them lies keeping by their old Commissiones granted by the late King James authority, of which I have gott in some per force some willing about 150 : wee are resolued to gett them all, to our great griefe I must acquaint you of the sad and deplorable massacre which happened at skenectady near Albany by the french & their Indians the 9^^ of ffebruary last betwixt Saturday & Sunday at eleaven of the cloack in the night 200 men fell upon them & most barbarously murdered sixty two men women & children & burned the place left but 5 or 6 houses unburned carried away captive 27 the rest escaped many of which being about 25 persones much damnified by the french women with chyld ript up, children alive throwen into the flames, some their heads dashed ag* the doors & windows all occasioned by their neglect of their not watching, denying to obey under the command of the Commission of Sir Edmond, the s«^ commander being onely spared with all which belongs to him a safeguard being sett in his house & he himselfe to release the prisoners he desired, last Nover a certaine number of rebellious people at Albany calling themselves the convention & ruling by the arbitrary commission of Sir Edmond and encouraged and supported by some of the wicked creatures of Sir Edmond, desired from me assistance of men gunes ammunition & money being afeared of the french to whom we have sent 52 men 50 lbs match 950 lbs pouder, boulits &ct with arriving there agt their expectatione would not receive them, & were left there by the Inhabitants desire, the s^ rebells with their fort keept the Inhabitants under a faire I have sent up this winter & commissioned one Captn with 25 men to Joine with our confederate Indians to warre ag* the french at Canada, who were hindered by the s^^ rebells, who proclaimed upon paine of being punished for rebells if they mett above four men soe they were prevented to goe, we would else have discovered the Enemy & prevented that disaster, wee have intelligence of 900 men more out in parties to attacque Albany & New England, we have sent up forces & three members of the counsell to order all matters for his Mamies intrest & the safety of these provinces, they have also presents to the nationes of the confederate Indians & to endeavour to strengthen them & corroborate their enmities to the french & if they see meet