We can therefore object nothing against the accusation presented by our inveterate opponents, who, we understand, are many and powerful, but a reply in the negative, together with an humble prayer that our secret accusers may appear personally before your High Mightinesses with their suborned witnesses, in order to convict us, in the usual course of law to our shame, disgrace and confusion, or in default of proof, to revoke the charge and to indemnify us for the damage and disgrace we have sustained. The first, which is vouchsafed, saving your High Mightinesses' authority and judgment, to the meanest offenders, belongs also to us, a freeborn citizen of a free State the last as a public ;

functionary, favored and intrusted with your High Mightinesses' commission though aiming ;

at or desiring as a Christian, no man's damage or disgrace through a spirit of vengeance, yet as a man and public officer we cannot, without personal degradation, permit suffered insults to go unreproved, according to the instruction of Seneca: Ad calumnias tacendum non est. ut contradicendo nos ulciscamur sed 7ie taccndo menducio nos offensum jffogressum pcrmittarnus. It pains us, therefore, that former pretending friends who, on their departure and setting out from this place, freely and unsolicited thanked us as their father, swearing with an oath, as well to our face as behind our back, that they had nothing, either against us or against our government, nor would they trouble themselves with any private affairs, should afterwards, when contradicting their own oath and conscience, not be obliged answer legally for their to calumnious and unfounded accusations. Nevertheless your High Mightinesses' good intention shall serve us, in these and other commands, as a rule to govern ourselves under them with patience and obedience until the Almighty grant another result. Your High Mightinesses' commands regarding the exportation of cattle shall be observed as far as possible, but time will determine whether it will not create disgust among the English people residing under our jurisdiction, inasmuch as they live only by trade in grain and cattle.