$$2 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



were displeased for his settling at Westchester, being by my Lord of London, 

 sent for Rye, and that he should get a line or two either from my Lord Corn- 

 bury, or, at least, from me, to satisfy him in that matter. I, did in October last, 

 give my Lord of London my reasons for the necessity of his being settled at 

 Westchester, the people in that place having been the first in this county who 

 desired a minister of the Church ; and, being disappointed, might have been of 

 ill consequence ; for no sooner was Mr. Bartow arrived, but ye vestry immedi- 

 ately came to mc and gave me no rest until I consented to use my interest with 

 my Lord Cornbury to have him inducted there ; and the inhabitants of Rye, sup- 

 posing Westchester was first to be supply'* 1 , were easy in that matter ; there 

 being on one hand, no fear of disobliging the people of Rye, and on the other, 

 great danger of hurting the interest of the Church at Westchester, I desired my 

 Lord Cornbury to induct him there ; and what I did therein, being intended for 

 the best, I beg that the Society would not take amiss. Sir, being favor'd with 

 this opportunity, I cannot omitt giving you the state of this county in relation 

 to the Church, and shall begin the history thereof from the time I first came 

 amongst them, which was about twelve years ago, when I found it the most 

 rude and heathenish country I ever saw in my whole life, which called them- 

 selves Christians— there being not so much as the least marks or footsteps of 

 religion of any sort. Sundays being the only time sett apart by them for all 

 manner, of vain sports and lewd diversions, and they were grown to such a 

 degree of rudeness, that it was intolerable ; and, having then the command of 

 the militia, I sent an order to all the captains, requiring them to call their men. 

 under arms, and to acquaint them that in case they would not, in every town, 

 agree amongst themselves to appoint readers and pass the Sabbath in the best 

 manner they could, till such times as they could be better provided : that they 

 should every Sunday call their companies under arms, and spend the day in ex- 

 ercise, whereupon it was unanimously agreed on thro' the county, to make 

 choice of readers ; which they accordingly did, and continued in those methods 

 some time. After which the people of Westchester, Eastchester, and a place 

 called Lower Yonkers, agreed with one Warren Mather, and the people of Rye, 

 with one Mr. Woodbridge, both of New England, there being at that time scarce 

 six in the whole county who so much as inclined to ye Church. After Mr. 

 Mather had been with them for some time, Westchester Parish made choice of 

 me for one of their church-wardens, in hopes of using my interest with Colonel 

 Fletcher to have Mather inducted to ye living. I told them it was altogether 

 impossible for me to comply with their desire, it being wholly repugnant to the 

 laws of England to compell the subject to pay for the maintenance of any min- 

 ister who was not of the national Church, and that it lay not in any governor's 

 power to help them ; but since they were so zealous for having religion and 

 good order settled amongst them, I would propose a medium in that matter; 

 which was, that there being at Boston a French Protestant minister, one Mr. 

 Bondett, a very good man, who was in orders by my Lord of London, and 

 could preach both in English and French; and the people of New Rochelle 

 being destitute of a minister, we would call Mr. Bondett to the living, and the 

 parish being large enough to maintain two, we would likewise continue Mr. 

 Mather, and support him by subscriptions. The vestry seemed to be extremely 

 well pleased with this proposal, and desired me to send for Mr. Bondett, which 



