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unwillingness in most of the said Assembly, was occasioned
chiefely (as Wee are informed, and have too much Cause to
believe) by the subtile Suggestions of some who ought rather
to have assisted in promoting all fitting meanes of preserving
a good Correspondence rather then to raise, or cherish any
Jellousies or discontents betweene vs, and the People there.
But in regard the chiefest pretended Exceptions against those
lawes were (as wee are informed) conteyned in the Act of
Recognition of our Charter of the said Province from the late
King of England and in that other for the Oath of fidellity to
vs, wherein it seemes the words Absolute Lord and Proprietary
(which Tytle is the same that is given vs by the said Charter,
and the words Royall Jurisdiccon are stumbled at, by some
there who seeme to doubt that the former words should inferre
a Slavery in the people there to us, and the later Words exceed
the power intended to vs by the said Charter Wee thought fitt
hereby to declare, that as the former words importe noe such
Odious and Sinister interpretation, Soe wee call God to Witt-
ness) wee neither had nor haue any intention to inslaue the
People there by them, or any other way whatsoever But
indeede the Lawes themselves doe sufficiently clere our inten-
tions herein to all Wellmeaneing men if they be well con-
sidered, ffor the Act of Recognition, and also the said oath of
ffidellity haue both relation to our said Charter which provided
that All Lawes shall be made by Vs, and our Heires there with
the Consent of the ffreemen of our said Province or their
Deputies, or the Maior parte of them, And by severall other
Acts conteined in the said Body of lawes there is Provision made
for freedome of Conscience for freedome of Taxes, but such as
shalbe laid with the Assemblyes Consent; for freedome from
Martiall lawe, but onely in tyme of Campe or Garrison,
and within such Campe or Garrison; ffor freedom of being
Compelled in any kind to Contribute to any warr, out of our
said Province without the Consent of the Assembly; ffor ffree-
dome of Trade with the Natiues vpon reasonable Conditions
tending more to publick good, and tranquillity, then to our
owne advantage. How therefore under such Essentiall Pro-
visions of Safety and freedome, any reasonable People vpon
mature Consideration can haue any just occasion of Jellousies of
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U. H.
Journal
1659-69
p. 6
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being enslaved, Wee nor Certainely any well-disposed Person
can imagine. As to those other words of Royall Jurisdiction,
Wee doe hereby declare that it is intended by our said charter
that wee should haue all such Jurisdiction there as the Bishops
of Durham at any tyme heretofore ever had, Excersied, or
enioyed, or might haue had Exercised, or enioyed in Temporalls
within the Bishoprick or County Pallatine of Durham in the
Kingdome of England, And Wee are well satisfied by learned
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p. 7
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