After the death of M'' Urquhart there was nothing but great threatenings thundered against the Church and parsonage but Col''- Ingoldsby then Lieut: Governor of this Colony recommended to the adjacent Ministers to serve the cure alternately during the vacancy w^hich they aU did willingly at their own expence and in the meantime the Widow of the deceased M^' Urquliart w^as suffered to live and enjoy the benefit of the parsonage house and Glebe.

No sooner wtis her Majesty pleased to remove Colonel Ingoldsby from the Government whereby the same devolved on Col" Gerhardus Beekman as jjresident of the Council, but the very next day being the lU^ of April 1710 several of the mor« violent of that sect took i)ossession of tlie Churcli and forcibly

PAPERS RELATING TO CHURCHES IN QUEENS CQUNTi'. 229

detained the same against a Justice of the peace who came pursuant to the laws in that case made and provided and recorded the Story as in his view and committed the offenders who afterwards were set at liberty upon their recognizances to appear at the next Sessions at which time they appeared and were by the Court fined so very small that Tho' there were six oifenders all their fines amounted to no more than Eighteen sliillings which was put upon them not as a punishment but rather a cautionary admonition not to attempt any tiling of the like nature for the futiu-e wliich mild dealing was so far from having any effect upon the Criminals that they put in a petition to the President and Coimcil arraigning the Justices of the Court of Sessions in passing against them and on their allegations alone the Justices were ordered to appear by their Counsel to answer before the President & Council concerning what they had judicially done in their full Sessions and the Criminals so far encouraged as to have their several fines remitted them and the Justices dismissed from their further attendance as having acted according to Law ; such an examination as this is unwarrantable and contrary to the known laws of the land (as we are advised) and of dangerous consequence as taking matters out of .the ordinary course of the Law by which only they ought to be examined & determined.