Tliis with their Treatnings being done in the Spring, tlie best planting time for Indian Corn, (the Chief of their subsistance) damp'd the spirits of these poor people, slackned tlieir Industry and did 'em great damage.

In the year 1717 Came the Gouvernor to Albany, and sent orders to the Inhabitants of the land Schorie, that 3 men of every village shou'd appear before him on a day appointed, and particularly the abovenam'd Captain Weiser.

When they appear'd before him, he said, that he wou'd hang John Conrad Weiser, and order'd them to answer him the 3 following questions viz.

1 . Why they went to inliabit the land Schorie without his order.

2. Wiiy they wou'd not agree with the Gentlemen at Albany.

3. Wliy they concerned themselves so much with t]]e Indians. Tlieir to the first question was, that His Excell : had ordered

them to shift for themselves, and denied them further subsistance, the utmost necessity and poverty forc'd tliera to remove thitlier to earn their bread for tlie maintenance of their Wifes and Children, and that they continu'd their settlement on the same motives in expectation of His Majesty's Grace and Plis Excell. lavoiu-.

Wlien they mention'd His Majesty, the Governour in a great passion said. What Great Britain, and M'" Lewingston added, here is y King, meaning the Governor, Wliereupon they beg"d his pardon, and that he would forgive them their Ignorance and Inadvertency.

To The second question they return'd this answer, that tlie people were so many, the land so small and the wags so bad, that it was impossible to agree with tlie Gentlemen on tlieir extravagant terms, especially after the vast expencc and labour they had had.