Honored sirs -- Sir the bearer hereof being bound to Newhaven I thought it my duty to acquaint yow of what is past since the departure from hence of Major Gold & Capt ffitch which I desire you after the perusall to send it to them as directed, I have since writt to Major Gold & made him acquaint that I had raised thirty four men, and brought them in the fort I was denied of some magistrates to administer to them the oath prescribed, and after I could not find so they are not sworne, yet some of the Committie of Safty are arryved & hope they will meet to day, wee expect with impatience the ten souldiers from your parts, he that was sent was not accepted by the advice of the bearer, the reasone I referre to his verball report, I was ordered to repaire the fort out of his Mamies revenue since the first of Jime, but there is nothing nor like to be, they offer me the peoples entries who intends to dispute the legallity thereof I have a carpenter to work, but his work little appeares in a fort so out of repaire as this is, our adversaries & opposers in our present work keept us in a continuall feare, as you

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will find by the enclosed coppies & what follows. I am informed that they haveing knowledge that fifty men was ordered by the committee to keep the fort for liis MaUe and that I should beat Ihe drum for them, they had amongst themselves listed 50 men who intended upon the beat of the drum to offer themselves voluntiers to serve his Ma^ie for nothing, If refused by me to pike a quarrell and make some scandalous pretence upon me, If accepted to goe fairly in the fort with me & to turne me & the other appoynlefl oflftcers out, butt I listed myne souldiers by still drum & they were frustrated, then the magistrats who also have been disapprovers of our actiones of securing the fort, send to me three of their company and acquainted me they intended to ring the bell and meet together to administer justice, In quality as Major Aldermen & common councill by vertue of the King James his Commission, saying they could doe good justice for King William & Queen Mary, by vertue of the s^ Kings Commission, how farre wee ought to give credit to such sham protestationes I referre to your judgment being persones who have alwayes opposed their Ma'ies interest & desired me to defend them from all enjuries they were threatened I answered them that I had the charge from the country to defend the fort for their Mamies, and so I intended not to hinder them, they should also not expect any help from me. and I doubt not if they meet as justices, noe boddy should oppose them, they did not meet, I sent also for them to come to me, and I desired a positive answer of their acceptance or deniall to administer the oath to the listed souldiers which they refused to doe in the fort, but if I would draw them out they would, which I refused, soe they ofFerred if I would send them single to the citty hall they would administer the oath to them which I proposed to ihe souldiers wdio were willing to take the oath in their garrisone. and besides they were opposers of our actiones, I sent to Mr Cortland alse editor for the kings revenue from the first of June, to repaire the kings fort, he answered he had nothmg but the late collector had it, he was at Coll: donganes, at his arryvall said he had nothing but the entries, I examined a boatman comeing from Jersey having heard some rumour of some enterprise upon the citty and fort & received the within Informatione N: 1: whereupon I