1687.] ATTITUDE OF DONGAN. 159 



receive no more French Jesuits into their towns, 

 and to call home their countrymen whom these 

 fathers had converted and enticed to Canada. 

 " Obey my commands," added the governor, " for 

 that is the only way to eat well and sleep well, 

 without fear or disturbance." The Iroquois, who 

 wanted his help, seemed to assent to all he said. 

 " We will fight the French," exclaimed their orator, 

 " as long as we have a man left." 1 



At the same time, Dongan wrote to Denonville 

 demanding the immediate surrender of the Dutch 

 and English captured on the lakes. Denonville 

 angrily replied that he would keep the prisoners, 

 since Dongan had broken the treaty of neutrality 

 by " giving aid and comfort to the savages." The 

 English governor, in return, upbraided his corre- 

 spondent for invading British territory. " I will 

 endevour to protect his Majesty's subjects here 

 from your unjust invasions, till I hear from the 

 King, my Master, who is the greatest and most 

 glorious Monarch that ever set on a Throne, and 

 would do as much to propagate the Christian 

 faith as any prince that lives. He did not send me 

 here to suffer you to give laws to his subjects. I 

 hope, notwithstanding all your trained soulcliers 

 and greate Officers come from Europe, that our 

 masters at home will suffer us to do ourselves jus- 

 tice on you for the injuries and spoyle you have 

 committed on us ; and I assure you, Sir, if my 

 Master gives leave, I will be as soon at Quebeck as 



1 Dongan' s Propositions to the Five Nations ; Answer of the Five Nations, 

 N. Y. Col. Docs., III. 438, 441. 



