ters from the dutch Gouernor was Reed and theire Answers returned to August the 28. 1648 all which being dewly Considered the Comissioners did first inquire of Mr. Wm. Westerhowse, whoe In the dutch Gouernors Last Letter was accuzed of a ireguler with the Indians, what gunns and powder hee had brought And how hee had disposed the

same.

Hee Answered with much confidence that he had not Brought at most aboue ten Guns In all, and not aboue a thousand weight of powder, of which the dutch Gouernor had seized in the formencioned shipp about fiue hundered pounds, hee had sould three 100 pounds to Newhauen Colony, or Plantation and most of the rest by pounds to Newhauen planters, and others within that Jurisdiction, but absolutely denyed that euer hee sould gun or guns, or any powder to any Indians, or any dutchman or if the duch Gouernor or any other could proue to the Contrary hee professed himselfe willing to Submit to the seuerest Sencure, as being fully informed by the Gouernor of Newhauen, that all such tradeing without express Lycence from som of the magistrates was vnlawfull: and they further thought fitt by way of preparacion Either to a meeteing with the duch Gouernor or provision for theire owne safety and Conveniencie to wright to the Duch Gouernor as followeth

HONORED SIR

IT is now more then a full yeare sence the Comissioners desiering to continew and Confirme a fast and profitable peace betweene the English Colonyes and the duch plantations in these parts wrought vnto you and presented what they had heard: first Conserneing a daingerous Liberty taken by yours to sell guns, powder and shott, and other Instruments of warr to the Indians Both at Orrania Forte And

other places within the English Jurisdictions, a trade damnable as your selfe calls it, sertainly vnsafe and like to be of mischeuous Consequences both to the English and Duch, Secondly Conserneing a high Custom of Recognition with other burthens and Inconuenient Imposisions Layed not onely on your owne people but on the English merchants Tradeing at or som time in theire returne but pasing by the Manatas, but to this wee heare not of any Prohebicion or sesation of the foremencioned Trade at the Orrania forte, Nay wee hear that the Mowhaks and other Indeans Liueing neere that place are soe furnished with guns, Powther And shott, that they growe bould and dareing and may proue daingerous to vs all, nor doe wee finde any abolishment or moderacon in the saide Customs and grieuances Imposed at the Manatoes, Nay wee haue not rescaiued any answer, not so much as a particuler Information as wee Requested, of what is Required and expected That wee might Informe our merchants to prevent future fines and Seasures.

Mr. Will. Westerhowse one of your Countrymen, but at present a Planter at Newhauen, Informes vs and Complaines of his owne And prencipalls greate loss, and damadge by your seasing his Shipp, and goods within Newhauen Harbour, he professed hee would haue cleared himselfe at the Manatoes of being either Rebell or fugative To or from his natiue Cuntry, that hee paide Customs at his comeing forth In reference to Virginia and the English Colonyes; But not admiting him thither: It seemes you Refered him to the expected meeteing at Conitacott heerevpon we haue perused and considered your Claime to all the lands, Riuers Streames, &c. from Cape inlopen to Cape Cood with your protest, and Letter Both Dated October 12. 1647 Noua Stilla wherein wee finde Sondery vnsatisfying pasages wee haue alsoe seene diuers other Letters which you haue sent to the Gouernor of Newhauen with his seuerall answers To

Agust the 28. 1648 old Stile: by all which wee finde much Cause of meeteing to settle a right vnderstanding betwixt the English Colinies and your selfe, which hath beene by you propounded in sondery of your Letters And was desiered and intended by the English Colonyes; though vpon nessesary Consideracon Defered to a fitter season In the meane time Some passages in your Letter by way of preperation had neede to bee Cleared in (of the 25 of June 1647) to the Gouernor of the Massachusetts: you desier that himselfe and som others of the English may bee deligated, and that they will bee pleased to giue you a meeteing, to adiatate past actions to Reconsile the present and to preuent all future occasions of Contestation but your Closse seemes then to importe, that all this is but to prepare things that your or our Lords and Masters, may more easy determine, in your of November the 15th 1647 to the Governor of Newhauen Mentioning the Meeteing by you propounded you professe your Resolution to giue pregnant Testimony to the World of yonr Rediness for a fayer and neighbourly composure of diferences, but in your Letter to Mr. Goodyer deputy Gouernor at Newhauen, Dated the 13th December 1647 you express your selfe more doubtfully, if you meete in the spring with the Gouernor of the Masachusetts and Plymouth you hope you shall Indeuor Reconsciliation, but to put any thing to them as Arbitrators you were not then Resolued, which in some of vs suspended all former thoughts of a meeteing till the mater againe was Reuiewed, by your seuerall Letters to the Gouernor of Mathatusetts Plymouth and Newhauen Whearein desiering a meeting at Conitacut you express your selfe, as not doubting but Mutuall satisfaction will bee giuen to one and other In euery respect; that past diferances and agreeueances shallbee forgott, future preuented and a happy vnion firmely established, the premises considered wee desier to be Informed whither you haue Comission from your prin

