that they were (nor did they pretend to be) naturalized Subjects of her Majesty, they Came into the Province without your Excellencys Knowledge or Permission ; they absolutely refused to take the Oaths to the Government ; And when ordered tliereupon to Leave the Province and forbid to Reside any more amongst the Indians, one of them impudently, replyed, with a Seeming threatning, that perhaps if they left the province, the Indians would follow them and so Artfully were these Emissarys,
Vol. III. 65
1026 PAPERS RELATING TO
preachers or Teachers, Stationed through this and some neighbouring Colonies, at Convenient Distances, that thereby a Line of Communication seemed to be formed for the Readier Correspondence and Dispatch of Intelligence through the heart of several of these Plantations from one to the other, k so to the Fountain head, the house of the Moravian Brethren at the Forks of Delewarre before mentioned : And, according to Information, messengers were frequently Dispatcht backwards & forwards, which 'twas thought liigh time to put v.n Effectual Checque to.
This strange surprizing & audacious Conduct of those people and the foregomg or such like observations and Reflections, 'Twas thought, gave sufficient umbrage for Jealousie Especially in the Time of War; tlierefore to Guard against the Subtile Devices of Crafty men, Strangers & aliens, & to frustrate all wicked Practices of Desiguiug Persons & Papists in Disguise under any Colour or Appearances w^hatsoever Calculated to delude the ignorant Savages, vailed imder the Specious Shew of Care for their souls, were, as The Com<^® conceive. Inducements to the Passing the act referred to in their Lordships Letter & of the mentioning the Moravians in it, by name.