-establishment of their former enjoyed liberties and privileges, both
sacred and civil."

We have thus the testimony of the Plymouth colony itself that there was
no attempt on the part of either Charles the First or Second to
interfere with the fullest exercise of their own chosen form of worship,
or with anything which they themselves regarded as their civil rights.
If another course of proceedings had to be adopted in regard to the
Puritan Government of Massachusetts Bay, it was occasioned by their own
conduct, as will appear hereafter. Complaints were made by colonists to
England of the persecuting and unjust conduct of the Puritan Government,
and inquiries were ordered in 1646, 1664, 1678, and afterwards. The
nature and result of these inquiries will be noticed hereafter. At
present I will notice the first Commission sent out by Charles the
Second, in 1664, and which was made general to the several colonies, to
avoid invidious distinction, though caused by complaints against the
conduct of the Puritan Government of Massachusetts Bay. The
Commissioners proposed four questions to the Governments of the several
colonies of New England. I will give the questions, or rather
propositions, and the answers to them on the part of the Pilgrim
Government of Plymouth, as contained in its printed records:--

"_The Propositions made by His Majesty's Commissioners to the General
Court of (New Plymouth), held at Plymouth, for the jurisdiction of New
Plymouth, the 22nd of February, Anno Dom. 1665._

"1. That all householders inhabiting in the colony take the oath of
allegiance, and the administration of justice be in his Majesty's name.

"2. That all men of competent estates and civil conversation, though of
different judgments, may be admitted to be freemen, and have liberty to
choose and to be chosen officers, both civil and military.

"3. That all men and women of orthodox opinions, competent knowledge and
civil lives (not scandalous), may be admitted to the sacrament of the
Lord's Supper, and their children to baptism if they desire it; either
by admitting them into the congregation already gathered, or permitting
them to gather themselves into such congregations, where they may have
the benefit of the sacraments.

"4. That all laws and expressions in laws derogatory to his Majesty, if
any such have been made in these late troublesome times, may be
repealed, altered, and taken off from the file."

THE COURT'S ANSWER.