sipalls to make a Referenc to whome because som tyme you mencioned the two Gouernors of the Masathusetts and Plymouth and som time the Comissioners and what you propose to Referr whither title to land or other Questions and differences, as the Gouernor of Newhauen did som time propound (Nouember the 16th 1647) If you please heerein to express your selfe, wee shall the better vnderstand our way and accordingly as the Case may Require further the meeteings with the first oppertunity: in the meane tyme with hearts Inclined and Ingaged to all Councels treatyes and wayes of a wholesom and just peace and we shall propound vnto you such Conscideracons as we suppose your selfe will judg Eaquall, and till diferences bee isued or som speedy Course of settlement agreed, nessesary vidz. that the traders within any of the dutch plantacions, or vnder the duch Gouernor whither merchants or mariners may expect noe more Liberty within any of the harbours belonging to the English Colonyes Either in poynte of anchering, Customs Searching fines Seizures &c. then the English Colonyes and theire merchants and marriners Inioy at the Manatoes, or within your Jurisdiction, Secondly that if vpon serch wee finde in any of the traders vessells, within the English Jurisdiction any quantaty of guns, powther, shott, &c. fitt for that mischevous trade with the Indians, and so tending to the publique damage of both the English and dutch, we shall make stay of them vntill further Inquiry; and satisfaction bee made and giuen. Thirdly that what Restrants, penaltyes and Confiscations you put vpon the English Colonyes and theire merchants for tradeing with the Indians within your Jurisdiction The same the Colonyes must put vpon yours within the English Limitts, fourthly Refering what is past to the meeteing propounded if hearafter you tacke and Carry away any shipp Vessel or goods out of any harbour within the English Jurisdiction or Else wheare seize any vessell or goods

belongeing to any marchant or marriner either En glish Dutch or other nation admited to be planters or Inhabitants within any of the vnited Colonyes you will nesesitate vs to vindicate the English Rights and to Repaire such damages, by all suitable and Just meanes. Wee shall add noe more, but to preuent mistackes, professe, and desier you will beleue that wee shall neither protect or countenance any vnrighteous course in any of ours to your preivduce nor Impose or any way inovate Either in poynte of Customs, or in the Liberty of our harbours, or otherwise till wee doe or might vnderstand your minde and resolucion in the former particulers The vtmost of our aime being but to remoue what might hinder or slacke the peace and that neighborly corespondencie that wee desier intierly to preserue be. twixt the English Colonies and the dutch plantacion in these parts but if you refuse or delay either to retourne an answer or to giue dew and meete Satisfaction in the promises your selfe will hinder the meeteing which wee all desier from which wee may doe and hope we expect reall and Lasting fruite and will not then blame vs if by all iust meanes, wee sea. sonably provide for our owne safety and Conveniency. Thus desiering you will bee pleased with your first opertunity to returne your minde and answer hearein to Mr. Eaton Gouernor of Newhauen Colony, from whome that our Councells and Cource bee accordingly ordered, we expect the Isew of these our proposalls we tacke Leaue and rest

Your Loueing Friends Plymouth September 16th, 1648.

Mr. William Westerhowse marchant and now a Planter at Newhauen as formerly at Plymouth did now againe deliuer in a petition to the Comissioners informing and complaining against the dutch Gouernor of the Monhatowes that gontrary to the tenor

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