269 
 
 of a drum, &c., without violence," as I was in- 
 structed when in the fall of 1693 Benjamin 
 Fletcher, another governor of New York, came 
 to Connecticut to take command of the militia,^ 
 and met with no better success than his predeces- 
 sor. 
 
 While the references to Major Treat, Sir Ed- 
 mund Andros and Gershom Bulkeley, may ap- 
 pear out of place in this narrative, they have been 
 introduced in order to give an idea of three men 
 
 * The following reference to the above incident ap- 
 pears in Trumbull's History of Connecticut: "The 
 trainbands of Hartford assembled, and, as the tradition 
 is, while captain Wadsworth, the senior oflficer, was 
 walking in front of the companies, and exercising the 
 soldiers, colonel Fletcher ordered his commission and 
 instructions to be read. Captain Wadsworth instantly 
 commanded, "Beat the drums;" and there was such a 
 roaring of them that nothing else could be heard. 
 Cclonel Fletcher commanded silence. But no sooner 
 had Bayard made an attempt to read again than Wads- 
 worth commands, "Drum, drum, I say." The drummers 
 understood their business, and instantly beat up with 
 all the art and life of which they were masters. 
 "Silence, silence," says the Colonel. No sooner was 
 there a pause, than Wadsworth speaks with great ear- 
 nestness. "Drum, drum, I say," and turning to his ex- 
 cellency, said, "If I am interrupted again I will make the 
 sun shine through you in a moment." He spoke with 
 such energy in his voice and meaning in his counte- 
 nance, that no further attempts were made to read or 
 enlist men. Such numbers of people collected together, 
 and their spirits appeared so high, that the Governor 
 and his suit judged it expedient, soon to leave the town 
 and return to New York." This story is contradicted in 
 a pamphlet published in 1694 by order of the Governor 
 and Assistants. 
 
270 Wadsworth 
 
 who played important parts in the interruption of 
 the Charter government of Connecticut and the 
 resumption of same when it was known that 
 James II. was dethroned. By yieldin.s^ to au- 
 thority that could have been resisted only by 
 force, which would have been considered revolu- 
 tionary and treasonable, Governor Treat saved 
 the lives of many colonists, as well as their prop- 
 erty from confiscation ; while by taking into 
 his hands the government of Connecticut "for 
 reasons of state," Sir Edmund Andros made an 
 explanation as to the misinterpretation of the co- 
 lonial letter at Whitehall unnecessary, and which 
 if explained would have led to a judgment 
 against the Charter. The inquiries under quo 
 warranto were pursued no further, and while Ger- 
 shom Bulkeley, the third member of the group, 
 considered the resumption of the government un- 
 lawful' on account of his belief that the Charter 
 was voluntarily surrendered, his arguments failed 
 to impress those in authority in England, al- 
 though it was not until after Bulkeley had 
 retired from public affairs that General Fitz John 
 Winthrop succeeded in obtaining from King 
 William and Queen Mary a letter dated June 21, 
 
 ^ See his "People's Right of Election," published in 
 Vol. I,, and "Will and Doom," in Vol. III., of Collec- 
 tions of Connecticut Historical Society. 
 
Hiding the Charter 271 
 
 1694, addressed to the Governor and Magistrates 
 of Connecticut, explaining and restricting Fletch- 
 er's commission already referred to, and which 
 contained the following encouraging sentence: 
 "And the said Major General Fitz John Win- 
 throp, will upon his arrival, inform you of our 
 gracious intention to continue our royal protec- 
 tion to you and all our subjects of that, our 
 Colony, and particularly in what may relate to 
 the preservation of the peace, welfare and se- 
 curity of the same, and maintaining your just 
 rights and privileges." 
 
 Firm in his faith in the colony, Gershom Bulk- 
 eley expected unqualified obedience to authority 
 and ever looked with distrust upon the growing 
 feeling that the colonies, which were by their 
 location deprived of a voice in the councils of 
 England, should not be required to yield allegi- 
 ance to the crown. He served as a surgeon 
 throughout the King Philip war, was in the Nar- 
 ragansett fort fight with Major Treat, and in 
 the campaign of 1676 was wounded^ by a shot 
 from the enemy in a sudden assault made by a 
 party of Indians. Upon the close of the war he 
 asked to be dismissed from the church at Weth- 
 ersfield. After it was granted he moved across 
 
 * See Hubbard's Narrative of the Indian Wars, pub- 
 lished in Boston March 29, 1677. 
 
272 Wadsworth 
 
 the river to Glastonbury, commenced to prac- 
 tice medicine and continued it for over thirty 
 years. Two of his daughters married into the 
 Treat family, of which the Governor was the 
 most prominent member, and for whom Ger- 
 shom Bulkeley always had an unbounded ad- 
 miration, although they differed in the matter 
 of public policy, as is shown by his "Peo- 
 ples Right of Election" which was addressed to 
 him. At the time that this was written, Gershom 
 Bulkeley was a justice of the peace, having been 
 appointed by Governor Andros. Time, however, 
 closed the breach and long before his death in 
 1713 those who followed him to his grave looked 
 upon Gershom Bulkeley, not as an uncom- 
 promising royalist, but as a man of great learn- 
 ing and extraordinary ability, and who by his 
 exemplary life proved himself a man who never 
 hesitated to express an opinion or live up to his 
 ideals. 
 
 At the time of his death, Gershom Bulkeley 
 was on a visit to his daughter Dorothy, wife of 
 Thomas Treat, a grandson of Richard Treat, one 
 of the first settlers of Wethersfield, and to whose 
 son Richard he left his books^ and manuscripts 
 upon medicine and chemistry. Of his sons, 
 
 ' A number of his books, as well as a few of his man- 
 uscripts, are in the library of Trinity College, Hartford. 
 
Hiding the Charter 273 
 
 Charles was licensed as a physician, Peter was 
 lost at sea, Edward married Dorothy Talcott, 
 and John^ the youngest, after graduating at Har- 
 vard in 1699, settled at Colchester, being the first 
 minister of that town. 
 
 Sir Edmund Andros was Governor of New 
 York from 1674 until January 11, 1680-1, when 
 he was recalled by the Duke of York to answer 
 
 ^The following humorous story is told of the latter: 
 "The Rev. Mr. Bulkeley. of Colchester, was famous in 
 his day as a casuist and sage counsellor. A church in 
 his neighborhood had fallen into unhappy divisions and 
 contentions, which they were unable to adjust among 
 themselves. They sent one of their number to John 
 Bulkeley for his advice with a request that he would 
 send it in writing. It so happened that Mr. Bulkeley 
 had a farm in the town, upon which he entrusted a 
 tenant who was also seeking advice of a different char- 
 acter. In addressing the two letters, the one for the 
 church was directed to the tenant, and the one for the 
 tenant to the church. The church members convened 
 to hear the advice which was to settle their disputes. 
 The moderator read as follows: 'You will see to the 
 repair of the fences, that they be built high and strong, 
 and you will take special care of the old black bull.' 
 This mystical advice puzzled the church at first, but an 
 interpreter among the more discerning ones was soon 
 found, who said, 'Brethren, this is the very advice we 
 most need; the direction to repair the fences is to ad- 
 monish us to take good heed in the admission and gov- 
 ernment of our members. We must guard the church 
 by our master's laws, and keep out strange cattle from 
 the fold. And we must in a particular manner set a 
 watchful guard over the devil, the old black bull, who 
 has done so much hurt of late.' All perceived the 
 wisdom and fitness of Mr. Bulkeley's advice, and re- 
 solved to be governed by it. The consequence was, all 
 the animosities subsided, and harmony was restored." 
 
274 Wadsworth 
 
 charges of mis-government and embezzlement 
 which were preferred against him. During the 
 winter of 1677-8 he was also in England on a 
 visit and was knighted by Charles II. The 
 charges referred to were not serious enough to 
 forfeit the favor of his patron, as in 1682 Andros 
 was named as a gentleman of the King's privy 
 chamber. The following year the Island of Al- 
 derney was granted to him and Lady Mary An- 
 dros for ninety-nine years, and in 1685 he was 
 made a colonel in Her Royal Highness Princess 
 Anne of Denmark's regiment of horse, while he 
 also commanded a troop of horse against the 
 Duke of Monmouth in the rebellion which ter- 
 minated at Sedgemore, July 18, 1685. 
 
 On June 3, 1686, James II. commissioned Sir 
 Edmund Andros as "Captain General and Gov- 
 ernor in Chief in and over the Colonies of Massa- 
 chusetts Bay and New Plymouth, the Provinces 
 of New Hampshire and Maine, and the Narra- 
 gansett country or King's Province." On Sep- 
 tember 13 of the same year additional powers 
 and instructions to the new Governor were 
 issued from James II.'s Court at Windsor. They 
 required him to demand the surrender of the 
 Charter of Rhode Island and the Providence 
 Plantation against which a writ of quo warranto 
 had been issued, and also said that "in case it 
 
Hiding the Charter 277 
 
 shall happen, that upon a like writ of quo war- 
 ranto, issued against the Charter of our govern- 
 ment and company of our Colony of Connecticut, 
 they shall be induced to make surrender of their 
 Charter, our will and pleasure is, and we do 
 hereby authorize and empower you, in our name, 
 to receive such surrender, and to take our said 
 Colony of Connecticut under your government, 
 in the same manner as before expressed." 
 
 July 15, 1685, Edward Randolph, the collector 
 of His Majesty's customs in New England, filed 
 with the Lord Commissioners for the Plantations 
 the following articles to support a writ of quo 
 warranto against the Connecticut Charter: 
 
 "Art. I. That they have made laws contrary to the 
 laws of England." 
 
 "Art. 2. They impose fines upon the inhabitants, 
 and convert them to their own use." 
 
 "Art. 3. They enforce an oath of fidelity upon the 
 inhabitants without administering the oath of suprem- 
 acy and allegiance, as in their Charter is directed." 
 
 "Art. 4. They deny to the inhabitants the exercise 
 of the religion of the church of England, arbitrarily 
 fining those who refuse to come to their congrega- 
 tional assemblies." 
 
 "Art. 5. His Majesty's subjects, inhabiting there, 
 cannot obtain justice in the courts of that colony." 
 
 "Art. 6. They discourage and exclude from the 
 government all gentlemen of known loyalty, and keep 
 it in the hands of the independent party in the Colony." 
 
278 Wadsworth 
 
 Proofs to sustain the first five of the above 
 articles were taken out of the Colony Law Book 
 printed at Cambridge in 1673. Under these 
 charges a quo warranto was in July, 1685, issued 
 against the Governor and Company of Connecti- 
 cut. Another followed in October of the same 
 year. The following is a copy of the latter, to- 
 gether with a copy of a letter to the Colony from 
 Ri : Normansell, Secondary to the Sheriffs of 
 London : 
 
 "Oct. 6, 1685. James the Second, by the grace of 
 God, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland King, 
 Defender of the Faith, &c. To the Sheriffs of Lon- 
 don: Peace. We require you to warn the Governor 
 and Company of the English Colony of Connecticut 
 in New England in America, to appear before us wher- 
 ever we shall then be in England, from the Day of 
 Easter in fifteen days, to answer by what warrant they 
 claim to have and use diverse liberties, privileges and 
 franchises within the said Colony, vis: in the Parish 
 of St. Michael in Cornhill, London, where they are 
 impeached, and there they shall have this writ. Teste: 
 George Lord Jeffries at Westminster, the 8th day of 
 July in the first year of our reign — by the Judge in 
 the first year of James the Second. 
 
 For the King, 
 Robert Sawyer Knight, now Astry." 
 
 Attorney General for our lord the King, 
 prosecutes this writ upon the quo warranto 
 for the same lord and king." 
 
Hiding the ChaHer 279 
 
 London, Oct. 6th, 1685. 
 "Gentlemen. This day was delivered to my hands (as 
 I am Secondary to the Sheriffs of London) a writt of 
 Quo Warranto, issuing out of the Crown Office of the 
 Court of Kings Bench at Westminster, against you the 
 Governor and Company of the English Colony of Con- 
 necticut, in New England in America, requiring your 
 Appearance before His Majesty, whersoever he shall 
 then be in England, from the day of Easter in fifteen 
 days to answer unto our Lord, the King, by what 
 Warrant you Claime to have and use divers Liberties, 
 privileges and Franchises within the said Colony, viz: 
 in the Parish of St. Michael Cornhill, London, of 
 which you are impeacht, and that you may not be 
 ignorant of any part of the contents of the said writt, 
 I have enclosed sent you a true coppy of the same (in 
 his Majesty's name) requiring your appearance to it, 
 and acquainting you that in default thereof, you will 
 be proceeded Against to the Outlawry, whereby the 
 Liberties, privileges and Franchises you Claime and 
 now enjoy, will be forfeited to the King, and your 
 Charter vacated and Annulled. Of this Gent, please 
 to take notice, from your humble servant. 
 
 Ri: Normansell." 
 
 To the Governor and Company of 
 the English Colony of Connecticut in 
 New England in America." 
 
 Both of the quo warrantos^ were served 
 on John Allyn and John Talcott, two of the 
 
 *Two of these quo warrantos, and one notification 
 from Richard Normansell, are preserved in Volume I 
 of the Original Papers in the Connecticut Department 
 of State and copies of all three of the writs and the 
 
280 Wadsworth 
 
 keepers of the Charter, by Edward Randolph, 
 about midnight on July 20, 1686, but they 
 were void as the time of their return had elapsed. 
 Notwithstanding that fact the Colony wrote 
 William Whiting, its agent in England, to pre- 
 sent a petition and an appeal to the King request- 
 ing the recall of the quo warrantos and the con- 
 tinuation of their Charter privileges. 
 
 During the summer and autumn of 1686, 
 Joseph Dudley, who was subsequently a member 
 of Edmund Andros' Council, and Edward Ran- 
 dolph, wrote the Governor and General Court of 
 Connecticut, urging them to surrender the Char- 
 ter and be annexed to Massachusetts, even going 
 so far as to send Major John Pynchon and Cap- 
 tain Waite Winthrop to consult with them on 
 the subject; while Governor Dongan of New 
 York was equally persistent in urging them to 
 be annexed to his government. No advances 
 were made to either and such was the condition 
 of affairs when Sir Edmund Andros landed in 
 Boston on December 20. His first council was 
 held on December 22, when the following letter 
 
 three notifications are preserved in the letter book of 
 the Colony in the same Department. Two of the 
 original writs are thus endorsed: "This received of 
 Edward Randolph Esq. upon the 20th of July, 1686, 
 about 12 or one in the morning — pr us, — John Talcott, 
 Asst. John Allyn, Secry." 
 
Hiding the Charter, 281 
 
 was addressed to Robert Treat, Governor of His 
 Majesty's Colony of Connecticut: 
 
 "Boston, 22nd December, 1686. Sir. This is to 
 acquaint you that his Majesty havin^: been pleased to 
 send me to the Government of New England, of which 
 you are a part, I arrived here on the 20th instant, 
 where I find all very well disposed for his Majesty's 
 service; and his Majesty's Letters Patent to me for 
 the said Government being then published were re- 
 ceived with suitable Demonstration. 
 
 "I am commanded and authorized by his Majesty, 
 at my arrival in these parts, to receive in his name the 
 surrender of your Charter (if tendered by you) and to 
 take you into my present care and charge as other 
 parts of the Government, assuring his Majesty's good 
 subjects of his countenance and protection in all things 
 relating to his service and their welfare. 
 
 "I have only to add that I shall be ready and glad 
 to do my duty accordingly, and therefore desire to 
 hear from you as soon as may be, and remain your 
 very affectionate friend, E. Andros." 
 
 Edward Randolph also accompanied this let- 
 ter with another quo warranto and the following 
 letter : 
 
 "Boston, Dec. 23, 1686. Gentlemen. His Majesty 
 hath commanded me to serve another writ of quo war- 
 ranto upon you — it is returnable the first of next Term. 
 You find by a Letter from his excellence Sir Edmund 
 Andros herewith sent you, that as yet a door is open 
 for you, and tis your own fault if you fail of the enjoy- 
 ments and indulgencies which his Majesty hath been 
 graciously pleased to grant to the Colonies of New 
 Plymouth and Rhode Island now annexed to this 
 Government. 
 
282 WadswoHh 
 
 "By serving of this quo warranto, and you not ap- 
 pearing to defend yourselves, judgment will be entered 
 against you on your non-appearance, so that it is not 
 in your choice how next to dispose of yourselves. You 
 have no way to make yourselves happy but by an early 
 application to his Excellence, which is all & more than 
 you might expect to hear from me, with whom you 
 have so often and so unkindly trifled. However I will 
 not be disoblidged, but am, Gentlemen, your humble 
 servant, Ed. Randolph." 
 
 Randolph expected that Andros' letter and the 
 quo warranto which accompanied it would result 
 in a surrender, as he wrote Major Pynchon of 
 Springfield the following week that he was well 
 assured that the physic would operate, although 
 he heard that the little quacks in Hartford were 
 endeavoring to divert their coming under the 
 government of Massachusetts. Instead of sur- 
 rendering the Charter as anticipated. Governor 
 Treat called a special meeting of the General 
 Court at Hartford on January 26, 1686. It de- 
 cided to leave the matter to the Governor and 
 Council, who upon the same date dispatched the 
 following letter to the Earl of Sunderland, Sec- 
 retary of State : 
 
 Hartford, 26 Jan., 1686-7. 
 "Right Hon. 
 
 The occasion of these lines are to inform your lord- 
 ship, that we have formerly sent several addresses to 
 be presented to his Majesty; but have no return that 
 
Hiding the Charter 283 
 
 they, ever came to his Majesty's view. The last year 
 two writs of quo-warranto were served upon us by Mr. 
 Randolph, which were issued out of the Crown-ofifice 
 of the court of King's Bench at Westminster, but 
 served upon us after the time of appearance had 
 elapsed, as we understand it; But then we prepared an 
 address to his Majesty, and appointed Mr. William 
 Whiting, a merchant in London, to be our attorney, to 
 present our address to his Majesty: And, in case we 
 should be called upon to answer before his Majesty, or 
 any court or judges, by what authority we hold, possess 
 and enjoy divers rights, privileges and franchises, that 
 he might on our behalfe make answer thereto. And 
 since that, December last past, another quo-warranto 
 was served upon us, requiring our appearance before 
 eights days of the purification of the blessed virgin 
 Mary; which is so sudden, by reason of our remoteness, 
 and the sharpness of the winter season, that we cannot 
 make such suitable return as we ought: Yet we have 
 again requested and empowered Mr. Whiting to appear 
 on our behalf, if we must come to answer, so that, by 
 reason of our non-appearance or silence, we may not 
 be proceeded against to an outlawry, or forfeiture of 
 our liberties and privileges. 
 
 May it please your honour, we are his Majesty's 
 loyal subjects, and we are heartily desirous that we 
 may continue in the same station that we are in, if it 
 may consist with his princely wisdom to continue us 
 so: But, if his Majesty's royal purpose be otherwise to 
 dispose of us, we shall, as in duty bound, submit to his 
 royal commands; and, if it be to conjoin us with the 
 other colonies and provinces, under Sir Edmund 
 Andros, his Majesty's present governor, it will be more 
 pleasing than to be joined with any other province. 
 
