could well support again." He goes on to say, " I continued tolerably quiet at home for a few weeks, till after the king's troops evacuated Boston, when the rebel army passing from thence to New York, bodies of them, consisting of twenty or thirty men, would every day or two, sometimes two or three times a day, come through Westchester, though five miles out of their way, and never failed to stop at my house."

"Soon after this, the British fleet and army arrived at Staten Island. The rebels then became very alert in apprehending the friends of government. Many had retired to Westchester from New York. These were first sought after : some escaped, many were seized. My situation became daily more critical, as they began to take up the inhabitants of the county. At length two ships of war came into the Sound and took their station in sight of my house.

Immediately the whole coast was guarded, that no one might go to them. Within a few days, the troops landed on Long Island, and the rebels we:e defeated ; a body of them then took post at the heights near King's bridge, in my parish, and began to throw up works. Another body fixed themselves within two miles of my house. For some time before, I had kept a good deal out of sight, lodging abroad, and never being at home for more than an hour or two at a time, and having a number of people whom I could depend upon, engaged, who punctually informed me of every circumstance that was necessary for me to know." With some difficulty he effected his escape to Long Island. The troops then, having burned the pews, converted his church into a hospital. They also quartered cavalry in his house, and consumed all the produce of his farm.