s unworthy of retaining the "inheritance" of the Charter,
the powers and objects of which they had so greatly perverted and
abused. The King had expressly declared that the prosecution against the
Charter would be abandoned if they would submit to his decision in
regard to what had been matters of complaint and dispute between them
and their fellow-colonists and Sovereign for more than fifty years, and
which decision should be added to the Charter as explanatory
regulations, and should embrace nothing affecting their religious
liberties or local elective self-government. They refused, and lost
their Charter; Rhode Island and Connecticut submitted, and even resigned
their Charters, and were afterwards authorized to resume them, with the
privileges and powers conferred by them unimpaired, including the
election of their Governors as well as legislators, etc.]

[Footnote 190: Hutchinson's History of Massachusetts Bay, Vol. I., pp.
338, 339.]

[Footnote 191: Hildreth's History of the United States, Vol. I., Chap.
xiv., p. 507. The notice to the Corporation and Company of Massachusetts
to answer to the writ of _quo warranto_ was received October, 1683; the
final judgment of the Court vacating the Charter was given July, 1685,
nearly two years afterwards. (Hutchinson, Vol. I., pp. 337-340.)]

[Footnote 192: History of New England, Vol. III., B. iii., Chap. ix.,
pp. 380, 381.]

[Footnote 193: Palfrey's History of New England, Vol. III., B. iii.,
Chap. ix., pp. 394, 395.]

[Footnote 194: History of Massachusetts Bay, Vol. I., p. 340.

"The Charter fell. This was the last effective act of Charles the Second
relative to Massachusetts; for before a new Government could be settled,
the monarch was dead. His death and that of the Charter were nearly
contemporary." (Barry's History of Massachusetts, First Period, Chap.
xvii., p. 478).]

[Footnote 195: The conclusion of this letter is as follows: "Sir, for
the things of my soul, I have these many years hung upon your lips, and
ever shall; and in civil things am desirous you may know with all
plainness my reasons of procedure, and that they may be satisfactory to
you. I am, sir, your servant,

"J. DUDLEY.
From your own house,
May 17th, '86."]

[Footnote 196: History of Massachusetts Bay, Vol. I., pp. 350, 351, 352.
"Though eighteen months had elapsed since the Charter was vacated, the
Government was still going on as before. The General Court, though
attended thinly, was i