284 Wadsworth 
 
 Sir: We pray your honour's pardon for this address, 
 which is only occasioned for fear any mishap should 
 befal our former letters, requesting your honour to 
 acquaint his Majesty, that we are his obedient and loyal 
 subjects, and shall so approve ourselves, notwithstand- 
 ing any misrepresentation that may be made of us; 
 who are &c. Robert Treat, Governor. 
 
 By order of the General Court, 
 
 John Allyn, Secretary." 
 
 At the same time Governor Andros was also 
 advised that the Colony declined to give up the 
 Charter. He expressed his surprise in a letter to 
 Governor Treat that the Colony required any 
 other "argument than his Majesty's own words 
 to induce compliance," and followed it with an- 
 other note in which he said : 
 
 "While you have no more regard to reiterated quo 
 warrantos nor gracious opportunities by his Majesty's 
 commands to me as signified to you at my arrival, but 
 still act with the most obstinate & adverse to his Maj- 
 esty's service, you thereby hazard the advantages that 
 might be to your Colony and totally your own — which 
 others even of this Colony have prevented by a con- 
 siderable part of them now in place submitting and 
 leaving the refractory — and unless you shall do your 
 part without delay, you will not only make me in- 
 capable to serve you but occasion the contrary — but do 
 hope better of you and the whole Colony by your 
 good ensample and loyal acting in your station ere too 
 late." 
 
 This communication was carried to Hartford 
 by Captain Nicholson and was submitted to the 
 
Hiding the Charter 285 
 
 General Court at a special meeting held on 
 March 30. At the time there was also a differ- 
 ence of opinion between some of the leading men 
 in the Colon}^ in reference to the contest that was 
 being carried on over the Charter. A number 
 thought that it would end in a victory for the 
 King and that by making a voluntary surrender it 
 would be possible to secure better terms. Others 
 were of the opinion that if the Court still held out 
 the Colony might be divided by the river, the 
 Western half being annexed to New York as de- 
 sired by Governor Dongan, and the Eastern por- 
 tion to Massachusetts. Governor Treat was; 
 supposed to be one of those, while John Allyn 
 submitted the following communication at this 
 meeting: 
 "To the Honerd Genii Court. 
 
 Gentm, Vpon the reasons which haue been layd 
 before you, with many more that might be giuen, we 
 doe declare that we do verily belieue it is for the 
 Advantage of this Court Freely; and voluntarily to 
 submitt yorselves to his Maties: disspose, and not to 
 begin or hold any further Suites in Law with his 
 Mats, which in noe wise can be expected will promote 
 or profitt or wealfare. 
 
 And for or own parts, we doe declare, and desire you 
 would take notice, we are for answering his Matis: 
 expectation, by a present submission, and are against 
 all further prosecutions or engagements by Law Suites 
 in opposition to his Mates: known pleasr: for or sub- 
 mission. 30th March 1687. John Talcott, 
 
 John Allyn, 
 Samll Talcott." 
 
286 Wadsworth 
 
 Of the signers of the above communication 
 John Allyn and John Talcott were two of the 
 keepers of the Charter, and that Andros was ad- 
 vised of what was being done is shown by a 
 letter which Allyn wrote on the same day to 
 Fitz John Winthrop, who although living in New 
 London had been appointed as one of the Council 
 of New England before Connecticut was annexed. 
 In it he said : 
 
 "I have hoped that this time we should have been 
 ready to have joined our divisions and to have made 
 an entire body, but by our statesmen it is thought not 
 convenient yet, and they will not be moved beyond 
 their pace; notwithstanding the advantage that offers 
 to encourage a present union, they will not be per- 
 suaded to it. It looks so like a giving away that which 
 is precious to them, which they can rather be passive 
 than active in parting with it; and also those difficulties 
 that threaten the standing out, as the procuring his 
 majesty's displeasure, making the terms the harder, 
 and losing the little share we possibly might have in 
 the government if cheerfully submitted to, seems of 
 little weight with too many. The result of present 
 considerations are that we must stand as we are until 
 his Majesty farther dispose of us, and all that is gained 
 is our gentlemen rather choose to be conjoined to 
 Massachusetts than with any other province or colony." 
 
 After Governor Andros' letter was read at the 
 special meeting the General Court voted that it 
 did not see sufficient reason to vary from the 
 answer given in January, while it also ordered 
 
Hiding the Charter 287 
 
 that the following letter^ be drawn up and 
 signed by the Secretary in the name of the Court 
 and directed to his Excellency Sir Edmund An- 
 dros: 
 
 "The Governor and Council to Gov. Andros. 
 
 Hartford, March 30, 1687. 
 Right Honble Sir: 
 
 According as or Governor informed Capt. Niccolson, 
 we conveened this day by or sd Governors order, who 
 told us that the occasion of our meeting was, your 
 Excellency had signified to him, by advice of his Maties 
 Councill that you had granted us another opportunity 
 of making suitable and dutifull resolves concerning or 
 surrender. For yr Eccelencie's and their care of us 
 and love to us, we return you or hearty thanks, but 
 we humbly request that we may without offence in- 
 form your Honor that as matters are circumstanced 
 with us we cannot vary from what we informed your 
 Excelency in or letters of January 26 past, by reason 
 we have by or severall addresses formerly sent to his 
 Matie left orselves so fully to be guided and dissposed 
 by his princely wisdome, and have not reced any re- 
 turn or direction from his matie since, and therefore 
 we request that a good neighborhood and an amicable 
 correspondence may be continued between your Excel- 
 ency and ys Colony till his Maties father pleasure be 
 
 *The following sentence appeared in the original 
 draft of this letter but was crossed out before being 
 copied and transmitted to Boston: 
 
 "And then when we are commanded by his Matie to 
 surrender orselves to your Excelencies government, 
 and to be united wth or neighbors in yt government, 
 we shall be as loyall and dutifull as any, we hope, and 
 as readily submit orselves to your Excelency." 
 
288 WadswoHh 
 
 made known to us. Which wth or best respects and 
 service to your Excelency, is all at present from your 
 humble servants, 
 
 ye Govr & Company of his Maties Colony 
 of Connecticutt." 
 
 Andros' feelings upon the receipt of this letter 
 can be better imagined than described, but noth- 
 ing more was heard from him on the subject until 
 the day after the meeting of the General Court, 
 held in Hartford, June 15, 1687, and which was 
 called by the Governor in order to lay before it 
 the information that he had received from Wil- 
 liam Whiting as to their afifairs in England. 
 During this meeting the assistants and deputies 
 who in March defeated the recommendations of 
 John Allyn, John Talcott and Samuel Talcott 
 were very outspoken and insisted that the Char- 
 ter should no longer be left in charge of the Sec- 
 retary.^ Several members also desired that the 
 
 * So far as can be gleaned from the Colonial Records, 
 John Allyn had the charters in his possession as on 
 October 9, 1662, the General Court made the follow- 
 ing order: "This Court doth order Lt. Jo: Allyn to 
 shew Capt. Varlet the Charter granted to this Colony, 
 and to inform him that it is desired by the Court that 
 the Honorable Lord Stevesant would not in any wise 
 incumber or molest his Ma'ties subjects comprehended 
 within ye extent of our Pattent by any impositions, 
 that thereby more than probable inconveniences may 
 be prevented." Captain Varlet (Varleth) was a brother- 
 in-law of Governor Stuyvesant and an officer in the 
 employ of the Dutch West India Company. 
 
Hiding the Charter 289 
 
 Charter be brought into the Court Chamber. 
 The Secretary accordingly sent for it and as soon 
 as the messenger returned the box was opened 
 and the parchment, over which there was so 
 much contention, was exhibited to the Court. 
 The Governor then bade him put it in the box, 
 lay it on the table and leave the key in the box.^ 
 The box was still on the table when the Court 
 adjourned. 
 
 After a number of the assistants and deputies 
 had retired from the chamber. Gov. Treat and 
 Deputy Governor Bishop held a conference with 
 those who insisted upon retaining the Charter 
 until a judgment was rendered against it, while 
 Andrew Leete,^ as I was afterwards told by my 
 
 'The following paragraph in reference to same ap- 
 pears in the record of the meeting: "Sundry of the 
 Court desireing that the Patent or Charter might be 
 brought into the Court, the Secretary sent for it, and 
 informed the Governor and Court that he had the 
 Charter, and shewed it to the Court; and the Governor 
 bid him put it into the box againe and lay it on the 
 table and leave the key in the box, which he did forth- 
 with." 
 
 ^Andrew Leete possessed a liberal portion of the 
 excellencies of his father. He was early appointed 
 commissioner or justice of the peace, and had principal 
 concern in managing the affairs of Guilford. In 1677 
 he was elected an assistant and was annually re-elected 
 until his death October 31, 1702. Rev. Thomas Rug- 
 gles, minister of Guilford from 1729 to 1770 in his 
 History of Guilford says, "It is said and believed that 
 Andrew Leet was the principal hand in securing and 
 preserving the charter when it was just upon the point 
 
290 Wadsworth 
 
 brother, asked that the duplicate be sent for, 
 which was done. He also insisted that the Char- 
 ters should be separated, one remaining in Hart- 
 ford and the other taken to New Haven or an 
 adjoining town. 
 
 Upon the suggestion of the Governor, the 
 Charter, which was always referred to as the 
 original, being the one that Avas first received 
 from England, was handed to Andrew Leete with 
 instructions to take it to Guilford and conceal it 
 either in his house or in one of the hiding places 
 of the stone house^ built by Henry Whitfield. 
 
 of being taken and that it was in his house that it 
 found a safe retreat until better times." Leete appears 
 to have been a man of infirm health, most of his life 
 subject to fits of epilepsy, which impaired his useful- 
 ness. 
 
 'The stone house of Guilford is said to have been 
 built in 1639 by Henry Whitfield, and is supposed to be 
 the oldest dwelling house now standing in the United 
 States. According to tradition, the stone of which the 
 house was built, was brought by the Indians on hand 
 barrows, across the swamp from Griswold's rocks, and 
 an ancient causeway across the swamp is shown as the 
 path employed for the purpose. The house consists 
 of two stories and an attic. The walls are three feet 
 thick. The walls of the front and back of the house 
 terminate at the floor of the attic, and the rafters lie 
 upon them. The angle of the roof is 60 degrees, mak- 
 ing the base and sides equal. At the end of the wing, 
 by the chimney, is a recess, which must have been 
 intended as a place of concealment. The interior wall 
 has the appearance of touching the chimney, like the 
 wall at the northwest end. But the removal of a board 
 discovers two closets which project beyond the lower 
 part of the building. — Smith's History of Guilford. 
 
WMy 
 
Hiding the Charter 293 
 
 This was done, I being detailed the same night 
 to accompany him, although at the time I did 
 not know what he had concealed in the box under 
 his cloak. The duplicate Charter was intrusted 
 to a Committee composed of Nathaniel Stanley, 
 my brother John Wadsworth and Samuel 
 Wyllys, one of the original keepers. Nathaniel 
 Stanley and my brother took the Charter to Sam- 
 uel Wyllys' house. As he was absent in the 
 West Indies, they gave it to his wife and re- 
 mained until she placed it in the iron chest in 
 which the Wyllys family kept its papers. 
 
 The day after the Court adjourned Edward 
 Randolph arrived at Hartford with the following 
 letter from Governor Andros : 
 
 "Boston, June 13, 1687. By my several letters and 
 advice from England I am assured that by this time, 
 there M^ould be an issue put to, and judgment entered 
 upon the quo warranto against your Charter, and soon 
 expect his Majesty's commands accordingly; of which 
 I doubt not but you are advised, as many of your 
 friends in these parts, who have prevailed with me on 
 your Assembly's meeting, to express my inclinations. 
 Still not to be wanting for your welfare, if you yet 
 give me' opportunity by accepting his Majesty's favor, 
 so graciously ofifered you, in a present compliance and 
 surrender, and not with vain hopes to delay until 
 execution be served upon you, when too late to acquit 
 yourselves of your Duty to his Majesty and trust re- 
 posed in you by the Colony, which, being of such im- 
 
294 Wadsworth 
 
 portance, deserves your best considerations and re- 
 solves accordingly. 
 
 "This is by Edward Randolph, Esq., to whom you 
 may give entire credence in anything relating to this 
 matter — from your very affectionate friend, E. 
 Andros." 
 
 It was delivered to Secretary Allyn, who sent 
 
 the following reply: 
 
 "Hartford, June i8, 1687. May it please your Excel- 
 lency. Your letters by Esq're Randolph and Capt. 
 Davis have arrived, and we are sorry they came too 
 late to reach our General Court, who adjourned the 
 evening before the arrival of those gentlemen, and 
 though by what we took notice of their minds, we con- 
 clude they would not have altered or varied anything 
 from what in their former letters they wrote unto you, 
 for at their last session they resolved to continue in 
 the station they are in till his Majesty's pleasure be 
 made known to them for a change, and they having so 
 declared, it is not in our power to vary or alter what 
 they have so resolved — therefore according to the cir- 
 cumstances we stand under we cannot make a surren- 
 der of our Charter at present, but must wait his Maj- 
 esty's pleasure for our farther dispose, which shall be 
 readily submitted unto by us — we thankfully acknowl- 
 edge your Honors favor to us, and care over us, and 
 earnestly your candid acceptation of this return, and 
 a favorable construction of our intentions therein, who 
 are resolved through the help of Almighty God to ap- 
 prove ourselves his Majesty's loyal subjects, and your 
 Honors most affectionate friends & humble servants, 
 the Governor and Council of his Majesty's Colony of 
 Connecticut — pr order signed John Allyn, Secy." 
 
Hiding the Charter 295 
 
 Nothing more was heard from Governor An- 
 dres until the following October, but during the 
 interval several communications were received 
 from the London agent, William Whiting. In 
 June he wrote that he had delivered the letter 
 addressed to the Earl of Sunderland, but that 
 he had been unable to learn as to what action 
 had been taken in connection with it, while at 
 the same time he advised the Colony that An- 
 dros had not made any return of the quo war- 
 ranto, but that he was of the opinion that the 
 Charter would be surrendered. On June 14 and 
 again on August 9, Whiting wrote that there was 
 a rule of the Court passed for appearance on the 
 last day of the term or judgment would be 
 passed against the Connecticut Charter, "but no 
 inform.ation being then, nor since, given in against 
 the Collony, the case stands as it did ; whether 
 any will be put in between this and next terme, 
 cannot learne." Afterwards it was discovered 
 that Whiting's inability to learn anything came 
 about through the construction placed by the 
 Committee on Trade and Foreign Plantations 
 upon a paragraph in the letter to the Earl of 
 Sunderland. It made the following report to His 
 Majesty: 
 
 "May it please your Majesty, Wee haue considered a 
 letter directed to the Right Honble Earle of Sunderland 
 
296 Wadsworth 
 
 from the Generall Court of your Majesty's Colony of 
 Connecticut in New England, wherein they represent 
 their desires to continue in the same Station they are 
 at present, if it shall so please your Majesty, But that 
 if your Majesty shall thinke fit otherwise to dispose 
 of them, they do in all duty declare their readiness to 
 submit to your Royall commands; Hoping that your 
 Majesty may be more inclined to annex them to the 
 Government of New England, then to any other, 
 Whereupon Wee most humbly offer our opinion, That 
 your Majesty be pleased to send your instructions to 
 Sir Edmund Andros, forthwith to signify your Maj- 
 esty's Good liking and accepetance of their dutiful Sub- 
 mission, and to take them under his government." 
 
 His Majesty approved and ordered that the 
 Earl of Sunderland, as Secretary of the State, 
 cause instructions to be prepared for his signa- 
 ture and transmitted to Sir Edmund Andros for 
 taking the Colony of Connecticut under his gov- 
 ernment. The first advice that Connecticut re- 
 ceived of this action came in a letter from Gov. 
 Dongan of New York, who on October 4, 1687, 
 wrote the General Court, "I lately had a letter 
 from Whitehall that tells me Governor Treat and 
 Mr. Allyn had writ thither desiring the Colony of 
 Connecticut might be added to Boston and Sir 
 Edmund Andros." This letter arrived in Hart- 
 ford prior to the meeting of the General Court on 
 October 13, which after transacting the regular 
 business that came before it, ordered that "the 
 
Hiding the Charter 297 
 
 Governor and Dept. Governor and so many of the 
 Assistants as may make seven to be a committee 
 or councill in behalfe of the Generall Court in 
 the intervals of the Generall Court, to transact 
 such publique concerns as shall fall in." While 
 to all appearances this was the last meeting un- 
 der the Charter, the members after granting the 
 deputies their usual salary for attendance sepa- 
 rated without making a motion to adjourn. 
 
 Before taking up the letter which preceded 
 Sir Edmund Andros' visit to Hartford, I wish 
 to state that while the Governor has been looked 
 upon in New England and especially in Con- 
 necticut as tyrant, I have never had other than 
 a friendly feeling for him. Prior to coming to 
 New York all of his life was spent in the Court 
 and camp. In the former he recognized the 
 crown as the symbol of authority which all roy- 
 alists were required to respect and, if necessary, 
 defend with their lives, while the latter was to 
 him, as to all soldiers, the badge of obedience. 
 Upon his arrival in Boston, where both the civil 
 and military authority were united in his person, 
 Sir Edmund expected the respect and obedience 
 which he had yielded without question to his 
 sovereign and superior officers. When it was 
 not forthcoming, and especially during the trou- 
 
298 Wadsworth 
 
 blesome times when those who dominated his' 
 council fleeced the Massachusetts land owners 
 whose property was not granted under seal, it 
 is not surprising that he lost his temper and told 
 the colonists when they brought their complaints 
 to him that they were either subjects or rebels 
 and that their Indian deeds were of no more 
 value than the scratch of a bear's paw.^ 
 
 Above all this, Andros was a soldier, and while 
 he knew when to yield to superior force or con- 
 stituted authority, he never hesitated, no matter 
 how disagreeable the duty, to carry out the orders 
 of his superiors. The odium which has been 
 cast upon him by New England belongs to the 
 Duke of York, whose orders he acted under when 
 in New York and whose will was his mandate, 
 when as James II., he sent him to Boston in 
 1686. 
 
 The idea of uniting all of the New England 
 
 ' Connecticut did not have any trouble over land 
 titles during the Andros administration, as when it 
 became inevitable that the Charter would be annulled 
 the undivided lands were split up, each township being 
 ordered to take out deeds for their grants under the 
 seal of the Colony. In Massachusetts the land was 
 granted, but not under seal. When its Charter was an- 
 nulled the grants never having been perfected, became 
 void and Andros, or rather his council, offered to con- 
 firm the titles on payment of a moderate first rent, 
 which was considered a burden to men who had held 
 the lands for over half a century. 
 
