But in 1700, King William the Third gave his approbation and confirmation to the settlement of 16S3, whereby they were ever included in New York.

THE TOWN OF BF.DFORD.

Under the act of 1693, the Church of England (which had been guaranteed her freedom under Magna Charta, upon which the common law is founded,) was settled throughout the Province and became therefore entitled to the public encouragement, leaving the Dissenters at liberty to maintain a minister of their own persuasion, but obliging them to support the clergyman settled by law. Surely Independents or Congregationalists had no right whatever to complain of this; "For, while under the laws of Connecticut, they taxed Churchmen without mercy and all others to support their established religion and blue-laws, and that too without representation. This, the Church in all her plenitude of power, never practised; for all tax-payers might be represented at parish meetings, if they so desired it. In consequence of the Church being settled by law, all lands set aside at public town meetings for the provision of a minister, all glebes and parsonages voted for their habitation and maintenance, and all meeting houses raised by public tax or distress on the people, unless particularly named, became vested in the ministry settled by common law and coeval with its existence."1

Pursuant to the act of assembly, a meeting of the parishioners was held at Rye, Feb'y 28th, 1695, when Deliverance Brown and Isaac Denham were chosen vestry-men for Bedford. In 171 1, this precinct paid towards the rectors support and poor of the parish, ^5, J5.