THE TOWN OF NEW ROCHELLE. 615 



yesterday preached and administered the sacrament at Rye. Mr. Bartow did us 

 also the favour to meet us at Mr. Bondet's, and his congregation being desired to 

 be at church, after the service had been performed by Mr. Bartow, and a very 

 good sermon preached to them by Mr. Sharp, the heads of their congregation de- 

 sired Mr. Bondet to read and present me with a paper, returning me thanks for 

 my endeavours in settling them in their religious affairs, which I send you here- 

 with. Whereupon, those gentlemen of the clergy and I did advise them to ad- 

 dress the Society ; acquainting them with their resolution of conforming to the 

 rules and discipline of the Church, to pray their assistance in supporting their 

 minister, and to send them a number of common prayer books in the ffrench 

 language, which is here enclosed, and also an instrument in ffrench, being a de- 

 claration of their inclinations to conform to the rules of the Church. We all of 

 us promised them not only to recommend them in the best manner we could, but 

 also to prevail with Col. Nicholson and Col. Morris to do the like. I believe I 

 need not use many arguments to persuade the Society to do what they can con- 

 veniently for them; for Mr. Bondet, besides his serving the people of New 

 Rochelle, will be of great use in assisting the ministers of the other Parishes — and 

 not only that, but if these people are favourably received and encouraged, it will 

 be a great means to influence the ffrench congregation in New York likewise to 

 conform ; and I am not without hopes of effecting my desired end of having this 

 county divided into three Parishes, by which means we should effectually shut 

 out all sectaries from ever crowding in upon us. I can hardly express how great 

 comfort and satisfaction it is to me to see this work brought near so happy an is- 

 sue and for which I have been laboring in vain many years ; and the only thing 

 that obstructed it was, that the Government would not give us leave — and which 

 was almost the only cause that none of your churches have throve better in this 

 Province. The ffleet are just upon sailing, and I am in a very great hurry in 

 concluding my letters, but I must beg leave to refer you to my next and remain, 

 worthy sir, Your affectionate humble servant, 



Caleb Heathoote."* 



The subjoined address is from the inhabitants of New Rochelle to the 

 Society. It must have been written in 1709, and not the previous year 

 as the MSS. has it : — 



TO THE RIGHT REVEREND AND RIGHT HONOURABLE AND 



VENERABLE SOCIETY FOR PROPAGATION OF 



THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS. 



"The humble petition of several inhabitants of 

 the town of New Rochelle, in the Province of New 

 York, in behalf of themselves and other inhabi- 

 tants of the said Place. 

 The extraordinary care that your Honorable Society hath shewn in these parts 

 of America, for the settlement of the Church in places which want directions and 

 encouragement, to come to the happy terms of union and conformity to the 

 national Church of England, makes us confidently to hope that your charity will 



a New York, MSS. from archives at Pulham, vol. i, pp. 187-8-9. (Hawfcs.) 