Hiding the Charter 301 
 
 Colonies did not originate with Andros, but grew 
 out of the complaints filed by Randolph, who 
 flooded the Committee of Trade and Plantations 
 with letters showing that the Colonists did not 
 look to the throne as "the wellspring of dignity 
 or the fountain of justice, of honor, of office and 
 privilege," and that they were constantly ex- 
 ceeding the rights granted in their Charters. 
 The Massachusetts Charter having been an- 
 nulled and Rhode Island willing to surrender its 
 letters ro3^al, Andros was selected to represent 
 his old patron, and when assuming office he was 
 compelled, or possibly he never thought of it, 
 to take under his protection Randolph, whose 
 spying eyes were constantly noting all of the 
 failings of the colonists but never saw any of 
 their good qualities or the difficulties with which 
 they were forced to contend in the New World. 
 Time and again it has been said of Randolph that 
 he wandered up and down seeking whom he 
 could devour, viewing with jaundiced eyes those 
 who would not lend a willing ear to his over- 
 bearing inquisitiveness, be blind to his cupidity, 
 or respect his petty authority. Upon Randolph, 
 the scourge of the Colonies, execrations cannot 
 be too loud or deep, and Andros must to a cer- 
 tain extent bear his share of it through having 
 
302 Wadsworth 
 
 been associated with him in the service of the 
 power-blind and bigotted prince and King James 
 the second and last of that name to sit upon the 
 throne of England. 
 
 Randolph's tattling began long before Andros 
 arrived in Boston. He was there eleven years 
 and during that period crossed the Atlantic eight 
 times with complaints, while he drew with his 
 own hands the articles under which the quo war- 
 ranto proceedings against the Massachusetts, 
 Rhode Island and Connecticut Charters were in- 
 stituted, and while none of them were carried to 
 a judgment, the Massachusetts Charter was an- 
 nulled under a writ of scire facias, while Rhode 
 Island yielded and Connecticut — well, possibly 
 evaded is the proper word — the issue. Knowing 
 that his methods made him the target of Colonial 
 scorn, Randolph hoped to win favor at White- 
 hall, but he never had the courage to gloat over 
 his work until after Andros appeared on the 
 scene. Then, with a Governor behind him, he 
 began to tell in his correspondence of the doings 
 of the council and boasted that they were as 
 arbitrary as the Grand Turk. 
 
 Andros' career in America does not require 
 an apology, even if he was one of "the kind that 
 
Hiding the Charter 303 
 
 goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."^ He 
 conducted his government like a soldier under 
 orders, force or an attempt at it taking the place 
 of diplomacy, and while charges were preferred 
 against him in New York, the outcome did not 
 forfeit the respect or support of his employer. 
 On the other hand, King James sent him back to 
 America with increased powers and at the same 
 time bade him make the government self-sus- 
 taining. 
 
 This is Sir Edmund Andros as I remember 
 him, my opinion of the man and his methods 
 being based upon his military training and the 
 period in which he lived. He was ambitious. 
 What Colonial Governor was not? He was un- 
 scrupulous. What soldier is not? He was se- 
 vere. So are all in authority if the record is kept 
 by those who are governed without their con- 
 sent. 
 
 The orders of King James H. and his coun- 
 sellors to Sir Edmund Andros to annex the gov- 
 ernment of Connecticut to the one over which he 
 
 *The discontents of the people made such impression 
 upon him that one morning he told Doctor Hooker 
 he thought the good people of Connecticut kept many 
 dayes of fasting and prayer on his account. Very 
 probable, says the doctor, for we read that this kind 
 goeth not out by other means. — Roger Wolcott's Me- 
 moir, July I2th, 1759. 
 
304 Wadsworth 
 
 presided, arrived at Boston on Saturday, October 
 17, 1687, Lady Andros coming on the same ship. 
 On Friday of the following week at His Majes- 
 ty's council in Boston, the Governor read the 
 orders received, and it passed a resolution^ that 
 his Excellency should go in person and take Con- 
 necticut under his government. On the same 
 date he also wrote Governor Treat as follows : 
 gj. "Boston, Oct. 22d, 1687. 
 
 This is to acquaint you that I have received effectual 
 orders and commands from his Matie for Connecticott, 
 annexed to this Government, (in a very gratious man- 
 ner) with particular regard and favor to yrselfe. And 
 resolve to send or be myselfe att Hartford abt the 
 end of next weeke,* 'pursuant there unto, to meete you 
 and such Gentn as you shall think fitt for his maties 
 sd service wch I will not doubt to yr satisfaccon and 
 other his Maties loyall subjects to yr parts; and re- 
 main, Sr, Yor very affectionate Friend, 
 
 E. Andros." 
 
 ^ The following is a copy of the order: "Advised 
 and Resolved. That his Excellencye doe goe in person 
 or send about the latter end of the next weeke to take 
 the said place under his Government, pursuant to the 
 said Orders with such of the Councill or other per- 
 sons Guards, and attendance as he shall think fitt; of 
 which to give notice to Governour Treat and Secretary 
 Allen." 
 
 ^ His Excellency, with sundry of the Council, Justices, 
 and other Gentlemen, four Blew-Coats, two trumpeters 
 (Sam. Bligh one), 15 or 20 Red-Coats, with small 
 Guns, and short Lances in the tops of them — set forth 
 for Woodcock's (Woodcock's tavern, in what is now 
 Attleborough, Mass.), in order to goe to Connecticut, 
 to assume the Government of that place. — Judge 
 Sewall's Diary, October 26, 1687. 
 
Hiding the Charter 305 
 
 Upon receipt of this notice the Governor sum- 
 moned the General Court to meet at Hartford, 
 while those in command of the train bands and 
 the troop of horse were instructed to be in readi- 
 ness to receive Sir Edmund Andros in a manner 
 commensurate with his office. The assistants, 
 deputies and troops were all assembled in Hart- 
 ford by Friday of the following week, while men 
 were posted away towards Springfield so as to be 
 in readiness to advise those in waiting of the 
 Governor's approach. 
 
 Nothing was heard of him on that date or on 
 Saturday, the first advice coming from Wethers- 
 field in the middle of the afternoon of the fol- 
 lowing Monday,^ when Samuel Talcott, Captain 
 of the troop of Hartford County, rode into the 
 meeting house yard and gave notice of his Ex- 
 cellency's coming that way. Before leaving 
 Wethersfield he had under his authority as as- 
 
 ^ On Monday, Oct. 31, 1687, Sir E. A. (with divers 
 of the members of his council and other gentlemen 
 attending him, and with his guard,) came to Hartford, 
 where he was received with all respect and welcome 
 congratulation that Connecticut was capable of. The 
 troop of horse of that county conducted him honorably 
 from the ferry through Wethersfield up to Hartford, 
 where the trained bands of divers towns, (who had 
 waited there some part of the week before, expect- 
 ing his coming then, now again, being commanded 
 by their leaders,) waited to pay him their respects at 
 his coming. — Gershom Bulkeley's Will and Doom. 
 
306 Wadsworth 
 
 sistant "created a constable authorizing- him to 
 press boats and men to carry over his Excellency 
 and retinue without delay." Also as soon as 
 everything was in readiness the troop of horse 
 started towards Wethersfield to meet and con- 
 duct Gov. Andros to Hartford. 
 
 It was almost dusk before the lookout on the 
 South Green reported their approach. In a few 
 minutes Captain Talcott on his flashy chestnut 
 was seen coming up Queen street^ in front of his 
 troop, but on this occasion his mount showed 
 none of the fire or fancy steps which always dis- 
 tinguished him in the parades of the company, the 
 hard ride from Wethersfield to acquaint the Gov- 
 ernor of the coming of his Excellency from that 
 quarter and back again with the troop, having 
 taken the gimp out of the little beauty. Upon 
 his arrival at the edge of the meeting house yard 
 Captain Talcott turned, while the troopers di- 
 vided in the center and backing their mounts 
 to the sides of the street, left a clear passage 
 for Sir Edmund Andros and his company to pass 
 between the train bands to the Meeting House. 
 
 Two trumpeters preceded his Excellency, the 
 jangling notes of their horns sounding strangely 
 in the ears of those who had been accustomed 
 to hear nothing but the meeting house bell 
 
 ' Main Street. 
 
Hiding the Charter 307 
 
 or the roll of a drum to herald the arrival of a 
 dignitary or a call to duty. Sir Edmund was 
 mounted on a steel gray horse, whose fine bony 
 head, tapering ears and crested neck showed that 
 he carried in his veins the barb blood which 
 Charles II. and Cromwell had introduced into 
 England and which was now found in nearly all of 
 the better mounts of the officers in the English 
 army. He was a horse of great substance and 
 power and carried his rider with that light, 
 springy step which denotes courage and the ability 
 to go fast and far. As he passed the troop horses 
 and moved by the train bands the strain on the 
 rein showed that the thirty-eight mile march from 
 Norwich had not cooled the wild spirits in his 
 veins, while his rider sat him with the grace and 
 ease which is acquired only by years in the 
 saddle. 
 
 Joseph Dudley and John Fitz Winthrop, the 
 latter having joined the party at Norwich, fol- 
 lowed the Governor, and they were in turn fol- 
 lowed by William Stoughton, Robert Mason, 
 John Usher, John Pynchon, Bartholomew Gid- 
 ney, Edward Ting and Secretary John West, all 
 of which preceded twenty-five or thirty red coat- 
 ed soldiers armed with small guns and short 
 lances in the tops of them; 
 
308 Wadsworfh 
 
 Sir Edmund Andros turned his horse from the 
 street and passing between the trumpeters, who 
 posted themselves on opposite sides of the cleared 
 space between the train bands, rode almost to 
 the Meeting House, on the steps of which Gov- 
 ernor Treat, Deputy-Governor Bishop, the As- 
 sistants and Deputies were drawn up to receive 
 him. As he swung out of the saddle I could 
 have brushed his coat with my hand, the com- 
 pany of which I was lieutenant being close to 
 the building. As he was not accompanied by an 
 orderly and no one came forward to take his 
 horse, Sir Edmund, turning towards me, said, 
 "Lieutenant, detail a man to hold my horse until 
 an orderly comes for him." 
 
 As he spoke I glanced down the front rank of 
 my company, and as every face was set and stern, 
 fearing a refusal if an order was given, I stepped 
 forward and saluting, said, "Your Excellency, I 
 will consider it an honor to hold the rein of such 
 a magnificent horse." The remark pleased him, J; 
 and half turning towards me he said with a smile ** 
 in which anyone could see with half an eye that 
 he had an old trooper's love for the gallant gray, 
 "He is the best bit of blood in New England," 
 and after patting him on the neck he turned to 
 greet the Governor, who, coming forward with 
 
 i 
 
Hiding the Charter 309 
 
 extended hands, said, "Yes, and you have the 
 boldest blade and most fearless soldier in Con- 
 necticut to hold him." 
 
 "Not so, my dear Major," said Andros, with 
 the smile of a courtier, "since I have heard and 
 read of the fort fight at Narragansett that honor 
 belongs to one who is higher in the ranks of the 
 military, and one whom I hope this evening or 
 on the morrow to have with me as a member of 
 His Majesty's council. But it is late. The day 
 has almost gone since I left Norwich before sun 
 up in the hope of arriving before the hours de- 
 voted to the fairies and witches on All Hallow 
 E'en,^ and would have done so had not my com- 
 pany been delayed at the Wethersfield ferry. 
 However, my letter has advised you of my mis- 
 sion and the orders under which I come. There 
 is no occasion for treaty at this hour, as I see 
 no provision has been made for lights in the 
 Meeting House. I would therefore be pleased 
 to have you and Deputy Governor Bishop, as 
 well as your worthy Secretary, join the members 
 of the council at dinner, for which our long ride 
 has given us ample appetites. Two hours hence 
 
 * "Halloween is thought to be a night when witches, 
 devils, and other mischief-making beings are all abroad 
 on their baneful, midnight errands." — Burns' Notes to 
 his Halloween. 
 
310 Wadsworth 
 
 we can meet in the Council Chamber at the inn 
 where Fitz Winthrop advises me you hold many 
 of your meetings and of which the Colony was 
 at one time proprietor. Odds fish ! under such 
 circumstances who would hesitate at being the 
 governor of the granary of New England." 
 
 As there was no one to express disapproval to 
 the proposal of Sir Edmund, after an exchange 
 of courtesies with the Assistants and Deputies, 
 he and the Governor withdrew to the tavern, 
 being followed by Deputy Governor Bishop, Sec- 
 retary Allyn and the members of his Council, 
 none of whom dismounted until after the time 
 was fixed for the meeting. 
 
 After my company had been dismissed and 
 while I was standing in the square, one of Samuel 
 Wyllys' black boys came to me and said that I 
 was wanted at his master's house. Without hav- 
 ing an opportunity to change my uniform I went 
 there and on my arrival found Nathaniel Stanley 
 and my brother in consultation with Mistress 
 Ruth Wyllys. They had come for the Charter, 
 Governor Treat having advised them that it 
 would be necessary to surrender it to Sir Ed- 
 mund Andros in accordance with the instruc- 
 tions of His Majesty James II. As to what 
 penalty would be imposed on either or both of 
 
Hiding the Charter 313 
 
 them in the event of their failing to produce the 
 Charter, they were unable to determine. Finally 
 it was decided to take it. I returned with them 
 and went up stairs into the Court Chamber. 
 
 Before reciting what took place at the meeting 
 it will be necessary to refer to the tavern in 
 which it was held. The building was originally 
 occupied by Jeremiah Adams, who came to 
 Hartford with the Hooker company. After serv- 
 ing as a constable he engaged in the grain trade, 
 purchasing corn from the up river towns. In 
 1660 he embarked in the liquor business, having 
 secured the exclusive right to retail liquors in 
 Hartford,^ and at the session of the General Court 
 held at Hartford March 31, 1661-2 he was granted 
 permission- to open an Ordinary for the entertain- 
 ment of travelers. 
 
 ^ This Court doth order, that noe person in Hartford, 
 except Jer: Adams shal sell wine, under a quarter cask, 
 nor liquors under an Ankor. Order General Court 
 May 17, 1660. 
 
 *"It is granted and ordered by this Court, vpon the 
 motion and desire of Jeremiah Adams, that ye house 
 that the said Jer: doth now possess and improue for 
 an Ordinary, or house of comon enterteinment, shalbe 
 and remaine for the same end and vse and occupation 
 for the future, both to ye said Jeremie and his suc- 
 cessors, provided as hereafter is expressed: i. That 
 ye said Jeremie, his heires and successors, carry on this 
 worke, by such prson or prsons inhabiteing in ye said 
 house as shalbe to ye good liking and approbation of 
 ye Genii Court from time to time. 2. That ye said 
 
314 Wadsworth 
 
 The venture was not a success, and in January, 
 1666, the property, which consisted of three acres 
 of land^ and the buildings on it, was mortgaged 
 to the Colony, which eventually came into pos- 
 session by foreclosure January 14, 1680. One of 
 the first steps taken by the General Court after 
 
 house be fitted and made capable to giue sufficient 
 enterteinment as need and occasion shal require, both 
 to neighbours and strangers. 3. That there be at all 
 times necessary & comfortable accommodation and 
 provison made for enterteinment of Travellers with 
 horse and otherwise, and that both respecting wine 
 and liquors and other food and comfortable refreshing 
 both for man and beast. 4. It is ordered, that if Jer: 
 Adams shall not attend his agreement in attending the 
 provision made in ye foregoing Articles, he shal not 
 forfeit his licence, but shalbe liable to be censured by 
 the Court as they shal judg most suteable." 
 
 ^ The tavern stood on the land bounded by Grove 
 (Orient), Main (Queen) and Atheneum (Wadsworth 
 Lane) Streets to the Meeting House Alley, which was 
 about one hundred and forty feet east of the present 
 line of Prospect Street. It was known as the Bunch 
 of Grapes, a name no doubt given it in 1679 or 80, as 
 at a County Court held in Hartford December 4, 1679, 
 Jeremy Adams "having no signe according to law" 
 was ordered "to set up a compleat signe before the 
 March Court or pay a fine of forty shillings." The 
 building stood back from the street and is supposed to 
 have been on the land now covered by the Universalist 
 Church of Redeemer, and was in the next century suc- 
 ceeded by the Black Horse Tavern, so called from a 
 horse of that color painted on the sign, of which Sam- 
 uel Flagg, who acquired the property through purchase 
 and marriage, was in 1757 the proprietor. Flagg mar- 
 ried Sarah Bunce, a daughter of Jonathan Bunce, whose 
 wife Sarah was a daughter of Zachariah Sandford, a 
 grandson of Jeremy Adams. 
 
Hiding the Charter 315 
 
 obtaining possession was to set aside an upper 
 room for its meetings, as well as the meetings 
 held in connection with town and county affairs. 
 After being in the tavern business for about four 
 years the General Court at its May meeting in 
 1685 ordered that it should be sold/ and on De- 
 cember 2 of the same year the land and build- 
 ings were purchased by Zachariah Sandford, a 
 grandson of the original proprietor. 
 
 After the transfer Sandford enlarged and im- 
 proved the place, adding a wing to the northeast 
 side of the building, the back wall of which ran 
 parallel with the lane connecting Queen Street 
 with the Meeting House Alley. This addition 
 darkened a window in the council chamber, it 
 being concealed by a valance. Also when mak- 
 ing the addition a stairway was built to connect 
 this window with the lane, a door which could 
 be opened only from the inside leading to the 
 latter. The window was also placed on hinges 
 and was used as an exit by members during the 
 sessions or occasionally for removing prisoners 
 
 ^This Court doe desire and impower Major John 
 Tallcott, Capt. John Allyn, Mr. John Wadsworth, and 
 Mr. Joseph Whiting to make sale of the house and 
 homelott, now in the possession of the country, ac- 
 cording to their best discression for the use of the 
 colony, and do desire and impower Mr. Joseph Whit- 
 ing, Treasurer, to signe the deed of sale. — Colonial 
 Records. 
 
316 Wadsworth 
 
 or witnesses who did not care to pass through 
 the crowds that usually congregated in front of 
 the Ordinary when court was in session. 
 
 When a Deputy I frequently had occasion to 
 use these stairs and now at the suggestion of 
 Stanley I passed through the window with in- 
 structions to await further orders. When closing 
 the window I pushed the valance far enough 
 aside so that I could see all that was being done 
 in the Chamber, and by opening the window a 
 trifle I could also hear everything that was said. 
 
 As the hour for the meeting approached the 
 servants of the inn entered the room and were 
 soon busy under the supervision of a stranger 
 whom I afterwards learned was one of Governor 
 Andros' orderlies, putting the forms, joint stools 
 and chairs in place for the meeting. The two 
 tables were placed in the form of a T, one of the 
 large leather chairs^ being placed in the center 
 
 * Jeremy Adams died August ii, 1683. The inven- 
 tory of his estate as preserved in the Probate Records 
 of Hartford parcels off his household property as "in 
 the little dining room" — "in the old parlor — in the 
 parlor chamber — in the kitchen," and among the rest 
 the following: 
 
 In the Court Chamber two Tables & a Carpet 
 
 I £ los 00. 
 By one Doz. stools & a form i 10 00 
 
 By 2 leather chayres and 4 other chayres, 
 
 I 10 00 
 etc., etc., etc. 
 
Hiding the Charter 317 
 
 of the table that was crosswise of the room, with 
 four chairs on either side of it, this being a suffi- 
 cient number to seat the members of His Majes- 
 ty's Council in attendance. The other leather 
 chair was placed at the end of the table which 
 made the stem of the letter and was within a 
 few feet of the window behind which I was con- 
 cealed. Six joint stools were placed on each side 
 of this table, ten of them being for the Assist- 
 ants, one for Deputy Governor Bishop and one 
 for Secretary West, who as I afterwards found 
 required a seat near the lights so as to be able to 
 read his Excellency's commission. Between the 
 table and the east wall forms were placed for 
 the Deputies, who began to assemble in the 
 chamber as soon as the fourteen candles in the 
 two candelabra were lighted. These were placed 
 on the lower table, one being about the center of 
 it and the other at the further end. 
 
