Page:1689 Boston Revolt - First Address to William III.jpg

TO

The King and Queens

Moſt Excellent Majeſties.

The Humble

ADDRESS

OF THE

Preſident and Councel for the Safety of the People, and Conſervation of the Peace.

⁠Dread Majeſties,

The late Glorious Enterprize atchieved by your Royal Highneſs through the Bleſſing of Heaven, attended with ſuch Happy Succeſs for the Relief and Deliverance of the Diſtreſſed Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland from the Miſeries of Popery and Slavery, and then coming in upon them with a ſeeming irreſiſtible Power, hath not only fill'd the Hearts of all the good Subjects of thoſe three Kingdoms, but alſo of the Plantations depending thereupon, with unſpeakable Joy, and will doubtleſs Influence all the Proteſtant Kingdoms and places of Europe, and Erect an Everlaſting Monument of Praiſe to your Royal Name; The Gladſome Tydings whereof hath reach'd theſe American Plantations, to their no ſmall Rejoycing, which your poor diſtreſſed Subjects of this Land hold themſelves obliged to acknowledge with all hearty Thankfulneſs: Firſt, to Almighty God, the Soveraign Ruler of the World; And next, unto Your Royal Self, as an Inſtrument ſpirited by him to ſo Heroick and Hazardous an Undertaking. Your Three ſeveral Princely Delarations put forth on that Occaſion, Encouraging the Engliſh Nation to caſt off the Yoak of a Tyrannical and Arbitrary Power, which at that time they were held under, have occurred to the View and Conſideration of the People in this Country, being themſelves under alike (if not worſe) Evil and Unhappy Circumſtances with their Brethren of England. Firſt, by unrighteouſly depriving them of their Charter, Government, and Priviledges, without any Hearing or Tryal, and under utter Impoſſibilities of having Notice of any Writ ſerved upon them; And then followed with the Exerciſe of an Illegal and Arbitrary Power over them, which had almoſt ruined a late Flouriſhing Country, and was become very Grievous and Intolerable, beſides the growing Miſeries, and daily Fears of a Total Subverſion by Enemies at Home, and Invaſion by Foreign Force. The People thereby excited to imitate ſo Noble and Heroick an Example, being ſtrongly and unanimouſly ſpirited to intend their own Safeguard and Defence, reſolved to ſeize upon and ſecure ſome of the Principal Perſons concerned, and moſt active in the ill Management of the Illegal and Arbitrary Government ſet over them by Commiſſion. Accordingly, on the Eighteenth Day of April laſt paſt, aroſe as one Man, ſeized upon Sir Edmond Androſs the late Governour, and other of the Evil Inſtruments, and have ſecured them for what Juſtice, Order from Your Majeſties ſhall direct, exhibiting and publiſhing a Declaration, ſetting forth ſome of the General Grounds and Reaſons provoking them to ſuch an Action; which, though ſo unformed and entred upon under ſuch diſadvantages, yet by the good Providence of God was ſo over-ruled, by the interpoſing and prudence of ſome Gentlemen upon the place, that the thing was effected without the leſt Bloodſhed or plunder, for which we deſire to pay our acknowledgment of praiſe unto the Soveraign ruler of all things.

The Declaration of the People is herewith emitted, to be humbly preſented unto your Majeſties, the Demonſtration and Proofs of the ſeveral Articles and Charges contained in the ſaid Declaration, with other Informations not inferiour, will be preparing to be offered in the ſeaſon thereof.

And now Dread Majeſties, having given this brief Narrative of the preſent Circumſtances of things amongſt us, hoping for your Majeſties Favourable Interpretation, and Gracious Reſentment of this people and of the Action; bearing ſuch Conformity to Methods which the Engliſh Nation hath been driven to take for their Deliverance.

We proſtrate at Your Majeſties Feet, perſwading our ſelves that we ſhall not be forgotten nor left without our ſhare in the Univerſal Reſtauration of Charters and Engliſh Liberties, which the whole Nation is at this day made happy withal, and for which we moſt humbly Supplicate, that under the ſhadow of Your Imperial Crown, we may again be made to flouriſh in the enjoyment of our Ancient Rights and Priviledges, being the ſole encouragement unto our Fathers and Predeceſſors, at their own great Coſt and Expence to ſettle this Collony, to the Enlargement of the Engliſh Dominion, and ſo much for the Glory of that Crown, we heartily Congratulate Your Majeſties Happy Acceſſion to the Throne,

Praying for the Long and Proſperous Reign of Your Royal Majesties.