CHAPTER X

PRIVATEERS AND PIRATES

SLOUGHTER did not live long to enjoy his triumph
over Leisler, and his death came so suddenly that
the anti-Leislerites raised their eyebrows and
whispered "poison," while the Leislerites shrugged
their shoulders and sneered "delirium tremens."
Neither faction seemed particularly reluctant to
part with him.

Colonel Benjamin Fletcher, who was sent over
from England as the next Governor, arrived in New
York in the summer of 1692. His rule is chiefly
memorable for the founding of Trinity Church
and for the encouragement which he gave to
piracy. These strangely differing activities were
both obnoxious to the Dutch burghers, who were
almost as strongly opposed to the Church of Eng-
land as to that of Rome, and who suspected the
Governor of conniving at the practice of piracy or
at least of closing his eyes to the source of the