 As soon as the Assistants entered the chamber 
 they were shown to the places reserved for them, 
 but none of them were seated until after Sir 
 Edmund Andros, wearing his hat, all others be- 
 ing uncovered, appeared with those who had 
 dined with him. As soon as he was seated at 
 the center of the upper table all of the others 
 took their places, while the orderly retired and 
 
318 Wadsworth 
 
 an officer appeared at the door. Sir Edmund 
 ordered it closed and instructed his Secretary to 
 read his commission as Governor of New Eng- 
 land, together with the additional powers and 
 instructions given him in reference to the Colony, 
 of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and 
 the Colony of Connecticut. 
 
 With a voice as clear as a bell Secretary West 
 read the commands of King James respecting 
 his Territory and Dominion of New England in 
 America and followed it with a copy of the order 
 from the King and his counsellors to Sir Edmund 
 Andros to annex Connecticut to his government. 
 When he sat down there was an ominous silence. 
 As I glanced over the familiar faces of the As- 
 sistants and Deputies many of them looked ghast- 
 ly in the flickering candle light, while the old 
 look of determination which was seen there while 
 there was a chance of saving the Charter was 
 succeeded by one almost akin to despair. 
 
 Of the thirty-four Deputies elected the pre- 
 ceding May, the following were present : 
 
 Nathaniel Stanley and Ceprian Niccols for 
 Hartford, Henry Wollcott for Windsor, William 
 Lewes and John Stanley for Farmington, Daniel 
 Harris for Middletown, Moses Mansfield and 
 Abram Dickerman for New Haven, John Beard 
 
Hiding the Charter 319 
 
 and Samuel Buckingham for Milford, Samuel 
 Sherman for Stratford, Samuel Hayes for Nor- 
 walk, Thomas Leffingwell for Norwich, Abraham 
 Brunson for Lyme, Henry Crane for Killing- 
 worth, William Johnson and John Grave for Guil- 
 ford, Thomas Yale and John Hall for Walling- 
 ford, Ebenezer Johnson for Derby, George Gates 
 for Haddem, Elezur Street for Branford, John 
 Chapman and William Dudly for Saybrook, The 
 towns of Simsbury,^ Woodbury, Stamford and 
 Stonington were not represented. 
 
 By the table at which Governor Treat sat with 
 Deputy Governor Bishop on his left were grouped 
 the Assistants, John Talcott, John Allyn, Will- 
 iam Jones, John Wadsworth, Andrew Leete, Ben- 
 jamin Newbery, Giles Hamlin, James Fitch and 
 Samuel Mason. On the right of the Governor 
 there was a vacant stool. It was the one reserved 
 for Assistant Samuel Talcott, the Captain of the 
 Hartford troop. As it was apparent that Sir 
 Edmund Andros was waiting for Governor Treat 
 to make a statement, the latter beckoned to Na- 
 thaniel Stanley, who was seated at the end of 
 one of the forms. He came forward and after 
 handing the Charter to the Governor, sat down 
 
 ' Simsbury had no representative in the General 
 Court from 1675 to 1687, when Peter Bewell was 
 elected. 
 
320 WadswoHh 
 
 on the vacant stool, which was so close to the 
 window that I could have touched it without 
 entering the chamber. 
 
 Governor Treat snipped the deer skin thong 
 with which the Charter was tied and laid it on 
 the table. As it unrolled the illuminated head 
 and picture of Charles II. on the parchment 
 could be seen by all. Pointing towards it and 
 addressing Sir Edmund Andros as though he 
 were conversing with him, the Governor said, 
 "That Charter represents the accumulated ef- 
 forts of the founders of this Colony and the toil 
 and savings of their children. For over half a 
 century they have carried the flag of civilization 
 into the wilderness, clearing the forests, drain- 
 ing the marshes and making two blades of grass 
 grow where there had been but one before, while 
 at all times they stood ready to defend their 
 homes and the homes of those dwelling in the 
 neighboring colonies from the attacks of the In- 
 dians. 
 
 "In the second year of the founding of this 
 Colony one-half of the able bodied men left their 
 families and homes, which were then little better 
 than hovels, on the river, to attack the Pequots, 
 who, true to their nature, were destroying all 
 that was near and dear to us. With fire and 
 
Hiding the Chartei 321 
 
 sword they carried destruction and death almost 
 to extermination among them. Since that time 
 Connecticut was not attacked by the red men, 
 but the annoyances continued on account of the 
 constant depredations and desultory war which 
 harassed the other colonies, until at the Narra- 
 gansett fort fight when fully one-third of Con- 
 necticut's troops were slain or wounded. They 
 gave their lives freely that New England might 
 live. Their blood was shed to save the homes 
 guaranteed to them and their children by that 
 Charter, and it is like giving up life itself to sur- 
 render it. 
 
 "When the Fundamental Orders were adopted 
 the Connecticut valley was a wilderness. Later, 
 when our fathers purchased the river right and 
 Saybrook fort from the Warwick patentees 
 through George Fenwick, they freely contributed 
 the dole of grain, although they could ill spare it, 
 for 'pay' to meet the obligations of the Colony. 
 This tax upon their resources was followed by 
 another demand to provide for the expenses in- 
 curred by Governor John Winthrop in procuring 
 that Charter from King Charles II. of blessed 
 memory, the products of their fields being car- 
 ried to New London to meet the bills issued in 
 London in their name and under the order of the 
 
322 Wadsworfh 
 
 General Court. And now after expending all 
 this blood and treasure we are called upon to 
 surrender the Charter for expediency in the con- 
 duct of a government in which we will be but a 
 small part and in which we will have virtually no 
 voice. 
 
 "At this time while there is still in my mind a 
 doubt as to the legality of this procedure which 
 is being forced upon us for what has been termed 
 'reasons of state/ I, as one of those who fought 
 and struggled in the name of the Colony, am 
 willing to yield a nominal consent until further 
 inquiry can be made, but do so well aware that 
 if the rights of the people are invaded and we 
 cannot obtain redress it will result in another 
 removal to a territory under a flag that respects' 
 its own acts. I, for one, will be the first to dis- 
 pose of what I have here and with what goods can 
 be carried turn again towards the setting sun, 
 where there are lands so vast that no man knows 
 their boundaries and within which millions yet 
 unborn shall find a heritage. The Indians tell of 
 inland seas beyond the falling waters — seas that 
 have never been seen by the white man — and 
 plains of grass, as limitless as the ocean, over 
 which roam herds of woolly cattle and droves of 
 horses that have never yielded obedience to 
 
Hiding the Charter 323 
 
 man. On these lands we can build new homes, 
 within which there may in centuries to come be 
 found the germs of an empire greater than that 
 which owes allegiance to the flag of England. 
 
 "The sons of men who founded colonies can 
 found others. They are inured to toil, and while 
 the homes of childhood have many associations 
 near and dear to all of us, there is a greater and 
 a grander instinct which has grown up among us 
 in the New World — the privilege of thinking 
 and acting as freemen. It is our Magna Charta." 
 
 When Governor Treat sat down, my brother 
 John arose, his tall, slim figure, sharp features and 
 long gray hair giving him the look of a patriarch. 
 Addressing Governor Andros in a low, clear 
 voice, he said, "Fifty-one years ago I came to 
 these parts, a small child walking with my father 
 in the Hooker company. What you see here now 
 was then a forest with a few Indian villages be- 
 tween this place and Windsor. I grew up in this 
 Colony and know what toil and trouble fall to 
 the lot of the emigrant and with which no sane 
 man would contend were it not that within each 
 one of us there is a still small voice, demanding 
 in return for toil, the freedom due to all men 
 and the privilege of making their ways in the 
 world on an equality with each other. 
 
324 Wadsworth 
 
 "The pampered life of courts or the restfulness 
 of towns, is unknown to those whom you meet 
 in Connecticut, They are, and have been for a 
 generation, children of the soil. They till the 
 earth for what it may bring forth, and with the 
 sweat of labor on their brows stand ready at all 
 times to defend their homes and their lives from 
 those who may feel disposed to invade them. As 
 protection from the Indians, each home in the 
 Colony is armed with musket, powder and ball, 
 each householder being required to keep a stated 
 supply on hand under penalty from the General 
 Court.^ To this constant state of readiness I at- 
 tribute Connecticut's freedom from attack. The 
 Indians, remembering the fate of the Pequots, 
 know that these Englishmen do not wait to be 
 attacked, to be burned in their homes, but have 
 from their first coming stood as the aggressor, 
 
 "Where would many of the towns of Massa- 
 chusetts, Rhode Island and Plymouth, now under 
 your government, be to-day were it not for 
 
 ^ Every male person within this Jurissdiction, that 
 is above the age of sixteen years, whether Magistrates, 
 Ministers or any other, (though exempted from train- 
 ing, watching and warding,) shall bee allways provided 
 with, and have in readiness by them halfe a pound of 
 Powder, two pound of serviceable Bulletts or shott, 
 and two fathom of match to every Matchlock, uppon 
 the penalty of five shillings a month for each persons 
 default therein. Code of 1650. 
 
Hiding the Charter 325 
 
 the timely aid of the Connecticut troops, led 
 by the GovernoV of this Colony, who has just 
 addressed you? Ask of those living in Spring- 
 field, Hadley and the other towns on the river 
 how they were saved from destruction, and when 
 the issue was trembling in the balance in the 
 Narragansett fort fight, when the Massachusetts 
 forces fell back before the withering fire of the 
 red men. Governor Treat and his Connecticut 
 followers, a few of whom are in this chamber, 
 rushed over the banked up bodies of the dead 
 into the fort and returned the fire of the enemy 
 with their clubbed muskets. 
 
 "Like yourself, the inhabitants of Connecticut 
 are Englishmen. Like you, we are proud of the 
 land of our birth, but in troublous times, for faith 
 and freedom, our fathers left the land of their 
 nativity, not in the hope of extending the hold- 
 ings of England in the New World, but of mak- 
 ing homes in which they would be permitted to 
 worship God as their conscience dictated. As 
 you have lived at court, there is no occasion to 
 speak of Laud and Stafford, although it was be- 
 fore your time. Their acts and their fate show 
 what trust can be placed in Kings, while the fate 
 of their master proved that the homes of English- 
 men cannot be invaded with impunity even under 
 the guise of prerogative. 
 
326 Wadsworth 
 
 "The King whom you represent is that man's 
 son. During the two years of his reign he has 
 created more trouble for the Colonies of New 
 England than all which preceded them since the 
 landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. Complaints 
 against our faith have been urged by Randolph, 
 a betrayer of his brethren, who of all men knows 
 that the people of this land are of one church and 
 one faith. For it they sacrificed their homes in 
 England and sought the wilds of America. It 
 shall not be changed. Death alone can alter that. 
 It will come when the mantle of mortality is cast 
 aside for immortality. That faith is the well 
 spring of our being. It is nearer and dearer to 
 us than the titles to our homes which you now 
 hope to cloud by depriving the Colony of the 
 Charter that was to belong to those named in it 
 and their descendants forever as stated in the 
 body of the patent. A great wrong is being done 
 us and the black looks of your associates shall 
 not deter me from saying so in your presence. 
 Every man in this Colony has faced death too 
 often to hesitate when called upon to express his 
 opinions. We have grown familiar with the pale 
 rider of the Revelations, as his call is but a bid- 
 ding to another realm in which the wicked will 
 cease from troubling and where the toil-stained 
 
Hiding the Charter 327 
 
 but none the less welcome wayfarer shall find 
 rest. 
 
 "Coming- as you do, a soldier under orders, I 
 expect that you will not hesitate in the perform- 
 ance of your duty. Under such conditions you 
 are compelled to act, but in the doing remember 
 that you are governing not the enemies of Eng- 
 land, but her sons, who may again in time have 
 equal authority with yourself as when they raised 
 the late Lord Protector to powers greater than 
 were ever wielded by an English King. In time 
 even the Stuarts will learn that the voice of the 
 people is the voice of God, the all redeeming, all 
 ruling and all forgiving providence of mankind. 
 Peace be with you." 
 
 After my brother resumed his chair Governor 
 Andros rose and turning towards him, said, "It 
 is with pleasure I learn that the worthy gentle- 
 man who has just spoken is a descendant of the 
 Wadsworths. England has few better names 
 among her yeomen. In London and even in 
 Guernsey I have heard of the descendants of 
 Duke Wada and the giantess Bell and those val- 
 iant squires whose names are not only found on 
 the army rolls, but are also perpetuated in the 
 names of towns in the north of England. No bet- 
 ter soldiers than the Wadsworths ever graced a 
 
328 Wadsworth 
 
 camp, ever fearless and bold, free of speech in de- 
 bate and firm of hand in fight. Massachusetts 
 now mourns one.^ He fell at Sudbury in the King 
 Philip war, battling against odds, and after hear- 
 ing your discourse I have no doubt but that the 
 Connecticut stem of the family, which shows by 
 the lilies of France on its shield that its ances- 
 tors fought at either Crecy or Agincourt, shall, 
 when the opportunity presents itself, make a 
 mark that will endure for all time. 
 
 "It also pleases me to see that even as our 
 Anglo-Saxon ancestors bearing their war chief 
 on their shields proclaimed him their king, the 
 old blood again asserts itself by raising the most 
 successful leader of the Connecticut troops in the 
 recent troubles to the Governor's chair, an au- 
 thority which I hope to continue on the morrow 
 by having him become, pursuant to His Majes- 
 ty's command, a member of the council for New 
 England. And while a number of you at this 
 time yield reluctantly, it is well to remember that 
 even Oliver Cromwell said that 'the ground of 
 necessity for the justifying of men's actions is 
 above all considerations of instituted law.' " 
 
 When Sir Edmund Andros concluded his re- 
 
 * Captain Samuel Wadsworth of Milton, who was 
 killed with thirty of his men near Green Hill April 
 i8, 1676, while defending Sudbury from the Indians. 
 
G1 
 
 
 
 P'/ 
 
 
 THE WADSWORTH ARMS 
 
Hiding the ChaHer 331 
 
 marks, every one in the chamber turned involun- 
 tarily towards Andrew Leete. He had risen from 
 his stool when reference was made to Cromwell, 
 and moving towards the table rested both of his 
 hands upon the edge of it. Leete's face was col- 
 orless and as he leaned forward between the can- 
 delabra, the twitching of the muscles showed 
 that he was laboring under a great strain, 
 while it was apparent to those who knew him 
 that he was on the verge of one of the epileptic 
 fits which had made his life a burden and on ac- 
 count of which, as I afterwards learned, I was 
 directed to attend him in the June proceeding 
 when he carried one of the Charters of the Col- 
 ony to Guilford, where it was concealed in a hid- 
 ing place of the Whitfield house until after the 
 troubles over it subsided. 
 
 Knowing that it would be folly to interfere 
 with him, those who were near by drew away, 
 while Andros and the occupants of the table at 
 which he sat, settled themselves complacently in 
 their chairs to hear what he had to say. For a 
 few moments Leete was unable to speak. His 
 lips moved, but no sound came from them, but 
 when the words did come they gushed forth like 
 a torrent. Raising to his full height he turned 
 towards Andros and said, "You speak of Crom- 
 
332 Wadsworth 
 
 well. You try to justify your act and the acts 
 of your patron by his words. You may have seen 
 him and learned what he did, but your knowledge 
 ends there. Now that we meet face to face I will 
 tell you that my father and Cromwell were boys 
 together in Huntingdonshire and knew each other 
 in early manhood. Also, after the crisis in Eng- 
 land, after Charles Stuart had laid his head on 
 the block, he was among those whom Cromwell 
 asked to return to his native land and lend a hand 
 in creating a government of the people for the 
 people. Disborow, Whitfield and others ac- 
 cepted the invitation. My father did not. He 
 had cast his lot with New England and remained 
 here. In his time he was Governor of New Ha- 
 ven and of the United Colonies under the 
 Charter. Half of his life was devoted to the 
 building up of Connecticut and maintaining its 
 Charter rights, as you no doubt remember, if 
 your visit to Saybrook has not passed from your 
 memory. In that day you retired discomfited, 
 and by God's help you shall this time." 
 
 As he continued Andros' face became black 
 with passion. The large veins in his forehead 
 swelled as though they would burst, but Leete 
 either did not see or care for the storm that was 
 apt to burst forth at any moment. Swaying back- 
 
Hiding the Charter 333 
 
 ward and forward as he spoke, he continued, 
 "Your present mission shows that King James 
 has yet to learn that in order to govern a people 
 it is necessary to retain their affection. He has 
 forgotten that covenants fairly entered into must 
 be kept. Take that away and what right has a 
 man to anything? The rights of a slave may be 
 invaded without protest, but no loyal subject will 
 yield without a hearing. In properly constituted 
 monarchies the crown is the guarantee of pro- 
 tection, not the symbol of oppression. All of us' 
 owe obedience to constituted authority, but obe- 
 dience and allegiance end when the sovereign as- 
 sumes more authority than is allowed by the 
 laws." 
 
 Pointing to the Charter as it lay half unrolled 
 on the table, Leete with the voice of a prophet 
 said, "That Charter is in force at this hour. No 
 judgment has been rendered against it. It was 
 granted under the great seal of England and 
 cannot be surrendered unless the surrender is 
 given under the seal of this Colony. Remember 
 it is Charles I.'s last word and that is why I use 
 it, that measures obtained by force do not en- 
 dure." 
 
 As Leete uttered the last words and before 
 anyone could reach him he plunged headlong on 
 
334 Wadsworth 
 
 the table between the candelabra, his outstretched 
 arms upsetting both of them. In an instant the 
 room was in darkness and before the ensuing 
 confusion subsided Nathaniel Stanley handed me 
 the Charter through the window. Slipping the 
 precious parchment under my tunic I rushed 
 down the stairs, and opening the door cautiously 
 stepped into the lane. As I turned to close it a 
 man grabbed me and in doing so said, "Oddsfish, 
 what have we here?" 
 
 Shaking him ofif as a terrier would a trouble- 
 some rat, I wheeled and by the dim light of the 
 moon, which was in its first quarter,^ I found 
 myself face to face with two trumpeters. Both 
 of them showed by their actions that they were 
 half gone with drink, and before I had time to 
 say a word the companion of the man who 
 grabbed me answered for me by saying, "It's the 
 bumpkin of a Lieutenant who, instead of detail- 
 ing a man to take His Excellency's horse, held it 
 himself." With a laugh and a leer and a remark 
 that I would know better than that when Sir Ed- 
 mund took command of the Connecticut troops, 
 they passed on towards Queen Street, while I 
 
 * October 31 (old style) 1687 -f 11 = November 11 
 (new style) 1687. The moon was new November 5 
 new style. Therefore, on October 31 (old style) it 
 was six days old or about in its first quarter. 
 
Hiding the Charter 337 
 
 hurried through the lane to the Meeting House 
 Alley, down which I ran at full speed until the 
 river was reached. It only took a few moments 
 to cross it in one of the flat bottom boats which 
 were pulled up on the bank, and in less than ten 
 minutes after the Charter was taken from the 
 Council Chamber it was back again in the front 
 parlor of Samuel Wyllys' house. 
 
