The Committee, after having in vain endeavored to pursuade me to furnish the blankets, gave orders to 6earch my house and get them ; but the proper steps having been taken, none were found. The next time the Committee met, they ordered me to pay upwards of thirty shillings to these guards, which I refused ; and was again put under guard till I did pay it. I was soon after sent to the County Committee of Westchester, on a complaint from the Committee of Cortlandt's manor, that I entertained principles inconsistent with the American cause. Tbe County Committee referred the matter to the Provincial Committee ; but as my principles were only complained of, without any part of my conduct being impeached, and the Declaration of Independence being then just at hand, which, it was thought, would bring the clergy in general under persecution, I was, for that time dismissed.

"I continued the services of the Church within my mission for three Sundays after the Declaration of Independence by the Congress, and should have proceeded still and took the consequences, but I was informed that all the clergy, in this and the neighboring provinces, had discontinued the public service till it might be performed under the protection of his Majesty, excepting only Mr. Beach, of Connecticut, who hath continued his church till very lately. Under these circumstances, I considered that my dissenting from the practice of my brethren would not only set me up as a single mark of vengeance-- and as every appearance of disunion among the clergy might be disadvantageous to the Church hereafter ; viewing the matter in this light, I thought it best to comply with the general practice of the clergy. On the 21st of Oct. I was made a prisoner and sent to the Court of Fishkill as an enemy to the Independence of America, when (except that sometimes 1 was indulged to visit my family a few days) I was kept on parole through the winter at my own expense, which was very great.