This Court considering the enlarged goodness of God to his people in this wilderness, in appearing so gloriously for their help in subdueing their Enemies* in so good a measure as he hath done, and his mercy in removing sickness from the land, in the comfortable and plentifull Harvest, that we have received, and the continuance of our priviledges and liberties, civil and ecclesiastical; hath moved this Court to nominate and appoynt the first day of November next, to be solemnly kept a day of publique thankesgiveing throwout this Colony to bless and prayse the Lord for his great mercy towards us, with prayer, that the Lord would help us in our lives and wayes to walke answerable to his abundant mercyes.

Whereas there is notice taken of some people that doe frequent the meetings of the Indians, theire meetings and dances, and doe allso joyne with them in their playes by wagering of their sides, which doth too much countenance them in those fooleries, if not encourage them in their Devill worship, for some acquainted with their customes doe say their exercises at such times is a principal part of their worship they attend; for the prevention whereof, this Court doe forbid all persons in this Colony from countenancing the Indians in such meetings by being present there, upon the penalty of forty shillings for every breach of this order; and whosoever shall joyne with them in any playes there used by the Indians, by playing, abetting, or layeing any wager concerning the running or falling of the game at any such playes, shall forfeit the sume of ten pounds, the one halfe of each forfeiture to be to the complayner, the other to the County Treasury, and whosoever shall not be able to pay his fine, he shall be corporally punished, at the discression of the County Court where such case shall be tryed.

1641. For preventing and avoiding that foule and gross

* Alluding to the successful termination of the late Indian War.

sin of lying, it is ordered that when any person or persons shall be accused and proved guilty of that vice, it shall bee lawfull for the particular Courte to sentence any such party, either by ffyne or bodily correction-(this to hold to the next Courte.)

1642.-The Goernour, Mr. Haynes, Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Welles and Mr. Phelps, are desired to consider with the Elders consearning the fynns of cursing Father or Mother, Incorrigibleness, ravishment, contempt of ordinances, Lying and Breach of promise, and make some Laws against them, and present them to the next Gen'l Courte.

1650.-Mr. Clark of Windsor is propounded by the Deputies of that Town, to be in nomination for a Magistrate, at the next Court of Election.

Whereas it doth appear to this Court that those Towns that are more remote, are at more greater charge in bringing the corn of their Towns for the ordinary country rates, than those Towns or persons that are nearer to the Treasuver place or places of payment, as occasions shall require: It is ordered by this Court, that for such corn as Windsor shall pay to the rates afores'd, bring down to Hartford in corn, they shall be allowed two pence in the bushel, and for what they carry to Weathersfield, three pence per bushel extra-Farmington, three pence, and if carried far, then a reasonable satisfaction.

1651-The Gov'r, Mr. Culluck and Mr Clark, are desired to go down to Stratford to keep Court upon the trial of Goody Bassett for her life, and if the Gov'r cannot go, then Mr Welles is to in his room.

go

1651-Thomas Thornton affirmed in Court, that it was reported there was 100 beeves killed in Fairfield last year. This Court appoints Lieutenant Robert Sealy to be chief military officer in Huntington, to exercise their trained soldiers.

The following is an extract from a Journal of a Dutch Traveller up the Connecticut River, in 1638, to Hartford, and for a short time was at the fort, then located at what is now called Dutch Point, at the mouth of Little River, at the South East corner of the City of Hartford when the fort was manned and armed about two centuries since, which has been translated from the original Dutch Journal, in the Philadelphia Library.

Third Voyage to New Netherlands (now New York) in Order to erect a Colonie on Staten Island,-for me and Frederick Vries, Secretary of the City of Amsterdam, and Director of the West Indian Co.

Ad. 1638, Sept. 25. On board of the ship of the West Indian Co. sailed from Holland-Dec. 26, got sight of sand pint (sandy point) the Capt'n imagining to see the land covered with snow, wanted to go to the West Indies to past the winter and return there against Spring. I told him that he certainly could enter into South River, but he having onely a very imperfect chart, did not know that such River existed. Hee then at the request of the passengers who all had their home in the new Netherlands, solicited me to pilot his ship, in which I did, and anchored yet the same evening before Staten Island, which was my property -and put my people on shore.

In the morning of the 27th, we anchored opposite the fort, where we were received with much joy, as they did not expect to see a vessel in that time of the year. I found now there a Governor named William Krift. He bid me welcome, and invited me in his house-1639, Jan'y 5.

Send my people to Staten island to commence the Colo nie and buildings. June 4th, went northward with a yacht, up the Versche river (I suppose the Connecticut River) where the West Indian Co. possesses a small fort called hreys de Hoop, (the house the hope) and anchored about evening in the easter haven, being a large and commodious haven on the north of long island; this Haven is in the

island where it is upwards of two miles wide. We found fine oysters there also. The dutch call it the Oyster Bay, or haven. We arrived the next evening on Rhodabergh, a fine haven, and found that the English were building a fine town, having already erected upwards of 300 houses, and fine church. In the morning of the 7th, we came opposite de Versche River, we went up the river and arrived at the 9th with my yacht at the fort het hues de hoop, where we found one Gyslert Van Dyek, as commander, with 14 or 15 soldiers. This fort is situated near the river and a small Kreek, forming there a fall, the English had also began to build here a town, against our will, and had already a fine church, and more than 100 houses erected. The commander gave me Orders to protest against their proceedings he added that some of his soldiers had prohibited them to put a plough in the ground, being it our land that we had bought of the Indians and payed for it-but they opposed them, and had gave a drubbing to the soldiers. When I came at the settlement the English Governor invited me to dinner. I told him during dinner that he acted very improper to take the lands of the Co. which were bought and payed for by them. He answered me that these lands were laying uncultivated, that we had been here already several years, and nothing was done to improve the ground, that it was a sin to leave such valuable lands uncultivated, that such fine crops could be raised of them, that they had now already built three towns on this river in which abundance of Salmon was (etz.)

The English here live sober. They drink only three times every meal, and those that become drunk are whipt on a pole as the thieves in Holland.

Our traveller speaks here a great deal of the vigerous conduct of the British in that settlement, it was with difficulty that he, the servant of the minister who had been tipsey, got free from being whipt-during he was there, a young man who had been married 2 months, was accused

before the elders of the Church by his brother, that he had slept with his wife before marriage, they were imprisoned and both whipped, and during the time of 6 weeks seperated from one another, perhaps if the fellow had been able to make akers of good ground with its girl, instead of children, they would have been only punished in forfeiting their increase.

BLUE LAWS. (PETERS, &C.)

1. The Governor and Magistrates convened in general Assembly, are the supreme power under God of this independent Dominion.

2. From the determination of the Assembly no appeal shall be made.

3. The Governor is amenable to the voice of the people. 4. The Gov'r shall have only a single vote in determining any question; except a casting vote, when the Assembly may be equally divided.

5. The Assembly of the people shall not be dismissed by the Governor, but shall dismiss itself.

6. Conspiracy against this dominion shall be punished with death. (Re-enacted in 1655.)

7. Whoever says there is power and jurisdiction above and over this Dominion, shall suffer death and loss of property. (Re-enacted 1656.)

8. Whoever attempts to change or overturn this Dominion, shall suffer death. (Also 1655.)

9. If any person turns Quaker, he shall be banished and not suffered to return upon the pain of death.

10. No Priest shall abide in this Dominion: he shall be banished, and suffer death on his return. Priests may be seized by any one without a warrant. 1656.

In force before

* Priest, as here used, refers to those of the Catholic order, as no other clergymen at that time bore the title of Priest.