 Fortunately Mistress Wyllys was alone at the 
 time, all of the help on the place, white and black, 
 having gone to the Meeting House yard and that 
 vicinity to see the English soldiers in their red 
 coats and pick up what gossip they could about 
 those who accompanied Governor Andros. After 
 telling her what had occurred in the chamber and 
 of my encounter with the trumpeters she said 
 that there was but one thing for me to do and 
 that was to hide until Sir Edmund and all of his 
 spies had returned to Boston. As for the Charter, 
 I could not take it with me and it could not re- 
 main in the house, as a general search might be 
 made for it, so she said, "Hide it in the hollow of 
 the oak. It will shelter it just as the leaves of 
 the Boscobel oak hid the King, who granted it, 
 from Cromwell's soldiers." And hide it we did, 
 first wrapping it in my tunic, "for no one," as 
 
338 Wadsworth 
 
 Mistress Wyllys remarked, "would go to the 
 woods in the garb of a lieutenant of the train 
 band." 
 
 Habited in a coat and cap of her husband I 
 was on the point of starting when she called me 
 back and bade me drag Lion's kennel from the 
 rear of the house to the foot of the old oak and 
 fasten it there. No one would disturb the tree 
 or its contents with that huge mastiff there. He 
 was so ferocious that but few people on the 
 Wyllys place could approach him, and would 
 have been killed on account of that failing had 
 he not in his younger days terrified the Indians 
 and prowling blacks so that they feared him more 
 than an evil spirit. While I was doing this 
 Mistress Wyllys made me a small packet of bread 
 and powdered^ beef, and within half an hour 
 after running down the back stairs of the court 
 chamber I was off to find a hiding place in the 
 bush. 
 
 After leaving the Wyllys yard I followed the 
 west bank of the Little River until opposite 
 Allyn's Mill.^ Crossing the river at this point 
 I skirted the edge of Lord's HilF to the Brick 
 
 ' Salted. 
 
 " It stood near the stepping stones in the Park River. 
 
 ' Now Asylum Hill. 
 
Hiding the Charter 339 
 
 Hill Road,^ which I followed to the Venturers 
 Field^ through which in those days a road ran to 
 the Cow Pasture^ and the Blue Hills. As I went 
 along I decided to hide in the vicinity of Sims- 
 bury, where I knew I could get food and if neces- 
 sary assistance from my sister,* the wife of John 
 Terry. Striking into the Simsbury road I soon 
 crossed the branch of the little river on a tree 
 that subsequently marked the boundary line of 
 some lands which I received in exchange for a 
 few lots upon the river, but after climbing the 
 hill on the other side of the brook I found that 
 the moon had set and that it would not be possi- 
 ble to cross the mountain before morning. 
 
 While in a quandary as to where to spend the 
 balance of the night I bethought myself of the 
 hollow tree in the Honey Pot Lot,* which al- 
 
 * It led to the "Brick Hill," or clay bank through 
 which the New England road runs north of Sigourney 
 Street. 
 
 "This field lay north of the "Brick Hill" and ex- 
 tended to Albany Avenue. It contained about 35 acres. 
 
 ^ The Cow pasture lay west of Windsor Avenue and 
 north of Albany Avenue. It contained about 1000 acres 
 and was held in common by the original proprietors 
 of the North Side. 
 
 * Elizabeth Wadsworth, oldest daughter of William 
 Wadsworth and Eliza Stone. She married John Terry 
 of Windsor. They moved to Simsbury after the King 
 Philip war. 
 
 " According to Aunt Lucy Wadsworth, who died 
 August 30, 1900, at the age of 98 years and 8 months, 
 
340 Wadsworth 
 
 though over two miles from where I was stand- 
 ing, was preferable to perching on a limb to keep 
 out of the way of bears, wild cats, or worse — men 
 who might be looking for me. Following the 
 ridge on the right of the road it was not long 
 before I located the tree and within ten minutes 
 after crawling into it, was sleeping as soundly 
 as though Charter troubles were unknown. 
 
 The sun was two hours high when I awoke 
 with an appetite that caused Mistress Wyllys' 
 bread and beef to disappear very rapidly, and 
 after washing it down with a draught from a 
 spring on the hillside a short distance from the 
 hollow tree, I turned towards the mountain 
 which separated me from Simsbury and the beau- 
 tiful Farmington valley. As I ascended I could 
 see the smoke from the chimneys in Hartford 
 and the sight of it brought a desire to know what 
 was being done there and how Mistress Wyllys 
 explained my unexpected absence to my wife 
 and children at their home Up Neck. After 
 
 the Honey Pot Lot was located in what is or was until 
 recently known as the Ed Kenyon farm. As to wheth- 
 er a pot full of honey or sufficient honey to fill a pot 
 was found in the hollow tree she never knew, but 
 family tradition, and her great age carried her back 
 to those who had seen and conversed with the im- 
 mediate descendants of Captain Joseph Wadsworth, 
 says that he slept at that place in a hollow tree on 
 the night that the Charter was taken from Andros. 
 
Hiding the Charter 341 
 
 crossing the Little Phillip, I descended to the 
 shelf or break in the mountain through which 
 the crooked Weatogue Brook rattles over the 
 rocks, while on my left Big Phillip, its sides al- 
 ready darkening with the shadows of the after- 
 noon, rose to the horizon. 
 
 As I had no desire to be seen in Simsbury I 
 leisurely climbed the steep side of the larger 
 mountain and on reaching the top, descended to 
 King Phillip's cave. It is an oblong hole in the 
 face of a cliff about twenty feet from the sum- 
 mit and into which it penetrates twelve or fifteen 
 feet. This was where the rebellious Indian hid 
 when going to or coming from, I do not now re- 
 member which, a visit to the Mohawks from 
 whom, after the destruction of the Narragansett 
 Fort, he sought aid in his war with the English. 
 Fortunately he did not succeed, and as I lay there 
 under the warm November sun and watched the 
 sunshine and shadow playing hide and seek over 
 the valley through which the Farmington River 
 ran like a broad ribbon of silver, I could not in 
 my heart blame that fearless warrior, even if he 
 had a red skin and tried to burn our homes, for 
 fighting for the land which the white man was 
 taking from his people, occasionally exchanging 
 a few coats, hoes, axes or beads for a territory 
 broader in extent than the domain of a duke. 
 
342 Wadsworth 
 
 The Farmington valley never appeared to be 
 more beautiful than it did that day. With 
 the setting sun the blue haze, which hung over 
 the hills during the afternoon, changed to a rose 
 pink and finally deepened to purple as the fad- 
 ing rays of light spread towards the Turkey 
 Hills and Northington,^ while the trees decked in 
 all the gaudy colors of autumn filled in a picture 
 that is still fresh in my memory. As the eye 
 turned from the banks of the river, where the red 
 leaves of the soft maple and the sumac nodded to 
 their shadows in the water, it passed over the 
 golden yellow of the ash, hard maple and birch, 
 the russet brown of the oak and the deep green 
 of the hemlock, pine and balsam, all of them be- 
 ing mingled in delightful confusion, until near 
 the summit of the mountain, where the 
 trees give way to the gray moss and gnarled 
 cedars, which appear to be almost black when 
 seen from the valley. Did Moses, when he stood 
 on Pisgah, see a fairer land than this? 
 
 The following day, as I sat on the bank of the 
 Weatogue Brook listening to the music of the 
 water as it rattled the pebbles, clattered over the 
 rocks and finally plunged with a roar to the level 
 of the river, an Indian came and stood by a 
 
 * Now Avon. 
 
Hiding the Charter 343 
 
 stunted hemlock. I motioned for him to be seat- 
 ed, but he shook his head and said, "None of our 
 tribe ever sit here." When I appeared to be 
 astonished at his answer he told me that he was 
 an old man of the tribe which moved from Massa- 
 coe^ when the English came and settled on the 
 Housatonic, and that he had returned to once 
 more feast his eyes on the scenes of his childhood 
 before going hence. 
 
 I also gathered from him that many years be- 
 fore the white man came to the big river the 
 Indians grew their corn and beans in the valley 
 of the Tunxis.- That one year the rains came 
 and destroyed two plantings, the river then, as 
 now, becoming after a prolonged storm a raging 
 torrent. At this time one of the sachems of the 
 tribe had his wigwam on a little knoll near the 
 edge of the stream, and as a consequence he lost 
 not only his plantings of corn and beans, but also 
 his place of shelter and all his belongings which 
 could not be carried in canoes. After the second 
 flood he built a wigwam on the ledge of the 
 mountain and planted corn there as well as in the 
 valley. As there were no more storms the corn 
 grew from both plantings. 
 
 * Indian name of Simsbury. 
 
 * Indian name of the Farmington River. 
 
344 Wadsworfh 
 
 One day, when the corn was soft in the ear, 
 the leaves on mountain trees were seen to turn 
 upwards as they do before a storm. There was 
 no wind, but still the leaves rattled like the pop- 
 lar at sunrise. In a few moments the earth trem- 
 bled like the water when the wind touches it 
 softly. Then all was still. Hobbamock, the 
 spirit of evil, was angry with his people. The 
 next day the young men who hunted on the 
 mountain found that seams had appeared in the 
 rocks and that there was running water where 
 there had always been dry land. Before night the 
 low places in this depression of the hills were un- 
 der water and in a few days the sachem's corn was 
 destroyed and his wigwam afloat. The lake on 
 the mountain top had a mate. From that day 
 none of the Indians would rest there. The old 
 Indian also said that during the winter the ice 
 split the rocks so that the water ran off. leaving 
 the noisy mountain brook and fall to remind 
 them of the displeasure of their god. 
 
 Thursday morning the messenger that my sis- 
 ter sent to Farmington came down the river with 
 the news that John Wadsworth had returned 
 from Hartford with a commission as Justice of 
 the Peace under the new Governor and that Sir 
 Edmund Andros and his troop of red coats had 
 
EATOGUE BROOK FALLS 
 
Hiding the Charter 347 
 
 departed for Fairfield with the intention of swear- 
 ing in the sheriffs and custom officers in the towns 
 and seaports. When the information was com- 
 municated to me I started for Farmington, where 
 I first learned what happened in the Council 
 Chamber after the lights went out. My brother 
 told me that Sir Edmund Andros did not appear 
 to be the least disconcerted by the incident, his 
 only order being that no one should be permitted 
 to leave the room until the candles were relit. In 
 response to a command from the officer at the 
 door, Sandford and his servants hurried in with 
 lights. When the candles were replaced in the 
 candelabra and lighted it was found that there 
 were no absentees, but that the Charter had dis- 
 appeared. Leete still lay on the table and fully 
 half an hour elapsed before he recovered con- 
 sciousness. 
 
 Andros saw at a glance that he had been 
 tricked, how he did not know, and he was too 
 proud to inquire, while in all probability he con- 
 sidered it dangerous or possibly useless to make 
 a search for the parchment which had caused 
 him so much annoyance. With a sang froid and 
 a deliberation for which my brother ever after- 
 wards admired him. Sir Edmund arose, and after 
 saying a few words of condolence over the un- 
 
348 Wadsworth 
 
 fortunate incident, he remarked that there was 
 no occasion to continue the meeting. Then ad- 
 dressing Secretary Allyn he ordered him to make 
 the following entry in the records of the Colony: 
 
 His Excellency, Sir Edmund Andros Knight, 
 Captain General and Governor of His Majesty's 
 Territories and Dominions in New England by 
 order of His Majesty James the second King of 
 England, Scotland, France and Ireland, the 
 thirty-first of October, 1687, took into his hands 
 the Government of this Colony of Connecticut, it 
 being by His Majesty annexed to the Massachu- 
 setts and other Colonies under his Excellencies 
 Government. Finis. 
 
 My brother also said that Andros intended to 
 add the last word and ordered the book brought 
 to him for that purpose, but when he tried Sec- 
 retary Allyn's pen he found that he could not 
 write with it. He therefore instructed him to 
 complete the record.^ 
 
 On the following day Sir Edmund Andros sent 
 for Governor Treat and Secretary Allyn and ad- 
 vised them of his plans. They communicated 
 
 * It has been repeatedly stated, on what authority 
 does not appear, that this record, or at least the word 
 "Finis" was written by Andros himself. A glance at 
 the original is sufficient to show that it is throughout 
 in the handwriting of Secretary Allyn. — J. Hammond 
 Trumbull. 
 
Hiding the Charier 349 
 
 them to the Assistants and Deputies who were 
 still in Hartford, and a little before noon all of 
 them repaired to the Ordinary where His Ex- 
 cellency lodged and escorted him with the mem- 
 bers of his council to the Meeting House where 
 the occasion of his coming was publicly stated. 
 He also commanded His Majesty's letters patent 
 for the government of New England and His 
 Majesty's orders to His Excellency for annexing 
 the Colony of Connecticut to the Dominion of 
 New England and to take the same under his 
 government to be publicly read.^ After this was 
 done Robert Treat and John Allyn were sworn 
 members of His Majesty's council. On the fol- 
 
 ^ Being arrived at Hartford, he (Andros) is greeted 
 and caressed by the governor and assistants, (whose 
 part it was, being the heads of the people, to be most 
 active in what was now to be done,) and some say, 
 though I will not confidently assert it, that the govern- 
 or and one of his assistants did declare to him the 
 vote of the general court for their submission to him. 
 However, after some treaty between his excellency 
 and them that evening, he was the next morning 
 waited on and conducted by the governor, deputy 
 governor, assistants and deputies, to the court cham- 
 ber, and by the governor himself directed to the gov- 
 ernor's seat; and being there seated, (the late governor, 
 assistants and deputies being present, and the cham- 
 ber thronged as full of people as it was capable of,) 
 his excellency declared, that his majesty had, accord- 
 ing to their desire, given him a commission to come 
 and take on him the government of Connecticut, and 
 caused his commission to be publickly read. — Gershom 
 Bulkeley's Will and Doom. 
 
350 Wadsworth 
 
 lowing day His Excellency's council named the 
 Justices of the Peace and Sheriffs for Hartford, 
 New Haven, New London and Fairfield Coun- 
 ties and marched out of town, 
 
 I returned to Hartford on Friday and the fol- 
 lowing night removed the Charter from the hol- 
 low oak and concealed it in a candle box^ which 
 was fitted into the stone foundation of my house. 
 
 * A tradition of the Cook family of Harwinton, 
 Conn., states that "Captain Wadsworth and Captain 
 Cyprian Nichols, of Hartford, agreed that they wou|d 
 try to save the charter; that Wadsworth gave Captain 
 Nichols the choice of whether he would undertake to 
 extinguish the candles or hide the charter. Nichols 
 chose the former, and upon receiving a prearranged 
 signal, personally and by others extinguished all of the 
 lights in the Council Cnamber, and that Captain Wads- 
 worth seized the charter, secreted it in the oak, com- 
 ing back as quickly as possible. Late that night, or 
 very soon thereafter at the dead of night, Captain 
 Wadsworth brought the charter to his own house with 
 the intention of secreting it there, without anyone 
 knowing of that fact. Upon his arriving home, to his 
 dismay, he found that his wife had been suddenly 
 taken ill with the colic, and he had to impart to her or 
 some other member of the family the nature of his em- 
 ployment, and thereupon the charter, placed in an old 
 candle-box, was secreted in the corner of Captain 
 Wadsworth's cellar, and the earth replaced in such a 
 way as to thoroughly conceal it. His injunctions to 
 the person to whom his secret had to be disclosed were 
 that if anything should happen to him, they should 
 communicate to Captain Cyprian Nichols the secret of 
 its hiding-place." This version is traced to Captain 
 Joseph Wadsworth's daughter Hannah. She told it to 
 her grandson Allan Cook, who repeated it to R. Man- 
 ning Chipman, author of the History of Harwinton. 
 
Hiding the Charter 351 
 
 It remained there unasked for, as but few in the 
 Colony knew what had become of it when it dis- 
 appeared so mysteriously from the Council Cham- 
 ber on All Hallow E'en in 1687, until the May 
 session of the General Court in 1698, when I 
 showed it to the Governor and Council and was 
 instructed to retain it until further orders. The 
 original at that time was in the hands of Sam- 
 uel Wyllys, it having been brought back to Hart- 
 ford by Andrew Leete and read to the freemen 
 on May 9, 1689, when for the peace and safety of 
 these parts the government was re-established, 
 as it was before Sir Edmund Andros took it. 
 From May, 1698, to May, 1715, the duplicate 
 charter lay in its box in the cellar. Over twenty- 
 seven years had elapsed since it was taken from 
 the Council Chamber, and as almost all of those 
 who participated in those stirring incidents had 
 passed away I deemed it advisable to return it to 
 the Governor and General Court, which after a 
 conference, passed the following resolution ■} 
 
 * The resolution in the original paper is thus en- 
 dorsed by the clerks: "Past in the Lower House. 
 Test. Sam'll Cooke Clerk. Past in the Upper House 
 in the Negative. Test. Hez: Wyllys, Secty." The 
 Committee of Conference are noted, to wit, Matthew 
 Allyn, Roger Woolcott, and John Clarke. Their agree- 
 ment, viz.: twenty shillings to Capt. Wadsworth for the 
 services mentioned in the Resolution, is also noted and 
 the following additional endorsements occur: "Past in 
 the Upper House. Test. Hez: Wyllys. Secry. Past in 
 
352 Wadsworth 
 
 "Upon consideration of the faithful and good 
 service of Captain Joseph Wadsworth of Hart- 
 ford, especially in securing the duplicate Char- 
 ter^ of this Colony in a very troublesome season 
 
 the Lower House. Test. Sam'll Cooke, Clerk." The 
 amendment, viz: "twenty shillings," is in the hand- 
 writing of Secretary Wyllys. 
 
 See in Original Papers, Finance and Currency, Vol. 
 I, No. 72; also Col. Rec. Vol. IV, p. 351. 
 
