Soon after the receipt of said letters, said Captain Leisler Stiled himself Lieut Govenor Appointed A Council -- & presumeth to Call a Select number of his own Party, who called themselves the General Assembly of the province & by their advice & assistance raised Several Taxes, & great sums of money from their Majesties good subjects within this province which Taxes together with that j£773.12, in money which he had Seized from the government, & the whole revenue he apply'd to his own use, & to maintain said Disorders allowing his private men IS** p' Day, & to others l)roportionally.

On the 20th of January following Col^ Bayard & M' Nicholls,

LIEUT. GOV. LEISLEiU 431

Imd the III fortune to fall into his hands, & were in a J5arbarou8 manner By a party in Arms, Diagg'd into the fort, & there Put i-nto a Nasty place, without any manner of process or being allowed to Bail, though the same was offered for Said Col' Bayard by some of the Ablest & Richest Inhabitants to the sum of Twenty thousand Pounds, either for his Appearance to Answer, or depart the province, or to go for England, but without any cause given, or reason assigned, Laid Said CoU Bayard in Irons & Kept him & M"^ Nicolls close prisoners for the space of 14 months, were they with Severall others, that had been long detained Prisoners were set at Liberty by Govenor Sloughter.

And whilst he kept those gentlemen in Prison, he quartered his Armed men in their houses, were they committed all manner of Outrages, & to give one instance of many others a Party of twelve men were quartered at the house of Col° Bayard with directions to Pillage & Plunder at discretion, which was bought off with money &, Plentifull entertainment, But the same day when the party had received their money, another Party came m with naked Swords, Opened several Chambers & Chests in said house, & did rob & carry away what money & other goods they found, at the same time Col' Bayard & M^ Nicolls were taken.