Chapter 6 No.6

Massachusetts during the last four years of Charles the Second and the three years'

reign of James the Second, from 1680 to 1689; the immediate causes and manner of

cancelling the first Charter. 204-220

Crisis approaching; the double game of Massachusetts Bay Court played out; threat of a writ of

quo warranto 204

Proceedings of Massachusetts Bay Court; offer a bribe to the King; bribe clerks of the Privy Council 205

The Massachusetts Bay Court refuse the proposed conditions of perpetuating the Charter; refuse

submission to the King on any conditions; determine to contest in a Court of Law; agents restricted;

the King provoked 206

The Governor and a majority of the assistants or magistrates vote in favour of submitting to the King's

decision; the Ministers advise, and a majority of the deputies vote against it 208

A writ of quo warranto issued and sent, June and July, 1683, summoning the Corporation of

Massachusetts Bay to defend their acts against the complaints and charges (thirteen in number) made

against them, but assuring the inviolableness of private property, and offering to stay legal proceedings

against the Corporation in case of their submitting to the decision of the King, on the points heretofore

required by his Majesty as conditions of perpetuating the Charter 208

The Colony of Massachusetts Bay divided; origin of parties; the Governor and a majority of the "Upper

Branch of the Government" were the moderate or loyalist party; the majority of the "House of Deputies,"

whose "elections were controlled by the ministers," were the independence party; violent language by

Dr. Increase Mather, whose appeal from man to God was decided against him (in a note) 209

Resolutions of the two Houses of the Court on the subject 210

Notice to the Massachusetts Bay Court of the issue of the writ of quo warranto, to answer to the

complaints against them, received October, 1683; judgment given July 1685, nearly two years afterwards 211

The questions at issue unfairly put to popular vote in Massachusetts; remarks on Mr. Palfrey's account of

the transactions 211

Results of the fall of the Charter; death of Charles the Second; proclamation of the accession of James

the Second; appointment of Joseph Dudley as Governor; character of his seven months' government 212

Appointment of Andros as local Governor and Governor-General; popular beginning of his government;

his tyranny; seized at Boston and sent prisoner to England; acquitted on account of having obeyed

his instructions 215

Toleration first proclaimed in Massachusetts by James the Second; thanked by the Massachusetts Bay

Court, and its agent in England, the Rev. Increase Mather, for the proclamation which lost the King

the Crown of England 216

Concluding review of the characteristics of the fifty-four years' government of Massachusetts Bay

Government under the first Charter 217