 * It was the custom in the time of Charles II., as in- 
 deed it is today, especially in England to execute im- 
 portant documents in duplicate, or even in triplicate, 
 so that if one should be lost in transmission across the 
 ocean, the others might be preserved. Albert C. Bates, 
 the Librarian of the Connecticut Historical Society, 
 sends me the following note in reference to the two 
 Connecticut Charters: "Much confusion, it seems to 
 me, has arisen from the diverse and indefinite meanings 
 of some of the terms most frequently used in speaking 
 or writing of these charters. Two charters, each sup- 
 posed to be the exact counterpart of the other, were 
 made out and signed and both were sealed on May 
 ID, 1662. In law each was an original and each was 
 equally valid. Of course in "passing the seals," the 
 final process in establishing their authenticity, both 
 could not have been sealed at the same moment, one 
 must have preceded the other, and this first one is the 
 historical original. But only in this strict and limited 
 historical sense can either one be designated as "the 
 original charter." In the common usage of words both 
 are originals and either one might be called the origi- 
 nal, the other being then called the duplicate. And in 
 fact each is called "the duplicate" in the charters them- 
 selves, this phrase occurring in both documents: "these 
 our letters Patent, or the Duplicate or Exemplificacon 
 thereof." The word duplicate meaning simply the 
 other — the one not at hand — the one not under discus- 
 sion — whichever one of the two that might happen to 
 be. The word is used in exactly this sense at the 
 
Hiding the Charter 353 
 
 when our Constitution was struck at, and in 
 safety keeping and preserving the same ever 
 since unto this day, the assembly does, as a. token 
 
 present time by English historical writers in reference 
 to similar documents of which more than one original 
 was made. The identity of the "historical original" 
 charter, the one which first receive the attachment of 
 the "broad seal" of the realm, has been recently settled 
 by the discovery in the English archives of the record 
 of the fees paid for the two documents. For "the 
 charter," that is the one first sealed, a charge of 8£ 9S. 
 was made with a further "fee thereupon" of 5£, and 
 for "the duplicate" charter a charge of i £ 4S. Un- 
 fortunately a large portion of one of the two charters 
 is missing, but three copies of it are extant, all made 
 at an early date. Each of these three copies has at 
 the end following the signature the words "per fine 
 five pounds," thus establishing this as being the one 
 upon which the fee was paid and therefore as the his- 
 torical original. That the one now imperfect is the one 
 upon which the words "per fine five pounds" were 
 written, there is the negative evidence that they do not 
 appear upon the other one which is complete and per- 
 fect, also the positive evidence that from each of the 
 three copies two words are missing which in the now 
 imperfect original are interlined in so fine a hand that 
 they might easily escape the notice of all but the most 
 careful copyist. The imperfect charter, the historical 
 original, has for many years reposed in "the charter 
 box" in the rooms of the Connecticut Historical Socie- 
 ty; the complete charter, the historical duplicate, is 
 exhibited in the Connecticut State Library at the Capi- 
 tol." 
 
 The duplicate charter was written on three skins and 
 the original on two. The following note in reference 
 to the latter appears in the third volume of the Colonial 
 Records: In 1817 or 1818, while John Boyd, who was 
 afterwards Secretary of State, was preparing for col- 
 lege, at the Hartford Grammar School, he boarded in 
 the family of Rev. Dr. Flint of the South Church. 
 
354 Wadsworth 
 
 of their grateful resentment of such — his faithful 
 and good services, grant him out of the Colony 
 treasury the sum of twenty shillings." 
 
 Coming in one day from school, he noticed on the 
 workstand of Mrs. Bissell, the doctor's mother-in-law, 
 a dingy piece of parchment covered on one side with 
 black-letter manuscript. In answer to his inquiries, 
 Mrs. Bissell told him that having occasion for some 
 pasteboard, her friend and neighbor Mrs. Wyllys had 
 sent her this. Mr. Boyd proposed to procure her a 
 piece of pasteboard in exchange for the parchment, to 
 which Mrs. Bissell consented. It was not, however, 
 until six or eight years had elapsed that Mr. Boyd 
 examined the parchment with care, when for the first 
 time he learned what its contents were." This inci- 
 dent recalls how the seared and yellow copy of the 
 Magna Charta — now in the British Museum — was 
 saved by chance from the scissors of a tailor. Struck 
 by the great seals attached to a piece of parchment the 
 tailor was cutting, Sir Robert Colton stopped the man 
 and gave him fourpence for the document. It is now 
 lined and mounted in a glass case, the seal a shapeless 
 mass of wax and the characters illegible. 
 
THE MAN 
 
THE MAN 
 
 There are no paintings or illustrations of any 
 character of the founders of Connecticut. In all 
 the other Colonies there are a few faces that have 
 been handed down to posterity, while this solitary 
 exception is also the only one which retained its' 
 identity from the beginning of its government 
 up to the present. The Charter granted by 
 Charles 11. in 1662, as is well known, succeeded 
 the Fundamental Orders and remained in force 
 even under the aegis of the United States of 
 America^ until 1818, when the present Constitu- 
 
 * After the Declaration of Independence, at a General 
 Assembly held in New Haven on the second Thursday 
 of October, 1776, the following resolution was adopted: 
 "Resolved by this Assembly: That they approve of the 
 Declaration of Independence, published by said Con- 
 gress, and that this Colony is and of right ought to be 
 a free and independent State, and the inhabitants there- 
 of are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, 
 and all political connections between them and the 
 Kins? of Great Britain are, and ought to be, totally 
 dissolved. And be it enacted by the Governor, Coun- 
 cil and representatives in General Court assembled, and 
 by authority of the same, that the form of civil govern- 
 ment in this State shall continue to be as established 
 by charter received from Charles II., King of England, 
 so far as an adherence to the same will be consistent 
 with an absolute independence of this State on the 
 Crown of Great Britain, and that all ofificers, civil and 
 military, heretofore appointed by this State continue in 
 the execution of their several ofifices, and the laws of 
 the State shall continue in force until otherwise 
 ordered." 
 
358 Wadsworih 
 
 tion was adopted. There is a painting of John 
 Winthrop, Jr., from which thousands of prints 
 have been made, while nothing but a legend and 
 the record of a few of his acts remain of Captain 
 Joseph Wadsworth, who "secured the Charter of 
 the Colony in a very troublesome season," and 
 who stands out boldly as the first genuine hero 
 born in New England. From these acts, all of 
 which have been gathered for this chapter, the 
 reader can call up the rugged soldier in homespun 
 who in his day tilled the soil of Connecticut, 
 fought the Indians, risked his life in defense of 
 the Colony's rights, defied a Colonial Governor 
 and was finally in his old age admitted to the bar, 
 where he was time and again called on to de- 
 fend himself in suits which could be traced to his 
 high temper and sledge hammer manner in set- 
 tling disputes. 
 
 Born in 1648, being the third child of William 
 Wadsworth and his second wife Eliza Stone, 
 Joseph Wadsworth became a freeman of the 
 Colony October 12, 1676, by order of the General 
 Court, his two brothers, Samuel and Thomas, be- 
 ing admitted on the same date.^ The King Philip 
 
 ^At a Court of Election Held at Hartford, May 11: 
 1676. Propownded for freemen; John Steele, Tho: 
 Tompson, ]ohn Norton, Samll Lewes, John Howkins, 
 Phillip JudTT^r- B'eTtcher, Lnt. Jos: Wadsworth, Samll 
 Wadsworth, Tho: Wadsworth, Wm. Burnam, John 
 
The Man 359 
 
 war was being waged when the three brothers 
 were "propownded for freemen" and that Joseph 
 was taking an active part in it is shown by the 
 following orders of the Council : 
 
 At a Meeting of the Councill, Held at Hartford, 
 Septr. 6th, 1675. Wm. Leet Esq. Dep. Govr; Major 
 John Tallcott, Mr. Henry Woolcott, Capt. John Allyn, 
 Capt. Tho: Topping, Capt. Benj: Newbery, Mr. John 
 Wadsworth. 
 
 The Councill ordered that Sarjt. Joseph Wadsworth 
 should take under his conduct twenty men, and pass 
 up to Westfield, to assist them against the common 
 cnemie, with this following comn: — 
 
 To Joseph Wadsworth, Sarjt. 
 
 In his Maties Name you are required to take under 
 your conduct those dragoones now present, and lead 
 them forth up to Westfeild, there to assist in the de- 
 fending of the sayd Westfeild against the common 
 enemie, and there to continue till you receiue further 
 order from the Councill here, or are called forth to the 
 army by Major Treat or some of the cheife command- 
 ers of or army, Allso, in case you hear that any of 
 or plantations are assaulted by the enemie, you are 
 forthwith to post away to releiue the place or planta- 
 tions assaulted; and in case you should be assaulted 
 in the way, you are to use your utmost endeauor to 
 defend yourselues and to destroy the enemie. 
 
 This signed pr the Secretary. 
 
 At a Meeting of the Council, at Hartford, Septr. 9, 
 1675. Wm. Leete Esq. Dept. Govr; Major John Tall- 
 
 Olcott, John Pantry, Jonath: Bull and Samll Olmsteed, 
 Wm. Waller. — Colonial Records. 
 
 At a Session of the Genii Court, October 12: 1676, in 
 Hartford. Those formerly presented for freemen last 
 Court, viz. Mr. Wadsworth three sons, Samll, Joseph 
 & Tho:. and John Pantry, are admitted for freemen. — 
 Colonial Records. 
 
360 Wadsworth 
 
 cott, Mr. Henry Woolcott, Capt. John Allyn, Major 
 Robt Treat, Capt. Benj: Newbery, Mr. John Wads- 
 worth. 
 
 Major Robt Treat being returned from the army, 
 and informeing us that the Gentn from the Bay haue 
 ordered that all their forces shall be called out of the 
 feild, up the riuer, and their townes garrisoned as 
 they may; and allso, that of those forces that went 
 hence there is left about forty at Hatfeild, and some at 
 Northampton, and some at Westfeild, are desired to be 
 continued; the Councill doth grant that if it be desired, 
 there be twenty-six left at Westfeild, under conduct of 
 Ens: John Miles, and sixteen left at Springfeild, under 
 conduct of Lnt John Standly; anf the rest both those 
 that went with Sarjt Joseph Wadsworth and wth John 
 Grant to return forthwith; and accordingly order was 
 sent to Lnt John Standly and to Ens. John Miles. 
 
 At a Meeting of the Council, January 14, 1676. 
 Wm. Leet Esq. Dept. Govr; Mr. Samll Willys, Major 
 Jno Tallcott, Mr. James Richards, Capt, John Allyn, 
 Mr. Richd Lord. 
 
 The Council appoynted John Standly Captaine of 
 part of the forces belonging to Hartford County; and 
 Joseph Wadsworth to be his Liuetenant. 
 
 This apointment was no doubt made to fill one 
 of the vacancies created by the loss which the 
 Connecticut troops sustained in the Narragansett 
 fort fight and in which Joseph Wadsworth in all 
 probability participated. The following anecdote 
 dates from the same period : 
 
 Shortly after Joseph Wadsworth's return from 
 an expedition to Farmington against the Indians, 
 a man from Wethersfield, who was personally 
 hostile to him, had occasion to call on Hezekiah 
 Wyllys, the Secretary of Connecticut, The late 
 
TJie Man 363 
 
 expedition to Farmington soon becoming a topic 
 of conversation, this Welhersfield citizen took the 
 opportunity to say that Wadsworth behaved like 
 a coward in the affair. Shortly after this remark 
 was uttered, Wadsworth himself happened also 
 to call on Mr. Wyllys. He came in quietly, and 
 Mr. Wyllys, with whom he was a great favorite, 
 without appearing to notice his entrance, peered 
 over his spectacles, and inquisitively addressing 
 Wadsworth's accuser, repeated his remark. "So 
 you said just now," he proceeded, "that Joseph 
 Wadsworth behaved like a coward at Farming- 
 ton?" The reviler turned pale at once — attempted 
 to stammer out some apology — and began retreat- 
 ing towards the door. The moment Wadsworth, 
 however, became acquainted with the offensive 
 charge — there on the spot — in the lower front 
 west parlor of the Wyllys mansion, and in the 
 dignified presence of Mr. Wyllys himself, who 
 obviously anticipated some amusing result — he 
 fell upon his accuser, and gave him a most severe, 
 and exemplary whipping.^ 
 
 During the next twenty years Joseph Wads- 
 
 * This anecdote was told I. W. Stewart by Peter 
 Thatcher. He had it from Stephen Mix Mitchell of 
 Wethersfield, to whom it was communicated by George 
 Wyllys, a son of Hezekiah Wyllys. It appears in one 
 of the Stewart manuscripts owned by the Connecticut 
 Historical Society and is published by permission. 
 
364 Wadsworth 
 
 worth's name appears in the following entries in 
 the Hartford Town Votes : 
 
 Dec. 29, 1676. 
 
 {Lieu. Joseph Wadsworth. 
 Nathan Stanly. 
 Seppren Nicols. 
 Steven Hosmore. 
 
 December 1679. 
 
 TT^^ c„, „«,,«,.., / Lieu. Joseph Wadsworth. 
 For Surveyors! ^^^^/^ Stanley. South Side. 
 
 December 23. 1684. 
 Townsmen o„ North Side { f °TpH^°^^<j3wonh" 
 
 January 15, 1684-5. 
 
 Att ye Same Meeting ye Towne made choyce of Mr. 
 Sepren Nickeules, Lieu. Joseph Wadsworth & Insign 
 Nathll Standly to bee Added to Mair Tallcott & Capt. 
 Alyn As a Comitty for ye ScooU in Hartford. 
 
 Hartford Town Votes, p. 214. 
 
 December 24, 1685. 
 
 Granted permission with Philip Lewis Liberty to 
 build a warehouse next to Hartford landing place. 
 
 February 28, 1689-90. Coll. John Allyn, Mr. Bar- 
 tholomew Barnard/ Lieu. Joseph Wadsworth, and 
 Capt. Caleb Stanly were chosen a committee to make 
 up the fortyfications about Mr. Bartholomew Barnard's 
 House. 
 
 ^ Bartholomew Barnard lived on Sentinel Hill. 
 Joseph Wadsworth married his daughter Elizabeth, 
 who was the mother of his children, Joseph, Jonathan, 
 who died in infancy, Ichabod, Elizabeth, Hannah and 
 Jonathan. After her death, which occurred October 
 26, 1710, Joseph Wadsworth married Elizabeth Talcott, 
 and upon her death he made his third venture by 
 marrying Thomas Welles' widow Mary, whose maiden 
 name was Blackleach. She survived him. 
 
The Man 365 
 
 December i6, 1690. 
 
 Townsmen for ensuing year ^J-^h" B*n'°" 
 
 December 23, 1696. 
 
 Joseph Wadsworth. 
 Deacon Wils 
 Joseph Bull. 
 Jacob White. 
 
 {Joseph Wadsworth, 
 Ensign Sandford. 
 Capt. Nichols. 
 Henry Hayward. 
 
 January 26, 1691-2. 
 
 Approved of Caleb Stanly bearing 50 lbs. of Powder 
 & 220 of lead for expedition to Deerfield & Albany. 
 
 January 17, 1695-6. On Committee in behalfe of 
 Town of Hartford with John AUyn, Caleb Stanly, Cep- 
 rian Nickols, Joseph Bull. 
 
 The interruption in the Government through 
 the interference of Sir Edmund Andros occurred 
 during this period, and while he retained it John 
 Allyn, who was appointed a member of His Maj- 
 esty's Council, wrote him as follows : "Sir, I allso 
 make bold to inform your Excelency that if you 
 please to make Lnt Joseph Wadsworth Lieuten- 
 ant of the company of the North Side of or 
 Towne & Mr. Niccols of the Sowth side, it will 
 be most accomadating to the people as their habi- 
 tations are settled." 
 
 This is the only reference to Joseph Wads- 
 worth in the Colonial Records from that time 
 until he appeared at the meeting of the Governor 
 and Council at Hartford on May 25, 1698, other 
 
366 Wadsworth 
 
 than that he is named as a Deputy for Hartford 
 in 1694 and 1695, his first services as a member 
 of that body being rendered in 1685. 
 
 Att a Meeting of the Governr and Councill in Hart- 
 ford, May 25t, 1698 The duplicate of the Pattent by 
 order from the Governr and Councill being brought 
 by Captn Joseph Wadsworth, and he affirming that he 
 had order from the Genrll Assembly to be the keeper 
 of it, the Governr and Councill concluded that it should 
 remain in his custodie till the Generall Assembly or the 
 Councill should see cause to order otherwise, and the 
 sd duplicate was deliverd to him by the order of the 
 Councill. 
 
 There is nothing in the records to show when 
 the General Assembly made the doughty Captain 
 the keeper of the duplicate charter, but if such an 
 order had not been issued there were men at this 
 meeting who could have objected to such an en- 
 try, which again called attention to Wadsworth's 
 exploits, and resulted in his re-election as a Dep- 
 uty in 1699, after which he served on the follow- 
 ing committees : 
 
 A Generall Assembly Holden at Hartford, Octobr 
 I2th, 1699. 
 
 Mr. Will Pitkin, Captn John Chester, Mr. Nehemiah 
 Palmer, Captn Thomas Hart, and Captn Joseph Wads- 
 worth, or the majr part of them, are by this Assembly 
 chosen a committee to take care of the countries in- 
 terest in the undivided lands, and to indevour the pre- 
 venting and detecting all illegal trading with the natives 
 for land, and to implead such persons as have tres- 
 passed upon the countries land by intrusion. 
 
The Man 367 
 
 Att a Court of Election Holden at Hartford, May the 
 
 9th, 1700. 
 Whereas this Assembly did in October last did ap- 
 point and impower William Pitkin Esqr, Captn Thomas 
 Hart, Mr. Nehemiah Palmer, Captn John Chester, and 
 Captn Joseph Wadsworth, or the majr part of them, 
 a committee to enquire after all such persons as have 
 entred upon any countrey lands without any just right 
 derived from this Assembly; this assembly doth con- 
 tinue the said comittee in that trust to proceed therein 
 and to make their return to this Assembly in October 
 next. 
 Att a Court of Election Holden at Hartford, May the 
 
 8th, 1701. 
 This Assembly doth appoint and impower William 
 Pitkin Esqr, Captn Thomas Hart, Nehemiah Palmer, 
 Captn John Chester, Captn Joseph Wadsworth, and 
 Sarjt Caleb Stanley, or any three of them to be a com- 
 mittee in behalfe of this corporation to make diligent 
 search and inquirie after all such persons as have 
 made any unlawfuU entries upon any of the countries 
 land, not having a just right thereunto by grant from 
 this Assembly; especially after such persons as have 
 made any unlawful! entries upon the lands situate in 
 the northeast parts of this Colonie; to continue in that 
 service during the Courts pleasure, and to make pre- 
 sentment from time to time in this Assembly of all 
 persons that they shall find guiltie of making such 
 unlawful! entries and incroachments upon the countries 
 lands as is beforementioned. 
 
 In May, 1703, Captain Joseph Wadsworth was' 
 again named as one of the Deputies for Hartford 
 in the Lower House of the General Assembly, 
 
368 Wadsworth 
 
 notwithstanding the fact that he had opposed 
 the Constable of Hartford the preceding- Febru- 
 ary when that important official was making- an 
 effort to arrest a fugitive slave. He was also re- 
 elected in 1704 and 1705. The following are the 
 only entries concerning him in the records cov- 
 ered by the three years and they show very 
 plainly that the old warrior must have lost his 
 temper while pleading Phillip Pain's case and that 
 he made amply apology for his misbehaviour 
 after the smoke of battle had blown away : 
 
 Att a Genrll Assembly Holden att New Haven Octo- 
 ber the 14th, 1703, and Continued by Adjournment to 
 the End of the 22d Day of the same Month. 
 
 Capt. Joseph Wadsworth appeaing in this Assembly 
 in the behalfe of Mr. Phillip Pain who complained 
 against Wiliam Pitkin Esqr, Assistant, for male-ad- 
 ministration in his proceeding against said Pain for 
 forcible deteiner, in ye debate upon which case the 
 said Joseph Wadsworth used reproachful words against 
 Mr. Pitkin and the sentence by him passed upon said 
 Pain, saying in open Assembly that his proceedings 
 in the case were altogether unjust and illegall, and also 
 did cast forth reproachfull expressions against divers 
 members of the Assembly, for which his misbehaviour 
 this Assembly by force of the lawe title Magistrates, 
 doe sentence the said Wadsworth to pay a fine of ten 
 pounds to the publick Ireasurie of the Colonic. 
 
