printing press; to give universal toleration in
religion, but encouragement to the Church of England; to execute the
laws of trade, and prevent frauds in Customs.[198] But Andros had other
instructions of a more despotic and stringent character; and being, like
King James himself, of an arbitrary disposition, he fulfilled his
instructions to the letter. And when his Royal master was dethroned for
his unconstitutional and tyrannical conduct, Andros was seized at Boston
and sent prisoner to England, to answer for his conduct; but he was
acquitted by the new Government, not for his policy in New England, but
because he had acted according to his instructions, which he pleaded as
his justification.[199]

It is singular that _toleration_ in Massachusetts should have been
proclaimed by the arbitrary James, in a declaration above and contrary
to the law for which he received the thanks of the ministers in that
colony, but which resulted in his loss of his Crown in England.

"James's Declaration of Indulgence was proclaimed (1687), and now, for
the first time, Quakers, Baptists, and Episcopalians enjoyed toleration
in Massachusetts. That system of religious tyranny, coeval with the
settlement of New England, thus unexpectedly received its death-blow
from a Catholic bigot, who professed a willingness to allow religious
freedom to others as a means of securing it for himself." ... "Mather,
who carried with him (1689) an address from the ministers, thanking
James, in behalf of themselves and their brethren, for his Declaration
of Indulgence arriving in England while King James was yet in power, had
been graciously received by that monarch. But, though repeatedly
admitted to an audience, his complaints against the Royal Governor
(Andros) had produced no effect. The Revolution intervening, he
hastened, with greater hopes of success, to address himself to the new
King, and his remonstrances prevented, as far as Massachusetts was
concerned, the despatch of a circular letter confirming the authority of
all Colonial officers holding commissions from James II. The letters
actually received at Boston authorized those in authority to retain
provisionally the administration, and directed that Andros and the other
prisoners should be sent to England."[200]

I have now traced the proceedings of the founders and rulers of the
Massachusetts Bay Colony during the fifty-four years of their first
Charter, with short notices of some occurrences