1913.] SIR EDMUND, HIS SON. 57 



revoke the Charters of Massachusetts and the other colonies. 

 There is a well-known story to the effect that, when at Hart- 

 ford, in October 1687, he intended to take the Connecticut 

 Charter bodily away with him, but when, at his command, it 

 was brought in and laid on the table, the lights were suddenly 

 blown out, and when they were re-lighted the Charter was 

 gone. It had been taken away by Captain Wadsworth and 

 hidden in the hollow of an oak tree. This tree stood for 

 nearly 1 70 years after, and was always known as the " Charter 

 Oak." W 



On this occasion Sir Edmund wrote to Secretary 

 Blathwayt as follows : — " I received his Matys comand for 

 annexing Connecticut, which, having communicated to the 

 Council 1, I resolved as necessary. I sett out as soon as I 

 could and well accompanied for said service, and ye first 

 Magistrates being there, removed sd colony under Government 

 accordingly.*' (2 > 



On April 7th, 1K88, New York and New Jersey were 

 also placed under his command, and he deputed Francis 

 Nicholson there to act as his deputy. 



Sir Edmund was a shrewd man of business as well as 

 being a good soldier and he had long seen the political value 

 of friendship with the American Indians. While Governor 

 of New York he had himself gone to the stronghold of the 

 Mohawks and made terms with the Chiefs in person ; and in 

 September, 1688, he hastened to Albany to conclude a Treaty 

 of Peace with the Five Nations of Indians. 



But hitherto they had broken treaties with impunity, and 

 with the proverbial treachery of the Red man they continued 

 to raid and plunder British territory and to threaten its 

 inhabitants with torch and tomahawk. On hearing this Sir 

 Edmund at once ordered General Winthrop to march against 

 them ; " but he " (wrote Secretary Randolph to the Lords of 

 Trade in England) <3 > "unwilling to serve his native country 

 and others also refusing that command, the Governor himself 



undertook that difficult fatigue in the depth of winter 



Upon the first frost he was out a walk at the head of 120 men, 

 marching afoot thro' dismall and almost impassable swamps." 

 In spite of all these hardships and his small following, he 

 returned victorious to Boston in March, 1689. 



In justice to those who refused to accompany him Ave must 

 remember that, to the men of the 17th Century, the Indians 

 were held to be Magicians as well as devil worshippers, so that 



(1) Eggleston's School History of the United States. 



(2) An Old Time Colonial Secretary, Fortnightly Review, Sept., 1910. 



(3) New York Colonial Documents IV., p. 860. 