 At a Generall Assembly Holden at Newhaven Octo- 
 ber the I2th, 1704, and Continued by Adjournments to 
 the 24th day of the Same Month. 
 
The Man 369 
 
 This Court upon the request of Capt. Joseph Wads- 
 worth doe remit a fine of ten pounds ladi upon him 
 by the Generall Court in October last, he havin?? made 
 reflexions upon himselfe. 
 
 After acting as one of the Selectmen for the 
 town of Hartford in 1706 Captain Wadsworth 
 again dropped out of sight until May 2"^, when at 
 a meeting of the Court of Assistants, which at 
 this time corresponded in most respects with the 
 present Supreme Court of Connecticut, the fol- 
 lowing became part of the record. 
 
 "Capt. Joseph Wadsworth of Hartford was arrested 
 and brought before this Court to answer for that on 
 the 27th of May, 1708, in the forenoon, he, the said 
 Wadsworth, being in the gallery of the Meetinghouse 
 in Hartford, under the Court Chamber where the 
 Governor and Council were sitting, and in discourse 
 with Mr. Ichabod Wells Sheriff of the County of Hart- 
 ford, did say to him the said Sheriff, "if you come to 
 me, and I tender you estate and you will not take it, 
 but take any other of my estate, I will break your 
 head, or knock you down." 
 
 "And the said Joseph Wadsworth being then imme- 
 diately summoned before the Governor and Council, 
 and questioned for his so speaking, he answered and 
 said that the words he said to the Sheriff were if any 
 Officer should come to him, and he should tender him 
 estate enough, and the Officer would notwithstanding 
 wreck his Estate, he would knock him down. 
 
 "Which threatening speeches are unlawful and a 
 breach of the peace. And now the sd Joseph was ex- 
 amined and convict thereof by his own confession. 
 
370 Wadsworth 
 
 "This Court have considered the case, and do order 
 and sentence the said Joseph Wadsworth to stand com- 
 mitted until he shall find surety to be bound with him 
 before this Court in a Recognisance of twenty pounds 
 lawful money, conditioned for his peaceable and good 
 behaviour towards all her Majesties subjects, and 
 especially her Officers, until the next session of this 
 Court to be held at Newhaven in October next ensuing. 
 
 "The said Joseph Wadsworth and also Thomas 
 Wadsworth of Hartford before this Court acknowl- 
 edged themselves to stand jointly and severally bound 
 to the Public Treasurer of this Colony in a Recog- 
 nisance of twenty pounds lawful money of the same, to 
 be levied on their goods, chattels or lands. 
 
 "The condition whereof is that the said Joseph 
 Wadsworth shall be of peaceable and good behaviour 
 towards all her Majesty's subjects, and especially her 
 officer, until the next Session of this Court, to be 
 holden at Newhaven in October next." 
 
 In 1712, Captain Joseph Wadsworth at the ripe 
 age of sixty-four, became a member of the legal 
 fraternity, but as to what cases he won or lost in 
 this new field of contention the records of the 
 Colony are silent and nothing more is said con- 
 cerning him until his temper boiled over during 
 the May session of the General Assembl}^ in 1715. 
 The following from the record shows what hap- 
 pened on that occasion : 
 
 Capt. Joseph Wadsworth being brought to the bar of 
 the Assembly, to be examined upon the discourse he 
 made May 17th, in the Assembly of both Houses, being 
 publick upon the hearing of petitions, which was re- 
 
The Man 371 
 
 sented as of a seditious nature and tendency, as declar- 
 ing against the validity of the acts of this Assembly 
 which were passed by the Houses separate, for their 
 inconsistency with our charter, and behaving himself 
 with due submission declared, that he thought what 
 he said had not such an aspect, and that he was far 
 from intending to insinuate any such matter; but if 
 through inadvertency his words had such a tendency, 
 he readily acknowledged his offense and concern that 
 what he had spoken had given any offence to the 
 Assembly, whose constitution and proceedings he had 
 no intention to reflect upon: Resolved thereupon, that 
 the said Capt. Wadsworth acknowledge and consent to 
 the following confession, viz: 
 
 I do sincerely profess that in my discourse yester- 
 day, in the hearing of both Houses when the Assembly 
 was publick, (and upon the hearing of a petition,) re- 
 lating to the constitution and power of this Assembly, 
 as to the manner of their passing of acts according to 
 our charter, I had no design to reflect upon or expose 
 the proceedings of the Houses of the said Assembly in 
 their passing of their acts separately. H what I said 
 had any tendency thereunto, it was more than I in- 
 tended or perceived; and I am heartily sorry that what 
 I said was of any such tendency as to give offence to 
 this Assembly, for which, as for the charter, I had a 
 great regard and honour. 
 
 Resolved. That this acknowledgment shall be read 
 in the hearing of both Houses, the doors being open, 
 and that after the reading thereof, the said Capt. Wads- 
 worth publickly own the same, and a proper admo- 
 nition (be) given him, and thereupon his offence 
 passed by. 
 
 The confession above was accordingly read in the 
 
372 Wadsworih 
 
 hearing of both Houses and acknowledged by the said 
 Wadsworth, and an admonition given him upon the 
 same by the Honble the Governour.* 
 
 Further on in the proceedings of this session 
 those who consult the Colonial Records will find 
 a paragraph which fixes beyond a doubt the name 
 of the man who secured and preserved the Char- 
 ter when Andros visited Hartford, while the ac- 
 tion taken by the Upper House in connection 
 with the payment for "faithful and good serv- 
 ices" shows that its members were still smarting 
 under the remarks of the turbulent old warrior or 
 that they did not consider the admonition of 
 Governor Saltonstall severe enough. The follow- 
 ing is the entry referred to and a few of the notes 
 printed in connection with it in the fifth volume 
 of the Colonial Records: 
 
 Upon consideration of the faithful and good service 
 of Capt. Joseph Wadsworth, of Hartford, especially 
 in securing the Duplicate Charter, of this Colony in a 
 very troublesome season when our constitution was 
 struck at, and in safely keeping and preserving the 
 same ever since unto this day: This Assembly do, as 
 a token of their grateful resentment of such his faith- 
 ful and good service, grant him out of the Colony 
 treasury the sum of twenty shillings. 
 
 'The bill to bring Capt. Wadsworth to the bar, for 
 his disorderly and mutinous speeches, originated in the 
 Upper House. It was at first negatived in the Lower 
 House, but after a conference of the two houses con- 
 curred with. The journal of the Lower House informs 
 us that the admonition was a gentle one. 
 
TTTTI-^^ 
 
 - >~t ■, 
 
 'iVA-- jM: . -V :fe. 'y- 
 
 •■• -v-^ ' 
 
The Man 375 
 
 This bill originated in the Lower House, and, as 
 at first passed there, gave Capt. Wadsworth four 
 pounds: the Upper House negatived it: a committee 
 of conference was appointed, consisting of Mathew 
 Allyn, Roger Wolcott, and John Clark; and both houses 
 agreed to give the sum named in the text. Finance & 
 Currency, I. 82. 
 
 Forty four years afterwards, Roger Wolcott wrote, 
 for President Clap, a Memoir relating to Connecticut, 
 dated July 12th, 1759. He says in it, "In October, 1687, 
 Sir Edmund Andros came to Hartford. The assembly 
 met and sat late at night. They ordered the charters 
 to be set on the table, and unhappily, or happily, all 
 the candles were snuffed out at once, and when they 
 were lighted, the charters were gone. And now. Sir 
 Edmund being in town and the charters gone, the 
 secretary closed the Colony records with the word 
 Finis, and all departed." 
 
 In 1764, Roger Wolcott gave President Stiles this 
 story, as the latter records it in his Itinerary, II. 105, 
 now in Yale College Library, "Nath. Stanly, father 
 of late Col. Stanly, took one of the Connecticut char- 
 ters, and Mr. Talcott, late Gov. Talcott's father, took 
 the other, from Sir Edmund Andros in Hartford meet- 
 ing house, — the lights blown out." 
 
 Cyprian Nichols and Ebenezer Johnson, who were 
 members at the sesion of May, 1715, were also mem- 
 bers of the Assembly in June, 1687, when sundry of 
 the Court desired that the patent or charter might be 
 brought into the court, which the record leaves in the 
 box on the table, at the adjournment, and with the 
 key in the box, at which time, perhaps, the original 
 charter was taken by Messrs. Stanly and Talcott and 
 concealed, it may be, by Mr, Leete. Messrs. Nichols 
 
376 Wadswor0t 
 
 and Johnson were also members on the 31st of Octo- 
 ber, 1687, when Sir Edmund Andros assumed the 
 government, and the incident of extinguishing the 
 lights occurred, and the duplicate charter was secured 
 by Capt. Wadsworth. 
 
 After this incident, Captain Wadsworth's 
 name disappeared from the Colonial Records un- 
 til 1721, when a son of Benjamin Munn filed the 
 following afifidavits in support of a petition for a 
 grant of land : 
 
 "These may informe ye Honoured General Courte 
 that my Hon'rd Father having been a first planter of 
 Hartford, I in my youth, who are now 74 years old, 
 did often here my said Father say that those Lots 
 called the Soldier's Field^ were lots granted to ye 
 Pequoit Soldiers only, and that for their good service 
 in said War. Joseph Wadsworth." 
 
 "I Thomas Burr of Hartford aged 75 years, testify 
 as above written, that I heard my Father say as afore- 
 said, and allso remember said Mun when he lived in 
 Hartford and often heard my Father and other Pequot 
 soldiers say that said Mun was a soldier in said war 
 with them. Thomas Burr." 
 
 The following reference to Captain Wadsworth 
 also appears in the Hartford Town Votes: 
 
 ^ Soldier's Field contained about fifteen acres on the 
 west side of the North Meadow creek. The lots were 
 chiefly a quarter of an acre each and were granted to 
 soldiers engaged in Indian wars. There is a tradition 
 that it was once an Indian camp ground. The original 
 owners all lived on the north side and were few or 
 none of the original proprietors of the town. 
 
The Man 377 
 
 Town Meeting. Dec. 20, 1720. 
 Voted that Captain Joseph Wadsworth, Captain Aaron 
 Cook and Lieutenant John Moakim be a Commit- 
 tee to prosecute in Law (in behalf of this Town) and 
 to Eject those that hold and Improve the Lands on 
 the Town Comon on the East Side of the Great River 
 in Hartford without Liberty of the Town and to Im- 
 prove Councill in this Law for that out of the Charges 
 of this Town. 
 
 Town Meeting Dec. 25, 1722. Voted That Capt. John 
 Spalding, Sargt. John Skinner be a Comittee to at- 
 tend Capt. Jos. Wadsworth when he shall them desire 
 with a Surveyoy to Lay out and make up the Comple- 
 ment of his Lott upon the Comon bounded North on 
 Symsbury Road^ — according to the agreement and 
 records of this Town. 
 
 The record of Captain Wadsworth's public 
 services closes with a meeting of the Governor 
 and Council at Hartford Aug. 16, 1726. The fol- 
 lowing is a report of the proceedings : 
 
 Present. Hon. Joseph Talcott, Gov. 
 Roger Wolcott, Assistant. 
 David Goodrich, Justice of Peace. 
 Ozias Pitkin, Justice of Peace. 
 Captain Joseph Wadsworth. 
 Robert Sanford. 
 
 ^This is the lot referred to in the following memo- 
 randum which was found in the box at the Wadsworth 
 Inn: Land in Hartford upon Connoiticutt belonging 
 to Lt. Joseph Wadsworth and his heirs for ever. One 
 parcel of upland which he exchanged with the Town 
 for land in the ox pasture and leads on to the West 
 Side of the North Branch of the Mill River near the 
 road that goeth or leadeth to Symsbury containing 
 fifty four acres recorded Feb. 11, 1686. 
 
 A True Copy of Record. 
 Exam Hz. Wyllys, Register. 
 
 (Hezekiah Wyllys was Town Clerk from 1705 to 
 1732.) 
 
378 Wadsworth 
 
 A petition signed by Nathaniel Stanly, Hezekiah 
 Wyllys, Joseph Bigelow and other proprietors of cer- 
 tain wet lands lying in the property described in said 
 petition praying that a commission of sewers may be 
 granted for draining said wet lands was read and voted 
 that a commission of sewers be thereupon granted. 
 
 Voted that Messrs. Thomas Seymour, John Whiting 
 and Zoe Seymour of Hartford or any two of them be 
 commissioners and that his Honor the Governor give 
 them commission accordingly. 
 
 Captain Joseph Wadsworth according to Sav- 
 age died in 1730. He is supposed to have been 
 buried in the cemetery corner of Main and Gold 
 Streets, Hartford, but there is no gravestone to 
 his memory. 
 
 "Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid 
 
 Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire; 
 Hands that the rod of empire might have swayed, 
 Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre. 
 "Some village Hampden that with dauntless breast 
 The little tyrant of his fields withstood, 
 Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest. 
 
 Some Cromwell, guiltless of his country's blood." 
 
 His will was approved and recorded March 2, 
 1730-1. The following is a copy of it: 
 
 "I, Joseph Wadsworth, being sick and weake of 
 bodie, tho' sound in my understanding and memory, 
 calling to mind my mortality, that I may settle the 
 estate God has been pleased to bestow upon me, I do 
 make and ordain these to be my last Will and Testa- 
 ment — Imprimis I give my soul to God that gave it, in 
 
The Man 379 
 
 hope of mercy only through the merits, mediation and 
 intercession of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and 
 my body to a Christian buriall at the discretion of my 
 Executor — and as to my worldly goods I dispose of 
 them as followeth — first my Will is that all my just 
 debts and funeral charges shall be duly paid, and hav- 
 ing given a Joynture in full satisfaction to my loving 
 wife Mary, I proceed to bequeath my estate to my 
 Children — and do give to my son Joseph the upper 
 neck lot of land where his dwelling house stands, the 
 whole of it, with all the buildings, orchards, privileges 
 and appurtenances belonging, to him and his heires. 
 forever — also I do give to my son Joseph and his heires 
 forever my upper Lot in the Long Meadow, and the 
 five acre lot that I bought of Capt. Nathan Gold — and 
 the four acres of land at brother Tallcotts uper lot, 
 which I have by agreement with Brother Tallcott — 
 and I do also give to my son Joseph all my land in 
 Coventry — this I give to him beside what he hath 
 formerly had and enjoyed or improved of my estate. 
 
 — Item. I do give unto my son Jonathan and his 
 heires forever, the woodlot buting East on the Road 
 to Windsor, with all the buildings thereupon standing, 
 with all the privileges and appurtenances thereunto be- 
 longing — also I do give him my Neck Lot of land 
 lying over against the foresaid Woodlot, buting West 
 on the Road leading to Windsor, that was bought of 
 Thomas Thomlinson — also I do give him the Lot of 
 Land which the half way tree stands on in the Long 
 Meadow — these, with what I have formerly given him, 
 or that he had posest and enjoyed that was my estate, 
 I do give to him and his heires forever. 
 
 — Item. I do give to my son Ichabod to the Lower 
 house lot so called that buteth West on the highway, 
 
380 Wadsworth 
 
 north on Joseph Barnards land, and with the Mansion 
 house, Barn, and all the privileges and appurtenances 
 thereunto belonging or any way appertaining — also my 
 lot of land of foure acres in the South Meadow — also 
 six acres of land in the Souldiers Field, bounding south 
 on the Richard Goodman land, &c. — also I do give to 
 him my three-acre Lot nigh the lower end of sd. 
 Meadow — all of which I do give to him and his heires 
 forever, together with whatsoever he hath already 
 poscst and enjoyed — also I do give him my Woodlot of 
 sixty acres lying on the West side the Mill River, nigh 
 the road leading to Symsbury, — and I order Ichabod to 
 pay to Jonathan forty shillings yearly so long as my 
 wife continues my widow, and my Will is that if I die 
 before my present Wife, that my sons aforenamed do 
 allow to her the improvement of all such lands as by 
 Joynture I have given her to use, according to the true 
 intent of sd Instrument, without any let or hindrance 
 whatsoever — 
 
 — Item. I do give to my three grandchildren, chil- 
 dren of my daughter Elizabeth Marsh, viz: Jonathan 
 Marsh, Joseph Marsh and Elisabeth Marsh ten pounds, 
 to be paid to them as they come to Lawful age, each of 
 them three pounds six shillings and eightpence, to be 
 paid to them by my three sons Joseph, Jonathan and 
 Ichabod, their heires, executors or administrators, in 
 equal parts — and this I give to them beside what I gave 
 their Mother, and what she hath had of my estate 
 formerly — 
 
 — Item. I do give unto my daughter Hannah Cook 
 ten pounds, beside what she hath formerly had of my 
 estate, which ten pounds shall also be paid to her or her 
 heires by my three sons Joseph, Jonathan and Ichabod, 
 in equal parts, within one yeare after my Decease — 
 
The Man 381 
 
 And I so appoint my son Joseph Wadsworth to be my 
 Executor to this my last Will — and I do hereby revoke 
 all other and former Wills or Will by me made, and do 
 declare this only to be my last Will — In Testimony 
 whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Scale this 
 sixth day of July, in the yeare of our Lord one thou- 
 sand and seven hundred and twenty three. 
 
 Signed, sealed and declared to be my last Will in the 
 presence of 
 
 Joseph Talcott. Joseph Wadsworth," a Scale. 
 
 Joseph Farnsworth. March 2, 1730-1, proved 
 
 Mary Farnsworth. and recorded; 
 
 The following is a copy of the inventory of his 
 estate filed in the Probate office at Hartford: 
 
 March 24, 1730. An inventory of the Estate of Cap- 
 tain Joseph Wadsworth of Hartford Deceased. 
 
 £ s. d. 
 I Cow and Calf £7 i Old Mare £2 900 
 
 I Cross Cut Saw and handsaw 15 s. part of 
 
 two Great Bibles 18 s. i 13 o 
 
 A Corsey coat £3 a Corsey woscoat £1 2S. 6d. 
 
 I old plain cloth coat 12 s. 4 14 6 
 
 I pr black Drugit breeches £1 3 s. i old 
 
 Great Coat 8 s. 2 Woolen Shirts 8 s. i 19 o 
 
 I pr black Woosted stockin 5 s. 2 pr old 
 
 stockins 4 s. i old Woscoat & 2 pr 
 
 breeches 9 s. 6 d. o 18 6 
 
 1 hat 15 s. Woolen shirt £1. l pr shoes 
 
 2s. I pr gloves 3 s. 6 d. 2 Muflin Neck- 
 cloth 3 s. 236 
 
 2 Knives i s. Tobacco box is. a pr of 
 
 spectacles 18 d. 2 great chairs 3 s. a 
 small chair is. 076 
 
 I iron pot 9 d. 2 old barrels 3 d. by Bills 
 
 of credit £1 19 s. 6 d. 2 11 6 
 
382 Wadsworth 
 
 Nine pounds interest in the old mill 900 
 
 By six ounces and a quarter of Silver 
 
 By note of Gillet Addams 
 
 In the Long Meadow four acres at the Gov'rs 
 
 Lot 40 o 
 
 2 lots twenty acres £200 third lot five acres 
 
 £50 250 o o 
 
 Fourth lot twenty acres £120. upland five 
 
 acres £30 150 o o 
 
 More upland fifty four acres £108 one acre 
 
 in the Long Meadow £6 114 o o 
 
 More by three acres £30 five acres in the Sol- 
 dier's Field £50 80 o o 
 
 Four acres in the South Meadow £40 Icha- 
 
 bods house lot ten acres £100 140 o o 
 
 Fifty four acres in the woods 162 o o 
 
 This above aprisement was made by us 
 the subscribers 
 
 Nathaniel Marsh 
 John Cook. 
 
