Dongan gave to his Iroquols allies medals showing were British subjects, and caused the arms of the they Duke of York to be erected in all their castles. The French invited their converts to Canada ; Dongan solicited them to remain, and obtained a promise from those who had already possession ; that

gone to return.

He would give them lands and priests and

built them a church.

In the fall of 1686, he sent fifty citizens of Albany and New York to winter with the Senecas^ and used his influence with the Mabicans to

join the

Iroquois in

an alli

ance for mutual defense.

Meanwhile the Duke of York (1685), under the title of James II, had succeeded the sensual Charles II, as king of England. The duke was an intense Catholic, and his eleva tion gave courage to the Jesuit fathers, who could with additional force, his aid in extending their work.

now ask, Dongan

appealed to him and endeavored to arouse him to the necessity of protecting the province and of maintaining the alliance with

" The Five " are a bulwark the Iroquois. Nations," said he, between us and the French and all other Indians. This go vernment has always been, and still is, at a great expense to

keep them peaceable and annexed to this government, which is of that moment that upon any occasion I can have three or four thousand of their men upon call."

The interests of trade also

required this alliance, in his opinion, not less than the security of the English. To this end he asked for Catholic priests in