LEISLER 159

Dongan and Andros, had been called in, and other
Commissions issued in the name of their present Majes-
ties, and only to those who were well affected thereto.
But our efforts thus to secure their Majesties interests
have been greatly misrepresented, and we have been
loaded with reproaches; our actions have been called a
Dutch plot, although three quarters of the inhabitants
are of Dutch descent, and speak Dutch; and our ruin is
threatened, if the government ever falls into the hands
of our opponents.

To this lengthy defense Bayard and Nicolls
made response as follows:

Jacob Leisler a man of desperate fortune, ambitiously
did assume unto himselfe the title of Lieutenant-Go ver-
nor of this Province of New York, and chose a councel of
ye meanest and most abject common people; made to
himself a Broad Seale, which he called ye Seale of ye
Province, with ye usuall armes of Kings of England;
and affixed the same to some unlawful graunts of land
within this Province; and commissionated under ye
same Justices of ye Peace, in whose hartes were mis-
chief e. He constituted Courts of Oyer and Terminer,
and tryed severall subjects for pretended treason,
murther and other crimes. He taxed and levied monney
upon their Majesties subjects to their grievous oppres-
sion and great impoverishment. When he wanted more
money for his occasions, he forcebly robbed and spoiled,
broke open doors and locx were he guissed it was to be
found, and carried away to ye vallue of some thousands
of pounds in money or goods; and all this against the