to
the Crown, and denied the right of the Crown to receive and decide upon
such appeals. These rulers not only encroached upon the lands of
neighbouring colonies, but interfered with their exercise of religious
toleration.[204] The extinction of the pretensions to supremacy and
monopoly of power and trade by the rulers of Massachusetts Bay, was the
enfranchisement of the other New England Colonies to protection against
aggression, and of four-fifths of the male inhabitants of Massachusetts
itself to the enjoyment of equal civil and religious liberty.

I think therefore that "ambitions and mean longings," and even
"venality," had quite as much to do on the part of those who wished to
perpetuate the government of disloyalty, proscription, and persecution
as on the part of those who desired to "render unto Caesar the things
that are Caesar's," and to place the Government of Massachusetts, like
that of the other New England Colonies, upon the broad foundation of
equal and general franchise and religious liberty.

But to return from this digression. After "the fall of the Charter,"
November, 1684, the Congregationalists of Massachusetts Bay continued
their government for two years, as if nothing had happened to their
Charter; they promptly proclaimed and took the oath of allegiance to
James the Second; and two years afterwards sent the celebrated Increase
Mather as agent to England, to thank the King for the Proclamation of
Indulgence, which trampled on English laws, and cost the King his
throne, to pray for the restoration of the Charter, and to accuse and
pray for the removal of the King's obnoxious Governor-General of New
England, Sir Edmund Andros. The King received him very courteously, and
granted him several audiences. It would have been amusing to witness the
exchange of compliments between the potent minister of Massachusetts
Congregationalism and the bigoted Roman Catholic King of England; but
though James used flattering words, he bestowed no favours, did not
relax the rigour of his policy, and retained his Governor of New
England. On the dethronement of James, Dr. Mather paid his homage to the
rising sun of the new Sovereign--professed overflowing loyalty to
William and Mary,[205] and confirmed his professions by showing that his
constituents, on learning of the revolution in England, seized and sent
prisoner to England, Andros, the hated representative of the dethroned
King. But King William did not seem to es