If it was your pleasure to signifie to the instrumens of that evil the jalosie of your athorite and of the publique tranquility, you would do great good maintaining the honor of God in a Christian habitation, comforting some honest souls, wich bjing incompatible wjth such abominations, feal every day the burden of afflixon of their honorable perigrination aggravated. Hear us, pray, and so God be with you and prosper all your just undertakings and applications 'tis the sincere wish of your most respectuos servant,

D. Bondet, Minister of the Gospel in a French congregation at New Oxford,"

The government probably interfered and took measures to prevent the repetition of the evil complained of. The above paper was found in the secretary's office, and shown to me by Mr.

the name of Tliauvet Ecotonneau is placed above those of the elders : it Is possible that he was the first miuisler.

404 HISTORY OF THE

Secretary Bradford, who. at my request, searched the government papers, in aid of my inquiries. The " representation of the minister may have induced the government to appoint him a missionary to the natives in the neighborhood of Oxford ; for in another communication. Mr. Bradford informed me ;" " in 1695, Mr. Bondet, a French Protestant minister, preached to the Nipmug Indians, in the south of Worcester county.""-

The year of Mr. Bondet's settlement at New Rochelle was 1700. At first he used the French prayers, according to the Protestant Ciiurches of France; but in 1709 his congregation unanimously, with the exception of two individuals, followed the example of their French reformed brethren in England and New York, by conforming to the English Church.^ In doing this, the Huguenots followed the sentiment of their own church, which, from the beginning of the Reformation to this time, had allowed it to be lawful to do so, and condemned those who made any separation, but from the Church of Kome.^