But that before the Receipt of his Excellency's Orders to wit on the 18 The Sherif, Justice of y^ peace & Eight other persons were at Schacomico where they found, All the Indians at Work on tlieir plantations Who seemed in a Consternation at the approach of the Sherif and his Company but received them Civilly That they found no Ammunition And as few Arms as Could be Expected for 44 men the Justice upraided the priests tliat they were Suspected to be disaffected to the Crown which they deny'd saying they were afraid of the French and their Indians and pretend that their Function or business is meerly to Gain Souls among the Heathens and that they had a Commission from the Archbishop of Canterbury and were ready to Shew their Credentials. That the Justice demanded of them to take the Oatlis but they refused through a Scruple of Conscience against Swearing as tliey pretended. That the Justice thenbonnd them over to Answer what Should be objected ag* tliem.

On Reading of which several papers the Council did advise bis Excellency lO write to the Sherif of Dutchess to Order thos« Mora-^'ian Priests to New York to attend his Excellency.

1014 PAPERS RELATING TO

SHERIFFS RETURN TO THE PRECEDING ORDER.

At a Council held at the Council Chamber of the City of New York the 26 th of July 1744. Present His Excellency the Honble George Clinton Esq"" Mf Kennedy M^ Horsmanden

M' Chief Justice M"" Murray.

His Excellency Communicated to the Council a Letter from Henry Filkin Esq^ High Sherif of Dutchess in answer to liis Excellency's of the fifth Instant acquainting his Excellency that he went on y^ 17*^ to Shacomico a place in the remotest part of that County inhabited Chiefly by Indians where also Hve Gudlop Bydner, Hendrick Joachim Senseman and Joseph Shaw tliree Moravian priests with theii* Familyes in a Block House and Sixteen Indian Wigwams round about it, the two first were at home whereupon he acquainted them with his Excellency's Order And they promised to set out the 24'*^ Instant and that he perceiv'd nothing disorderly there.