Again, the General Court at Hartford lay claim to, and demand, in virtue of the newly obtained patent [^that for Connecticut of 1662], all the country lying South of the aforesaid line of 42^ degrees, and westerly until it touches another Royal Patent, and therein include all of New

III. Col. Hist., 478.

2 Maseachusetts declined to take part iu the Becond coaference.

Netherland, south to the seacoast, and west to a Royal patent; and furthermore declare positively; --

'' First. Contrary to the advice of the other three colonies, that the treaty concluded at Hartford, An". 1650, is null and void.

"Secondly. That they will dissolve the Union with the other three colonies, [rather] than acquiesce, to the prejudice of their patent, in the advice of the Commissioners at Boston.

" Thirdly. They know no New Netherland, nor government of New Netherland, except only the Dutch plantation on the Island of Manhatan.

"Fourthly. They will and must take Westchester, and all the English towns on Long Island, under their protection, by virtue of their patent, without being obliged to wait for any farther order of the King, since such was their understanding.

"Fifthly and lastly. 'Tis evident and clear from their repeated declaration, that were Westchester and the five English towns on Long Island,^ surrendered by us to the Colony of Hartford, and what we have justly possessed and settled on Long Island left to us, it would not satisfy them, because it would not be possible to bring them sufficiently to any further arrangement with us by commissioners to be chosen on both sides by the mediation of a third party; and as in case of disagreement, they assert in addition, that they may possess and occupy, in virtue of their unlimited patent,* the lands lying vacant and unsettled on both sides of the North River and elsewhere, which would certainly always cause and create new pretensions and disputes, even though the Boundary were provisionally settled here." He further says, that if a settlement of all disputes cannot be obtained and effected through their High Mightinesses with "Ambassador Douwuing,"^ and by them both, and their High Mightinesses Resident in England, with his Majesty, "by next spring, one of two things is certainly and assuredly to be apprehended ; -- bloodshed, and with bloodshed, which they seem only to wish, loss of all we possess, if proper, active, opposition be not offered to the English or their daily encroachments and intrusions; reducing under their obedience now this, and then that, place, and occupying suitable spots, here and there, up the North river, and elsewhere, abundance of which are yet unpeopled and unsettled." «