etermined resolution
was taken by the commons-men to send some person. They made their
intention known to the Director, and requested that they might confer
with the commonalty; but their proposition was not well received, and
they obtained in reply to their written petition a very long apostil,
to the effect, that consultation must be had with the Director, and his
instructions followed, with many other things which did not agree with
out object, and were impracticable, as we think. For various reasons
which we set down in writing, we thought it was not advisable to consult
with him, but we represented to his Honor that he should proceed; we
would not send anything to the Fatherland without his having a copy of
it. If he could then justify himself, we should be glad he should;
but to be expected to follow his directions in this matter was not, we
thought, founded in reason, but directly antagonistic to the welfare
of the country. We had also never promised or agreed to do so; and were
bound by an oath to seek the prosperity of the country, as, according to
our best knowledge, we are always inclined to do.

In the above mentioned apostil it says, if we read rightly, that we
should inquire what approbation the commonalty were willing to give to
this business, and how the expense should be defrayed; but the Director
explained it differently from what we understood it. Now as his Honor
was not willing to convene the people however urgent our request, or
that we should do it, we went round from house to house and spoke to the
commonalty. The General has, from that time, burned with rage, and, if
we can judge, has never been effectually appeased since, although we did
not know but that we had followed his order herein. Nevertheless it was
perceived that the Nine Men would not communicate with him or follow his
directions in anything pertaining to the matter. This excited in him
a bitter and unconquerable hatred against them all, but principally
against those whom he supposed to be the chief authors of it; and
although these persons had been good and dear friends with him always,
and he, shortly before, had regarded them as the most honorable, able,
intelligent and pious men of the country, yet as soon as they did
not follow the General's wishes they were this and that, some of them
rascals, liars, rebels, usurers and spendthrifts, in a word, hanging was
almost too good for them. It had been previously strongly urged that the