 Added in Court 
 by a bond from 
 Benjamin Burr 
 of £15 16 s. 
 whereof £6 yd. 
 is received by 
 ye aforesaid Joseph 
 Wadsworth Dec. 
 
THE TREE 
 
THE TREE 
 
 Residents of Hartford whose memories run 
 back to the forties or early fifties of the last cen- 
 tury, recall the hollow oak standing at the foot of 
 a lawn sloping down from a house which still re- 
 tained the general form of the one that was built 
 in 1637, by William Gibbons for George Wyllys, 
 the first English owner of the hillside. One of 
 these when speaking of the tree, turned to the 
 family Bible within which a leaf of the Charter 
 Oak was still preserved, and which is now kept 
 not so much as a memento of the oak as of the 
 mother who placed it there the day that the old 
 monarch fell. Another, who has in his day en- 
 joyed the highest honors that the State can con- 
 fer upon a favorite son, enthusiastically tells how 
 as a boy he frequently had his head in the hole 
 where the charter was hid, while a venerable lady 
 still speaks of a birthday at which she presided 
 in the hollow tree. 
 
 The following description of the Charter Oak 
 and the scenes connected with its fall are taken 
 from the Stewart manuscript already referred to : 
 
 "At ten minutes before one o'clock, in the morning 
 of the twenty first of August, 1856; and just eight and 
 
386 Wadsworth 
 
 thirty years after the old Charter itself has passed 
 away — passed away also that Tree with which it was 
 associated — each yielding at last, and after a good old 
 age, to Natures law. Beneath a wild midnight sky, 
 from whose dense mass, the moon was slowly emerg- 
 ing, and when the wind, which had been long violent, 
 and rough with the falling rain, had suddenly veered 
 from the south and east to the northwest, and risen, 
 to the pitch almost of a hurricane, the oak was struck 
 by a terrific gust and its trunk, now reduced to a mere 
 shell of a few inches, yielded at last. With a rustling 
 of the foliage that was unusual, and a sharp, crackling 
 sound it broke in twain about six feet from the base — 
 at a point where a horizontal fissure, of some three or 
 four feet in length, had within a few weeks slowly 
 opened, and parted the trunk to a width of from one to 
 three inches. For an instant reeling convulsively in the 
 air — as witnessed by city watchman who stood within 
 two hundred feet of it at the time — then swaying to 
 and fro, as if looking, 'like Caesar, after he received 
 his death-blow, for a place upon which to fall with 
 dignity' — the old veteran bowed majestically, in its 
 full mantle of green, to the fury of the blast. 
 
 "Strange was the thought which at once forced itself 
 upon my mind, on looking, as I did immediately, at 
 the mighty ruin — that with a shell so thin, it should 
 have stood erect so long and support its huge weight 
 of branches. And how strange, too, that, with this 
 trunk sapless and spongy upon a great portion of its 
 northern side — and drawing sustenance, almost exclu- 
 sively, from its southern and eastern exterior — and 
 there were many interruptions from loss of bark and 
 to an extent only of about half the circumference of 
 the tree — it should yet have been capable of nourishing 
 
The Tree 389 
 
 so long, and in such remarkable vigor, its massive 
 boughs and heavy foliage, while it had sent forth even 
 during the last spring and summer of its life hundreds 
 of fresh twigs, many of them a foot in length, and 
 scores of acorns, new, plump and beautiful. 
 
 "But for years, it may be mentioned in this connec- 
 tion, as proprietarj' guardian of the Tree, I had taken 
 the best possible care of it, occasionally removing 
 some of its dead and superfluous matter — and from 
 time to time, as I discovered any orifices either in its 
 trunk or branches, caused them to be carefully cov- 
 ered over with tin or zinc, for the purpose of exclud- 
 ing rain, or snow, or wasting elements of any kind. 
 Upon one memorable occasion, for example, in 1852, 
 when the Tree was accidentally fired by a torpedo 
 thrown in by some thoughtless boys, not from the mo- 
 tive of wanton mischief, but for the purpose simply 
 of hearing a Chinese cracker explode in so noted a 
 receptacle, there was an opportunity afforded for mak- 
 ing extensive repairs. In order to extinguish the 
 flames — which, mingled with volumes of smoke, poured 
 out of a large opening high in one of the crotches of 
 the tree — and which, for a long time baffled the eflforts 
 of the firemen, who to a man, with patriotic zeal, 
 rushed to save the old 'Defender of their Liberty' — it 
 became necessary to cut a hole in the trunk large 
 enough to permit one of the men, hose in hand, to 
 work his way into the interior of the tree — a feat 
 which was accomplished, and which led to the speedy 
 extinguishing of the fire. 
 
 "The thorough cleaning to which I then subjected 
 the interior by removing the spongy wood, and decayed 
 vegetable matter, resulted in a remarkable renovation 
 of the old oak. It put forth, fresher and fuller foliage, 
 
890 Wadsworth 
 
 than it had done before for many years — bore more 
 acorns — and down to but a short period before its fall, 
 appeared as hale, as stalwart, and as storm-defying as 
 ever. At this time the hollow in the tree was so large 
 that a fire company of twenty-seven men stood up in it 
 together. During this new phase of its life a swarm 
 of honey bees — whose presence in the tree was un- 
 known until after it fell — settled in a spacious gap in 
 one of its crotches — about twenty feet from the ground. 
 Disturbed for a moment, after the tree had fallen, by 
 a stick thrust carelessly into their midst by some curi- 
 ous boys, they suddenly poured out f^om their illus- 
 trious dwelling-place, and lodged upon a young maple, 
 which stood a few feet distant from the Oak, and upon 
 the opposite side of the street. But almost immediately 
 swarming again, they returned to their old quarters in 
 the Tree and from thence were securely hived by Louis 
 Wessing. They were removed to a cheerful spot in 
 close proximity to my dwelling and are known and 
 cherished under their new title of Charter Oak Bees. 
 "The fall of the Oak roused the patriotic sentiments 
 of Hartford. The old and young visited the hillside 
 on which it stood for so many years and hundreds 
 urged the erection of a monument upon the place to 
 commemorate alike the Charter, the Tree, and the 
 Hero who rendered it so conspicuous. At noon — a 
 band of musicians from the Colt Armory poured forth 
 touching harmonies over the fallen patriarch — first, in 
 solemn dirge the 'Dead March in Saul' — then 'Home, 
 Sweet Home;' and then the national march and anthem 
 of 'Hail Columbia.' At sundown the bells all over the 
 city of Hartford were tolled as a signal mark of re- 
 spect for the old Defender of Connecticut Liberty in 
 an heroic age of colonial history — a respect which was 
 
The Tree 391 
 
 heightened and deepened soon, by the display upon its 
 stump and trunk of two Flags of the union, draped 
 appropriately in the emblems of mourning. Sad, af- 
 fecting tokens these were indeed of the universal feel- 
 ing that 'one of the most sacred links which bind these 
 modern days to the irrevocable past, had been sud- 
 denly sundered.' " 
 
 A daughter of Secretary Wyllys,^ writing from 
 Hartford to Dr. Holmes, author of the American 
 Annals, published in 1805, made the following 
 reference to it : 
 
 "The venerable tree, which concealed the Charter, 
 stands at the foot of Wyllys Hill. The first inhabitant 
 of that name found it standing in the height of its 
 glory. Age seems to have curtailed its branches, yet 
 it is not exceeded in the heighth of its coloring, or 
 richness of its foliage. The cavity which was the 
 asylum of our Charter, was near the roots and large 
 enough to admit a child. Within the space of eight 
 years that cavity has closed, as if it had fulfilled the 
 divine purpose for which it had been reared." 
 
 * Mrs. Anstes Lee, of Wickford, Rhode Island, de- 
 scribing in a letter a visit which she made to Hartford 
 on Election Day, 1791, states the fact that the next 
 day she took tea at Colonel Wyllys' with President 
 Stiles of Yale College and other distinguished indi- 
 viduals, and says: "We all went out after tea to see 
 the Charter Oak, and stood under it. I felt anxious 
 to stand under the celebrated old tree, where the old 
 colony charter was hid by the ancestor of the present 
 occupant. President Stiles gave us (we standing 
 around him) a minute and detailed account of all the 
 transactions of its seizure and concealment. His man- 
 ner was very eloquent, and the narrative was precise 
 and particular, and it made a deep impression on me." 
 
 \ 
 
392 Wadsworfh 
 
 Among the Charter Oak traditions preserved 
 in Hartford is one that represents the Connecti- 
 cut river as having, at a very ancient period, ex- 
 panded in the form of a lake up to its roots and 
 that the Indians tied their canoes to its trunk. 
 Another tradition preserved in the "Old Colony- 
 Memorial" states that during the settlement of 
 Hartford, when William Gibbons was felling the 
 trees' on the Wyllys lot, the Indians who were 
 hutted near him below the hill, begged that he 
 spare that tree, as it indicated the proper season 
 for planting their corn. It was their rule, the In- 
 dians said, to plant the corn when the leaf of the 
 oak was as large as a mouse's ear. This incident 
 has been commemorated by Mrs. L. H. Sigour- 
 ney in the following "Intercession of the Indians 
 for the Charter Oak of Connecticut." 
 
 Oh! not upon that mossy trunk 
 
 Let the dire axe descend, 
 Nor wreck its canopy of shade, 
 
 So long the red man's friend, — 
 Nor to the cold, unpitying winds 
 
 Those bannered branches give, — 
 Smite down the forest, if ye will — 
 
 But let its monarch live! 
 
 For far away, in olden time, 
 When here the red deer flew, — 
 
 And with his branching antlers swept 
 In showers, the morning dew, — 
 
The Tree 393 
 
 Up, like a solemn seer it rose, 
 
 By hoary years unbent, 
 Marking the seed-time, and the frost 
 
 Which the Great Spirit sent. 
 
 I'he planter watched its tender leaf, 
 
 By vernal skies unrolled, 
 Before his golden corn he placed 
 
 Within the investing mould, — 
 And tho' our fallen fathers sleep. 
 
 Beneath their mounds of clay, 
 To us, it speaks their words of yore, — 
 
 Shred not its boughs away. 
 
 And so, the white men spared the tree 
 
 The Indian's prayer to bless. 
 Not dreaming that its giant arms 
 
 Would aid their own distress, — 
 Not dreaming that its grateful breast 
 
 Responsive to their sigh. 
 Would like a nursing mother shield 
 
 Their germ of liberty. 
 
 But when the tyrant Stuart fled 
 
 And left the British throne, 
 And stern Sir Edmund Andros found 
 
 His brief dominion gone. 
 Out laughed the Oak and o'er its leaves 
 
 A shivering rapture crept. 
 To tell the secret, that so close 
 
 Full many a month was kept. 
 
 Out laughed that hoary Oak, and op'd 
 
 Its bosom's secret cell. 
 And brought the entrusted treasure forth 
 
 Which it had guarded well, — 
 
394 Wadsworth 
 
 Not like that pale, perfidious king 
 Whose soul with pain was wrung, 
 
 To give the Magna Charta birth 
 When England's laws were young, — 
 
 But like a brave, true-hearted friend 
 
 Who loves a noble deed, 
 And closest clings to those he serves 
 
 In their darkest hour of need; 
 For this, may circling centuries bid 
 
 Its veins with vigour swell, 
 And on its praise, our unborn sons 
 
 Like us delight to dwell. 
 
 Mrs. Sigourney also wrote the following the 
 day after the tree fell : 
 
 Woe, — for the mighty Tree! — 
 
 The monarch of the plain, — 
 The storm hath reft its noble heart, 
 
 It ne'er shall tower again: — 
 In ruins far and wide 
 
 Its giant limbs are laid, — 
 Like some strong dynasty of earth 
 
 Whose nod the nations sway'd. — 
 
 Woe, — for the ancient Oak! — 
 
 Our pilgrim-father's pride, — 
 That shook the centuries from its crown, 
 
 And flourished when they died; — 
 The grass flower at its feet. 
 
 Shall quickening Spring restore, — 
 But healthful dews, or nesting bird 
 
 Revisit it no more. — 
 
The Tree 395 
 
 The roaming Indian prized 
 
 Its canopy of shade, — 
 And bless'd it while his council-fire 
 
 In eddying volumes play'd; — 
 He, for its wisdom sought. 
 
 As to a Delphic shrine, — 
 He ask'd it when to plant his corn, 
 
 And waited for the sign. — 
 
 Yon white-haired man sits down 
 
 Where its torn branches lie, 
 And tells the listening boy the tale 
 
 Of threatened Liberty, — 
 How tyrant pomp and power 
 
 Once in the olden time, 
 Came Brennus-like, with iron tramp 
 
 To crush this infant clime. 
 
 And how that brave old Oak 
 
 Stood forth a friend indeed, 
 And spread its Egis o'er our sires 
 
 In their extremest need, 
 And in its sacred breast 
 
 Their germ of Freedom bore, 
 And hid their life-blood in its veins 
 
 Until the blast was o'er. — 
 
 Throngs gathering round the spot. 
 
 Their mornful memories weave, 
 Even children in strange silence stand. 
 
 Unconscious why they grieve, 
 Or for their casket seek 
 
 Some relic spray to glean, — 
 Acorn, or precious leaf to press 
 
 rheir Bible leaves between. 
 
396 Wadsworth 
 
 Was there no other prey, 
 
 Oh Storm! — that thunder'd by? — 
 Wreaking thy vengeance 'neath the shroud 
 
 Of a wild, midnight sky? — 
 Was there no kingly Elm, 
 
 Majestic, broad and free, 
 That thou must thus in madness smite 
 
 Our tutelary tree? — 
 
 Our beacon of the past, — 
 
 Our Chronicle of time, — 
 Our Mecca, — to whose greenwood glade 
 
 Come feet from every clime? — 
 Hark! — to the echoing dirge. 
 
 In measures deep and slow, — 
 While on the breeze our banner floats, 
 
 Draped in the weeds of woe. 
 
 The fair ones of our Vale, 
 
 O'er its fallen Guardian sigh, — 
 And Elders, with prophetic thought, 
 
 Dark auguries descry; — 
 Patriots and Sages deign 
 
 O'er the loved wreck to bend, — 
 And in the funeral of the Oak 
 
 Lament their Country's friend. 
 
 George D. Prentice also added these lines to 
 the scanty store of Charter Oak literature : 
 
 "Tree of the olden Time! A thousand storms 
 Have hurried through thy branches — centuries 
 Have set their signets on thy trunk, and gone 
 In silence o'er thee, like the moonlight mists, 
 That move at evening o'er the battlements 
 
The Tree 397 
 
 Of the eternal mountain — and yet thou 
 
 Shakest thy naked banner in the Heavens 
 
 As proudly still as when great Freedom first 
 
 Stamped thee with deathless glory. Monument 
 
 Of Nations perished! Since thy form first sprang 
 
 From its green throne of forest, many a deep 
 
 And burning tide of human tears has flowed 
 
 Down to the Ocean of the past — until 
 
 Its very wave is bitterness — but thou 
 
 Art reckless still. No heart has ever throbbed 
 
 Beneath thy silent breast — and though thy sighs 
 
 Have mingled with the night storm, they were not 
 
 The requiem of the nations that have gone 
 
 Down to the dust, like thy own withered leaves 
 
 Swept by the autumn tempests. Ay, "bloom on," 
 
 Tree of the cloud and glen — gird on thy strength — 
 
 Yet there shall come a time when thou shalt sleep 
 
 Upon thy own hill court. The marshalled storms 
 
 Shall seek but find thee not — and the proud clime 
 
 That long has been the consecrated home 
 
 Of liberty and thee, shall lie so erst 
 
 In silent desolation. Not a sound 
 
 Shall rise from all its confines, save the moan 
 
 Of passing winds, the cloud's low tone of fear, 
 
 The roar of stormy waters, and the deep 
 
 And fearful murmuring of the Earthquake's voice." 
 
 When the time came for the old oak to sleep 
 upon its "own hill court" he also contributed the 
 following to the columns of the Louisville Jour- 
 nal : 
 
 "The telegraph has apprised the nation of the fall 
 of this celebrated tree. Its history, and especially the 
 
398 Wadsworih 
 
 incident which consecrated it in the annals of freedom, 
 are familiar to every school boy. Its legend has struck 
 root into the national heart, and will flourish there in 
 fadeless verdure. In New England, upon whose stor- 
 ied turf it now lies outstretched, the Charter Oak has 
 been a household word, for more than a century and a 
 half, and is buried, like a trilling bird in the bosom of 
 its glorious foliage deep in the earliest and sweetest 
 recollections of every child of the pilgrim land. For 
 nearly two hundred years, the Charter Oak has been 
 the sacred trysting place of patriotism, to the sons and 
 daughters of New England, and not the trysting place 
 of patriotism alone. Its fall has crushed along with 
 numerous lofty reminiscences, a thousand gentler mem- 
 ories that were hidden amidst its rich and silken leaves, 
 like the sunbeams. 
 
 "We vividly remember the emotion with which we 
 revisited the Charter Oak, less than a year ago. While 
 a resident of Hartford, in former days, the Oak was 
 one of our favorite haunts. It seemed to us, at that 
 period, truly a tree of magic, and as we stood, a few 
 short months ago, by its dying trunk for the last time, 
 and looked up from the treasured memories of youth, 
 into its old, luxuriant, laughing wealth of foliage, it 
 seemed a tree of magic still. The early fascination of 
 the spot came back upon us with overpowering energy. 
 Time had but enriched its wondrous enchantment. It 
 was touched with an unearthly charm. Beyond its 
 grand historic spell, and over all its lighter witchery, it 
 seemed steeped, to its leafy summit, in that sad, un- 
 definable softness, which Wordsworth calls — 
 
 "The grace of forest charms decayed. 
 And pastoral melancholy." 
 
The Tree 399 
 
 It was as if all the pure, and lovely, and beautiful 
 thoughts it had ever sheltered or suggested, had 
 thronged around it, and were shedding their veiled 
 light in silence upon it exhaling life. It was the breath 
 of death, perfumed with holiness and beauty. It was 
 the euthanasy of a material thing. No other mere in- 
 animate object ever exercised so profound and vital a 
 charm upon our nature. We left its hallowed presence, 
 with a heart brimming with tears, and have never 
 looked upon it since, and can never look upon it again. 
 
 "It had fulfilled its mission. The princely tree, like 
 the illustrious patriots who grew up and achieved their 
 deathless names in its shadow, has fallen in the fullness 
 of years, and a nation's grateful benediction. May the 
 nation be perpetual!" 
 
 One night, my children, from the North 
 
 There came a furious blast; 
 At break of day I ventured forth, 
 
 And near the cliff I pass'd. 
 The storm had fall'n on the Oak 
 
 And struck him with a mighty stroke. 
 And whirl'd, and whirl'd him far away. 
 
 — Wordsworth. 
 
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