tenor of whose commission was, in special, to reduce the Dutch at the Manhato’s to his Majesty’s obedience; which, in some short time, was accomplished; and the place and jurisdiction thereof, surrendered up unto his Majesty’s said commissioners, who styled it by the name of New York, and placed a government over it of his Majesty’s subjects, the aforesaid Colonel Richard Nicolls being governor in chief there. And whereas they were likewise commissioned to hear and determine such differences as might be amongst the colonies, in respect unto the bounds of their jurisdictions; some such differences were by them heard, and in special betwixt Plimouth and Rhode Island, and such settlement therein concluded as they were capacitated unto. As also sundry propositions were by them made to several of the respective jurisdictions, which, together with the agitations concerning them, and the answers unto them, are elsewhere extant.¹³

To our trusty and well-beloved, our Governor and Council of New Plimouth, greeting.

Charles Rex,

Trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well. We need not enlarge upon our care of, and affection to that our plantation of New Plimouth, when we give you such a testimony and manifestation of it, in the sending of those gentlemen, persons well known unto us, and deserving from us, our trusty and well- beloved Col. Richard Nicolls, Sir Robert Carr, knight, George Cartwright, Esq., and Samuel Maverick, Esq., our commissioners to visit you, and other our plantations in those parts of New England, and to give us a full and particular information and account of your present state and condition, and how the same may be advanced and improved by any further acts of grace and favour from us toward you; and that both you and all the world may know and take notice, that we take you into our immediate protection, and will no more suffer you to be oppressed or injured by any foreign power, or ill neighbours, than we would suffer our other subjects that live upon the same continent with us, to be so injured and oppressed. And as our care and protection will, we doubt not, be sufficient, with God’s blessing, to defend you from foreign force; so our care and circumspection is, no less, that you may live in peace amongst yourselves, and with those our other subjects who have planted themselves in your neighbour colonies, with that justice, affection, and brotherly love, which becomes subjects born under the same prince, and in the same country, and of the same faith and hope in the mercies of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And to the end there may be no contentions and differences between you, in respect of the bounds and jurisdiction of your several colonies; the hearing and determining whereof we have referred to our commissioners, as the right appears by clear evidence and testimony before them, or that they can settle it by your mutual consent and agreement; otherwise, in cases of difficulty, they shall present the same to us, who will determine according to our own wisdom and justice. The address you formerly made to us, gave us so good satisfaction of your duty, loyalty, and affection to us, that we have not the least doubt that you will receive those commissioners in such manner as becomes you, and as may manifest your respect and affection towards us, from whom they are sent. They will let you know the resolution we have to preserve all your liberties and privileges, both ecclesiastical and civil, without the least violation; which we presume will dispose you to manifest, by all ways in your power, loyalty and affection to us, that all the world may know that you do look upon yourselves as being as much our subjects, and living under the same obedience under us, as if you continued in your natural country. And so we bid you farewell.

Given at our court, at Whitehall, April 23, 1654, in the sixteenth year of our reign.

By his Majesty’s special command,
Henry Bennet.¹⁴

After the said his Majesty’s commissioners had visited several of the jurisdictions of New England, and were courteously entertained in every of them, the said honourable Colonel Richard Nicolls is settled at New York, for the present, being governor there, as is before noted. George Cartwright, Esq., went for England, in the latter end of the year, with Mr. Benjamin Gillam, and was taken by the Dutch, and afterwards, with some difficulty, arrived in England. Sir Robert Carr is, at the present, at Delaware, and Mr. Samuel Maverick, at Boston.¹⁵